Story & Photo by Morgan Hill – Assistant Editor-in-Chief/Sports Editor     At LSN, the student section leaders, known as the Crimson Crazies, decide the game themes for all football games and other sporting events.    They also lead the student section in chants and unite all grades of Broncos through chants and cheers.    Crimson Crazies are hand-selected by administrators and are chosen by who has the most school spirit and Bronco pride.    The Crimson Crazies love their jobs and take pride in their school spirit.    “I can be very energetic and hype, and no one will judge me about it,” Payton Breece, senior, said.    As Crimson Crazies, they love to plan for games by painting banners and communicating game themes on social media; they also love leading chants throughout the student section.    The Crimson Crazies plan to make their senior year and this school year very special by creating the most Bronco spirit.

Story & Graphic by Reagan Hill – Staff Reporter  With the tenth anniversary of the award-winning musical Hamilton, the Broadway cast has recently had a new addition from the original 2016 cast. Many fans are thrilled to hear about Leslie Odom Jr’s return to Hamilton on Broadway for a few short months.    “I was really excited because my sister is gonna go and see him perform,” Natalia Lochiano, sophomore, said.    This announcement was so popular because Leslie’s original rendition of the character Aaron Burr is such an influential role in the musical. Many people love him for his vocals and emotions while acting.    “The way he uses his face to express his emotions through Burr is so good… he embodies the character very well,” Lochiano said.    Although his time on Broadway is limited, Hamilton fans have been sure to secure tickets to Leslie’s performances from September 9th through November 26th.

Story & Graphic by Emerson Godfrey – Staff Reporter   This fall is packed with fun in Lee’s Summit. One of the most exciting and eventful occasions is Oktoberfest in Downtown Lee’s Summit. This weekend, September 26-28, German foods and entertainment will line the streets, and both residents and visitors are here for it. There will be dozens of things to see and do: buy beautiful art, play games, eat delicious treats, watch costume competitions, and so much more.     “I am most excited for the fun rides and looking at the small businesses’ tents that are there. I love looking at all of the handmade crafts or foods that they sell,” Jenna Dunn, senior, said.    Oktoberfest is perfect for all ages, which means loads of fun for the whole family.     “I like the live entertainment and the kids’ street where kids compete for fun prizes,” Dunn said.    Learn about the first responders helping lead the way in Lee’s Summit, go to the petting zoo, enjoy carnival rides, or even participate in German dancing.     “Oktoberfest is so fun because I get to hang out with my friends while eating good food and riding fun carnival rides,” Dunn said.    Oktoberfest is a huge highlight in Downtown Lee’s Summit and has been bringing the community together each year. Do not miss this exciting event running all weekend long!

Story by Morgan Hill – Asst. Editor/Sports Editor  A City of Stars takes over Lee’s Summit North! This week has celebrated the countdown to the 2025 Homecoming dance and game.     Homecoming every year always inspires past, present, and future Broncos to come and embrace the spirit of the event.    This year, the theme is “A City of Stars”, inspired by the 2016 musical La La Land.    The starry theme has taken over LSN, with several dark-colored decorations, representing the night sky.    Tickets are available for the dance on the website for $13; however, there will be a price upcharge at the door.    This Homecoming week promises to be one of the most memorable weeks of the year, and we hope every Bronco has a safe and amazing Homecoming week!

Story & Graphic by Gracie Wolverton – Staff Reporter Even in the off-season, robotics continues. All of the returning members are hard at work and excited for this upcoming season and all that it brings.    In the early stages of the robotic season, students are learning the tools needed to help them build their robots.    “I am currently working on learning ‘CAD’ abilities, which stands for computer-aided design, basically you design parts and different things you would need, but doing it from a computer platform,” Shiloh Zabroski, sophomore, said.    While returning members are learning new skills, such as CAD, the robotics team has been preparing to welcome new members for the upcoming season.    “Since the offseason began, the team has been focused on building up returning students.  Over the next few weeks, we will be inviting students to join the team and get their hands dirty by building their first robot,” Jon Smith, robotics mentor, said.    Once this new season starts, students will begin building their new robot.    “Students determine what the robot can do, should do, how the robot should do it, and make the robot real,” Smith said.    Building robots takes a lot of work, people, and can quickly become time-consuming, with students in the shop anywhere from three to seven hours a night. Zabroski shares the two main components that go into making a robot.    “First, time spent. Creating a robot from scratch takes a TON of time, so it’s good to be in the shop engaging with progress. Second, all the different subteams. We have multiple teams, such as design, manufacturing, mechanical/electrical, assembly, programming, media, and so much more. All of these subteams come together and make what is our robot,” Zabroski said.    There is a ton that goes into robotics, from learning new skills to applying that work. The robotics team is working hard to prepare to welcome new members and enter the approaching season.

