PCH Corral December 2016

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3 l oo O 6 M ch h S eld, 6 g i H rfi 01 ral este . 9, 2 nt h ec Ce d, C D y wa l Roa e 3 rk u Pa s Mil , Iss 1 d 6 o e m Wo N. Volu 69

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Students originating from many different Asian countries relocate to the United States as refugees for better education, safety and security while leaving behind their belongings and loved ones. pg. 12

District enters year three of sports marketing program pg. 5 Student photographer uses talents to start business pg. 6 Hockey players join other school teams to get ice time pg. 22

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Dec. 9, 2016

CONTENTS

corRAL

St. Louis Community College adds dual enrollment options pg. 4

CONTENTS

Shots from the Evening: Madrigal highlights pg. 7 ‘Shakespeare in Hollywood’ play review pg. 18 Winter athletes to watch pg. 20 Student employee reflects on Black Friday hysteria pg. 23

spotlight on powder puff Junior Alison Logan tries to avoid a flag tackle by senior Sophia Cantor during the second quarter of the Powder Puff game on Monday, Nov. 21.

Seniors Sam Schneiderman, Karis Kim, Tiffany Parker, Sally Kim, Natalie Lay and Emily Miller cheer from the sidelines.

Senior Will Jost dances along other powder puff cheerleaders juniors Anthony Zuanich, Jacob Giancola, Gabi Martin, Adam Boonshaft, Liad Lerner and Nicolas Goerres during the halftime at the Powder Puff game.

Senior Braiden Blatt chase Kelli Kinran as she races to the endzone during the third quarter.

Nick White, playing Dick Powell, and Jeremy Alport, playing Joe E. Brown, converse about the movie they had been cast in during “Shakespeare in Hollywood” on Nov. 18. Photo by Austin Bolte

staff editorial

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

if you read this, you’ll prove me wrong

We should appreciate literacy because reading aids in expression

staff editorial corral staff

F

or a lot of the world’s history, literacy was for the elite minority.

Until just a few hundred years ago, reading was a foreign concept to much of the population.

But that has changed, for reasons varying from the growth of public education to the globalization of the economy. An article from “Our World in Data” by Max Roser and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina states that “While only 12 percent of the people in the world could read and write in 1820, today the share has reversed: only 17 percent of the world population remains illiterate.”

Widespread literacy is one of the defining factors of the modern world.

But it’s become such a common concept that we have begun to take it for granted. We read every day, from notes on the whiteboard to social media posts. But we tend to complain about tedious textbook readings and are more likely to skip over online text that is longer than a few pages.

You’re reading a newspaper right now! You’ve made it to the third paragraph! You are, at this very moment, proving this argument wrong. The irony seeps through the pages. But this is good thing. We need to start reading, truly reading. And to do so we must foster a love of reading.

For one thing, people who read lots and often -- whether it’s novels, magazines, or facebook articles -- communicate more effectively. In terms of writing, one may consciously pick up certain styles or get ideas about topics and themes. But the less obvious and possibly more important improvement comes in the form of grammar, spelling and punctuation.

s y ya

I bet you just rolled your eyes, probably thinking about long lists of spelling words, or days spent in class struggling to stay awake while the teacher droned on and on about the proper use of a comma.

It is almost inarguable that this is a terrible way to learn about the mechanics of writing. Yet these minor details can make the difference between a well-written essay and a poorly-written one, regardless of your subject matter; it is difficult to take anything seriously once you start to notice missteaks.

Sometimes they take away from comprehension, making it harder for the reader to understand your ideas -making it harder for you to express the important things you have to say.

When you read a lot, mechanics begin to come naturally; it’s easier to just know where a comma goes, or how the word “mistake” is supposed to be spelled rather than having to painstakingly stuff the information into your head.

This carries over to speaking, too.

For one thing, an interviewer or boss will take you more seriously if you speak with smooth grammar.

Reading also makes it more likely for you to encounter common phrases, jargon and references, which will help you understand conversations with people you don’t normally speak to.

Finally, if you read interesting things, you will always have something to talk about with new people. Reading gives you ideas, clever puns and conversation-starters that can help you out if you’re stuck in awkward silence.

We should all read more. When we fill our time with paragraphs rather than pictures, verses rather than videos, we are better able to express ourselves in words. We live in an era of literacy -- let’s love it.

&ghs

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Staff Picks: Top 6 book recommendations “Flowers for Algernon” Daniel Keyes “I’ll Give You the Sun” Jandy Nelson “The Boys in the Boat” Daniel James Brown “The Martian” Andy Weir “The Maze Runner” James Dashner “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” Stephen Covey

Yays:

Temperatures are dropping, time to get your convertibles out.

Winter sports are off to a good start, let’s go Colts!

Neighs:

Having to clean out your closet to make room for those puffy jackets.

With the dropping temperatures comes the need for warmer clothes.

Halfway through one year closer to graduation, seniors!

Guys who wear shorts all of the time...it’s time to stop. Put some pants on.

Cuddle up with a fuzzy blanket; it’s winter break!

Better prepare: Those annoying relatives will be coming in town soon.

Two weeks of no school. WOOHOO!

Stop saying, “New year, new me.” It isn’t gonna happen.

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PCH CORRAL Editor-in-Chief Kayla Benjamin Managing Editor Noah Weidner Features Editor Libby Archer Sports Editor Liad Lerner

Entertainment Editor Evan Mogley Social Media Manager Libby Archer Staff Writers Sophie Baron Jessie Goldberg Jenna Lazaroff Garrett Lierman Madeline Lee Alex Luckerman Roya Porshahidy Brett Smith Athena Stamos Graphic Designer Noah Weidner Sam Benoist Adviser Ms. Tara Stepanek The Corral is a student-written, edited and produced publication of Parkway Central High School, 369 N. Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017; 314-4157978.

The Corral is given away free of charge to students and faculty. Subscriptions and patronships for one year may be purchased, starting at $20.

The goal of this publication is to provide accurate, informative and entertaining information in the true spirit of responsible journalism and to operate as an open forum for students, faculty, administrators and parents.

The Corral is created on Hewlett-Packard computers using Adobe Creative Suite 6 and is published by Missourian Publishing.

Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the majority of the staff. Signed columns and artwork reflect the views of that individual.

The staff appreciates comments and suggestions. Letters to the editor, guest editorials and other correspondence are encouraged but must be signed. The Corral reserves the right to publish or refrain from publishing, as well as edit, all submitted material.

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news

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

News in Brief

STLCC creates credit opportunities Madeline Lee staff writer

S Senior Erika Carter works on a watercolor project in Cara Deffenbaugh’s 6th block Advanced Draving on Nov. 29.

ART SHOW COMING

Student artwork will be on display throughout the art wing on Monday, Dec. 19 during the school day. All students who took an art class this semester will have at least one project featured in the show.

two selected for all-state choir

Juniors Aletha Bastin and Dom Doray were selected for the All-State Choir through the Missouri Choral Directors Association. They will perform at the Missouri Music Educators Association conference in Tan-Tar-A on Jan. 25-28.

THESPIANS TO PERFORM IN ALL-STATE SHOW

Senior Emily Kang and juniors Aletha Bastin and Jonathan Scully will be performing in the Missouri All-State production of “Iphigenia” at the Missouri State Thespian Conference on Jan. 11-14. Kang and Bastin have been cast in the play, and Scully is working on lighting.

FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE Final exams will be Dec. 19-22, according to the following schedule:

Dec. 19 >8th block final, 7:35-9:30 >Review periods in all other classes >2:30 dismissal Dec. 20 >1st block final, 7:35-9:30 >5th block final, 9:40-11:35 >11:35 dismissal Dec. 21 >2nd block final, 7:35-9:30 >6th block final, 9:40-11:35 >11:35 dismissal Dec. 22 >3rd block final, 7:35-9:30 >7th block final, 9:40-11:35 >11:35 dismissal

t. Louis Community College and the district are in the process of coordinating a dual enrollment program for high school students.

“Dual credit is when the student takes college-level classes at the high school taught by high school instructors,” Rebecca Emerson, the executive director of K-12 initiatives for STLCC, said. “Dual enrollment, on the other hand, is taught by an instructor employed by the college.”

The cost for dual credit and dual enrollment programs through STLCC differ too, with dual credit costing $25 per credit hour and dual enrollment costing $106 per credit hour; the dual credit program the district currently has with the University of Missouri-St. Louis costs $64 per credit hour.

“Courses are available throughout the metro region at our four campuses, two educational centers, and six centers of excellence,” Emerson said. “STLCC offers the best rate for general education transfer coursework as well as Career and Technical education coursework in our metro region.”

Dual enrollment courses are typically taken on a college campus, but they can also be taken online as well. Parkway students would most likely attend the Wildwood or Meramec campuses due to driving distance.

“Most often, high school students use dual enrollment to take what are called ‘gateway’ courses, or coursework that is normally taken during the first

year of college,” Emerson said.

With enrollment in the dual enrollment program comes access to campus clubs, organization and activities and the ability to receive college student discounts.

“High school students may register for nearly any STLCC course via dual enrollment as long as they meet prerequisites and placement testing requirements,” Emerson said. “The exceptions would be courses that are a part of selective admissions programming, such as nursing, courses designated by state or accreditation policy that have an age or high school graduation requirement, such as education courses or truck driving, or those with prerequisites.”

The grade and credits earned with dual enrollment directly transfer to the college transcript but only apply to high school graduation credit at the discretion of the individual school. Parkway has not yet determined if dual enrollment courses will count for graduation credit.

“Most of our 100-plus certificate and degree programs have components that qualified students may begin while still in high school,” Emerson said.

STLCC offers classes that range from Introduction to American Politics to engineering. An entire course selection dedicated to career and technical education is also available.

“Basically success breeds success, and establishing a strong college transcript early allows students to start momentum toward their post-high school college or career goals,” Emerson said.

Classes offered at STLCC College Composition I and II College Algebra Oral Communications Public Speaking Introduction to American Politics US History to 1865 US History 1865 to present General Chemistry Introduction to Sociology Career and Technical Education Classes Business Computers/information technology Engineering Manufacturing Health Life sciences Hospitality Culinary arts

senior reaches collection goal for veterans Kayla benjamin editor-in-chief

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roject Patriot has surpassed its goal since its inception, and senior Myra Dotzel is now ready to hand the mantle down to next year’s hardworking volunteers. Dotzel, who created the project as a sophomore, had set her sights on hitting 10,000 items for the three years; this year the items totaled over 10,700.

“It felt amazing; it felt like I actually accomplished something,” Dotzel said. “It’s the most amazing feeling to set a goal for yourself, not only accomplish it, but to surpass it.”

Dotzel is the president of Project Help, and the group contributes to the project at the school level by putting up signs and decorating the donation boxes that go into each classroom. Project Help members also help collect items from classrooms and sort them, but Dotzel takes the lead in the collection and delivery to Jefferson Barracks.

“Myra is one of the most humble people I’ve ever met,” Laura Lukowski, Project Help’s sponsor, said. “She is incredibly service-minded.”

Dotzel also works at Jefferson Barracks as a youth on-site volunteer.

“I volunteer there during the summer,” Dotzel said. “I help with letter writing and the supply room, and I also get to play games with the veterans.”

This is the last year she’ll be able to run the project, which she personally formed, organized and supervised, but she’s certain it is passing into capable hands with sophomore Kris Ahn. “It’s bittersweet to be graduating, but I think Kris is going to do a great job,” Dotzel said. “Kris has been involved since freshman year, but this is his first year actually working with Project Patriot.”

