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April 19, 2013

the Bell

Liberty High School

Volume 89, Issue 7

Table Of Contents
on the cover:
Junior Kaitlyn Clark runs the ball
down the field at a home Varsity girls
soccer game. Read more about their
season on page 27.
photo by Lucas Carrel

After 35 years of teaching and

leading the LHS band, Paul
Warnex is retiring.
photo by Rachel Untch

page 16

page 7
Learn about why classes are being dropped from the
curriculum for the 2013-2014 school year.
photo by Sammi Novak

the bell

page 6

Read about sibling relationships around LHS.

Senior Cade Crow gives a thumbs up while
posing with sophomore and sister Claire Crow.
photo by Sarah Andrews

the bell staff

our mission

Editor In Chief Nathan Hunt

Reporters
Features Editor Michaela Lamb
Haley Vickers
Sports Editor
Lauren Kenney
Mat George
Alix Messer
Opinion/A&E Editor
Preston McConnell
Diana Timmermans
Nick Palmarine
News Editor
Meredith Crouch
Madi Denton
Amanda Kovac
Ads Manager
Grace George
Shelby Curtis
Aly Copp
Online News Manager
Zach Kilgas
Jake Boese
Sydney Perkins
Managing Editor
Sarah Hartley
Madi Hayter
Molly Meeks
Website Technical Support
Tyler Eggleston
Photo Journalism
Adviser
Photo Editor Sammi Novak
Lori Oyler
Assistant Photo Editor Breann Koch

Our Mission for the

2012-2013 school year is
to unite a diverse group
of people and ideas to
compose an informative
and entertaining magazine
using articles, photographs
and commercial messages.
As journalists in training,
we endeavor to give the
best representation of the
community of Liberty High
School. The Bell student
newspaper is a public forum
for student expression.

COntact us
Address
200 Blue Jay Drive
Liberty, MO 64068
Email
thebell@liberty.k12.mo.us
Phone
(816) 736-5353
Twitter
TheBell_LHS

news

jays jabber
Jake elliot
awarded honors
Junior Jake Elliot received the National Award
for Read 108 and has been named a National
All Star. This prestigious honor is only awarded
to three high school students nationwide. This
award includes a scholarship of $1,200.

photo by Spencer Hausman

scholar bowl
Scholar Bowl won the Gold Division
Conference Scholar Bowl Tournament. Varsity
members Chris Tervort, Chris Vlamis, Helen
Alpern, William Xiao, Spencer Nelson and
Haley Ferguson pose with their first place
plaque.
photo courtesy of Karla Schaeffer

Hide and seek!

Seniors Yuxuan Xiao and Christopher Vlamis

have been selected for the 2013 Missouri
Scholars 100, a statewide program that honors
100 of Missouris top academic students in the
graduating class of 2013. These students will
be recognized at a luncheon in Columbia, on
Sunday, April 28.

the bell

Help Sports Editor Mat George find the

JLab Barbie! She usually relaxes on the
editors computer, but today she lost
her way! The first person to find the
Barbie hidden in this issue and return
her to room 513 at the beginning of
seventh period will receive a prize
courtesy of The Bell Staff.

state academic
honor

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news
Left Senior
Sami Cintron
reviews her
main points
for FBLA
competition.
Right Juniors
Kayla Ford
and Hannah
Pottsman
generate
information for
their event.
photos by Jessica Renzelman

Business as usual
by Amanda Kovac

FBLA and DECA attended competiton to show off their business abilities.
I liked winning first and then
forgetting I did. I forgot I competed in
[Introduction to Business.] We took
tests a long time before, like a month
before, sophomore FBLA member
Luke Simpson said. I forgot I even
competed in it, and then they called my
name for first place and I didnt even
realize that I won.
Both FBLA and DECA had to complete
tests. Some enjoyed it more than others.

Just seeing how

excited they were and

how they enjoyed it was
a neat thing for me,
-FBLA Sponsor Sara
Havermann said.
My least favorite part was that we had
to take a 100 question test right before
we [competed,] senior DECA member
Dustin Kleeman said. Its 8 a.m., you
go there and theyre like Heres this
100 question test, and were like, Oh
man. They do that to kill our brains,
and then make us go and do the actual
competition.

Other competitors would argue that

the test is not the most difficult part.
The hardest part was getting it all
done in time and following the rules.
There were a bunch of little things
you had to do to make it the way they
want it, FBLA president, senior Alex
Zaborac, said.
The competition was not all bad.
I think after the events were over,
just getting to sit at the table with all of
the club members and just talking, and
listening to them talk about random
stuff, Havermann said. That was
probably my favorite part, just getting
to bond with them.
Howard agreed that spending time
with the members was important.
I think the thing that I enjoyed the
most was seeing how into it the group
of three was, and how excited they were,
because for all of them it was their first
time, Howard said. Just seeing how
excited they were and how they enjoyed
it was a neat thing for me.
Overall, the Liberty business clubs
did well. Students who advanced to
state competition through FBLA will
compete on April 21 to determine who
will move on to compete nationally in
June.
Im really excited for the kids that
placed at districts, Havermann said.

the bell

Our business clubs, Future Business

Leaders of America (FBLA) and
Distributive Education Clubs of
America (DECA), went to competition
in January and February to show other
competitors how Liberty does business.
The DECA competition was held
February 12 at Zona Rosa.
We did decent. We only had three
kids compete at the district competition
and all of them finished in the top 10
in their event, DECA sponsor Scott
Howard said. They just didnt finish
high enough to move on to the next
level. This year we had over 700 kids
for our DECA region, so it was a pretty
intense competition.
The competition for FBLA was held
February 8 at Pleasant Valley Baptist
Church.
We were there all day, and they also
had to take online tests prior to going.
They spent, depending on the number
of events they were in, one to two hours
on online tests beforehand, FBLA
sponsor Sara Havermann said.
Liberty FBLA got down to business
and showed other competitors who was
boss.
They did really well. We had eight
of the 10 participants place at districts
and six of them qualified for state,
Havermann said.

news

Leaving the Podium

by Molly Meeks

Liberty says goodbye to their long time band

director, Mr. Warnex.

the bell

Band director Paul Warnex recently

received the MSHAA Outstanding Music
Educator of the Year award.

