Parkway Central Corral February Corral

Corral the

Parkway Central High School 369 N. Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017 Volume 59, Issue 3, Feb. 12, 2015

Treasurer steals $121k from music booster account pg. 3 District signs marketing contract to raise funds for activities pg. 4

#selfiesyndrome A snapshot into teen trigger finger pg. 12

2 Contents

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Winter festivities highlights pg. 6-7

Feb. 12, 2015

“I’d recommend to anyone who loves to play basketball to go out and join a J league team or any recreational league.”

- senior Dan Lewis pg. 9

Cox-Bradley reaches 1,000 points pg. 11

Valentine’s day recipes pg. 21

District inks contract to market sports pg. 5 Flynn teaches free throw technique pg. 9 Get to know your classmates pg. 20

Gibby’s food review: Strange Donuts pg.18

Be on the lookout to find your story featured on Faces of PCH.

Corral News Online at parkwaynews.net/corral

Freshman duo eye hobby in photography pg. 19

Can’t make the next basketball game???

Follow @pchcorral for live updates

Feb. 12, 2015

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Music booster club falls victim to $121k theft MATT FRISCHER Editor in Chief

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temming from embezzlement and false checks dating back to at least 2007, music parent association member Rice Jacobs was arrested for felony theft for stealing at least $121,000 from the music department.

“It’s crushing,” band director Doug Hoover said. “It’s professionally crushing, it’s emotionally disappointing. This is a gentleman we have known and trusted for a number of years.”

Jacobs, who has confessed to the crime, wrote checks to himself from the account over a period of years. The school and music department first heard irregular activity from the account after two checks bounced during the summer of 2014, according to Hoover.

“When questioned about it, the treasurer had a very plausible explanation, reissued the checks, and then there didn’t seem to be a problem,” Hoover said. “When you look back, that was more significant than we thought because his explanation was deceptive.”

Parkway’s Chief Financial Officer Patty Bedborough was tasked with finding the material amount taken after the conclusion that Jacobs stole money had been made.

“Hoover had originally obtained one year’s worth of bank statements and checks from the account, so I went through the statements and checks cleared and identified those written out to [Jacobs],” Bedborough said.

Bedborough was able to accumulate bank information dated back to 2007. These records cited $121,000 taken from the account by Jacobs in the form of checks written to himself.

The treasurer of the parent-run organization for 11 years, Jacobs first took over the position in the fall of 2003. He was the sixth treasurer of Hoover’s tenure as band director.

“What initially seemed like a lot of money has turned out to be an overwhelming amount of money over a long period of time,” Hoover said. “You immediately think back to all the work parents have done in concession stands and kids have paid into. The whole time, much of the reports were a sham.”

Prior to the initial checks bouncing in the summer of 2014, the most recent statements indicated the account had around $40,000, according to Bedborough.

“The final straw was when companies and individuals you’ve worked with report back that the checks have bounced,” Hoover said. “By that point, those returned checks confirmed some suspicions and questionable things that had gone on in weeks leading up to it.”

A former school board member and Pillar of Parkway awardee, Jacobs was well-respected in the community.

“It’s not like he put on a ski mask and came through the door,” assistant band director Matt Beazley said.

Hoover cites old style financial structures as the faulty leak that prevented the detection of the missing money.

“When he took over, the systems in place were old style, lots of trust,” Hoover said. “We made a mistake of really trusting someone and not having any structural protections in place.”

Samantha Jacobs, daughter of Rice Jacobs, 2005 Central grad and 2011 Central student teacher, has been forced to reevaluate much after coming to terms with the situation.

“When something happens like felony or theft, especially in West County, there’s no set program for how to cope with it,” Samantha Jacobs, daughter of Rice Jacobs, said. “People look at it as this criminal and horrible thing, but for us it’s entirely different.”

Despite her family’s criminal activity, Samantha Jacobs wanted to stress the idea this action doesn’t define her father.

“My dad’s a really awesome person, and he made a big mistake,” Samantha Jacobs said. “Making a mistake and being punished for it, that should happen. He’s definitely broken the law. But it’s just not fair to

Reaction from the Community “I thought the band program was fine. After I realized it, it made sense. We’ve always been tight on money in the past few years.”

-senior trumpet player Jacob Parmley

“We are heartbroken that a former Central parent would take money from students.”

-orchestra director Winfred Crock

“It just sucks that it’s Parkway Central because we are so connected to that school and I would hate to think that situation has ruined our bond.”

-Rice Jacobs daughter Samantha Jacobs

“This is something that, unfortunately, happens often; we certainly weren’t the first. But the dollar amount is just horrific.”

-Parkway CFO Patty Bedborough

exclusively judge someone on the worst day of their life.”

Jacobs became involved in the organization in 2003 due to his son, Michael Jacobs, involvement in the marching band.

“You just have to reprogram the way you think life is going to go,” Samantha Jacobs said. “Nothing’s going to be the same. You have to set new expectations. ” A long with Jacobs and his family, members of the music department have determined their own ideas regarding the situation.

