FPthe

free

pres

s

issue tenedition sixteen may 14, 2013

free press staff sam boatright- co-editor-in-chief katie guyot- co-editor-in-chief hannah moran- copy editorsarah whipple- design editorhyra haas- social media editorlogan brown- ad managerkimberly messineo- sports managerjacob hood- cartoonist maria carrasco- reportersean chilicoat- reporter kerrie leinmiller-renick- reportersarah lieberman- reporter

ryan liston- reportermaria mckee- reporterbecca moran- reporter sydney moreano- reporter rosemary newsome- reportermorgan noll- reporter catherine prestoy- reporterhannah reussner- reporter ciara sayler- reporter gavin spence- reporter jake stegall- reporter riley buller- designerkristina foster- designer darian koenig- designer john mccain- designer

2012-13

The Free Press is an open forum that accepts letters to the editor and guest writings. They must include the writer’s name and telephone numbers. Articles may be edited due to space limitations, libel or inappropriate content. Letters may be submitted to Room 115 or sent in care of Free Press to Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66049.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the high school administration, nor that of the USD 497 Board of Education.

our mission

on the cover

cover by darian koenig and kristina fosterwith the end of the year coming up, the free press staff interviewed the 50 most infl uential students at school. note: the order of people is random and not refl ecting the views of our reporters towards students, teachers or staff

FP2

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

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by ryan liston Social Studies teacher Matt

Frost feels that as a teacher it is his duty not only to teach a subject, but to teach life skills that students will use even after high school.

“It’s my responsibility to be an example,” Frost said. “To teach people what I think is worth teaching, to help direct and guide people, [and] teach them how to make good decisions.”

Junior Adam Gowen appre-ciates Frost’s example and has learned from it.

“He’s inspired me more or less to be an ethically straight individu-al,” Gowen said. “Not really that I was unethical before, but he really set a good example of a man that most people would like to be in the future.”

As well as leading by example, Frost also wants his to students to

see him for who he is.“I try to be honest,” Frost said.

“I try to live the same life here that I do at home, and anywhere else...”

Even on social media, such as Twitter, Frost remains himself. He believes that using social media for communication is useful be-cause it is a common connecting point for all people.

“I think as far as technol-ogy goes,” Frost said, “I think it’s important to use because that’s where our world is and that’s where it’s headed and that’s where [the student’s] generation is. If I have something that I feel is benefi cial, or funny, why wouldn’t I take it to a medium where every-one is anyway?”

Frost’s utilization of social me-dia has perfected his communica-tion skills; one of which is realizing when someone has a problem.

“I have the ability to recog-nize early when people need some-thing,” Frost said. “When people need help...I feel like I do a pretty good job of directing

them to the right people.”Frost believes that the best

teachers are those who can make information relevant to the stu-dents and their lives.

Junior Grace Miller claims that Frost’s students are often affected more by his advice than the con-tent they learn in class.

“I would probably say a lot of people would agree with me that he’s more successful at teaching life lessons than the other things,” Miller said, “but I think that’s what’s more important anyway ...”

For Miller, it’s not the history lessons that affect her, rather it’s the life lessons she can apply today.

Gowen agrees that Frost is successful at incorporating life les-sons into his teaching.

“... Not only do you get what’s important to learn in whatever class you may be taking,” Gowen said, “but he also somehow weaves in ways to improve your-self as a person.”

When giving advice, Frost focuses on impacting individuals by forming strong relationships with them.

“I just get to know the kids,” Frost said. “I get to know ... some of them ... probably better than some of their family members. I don’t care too much about trying to impact the whole school as much as I care about trying to infl uence people...over my nine years that has grown into a lot of people.”

Miller is one of the students who Frost has greatly infl uenced.

“He has defi nitely made me a better person,” Miller said. “He’s encouraged me to learn a

lot more, and really ... be more responsible with my decisions, and he’s really pushed me to try and be more of a role model for other people, and ... to reach my potential as a person.”

Miller’s development is an example of what Frost hopes to achieve as a teacher. His biggest concern is helping his students de-velop into good-natured people.

“I think my goal is to help people make it a habit to make good decisions,” he said, “And to improve themselves and their situations, and to reach out when I feel like somebody is lost...”

Occasionally Frost will connect with some classes better than others, but he always wants his infl uence to be positive.

“It changes from year to year and from semester to semester,” Frost said. “You know some years I have classes or groups of students that I am really close with and feel like I have a pretty large impact on and other years it’s not as much.”

But Frost continues to have a profound impact on his students.

“... The best advice he has given me,” Gowen said, “is just to do...what makes you happy.”

Miller also believes that Frost has shown his students how to be less judgemental.

“... Be nice to everyone,” Miller said.

Frost hopes his students will apply these life lessons learned later in their futures.

“Hopefully the things that I’m teaching,” Frost said, “And the things that I’m doing and the relationships I’m building with kids will encourage them to treat oth-ers that way too.”

matt.frost. mentor and teacher

want to see more of the list? check out fsfreepressonline.com

FP3

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

by rosemary newsome Brad and Aaron Simon have more

in common than most father-son duos. They both spend their days at Free State--Mr. Simon as a teacher and Aaron as a student--and they are both Kansas state chess champions.

“We won as a team,” Aaron said.And it certainly was a group

(cough, family) effort. Upon landing a job as a science teacher at Free State, Simon immediately stepped into the role of chess sponsor, even with Aaron’s reluctance to participate.

“I kinda fi nagled him to be a part of the team this year,” Brad said. “He wasn’t going to play; he had other things going on.”

Brad has always guided his son, who has been playing competi-tively since 4th grade, even though he doesn’t play himself.

“I taught him to play,” Brad said. “I beat him the fi rst couple of games but haven’t beat him since. He’s a lot better than I am. I can play, but I’m not very good.”

With a state title under their belt, it’s obvious a skillful player and encouraging sponsor was all chess club needed. It’s inspiring to see the two generations sharing a passion that not only bonds them, but brings them and their community success.

Although both being occupied at Free State means they both get to relish in an impressive state championship, Simon jokes his son is more useful than just a key part of the victory.

“The best thing about having him here is when I forget my cellphone he brings it to me,” Brad said.

brad and aaron.simon.11 like father like son charles.thomas.

by sydney moreano Charles Thomas, a driven Free

State security guard, has trans-formed Can We Talk from a small all-male group of 15, to a strong, united team with over 150 students involved.

“The group is founded on and based on building the relationship between students, staff, and admin-istration,” said Thomas.

Thomas’s military background gives him the discipline he needs to coordinate the program. From being a trained medic to an ex-drill sergeant, he has defi nitely expe-rienced it all, giving him a unique outlook for the members to enjoy and learn from.

Putting in an estimated 20 hours a week, without pay, shows his commitment to the program. His success in coordinating the group has gained the attention from various schools throughout the US, who have asked him to teach classes to their staffs on

Can We Talk. The KU Journalism Department did a documentary on the group, which can be found on YouTube.

“A lot of people know about the group, and it’s sad that the people in the school don’t know as much about the group as they should,” Thomas said. One important aspect of the group is the genuine care Thomas feels for his members. He has even found a way to reward members for their hard work: a chance at getting high school credit for being in Can We Talk.

Through monitoring grades and keeping an eye on students, members of Can We Talk now have a 100% graduation rate.