The continuing nature of Dotzel’s efforts stands out among the service projects done at our school.

“It’s been a sustainable project, not just something we did once,” Lukowski said. “It’s incredible.”

Dotzel feels that the project’s accomplishments lie not only in the items collected but also in raising awareness for veterans’ practical needs.

“I think it’s really about the education value,” Dotzel said. “There’s always gonna be that need for more personal hygiene care items in America. It’s never going to go away, but if we can minimize the need of people than I think that’s the lasting legacy.”

Through Project Patriot, senior Myra Dotzel serves veterans by collecting badly-needed personal hygeine products for Jefferson Barracks. Photo by Kayla Benjamin.

NEWS

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

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SPORTS MARKETING program MAKES PROGRESS district gains business partners, trails goal of paying off scoreboards NOAH WEIDNER MANAGING EDITOR

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anuary marks the start of the third year of a five-year deal between Kelly Sports Properties and the district to provide partnerships, media guides, and other products and discounts for the four high schools’ athletic programs. Progress is being made to generate revenue, however not at the pace that was anticipated when the deal was originally signed in 2015.

“Certainly we would love to [hit our goal], but right now, we are delayed in that,” Parkway CFO Patty Bedborough said.

“To date we have generated $1,025,000 from the deal total.”

The deal between Kelly Sports Properties and Parkway Schools was approved by the Board of Education in 2015 with the intent to both generate revenue for the district’s clubs and athletic programs, and to alleviate perceived future financial burdens on the district.

“We’re a relatively stable financial district in Parkway; we’re in a pretty good situation,” district athletic director Mike Roth said. “But years down the road: that’s where we’re looking now, as a way to generate outside revenue that we can take back into our school district for athletics and activities.”

To do this, 50 sponsorship slots were offered up, with varying levels and costs according to which level a business signs on to be. However, out of the 50 offerings available, only 11 of them have been filled, according to Roth.

According to the contract, Parkway pays commission on sales to KSP in a tiered system. As Parkway generates more revenue annually, the commission paid to KSP decreases. As of now, Parkway remains at tier one, paying KSP 30 percent in commission.

As a result, just over $715,000 has actually benefited the district directly, with the other $300,000 going to KSP. In order to display sponsorships and promote the district’s athletic programs, the district spent $1.8 million on video scoreboards for their four high schools.

Before money can start going back into athletic and organizational funds, the school board requires the revenue from partnerships to directly pay for these boards. “We’d need at least another million to pay off what we have, and then past that point we’d be able to start giving back to organizations,” Bedborough said.

This is why Roth, in collaboration with KSP, has been working to sign more partners.

“We’re constantly on sales calls, we’ve met with probably

“Certainly we would love to [hit our goal], but right now, we are delayed in that.”

—Patty Bedborough, district CFO

“I’m confident where we’re at. We’re making progress and that’s what we wanted.”

over 30 potential partners in the last month or two,” Roth said. “We’re in contact with 20-30 different corporations as we speak.”

Roth notes that last year was the first real year that the contract with KSP was implemented, notably through the creation of print materials and an athletic website for each high school, and the utilization of the scoreboards.

“We’re in our infancy,” Roth said. “It might be year two of the contract, but it’s really kind of starting.”

Roth believes that as the deal gains more momentum and Parkway signs more partners, that more interested parties will want to partner with the district.

“This is definitely not a speedboat, this is a cruise liner,” Roth said. “So it takes time, but I’m confident where we’re at. We’re making progress, and that’s what we wanted.”

Despite the progress, coaches note that they have yet to see a real impact in the funds coming into their programs as they expected based on meetings with KSP at the start of the contract. As a result, coaches and their athletes are still having to turn to fundraisers to adequately support their programs.

“I’m going to be coaching my 39th year,” track and field coach Steve Warren said. “The actual team budgets haven’t changed that much. The amount of money I was given back in the late 70’s and early 80’s and 90’s is about as much as we’re getting now.”

A reason Parkway signed with KSP for the sports marketing program was the success noted in Columbia (Mo.) Public Schools. CPS generated $680,000 in profit for its athletic programs after paying for two scoreboards costing $324,000. Overall, CPS netted $1.15 million.

Even with this success, at the end of CPS’ fiveyear contract with KSP, the administration transitioned to an in-house marketing program.

“While we are not yet certain we will be managing more affordably at year end, we do know we are managing the program in a way that is better received from partners, parents and coaches,” Columbia CFO Linda Quinley said. “This program is about relationships with your community partners, which include families. The direct connection to

check out

—Mike Roth, district athletic director

them when using our staff to manage the program is a positive one.”

Parkway has three years left in its contract with KSP to evaluate its success. Even if the district has not generated the revenue originally projected by this point, administrators are confident that the deal is good for the district.

“I think it is good for Parkway, I think it’s good for our Parkway community, our student athletes, our parents, and I support it 100 percent,” Roth said. “You never know what your struggles or trials and tribulations will be, but I think this will ease the financial burden down the road.”

KSP did not respond to requests for comment.

T

o a l: he G

$1.8 million

$1.1 million

Remainder to Goal (paying off scoreboards)

$718,000

Parkway Earnings to Date (before commission)

stories on: Mix-it-Up Day Marching Band Changes to the Colt Cafe Pronoun Usage YouTube > TheNewPCHtv

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features

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

Top: Alexis Livingston Middle Left: Miles Sanders Middle Right: Karis Kim Bottom Left: Braiden Blatt Bottom Right: Jenny Chai Photos by Maddie Hall

Money Shot

Hall makes profit taking senior pictures Evan Mogley Entertainment Editor

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Maddie Hall Senior Photographer Cost: $20

per hour* *expected to increase soon and includes editing time Social Media: @maddiehalll (Instagram)

@_maddiehall (Twitter) Schedule: Plan three weeks in advance

he frenzy for senior pictures has certainly set in. With seniors from all over the school -- and all over the country -- flocking to photographers for quality shots, senior Maddie Hall saw an opportunity to turn her hobby into a business, and capitalized on it.

“The business started after I advertised on my Instagram that I would take senior pictures for a low price,” Hall said. “I didn’t think that so many people would ask me, even people that I don’t know.

However, becoming very busy with it forced me to think about it as more of a business by setting prices and being more professional.”

Hall certainly has amassed an audience for her shots, after taking over 14 senior’s pictures, with clients lined up through the rest of the month. But, what is it that makes Hall’s pictures so popular?

The way Hall has set up a personal relationship with her clients has made the shoot more organic and fluid for more realistic and personable facial expressions.

“It was just nice that we already had an established relationship where she felt comfortable telling me these things and I knew she was saying it to be constructive,” senior Alexis Livingston said. “We were laughing the entire shoot, and I think that made my photos turn out better because I was genuinely happy and my smiles were not forced, rather a product of the fun we were having.”

This process of focusing on the client’s facial expression, personality type, and her attention to detail is what makes Hall’s photo process much more personal and pleasurable to the clientele.

“If the client is more of a serious person, I might do a close up with a more serious facial expression,” Hall said. “If they are a silly person, I might take some candid laughing pictures. The location is also unique to the photo. There is a huge difference between a photo in the city and a photo in the park.”

Location of the photos seems to define the pictures themselves, as it provides not only the backdrop and scenery but the lighting and environments the clients will be surrounding themselves in.

“I leave it up to the client to decide where they want their pictures taken,”

Hall said. “I’ve done photo shoots from everywhere to downtown, to people’s homes, but I always set up my shots by looking for shade and a background that doesn’t clash with what the client is wearing.”

Her clients appreciate this careful preparation and willingness to adapt.

“She did a really good job with lighting and timing because as the sun started to go down she would move me to certain places to make sure it was a good picture,” senior Braiden Blatt said.

“She could just tell me what looked good without it being awkward.”

Something to note as well; it is just Maddie and her camera. No fancy equipment or special lighting. She has created a business from the Canon across her neck and the 50mm f/1.8 lens attached to it. Not even a tripod. Because her lens of choice has no zoom, and her decision to not use a tripod, Hall herself is constantly moving ensuring that she captures all angles and uses every opportunity to get the perfect shot.

“I differ from other photographers who do seniors pictures in the composition and mood of my images,” Hall said. “I try to photograph people in the most comfortable and organic way as possible.”

Being comfortable with the photographer seems to be a key reason for Hall’s success. Her clients feel that it contributes to the authenticity of her comments and helps make the process less of a struggle for both parties.

“The shoot was unique in a sense that it was more of hanging out too and I just felt comfortable with her,” Parkway West senior Jenny Chai said. “She really is an awesome photographer and is great with making natural poses, especially when you’re awkward like me.”

The creativity that created a senior picture business was ignited during Hall’s time in the photography classes she took.

“Photo class has allowed me to experiment with different film and digital processes, while becoming a more skilled photographer,” said Hall. “I use the skills I learned in photo class when taking senior pictures and I probably wouldn’t have this business if I didn’t take a photo class each year.”

With Hall’s success already apparent, it will be interesting to watch where her career will take her and what other moments she will be able to capture.

features

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

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1 1. Junior Libby Archer attempts to “sell” junior Mitch Broddon to an audience member at the choir Madrigal Dinner on Friday, Dec. 2.

2. Seniors Mikayla Wieser and Sydney Smith and junior Nicole Davis perform in the opening presentation, dressed in period costumes.

3. Sophomore AJ Collier teases sophomore Jake Gaby, playing the boar’s head in the classic carol.

4. Serving dinner catered

by TGI Friday’s, freshmen Emily Fidell and Naomi Kessler prepare to bring plates to their guests.

5. Junior Katy McCormick and senior Sydney Hirsch travel through the commons to treat each table to a song in exchange for tips.

6. The royal court, composed of senior Lindy Unell, junior Libby Archer, senior Hannah Steinmann, senior Anthony Blatter and senior Will Harold and toast their guests before the Madrigal dinner.

7. Freshmen line the entrance to the Madrigal dinner, greeting guests and helping them find tables.

8. Sharing a joke, senior Ariella Mahoney attempts to entertain the royal dinner party on stage while helping to narrate the evening.

Photos by Kayla Benjamin

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Courtly Choirs

Kayla Benjamin Editor-in-chief

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Features

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

brace yourselves: finals are coming

W

ith finals week almost upon us, stress is building up for grade-levels alike. While freshmen are stressing over the first finals week of their high school career, seniors are generally relaxed about it as it is their last year of high school finals.

“Oh my gosh, I’m kind of stressed out,” freshman Savannah Grasmick said. “I don’t like high school, it seems really hard.”

Grasmick is concerned about finals being the last chance to bring up grades, and is scared of getting a bad score and just failing in general. Grasmick plans to prepare by studying hard that could result in a few tears.

“Honestly, I’m a little bit nervous for the finals this year,” freshman Ella Hayek said. “I know that’s only because I have never had a big final before.”

However, some seniors have felt that they are ready for finals as it is their last year taking them in high school. “[I’m] like way more calm about it,” senior Stephanie Vierling said. “Freshmen year you didn’t know what to expect.” Vierling has already been accepted to colleges which makes her less concerned of finals.

There are a mix of advantages and disadvantages to being a senior going into finals, because they are more used to the exams, but some prepare more due to the more in-depth material taught senior year.

“I feel a lot more confident [towards finals],” senior Justin Sellers said. “As in, my freshmen year I was scared to take finals, and this year I’m used to the process.”

Advice given to freshmen in the past has included that they should not get super stressed out, and should try to remember everything on the final was taught that semester.

