Pirate Clipper Volume 31 | Issue 2 | November 2021 | Platte County High School
That’s a Wrap
Pride band season comes to an end Pages 12-13
02. Table of Contents
Features 3.
Opinions 7.
Sports 12-13.
Picking Up The Community
Flag Code
That’s a Wrap
By Elijah Bruley
By Porter Schoen
By Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky
Clubs volunteer to help improve community
4-5.
From One Generation to Another Teachers recall memories of PCHS By Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky
6.
Embracing Our Differences School welcomes increased racial, cultural diversity
By Nevaeh Martin and Porter Schoen
A PSA for students who continue to wear the American flag
Pride band season comes to an end
14.
8-9.
Not in My Movie
A deep dive into sexism, common tropes in classic slasher movies By Ashlyn Basye
Wrapping Up the Season Softball teams racks up accomplishments, awards By Porter Schoen
15.
Platte County Treasures
10.
Why Teens Need More Sleep
Later start times increase students’ health, well-being
Treasures dance team reflects on past performances By Jack Scattini
By Jack Scattini
11.
Making Time for Breakfast
To best serve students, breakfast should be served twice in the mornings By Nevaeh Martin
Staff
Staff Writers
Ashlyn Basye Elijah Bruley Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky Nevaeh Martin Connor Rhoads Jack Scattini
Editor-in-Chief Porter Schoen
Adviser
Kari Johnson
Special Thanks
PCHS Yearbook staff Stavros Kellepouris Erica Glidewell
Cover Photo
Photo contributed by Stavros Kellepouris At a competition, senior Andreas Kellepouris prepares for his solo. Kellepouris won a number of awards for solos performed throughout the season.
About Us
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.
Picking Up The Community
03. November 2021
Clubs volunteer to help improve community By Elijah Bruley
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here are a variety of clubs and activities students can do, and many school clubs take the opportunity to do community service as a way of giving back to the community. Some of the projects the clubs do include Trunk or Treat, soap drives and no-sew blankets. Theatre teacher Erica Glidewell sponsors the Cappies and Thespians groups. The Thespians hosted two Trunk or Treat events this year. Glidewell has also found another way to donate materials back to the community. “We have a lot of leftover scrap wood that we don’t use anymore, so we are going
to cut that down to safe pieces, sand them down and make blocks for kids,” Glidewell said. “After the show, they will package them up and give them to families that need them.” “I have a toddler at home, and I was doing a project and I realized that he was stacking all the leftover scrap pieces of wood, and I thought that would be a good way to give Christmas cheer,” Glidewell said. FACS teacher Heather Ball sponsors FCCLA which is a group focused on helping families in need. “We just got done doing trick or treat
for canned goods, and we are starting the no-sew blankets,” Ball said. “We have been putting up the ‘Take What You Need,’ postcards, which are like a compliment to lighten up someone’s day. We do whatever we can do to help the community, so when the students have an idea, we try to do it.” All of this promotes FCCLA’s mission statement. “FCCLA is to empower individuals, then that goes into helping families, and then that goes into helping the community,” Ball said. “That’s our whole goal.”
Photo by Lanna Albright FBLA members interact with young trickor-treaters on Oct. 29.
Photo contributed by Erica Glidewell The cast and crew from “Bye Bye Birdie,” hosted a trunk or treat at Pathfinder Elementary School.
Photo by Elijah Bruley The FCCLA bulletin board in sponsor Heather Ball’s room helps keep members up-to-date on activities.
Photo by Sam Ragone Senior Austin Vanek prepares hot dogs to hand out to trick-or-treaters at the YMCA’s trunk or treat event. FBLA members partnered with Nodaway Valley Bank to help promote the bank and give back to the community.