Last year, 90% of those kids had scholarships. Thomas’s goal is to close the achievement gap. “Working with the students in the group, you can see the devel-opment. You see the outcome of what you put into it,” said Thomas.

let’s talk

alex.trent. 11 defying odds one strand at a time

#1: natalie rainbolt

#2: jo ball

#3: olivia koh

photo by megan haase-divine

by gavin spence Soccer is a universally loved sport. Ju-

nior Alex Trent has played the game since he was in fi rst grade.

“I’ve played all sports, but soccer stuck with me because during my fi rst Parks and Rec game I scored eight goals,” Trent said.

Trent plays soccer for two teams, Free State and a traveling team. He practices every day after school with the high school team, and practices two or three times a week with the traveling team.

Trent normally plays defense.“I feel proud while playing defense

because I can stop the other team’s best players,” Trent said.

Trent’s favorite moment of the sport was when they were up against Shawnee Mission West last year.

“The game went into overtime and we had a free midfi eld kick, I kicked it to my teammate who scored,” Trent said. “We were so happy we then started to run around the fi eld like wild dogs.”

Trent believes the best way to lead the team is through example. He treats his other teammates with respect and helps them out in any way possible.

Trent’s life before high school has not always been a straight shot to the goal.

“I was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was three or four, and I defi nitely think God played a part in getting me through it,” Trent said.

When Trent had leukemia he had no hair for some time. But now, he has the freedom to let it grow it out. He normally wears a headband while playing soccer be-cause it gives him the perfect soccer look.

photo by amanda schaller

by catherine prestoy When Lauren Comella fi rst walked

through the front doors of the school near the end of her junior year, her initial thought was that the school was a bit big-ger than the little Kansas school she had imagined.

Before coming to Free State, Comella attended eight different schools, lived in nine different states and moved ten times. But Comella has made the most of her time in Lawrence, having participated in cross country, forensics, debate and the Black Box theater production. She also plays on a lacrosse team in Kansas City

“You’re always afraid you’re not going to make friends or you won’t fi t it, those are my fi rst initial thoughts [when I go to a new school],” Comella said. “Everyone was welcoming [at Free State] and [wanted] to meet the new kid which I hadn’t always ex-perienced when moving to a new school.”

Comella’s father is the main reason of her various moves. Her father is a human resources manager and whenever he gets a promotion or a new job somewhere else, her family moves to a new location.

“Most recently I came from Arrowhead [High School] [in] Hartland Wisconsin, Comella said. “My dad got a job in Topeka and he said that the Topeka schools were pretty crappy. So he put me here in Law-rence, which is an awesome place to live.”

Being the new kid can be hard for anyone, but by the eighth time starting at a new school, Comella has the process down to a science. Comella involves herself into extracurriculars or sports in and out of school. Comella had come to Kansas from Wisconsin where she played fi eld hockey,

lacrosse, and boxed.“[In different schools] you want to

be to yourself, you don’t want to have an opinion,” Comella said. “[When you’re the new kid] you just want to fl oat around and get what you need to get done but when I moved here everyone was so nice and welcoming, I tried a bunch of new things. A lot of extra curriculars I did at Free State I’ve never tried before.”

Two days into Comella’s year at Free State, she recalls her fi rst experience of adjusting into the new school.

“I walked into English class and right away [Kerrie Leinmiller-Renick] walked up to me, introduced herself, and sat me down right next to her,” Comella said. “I thought she was a teacher at fi rst because she was just spitting off all this information, [now] she’s one of my best friends here. She introduced me to a whole group of friends that I have now.”

Contrary to what she’s used to, Free State was one of the easier transitions Co-mella experienced. Though graduating this year, Comella still has to endure one more transition to college.

Now walking through Free State’s front doors everyday, Comella achieves what some might call impossible: she’s actually excited to go to school.

“I’m actually pretty happy to come to school in the mornings, to see people, and the classes are fun,” Comella said. “ I think [moving here] was a pretty cool transition but mostly because people at Free State were so nice. Doing different things actu-ally helped me meet a lot of people, [and] a lot of cool friends that I have [now].

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by hannah moranOne evening every month,

freshman Ellie Houston heads to the fi re station with her father to contra dance. One evening every week, Houston heads to the school to practice and perform with jazz band. Another evening every week, Houston meets up with a few friends to cover AWOLNATION in some-one’s basement. But every morning and evening of every day of every month, Houston breathes music.

“(I play) piano, trumpet, guitar, ukelele, melodica,” Houston said.

She showcases her trumpet prowess in jazz band.

“It’s kind of a big responsibility because you’re like the only person on your part so you really have to pull your weight,” Houston said.

After joining All City band as a seventh grader, jazz band as a freshman, marching band is the next logical step for Houston.

“Marching band’s been like, a nerdy little excitement,” she said. “I think I’m gonna learn tuba, just for fun.”

After shedding the black attire she’s required to wear for Jazz Band,

Houston enjoys playing music in a less formal setting. Houston mostly plays by herself, but occasionally she will meet with Critter Toalson, Nat Hoopes and Nick Popiel to cover songs in someone’s base-ment.

“With the group, um, it’s really fun to play Sail by AWOLNA-TION,” she said. “And then alone...this is tough... pretty much anything by of monsters and men...”

Her group of friends hasn’t written anything yet, but perhaps in the future expect to hear

some electric, quasi-indie, folky music com-ing from the quintet.

Houston’s voice is also as mellifl uous as any instrument.

She has spent a portion of every summer since eighth grade fi ne-tuning her voice and touring with a New England based program called “Village Harmony.” Roughly 25 students travel to the East Coast where they rehearse for a week, then spend two weeks touring and performing.

“It’s a choir sort of, but we sing like, world music so it’s like different languages and a lot of folk music,” Houston said. “...all the people there love music and so it kind of opened up a whole different world of experiences.”

Houston found out about the program through a woman at a contra dance camp she attended. Last summer, Houston attended two sessions at Village Harmony, spending six straight weeks touring New England and Canada. This summer, she’s prepared to handle just one.

Houston hopes that her dedication to fi ne arts endeavors will eventually translate into a career.

“ I’d love to perform as a career,” she said. “I’d be happy with like, teaching, or doing some sort of music therapy, anything that has to do with music, like production, directing--anything, just like, around that category.

Infl uenced by indie-pop singer Sara Bareilles, Houston

knows exactly how she’d handle performances.

“I would love to like, talk to people on-stage and be super chill and play music like very, friendly,” Houston said.

As a seventh grader, Houston saw Bareilles at Liberty Hall and was inspired by her stage presence.

“...She quoted Anchorman, which I thought was funny,” she said. “Somebody compli-mented her on her outfi t and she was like, ‘I got my vest at Target!’ and I was like, ‘I shop at Target!’”

Houston began writing music this year, fi nishing one or two songs so far. She is on track to reach her goal: complete a selection of songs by the next year.

“I just need to get not proper equipment,” she said, “but just like a microphone to make it sound like I’m not recording on my Mom’s Mac, which I am.”

Dancing, singing, playing instruments--Ellie Houston’s trifecta will grace the school for the next three years.

want more

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for the rest of the list

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ellie.houston. 09 the pitch perfect prodigy

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Infl uenced by indie-pop singer Sara Bareilles, Houston

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india.taylor.11 don’t be a debbie downer, eat snack cakes insteadby kyra haas

Known for her love of tickling people and her overwhelmingly positive attitude, junior India Taylor has spent her days at Free State trying to bring out the best in people by being the best she can be.

“I love tickling people,” Taylor said. “I just like seeing people smile. Even people who aren’t ticklish. I try to fi nd a way to make them uncomfortable and laugh because that’s just the type of person I am … Making people happy is one of those things that brings joy to my day.”

