Story by Isabelle Flood – Staff Reporter It’s no secret that Taylor Swift has taken the world by storm in the past years with all of her new album drops, her record-breaking tour, her re-recorded albums, and most recently, her relationship with Travis Kelce. On April 19, Swift released her newest album The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD). Swift first dropped 16 songs at midnight, then an additional 15 songs two hours later. This album has certainly brought shock and surprise to its fans in many different ways. “I thought it was going to be only about all the drama and all the heartbreak of how Joe Alwyn broke up with her, but I was surprised to hear songs about Matty Healy and Travis Kelce,” McKenna Caton, sophomore, said. Taylor Swift fans, better known as “Swifties”, have been going crazy about the songs that are allegedly about Travis Kelce. “I was surprised to hear the lyrics to “The Alchemy” for the first time because I was expecting a full breakup album but that song is about her relationship with Travis,” Gabby Shockey, sophomore, said. Opinions on Swift and Kelce’s relationship vary but many people have loved “The Alchemy” and “So High School”, both songs supposedly written about Kelce. But other songs are some people’s favorites as well. “My favorite was “So Long, London”. It was the song everyone was looking forward to and it did not disappoint. The bridge was amazing and so fun to listen to for the first time,” Caton said. Swift has her co-songwriters, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, who have been known to be very talented and very well-respected in the industry. Swifties can’t help but have favorite lyrics, or notice the powerful lyrics in the songs. “‘And I’m just getting color back into my face’ is my favorite lyric. This line spoke to me because it shows how much she had dealt with and how long it took for her to be happy again, showing that you don’t have to always be okay,” Shockey said. The Tortured Poets Department has already been a huge hit in the United States. Spotify shared that TTPD has become the first album in streaming service history to hit 300 million streams in one day. Additionally, her single “Fortnight” feat Post Malone, has become Spotify’s most streamed song in a single day. In its first day alone, she has also sold 1.4 million copies, including CD, vinyl, cassette tapes, and digital downloads. The world is patiently waiting to see what else this album will do, and what her next project will be.
Story & Graphic by Abbey Euritt – Co-Assistant Editor/Sports Editor Each spring, many schools participate in an event called “Nerf War” where two teams face each week and try to get the other out with Nerf guns. The game continues until there are two teams left who compete for a cash prize. The game is a big attraction for students, especially at Lee’s Summit North. Sydney Stoecklein, junior, is now accompanied by her team in the second round of Nerf War this week. “Each week you get a new team, and whichever team gets the most people out by the end of the week gets to move on,” Stoecklein said. Each week, Stoecklein and her team communicate their plans and goals so they succeed. “We have a group chat that we have been texting a lot, so we can make moves and get information on our opponents,” Stoecklein said. For many people, the Nerf War game is a great way to spend time with friends and have fun during a busy time of year. “My favorite part of Nerf war is the excitement of spending time with friends and doing something fun outside of school,” Stoecklein said. In the first round of Nerf War, Stoecklein got two people out to help her team advance. “I got someone out by waking up at 5 in the morning and sitting outside their house until they came out,” Stoecklein said. The Nerf War has many rules to ensure the game stays safe and fair, but the biggest rules take place on Mondays. “On Mondays, you have to use Melee weapons; a lot of people use pool noodles. You also have to park outside on Mondays instead of in the garage,” Stoecklein said. As the Nerf War reaches its second week, teams are starting to get eliminated and more strategies are coming into play so that they can move on to the next week.
Story & Photo by Morgan Hill – Staff Reporter Today is the annual Pink Out game between LSN and LSW girls soccer and is always a competitive and fun game. The Pink Out Game promises for a large crowd and an exciting atmosphere. “My favorite part of the soccer season is the pink out game because I love supporting the cause with my friends and the competitive environment,” Presli Houk, sophomore, said. The Pink Out game supports a great cause and makes donations on behalf of cancer research. “It’s a game that we play against West (LSW) and it has normally promoted breast cancer awareness and made donations on behalf of that but this year it’s going to be all cancer that it helps support,” Houk said. It is special to those who play in the game because some have personal connections to the causes that it supports. “It’s important to me because I have had multiple relatives like my uncle passed away because of cancer and then my grandma has breast cancer so I think it’s pretty cool that we do it,” Houk said. The Pink Out game today will be an exciting game for players and fans who are looking forward to supporting a great cause and making a difference in the local community.