“It just kind of pissed me off,” senior tuba and bass clarinet player Fadi Shalabi said. “I’ve been in band since sixth grade, so someone pulling that kind of stuff...it just pissed me off.”

For others, the news of the robbery connected more than a few dots.

“I thought the band program was fine,” senior trumpet player Jacob Parmley said. “After I realized it, it made sense. We’ve always been tight on money in the past few years.”

Samantha Jacobs went on to cite the work of her parents in the Central community.

“I don’t think anybody would deny they’re wonderful people that positively affected Parkway Central,” Samantha Jacobs said. “It just sucks that it’s Parkway Central because we are so connected to that school and I would hate to think that situation has ruined our bond.”

Until a verdict is reached in trial, no money can be returned to the account yet Parkway has pledged its aid to the program.

“We did not want any plans changed because of this, so we set up activity accounts to handle their deposits and also an activity account to handle their expenditures,” Bedborough said. “The first ones we took care of were the bounced checks. We didn’t want disruption from any of the activities for the kids.”

As for what money will be returned to the account, Hoover remains hopeful.

“It’s not very realistic to think we will recover a large amount of it in one fell swoop,” Hoover said. “I’m optimistic that a significant amount of money will be recovered.”

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News in Brief Hoover selected as area Music Educator of the Year

Central high band director Doug Hoover has recently been named Music Educator of the year by the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association (SLSMEA) for his work in the 2014-15 school year. SLSMEA is a professional organization for music educators in schools that are members of Education Plus and the National Association for Music Education.

KISS Week

Patrick Schmittdiel was selected as the winner of the Mr. PCH pagent. He served as Mr. Football Buddy, raising $419.34 for Walking On Sunshine, a charity that raises money for brain tumors.

Powderpuff cancelled

The powderpuff football game, scheduled for Feb. 6, was cancelled due to a low number of players. The Feb. 6 date was made as a makeup for the original scheduled game on Nov. 25.

National Signing Day

National Signing day was held on Feb. 4 to honor Elizabeth Leath who commited to play golf at University of Central Missouri, Ben South who commited to play baseball at Rhodes College and Michael Slater who commited to play football at University of Iowa.

Toilet Paper Drive

The Toilet Paper Drive by International Club and ProjectHelp collected 954 rolls of TP for The Bridge Outreach Center, which provides sactuary and recourses for the homless

Presidential Scholar candidate

Senior Annika Eckenrode was chosen as a candidate for the Presidential Scholar program.

Candidates are chosen on the basis of thier acedemic, artistic and leadership acomplishments as well as their invovlement in the school and community. 141 of the candidates will be selected for the program.

Parkway offers northern spring break experience

The district has revealed plans to team up with Rockwood in offering a spring break trip to Northern Minnesota. Activites to be offered include cross country sking, snowshoeing and ice fishing. Additionally, the group will take a trip to Spirit Mountain.

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Feb. 12, 2015

District stikes marketing deal with firm JEFFREY EIDELMAN and KIRK RANDOLPH Sports Editor and Entertainment Editor

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ollowing the path of several schools in Columbia, MO, Parkway School district will be teaming up with Kelly Sports Properties (KSP) in an attempt to help extracurricular activity funds.

“It’s a model based after a public school’s contract with the sports marketing firm,” District Athletic Director Mike Roth said. “It helps us with intellectual properties and helps us promote our assets which is the students, activities and athletic programs.”

KSP, an experienced advertising company that did some work with the NCAA, will be attempting to use their skills in advertising to connect Parkway to some businesses around town.

“KSP will be contacting some local businesses who want to establish partnerships with Parkway School District,” Roth said. “Then, those opportunities will be enhanced through the advertising that we will do at Parkway. Basically, every program will have advertising.”

Every athletic program and after-school activity should be receiving funds as a result from the deal with KSP. “It [the contract] will provide equity for all the programs,” Roth said.

“It includes all activities and all MSSHA sponsored events.

All of them will be positively affected by the greater Illustration by revenue in the Minki Kim future.”

The advertising that will generate most of this revenue will be much more in depth than just some posters along the walls. “[There will be] new video scoreboards that will turn [events] into a college experience with advertising, public service announcements, and replays,” Roth said.

While the scoreboard may seem like simply a new toy to play with, Roth indicates that it plays a big role in one of KSP’s main goals, advertising.

“The video scoreboard will create a mini studio,” Roth said.

“It will be like a production event. There will also be media guides that will be updated so there will be a weekly review, getting some of the journalism kids’ reviews and articles in.

One of KSP’s main goals is creating opportunities like these for kids.”

School districts such as Parkway pride themselves on positively affecting students. Money is necessary in making that a reality.

“We are always in a careful position with our funds,” Parkway Board President Beth Feldman said. “Two years ago, we had to make some cuts and we are still not operating with our reserves that are required by our policies, which is 17%, so we always need more revenue.”

With the board operating with less money, the possibility of KSP bringing in more revenue was a factor in the decision.

“One of the advantages that I see are that we need more sources of revenue to maintain our extracurriculars and this is a new source that will not cost our taxpayers any additional funds,” Feldman said.