Taylor has immersed herself in numerous activities within Free State. She is a member of the improv team, Thespian Club and the Junior/Senior Women’s Choir. She will be a member of colorguard next year and also hopes to be elected as StuCo treasurer.

Taylor became involved with these organi-zations in order to get to know more people.

She joined colorguard because she wanted to become closer with the girls on the team and surround herself with individuals who share her bubbly attitude.

“I wanted to get to know more people,” Taylor said, “...I see people twirling fl ags all the time, and I’m like ‘I want to twirl fl ags!’”

Spirit Week is Taylor’s favorite time to show her school spirit and get other people involved and smiling. On Fashion Disaster Day, Taylor strutted through the halls with an ugly shirt, mismatched shoes and silk pants acquired from a thrift shop. Her little sister’s crazy wig added the fi nishing touch to the costume.

Taylor’s favorite Spirit Days are the outra-geous ones where she can don whatever unique apparel she desires.

“Barbie day was one of those days I could wear make up and not feel ashamed,” Taylor said. “Like a lot of make up. I’m talking icing cake make up.”

Taylor may ap-pear to be all smiles and light-hearted teasing, but behind her care-free at-titude is a hardwork-ing young woman with big dreams. Her long term goal is to become an opera

singer; her short term goal is to make Chamber Choir next year.

“I practice about three hours a day. Some-times [I practice] fi ve [hours] when I get home, and I have no idea that I’ve practiced for that long.”

Choir teacher Hilary Morton is Taylor’s favorite teacher, and she aids Taylor in reaching her goals.

“She’s just really supportive,” Taylor said, “and she never says anything that will offend you that doesn’t help you.”

Taylor’s approach to life is rooted in look-ing at the bright side of everything, regardless of hurdles that stand in her way.

“Stay positive,” she said. “Be positive about life. Don’t be a little downer. No one likes a Debbie downer. They like Debbie snack cakes, but they don’t like Debbie downers.”

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FP7

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whippleFP6

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

by ryan listonAs a cartoonist, Jacob Hood hopes that his

artwork helps Free State students fi nd humor in the often dull days of high school.

“... I think that if I can give the school something that is carefree and happy it kind of lightens people’s days,” he said. “Not that I’m calling myself the savior of the school, but you know if it does ... just kind of take them out of their high school life [to] just laugh for a second and then go back to it, that’s kind of a goal of mine.”

Hood started drawing at a very early age and has honed his skills ever since.

“When I was like maybe two or three-ish I entered this competition for little kids to draw a Jayhawk,” he said, “and I won, and so that’s kind of like the fi rst example of what I remember drawing. So I guess you could say [I’ve been drawing] as far as I can remember, literally.”

In addition to drawing comic strips for the Free Press, he also has created animated fi lms. While the comics he draws for the newspaper take about an hour to create, his newest fi lm took about two and a half months.

Hood’s recent fi lm, “Colors,” is about what it would be like if every color was a different “creature”. However, it is not just a whimsical story of how they would paint the Earth. The story also has a deeper meaning.

“... It kind of deals with ... just how if you over-come your differences you can create new things, and if you kind of get over yourself you can discover more,” he said.

Towards the end, characters Blue and Yellow accidentally end up making Green, which again sym-bolizes something much greater than just a mixing of colors.

“... It just has to do with letting go of your own personal arrogance and just accepting other people for who they are,” he said.

His fi lm won “Best Animation” and “Best in Show” at Lawrence High’s Focus Film Festival. Hood was ecstatic when he received the awards.

“It’s kind of a blur because I was so nervous,” he said. “They mentioned something ... when they were describing the story; they said that it didn’t have a weak moment, and then they said that again right before they announced the grand prize and so my heart started racing because it’s like, ‘Wait a minute, they said that about mine earlier!’ It was pretty crazy.”

Hood claims that he creates art because it is a way to express himself.

“I would say [I draw because] it’s just the expres-sion of just being able to kind of give life to your imagination in a way,” he said. “That sounds really deep, but that’s how I describe it.”

Hood translates his own sense of humor into his comics.

“... I have a pretty prominent sense of humor,” he said, “so cartooning is a way to both let out my sense of humor and my creativity.”

Being able to draw is primarily natural for Hood, but he does draw inspiration from one person.

“I’ve always kind of felt the urge to draw and be creative,” he said. “There are some people who I would say are inspirational to me ... I’m a very big fan of Walt Disney, but other than that I’d say [drawing] just kind of comes naturally.”

For individuals wanting to pursue an artistic life Hood has some advice.

“I would just say don’t think too much about it just kind of do what comes naturally,” he said, “because I’ve actually read a few things like how to draw well or how to do whatever, and honestly if I let myself just do what I want to do it comes out a lot better, it comes out more naturally. So just kind of do your own thing...”

jacob.hood.11 future Walt Disney

FPFPF66P6PPmay 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple F may 14, 2013

by kyra haas

Juggling seven cats, orchestra, the position of co-editor-in-chief of the Free Press, a column in the local newspaper, a pet rabbit, the position of activity director of National Honor Society, a wild rabbit that won’t leave her house, Writer’s Club, and three AP classes, it is a wonder that senior Katie Guyot has been able to navigate her life thus far with such grace and poise.

Even though Guyot is one of the top 50 infl uential people in the school, she is still trying to process her achievements, remaining incredibly humble.

“I fi nd it really strange when people compliment me,” Guyot said. “I don’t take compliments well. I’m always the person who tries to disprove them because I really don’t understand. I think I’m incredibly lucky to have such a supportive community of people around me.”

While many students spend their afternoons watching television or hanging out with friends after school, Guyot is almost always immersed in her textbooks, studying. She regularly stays awake until two or three in the morning fi nishing her latest assignment from AP Calculus AB, AP Literature and Composition, AP Politics or another one of her homework-intensive classes.

“I’m a perfectionist,” Guyot said, “and I’ve gotten better with it, I think, this year just because … I think I may have taken on a little bit too much. I cannot be satisfi ed unless I try my absolute best..It’s not a good habit to be in because that’s how you end up staying up until two or three in the morning.”

Guyot’s studious nature almost kept her from going to one of the classic senior year highlights: prom.

“I just fi gured AP tests [were] coming up, and prom isn’t really my thing,” Guyot said.

Guyot’s plans were altered; however, when she was elected to prom court by her peers. While she felt privileged to be held in such high esteem by her classmates, Guyot did not put much advance preparation into prom. Her mother fi nally decided to order a dress for the occasion so her daughter wouldn’t be left scrambling at the last minute.

“I’m not really sure how I got on prom court,” Guyot said. “I am so, so honored that people voted for me, and it really made my week that week. It’s so nice of people to do that.”

Guyot will attend Kenyon College next year and focus on her passion for writing. Her future career is undetermined, but she knows that she wants to go into an English fi eld.

“I have so many ideas for careers that it’s basically like having no idea at all,” Guyot said.

katie.guyot. 12 free state’s crazy cat lady... with a big future

#13: logan brown

#14: carl

palmquist

#15: terry wilkinson #16: reid williams

#12:andrei eliot

by jake stegall Some know him as that one guy that

handed out business cards with the slogan “I am literally perfect.” Others know him as the guy who photoshops classmates’ faces on bird bodies. But many simply know him as a the guy with a smile on his face and a dumb joke in his arsenal. How Bremenkamp achieved his popularity is fairly straightforward. He really enjoys meeting new people.

“New friends can bring so much more into your life,” Bremenkamp said, “They’re more than just a number on my Twitter or Facebook wall”. Bremenkamp has discovered that sometimes people you didn’t think you would like turn out to be really good friends.