This year, Paul Warnex will hang

up his conducting baton for good He
has been band director for 35 years at
Liberty High school.
Warnex conducts the marching band,
pep bands and the symphonic band,
as well as, conducting and assisting
the Junior High and Middle School
bands. He has a degree in trombone
performance and has played in bands
and directed at schools all over the
Midwest. His years of experience, and
many of his personal performances in
bands all over the country, provide him
with the ability to shape the districts
early musicians into exceptional
performers by their graduation.
Hes great, and generally hes a very
fun teacher to have, senior Monica
Gehrig said. Hes very personable
with the students and hes very nice to
everybody and everything seems to get
done during class time.
When contest season rolls around,
Warnex whips his band into award
winning shape, and almost always
receives superior ones at contest. In
music contests, scores are on a scale of
one to five, one meaning flawless and
five meaning the performance was
poorly done. Warnex and his bands

Warnex leads rehearsal for band contest that occurred April 5. They received 1
ratings for A Little English Girl and A Variation of Korean Folk Songs.
photos by Rachel Untch

have received 23 consecutive superior

ratings at full band contest.
I mean we get stuff done in band and
I like that. We play a lot and hes very
picky, which is good because we always
get ones at contest, junior Justice
Tyson said. He wants to get stuff done,
hes always like Come on guys, lets get
this done. He demands respect and so
he does get a lot of respect.
Warnex, capping his retirement year,
was awarded the MSHAA Outstanding
Music Educator of the Year for the
2012-13 school year. Each year the
award is given to one director, among
hundreds, in the state of Missouri.
I think my favorite part of him is I
like having a standard of excellence
that is definitely applied in every aspect
of the music program that Ive been
participating in, Gehrig said. The
fact that I know we have a very solid
director, helps ensure to me that we are
going to have a very solid performance.
The process of filling the open
position as band director began with
giving applicants.
The new director will definitely
have big shoes to fill, junior Erin
Martin said. I mean Ive only ever had
Mr. Warnex. He cares about us, and he

shows us he cares by the way acts, he

shows his emotion.
Eddie Owen, from Staley High school,
will be Warnexs replacement.
Mr. Owen student taught with me
years
ago, hes the band director at Staley
High School, Band Director Paul
Warnex said.
Owen was a student teacher with Mr.
Warnex early in his teaching career,
it is as if he is returning to where he
started. Trying to do the job of a 35
year veteran will not come easily for
Owen, especially with new freshmen
and sophomores coming up next year.
If the new teacher is like Mr. Warnex
plus a few extra good things, then Ill
like him. If not then who knows, Tyson
said. I think it really depends how he
approaches it, so we can still have an
awesome band.
Warnex has molded Libertys
musicians for as long as anyone can
remember, and cannot easily be
replaced. Liberty will be losing one of
the greats.
Ive been teaching for 35 years. My
favorite part of teaching is having
contact with all of my students and
their parents, Warnex said.

Accepting The Change

by Haley Vickers

Liberty High School prepares to cut back on classes and teachers in the upcoming school year.

Change is not always a bad thing.

And at Liberty High School, many
changes are occurring between this
school year and the upcoming 20132014 year. The freshmen are moving
up to the high school, Liberty time
is being added to the schedule and
technology is advancing in the district.
There is also a huge change occurring
with the classes being offered next
year. Some courses that were offered
this year will no longer be available.
We have a lower number [of
students in each class] than any of our
peer districts around here, deputy
superintendent John Jungman said.
We have to get to where we have
at least the same class sizes as the
districts around here. Blue Springs,
Lees Summit and Park Hill are our
peers, and they all have larger class
sizes than us on average, he said.
Liberty is a growing community.
There are many students in the district
that are concerned about the freshmen
coming up to the high school, which
may be affecting the classes that are
offered.
Freshmen are going to have more
opportunities than they had before.
They are going to have a huge gamut
of elective classes that they didnt have
at the junior highs, Jungman said.
It should allow us as a system to be
more efficient, any time you have a
large population, you can be more cost
effective.
It has provided freshmen more
choice. Currently, at the ninth grade

level, there is a very prescriptive

curriculum, Dr. April Adams said.
The sequence of courses does not
allow for variety and selection. But
when students come up to the high
school, their elective options triple.
Most underclassmen have already
filled out their schedules for next year.
There were fewer classes offered in the
course catalog and students wondered
about the change.
A lot of people think we are
dropping a lot of classes, and what we
have actually done is gone through
and analyzed all of their courses and
they determined what courses could
actually become 9-12 courses, Adams
said. We have always been a 10-12
high schoolOur enrollment tells us
students interest. We didnt go in and
slice and dice the course catalog. We
analyzed it to determine what courses
could morph into a 9-12 and then
removed courses that had very low
enrollment.
Teachers and staff are also
encouraging students to not include a
study hall in their schedules for next
year.
We need to be taking advantage of
our time on a daily basis. We have a
lot of kids sitting in study halls right
now that could be benefitting from a
course, Jungman said.
Dr. Adams agreed, adding, I think
that the decision to take a study hall
should be carefully thought through.
There are students that have very
rigorous schedules and for those

