The Clipper May 2021 issue by The Pirate Clipper

THE CLIPPER

VOLUME 30 | ISSUE 5 | MAY 2021 | PLATTE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

One in Three page 8

A Look Inside Table of Contents

Features

Davis By Pin Senior Gabe Davis undergoes chemotherapy for cancer treatment By Victoria Sanders and Emilia Wisniewski

Lead the Way Journalism staffs celebrated for their work By Audrey McCoy and Emilia Wisniewski

Peter and Starcatcher Theater dept. performs lively production By Tatianna Tafolla

New Kids on the Block New administrators recap progress, share vision for future By Audrey McCoy and Sophia Zimmerman

Opinions 07

Not Bummer Summer Local spots provide safe spaces to enjoy outdoor activities By Tatianna Tafolla and Emilia Wisniewski

One-in-Three

Women unsafe in current state of world By The Staff of The Clipper

#StopAsianHate Rise in violence against AAPI community needs to stop By Jacob Flynn and Tatianna Tafolla

Protect Trans Youth Missouri state congress votes on rights of trans students By Porter Schoen

Sports & Wellness 11

Vaccination Information CDC provides vaccine details By Jacob Flynn

12-13 Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate Students sign with colleges to continue atheltic careers By Peyton Gann and Victoria Sanders

Shooting to Win Archery team prepares to wrap up season By Peyton Gann and Porter Schoen

On the Cover Three fists raised in the air symbolize solidarity.

One-third of women globally experience violence and sexual harassment in their lifetime. The Clipper staff editorial looks at social media responses on this topic. Illustration by Claire Graves

Staff Staff Writers Alison Baker Jacob Flynn Peyton Gann Porter Schoen Victoria Sanders Tatianna Tafolla Emilia Wisniewski

Editor-in-Chief Audrey McCoy Page Editors Sophia Zimmerman Photographers Allen Ainsworth Claire Graves Adviser Kari Johnson

Who We Are

The Pirate Clipper is a student-run newspaper dedicated to informing students on current issues without bias. Opinions and editorials do not reflect the views or opinions of the Platte County staff, school, administration or adviser. For questions or concerns, contact adviser Kari Johnson at: johnsonk@platteco.k12.mo.us.

At the 2020 wrestling districts, Davis stands after beating his opponent. Davis missed his wrestling season this year, but was able to attend a few cometitions to support his team. Photo contributed by Gabe Davis

Davis rings the bell, signaling his completed chemotherapy treatment. Davis received treatment from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Photo contributed by Gabe Davis

Davis by Pin

03. May 2021

With his family, Davis stands outside his treatment center. Davis’ parents made a website for him through Caring Bridge, updating the community on how his treatments went and how he felt. Photo contributed by Gabe Davis

Senior Gabe Davis undergoes chemotherapy for cancer treatment

Written by Victoria Sanders and Emilia Wisniewski fter a few years of having knee pain, senior Gabe Davis went to the doctor’s office on Sept. 23, 2020 to receive medical treatment before his wrestling season. Doctors found out a cyst was the cause of the pain and after a successful surgery, Davis went home. Two weeks later, doctors informed Davis and his family that the cyst was actually a tumor; one that was not completely removed. “At first, I was completely okay with it; [it] didn’t throw me off at all,” Davis said. “When [the news] changed a week later, then it was a whole different mindset. I went from not worrying at all to worrying a lot more but trying to remember to stay positive and keep going.” Davis was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a joint cancer that is most common in the knee, throat and arms. This type of cancer is extremely rare, with one to two out of every one million people being diagnosed and accounts for 5% to 10% of all soft-tissue tumors, according to the National Cancer Institute. “So far, [the hardest part has] probably been the chemo,” Davis said. “There were

days when I felt so sick that I was going to bed and thought that I wouldn’t wake up.” The school and the community supported Davis throughout his journey. They created the hashtag “#DavisByPin” to bring awareness to his story, and shirts were sold to support him and his family. The wrestling team, former wrestlers and coaches made a video for Davis to encourage him to stay strong during his treatment. “I tried to keep a smile on my face when people talked bad about it; I tried to talk through it with a lot of people and not hold my feelings in,” Davis said. “If I had negative thoughts, I would go out and do stuff if I was able to.” Davis finished chemotherapy on Feb. 12 and planned to go through a round of radiation soon after that. He had the chance to attend both sectionals and state wrestling tournaments. Davis also was nominated and won Winter Court Royalty with senior Shannon Banark. “Now that I’m done with surgery, I’ve just been working and sitting, hoping to come back to school soon, but we’ll see what happens with radiation.”