“There’s a lot of people I have things in common with... [Meeting new people is] really great. You can only gain from it.”

Making people feel good is the main way Bremenkamp gets people to like him.

“You shouldn’t be bringing negativity into other people’s lives,” he said.

Many students have gotten a laugh or two out of Bremenkamp’s comical and strange looking photoshopped bird-human hybrids. Like many of his outgoing and odd projects like this, being bored over Spring break can be the mother of invention.

After placing a friend’s face on an image of a bird and being pleased with the outcome, demands for Bremenkamp’s photoshopped bird creations skyrocketed.

Due to his newfound discovery, Bremen-kamp tweeted the cliched line “Favorite for an honest DM” but slyly added “or your head photoshopped onto a bird”.

He eventually suspended his project be-cause he got sick of all the demands.

“I owe people birds right now”, Bremen-kamp said solemnly.

The best way to get to know people might involve becoming the star of the football team or winning the StuCo election, but there are other ways, like printing off business cards with your name plastered on the front.

Another one of Bremenkamp’s innovative projects, business cards, received an equally enthusiastic response from the student body. Bremenkamp received his epiphany from a Vi-staprint business cards ad on Pandora. Instantly inspired, Bremenkamp ordered the printing of hundreds of cards that he proceeded to hand out to the majority of his peers and teachers.

“Overall I’m very satisfi ed with my deci-sion”, Bremenkamp said. “I think it worked out very well”.

12 “literally perfect” tate.bremenkamp.

a tate business card

#18: laura o’neil

#17: christina hasiotis

photo by andrew chavez

FP8

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

by maria carasscoKnown for his energetic personality and

“Kelly Clarkson sass”, Sam Hay brightens the Free State hallways. Hay attributes his energetic personality to his seven years of acting, claiming that it helped him break out of his shell. “Acting and theater has made my life better, I’ve made so many friends, I’m also more comfortable being myself,” Hay said. Hay has gotten plenty of hype for his amazing acting and is seen as a token face of the Black Box and Main Stage theater, his greatest achievement being Oliver in Oliver for the Lawrence Art Center. Along with that, Hay has an electric disposition. Hay is constantly having fun and cracking jokes during class and loves making new friends. “I like making others happy by making a fool of myself,” Hay said. Hay likes being the center of attention and making others feel welcomed in class. His best friend, Sophomore Anna Patterson, agrees. “I like that Sam makes a class a collaboration.” Patterson said. “He makes the classroom more positive and energetic.” Hay has a wide variety of hobbies, from running for the title of Fascist Dictator of Thespian Club to participating in forensics, acting, and Free State’s Improv Group. Outside of theater, Hay juggles four advanced classes, excelling in each. He plans to continue acting in college. Perhaps one of Hay’s most important qualities is that he says true to himself. He does not let people’s opinions bother him; he acts himself 100% of the time by not being afraid to vocalize his opinions and does not agonize over people’s opinions of him. Sam Hay’s intriguing and bold personality makes him one of Free State’s best.

sam.hay. 10 the individualistic thespian

by kerrie leinmiller-renick Anna Cormack has always been sur-

rounded by art. Her mother and sister are both art historians. Some of Cormack’s fondest memories are of sitting and coloring with her grandfather for hours.

Even now, her senior day is half consumed with creative thought, with ceramics, art and photography classes. Yet this craftswoman and starring model for Art Club is shocked she’s even noticed.

“I didn’t really realize that everyone else saw me as the girl who’s always in art class, ‘cause I guess I am,” she said. “I don’t really talk about it to other people who aren’t in art. It’s

cool to know people are paying attention.”And people are paying attention.This soft spoken leader tries to give

instruction the same as her role model and art teacher, Ms. Downs, would.“I try and think what Ms. Downs would say,” she said. “She makes people look at the more abstract side of art.”

Ms. Downs only adds to her student’s success. When asked how she felt for Anna’s nomination from Free Press, her immediate reaction was, “Heck yeah! Finally the right person is being recognized. She has the ability to inspire. She can get together with any group

of people and be a leader in that group of people. She takes it upon herself to show and to lead and to inspire.”

Between Art Club, a duet in Encore and everyday in class, Anna’s outlook still remains positive.

“She has inspired me with her strength,” says classmate and close friend Maddie Brans-trom.

Ms. Downs defi nitely agrees.“She doesn’t let things affect her in a

negative way. She lets it affect her it in a posi-tive, fueling type of way.”

Senior Emma Norwood chimes in with only more praise. “She works on [her artwork] through the days and then goes to work, you know how busy she is,” Norwood said. “And it’s so cool to see someone persisting through all the trouble she’s been through and see all this beautiful outcomes of artwork.” Troubles or not, this humble artisan is a shining light to her friends and a new delight to those she works with. Anna Cormack’s art only remains a portion of the dedication of student, artist and friend to all she encounters.

anna.cormack.12 the humble artisan

by catherine prestoyThe day begins as students fi le into

Room 115 for their fi rst hour yearbook class. Chatter bounces around the room like a dodgeball while the voices of Carrie Underwood and Justin Timberlake buzz in the background. 10 minutes into the hour, Dante Colombo, the editor-in-chief, com-mands the room’s attention by reminding the staff what still needs to be done for the day. Meanwhile, design editor Teanna Totten works on the design of the latest yearbook spread.

Colombo and Totten fi rst joined a year-book staff their eighth grade year at West Junior High. Colombo was named editor-in-chief and Totten was named design editor the following year at West. Upon joining Free State’s yearbook staff their sophomore year, Colombo entered as a photographer and Totten as a designer. This year, they were named editor-in-chief and design edi-tor once again and are currently in charge of Free State’s 2013 yearbook, “Thrive”.

“Our theme is ‘Thrive.’ [Thrive signi-fi es] just being happy with the way things are now [and] being accepting of how the school is now,” Colombo said. “Last year our theme was ‘Merge’ to talk about how the ninth graders were coming up and we were merging.”

As seniors this year, Colombo and Tot-ten leave Free State hoping to have made something for themselves and everyone else to remember.

“It’s cool because in 50 years someone’s going to pull out their yearbook and show their kids my work and Dante’s work,” Totten said. “I know my work will always be here.”Colombo agrees, hoping the yearbook will have a lasting impact and set the stage for returning and new staffers.

“That’s what’s really cool about year-book,” Colombo also said. “You have that yearbook for your whole life and it’s going to be there forever.”

As they supervise their fi nal publica-tion, Totten and Colombo hope to leave the staff with the skills necessary to create next year’s publication. They have high hopes for next year’s staff and next year’s yearbook.

“I’m going to miss the staff, but I’m ex-cited to move on to different things,” Totten said. “[But] I know the editors for next year will [be] fantastic.”

Colombo is optimistic for next year as well.

“I just

hope that we’ve done enough to not only teach how to make a yearbook right but I also hope that we’ve inspired our staff be creative and come up with their own [theme] that will really work for them specifi cally [and] for their year specifi cally,” Colombo also said. “There’s a lot of pride that goes [with making a yearbook for your senior year].”

Colombo and Totten, prepared to transition from high school to college, both hope to apply their yearbook skills in the future.

“You do learn how to communicate and even if you don’t go into journalism, communication and knowing how to com-municate is a key skill you’ll use for any job.” Totten said.

Since Totten and Colombo have been a part of the journalism community for so long, they have experienced person growth.

“When I came in here as a sophomore, it was intimidating at fi rst just because there are all these people so much older than you and have been doing it for so much longer,” Colombo said. “It was a transition at fi rst but not too terrible.”

