The Harbinger Issue 12 2025-26

THE HARBINGER

MARCH 9, 2026

online preview

gallery by MAGGIE ROGERS, VIVIEN GLENSKI, MOLLY SCOTT & SYLVIE DEGALAN

political cartoon

EDITORS DESIGN

PRINT EDITORS

Sophia Brockmeier

ONLINE EDITORS

Luciana Mendy

Lucy Stephens

ASST. PRINT EDITORS

Avni Bansal

Michael Yi

ASST. ONLINE EDITOR

Christopher Long

Caroline Beal

DESIGN EDITORS

Bella Broce

Sydney Eck

ASST. DESIGN EDITORS

Evelyn Bagley

Lucy Swope

DESIGN MENTORS

Lyla Weeks

Miranda Liberda

Tillie Paisner

Ashtyn Ingram

Hannah Rosemann

ART EDITOR

Francesca Lorusso

Libby Marsh STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

HEAD COPY EDITORS

Libby Marsh

Luciana Mendy

ASST. HEAD COPY

EDITOR

Grace Pei

PRINT PHOTO EDITOR

Paige Bean

Will Griffith

ASST. PHOTO EDITORS

Addie Clark

Ava Towner

Tyler Russell

PHOTO MENTORS

Molly Scott

Sophia Cicero

Sylvie DeGalan

Zac Russell

Anastasia Flower

Vivien Glenski

Francesca Lorusso

Molly McDermed

VIDEO EDITORS

Preston Hooker

Emma Weidman

Julia Campbell

Francesca Lorusso

PAGE DESIGNERS

Madeline Glasier

Devon McFadden

Ella Slicker

Kennedy Moore

Eisley Foster

Elena Hull

Katie Cook

Lainey Hunter

Claire Troutwine

Abigail Baltzell

Lucy Cattano

Emily Enger

Jack Fitzpatrick

SECTION EDITORS EDITORIAL

Eisley Foster NEWS

Kennedy Moore OPINION

Bridget Dean

FEATURE

Sloane Henderson

A&E

Hannah Rosemann

SPORTS

Maddie Glasier

Preston Hooker

Adyson Cooper Hudson Terreros

Eisley Foster Libby Fitzpatrick

Evelyn Geheb

Emma Weidman

Lexi Madden

Maggie Rogers

Layla Love

Avra Welling

Liv Ruecker

Bella Thompson

Charlotte Walton

RJ Kordalski

Allie Beaulieu

Sadie Jolicoeur

Graham Geheb

Lexi Madden

Alex Harden

Avra Welling

Aynslee Douglass

Anasten Schaefer

Graham Geheb

EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Griffith

STAFF WRITERS

Vanessa Blades

Sienna Williams

Bridget Dean

Hannah Rosemann

Effie Roper

COPY EDITORS

Preston Hooker

Addy Newman

Mya Smith

Sloane Henderson

Alex Harden

Reese Dunham

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS

Bella Broce

Lucy Stephens

Evelyn Bagley Ashtyn Ingram

SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF

Abigail Baltzell

Allie Beaulieu

Emily Enger

Libby Fitzpatrick

Evie Lewis

Rowan McGill

Adyson Cooper

Madeline Glasier

Devon McFadden

Sydney Eck

Lyla Weeks

Lucy Swope

ADS MANAGERS

Preston Hooker

Molly McDermed

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Bridget Dean

CONTEST COORDINATORS

Christopher Long Tyler Russell

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

NEWS

stories by ROWAN MCGILL

Invest in your future

Information on two major scholarships

The 614 Scholarship

Due March 20

Mark F. Curtis Memorial Fund

Minimum 2.2 GPA

Must be a current SM East student

Two recommendation letters

Oral Interviews as necessary

Two essays, each 250 words or more

Requirements Essay Questions

What significance might the money from the 614 Scholarship give you that other grants might not?

Re-read the purpose of the 614 Scholarship — does it make you look any differently at your years at Shawnee Mission East?

Singing in Europe

Due March 27

Minimum 2.8 GPA

Must be a current SM East student

Two recommendation letters

Two essays, each 250 words or more

Requirements Essay Questions

What makes you uniquely qualified for the scholarship? Are there any entrepreneurial activities that you are interested in or have been involved with?

Tell the committee about your international interests.

Select SM East choir groups are performing in four cities in Europe over spring break

THE CHAMBER CHOIR is going on a trip to Budapest, Hungary, Radislava, Slovakia, Vienna and Prague. They will be leaving March 12 and coming back March 21.

The chamber choir will visit and perform in Budapest, Hungary, Radislava, Slovakia, Vienna and Prague. The group is leaving March 12 and coming back March 21. The choir will be performing in Cathedrals, performance halls and town squares.

Only people in Chamber Choir and Choraleers are able to attend. All of these groups are the most advanced in their

classes and typically are only composed of upperclassmen.

“We’re scheduled to perform four formal concerts where we’ll be in our robes in Cathedrals, and in Slovakia we will perform at a concert hall,” choir teacher Ken Foley said.

Students currently in choir will be going on the trip for the first time, as the trips are scheduled every two years.

The trip is especially exciting for chamber choir singer and senior Aleksei Bersenev, since he’ll get to be near his home country, Russia.

Dressed for the dance

“I’m really excited because I’ve been to these countries before and I just know how nice they are,” Bersenev said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Foley had to cancel the choir trip, and the sophomores, juniors and seniors are now going on the same trip with the same order and cities.

One of the things students are most excited about is the chance to learn how to perform together in harmony, something Bersenev is looking for especially.

The Prom Dress Giveaway/Exchange gives girls free dresses for every dance

THE PROM DRESS Giveaway/ Exchange provides free prom, homecoming and sweetheart dresses to students from March 7, to April 20. Located in the basement of the First Baptist Church of Grandview, it strives to let all girls have a dress for every occasion.

“It’s so nice that we can give girls a chance to have a nice dress for their dances,” founder of Prom Dress Giveaway/Exchange founder Amy Blankenship said.

Even though most visits come during prom season, the organization also has customers during the homecoming and

sweetheart dances, according to Amy’s daughter, Rachel Eze, who assists with the daily operations.

The organization usually draws in around 100 people during the sweetheart and homecoming seasons, but during prom season, the organization has around 500 people come in for dresses.

There is only one rule that Blankenship is very strict on: you can only receive a dress when the person it’s meant for is physically present. If the intended recipient isn’t there, the dress will have to wait until they arrive. There are also many opportunities

that come from visiting the organization, such as volunteering or donating formal attire.

One of the volunteer opportunities is helping and assisting people when trying on dresses, as well as distributing them. Those interested can contact Blankenship at (816) 813-1879.

“My mom had started it when she realized how expensive prom dresses are and it gives a chance for girls who can’t afford dresses,” Eze said.

FUNDING SHORTAGES

story by ADDY NEWMAN

THE KANSAS State Legislature has failed to provide funding for special education services since 2011. The state is required to fund 92% of excess costs used for special education services — every student is allocated base state aid, special education students

taxpayers have to fit that bill to make up for the state's unwillingness to meet their statutory obligation — [a legal duty imposed on an organization or individual by a statute or law].”

Under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, districts must give enough money to support special education students fully. Money has to be transferred from the general election fund of about $5,400 per student to special education students as the only option. This shortens the fund for all SMSD students, according to Schumacher.

UP UNTIL this year, we've been able to add the amount of paraeducators or special education teachers to meet the student needs, this year we did not.

However, the state of Kansas is unable to fit the budget because the federal government hasn't given the state its share of the funding.

“When that law was in statute, the federal government was supposed to provide a lot of [the 92%] funding to the state to then pass on to the local government [and] school boards, but the federal government hasn't been doing that,” Kansas State Representative Rui Xu said.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER SMSD SUPERINTENDENT

The problem of special education in Kansas being underfunded is seen through both the state and the districts.

When Sam Brownback served as the governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018, Kansas put significant tax cuts into place. This resulted in substantial budget shortfalls and economic challenges — a bill cutting state taxes. The Kansas Senate Substitute HB 2117, was signed in 2012 and was repealed in June 2017 by the Kansas legislature.

“Obviously, we can always do better,” Xu said. “But I think [with] the current school funding formula, along with the Gannon Supreme Court decision that says we have to fund our schools equitably, the schools are in a pretty good place, especially compared to under the Brownback years.”

The last time the Kansas Legislature fully funded special education was the 2010-11 school year.

The decline in funding has come from special education enrollment increasing by 20% from

Kansas has failed to reimburse 92% of excess costs put towards special education services for years

2001; the number of special education teachers increasing by 25% from 1998; and the number of paraprofessionals growing by 93% from 1998, according to the Kansas State Department of Education.

Special education services must be provided, or school districts have to pay for the services that aren’t covered by federal or state aid. This results in a decrease in money available to districts to pay for regular education, according to Schumacher.

“Special education students are getting what they need as far as their [Individual Education Program] goals,” Schumacher said. “It's every other student that's being shorted.”

When special education is underfunded, class sizes grow, programs shrink and local taxpayers feel more of the burden and students lose access to support, according to Kansas National Education Association.

“Up until this year, we've been able to add the amount of paraeducators or special education teachers to meet the student needs,” Schumacher said. “This year we did not.”

In SMSD, counselors in the elementary buildings have been a common request from families. The district cannot afford this because the transfer has to be made out of the general fund, according to Schumacher.

Even if the problem cannot be felt at the day-to-day student level, the funding is vital to provide salaries and health benefits such as health insurance for the staff, according to Schumacher.

“The federal government needs to fulfill its obligation and give the state the money that they promised us so that we can fulfill that 92%,” Xu said. “We absolutely need to at least put more money into it. I don't know that we can magically hit that 92% in one year, but at least start to fund it more. We could do more and then just keep bumping that up every year until we're able to fully fund it.”