04. Feature
From One Generation to Another Teachers recall memories of PCHS
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By Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky
rom construction to shifting student values to a stronger dependence on technology, the high school has changed a lot over the years. Eight staff members who graduated from PCHS have returned to teach, and the changes are apparent. “Some of the teachers that I had when I was in high school, I’m teaching with them now, and that’s kind of cool,” resource science teacher Derek Kohler said. The role of teachers has ultimately changed over the years. “We have to basically be parents and make sure kids are taken care of, we have to build relationships and make sure that everyone feels safe and secure,” marketing teacher Jerri Spores said. In addition to teachers, some traditions
have stuck around too. “There were several individuals from my class of 2016 and the dance team paired with us, and they taught us a dance and we had to dance in front of the whole school, embarrassing ourselves a little bit which was all in good fun. I’ll definitely never forget that,” resource physical science and government teacher Dane Rader said. One major change these alumni noticed was the abundance of technology. “I’d definitely say [there is] a lot more technology,” Rader said. “It was kind of crazy for me to see every student have a Chromebook.” English teacher Tori Tessmer used to sit in computer labs to complete assignments, but now she says we depend too much on technology.
“There has been a push for technology and technology integration, which I agree with, but we don’t know how to balance it yet,” Tessmer said. The increase in enrollment since these teachers attended high school has led to physical changes on campus. “When I graduated, there were 110 kids in my class, now I think the classes are 350 kids, so it has tripled in size since I was in high school,” Spores said. Paxton School, which originally served as an elementary school, became part of the high school in 2015. “The fact that Paxton is no longer an elementary building, and it is now used as an extension of the high school blows my mind,” Tessmer said.
Photo courtesy of 2012 Pirateer staff Tori Tessmer gets help with her newspaper page layout from the editor-in-chief. In 2012, computer labs were still the main form of access to technology. Photo contributed by Jerri Spores Walking across the stage to collect her diploma, marketing teacher Jerri Spores was thrilled to graduate from PCHS. She would later watch as her students walked across the same stage. Photo courtesy of 2001 Pirateer Kiel Giese’s Prom date pins a boutonnière to his suit jacket in 2001. Now, Giese is assigned to supervise Prom.
Photo by Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky English teacher Tori Tessmer helps out one of her students. While technology has become more prevalent, many assignments are still completed using pencil and paper.
The inclusion of Paxton has had an impact on the school. Paxton’s second floor is being used for math teachers, and the large group rooms on the first floor house the Student Success Center and two English classes. Clubs, such as the Diversity Council, also hold their meetings in these large group rooms. “I definitely think that the inclusion and diversity program they are implementing here is phenomenal,” Rader said. “It was long overdue, and I’m really happy to see big changes like that happening.” Platte County’s values have changed since Tessmer has been here. “I remember as a student the perception that I had was being college-bound, academics and test scores, and I feel like now we are actually talking about learning to communicate with other people; that your voice is important, that it matters,” Tessmer said. Administrators are now pushing for both mental health awareness for students and teachers. “I think the school has changed for the better and not just design-wise,” Tessmer said. “I’m talking about quality admin, the teachers, the vision that we have. I think we still have a ways to go in certain aspects, but I think overall, I am very happy that I’m here. It’s nice to come back home.”
05. November 2021
Photo by Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky While walking the halls, teachers Derek Kohler and Dane Rader talk to each other. They took the same routes in high school that they do now.
06. Feature
Embracing Our Differences School welcomes increased racial, cultural diversity
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By Nevaeh Martin and Porter Schoen ecently, the high school has seen an increase in racial and cultural diversity following demographic shifts in the surrounding area. Some students are surprised by the number of minority students at PCHS. “I’m glad we have [diversity] in the high school, but I’m also very shocked that we have any at all because at the middle school there were very few people who were not white,” sophomore Emma Sharp said. Many minority groups have been victims of stereotyping at school. “There will be Caucasian kids claiming that Black people are troubled because of things you hear on the news,” sophomore Antonia DeBiasio said. “The same thing goes for Hispanics and for Muslims.” DeBiasio indicated that her concerns rested predominantly with her fellow students. “[The administrators are] doing a good job trying, but it’s more of the student body,” DeBiasio said. “Administrators need to understand that.” To counteract this, the administrators are putting the pressure on students to be more inclusive. “We’re seeing behaviors that we need to get under control building-wide,” principal Keith Jones said. “We can bring awareness about all cultures, but the kids have to be the ones to start bringing about the awareness and bringing about the change.”
Graphic by Porter Schoen The number of students identifying as “Black” or “Other” has increased when compared to previous years.