As seniors, Colombo and Totten have tried to foster the same welcoming environ-ment they experienced when they were underclassmen.

“It’s funny how much people come out of their shells when they’re on yearbook or newspaper,” Colombo said.

Now that both editors are going in different directions, they both leave the staff infl uenced by what they’ve learned.

“I’m going to KU and majoring in graphic design and possibly double major-ing in journalism,” Totten said. “If I hadn’t had this opportunity I wouldn’t be doing graphic design, I wouldn’t have discovered something I love.”

Even though Colombo hasn’t decided on a career path yet, he hopes to use his communication skills in the profession he selects.

“I think for a long time it was my intent to major in journalism and do something like that but the older I get the more I real-ize that there’s other things I like doing,” Colombo said. “[Yearbook] more than any-thing, [has] improved my ability to talk to people and my ability to lead people. That’s the most important thing I’ve [gotten] out of [yearbook].”

Although the two editors are leaving, they hope to keep “thriving” in the future.

dante.colombo/teanna.totten.12 masters of the yearbook domain

#19: connor thellman

cormack.

#20: philip

mitchell

#21: peggy nelson

praise. “She works on [her artwork] through

#24: grace oliver

#23:

ashley

dunn

will [be] fantastic.”

well.

#22: eliza anderson

FP9

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

by hannah moranAsa Ortega is handy with

an ink pen. Aside from playing video

games--some of which he recently sold to Game Guy for lunch money--Ortega is an avid comic book artist.

On December 11, 2006, Ortega began chronicling the adventures of Spike and Zinco. The two characters are fused animal-humans and experience the typical comic book action and adventure. Ortega won’t disclose the specifi cs of Spike and Zinco’s adventures.

“I keep them to myself,” Ortega said, “because I’m usu-ally too shy to share them with people except my parents.”

Ortega has created 316 comics under the series “Mythic Comics Inc.” He eventually hopes to create 684 more comics to reach his goal of 1000 comics.

Since 2006, his characters have evolved.

“Mainly when a year pass-es, I kinda change his(Spike’s) clothing,” he said.

Ortega is equally passion-ate about outer space.

Theoretical physics is of particular interest to Ortega.

“...worm holes are a black hole and a white hole com-bined,” Ortega said. “A white hole spits out stuff and those combine and go and like actu-ally time travel.”

Ortega speculates that time travel could technically be possible, but one would have to travel either out of or to the very center of the milky way.

He would also like to catch an Unidentifi ed Flying Object. Ortega believes these objects originate in an area called “Zero,” located in the center of the United States.

“People get confused what I say about Zero,” he said. “...in the middle of Kansas and the United States it’s zero. Type it on Google Maps.”

UFOs could also come from other planets.

“I’m not saying Mars, because that’s cliche,” Ortega said. “Then they come from other planets that we don’t even know about.”

Back on earth, Ortega is working toward another per-sonal goal: losing weight. He attributes his current weight to “all the stuff the school feeds us.” The new healthy plate initiatives have failed in his eyes.

“The hash browns are, of course, fried,” he said.” And ketchup adds a lot of that to it. And all the hamburgers they have and chicken strips [are unhealthy].”

His solution: more salad.“There should be like,

‘Just Salad Day’.” Currently, Ortega is on

track to reach both his comic book and health goals.

asa.ortega. 09 creative comic book artist

brady.clements.12 a glass half full

by hannah reussner Being goofy and outgoing doesn’t always mean being

popular. In fact, senior Brady Clements believes popularity isn’t everything.

“I guess I don’t really care [about being popular] so that helps my case and makes me more likeable,” Clements said.

Although this senior is involved in many activities, such as chamber choir, Encore, Key Club, being co-captain of varsity tennis and other clubs, he still has time to hang out with his friends and be his happy, outgoing self.

“I try to keep things positive, but you know somedays you have days that get to you,” Clements said, “but you try not to let them get to you too much.”

Perhaps this positive outlook is the reason Clements was nominated for homecoming king earlier this year.

“ It was all really in the moment that whole week,” Cle-ments said.

Even though Clements didn’t win, he still thought it was a good experience.

“[To] be noticed was kind of nice,” he said.Clements is infl uenced by his peers. His close friends

include a group of fi ve guys that all enjoy life together. They try to relax and spend their time together laughing.

His family is also very close. Clements has two very supportive parents and a sister who is equally involved.

“She is pretty much the same as me,” Clements said. Clements is recognized for his sense of humor, which

he uses to make light of situations. “Even when things aren’t that funny, I’ll still laugh just

because I like to make the person feel good,”Clements said. Making others feel good is also what makes him a

good leader. He uses this leadership skill to get people out of their comfort zones so they feel included and can start up conversations.

“If somebody’s in a slump and always quiet, I like to just push them out of that comfort zone,” Clements said.

Although he may have been the one nominated, Cle-ments treats everyone like they are a king.

by ryan listonDespite having imperfect behavior in high school,

substitute teacher Gordon Berry tries to make a positive impression on students.

“... I wasn’t a good student in high school,” Berry said, “so that probably is what I draw from [to help students] too is remembering...the daily things you have to go through as a student, and trying to help out there.”

Berry believes that part of his job is to get students to think , even though his time with them is limited.

“I like to get [students] to maybe think outside of where they’re thinking right now to think more of what’s going on what they can do with their lives down the road,” Berry said, “because...you need to be there [in school] just so you can get the experience and learn and see some new ideas, plus you have to get that diploma no matter where you’re at whether it’s high school, col-lege, or whatever.”

Career and Technical Education teacher Ben Mellen looks to Berry as one of his fi rst options when he needs a substitute.

“He’s dependable as far as a sub,” said Mellen, “so he’s always my top one or two that I would get. The stu-dents always have a good response to him when I come back the next day, they always say, he did this or he told them a story [about] some of his experiences.”

Berry incorporates a wide variety of his own experi-ences into his teaching.

“I think [I infl uence Free State] with my age and ex-perience,” Berry said, “I have a lot of experience. I’ve lived through a lot of situations...so that helps me to maybe help out where I can.”

Both Mellen’s and Priest’s students enjoy having Berry as their substitute.

“Overall my kids enjoy having Mr. Berry,” Priest said, “when I say, ‘Mr. Berry is going to be your sub,’ they get really excited ... he reaches out to all the students, and I think that’s what’s really good about Mr. Berry, he doesn’t play favorites.”

If Berry sees a student struggling he does his best to provide what they need.

“I try to help out wherever I can,” Berry said, “if a student needs some help on something, and I can do it, that’s hopefully benefi tting that student. Some catego-ries I’m not that much help; others I can help out a lot, probably.”

Small things, Berry believes, can also help make some people’s days a bit brighter.

“Maybe a smile is helping somebody out one day,” Berry said, “not only with studies or whatever, but it might just be a pat on the back maybe.”

Priest has witnessed Berry’s friendly disposition. She believes his character is valuable to the school.

“What I love about having Mr. Berry in this school,” Priest said, “is that he has a very positive presence ... he always has a friendly word, a smile for all the students, for the teachers, he just makes people feel really comfort-able.”

Because of his attitude and willingness to help out with students and staff, Mellen feels that Berry is a popu-lar substitute.

“He’s such a likeable person,” said Mellen, “well-respected. The students and the teachers get along with him really well.”

gordon.berry. the go-to substitute

want to see more of the list? check out fsfreepressonline.com

geoff.peard.10 legendary party host by sam boatright

I don’t know Geoff Peard, and chances are, neither do you. I say “know” in the sense of be-ing acquainted; certainly most students know of him. However, this doesn’t stop rumors and tales spreading about the sophomore. But this doesn’t bother him.