Davis wins Court Warming Royalty with senior Shannon Banark. The two walked together in a livestreamed event during PLT on Friday, March 12. Photo contributed by Gabe Davis

04. Feature

Lead the Way

Journalism staffs celebrated for their work

Written by Audrey McCoy and Emilia Wisniewski

he journalism profession can offer many different jobs, with widely different skills: there are writers, photographers, designers, reporters and broadcasters. At PCHS, there are three journalism staffs: The Clipper newsmagazine, the Pirateer yearbook, and PCTV News. Each staff is starkly different from one another but equally important. The Pirateer staff covers school events throughout the year, taking photos, writing stories and designing pages for the yearbook, which are given to students before the start of the next year. Senior Piper Ruwe joined the staff her freshman year and has been managing editor for two years. “I originally started my journalism career in middle school as a way to get out of class. But I found, [after] continuing it in high school, that it became a huge passion of mine, and now I’m going to school for photography,” Ruwe said. “I chose yearbook because I knew a lot of my friends were going into it, and as a freshman, I was really timid and scared of everything, so having a group of people that I knew was really comforting.” The staff this year consisted of 18 people, half of whom were brand new. One of the new staff members is sophomore Natalie Shepherd. “Although it can be stressful at times,

Sophomore Katie Schwan and junior Minna Arthurs work together to finish their spreads during class. Arthurs and Schwan were assigned to be on Week One for the whole year. Photo by Emilia Wisniewski

yearbook is actually really fun, and it allowed me to get to know more people this year, and it’s been fun taking pictures and writing stories for the spreads,” Shepherd said. PCTV News adviser Ashleigh Schlorholtz didn’t know much about how to run PCTV News when she was hired, so she started her classes with “Hi, I’m Mrs. S., and I don’t know what I’m doing.” Schlorholtz said she learned alongside the kids, and she’s grown with them. “I really get to know the kids, and we kind of become a little family,” Schlorholtz said. “So it’s kind of sad that this crew is leaving because they’re the ones I’ve had the whole time I’ve been here.” Schlorholtz said her favorite part about PCTV News is that the staff runs the show because it’s fun to see their personalities come out during the process. She said she likes hearing the ideas they propose. Similar to the Pirateer and The Clipper, PCTV News is student-run. “I think that it [PCTV News and journalism] is important because it allows people to be creative and spread information,” sophomore Charlotte Hammond said. “I love making films because of all the cool things that you can do pre-editing and during editing.” Hammond’s job on staff involves com-

Editing a photo, sophomore Natalie Shepherd works on design for her upcoming spread. Four groups of staff writers covered every week of the school year to achieve a chronological order for the yearbook. Photo by Emilia Wisniewski

ing up with different ideas, then planning, filming and editing them. Hammond said she wishes there were more girls who were part of the PCTV Crew, because as of now, she is the only one on staff. “I think journalism is important because it allows us to remember where we were in the moment,” Shepard said. “Journalism allows us to look back on who we were, our lives and even others’ lives.” According to UNESCO, World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 every year to inform the international community that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme is “Information as a Public Good,” as a call to “affirm the importance of cherishing information as a public good, and exploring what can be done in the production, distribution, and reception of content to strengthen journalism, and to advance transparency and empowerment while leaving no one behind.” The day is meant to serve as a reminder of the work journalists do in their communities, which includes student journalists. “Working as a team and putting on a show, means they [the PCTV News staff] have pride in what they do because being in something like this allows them to take part in the school,” Schlorholtz said.

On April 26, senior Piper Ruwe takes photos of an away baseball game. Ruwe planned to attend the Kansas City Art Institute for photography. Photo by Audrey McCoy

05. May 2021

Peter

and the

Starcatcher

Theater dept. performs lively production

Written by Tatianna Tafolla

he theatre department performed “Peter and the Starcatcher,” on April 22-24, its first full-fledged production since before last year’s COVID-19 shutdown. The play is a backstory for the characters of Peter Pan, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell and Captain Hook, featuring spotlights of other side characters. This was the last main-stage production of the year, and for senior Raena Sinclair who played Black Stache, also known as Captain Hook, it was her last main stage production of high school. “I would definitely say it’s a hard role to play because not only am I being this largerthan-life person, but Captain Hook is a boy, and I am a girl, so it was kind of difficult to really get into character. I also have to be British,” Sinclair said. “I have to speak in rhymes a lot, a British accent, on top of rhyming, on top of being a larger-than-life character. It’s a lot to put on, but it’s so much fun to do on stage.” Much of Sinclair’s inspiration for her role comes from the “Cat and the Hat,” (2003) movie as well as Jim Carrey’s “Grinch.” “At the end of the show, we’ve been calling it the great big scene 10, and this is when I lose my hand, I swear off Peter Pan, and I become the true Captain Hook that we all know,” Sinclair said. “It’s this big scene, and I’m so happy I get to end the show with where all the focus is on me, and that’s just kind of how I leave my mark on the PCHS stage. I’m so excited I get to play this character that is so huge and so fun.” Since the character is “larger-than-life,” as well as a villain, Sinclair is working to animate her character as much as possible while still wearing a mask during performances, and she is doing this by eccentrically using her eyes and her body on stage. “Captain Hook is kind of very flamboyant so I don’t have to do this very strong

