The student news site of Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas

WINGSPAN
The student news site of Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas

WINGSPAN
The student news site of Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas

WINGSPAN
Rachel Kim

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter

Rachel Kim is a senior and is entering her second year of Wingspan. Outside of school, she probably can be seen at a coffee shop or at home reading her favorite series: Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. She also enjoys traveling, listening to Taylor Swift, watching period dramas, and learning about Greek mythology. Rachel enjoys photography and writing, and is excited to see what her second year of Wingspan has to offer!

Contact Rachel: rachel.kim.534@k12.friscoisd.org

All content by Rachel Kim
Seniors are taking the final step to prepare for graduation, with graduation practice happening Friday. Tickets and graduation materials will be handed out at the practice.

Graduation practice for seniors on Thursday

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
May 18, 2023
Closing out the final chapter of senior year, PTSA is hosting a senior sunset on Wednesday for the class of 2023. The event will take place at the Frisco Rail Yard from 6 - 9 p.m.

Senior sunset closes final chapter of senior year

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
May 10, 2023
Pre-calculus students use art to better understand conics

Pre-calculus students use art to better understand conics

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
May 3, 2023
Cap and gown distribution is taking place Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This signifies seniors getting a little closer to grduation.

Cap and gown distribution signifies a step closer to graduation

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 27, 2023
Seniors are heading to the W Hotel Saturday for senior prom. With prom being one of the last events for seniors on campus, the event signifies the end of high school before students leave for college.

The wait is over, prom is set to happen on Saturday

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 21, 2023
This week on Artistic Expressions, staff reporter Rachel Kim talks to drum major Eujin Chung. Chung talks about her favorite band memories and her plans to continue music in the future.

Eujin Chung

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 13, 2023
Students have the chance to add an academic patch to their letterman jacket. Campus gives out academic patches for juniors and seniors who have achieved a cumulative GPA of a 4.5 or higher for 5 semesters.

[Photo] Letterman jacket fittings during lunch Thursday and Friday

Andrew Jáuregui, Interactive Media Editor
April 12, 2023
This week on Artistic Expressions, staff reporter Rachel Kim sits down with Mika Lal. Lal talks about her involvement and inspirations in art.

Mika Lal

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 6, 2023
Student Council hosts their second advisory event of the school year on Thursday in the auxiliary gym. They invite students to come enjoy games of gaga ball with their peers.

StuCo rolls out second Gaga Ball tournament

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 27, 2023
Lily Peinhardt

Lily Peinhardt

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 23, 2023
With Ramadan currently ongoing, students across campus are fasting from dawn to sunset. The celebration will end with Eid al-Fitr at Sunset on April 21.

Beginning of Ramadan starts traditions and celebrations for students

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 21, 2023
The Frisco Library has been open at its new location for 6 months, and in that time, it has seen record attendance from Frisco citizens.

Revamped Frisco Library is now open

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 6, 2023
Juniors and seniors are able to take classes with Collin College to gain college credit. To provide interested students with information regarding Dual Credit from the registration process to the courses and expectations, Frisco ISD and Collin College are hosting a joint informational webinar Thursday from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Webinar helps FISD students learn more about Dual Credit

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 1, 2023
Frisco currently lacks animal shelters for stray pets, however, the topic has come up in a recent bond election. “I believe that Frisco should invest in their own animal shelter because it can help animals and also protect individuals from animals that could be a risk and safety hazard,” junior Lila Elizondo said.

Frisco’s bond package to not include an animal shelter

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 23, 2023
AP Research students are presenting their study and experimentation materials for students and staff at a gallery walk. The presentation will take place in the library Thursday from 12:10 p.m. - 12:50 p.m. (junior Abdurraheem Sheikh pictured)

AP Research students practice presentation for students and staff

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 15, 2023
The deadline to submit service hours for the 2023 Service Award is Saturday. The award will be given to students who have shown evidence of completing over 100 service hours throughout their four years of high school.

Shining the light on those who help students dream big: counselors

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 9, 2023
Cold temperatures and the possibility of freezing rain and/or snow led Frisco ISD to cancel all extracurricular activities Monday.