$528,160,830

$520,519,379

$513,030,935

$505,566,465

$497,894,780 76.8% 69.0% 76.4% 73.4% 75.3% * 92% Required

by SYLVIE DEGALAN

Granting Opportunities

Micro grant applications are available through March 15 to Overland Park small businesses

SMALL BUSINESSES CAN apply for micro grants through the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce through March 15. Applications opened on Jan. 5, and the 10-15 available grants will range from $500 to $3,000.

MI CRO GRANTS

A small sum of money distributed to an individual or organization

Any small business located in Overland Park is able to apply for the grants, including SM East student and family-owned businesses.

The grants can be used for technology upgrades, staff development, such as certifications and preparation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup — the funds may be used to support extra inventory or management during the soccer event.

A business must have fewer than 25 full-time employees, be in business for a year or more, demonstrate financial stability and be able to match up to $3,000 in a grant award to be considered. Matching a grant means the business would provide half of the funds needed for a project.

This is the first year for the micro grant program, with a total of $35,000 to disperse. The total money was raised through a year of fundraising presentations, run by Chamber president and CEO Tracey Osborne, with around 100 local companies.

“We’re setting the base for what the needs [are] of our community in Overland Park,” Economic Development Director and Chamber Staff Member Katie Lindgren said. “How do we best support small

businesses so that we can grow the funding for next year to really make a difference in small business owners’ lives?”

Osborne encourages high school students to be aware of the program for possible future careers in Overland Park.

“We think it’s important for high school students to understand that Overland Park is a really great place to do business,” Osborne said.

“When they’re finished with school and are looking for that place for their future, whether they are entrepreneurs or business owners, there are so many businesses and opportunities.”

Senior Addy Sullivan, an owner of a dropshipping and a lawn mowing business, is reassured by her community through support for her business ambitions.

“It really just helps all business owners,”

Sullivan said. “I do have a decent amount of cash from all my [businesses], but actually trying to find investors to help is one of the most important things. This is actually an amazing thing, it’s really exciting.”

Lindgren. As of Feb. 24, the Chamber had received 38 grant applications.

Although Scott Hull, the owner of KidsZone — an entertainment business located in Overland Park — isn’t applying for the grant, the funds could help with marketing and purchasing new equipment, according to owner Scott Hull.

“I think [this program] is great,” Hull said. “I don’t think a lot of communities are doing that. I think Overland Park is really trying to be more visionary. So I’m not surprised they have this program.”

When evaluating the applications, the Chamber is looking for small businesses to make specific requests for money, show the effect the funds would have on their future and demonstrate a plan for their business. The application includes questions such as the number of years a business has operated, the purpose for running the business and the type of funding request.

SMALL businesses are really the meat and potatoes of a community. We want to support those small businesses to stay and grow in Overland Park.

KATIE LINDGREN CHAMBER MEMBER

The program is a part of the five-year plan, Opportunity NOW. The plan is split into three parts: a hope to attract and keep workers in Overland Park, improve existing businesses and cultivate a businessfriendly environment, according to the Chamber’s website.

The micro grant program falls under the economic hope to improve existing businesses, according to

Lindgren and Osborne are excited to see how the program impacts small businesses in the months after March 15.

“Small businesses are really the meat and potatoes of a community,” Lindgren said. “Small businesses are typically the reason why people move to a region, it adds the character for a region, and we want to support those small businesses to stay and grow in Overland Park and continue to make this community a really vibrant place to live and work and play.”

Behind the Grants

How the money from the grants can be used and Chamber requirements

• Staff development

• Paid internships

• Business improvements

• Technology upgrades

• Equipment

• Commercialization

• Proof of concept

• Resources to provide services to support World Cup events

Applications due MARCH 15

KATIE LINDGREN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

IF WE CAN SEE that there’s some thought that was put into it and that they completed all parts of the application, that will help the business to stand out. Anyone that considers themselves a small business is welcome to apply, but we are looking for those that are looking for growth and are committed to growing in Overland Park.

FOR YEARS, I begged my parents to let me get Snapchat.

After finally downloading the app years later than my peers in the fall of my junior year, as a birthday “present,” I realized what I wasn’t missing the first 16 years of my life.

Pictures of half of my friend’s face or the ceiling. Birthday shoutouts of people I’ve never met, which were posted on their Instagram stories moments later. And incessant notifications all to keep a streak.

My phone gets a notification when someone is typing, when a screenshot is taken, when a chat is sent, when a chat is deleted. None of this is necessary information and certainly is not urgent enough to require my phone to buzz constantly throughout the day.

My annoyance reached the point where I entirely turned off Snapchat notifications and only checked the app twice a day.

And if these notifications are supposedly so important, then why are they deleted 24 hours later?

Along with an absurd number of notifications from friends, I get snaps

at least three times a day that end up just being advertisements.

The app also pressures any user to keep streaks with everyone they have added by sending reminders and stating when a streak has ended for days after. With the drama Snapchat makes about ending a streak, you would think someone’s dog died.

And keeping a streak means nothing. My only reward for making the 24-hour cut to reply to a friend’s snap, is a fire emoji besides their name.

It also curates a “best friends list” of those who you communicate with the most often — not a true reflection of who your actual best friends are.

But more valuable than a 1000 day streak or number one Snapchat best friend, is texting them, or talking in person. I’m sure that over half of the people you have streaks with are the same people you wouldn’t even make eye contact with in the hallway.

So before reaching your thirties, still Snapping someone from sophomore year that you’ve talked to once, consider deleting the app and making a return to the ancient Messages app.

AGENDER MANDATE

The state Congress’ use of the “gut-and-go” process to pass Senate Bill 244 was unethical and led to a poorly developed bill

SOUND THE ALARMS! We have an emergency on our hands! It’s not the homelessness crisis, the nonexistent job market or skyrocketing health care costs — it’s making sure people use the “right” bathroom. Because, of course, ensuring that people use the bathroom aligning with their birth sex is the threat Kansans want their elected officials spending their valuable time on.

The Kansas legislature passed the “Bathroom Bill” — Senate Bill 244 — on Feb. 18, overriding Governor Laura Kelly’s veto. The bill requires people in government buildings, like public schools and universities, to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex at birth and to use their birth gender on their driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

SB 244 initially didn’t even have anything to do with gender identification. The original bill was about investment bonds. The Senate expedited the “Bathroom Bill” through a “gut-and-go” procedure, taking the pre-existing bonds bill that they had already passed and gutted its original content and replaced it with the completely unrelated law on gender identification and bathroom usage. This allowed the Senate to move on without ever holding a hearing on the bill or listening to public feedback.

Congress’ decision to pass SB 244 using this “gut-and-go” method was unethical and led to a poorly developed bill — with a lack of attention to costs, grace periods and basic implementation.

After the Senate, the House of Representatives passed the bill with emergency final action, eliminating waiting periods and allowing little time for public comment and floor debate. This procedure can be necessary when there’s an emergency and legislation needs to be passed quickly. But in what world does the place where someone goes number one and two fall into the crisis category?

Imagine if a teacher completely changed the topic and content of a test five minutes before class and stated that it just had to happen; it would be entirely unreasonable, just like the “gut-and-go” method.

By using the emergency final action method, the politicians completely evaded any public comment, and if the bill was so necessary, there should’ve been no reason to fear public feedback. Not only that, but the sneaky process also only allowed four Democratic opponents to debate the bill in the House before a motion was made to stop the debate and force an immediate vote.

Just because the Republicans have a majority in the House and the Senate doesn’t mean they should purposefully use an unnecessary process to prevent Democrats from having time to discuss a bill. It sets a dangerous precedent of politicians using loopholes to essentially ignore their counterparts instead of acting like the adults they are and collaborating.

Debates and public feedback are critical to well-designed bills because they point out flaws in the bills’ wording or implementation to perfect them before they are passed. But SB 244’s process was rushed past this stage of refinement, and Kansans deserve better than just a halfbaked bill.

The lack of attention to detail and the unethical process of SB 244 led to some gaping holes in the bill’s implementation. For one, there is no fiscal note — a formal notice provided by budget analysts and researchers about how much a bill will cost — for the bathroom provision. This makes it very unclear how much public institutions could have to pay to ensure compliance and have proper enforcement.

If a student wants to use one of the gender neutral bathrooms, would they be liable to face the $1000 fine since it technically doesn’t align with their birth gender? Would someone at SM East or in the Shawnee Mission School District be in charge of enforcing this bill in the building? There are so many unanswered questions that are critical to proper implementation.

Due to the vague and poorly written nature of the bill, according to Olivia Taylor-Puckett, spokeswoman for Gov. Laura Kelly, the Kansas Department of Administration will issue guidance as logistics, administrative processes and

The members of the editorial board who agree with the viewpoint of the editorial are represented by for, and those who disagree with the viewpoint are represented by against.

UNCLEAR BOUNDARIES

costs are evaluated. But all of these things should have been discussed on the Senate and House floors. Politicians shouldn’t just vote for bills and then figure out their key components later, no matter what the bill is.

The lack of time spent on the bill also led to issues like no grace periods for the driver’s license portion, meaning that as soon as the bill became law, any licenses with a gender label that didn’t align with the driver’s birth gender were declared invalid. The penalties could depend on other factors like the number of prior offenses, but can include fines and/or jail time, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

So not only was the bill rushed with no forewarning, but the implementation was also rushed, ruining any chance of a transition that gave people time to adapt.

If House and Senate Republicans truly believed this bill was the right course of action, they should have followed proper channels. They could’ve allowed the merits of the bill to stand on their own and given their constituents a genuine voice. Instead, they chose to avoid transparency and collaboration, leaving Kansans to deal with a poorly crafted bill.

It’s a disservice to democracy when decisions are made behind closed doors, ignoring the very people who are most affected.

