digitalstallions-blog

[digitalstallions-blog]

Black History

Black History

by Destinee Thomas

When it comes to black history there are numerous people that have become successful in what they do. Maya Angelou was a famous American poet, memoirist, and civil rights, activist. She was born on April 4, 1928. Most people don’t know that Maya Angelou silenced her voice because she thought it killed a man. She wrote stories like “ I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings”. She passed away on May 28, 2014. Another black role model is Barack Obama. He was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Barack Obama served a presidential term of 8 years. A quote that really stands out from him is this one “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek”. Barack is still living. We have various groups of people. Up to Gospel singers, RnB groups, rap artists. We have all types of athletes. Most importantly we have lots of activists who will speak out and actually talk about the reality of things. Although we have a lot of good things we also have bad.

I’d say there have been a lot of people who have been affected by this just because of skin color. As much as I see good, I also see the bad that’s happening to us. I would like to speak on the new Emmett Till movie. “ Women of the Movement”. Women of the Movement is very empowering. The movie is just unspeakable from the beginning to the end. It brings us to the reality of what white people mainly were capable of and even still are. Emmett Till was a young boy from Chicago that had family in Mississippi. This was all in 1955. He wanted to take a trip with his family. Sadly he was never able to return back home.

Another movie is “The Hate You Give”. The Hate You Give gives insight on what police brutality is and how they treat us in our neighborhoods.

“I think this is a good story because it gives a child perspective. The book is an easier way to talk about police brutality. I also think it lets us talk about colorism and microaggressions because we don’t talk about it a lot.” - Ms. Bagwell

Stories like Emmett’s and many more who have been murdered/lynched by another race is heartbreaking in itself but there’s really not much we could do but just spread awareness and get justice for these people. It’s black history month but I celebrate being my race every day.

In June we will be celebrating Juneteenth. Juneteenth in some countries is “second Independence Day”. Juneteenth celebrates freedom of enslaved people in the United States at the end of the Civil War.

Though being black is very challenging, it's also something to be very proud of. You definitely live and learn. As we continue to grow, I think it is very important to teach your children why some people might treat them differently and then also why some things in the world just happen.

“I think it’s bad because rather than just talking it out they rather just get their guns out. I don’t think that’s cool because people actually lose their lives over a little argument but in this situation racism. It’s just not right”. - Jose Franco

[digitalstallions-blog]

Once in a Lifetime Night

Once in a Lifetime Night: Planned by LeAnne Richarson

by Diego Curiel-Jurado

On April 9th, an event is going to take place for all seniors, prom. An amazing social event that every participant will always remember on their path to growing up. And I want to get in touch with a person who was in charge of leading that path, & that person is Ms. Richardson. Last week, I came into contact with the beloved science teacher, Ms. Richardson, to talk about the process of organizing this year's senior prom. You might know her as your teacher, but soon you’ll know her as an amazing party organizer, along with the Senior Board.

Hello. I'm here with Ms. Richardson. And let's start off with an introduction.

LR: Okay, so my name is LeAnne Richardson. I teach biomedical science here at Schlagle High School. I am also the senior class sponsor for the class of 2022.

That's nice, so did you volunteer for the position of head planner, or were you chosen for it?

LR: I was "voluntold" (volunteered & told). I was in a meeting and I thought we were discussing some other things that had to do with medical, and it turned into "the students need you, they listen to you", and talking about seniors more specifically, and "you need to be the senior sponsor." So I was "voluntold" about it.

Let's start off with something kind of easy about the whole situation. Well, not situation, but event. Okay. So is there like a theme for the prom?

LR: There are a lot of pieces when it comes to planning the seniors last year. And so prom is just one of those pieces. But again, it's that last party or dance that the senior class is supposed to ideally have together before they go out into the world. So when talking to the seniors and the senior board, people do to be a part of the decision-making for the class, it's really democratic. "Hey, when we talk about prom, what kind of theme do you guys want to come up with?" So they came up with several things and then they voted for a fairy tale ball. So yeah, they chose the fairy tale ball to encompass a lot of different things for the different personalities that people have. They can take it and go with it however they want and where. Basically whatever they create.

How much organizing does it go into?

LR: So we'd like to use backward planning. So there's certain things, we were given a date or a range of when the date can occur. And then we're also given the parameters of, because we're a school in Wyandotte county, they would love for prom to remain in Wyandotte county. So we're given those stipulations of where we could have a prom. And then we come back as a team and say, “Okay, it has to be a place in Wyandotte County. It has to be available on this particular day. Let's find places that are available.” So that's the first step. And then when we find places that are available, then, of course, you got to throw in that magic number. “How much is it going to cost for us to have our crowds at these venues?” And so that's exactly what happened. We looked at the venues here in that county and that's how the box was selected.

