When nice weather comes out and pools open up, seniors Keith Popiel and Ben Williams come in. For the past four years, Popiel has been working for a family pool business and invited Williams along the...
As summer is starting and classes are coming to an end, students are searching for ways to make some cash. For sophomore Spencer Wheat, mowing lawns has been a big part of his life for eight years now....
On April 3 at dawn, the 2023 Water Warriors began and the competing seniors were after their first targets. Water Warriors, though not affiliated with Free State, consists of the participating seniors...
After a triumphant 23 years of coaching the boys swim and dive team and 16 years of coaching the girls, head coach Annette McDonald will be passing the torch on to assistant coach Janna Skinner next season.
During...
The game of chess has been around for over 1500 years and has remained popular throughout its duration; however, the game has recently experienced a tremendous surge in popularity. Short chess clips are...
Art teachers from across USD 497 curated the best works from their students to be displayed at the annual District Art Show on April 28 at the Lawrence Art Center.
When the art teachers began accumulating...
After serving as the Director of Orchestras program for 11 years at the school, Judy Erpelding has announced her resignation, effective May 26.
With this position being her first teaching job, she...
Head boys basketball coach Sherron Collins will not be returning to Free State next year and has accepted a position at Oak Park High School, he confirmed in an interview last week.
Collins, a first-year...
During April, 855 pounds of leftover lunch food from both public high schools were repurposed to feed the community through just one partnership. Starting in the fall of 2022, USD 497 looked locally to...
On Aug. 16 2022, the Lawrence City Commision approved the Fare Free Pilot Program which includes free rides on all Lawrence transit services all throughout 2023.
According to public transit and parking...
This spring, the Science Olympiad Team traveled to Wichita State University to compete at the annual state tournament, wherein the team placed 12th overall.
Science Olympiad comprises 23 independent...
Standout offensive linemen seniors Kaden Leonard and Spencer Doan were selected to play in the prestigious Kansas Shrine Bowl. The goal of the game is to raise money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children...
![Senior Caroline Börk smiles as she works on one of her art pieces on display at the Lawrence Arts Center. Börk began her art journey at a young age by taking classes at the Arts Center Preschool. “Funny enough, that is where the [previous] exhibition was held...so, I both started and ended my Lawrence artist journey at the arts center,” Bork said.](https://www.fsfreepressonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Cook_DistrictArtFair_4_28_23-55-625x900.jpg)
![After receiving advice from her students, orchestra director Judy Erpelding marks her music. Although the director normally makes the artistic decisions, Erpelding will often consult her students and hear their opinions on what sounds good and what they should try out. “[The students] are the heart of the program, not me,” Erpelding said. “I know they will carry that on and I will miss them. Making great music with them, being able to challenge them, taking their inspiration.”](https://www.fsfreepressonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Roust_Erpelding_5_11_23-600x900.jpg)
