April 2023 - Volume 42, Issue 5

. . . Popular Hair

Who has the best haircuts!!

The Era Tour

Page 12-13

College Athlete Signing

Page 16-17

by Maggie Flannery Layout editor

Earth Day Page 22

Sick with Senioritis

Page 31

Editoral board: Sydney Slaton, Hudson Marmon, Maggie Flannery, Brooke Burbidge, Abbt Wallace, Tim Wood, Kai Magana, Reporters: Dalton Roberts, Quinton Coats, Makenna Aiello, Addison Bell, Serinity Bishop, Xander Cha, Kailey Donnell, Mj Garcia, Mildred Garza, Mia Pham, Mya Roberts, Mia Rollins, Riley Story

Artists: Sylvia Grimsley, Ashley Rottinghaus, Jackie Small, Riley Story

Arguably the most interesting hair would be Peter Swaney, with his curly mullet. It makes a statement and shows his “I don’t care what other people think” personality.

When asked about what inspired this cut, he said his rugby team decided they should all have mullets.

Styling a mullet can be tricky, but Swaney has chosen to go away from that and stick to little to no styling.

“I get into the shower, and I dry my hair and shake it.” Swaney said.

Not many expected the mullet to make such a big comeback - it was unexpected to say the least. That is why seeing teens such as Swaney take an outdated hairstyle and make it fresh and new is really exhilarating.

Going into high school, everyone changes in some way. Charlotte Henry cut most of her hair off. It is a cute above the shoulders bob, with so many layers! It is one of those cuts that not many can pull off, but she does it so well.

“I wanted to change something,” Henry said.

Henry described her style as unique, which I agree fully. Her main reason for keeping the cut short is to be different, and not have long hair like everyone else.

“I didn’t want to have my hair a certain way just because other people had it,” Charlotte said.

Styling a short cut is at times harder than longer hair, because the options can be limited, Charlotte did not seem to have this issue. She also will let the curls relaxed and settle, to leave a loose wave in its place.

Kate is the opposite of Charlotte. Where she has short hair, Kate has waist length locks that gives Rapunzel vibes. Kate told a story of when she was little and her older sister had long hair, and like any little sister, Kate wanted to be just like her big sister. While that is the reason she has had it long to begin with, Kate now keeps it long because she has had that way for so long.

When it comes to styling extra long hair it requires a more complex understanding of your hair, but Kate has found what works best for her. “leave it down, or like, throw it into a loose ponytail,” Kate said.

While having hair this long, Kate

has confessed to having a nervous tendency to mess with it and play with it,showing some of her personality.

Junior Austin Young (AY) has arguably one of the most popular hairstyles in pop culture right now. He describes it as, “low taper on the sides”, along with some curls. The taper can help with lighting the haul on the head. Having the curls gives it volume and shape.

Young’s style is represented by his laid back personality, the messy and curled ends really add to the look. Showing his style through his hair. Although, in essence, it is just a modern bowl cut where the ends curl up.

When asked about inspiration for his cut, his answer was simple.

“I just ride my own wave” Young said.

Which can be said about his character; Young dances to the beat of his own drum.

Where

do

we go from here?

More coaches leaving and how will it affect the team

by Sydney Slaton editor-in-chief

This March, as many were excited for the upcoming spring break, the cheerleaders were getting some unexpected news: every one of their new coaches was resigning.

“We don’t have any news on coaches yet so it’s just a little nerve wracking if we’re going to even get one,” sophomore Olivia Kulzer said.

Having no coaches is stressful for many cheerleaders. Now that they are without a coach, many cheerleaders are hoping next year’s coaches will be a more long-term situation.

“I think a consistent coaching staff would be more beneficial,” Kulzer said.

Kulzer is not the only cheerleader with hopes for how the new coaching staff will look. Freshman Bella Gandini speaks about the criteria she, and others, are looking for.

“From what everyone’s talked about so far, I think everyone’s hoping for a younger coach that can grow with us as a team, and then also someone who’s experienced,” Gandini said.

Thankfully, the hiring process is running smoothly. Activities director Rachel Jetton says they have had many candidates reach out for the position, so many in fact, Jetton says they have moved on to the next step and are moving on with the candidates they have already.

“We’ve posted the position, actually I was getting so many emails about the position and I felt like we had a good

candidate pool at the time, so it got taken down earlier this week,” Jetton said.

After this year’s coaches left, the administration posted the job for others to see, these are posted externally through the district’s website.

“We just post it like any other position, those coaching positions are posted like a teaching position, which is a little different than some of our clubs and activities, that’s just an internal process, where head cheer coach, assistant coaches all get posted within the Olathe Public School’s website,” Jetton said.

After the position has been out to the public and potential coaches have reached out, the next couple steps are up to Jetton.

“I look through our applicants, screen them, interview them, check out their resumes, figure out their backgrounds, and then really just identify who would be the best fit for Olathe South and our program moving forward,” Jetton said.

In the screening and interview process, Jetton looks for many different qualities in the candidates. One of the most important qualities for her are

photo by | Danielle Desmarteau

illustration by | Sylvia Grimsley

coaches who are willing to be a good role model.

“I really look for candidates that express the want to be a competitive team, but also prioritize being good humans. It’s so important that students get held accountable when they’re representing our school and our cheerleaders are at a lot of things representing our school,” Jetton said.

These things are important because growing as people, as well as athletes, is important to many, including Jetton.

“There are so many things you can learn from being involved, not necessarily just in cheerleading but in any activity or sport,” Jetton said. “The discipline, the time management, the working with others, the teamwork, there’s so much more than actual skills, placing emphasis on how we can better ourselves while also bettering Olathe South as a whole.”

Currently though, the administration is still screening candidates, but Jetton is hopeful about their progress.

“We are still in the process but I feel like we can move forward, I think we have some strong candidates to choose from so I’m excited about that,” Jetton.

Many cheerleaders are excited to get

aren’t cheering during seventh hour practices.

“Now we just use cheer as a study hall, but I know

“I loved the coaching staff. I feel like they really helped us improve the program and they definitely worked to make better bonds with the girls,”

improve the program and they definitely worked to make better bonds with the girls, they really got to know us and they worked us really hard but it ended up being really beneficial in the end. So I really enjoyed them, I loved them,” Kulzer said.

Olivia

Kulzer, sophomore

Now Kulzer, and many others, are ready to move on and get ready for the next cheer season.

“I hope we’re able to find good coaches who are eager to work and want to commit to the team,” Kulzer said.

The cheer team is looking forward to getting new coaches and starting the next season with them. There are various criterias from students and staff that they are hoping to see fulfilled, but overall they’re just ready to start again regardless of who their coach is.

“I feel like we’re all pretty versatile, we’re all willing to work with new coaches,” Kulzer said. e

illustration by | Sylvia Grimsley

Left on Read

Hudson Marmon editor-in-chief

Being left on read… sometimes it sucks. But regardless of why someone chooses not to respond to your message, in most cases, a read receipt is a good sign that the conversation has ended.

Yes, communication is easier than ever before, but it seems that with the ability to contact anyone anywhere, at any time, social etiquette is on the brink of extinction. As a result, everyday scream therapy becomes a bit more appealing.

As someone who isn’t keen on small talk, I know that, in the real world, it’s easy to walk away from a conversation when it’s over. But online, bland conversations often become immortal, making it so that only the mightiest of warriors can conquer an unwanted “wyd?”

Social etiquette is on the brink of extinction

I’ve noticed that there are no longer any social boundaries online. As I mentioned before, anyone can contact you at any time, regardless of where you are. So when someone refuses to leave you alone, why are you labeled rude when you ask them to?

We know you can’t walk away from a conversation online. That said, if someone misses the signs pointing them toward the end of a conversation, the easiest option is to resort to leaving them on read.

Most of the time this will do the trick, it may come off a little rude, but give it a day, people move on. However, the problem begins when this doesn’t do the trick. What do you do now? Well, that’s easy. If they’re going to send another message after being left on read, leave them on delivered -- if you haven’t seen their first message, why would they send another?

Again, most of the time that will work, but what if… you know where I’m going with this. This is where it gets hard. This is what makes me frustrated.

This is why scream therapy sounds so nice.

It’s easy to write this off as teenagers being petty -- “Woe is me! I’m getting text messages!” -- but this is a genuine societal issue. Social etiquette is incredibly important, and as we stray further from it, we sacrifice our claim to privacy. The way I see it, digital communication, like all relationships, has levels. Personally, I tend to use different forms of communication to keep in touch with people depending on how close we are. For example, Snapchat is my catchall.