Another part of the discussion was who the deal would affect and how they would be affected.

“We decided it was a win-win situation because it would benefit both our students in providing more funding and our taxpayers by not having to get more money from them,” Feldman said.

The board did take into account some of the negatives that the district might face.

“Some negatives were that some parent groups would be upset because it comes across as competition to some of their fundraisers,” Feldman said. “But this is in no way competition because this is advertising on a much bigger scale.”

In fact, according to Roth, 90-95% of the fundraising that students participate in will remain unchanged.

Parkway will have a right to refuse any business that Kelly brings to the table. For example, if a business that sells alcohol wants to be advertised, Parkway has the right to reject that business, as stated in the contract.

Upon asking KSP representative Colin See for a statement,

How much will Parkway gain in revenue and how big of a piece will KSP get in the end?

Tier One Until Parkway raises $666,667 in a year, KSP will receive 30 percent commission while providing $100,000 in products and services annually.

Tier Two If Parkway raises from $666,668 to $1,000,000 in a year, KSP will receive 15 percent commission.

Tier Three If Parkway raises from $1,000,001 to $2,000,000 in a year, KSP will receive 10 percent commission.

Tier Four If Parkway raises over $2,000,000 in a year, then KSP will receive 5 percent commission of all revenue over that mark. he deferred to the public contract that includes the outline of the deal.

One of the aspects highlighted in the contract was the tiered system of commission that KSP will be receiving.

On top of the public contract, the district plans to keep everyone as informed as possible, according to Roth. After the deal was approved on Jan. 13, Roth said that the contract was rolled out to booster clubs and head coaches in a presentation at Central. Now, the district is working on a press release to get the information out to even more people.

This is all a part of Parkway’s goal to keep everyone as informed as possible.

“Transparency is so very important,” Roth said. “With this being new, there is always going to be a lot of questions. We encourage people to contact the building athletic directors, myself or the principles. We will answer any questions and try to be transparent with everything.”

Check out these features on PCHtv! Mitch Broddon Freshman Mitch Broddon balances his busy schedule between his band three and a half dudes along with being a leader on the freshman basketball team.

Josh Adams Sophomore Josh Adams received all-state honors in band for the trombone and in orchestra for the cello.

Feb. 12, 2015

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District to launch Virtual Learning in fall Just like any other class, Virtual Learning assignments and tests vary from teacher to teacher and course to course, according to Lange. The grading system will still be the same. For this reason, the same course requirements and prerequisites still apply.

“In order to be eligible for Virtual Learning classes, you have to meet the same requirements you would have to meet to take the class normally,” Lange said. “If you were signing up for AP Statistics, you would need all the same math prerequisites leading up to that. Additionally, you need the technology resources in order to manage an online class from home.”

Each student will be evaluated on a case by case basis for admission to the Virtual Learning program. In addition to course requirements and grade level, disciplinary history and attendance will also be considered to assure that the student is ready to take on the responsibility of managing an online class.

“You don’t have a teacher in front to you everyday reminding you what to do,” Parkway Instructional Technology Coordinator Tom Swoboda said. “You have to be motivated and refrain from procrastination. Virtual Learning is not for everyone. You have to be a motivated ‘self-starter’.”

There have been concerns regarding the consequences of online courses within the student community. However, Swoboda is confident that the new program will only strengthen the Parkway community.

“This will be a natural step for our students to communicate with their teachers and other students

online in a working environment,” Swoboda said. “I think it will enhance online social skills and enrich students’ status as digital citizens. It is important to remember that virtual learning courses are not and should never be a replacement for the face-to-face school experience.”

Students were able to pre-register and take an online assessment to determine eligibility for Virtual Learning courses in December. Students who have not pre-registered and are interested in taking a virtual class should meet with their counselor immediately.

“For next year, they are just starting small to see how things go,” Lange said. “There will be a lot of trial and error.

Since they’re just piloting the program, there are very limited seats. The idea is that no student will take more than one virtual class per semester.”

activities that vary from developing each student’s particular philosophy in writing lesson plans. Being a couple weeks into the class, the students have already been able to engage fter years of failing to gain enough interest, Linda in some of the activities.

Trecker’s Pathways to Teaching class is finally in “One of the first things we did was make a little lesson session, but not for long. plan,” Gottlieb said. “It wasn’t anything official, but we took a “I actually signed up for the class all four years [of high survey to figure out the best way we learn and we made the school], but there were never enough students signed up,” lesson plan based on that. It was interesting.” senior Rebekah Poscover said.

While students such as Gottlieb This year, they had 15 people and Poscover seem to have enjoyed sign up, enough for a full class. the process so far, they are still “I might want to be a teacher excited for experiences to come. when I grow up so I thought I “I think it would be awesome to should take the class to get expeget to shadow a teacher because it rience and see if it is something I could be very beneficial for me,” would actually be interested in,” Poscover said. senior Jaime Gottlieb said.