How stressful is the job?

LR: Um. Well, dealing with people. Teenagers. A variety of opinions. To categorize it on a scale of 1 to 5. With one being not so stressful. And five being stressful. It can be about a four. At times, um, mainly because we're talking about, you know, seniors that are going to be productive citizens in our society, so you hope that they experience their last year in high school, is one that's meaningful. But at the same time, you are preparing them for the world. So. It can be stressful at times.

So how far has the organizing gone? Are you, like, near completion?

LR: There's still more stuff to do. So in regards to prom, we have our venue selected. We have everything ordered. We have our caterer, we have our DJ. We have our decorations. We're just waiting for things to come in. So we're waiting for the swag bags. The tickets are here. They're on sale. They're ready to be purchased. And so now we're just waiting for those final pieces to come in because it's April 9th. We got, you know, a week in a half from prom.

Do you think the students will love everything you've done?

LR: I hope so because it's not my work. That's the one thing I can say. It's not my work. It's their work. It's what they want. It's their beliefs, it's what they decided. Now, if it's not the way they want it, that's because that was their choosing or not choosing.

What is your most favorite piece for the prom?

LR: My most favorite piece is on prom day when the kiddos come all dressed up and they're taking pictures in front of that photo booth. That's the joy. Because it is always just beautiful.

Okay. What do you think would be the student's favorite piece?

LR: Um, traditionally in the past, they liked the unlimited photos. They liked the fun of them being able to take as many pictures. This year, it's going to be a little different because what we did find out was that, um, two students lost their lives. Not Schlagel students, but high school students within the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. But what we're going to do, as a twist to that, is we're going to honor those lives. So we'll have a balloon release in their honor at our prom before dinner. Not everybody has to do it, but we have some students who knew those students and, you know, who want to do it. And so we're going to have a balloon release in their honor to honor their lives at our celebration, to celebrate them even.

Oh, my God. That whole thing just, like, had, like, the levels to it. Yeah. It took me to a lot of places. Is there anybody you like to shout out in the committee?

LR: Oh, my gosh. The entire Senior Board. We have a great senior board. I know they get tired of me pushing them because I'm pushing them, you know because it's their work. Shout out to some staff members who are in the office who jump right on in and help our seniors. Jaylen Cook in the College Career Center. Maria Rosales, Ms. Lavonne Williams, Sheila Johnson, our treasurer extraordinaire, in the office, shouts out to them, they definitely always, whatever the seniors need, they're there. Our senior administrator, Cody McCoy, in the midst of all this, had a baby, so not having him directly like there, but definitely like our March Madness event, He came. He was here. Even though he's on leave with his wife, he came to the event because it was a senior event. So, I mean, there's so many people who want to do it for the seniors. I could go on and on when I start throwing out names, just the staff.

And that's pretty much everything. Thank you so much.

LR: Oh, you're welcome.

Thank you so much Ms. Richardson for taking the time, patience, & effort to help plan for such an event. I know many of the seniors will love what the committee has done for their one-night glory. Many students will leave remembering such a night & will be delighted to be part of the fun. I think it's fun to get to know the process of organizing fun things & getting to know the effort that gets put into it, & Ms. Richardson delivered, or perhaps, flourished what I had in mind. To everyone, have a grand night.

[digitalstallions-blog]

The Future is Alisee

The Future is Alisee by Diego Curiel-Jurado

It is now two months away from graduation, so close yet so far, including the many planned events in our journey. We have prom, spring break, many sports games, & eventually, graduation. There is one thing about graduation that has intrigued me, & that is the valedictorian. A title given to a student with the best of the best of grades & work. This week, I interviewed Alisee Clark, a student of F.L. Schlagle who is currently the Black Student Union president, & has been a majorette dancer for the Schlagle Marching band since her sophomore year. She is going to be class of 2022’s valedictorian.

Okay, I'm ready to start, let's start off with you introducing yourself.

AC: I am Alisee Clark, a current Senior at F.L. Schlagle High School

Soon in May, you're going to be granted the title of Valedictorian, how does it feel?

AC: I'm very excited to know all my hard work the last 4 years paid off and a little surreal knowing I have that title

Did you plan on being valedictorian?

AC: Yes. That was my goal from the moment I learned I had a high GPA freshman year. For me it will show the college I’m going to that I’m a hard worker so that kept me pushing for the valedictorian spot.

Love that! Did anyone inspire this track to success?

AC: It was the motivation of my parents pushing me to do my best, and doing my best to prove myself to myself.

Has working for the title caused you any toll mentally, physically, etc?