“I kinda let people come up with their own image for me. I don’t really have a particular idea of...the way I’m perceived,” Peard said in a hallway interview. “Many people perceive me differently than the way I actually am.”

The fi rst time I heard about Peard was through an off-hand tale that someone spewed out, saying that Peard had tossed money out of his silver Mercedes while driving, exclaiming that it’s “just paper.”

When I interviewed Peard, all my preconceptions, includ-ing the previous story, vanished. He wasn’t the cash-slinging, egotistic underclassmen I had heard about: he was a genuine, polite gentleman. But more than that, he was surprisingly down to earth, an odd thing for a teenager

who drives a Mercedes and deals with the amount of money that he does.

Peard, like any other teenager, is just trying to fi gure things out. However, things are a little different for him: Peard received a certifi cate of deposit from a de-ceased relative that entitled him to a certain amount of cash, more than most high school students--and most people--would receive.

For a student with that amount of cash, Peard spends it in relatively selfl ess ways: throwing parties.

“[I throw parties] for a fun time...I mean, kinda just for every-body to enjoy,” Peard said.

The friendly sophomore will spend up to $10,000 to throw an incredible party, depending on the DJ and how many people can come.

Peard later agreed to being a party guy, adding, “I defi nitely enjoy...big groups of people and just being around all my friends and everything.”

When asked if he was going to throw any parties soon, Peard responded, “Oh yeah...defi nitely.”

FP10

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

by katie guyot Junior TJay Cable makes the rounds

at Free State--and outside of Free State, where he takes his daily walks during lunch.

Chances are, you’ve seen him around--popping into classrooms dur-ing passing period, waving through the windows of closed doors, taking teach-ers by surprise as he slips into seats amongst dazed or giggling students. He has a Firebird’s standard seven classes a day, but he doesn’t limit his realm to the room numbers printed on his schedule.

“I’m just bored,” Cable said, shrug-ging. “I don’t want to be in my class right before the bell rings. So I’m like, forget it. [I’ll] walk around and say ‘hi’ to people.”

Thus begin Cable’s fabled wander-ings through the building. He tends to frequent the social studies and foreign language hallway on the second fl oor, where most teachers know him by name.

“Most of the teachers that I run into in their class are just like, ‘Hey, go on and take a seat,’” Cable said. “Or they’ll be like, ‘Dude. You know you gotta get to your class.’ I’m like, ‘So? S***, I don’t feel like going. I feel like hanging out with you all.’”

He generally stays with a class for only a few seconds before taking off for his next destination.

Cable was in his own Survey U.S. History class when I caught up with him

during sixth hour. Com-menting on my interview style (which, I’m afraid to admit, echoes back in giggly pitches on recordings), he said, “My favorite part about running in classes is, I get to see exactly what you’re doing right now. Every other word, you’re smiling, gig-gling, laughing. Pretty much having a good time.”

For Cable, a good time generally involves a panoramic view of the open sky and the aroma of newly cut grass. When he’s not in school, he spends his best hours working outside, referring to himself as “the landscape man” of his family.

“I usually go by what my name stands for,” he said. “If you look my name up in the dictionary, it says, ‘Man of the Land.’”

But he wouldn’t reveal the name curious readers could fi nd in a dictionary. His full name, he said, should remain a secret. At school, he goes by TJay--or, for read-ers who know his face but not his name, the guy who makes cameo appearances in unsuspecting teachers’ lectures.

With such strong connections to the great outdoors, it can be diffi cult for Cable to keep himself boxed up in the school building for seven hours a day.

“If I can’t get outside, then I’m probably gonna have a problem the whole entire day,” he said. “That’s why I take my little strolls out-side, every lunch hour.”

It’s also why he often feels boredom push-ing him out of his classrooms and into the halls.

“I can’t be in a classroom that’s just sitting there like everybody’s about to go to sleep, because then I’m gonna go to sleep. Or I’m gonna get mad and walk out.”

But there’s at least one class in which Cable doesn’t have to worry about falling asleep.

After enrolling in Interpersonal Skills this year, Cable has come to love the IPS pro-gram. His group goes for a swim at the Indoor Aquatic Center every Monday, which allows him to get up and move with his IPS friends.

“I got a li’l homie named Gavin,” Cable said. “You probably know him. My buddy. Every time he sees me, and I see him, we do--”

Cable began to dance in his seat, moving and jamming to his own own merry rhythm.

“--and that’s how we say ‘hi’ to each other.”Cable’s unique ways of saying hello make

him stand out at Free State. He extends his greetings to everyone, everywhere, at all times of the day--and he doesn’t wait for the bell to ring to begin his smiling campaigns from class-room to busy classroom. Five-minute passing periods can’t contain this man of the land.

tjay.cable.11 class schedules need not apply

by rosemary newsome It’s hard to believe that distinguished

English teacher Mr. Rabiola, who has instilled fear through his daunting term papers and immense reading assignments, had an unsure start to his career.

A change of heart- as well as majors and colleges- expressed Rabiola’s indecision when it came to knowing what he wanted to do with his life.

“I started off as a business major and I fi gured out after three semesters that account-ing was not for me,” Rabiola said. “. . . I kept taking Comp and Lit classes . . . and some of my friends were taking Ed classes and they seemed to enjoy it so I took the fi rst one . . . I was with a really good teacher and so that’s how I fell into it.”

Rabiola’s course of action now seems obvi-ous to his peers- as he excels at the purpose of his occupation, which is to aid teenagers going through the same uncertainty he did years ago.

“[My favorite part of my job is] Helping kids reach their goals even if they don’t know what they are as I certainly didn’t know what mine were,” he said.

Despite his positive intentions to improve students’ English skills, Rabiola’s critiques do not always go over well with kids.

“I’ve certainly been told that ‘This B or B+ is going to keep me from getting a 4.0 and that it’s going to keep me from getting into X col-lege,’” he said.

Junior Bailey Sullivan, who has taken three semesters of his classes, admits to have hav-ing a minor dissent with a grade she received on a paper. However, holding kids to a high standard is part of what makes Rabiola a com-mendable teacher. Like any good educator, his comments are constructive and aim to teach, not ruin, students.

“It’s hard for some students to see that it’s not the grades that matter but the learning,” he said.

Sullivan realizes, though, that his edits are helpful and fair.

“He corrects everything you do wrong but I think that it’s good preparation for probably the way college professors grade papers,” she said.

Rabiola is also praised for his organization and structure within his class.“He is very good at explaining things and picking a certain thing and reinforcing it really well,” Sullivan said. “. . . He makes his tests very fair, I think, and related to what we actually talked about in class.”

Rabiola’s teaching style remains a favorite among students, as he re-

lates the material to kids as well as pushes them outside of their comfort zones with chal-lenging assignments.

“He did kind of make me like English classes again,” Sullivan said. “Going into high-school I didn’t really like them anymore but I started to like them more since I’ve had him as a teacher for so many of them.”

Rabiola has not only made an impression on his students, but on the education com-munity as well. His experience in the workplace has been benefi cial when educators look to reform learning.

“One impact is continuity,” he said. “. . . here’s what we’ve done in the past here’s some things that have worked some things that haven’t worked.”

His consistency in teaching methods is of course only part of the overall presence. He never wavers on being the Birkenstock-clad trendsetter either (to dispel any rumors, he does take off).

