The student news site of Mill Valley High School

Mill Valley News
The student news site of Mill Valley High School

Mill Valley News
The student news site of Mill Valley High School

Mill Valley News
Damara Stevens

Damara Stevens, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief

This is senior Damara Stevens’s third year on the JAG Yearbook staff and she is thrilled to be taking the position of both JAG editor-in-chief and Mill Valley News editor-in-chief. When she’s not in the journalism room, you can find Damara working as a Relay for Life chair, giving tours for Student Ambassadors, on the leadership team for Spanish National Honor Society, serving as a NHS officer or collaborating at a StuCo meeting. Outside of school, Damara enjoys going on walks and spending time with the many crazy foster dogs her family cares for.

All content by Damara Stevens
Flipping a page, freshman Molly Griffin looks through a family recipe book that has been passed down through generations.

[Photo] Freshman Molly Griffin collects recipes

May 10, 2022
Students create lifelong friendships in the classroom

Students create lifelong friendships in the classroom

Damara Stevens, Ally Sul, Elise Canning, and Avery Davis
April 25, 2022
Facing a Gardner-Edgerton player, sophomore Julia Coacher attempts to move the ball away from her opponent.

Girls soccer defeats Gardner-Edgerton 3-0

Damara Stevens, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief
April 3, 2022
After scoring a goal, senior Kate Roth celebrates in a group with her team. Roth scored two goals to contribute to the final score of 3-0.

After getting passed the ball, junior Taylor Modrcin sprints down the field past a Gardner-Edgerton player.

Outside of the goal box, junior Gracie Knight makes her way to the goal.

As an opponent comes near her, sophomore Kate Ricker moves to defend the ball.

While stepping out in front of a player, junior Laney Reishus prepares to pass the ball toward the goal.

Blocking out her opponent, junior Laney Reishus attempts to gain possession of the ball.

Eyes on a teammate, sophomore Julia Coacher passes the ball.

Working his way toward the net, athletic director Brent Bechard dribbles past the student team’s defense.

On the ground, athletic director Brent Bechard passes the ball to choir teacher Jessie Reimer.

After moving the oreo down her face, senior McKarly Johnson finally gets the cookie in her mouth.

In the beginning of the prom candidate game, seniors Laird Toland, Lauren Payne and John Teska try to get their Oreo from their forehead to their mouth.

At the end of the silver studs performance, senior Adrian Dimond striked a pose on the ground with senior Hailey Mahoney standing above him.

During the silver studs performance, senior Brock Olson holds senior Hadley Skinner on his back.

Eyes on the basketball net, boys wrestling head coach Travis Keal plans his next move.

Near the edge of the court, girls basketball head coach Adam Runyan breaks through senior Jackson Van Dyke’s defense.

At the beginning of the student versus faculty basketball game, senior Adrian Dimond reaches up to gain possession of the ball.

After their performance, silver stars members wave to the crowd.

Arms raised, sophomore Trinity Baker continues the silver stars jazz performance.

At the front of the line of other silver stars members, sophomore Keira Bret leans out to the side.

Standing side by side, DECA members clap for each other as they are recognized for placing at state.

Smiling, the cheer team is recognized for placing third at state.

With their trophies in front of them, the silver stars are recognized for their two national championships.

Microphone in hand, senior Elise Canning engages with the crowd.

While leaning back, the sophomore tug of war team struggles to beat the junior team.

As the tug of war game reaches an end, the sophomore section cheers for their grade representatives.

Beside student body president Logan Pfeister, junior representative Bri Coup introduces herself to the crowd.

School dress code causes controversy

School dress code causes controversy

Elise Canning, Damara Stevens, Avery Davis, and Ally Sul
February 16, 2022
After applying and painting freshman AnnMarie Geise’s acrylic nails, freshman Wren Altis files down the nail to a coffin shape.

[Photo] Freshman Wren Altis

Emma Rathbun, JAG assistant editor
February 10, 2022
While her opponent’s arms circle her waist, freshman Cadence Kerr tries to escape her grip.

After the referee blows the whistle, freshman Cadence Kerr circles around the mat with her opponent.

With her hands wrapped around her opponent’s thigh, senior Shaye Nielsen rushes back inside the circle to avoid losing points to her opponent.

As the match begins, senior Shaye Nielsen races forward to her opponent, grasping her hands.

Trying to escape the starting position on the ground, senior Shaye Nielsen pushes up from the ground with her opponent on her back.

In the middle of the match, senior Rylee Allen-Atchison reaches out to her opponent as they continue to wrestle.

As her opponent tries to escape her grasp, senior Rylee Allen-Atchison attempts to keep her on the ground.

Standing up from his chair, coach Jake Ellis shouts directions at senior Rylee Allen-Atchison as she wrestles on the mat.

In the starting position under her opponent, senior Rylee Allen-Atchison looks at the referee as the round begins.

[Photo] Girls wrestling falls to Blue Valley and Shawnee Mission South

February 4, 2022
Hand in the air, freshman Raina Frantz high fives coaches Jake Ellis and Michelle McRay after winning her match.

After pinning her Shawnee Mission South opponent, freshman Raina Frantz’s hand is raised in the air, announcing her the winner.

On the edge of the wrestling mat, coach Jake Ellis cheers as freshman Raina Frantz pins her opponent and wins the match.