If I were to meet someone via social media, most of the time that would happen on Snapchat. Why? It isn’t super revealing (if you don’t make it super revealing). When I add someone new, all they can see is my Bitmoji and username. A step up from that, would be Instagram.

I have a private account and typically only accept follow requests from people I know in the real world. As opposed to Snapchat, my Instagram account has

illustrations by | Hudson Marmon

posts dating back to 2017, and while I feel like none of my posts are necessarily private, I don’t want just anyone on the app being able to see my account. At the heart of my digital world is iMessage. Many of the people who have my phone number are my closest friends or family, and I keep it that way for a reason.

Setting these boundaries allows me to (for lack of a better word) prioritize who I respond to and when. Whereas Snapchat or Instagram could go unchecked for hours or days, I stay on top of texts in iMessage.

I bring this up because it all ties back to privacy. Just like in the real world, relationships take time to build. If I were send my best friend 11 text messages in a row, that would be completely okay (we’re mutual best friends*). On the other hand, if I were to send a girl I just met on Snapchat 11 messages in a row, I would be blocked -- hopefully -- and rightfully so.

So let’s backtrack. You’re on Instagram, and someone you have met but don’t know very well has sent you multiple messages after being left on delivered. What do you do? Well, that’s completely up to you.

I want you to know that however you handle the situation -- as long as it is not harmful to yourself or others -- is okay. You deserve to have your privacy and peace of mind, and if someone is doing something to obstruct that, you shouldn’t feel bad for standing up for yourself.

My Digital Circle

Although everyone’s’ social media preferences may vary slightly, the number of people I allow to see my various accounts can be demonstrated by the infographic to the right. My phone number is at the core, representing only my closest friends and family, whereas Instagram and Snapchat tend to have a more broad group of people.

illustration by | Jackie Small e

Animal Showcase

Student Naturalist students showcase the animals to the elementary school kids.

by Timothy Wood managing editor

Through the course of the years in the student naturalist class. The elementary school kids have been coming to visit Mrs. Radakovich’s class, to watch and listen to the students present the animals and maybe touch them.

“I believe the inspiration behind the kids visiting was a student naturalist teacher that went ahead and got an animal collection and decided that the only students getting the benefit of all these animals are just the juniors and seniors that are taking the class,” Radakovich said.

Radakovich says that the students of the class become the teacher and it is a good opportunity for the students.

“It’s good for my students because they get to see the joy on the elementary kids’ faces. I think it was basically made to introduce the elementary schoolers to the animals of the world. Like who is going to protect animals if you do not know the animals, if you know them then you are more likely to put in the effort to protect them,” Radakovich said.

Radakovich explains the way that

the animals were picked to be presented to the elementary schoolers.

“Each of my students gets to pick a classroom animal. Depending on how many students I have in that hour there could be 20 animals that could be presented or there could be 28 with my other classes. So it all depends on how many students I have in that class, and they pick what animal they want to become an expert on and present,” Radakovich said.

how she researched and prepared to present the snake to the kids.

"This is a pull quote. Font is MADE Tommy thin 11pt and it is center aligned. Attribution is in Dream Orphans, 11pt regular.”

John Smith, senior

Student aid Hannah Simmons explains what animal she picked and why she picked that animal.

“I have Shato the Malshi Milk snake, I chose him because I have a fascination with snakes. I like to learn more about them, there are multiple sub-species of milk snakes, and having that one could open up multiple doors to understanding the colors on the snake and why they are there and how the snake was discovered,” Simmons said.

Simmons gives her description of

“I asked a lot of people, like my teacher a lot of questions on what she knew, went to Google and watched a lot of videos of people handing the snakes to prepare. I read a lot of articles and just handing the snake you get to learn a lot about their personality on why he is the way he is; he is a very skittish snake, and holding him helps me understand why he acts the way he is for his species,” Simmons said.

Junior Zachary Martin chose to present Shagwood the Jungle Carpet Python and here is his reason why.

“He is quite the wow factor. He is nine feet long, when you walk around a corner and see such a long snake it kind of throws people off a little bit, and when little kids see such a big snake it is kinda fun to see them get scared,” Martin said.

Martin gives his explanation of how he researched and prepared the snake to present to the elementary schoolers.

photo by | Myles Morant

“I just kind of looked everything up. I did most of my research last semester cause he was the animal I did my research on, but basically just held him and got familiar with how he moves. It kind of depends on what day it is but he is a pretty chill snake, he likes to smell around a bit, but you can one hand hold him and he chills out,” Martin said.

Senior Sam Jadlot chose Salvay the Tortoise because she first met him trying to escape the room and they just had a special thing.

not too nervous about the snake biting or anything he is a pretty tame snake. I guess just fumbling the bag,” Martin said.

Mrs. Radakovich explains her fear of the elementary kids seeing, holding and maybe touching the animals.

"This is a pull quote. Font is MADE Tommy thin 11pt and it is center aligned. Attribution is in Dream Orphans, 11pt regular.”

John Smith, senior

“I presented Salvey twice now, so I already know everything about him. I’ve taken him home twice. I kind of already memorized everything about him, and I plan to get my own marching tortoise.

Simmons says her favorite part will be getting to teach the kids and getting them to understand everything about her animal.

“I want to teach the kids that not all snakes are dangerous, and just having the kids sit there and just listen and get them to peak an interest in the snakes and all the other animals,” Simmons said.

Martin explains what he is most nervous about presenting the snake to the elementary schoolers.

“I am most nervous about fumbling my words in the presentation. I’m

“On the holding thing, there is a little bit of where you just don’t know if an elementary kid is going to freak out and if they freak out they might drop the animal, but they can get an opportunity to touch them and maybe hold half of a snake so they get a feel for the muscles moving and everything. But we keep our elementary kids super safe and we keep our animals super safe,” Radakovich said.

Radakovich explains her hope to inspire these kids to love animals more and to learn more about them.

“I mean an appreciation for nature is going to take them a long way, not just in learning about animals in school, but it goes on beyond in their entire life. Knowing and appreciating the world and the animals that are in it, and then again if you expose kids or anybody to animals, and you can’t help fall in love with them then you’re willing to do those steps that are going to go ahead and protect maybe not just that animal but all of them,” Radakovich said. e

photos by | Myles Morant

An inside about where the school stand with drugs

Students and staff share their expirance with drugs withen school walls

by Kailey Donnell reporter

Given the sensitive nature of this article, student sources have been rep resented by a singular letter to protect their identities. The letter was chosen at random, not corresponding with their real names.

Now more than ever, the bath rooms are packed with students vaping, dealers, and people who went in at the wrong time and wrong place and at least one of the bathrooms is shut down everyday.

“Students have been smoking in the bathroom way before vapes were a thing. And getting in trouble for it and now it’s easier because they have less scent. It’s different from having a cigarette because a cigarette takes time to burn. The students can go in there, hit it once and keep on going with their day,” Mervosh said.

There is no denying that teens vape or consume drugs, this has been going on for 50 plus years. The school has used standard things to try and prevent drug use.

“The preventative measures have been like the posters that you see in the hallways and that sort of thing,” Mervosh said.

Mervosh also acknowledges that drug use is “a different, much more difficult beast to try to attack” and admin’s goal is just to try and curb use as much as they can despite limitations.

that are in there. So then what’s the process? How does that look, do we search every one? At first we did, and that would take up to 10-15 minutes for each one, and then go through paperwork,” Mervosh said.

Mervosh also expressed that he doesn’t know “if there’s anything that we could do to improve that [would help]” to prevent students from vaping at school.

“I would say [we find] five [students using drugs] a week, so maybe 20 kids a month would be a guess without having the paper in front,” Gabe Mervosh said.

“Besides, you know, having metal detectors as we walk through the morning or something like that, to try to be another deterrent but I know that happens in other school districts and it has not changed the issue,” Mervosh said.

what I do for my friends, my family, my academics, and my work. I think that how functional I am compensates for what would happen,” P. said.

Simply deciding to stop is a lot harder than most people think, especially because their brains are still developing.

“I know it gets brought up in the beginning of [being told] don’t do it in the first place,” P. said. “I think it needs to be more severe, like mandatory to have some kind of damage control lesson over like, mental consequence, or physical. But not just consequences, just like, how much better it would be without it.”