Areas where Senate Bill 244 leaves too much room for interpretation

How violations will be identified or verified

Who will be responsible for enforcing the law day-to-day

How complaints and lawsuits will be initiated

How broadly “state law” or rules and regulations apply

How schools will implement the policy

design by KATIE COOK

by ADYSON COOPER & KENNEDY MOORE

DON’T

TIP! SKIP,

While annoying, businesses asking you to tip isn’t that big of a deal

story by ALEX HARDEN

MY CUP WAS full.

It had become a grotesque mountain of multicolored frozen yogurt with toppings sunk into it like the bodies of mountaineers who never climbed down. And I was ready to check out.

You’d think a serve-yourself frozen yogurt parlor wouldn’t ask you to tip, right?

I thought wrong.

15%. 20%. And, as if it couldn’t get worse, 22%.

22% is absurd. I served myself; if anything, I should be getting this tip money.

This wasn’t a one-time complaint; I’ve felt this annoyance at various places when asked to tip, especially if the worker’s wage isn’t reliant on tips.

I’d catch myself nervously thinking, are they gonna spit in my food if I don’t tip?

But now, I’m all for tipping when you can.

And it took me a while to change my perspective.

Before I was “honorably discharged” from my previous career scooping ice cream, I absolutely adored our little tipping screen.

With our high prices, we attracted only the most pretentious of ice cream connoisseurs, which meant I got only the most grandiose of tips, bringing my minimum wage of $7 and some change an hour to around $13 on a good day.

in my daily conversations and on social media.

I heard the same complaints: They don’t need the tips.

They didn’t really do anything.

Honestly, I agreed. I was once behind the counter working, and my scooping service wasn’t worthy of any tips.

I didn’t offer much extra service to customers. I scooped their ice cream and handed it to them. It’s not that I was slacking off; that was just my job. In the same way, the frozen yogurt employee simply checked me out — and didn’t offer much customer service.

Those working behind the counter aren’t on their feet for hours serving tables and forcing themselves to be amicable like waiters do; they’re providing a usually simple service and getting paid.

I walked down to the ceramics room to talk to sophomore Zinia Sundahl, who works at the Duck Donuts in Corinth Square, which, of course, has a little screen to tip on too.

Sundahl understood my annoyance with tipping culture, but still supports tipping, since it helps the workers due to just how much it benefits them.

SHE DIDN’T realize it, but she completely called me out. Why would I, and so many others, be upset with something only meant to benefit others?

I didn’t have an issue with being asked to tip now and then, and I’d often pitch into the tip jar, but it gets really old, really fast when just about every single business has a tipping screen.

But, just to double-check that I’m not stingy for thinking this way, I talked to students who work and benefit from optional tipping to see their opinion on the issue.

BUT NOW,

I’m all for tipping when you can, and it took me a while to change my perspective.

But after my working days ended, I would visit my friends at the ice cream parlor who hadn’t been fired, and I’d get annoyed when they’d flip that screen around and ask for a tip.

I didn’t think I was some pennypincher for thinking this way, and I knew I wasn’t alone.

I’ve heard people gripe about the influx of businesses asking for tips

I went and talked to freshman Jude Schmidt in the science hallway. Schmidt works at the Tropical Smoothie off of Mission Road.

Schmidt told me that he supports tipping workers, even when their wages aren’t dependent on tips.

“It helps businesses stay in business,” Schmidt said. “It just helps the workers have a better attitude.”

That’s when I started thinking I might be a cheapskate.

But it was my next conversation that rattled my viewpoint.

“I think that a lot of people [are] like, ‘well I don’t wanna tip, they didn’t really do anything,” Sundahl said. “Even if [the worker’s] wage isn’t dependent on tips, it kind of is. I get paid $9 an hour. I mean, it’s a nice job, but that’s not that much. With tips, it’s a lot more.”

She didn’t realize it, but she completely called me out.

Why would I and so many others be upset with something only meant to benefit others?

Dealing with entitled customers and getting paid next to nothing is no fun, especially with Kansas’ minimum wage of $7.25, which is almost half of the around $15 minimum wage of our neighbors — Missouri, Colorado and Nebraska.

I remember how stoked I was when a customer would tip me for my service, so why don’t I do the same when I can?

Yes, it’s a bit awkward when they flip the screen around and pretend to look away while you decide if you want to tip. Yes, it’s annoying to be asked to tip, especially if the product was expensive.

But, if you’re able to throw a buck or two in the tip jar, you should. There’s no harm in a worker asking for a bit more money. We’re all broke, and we all like money.

A TIP FOR ALL

TIP

Locations Alex suggests people tip at

You should tip at sandwich shops. It takes attention and effort to get your sandwich order right.

Workers at coffee shops like Starbucks deserve tips because baristas put lots of effort in crafting your coffees, especially if your order is complex.

You should tip frozen yogurt shops because the workers do more than just check you out, they have to clean and restock the machines.

You should tip at places like Chipotle because not only do the workers assemble your meal, they check you out as well.

CONVENIENCE AT A COST

Streaming platforms are convenient, but they can add up, so seeing new films in theaters is a much better choice

BREAKDOWN PRICE BREAKDOWN

Costs

$18.49

*according to reviews.org

story by SIENNA WILLIAMS

BUZZ.

A sharp vibration echoed against the glass Starbucks table, pulling my attention away from my friend.

“Your free trial ends soon! Continue with Prime Video for $19.99/month to keep watching.”

“What?” I muttered, holding the phone up so my friend could see my screen.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Frowning at the little notification across the bottom of my lock screen, I explained how I don’t remember ever downloading Prime Video, let alone using it.

Frustrated, I slumped back in my chair, trying to make sense of it all.

Then it clicked.

Two weeks earlier, the newest “Scream” movie had been released. And as a longtime fan of the series, I couldn’t wait to see it — just not in a theater.

It wasn’t that I hated movie theaters. It just felt like too much effort where in a world built on convenience, why leave my house when I could stream it from my couch, tucked under my favorite fuzzy blanket.

Streaming platforms advertise convenience — which they are — but these promotions can outweigh the drawbacks.

Google led me to a few options — one being Prime Video. I downloaded the app, signed up for the free trial and typed, “Scream 7” into the search bar.

“No results.”

Annoyed, I shut off the TV and forgot about the situation entirely.

And now, two weeks later, I was

QUICK

QUICK FACTS

A couple details about streaming platforms

The average American spends roughly $620.51 on

Connectivity and TV service make up 4% of the average U.S. worker’s monthly earnings

The changes in spending from 2024 to 2025 increased by 22% among consumers

frustrated at myself for signing up, but more so for how blindly willing I was.

I downloaded the app for one movie, realized it wasn’t even available, closed it, and completely forgot I had started a subscription.

The whole process was easy.

But that is the problem.

Streaming platforms were designed to make entertainment easier, and in many ways, they have. But somewhere between the instant rentals and easy one-click payments, convenience starts to blur into confusion.

It becomes easy to stack subscriptions, rent movies impulsively and forget what we’re actually paying for.

After the Prime Video dilemma, I realized how in today’s world, watching new movies from home has become so normalized to the point we as a society have forgotten one of the best ways to watch movies — in the theater.

a tiered system where “ad-free” comes at an additional cost.

For example, Hulu just started implementing ads, even when people are paying for an exclusive membership.

When you break it down, watching from your couch isn’t the bargain it pretends to be. It’s just easier. And when something’s easier, it often hides the real cost.

$$

A SINGLE MOVIE

ticket is usually less than the cost of renting a new movie at home. And beyond the price, the experience is completely different.

While streaming a new movie from home may seem cheaper than going to a theater, hefty prices and the impulse to download yet another streaming app just because they offer a certain film often make going to a theater a smarter choice.

A single movie ticket is usually less than the cost of renting a new movie at home. And beyond the price, the experience is completely different.

Take Hulu. Even after paying for a subscription, viewers are still met with ads unless they upgrade to a higherpriced plan. What used to feel like a single, straightforward payment has turned into

once, sit back and immerse yourself in the film you have been dying to see.

I’m not trying to say watching TV at home is bad.

Streaming platforms are perfect for binge-watching shows, rewatching classics or overall offer a large variety of films. In those cases, staying home makes sense.

But when it comes to new movies, downloading another app or paying extra just to watch from your living room might not be worth the extra cost or hassle.

Instead, trade the couch for a seat at the cinema.

OMAKASE TACO

The CAA’s culinary arts classes has a guest chef mentor series that happens every other month, and hosted chef David Ruiz for the month of February

BELOW SM West senior Logan Sommerla and SM South senior Robin Smith grill corn for the taco mix. To prepare the food, the students used techniques they learned from their guest chef, David Ruiz. “My favorite thing about the mentor series is seeing the students get excited and network with professionals that are all across the country,” chef and instructor Justin Hall said. “Being able to network and have our students experience professionals in the industry [and] working hand-in-hand with them gives them that real-world learning.”

photo by AVRA WELLING

ABOVE Outside of their normal dinner service, the culinary arts classes have a guest chef mentor series that happens five times a year. In February they hosted chef David Ruiz, who is the executive chef of the Overland Park Convention Center. After Ruiz mentors the kids for a week, they have a ticketed dinner event which is open to the public.

photo

by

ZAC RUSSELL

RIGHT Sophomores Henry Hawkinson, Dagan Lingenfelter and SM North senior Zach Kier work together to prepare meat for the food portion of the meal. “I really enjoy the guest chef coming in to teach us about the kind if food he makes,” Lingenfelter said.

photo by LIV RUECKER

To view more

Chef David Ruiz moved to Kansas from New Mexico, and his culture is prevalent in the recipes he teaches to the students. Different spices that add flavor to the food are essential in the meal.

BELOW While mentoring the culinary arts classes, chef David Ruiz focuses on highlighting his journey as a chef. “He highlights recipes, ingredients and techniques that [Ruiz] used throughout the years,” chef and instructor Justin Hall said. “He’s calling it a ‘Taco Omakase,’ which is roughly a taco tasting.”