Unfortunately, according to Some students, like Gottlieb, Trecker, there is not much more are using this course to help them experience that this class can offer make a possible career choice. than allowing the students to obOther students, such as Poscover, serve a classroom. That was a facalready have a pretty solid idea of tor in the course leaving Parkway what they want to do.

Seniors Jaime Gottlieb, Claire Kennedy, Taylor Thompson, and Central next year and becoming a Jarrett Cox-Bradley listen to a guest speaker on Feb. 9. Photo by part of the district wide organiza“I want to be a teacher when Kirk Randolph.

I’m older,” Poscover said. “It just tion, Spark!. seemed like a good introduction “Spark! provides high school class.” students in the Parkway School District with dynamic, According to Trecker, Pathways to Teaching is best sumimmersion-based student learning experiences to ensure marized as an “introductory class”. students can understand and respond to an ever-changing “It’s Teacher Ed. 101,” Trecker said. “It will benefit stuworld,” Career and Technical Education coordinator Jennifer dents that are interested in becoming a teacher because it is Stanfill said. pretty much the same introduction to the teaching type class A very inclusive program, Spark! goes outside of the disthey will have at the college level.” trict to create this different learning environment. Their goal The class begins with questioning students regarding is to work together with business partners as community why they want to become a teacher. They then move on to service and educational leaders.

Making the students a priority, Stanfill felt that the experience that Spark! provides those in this course was enough At Central With Spark! to make the move.

Location: High Location: “[This course] allows school classroom Highcroft Elemantary students interested in teaching and learning to Experience: Experience: Obfully immerse themserving, interacObserving selves in the profession tion and teaching through observation, Curriculum: Curriculum: Based interaction and teachDriven by a dison the interests of ing,” Stanfill said. trict-wide, guaran- studnets so each teed curriculum students expeStanfill recognizes rience may look the similarities between different this program at Central and at Spark!, but feels that there is more upside to moving this class in particular.

“Spark! experiences are developed based on the interests of students, therefore, each student’s experience may look different,” Stanfill said. “This is different than the Career Pathways to Teaching course which is driven by a district-wide, guaranteed curriculum.”

Although Trecker will not be teaching the class next year, she too realizes the perks of the switch.

“I think it’s a really good class but I’m not sad that its not going to be here because I feel like that’s a specific career pathway,” Trecker said. “If students know that it is something they want to do, then they will have all morning instead of just a 50 or a 90 minute class. I think you need a lot of different experiences in teaching before you really know.”

DANIELLE SEROTA Opinions Editor

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ebuting in the fall of 2015, Parkway is launching a Virtual Learning Program which allows students to enroll in a variety of classes online.

The program was originally designed to allow students with busy schedules to have more flexibility and time to spend on their other interests. Students may take online classes in addition to a full day of classroom classes or as replacements for normal classes.

“The whole goal is that they are Parkway courses, taught

by Parkway teachers, for Parkway students,” counselor Jenny Lange said. “You would likely be in a class with students from West, South, North, even Fern Ridge.”

There will be about 10-20 students enrolled in each online course. Communication between students and teacher will primarily be electronic.

“It isn’t like a live lecture,” Lange said. “There may be components of that, but for the most part they will be designed so that students can fit the class into their own schedule when they have time. However, they will still be paced throughout the semester like any other class.”

Classes that will be offered online in the fall of 2015 will include Health, Personal Finance, Sociology, Video Gaming Design, AP Statistics and AP Art History.

“I think most kids will still want to take classes like AP Statistics in school, so that they don’t have to read the whole book and the teacher is there to explain it,” AP Statistics teacher Heather Beal said. “I think the Virtual Learning program will mainly benefit the kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to take it because of scheduling issues.

Students learn to teach in Pathway KIRK RANDOLPH Entertainment Editor

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Changes being made:

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Spreading School Spirit DEAN TRAIL Managing Editor

During the ‘guys only’ portion of the guy girl dance, senior Eric Ballesteros jumps over junior Tyler Kendrick from a push up position. Kendrick rolled under a row of half of the guys. “The hardest part about the dance was just memorizing it because it had a lot of steps,” Ballesteros said. “I felt confident in my ability to jump over Tyler.” Photo by Madeline Finkelstein.

The High Steppers exit the gym after their performance during the Winter pep rally on Jan. 30. Photo

by Ilennah Fanega.

Senior Daniel Rasmussen competes in the lunch game on Wednesday Feb. 4, the objective was to find the bubble gum in the pan of whipped cream and be the first to blow a bubble. “I was trying to chew that gum so that I could blow the bubble fastest,” Rasmussen said. “This game was actually my favorite lunch game becuause you got free gum and whipped cream.” Photo by Kyra Tarlas.

Continuing the weekly trend of keeping in school spirit, sophomore Mikayla Wieser dresses up for ‘Fake an Injury Day’ on Thursday Feb. 5. Photo by Madeline Finkelstein.

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Junior Jordan Lewis shows off his moves with the break dance club during the winter pep rally on Friday Jan. 30. Photo by Rebekah Poscover.

Freshmen Carlye and Edye Hansen dance to ‘Uptown Funk’ by Bruno Mars during the pageant with the JV dance team. Photo

by Shaun Sternklar.