Student Z. believes that it is harder for teen’s to stop using if they aren’t getting the assistance they need.

“I can’t have you know, male and female teachers hanging out [in the bathroom] when they need to do their job,” Mervosh said. “I’m not going to station somebody in the restrooms. I think that that’s demeaning for college educated people that are here to teach during the day.”

The administration has tried to take more proactive measures such as vape detectors, but even then those are time consuming.

‘We would have to report [to that] bathroom and there’s five or six kids

As far as the ‘consequences’ of getting caught there is a “reactive portion of it when we catch a student that is vaping they would have to complete an online program,” that is run through EverFi.

“[EverFi] expresses the dangers of vaping. It’s a 2 or 3 hour thing that they go through and it gets a few of their suspension wiped away,” Mervosh said.

It’s a known fact that students get caught with vaping almost everyday, student P. admits that “getting caught does give [them] anxiety.”

“But I guess I think who I am as a person makes up for [doing drugs] and

“I think it’s actually really difficult because a lot of teens don’t have the help they need. And they don’t have resources and support. So then they use drugs more because that’s [when] they feel good,” Z. said.

As many know, women face a lot of hardships in life, this is why Molly Lafferty thinks that girls vape and consume for that reason.

“Generally, I would say I feel like girls especially, just because they have more to escape from, maybe because I just see more and hear about it more but that might be because I’m friends with them. Obviously, girls have a lot of pressure, like societal pressure to be

shutting down the bathrooms and other preventions to stop kids from vaping, P. thinks that they are taking the wrong approach.

“If this is like, time after time, after time, then I think [the school] needs to focus more on damage control, and [how] it’s going to affect you,”P. said. “Because if you’re going to do it, you need to do it safely.”

Some of the students think that the school could do better, Lafferty believes that the school needs to get insight from the students.

“I do feel like they could bring more

“I think it’s actually really difficult because a lot of teens don’t have the help they need. And they don’t have resources and support. So then they use drug more because that’s [when] they feel good,”

awareness, or ask the students what they think could help, because now [the school] is just taking opinions from adults and other people who don’t really get it. They should come from the students perspective and see what would help,” Lafferty said.

The everyday problems that students face are different, and affect students differently than they do adults.

“I think the first semester was really bad, because we just had a lot of bad things happen. And nobody did anything about them,” P. said.

Z. said.

illustration by | Jackie Small

photo by | Allie Elton

photo by | Allie Elton

photo by | Allie Elton

The Era Tour

Everything you need to know about Taylors Swifts Eras tour.

by Brooke Burbidge layout editor

The United States leg of the eras tour kicked off in Arizona in midmarch, and many fans have already taken to the app tik tok to post their videos expressing how life changing her tour really is. Taylor Swift and her band will come to Kansas City, Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium on July 15 and 16. The last time Swift was in Kansas City was for her reputation tour in September of 2018.

On this tour Swift performs fortyfour songs and is on stage for an average of three hours and ten minutes with no intermissions. Starting off with “Lover”, then “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” “Evermore,” “Reputation,” “Speak Now,” “Red (Taylor’s Version),” “Folklore,” “1989, Debut taylor swift,” and lastly “Midnights”. Swift has as-

sured her audience that every single night she can change the set list and is intending to, so every town has a unique show.

You think you can just scroll and know what’s on the set list, you think you can just come prepared, with you little flash cards in your pocket I know what next and I know what she wears next I know what she sings next like I just said about the Eras tour being tricky.”

These songs occur usually as “surprise songs’’ during the show’s ninth act and feature some of her lesser known songs; some of them featured include her debut single “Tim McGraw,” “Lover”, “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” and the seldom-heard “Cowboy Like Me.” There will also be more obscure

songs pulled from Swift’s massive backlog of songs which will be keeping fans on the edge of their seats wondering what songs they’ll get the privilege of hearing.

It has become a common trend for concertgoers to dress up in their flashiest and sparkliest outfits in celebration of both the concert and Swift’s different eras in her career. From jewels in hair, bedazzled and fringed dresses, and even sequin bodysuits, it has become a sideshow, in the best way possible, to see who can come up with the best outfits

to showcase their personalities and appreciation for Swift’s music.

Endurance is one thing that Swift has had to build up and go through as well, as the only time off she had through the duration of the tour was from April 3-12. Beyond that, she is scheduled to play anywhere from two shows over consecutive nights in one city to five in a seven day span. This

is super impressive because in every town she visits she is playing at least two shows to make sure many fans get the opportunity to see her perform and play live.

The opening performers have been headlined by punk rock icons Paramore (though they were only scheduled to play the tour’s opening night in Glen-

dale, Arizona). The additional opening acts scheduled throughout the tour’s duration are Gayle, Haim, Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams, Beabadoobee, Girl in Red, Muna, and Owenn. They all will mix and match what shows they play sporadically, but fans will surely be fulfilled with whichever openers they happen to see the night they attend.

illustrations by | Sylvia Grimsley

After The Cap

What are our seniors doing after graduation?

by Makenna Aiello Reporter

Just as most high school students are worried about the here and now, the bubble of high school, an impenetrable circle of homework and friendship, the bursting of that bubble is closer than one might think. For juniors and seniors, the world beyond is on the horizon. There is a different path for everyone, and each path leads to the role that one will assume in society and in their future.

There are many different career paths to pursue after high school. To name a few, a high school graduate could decide to attend a 4-year university, community college, a trade/certificate program, or the military. An immediate immersion into the workforce is also an option, and other students could choose to take a gap year -- a year-long break for rest, travel, work, or any other activity.

Whether a student chooses to spend 10 years undergoing a prestigious medical program, or decides to take a gap year and spend it taking photos of exotic, faraway places, what one does after high school is the determining factor of what their future will be.

That being said, choosing what to do after high school is an extremely important decision, and with making that decision comes a lot of stress and pressure. There are concerns about the cost of living, difficult classes, relationships, choosing the right career path, student debt, and roommates, but, however insurmountable these obstacles can seem, the anticipation of independence

and starting on the path to adulthood provides a healthy balance of excitement to this anxiety.

Senior Madison Koerner is well equipped and excited for the college years, but also shares how anxiety-inducing the process is.

“I’m really excited about the independence that I’ll have, and how I’ll be able to get my own job while I’m living by myself and pursuing classes that I’ll enjoy.”

Megan Hufford, Senior

“I am planning on going to JCCC for two years to study psychology, and then I plan to move over to a larger school. I want to study psychology because it’s a very broad field and there are many jobs you can obtain with that degree. I’ve always been interested in how the brain works,” Koerner said.

With the excitement comes a healthy dose of anxiety and sadness, as is healthy. “I’m really excited to be done with high school, but at the same time, of course, I’m nervous and a little sad, because this has been twelve years of my life, but I’m ready to start fresh somewhere else,” Koerner said. “The hardest part about deciding where to go after high school, for me, is student debt. I think JCCC was a good choice because it’s way less expensive.”

Senior Megan Hufford shares a similar viewpoint in terms of the stress of saving up enough money to afford college, housing, and its many other money vacuums.

“I’m going to KU to pursue fine arts. I really like putting down

illustrations by | Sylvia Grimsley

visions and dreams on paper and sharing them, to get a message out to the world. I’m really excited about the independence that I’ll have, how I’ll be able to get my own job while I’m living by myself and also pursuing classes that I’ll enjoy,” Hufford said.

Of course, with this jump from high school to the world beyond also means leaving behind the friends that have been there for four years, and all the people one knows, on top of the additional stress that the transition inflicts.

“I’m going to miss all my friends. They’re #1.” Hufford said. “It’s also particularly stressful to save up enough money to go to a bigger school and get my own place.”

Senior Dylan Traudt shares his post high school plans and also gives a snippet of advice to those who have not yet reached that bridge, or are about to.

“I am going to play soccer at Baker or I’m going to go to KU. Preparing for college is difficult, but as long as you stay on top of your school work and make sure to consider all your options to know which one is the best fit for you,” Traudt said. “It comes up quicker than you think, and it requires a lot of hard work and a lot of money. It’s the start to your future, to what you’re going to do when you’re out of school and fully on your own.”

Senior Lance Anderson is pursuing a less widely known career option, and shares his greatest fear in regards to his decision.

“I’m going to go to JCCC

and then KU to become an aerospace engineer. I enjoy math and I toured KU and decided that it would be the greatest place for me to go,” Anderson said.