“I think finals are kinda pointless because if we got good grades on our tests throughout the semester, then that shows we know the things taught,” Hayek said.

Freshman Hunter King took finals in past years while attending Incarnate Word Academy, and feels that helped him with the process. Whereas at Central Middle, there aren’t finals, so freshmen may not know what to expect.

“In general, I think they are over-hyped,” King said. “They aren’t as scary as they seem.”

On the other hand, seniors such as Johanna Hogan did not realize that she should be scared of finals as a freshmen. Now in her senior year, Hogan, she will prepare much more for finals compared to freshman year, specifically math and English for her final exams.

“I also feel like it won’t be something I will get super stressed about,” Hayek said. “But the scariest thing about finals week is that everyone will be so hectic.”

sam benoist graphic designer

PROCRASTINATE

TIME SPENT

STUDYING

Staff writer

FUEL PREPARE STUDY FOR FINALS REST 5 OF 6 STUDENTS REPEAT 5%

39%

73%

BY STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS

Athena Stamos

HOW DO YOU

FINALS ADVICE

freshmen freak out while seniors chill during finals

MORE THAN 20 HOURS

10 TO 20 HOURS

56% LESS THAN 10 HOURS

“DONT PSYCH YOURSELF OUT” “LISTEN TO LIL UZI FOR 48 HOURS” “GET HELP FROM TEACHERS” “GET PLENTY OF SLEEP” “JUST DO IT” “WORK IN ADVANCE” n=154 students

features

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

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employed students work to set priorities Sophie Baron STAFF WRITER

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screeching alarm goes off at 6:15 in the morning and you have a long day ahead of you, a full eight hours of school work, staying after for help, plus a few more hours for your after school job. You’ve spent the whole day on your feet and get home around 8pm just to start another four hours awake catching up on homework, studying, practicing for extracurriculars, and -- not to mention -- you still have to eat.

Hopefully you can spare a few minutes to talk to friends and family today, but it’s not likely. Once the day is finally over you jump into bed and start it all over after just a few short hours of sleep.

This may seem long and exhausting to some, but this is the reality of being a high-schooler for many students. Many people find themselves in the workforce along with after school clubs, sports, and so much more. Finding the balance between everything life has to offer as a teen is a common struggle that often includes going to work.

“Life would be so different if I didn’t have a job because I couldn’t go anywhere without money for gas and couldn’t spend money on things I want,” junior Ashley Fogarty, who works at St. Louis Bread Company, said.

With a job, there is more money for fun activities, but less time for school and clubs. Without a job, there is more time to get everything done but less money for those social things. With work every day after school, students often struggle to finish homework, which can lead to excess of stress and sleep deprivation.

“I definitely have more time for homework, sports, and sleeping, which I’m so happy about because everyone else stresses,” junior Natalie Francesconi, who does not have a job, said.

Each person has a different financial situation that leads them to have different needs. While some rely on parents and family

members for daily activities, others are more independent.

“I’m terrible with money, so literally I don’t think I would be able to do anything because I pay for everything myself,” junior Hannah Briggs, who works two jobs, said. “I wouldn’t have a car or a phone or half my clothes if I didn’t have a job,” Most teens work in what are considered ‘starter jobs,’ such as being a hostess, car washer, and cashier. Being an employee in high school is almost like having two full time jobs: school and work. Each person has different priorities. From an employer’s point of view, coming to work is often the number one priority, but to a student attending school, studying could be more important. Not all employers are accommodating to the demands of school, but many of these ‘starter jobs’ are extremely understanding.

“I mostly get everything done,” Fogarty said. “If I have a test I can leave early from work or go in later.”

Not all people have as easy of a situation though. For example, Briggs, who works at Imo’s and Waterway, does not get home until late at night and works a total of about 30 hours a week. She earns around 350 dollars.

Having a job offers a new perspective on everyday situations and a new outlook as a responsible person. Despite the struggles of balancing school and work, some may argue that it makes them better off in the long run.

“I think it makes me a more rounded person because I have responsibility,” Fogarty said. “After high school it will be easier for me to get a job because I have experience,” Not only does having a job provide an ample amount of opportunities in the future, it also creates a new sense of understanding and respect towards other workers.

“Now I always give a good tip and in tip jars because now I know it sucks when at the end of the night you walk out with only a dollar,” Briggs said. “As a customer I am more patient with the people serving me because they just work there, they are not experts,”

Taking a short break from work, junior Ashley Fogarty is happy to have her job at St. Louis Bread Company. “I am thankful for my job because of the money I earn from working hard and I feel very accomplished when I get my paycheck,” Fogarty said.

Speakers in backpacks: Distraction or expression?

Garrett Lierman staff writer

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ver the last several months, multiple students have taken it upon themselves to share their music with all those who traverse the halls by loudly playing music from speakers in their backpacks. There is no policy for this, but there is debate as to whether one is needed.

“I feel like there is a fine line in this school,” long-term substitute teacher Ohmar Steed said. “Everyone here is a millennial, they’re all digital natives. Everyone is synced to their phone in some way. It used to be that nobody was allowed to use their phones and now you can. Maybe this is just similar to that, and people are just pushing the boundaries.”

While technically the student planner and handbook says that phones are allowed during passing periods and lunch, it is widely known by students and staff alike that a multitude of teachers allow cell phone use in class provided it is solely for academic purposes or that it does not distract from class. While the speakers are not used in the actual classroom, some feel that they are a distraction in the halls.

“To me it’s annoying because I don’t particularly like the type of music they typically play,” sophomore Megan Baris said.

The general attitudes surrounding the musical backpacks includes people who find it mildly annoying, people who fully support and enjoy it and people who simply don’t mind or care at all. The issue many students seem to take with it is the sheer volume. The music can be heard from one end of the intersec-

tion of the history and language hallways to the other with many students in the middle either grumbling or bobbing their heads to the beat.

“I don’t know if there is a policy and I don’t see why someone who wanted to play music would care,” Baris said.

While the student handbook contains a policy for things such as a student parking in the wrong parking lot, the only mentions of anything digital are the Internet policy and the phone policy.

A seriously distracting use of an electronic device is punishable by a 10-day suspension from the school, it does not define what is considered a “serious disruption.”

“I think it’s pretty annoying and there should probably be something against it,” junior Isaiah Galvan said.

There have been a large number of grumblings from students and teachers alike. Students complain that it’s distracting and causes more chaos in the hallway than is necessary. Teachers complain that the music can be heard through the walls of their classrooms distracting them from work or setting up for the next hour of students.

Even students who are annoyed by it, however, understand students who choose to blare their music.

“It’s an act of self-expression, even if it’s a distraction,” Baris said.

Principal Chris Dallas is often the hallway monitor of the intersection of the history and language hallways. He stated that students usually turn down or turn off their music when asked.

Some students are repeat offenders, waiting until they are actually asked to stop again to turn it down. However, most stu-

Speakers like this iHome speaker are often used during school hours. They can be as low as 15 dollars or as high as 75 dollars. Most feature some form of bass-boosting capability and are small enough to fit in almost any pocket of a backpack without much, if any, distraction or getting in the way.

dents possessing speakers have begun to turn down the volume before they reach the area monitored by the principals.

“I usually ask them to turn it down or turn it off,” Dallas said. “They can use their headphones because I don’t think everybody needs to be hearing all that.”

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student half marathoners give back Athena Stamos Staff Writer

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tarting this year, students who participate in Students on the Go must complete eight hours of community service.

The Students on the Go (SOTG) program wants students to get more involved in the running community.

“The rule made me evaluate my life and how I give back to the community,” junior Allison Logan said. “It has influenced me to really think about how I don’t give back enough to St. Louis.”

This is Logan’s first year participating in SOTG. However, others such as junior and second year participant, Ryan Ellinger, felt a little differently.

“I was a little bit annoyed [about the new requirement],” Ellinger said. “But, I’m fine with it because it’s a good thing.”

In addition, not only can students give back in the community while participating in a half marathon, but students have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. Senior Jake Schwartz will have to write an essay, as well as be one of the top runners in the race in April.

“I’m excited to apply for this scholarship as a couple people from our school have gotten it,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz has been participating in SOTG for three years now. Although he does not like it, he understands why SOTG implement this new policy.

“It ensures that people are actually prevalent in the racebased community,” Schwartz said.

For Schwartz’s community service, he will find any races that are in the area and volunteer to help.

“I personally do not agree with this requirement, as many

people will not fulfill it and the number of participants in the half marathon will decrease,” Schwartz said.

According to Terri O’Leary, coordinator for SOTG, this year the number of students participating have doubled in numbers.

The average this year is thirty-four students.

“To give back to the community with service is a good way to show you are ready for the marathon and as students you have an obligation to do some sort of service throughout the year,” first year participant sophomore Gottlieb Gerstenecker said.

Community service options consist of volunteering at a run/ walk, cleaning up around your school, hosting a canned food drive, or volunteering at a local non-profit organization.

“The running community is very positive and giving,” O’Leary said. “Students will benefit by being a part of such a community.”

According to O’Leary, the new requirement of community service will “involve students in more aspects of the running community.”

Gerstenecker already does so many service projects that the requirement of community service is nothing major to him.

Sophomore and first year participant, Erin Brozek babysits regularly, so getting eight hours of community service will not be an issue.

“I really like the idea of giving back to the community as a requirement to run,” Logan said. “I’m grateful it is a requirement so I can do my part by contributing my service to the community.”

If for some reason a student has not done their eight hours of community service by April 9th, 2017, students will not be able to participate in the half marathon.

Sophomore, Gottlieb Gerstenecker runs timed mile in preparation for Students on the Go with sophomore Alex Goldberg on Nov. 21. Photo by Athena Stamos

andrew mannis takes on a global lead Jenna lazaroff Staff writer

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From left Junior Andrew Mannis poses with Phoebe Wolkowitz and Niki Fagin while at a AIPAC policy confrence in mid November. Right, Mannis is about to officially become a BBYO board member of St. Louis.

here are many opportunities throughout high school to become a leader and involved in activities. Specifically Jewish people at our school are involved in a group called BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization).

What you may not know is Andrew Mannis a junior has a global position that no one else has.

“My main job is to oversee the main goals and functions of the committee,” Mannis said. “The committee is comprised of over 80 high schoolers from 10 countries (and counting), so I make sure that the global connections are impactful, and networking is strong.”

Mannis is the Global Networking Committee Chair for BBYO. His job it to creates and assigns every task, goal, and vision for the year and ensures that the committee members work diligently to globalize BBYO. In basic terms, he creates every task and sees to its completion with subcommittee groups.

“I have on average 3-5 calls a week from anywhere for over an hour,” Mannis said. “They are with people from any given country in the committee and about a variety of topics.”

This job is cutting into a great deal of Mannis’ free time. In addition to taking up school/homework time, it takes up a significant portion of his social life, although he makes many friends through the program.

“I have to spend a large portion of weeknights and

most of my weekends working on this committee,” Mannis said.

Like any job, it has its ups and downs. But Mannis speaks of positive friendships as he bonds with students from other parts of the world.

“The best part is the constant and ever-strengthening relationships that I build with teens, just like me, from all over the world,” Mannis said. “I often times wake up to ‘good morning’ texts from friends across the ocean in Europe or in South America.”

According to Mannis, he’s not certain of his future in BBYO. But wants to continue along this path.

“There are a variety of amazing leadership opportunities in BBYO, and I will go wherever they take me,” Mannis said. “I want to be able to make an impact on my community and the world, and so far my path has set me up to do exactly that. I hope to continue this in the future.”

