Spark

En Garde!

East sophomore Ayah Khan reflects on the start of her journey to become a competitive fencer and the skills she has learned along the way.

Eliana Rau, Staff Writer • May 6, 2025

She takes a deep breath, preparing herself for her next attack. She springs forward in a flurry of movement, unleashing a series of feints and lunges at her opponent. With a final graceful flourish of...

The Ultimate Pursuit

East freshman Isadore McCune plays Ultimate Frisbee at William Mason High School due to the absence of a team at East.

Gwen Gilbert, Sports Editor • April 29, 2025

The “whoosh” of a frisbee soaring through the air. The perfect catch. Then, the perfect score. Teammates flood onto the field to congratulate each other on winning the Ohio Ultimate Frisbee State competition,...

Reaching New Lights

East invests in a four-part projector setup in the gymnasium to light up the court and the atmosphere.

Elizabeth Vernon, Staff Writer • March 25, 2025

Lakota East and West High Schools are undergoing modern changes in their respective gyms. As of early 2025, both schools have partnered with Luxedo Projectors to bring brand-new projection equipment to...

A Pro Surge

Within the past five years, three pro women's volleyball teams have started up within the country. Previously, there were no pro options for collegiate players to move into. The urgency of the startup of the leagues will either ruin the pro industry within the country or foster a community capable of endless popularity.

Will Huelskamp, Editor-in-Chief • March 11, 2025

I opened Tik Tok the other day to American volleyball player and Olympian Kelsey Cook responding to a comment on one of her videos. Cook was asked her thoughts on the differences between League One Volleyball...

Bring on the Madness

Everybody wants to be the one who picks the correct champion in their bracket. These ten teams are the ones who have the best shot at cutting down the nets in March.

Ethan Keller, Staff Writer • March 7, 2025

With the men's college basketball season heating up, it is time to start looking ahead to March. There has not really been one dominant team thus far as three teams have been ranked at number one as...

From Field to Sideline

A look into the four East football coaches’ National Football League backgrounds and how they use their skills to help the Thunderhawks succeed.

Macie Manzardo, Sports Editor • March 4, 2025

When the 2024-25 East football season ended, the Thunderhawks closed the season with a record of 8-4, losing in the second round of playoffs to Archbishop Moeller High School. To prepare for the season,...

Smarter Together

Led by East teachers John Severns and Rich Schmaltz, the Academic Quiz Team enters into another exciting year of intense competition and complex trivia.

Annabelle McCarty, Culture Associate Editor • February 27, 2025

Whether they are quizzing each other on history facts, throwing their hands in the air to answer a math question first, or sporting their matching tie-dye shirts, the East Academic Quiz Team (AQT) participants...

Best in the Nests: Johaeyah Edwards & Shaun Dickerson

Each issue Spark will feature athletes from East and West who showcase exemplary talent.

February 11, 2025

Capped by Salary

Money is power, especially in the world of baseball and the MLB. Fans cannot expect smaller teams to grow and foster a winning culture without big payouts.

Ethan Keller, Staff Writer • February 11, 2025

With the Fall Classic coming to an end, another Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series champion has been crowned. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in only five games to win their...

Best in the Nests: Johaeyah Edwards

Jonaeyah Edwards is a senior middle blocker for the Lakota West Varsity Girls Volleyball team. With a total of 43 blocks in her career, Edwards is placed 56th in Division I and top five in the Greater Miami leaderboard and sits above the national average for kills with 75 this season.

Madison Springmyer, Staff Writer • February 4, 2025

Q: Who has been the most influential coach or mentor in your career? A: My club coach, Ann Buschur has been the most influential coach for me. She made going to practices fun and the team just felt...

Best in the Nests: Shaun Dickerson

Shaun Dickerson is a senior captain for the Lakota East Boys Varsity Soccer team and three-year letterman. Dickerson is ranked in the top 384 nationally, top 56 in Ohio, top two in Division I and first in the Greater Miami leaderboard for assists with 15. Dickerson has also broken two school records for most assists in a single season (15) and most career assists (25).

Sophie Schaller, Feature Editor • January 28, 2025

Q: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve learned from playing soccer? A: My favorite piece of advice I’ve been told is that the best players are the ones who can move on from mistakes...

A Stunting Scene

Higher difficulty cheer stunts are being performed by East cheerleaders for the 2024-25 season.

Allie Haucke, Feature Editor & Business Manager • January 21, 2025

As the 2024-25 football season hits its peak, school spirit is felt in the air. Football games prove a staple of the American high school experience. The Lakota East Cheer team leads the student section...