male character; I can just have a lot of fun and be goofy, which I’m a pretty goofy person, so I’m okay with it,” Sinclair said. “I’m not uncomfortable at all, and I also get to share the stage with [senior] Braden Miller’s Smee who is a great scene partner; we have a really good energy back and forth. This is also Braden’s first show in high school, and he is doing amazing.” “Peter and the Starcatcher” was Miller’s first and last mainstage production. He played both Smee and Tinkerbell. Miller plans to be a voice actor in the future, and he said because of this, doing Smee’s voice was easy for him to do. “I’m planning on going to Sedalia for my first two years of college, and they have a really good theatre program down there,” Miller said. “This [show] has inspired me to go into something theatre-related whether it be a major or a minor.” Theatre teacher and director Erica Glidewell chose her cast with the mindset that any character can be gender-bent because she said what matters most for “Peter and the Starcatcher” is based in the way the story is being told, not who is telling the story. “Any person can tell any story, no matter what gender, background, heritage, ethnicity, whatever,” Glidewell said. “This play allows that, which is really nice.” Initially, Glidewell planned for there to be more singing, but with the risk of COVID, it wasn’t safe for the students to do that during a two-hour show. “When we announced ‘Peter and the Starcatcher,’ we thought students were going to be really upset,” Glidewell said. “We had almost every student super stoked and really excited to do the play.” The show sold out every available seat for all three seats. “I really wish that I had done theatre earlier,” Miller said. “It’s a lot of fun, and I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

The two seniors, Raena Sinclair and Braden Miller, play lead roles Black Stache and Smee. Stache and Smee were on a look-out for their enemy ship.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” is junior Madelynn Darst’s 38th show. Darst played Fighting Prawn and was head of costumes.

Emily Clark plays Bill Slank, Black Stache’s counterpart. Clark captured freshman Kaiser Sutton who played Peter Pan.

While waving at the crowd, freshman Kaiser Sutton playing as Peter is gifted a crown from the mollusks. This was Sutton’s first high school production. All photos by Claire Lowry

06. Feature

At the bus lines after school, the administration team waits for kids to load the buses. Michelle Howren, Dr. Keith Jones and Kiel Giese were all new administrators this year. Photo by Allen Ainsworth

New Kids on the Block

New administrators recap progress, share vision for future

Written by Audrey McCoy and Sophia Zimmerman his school year, PCHS went through many changes due to COVID-19, but the school also welcomed a new head principal and two new assistant principals to join current assistant principal Matt Messick in the administration team. The new members of the administration include assistant principals Michelle Howren and Kiel Giese, and new head principal Dr. Keith Jones. The year began for Jones with an introductory Zoom meeting with students from the school district, which was hacked into by people who went on to call Jones racist slurs. “Unfortunately, the Zoom call incident was an interesting way to start a new job,” Jones said. “Learning what I was walking into, with some of the concerns and issues we had here at the school with race and equity and inclusion, I think was eye-opening. It kind of set the tone of how we needed to come together and be one family, and start really having some serious conversations around what was important.” Jones said the school has accomplished many positive things this year that brought the school together. Two examples of this were the school’s involvement in Women’s Appreciation Week and Black History Month, which Jones said was a step in the right direction to raise awareness about all people. Other successes were having a great year athletically and being able to bring students back for full in-person learning. “Our students have been in school,” Jones said. “We tried to still do things to