“I’m very excited to leave high school, but I’m also worried about having hard classes in college.”

Senior Sam Moore shares his worries, but also his excitement for the years to come, and how the path he chose resembles who he is as a person.

“I’m planning on going to KU and doing a four-year major in business. I want to do business because it’s always been something that interests me, and I figure that it’s a solid foundation for me to get out of college and make a decision on where I want to go from there,” Moore said. “I always like to think of myself as a negotiator, with those abilities, and I hope to hone those skills and step into the business world.” Moore also adds his concerns, widely voiced worries that plague every senior as they struggle with making the right decision.

“Otherwise, what I’ve worried about most are roommate situations, making the right decision on what I want to pursue, and choosing a college that is fit for me on every level,” Moore said.

High school comes with so many of its own difficulties, but it is the springboard for the rest of one’s life. From high school, the world opens up before you - a world of vast possibilities and endless opportunities. The world is

much larger than what we experience within these years, and every choice you make in high school will impact you later in life, as you begin walking the uneven but promising path toward your future.

College Athlete Signing Spotlight

Three Student-Athletes talk about the ins and outs of the recruiting and signing process

by Quinton Coats Reporter and Fun Facilitator

Every year, student athletes all over the nation and across the world sign national letters of intent to sign on and become a part of a collegiate athletics team. These athletes have worked their whole lives for this moment, to go to college and play the sport they love. They handled business in the classroom and on the field or court. These athletes sign on to teams all across the nation, at all levels of play. NCAA, NJCAA, or NAIA, and to get this far is a tremendous accomplishment. 3 student athletes have put the work in to make their dream come true.

Zane Hall: Zane Hall is a multi-sport athlete playing both football and baseball. He has made his decision to play football at Emporia State, a NCAA Division 2 school in Emporia, Kansas. Emporia State has a rich football history and its a top program in the MIAA Conference.

“When I went on my official visit I really felt welcome, and it was a really nice campus and a really nice school. They’re a really good football program and they have a really good business program which is what I am wanting to major in,” Hall stated. Picking a school for most athletes doesn’t always come down to just athletics. The academic side of the choice can be the most important part of the

decision. The decision to choose where you are going for the next four plus years of your life can be one of the hardest decisions you’ll make in your young life.

“I narrowed it down to Emporia, Benedictine, and just going the junior college route. I had really high hopes for the Junior College route as well and Benedictine also really wanted me but Emporia State definitely fit best,” Hall said.

The change from high school to college can be the most difficult in an athlete’s career. The tempo of play, the schedule, and the workload can all be a challenge to a student athlete. Hall has experienced that workload during high school playing two sports and being a student on top of it.

“It definitely will be a lot tougher than High School. I definitely have to stay on top of everything so I’ll always be eligible so I don’t get chewed out for having bad grades and doing stupid stuff,” Hall said.

easy choice. On the other hand, the decision on what school to choose to further her academic and athletic career was not an easy one

“It was very hard because it was never in my top schools when I was younger. I always thought I was going to go to Washburn or Northwest Missouri State because I always thought those schools were so pretty and I thought that is what you go to college for,” Desmarteau said. “Once I had narrowed it down to Washburn, Emporia State, and Northwest Missouri State, I had to really decide what schools were going to be the best for me in all aspects and not just soccer,” Desmarteau said.

“It definitely will be a lot tougher than High School. I definitely have to stay on top of everything so I’ll always be eligible so I don’t get chewed out for having bad grades and doing stupid stuff.”

Zane Hall, senior

Hall will be heading to Emporia this fall and will make an immediate impact as he will be playing right away.

Danielle Desmarteau: Danielle has been playing soccer her whole life, so when the decision on whether or not to play collegiate soccer came up, it was an

Just like Hall, Desmarteau will be attending Emporia State in the fall. Emporia State is known for its rich athletic history. In recent years, Emporia State’s Women’s soccer team has found plentiful amounts of success having multiple winning seasons. Desmarteau looks to be a part of that success and helping her team succeed.

“As of right now I am going to be playing outside back but I know realistically as a Freshman I am not going to touch the field as much as

I would hope. I know a lot of people that that is how they get burnt out of college is because they expect to touch the field and play as much as they did on their club or high school team. I know I just need to be there, work as hard as I can, and encourage my teammates,” Desmarteau stated.

As most student athletes know, student comes first in that phrase. Emporia State is a good academic school with athletics to compliment it. Having a good soccer squad and a good academic program was the cherry on top for Desmarteau.

“The decision didn’t come down to soccer necessarily. I was in between Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State and I visited both schools and it came down to the decision of what program was going to be better for me for schooling,” Desmarteau said. “Soccer is just something that changes every year and some teams are better, some teams are worse so I decided those two were my top two for soccer.”

“The decision didn’t come down to soccer necessarily. I was in between Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State and I visited both schools and it came down to the decision of what program was going to be better for me for schooling.”

Danielle Desmarteau, senior

Carson Eddleman: Carson Eddleman grew up throwing the ball and swinging the bat. He has been on the high school baseball team all four years, played summer travel baseball, and put in the work outside of practice to get him the opportunity to play at the next level. Eddleman is involved in Falcon Films. His main passion outside of baseball is videography, so his career path really influenced his school choice.

“Initially getting on campus, I just felt at home and I have a lot of trust in the coaches. I accepted my role getting onto their team. I am very interested in video production and media creation and they have a very good program there called the Tiger Media Network. Everything leaned their way when trying to find a school to go to,” Eddleman said.

Fort Hays State is also a member of the prestigious Division 2 conference, the MIAA. In 2022, the baseball team won 4 games, fired their coach, and reshaped the entire program. In 2023, the squad is already posted up quadruple the amount of wins and better players; Eddleman looks to join this success and have a significant role right away.

“I was recruited mainly as a hitter. They recruited me to swing the bat and hit for power so I’ll be hitting and also playing first base as well as bringing my leadership onto the team,” Eddleman said.

Not only will athletes hold on to the time they spent on campus playing and living the college life, but it is the connections they make that they will really hold on to. You meet friends that become family, it is a true brotherhood and sisterhood playing collegiate sports.

“Playing at a really high competitive level, being a part of the team and meeting new teammates and building new connections, that will last a lifetime,” Eddleman proclaimed.

Where are all of the Falcon Student Ahtletes Headed?

Road Through Recovery

Olivia Robben’s journey from shattering the growth plate in her tibia to playing varsity basketball in a little over a year.

by Mya Roberts reporter

During the summer of 2021, the summer before sophomore Oliva Robben’s freshman year, she attended a basketball summer camp and wound up shattering the growth plate of her tibia.

“I was running down the court and someone ran right in front of me,” Robben said. “It was the last day of summer camp.”

When Robben went to the hospital after her injury, doctors took an x-ray, thinking she had torn her ACL. When this proved to be false, they took an MRI, showing something much worse.

“I had actually just shattered it (her tibia),” Robben said. “Which is honestly just worse.”

Robben described her recovery as horrible and it proved to be very difficult for her.

“Recovery was horrible. My leg hurt so bad,” Robben said. “I wasn’t able to put weight on my foot for 6 weeks.”

Due to her height and form of injury, trying to find ways to live her normal life was very strenuous.

“I couldn’t go up the stairs, so my parents moved my bed downstairs [and] we had to get special crutches for my size,” Robben said.

After Robben’s initial injury, she had to go through two surgeries to help in the process of her healing.

“I had 2 surgeries, one original one, and the other one was for an infection I got from the original surgery,” Robben said.

Robben was not only going through physical pain, but also going through mental pain that she let no one see.

“I was really going through a rough time not being able to play,” Robben

said. “I put on a positive face, but it was hard being on the sidelines.”

Throughout her recovery time, Robben worked hard to make sure that she could continue doing what she loved.

“I went on a bunch of walks, bike rides, runs, and lifting,” Robben said. “I started shooting around with my dad a couple of weeks after my surgery, [but] it was rough because I couldn’t put weight on my left foot so I was unstable.”

During the time of her recovery, Robben’s freshman season began, and was spent helping out the rest of the team, instead of being out on the court.

“I was a manager for the team, doing the scoreboard during practices, filling up waters, and doing stats during games,” Robben said.

After lots of hard work and many sessions of physical therapy, Robben was able to come back during her sophomore season, but that brought even more struggles.

