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In three weeks, a lot can happen.

Endless stories about their adventures apart for those three weeks -- senior Jadyn Swob at Timberlake, Michigan, at a Young Life Camp and senior Emma Peck, working as an intern for New City Church. 

Now Jadyn and Peck sat a in Zero Hour Ministries podcast room, surrounded by the aroma of coffee, doing together what started as a joke. 

Jadyn turned off her microphone, took off her headphones after going on air for the first time, and locked eyes with her co-host Peck. 

"Emma and I always kind of joked around about starting a podcast one day,” Jadyn said. 

Zero Hour Ministries, Jadyn’s youth group, heard those jokes and offered to turn Jadyn and Peck’s idea of creating a podcast into a reality.

That got them working.

“We got serious about it and started dreaming about it. And here we are,” Jadyn said.

Her mom seen a difference 

Kristi Swob, Jaydn’s mom, talked about how her daughter changed during her time spent at her Young Life Camp in Michigan during the Summer of 2023.

In those three weeks, her mom said, she shifted from having a love of reading stories to wanting to share them.

“I've just noticed in the last probably six months to a year, a lot of growth in her,” Kristi said. “It seems like she's much more independent and ready to fly. It's exciting to watch. She did that. She went to a camp this summer and was away for almost a month, I feel like that was a big step for her, and I think she realized she could do it. I can do it. Like, we can be far away from each other. It was a huge step and prepped us for getting ready for college.”

Jadyn’s close friend, Peck, also took notice of Jadyn’s new mindset.

"She came back home with a new personal drive," Peck said. "The day after she got back, we went to Black Dog Coffee and talked about how the Lord had inspired us this summer. We just kept sharing our stories until the coffee shop closed down."

They both left Black Dog Coffee that day with a new mindset and an idea that evolved into reality. They used their newfound experiences to work together. 

Not the first time sharing online

The year before, Jadyn and Peck started an Instagram dedicated to book reviews. 

"It was so much fun because I've loved reading for so long,” Jadyn said. “Emma and I started getting more into reading in high school and we both had Goodreads accounts we updated all the time. If I'm reading, why not start sharing my review? It was fun."

Their time on Instagram and social media prepared Jadyn and Peck to start to share their own stories in the podcast about their faith with their generation. Their goal was to inspire other students to share their stories and learn from each other. 

“It also just feels natural because it's just conversations like me and Emma have all the time,” Jadyn said. “It just kind of feels like we're having a normal one-on-one conversation. Now, the posting part is a little scary because you just don't know who's going to see it, but I love it.”

Kristi talked about how her daughter had grown over the years and was excited for her future.

“I hope she continues following the passions rising in her heart and just believes in herself and trusts what God has in store for her because I believe he's continuing to write a really beautiful story through her life,” Kristi said. “I just know she has a lot to offer the world. So just spread her wings, go, and be awesome. Just believe in herself.”

Written by Noah Panjada

Sports Stories

Girls Soccer

As the sun dipped, illuminating the Lawrence soccer field, the team huddled together on the sidelines.

Moments before the kick-off, senior Kayla Baker, on a count of three, led the team in a group cheer. 

The words “Let's go” erupted, drifting over the fields. The field reverberated with cheers and shouts to start the first match of the season against Lawrence High School.

Overseeing the season was new head coach Sarah Wallace. 

“We just started our first game,” Wallace said. “I witnessed our girls laying everything on the field to try to win our first game under my leadership. It had every emotion one could ask for.” 

After the first game of the season, Wallace said the girls played with possession and took chances while almost winning the game because of a breakaway, a header and numerous strong shots.

Wallace, not new to SM North soccer, was an assistant coach in 2023. 

“It's been a dream of mine to unite our community, develop our youth, and help them fall in love with soccer,” Wallace said.

 Because Wallace’s oldest brother and her oldest daughter, Maya Wallace, were both graduates of North, the school was a place Wallace held dear. She said North “changed her daughter's life” because of the culture, support and love of the teachers and coaches. This spurred Wallace to pursue head coaching during the girls’ season.