Although most of his work is done in town, there are some opportunities for him to travel and experience different things.

“I am invited on many international trips towards the end of the school year and I go to our International Convention in February early to coordinate the global teen delegations, but technically I’m not required to take these trips,” Mannis said.

Mannis proves his hard working abilities through his leadership role.

“I have become a stronger leader, organized and hard worker, and a better person through this position,” Mannis said.

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Exchange students embrace time with host family DAIHANA JIMENEZ STAFF WRITER

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hree exchange students: one from Norway, and two from Germany. They live with local students and their families during their academic stay here at Parkway Central, an experience that provides the opportunity to generate connections and take part in a different culture.

“I am really happy,”Sophomore, Moritz Dittrich from Germany said. “When I applied I didn’t know what to expect, but it’s been fun.”

Since the students arrived in St. Louis, they’ve been able to experience exciting adventures here. They’ve gone to Six Flags, hiking, boating and hockey games.

“I went boating and to San Francisco with them, we spent two days at a farm, and went laser tagging,” Junior, Nicolas Gorres from Germany said.

Kai Borgen, from Norway, has been able to enjoy a Blues games and visiting The Arch.

“I’ve been to the Blues games, sporting events and to The Arch. I haven’t gone up but I plan too,” Borgen said.

On the other hand, Moritz Dittrich has done many outdoors activities, but most enjoys spending his time nice and cozy inside and having conversations with his host family.

“We go hiking, biking, they take me around the city, but I have more fun talking to them and exploring,” Dittrich said.

Even though there having fun, moving to a completely different country and learning a new language has been a big challenge that they had to face.

“Joining their life and communicating was hard, but now it’s not that bad,” Gorres said.

Coming all the way from Germany and Norway, they might be a little homesick, but the families help a lot by opening their doors, being welcoming, and appreciating the high school exchange students. The students are housed with different families, where they share American customs and traditions; for example, dinnertime.

“Their way of life is different, so an example is eating only one meal for dinner and that’s it,” Gorres said.

The students expect to be treated as if they are part of the family and to live the life of a typical American teenager, but are still pleasantly surprised when it really happens.

“I feel like they’re part of my family and I never thought that they were going to feel this,” Dittrich said.

Even though to us chores can be a big burden, taking away your free-time and sometimes part of a punishment, for Dittrich, it’s anything but. He seems to enjoy the experience, no matter the task.

“At home, besides being part of the family, I do chores, normal things that everyone does here,” Dittrich said. “It’s fun, that’s why I came here, to experience this.”

Host families not only teach the foreign students American traditions but also values and lessons that will help reinforce their professional development.

“It’s been great; they taught me what Americans value compared to what Germans value,” Dittrich said. “I see this everyday and it helps me progress as well.”

Foreign students have been able to meet and to make friends, during their stay in America, not only with students in school but also with their “host brothers and sisters”.

“He is like a real brother and I talk to him more than my other siblings, because of the age difference, my siblings are younger and Kai is around my same age,” Junior, Patricia Rutherford whose family hosts Kai Borgen said.

Their host brothers and sister help facilitate the learning of English language by socially exploring and doing activities.

“Every Friday we work out at the gym, we always do everything together and school is probably when I don’t see him every 20 second” Junior Spencer Hritz whose family hosts Nicolas Gorres said.

Enjoying activities with foreign exchange students can be an enriching experience in many ways. It is a way to know another culture without traveling, to learn another language, and to expand the view of the world.

“I would like to teach people about my culture and learn about them,” Borgen said.

The objective of this program is to help foreign exchange students find the skills and knowledge necessary to expand their vision of the world and make it a more just and peaceful place by teaching students different cultures regardless of their origin. Cultural barriers are overcome, and these experiences will help them to live in a more peaceful world.

“The program was peace founded after world war because people did not understand each other and thought that with these programs, relationships could be built,” Borgen said.

1

2

3 1. The Rutherford family, who host senior Kai Borgen from Norway, greeted him with a Norwegian flag and warm smiles. Photo courtesy of Patricia Rutherford.

2. The Hritz family is currently hosting junior Nicolas Gorres from Germany. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Gorres.

3. Exchange students Nicolas Gorres, Moritz Dittrich and Kai Borgen enjoy lunch time with host brother and sister, Patricia Rutherford and Spencer Hritz. Photo courtesy of Patricia Rutherford.

4. Kai Borgen, Nicolas Gorres and Moritz Dittrich first arrived in St. Louis. Photo courtesy of Patricia Rutherford.

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From a been in years re left beh memor

Madeline Lee

S Staff Writer

mall steps. That’s all you can take as you exit the airport’s room for Customs and Border Protection. You carry only what you could take from your home, and you think about the things that you have left behind: Pictures, books, clothes, memories and even family members are left in the country you escaped.

Countless hours have been sacrificed to get you on that plane in the first place. Interview after interview, piles and piles of paperwork -- all so that your background can be checked -- they all lead up to this moment.

Walking through the automatic doors you stop, gazing all around. People sweep past you with bundles of suitcases, talking fast in a language that you don’t understand.

Overwhelmed, you begin to process where you are and what you will have to face: You’re here in America.

E “When I first moved here it was so hard; I cried.”

--Haya Alayoubi (9)

ach day, refugees from around the world escape to foreign countries to seek a better life. They go through a process that takes years to complete in order to have more opportunities, as well as to be safe and secure.

Out of the nearly 50 students in the English Speakers of Other Languages program at school, seven are refugees from countries in Asia.

“I feel sorry for my country because they don’t feel they are free,” freshman Oysha Yuldosheva, a refugee from Uzbekistan, said. “I couldn’t use my religion, I couldn’t wear my hijab. I came here to be free, to do what I want.”

Even though the thought of moving to the United States to have some of these freedoms was appealing to these students, it did not lessen the motional departure from their

“I came to the United States because here, it is safe. They saved my life.”

--Saif Alrashid (12) home countries.

“When I first moved here it was so hard; I cried,” freshman Haya Alayoubi, a refugee from Syria, said. “I had friends in my neighborhood, but in America I don’t have any friends.”

Alayoubi came to the United States from Syria when she was 12.

“I came to the U.S. because we have a war,” Alayoubi said. “I miss the people, but I don’t want to go back.”

Many refugee students share this feeling, as they have had to part from their families and friends, but they know that conditions in their home countries make life too challenging.

“There was danger,” senior Saif Alrashid said. “They were trying to kill my brother because of his name, Omar, and my other brother Osman. They tried to kill both of my brothers.”

Alrashid, who has been a refugee for seven years and has been in the United States for three years, was born in Iraq but sought refuge in Jordan, then Turkey, and finally the United States.

“I came to the United States because here, it is safe,” Alrashid said. “They saved my life.”

While he has made the move to the freedom of American society, other members of his family are not so fortunate.

“My father is still in Turkey,” Alrashid said. “He has been a refugee for 12 years. The hardest part is the wait-

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Dec. 9, 2016

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across Asia, refugee students who have n the United States from a few months to two eflect on their journey to America. Having hind homes, family members, friends and ries, some have given everything to be here. ing.”

The United States is accessible only to a small portion of refugees and is often viewed as a final option for refuge and resettlement. Annually, the United States helps about 10,000 refugees out of the 65.3 million refugees in the world, according to the United Nations.

Before entering the United States, refugees go through strict background checks, processing and interviews, which can take longer than two years to complete.

There are about seven steps that a refugee must take to get to the United States, starting with referrals to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, according to its website, and ending with Customs and Border Protection admitting the person to the United States as a refugee.

Syrian refugees, such as Alayoubi, must go through extra screening and interviews that include questioning.

The Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate also monitors terror-watch lists and takes part in the questioning of the Syrian refugees to determine if any pose a threat to national security.

Despite this complexity, many refugees seek to complete this process in hopes of a life without persecution.

“Uzbekistan was good; I had all that I need,” Yuldosheva said. “The only thing I didn’t like was I couldn’t use my religion -- but here I am free.”

Yuldosheva came to the United States when she was 14 and was grateful to become a part of American society.

“I just couldn’t believe that I was here. I saw the United States on the TV, and back there I was home schooled so I felt really happy.”

--Oysha Yuldosheva (9)

“I just couldn’t believe that I was here,” Yuldosheva said.

“I saw the United States on the TV, so I felt really happy.”

Yuldosheva was home schooled in Uzbekistan, so she is also having a positive experience with American schooling.

“Of course I miss my friends and our culture, but here I feel better,” Yuldosheva said.

Every day, about 110 children flee to the U.S., and about 30-40 percent of all refugees that are resettled in the United States are children. Out of all of the refugees in the ESOL program, all of them came to the United States when they were 16 or younger.

Freshman Bijoyni Florey came to the United States when she was 13.

“The culture was a lot different from here, like I was more religious when I was in Bangladesh,” Florey said. “I came because the education is better here and I want to become a doctor. I also wanted to be with my sister.”

While Florey now lives with her sister, she came to America without the rest of her family, even though she does occasionally get to see them.

“I’m with my sister but not my parents; they visit here sometimes, like once or twice a year,” Florey said.

Despite the comfort of having a family member in her new country with her, Florey said it has still been a process to get accustomed to her new life.

“When I first came here I was kind of nervous because I didn’t know a lot of English,” Florey said.

The students say the language barrier is one of the major issues in transitioning into a new culture. Another is helping to break down the stereotypes that Americans have formed about people of other countries.

“I want people to know that Syrians are good people, not bad,” Alayoubi said.

“The education is better here and I want to become a doctor. I wanted to be with my sister.”

--Bijoyni Florey (9)

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dec. 9, 2016

Day in a life of a . . . principal Jessie Goldberg staff writer

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veryone has a routine. We all wake up, come to school, go to class, eat lunch, and go home. Yet, as a principal, that routine is a bit different. Principals still wake up, come to school, but rather than going to class, they have their own agendas: from meetings and conferences with students or teachers to hallway supervision and lunch duty, there is still some sort of routine.

On the other hand, every day in high school is a much different experience than the previous day, especially in each grade. Twelfth grade principals focus on the future of the students whereas tenth grade principals focus on helping students figure out who they are.

Let’s find out what the principals were doing on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2016.

Building Principal Mr. Tim McCarthy

Something Unique to Him “I keep oatmeal over in the corner of my office”

Daily Routine “I have lunch duty on Wednesdays and Thursdays”

Freshman Principal Mr. Tim Fast

Something New Today “We had our Veteran’s Day celebration”

Nov. 11

Daily Routine “I work with kids by supervising the hallways and supervising the lunchroom”

Sophomore Principal Mr. Chris Dallas

Senior Principal Dr. Sarah Power

Daily Routine “I’m in charge of all new teachers”

Something Unique to Her “I wait until Friday to call in students who have missed classes” “On Friday, students will be calling home if they skipped classes” “It’s called Phone-Call Friday”

Something Unique to Her “My job gets interesting when I’m having to give relationship advice”

Daily Routine “I have a list of students I want to talk to for a variety of reasons”

Unique to Sophomore Year “The sophomore year is really the year to find out who you’re about and what you’re about”

Daily Routine “I usually have some sort of to-do list”

Junior Principal Dr. Shenita Mayes

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entertainment

dec. 9 2016

mogley’s music of the month evan mogley entertainment editor

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True Love (2015) - Ariana Grande

n this edition of Music of the Month, we delve into the world of holiday music. I say world because it certainly has rules of its own.