FEATURE

RIGHT Senior Logan Dippel and junior Nathan Bartlow try to figure out how to take one of the bolts out of a 2016 Audi A6 to remove a strut. photo by

this week in PHOTOS

A look inside student life during the past two weeks

behind the game

Sophomore Ella Dinkins is a ball girl through her soccer club, Kansas City Athletics

ELLA DINKINS SOPHOMORE

OUR CLUB IS affiliated with Kansas City athletics, and we practice at their fields. They’ll text our coach when they need ball girls, and then our coach will be like, ‘I need five or six girls.’

Teams she ball girls for:

Kansas City Current

Sporting Kansas City Potentially a World Cup Team

Her favorite parts: Getting to be a ball girl with her teammates Meeting players Watching games from a unique perspective

1.

1 2

HER TOP CUPS

CUPS

Here are sophomore Lauren Meek’s two favorite coffee shops after visiting a new one every Wednesday

2.

Location: Overland Park, Kansas

Iced Honey Latte: 9/10

Overall: 10/10

3. PILGRIM COFFEE CO. BLACK DOG COFFEEHOUSE

Location: Lenexa, Kansas Vanilla Sky Latte: 8.5/10

Overall: 9/10

I GO GET a coffee [every Wednesday] and study there. In my notes app, I write down what I get, and then I rate it. I have all of these [lists], and then I add a picture.

LAUREN MEEK SOPHOMORE

WOODSHOP EXPLORING

Learn more about Woodshop from the students and teachers

STUDENT OPINION

Woodshop students share their opinions on the class

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE WOODSHOP?

MARIGOLD FINKELSTON JUNIOR

I’VE TAKEN ALL the engineering classes that [SM East] had to offer, and through middle school. I really wanted to take a class where I could physically build stuff with wood.

WHAT YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT YOU MADE?

OLIVER JONES SOPHOMORE

I MADE A JEWELRY box at the end of the first semester, that I gave to my mom and I thought that was really cool. You can laser it and put whatever you want on it, so I put my mom’s initials on it.

MEET THE TEACHER

THE PROJECTS

Projects that are covered in Woodshop

CUTTING BOARD

For their first project the students glue 13 to 15 pieces of wood together and clean it to create a functioning cutting board.

PEN

For the final project of the semester, the students use the lathe to shape a wooden pen.

JEWELRY BOX

The students make a box and lid, then use different joining techniques to join the corners for the box.

CHOICE PROJECT

Second semester, students get the choice to make, within reason, any project they want.

Woodshop teacher, Nicholas Scheuerman, answers questions about the class

15 YEARS TEACHING WOODSHOP

three years teaching it at SM East

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH WOODWORKING BEFORE TEACHING THE CLASS?

“My dad built all the furniture in our house, built all the cabinets in our kitchen, he did everything. So I learned from him by helping him over the years. Then, when I went to college, I kind of, didn’t care much about it. But after college, grew up a little bit, and I realized I kind of want to do that.”

MAKING STUFF WITH YOUR HANDS IS JUST INSTANT GRATIFICATION.

WHY DID YOU BECOME A TEACHER, AND WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO TEACH WOODSHOP?

“I became a teacher first to teach history because I love history, always have. But after some time, I kind of realized I want to work with my hands. I like teaching kids how to make things with their hands and be able to have a physical product that they can take home and say, ‘I made this.’”

FUELED BY

PURPOSE

Through running for U.S. Congress, SM East alumni parent Sarah Preu aspires to represent the working-class values of her district, KS3

story by AVNI BANSAL

SM EAST PARENT

parent Sarah

Preu stood under the warm lights of Overland Park’s Strang Hall, gazing at 30 new faces. Some were young democratic socialists, others were parents and longtime residents of Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District — the seat she’s now running for in Congress.

“I’m so happy to see your faces,” Preu said. “It feels like hope.”

For the past decade, the idea of running for office had been “boiling” in Preu’s mind. But she was raising two kids, starting businesses and running a nonprofit.

Then Preu’s kids grew up, and she attended several political events with Democrats in Johnson County. She noticed that few strategies targeted young voters.

“I didn’t hear a strategy about young people voting,” Preu said. “I may be 48 years old, but I think I know how to get these kids out to vote, and I know why they aren’t interested in voting.”

Preu talks to her collegeage son and her 17-year-old daughter. She knows what the social media algorithm is showing them.

So, around four weeks ago, Preu officially decided to run. She told herself: Let’s go. Let’s figure out what it takes.

all to prepare for the Aug. 4 primary election and Nov. 3 general election — her son and SM East 2024 alum Roman has seen how his mom’s passion has energized her.

“I see her getting ready for political events, and she just seems very activated,” Roman said. “It’s like an engine revving.”

A central catalyst of Preu’s campaign is the influence of her late mother, who was a social worker in schools serving students predominantly below the poverty line. Preu’s nonprofit, Nana’s Christmas Tree, honors her mother’s vision by helping cover expenses for lower-income families.

“Those poverty-stricken schools always had a family or two or three or four at Christmas time that broke my mom’s heart because they were in an unusual situation,” Preu said. “These weren’t necessarily the families that were always in trouble. My mom’s focus was really more on the working poor — the people who had two or three jobs.”

I SEE HER getting ready for political events, and she just seems very activated. It’s like an engine revving.

ROMAN PREU SM EAST ALUM

Her husband Jason built a campaign website, and Preu set dates for her first community event at Strang Hall on Feb. 22. Preu began volunteering at a “No Kings” protest and campaigning doorto-door and online.

Preu isn’t running as a typical politician but as a member of the working class. And although she recognizes the social and economic diversity of her district, she wants to highlight the unity of values and hopes of her coalition.

“What I’m trying to get done is to see each other as people of good conscience who disagree about the framework [for how the government should work],” Preu said. “But we don’t disagree that we want the best for each other. For our children.”

Since Preu started campaigning —

In its first year, Nana’s Christmas Tree helped 10 families, including a woman whose husband died at 42, leaving her to raise their 13-year-old daughter alone. Since then, the nonprofit has helped families cover car repairs, medical bills and expenses for small business owners. Those same working families — doing everything right but one crisis away from falling behind — are who Preu wants to fight for in Congress.

Through her work as a technologist, nonprofit director and small business owner selling soaps and perfumes, Preu has learned accounting, how to run a board and how to work with new people under strict deadlines — all skills Preu believes render her specially qualified for office.

“I learned delivery, and that’s something I’m excited to bring to Congress,” Preu said. “There’s a lot of ‘when we get to it, we’ll get to it’ in Congress. Pushing delivery would be a huge differentiator because that’s part of technology. You’re expected to deliver what you said you were going

to deliver. And if you don’t, there are real consequences.”

As a congresswoman, Preu aims to reduce corporate interests, overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, abolish ICE and rebuild the middle class from the bottom up.

CITIZENS UNITED V. FED. ELECTION COMMISSION

A Supreme Court case that enabled unlimited corporate spending on campaigns, leading to the rise of “dark money”

At community events, Preu speaks with people who feel their voices have been marginalized in the Democratic Party.

“We get labeled progressive, but I don’t feel that these are inherently divisive issues,” Preu said. “I think the [issues] are manufactured. The rage and division are manufactured.”

She wants the focus to be on policy and not on uncompromising partisan politics.

“I’m excited to see, even if she doesn’t win, if her actually running with this platform can force change in some of our other elected officials,” Roman said.

Preu’s daughter and Bishop Miege High School senior Bebe turns 18 tomorrow. Her first time voting will be for her mom.

Bebe sees her mom as someone who can hold a conversation with anyone, regardless of their political beliefs. But what’s special about Preu, according to Bebe, is her empathy, shining through in her work at her nonprofit or in the events she holds for kids in foster care at local churches.

“It’s so special that I’ll get to cross off her name on that ballot,” Bebe said. “[My mom] isn’t motivated by anyone telling her to run. She honestly started with zero support, and she’s already starting to build that. It’s her individual yearning to do something about what’s going on.”

THE ISSUES: THE ISSUES:

SM East parent Sarah Preu’s views on matters that she will advocate for if elected to U.S. Congress

HEALTHCARE:

“Families shouldn’t go bankrupt over a medical bill.”

Medicare, free insulin and reproductive freedom are rights.

ECONOMY:

$17/hour minimum wage

Support the Raise the Wage Act, raising the minimum wage and closing the household income gap

CLIMATE ACTION:

Kansas generates 52% of its electricity from wind, which generates around 4,000 new jobs. Building on this industry creates better economy.

AI RESPONSIBILITY:

Using “AI with guardrails,” workers make desicions independently and know when AI is making a big decision.

Consumer AI regulation guarantees the right to know when AI is making decisions that affect your life.

IMMIGRATION:

Immigrants contribute $8.3 billion and they should be seen as our strength, not enemy

Abolishing ICE so people won’t live in fear, and enforcement funding for ICE will go to community based programs

*Information

ABOVE Sophomore Nico Henry holds up a meaningful print he made during his dark room photography class. The piece will be entered into the end of the year

VISUAL IMPACT

Nico shares the artistic choices behind some of his work

“I CHOSE BOTH of those photos because of some personal context, but also because in one of them [my friend Oliver] is dressed as a vampire or a “monster.” The nimbus is a lot more jagged on that one because it represents being [the] face of the trans community, and seeing the opinions of others on trans people as a whole kind of slip when you mess up.”

IN DIFFERENT HOPE

Eulogy for Living, an art show run by sophomore Nico Henry, helps those struggling with mental health connect through their artistic creations

story by BRIDGET DEAN

LOOKING AROUND THE large, indoor skatepark, sophomore Nico Henry was overjoyed to see people clustered around the various art booths he’d helped set up. Paintings were displayed, orchestral music echoed throughout the room and poets were lining up to speak.