AC: Honestly yes lol, I’m definitely a perfectionist so I hold myself when it comes to my grades at a high standard so when I get anything lower than an A- it honestly throws me for a loop. But I just continue to push through and do my best to do better.

Would you say that all this work was all for you, or was it for somebody else like you did this for yourself?

AC: I’ll say it’s a mix of myself and others. When I see what I accomplish it gives me a rush and I feel proud knowing I did that. For others, it's just a nice feeling that I showed that I can achieve high things.

Do you have any tips for anybody who wants to improve their grade & keeping on track with their education?

AC: I’ll just say do YOUR best. Don't try to be like anyone else, just push to your limits, not others. And to keep track of your grades check them regularly and set goals for yourself and maybe even see if there are options for you to better your grade like retakes/extra credit if you want to.

Thank you for letting me interview you Alisee, can't wait to see you walk that stage.

AC: No problem

As we’re getting near to graduation, I just want to say congratulations to Alisee Clark, & honor her hard work. It’s quite difficult to keep on being motivated, & knowing that Alisee has been pushing through all these years, especially during the lockdowns, is quite inspiring. She didn’t let those events get to her, those bleak & lonely times are over somewhat now, & for that, we should cheer loud & proud when she speaks through the mic. And we should cheer louder & prouder when she walks that stage, & gets her diploma.

[digitalstallions-blog]

Schlagle Marching Stallions (a way of life)

Schlagle Marching Stallions

(A Way of Life)

By Destinee Thomas

The marching bands were founded in 1845. The oldest American marching band is the band of the University of Notre Dame. There are many college and high school marching bands. Some bands that have caught my eye and might also catch yours are Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, Langston University, and there are many more. The influence of all the bands together is amazing in itself. It’s always good energy and the band is like another family away from your own. We all move together. This is a place to have fun and do things you never thought you’d do before. The band has impacted my life and so many more other lives in a good way.

The F.L Schlagle marching band has performed at many events. We play at high school sports games, outside of school and that includes going on trips and doing parades. We have done a lot of activities. I’d say we have about 100 band students, at the moment. That number continues to grow throughout the years. We went to that battle of the bands and out-scored all the other high school bands in district 500 with a 1. One year we went to Memphis, Tennessee, and did a parade out there, we saw Jackson State University and Tennessee State University. The band even uses a reminder about what are excuses and excuses are “The tool of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothingness and bridges to nowhere, and those who use them rarely accomplish a thing and CAN NOT be a member of the F.L Schlagle marching band”.

“Band has impacted my life for many reasons. One reason I joined is because my brother is in the band. I think a band will be a good path for me down the road in the future”. - Jacob Jackson {Freshman}

“Being in the band opened me up to opportunities I didn’t know existed and has kept me out of trouble and more discipline”. - Marleen {Junior}

“Band has always been my way of expressing myself musically. Whether I was playing the trumpet or the drums. I always enjoyed it. The band is what really kept me enjoying school because I always looked forward to it. It’s life-changing really.” - Trista Vaughn {Senior Drumline Section Leader).

“For the last 4 years of my life, I have been delighted to commit to the high school band of F. L Schlagle High School. We have numerous practices and performances. We also play at high school sports games. I can’t say this journey has been easy, but it has definitely been worth it. I’ve learned a lot. The band definitely pushes you to balance a lot of things out like going to school, practices, and games. After the 4 years which will bring you to your senior year, the ultimate goal will be for you to receive as many band scholarships from as many colleges as possible. I’m definitely proud to say that after these 4 years of hard work and dedication I will take my talents to the next level at the University of Langston University in Oklahoma”. Destinee Thomas {Senior Drumline Section Leader}

[digitalstallions-blog]

Sports During the Pandemic

by Kennedy Russell

High School has many physical sports. This fact with the pandemic makes high

school sports very difficult to participate in with additional rules and restrictions to

keep athletes and coaches safe.

Coaches and athletes had to get used to the protocols throughout each sport due to

Covid “The players had to learn how to play with a mask.” stated Thomas Brownback

head coach of Schlage’s boy’s soccer team. Also due to the pandemic sport

games/meets were either cancelled or shortened. “We did have a basketball season

that started 10 games after the actual season started.” Basketball and football coach

Keith O’Neal explained. Practices were also even changed making everyone spaced

out more than usual while wearing a mask. “It made it tougher for practices to run as

normal as we tried our best to maintain social distancing for practice.” Assistant

soccer coach Corbin Warner explained.

Other than the seasons being affected athletes were also being affected by the

pandemic. “The pandemic definitely set a lot of my athletes behind. A large number

of them came back not in good basketball shape.” Coach O’Neal affirmed. Most of the

athletes couldn’t participate in the spring sports most likely due to pandemic “There

were not enough players to field a complete team, and we could not play our second

game because we did not have enough participants.” Said Coach Brownback after

only playing ONE game in the spring season.

