Story & Graphic by Reagan Hill – Staff Reporter  With Thanksgiving break approaching, many teachers and students have made plans to spend time with their family and friends, surrounded by tons of love and good food. Leza Palguta, English teacher, plans to host family and friends for a huge gathering and spend the rest of the time catching up on sleep and enjoying preparation for the coming holidays.    “I love that we’re all together, and [her boys and their families] spend the whole time there,” Palguta said.    The Thanksgiving season brings many opportunities to come together and share a lovely meal with each other. There are many specialty dishes prepared that often carry fun memories or excellent tastes.    “I love green bean casserole, and I only eat it once a year! Seriously, why can’t we make green bean casserole for Sunday dinner?” Palguta said.    Although food is a crucial component of many Thanksgiving gatherings, most people often forget the true meaning and significance of this time of year.     “I think Thanksgiving is so underrated… It’s not even about the food, it’s about taking that time to stop and pause and go ‘even though things are hard, I have so much that I should be thankful for in my life,’” Palguta said.    With the true meaning of the season in mind, this upcoming break is sure to create lasting memories.  

Story & Photo by Emerson Godfrey – Staff Reporter   From classroom to office, everyone has an important role, but a lot go unrecognized. One overlooked position is a building administration assistant, which, at Lee’s Summit North, is taken by Leslie Minx. Minx has been working for the LSR7 School District since 2004. She moved to North in 2007 and has been trying different positions since.    “I started in here in the health room and just kind of moved around. And I just look for new places to go and learn new things,” Minx said.    Minx chose the position of building administrative assistant to challenge herself. She has enjoyed many aspects of working at Lee’s Summit North.    “Definitely the staff, the people, they are like family. And I get to know some really well, and that’s what makes it a great place to come work,” Minx said.    Ms. Minx is planning to retire in December, making this her last few weeks in this position.     “I got a lot of new things I want to do. Garden, raise chickens, probably sheep, I have grandkids to visit. But just knowing that if I want to go travel, I can travel, if I want to get up and I want to do this today, I can. All the projects I put off for a rainy day or for later, those are all coming to fruition now,” Minx said.    Ms. Minx has had a great impact on both Lee’s Summit North and the school district, whether seen or not. She will leave behind a legacy of leadership. But hopefully her retirement will allow her to make the day her own.

Story & Photo by Malaykah Mbeche – Staff Reporter    Maya Everett, English teacher, has been a high school teacher for 24 years now, but she has been teaching at Lee’s Summit North for two years.    Everett works with the Black Student Union [BSU] at North.    “I actually sponsored the BSU at my previous school and was asked if I would be interested in sponsoring the club at LSNHS, to which, of course, I responded: “Absolutely!”,” Everett said.    Everett not only works with the Black Student Union, but she also works with the National Honor Society [NHS] as well.    “I was asked if I was interested in supporting the NHS as a co-sponsor, and I agreed!” Everett said.    When she is not at school, she might be at a concert or a festival, and maybe even travelling out of town. She also spends her leisure time creating marketing materials for small businesses, organizations, and individuals.    You can find her in the English hallway on Friday mornings, welcoming students and blowing bubbles.

Story & Photo by Gracie Wolverton – Staff Reporter  After a season of overcoming changes and other obstacles, the North football team ended its season on Friday, November 7th.   In the first round of district play, the team lost 35-33 against cross-town rival Lee’s Summit High School.   The team overall had a well-received season; students believe the post-season games were cut short, but enjoyed the atmosphere of district play.  “Our team came back and almost won at the end of the game,” Max Matthews, senior, said. The Broncos look forward to cheering on their team again next season.

Story by Morgan Hill – Assistant Editor-in-Chief/Sports Editor    The 2025 LSN girls volleyball team will go down in history at LSN as the most successful volleyball team to date.    This season, the volleyball team pushed the standards of the program, working all the way to a state championship game appearance.    From the start, this team had big goals and lots of talent with a dream to get far into the state tournament, something LSN had never done before.    Prior to this year, LSN had not won a district championship in decades, and reaching for the goal of a deep state run had never become a reality.    Due to senior leadership from players Madi Benne, Piper Bahr, and Rhys Zinn, the Broncos were able to accomplish what was previously impossible.    The volleyball team achieved many great things, including a district championship, a state Final Four appearance, and a state championship game appearance, all of which were never before seen at LSN.    While the season set many new precedents in the championship game, the Broncos fell short in the fourth set.    However, the LSN community and former Bronco athletes are so proud of the volleyball team and all it has accomplished this season.