Remixes of classic carols, original songs, and iconic covers, the Christmas season blends together all different genres, artists, and feelings to help us prepare for the Holiday season.

Traveling through the different decades White and how each one has effected the other, let’s take a look at how Christmas music has evolved over time.

The name of the album this song comes off of is “Christmas and Chill.” That should give you some indication of the kind of Christmas songs Ms. Grande has in mind. With “True Love,” Grande has infused elements of Trap and R&B with sweet lyrics of winter and Christmas time to make one of the biggest Holiday club jams there is (if Holiday Clubs are a thing?). Synthesizers pulsate throughout the song as Grande’s strong vocals can be felt all over the track. While enunciation has always been a struggle for her, Grande has continually served the best vocal ability of her generation, even reaching the highs of another famous singer on this list. A very modern take on the Christmas carol “12 Days of Christmas,” Grande has ventured into a different style than her previous work and has continued to surprise us with what she is willing to experiment with (production and lyric-wise.) Made within the span of a week, “Christmas and Chill” brings loving lyrics and heavy productions, re-branding what a Christmas song sounds like in the modern era. A remix to one of the most well known Christmas carols isn’t something we thought we needed -- but certainly helps create a need for Christmas club bangers -- with Ms. Grande there to fill the void.

All I Want for Christmas is You (1994) - Mariah Carey Arguably the most popular modern Christmas song, I’m not even sure Mariah Carey knew the phenomenon she was creating with this song. As a matter of fact -- it almost didn’t happen. In the prime of her career, Carey’s management was worried about the release of a Christmas album.

Carey did it anyway, and we’re so glad she did. With the release of her 1994 album “Merry Christmas,” she not only attained a top 3 album but brought us the bliss that is this song. Light strums with bells lead Carey into the ensuing piano and drum beats. Huge energy accompanies Carey as she sings to be with her lover, even if they have to give up all the holiday-themed items that usually accompany the season. Having a range of E5 notes (yikes that’s very high, don’t try that at home kids), prominent backing vocals, huge swarms of energy, and bells upon bells- this is Christmas pop perfection. The songbird supreme created something equal to magic with the song that continues to top Holiday charts year after year... Even 22 years later.

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Blue Christmas (1957) - Elvis Presley

Christmas (1941) - Bing Crosby

This cover is the best selling song. Ever. So there’s that. “White Christmas,” originally composed by Irving Berlin (who is one of the most famous composers ever, reaching #1 on the charts 25 times), was given to Crosby to record for the movie “Holiday Inn.” Released in conjunction with his album “Merry Christmas,” Bing Crosby created THE Christmas song. Pulling at the nostalgia for the season with imagery of sleigh bells, snowflakes falling over the land, and glistening trees, it’s got the power to put anyone in a festive mood. While the lyrics itself are only 3 paragraphs long, they certainly pack the punch needed.

Crosby’s voice, while not as deep or smooth as some of today’s holiday icons, is still able to carry the song -- even if it is somewhat monotone. Recorded alongside the Trotter Orchestra and backup singers, The Darby Singers, the atmosphere of the song captures everything we have come to think of when we hear a Christmas song. While the song itself initially performed very poorly, it eventually found itself a home in our hearts and on our phones. With over 500 covers of the song, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the most recognized songs of our time.

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Marvel’s ‘doctor strange’: it’s marvelous!!

BRETT SMITH STAFF WRITER

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et ready for the most mind-bending Marvel movie of them all.

Once an entertainment genre that was very much underrated, movies based on comic book characters have in recent years become home to one of the most popular movie genres to date. From rocket-wielding raccoons to arrogant billionaires in military-grade tin cans, Marvel has been doing their original source material justice over the last few years with blockbuster productions of classic Marvel characters. In the last few years, some of the more obscure characters have made their way onto the big screen, and the newest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a lot stranger than those before it, and is unlike anything the world’s seen before. On Nov. 4, the world fell in love with one of the best comic book characters of all time: Dr. Strange.

As the opening Marvel Logo rolls in, the movie wastes no time as you jump right into the action with a battle between a being known as the Ancient One (Played by Tilda Swinton) against a man named Kaecilius (Played by Mads Mikkelsen), a former student of the Ancient One, with his disciples aiding him.

This fight immediately demonstrates one of this film’s biggest strengths: the special effects. Beautiful and also very crisp, the visuals in this movie are fresh, fast, and exciting to watch whenever its presence is made on screen, delivering fantastic material to keep the audience invested.

Following the opening battle, we are introduced to the main protagonist of our story Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange (performed flawlessly by Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant yet arrogant

surgeon not to be confused with DC’s Hugo Strange. I believe the best way to describe Dr. Strange is if Tony Stark went to medical school. I really enjoy this opening scene, as it not only introduces the main character, but also shows the audience some very important images that play a huge roll in the remainder of the production, the biggest one being Strange’s hands as the camera is zoomed in on them while he washes his hands and Strange holding them in front of the mirror as he preps for a surgery.

Another one of the big strengths in this film is the casting.

For the most part, all of the actors in this film portray their respected characters with outstanding success, especially Benedict Cumberbatch, one of the most talented actors out there in my opinion. This spectacular production is an outstanding addition to his remarkable resume of success. He seems to be the only guy who could pull off the outfit and nail the character. And then there are those, like Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, whose roles feel like they could have gone to anyone. And also, in the comics, the Ancient One was an ancient Chinese man, never once was it Jadis the White Witch. But I digress.

Strange is driving a few moments later in his Lamborghini on his way to a party when a colleague contacts him on the road and gives him different patients that he could perform on. While doing so, he looks away from the road for a split second when his entire world is forever changed after an accident takes away the one thing that no doctor can live without. Over the course of the rest of the film, his faith and beliefs are constantly questioned as in search of a way to fix what has been destroyed he is given an answer unlike anything that he could ever imagine.

This movie is unbelievable and absolutely stunning. Marvel does it again with one of their best, and one of my personal favorite, Marvel movies to date. I’m telling you, they are getting

A

Unlike most Christmas songs, this one is not bright and cheerful. A somber Christmas song is almost unheard of, as most use the chance to celebrate the coming together of the holiday season. Elvis had a different idea. Covering the 1948 Ernest Tubb classic, Elvis blends together country and folk with his serenading voice to plead with his lover to return to him. Not only did the Elvis cover propel the song to new heights of popularity, but Elvis adds a layer of emotion and empathy that makes the listener truly feel the lyrics being sung. Elvis added so much to the song to take it to new heights including adding the backing vocals of the group the Jordanaires and adding “blue notes”in order to add more texture to the song. While the lyrics describe festive scenery, Elvis most certainly makes you look inward and find a sense of sorrow during one of the happiest times of the year. With multiple different covers of the song since its rendition, the legacy Elvis has made with the song is undeniable. It has made an impact on the Christmas genre for decades, as many have tried and will continue to try to replicate the connection it’s created with its listeners.

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really, really good at taking their source material from the comics and applying it onto the big screen, with a fantastic production crew, director, actors and writers.

The action is very well paced within the story, nothing feels rushed and is all given time to develop and settle within this film. It knows how to make a scene comedic, and at the same time understands the quieter scenes that are heartfelt and tug at the audience’s emotional strings, and does it very well. There is a great balance of events in play here, and is never overwhelming. Some moments happen very quickly on screen, and might be difficult for some to keep up, but never for prolonged periods of time. This marvelous Marvel production is really extraordinary. The dialogue is fresh and feels natural, the cast is strong and represent their characters successfully, and this film does a great job of delivering an immersive environment, as the watcher feels like they’re not only in Strange’s shoes throughout the entire adventure, but also are experiencing everything that happens alongside him and build a very strong connection with him. Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” is amazing, and if there’s ever a free moment in your schedule, make this film a priority.

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Garrett’s Games of the year Garrett Lierman Entertainment editor

Dark SOuls 3: 9/10

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f normal medieval sword fighting games are equivalent to fighting a dog or another person, then Dark Souls 3 is fighting Brock Lesnar with both your hands tied behind your back. While impossibly difficult, this game boasts a wonderful color pallet, functional mechanics, a marvelous score, and a story that’s about as easy to decipher as a 15 sided rubik’s cube.

The story is logical at it’s beginning, you’re an undead soul hunting those who have wronged you, but it quickly takes a turn to the weird and confusing, eventually becoming entirely impossible to understand fully. Despite all of this, there is still a driving force in the game, a sense of accomplishment. Dark Souls has always boasted an incredibly unforgiving and harsh level of difficulty. I actually never finished the game as I could only play it for an hour or so at a time before I became either too frustrated or mentally fatigued to continue without consuming ungodly amounts of caffeine.

While the frustrating difficulty makes the game incredibly difficult to finish within months of buying it. It also provides an incredible sense of accomplishment when you overcome even the smallest of challenges. I can’t even count the times I caught myself yelling, “Ha! I beat you, game! I’m the strongest thing alive!”

Obviously these celebrations were almost always met with an almost immediate annihilation by an unseen threat.

The textures of the game are on par with the standards of modern gaming but the effects are dazzling. Fire, something the game is essentially based around, looks stunning and awe inspiring. Shadows are dark and looming, and every successful hit is rewarded with a dark

and anatomically correct splatter of gore. The colors of the game are almost entirely neutral, making proper color look inspiring. Shadows loom almost constantly and the ground is a dull grey/brown. Whenever I stumbled across any ray of light or color it filled me with determination to press on. The musical score is easily the best mark of this game. Some of the engagements feel downright earth shattering due to the rolling score and dramatic tension created by it. At one point in the game the player has to fight an actually living tree, and it’s simply incredible because of the sheer tension that the music sets up.

Character design in the game is varied but equivalently gruesome. Some of the secondary and tertiary characters simply make you feel sorry for them as they are clearly in a great deal of pain and suffering. Luckily, the game’s mechanics allow you to swiftly put these characters out of their misery provided you have the skill to do so. Weapons clash well, invisible walls are not present, and enemies don’t glitch around, making for a pretty solid game mechanically.

Overall Dark Souls 3 is an incredibly interesting experience with a magnificent score that flows wonderfully, a beautiful color pallet that focuses on color and the lack thereof, working mechanics, albeit with a confusing story.

Dishonored 2: 7/10

D

ishonored 2 can be a hack and slash shoot ‘em up or a stealth-based spy game depending on how you play. Or, according to the game itself, whether you’re a good person or not.

I hate to come out swinging but this game presents you with the choice to be the notorious killer you were in the previous game or the royal spymaster of this one, but almost immediately reprimands you against the former of the two.

I personally prefer the fast-paced visceral action of a brawl, which the game can provide in spades, but around the 20 to 30 minute mark for my first playthrough, one of the most influential characters of the game basically calls you a monster if you choose this approach. This lead to me ultimately having a much longer, and more dreadful playthrough as I struggled to keep the urge to use this game’s glorious combat system to it’s fullest under control. The game promises a more optimistic ending if you take this approach, an ending that I ultimately found unsatisfying and angering.

I played my second time through the game violently and found it to be a somewhat psychopathic, yet joyous blitz through the story and game. My murder run took me around 7 hours total over the course of about a day and a half. However my quiet run was a feet-dragging, difficult slog through a world that is far less interesting than that of the first game. The

Keller’s computing corner

GTX 1080 graphics card makes for best gaming Sam keller guest reporter

M

irror’s Edge is a game set in the near future, where evil corporations control all the media, advertisements, and even strive for the ever-present cliche of attempting to control the minds of the citizens of their city. You play as Faith, a parkour extraordinaire and delivery girl.