[Photo] Breaking News: all extracurricular activities canceled Monday

January 30, 2023
This week on Artistic Expressions, staff reporter Rachel Kim sits down with violinist Jayna Yoon. Yoon talks about her musical journey and her plans for the future.

Jayna Yoon

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
January 26, 2023
Students on campus, such as seniors Urooj Qureshi and Samantha Natividad, have taken part in dress up days as Winter Formal approaches Saturday. The themes include: Take A Nap Tuesday, White Out Wednesday, Thermal Thursday, and Fuzzy Sock Friday.

Snowy spirit days on campus for Winter Formal

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
January 17, 2023
Redhawks are able to attend the inaugural Winter Formal on Saturday. The dance will be held on campus from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. and dress code is similar to that of Homecoming.

Snow King and Queen nominations are underway

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
January 11, 2023
ISM students (pictured above) are submitting their original work. The original work is a project in which students use all the information gained throughout the research done through assessments and interviews to create a presentation for the class.

A culmination of the semester, ISM students submit original work

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
December 14, 2022
Scores from the first digital SATs were released by College Board on Friday with many students still unsure if they prefer the paper or digital version of the standardized test.

PSAT scores available for sophomores and juniors beginning Monday

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
December 5, 2022
Senior Tom Marom represents his assigned court case, Brandenburg v. Ohio, with an ornament of a cross. AP Government students have been working on making ornaments that creatively represent court cases.

Decking the shrub with Supreme Court decorations

Erika Pernis and Rachel Kim
December 1, 2022
Chemistry is a passion for senior Vishnu Vasudev. He has been able to use his creativity and imagination to perform experiments with limited access to resources.

Senior finds magic in mixing and performing at-home experiments

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
November 18, 2022
The annual Club Fair is coming to campus Wednesday during advisory. The fair provides students the opportunity to learn about organizations and clubs that can help students become involved on campus.

Club Fair held Wednesday highlights organizations and opportunities

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
November 16, 2022
On Oct. 29, tens of thousands of people headed to the center of the South Korean capital of Seoul, Itaewon, to celebrate Halloween. However, as the crowds began to grow, the night turned into one of the country’s worst disasters, with dozens injured and more than 150 dead.

Tragedy of Itaewon impacts students on campus

Rin Ryu and Rachel Kim
November 14, 2022
Heather Whitcomb smiles with her oncologist Tobi Nwizu on her last day of chemo. Ever since she felt her lumb five years ago, her life instantly changed as she was struck with the news that she had invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer.

A life changing lump

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 26, 2022
Yasmine Secrist made her way back to Liberty after graduating, however, she wasn't just a visitor. Almost ten years after graduating, Secrist is now back on campus teaching math.

Student in the past, teacher in the present

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 12, 2022

24 Redhawks qualify as National Merit Semifinalists

Erika Pernis, Maya Silberman, and Rachel Kim
September 29, 2022
Senior Riya Kumar (pictured bottom left) attended a month-long Film and TV Scoring Program for students interested in screen scoring. Not only did her experience and skills grow from this program, but the program provided Kumar with numerous opportunities such as working with award winning Hollywood composer, Michael Levine.

A summer full of recording and mixing turned opportunity into score

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
September 20, 2022
Leadworthy teacher Armani Mansouri sits at his computer. However, the new year has brought changes in technology, as Frisco ISD has decided to remove teacher monitors and distribute Chromebooks and other mobile devices to educators across the district.

District hopes changes in technology create classroom flexibility

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
August 25, 2022

Senior sunrise starts the school year off bright

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
August 18, 2022
Teachers were required to pack up and clean up their classrooms by the end of the year. This summer, the campus was refreshed and the floors and walls were redone.

Redhawks return back to campus with new adjustments and renovations

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
August 11, 2022
Each year, precalculus students end the spring semester with painting a ceiling tile. “We like the ceiling tile project because it directly correlates to the state standards of conic sections for what the students need to know in precalculus,” advanced precalculus teacher Julia Ridgway said.