Senior Minki Kim asks for donations from sophomores Rebecca Davis and Alexis Livingston during lunch on Monday Feb. 2. “It was very difficult to get money bec ause I didn’t want to be that guy who begged for money,” Kim said. “I just went up to random tables and asked for donations.

I told them the statistics about Alzheimer’s and they usually donated.”

Photo by Kyra Tarlas.

Seniors Alec Davison (left) and Patrick Schmittdiel (right) boogie down during the Mr. PCH dance at the pageant on Feb. 6. “My favorite part was the single ladies dance and it wasn’t hard to learn because we practiced over and over agian,” Davison said. Photo by Shaun Sternklar.

Freshmen Tim Kodner and Anthony Zuanich along with sophomore Maddie Hall sport their pink outfits for ‘On Wednesday’s we wear pink’ day. “I looked for outfits that matched the theme days,” Hall said. “I like how the student body getwws involved and it’s fun for everyone.” Photo by Kyra Tarlas.

Seniors Tommy Payne and Matthew Schmittdiel perfom a duet as their talent during the Mr. PCH Pageant. “I got the inspiration from Adam Kirschbaum who sung a song about central my freshman year,” Schmittdiel said. “So I thought it would be really cool to keep the tradition going by rewriting the lyrics to “Fix you” by Coldplay. My and Tommy thought it would be a definite crowd pleaser and it for sure was.” Photo

by Madeline Finkelstein.

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Sports

Feb. 12, 2015

Hockey enthusiasts play for other schools ROBERT SHIFRIN and JEFFREY EIDELMAN Staff Writer and Sports Editor

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Senior Coby Rothman waits for a face-off as Ladue played Fort Zumalt South. He currently plays for Ladue High school and has played there for a couple of years. Photo

by Matthew Gibbs.

ot sporting a team for the last three years, Central hockey’s attempts to restart the team have failed.

“Central just doesn’t have enough base players to start a team,” senior Andrew Puettmann said. “There was a team my freshman year, and we weren’t very good at all.”

Junior John Randall has opted not to play hockey in high school this season.

However, Randall has the option play on a separate team.

“I don’t play for a high school because Central doesn’t have a team,” Randall said. “I just don’t have time, and we lose a lot of our players to private schools.

If Central had a certain number of players, we could pull players and enter the pool.”

According to Mid States Hockey, the organization that runs high school hockey, players who can’t play for their high school may elect to enter a draft, or pool, where they are selected to join another school’s team. Schools that have a surplus of players can “let players go,” allowing these players to enter the draft.

These players can complete the rosters

of schools who are in need of more players. As a result of the physical nature of hockey, players say that it is important to have a plethora of players.

Currently, Puettmann plays for the Whitfield Warriors, helping the team with 14 points in his last 10 games. However, he has recently been injured with a concussion.

“Playing with whitfield is great,” Puettmann said.

“I like all the players a lot; they are a bunch of good guys. The fans are also great.”

Other students who currently play hockey include senior Coby Rothman, junior Connor Aleksic and sophomore Danny Brickman.

Brickman also plays for Whitfield, while Rothman and Aleksic play for Ladue and Parkway West, respectively.

Although Puettmann and Brickman are unable to represent their school on the rink, they enjoy competing for Whitfield.

“Playing with Whitfield is great,” Puettmann said.

“The coaching staff is great and I like all the players.”

Brickman considers himself to be very close with his teammates, though he would prefer to play for his own school.

“They really accepted me as part of the team, and it’s just like another family,” Brickman said.

While Central’s hockey players are currently dispersed among many local teams, future years may see an attempt to bring them together.

How to play hockey for another team Step One: There are three scenarios in which you can play for another team: you are cut from your high school team, your school doesn’t have a team or you make your high school team, but you feel like you won’t play much, therefore, you have your coach sign you off the team.

Step Two: Contact Mid States hockey and register to play.

Step Three: If you have an arrangement with a coach on another team, you are free to sign with that team.

Step Four: If you don’t have a previous arrangement, then you enter a pool and you are drafted by a team needing players. However, you are not guaranteed a spot.

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Feb. 12, 2015

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Sports Sports

Recreational sports provide alternative to athletes ROBERT SHIFRIN Staff Writer

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ecreational sports, like Vetta’s indoor soccer league and basketball at the JCC, provide many high school athletes who choose not to compete for their high school with serious or laid back sports.

Many dedicated soccer players find Vetta indoor soccer to be a fun addition to their schedule.

Junior Quinn Conlisk, a member of the boys varsity soccer team, says he enjoyed his experience with the Vetta indoor soccer league. Conlisk was able to play an important role for his team, scoring five goals in just one game.

“Being on the field with players who have such a diverse level of experience with the game is a fun mix,” Conlisk said.

Senior Libby Kaiser, a member of the girls varsity soccer team, was part of a Vetta soccer team this fall where she was able to enjoy the game she loves with many of her friends.

“I love playing soccer, and when I get to play in a co-ed league with friends from school it makes it that much better,” Kaiser said. “You get that balance of having fun but also wanting to win, and it’s a good atmosphere.”