create experiences for kids, even though it wasn’t what they were traditionally used to.” Giese said one of the biggest challeges the new administration team faced this year was the inability to interact with students, which was a major adjustment for his first year out of the classroom. “I think we’ve got a better indication of what it [school] looks like now that everybody’s here,” Giese said. “It’s been a learning experience for everybody so it did make me feel a little bit better that everyone was struggling, trying to find the answers to the same problem [school during a pandemic].” Jones said the thing he is most proud of when looking back over the year, is the way the school has been able to adapt and still give students meaningful experiences, even though everything looked different than past years. Now that the new administration’s first year as a team is winding down, they said they look forward to what’s next. “Now that the bond passed, I’m really excited that we have a brand new school coming,” Jones said. “We will implement a new program called AVID, which is a program that gives teachers the tools to help engage kids more. It’ll be a common language, no matter what classroom, no matter where you are, kids will start hearing the same types of instructional strategies. Sometimes kids’ experiences can be so different from class to class because of the teaching styles of the teacher, and we’re trying to improve that and give them some more things for their toolbox, so AVID be-

ing here next year will be a game-changer.” Along with construction and the new AVID program, another change in the upcoming year will be how classes are scheduled. “We’re looking to go to a modified block where we will gain more instructional time for kids,” Jones said. “So, the schedule will look a little bit different; more time for intervention and clubs, and more time for staff members to prepare and plan for classes.” Giese said with their goals comes a lot of responsibility as they try to figure out what’s the best layout, how they are going to put students and teachers in the right place and then set them up for success. “We hope to be able to work with teachers more,” Giese said. “We have a lot of really great teachers in this building, and we want to be able to take what those teachers are capable of doing to provide opportunities for growth for them and students.” Giese said he is proud of the students because, for the most part, they are doing the right thing and have been understanding during this transitional period and for school during the pandemic. “I hope you understand how grateful we are to work with students like you guys,” Giese said. “You all are the reasons why we’re doing it. You guys want to be here, you guys want to do the right thing, and it makes our job a lot easier when you have a majority of the students wanting to be here and wanting good things for everybody around them.”

07. May 2021

WESTON BEND TRAILS: • • • • • •

Weston Bluffs Trail North Ridge Trail Campground Trail Paved Trail Harpst Trail Weston Ridge Trail

Graphic by Sophia Zimmerman

Not Bummer Summer

Graphic by Emilia Wisniewski

Local spots provide safe spaces to enjoy outdoor activities

Written by Emilia Wisniewski and Sophie Zimmerman

ummer is just around the corner, and with it comes clear skies, humid temperatures and a gateway to many fun activities. With school ending in late May, there are a lot of ways to spend the summer vacation outdoors. Here are some fun outdoor activities and places to do them. After being stuck inside during the winter, some of the easiest ways to enjoy the warm summer weather and outdoors are to hike, run and bike. There is an abundance of parks in the Kansas City area that have trails suitable for all these activities. According to Weston Bend State Park’s website, the park has eight trails, including a paved bicycle trail, all varying in distance. All the Trails, a fitness and adventure app, says Smithville Lake has multiple trailheads and trails such as Smithville Lake Trail Loop, Little Platte North Trail, Eagles View Trail and Lake Remote Loop. Paved trails named Cabin Fever and Little Platte South are great for biking and running. The Happy Rock Trailhead is located in Gladstone near Maple Woods Community College. Happy Rock Shoal Creek Trail is an easy paved loop suited for bikers and runners, and it also has multiple dirt trails

leading off of it to accommodate adventurers and hikers who want to explore the creek and terrain. According to All the Trails, Prairie Creek Greenway is a paved 6.75-mile trail located right along Running Horse Road suited for running, hiking and bikers. Summer is characterized by its hot weather and cloudless skies, so people are trying to find ways to cool off. Water activities such as swimming, fishing and boating are common to do in the summertime and a good place for all three of those is at Smithville Lake. Boat rentals are available at the lake; the minimum age requirement to rent a boat is 18, but those who are 14 or older can maneuver a boat with a boating license. Prices will depend on what boat is rented and for how long it is rented. Little Platte Beach and Camp Branch Beach are great beaches for swimming, and they both require $6 vehicle entrance fees. As far as fishing is concerned, there are an abundance of different species that visitors are able to catch. A few common types of fish that are in the lake include largemouth bass, walleye and white crappie. Another popular seasonal activity is camping. Around Smithville Lake, there

are a few campgrounds such as Smith Fork Park Campground, Crows Creek Campground and Camp Branch Campground, which include both tent camping and campers. Weston Bend State Park also has campsites for both forms of camping. Activities such as hammocking and picnicking are relaxing ways to spend the day outdoors, either alone or with friends. Finding a spot to hammock is fairly easy: find two trees close enough together, tighten some ropes on the trees, and hook the hammock onto them. Some good public places to hammock and relax include Weston Bend State Park which has a great view of the Missouri River. Platte Ridge Park has a nice view of Platte City from on top of the hills and trees with the perfect amount of space for a hammock. Weston Bend and Platte Ridge Park are also nice places to have a picnic, and another place to consider is outside the Nelson-Atkins museum in downtown KC. These activities can easily be done alone, socially distanced, or with a group of less than five people. Although millions of Americans received the COVID-19 vaccine, it does not mean the country is out of the woods; stay safe and have fun.