Story & Graphic by Malaykah Mbeche – Staff Reporter   The phone ban. People like it, people hate it. This summer, the state passed “the phone ban,” which is Senate Bill 68. This law mandates school districts to establish policies banning student cell phone use from the start to the end of the school day, with exceptions for emergencies and teacher-directed instruction. The law was signed by Governor Mike Kehoe in July and began implementation with the start of the 2025-26 school year. Senate Bill 68 is a state law that applies to all public school districts in Missouri, and each school district is required to create its own policy to implement the state mandate.     Students have had mixed feelings about Senate Bill 68.    “I didn’t use my phone during class much, so it didn’t change anything, but for classes like yearbook and broadcasting, it’s hard…we need them for things like that,” Jackson Reed, senior, said.    Students being distracted from their school work due to checking their cellphones has dramatically reduced.    “It’s not much different than last year…I feel it just depends on how students have been behaving, so if they’re working in classes, then probably using their phones in passing period wouldn’t make much of a difference,” Jane Mbeche, freshman, said.    Students’ perspectives are very important, but faculty perspectives should be taken into consideration as well.    “From the qualitative perspective, I believe the new law (not a ban) helps to reduce distractions within our learning environment,” Tim Collins, Principal, said.     Even though faculty agrees with the policy, there are some elements they disagree with.    “I felt our policy last year of no cell phones in classrooms sufficiently addressed this…Personally, I felt giving high school students an opportunity to be on their phones during lunch and passing was just fine, but our state legislature felt differently,” Collins said.    Even though it may not be something that everyone loves, Senate Bill 68 is helpful for students’ grades and performance.   

Story & Photo by Kay Haas – Copy Editor/News Editor  This summer, Kansas City welcomed the cast and crew of Ted Lasso for the filming of the fourth season of the show.     Ted Lasso is a show created by Apple TV about an American football coach who moves to England to coach an English soccer team after he and his wife separate. The show follows Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso, as he navigates his new life and faces the challenges of coaching an underdog team.    Sudeikis is also one of the creators of the show. Sudekis is from Overland Park, Kansas, and his background has had a significant impact on the show. Ted Lasso is from the Kansas City area and makes many Kansas City references. Like referencing Price Chopper, the Chiefs, and Arthur Bryant’s.    The first three seasons of the show took place in England and followed the AFC Richmond Team. At the end of the third season, the show left on a cliffhanger, alluding to the purchase of a women’s soccer team. Fans of the show have started speculation that the fourth season will follow Lasso coaching a women’s soccer team in KC.     Khanya Nkomo, senior, is an avid fan of the show and first saw the film crew in her neighborhood.     “I saw a bunch of cars and people surrounding the road they were filming on and went down to check it out,” Nkomo said.     The crew filmed at a house, McKeever’s Grocery Store, and the Plaza in KC. The entire city has been in a buzz from the film crew.     “When I found out they were filming here, it was very exciting because I felt like a celebrity,” Nkomo said.     The season doesn’t have a set release date, but fans can expect the season to come out at some point in 2026. Safe to say everyone in KC is excited to see their town on the big screen. 

Story and Graphic by Reagan Hill – Staff Reporter    With the unexpected engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, many fans are both surprised and excited for the events to follow their announcement.   “I was definitely skeptical until I saw the official post on Instagram since that’s exactly the kind of thing everybody spreads rumors about,” Vivian Nguyen, sophomore, said.    Announcing such a significant milestone truly took the world by surprise, especially considering the busy schedule with the NFL season approaching, as well as Taylor announcing many of her own projects to come.    “The two have been big news since they started dating. They’re America’s couple! It helps that they’ve both got some extra relevance right now with the both NFL season and Taylor’s new album coming up,” Nguyen said.    The loving couple passionately shares their love for one another in many different ways, and there is no doubt that fans will get to hear about it in Taylor’s upcoming album.

Story by Emerson Godfrey – Staff Reporter A new school year also means new opportunities for teachers here at Lee’s Summit North. The orchestras have a new welcome: Samantha Asel, the orchestra head director. Ms. Asel was a student at Lee’s Summit West High School and attended Mizzou. College is where she discovered her love for teaching.    “Getting to be a part of a classroom environment, too, in college, was what really changed my perspective on it. And just seeing different teachers, and different kinds of students, and how they learn, really inspired me to continue to foster a love of music in other students,” Asel said.    However, her passion for music did not start then. Ms. Asel began playing cello and switched to bass in 6th grade. Her enthusiasm for music has only gotten stronger since then.    “I think my end-of-year concert last year was one of my favorite teaching moments because I got to see how much they [students] had changed, not only as musicians, but just as people,” Asel said.    Ms. Asel chose the job position at LSN because of her familiarity with the program and the connections with students.    “I knew how awesome the orchestra program is here. And it’s really special, too, because of the fact that as the orchestra director here, I’m also the 8th-grade director at Campbell. So, I get to know those kids from 8th grade all the way through high school,” Asel said.    Helping the orchestra program prosper is something that Ms. Asel values. She believes LSN is a great place for new possibilities to begin.    “I’m really looking forward to playing new and exciting music and especially that symphony level with the winds and percussion,” Asel said.    The same thoughts go for members of the orchestra, as Ms. Asel begins her new position in the music department. In addition to getting to know her, students are excited for what she’ll bring to the program.    “I’m looking forward to all the fun songs we will get to play, and looking forward to the year with Ms. Asel,” Laina Langren, sophomore, said.    The orchestras are excited to welcome the new director and the environment she creates. Lee’s Summit North will have many new possibilities and enjoyable moments with Ms. Asel this school year and beyond. Photo courtesy of LSN