Author Spotlight
Ava Johnson
Photo by Ellie Thoma.
Every year, all StuCo programs in the district host a can drive to benefit the Johnson County Christmas Bureau. This year, East managed to raise 7,858 cans which is thousands more than last year. StuCo publicized the fund raising through team and group competitions, the puzzle room, pep assemblies and posters.
The senior StuCo members chose to do competitions of different groups such as soccer and football, cheer and drill team and the Harbinger versus the Hauberk to see who could bring in the most cans.
“Competitions spark a lot of people’s attention and can bring some fun into such an important cause,” senior class President Mazie Brooke said.
Soccer, cheer and Harbinger all won in their competitions. Football beat soccer in the total number of cans, however soccer had more cans per member of the team. Each can was worth one point and the number of points was divided by the number of members in the club or sport. Doughnuts were given to the winning teams or clubs.
StuCo hasn’t finished counting the money donated yet and believes that it will take them until the end of December to count it all. Once the money is added up, the total number of cans brought in will increase because every dollar donated counts for two cans.
Aside from the competition, our school district has come together to help families all around the Johnson County area who live 150% below the poverty level.
Locally owned and operated, Bruce Smith Drugs in the Prairie Village shopping center has closed down for the month of November.
According to The Kansas City Star, large chain pharmacies and mail-order pharmacies have created a competition with small independent pharmacies like Bruce Smith Drugs.
For now, Bruce Smith pharmacy customers will have to transfer their medications to be picked up elsewhere.
However, Bruce Smith Drugs isn’t just a pharmacy. They sell a wide selection of gifts, candies, magazines, cosmetics, watch batteries and seasonal items.
“I work at TCBY right across from Bruce Smith Drugs so it was always convenient if I needed to grab something such as colored pencils for a project to work on during my break time,” sophomore Kiki Ehrich said. “The store closing has definitely had a slight impact on me and I hope to see them open up soon.”
Bruce Smith Drug’s intent is to open back up by the end of month after reconstructing. The store has been attending a large part of the community’s needs since 1955 and has been missed by many.
At the age of 90, Fidel Castro died on Friday, Nov. 25 at 10:29 pm in Santiago de Cuba. Castro was the chief commander of the Cuban revolution.The nation turned on the news on Saturday to hear Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother, announce that the man who had long been the leader of their nation was dead due to an unknown cause.
Cuba has declared nine days of mourning, during which Castro’s ashes will spread through different parts of the country. The days of mourning will end after his ashes are laid to rest on Sunday, Dec. 4 in Santiago.
Although in Miami Castro’s death caused quite a celebration, the streets of Miami were filled with millions of joyful Cuban exiles. They aren’t celebrating death, but they are celebrating the end of a man who separated families, killed many and imprisoned many individuals for disagreeing with his beliefs.
The streets of Cuba will continue to be silent with grief and the streets of South Florida will continue to roar with celebration. Many people hope that his death causes Cuba to open up a little more. Both Cuba and the rest of the world have to wait to see what political changes occur from the loss of a powerful leader.
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