“There are a lot of differences this year,” Baker said. “She's a good coach, we enjoy her and we are learning new things with her. She's a different style. All coaches have a different style.”

Specifically, Wallace used new ideas and approaches to the field.

“We are using a new formation that I think is pretty new to everyone,” senior Abigail Weding said. “We have a new head coach but she was an assistant last year and Jacobsen as the assistant.”

The team, under new management, focused on community engagement.

“The soccer team will have elementary schoolers who like to play soccer to come out,” Baker said. “Then we will have a night where they get to walk out on the field with us and play soccer together.”

As Wallace led the team through new challenges, she had plans for the future. 

“We are playing some of the best soccer players in the KC Metro Area,” Wallace said, “making sure our players continue to believe in themselves and show up every game with our team values, mentality, respect, grit, perseverance  and confidence in themselves and their team.”

Cheer

Tension and frustration gripped the cheer team during attempts at more challenging pyramid stunts.

As each formation came to a successful completion, it marked a year for the squad to focus on teambuilding and elevating their skills.

"I love cheer because it’s almost like you have a community,” junior Sage Reedy said. "You make a bond with each other since you are lifting girls in the air. It's a trust bond."

According to the 38-member team, excitement, joy and a newfound camaraderie took shape during the season.

"I feel like the community is different this year," senior Brooke Bell said. "Last year, it was a bit cliquey, with small groups. But now, it feels like everyone's a friend. Sure, there was a little drama, but that's high school – it's gonna happen."

This tight-knit bond wasn’t confined to the upperclassmen.

"Our squad is more than just a team; it's a positive community," Reedy said. "It extends beyond the seniors; the entire team feels like family."

The journey to strengthen these personal bonds led the team to the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) camp, hosted at SM North during June, an intensive summer camp that impacted the girl's connections and skills.

"We attended UCA camp this year and the last, and it helped us improve immensely," Reedy said. "Building bonds became quicker, deeper, and that reflected in our performances."

As the team’s personal bonds tightened, so did their skills. The focus at the UCA camp was clear – stunts took center stage, becoming a pivotal aspect of summer training.

"We practiced two times a week, working from four to six on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays," Reedy said. "This consistent effort not only strengthened our relationships but also allowed us to work on the intricate details of each stunt."

The year was less focused on competing and more on emphasizing building a firm foundation for future cheerleaders to utilize.

 "Next year is going to be their year," Bell said about the squad’s future. "Our focus is on creating and executing new stunts that will set the stage for future years."

The team volunteered with “Officially Chopped Barbershop,” owned by North alumni Fred Dantlzer, to collect and donate canned food for families in need during the holiday season. 

“The people there helped us with sorting the food correctly,” senior Kendra Walton said. “The workers were very friendly and so were the people getting their hair cut.”

In addition to volunteering, the cheer squad had its most successful year fundraising with close to 150 kids participating in the Little Bision Clinic. Money raised helped pay for cheer uniforms and other necessities.

"This year we had the largest amount of girls we’ve had in the past years,” Walton said.  “We did it as a fundraiser for the Cheer Booster. The younger girls loved it. They were all happy and very attentive."

This collaborative spirit wasn't just about the present season. 

"Building upon what we achieve this year is crucial," Bell said. "It's not just about the stunts; it's about laying the foundation for the cheerleaders who'll follow in our footsteps."

The team spent the year focused on increasing the number of stunts, improvising pyramid stunts and increasing the number of flying stunts. 

“One of the struggles that we have is always stunting and working to advance them,” junior Lillian Wear said. “It's not always going to work out the way we want it to, but through that, it brings us all together. We're all there for each other even when something doesn't go the way we want it to.”

Cheer coach Ashlee Williams said one of her focuses leading the team was creating an environment focused on the future.

"As we move forward, it's not just about the stunts we complete; it's about the legacy we create," Reedy said. "Cheer isn't just a sport; it's a journey of growth, unity and building something extraordinary together.

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