One of the ways inclusiveness is being facilitated is through the Diversity Council, an organization focused on including minority students. “Our goal as a group is to educate our school and community in addition to celebrating the diversity we have at PCHS,” adviser Jamar Parrish said. “We want to create an environment where it is the norm to acknowledge our differences in such a way that it brings us closer together rather than divide.” One of the main issues students addressed was a perceived inequality in discipline. “Not a lot of people like going here,” sophomore Zy’Arre Mitchell said. “They think it’s not equal enough.” In response to this, the administration is developing new methods to counteract that perception. “Oftentimes we might have a matrix of how we work through things, so it’s not going to come out in the form of a suspension,” Jones said. “Sometimes we correct behavior through conversation.” Something as simple as a discussion can sort out misunderstandings. “Sometimes what we’ve been able to do is bring both parties together to have that conversation, because it’s hard to lie when I have the student that’s making the claim, and the student that is being accused, to the point of what was said and what happened,” Jones said. “So we take a mediation approach, which has been somewhat successful.”
Graphic by Porter Schoen Demographics in terms of sex have changed very little from recent years to now.
MULTILINGUAL LEARNING
The high school currently hosts four exchange students from Italy, Poland, Vietnam and Germany. Throughout the district, there are immigrants from more than 14 countries with more than 30 languages spoken. The languages most commonly spoken besides English include: • Spanish • Creole • Somali • Arabic • Vietnamese • Amharic
Photo by Chandavian Bradley Gesturing to his slides, guest speaker Edgar Palacios addresses the student body during the Hispanic heritage celebration. Inviting guests to talk about cultural issues is an important pillar of the administration’s plan to educate students.
Stars and Stripes FOREVER
07. November 2021
A PSA for students who continue to wear the American flag
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By Porter Schoen he stars and stripes are entirely unique to America. They stem from a strong sense of national pride and individuality, as well as an almost overwhelming urge for complete independence from other countries. Since we were born, it’s been instilled in us that the flag is a symbol to be respected. To this end, the US government created a list of rules about the flag, its treatment, and its disposal. If you’re not aware of it, don’t worry. Based on what I’ve seen at this school, most people aren’t. There is a laundry list of things that violate the flag code, many of them things we wouldn’t usually think about. For example, the flag code specifically bans the flag being used as a cover for a roof or ceiling, something no one would actually do under normal circumstances. However, many of these rules are still relevant. For example, the code states that the flag should not be altered in any way. This includes recoloring, printing slogans on, or otherwise redesigning the flag. American flags are also not supposed to be affiliated with any particular political group or used for advertising. And yet, many supposedly patriotic movements have done just that. The Blue Lives Matter flag is seen by many to be representative of supporting the police, and by proxy, American values. A number of students choose to display it, seemingly ignorant of the fact that they are effectively doing the opposite of what they intend to. In similar fashion, American flags with the face of former president Donald Trump on them were reasonably common in our community during the 2020 election, and remain so afterwards. These too stand in direct opposition to the government’s directions on flag treatment, for more reasons than one. Not only is this a redesign of the classic flag, it also explicitly connects the flag to a political figure, making the stars and stripes partisan and polarizing. Examples of this exist on the other side of the aisle, as well. For example, a Democratic party headquarters in Florida drew the ire of a group of veterans in 2012 by displaying an American flag with the face of then-candidate Barack Obama. This is
on the same level as Trump’s face on an American flag. What irks me, personally, is that many of the people who were angry at Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem or found themselves opposed to activists who burned flags as a symbol of protest, backed up their stance by saying that it didn’t matter who these people were, or why they were doing what they were doing. What mattered, according to them, was that these activists were disrespecting America by not treating our national symbol with care, dignity and respect. And yet, the same people who were enraged by minority groups doing something they felt to be wrong are continually, unknowingly, unwittingly doing the exact same thing. How many flag t-shirts end up sitting in thrift shops, collecting dust? How many hundreds of stars-and-stripes paper plates decorate our landfills? I’ll tell you how many. Many more than have been destroyed by minority groups fighting for their rights; many more than a hundred football players could ever have kneeled for. Simply put, it’s hypocritical for someone to say they’re for America, and then try to prove that by putting on their America-branded merchandise. To these people, I have a request. Please knock it off.
Graphic by W. Clarke A “Thin Blue Line” flag similar to those attached to the hats and backpacks of many students. Thin Blue Line flags were commonly used to represent the Blue Lives Matter movement, a reaction to anti-police brutality organizations.