This was Nico’s first time organizing Eulogy for Living, an event created to help those struggling with their mental health support each other by sharing their musical and artistic creations.

The first event, held in 2020, was run by Nico’s mom, Christy, and planned to occur annually. Though Covid put a halt to the second event, Nico brought back the event five years later with his own influence and ideas. While his mom chose to host the event at a local church, Nico hosted his event at the now closed Goofball Skatepark to direct the event towards a younger audience.

“I had local artists there, and it was a lot less formal,” Nico said. “It was a lot more centered around the experience, celebrating life, instead of the negative impacts of suicide.”

The event itself consists of exhibits of local artists’ work — both students and professionals — poetry readings, musical performances and the acknowledgment of mental health/suicide, something not often brought up and recognized, according to Nico.

After suffering from an intense state of depression in middle school, Nico learned to draw as a way of expressing his feelings and emotions. He found passion in making various mediums of art, escaping many of his pains through his art and the support of friends and family. He brought back Eulogy for Living to help those who were grappling with the same issues by sharing their stories through art as he was able to do.

“I think that for as long as Nico has been old enough to be helping, Nico has always been looking for

opportunities to help people,”

Christy said. “And [organizing Eulogy for Living] feels like an extension of who he is.”

Nico connected with Mental Health America of the Heartland, the Midwest region of the national organization, to have mental health representatives present at last year’s event. The head chair of MHAH, Susan Lewis, helped him devise a way for a portion of the proceeds from the art sold at the event to be donated to MHAH.

whether you prefer to paint, draw, sing, write poetry, take pictures or do any form of art that resonates with you, everyone has a place.

Oliver Martinez, one of Nico’s closest friends, whom he met when he was 3 years old, also found passion through various types of art. Martinez has encountered the pains of mental health at times, and connects with the deeper meaning of the event.

WE WERE all coming together, and everyone’s really nice, and it was a really welcoming environment.

Twenty-five percent of the proceeds each artist makes from selling their work at Eulogy for Living was donated. The other 75% went directly back to the local artist, unless they chose to give all the profit to MHAH.

OLIVER MARTINEZ SOPHOMORE

“I talked to all the art classes at East and [tried] to encourage people to submit their work,” Nico said.

“There’s either [a] donation, where you give me your art and I’ll set it up at a table, or you can have your own table to yourself [at the show].”

One of Nico’s family friends, Carol Schieszer, was one of the dozens of artists who donated artwork to the show last summer. She remembers Nico visiting her house for Art in the Attic classes when he was in elementary school and wanted to support him and the cause of the show by donating all of her profits to MHAH, rather than getting some of the proceeds back for herself.

“I got nothing but the gratification of giving,” Schieszer said. “I entered maybe 10 or 12 paintings, and they sold. I gave [the paintings] to [Nico] and he could keep all the proceeds he could get.”

Nico aimed to direct the event more towards teenagers and young adults, though older adults, like Schieszer, also contributed. The concept of the event as a whole comes down to that exactly: whether you’re a student artist or a professional,

“There were a bunch of my friends there, but there were also a bunch of people I didn’t know,” Martinez said. “We were all coming together, and everyone’s really nice, and it was a really welcoming environment.”

Martinez was happy to support his longtime friend with the event, donating various crocheted pieces and handmade textile art.

Other local artists are currently reaching out to Nico via Instagram direct messages or email to inquire about a booth at his next event, which is set to take place at the end of May. Managing these artists’ booths, planning the event’s location and picking a date can be a lot of work, yet Nico still finds time to create his own art and work on SM East’s student art publication, The Freelancer.

Nico’s art has been described as increasingly brighter and more vibrant by his mom. He continues to combat his own mental health struggles, but has showcased his growth through his artwork. Art has become a place for him to transform his pain into something tangible that others can connect with.

“Watching Nico pull people together in a way where they can feel supported communicates this idea of hope and the ability [that] even when you’re really struggling or suffering, you can find your way through,” Christy said.

Every Wednesday, or Hump Day, senior Janie Hoskins decorates sticky notes and sticks them on students’ backs

HOW DID THE HUMP DAY NOTES START?

“It started in Mr. Klein’s class, I think. I had some friends in the class, and I wished them a happy Hump Day, and they didn’t know what Hump Day was. I drew them a little camel and I thought it’d be funny if I wrote ‘get humped’ on it. That’s just where it started. I was kind of aggressive with [the notes] last year, and then this year, I just carried on with that, and kept trying to keep the momentum going.”

WHEN DO YOU MAKE THE NOTES?

“I make them in my odd day classes, just because those are classes I have on Wednesday. But I’d say I make a bunch during my first hour, which is Spanish, and then also my third hour, and honestly, I just make them in all my classes. I make enough to maybe hump 10 people in between passing periods. I make around 30 to 40 per day and it takes me probably less than a minute, maybe 30 seconds, to make the notes.”

IN THE

WILD 19 LOCAL LANCER

WILD

Pictures of Janie’s Hump Day notes discreetly placed on students and staff

photos courtesy of KRISTINE TURNER

MEET THE TEACHERS

Each of the teachers in the English department have their own distinct personalities, according to English teacher Kristine Turner

CAPPELLO THE COMEDIAN

HE’S OUR DRAMA flare. We call him our thought leader because he’s always got something funny, or a little quip to say.

KRISTINE TURNER

DR. ANDERSON THE SCHOLAR

[SHE’S] GOTTEN HER doctorate, so she’s kind of worked to achieve a higher education.

KRISTINE TURNER

FLURRY THE CHEERLEADER

SHE’S ALWAYS TRYING to look at the positive things in life, and always validating that we’re strong people.

KRISTINE TURNER

THE

THE

Through years of bonding and traditions, the 18-teacher English department is a close group of friends

LANG GANG

story by CHRISTOPHER LONG

AT 10:55 A.M., every student packs up and leaves for lunch.

At 10:59 a.m., almost every English teacher files into the room and unpacks their lunch.

At 11:01 a.m., English teacher Kristin Anderson shuts the door.

For the next 25 minutes, the English department will eat lunch in Anderson’s classroom. A place where teachers can laugh, cry and speak freely amongst themselves — their closest friends.

“No one understands quite what it is to be a teacher,” Anderson said.

“The idea that we can support each other and we understand where the person’s coming from has been such a gift, and we really do listen.

We’ve talked often about how teaching is so hard and so emotionally and mentally taxing and we care so much it makes it even harder when something doesn’t go right.”

Aside from meeting every day for lunch, the fifth-floor English department office — with aged, mahogany colored hallway chairs outside room 500 — is where teachers can find their colleagues at any point during the day. If teachers have good news to share, such as their kid’s good grades or are looking for advice on something schoolrelated, like revising lesson plans, they know to immediately head to the “office.”

into a fireplace, curtains and a faux marble bust. But more importantly, the new English department “office.”

Thanks to their informal “room,” English teachers are spending much of their free time talking with colleagues, which has improved department communication, according to Cappello.

“It allows us to just sit and relax in a non-rigid setting,” Capello said. “Even when 100 kids are walking by, we can still sit down and laugh and joke, because it’s almost like there are invisible walls. A lot of people just kind of gravitate to that spot, drink their coffee and get the day started. It allows for that real camaraderie.”

Their lunches and office chats made an otherwise eighthour day feel less demanding. But the English teachers’ time together extends past the work week.

EVEN WHEN 100 kids are walking by, we can still sit down and laugh and joke, because it’s almost like there are invisible walls. A lot of people just kind of gravitate to that spot, drink their coffee and get the day started. It allows for that real camaraderie.”

BRIAN CAPPELLO ENGLISH DEPT.

Goodreads page.

The English departments at the four other schools English teacher Andy Gibbs taught at felt “fractured.” Teachers established unofficial “cliques” and ate lunch in different rooms.

But at SM East, their department is what English teacher Kristine Turner dubbed “one big crazy family.” It all started after the COVID-19 pandemic, which moved the department from colleague meetings to attending painting and wine nights.

During the pandemic, when every teacher came to the building masked to teach remotely, the only humans they saw outside of their family were their department members. After hopping off a WebEx meeting, they would go into each other’s rooms and talk before their next “class.”

What started with English teacher Brian Cappello borrowing a few chairs from SM East’s basement storage, turned

A few times a semester, the department passes around charcuterie platters and tends the bonfire flames at Anderson’s “Firepit Fridays.”

During Holiday Break, a different English teacher hosts the department’s holiday party, where red-and-green beaded ugly-sweaters and trays of fruit, veggies and chocolates are a requirement.

After finals are scored and Skyward grades are entered, the group trades their laptops for flipflops at English teacher Melinda DiGirolamo’s “decompression” pool parties. As teachers begin to miss the novels they teach in school, a different teacher hosts an open-invite book club, an easy way for teachers to add to their

Eventually, they started eating lunch together every day and leaned into homemade games to pass the time between classes. Coloring contests and chair races, where two teachers sprinted with a wheeled office chair before hopping on and rolling to the other end of the hallway, were some of their attempts at pre-COVID normalcy, according to English teacher Meredith Sternberg.

“Coming into the building with no students and just ourselves to lean on was huge,” Sternberg said. “But it also really bonded us. If one good thing came out of COVID, I think our English department learned how to rely on each other.”

Although the department hasn’t raced on chairs since 2020, group lunches are still unanimously the favorite tradition. Quarterly or around the holidays, Anderson’s desk area is filled with glass tupperware, plastic utensils and paper plates — all part of their themed buffet lunches coordinated by the “planning committee,” Anderson and English teacher Erica Jackson.

GATHERING TOGETHER

The English department’s recent events and gatherings.

Lancer Day

From St. Patrick’s Day to Soups, the themed meals give teachers something to look forward to, according to English teacher Michelle Abshire.