“It was hard coming back,” Robben said. “I was still in physical therapy because my leg was hurting after playing for the first time in a year.”

Even though Robben spent her recovery time trying to prepare for when her injury was gone, coming back after almost a year was an obstacle.

“I was also out of shape so that was definitely not helping,” Robben said.

Robben came back after almost a year and made varsity. Robben described this experience as intimidating, and as the first game grew closer, the nerves set in.

“I was nervous playing varsity,” Robben said. “I didn’t think I would play well, but I love my teammates and they helped me a lot.”

“This is me in the hospital a couple hours after I shattered my leg, at first they though I tore my ACL but I actually had just shattered my tibia.” - Olivia Robben

“A couple weeks after surgery... there’s a chair there because I wasn’t allowed to put weight on my other foot.” - Olivia Robben e

photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben

photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben

“This is later that day (the day she shattered her tibia), I had changed and they wrapped my leg, and I think I was just laying there because it hurt.”

Robben after her first surgery, laying in bed sleeping while holding her stuffed bunny. She had freshly painted toe nails and shaved legs because she didn’t want doctors to “have to deal with that.”

“I watched so many shows in the hospital and my dad took a million photos, so I waved in this one. I was also drinking chocolate milk too.”

“This is after my second surgery. The little thing I’m holding, they had to attach to my scar and get all the blood out. That was fun.”

September 2022 started conditioning for basketball

Robben reaching up to score during one of her first Varsity games back after shattering the growth plate in her tibia.

Late November 2022 basketball tryouts + second round of PT

Robben during a home game against North, reaching up to shoot her first basket of the game.

Dec. 5, 2022 first varsity basketball game

photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben

photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben

photo courtesy of | Olivia Robben

photo by | Ayla Anderson

photo by | Coral Netton

- Olivia Robben - Olivia Robben

- Olivia Robben

Are self-paced classes good for students?

A deeper dive into teachers and the affects of self-paced classes.

by Serinity Bishop reporter

Allison Wulff teaches earth science and astronomy, in her classes she implements a student, self-paced class. She is the only teacher that implements a self-paced class. Self-paced learning is a method that allows you to learn on your own time and schedule without following the same pace as others. Students can go at the pace they need, making their learning environment beneficial for them.

“If you want to go fast, you can go fast. If you’re moving a little slower, that’s okay! If you are absent you don’t have to freak out because it is selfpaced,”Wulff said.

Having a self- paced class teaches the student a vital life skill, managing their own time so students can learn how to do it in their adult life.

“That is all a part of learning how to manage your time, which you’re going to have to know in your future job and life, [self-paced class] allows students to develop those skills more than just the traditional classroom,” Wulff said.

Learning how to manage this skill will help the student develop skills to use to help them later in life. Traditional classrooms and teachers are still needed, but a self-paced portion of classes is just an extra way to benefit students. It allows not only for the students to learn self-help skills along with time management skills, but it also gives them a way to see improvement. Instead of students getting work done just to get it turned in. Self-paced learning allows them to worry less and take time to work.

“I think this model is so much better for high school students because you all have busy lives; sometimes your brain is fried and you need to be given a little extra grace. If you’re doing a self-paced model, you can make that decision for yourself. You know your limits, and you know if you need to take a slower day,

you’re going to have to make up work later,” Wulff said.

Not only can students take time to manage their other classes in school, but they can also take some time for themselves. However, in order to make self-paced classes a reality, the strategy needs to be taught to other teachers. Wulff talked about what inspired her to teach other teachers about this learning style.

“I see it as giving a benefit to the kids, and you don’t know what you don’t know until you know what you don’t know, if that makes sense. Like, [teach ers] don’t know about this model, so they can’t make this choice for their own classroom until they know this is a pos sibility,” Wulff said.

There is a negative that comes along with self-paced classes. Teachers might not be motivated to actually teach if a student is in control of their own pace of learning. But that is simply not the case.

“Yes, sometimes when I’m doing the notes for [my students] I’m like, ‘but I actually love lecturing about this certain thing,” Wulff said.

Self-paced classes are flexible, al lowing teachers to teach still some top ics they want to go over, teachers are still needed in many aspects like that.

Teachers can gain a lot of information to help their students. They can see where students are struggling and then

teach more on that subject to help students more. A teacher who can implement this learning style should consider looking at all the benefits self-paced learning can do.

“Doing this method can get a lot of data collection, especially through those mini master checks [students] have after every couple lessons. [It] gives lots of data so you can kind of figure out where students are missing information,” Wule

artwork by: Riley Story

Nick Cook Does Woodwoking

Mr. Cook makes and sells wood work in his free time

by Peyton Walls reporter

The Modern World History teacher at Olathe South, Nick Cook, graduated from Olathe South and went to Pittsburg State, Ottawa University, and MidAmerica Nazarene. He went to college for his teaching degree and went back for his masters.

“I was class of 1984 and then I went to Pittsburg State, from there I did a few other things with construction and then went back and got a teching degree from Ottawa University and then a master’s from MNU,” Nick Cook said.

Cook along with other teachers have lives outside of school. Cook has a woodworking hobby, he makes bowls, pens, and furniture.

“I started [woodworking] as a hobby. I would say ten to fifteen years ago I started refinishing some furniture,” Cook said. “Then I got into turning wood into bowls, pens, stuff like that. I just started making all kinds of things.”

Building onto his house has made it so that Cook doesn’t have to go far to make his wood pieces. He has converted his garage into a workshop.

“I live in a barn and we converted the garage portion of the barn to my shop and then we built another barn for our cars,” Cook said.

Getting wood from other people starts the long process of making a wooden piece. Cook’s favorite thing to make is bowls and he even has machines to help him make it.

“People give me chunks of wood, or a tree has fallen. So I’ll cut it into a certain size and seal it up so that it doesn’t crack on me,” Cook said. “I cut [the wood] in a certain way so that it will fit on the lathe, it’s used to make the wood round and then I have special

tools that chip away wood until it gets round.”

At this point the wood is in a sphere. So Cook needs to dig out a hole to make the wood into a real bowl to then give it to someone.

“Then you turn it around and make the divot on one side and then make it smooth,” Cook said. “Then your wife cries because you made her something nice.”

This hobby is not all just fun and games, Cook sells his work to the people around him. Teachers, friends, and family buy woodworking from him and he gives the products as gifts at weddings.

“I have sold a cutting board for two hundred and fifty dollars and I’ve sold bowls for as much as a hundred dollars, and the pens go for about twenty bucks,” Cook said.

Cook will be retiring in 2024 with his advisory class that are juniors this year. Even though he won’t be working all the time he still has some plans to keep himself busy.

“I plan on selling some stuff, maybe get myself a part time job if I need to,” Cook said. “Get online maybe

and sell some more stuff. I started that during the pandemic and it just got too crazy to keep up with.”

Cook’s best friend retired last year so he has seen and felt how teachers miss the other teachers when they retire. Knowing that he will also miss some teachers he is friends with.

“I already miss Mike Allen, he was my bud and he left. We’re still buds though,” Cook said. “I’ve taught with Mrs. Doherty for twenty years so I’ll miss her, and I’ll definitely miss everyone else in the social studies department, we’re all pretty tight.”

Cook got handed the Falcon Packs after Mike Allen retired last year. He will continue to run it until he retires, then hand it off to another teacher.

“There are two teachers that are working with me now. It all depends on scheduling,” Cook said. “I would imagine either Ms. Greer or Mrs. Thompson will be the ones that will step up.”

Cook’s advisor is juniors this year and will graduate the same year he retires. His advisory class has gotten to know Mr. Cook well over the years.

“I know him pretty well, he’s been my advisory teacher since sophomore year and I had him my freshman year,” Joel Plummer said.

Describing Cook is an easy task for people. Cook is someone that people respect and find humorous. Over the years Cook has impacted many people in different ways, he makes peoples day with his sense of humor and is someone people respect.

“He is goofy, daring, respectful and someone people should get to know,” Plummer said.

illustrations by | Riley Story

EARTH DAY

by Riley Story reporter

The First Earth Day

The first Earth Day was declared on April 22, 1970, by Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Senator at the time. According to an article by National Geographic, the purpose was to “educate participants in the importance of environmental conservation.” Making the environment better was his top priority.

