Story by Areesa Steele – Editor-in-Chief   One of the best weeks of the year is homecoming. Many students participate in all of the activities offered throughout homecoming week. Some of the activities include spirit week, homecoming parade, football game, and the homecoming dance. Student council is in charge of planning out the entire week and themes for homecoming.     “There’s three different committees, there’s advertising committee, hallway decorating, and dance decorating. Hallway decorating committee puts all the decorations up and gets ready for that. The dance committee decorates the gym the morning of,” Avaya Hall, junior, said.    Many students look forward to being able to participate in these activities. One of the biggest festivities is the spirit days.     “Monday is dress as your favorite artist, Tuesday is dress 90s, Wednesday is twin day, Thursday is dress as a movie or TV character, and Friday is bronco gear,” Hall said.    Once the planning has happened, Student Council advertises to the student body. One of the vital pieces of information needed for homecoming week is homecoming night. Student Council takes a vote on the best theme for the dance and plans it out from there.    “This year the homecoming theme is VMAs. Everyone makes their own slides and pitches their own themes and then we make an anonymous voting form and count up the votes and get it approved by the office,” Hall said.    Other than the pre-homecoming festivities, homecoming night is what most students look forward to. The dance will be held in the commons on Sep. 30 from 8-10 p.m. Be sure to plan your best attire and have a great night. 

Story & Photo by Abbey Euritt – Co-Assistant Editor/Sports Editor    The NFL season began in early September, which means, for many students at Lee’s Summit North, so did Fantasy Football. The popular game gives people the opportunity to create a custom NFL team, and compete with others.     “Fantasy Football is a game where you are managing your own NFL football team. You draft your own team and get points every week,” Dom Metcalf, junior, said.    Before the official season started, Metcalf began pre-season tasks, such as his draft pick through the ESPN app.     “I created my draft on the first day of school. It was at my friend’s house, and we had a podium where we would step up and announce our picks through a microphone,” Metcalf said.     Fantasy football is often a competitive game as everyone is trying to get points and not have the losing team. This year, Metcalf is confident in his picks and has hopes that his team does well.    “My draft is great, I am 1-0 to start the season, and after my terrible loss last year, I’m looking to win,” Metcalf said.     The game is extremely popular, specifically with students at LSN. Many groups develop unique ways to play with their peers, like winning prizes and losing punishments.    “My favorite part about fantasy football is the punishments that my friend group has for whoever loses. Last year, I had to get a buzz cut because I lost,” Metcalf said.     As the NFL season progresses through the first few weeks, students playing Fantasy Football are advancing in their season as well, with hopes that their team is successful.   

Story by Kay Haas – Staff Reporter  Football, basketball, and soccer–these sports are all well-known to most high schoolers. It seems like every teen plays at least one if not all of them. One that is not as common or talked about enough is golf. The goal of this sport is to use a club and hit a ball into a hole using the least amount of strokes. This seemingly simple sport is very difficult and can take years to master.    North’s girls’ golf team is always working and striving to be better. Since their season is so short, with only 2 months of practices and matches, they have to make every minute count. When they do not have a match, they are practicing at Fred Arbanas Golf Course.     Addison Bleckinger, sophomore, has been playing golf since her freshman year. Bleckinger always tries her best to improve herself and the team.     “My goal is to play better than I did last season,” Bleckinger said.    Another rising player on the golf team is Tyler Town, sophomore. Town has been playing golf for two years. Since she is a returning player, Town has a better grasp on the game than last year.     “Everyone is nice and works well together,” Town said.   Athletes can only go so far without their coaches. Mathew Bloch, language arts teacher, and Kevin Harrison, retired math and PE teacher, are both coaching girls’ golf this year.    “They are very understanding when you have to miss something and they encourage you to work on the school you missed for tournaments,” Bleckinger said.     With their short season nearing the end, the entire team continues to put their best foot forward all the way to the end.   Photo courtesy Addison Bleckinger

Story by Bailee Council – News Editor/Social Media Editor     Starting the season with a 3-0 streak, the Broncos start the season strong and united for the 2023 season. From a tight score of 27-20 against Liberty North, to the most recent win of 37-16 against Lee’s Summit High School.    “I think we are going to go undefeated honestly. I think we should win every game, but we still have to go week by week. I think we are going to make it to state for sure. There’s a couple of hard games we will go through in the playoffs though,”  Elijah Leonard, senior quarterback, said.    As the season progresses, the team is doing a lot to prepare for the upcoming games. During the off-season, the team was working out to get stronger and faster, and going to speed training.    “The boys worked really hard.  They lifted weights, they ran, practiced, and scrimmaged over and over,” Jamar Mozee, coach, said.    Leadership on the team has been strong with great players like Leonard, Isaac McIntosh, Isaiah Mozee, Chase Clark, Remington Ward, and Robin Lucas. As the team grows their skills they grow their bond as a whole.    “We compete in the weight room and we push each other to be great every day and then encourage each other to do the right thing on and on the field as well as off the field,” Tanner Howes, senior, said.    Leonard is a leader, as he is the quarterback, and he leads the offense. Isaac Mcintosh is another leader on the team, he is the safety of the defense and leads his team by example. As the season progresses and the team learns together with the goal of making it to state, this season is sure to be one to remember.   Photo by Kate Gerding