08. Opinion

One in Three

Women unsafe in current state of world

The Staff of The Clipper

early four years after #MeToo made waves across social media and prompted a movement for change, a disturbing case in London and recent statistics published reminded women of a startling truth—they’re never safe. In early March, 33-year-old Sarah Everard disappeared while she was walking home, and on March 3, a London police officer was arrested for her murder. The case received a global response of outrage and exhaustion, as well as one of fear. In response to Everard’s death, the women of London were encouraged by law enforcement not to walk alone and not to go out past a certain time at night, which raised the question: why should women have to have their freedoms be restricted when they are not the problem? Women across the world responded and spoke out on social media, about their own stories and suggestions of how men could make the world a safer place, without hindering the freedom of women. Most men on the internet and in our area remained oblivious until women online started to comment on their relative silence. Some men asked what they should be doing to help, and whether crossing the street if they’re walking behind women in the dark might be useful. But many of the responses were not ones willing to hear angry and

* Trigger Warning: Mentions of rape and sexual assault

scared women out, but instead ones meant to diminish what they were saying. Some men on the internet created the harmful #notallmen. This is a callous hashtag responding to the pain and frustration of women with defenses or jokes, both making a mockery of a very real problem. Women know that not all men are going to be violent towards them, but at the same time, they do not know which ones may be —something that someone shouldn’t have to be cautious about. A recent statistic, according to the World Health Organization, says that 1 in 3 women (over the age of 18) worldwide have been subjected to physical or sexual harassment. This violence starts early: 1 in 4 young women (aged 15-24 years) have already experienced violence by a partner or someone they know. The definition of sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when the victim is not consenting, explicitly or implicitly. This includes sending unsolicited nudes, cat-calling, pursuing someone when they’ve made it clear they do not want it, manipulating or pressuring someone into doing anything sexual that they do not want to do, rating someone’s body, leaking nudes to group chats, and many other situations. Most women, girls even, that you know have either experienced sexual harassment

or know of someone who has. It’s not just a problem across the ocean; it happens everywhere. It happens in our area, in our city, in our school. It’s ignorant to think that you do not personally know someone who has been harassed or faced violence. And for men, you probably know other men who have been violent towards women. The notion that women are doing something irresponsible or dangerous by walking home alone or dressing a certain way, falls apart as soon as a man considers it perfectly okay for him to do the same thing. The danger isn’t inherent in the behavior of the victim. It’s in the choice and actions of the perpetrator. But women are constantly shouldering the responsibility of reducing opportunities for violence on the behalf of would-be attackers. Women carry pepper spray, check underneath their cars before getting in, look in the backseat of their car after they’re inside of it, walk in groups, never walk alone at night, don’t run in the dark, etc—things and behaviors that should not be normalized. Whether the women in your life speak about their stories and struggles or not, we should strive to make this world a safer place for everyone. Hear women out when they say they do not feel safe, do not try to disprove what they say, believe victims and stand with the one in three. Graphic by Claire Graves

09. May 2021

Graphic by Tatianna Tafolla

Between March 2020 and February 2021 Chinese Americans were the largest Asian ethnic group to be attacked with 42.2% of Asian American attacks

#Stop AsianHate

Graphic by Tatianna Tafolla

Number of Asian and Pacific Islander-centered attacks 2019 v. 2020

Rise in violence against AAPI community needs to stop

Written by Jacob Flynn and Tatianna Tafolla

the people in our community who are being affected by these acts of hate should be the first step to help those who are being targeted right now in this time of hostility. The Kansas City Chinese American Association (KCCAA), holds a longstanding commitment to support and promote our local Asian communities. KCCAA promotes the idea to step in if you see an Asian American in a dangerous situation, and to call for help and document the situation. If you or someone you know is looking to find more information about how to be an ally to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our community, some great resources to look at would be KCCAA, the Stop AAPI Hate National Report, Learning for Justice’s “How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism,” and the Anti-Asian Violence Resources website. Standing up against hate is the only way to end it. Making donations, educating yourself and educating others is important when it comes to understanding and aiding those being attacked in their fight. If there was ever a time to speak up and to take action to help protect and stand with those who have fallen victim to a hateful heart, now is that time. Being a bystander to the hate happening today is just as unethical as enacting a hateful agenda.