Origin

Before Earth day was a thing, Americans consumed huge amounts of leaded gas and smoke not realizing what they were doing to their health. Large automobiles and factories/industries were the main causes of the pollution. In 1969, Nelson and many others witnessed a huge oil spill in Santa Barbara, California which sparked Nelson’s idea of Earth day to make note of those incidents that kept happening. According to EarthDay, “Groups that had been fighting individually against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife united on Earth Day

around these shared common values,” website Earthday said. There were no legal actions taking place before Nelson organized his idea so he had to figure out something.

Idea

They wanted everyone who could participate to be included. According to EarthDay,

“They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they chose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation,” Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, small organizations, and any normal citizen took part in helping make the world a cleaner environment.

So what happened after that?

In the next couple of years, many Acts were passed through congress. The United States Environmental Protection Agency was to help protect communities from P.F.A.’s in drinking water. Two years later congress passed the Clean Water Act works on preventing, reducing, and eliminating pollution in the nation’s water. In 1973 congress passed another act called the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act which is a system of pesticide regulation

The scoop on Earth DayHow does it affect us as a community and how can we help?

How

can you help the environment?

1

Donate clothing that you don’t wear, recycle plastics and aluminium.

Plant a tree

2

Planting a tree can help contribute the oxygen in the air and can reduce pollution

3

Use energy efficient lightbulbs

Using less energy can contribute to the amount of power you use. Meaning helping the environment and your bank account.

protecting applicators, consumers, and the environment.

Earth Day Today

Now, Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22. Schools, mainly younger grades, focus that day on helping the earth as best as they can. People all around the world contribute by doing little things such as going on a walk and picking up trash they see in their community.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle e

Myths of the Zodiac

by Mia Pham Reporter

Air Signs

Gemini is the first air sign and is represented by the twins. These twins are named Castor and Pollux, and although they’re twins they have different fathers.

The myth goes that Zeus had an affair with a mortal woman and on that same night, she had also been with a king.

Pollux was the son of Zeus whilst Castor was the son of the king of Sparta.

“Pollux was considered immortal whilst his brother was mortal as his human father was Tyndareus, the king of Sparta,” Cartwright wrote.

Since Castor wasn’t immortal like Castor, once Castor had passed Pollux asked Zeus to reunite him with his twin.

Zeus then reunited them by making them the constellation Gemini.

Libra’s constellation is represented by the scales connected with the myth of Astraea, the goddess of Justice.

“When Zeus raised Astrea to the sky and placed her amongst the stars, the scale of justice she carried became the constellation Libra.” Luis Ospino, an author from greekreporter.com wrote.

Aquarius is represented by Ganymede who was said to be the most beautiful mortal man.

“Ganymede is a youth in Greek mythology who is abducted by Zeus because of his great beauty and brought to Mount Olympus to serve as cupbearer.” Joshua Mark, an author for worldhistory.org wrote.

It’s also debated whether or not Zeus and Ganymede were in a relationship, though it is mentioned in some works.

Fire Signs

Aries is a sign associated with Mars. The myth behind how this sign and its constellation starts with a golden fleece ram.

“Chrysomallos, the golden-fleeced ram, was the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Theophane,” Kelly Macquire, an author from worldhistory.org wrote.

This ram represents the Aries constellation and the symbol of the ram.

The story says Poseidon and Theopane, the granddaughter of titans slept together as a ram and a sheep which resulted in the golden fleece ram.

Leo comes from the myth of Heracles.

Heracles is similar to Hercules though Hercules is the Roman equivalent. Heracles was given 12 tasks as punishment for killing his wife and children.

The first of these tasks was to kill the Nemean Lion which was no easy task considering its impenetrable fur.

“Hercules strangled the lion with his bare hands and forever after wore its pelt as a protective cloak,” Mark Cartwright, an author for worldhistory.org wrote.

This pleased Zeus who gave Heracles a constellation.

Sagittarius comes from a centaur, which are half man-half horse creatures. Chiron was a centaur known for dealing with Greek heroes and for educating them.

“Chiron was known for his great wisdom and as the tutor of the god of medicine Asklepios and the heroes Hercules, Achilles, and Jason,” Cartwright wrote.

Chiron is represented in the constellation itself, outlining the centaur and his bow.

Earth Signs

Water Signs

Cancer is also a part of the story of Heracles and his 2nd task to kill the Lernean hydra.

“Hera sent a crab to help the Hydra in its battle against Heracles, but he easily killed the crab by crushing it under his foot.” Ospino wrote.

It was said that then Hera memorialized the crab in the stars with Cancer’s constellation.

Scorpio’s story comes from the myth of Orion. Nearing Orion’s death, he had some accidental bad blood with Artemis, a goddess of the hunt.

“Artemis killed Orion by accident after being tricked by Apollo into thinking the hunter was, in fact, a villain who had attacked one of her priestesses,” Cartwright wrote. Orion was swimming to get away from a giant scorpion sent by Apollo to attack him, then was killed by Artemis’s arrows.

The story of Pisces relates to Aphrodite and her son Eros, both gods of love. They were attacked by a monster and then fled by turning into fish.

“Aphrodite, and her son took the form of fish to disguise themselves. In kindness and gratitude to the twin fish who lent them their form, she placed their image in the night sky,” Mrunal, an author for parenting.firstcry.com wrote.

Europa and Zeus are where the story of Taurus comes from. Europa was a princess of Phonecia and was well-liked by Zeus before he abducted her.

“Zeus either changed himself into a white bull or sent a handsome bull to woo the princess. Europa was indeed charmed by the docile animal and decorated him in flowers,” Cartwright wrote.

This story ends with Zeus and Europa having three children and then his bull form being immortalized in the stars.

Virgo shares their patron goddess Astrea with Libra. The reason for her getting her own constellation is because of her helping her father in the war between Titans and gods.

“Zeus respected her loyalty and decided to raise her into the heavens, placing her among the stars and creating the constellation Virgo.” Ospino wrote.

Last but not least, Capricorn’s story goes further back into Greek mythology. Cronus, Zeus’s father was scared his son would overthrow him as ruler of the universe so he began to get rid of his children until Zeus was born.

Zeus’s mother Rhea gave him up to a lady goat who was supposed to raise him since she couldn’t.

“Gaia advised Rhea to journey to the island of Crete and give birth to her youngest child (Zeus) there. In Crete, Rhea met with the she-goat Amalthea,”

Amalthea was rewarded by Zeus with the constellation Capricorn.

Is Your Pet Too Dangerous For The Park?

What to think about before bringing your dog.

by Xander Cha reporter

Most everyone loves their pets and want them to have the happiest life they can, as they’re completely dependent on their owner for everything they need. Hence why dog parks are such important places in a community. However, in my opinion, just because they’re open to the public does not mean that everyone should bring their dog there.

An aggressive dog is dangerous not only to others but to themselves as well, it is stated by the Johnson County Parks Department that, “handlers must leash and/or remove their dog(s) from an off-leash area at the first sign of serious, unprovoked, aggressive behavior.”

Dogs are animals first and then pets, they are ever capable of causing serious damage and even killing people. In the US alone 30 - 50 people are killed by dog attacks each year, worldwide that number is 30,000. Which is why I consider it important to not bring an aggressive animal to the park.

However, some people might not even be aware of their dog being aggressive. Dogs present aggressive behavior in different ways, however the thing to

be most aware of is fear behaviors. Most dogs aren’t naturally aggressive. There is usually outside stimulus such as fear which causes this aggressive behavior.

What to look for:

Avoiding eye contact by squinting, turning the head, or body away from the threat, yawning or licking of the lips, pinning or flattening of the ears tightly to the head, crouching, lowering the body, or tucking the tail under the body, stiffening or freezing, growl, snapping, biting

These are all typical precursors to outright aggression and or fear.

If your dog begins showing these signs it is not a joke, your pet isn’t just having an attitude, there is something wrong most likely with its health or emotional welfare. It is imperative that you seek professional help for your dog especially from that of a veterinarian.

Though now steering away from the uncomfortable topic of aggressive behavior, it is important that your dog isn’t sick when they go to the dog park.

Just like any other person, dogs can spread sicknesses to other dogs. But most notably they can spread disease

Great Parks to Visit

to people too, such as the Covid-19 virus. Which is why people should be constantly aware of their dogs’ health, not only just for the well being of the animal, but for the well being of themselves.