Story by Talon Cleveland – Staff Reporter On March 14th, The House of Representatives passed legislation on the TikTok bill. Concerns about national security and data privacy have led to the potential ban of TikTok in the United States. With over 170 million American users, there is discomfort and resistance happening all over the country involving people of all ages. “I think the TikTok ban is unnecessary,” Taylor Kindler, junior, said. A common misconception people have is that the bill would eradicate TikTok from US users. But, in reality the bill would give Chinese parent company, ByteDance, six months to divest from Tikok. If Bytedance does not divest by then the US governemt would go as far to ban TikTok from within the country. This whole situation started after ByteDance was accused of stealing data for the Chinese government. Even though TikTok has stated multiple times that it would deny the Chinese government access to the data, TikTok also brings up “Project Texas”, an initiative started by TikTok in 2022 to safeguard American users data in the US. Nothing has been confirmed that ByteDance has any ties to the Chinese government, but the allegations alone have started the situation Tiktok is currently facing. It also brings to question why the US government is so concerned with TikTok stealing American data when there are multiple other apps with connections to the Chinese government. “Any app can take your information if you allow it, TikTok is no different,” Holly Warnex, culinary teacher, said. After passing in The House with a vote of 352-65, the bill has been sent to the Senate where it is still unsure which way they will tip. If the Senate passing the bill it will land on President Biden’s desk, which the president has already stated that if the bill gets as far as him he will pass it automatically. A controversy American citizens are having is that President Biden also stated that is the bill doesn’t pass in Senate he would continue to use TikTok. Former president Donald Trump has said, “There’s a lot of good and there’s a lot of bad with TikTok, but the thing I don’t like is that without TikTok, you’re going to make Facebook bigger, and I consider Facebook to be an enemy of the people, along with a lot of the media,” (Courtesy of CBS NEWS). Trump has previously been known to be against TikTok, but with recent events, he has switched perspectives saying “There are a lot of people on TikTok that love it,” including “young kids on TikTok who will go crazy without it,” (Courtsey of CBS NEWS). The American citizens now wait for the government to decide how they will receive their media.
Story by Isabelle Flood – Staff Reporter With spring sports in full swing, the Boys’ Tennis team is already working hard in their season. After falling short last year, they have their hopes set on winning state for the first time in Lee’s Summit North history. “I think we will do you will do some big things. We should have a really decent squad this year. And I think we can go far,” Aaron Layendecker, assistant coach, said. Hoping to achieve those goals of getting to, and hopefully winning state, they also want to give their seniors a good send-off. Especially those who have helped build the program and set records. “One of my top accomplishments would be during my sophomore year… my singles match would go down as one of the longest matches in Broncos history. My opponent and I would go back and forth for a long time eventually going into a tie break. After a long-fought tiebreak, I won 9-8, With a tiebreak score of 14-12,” Emery Kirchhoff, senior, said. Not only are the seniors setting the legacy but they also aid in leading the underclassmen. They build trusting relationships with the younger players and help them with whatever they need. “I would say that I’m a leader to some of the underclassmen. I’m always welcome to give them tips to get better. I’ve also tried to create a tradition of including everyone no matter the skill level. Whether it’s your first time or you’re in your 3rd season I’ll be there to cheer you on,” Kirchhoff said. The atmosphere that is created for a sports team is a very important part of the success they can produce on the court. A happy, fun, and positive environment leaves room for only positive outcomes. “The bond between the team this year is the best it has ever been in the 4 years on the team. Everyone wants everyone to win. The support from fellow teammates this year during a match is very high,” Kirchhoff said. The support a person feels from their teammates can create lifetime bonds and friendships. School sports are a great way to find those friendships, especially a no-cut sport, like tennis. “This is one of the best ways to connect with people your age, to connect to the school community, and feel like you’re part of something,” Layendecker said. Being connected to your school in some kind of way is always beneficial for students. But sports require work outside of the season and outside of practices. Many determined athletes make it a priority to train by themselves. “It is usually a couple of hours every day just getting some practice in and we do some fitness workouts at the end of it,” Maxon Chen, sophomore, said. The 2024 team is very determined to go far and achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Everyone at LSN is looking forward to seeing what these boys can accomplish. Photo by Morgan Hill
Story & Photo by Kay Haas – Staff Reporter The Lee’s Summit School District hosted a job fair at the Missouri Innovation building to help high school students find jobs. Sara Sinks, a member of the PTSA, helped to set up the fair. Sinks believes that the fair will help high schoolers gain important real-life experience. “The goal of the job fair was to connect local students with businesses that hire high school students,” Sinks said. At the fair, there were more than 25 different companies offering jobs to high schoolers. “We had businesses that start hiring at 15. For many students, this would be their first job experience. We also had companies looking to hire full-time after graduation,” Sinks said. At the job fair, volunteers were also offering help with interviews. “We also had an area staffed with PTSA volunteers where students could ask questions about interviews, get tips & practice,” Sinks said. The PTSA goal was to prepare students for the real world by exposing them to a variety of jobs. “This event gave students exposure to many options and the ability to talk to many employers,” Sinks said. Overall, the fair was a huge success with students from all over the district showing up.