While Kaiser and her teammates take their games seriously and put forth their best effort, Kaiser’s teammates, many of which participate in school sports of their own, join her in posing after an indoor they play to have fun and Vetta allows them to game. Photo courtesy of Libby Kaiser. compete at their desired level of intensity. much more relaxed.

“Because it’s a casual league, anyone’s welcome “It wasn’t intense like when I was coaching my son,” Kelty said. “It to play and you can sub in at any time, it was fun for all and we had a was just more of a fun atmosphere.” good time,” Kaiser said.

Senior Matt Feldewerth had never considered taking up basketThe open leagues at Vetta allow players with less soccer backball, until his friends invited him to play on a JCC league. Though ground to learn the game playing along side skilled players. Junior Thomas Rechenberg started a team at Vetta this fall, including many Feldewerth is new to basketball, playing in a comfortable setting at the JCC came with less stress. players who recently found an interest in soccer. Rechenberg was “All my friends were playing and I figured I’d ball out with them,” able to provide leadership to his teammates by bringing his varsity Feldewerth said. “It gives me a good release of energy.” level knowledge to Vetta.

Playing for a J league is a common route for hopeful players who “It gives kids who don’t usually play soccer the opportunity to weren’t able to play on the school team. Every year, a handful of play with more experienced players, so they can help out,” Rechenplayers are cut from the varsity basketball team. These players may berg said. find a home on a J league team. Senior Akshay Chavakula loves the Spanish teacher Dan Kelty has years of soccer experience, as he game of basketball, and was delighted to come across the opportunicoached his son’s select team and coached high school soccer at ty to play at the J. Parkway West. Upon sitting in on a high school Vetta game last year, “I always wanted to play basketball and with J league we’re still in Kelty said that players enjoyed themselves and the environment was a competitive division but it’s fun with all my friends,” ChaJuniors vakula said. “It’s not like you’re getting coached or yelled at for Spencer any mistakes you make.”

Nathan, The JCC league is often chosen by busy student athletes, Austin like senior Dan Lewis.

Rader, Alex Lanson, “It’s less commitment, less competitive, more fun and when Jeff you play high school basketball it turns into a job and you have Dicker, all the extra worries and you can’t be yourself on the court. In J Brandon league you just have a good time,” Lewis said.

NathanLewis played freshman basketball and was a key contributor son, Erik to the team, though he has found the JCC league to work best Jost, and Johnny for him and his teammates.

Hall cele“At the end of the day you’re still out there to have fun and brate after you don’t have to worry about screwing up or people being their JCC mad at you or having to run extra laps in practice,” Lewis said.

Basketball “I’d recommend to anyone who loves to play basketball to go game. Phoout and join a J league team, or any rec league.” to courtesy of Brandon Nathanson.

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St. Louis sports updates JEFF EIDELMAN Sports Editor

Busy offseason for Rams

>Star defensive end Robert Quinn and fellow defensive lineman Aaron Donald, a rookie, played in the Pro Bowl on January 25 in the annual game that recognizes the best performing players of the year. >Officially, the Rams own the 10th pick in the draft. The fans have seemed to push for a quarterback, as current QB Sam Bradford hasn’t lived up to the potential he was thought to have had, being the number one pick in the 2010 draft.

However, Les Snead, the general manager, and Jeff Fisher, the head coach, seem to still have faith in Bradford, as he has seemed to play well when healthy and with a healthy team with skill. >Rams hired a new offensive coordinator. Frank Cignetti was promoted from the quarterbacks coach to his position. >A lot of speculation has been on the Rams moving. Owner Stan Kroenke bought land in the greater Los Angeles area, and has proposed an 80,000 seat stadium. However, there are a lot of barriers that Kroenke must overcome to move the team. One, by NFL rule, is that ‘all options must be exhausted’ in attempting to keep the team.

Since the Rams have also proposed a stadium, on the Riverfront, the NFL may have some problems if they believe the Rams should move to LA. Kroenke has, in public, stated he will move the team no matter what. However, if the NFL stands by its rules, the NFL won’t allow it and would fine Kroenke, and not schedule games. Be that as it may, the NFL have been known to be loose on its rules and have stated they would like a team in LA.

Blues find stride

The Blues are in second place in the Western Conference Central Division and 3rd overall in the Western Conference. If the Blues continue to play at the level they are, the are a lock to make the playoffs for the 4th year in a row. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko leads the team in goals with 28 so far on the season (as of 2/9/15). Speaking of Tarasenko, he was one of 3 Blues players to make the NHL All-Star game. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and Goalkeeper Brian Elliott also played in the game.

St. Louis F.C.

This is the inaugural season of St. Louis FC, a USL Pro league team that will play its home games at Soccer Park in Fenton. The USL Pro league is the second best league in the United States behind the MLS. While it may be disappointing to St. Louis soccer fans that there isn’t an MLS team yet, fans should be encouraged for a team to come in the future. There are a few MLS teams that are newly promoted to the MLS from the USL Pro league. If St. Louis FC gets consistent fan support every game, the chances of getting an MLS team in the future is good. The home opener is on Saturday, April 11th against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. There are 14 home games scheduled on the season. The season starts in late March ends ends in September.

