Story & Photo by Emerson Godfrey – Asst. Copy Editor    Most sports and activities have games, competitions, shows, or performances to showcase their skill set. For students passionate about foreign languages, like French and Spanish, this option to compete comes annually. On March 16, French and Spanish class students were selected to go to the University of Central Missouri and compete in the World Language Competition (WLC). There, students competed against many other high schools across Missouri, including Branson High School, Warrensburg High School, and Lee’s Summit West High School, among several others.    “I enjoyed getting to test my knowledge and skills in the French language. I also enjoyed getting second and third place ribbons because it allowed me to see how much I have improved in certain aspects of the language,” Callie Hamming, sophomore, said.    Students took exams over subjects of their choice, such as listening, reading, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary. Students could also participate in spelling bees and quiz bowls. Both Lee’s Summit North’s French and Spanish class students were very successful.    “I realized that I am better at French, specifically the grammar aspect, than I originally thought. In class I felt like I was bad at grammar because I thought I could never memorize all of the rules and endings to words, but the moment I challenged myself, I was able to remember all of the rules and I ended up getting second place,” Hamming said.    LSN Spanish students received third place overall, and French students received first place overall. The competition was a challenge, but the students really enjoyed the difficulty and the result of their hard work. Additionally, the competition was a perfect opportunity to try something unfamiliar.    “What made the competition fun for me was the challenge of not knowing what to expect. The majority of the competitions were ideas and words that I have never learned but that part was fun for me because I got a chance to learn something new,” Hamming said.    The Spanish and French class students had a lively and challenging day, and are sure to make their mark again at next year’s competition.

Story & Graphic by Ella Snead – Staff Reporter   The 901 Jazz Band is about halfway through its performance season. Grant Fischer, band teacher, directs the 901 Jazz group. The jazz band, consisting of 19 students, includes saxophones, trombones, trumpets, and various rhythm section players.    So far, they have been to the Missouri Western Jazz Festival, the Ottawa Jazz Festival, and the University of Central Missouri Jazz Festival. They have a couple of upcoming performances at Lee’s Summit Green Street and their annual Jazz picnic.     “I can’t wait to perform at Green Street, it’s so much fun. It’s a great environment with a bunch of great people,” Preston Krysa, Tenor saxophone, said.   The director does a great job of maintaining a positive environment, and the students enjoy attending these festivals.    They have competed in many college festivals, and numerous awards for solos have been given to members Bracken Goodman, Sophomore, and Killian Duarte, Junior. Overall, their season so far has been very successful, and they are ready for their upcoming performances. 

Story by Morgan Hill – Asst. Editor/Sports Editor  As the seasons and weather change, so do the sports and activities at LSN. The spring includes both club and school-sanctioned sports that all students love. Those sports are: Girls Flag Football, Girls Lacrosse, Girls Soccer, Baseball, Girls & Boys Track & Field, Boys Volleyball, Boys Tennis, and Boys Golf.    As a new season begins, it is also the beginning of the end for all of the seniors having their last sports season. This brings new emotions from the last matches, practices, and games. Some are going on to play the sport collegiately, but for most, it is the last time they will play their sport competitively.    “I am most looking forward to finishing out my senior year with all my friends and going out with a bang,” Addison Bleckinger, Girls Lacrosse senior, said.    For seniors, it is the final time playing the sport they love with their best friends and wish to close their seasons out on a high note. For others at North, the spring sports season can be a season of growth and making lasting memories.    Overall, as the final season of sports has opened up, it will be exciting to see how far each Bronco sport will grow and be successful.   Photo courtesy of Addison Bleckinger

Story & Graphic by Gracie Wolverton – Entertainment Editor The art club is a club that opens its doors to all students interested in creative projects. Art club meets several times a month on Wednesdays as a community to complete individual projects in a structured environment with a collaborative atmosphere.    “The people at art club are incredibly accepting and kind, so I really enjoy the atmosphere while working on different projects,” Eva Bossert, sophomore, said.    This activity provides many opportunities for students who get involved. Students are able to support their community by painting festive-themed windows for businesses in downtown Lee’s Summit. Students can also earn an MVA and gain real-world experience working with clients.    “[Window painting] was a super cool opportunity to take a small part in the community festivities and do something fun with my friends.” Bossert said.    With it’s inviting culture, art club is a fun and easy way to build connections without pressure.    “it gives people an easy, low-stress way to meet new people. Everyone in art club is extremely welcoming and nice.” Bossert said.    Art club serves as a creative, welcoming, and fun environment for all students looking for a fun way to fill their Wednesday afternoon!

Story & Graphic by Reagan Hill – Photography Editor  The new Starbucks menu was released on March 3rd and features many different spring-themed drinks and treats as a seasonal surprise for customers.    “I’m really excited about the Starbucks spring menu. There’s a lot of variety in our drinks now, especially since we hadn’t had anything new since winter, and I think that they’re all super good,” Claire Yoder, junior, a Starbucks barista, said.    This new menu brings a lot of excitement as it features lots of new and unusual flavors, such as ube and lavender, which have received good reviews so far.    “My favorite thing on the new menu would have to be the ube drinks. It tastes like cake batter, and it’s a really pretty purple color, which I always love in a drink,” Yoder said.    This wide-variety menu has lots of options for customers wanting to try something new and fresh for the spring season.    “I would recommend trying the ube or the lavender because lavender is always super popular. It’s one we had last year, and it’s always a crowd favorite,” Yoder said.    Whether a fan of sweet treats or fun drinks, the new Starbucks spring menu has lots to pick from and a great reputation thus far.