Story & Graphic by Isabelle Flood – Editor-in-Chief  A brand new club at LSN was started by Lena Scofield, Addison Harding, and Emily McEwen called Club Psych. This club meets every third Friday of every month in Ms. Hood-Johnson’s room.     Club Psych was created to help people learn about psychology and make projects surrounding the topics they learn about.     “Every month is focused on a different topic. We first learn about what we are focusing on that month, then do a fun activity correlated with it. For example, since October was mental health awareness month, we made a bulletin board called “take what you need” and added little slips of paper with inspiring quotes and sayings to help with any negative mental topics,” Lena Scofield, junior, said.     The main goal behind Club Psych is for students to get more involved in the school community without it being too overwhelming.     “It is very good to be involved, but sometimes being involved gets overwhelming and stressful. Club psych is a way to be involved but in a calming and educational way,” Scofield said.     School can get stressful and demanding at times, so having a place to relax and have fun within the school community is very important.    “We are here to spread positive vibes, a great way to be involved, and such a great way to meet new friends,” Scofield said.     If you are interested in finding out more about Club Psych, talk to Ms. Hood-Johnson or one of the founders of the club to learn more. 

Story & Photo by Kay Haas- News Editor/Copy Editor  On Wednesday, October 29th, select LSN art students had the opportunity to go to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Students in IB Visual Arts, Portfolio, and a few hand-picked students drove three hours to have a private tour of some of the galleries. This field trip doesn’t happen every year, so it is very exciting when it does happen.    Holly Winer, senior, is an IB Visual Arts student who went on the field trip.    “I wanted to go on this field trip because I’ve heard from friends and family how amazing [Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art] is,” Winer said.     This museum is unique in that it is located on 120 acres of Ozark Forest. The museum offers a variety of walking trails around the property, featuring sculptures along the way. This museum also only features art from America. Their collection features a Kehinde Wiley, Dale Chihuly, and an original portrait of George Washington that Alexander Hamilton once owned.    “My favorite part of the field trip was definitely seeing their different selection of paintings and how it ranged from older pieces to much newer,” Winer said.     The museum is undergoing massive renovations, and half of it is currently closed, limiting students’ ability to tour the entire museum. But, Crystal Bridges gave each student a free pass for themselves and up to six other people to access any gallery that requires a ticket. This ticket also never expires; it can be used as long as the museum is open. Safe to say that these art students will be back.

Story & Photo by Morgan Hill – Asst. Editor-in-Chief/Sports Editor   The Mane Steet Station, or commonly known as the school store, is an LSN staple.    From a quick snack break to enjoying the comfy ambiance that the school store has to offer, it is essential to LSN. With its variety of snacks and apparel, everyone enjoys what the school store has to offer.    It also provides great marketing opportunities that help LSN business students gain workplace experience, and it is a good hands-on learning tool.    “I love working at the School Store because it allows me to hang out with my friends and is something fun to do during my school day,” Kenna Caton, senior, said.    The school store has many benefits to students and is one of the many things that make LSN so special.

Story by Reagan Hill – Staff Reporter  This past week has put the LSN Girls’ Tennis season to a close, with several accomplishments from everyone on the team.     “We won a lot of dual matches and tournaments that we usually don’t, and overall had a great record this season,” Nikki Wright, junior, said.    The team has been presented with many challenges, and consistently overcomes them with camaraderie and the love they have for the sport and their teammates.    “My two favorite memories of this season were winning the Colburn Cup back and winning the individual district championship with my partner, Claire,” Wright said.    In preparation for next year’s season, several members of the team are taking advantage of their time off and utilizing it as a period for growth and improving their skills.   “My offseason plans for tennis are to continue training daily so I can come back even stronger and more prepared next year!” Wright said.    With big plans for the future and lots of determination, these girls are sure to follow this year’s successes with many more in the coming years!   Photo by Emerson Godfrey