10

Sports

Corral the

Captains lead team despite size DEAN TRAIL Managing Editor

S

enior captains Jack Karagiannis and Aaron Levin lead the wrestling team despite having a height disparity of 10 inches and a weight difference of just under 90 pounds.

“Aaron and I started the same year, sophomore year, and we have progressed at about the same level,” Karagiannis said.

“He’s in charge of the lower weights, and I’m in charge of the upper weights. We manage those separately and we’re still friends off the mats as well.”

Because they are on different sides of the room, they don’t see each other often during practices.

“During wrestling practice Jack and I lead stretches together,” Levin said. “Other than that, he and I don’t interact much during practice because I’m working with the lighter weights and he’s busy with the heavier weights.”

Junior wrestler Tucker Jesse believes that the two captains are strong leaders of the team.

“They’re role models for the team,” Jesse said.

“They show us how we should conduct ourselves at practice and how to compete to win.”

This season, the team hired two new experienced assistant coaches to help improve the wrestlers’ skills.

“This year is so much different from last,” Levin said. “We have two new assistant coaches.

One is Taylor Bolin, Coach Bolin’s son. He is a seven-time state champion in Greco-Roman wrestling. Kyle Hussie is the other coach, and he’s been wrestling for many years.”

The team also recruited more underclassmen, increasing the number of wrestlers.

“This year we tried to really promote wrestling,” Karagiannis said. “We have a lot more

Senior wrestling captain Aaron Levin sits atop fellow senior captain Jack Karagiannis’s shoulder.

Levin wrestles in the lowest weight class while Karagiannis wrestles in one of the highest classes. Karagiannis weighs almost 90 pounds more than Levin and is 10 inches taller. Photo by Dean Trail.

Feb. 12, 2015

freshman this year. I think we’ve made it tougher to quit and made people stick with it, and they have found that they really like it.”

Another difference this year is that the team has more chemistry.

“The team is my favorite part of wrestling this year,” Karagiannis said.

“I really like hanging out with the guys. I found that this team is a lot more of a close-knit group, and I’ve never met a mean wrestler.”

Both wrestlers believe that they have had strong seasons.

“So far this year my record is 17-7, so I’m not doing too bad, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement,” Karagiannis said.

Levin has also improved on his performance in past years.

“This season has gone pretty well,” Levin said. “I’ve improved my record much more from last year, met a lot of new teammates and, of course, I’ve become a better wrestler than I was before.”

Something new to Karagiannis this year is having to cut weight to fit into a certain class.

“The beginning of this season was the first time I ever had to drop weight,” Karagiannis said. “Only twice have I really had to watch what I eat and what I do.”

There are three different methods to cutting weight. The first is to not eat for an entire day; the second is to sweat out the water weight; and the third and least-used method is the spit-cup method to try and lose water weight.

“The first time was at our first meet I had to drop from 197 to 195 in 24 hours,” Karagiannis said. “I ended up cutting down to 191 by accident and the second time I forgot to watch what I ate, and luckily Coach Mueller was able to let me cut the weight during gym class, so I ended up cutting down one period before the meet.”

Levin must do the opposite to stay in his weight class.

“Personally I’ve never had to cut weight but I’ve always had to try to gain weight,” Levin said. “That’s definitely a struggle for me because every time I get my weight up, I end up sick or something and lose 5 pounds. This has happened twice this season already. It’s difficult for me to gain weight because I’ll eat a huge meal, and then the next day weigh less than before.”

>Height: 6’ 2” Jack Karagiannis >Weight: 192 >Pump-up song: “Crying like a b*tch” by Godsmack >Favorite Movie: “A Few Dollars More” >Favorite Food: Steak >Pre-match Ritual: “I pace back and forth behind the benches.” >Best Wrestling Moment: “A 42-second bubble match to go to State.”

Pound by Pound

>Height: 5’ 4” Aaron Levin >Weight: 106 >Favorite Song: “Time of Dying” by Three Days Grace >Favorite Movie: “FoxCatcher” >Favorite Food: chicken tenders or cheeseburgers -- “it’s a tie” >Pre-match Ritual: “Get ready for weigh-ins, go have a few snacks, warm up with the team and get psyched for my first round match.” >Best Wrestling Moment: “I’m hoping it’s going to be at Districts.”

Feb. 12, 2015

Corral the

Cox-Bradley hits 1,000-point mark MATTHEW GIBBS Staff Writer

E

clipsing the prestigious 1,000-point mark, senior shooting guard Jarrett Cox-Bradley became part of school basketball history in front of his own fans against Summit on Tuesday, Jan. 6.

At the start of the game, Cox-Bradley was 30 points shy of reaching 1,000 in his career. Since he averages just under 30 points per game so far this season, Cox-Bradley knew that he was capable of reaching it that game.