122

Number of Attacks

ince the COVID-19 pandemic began, so did the rhetoric that the blame was to fall on China, with people beginning to call the virus, “the China Virus.” This narrative being heavily pushed by people such as former President Trump has since grown, causing an increase in anti-Asian movements and hate crimes. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are not the cause of the virus, and never will be. The cause of the virus falls onto the shoulders of how poorly our government handled containing such a contagious virus. On March 16, a series of shootings occurred in Atlanta, killing eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent. This was hardly the first instance of the hate that spread through the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. After the excuse for the shooting was the assailant had “a really bad day,” outrage ensued causing the #StopAsianHate movement to trend and come to the forefront. This movement is putting out the message to end hate crimes being committed against the AAPI community in our country and to instead learn about Asian struggles and how to help. Figuring out how to help our peers and

2019

2020

Asian and Pacific Islander attacks have increased about 150% from 2019 to 2020 in New York and Los Angeles *Information from The New York Times Graphic by Jacob Flynn

10. Opinion

Protect Trans Youth

Missouri state congress votes on rights of trans students

Written by Porter Schoen

o far, 2021 has proven to be a historically bad year for transgender rights and individuals in the US. Across the country, representatives and senators are voting on legislation that would drastically cut back on the rights of transgender students. In Missouri, at least 10 bills are being passed that would, among other things, ban trans students from medical help, disallow them from participating in athletics, and stop schools from involving anything related to the LGBTQ+ community in their curriculum. The so-called “Save Women’s Sports Act” would ban transgender youth from participating in sports alongside students of their gender. Proponents of the bill argue that trans women have more testosterone and muscle mass, giving them an edge over their cisgender competitors. Missouri law already states that transgender girls can only participate in athletic activities if they have been on testosterone-blocking medication for at least a year, this removes any physical advantage that transgender female students may have. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, a student’s performance in sports is more dependent on the amount of training they are given and their talents as an athlete than the hormones their body produces. Despite this, many coaches and administrators are trying to exclude trans students. Some of the more harmful bills being proposed in this session ban gender reassignment treatments such as surgery, puberty blockers, or hormones for minors. These bills are unscientific and can be dam-

aging to trans teens. Those who support the bills argue they want to make sure teens won’t do something they regret later just to be “trendy.” The current system already has safeguards against this. To get these treatments in the first place, a person has to see a therapist for anywhere from three to six months to ensure they genuinely want them. While this delay is more due to bureaucracy than actual medical suggestions, it ensures that anyone who wants to medically transition is absolutely certain of their decision before they start that transition. The earlier someone can start this process, the earlier they can get on medication to halt or reverse puberty. This is important because someone seeking medical treatment is most likely significantly distressed by the changes brought about by puberty. Forcing adolescents to delay their treatment by up to four more years would be incredibly damaging to their mental health, according to Human Rights Watch. Trans teenagers have a shockingly high suicide rate of around 50%, largely because they are denied treatment for so long and aren’t accepted because of it. To make them wait to start this arduous process until they’re adults could kill them. A bill currently sitting on Governor Parson’s desk bans any mention of sexual orientation or gender identity in the official school curriculum. Some advocates of the bill fear discussing the topic of sexuality or gender could lead to even more divisivness around the topic. Simply put, that isn’t how being gay or trans works. Trans people will eventually re-

Graphic by Alison Baker alize they are trans regardless of whether or not they are taught about gender in school, so the only thing not discussing it does is undereducate cis students on a significant social issue that affects many of their peers. According to a report by the American Psychological Administration, including scientifically correct information about transgender people in curriculum has been shown to increase acceptance for LGBTQ+ students and help trans students feel more welcomed. This, in turn, helps them learn better. The goal of schools is ostensibly to educate kids and prepare them for their next steps in life, not to breed ignorance. If this bill passes, that goal will be significantly undermined. These bills are just one component of a concerted push to eliminate transgender rights in the United States. According to CNN, 117 anti-transgender bills have either been proposed or passed so far this year. That’s up from just 66 last year, and an even greater increase compared to the 19 pieces of legislation proposed in 2019. This wave of bills coincides with a rise in hate crimes targeting transgender individuals, according to the organization Human Rights Watch. In Missouri and elsewhere, there’s a good chance these bills could further increase the harassment and hate trans people face on a daily basis. It’s clear that these bills are pseudoscientific, dangerous, transphobic nonsense hiding under the thin veneer of protecting women and the general public from the “transgender menace.” The fact that a government made up of cis people is making a blanket decision about transgender children is ridiculous.