students, it does make sense [to take a

study hall]. But I think what students
are going to find is that with Liberty
Time, they dont need to take a study
hall.
Many classes are offered at Liberty
that require a lot of class time and
individual attention from teachers.
Advanced Publication getting cut
will affect the [yearbook] staff because
now our editors will not have the extra
time to get pages done, junior Kelsey
Neth said. I think it is necessary
because without it, we just have 50
minutes a day to get a lot of stuff done.
With the reconfiguration happening,
for a 9-12 building, 12 new teachers
are joining the staff next year. This
will affect the number of classes and
also the courses that are being taught.
Our teacher employment is directly
aligned with enrollment, Adams
said. If we have students enrolled in
courses, we need teachers for those
courses. If course enrollment goes
down, then we have to reduce teachers
in that particular certification area.
Due to the changes, there will be
more students in each class next year.
If you do research, where we are at
with class size, it really doesnt make
a huge difference now, Jungman said.
If we get over 35 or 40, obviously it
starts to break down. But anywhere
between 15 and 30, relationships and
achievement clearly stay the same,
especially at the secondary level.

photo by Sammi Novak

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Fly Through
by Preston McConnell
photo courtesy of Google Maps

On
The

Liberty

This summer, the city of Liberty is going

to be connected by a new bridge connecting
the northwestern part of the city with the
southwestern part of the city. Ultimately,
it is planned to relieve congestion that
happens on the 1-52 bridge, crossing over
I-35.
I think it will make my commute a lot
easier when it is rush hour here in Liberty,
sophomore Jackson Jones said. Plus Ill be
able to get to the south part of town a lot
faster.
Phillips Grading and Construction
Company, a family owned business out
of Boonville, Missouri, will construct the
bridge. They have done many other projects
around the metro and have completed
them as promised. Some of the jobs are
Platte County Highway HH, Bly Road
in Independence, Jackson County I-435,
Jackson County Route W and many other
projects around the entire state.
Our years of experience are the foundation
for our thorough understanding of moving
the earth or building a bridge, the right way.
Wyatt Phillips, Vice President of Phillips
Grading and Construction Company said.

Flintlock

Flyover

The name of this bridge is called

the Flintlock Flyover and brings new
opportunities to the city of Liberty. Our
representative since 2000 in the House is
Sam Graves. He used the pork barrel form
to get our city the money. What pork barrel
legislation does is allow the congressman of
a district to tax a slice of federal tax money
and bring it back to his district. 80% of the
flyover will be paid for from this style, the
rest will be from Kansas City and Liberty.
This will affect students at Liberty, too.
People will finally be able to get over I-35
without worries of running into 30-minute
traffic jams, opening up more time for
them to get to school and also give them a
safer commute. According to information
provided by Missouri Department of
Transportations website under Flintlock
Road Overpass, the school district has
many bus routes that go on I-35 daily,
transporting around 5,000 students over
the highway. This will help the entire
district move students more efficiently and
lessen congestion on 152.
With this project going on, many roads
will have to be shut down around Liberty.

Road closures will include parts of highway

I-35 coming through Liberty, Pleasant
Valley and Kansas City.
Shutting down of those roads wont hurt
me too much, Jones said. Besides maybe
I-35, I could see that causing a lot of traffic
everywhere, but I dont think its supposed
to be closed for very long.
With the connection of Liberty through
the fly-over, Liberty businesses will
experience changes. This may help people
that do not always go across town get over
there and experience more of Liberty.
I think it will be a great new thing for
Liberty,
senior Kelsey Buehler said.
Finally having a new fast way to get across
town will help people get to places they
want to be quicker without going over the
bridge.
The main part of the Flyover is expected
to be completed in September or sometime
in the fall of 2013.

QuickTrip

Walmart a

South
Valley

10

Spotlight on Sophomore

zoda ballew
The Last Time

by Zach Kilgas

i borrowed money
It was last week when my dad gave me money but I was
supposed to give him the leftover change, but honestly
who is going to give away their left over money. Thats
ridiculous. I keep that.

i spent too much

My mom gave me her credit card and I was
supposed to go to the movies but I went shopping
and bought a lot of clothes.

i made a mess
I tried to make a chocolate shake because
everybody refuses to buy them for me, and the
shake turned out to be really nasty and it got all
over the kitchen and the cabinets and it was a
huge mess. It was a bad day and a bad time. Im
never cooking again.

i had coffee

Thoughts on zoda
I would like to tell you that Zoda is the funniest girl in this class, and that
she keeps us all on our toes, but shes so quiet, she doesnt ever speak. I just
wish she would talk more. Shes going to know thats a lie, Spanish teacher
Harmony Beldon said.

photo by S
ummer T
urner

THE BELL

Two days ago, but its pretty much a drug.

Once you start drinking, you cant stop. If I
dont have it often, I freak out.

Spotlight on junior

jeff kinder
by Sydney Perkins

i had an injury

The Last Time

My height was
an advantage
When looking for someone in the halls.

Thoughts on jeff
Jeff is a really smart and very friendly guy
that I have enjoyed having in French class.
You might not guess it, because Im not
sure he tells many people, but he can speak
French quite well, French teacher Jessica
Lumetta said.

11

I was fouled hard going up for a shot

and fell and hit my head. I dont really
remember the game. I had a headache for
the next couple days.

i went on
a trip
I went to Colorado for vacation last year.
I hiked a mountain, we went to a Rockies
game, and enjoyed the weather.

i pulled an
all nighter
It was over Spring Break, I was playing
the new MLB: The Show game with Zach
Hoeflicker.