“Being a teacher, it’s like a 20 or 25-minute lunch a lot of times,” Abshire said. “It’s not like corporate U.S.A., where you go out for these hour-long lunches. We don’t have the flexibility to do that, so [potlucks] give us something to look forward to, because it’s usually really good food on those days.”

For the English department, they are constantly finding time to spend together outside of school. The moment anyone discovers a new ballet, movie or play that

pairs with the content they teach in class, their first move is to text an invite to the 18-person GroupMe group chat.

“Romeo and Juliet,” “The Great Gatsby,” “To Kill A Mockingbird” — nearly any literature-themed event that they didn’t want to drag their kids or spouse to, prompts an invite.

“I’m on year 32 of teaching,” Abshire said. “So technically, I could have retired last year, but one of the things I definitely keep coming back to is the fact that I really enjoy Shawnee Mission East. To me, my colleagues are such a big factor in why I choose to stay.”

story by MYA SMITH

HA FOR

TIME REFLECTION

senior

SARAH DEVKOTA

OURS OF SWIM practice had passed by. Thenjunior Sarah Devkota was treading through the SM East swimming pool, then her coach finally called for a five-minute break.

While her teammates jumped out of the pool to drink water, Devkota sat aside and watched.

Devkota hadn’t eaten or drank water since before sunrise that day; the first weeks of Ramadan had started during her swim season.

Devkota’s coach offered to let her

what is

RAMADAN?

ORIGIN

SSenior Sarah Devkota celebrates Ramadan and uses it as a time to reflect

swim less, but she was determined to swim as much as she normally would.

“It’s like a test. I’m like, ‘if I can do this, I can do anything’,” Devkota said.

Now a senior, Devkota and her family celebrate Ramadan to bring themselves closer to their faith, and reflect and practice gratitude for the opportunities and things they take for granted.

“We take into account the fact that we’re getting an idea of what it’s like to not have the privilege to have things like food,” Devkota said, “To us it’s a basic necessity and we literally

don’t think about it every day.”

Fasting is the main and most common practice of Ramadan, but there are other aspects of Ramadan for Devkota and her family, like praying more often and breaking each day’s fast with a date.

“Dates are significant to the culture,” Devkota said, “There’s so many date dishes [and] they usually grow in Middle Eastern areas.”

For the first week of Ramadan, it’s difficult to acclimate to the roughly 12-hour fasting periods, according to Devkota. But after the first few days,

Ramadan is a Muslim holiday that has been practiced for over 1,400 years

WHAT RAMADAN ENTAILS

it becomes a routine.

To celebrate and end off the month-long fasting period, Devkota’s family has a feast decked with many types of traditional pastries, one of the most common being paratha, a crispy flatbread.

While each day feels long during Ramadan for Devkota, as Ramadan comes to an end, it feels worth it.

“At the end, I feel like it happened so fast, even though each day feels a lot longer individually, but by the end, I’m like ‘that was nothing.’” Devkota said.

Originated from 610 A.D.

The name Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. The definition is meant to reflect the spiritual intensity of Ramadan.

sophomore

The holiday is dedicated to prayer, charity, community and reading the Quran.

For the 29 out of the 30 days of Ramadan, adults fast from dawn to dusk. No food or beverages can be consumed and adults are prohibited from any sexual relations.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan where everyone can enjoy a large feast.

MUHAMAD MARAWI

OPHOMORE MUHAMAD

Marawi’s stomach was growling while sitting in his sixth-hour focus on foods class. But the soup that he and his classmates had just finished plating had to remain untouched until sunset.

For nearly 12 hours, Marawi will live off the bottle of water and two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches he scarfed down at 5 a.m. He won’t be able to eat or drink anything while the sun is up.

“[At] lunch everyone’s eating around [me], and I get a little hungry inside,” Marawi said. “The dehydration headaches are really bad.”

Sophomore Muhamad Marawi connects to the Islamic religion by fasting everyday from sunrise to sunset

But this fasting connects Marawi to his religion during the most religious month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan. For 30 days — from Feb. 18 to March 19 — Muslims like Marawi and his family partake in a fasting period from sunrise to sunset.

This fasting period is to appreciate life’s privileges, according to Marawi. Muslims practice a month of fasting to show solidarity with those in need who are unwilling to fast. Fasting is one of the five Islamic pillars, pillars every islam must fulfill throughout their lifetime, and is mandatory for every Muslim who is both physically and mentally able to do so, Marawi says.

Every morning for 30 days, Marawi

and his family wake up just before 6 a.m., depending on when the sun rises that day. He and his family say one of the five daily prayers and eat a normal breakfast.

“In the mornings, I don’t usually have an appetite, so it’s really something small,” Marawi said.

This is Marawi’s third year of fasting. Children must come of age before fasting, which in the U.S. is around eighth grade. Due to the age of Marawi’s fifth-grade brother, he only fasts for 15 of the 30 days in Ramadan.

When the sun finally sets, at around 6 p.m., Marawi and his family break their fast with a single date and some water, an Islamic tradition. Following is a dinner of multiple courses,

including a mix of beans, vegetables and bread.

“After you eat [dinner], there’s one extra prayer you can do during Ramadan,” Marawi said. “That one’s around 7:15 at night, and you usually go to a mosque and then pray there.”

During the long days without food and water, the occasional looks or questions as to why Marawi doesn’t eat any lunch don’t bother him. Once he explains the holiday, his classmates understand why he doesn’t eat at school.

“The teachers here, every single one I’ve talked to has known what [Ramadan] was,” Marawi said. “If [someone does] make a mistake, [they] usually apologize pretty fast.”

A&E

View new and upcoming movies and read a review of “Scream 7” on page 25

OTHELLO

popcorn

local spotlight

DUBBED AS “KC’S LITTLE OASIS” on the shop’s website, Outta the Blue in Park Place has a summer atmosphere and is a great place for a quick study session or meet-up with friends. With the shop’s sky blue awning and swigs visible through the windows, I knew I was going to love the inside vibe even before I stepped through the curtained entrance of the coffee shop and bar.

I walked past tropical plants growing out of their pots on both sides of me as I made my way up to the counter. I ordered a seasonal KC Caramel Latte, as well as the lone spinach croissant in the practically sold out pastry case.

After receiving my orders, I found my way to a corner table with a swing on one side and a comfortable woven chair on the other. I sat down, looking about the busy room before diving into my coffee and croissant.

Neither disappointed. The latte was the ideal mix of espresso and sweet caramel syrup; I couldn’t taste the artificial caramel flavoring at all.

Unlike other coffee shops, the lid was easy to

HOPPERS

View popular places to work out in the KC area and read a more in-depth review about them on page 24

SCREAM 7 03 - 04 - 2026 03 - 06 - 2026 02 - 27 - 2026

A review of Outta the Blue coffee house

remove from the plastic cup of my iced latte. I was able to stir the extra flavoring at the bottom of the cup without spilling the drink trying to force the lid off.

Next up, the croissant.

Delivered warm to me on an ocean-blue plate, I carefully bit into the fluffy croissant — not as flaky and messy as I’d predicted.

The soft, creamy spinach filling was decadent, yet it didn’t overfill the rectangular pastry. As a spinach croissant connoisseur, I found this one to be in my top five, with its lattice pattern as an added plus.

Once finished, I turned around to admire the wall of surfboards above my head. They helped capture the beachy aspect of the coffee shop excellently.

I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself returning to this cutesy coffeehouse in the near future, bringing my friends along to hang out over coffee and manifest summer. My two purchases added up to $12 with tip — a reasonable amount for a local shop. And no matter what food or drink I get the next time I visit Outta the Blue, the vibes will always be a 10/10.

ABOVE An assortment of live plants that decorate Outta the Blue. 11311 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Shawnee, KS 66203 5424 Martway St, Mission, KS 66205 3710 W 73rd Terrace, Prairie Village, KS 66208

WORKOUT,

SLOANE HENDERSON

Though Crunch Fitness, 2020Fit and Sweat Lab each have different takes on a HIIT workout, they each provide a productive workout story by

I LOVE WORKING out. Whether it’s 5 a.m. or 6 p.m., the feeling of being out of breath and burning muscles make working out one of my favorite activities. It feels so good to move my body, accomplish a rigorous activity and feel that boost of endorphins afterward.

I’D HEARD MANY contradicting reviews of Sweat Lab on Martway from my friends, so I was interested to try it out. I struggled to find a similar HIIT workout I had at Crunch Fitness and 2020Fit, but eventually settled on “Sculpt” — a hot musclebuilding class with bursts of cardio to elevate heart rates — and their one week unlimited pass for $25.

CRUNCH FITNESS LAB REPEAT

SWEAT REPEAT

This past week, I decided to try different gyms in Kansas City. I’ve already tried Powerlife, and with how crowded every class was, it was easy to cross it off my list of possible gyms. So, I went looking for a HIIT workout in three other locations — Crunch Fitness, 2020Fit and Sweat Lab.

The hot room intensified the workout and the cool towels that were passed out at the end felt like a reward for completing the class. The pink lighting and design of the interior set the perfect mood for a class full of all girls. And, as soon as the instructor, Becca, noticed a new face in the room, she came up to greet me.

I walked into the hot studio and

MY FIRST STOP was Crunch Fitness on Shawnee Mission Parkway, and to say the least, I was nervous . I’m not a commercial-gym person, but after seeing the variety of class options provided — like zumba, cycling and yoga — the gym seemed promising enough to offset my initial anxiety.

Signing up for a free-day trial on their website was straightforward, and walking in, I was greeted personally by the manager, Gary, who helped check me in and show me around.

The main gym was giant , and full of standard equipment like treadmills and cross trainers. The women’s

FIT

OPENING UP THE double doors to 2020Fit in Prairie Village, I was immediately greeted by the gym’s warm atmosphere. The coffee lounge was filled with sunshine streaming in from the windows and the arrangement of food and beverage options spiked my interest.