11. May 2021 According to the CDC when studying vaccine allergic reactions, only 21 patients experience anaphylaxis out of 1,893,360 vaccinations There is about a 0.00001 percent chance of anaphylaxis.

Graphics by Jacob Flynn Most common side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine are slight pain, swelling, redness. If side effects occur, they will normally fade within a few days.

How to Schedule a Vaccine Find out if you’re eligible for a vaccine in your state. Missouri eligibility requires patient to be at least 16 years old Go to VaccineFinder.org

VACCINATION INFORMATION CDC provides vaccine details

Enter ZIP code, search radius, and preferred vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna.) Select location Check appointment availability Schedule an appointment

Written by Jacob Flynn

n March 13, 2020, schools shut down and quarantine officially began a couple of months after the COVID-19 pandemic began. After a year of lockdowns, masks and distancing the world is finally pushing back against the virus with the widespread release of vaccines made by three different companies: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, which was recalled for causing blood clots in patients, but was recently green-lit to be distributed again. According to Moderna, one of the companies releasing vaccinations, while each of the vaccines are unapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US government and the FDA authorized the emergency use of these vaccinations in people 16 or older under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). An EUA, according to the FDA, is a process that begins once the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declares that emergency use authorization is appropriate. According to the CDC’s website, “The FDA may authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency.” This means that the vaccines available now have not gone through the same level of testing as other FDA-approved products. This is done when the benefits of a product outweigh the potential risks.

The chance of any harmful side effects occurring when a patient is administered a vaccine is small. According to the CDC, although the chances of a negative reaction are slim, there are safeguards in place to administer aid to those who do have an allergic reaction. While there are potential risks with the vaccines, they have been proven to be a safe and effective way to protect against contracting the virus and reducing its lethality. “All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be safe and effective at preventing COVID-19,” the CDC said. “Based on what we know about vaccines for other diseases and early data from clinical trials, experts believe that getting a COVID-19 vaccine also helps keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19.” The vaccine is only a tool to help

end the pandemic. While the vaccines do help prevent and protect from COVID-19, it is still important to continue to follow safety protocols even after receiving the vaccine. “Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools we have available,” the CDC said. “Wearing masks and staying 6 feet apart from others help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others.”

12. Sports & Wellness

At the table, senior Haley Luna poses after commiting to Northwest Missouri State University. Luna signed to run track which she has participated in since her freshman year. Photo contributed by Haley Luna Senior Bryn McGehe signs with Kansas University with her family by her side. The last of three signing ceremonies was held on April 14. Photo by Kari Johnson

Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate Students sign with colleges to continue athletic careers

Written by Peyton Gann and Victoria Sanders nce a Pirate, always a Pirate,” is a motto embedded in the heads of students from the beginning of their high school years until the end. Coaches and teachers taught their students what it meant to have “Pirate pride,” on and off the field, throughout their high school careers. Coaches become a big part of each of the athlete’s life during the sport, they teach them on that sport and also teach them about life. Coaches prepare athletes for college-level sports and take pride in their accomplishments. Moving onto the next level, it is a tradition to do a signing ceremony, which is a celebration of the athletes who choose to continue to play their sport during college. During the signing, athletes sign a letter of intent sent from their college to make it official that they are attending that college and playing for their team next season. Making it official, senior Haley Luna signed a letter of intent with Northwest Missouri State University for track and field after receiving an academic and athletic scholarship. Luna set numerous records, including the 4 by 200 relay and the 4 by 400 relay.

“[I learned] not to overthink it, you have to go out there and do your best, it’s all up to you, don’t get in your head,” Luna said. Being on varsity all four years of high school, senior Grace Heater signed to play softball next season at MidAmerica Nazarene. Heater has played softball since she was 5 years old, playing on many competitive teams to help her train for college. “I’ve spent so much time playing this sport,” Heater said, “Working on it as hard as I have made me want to continue in college and it’s really cool to say I can play in college.” Senior Keaton Smith plans to continue his football career at Midland University next fall. Smith helped the football team win three Suburban conference championships, three district championships, and play in back-to-back state title games. In 2020 Smith was a 1st team All-Conference, 1st team all-district, and 2nd team all-state defensive lineman. “Football is very important to me because I have a long-running tradition in my family of high school football and college players, so it’s only natural that I want to play in college,” Smith said.