All 610 feet of

Kinder is not able
to fit on the page!

Tu
rn
er

THE BELL

ph
ot
ob
yS
um
m
er

12

Spotlight on Senior

shelby murtha
by Aly Copp

The Last Time

i injured myself
That would be walking from this mountain in Colorado, and
I slipped on some ice. I looked like an idiot. It hurt my ego.

i challenged myself
I accidentally went down a double
black diamond on a mountain while I
was snowboarding. That wasnt fun. I
ended up in like four feet of snow.

i got hit in
the face
It was during [basketball] practice.
Someone threw a ball and I wasnt
paying attention on the sidelines, and
it nailed me in the face. I fell flat on my
back.

i laughed out loud

THE BELL

Like five minutes ago, I was putting tape on a

girl named Melanie Kieffer.

Thoughts on shelby
Shelby is very intelligent and makes very good
grades. She is a really good basketball player
and is a really good friend. She has a lot of good
friends that really care for her and she is just an
all around great person, girls Basketball coach
Zach Werner said.

ph
ot
ob
yS
ha
wn
aK
in
gs
to
n

13

Spotlight On STAFF

chuck zavos
by Lauren Kenney

The Last Time

i jumped on top of a desk

It was about a month ago. I jump on the desks because
sometimes when everyone is being really quiet it helps wake the
students up. Other times it actually has to do with something
were doing in the class that day. Hopefully it gives them
something to remember me by.

i read a
good book
I read a collection of short stories by a
Canadian author Alice Munro. The first book
was called Friendship, Hateship, Courtship,
Loveship, Marriage, and the second one was
called Too Much Happiness. I liked them
because they connect to the human condition.
Even if the book has nothing to do with my
life, it helps inform me about our world. There
is always some sort of magic in a story that
makes it all worth it.

i went out of
the country
n
gsto
Kin
na
aw
y Sh
to b
pho

A bunch of us were going on a road trip in 2000

from New York to Detroit so we stopped in Canada
for a friends wedding who just so happened to be an
ex-girlfriend of mine. Were still pretty close friends
to this day.

His laugh is the most hilarious thing ever.

Hes very passionate about writing. He believes
strongly about homework because he says you
need time in class to learn and time outside
of class to put it to practice, senior Liam
McCarroll said.

THE BELL

Thoughts on
Mr. Zavos

TOMORROWS

SOLDIERS

TODAY

There are many heroes in America.

Some are born for the job, like a king
or queen. Others grow into their role,
like a lawyer. A different kind of hero
is raised in Liberty High School. Here,
students prepare for the armed forces
by participating in Future Soldiers of
America (FSA) or are influenced in
unique ways that prepare them for their
goals.
Jeffry Wilkins, the sponsor of FSA and
history teacher, gives lessons on military
and battle techniques every Thursday in
room 911.
I occasionally will give a class on
land navigation, drill and ceremony,
deploying hand grenades, move under
fire, etc..... typical warrior tasks, Wilkins
said.
Not only does he have a wealth of
knowledge, but also a wealth of
experience.
I have had a myriad of experiences
both great and rough. Throwing my
first live hand grenade, live rounds being
fired four feet above my head while
crawling through mud under barbed
wire, spending days out in the bush
while rain was pouring down, to all the
interesting people Ive met, Wilkins

said. It is tough to pick just one. Id

have to say my first Airborne jump from
a C-17 though would stand out as one
my favorite memories.
Through Wilkins knowledge, there
comes a responsibility of training and
teaching the new recruits. But it is up to
the recruits to decide which branch of
the military they will go into.
I cant say that this is for sure where
Im going, but I want to go into the Air
Force, sophomore Rachel Young said.
The Air Force also has a reserve, for
people who want a part-time career in
the Air Force.
I want to go into the Air Force Reserve,
senior Annie Doyle said. I know the
Air Force pertains a lot to family life and
they have good educational benefits.
Many students are influenced by their
family members who have served in the
military.
I would say that my step-grandfather
and uncle influenced me most about
going into the military, Young said.
No matter how much influence though,
these high schoolers have to work hard
to get into the military. Not only do they
have strength and endurance training,
but many opportunities to enhance

by Alix Messer
design by Michaela Lamb

their knowledge of the military.

If a person has ANY interest at all in
the military, I think that to explore the
opportunities available through cadet
programs is highly worth it, Young
said. My experiences at Civil Air Patrol
have also helped me lead the group of
people at FSA and educate them about
the basics of military life. Whether they
[the students of FSA] enlist or not, its
my goal to help give them the tools
necessary to succeed and become a
leader.
Since there are four different branches
of military, there is a wide variety of
jobs and careers to be obtained. With
so many branches and different careers
within those branches, it is sometimes
hard to decide which branch to go into.
The advice I give out the most to
students interested in joining the
military is to do your research into each
branch, Wilkins said, See what job
opportunities they each have to offer
and to pick the branch and job that best
fits into your future plans.
No matter which branch is picked,
whether full-time or part-time, medic or
staff sergeant, we thank you, the military
family of LHS.

Double
A day at school is usually one place
students can go where their family
cannot. For some students, however,
the exact opposite is true as they share
the school with their family members.
The expereince can be good or bad,
but it largely depends on the people
themselves.

TAKE
story by Mat and Grace George

design by Michaela Lamb

WHO Belongs to WHO?

Figure out which LHS students are related!
Match the siblings up and be the first to come to
room 513 with the correct answeres for a prize!

A.
B.

C.

D.