Photo by Banty’s Trading Post An American flag sporting the face of then-president Barack Obama. Critics of this particular flag accused the people flying it of attempting to form a group comparable to that of former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.
Photo by JCPenney While seemingly less offensive than other examples, this t-shirt still constitutes a breach of the flag code. American flag clothing has become noticably more common in recent years.
Graphic by FlagsImp This flag, notable for associating the stars and stripes not only with former president Donald Trump but also with his campaign, is another example of a presidential campaign breaching the flag code. Flags of this design were frequently seen in the hands of Trump supporters and protesters.
08. Opinion
Not in My Movie
A deep dive into sexism, common tropes in classic slasher movies By Ashlyn Basye
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lasher movies have been the pinnacle of Halloween ever since I was little. With movies like “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” the slasher movie stereotype has been set. Something that isn’t talked about enough is how overly sexualized the women are in these movies. The women in these movies are usually naked, if not partially clothed. The truth is that sex sells, and the evidence of that statement is in all of the movies that I listed above. When I watched all of these movies, I counted all of the explicit scenes and in all of them, and the girl was killed when she wasn’t clothed. These movies don’t need nudity to convey any message and it also doesn’t help develop the story in any way, except for the fact that the movie studios want to sell more tickets. As time goes on, horror movies are changing and evolving. And while the studios have made mistakes in the past, namely with the women in their movies, you can tell that they are doing something to make a change. For example, in the movie “Halloween,” Michael Meyers is a killer chasing after his sister and her friends. In the earlier movies, there are many
pointless nude scenes featuring girls getting murdered while participating in sexual activity. It felt as if the movies were trying to convey a message of ‘if you don’t do this then you could live too’. As more “Halloween,” movies came out, there was a major change. Instead of having pointless nudity for the sake of an R rating, they put more work into the overall story. This is something that needs to become more normalized. When I watch a movie, I want a good story with good characters that I can relate to and empathize with instead of a few pointless nude scenes. One movie that displayed the many tropes in horror movies is “Cabin in the Woods” (2011). In this movie, it makes fun of the many known tropes in classic American horror films such as the jock, the promiscuous girl, the virgin, the stoner, and the intelligent one. Instead of having these tropes hidden like most horror movies, it’s abundantly clear where they are going with it. In the movie, the reason that the people are targeted is to fill a quota and appease the devil. While it may not be the most positive premise, I loved how it didn’t hide from itself and embraced the genre.
Graphic by Ashlyn Basye
HOW HOW TO TO SURVIVE SURVIVE AA SLASHER SLASHER MOVIE MOVIE
DON'T have sexual relations DON'T partake in drugs or alcohol DONT go investigate the strange sound DON'T ever split up Graphic by Ashlyn Basye
09. November 2021 I didn’t notice this aspect of horror movies for a long time. I always thought that someone had to live to the end, so why not a girl? But then I realized that, no, it’s always a girl. These movies continue the stereotype that men are the predators and women are the prey. When the movie begins, you see most things from the killer’s perspective, whether it’s stalking their prey or why they do what they do. And then the narrative switches to the final girl’s perspective with us rooting for and aligning ourselves with her. The final girl lives! At least, until she gets brutally killed in the sequel. What I didn’t realize was the harm of the trope of the final girl. The other women in horror movies are brutally murdered, and most of the time, they are naked. I know, sex sells, but why is it that anytime there’s an intimate scene in a horror movie the couple is killed? But the final girl is a virgin, so she wouldn’t die right? That is not necessairly always the case. One outlier to the final girl trope is the movie “Carrie.” Throughout the movie, you are put into Carrie’s shoes. Because of the bullying and hate that she experienced, she became the villain. But did we ever stop rooting for Carrie? I sure didn’t. I rooted for her until the end, even though she committed mass murder and did some harrowing things. We wouldn’t have rooted for Carrie if she was a man; instead she would have been the monster. If Carrie suddenly had a body like Jason, he would have been a killer with another girl as the protagonist. All in all, the final girl trope isn’t too harmful if it is handled correctly. It’s when a film doesn’t handle it correctly that it is noticed and inevitably scrutinized.