Being only two minutes away from my house, 2020Fit was a must-try choice on my list.

I took the 5:30 a.m. “Fit” class which was an EMOM — every minute on the minute — workout. It cycled through

locker room and studios for classes were in the back. The first thing I noticed was how clean and organized everything was.

I took “AcelerateHIIT,” a HIIT class divided into four parts — warmup, interval training, relays and a cooldown.

The warmup made me feel stupid, jumping side to side and punching thin air felt comical. There was no way this would actually warm me up for the workout.

I enjoyed the next portion, intervals between 10 different stations with movements varying between footwork,

cardio, dumbbell snatches, bent over rows and AbMat sit-ups, finishing with five sets of 12 repetitions of a heavy kettlebell deadlift.

And, even though it was still dark outside, I could feel the energy in the air. Everyone in the class was chatting with each other and greeting me. It quickly became clear that the people at 2020Fit don’t just consider themselves workout buddies, but a community.

The workout was challenging and just what I needed to start the day.

ENVIRONMENT: DIFFICULTY: INCLUSIVITY:

found my spot, but the class was crowded and the people near me were nearly on top of me, causing us to hit each other more than a few times.

I usually do CrossFit workouts, so trying obscure movements everyone else was doing flawlessly made me feel like a baby fawn sometimes. But, I do love a challenge, and Sweat Lab is one that I will be facing again.

deadbugs, lunges and battle ropes. The movements spiked my heart rate and helped improve my speed — what I really needed to work on with my lacrosse season starting soon.

The class ended with a team relay, which was odd to say the least. My team was filled with random people from the class and unless I’m counting 7th-grade soccer practice, I’ve never done something similar as a part of a workout.

Though the class didn’t leave my body feeling like jello, I left feeling successful, having found another gym I’d try again.

The coach, Brooke, made sure to assist me with different movements and challenged me during my deadlift by switching out my 25 lb kettlebell for a 50 lb one.

The 30-minute class left me energized for the day to come even though I knew I’d be sore later. Walking out of the gym under the pink sunrise with a sparkling orange LMNT in hand, I knew 2020Fit would see me again soon.

ENVIRONMENT: DIFFICULTY: INCLUSIVITY:

ENVIRONMENT: DIFFICULTY: INCLUSIVITY: 4/5 3/5 4/5 4.5/5 4/5 3/5

Woodsboro Times

“Scream 7” drags on a franchise that has lost its momentum

ETTLING INTO MY seat, popcorn purchased, jaw clenched and my friends beside me as emotional support, I mentally prepare myself to jump in my seat and scream — hopefully louder than the title — as “Scream 7” begins to play on the screen of the Cinemark Theater. And scream, I did. Although I was entertained, the film felt mediocre and worn out as the seventh in the franchise.

“Scream 7” begins with a horror movie junkie and his unimpressed girlfriend checking into a house that previously belonged to Stuart “Stu” Macher, a killer from the original Scream

Stu’s house has been converted into a gruesome tourist trap museum, designed to showcase the numerous murders from previous Scream movies. While in Macher’s old house, the iconic killer, Ghostface, murders both characters, and burns the house to the ground.

While this opening scene was entertaining and set the mood for the movie, it does not

GHOSTFACE KILLERS

correlate whatsoever to the rest of the plot that follows ‘scream queen’ Sydney Prescott and her daughter, Tatum. Prescott is once again the focus of a mysterious killer connected to her past, dubbed “Ghostface,” but this time the killer focuses on Sydney’s daughter and her friends as a way to get to her.

There were multiple bloody casualties of innocent people throughout the movie, and almost every death involved a jump scare or two that had me clutching my pearls and my popcorn. These bits of horror were well done, but the overall movie came off more as a mystery than a horror. “Scream 7” was less of a horror movie and more “Scooby Doo” with graphic and creative murders in a search to reveal Ghostface’s identity.

As a horror movie fanatic, I expected to be disappointed in the mystery of the film pulling my attention away from the frights. I came for scares, not another whodunnit. However, by the end of the movie, I had to admit waiting for the reveal of the killer kept me on the edge of my seat and engaged in the movie.

I had no idea who the real killer was, and I couldn’t help but turn each suspect over in my mind, looking for the right one.

When Ghostface was finally revealed, I felt more disappointment than shock. It was like opening a present and expecting

The characters who have been the main killer Ghost Face throughout the Scream series

a new phone, but getting socks instead. I had no problems with who the killer was; I lust wanted more than something plain and boring. I was craving more background and character development from the killer, but instead, their epic reveal felt rushed.

Despite all that, I found the majority of the movie leading up to the reveal of the killer surprisingly satisfying to watch because, unlike most horror movies, the characters in this movie actually tried to fight back. Instead of letting themselves get easily killed by Ghostface, they reached for sharp objects and threw punches that made me want to sign up for self-defense classes myself.

Also, the parallels between this movie and previous Scream movies made up for the lack of depth. There were multiple repeated outfits, lines and scenarios that added nuance and seemed to polish some of the rougher areas in the movie. It made the franchise feel cohesive and like all the viewers were in on some sort of inside joke with every reference they catch.

I found the movie an entertaining watch filled with pockets of unsuspecting humor and good scares, but I definitely won’t be paying to rent it when it comes out on streaming services.

HITTING THE

RIGHT NOTE

The SMSD Choral Festival was on March 3 at SM South and all SMSD choirs performed and the festival featured a clinician who critiqued each school’s singing after their performances Scan to view or purchase more photos

SPORTS

VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL

Boys varsity basketball fell to SM South 31-63

UPCOMING EVENTS

Approaching spring sports events to look foward to

VARSITY BOYS BASEBALL 3/11

VARSITY GIRLS SOFTBALL 3/24

3/26 vs BLUE VALLEY @ 3:00 P.M.

BLUE VALLEY WEST @ 3:30 P.M.

VARSITY BOYS TENNIS

BLUE VALLEY WEST @ 3:30 P.M.

MADNESS PREDICTIONS

Hear from the SM East community about there March Madness Predictions

HARPER PENDLETON SOPHOMORE

I THINK THIS is going to be KU’s year to win it all. Darryn Peterson is a pretty solid player. Even though our season has been kind of up and down, I feel the Arizona game is an example of when we need to win, we can win.

LUCAS ALLEN TEACHER

I PREDICT KU is going to have a deep run, but they’re going to end up loosing. Somebody else will win, because I don’t like KU. I think Michigan is going to win because it’s been impressive to watch them play together as a team.

BROOKS DILLION JUNIOR

KU IS GOING to go all the way and win it all. They have the greatest coach and recruiter of all time. He’s our savior and if he stays healthy he’s going to take us to the ship.

WHAT’S WITH THE BLING

story by ELENA HULL

(B)ALL IN

Girls C-team basketball achieves an undefeated season through lasting bonds and new traditions

THE TRADITION:

The meaning behind the bead colors the team uses

After each practice, assistant coach and junior Annie Trenkle awards each player up to five beads they’ve earned through games. Each player has a wire ring where they showcase the beads — symbols of their achievements.

THE COLORS: ?

Columbia Blue: “the hustler,” or a player who shows leadership

Green: scoring five-plus points

Red: four-plus rebounds

Yellow: over 40% shooting percentage

Purple: three-plus

White: zero turnovers

THERE WERE 10 seconds left in the final girls C-team basketball game. This game could end an undefeated season, making the C-team the only team in recent SM East basketball history to do so.

With five seconds left on the clock, sophomore Sophie Peterson dribbled down the court and shot the ball from the threepoint line.

The clock hit three seconds as Peterson’s three-pointer swooshed through the net of the SM South auxiliary gym, ending the game 59-23 and finally fulfilling the goal she had made at the start of the season: score a three-pointer.

Her teammates, the head coach and assistant coach all rushed the court, surrounding her, jumping and screaming.

The team had achieved its goal: an undefeated season, filled with long-standing team bonds and new team traditions.

The 2025-26 season started as usual. Tryouts began the week before Thanksgiving break. And after a week of tryouts, teams were posted.

In the 2024-25 season, the team consisted of an almost even split between freshmen and sophomores.

Now, in the 2025-26, besides two freshmen, the team is entirely sophomores who had played together since elementary school.

With all but two of the girls playing together since they were kids, the team bond was immediate. Yet, the group struggled with drive and focus.

The majority of the girls play another

sport during the basketball season, and six practices a week, alongside games, made for an overwhelming schedule.

In order to combat burnout and keep the girls motivated throughout the season, Head Coach Rick “Riff” Rogers has introduced new traditions, such as beads, in order to recognize the girls’ feats.

The players earn multicolored beads that represent their accomplishments — like having five baskets or two rebounds in a game. They are then strung onto a keychain attached to their bags as a reminder of their progress.

The beads are often given at the end of practice or at their frequent team dinners and after-practice Chick-fil-A runs.

Responsibilities such as planning the biweekly dinners often fall onto junior Annie Trenkle, the team’s first student assistant coach.

When tryouts came around in October, Trenkle decided to take the unconventional route of student coaching, rather than continuing as a player.

After playing for the C-team her freshmen and sophomore year, she realized she couldn’t let the team go just yet.

“I played basketball [for the C-team] my first two years for Coach Rogers and the C-team is a really special team,” Trenkle said. “[The players] have always had a great connection, I loved it so much and instead of playing for JV this year, I said I might as well step back and spend time with such an awesome team.”

For Trenkle, the season has consisted of being at every practice and game, setting up drills, lineups, equipment and most importantly, in Trenkle’s opinion, developing

relationships with the players on the team, getting to know each player as both a mentor and friend.

“The relationship I have with the girls is truly special,” Trenkle said. “I’m not just their coach; I’m also their friend. We’re able to talk about anything under the moon, not just basketball.”