Answers: A & C, Nathan and Jason Volkman, B & F, Deseree and Daniel Verdusco, D & E, Cade and Claire Crow

Sometimes being a brother is even better

than being a superhero, are wise words of
author Marc Brown. Going to school with
a sibling can be enjoyable, but difficult
as well. There are many different types of
sibling situations in Liberty High school.
Some may be separated by a few years,
some may be twins and some might have
been brought together by new marriages.
There are many great things about having
a sibling that goes to the same school.
Me and my sister Sharee used to not get
along that well, senior Matthew Zombo
said. Once I got on her level with sports
it got much better and we became cooler
with each other. Im really going to miss all
of her smart little comebacks when I leave
for college next year.
One advantage to having a sibling in the
school is at school and sporting events, so
you have someone to talk to and to hang
out with.
My favorite part about having a twin
is being able to go on adventures with
Connor, junior Cameron McCoy said.
We have the same friends so we get to go
everywhere together.
Another thing that many siblings
take advantage of in this school is
transportation to leave school everyday.
When I was a sophomore, I used to
have to ride with my brother, which was
nice, junior MacKenzie Clawson said. Its
good to know that I can still count on him
if I still need a ride.
Not all siblings think that the free ride is
nice.
I would have to say that the worst thing

E.

about going to school with my sister is

giving her rides in the morning, senior
Michael Hidy said. I have to wait for
her every single morning and she takes
forever.
Waiting for a sister to get ready isnt the
only disadvantage of going to the same
school as a sibling.
The one thing I really hate about going
to school with Michael (older brother)
is always being compared to him,
sophomore Jenna Hidy said. Im always
being compared to him and since his
grades are better than mine, sometimes it
really stinks.
Students arent the only ones at Liberty
High School who have been affected by
siblings in the school.
One negative effect with having a
sibling at your school is constantly being
compared to them, guidance counselor
Melanie Prince said. I was in school with
my brother and it had both pros and cons.
When I walked in people thought we were
dating. He was a basketball player so he
was very well known and people called me
by my brothers name.
Many students here come from blended
families so the change to getting new may
be challenging.
It was hard to have to adjust to having a
step-sibling, junior Caitlyn VanVleck said.
I had to move from Lees Summit to a new
house in Liberty.
Since the school is enormous, most
siblings dont have to worry about being
overwhelmed by seeing their brother or
sister all day long.

F.

I dont see her much in school, so it

doesnt really bother me that shes here,
senior Casey Clawson said.
Even as twins, the Spiesers hardly see
eachother.
The only time I see Ryan during the day
is on the car ride to school, junior Rachel
Spieser said. I really do think that Ill
miss him once we go our separate ways in
college.
An additional challenge with going to
the same school as your sibling is knowing
that youll have to part one day and not
have someone in the school who knows
you better than anyone else.
My sister Sheridan went to school here
last year, junior Turner Staton said. I do
think I miss her being here a little..mostly
I miss her friends. It was nice that when
I first came here I knew a lot of people
because of my sister, but it also kind of
stunk because she knew about everything
that happened at school.
Whether your sibling is your twin and
your best friend, your blood sister or your
enemy, or your new brother that youve
been hoping for your whole life, having
a sibling in your school is a memorable
situation. Though times may get difficult,
there is always someone who has your
back, and that is something that no
superhero can do.

Sometimes
being a
brother is
even better
than being a
superhero,

- author Marc Brown

18

Teach Taught
And
BE

by Amanda Kovac
photo by Summer Turner

Calm down! There is no ghost in Liberty High. It is only coach Robert Stough,
back from college to student-teach.
Stough graduated in 2008 from Liberty. This year, he has made his return home to
student teach with coach Roger Stirtz in physical education classes.
My mom [Ann Bertoldie] still teaches here and my step-dad just retired a few
years ago, and I figured I could come back here, Stough said. You dont get paid
while you student-teach, so I might as well go somewhere where I can still live at
home during the semester.
Although it was only a few years ago Stough believes the school has not changed
much since he was a student.
[There] are a few more state banners, and a couple more things in the hallways,
like the all state things with the plaques on it, but theyd just started that when I
graduated. We didnt have the student store, and we didnt have the coffee shop. It
was just a snack thing, only open during lunch. Theres a few minor things here and
there, but other than that its all the same.
Some students believe that coming back to Liberty was a commendable move.
Its cool that hes loyal and wants to keep being a part of the program and hopefully
one day work in it too, senior Morgan Perkins said.
Though student teaching is to kick start a career in the future, Coach Stirtz enjoys
reminiscing.
We have a lot of fun, just sharing stories of back in 08... Some of our student
teachers have been from various other schools around the state and thats great
and stuff, but its been fun to have a couple that are former Blue Jays and have that
common thread, coach Roger Stirtz said.
Some students believe that Stoughs teaching style is similar to those who mentor
him.
In the PE department here most of the teachers are really laid back, and its
nice that coach Stough can come in and be just as laid back and enjoy his job
like coach Stirtz and Frigon and Neldon do, Perkins said. He knows whats
fun and whats not. Hes got a bunch of fun ideas and makes it enjoyable.
Coach Stirtz understands that teaching styles differ in many ways, but
it should not matter as long as it is effective.
Everyone has different methods and different ways of going about
teaching and it doesnt matter what subject it is. Some of the ways
that they go about their business in running a class successfully is
different from how I would do it, Stirtz said. I just have to step
back and let that happen, and sometimes let them learn from their
mistakes and help them analyze and think through but being
different is totally fine. As long as its successful thats the most
important thing.
Stough shows a love for the school that brings him home again
and causes him to hope for a future with his very own high
school.
Im a big Blue Jay fan, Stough said. I kept up with it while
I was in college and kept up with the school. I probably wont
get a job here after Im done, but I can still keep my hopes up.
But no matter where I land Im still going to be rooting for
Liberty, looking for improvements that need to be made to
keep this a successful school, he said.
If there is any doubt left, Stough is not a ghost, only a student
teacher who once walked the same halls he now teaches in.