Story by Isabelle Flood – Staff Reporter    Smell the salty soft pretzels and the sugary cotton candy, hear the screams of the fans after a touchdown, and enjoy all that the Kansas City Chiefs have to offer at Arrowhead Stadium.    Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the rest of their team are coming off their Super Bowl-winning season and everyone is wondering what this next season will hold. Fans are excited to see their favorite players back on the field.     “We have never had a player like Patrick Mahomes and it is so much fun watching him, ” Brad Ralston, science teacher, said.     Although people are excited to see the team playing together again, they are also excited about watching the games from home.    “I like all of the games and watching them at home with my family and sometimes we have parties,” Brooke Winkle, sophomore, said.    Not only do the Chiefs players work well on the field, but they also work well in the community. On Feb. 6, KC Wolf went to Sunset Valley Elementary School to celebrate the Chiefs getting to the Superbowl. NFL teams are seen in the community very often. The NFL sponsors youth flag football leagues that some players or coaches occasionally make appearances at. The Chiefs have many programs such as families and child support programs and health and wellness programs.     “I think in general the NFL teams do a pretty good job of trying to get them out there and doing different things,” Ralston said.     The Kansas City area has a lot of spirit. When a game rolls around, everyone is ready to tailgate and dress in their best Chiefs gear. LSN does a few Chiefs spirit days throughout the season to support the players, but Winkle has some ideas for what else could be added.    “On every Friday instead of crimson and silver, we do bright red,” Winkle said.     The season’s first game was September 7, and it ended in a loss for the Chiefs. Even though the game’s results were not what fans were hoping for, many still had watch parties.    “My kids will want to get balloons and have like a little watch party,” Ralston said.    The Detroit Lions were a tough opponent, but there are more games around the corner. Daccota Stamback, freshman, is excited to see the Bills play the Chiefs in week 14.     “I always feel like it is a close game…they are both really good teams,” Stamback said.    Even though the Chiefs are coming off of a loss, fans have high expectations for this season and are looking forward to seeing their favorite team back in action every Sunday evening.    Photo courtesy of Jennifer Freeborn  

Story by Talon Cleveland – Staff Reporter  Every year French students of LSR7 travel to France to experience the culture in person. Last year, Nicole Morris, French teacher at LSN, was in charge of planning and making sure the trip was executed smoothly.     “We started in Bordeaux, that’s our sister school. Then we went to a couple of cities that were part of the Holy Roman Empire, so there’s the Palace de Pap, the old Roman aqueducts, we saw the mountains in Essex, and we ended in Paris,” Nicole Morris, French teacher, said.     A total of 13 people were on the trip last year, 11 students and two staff. If you want to go on the trip next year don’t plan on going to the Roman cities. That was a one-time thing, a special gift from Morris. If you are going next year, make sure you meet the requirements before booking a ticket.     “It used to be French ll, but we bumped it up to French lll last year because some students were kinda struggling with communication with their host families,” Morris said.     Having the thirst to learn French is definitely an important quality when traveling to a French-speaking country. The need to experience different cultures is something that can not be satiated until being familiar with it in person.      “I want to learn more because I want to be able to communicate with more people, and I’d also like to go back to France,” Jaiden Maltbia, senior, said.      Having a second language in your back pocket is never a bad thing. Having the chance to hear and learn a language in its origin is a rare opportunity and it should not be passed by. Anybody wanting to learn true French needs to consider this trip.     “The goal is to learn the language and actually hear French. And to communicate with the people from around the world. When they stay with the families they learn what they do in their freetime, and they eat. Really just making those connections,” Morris said.     Learning about a different country’s way of life is one of the most fascinating things. France is a country on the other side of the world, there are very few things that we do the same because of the distance in our cultures.     “The French are more laid back then we are. For example, they wear the same outfits more often but they have fancier outfits, if that makes sense. They go to school in basically ball gowns. They dress up but they repeat a lot,” Maltbia said.     Experiencing and learning about French culture is an important part of this trip, but so is having fun.     “I had eleven sweet girls, it’s just fun when they see the Eiffel Tower for the first time. Just having that experience and traveling with the students. We just had a really great group and it was fun to spend time with them,” Morris said.     If you are going on this trip, do not restrict yourself on the experiences coming your way. Be an open book and try to soak in as much as you can, because you never know when an opportunity like this will arise again.     “Try to learn as much French as possible and get out of your comfort zone. Don’t just hang around Americans, and actually go around the French people. Because then you will get to learn more and experience more,” Maltbia said.     The best thing you can do is try to make relationships with those foreign people because that could lead to possible connections in the future. You never know, one of those people you talk to could be the love of your life or an amazing pen pal. The only way to ensure a great future is to make it yourself.   Photo courtesy of Nicole Morris