The game begins with Faith being released from a juvenile detention center, where you have been incarcerated for the past several years. You meet up with your super edgy rebel friends from years long past. The design of these characters is hipsters’ idea of an anti-establishment group. They’re decked out in sleeveless hoodies, leather jackets, and fingerless gloves.

The story is one large cliche of “the establishment doesn’t want creativity to exist so we’re gonna break a lot of stuff and that’ll show them.”

For a something focused around parkour and momentum in general, the layout of the game is easy to both get lost and confused in. Whereas the first game of the series was a closed level system, this installment is an open world romp with variety and verticality. This freedom and variety allows for a free-flowing, creative experience; however, it also opens op-

portunities for wrong turns, mistakes, confusing directions, and other conundrums that can lead to failure or irritation. I can recount multiple times when I would be blitzing my way to the next mission, running along rooftops, only to have it grind to a halt as I have to open my map just to find out that I missed my turn five minutes ago and I’m stranded without it.

Graphically, the game is pretty, but unimpressive. The textures are excellent, providing a nice view every time you stop, willingly or not.

Overall, Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst is a fun romp around an interesting and beautiful landscape that’s simply plagued by confusing level design, poorly written characters and story, and heavy-handed millenial deestablismentarinistic themes.

A

powerful graphics card is essential to a PC gamer. A graphics card, which runs the video games on your computer, can vary massively in speed and price.

The best card made on the market is the GTX 1000 series by Nvidia. When it came out it topped the Titan X graphics card, which was the one best on the market at the time.

The Titan X costs around $1,000 while the GTX 1080 is $600-$700.

Nvidia also has two other useful card options, the GTX 1060 and GTX 1070.

The GTX 1060 is a necessary part to a low-budget gaming computer; on the low end

of the scale, the 1060 has about 4 gigabytes of processing power and costs $100-$200. I would recommend using the GTX 1060 for medium graphics settings for large games and high settings on less taxing games.

The GTX 1070 has the best price for processing ability of all the new graphics cards, costing $400-$600. It usually has 8 gigabytes of processing power. The 1070 is a great graphics card for nearly all games on high settings.

This is the card I would recommend for all new and experienced gamers playing high taxing games.

The 8-gigabyte GTX 1080 would only be needed for creating and recording gameplay while playing high taxing games -- otherwise it is more than the average gamer needs.

Rendering Speeds of a 3D Object by Graphics Card Types 500 Frames per second

Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst 6.5/10

length of that playthrough was a whopping 14 and half hours over the course of at least four to five days.

The game looks nice but there are several moments when textures pop in or downright don’t load properly although these distractions are minor. The actual game mechanics work properly for the most part with only the occasional error. The most notable of which was when I tried to choke out a guard through a window, and instead of the window breaking and alerting the guard, he just went through the solid glass without a sound or care in the world.

The characters are interesting and story is certainly unique, focusing more on the occult aspect of the game than its predecessor. Most of the characters and their henchmen are developed through the world, notes, books you can find around the playable area.

Overall, Dishonored 2 is a solid game with some minor graphical issues, but a well written story with absolutely brutal action.

414

400 316

300 200

315

195

100 0

GTX 1060

GTX 1070

GTX 1080

Titan X

source: UserBenchmark.com

18 corRAL

entertainment

Dec. 9, 2016

players Energize audience to overcome dry script Kayla Benjamin editor-in-chief

“L

ord, what fools these mortals be!”

As an audience member watching the theater department’s opening night performance of Ken Ludwig’s “Shakespeare in Hollywood,” I was exactly who Shakespeare was talking about in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Possibly because I lack any real background in or appreciation for Shakespearean work, the storyline and dialogue failed to entrance me, and likely much of the average high school audience. Luckily, the show’s phenomenal cast and well-executed tech grabbed my attention while many of the script’s jokes went over my head.

But not all of the humor was too academic for the everyman. Many of the lines elicited laughs from me and most of the audience, and this was largely due to the energy and charisma of the actors. Stars who stood out included sophomore Skylar Droege (Lydia Lansing), junior Chase Coleman (Max Reinhardt), and seniors Evan Mogley (Jack Warner), Emily Kang (Olivia Darnell), Tatiana Kobasa (Puck), and Anthony Blatter (King Oberon). The immense amount of energy required to properly pull off a comedy was supplied in abundance by the actors, particularly Dom Doray (Daryl), Will Harold (Will Hayes), Blatter, and Kobasa.

Amidst some very convincing acting, accents faded in and out, which took away from believability at times. Among the underclassmen playing supporting characters, some showed potential, but many lacked experience and seemed

uncomfortable onstage. In general though, I felt that the casting was just right, and tons of acting talent was displayed from start to finish. Noticeably entertaining blocking, with and around props and set pieces, aided in showcasing that talent.

In “Hamlet,” Shakespeare wrote that, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” The minimalist set design seemed to reflect this mentality, and I certainly was thinking that it was excellently implemented. The stage had almost nothing on it that did not move for each scene, and this shift occurred smoothly and accurately every time, so that when the next lines were spoken, the audience immediately grasped the new room’s essential features with just the most seemingly basic flats and props.

Props such as the laundry basket and fake fencing were expertly utilized to create engaging and funny surprises for the audience, and objects like the phones seemed to be taken right from the 1930’s.

The only exception to this was the flowers, a central prop used in almost every scene; these looked exceedingly fake, unlike any of the other props. But all in all, the play’s props were “practically perfect” -- to steal a line from one of PCH’s previous performances.

Similar care was put into costuming.

Oberon’s flowing robe made eyes pop, fancy princess dresses swept majestically across the gorgeously painted floor, and Puck’s vaguely androgynous movie star outfits and sunglasses delighted the audience as much as the character himself.

Makeup, a subtle touch in many shows, featured admirably in the forefront here with Jack Warner’s mustache, the

graceful green wings around Oberon’s eyes, and the glitter that signified the return of Oberon and Puck to their native realm. (I have been told that this glitter was impossible to wash out after the show was done, but Blatter and Kobasa may rest assured -- it was worth it for the art.)

From the audience perspective, lights and sound appeared to go without a hitch.

Bright diamond-shaped spotlights and well-integrated projections added a fun, flashy touch. In a very pleasant difference from many high school performances, the microphones seemed very cooperative, and various “magical” sound effects were humorously over dramatic and well-timed for the most comedic impact.

The tech for this show accomplished two praiseworthy feats: it went smoothly, rarely if ever detracting from the action; and it added a whole new level of excitement to the show’s fast-paced hilarity.

Along with the many other talented and dedicated crew-members, Jessie Goldberg (Production Stage Manager), Jonathan Scully (Master Electrician), Austin Bolte (Master Carpenter), Juliana South (Sound Engineer), Sophia Macke (Wardrobe Mistress), Roya Porshahidy (Make-up/Hair Artist), and Mercedes McGonigle (Props Manager) in particular deserve a thorough round of applause for their work.

Despite some flaws, the cast and crew performed superbly to produce an impressive and entertaining show that left the audience happily starstruck by the high energy and fast pace. William Shakespeare might say that the performance, like life, was delightfully “full of sound and fury.”

Chiming sound effects and dramatic lighting accompany the comical moment as Senior Anthony Blatter (King Oberon) magically freezes senior Will Harold (Will Hayes) during dress rehearsal for Ken Ludwig’s Shakespeare in Hollywood on Nov. 14, 2016. Photo

by Austin Bolte.

Tatiana Kobasa (Puck) laughs as she shows off the latest “Hollywood fashions,” leaning on a large laundry basket into which she will soon dive headfirst.

cLASSIC rED hOTS IS A hIDDEN gEM Libby Archer Feautures editor

C

lassic Red Hots may seem like your everyday American garbage fast food joint, but this poorly-named, somewhat underground establishment had me in awe.

I kid-you-not, Red Hots not only sells huge hot dogs and fried Twinkie, but after a change in ownership, they also sell… wait for it... authentic Mediterranean food for cheap. As a Mediterranean lover, this will be where I spend all my minimal paychecks from now to when I graduate. Shout out to Mr. G, who went with a few other publications staffers and myself to check this place out on Nov. 17 at about 6 PM. The place was almost empty and it has the same workers in it every time I go. Though I have only been there three times since the end of last year, the staff remembered me and my order and said that they had missed me since my last visit. These personal interactions with the workers makes it feel like you are coming home to your Mediterranean family, except you have to pay them.

Warning, the place’s decor is an unusual mix of the old owner’s hot dog decor and the new owner’s huge hookahs that line the windows. The dining area is small and the restaurant is located in the same shopping center as Goodwill and around six nail salons, which gives it a McDonalds vibe.

My appetizer was Baba Ganoush, a Levantine dip made with baked eggplant, olives and other spices, which I 100% would

recommend. This dip came with extra pita and was well worth the three dollars I spent. Not to brag, but I have spent my fair share of time in nice Mediterranean restaurants, and have even made my own Baba Ganoush, but nothing compares to this beautiful flavor creation. Luckily, I had enough to bring it to school for lunch the following day. This place might have mis-

matching decor and an unimpressive location, but it’s definitely not stingy.

I’d consider myself a pretty adventurous food person -- I have to be to write this column -- so whenever I go to a place that doesn’t have the menu items I prefer, I choose something completely random. This time I ended up with Kafta Pieta, a beef-stuffed pita pocket with onions, parsley and pine nuts, and was pleasantly surprised.

I thought it was a little too dry, but I really have nothing else to compare it to, so that might be how all Kafta Pietas are. It was a weird flavor combination and unlike anything I had ever tasted. Plus the fact -Dining in Stylethat I thought it was going to be vegetarian and then got a mouthful of beef -- whoops.

Overall, I thought the meal was divine, especially because it was so cheap and in such a convenient distance from school.

If you go to Classic Red Hots, you are promised amazing service from people who actually seem to care about their customers, which seems hard to find in this day and age. The food is above average and I’d say one level higher than Pita Plus or any other take-out Mediterranean food joint in the St. Louis area. Classic Red Hots is a hidden gem covered with greasy, fried American food.

Archer's

Atmosphere

entertainment

dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

19

rEPRESENTING uNIQUE sTYLES Roya Porshahidy staff writer

G

oing to class is already hard enough and going to school looking nice seems to be an even harder challenge. I personally favor to be comfortable going to school, with simple outfits that represent my own style. Everyday, you see an abundance of different styles from the sweatpants, leggings, and a sweatshirts which seem to be the norm to the fancy dresses and khaki pants.

The casual outfits seem to be most popular in our school. One of the most popular pants would be Adidas jogger pants which brings loads of comfort and style to your outfit. The fashionable jogger pant with a simple sweatshirt creates a staple outfit. I think the outfit is comfortable and easy to throw on in the morning when you have no energy to wear anything else. Also another key fashion piece are leggings. I wear leggings a lot.

The controversial pant which in a lot of different schools go against the school dress code, are awfully popular. They are a staple to any closet as you can just throw it on with any top and look dressed up for school. There is also the big trend coming out of vests. You can pair a vest with a pair of jeans and sweater underneath the vest. A cute comfortable outfit that also keeps you warm for the harsh winter temperatures.

To the fancy side, people are starting to wear flowy T-shirt dresses accessorised with a scarf and a pair of tall boots. The outfit is versatile and a comfortable yet very dressy outfit to wear to school. You can never have enough T-shirt dresses you can dress them up or dress them down they’re a perfect thing to wear when you want to look very dressy but not have to put a lot of effort to it. An awfully popular outfit for a long time for guys has been a pair of Khaki pants with a Polo sweater or a Vineyard Vines t-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes. The trend seems to be everyday wear for some guys and make them look very dressed up. I think it shows that they put effort in what they wear to school.