“It [football] taught me how to work within a team, how to do my job, and try not to do other people’s jobs,” Smith said, “It taught me a lot of discipline and how to stay committed to one thing.” He will continue to use what Platte County has taught him. Being a multi-sport athlete since the age of 3, senior Kylene Loy is attending Park University next year to play soccer and to study criminal investigation on an athletic scholarship. She has been a leader on the high school basketball and soccer teams for all four years of high school. Loy sophomore year played on the varsity team for soccer. “Scoring the winning goal against Smithville in a tournament my sophomore year is one of my favorite memories from high school,” Loy said. “I have been playing this sport since forever. I wouldn’t know what I would do if I stopped playing soccer. I want to play as long as I can.” Continuing her career in wrestling, senior Sarina Bertram has been accepted into William Jewell College. Bertram knew that once she had the opportunity to wrestle, it was something that she’d want to continue

13. May 2021

After he signed his letter of intent, senior Keaton Smith takes a picture with his certificate. Smith signed with Midland University to play football. Photo contributed by Keaton Smith The girls from the fall signing ceremony take a photo together. The fall signing ceremony was held on Nov. 11. Photo contributed by Grace Heater Athletic director Gabe Middleton introduces the athletes. In his first year as AD, Middleton organized the signing ceremonies for each season. Photo by Kari Johnson doing. She has been wrestling for three years and has 91 career wins and a record of 152 takedowns. Wrestling taught Bertram many life lessons that she incorporates into her daily life. “Whatever I go through in life, it for sure won’t be anything harder than one of Burress’ gruesome practices,” Bertram said. “And I wanna continue to see how far I can go and see how much improvement I can do in the next few years. I’ve grown very fond of this sport and country music over the years.” After missing the golf state mark last year as a junior, senior Mannon Bigus did her part in sending a team to state her final year as a Pirate. She helped her team win their conference for the fifth year in a row and go to state for the first time since 2003. Bigus is going to study at Rockhurst University on an academic and golf scholarship to continue her education with Rockhurst’s nursing program. Bigus joined the golf team her junior year and fell in love with the sport. “I love how much this sport has taught me,” Bigus said. “It taught me how to accept the unexpected challenges that come in

life and the sport. Golf showed me how to stay calm in frustrating times and how to be good under pressure.” Dedicating more than half her life to dance, senior Robin Schlimm is committed to the University of Tennessee. Schlimm is excited to further her dance career so she can learn new perspectives and teaching styles to see how she can continue to grow

and advance as a dancer. “Over the years, I have had many losses,” Schlim said. “I’ve auditioned for things and didn’t make it, lost competitions, or didn’t get put in a certain dance. But my coaches always pushed me to get back up and try again. And I am very grateful to have that ability to keep trying because it has made me stronger and a better dancer.”

14. Sports & Wellness Junior Sophia White draws her bow. The archery team prepared to take part in virtual nationals in May. Photo contributed by Dana Stephenson

SHOOTING TO WIN

Archery team prepares to wrap up season

Written by Porter Schoen and Peyton Gann

he archery team won every tournament they entered and qualified for the virtual national competition, which is normally hosted in Louisville, Ky. This year, nationals are being held on Saturday, May 1 at Platte City Middle School. Archery typically lasts from October until June, depending on if the team makes it to the world competition. The team has competed in five home tournaments and several away tournaments. “Our coaches have done very well at trying to keep our season somewhat consistent and normal,” freshman Wren Wilkins said. COVID-19 has necessitated numerous new safety regulations, and it is the reason for the tournament going virtual this year. This has impacted the team in many different ways such as practices being in two separate teams, but combined to form one team for tournaments. There is team A and B, although they don’t practice together due to COVID-19 regulations, they will all be participating in the virtual national tournament.

Since archers must wear masks while shooting, this makes it difficult for them to practice. Wearing masks can mess up their setting point since masks can get in the way of their line of sight. “It’s been difficult wearing masks at practice,” senior Owen Wilkins said. Some competitors said they were disappointed by online tournaments and COVID regulations. Each archer is only allowed to have two spectators, and each flight is about 45 minutes to an hour long. “I feel robbed of opportunity,” junior Minna Arthurs said. “I feel like it could have been a lot of fun, and we could have had some cool experiences. Instead we have to shoot in our gym.” Despite these setbacks, the team has performed better than during previous years. This year the team has scored 50 points higher than last year with a total of 3,331 points. This year’s team is ranked 12th out of 56 high school archery teams, which is higher than any other team in the past. “After nationals, we have worlds sometime around June 12 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,” Wren said. “Hopefully we do well

at nationals and can attend Myrtle Beach this year.”

Freshman Katherine Morgan trains on a 3-D turkey for the upcoming nationals competition. The archery team performed better than they did last year, scoring 50 more points than in previous years. Photo provided by Dana Stephenson