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20

arts & entertainment

whats trending?
The fault in our stars
by Madi Denton
Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this
weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the
shattered world will never be put back together unless and
until all living humans read the book. This statement could
not be more true, and it just so happens that it comes straight
from the novel that strikes me
with this feeling. The Fault in
Our Stars by John Green is not
just some book. It is, in itself,
what I would consider a game
changer.
Im not ashamed to say that
Ive read a lot of books, and Im
also unafraid to say that none of
those writings have moved me
in the way this book has. Never
before have I laid in my bed,
bawling and contemplating the
meaning of life for hours, all
over a book that I happened to
read in one night.
John Greens novel follows
Hazel Lancaster, a 17 year
old terminal cancer patient.
Struggling with her condition,
Hazels parents force her to attend the Cancer Kid Support
Group at her local church, and its here that she meets
Augustus Waters, the boy who turns her world upside down.

Now Ive never been one to fall in love with a fictional

character. Somewhere in the back of my head, Ive always
been able to somewhat disconnect. This is not the case with
Augustus. Green creates a character that seems so real, that by
the end of the novel I felt like I personally knew Mr. Waters,
and that we were close
friends.
The same goes for Hazel.
Towards the beginning,
I was convinced she was
a whiney teenager with
no ability to emotionally
handle her diagnosis. Yet,
as the book continued,
Green managed to show
her in a whole new light,
and I felt that if this were to
be real life, she and I would
get along rather well.
This book is a must read
for anyone and everyone.
I think that this book
carries many lessons that
can be learned from, and
aside from the outlandish
situations, many relatable situations. So many books can
be deemed good, but this book is most definitely great. It is
beyond worth the read.

the bell

Whats the buzz on books?

I am reading The Host
right now, and I like it
because its different. Its by
Stephanie Meyer, and its
nothing like twilight. Its
a whole new concept, and
I really like that, junior
Cheyanne Miller said.

My favorite book is called

The Eves Daughters, and I like
it because it starts out present
day, and it goes back through
four generations showing how
the mistakes of the past family
affects the present, Librarian
Wanda Gibson said. photos by
Sydney Perkins

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22

opinion

More fairytales?
happily ever after forever

Michaela Lamb

the bell

Features/ In-Depth Editor

pro

pro

Who doesnt love a classic fairytale?

We all have our favorites from when
we were children, and fairy tales are a
huge part of any childs life. They teach
us life lessons and shape who we grow
up to be, but Disney took the liberty of
sugar coating most of the stories to make
them more appropriate for little kids.
Remaking the classic Disney fairytales in
a way more reminiscent of the original
Grimms stories is a great way to extend
the lessons we learn in our childhood to
a young adult audience.
The original fairytales, written largely
by the Grimm brothers, were much
darker than the Disney versions most
children are familiar with. For example,
in the original Little Mermaid, Ariel
turned to sea foam when her true
love fell in love with another woman.
Most of the Grimm Fairytales ended
in heartbreak and death for the main
characters. They were meant to teach
children the harshness of life and that
sometimes what appears to be a blessing
is really a curse. These are great lessons
that kids need to learn, but not at an age
where it would traumatize them for life.
The happy, sing-a-long Disney versions
that teach values like loyalty and honesty
are much better suited for children. But
everyone grows up eventually and the
fairytales we are used to are doing the
same.
The newer movies appeal to a larger
audience, mostly young adults. They
let us enjoy the guilty pleasure that we

pro

experience from watching a fairytale

as a teenager, but they also cater to the
side of us that likes explosions, scary
monsters and more grown up love
stories that dont always end in a kiss
from Prince Charming. They are more
of a throwback to the original Grimm
versions of the stories, but they have a
few modern twists. In the recent movie,
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,
Hansel is a weapons toting, fearless
middle aged man instead of the little boy
being fattened up by the evil witch. This
plotline is more interesting to adults who
dont necessarily want to see the damsel
in distress rescued by her true love and
live happily ever after. We like to see
cool visual effects and a complex story
line with a crazy twist that we never saw
coming.
Remaking Disney classics also seems
to be a trend in Hollywood. Weve seen
Snow White and the Huntsman, Hansel
and Gretel, and Jack and the Bean Stalk
is the next, revamped fairytale to be
released in theaters. Hollywood has
exhausted the scary movies, the spy
thrillers and the chick flicks, so until
something new comes along, there will
probably be a lot of grown up fairytales
coming to a theater near you.
Overall, I dont see anything wrong with
the new remakes of Fairytales. After all,
Disneys versions are more kid friendly
remakes of the originals, so really these
are a throwback to how the stories were
meant to be.

pro

pro

23

opinion

Be our guest!
Scary Tales

con

con

torn woman, with a horrifying, not to

mention, morbid fate. Hansel and Gretel
are now fully grown brutal witch hunters,
who are also taken on one terrifying and
morbid journey. Jack is now a giant slayer,
murdering multiple tall beasts. And I
would hardly call Beastly an accurate
remake of the original Beauty and the
Beast, that remake is just plain creepy.
Honestly, how is trapping some random
teenage girl in an apartment with an ugly
teenage boy romantic?
Dont get me wrong, Im all for movies
full of action, adventure and fighting. My
movie preferences generally lean towards
movies full of violence and adventure,
rather than mushy romances, excluding,
of course, every Disney movie. But
you cant touch my perfect fairy tales.
Do not ruin my childhood memories.
Todays children may grow up thinking
that Hansel and Gretel is a mature story
full of scary witches and Jeremy Renner
killing magical beings. I know I cant stay
stuck in the past with all my childhood
memories and Disney stories, but, lets
not completely destroy them for the next
generation.
When I think of fairy tales, I want to
return to the magical world I grew up
in, not pulled into the dark forest with
blood-red moons and creepy fairy tale
heroes. Im only 16, there is time to
squeeze in a few more original fairy tales.
I will say, however, the muscled men cast
to play these scary tale heroes are not all
bad, wink wink.