The Final Girls
Carrie isn’t the most traditional final girl, but she is one of the most memorable. In the movie, she experiences major bullying, which leads her to seek revenge when the bullies rig a bucket to pour blood on her. Their plan fails and ends up killing the prom king. In retaliation, she violently takes revenge on her antagonizers. Carrie leaves, being the first final girl who was also the killer.
Alice Hardy was a ‘final girl’ who set the stage for the rest of them. In this movie, her attacker is Jason Vorhees. They both share a past at Camp Silver Lake, with Jason’s backstory being a rather brutal one. Somehow, Jason comes back and begins to terrorize the camp. Alice kills Jason’s mother, subsequently ending the movie and the terror... for a while. Graphic by Ashlyn Basye
Sidney Prescott is one of the most memorable final girls because she changed the way final girls acted/thought. In the movie, she is chased by Ghost Face. The movie calls itself out on the tropes that it portrays. At the end of the movie, when the killer would come back alive for one last scare, Sidney shoots the killer instead and says, “Not in my movie.” Graphic by Ashlyn Basye
In the movie Halloween, Laurie Strode is rocked by the aftermath of her young brother, Michael brutally killing their family. When her brother escapes from a mental institution, Laurie has to fight to save herself, her family and her friends.
Graphic by Ashlyn Basye
10. Opinion
Why Teens Need More Sleep Later start times increase student health, well-being By Jack Scattini
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t’s 6 a.m. sharp on a Monday morning, I snooze my alarm a multitude of times before willing my body up and wiping the sleep out of my eyes. This is nothing new to me; it’s been this way since I started high school. Every night, I’m furthering my sleep debt. The common complaint of “I’m tired,” is heard daily in school. Children ages 13-18 should get 8-10 hours of sleep per 24-hour period and about 72% of high school students report not getting enough sleep according to the CDC. With the time at which school starts now, this is frankly not enough time for someone to get ready for school while still getting enough sleep. If start times and end times were adjusted accordingly it would greatly benefit students. Even starting an hour later would ensure students could be well rested and ready for the school day. A proposed start time of 8:30 would mean students coming in are more alert for their first classes and more likely to excel in their learning. Elementary schools already have start times later in the day, but for what
reason? Not every hour of the school day is spent in class, either. One solution to attaining a later start time is to cut PLT completely. With the integration of the PLT program and updates to it in recent years, we have a lot of free time. If classes were longer and students were granted more work time in class, we could have a later start time. PLT is not necessary because its actual purpose isn’t fully used by students, and it’s looked at as more of free time. Some may say that PLT is necessary to relay information to all students easily, but this can easily be changed by having larger assemblies and emails sent out to students. I wouldn’t consider most of the information given in PLT especially beneficial, and it could easily be integrated into actual curriculums. Not all students need PLT, but all students need more sleep. Changing school start times would require a lot of logistical planning on the part of the district and the community. It would also present yet another drastic change to
the way we do school, and we’ve had more than our fair share of that in the last couple of years. The implications of implementing different hours of school would require changes in everything from teacher scheduling times, bus times, lunches, and most importantly, school activities. Elementary schools would probably be affected the most because those students would need more supervision after school, if they dismiss around 3 p.m. This could result in more students needing to attend after-school programs. There is no shortage of issues to consider in making this change. However, if it will positively impact students, it is something to at least be considered. With the proposed sacrifices to certain aspects of the school day, this is entirely doable while not affecting the flow of school. If later start times were given to high school students, I am confident there would be a boost in morale and mental health of students, providing a more positive learning environment.