Story by Areesa Steele – Editor-in-Chief   Fall sports are in full swing. One of the many popular fall sports at Lee’s Summit North is girls’ volleyball. Volleyball has been doing an outstanding job achieving some of their goals. Even though they are only a month into the season, this hasn’t stopped the team from growing.  “[We are working on] team chemistry,” Kylie Sibbing, junior, said.  Volleyball is one of the many sports that rely on communication and chemistry when playing their games. Even outside of their games and practice, it is still important for them to have chemistry. At practice, working on their chemistry and talking on the court is key to having a successful team.  “Our record is currently 2-5,” Sibbing said. Even though the volleyball team’s record is not the best right now, it does not mean that they won’t be able to come back and fight for wins. The team has some very strong players who show great potential but are also looking for ways to improve the team as a whole. Even when they have their lows, the team is there for one another and makes it a much more positive experience.         “Getting to hang out with the girls at practice because it’s a really fun time,” Carter Harrington, junior said.  Many of the girls on the team are close friends. It is important for them to enjoy the sport and the time they get to spend with their teammates. One of the key things in volleyball and in many sports is the support of the team.  “We’re all hyping each other up and we’re all friends so it’s nice,” Sibbing said.   If it was not for the team hyping each other up while playing, the volleyball team would not be a true team. When preparing for the season the girls all participated in summer conditioning at LSN. Many fall sports are required to participate in the training for the upcoming season. Some of the girls on the team view the other LSR7 schools as their biggest competition.   “Lee’s Summit West is our toughest competitor,” Sibbing said.   The girls decided that it was best for them to work on their communication and chemistry to win those tough games. The girls on the team want to be able to grow throughout the season and do good as time goes on. Photo by Isabelle Flood-Staff Reporter

Story & Photo by Abbey Euritt – Co-Assitant Editor/Sports Editor   Over the summer, the Lee’s Summit School District took students to the Grand Tetons, located in Wyoming. A group of students and chaperones attended the trip, and got to see the beauty of the Tetons for a week. The trip included activities, including hiking, seeing sights in different locations, and a day in Yellowstone. One of the chaperones, Kelly Lepert, science teacher, has now attended the Teton Science School trip for three years.     “The Teton Science School Trip is where the district takes students from all three high schools out to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone area to experience science that we can only talk about here in the classroom,” Lepert said.     While staying at the Teton Science School, students went “phone free” for the week to experience the view and nature firsthand.     “My favorite part of the trip was seeing students disconnect from their phones and actually experience nature, and the things they haven’t seen before,” Lepert said.     Throughout the week trip, many sights and memorable things were seen, giving students and chaperons favorable moments about the trip.     “We did several hikes in the Grand Teton area; there was a hike to Taggart Lake, and a hike near Jenny Lake that ended at Hidden Falls. We spent a whole day in Yellowstone experiencing Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful,” Lepert said.     With all the activities and views those on the trip got to experience, Norah Mason, junior, had a few of her favorites as well.     “I will probably remember the hikes, how pretty they were, and seeing the [Grand] Tetons in person,” Mason said.    A memorable experience for many was the day spent at Yellowstone, seeing many things for the first time.     “Going to Yellowstone and seeing all the Geysers and hot springs was so cool,” Mason said.     The week trip to the Grand Tetons taken by LSR7 students, filled with extraordinary views, activities, and memories, seemed to be a success for everyone. 

Story & Photo by Kate Gerding – Feature/News Editor   Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated Eras Tour has been all over the news and media this past year. Her record-breaking tour stopped in Kansas City over the summer on July 7-8. Tessa Visconti, junior, attended night one with some of her closest friends.    “Before the concert, my friends and I all went shopping and bought outfits, rhinestones, and glitter to put on our faces,” Visconti said.    Getting decked out in glitter was not the only Swiftie tradition Visconti participated in. At each concert, people made and even traded bracelets with other people who were there.    “I had a bunch of friendship bracelet-making nights with my friends, and then the day of, we all got ready together,” Visconti said.    The first night in KC was a special one because “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” had just been released.    “Our surprise songs were ‘Never Grow Up’ and ‘When Emma Falls In Love’, which are both from ‘Speak Now’,” Visconti said.    On top of that, Swift premiered a new music video for her song “I Can See You”.    “Seeing the premier of the music video was really cool, every time I think about that song I think about how we were the first people to watch it,” Visconti said.    According to Visconti, the experience was unlike anything she had seen before, and it was hard to decide what the best part of the entire night was.    “Honestly, the whole concert itself was unbelievable, but I would say since my favorite album is Evermore, hearing that live was just crazy,” Visconti said.    The United States leg of the Eras Tour has now ended, but Swift will continue performing at international locations throughout next year.