Pre-calculus students paint the school

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
May 18, 2022
Chromebooks for seniors must be returned by Tuesday. If students are leaving Liberty but staying in FISD, they can keep their Chromebooks for their new school.

Chromebooks must be returned soon

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
May 10, 2022
Recently, Frisco company, InspectIR, made first FDA approved COVID-19 breath test, making testing for COVID-19 even easier.

Frisco company develops first COVID breath test

Rachel Kim
April 28, 2022
The national wavier to lunch and breakfast prices at school will not continue next year. The new meal prices for next year have been approved.

Frisco ISD meal prices for 2022-2023 school year are subjected to change

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 26, 2022
Wednesday night is National Honor Society's induction for new members. “Students exemplify the core values of NHS, which [include] scholarship, service, leadership, and character. We [also] aim to build our community and become more involved," Marcela Pedron said.

NHS inducts new members

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 13, 2022
For the first time in the history of the United States, a Black woman has been confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice as the Senate voted (53-47) to approve President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Thursday. Jackson will take office when Justice Stephen Breyer retires in the summer.

Historic Supreme Court confirmation inspires Redhawks

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
April 8, 2022
The libary is hosting a trade fair this Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It is meant to serve as an opportunity for students to discover different pathways after high school.

Book battleground: the growing movement to remove certain books from school libraries

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 31, 2022
Redhawk faced off in the Battle of the Books at Independence high school, advancing to the semifinals.

Readers face off in Battle of the Books

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 25, 2022

Shooting for success

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 4, 2022
To get involved with local politics and government policy, junior Arshia Narula is in Congressman Taylor's Youth Advisory Council. “As I continue to participate in the council, I hope to gain more real-world experiences of actively participating in governmental affairs and to have an open mind towards varying viewpoints," Narula said.

Youth Advisory Council gives junior insight on political process

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
March 3, 2022
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week takes place from February 21-27 in 2022, leading many to come out with their struggles and stories. One Redhawk on campus has decided to hers with Wingspan. "I would eat full meals at school and when out with my friends and family, and then punish myself for the calories by skipping more meals and limiting myself further. I didn’t look ‘sick’ and I wasn’t losing lots of weight, which I was angry at myself for.”

Student shines a light on National Eating Disorder Awareness week

Rachel Kim and Rishika Desai
February 25, 2022
Wingspan's Featured Athlete for 2/24 is softball player, junior Piper Dickson.

Featured Athlete: Piper Dickson

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 24, 2022
Playing her harp, former senior Urja Joshi advanced to Area after auditioning for the Region 24 All-Region Orchestra. As the competition this year has come to a close, the hard work and dedication students have undergone has payed off according to Orchestra Director Julia Blackstock.

All-star orchestra students advance to All-State

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 9, 2022
Several years ago, social studies teacher Kristin Binyon opened her doors to four small children in need of a foster home. Now she is trying to win permanent custody and adopt all four. To help with her legal fees, colleague Sarah Wiseman started a GoFundMe. “It amazes me how unbelievably giving people can be,” Binyon said. “Liberty is like a family. People here are simply great and I’ve teared up numerous times just seeing the numbers go up. It just means a lot and I’m so thankful.”

Foster care fundraiser fosters hope

Shreya Jagan and Rachel Kim
February 8, 2022
Posing for a picture, Best Buddies vice president Marcela Perdron (center) smiles with former club members at the 2019 Friendship Ball. After two years of absence, the dance will be returning this Saturday, and Buddies will be returning to the dance floor.

Friendship Ball returns Saturday for Best Buddies

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
February 2, 2022
Business Professionals of America will be heading to the state competition this Thursday at Fort Worth. “I’m going in with an open mind, especially because this is my first year competing,” junior Sherry Hu said.

BPA judged event finals Saturday

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
January 21, 2022
Junior Chelan McNear's fencing journey has been met with moments of losing motivation. However, because of his abilities as well as determination, D’Asaro hopes Chelan can demonstrate more of his skills and continue to participate in fencing throughout college.