Therefore before taking your dog to the dog park look for these signs: decrease in appetite accompanied by weight loss, bad breath or foul odor coming from the ears or skin, excessive thirst or urination, unexplained aggression or other behavioral changes, trouble walking or climbing stairs, inability to urinate or have bowel movements, respiratory problems: sneezing, coughing, excessive panting, trouble breathing, lethargy, hiding, frequent vomiting or diarrhea, abnormal whining, crying, or other vocalizations

In the end Dog parks are enjoyable places to visit both for the owner and the dog. However, though controversial, not everyone should bring their dog there. Animals are living creatures too and can be aggressive or sick just like any other person. Therefore for the betterment of the park please think before you bring.

photo by | MyHealthKC

photo by | Flickr

photo by | Get Outdoors Kansas

Drama In the Parking Lot

Students share about the struggles they have faced within the parking lot with parking and the added traffic from the parent line.

by Abby Wallace managing editor

A new parent drop and pick-up system was created at the start of last year. The parent lane runs through parking lot F now rather than the front of the school like before, making after-school traffic horrendous. Waiting for 3 o’clock to hit and the war of getting out as fast as possible to start is a daily occurrence. Parents sit in front of lanes blocking students who drive themselves in, they park in the crosswalk making the flood of students worse trying to avoid hitting anyone, and they park in front of students’ cars making it more difficult for those students to get out. Something that was supposed to be a solution for the crowding of cars around the school and backing traffic up for miles, just blocked students from getting home, to work, or other after-school activities.

Parking in C and E lot are no bet-

ter. While the students don’t have to deal with high school parents picking up their students, getting in and out for them means they have to dodge the middle school parents that have their pick up and drop off line running through the parking lot.

One minute can determine if the students are going to get out of the parking lot in a few minutes or if they’re going to get home 30 minutes later even if they only live five minutes away.

Other students also contribute to the traffic in the parking lot. Being on phones and not paying attention to when the line starts moving causes everyone to move slower. Some students cut others off, block them in parking spots, or just don’t let them pull out in general. Doing those things would allow the flow of traffic to run smoother.

Whenever students finally get out

of the war zone the parking lot creates, they’re not out of the woods yet. 151st Street is constantly backed up. When people pay attention, traffic runs smoothly. However, this year especially, wrecks have been breaking the flow of traffic. Every accident after school in the front of the school backs intersections up and it seems like there’s a new accident everyday whether it’s involving a student or someone not paying attention in general.

If people would respect the unspoken rules of the school parking lot (don’t cut people off, let others out of their spots, let other cars out into the flow of traffic, etc.) , then there wouldn’t be as many issues after school. Everyone would get out quicker and fewer cars would need to be replaced for the five minutes it takes to get through traffic because it’s not a war zone, it’s a high school parking lot.

e

illustration by | Ashley Rottinghaus

Falcon Favorite Classes

by Mj Garcia reporter illustrations by | Sylvia Grimsley

Upperclassmen recommend underrated classes worth taking before you graduate

like she’s learning about it for the first time.”

As a final word of advice for the underclassmen, Karsak encouraged students to take the classes they want to take, even if they may have heard bad things about it.

took the class for his social studies credit but he encourages underclassmen who are considering to do it.

AP classes are often avoided because students believe they are significantly harder than regular classes and while this may be true in some cases, challenges can be fun! Senior Kacie Karsak shares her opinions and experiences with AP Biology and encourages other students to take a leap of faith. “It’s definitely more difficult because we’re diving deeper into the concepts and you’re not just learning the surface level things but I definitely think if you have the drive to do it

"We learn so many thought provoking things in the labs Ms. Hoffman has us do. They’re just so fun and she’s such a great teacher.”

then it’s definitely possible.” Karsak said, “It’s not like ‘Oh my gosh! You have to be so smart to be in this class!’, if you’re genuinely interested in what you’re learning and you have the drive to get the work done then I definitely recommend AP.” A common worry amongst students, no matter what class is being taken, is not liking the teacher. Luckily it seems that our number one AP Bio teacher, Ms. Hoffman, has a great reputation with her students.

“She really connects with her students. She has such a big heart and passion for not only her students but also what she’s teaching.”

Karsak said, “She loves science. You can really tell whenever she’s teaching, she’ll get excited about it

“People will always tell you their opinion. Hear that out, but at the same time, if you feel like you’re going to be interested in something, go ahead and take it. I know that people say things about certain teachers or subjects but honestly just try it out for yourself and make your own opinion.” Karsak said. Senior Martin Ndungu enjoyed seeing how people interact with one another through the contemporary issues class with Mr. Christopher, and shares his experience so that other people who may enjoy the class can take it!

“My favorite underrated class would have to be contemporary issues, it was just really insightful to see how people can take...from what’s happening in the news and have their own point of view about it.” Ndungu said, “It just teaches you so much about how the media can persuade the public.”

Once again, it’s important for stu dents to like their teachers, so what about Mr. Christopher?

“He was good, I liked him. He definitely pushed us to debate our peers because it’s just hard for high schoolers or people our age to go against what the group is saying. They don’t want to be ostracized, they just want to be a part of the group.” Ndungu said.

Ndungu explained that he only

“It really impacts how you see the media and how you communicate with your peers. It really pushes you to challenge what you already know so I like it.” Ndungu said. Senior Elisa Giles found a passion for video production when she decided to take it just for the credit.

“My underrated class is video production. I wasn’t planning on taking it, I only took it for the technology credit, but I ended up loving it. It’s so much fun.” Giles said, “We do Falcon Films, we do the hype videos, it’s just a really fun classroom environment.”

Giles explained how Mr. Schwarz, the video production teacher, adds to this classroom by encouraging his students.

“He just really wants us to be the best [we] can be. I’ve seen so much growth in my videos since I’ve started taking his class and he’s just always there with resources to help us be the best people.” Giles said. e

Kacie Karsak, senior

School board works on other options for bus issues

School board holds off on changing schedules for 2023-24 school year and works for other options

by Dalton Roberts reporter

Over the school year there has been a problem with bus staffing. The school board has come up with ideas that ranged from starting rolling blackouts to changing next year’s bell schedule. At the April 6 board meeting, the school board decided not to change the schedules next year.

During the months of January to April the school board was trying to figure out solutions to the bus driver shortage. One of these solutions that had a big up cry from parents and staff was the new start times proposed. This was then decided it won’t happen to the 23-24 school year due to everything being impacted.

One thing that would have been impacted was the school’s marching band. They practice in the mornings before school and would have lost 120 minutes

a week if some ideas were selected. Girls basketball would also have been affected because they practice in the morning.

Due to the decision to not change there could be continued additions to the rolling transportation blackout. Many schools were affected including two high schools. This didn’t affect Olathe South at the time but due to the school schedule changing this could change. This is where certain routes will be eliminated throughout the week. The scheduling was to help with lack of bussing but in turn would have helped the parents and district because high school students would be at school at 7:30 while elementary students would get to school at 9. This wouldn’t give parents enough time to figure out how to get kids to school.

There is still going to be a sched-

ule change proposed for the 2024-25 school year.

The school board felt that there wasn’t enough time for teachers and parents to figure out a solution for kids to get to school per parent engagement. They also felt it was too soon to make a decision for next year. This doesn’t mean a change will happen.

The boards goal is to make sure that students are not to affected by changes to transportation. They want to minimize the damages and try to help everyone in this situations as they look for a solution.

The message below was posted on the Olathe school district website and is from superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager. The Olathe district website is also where you can find other information on the discussed schedule change.

School board postpones Schedule change

The school board made the decision to post pone Schedule change for next year and it the best decision

by Dalton Roberts reporter

During the whole third quarter the school board was trying to figure out solutions to school bus driver shortage. One of the solutions was that there would be a new schedule with the six proposed options, four of them having the high school start time before 8 a.m.. On April 5 the school board decided that next year wont have a new schedule but there may be a new one for the 24-25 school year.

This is a good decision because they almost went to the last ditch effort before trying many options. The other problem was parents and teachers would have had a big disadvantage with getting kids to school and working.

Starting at 7:30 will cause teachers to have to get here at 7:00. This wouldn’t be good because some teachers have to get their kids somewhere so they are stressed for time. This wasn’t good for teachers who live farther away because they already had to wake up early but they would need to wake up earlier or risk being late.

If a student took their younger sibling to school, then parents would have had to find a new way to get their kid to school if the start time changed. This would have made buses needed more and that wouldn’t have helped the original issue.