Trenkle had played on the C-team both her freshman and sophomore years, under the same coach she now works alongside.

In addition to a new assistant coach, keychains and team dinners, the team has also embraced a new team motto this season: “United.”

The word came from a practice where guest speaker, Elissa Ojeda, coach of SM Northwest’s basketball team, motivational speaker, and a friend of Head Coach Rogers, came and spoke to the players.

The team had been playing well, but were having trouble staying concentrated in practice and working with the wide range of personalities on the team.

Ojeda had each player write down a word they wanted the team to embody. Then, the girls shared their words and voted on their favorite. “United” was the winner, a word well fitted to a team built on deep-rooted relationships.

The team uses the word in their chants: “One, Two, Three, United!” and as a reminder to be united both in the games they play and in the friendships they’ve built throughout the season.

“The reason we’re so good is because of the connections and the friendships we’ve built throughout the 15-week season,” Trenkle said. “It’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

DISCIPLINE AND DEPTH

The boys swim team secured a first place win at state due to their depth and motivation from a senior-led team

story by LIBBY MARSH

THE ONLY REQUIREMENTS for the 4x400-yard freestyle relay swimmers: don’t flinch on the block and don’t get disqualified.

Head coach Wiley Wright and assistant coach Colby Dischinger had run the numbers using Dischinger’s formula. They knew exactly where the SM East boys swim and dive team stood relative to their competitors. All they had to do was complete the final relay.

Three minutes and 14.5 seconds later, on Feb. 21, the boys swim and dive team won state.

20.5 POINTS

After three years of consecutive second place trophies, the boys swim and dive team secured a state victory by 20.5 points.

The entire team jumped into the pool of the SMSD Aquatic Center. Tears filled the athletes eyes.

Following three years of second place trophies, the team secured a state victory by 20.5 points over Blue Valley West High School.

“It was nerve-wracking because [the seniors] had never won before,” Senior and varsity swimmer Sawyer Chapman said. “We didn’t know what that felt like.”

The stands were packed with parents, relatives and their biggest student section of the year — 20 students.

DUAL MEET

A swim and dive meet in which two schools compete against one another in various events.

The team has had the potential to win with their podium finishes each year, yet it wasn’t until senior night that the team began to believe they could finally secure a first place trophy. The team beat Blue Valley North High School in a dual meet on Jan. 20 for the first time in four years.

“That was when [the team] started to buy into the idea of, ‘OK, if we work hard, we can absolutely win it this year,’” Chapman said. “And come state, we were all prepared. We were all ready.”

This momentum was then carried into the Sunflower League Meet and then to state, according to Chapman.

“We’ve gotten second, three years in a row, are we just gonna get second for a fourth year in a row or are we gonna go out as champions?” Chapman said.

Going into the final day of state, following preliminaries, SM East was in the lead by 10 points. They won by 20.5. And a relay can be worth 40 points, meaning one false start and they could lose their lead, according to senior varsity swimmer Grant Kimmel.

Every technique is memorized, almost robotic. The starts, the turns, the pushoffs, the breathing — all habits.

“I wanted the guys to be so disciplined in their training that when they race, they can just be relentless and focus on beating the other [athletes] around them,” Dischinger said.

While the team doesn’t have single stand-out athletes, and few first place finishes in individual races, they have many strong athletes placing high enough to accumulate points, according to Dischinger. SM East sent more athletes to state than any other team allowing them to gain more points.

Individual placements of state athletes this year

KIMMEL

“When these young kids, like the freshmen [and] underclassmen, see how hard the older kids work, and how much fun they have, it’s very motivating for them to keep working and keep working hard,” Copeland said.

GOING OUT

and winning senior year, it was literally the best ending I could ask for. Happy endings do happen after all.

“This was the hardest year we’ve practiced, the most we’ve worked, the most dedication the team’s put in any year, because we knew how bad we wanted it,” Chapman said.

A part of this brotherhood is lining up the freshmen athletes in the locker room, shaving their heads and laughing at the absurd haircuts. And, “the Gauntlet,” where athletes line up on the side of the pool at the final Saturday practice of the year and scream cheers as their teammates sprint 25 yards in the pool one at a time.

GRANT KIMMEL SENIOR

Chapman is one of eight team “captains” or more accurately, seniors. Wright doesn’t name captains; the entire senior class is charged with leading the team. The senior class this year was larger than usual and “exceptional,” according to assistant coach Chris Copeland.

“You gotta reach down deep to finish some of the substance stuff we do, and they support each other,” Copeland said. And now, the 2026 boys swim and dive team is one of the 113 state championships displayed in the main gym.

“Going out and winning senior year, it was literally the best ending I could ask for,” Kimmel said. “Happy endings do happen after all.”

NOT A COINCIDENCE COINCIDENCE

story by BELLA BROCE

THIS WASN’T SUPERSTITION

This was serious business.

On the first night of preliminary competition — the first day of girls swim and dive state championships — Senior Captain Georgia Boyd’s dad, Rick, was frantically driving around Topeka, Kansas to find a remote for the hotel TV. Twenty varsity swim girls were about to pile into a hotel room to watch the classic movie, “Miracle”.

With candy and snacks in hand, upperclassmen reclined on the bed as the others scrambled to find a prime floor spot. The room fell silent as the opening credits rolled.

“We all take this movie so seriously,” senior Natalie Jones said. “We’re cheering when they win and sad when they lose, it’s so fun.”

state this year.

Since these coincidences were discovered, “Swimmy” — the Snapchat girls varsity group chat — has been pinging with excitement.

“There’s been so many coincidences and signs that it’s just pointing us to hope and motivation,” Junior captain Vada Walsh said. “All of us are really willing to go all out this year. And all of our hard work is gonna pay off if we are willing to put in work.”

THERE HAVE been so many signs pointing us to hope. All of us are really willing to go all out this year. All of our hard work is gonna pay off if we are willing to put in work.

For the past ten years, the girls swim and dive program has consistently earned a podium position at state, but fallen short of first place. This year, due to shifting rosters at competitor schools and the addition of promising freshmen to the SM East team, the program is entering the season with high hopes and many coincidences to bring home a state championship.

state championship.

“The way I’m looking at [the season] is like, ‘Why not?’” Boyd said. “I want every person going into practice and giving it their all, like ‘Why not give it your all? What are we holding back for?’ I really want to have a big team aspect for it, everyone having each other’s back and just pushing themselves.”

Contrary to other schools, the SM East girls swim team is each other’s supporters, not competitors. No matter the person, grade or stroke, the team will always be at the end of the lane with earpiercing cheers.

“We’re all each other’s biggest cheerleaders,” Walsh said. “We’re all at the end of every single lane for every single person in the race, screaming our heads off.”

The newest — and youngest — additions to the varsity swim team are freshmen Charlie Harris and Teni Oyetunji.

Following a series of unlikely victories, the girls swim and dive team is determined to win the state championship

THE SIGNS

Superstitions the girls swim team believes will help them win state

ON THE NIGHT OF PRELIMS...

The swimmers watch a movie about hockey called “Miracle”

IN 1980...

The mens hockey team beat Russia. Boys and girls swim and dive also won state.

IN 2026...

The swimmers leaned in to watch the story about the U.S.A men’s hockey team’s triumphant feat over Russia in the 1980s Olympics. That same year, the SM East girls swim and dive team won state.

VADA

WALSH JUNIOR

Now, forty-six years later, both the USA men’s and women’s hockey teams won gold at the Olympics. This was the first time the men’s team had won since the “Miracle” movie, and the girls don’t believe it was just a coincidence. Especially after the SM East boys swim and dive team won

In addition to the team’s support from head coach Chris Copeland and varsity captains Walsh and Boyd, the team has a new supporter: Jack Hughes, the 2026 USA hockey player who scored the gamewinning goal.

With an American flag draped over his shoulder, missing a bloody tooth and a fist pumped in the air, his photo is taped to the wall of the SM East pool. Watching over the team, he’s a reminder of the team’s end goal — gold — or in this case, a

Harris, who has only swam competitively for four years, is already club teammates with a few varsity players. Her strength in breaststroke will add the much-needed depth to the varsity — they’ll have solid swimmers in every event according to Copeland.

“The boys basically won because of their depth,” Copeland said. “Even in our second-place finish last year, we didn’t win one first place. It all comes back to numbers; quality and quantity.”

Due to Harris and Oyetunji, the SM East swim team will be able to enter all four swimmers in every event, accumulating

The mens hockey team wins the Olympics. Boys swim won state, will the girls win too?

their points at state.

But no matter the results at state, the SM East swim team is bringing the Olympian energy with them wherever they go. It’s been ten years since they won state, and the team has been given a good hand for the season according to Walsh.

“It’s our turn,” Walsh said. “This is our sign. This is our movie. This is our year.”

YOUR SME

English class. Are you more down for a poetry slam or a movie?

Walks along the beach or hikes up the mountains?

You have a free elective for next semester: autotech or foods?

You have a huge test tomorrow. Are you studying in a group or

Take this school quiz to find out your inner SM East personality

SPIRIT ANIMAL? SPIRIT ANIMAL? WHAT’S WOLF

Which would you rather attend: a basketball game or trivia night?

This is the first question. What’s your favorite core subject at SM East?

It’s lunch time! Are you going out or did you pack food?

You always volunteer to copy and share people to the Google Doc.

You like to roll with the pack. You’re confident in yourself, and you’re always ready to help a friend. You’re also fiercely dedicated.

Your friend cheats off you and you both get zeroes. Tell the teacher?

SNAKe

You like to carve your own path, moving in new ways in and out of the classroom. You’re not afraid to stand up for yourself, and tend to think quickly.

Late start! Are you sleeping in or getting your workout in?

You tend to do things alone, because you work on a high level and are more efficient that way. That said, you’re willing to take a stand for others.