Ready, set, en garde: junior rediscovers passion for fencing

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
January 14, 2022
Anatomy and Physiology students created children's books in attempts to simplify and learn about the contraction cycle. “I believe this project was beneficial to me because once I started writing, I was able to fully grasp the process of the contraction cycle,” Ibrahim said.

Anatomy and physiology create children’s books

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
December 15, 2021
"I achieved my dream twenty-four years later in 1988 when I published my first newspaper column in The Paris News," Wortham said.

Father and daughter: a fate bound in the books

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
December 8, 2021
On Wednesday, the first United States case of the Omicron variant was reported in California. Since then, states, such as Minnesota, Colorado, New York, and Hawaii, have announced several confirmed cases of the new mutated strain.

New COVID variant in the United States

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
December 3, 2021
Grants for Great Ideas is a program offered to Frisco ISD educators that invites them to propose an innovative idea or project to improve the learning environment of the students in the district. After intense review, two science teachers on campus have received the grant.

Science teachers awarded FEF grant to improve classes

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
November 18, 2021
The TREaT program hosted by FISD is having Frisco students, staff, and families to discuss books in participating small businesses.

Frisco ISD hosting new TREaT event to promote literacy and local businesses

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
November 12, 2021
Pictured: Krishna Rajagopal (center) practicing sight-reading with two section members. Vowels, consonants, diction, and dynamics are in the back of every choir student's mind as UIL contest approaches. Beginning Tuesday, all three choirs on campus will sing their hearts out in the state-wide competition.

[Photo] Krishna Rajgopal

Caroline Caruso, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
November 9, 2021

Book Briefs: Katherine Allen

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 25, 2021
Senior Aryan Samal and junior Akash Pradeep competed in a hackathon alongisde many other high school students in hopes creating a solution to a problem through a piece of software. Through the 11-hour test of endurance, their team created a website that showcases an app that tracks the organic molecules that are present in compost bins.

Junior and senior win first place at hackathon challenge

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 20, 2021
Property taxes in Texas are one of the biggest issues being discussed by the Texas legislature right now with many lawmakers hoping to lower taxes. In August, Frisco ISD lowered its tax rate for the year, but in general, Texans pay a higher proportion of their home value toward property taxes, than homeowners in almost every other state.

Texas Trio event offers seniors information about admissions process

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 6, 2021
Leaving Brazil, João Victor came to the United States for the 2021-2022 school year.

Long journey north lands in Frisco

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
October 4, 2021
In this monthly podcast, staff reporter Rachel Kim talks with Liberty's staff and students about any and all things literature.

Book Briefs: librarian Chelsea Hamilton

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
September 27, 2021
The school will have its first pep rally in history held outside in order to abide by social distancing guidelines.

[Photo] Taking it outside

Shreya Jagan, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
September 23, 2021
15 Redhawks have been named National Merit Semifinalists for the class of 2022. A total of 109 Frisco ISD students earned this distinction with Liberty High being one of the top schools. Semifinalists will find out in February if they are a finalist.

Redhawks named semifinalists for National Merit Scholarship Program

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
September 21, 2021

Dad’s bedtime story to daughter becomes children’s book

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
September 17, 2021
Mental health issues have spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to many years, mental health is no longer something kept behind close doors.

Reducing the stigma of mental health issues through awareness

Erika Pernis and Rachel Kim
September 13, 2021
In this monthly podcast, staff reporter Rachel Kim talks with Liberty's staff and students about any and all things literature.

Book Briefs: an introduction

Rachel Kim, Staff Reporter
August 30, 2021
The counseling office is bringing all seniors to the auditorium during their English classes to discuss college essentials. Students without an FISD English class will receive an email with the presentation and an invite to a one-on-one counselor meeting.

[Photo] Counselors round up seniors for college application presentation

August 29, 2023
Bringing Beethoven back to life, senior Darel Consuega takes the part in theater's upcoming UIL show, 33 Variations. With the first musical of the year, SpongeBob, taking almost six months to complete, the actors are on a time crunch to get this show completed.

[Photo] From script to stage: Redhawk takes on the role of Beethoven

February 27, 2023
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