con

Molly Meeks
Managing Editor

con

con

the bell

Lets just be honest, fairy tales are a

part of every little kids life. The fact that
the movie industry is remaking every
fairytale into deadly, gory and disturbing
scary tales is ridiculous.
When I was a little, I spent my entire
life listening to, reading or watching
fairy tales. Even though I am 16, one of
my favorite movies in the world is still
Aladdin. But I also fell in love with other
well know characters, such as Hansel and
Gretel or Snow White. Throughout my
childhood, I was constantly taken to a
magical world, full with tales of happily
ever after, the place where Snow White
lived with seven dwarves and a handsome
princes kiss rescued her from death,
where Hansel and Gretel, children, were
trapped in a candy house, but managed
to defeat the witch, escape and return
home safely. There was Jack, who climbed
a bean stalk, battled a giant and brought
home a goose with golden eggs. Everyone
remembers little Red Riding Hood, a little
girl taking cookies to a wolf she believed
to be her sick grandmother, and Beauty
and the Beast, a story of true love found
when an ugly prince traps a beautiful girl
in a magical castle complete with talking
furniture.
But not anymore. Now my fairy tales
are transforming into horror stories.
Snow White is now is a fierce, bad to
the bone fighter, with a love interest
who, although incredibly attractive, is
no prince. Innocent Little Red Riding
Hood is now an emotionally scarred, love

24

opinion

Staff editorial
Are classes getting cut the best way
for the district to save money?
As most students are aware, next school year
is the infamous year when the freshmen will
be moved up to the high school. There are
many opinions about the topic circulating,
but no matter what they are, positive or
negative, the freshmen are still coming. Due
to this change in the high school set up, there
will be adjustments made within the school to
accommodate the large number of students.
One big change occurring is that some classes
are being cut next year. The administration
has gone through the course catalog and
decided which classes are necessary for a 9-12
grade curriculum. The only classes being cut
are those that had low enrollment.
Our neighboring districts, like Blue Springs,
have larger class sizes than we do at Liberty.

The combination of lowering the number of

classes offered and adding the freshmen will
increase our class sizes so we can be more like
the schools around us of similar size.
Almost the entire Bell staff agreed that this
change would not be beneficial for saving the
district money. The members do not like the
idea of having more students in each class.
One member pointed out that having larger
class sizes would decrease the amount of oneon-one attention that each student gets.
These new changes will take some adjusting
and eventually, students will. The purpose of
these adjustments is to save the district money
but the Bell staff believes that it is not the best
way to accomplish this goal.

what
the bell
thinks...

4
Yes, It is the
best way to save
money.

13
No, It is not the
best way to save
money.

The articles on this page do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment, criticize, or
condemn anything you see on this page in a Letter to the Editor at thebell@liberty.k12.mo.us

staff Columns

the bell

the great and powerful

A couple weekends ago, my friends and I ventured to see Oz
The Great and Powerful. While this will not be a review of the
movie, I will say that it truly amazed me. How Oz was depicted
in that movie was magical.
The next day, lounging at
home, scrolling through
the guide, I happened
upon The Wizard of Oz. I
excitedly tuned in, reveling
in the fact that I just saw
Oz the previous night,
and now was watching the
original. As I sat watching
the opening credits, a
dedication scrolled onto the
screen, and it was a pleasant
surprise to read that it was
dedicated to, the young at
heart.
After watching both these movies, I realized that it is so
crucial to be young at heart. It is critical to never let your

photo by Sammi Novak

Editor in chief Nathan hunt

age define you. Oz is such a fascinating place, a wondrous

adventure with such colorful characters ranging from the
munchkins in Munchkin Land to the outlandish citizens of
the Emerald City. Being able
to continue to be amazed
by the draw of adventure,
no matter what your age, is
such a great characteristic to
posses.
I aspire to always have this
quality. I want to keep my
soul youthful, always full of
adventure, always yearning
for that fascination of a
mysterious world beyond
my own. I plan to take risks,
to have the brains, the heart
and the courage to follow the
yellow brick road to not only
a successful future, but also a wild, unknown adventure yet to
be discovered.

25

opinion

Tell me more, tell me more

As summer is rapidly approaching,
most girls are basically dreading
the thought of swimsuit season.
Im not usually someone who is
uncomfortable with their body. I
am even so okay with my body that
I can tell you that I tip the scales
at around 115 pounds packed in a
frame that reaches 5 foot 3 inches
tall on a good day. Sure Im short
and Im not a twig but Im not over
weight. So needless to say, I dont
have body issues until now! The
only reason Im second guessing
myself now is because everyone
seems to be flocking to their social
networking sites to post about their
awesome workout session and
how they are seeing major changes.
Meanwhile, they are putting hours
in at the gym, Im just channel
surfing or updating my twitter feed.
Dont get me wrong; Im not saying
exercise isnt important, because it

welcome to my life

is very important. I am saying that

you should make a commitment
to exercise all year around, not just
when it comes time to shed some
layers. When you exercise, you should
exercise for yourself, not for anyone
else or for the Internet. I understand
people live for gratification, mostly
instant gratification, but exercising
should be enough self-gratification,
you dont need anymore likes.
Shouldnt the only like you really
need is your own? And that my
friend is what we call confidence. A
little confidence in yourself will be
all you need to survive summer. And
I know what you are thinking, its
easy for her to be confident, but take
a step back, every time you have a
shred of doubt this summer, remind
yourself, why do you care what
everyone else thinks? Just dont care
what everyone thinks; everything is
so much easier that way.