Sports and activity wasn’t a issue that was looked at much. One activity that was going to be affected was marching band as they start rehearsal

at 7 and would have lost 120 minutes a week because they couldn’t start earlier. While basketball practice was before school and if they cant change when they practice then they would have had to wake up earlier to make up for time.

If the start time does become any time before 8, it won’t be beneficial to high school students. High school students circadian rhythm (chemical in the brain that makes people tired want to sleep) starts later at night and makes teens wake up later in the day.

This made me feel the decision rushed and why in the end it was probably the best decision to wait and try other solutions before the school district tries to change the school schedule but if they do need to change the schedule

the first thing they do is to get as many people in the district’s vote.

If they get everyone in the districts to vote on a schedule change then it will feel that students, teachers, and parents have a say. They should also try to see what people think the schedule change should be for example I would advocate for the high school starting at 8 then the elementary school and middle schools would be built around that.

The best decision was to hold off changing the schedule because it gave everyone time to think if change was needed after trying other solutions. The board also gets more time to hear from everyone in the district and no one will feel as rushed.

Technology is a thief

by Mildred Garza reporter

It can’t be ignored that technology has helped humanity achieve great things, it’s helped us communicate faster, navigate with less confusion and improve medical research. However, whether it’s noticed or not, technology has slowly allowed humanity to become unproductive, it’s become so relied on that it becomes challenging to function without.

“I would definitely say I’m obsessed with my phone, I use it for almost everything, it’s become really challenging to focus without music,” junior Toleen Atieh said.

Although it’s made life incredibly easier, it’s also caused us to lose sight of important things, it’s made it hard to truly enjoy life.

“I think it has done a lot of psychological damage due to the fact that people can easily succumb to bullying and there’s a lot more toxicity between friendships because it makes it easier for there to be a lot more talking behind backs and for misinformation to be spread,” Atieh said.

According to freshman Darby Braarz younger generations that are to come aren’t getting the full effect of living in the moment and finding happiness through things other than technology. It’s unfortunate to see kids prefer spending time watching cartoons and flooding their minds with irrelevant information instead of truly having fun.

“I remember spending entire days, like from sunrise to sunset playing with different kids that lived in my neighborhood,” freshman Darby Braarz said.

Technology has damaged relationships and self image by spreading lies and disguising ugly truths in an attractive way.

“I think technology has damaged a lot of people’s self image because they get online and everything is fake but it’s meant to seem real and then they hold themselves to unrealistic standards,” senior Easton Best said.

During meaningful moments the simple action of pulling out our phone

to take pictures or videos, which is done with the intention of increasing significance and making it easier to remember in the future, can take away the true value of that special moment.

“I highly recommend everyone to live in the moment, you shouldn’t be at an after party on your phone or you shouldn’t be at a concert trying to get pictures and videos. You should be living in the moment, phones really prevent people from living in the moment,” Best said. e

Blasting into Tornado Season

by Mia Rollins reporter

Most states in the country are known for something, like Nevada being known for Las Vegas, Colorado is known for the skiing and hiking destinations it offers, and Wiconson is known for having cheese. And of course, Kansas is mostly known for two things: “The Wizard of Oz,” and by extension, tornados. Although we Kansans don’t have tornadoes every couple of weeks, as portrayed in certain media, we do have our fair share of twisters.

“Kansas is one of the most tornadoprone states in the U.S.,” manager Pat Howard said. “Averaging around 92 annually.”

The state of Kansas is widely known for being in the area known as “Tornado Alley”. Simply put, “Tornado Alley” is where the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the cool air from the north mix together, so the area spreads throughout a large portion of the Midwest.

“The Tornado Alley region geographically favors tornado development as all the ingredients necessary for their formation often come together here,” Accuweather staff writer Michael Kuhne said.

On a national scale, tornado season usually occurs throughout the spring season into some of the summer season, most often through March to June. Although these are the months where tornadoes mostly occur, they can tend to happen in other times of the year such as fall.

“The month of May sees the most tornadoes in Kansas, followed by June, then April,” manager Pat Howard said.

But overall, in recent years, there haven’t been as many tornadoes in Kansas as there usually are. In the year 2020,

there were only 17 tornadoes that touched down, and only 39 in 2021, compared to the last 20 years, which all have all for the most part have had num bers well over 70. Research on the topic of fewer tornadoes in recent years in Tornado Alley has pointed not to de creasing storms, but to its changing location.

“Records dating back over 70 years indicate a shift eastward from the traditional areas of the Midwest known as ‘tornado al ley,’” meteorology professor Victor Gensini said.

The source of the changing lo cation of Tornado Alley is directly linked to climate change. The gradual increase of warmer air east of the central Great Plains results in more tornadoes in the eastern Midwest. That’s why recent thunderstorms and tornadoes hit states like Kentucky, Illinois, and eastern Missouri.

“We can’t yet connect an individual tornado’s ferocity or occurrence to climate change, but the overall environment in which they occur is already being altered by increased amounts of greenhouse gasses.” climate and energy reporter Andrew Freedman said. “Some severe thunderstorm ingredients, such as humidity and atmospheric instability, are likely to increase with a warming climate.”

Although tornadoes may be a large

part of Kansas’s identity, that all may change thanks to the impacts of climate change. While tornadoes will most likely always be an occurrence in the state of Kansas, the large impact of the global situation will continue to be a major factor for the manifestation of tornadoes.

“A central challenge complicates any analysis of what could drive or inhibit tornado formation: As ferocious as they can be, tornadoes are tiny phenomena compared with the scale of planetary warming.” extreme weather reporter Scott Dance said.

A look into the future of tornados for Kansas and the nation as a whole

Sick with Senioritis

by Addison Bell reporter

Senioritis: a crippling disease striking high school seniors all around the world. Symptoms may include laziness, excessive absences, procrastination, and a negative attitude directed toward school, but will we ever find a cure? By the time fourth quarter rolls around most seniors have already chosen a University to attend next year and are preparing for the next chapter of their lives. Although very exciting, it can take a toll on seniors heading toward the finish line. AP English literature teacher Cynthia Roth can understand why so many seniors experience this exhaustion.

“I have this analogy that a senior lives in this little box and some of them have busted out of the box while others have just barely broken through. I think a lot of students are ready to move on in life,” Roth said.

As senior year comes to an end, the door opens to new possibilities. Seniors begin to look into the future, focusing more on career choices and starting a life outside of high school. Senior Daniel Palacio caught the “illness” early, knowing that he would go straight into sales after his last year.

“When you figure out what you want to do with your life and things like math and science have nothing to do with it, you just get bored,” Palacio said.

Palacio isn’t the only senior coming down with the nasty bug. Knowing graduation is just out of reach, many seniors’ focus is no longer on high school. With college looming just around the corner for senior Jenna Wiley, she knows how tough it can be to focus on the present.

"I think we are ready to go to college and start fresh. We have exciting things ahead of us and we want to move on and feel more like an adult with more freedoms.”

Jenna Wiley, senior

Senioritis can be tough to combat with symptoms weighing down students as early as the third quarter. Senior GwynnAnn Johnson can definitely relate, experiencing the most brutal of the symptoms.

“Personally, I experience just the lack of wanting to be at school and the lack of effort you want to put into school,” Johnson said.

Although it’s a battle, students continue to find ways to cope by finding new ways to keep up the motivation and finish out the year strong.

“I continue to hold on to the hope that summer is just a few months away,” Johnson said.

Clubs, sports, performing arts, whatever sparks an interest, may just be the long awaited remedy. Exciting activities inside and outside of school keep students showing up despite senioritis getting in the way.

“Sports right now is my motivation to keep my grades up,” Wiley said.

As senioritis hits in, teachers continue to encourage students to attend school, keep up on grades, and finish out the year on a positive note. Roth shares a small piece of advice for those students struggling.

“Attend. Keep up on your assignments. It’s going to cause you more stress the closer you get to graduation,” Roth said.

Within a few short months, senior year will be over. As students look back on their high school careers, they won’t remember the agonizing lectures or the grades in the grade book. They’ll remember all the good times they had with their classmates. The memories that last a lifetime. So seniors, relish this moment, stay in the present and focus on the senior experience because before you know it will all be over. Tammy Sheetz is one of many teachers wishing seniors well, along with lending out a helping hand.

“You got this. Just keep pushing and know there are hands reaching out to help you,” Sheetz said. e

Life Cycle of a Frog

MASS DESTRUCTION

Tadpole Froglet

Frog