“It is not a matter of style but comfort,” he said. “For years I tried to fi nd shoes that were comfortable so my feet wouldn’t hurt just because I’m up and about so much.”

Rabiola has not only found his perfect shoes, but his perfect niche- for no one could envision such an esteemed teacher in any other profession.

sam.rabiola.a favorite among the students

FP11

may 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

the news production cycleThis issue, the newspaper staff assigned

stories while I was in Ohio, which is the only way they managed to sneak a story about me into the budget (that’s a newsie term for the list of stories that can go to print). Sam Boatright, however, was sitting right here in the newsroom for story pitches, so he avoided being marked as one of our 50 sources—or so he thought. If the staff wants to publish a story about me, then we also have to write one about Sam, whom every reporter, designer and editor would agree has been a champion co-editor-in-chief. If I had been the only editor-in-chief this year, the newspaper would have been backlogged in missed deadlines starting in September, and we would have been forced to use some of our advertising income to invest in a defi brillator to revive my pulse twice per publication cycle. Now that only happens once per publication cycle. (That was a joke. We don’t actually have the money for that kind of technology. I generally just hold my breath until we send the fi nalized pages to the printer.) But instead of spending half a page bombard-ing Sam with compliments and gratitude—not because I couldn’t, but because by the end of the column his face would be the color of a sunburnt tomato—I’m going to provide readers with a day-by-day description of an average 15-day production cycle so you can see for yourselves the shenanigans the Free Press has performed to keep itself in print. (See this schedule in the pink box to the right.)

As this behind-the-scenes depiction of newsroom life suggests, this past year has been a learning process for all of us--editors included. (That particularly applies to me. Sam is a natural-born leader and was likely a president in a former life. I’d place him in the Progressive Era, but we can discuss that later.)

Nothing we’ve done this year could have been accomplished if we had been short even one member of our staff or editorial board—or, of course, our journalism adviser, Laurie Folsom, who is the single most important person in the newsroom year after year. (See her story below.)

Thank you, Mrs. Folsom, for teaching us how to become better journalists and better people.

Thank you, Sam, for keeping everyone on staff--not least of all myself--informed, enter-tained and motivated to accomplish great things with this year’s publication. It’s been a joy being an editor with you.

Thank you, Hannah Moran and Sarah Whipple, for operating our co-editor puppet strings when Sam and I needed you--which, as seen in the production schedule to the right, was every day and night.

Thank you, readers, for supporting us through ten exhilarating issues of the paper.

And thank you, newspaper staff, for the talent and dedication that have made it a privilege to be your editors. Sam and I couldn’t have asked for a better year to be on the Free Press.

Now, for the honest-to-goodness last time:Thanks for reading, Free State.

by sarah whipple One of the fi rst rules in journalism is to

not just praise your friends, family and politi-cians. Instead, reporters are encouraged to share the stories of those unheard, hidden gems that provide a new insight into the com-munity as a whole.

When Hannah and I conceptualized the fi nal issue of the Free Press for the year, we knew there were some names that people couldn’t ignore the stories of who have gotten a lot of press for their contributions in and out of school. Katie Guyot. Sam Rabiola. Dante Colombo.

But then we heard stories from reporters, students and teachers praising people that don’t get as much recognition for the things they do. Kenneth Palmer. Ellie Houston. Terry Wilkinson.

And then there’s Laurie Folsom. As journalism adviser and one of the leaders of Career Tech Education training in the district, she’s had her fair share of stories about the newspaper and yearbook, but many of them are kept secret since she’s at the portal of the reporting.

Teachers rarely spend their weekends working with students, their vacation money on journalism conventions or their extra glue guns bedazzling shorts for a staff kickball game. Folsom’s willing, and has done this and more.

She’s an advocate of creative thought and

responsibility. Instead of doing the newspaper and yearbook her way, she trusts students to take control and provides guidance when things get hectic.

Being a “newsie” herself in high school, Folsom sees where her students are coming from and runs along with them, never taking the reigns off... at least, until administration gets involved. She’s also helped them gain more of a voice throughout the district with her use of social media involvement, school board meetings and honor society awards.

She’s always preparing herself for the next stage in journalism, taking an Adobe prep course at JCCC last year and attending 16 na-tional conventions within her career. And not many people can say their teacher encourages them to use twitter, Facebook, or Instagram as a resource in the classroom.

The point behind this whole issue is to give thanks to those who’ve made a difference within these halls. Some may have already been recognized whiles others will only continue to build on their legacy. Regardless, everyone makes a difference in some way and has a story, but it’s up to the student body to listen and hear them out.

So we’ve broken the fi rst rule in journal-ism, which Folsom proudly taught us at the beginning of the year. But some people, even the ones closest to the press, deserve recogni-tion, and Folsom’s name falls right under that category.

laurie.folsom. journalism guru of the school by ryan liston

Participating in a sport or two during one’s high school career is fairly common. Freshman Sam Skwarlo com-petes in four.

Skwarlo participates in football, wrestling, track, and baseball through-out the course of the year. Skwarlo believes that football is the most team oriented sport of the four. “... You work all summer for it with your team,” he said, “you get to know each other a lot better.” While he feels that football builds the best teamwork, he claims that wrestling helps him improve overall as an athlete. “I’d say wrestling really helps with all of [the sports],” he said, “because you have to be aggressive, a little mean, and a little fast, a little strong, and it all goes together. And the footwork and stuff [helps too].” In track Skwarlo is a middle-distance runner. Track is a technically team sport because each athlete tries to wrack up points, but it is mainly individual because you are competing to beat everyone. During the track season Skwarlo also has to compete in baseball, causing him to make a decision next year. “I have to decide between track and baseball next year,” he said. “I can’t do

both, because they’re in the same season ... I’m kind of torn in between.” Skwarlo wants to be the best. “It just takes hard work,” he said. “And you have to want to do it ... If you’re gonna do sports, you might as well be the best at them. That’s what I think.” Skwarlo’s ultimate goal is to play a sport at the collegiate level. “My dream’s really to play football in col-lege,” he said, “but whatever sport I’m best at, that’s what I will want to do. Any sport, though, in college.”

sam.skwarlo. tackles four sports in one year 09

dear free state free state to: the readersre: there’s something missing here

Day 1: Story pitches. This is when the newspaper staff propels story ideas into their editors’ ears with the hope that one of them will remember to note something down on an iPad. This is also when everyone is repeat-edly reminded that Sam is a tech guru and Katie doesn’t know how to operate Apple products.Day 2: Story assignments. After sorting out the pitches that Sam and Hannah have typed up on the iPad, the editors take turns bang-ing their foreheads against their computer keyboards until reporters have been matched with slugs. (To the staff’s relief, these are not slimy, wriggling slugs. In journalism, a “slug” is a mock headline that quickly summarizes what an article is about.)Day 3: Reporters begin working on their stories. Sam and Katie promise to assign deadlines. Day 4: Hannah and Sarah assign deadlines.Day 5: While reporters get interviews and designers sketch out pages, Sam writes 1,000 eloquent words for his column and Katie doodles cartoons of her cat for hers.Day 6: In fi fth hour newspaper, reporters hasten to fi nish their rough drafts lest they receive a visit from Hannah, our wonderful copy editor and deadline enforcer. In sixth hour newspaper, Sam and Katie hand out deadline extensions like Halloween candy.Day 7: Sam documents which reporters have met their deadlines. Katie cheers from the sidelines. Day 8: Sam, Katie and Hannah compete to see who can stay up the latest editing stories the night before fi nal draft deadlines. Sam