Keeping her right arm underneath her opponent’s stomach, freshman Raina Frantz reaches her other arm to her thigh in an attempt to flip her around and pin her.

Before dinner, seniors Kennedy Yeoman and Aliya Kisivo color with crayons.

Holding their plates, seniors Mackinley Fields and Madison Vosburg get dinner.

Crayon in hand, senior Nic Botkin colors a Thanksgiving-themed sheet.

In the food line, freshman Logan Koester fills his plate.

Holding the microphone, senior Julianne Long shares about the new Dungeons and Dragons school club.

Eyes on the screen, seniors Hannah Hunter and Ryan Pasley read the Kahoot question.

With a confused look on her face, senior Caroline Schmidt answers a Kahoot question.

As the Kahoot results load, juniors Bryce Martin, Alex Shank and Carson McElroy crowd around to see if they win.

After winning the Kahoot, junior Bryce Martin throws his hands up in the air to celebrate.

During the pie-eating contest, junior Eli Olson looks at his competitors’ pies to see how far along they are.

[Photo] StuCo hosts Clubsgiving

November 19, 2021
With his hands behind his back, freshman Ammon Hill participates in the pie-eating contest.

Cheering on the court, senior Taylor Roberts celebrates with the rest of the team after scoring a point.

Jumping up, senior Brylee Peterson reaches out to hit the ball while in the air.

After the team scores a point against SJA, the student section erupts into cheers.

Leaning toward the sidelines, senior Sydney Fiatte passes the ball back to her teammates.

In the air, senior Taylor Roberts hits the ball.

At the front of the student section, senior Cody Moore leads the crowd in a chant using a megaphone.

Reaching her hands up in the air, sophomore Kaitlyn Burke attempts to block the ball coming from a SJA player.

After scoring a point, senior Brylee Peterson high fives junior Sidney Kacsir.

After falling in the first set against SJA 25-12, the team huddles together.

On the sidelines, members of the volleyball team cheer as they score a point.

[Photo] Volleyball places second at substate

October 26, 2021
As the other team prepares to block, senior Brylee Peterson leans forward to hit the ball.

High in the air, sophomore Kaitlyn Burke reaches up to hit the ball.

In the crowd, students cheer as the team scores a point.

Diving toward the middle of the court, junior Sidney Kacsir attempts to save the ball.

Preparing to go out on court, seniors Taylor Roberts and Reese Johnston high five their other teammates.

In the air, senior Annabelle Manning serves the ball.

After a timeout, the team cheers together in a huddle.

After being passed the ball, senior Sydney Fiatte sets the ball for her teammates to hit.

During a time out, head coach Deborah Fay talks to the players about their performance.

Eyes on the ball, junior Madeline Schnepf jumps in the air to hit the ball over the net.

Eyes on the ball tossed in the air, freshman Saida Jacobs gets ready to serve.

In the air, freshman Saida Jacobs hits the ball over the net.

As her teammates prepare to hit the ball, sophomore Ava Jones sets the ball.

After the girls volleyball team scores a point, the student section cheers.

With her hand in the air, sophomore Ava Jones prepares to serve the ball over the net.

Prior to the game against Pittsburg, the girls volleyball team huddles together during substate Saturday, Oct. 23. The team defeated Pittsburg in two sets and fell to SJA in three sets, losing their chance to move on to state.

With their bucket in hand, senior Jack Brown climbs from the water onto the grass.

[Photo] Environmental Resources and Wildlife Science harvest water plants at Shawnee Mission Park

Ally Sul, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief
October 12, 2021
While the group members around her smile, senior Avery Warren shows off a good plant root she found.

Standing on the road, seniors Avery Warren, Karaline Nielson and Anna Roberts step into waders before going into the lake. The Environmental Resources and Wildlife Science class went to Shawnee Mission Lake Friday, Oct. 8 to collect samples of plants to bring back to the school in order to study how they grow in different conditions.

Near the end of the dance, senior Ella Tow throws her hands up in the air as she continues dancing.

After two years of waiting, students were finally able to attend a Homecoming dance. The “Haunted Disco” themed dance took place Saturday, Sept. 25.

Walking across the gym, juniors Carli Dupriest, Yalena Vega, Andrew Dodge and Bryce Jennings participate in the conga line.

Along with sophomores Ellie Walker and Chaley Spaulding, sophomore Lucy Roy dances in a circle.

Throwing her hands up, sophomore Kate Pfeister sings along to the music.

Surrounded by his friends, junior Brody Shulda shows off his dance moves.

After the team’s defeat over BVW, senior Alex Vinh celebrates the victory.

After winning a point, the volleyball team celebrates on the court during the triangular against BVW and SMW Thursday, Sept. 2. They beat each team in the first two sets. The first home game brought a large crowd of student supporters.

Volleyball team wins triangular against BVW and SMW

Damara Stevens, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief
September 3, 2021
To thank students for cheering their daughters on, volleyball parents bought pizza for the student section.

As the team scores the game-winning point, the student section erupts in cheers.

During a time-out, the team huddles together and discusses how they are playing.

Next to the net, senior Kate Roth passes the ball.

While her teammates prepare to hit, senior Sydney Fiatte sets the ball.

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