Everyone in the end has their own personal style. We all wear our clothes a certain that we like. We take inspiration for what to wear from what we see other people wear. We all dress up and accessorize our outfits in very different ways. I think the uniqueness of everyones different taste and everyday wear is what makes up a person. Their personality reflects through their outfits. The norms of what everyone wears is there but we make them our own, and use our tastes to dress them.

2

1. Nami Rutherford 11th grader, wears a creame cropped sweater parired with blue skinny jeans for a cute look but also pairs it with black stylish tennis shoes to be comfotbale for the school day. The colors that she wears brings a cool toned jeans and shoes matched with a cool colored creme to bring a winter feel to the outfit.

2. Ray Burch 10th grader, wears a casual outfit with stylish converse, with a cool black and white design to bring a nice difference to the plain converse colors. He also wears a red graphic t-shirt paired with his earbuds loosley around his neck as his accessory.

He shows the comfotable yet stylish outfits people wear to school.

3. Paulina Runge, 11th grader, wears a black and white quirky graphic sweatshirt off the shoulder.

She dresses up for school casualy, but stills manages to look nice with the dark blue jeans, which match the sweatshirt very well.

4. Matthew Whay, 12th grader, wears khaki pants for a more fancy look with grey and white tennis shoes pairing it with a flannel and jacket duo to keep him warm in the cold weather.

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20 corRAL dec. 9, 2016

Girls Basketball

Athletes

Geena Stephens

“She’s a leader and like a big sister,” Jayla Kelly said.

“She’s a mentor not only in basketball but also in life.”

Photo from Corral Archives.

Senior Geena Stephens preparing to have an amazing season on the girls basketball team. The small forward led the team last year with 17.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.5 steals per game, including one game where she had 36 points. Stephens won Player of the Week for Fox 2 News, Player of the Week for Stl Today, and she made the All-Conference and All-District first team. Despite all of her awards, the twelve year player is not letting her accomplishments go to her head, and is ready to work in a leadership role as a veteran of the team.

“I feel it’s a responsibility for the seniors and I to work hard and give it all we have on the court for our team,” Stephens said.

TO

Watch

Wrestling

“John is a team captain and he has lots of experience,” William Hipp said. Photo from Corral Archives.

Jayla Kelly

Freshman Jayla Kelly is planning on having a breakout year in her first season on the girls basketball team. “All the girls on the team are supportive and I’ve known a lot of them for a while so we have a good bond which makes us better,” Kelly said.

Although she is new to high school, she is already a proven star on her select team, Missouri Phenom.

The center averaged a team leading 14 points and four blocks per game last year, along with seven rebounds earning her a starting spot on the Varsity team this year. Kelly hopes to win districts and make it to state this year, along with individually “Getting better as a player. I want to have an impact in every game.”

sports

Liad Lerner Staff Writer

John Kim

Junior John Kim is hoping to build on his previous success for the wrestling team. As a sophomore last year, the four year wrestler had a record of 29-9 and placed fourth in districts. He also qualified for State and defeated his first opponent. “I didn’t expect to win a match at State,” Kim said. “So when I did I was excited and motivated to do even better this year.” John’s brother, senior James Kim, is also on the wrestling team and last year James went 19-12 and placed third in districts.

“It was nice since we supported each other throughout the season and we could practice together,” John Kim said. His goals this year are to place at conference and at State.

William Hipp

“She is such a talented player especially being a freshman,” Geena Stephens said. “Her height and strength make her a very dominant player.” Photo by Liad Lerner

Girls Swimming and Diving

“He has the potential to be good if he works hard,” John Kim said. Photo by Liad Lerner

Freshman William Hipp is excited to start his first season on the wrestling team. The three year wrestler got into wrestling because of the high physical demands of the sport and the high school team has not let him down. “We do this thing called the dirty dozen,” Hipp said. “You do one push-up and one curl-up and then you do two push-ups and two curl-ups and so on until you get to twelve and then you go all the way back to one again.”

The freshman is most looking forward to the State tournament, because his goal is to qualify for State this season.

Boys Basketball Arther Green

“I admire her strength and her welcoming smile,” Rebecca Waxberg said. “She never misses an interval, and she’s also one of the sweetest people I know.”

Photo from Corral Archives.

Rebecca Waxberg

Sophomore Rebecca Waxberg is ready to make a statement for the swim and dive team this year. Her first season on a high school team brought a lot of improvement from previous years. “I dropped more than 25 seconds on my 100 fly over the course of the season, and dropped ten plus on the rest,” Waxberg said.

The ten year swimmer also got the opportunity to swim in a relay at State last year, but she hopes to qualify individually this season. “My main goal is to make State,” Waxberg said. “I think my 200 individual medley or my 100 fly are the best ways to go, so I’d like to improve on those the most.” Photo by Tara Stepanek.

Madison Brown

Senior Madison Brown is on her way to becoming a star on the swim and dive team. She has been swimming competitively for eleven years, but none were as impressive as last year. “I got sixth place [in State] in the 100 yard back, sixth in the 200 yard medley relay, thirteenth in the 200 yard free, and thirteenth in the 400 yard free,” Brown said.

She also set school records in the 100 yard back and 200 yard medley relay, with times of 57.69 and 1:50.42 respectively. Coming into this season, Brown has already committed to swim collegiately at Missouri State University, but that will not stop her from making her last high school season one to remember. “I want to make every second count,” Brown said. “I’m trying to get all the State cuts this year, I want to get top three in my backstroke and our medley relay, I also want our team overall to get at least 10th place.”

“He has lots of energy and is good on defense,” Arther Green said.

Photo by Maddie Hall.

Jayden Littlejohn

“She is a very hard working and a determined swimmer,” Madison Brown said.

“She definitely has potential to make a state cut.” Photo from Corral Archives.

Sophomore Jayden Littlejohn is getting hyped for the boys basketball season. The point guard averaged twelve points and five assists last year on JV, but also had three games in which he scored at least 25 points.

This season he will be swinging as both the captain for the JV team and a reserve for the Varsity team, but the mindset transitions between the teams are very easy for Littlejohn. “I’ve been in both positions before so it’s not that hard,” Littlejohn said. And as far as keeping track of two teams’ dynamics and playbooks, Littlejohn said, “The intensity is different but that’s it. The offense is the same and so is the defense.” The nine year player hopes to win 20 games this year, as well as the Conference and District Championship.

“He’s a good example of a versatile player that can play almost any position,” Jayden Littlejohn said. Photo from Corral Archives.

Junior Arther Green is looking forward to another electrifying season for the boys basketball team. The nine year player averaged a team leading 4.8 rebounds and .5 blocks, and was second on the team with 12 points per game. However his most important contribution to the team, at least according to the fans, is his dunking ability. “I really get a burst of energy and it’s kinda fun,” Green said. “And it gets the team hyped up.” The small forward hopes to make first team All-Conference this year. “I got second team last year but I know I can do better,” Green said.

sports

Dec. 9, 2016

corRAL

21

Wrestlers starve themselves to fit in weight classes libby archer features editor

C

ounting calories, daily workouts, and concern about their weight, size and BMI is a constant struggle for some wrestlers.

Wrestlers often go to extremes in order to keep off the weight, so they can stay in a specific weight category, and this habit can have lifelong risks. “Weight plays a pretty big role. It really determines who you are going to wrestle against and it can play a big factor in basically how well you are going to do,� junior Luke Voeller said. “The worst thing I’ve had to do was while getting ready for a spring tournament. I hadn’t dieted all week to get ready and had to go from 145 to 138 in one day. I didn’t eat, barely drank water, and ran a ton with sweatpants on.�

Many students work to lose or gain weight if they need to fill a gap for a team in a weight class. Wrestling is a year-long commitment which means for most wrestlers, they have to keep their weight front and center in their minds even on the off-season. Students have to miss out on luxuries that most students take for granted, such as birthday cake or even school lunches because they have to stick to strict diets. “During high school, most kids are growing quite a bit, and if you don’t have enough food for energy, you can’t really grow or think that much,�

Voeller said. “I always think about how it’s affect-

ing my body.�

For senior James Kim, the extreme dieting had a key role in his decision to not continue the sport this year. “I tried to keep up a diet of not eating any carbs, drinking little water -- that was the original plan,� senior James Kim, a member of last year’s wrestling team, said. “After three weeks, I started getting cravings. I’d starve myself all week before a meet, and do extra workouts to lose more weight.�

The competitive nature of the sport, mixed with the goal of getting to state, causes the more serious of these student athletes to starve themselves for days before meets in hopes of losing those final few pounds, then binge eating after weigh-ins to get the leg up on the competition.

The main short-term issue with starving themselves before meets is the risk of dehydration. “Many wrestlers who are dehydrating themselves are going even further past the 2 percent dehydration marker,� Sports Dietitian for NutriFormance and Athletic Republic St. Louis Eric Finley said. “Once our bodies start getting more severely dehydrated (around 7 percent dehydration). It can lead to symptoms including: increased heart rate, dizziness, collapse, organ failure and sometimes death.�

“After three weeks, I started getting cravings. I’d starve myself all week before a meet, and do extra workouts to lose more weight.�

-- James Kim (12)

These health risks often times show through the performances of the athletes. At 2 percent dehydration, which is when your body just starts feeling thirsty, your performance in strenuous activities is proven to go down by at least 10 percent. This is the difference between first and second place in many cases.

Head wrestling coach Jeff Bolin do not condone these extreme dieting measures and promote healthier ways to maintain or lose weight. “Bolin always just says we need to eat healthy and eat smaller amounts than what we usually eat the week of a tournament,� Voeller said.

Another effect of starving oneself for long periods of time includes loss of nutrients. “Think of the wrestler’s body as a car: If you don’t put fuel in the car you will hit empty and you won’t be going anywhere,� Finley said. “When we don’t provide food for our bodies we aren’t giving it the fuel it needs to perform.�

This is especially important for students, because without proper nutrients it becomes significantly harder to concentrate in school.

For the long term, starving oneself may lead to lifelong eating disorders or poor eating habits. “Trends and habits developed during this stage of life can carry over to adulthood,� Finley said.

“Once our bodies start getting more severely dehydrated. It can lead to symptoms including: increased heart rate, dizziness, collapse, organ failure and sometimes death.�

-- Eric Finley, sports dietitian

Luke Voeller’s diet in the week leading up to a meet Breakfast -One Apple đ&#x;?Żđ&#x;?Ž-Peanut butter

Lunch Nothing

Dinner -Grilled chicken -Vegetables đ&#x;?Œđ&#x;?—

Students and Alumni Scrimmage: Ultimate Frisbee Thanksgiving

Athena Stamos staff writer

A

s alumni returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Ultimate Frisbee team held a practice game on Nov. 24 that featured current and past students. “A lot of the guys play in college and have been playing for a lot of years,� sophomore Gregory Ryterski said. “So they have a lot of experience.�

The team members played against former team members in an event they call Ultimate Frisgiving. In addition to a competitive game, the outing allows the former players to give the current team tips on how to improve in certain situations or plays. “Playing against the alums prepares us for losing,� Brown said.