The pandemic has a lot of negative impact on sports even beyond high school. But is

the time to find positivity and stay motivated.

Keith O’Neal Corbin Warner

[digitalstallions-blog]

F.L. Schlagle’s Poetry Club!

F.L. Schlagle’s Poetry club this year is a welcoming club. They welcome you, whether you’re a scriptwriter, fiction writer, poet, songwriter, or anything else! They will welcome you into their club and make you feel as if you’re in a family.

The Schlagle Poetry Club was made so that our school can participate in Louder Than A Bomb slam poetry events that the whole district hosts. Before this year, Schlagle did not have a poetry club that participated in these events although there were plenty of writing clubs for the past years.

This club mainly focuses on slam poetry and poetry writing in general but the members and sponsors of this group are not opposed to the idea of you working on a different type of writing. In fact, they are open to the idea of people coming into the club to write other types of things. 

F.L. Schlagle’s Poetry Club is a warm, family-like club that participates in slam poetry events, open mic events, and has group meetings twice a week to work on their group and individual pieces for these events, along with working on other pieces of creative writing that they have been working on.

They meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:30pm in Ms. Worthy’s room.

[digitalstallions-blog]

Latinos Unidos

This school year, a lot of new clubs have been created at F.L. Schlagle. One of the clubs that has been getting a lot of attention is Latinos Unidos (previously known as Latino Student Union). So if you’re not in the club, here is a bit more information about why LU was created, what their goals are and what they are up to.

According to Marcelo Borrell, the president and founder of LU, he took a trip that sparked the idea for a Latino Student Union. “Last summer I took a trip to the Dominican Republic, it was, pretty life-changing. I got to see the beauty of the country. The beauty of the language, the people and the food, the whole vibe was an amazing experience, and that just made me happy and I felt like, ‘why can’t everyone be happy and proud of their country?’” Marcelo stated when asked how the idea for the club came about. Luis De La Cruz, a member of LU, said he joined LU because it sounded like fun and he wanted to support his culture. Jaila Law said, “I joined because I’m very interested in Latino and latina culture and wanted to learn more”.

The club has only been meeting for about a month but they have hit the ground running. Already starting plans for LU events and activities, with the goal being to give every student a place to celebrate Hispanic culture and Hispanic heritage. In the last two weeks, they have been practicing for a performance they will be doing at our upcoming Homecoming pep-assembly.

“Anyone can join. If you're a freshman, if you’re a senior, if you're black, white, Hispanic, Asian, pull up and let’s celebrate our wonderful culture. Let's have fun.” - Marcelo Borrell

If you are interested in joining the Latino Union, they meet every Monday and Thursday in room 304.

[digitalstallions-blog]

Wish us luck for the game vs Benton!!!!

[digitalstallions-blog]

How Students Feel About Infinite Campus

This year, we’ve been introduced to a new program for both the teachers and students: Infinite Campus. Infinite Campus has replaced our old program as a whole. Before we had this program, we had a program called School loop. School loop, for students, had the option to see your grades and how they progressed, to be able to email your teachers, to be able to turn in assignments by drop-boxing them to your teachers, and much more. School loop is no longer going to exist though, as not many districts used the program. Only a few districts in the United States still use School loop, which is one of the reasons why we have switched to Infinite Campus. Infinite Campus has a few features such as checking your attendance, grades, messages, academic plans, and more. Because of this change, many of the students and teachers alike have had opinions about Infinite Campus.

We made a survey about Infinite Campus and how people feel about it. We originally made a survey for both students and teachers but the teachers have not responded yet. The students, however, have responded and given us a few responses. 72.4% of the students who responded were Juniors, 17.2% were Seniors, and 10.3% were Sophomores. We did not include Freshmen, because they didn’t use School loop this year,  Most of the responses were not that good.

There were, of course, a few good responses to Infinite Campus. One student stated that they “[...] actually have already used infinite campus in my previous school and I like it better than school loop.” Another student stated that “School loop was easier but Infinite Campus isn’t that hard to use. It doesn’t matter.” Although these students are okay with the change from School Loop to Infinite Campus, they are probably the only ones. It was a struggle to find someone who had something positive to say about Infinite Campus.

Surprisingly, a lot of the people, even now, have not been able to log into Infinite Campus. Although the results state that most of the people who have tried to log in have been able to, there are still a lot of people who have not been able to login, which is not helpful when you need to check your grades.

There were, of course, a lot of negative responses to our survey for Infinite Campus. This is just how our students feel about it. However, I think that we should wait for the district to sort out all of the problems with Infinite Campus. By the time they do that, Infinite Campus should be working better and we all should be used to it.