and Hannah usually win.Day 9: Katie suddenly realizes that she forgot to email cartoonist Jacob Hood about his assignment for this issue, but because Jacob is amazing, he has already begun. Day 10: Designers continue to work on their pages. Sam takes one for the team by trekking downtown to get photographs for Hometown Hub, and Katie makes a valiant effort to learn how to use InDesign. Day 11: Sarah, our talented design editor, checks over the designers’ pages and colors the whiteboard with feedback and instruc-tions. She asks Katie to relay a message to the sixth hour designers, and Katie occasion-ally remembers to do so.Day 12: Sam documents which designers have met their deadlines. Katie is still cheer-ing from the sidelines. Day 13: Sarah asks Sam and Katie if they are ready to send in the paper. The answer is always a terrifi ed, “Maybe tomorrow?” Katie again wishes the Free Press could afford a defi brillator. Day 14: The editors swirl around in their swivel chairs until the paper has been proof-read from all angles of a 360-degree spin. At some point in the evening, three of them go home to fi ll the growling black holes in their stomachs. The other one presumably goes for a run. Day 15: Sam helps reporters post their sto-ries online while Katie pretends she was born before the Internet came to being. She will act similarly the next day, when the schedule cycles back around to story pitches.

photo by sonia schoneich

What am I still doing on this page? I’m not an editor anymore.

FPmay 14, 2013 page by sarah whipple

12

nathan.lane. 11 forever fl exible by becca moran

Not many people can say they made it to a national competition in one of the world’s hardest sports, but junior Nathan Lane can.

Lane fi rst began doing gymnastics after he went to an open gym with his sister.

He excelled so much, he was even asked to be on a national competition team when he was in 8th grade.

Tragically, not too long before Nationals, Lane broke his back. Lane was moved up from training with other level fi ves to training with the level sevens, which requires longer and more diffi cult, tiring classes. As a result, a worn-out Lane made a mistake on a routine and landed on his head. His back came over the top, and two vertebrae hit each other, causing the bumps to shatter.

But instead of pitying himself and being angry, Lane accepted the injury with grace. “I mean it happened, and I think you should try to

do the best you can do with the given situation.” He said.

He advises anyone else facing a similar situation to “just fi nd something else to focus your energy on.”

And he has. Now,in ad-dition to studying frequently, Lane is involved in band and ultimate frisbee.Lane’s easygoing personal-ity has allowed him to shift from different schools easily. In the past four years he has moved three different times because of his mother’s job as a professor.

“The way I look at it is that you get to have friends all over the place. It’s kind of fun because you get a fresh start every time.” Lane said.

Although his injury will not allow him to compete again, he hasn’t let that stop him from occasionally going to open gyms.

Lane’s acceptance and perseverance makes him a role model for anyone facing a diffi cult time.

by gavin spence Waking up at fi ve a.m. to argue about

transportation infrastructure for 12 hours sounds like a nightmare for most teenagers.

But for sophomore Parker Hopkins, policy debate is a way of life.

With a daunting 15-21 hour work week, sophomore Parker Hopkins’ devotion to debating is truly remarkable. Last year, Hopkins went to four debate tournaments and medaled at every one. This year he competed at 10 tournaments and medaled at half of them, thanks to his extra practice at the Jayhawk Debate Camp over the summer with his debate partner Adam Strathman. Along with creating negative fi les to run against opponents’ affi rmative cases, Hopkins also assists novices after school. Debate helps all aspects of life. “Other people should take debate because it can help you with public speaking and argu-ing,” Hopkins said. Hopkins keeps coming back to debate because of the people, the class and the activ-ity itself. Due to Ms. Ball’s infl uence, Hopkins is considering becoming a debate coach in the future to instill his dedication in other students.

parker.hopkins. 10 under the debate infl uence

by sydney moreano To say junior Jessica Babler is “involved” is an under-

statement. From her 0-7 schedule to her three sports, to her NHS membership, one might say she constantly remains busy. “I’m a mess. I’m always doing something after school,” explained Babler. However the best part of Babler isn’t that she’s involved, but the attitude she brings with her to her extracurriculars. She loves the camaraderie that activities bring. She keeps a positive attitude through all chal-lenges, and enjoys making people happy. “If you’re not involved then you’re just sitting back and wasting your time,” Babler said. A true people-person, Babler is able to connect with a variety of personalities because of her impressive listening abilities. She’s always willing to lend her ear to whoever needs to talk. “Even if you don’t like someone 100%, you still have to give them the respect of listening to them and under-standing what they have to say,” Babler said. Babler hopes her upbeat attitude has effected Free State for the better, and wants to leave a positive mark when she leaves here. “I just want to be somebody that people remember and say that she always had a good attitude and was always willing to help,” says Babler. Overall she feels everyone should be involved be-cause life is short, and is willing to go the extra mile to help people get there. “You only get to live your high school career once so you might as well make the best of it,” Babler said.

jessica.babler. 11 the epitome of school spirit

by catherine prestoy When clicking on the the Twitter profi le “@

getmeabible”, a picture of Savannah Reeb pops up with an overlapping word background that says “I Want More of Jesus”. Scrolling down, there is an abundance of tweets scattered with quotes from the Bible and Bible verses relating to whatever inspired Reeb that day.

Reeb is a sophomore at Free State, but more im-portantly, an active member of the Catholic Church. Reeb jump started her faith with “Young Life”, a pro-gram for Christian teenagers to grow in their faith. Reeb started the program in the sixth grade and since then, has been more involved with the church.

“I’ve grown up always knowing about God but I never really got in depth about it,” Reeb said. “[My belief] started with Young Life then I realized that high school [is when] you fi nd yourself and when you try to fi nd your way. So I turned my attention to God and I found that He is the only way.”

Attending a public school, Reeb occasionally struggles with her faith. However, she renews her faith every time she attends church.

“I try and go weekly [to church] but when I go there I feel like I’m on top of the world, I feel my strongest, I feel my best, I feel confi dent, I feel the most loved. It’s the best feeling that I’ve ever had,” Reeb said. “ I think I get that feeling mostly because of the Holy Spirit inside of me working. I also think that I feel that way because the people around me that also feel the same way.”

Reeb focuses her religious tweets on her follow-ers that read them. She tries to help their situations with quotes from the Bible or religious statements.

“When I have a prayer session or when I’m at church and something really powerful has come over me or I’ve learned something great, I try and share that with as many people as I can,” Reeb said. “I’ll see something or I’ll hear something that’s really relative

to what my followers are thinking and what they’re going through. I’ll fi nd something like that so it’s easy for them to relate.”

Despite receiving some negative comments on Twitter and an uncommon cynical connotation face-to-face, Reeb uses the negative energy to fuel her devotion.

“Going to a public school and [being Catholic] is kind of hard. There’s a lot of nega-tive connotations that people think of when they [fi nd out I’m Catholic] like, ‘Oh you’re Catholic. You’re a Jesus freak.’ But at the same time it’s em-powering knowing that it’s the way I choose to worship,” Reeb said. “ I still question my faith [but] in the Bible it says that to bless those who persecute you.When that happens it’s just a kick start again for me to continue my religion and my faith.”

Despite her openness and fi rmness in the belief of her re-ligion, one of the main reasons Reeb preaches Christianity is for the benefi t of other people.

“It says in the Bible that Jesus is the truth, the life and the way,” Reeb said. “I strongly believe in that and I don’t want to save just myself, I want to save as many people as I can . . . I’m just trying to get the word out there.”

savannah.reeb. 10 sharing her beliefs one tweet at a time

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