Story & Graphic by Abbey Euritt – Co-Assistant/Sports Editor For the first year in school history, the boys volleyball team at Lee’s Summit North has been named an official sport. With the new title, the team will face many changes this season that will hopefully have a positive impact on the players. “Now that it’s officially a sport, it will be best 3 out of 5 sets instead of best 2 out of 3. We also will no longer use a men’s volleyball, we will use a women’s volleyball,” Carter Harrington, junior, said. There are two teams (JV and Varsity) this season, each containing a variety of talent and skill levels to benefit the teams in some way. “We have a lot of new talent that is athletic, but not a lot of skill or knowledge of the team, so I think that will be a challenge,” Harrington said. With a successful season last year, the boys volleyball team has many returning players, as well as new ones that will likely give the team a fresh start. “I’m looking forward to building up the team, because we have a lot of returning players, and we did well last year,” Harrington said. For returning players, they are expected to step up as leaders this year and help the team be successful. Harrington is making it a goal to prioritize his leadership on the team. “I hope that I am able to step up more as a leader on the team because I feel like I haven’t in the past, and I would like to fit that role,” Harrington said. With the season just beginning, the team is putting in work during practices after school to prepare for their upcoming games. “We have been going through a lot of our rotations and making sure they are solid. Also, making sure that we win a point in every rotation,” Harrington said. Overall, the boys volleyball team carries a lot of potential for their season with lots of talent on the team. Be sure and show up to games and support the Broncos.
Story & Graphic by Kay Haas – Staff Reporter The start of Spring brings many things: flowers, rain showers, and a new flag football team. Lee’s Summit North High School is offering a Flag Football team for the first time. This is not just the first for LSN, but this is the first time the sport has been available to any high schooler in the state. Flag Football works very similarly to traditional football. The only difference between the two is that there is no contact in Flag Football. Instead of tackling each other, each player tries to grab the other team’s flags. The team is coached by Kristin Falkenberg, science teacher, and Courtney Willie, an experienced flag football player. “I have played flag football for 3 official seasons at the collegiate level. I played at Ottawa University, an NAIA school. We won the first three consecutive college National Championships back to back to back,” Willie said. Flag Football is still a developing sport, so having the team at LSN is a huge deal for the players and the sport as a whole. “My favorite thing so far about coaching is knowing that these girls are still contributing to the sport as trailblazers, and they are excited to do so. I also love how rewarding it is that the girls are having fun and learning so much,” Willie said. Even though the season is just starting, the outcome for the season is looking quite promising. “I am excited for what is to come this season. We have some talent on this team, and I am expecting an amazing fun-filled season,” Willie said. The entire team is excited to learn and grow this season.
Story by Bailee Council – Social Media/Co-Assistant Editor For the past nine years coach Jamar Mozee has been the head football coach at Lee’s Summit Noth, and this year, will be leaving his legacy behind to begin a new chapter. “Coach Mo has coached and been around me since I was in the 2nd grade. I liked that he wasn’t all about football he cared about us in and out of the season. He held us accountable at all times and he loved us,” Isreal Weldon, junior said. Tuesday, March 12th, the team along with Athletic/Activities Director, Mike McGurk, put together a celebration for the beloved coach. Not only were players attending, but parents and relatives who have also known Mozee for years and are excited to see where this path takes him. “ It’s always a blessing for people to tell you how much they appreciate something that you’ve done or accomplished. Our program has great parents and athletes, and I will always appreciate them,” Jamar Mozee said. With Weldon, many other players viewed Mozee as a father figure and someone who made the team a family. “I’m going to miss him joking around with us and just having fun, because he wasn’t always serious, he was more like a father figure and more like a friend,” Mickhi Mitchell, junior said. As for the future years for the LSN football team, questions have arisen wondering if the team will have the same productivity. As far as the team is expected, Weldon expressed that the team will continue to win and make LSN proud. “My final words to the students and athletes are, find out what you want to do in life as quickly as possible. Go after it with passion, and work extremely hard to accomplish it. Love and respect the people around you. Don’t let people’s opinions control anything you do,” Mozee said. LSN is in a state of shock with this abrupt change, but hopes are high for the school’s furniture along with Mozees. Photo courtesy of the Yearbook Staff – Abigail Fry
Areesa Steele:
Areesa is Editor-in-Chief and this is her third year on staff. She is a member of the LSN tennis team. She also likes to spend time with loved ones and thrift.
Bailee Melchion Council:
Bailee is Co-Assistant Editor/Social Media Editor and this is her third year on staff. She likes to work, go to the gym, cook, and spend time with her dog, Aria.
Abbey Euritt:
Abbey is a Co-Assistant Editor/Sports Editor and this is her second year on staff. She plays soccer for LSN. She enjoys reading and shopping in her spare time.
Kate Gerding:
Kate is the News & Feature Editor and this is her second year on staff. Kate dances ballet and enjoys hanging out with friends outside of school.
Morgan Hill:
Morgan is a staff reporter and this is her second year on staff. She enjoys writing and talking about sports.
Talon Cleveland:
Talon is a staff reporter and this is his second year on staff. Talon is involved in Wrtiter’s Circle, FCCLA, and Eco Club.
Kay Haas:
Kay is a staff reporter and this is her first year on staff. She is in Student Council, Chinese Club, and she enjoys aerial arts.
Isabelle Flood:
Isabelle is a staff reporter and this is her first year on staff. She plays club volleyball and for LSN. She enjoys reading and hanging out with friends.
Mrs. Haesemeyer (Adviser):
Mrs. Haesemeyer was on the yearbook staff when she was in high school. In college, she wrote for the newspaper at The University of Central Missouri, The Muleskinner. She has been a Language Arts teacher and the newspaper adviser at LSN for the last 23 years.