This is the second Frisgiving and featured more than . “[Last year] wound up being a lot of fun,� junior and co-captain Emily Cooper said. “We got to see everybody again.�

During a game, members line up and the original team captains pick their teams and then scrimmage. “I played on Thanksgiving because I wasn’t doing anything anyway,� Brown said. “It was great seeing everybody again.�

Practices are held Thursday nights after school and Sundays at 1 p.m. As it gets colder, practices will be held later in the gym. “I like ultimate because other sports require actual physique, and you don’t actually have to be good to start,� sophomore Worth Brown said.

Freshman Brandon Smith attempts to pass to a teammate without being blocked by sophomore Greg Ryterski at the annual alumni Ultimate Frisgiving game on Nov. 24.

Senior Michael Caradine catches a pass during warmups.

Photo by Tara Stepanek

22 corRAL

sports

dec. 9 2016

other PCH hockey players Danny Brickman (12)

Defense Whitfield Chesterfield Falcons “It’s a fast-paced game that is also physical but there is also an underlying beauty.”

Jack Goddard (11) Right Wing Whitfield “Everything’s fast-paced, you go 20 miles per hour and everything’s just more fun.”

Jonathon Nathan (10) Center/Right Wing Ladue Chesterfield Falcons “Maintain an active lifestyle, and meet new people from different schools.”

James Sherstoff (9) Left Wing/Center Chesterfield Falcons “I love how you’re always doing something, it’s always moving, it’s a physical sport played at fast speeds.”

Senior captains Whitfield hockey Liad Lerner Staff writer

S

enior hockey player Danny Brickman is leading the way this season as a captain for the hockey team...of Whitfield School.

“It was weird at first when I first started playing sophomore year,” Brickman said. “But they welcomed me instantly and now it just feels like I’m part of another hockey team that I played on growing up.”

Parkway Central has not had a hockey team since the 2011-12 season, leaving current students without a school team to play for. However, since hockey is a club sport in Missouri, the rules are more relaxed on who can play where.

For high school hockey in Missouri, a school needs at least 11 players from its school on the team, and then can add a maximum of four players from other schools. Brickman and a few others have decided to go this route and play for other schools.

“I look at it as just playing for another team,” Brickman said. “I try not to think about it that much and just play hockey.”

Last year he scored 12 goals and 15 assists for Whitfield. This year, he already has 3 assists in 6 games, and he has been appointed a team captain by his head coach.

“I was honored and eager to embrace my new role on the team,” Brickman said.

Brickman has been playing club hockey since he was 4 years old, first for the St. Louis Rockets and then for the Chesterfield Falcons through freshman year. He is a defender, one of the players that typically does not cross the center line, but is feared for his strength and powerful shots.

He went through elementary and middle school believing that he was going to play for the Central high school team, but his dream was cut short after seventh grade, the last season for the team.

“I was disappointed because it would

Senior Danny Brickman marks his man in the season opener against Clayton at the Brentwood Ice Rink on Nov. 12. “I love hockey because it’s a fast paced game that is also physical but there is also an underlying beauty that goes along with the fitness,” Brickman said. He hopes that a successful season this year would help recruit enough future hockey players to start up a Central team again. Photo by Liad Lerner.

have been really cool to play for Central,” Brickman said.

However, he also understands that there are barely enough people at Central willing to play for a team, and even less that are able to play at a varsity level.

“It’s not that no players live here,” Brickman said. “It’s that they all choose to go to private schools.”

Since private schools like CBC, SLUH, and De Smet are schools with long hockey traditions, a lot of players that live in other districts go to those schools to try to win championships rather than stay in their public school and help build up

their local teams.

One of those players was Danny Brickman’s older brother Aaron Brickman, who started playing for De Smet after briefly playing for the Central hockey team before it was discontinued. Aaron was the goalie for the De Smet team that went to the State Championship in 2014.

“My brother was able to get [to State] and not win it so if I was able to win, it would mean a lot,” Danny Brickman said.

“I also hope that if I could win State that would increase the popularity of the sport at Central and hopefully lay the foundation of a future team.”

Keep up to date with winter sports stats and scores on our Twitter: @pchcorral and website: www.parkwaynews.net/corral

23 obligations carve out too much holiday time opinions

DEC. 9, 2016

corRAL

wE BOW TO THE CAPITALISM GODs Jordyn tobias Guest reporter

T

hanksgiving: a time to feel grateful and be thankful for the fact that you get to go to work at 5 p.m. on Nov. 24 for Black Friday. There is no better time for those killer deals to start than on the Thursday of an American holiday centered on sitting down with family and friends.

I drove up to work to find a line a few storefronts long complete with fences. This was serious business, and I prayed out loud to the consumer gods that all those people weren’t coming to my store and that it was the Party City line. It was not the Party City line. All those people were there to bother me and check out my cute new red cardigan I bought since I needed more clothes for the sheer number of days in a row I was about to spend at work that weekend. (They were probably there to buy an Xbox or 12, too, but that is significantly less important.)

When I got to my position by the self-checkout machines, I saw a woman being escorted out of the store. She couldn’t stand waiting in the line for 20 minutes to get 30 percent off of all apparel and decided the best solution was to sneak into the store through the employee entrance and then hide underneath a clothing table. This woman is my hero.

I have never seen a stampede of wild buffalo in person, but I am pretty sure that the initial flood of customers is close enough. It was the first time I witnessed middle-aged men and pregnant women run so fast. The store wasn’t even open five minutes before people were bringing carts with multiple TV’s stuffed in them to check out. The first 30 minutes were an insane blur where I saw more technology

than I would ever be able to afford in my entire life, even with the not-even-that-good discounts.

Don’t be fooled. People weren’t just buying handfuls of iPads -except for that one guy. A young woman came into the store to buy a single eyeliner. I don’t know why she did this. (I don’t think she knew why she did this either.)

Exhausted women followed by even more exhausted husbands dragged carts overflowing with clothing. Everyone wanted 30 percent off over-priced clothes that would get stained by their children in a week, including a pair of young women who held up a shirt and asked me how much it would be with the discount. I proceeded to pull out my phone, which was identical to theirs, and Google it because they were too busy slurping down venti Pumpkin Spice Lattes in preparation for the long 36 hours of shopping ahead to do the math themselves.

I was able to persevere through the night after a kind old man gave me a reassuring and gentle handshake after helping him scan a Playstation. I really was making a difference. I wasn’t just any cog in the capitalist machine; I was a cog that got handshakes.

If I had a dollar every time as I was told by a customer how sad it was that I had to work on Thanksgiving I would not need to work anymore. Do they not realize that I only have to be there because they chose to be there?

After few hours it wasn’t even that abnormal of a work day anymore, except for the fact that there was a lot of free food in the breakroom. What was even better than free chips was the intake of fresh air I got when the shock collar was removed from my neck and I was finally allowed to leave the store. Until next year.

Homework eats into turkey time Jessie Goldberg staff writer

W

hy do we spend our days sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen, filling out a worksheet? We do this because we have homework we need to finish, either for a completion grade or to get daily quiz points back in math.

However, on a school break, when we’re celebrating a holiday, eating to our heart’s content and laughing with family. The last thing we want to think about is the pounds of homework sitting in our backpack.

When I left school on Tuesday, Nov. 22, I left with an English outline to write, a French essay to write, some math problems to finish and a physics worksheet to complete. My brother was coming home from college that night, I was leaving early that next morning for Kansas City, and the last thing I wanted to do was finish all of the work I was given. Later that night, I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family, and after, I was forced to get back on my computer and finish all of my work.

Instead of spending time with my brother, whom I only have so many days and hours with, I was forced to leave the dinner table and get everything done.

While this school year has been quite unusual with the number of breaks, it makes sense to assign homework for a four-day weekend. Even with travel and extra curricular activities, many students have the time to complete the numerous homework problems assigned. However,

Thanksgiving is different.

Thanksgiving was originally celebrated by the pilgrims for arriving in America. This is a celebratory holiday; it is not supposed to bogged down by stress and work. Many parents take Wednesday off from work in order to spend time with their family or to travel. It is a special time that allows families who are normally busy to take a break from their stressful and chaotic lives to just be with the ones they love.

When teachers assign pounds of work, this cannot be achieved. Rather than taking a family hike or going to a movie on that Wednesday, students are locked up in their rooms trying to finish all their homework before Thursday. I mean, who wants to spend Thanksgiving or the days following that full-stomached holiday writing an outline or a French essay?

Now, as I’m back in school after my long weekend, with an English outline, a French essay, some math problems and a physics worksheet completed, I realize how unfortunate my Thanksgiving break was. Sure, I had fun with my family and in Kansas City, but those hours I was stuck finishing my homework were hours I was away from my crazy-busy family.

Every break we have in high school, we are given homework. Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated by all Americans, unlike Christmas over winter break. Thanksgiving is a holiday full of love and family, unlike any normal four-day weekend.

Thanksgiving is a holiday where everyone should be given the chance to eat to their heart’s content, rather than leaving the dinner table early to finish an essay or a lab.

24 corRAL

spotlight

dec. 9, 2016

Chasing the J Clouds

Junior hones in on pilot license

kayla benjamin editor-in-chief

Clockwise from top left: Junior Chase Lehmann looks back to make sure the runway is clear before taking off during his flight lesson on Dec. 3.

Lehmann double-checks the dials and mechanisms, a process he has to take very seriously despite the rare occurence of a difficulty.

Climbing up onto the wing of the practice plane, the Skyhawk II, Lehmann affirms that the flaps work.

unior Chase Lehmann spends his time hitting the books, like most students his age -- but his sights are set higher because he is learning how to fly a plane.

“You have to study the airspace, you have to study the weather,” Lehmann said. “I have to study what equipment I have to have. I have to study what the equipment does, when to use it.”

Inspired by time spent at a “skydiving place” owned by his uncle, Lehmann began his pilot training last year at 16 years old, as soon as legally allowed. He is working toward earning a private pilot’s license, which requires a minimum of 40 total hours of flight lessons.

“I like how satisfying it is to have a really nice, smooth landing,” he said. “You have to get them perfect.”

There are a lot of less exciting steps and hard work that have to go on before flight to ensure smooth sailing, though.

“For a normal lesson, I just have to go check every part of the plane, make sure there’s no nuts missing, make sure there’s no bolts missing, make sure all the rivets are in place; check the oil level, make sure the fuel is clean, make sure the battery works, make sure the flaps work,” Lehmann listed.

The long checklist of things to do before takeoff can be vitally important.

“You have to check the carburetor heat, make sure everything doesn’t freeze,” Lehmann mentioned. “There’s been countless crashes and accidents and engine failures due to carburetor ice.”

Even so, Lehmann says he’s never been scared in flight, and that his family doesn’t worry too much.

“Planes are safer than people think,” he said.

Lehmann attends “ground school,” where he does the book learning required to get his pilot’s license. Here, he is taught the science and history of various aircraft, the specifications of different airspaces and other practical information. However, he has to balance this flight training with the demands of ordinary high school life as well, which can be challenging.

“My mom said if my schoolwork fell down, I wasn’t going to go to ground school,” Lehmann said.

Good results in both flight training and regular school are critical to his future plans, because he hopes to attend Embry Riddle, one of the biggest and most reputable aeronautical schools in the world.

“After that, I plan on going to the military as a fighter, or whatever else they’ll let me do,” he said.

His hopes of being a fighter pilot are based on his love of flying.

“Fighter pilots get to do the fun stuff, like loops and barrel rolls and all that jazz,” he said. “A normal commercial pilot -- I don’t want to say they don’t do anything, because it’s a lot harder than it looks, but they don’t do a whole lot.”