Author Spotlight
Vanessa Blades
The sophomore StuCo members will be hosting a pickleball tournament at the Harmon Park tennis courts on Nov. 11. The event is being held to help donate cans for the Johnson County Christmas Bureau can drive.
StuCo will allow up to 32 teams of doubles to sign up through a link in their Instagram bio “@smeclassof27.” Attendees must bring three cans per person to participate in the tournament. Participants are encouraged to dress up for the theme — ugly Christmas sweaters — and the winning doubles team will receive a $25 gift card.
In preparation, StuCo representative sophomore Vada Walsh asked sophomore Tommy Trucksess if he would supply the rackets and balls. Trucksess then offered to send a link about the pickleball tournament to the pickleball GroupMe to encourage other sophomores to participate. The tournament will mainly be run by sophomore StuCo along with a little help from their sponsor, Emily Fossoh.
“I think this will benefit East because it will help raise money and help the people in need of food,” sophomore StuCo member Will Beezley said.
The Museum of BBQ will open in Kansas City, MO in spring of 2025. It’ll be the first of its kind, displaying the different components of barbecue. Visitors will be able to learn about the four main regions of American barbecue, and kids will be able to play in like ball pits that are designed to look like “a giant crock pot of barbecued beans,” according to Smithsonian magazine.
“It’s meant to be experienced together, and this museum is designed to help you connect with the elements and regions of barbecue, of which Kansas City is the epicenter,” co-founder Jonathan Bender told KCT’s reporter Ryan Hennessy.
Sophomore Max Bradley is excited for the new barbecue museum as he is a frequent barbecue eater. Bradley’s dad taught him how to cook barbecue when he was around five by showing him how to season the steaks before putting them on the grill. Ever since, they’ve eaten at restaurants like Texas Roadhouse, Meat Mitch and Oklahoma Joes.
“This place sounds super interesting, and I’m excited to go and see what it’s gonna be all about,” Bradley said.
The cheer competition team had their first competition on Nov. 2 at Blue Valley High School called “Rally in the Valley,” where they showcased their new routine for the first time this year. East was the only team in the traditional category, which includes a cheer and full routine with stunts, versus every other team in the gameday category— this includes a cheer, a chant and a couple stunts.
The team cheer was first, followed by a routine with music, containing six different categories — standing tumbling, elite stunts, running tumbling, pyramid and dance.
“At the end of the routine everyone is panting and wondering if any stunts fell,” junior Isabella Penke said.
Coming home with a big gold trophy, the team received an 84/100 for their performance. They also claimed a specialty award for an outstanding stunt pyramid. Coach Buckman entered two separate stunt groups into a stunt competition — one group received a superior while the other stunt group received an excellent.
Sophomores Bella Drier and Mary Marsden recieved a yellow ribbon for outstanding tumbling.
“Everyone was pretty nervous considering this was the first time we competed it [the routine] but once we got on the floor I think we all had fun, and we gave it our all and were happy with the outcome,” junior Ava Perez said.
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