Making Time for Breakfast
11. November 2021
To best serve the students, breakfast should be served twice in the mornings by Nevaeh Martin
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here’s no denying the breakfast line in the North Cafeteria between first and second hours is a problem. It stretches from the cafeteria, past the Activity Center doors and almost to the restrooms next to the North Gym. Because of this, students are often 5-10 minutes late to second hour. Students and teachers are frustrated. There are several possibilities to remedy this situation, but I propose serving breakfast both before school and after first hour. If people missed the first breakfast period, they can always make it to the second one. Having two shifts would mean more people could get food. I think it would be better because some people like to get food before going to their class. I can grab breakfast in the main building if I’m already there and go to class in Paxton instead of having to walk all the way to Paxton and waiting in the really long line. Breakfast is the most important meal of
the day. I don’t get a chance to eat at home. A lot of people don’t. We know that we can always get breakfast at school. Having breakfast open when school opens would create an opportunity for us to sit down and eat instead of having to take our breakfast to class. If you’re uncomfortable with eating in front of other people, you can sit down in one of the lunch rooms instead. It would be better for people who like to eat as soon as possible, as well as students who like to eat later in the morning. Block scheduling also doesn’t help. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the schedules are different, which affects the breakfast wait time. Usually it’s 45 minutes for each class, but on block days it’s 1 hour and 30 minutes. That’s a long time to go without breakfast, especially if you’re really hungry. Working on an empty stomach can be bad because it can lead to blood sugar dropping which is very bad for students with diabetes. According to the website Healthy-
Children.org, nausea and acid reflux are common problems in children who go long periods of time without eating. Eating breakfast in the morning is good for everyone. According to an article by Jane Reagan, a registered dietitian at Wardenburg Health Services, from the University of Colorado-Boulder, concentration, memory, and energy improve after eating a healthy breakfast. According to AthlosAcademics.org, breakfast can also increase attitudes and help students be successful in the learning environment. Since we are in school to learn and be successful, a good breakfast in the morning is one way to help ensure that. Being healthy is very important. Doing well in school is important. You can do all of that by just eating a meal for breakfast. This is a problem because not enough students are able to eat in the morning and I think everyone should be able to. That is why we deserve two breakfast shifts.
Photo by Ashlyn Basye Students wait in line for breakfast between first and second hours. The line often stretched down this hallway to the Activity Center doors.
Photo by Ashlyn Basye Senior Abby Caldwell walks to her second hour class. She just grabbed breakfast in the North Cafeteria after waiting in the long line.
12. Sports
That’s a Wrap
Pride band season comes to an end
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By Jackson Hamilton-Dubsky
ride Band members returned to a more “normal” marching season this year, spending hours in the summer and each morning before school practicing their competition show. “We are super proud of our kids and the work ethic they put in to have such a great season,” head band director Matthew Bonsignore said. Hours of hard work paid off as the band made it to the finals at the University of Missouri. This accomplishment did not come without obstacles, however. “You know, riding a bike is something you remember how to do, but you have to get back on it to do it,” Bonsignore said. “Marching band is like that, times 50. When you haven’t done that kind of marching for that long, it’s tough.” Some obstacles had to be overcome by students. “I actually play trombone originally, so for Pride I had to learn baritone, and it is basically the same thing but with buttons,” sophomore Alex Hamilton-Dubsky said. There were also director issues such as the retirement of previous head director Jay Jones, the rewriting of some of their music, and not being able to rehearse as a group last year because of the pandemic.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Senior James Florkowski performs his solo. He won the Best Soloist Award from that competition. Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Junior Mackenzie Ryerson gives her all in a performance. The Pride band won second place at the University of Missouri.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Senior Tyler Lowstetter prepares to preform. The Pride band won first place their first tournament of the season.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Sophomore Kinzey Dulin waits to perform. The band earned first place in Class 4A at the University of Missouri
Photo contributed by Starvous Kellepouris Senior Nick Vedder and junior Brandon Benjamin play their competition show.The band won Grand Champions at Missouri Western.
“It was kind of our ‘comeback year,’ and it was difficult to get back to what we were originally,” drum major junior Ella Lowstetter said. It was a comeback the Pride band made by taking second in the finals at the University of Missouri. “I would say the best memory I had was seeing the kids’ excitement right when we were warming up for finals at Mizzou and them understanding they have one last run to do, and they were hyped,” Bonsignore said. “They knew they earned that right to give that last performance; they knew the bands they were going to compete against; they knew they had to step it up, and they did.” Students join Pride Band for many reasons. Some love band and want more of it. Some love the community. “Bon said ‘You don’t show up to win in October, you show up to win now,’ and that was very inspiring to me,” Hamilton-Dubsky said. “That’s what made me want to keep going.”
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Freshman Matthew Solomon is set and ready to perform. The band won the Best Sound Award in their first tournament.