Story by Emerson Godfrey – Assistant Copy Editor  There are often exciting cross-classroom connections around school at Lee’s Summit North. Sometimes, students in different classrooms are reading the same book, doing the same labs, et cetera. For Lauren Hollingsworth’s Sociology II class, these connections are built across the school district. Hollingsworth’s students are pen pals with third graders at Richardson Elementary.    “So I wanted to build off the foundational content knowledge of socialization when they were in Sociology I, and do something more of, like, an application, something that is also kind of community building,” Hollingsworth said.    The high school students are taking letters from the third graders to learn about their relationships with school and how it influences them. Even though this project has just started, the Sociology II students are learning a lot.    “I think the high schoolers are seeing that their relationship with school is very similar to the third graders’,” Hollingsworth said.    Even though there is a deep learning and curricular focus with the project, the high school students are building relationships with their pen pals.    “And to experience the high schoolers’ feeling that from their pen pal is awesome. Also, like, I’ve gotten to go to a third-grade classroom, and the third graders are just wide-eyed and excited about, not just learning, but engaging with someone else who is learning. It is just fun, it is pure,” Hollingsworth said.    The project has a sweet end product: Sociology II students will read a children’s book that they wrote for their pen pal.    “So at the very, very end, I’m going to take the high schoolers on a school bus to Richardson, and they are going to read the book that they wrote for their pen pal to them. It is just going to be perfect.”    This Sociology II pen pal project has helped create wholesome experiences and relationships that are sure to last.   Photo courtesy of Suzanne Godfrey

Story & Graphic by Isabelle Flood – Editor-in-Chief    The 2026 Winter Olympics took place in Italy from February 6th through February 22nd. Overall, the USA was very successful across many different events. The USA is the second-highest medal winner, winning 33 medals total: 12 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 9 bronze medals.     History was made on Sunday as the Olympics came to a close with the USA Men’s Hockey team beating Canada 2-1 in overtime. This was the first gold medal win since the 1980 Olympics for Men’s Hockey.     The USA Women’s Hockey team made history as well, as defenseman Caroline Harvey scored her ninth point in the quarterfinal game. According to ESPN, this marked the most points scored by a defenseman in the Olympics in USA women’s history.     “I love watching the Olympics and supporting the athletes. Watching the Games makes me feel very patriotic,” Baylie Huston, senior, said.     Freestyle skiing and alpine skiing were also very successful, winning 12 medals combined, 5 of which were gold. Speed skating, figure skating, and bobsleigh were top events as well, earning 5 gold medals, 11 medals total.    Hoping to continue their success into the Summer Olympics in 2028, Team USA will host the Games in Los Angeles, California.  

Story & Photo by Ella Snead – Staff Reporter    On Friday, February 20th, the Black Student Union held a Black History Month Program in the P. A. C. The program included a choir and drumline performance, a fashion show, a couple of solo performers, a panel of people talking about the Divine Nine, a step team performance, and a dance battle.     This year’s event was a little different from last year’s.    “This year we had fewer individual performers, so we had more room to add the D9 panel and make some other parts longer, like the fashion show,” Brandon Truelove, BSU president, said.                                This year had more informative content as a contrast to last year’s entertainment content. The majority of the program was a group of former Divine Nine members. The Divine Nine are the nine African American fraternities and sororities. The panel discussed the importance of these groups and the opportunities they offer. After the panel was done talking, the step team performed, and then, to wrap it up, a dance battle broke out.     “The part I was most excited for is the dance battle skit we put together. We had practiced for a few weeks to put together separate and joint dances, and banter between both groups,” Truelove said.     The two dance groups met in the middle of the stage and danced together, even though some people had to leave for the bus.     “The dismissal bell rang right as we started, so not everybody saw the full thing,” Truelove said.     Overall, the Black History Month program hosted by the Black Student Union was very entertaining and informative, with a lot of fun, interesting acts.

Story & Photo by Malaykah Mbeche – Feature Editor  Girls wrestling has reached another milestone as three of the team’s athletes, Kaylee Scott, freshman, Avery Edwards, sophomore and Grace Cronk, junior, medaled at Districts and have qualified for State. This is the first time in the school’s history. The girls talk about how they feel accomplished because all of the time and work they put in paid off.    “It felt amazing because I’ve worked at this sport for three years now, so just putting in all that effort and work and finally seeing a good reward felt very reassuring,” Cronk said.   Scott talked about how she felt good when she won her weight class at districts and qualified for state.    All three girls worked incredibly hard to get to this point in their seasons. Even though the girls come on top time and time again, they still have some challenges along the way.    “I put all this work in, I show up in the morning, I stay after [school], and I have the technique and everything, I just can’t believe that I’m good enough,” Edwards said.    With all the work put in and milestones reached, the girls will continue to work hard and push forward for the state tournament this weekend. Go Broncos!