Ads Manager Shelby Curtis

by tripping over someones foot?
Secondly, I was at the beginning of
the group that was going out, and as I
crashed to the ground, no one really
stopped to help. They just rushed
past me to recess as I was bawling
on the ground. Only two boys kind
of leaned over me, but then they got
bored and left too. So the friend I
tripped over was kind enough to take
me to the nurse. This is the worst
part; the nurses didnt believe me
that my bone was broken. You could
argue that I have never had a broken
bone before, so how could I know?
Some things you just know. So I went
to the hospital and got a pretty blue
cast. The next day I went back to the
nurses office and sang the told-youso song.
Moral of the story isnever trust
your classmates, they will leave you
in the woodchips.

the bell

Once upon a timeI broke my first

bone. It was the start of spring in 5th
grade, the first warm day of the year.
Like the other children, I was excited
for recess. Maybe a little too excited.
You might be thinking, she hurt
herself, rough-housing, swinging on
the monkey bars, or playing a nasty
game of kickball. You would be wrong.
In reality it is much sadder than that.
Now, this was the first broken bone
I have had, but not the only one. Since
then Ive broken my arm bike riding,
broken my foot playing football, and
my ankle completing a dare. Those
are reasonably normal ways to break
bones. However, in this instant, I was
fast walking. No, not even a full run,
more like a slow jog. I was slow jogging
out to recess, and I tripped over my
friends foot. I tripped. Tripped. Yes it
was tragic for many reasons.
First off, who breaks their arm

opinion editor diana timmermans

26

Sports

Weather the Storm

by Jake Boese

The snow provided obstacles for the girls soccer team to overcome.

THE bell

The girls soccer team, along with all spring sports, has had
a rough practice schedule to begin the 2013 season. With
all kinds of extended winter weather, the team has had to
hold fewer practices outside on the turf compared to most
seasons.
Its been a nightmare, head coach Thomas Rottjakob said.
Even when we get out there its so cold we cant work on
the tactical side of the game. Players who havent played with
each other usually have the first three weeks for that. We
cant work on what we need to offensively and defensively
in the gym. Everyone on the Kansas City side is having the
same issue so were not too far behind.
The gym cannot provide the appropriate amount of space
for effective practices.
Weve been practicing in the gym so the space is really
limited, sophomore Emma Baldridge said. We dont get
good touches on the ball and when we practice on the turf
its really slippery so its pretty hard.
The practices have not been completely negative though;
they have provided a bonding time for a team with some
unfamiliar player.
The worst thing we had to do was shovel, junior Kaitlyn
Clark said. But we had a competition with the orange and
yellow team to build the best snowman. And then we played
capture the flag during the blizzard.
The tough practice conditions have lead to a slow start to

the season, but the players know they can turn it around.
The first game we didnt play well at all. We have a bunch
of good players so once we start playing as a team well be
pretty good, Baldridge said.
Many leaders left the team this past offseason, leaving a
void to fill for this teams seniors.
We lost a lot of players so my expectations arent too high
but we do have a lot of potential, Clark said.
This years seniors have plenty of experience to be able to
step up.
We know what Rottjakob expects out of us, senior Alexa
Wright said. All of the seniors have stepped up as leaders.
We coach ourselves on the field since we know what coach
expects.
The seniors have been players that the younger, more
inexperienced players can look up to.
My sister is a senior so that does a lot for me; she is a
great role model. The seniors do a lot to lift us up if we make
mistakes, Baldridge said.
The team knows that improvement will lead to success as
the season continues.
We need to make sure we get better every day, Rottjakob
said. As a coach thats always what I strive for. We have a lot
of inexperience at certain positions and if we improve we can
be really good by the end of the season.

Senior Madison Allshouse sprints up the field to help her team out. photo by Sammi Novak

27

Sports

Zac Dittmer
Height: 59
og
an
Flo
ers
ch

Team Rank: 1st

Zac is the hardest working, most passionate golfer

I have coached in all of my years in coaching. Not
coincidentally, he has been the most successful,
particularly at the state level.
-Coach Forrest Bertoldie
Zac is a fantastic golfer, Ive learned a lot
about the game from him. He has inspired me
to keep playing throughout the tough times.
-Senior Sam Sutton
I have had a few good memories
with golf, my favorite would be
shooting a 64, my best round ever, at
Shoal Creek Golf Club. I was also able
to play the Tom Watson Challenge
at Indian Hills Country Club, which
is another great memory of mine,
senior Zac Dittmer said.

ph
oto
by
L

Favorite Food: Lobster

Athletes
of the
month

My favorite memories would be

winning state my freshmen and
sophomore years for LHS and
then winning state my junior
year for my club team, Viati,
senior Haley Baldridge said.

Haley is a really hard worker, she

always has a good attitude and gives
110% into everything she does. She
is a great leader for our team.

-Senior Regan Lawler

by Nick Palmarine
Haley has come into the season looking
stronger than ever. She has become a much
more dynamic player and is someone who
is going to help improve our team play. She
has started to work harder than she ever has
in the past. She is a great kid and a good role
model for the younger kids.
-Coach Thomas Rottjakob

Height: 58

Favorite Food: Watermelon

photo by Lucas Carrel

Haley Baldridge

THE bell

Position: Midfield

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