13. November 2021
Photo contributed by Starvous Kellepouris Senior Paige Roberts performs her solo. Pride band’s practices took place on the football field at 6:00 almost every morning.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Sophomores Quentin Miller and Lincoln Duane are ready to perform. The band won the Best Sound and Effect award for their first tournament.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Junior Laney Silvers lunges in the routine with the rest of the band. The band placed first in class 4A in the Tournament of Champions.
Photo contributed by Stravous Kellepouris Drum major Chris Gentilia leading the band through their performance. The band earned Grand Champion at the University of Missouri.
14. Sports
Wrapping Up the Season Softball team racks up accomplishments, awards
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By Connor Rhoads and Jack Scattini
he softball team ended their season with a record of 21-10, the best record in the district. Platte County beat Excelsior Springs 9-4 to secure a spot in the state tournament. The state tournament was hosted in Springfield, Mo., with the first game against Nevada High School, who they beat 10-0 in the state quarterfinals, before losing to Washington High School 10-0 in the state semifinals. Softball coach Callie Peoples said the team played well going into the sixth inning of the game against Washington but stood in a stalemate until the 6th inning which resulted in their loss due to errors and a lack of hitting. They had a total of two hits against Washington. The loss against Washington didn’t cause them to back down at all against Incarnate Word Academy in the third place game, according to junior Demi Riechers. “We came out hitting like we have been all season, and came out with the win,” Riechers said.
Photo by Ashlyn Bayse Just before the end of an inning, senior Koree Church attempts to steal second base. The batter struck out mid-steal, causing her efforts to go to waste.
The Pirates beat Incarnate Word Academy 12-5, which made Peoples still feel confident in the Pirates ability to be one of the best contenders in the state. “Despite the loss, we were able to show why we were at state in the first place in our last game, giving us a good finish for the season,” Peoples said. Peoples commended sophomore Kallie Hitzelberger’s pitching for helping the Pirates perform like they did, as well as the home run hit by junior Takayla Lawson during the third place game against Incarnate Word Academy. The Pirates had two players selected for 1st team All-State, Mackenzie Shields (at-large) and TK Lawson (infield). Platte County had a 67.7% winning percentage and had an average PPG (points per game) of 9.9, the highest in the past 14 years. While their offense was stellar, they still had an amazing defense with holding their opponents average PPG to only 4.4. Platte County only had four returning players from last year’s third place state team.
Graphic by Connor Rhoads
Photo by Ashlyn Bayse Posing with their first place district trophy, the softball team prepares to go to state. After a waether delay, the team lost their first game before going on to win the third place game.
Platte County Treasures
15. November 2021
Treasures dance team reflects on past performances.
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By Ashlyn Basye he dance team has participated in more events with bigger crowds, especially after the pandemic limited audience sizes at their performances. For the first time since 2019, they were able to dance for a full student section. This year they chose music from the 1980s: “Call Me,” by Blondie, “Jump,” by Van Halen, and “Take On Me,” by A-ha. “When we perform at the blackout game, we get a bunch of glowsticks taped to us with the band kids,” junior Natalie Shepherd said. “There’s a countdown, and as soon as it ends, the lights go out and everyone gets really excited because we basically disappear.” The blackout performance is a tradition the students were excited to see continue this year. “Everyone is just so happy to be there; it’s such an enjoyable experience,” freshman Grace Moppin said. “No one’s upset that they’re there, and it’s like a family. It was fun to dance with the band. It was not what I expected, but I don’t really know what I expected.”
The dance team has a new member who happens to be a senior foreign exchange student from Germany, Nina Benzer. “My favorite dance I’ve learned is probably the fight song,” Benzer said. “It feels like everyone here knows it.” The Treasures are coached by counselor Marissa Jarnagin. It’s her first year coaching the dance team. Jarnagin said she is so proud of how fast Benzer has picked everything up and is ecstatic about her choice to join the team.
Photo by Ashlyn Basye Junior Natalie Shepherd dances at the home football game.
Photo by Ashlyn Basye Senior Grace Donnelli dances and smiles at the student section on her senior night at the home football game.
Photo by Ashlyn Basye Senior Olivia Degrave dances on her senior night at the home football game. Photo by Ashlyn Basye The Treasures dance team poses for a picture at the home football game against Smithville.
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