“I was thinking about it,” Cox-Bradley said. “I don’t know, 30 points is kind of a lot, but after the first quarter I got going. I think I had 20 at halftime. I knew that I would be able to come out and reach it after that.”

He ended the half on a buzzer-beating three-pointer, on which he got fouled. He sank the free throw, which made it his first four-point play ever. After the half, all he needed was 10 to hit the mark, but with a big lead against Summit, the starters knew their playing time was limited.

“Kirby kind of looked at me and told me I had two minutes (to play) left, so I knew that I had to go get it in that two minutes,” Cox-Bradley said.

Cox-Bradley is now the ninth person in school history to be in the “1,000 point club.”

“It’s definitely a great honor,” Cox-Bradley said. “Only being the ninth person at Central to do that, it’s a great honor.”

Varsity head coach Rick Kirby understands this level of accomplishment and appreciates Cox-Bradley’s work.

“There is an old adage amongst most coaches, not all, that great players make great coaches,” Kirby said. “So Jarrett makes it easy for me at times because he finds a way to hunt shots that go in the basket a lot.”

Kirby noted that one of Cox-Bradley’s best skills is his ability to find ways to score.

“On nights when he’s not hitting from the perimeter he gets to the basket. On nights where he is struggling mid-range or perimeter, he gets to the free throw line,” Kirby said. “The guy just finds ways to score points.”

Cox-Bradley has worked hard over his high school career on his road to being a “prolific scorer,” according to Kirby.

“Jarrett started out as a freshman and sophomore as a real physically weak young man who lacked stamina, and he’s worked so hard to become the player that he is,” Kirby said. “He is a perfect example of a success story coming from hard work. I can’t tell you how many times we came in at 5 in the morning prior to school starting and we would get 300 shots in. Jarrett has worked for everything that he’s got, and I Floating in midair, Jarrett Cox-Bradley makes a layup against Festus in the Ameritime Tournament at Missouri Baptist on Jan. 28 in a 29-point performance.

Cox-Bradley averages 30 points a game. Photo

by Matthew Gibbs.

Sports

11

Teach me how to:

Shoot a free throw with Shannon Flynn

1

Step up to the line: “I do the same thing every time I take a free throw.

I take two bounces, spin the ball, take one more bounce.”

2 Senior Jarrett Cox-Bradley celebrates with teammates freshman DeAndre Campbell and senior Risaan McKenney and a standing ovation from the home crowd after he scored his 30th point of the game to reach exaclty 1,000 points on his career. Photo

by Erin Friesen.

couldn’t be happier.”

Fellow teammate and close friend senior Risaan McKenney said he is proud of Cox-Bradley’s achievements.

“It’s a great feeling to have a teammate be able to reach 1,000 points,” McKenney said. “My brother Jarrett works really hard, and hard work does pay off as you can see.”

McKenney said that keeps Cox-Bradley as a close friend for a reason.

“I was told to always keep a group of friends that makes you push yourself, and Jarrett does that to me a lot,” McKenney said. “I believe as long as you work hard and stay humble, you can achieve anything. I see how hard he works every day, and I admire that. ” While he has worked hard on his game on the court, Cox-Bradley has been focusing on other ways to improve his game.

“He worked extremely hard in the weight room to get stronger, and I think that has helped him also,” Kirby said. “Jarrett is going to be one of those guys that goes on to play college basketball somewhere where he really does do it close to 365 days a year, where he will get a more regimented lifting program than even what we did all summer and fall.

He will fill out and become stronger. ” Jarrett is currently trying to figure out which school would be the best fit for him. University of Central Missouri stands out the most to him.

“I’m getting a few looks. Probably more interest would be UCM, a couple other D2’s, and a load of junior colleges,” Cox-Bradley said. “I visited UCM, which I liked a lot, and I’ve been in contact with their coaches for like four months now.”

Kirby is also excited about Cox-Bradley’s college-playing prospects.

“Jarrett’s best basketball can be ahead of him, depending on where he goes,” Kirby said.

Shooting: “I bend my knees and aim for the back of the rim. I make sure I shoot in one fluid motion and don’t jerk the ball.”

3

Follow through: “I make sure I flick my wrist to get good spin on the ball and prepare to get my rebound if I miss.”

12 Cover Story

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Feb. 12, 2015

#selfiesyndrom Explaining the selfie phenomenon KATE MCNEAL and EMILY SCHENBERG Features Editor and Production Manager

P

hrases that can be heard in the halls on a regular basis: “Are you taking a selfie?” “Get in my selfie!” “Nice selfie!”

Selfies have become a worldwide phenomenon in recent years, especially with the invention of front-facing cameras, along with improvements in photography.

#trending

With people of all ages and demographics participating in the trend, participants cite various reasons as to why they take selfies.

“I personally like doing it because I like showing my friends what I’m doing or taking pictures with them to document the moment,” senior Laressa Copeland said. “Or when I have a cute outfit on or I’m going out, it just makes me want to take a photo.”

According to senior Anthony Tang, taking a “good selfie” rarely occurs on the first try.

“I have around 1,600 selfies on my phone,” Tang said. “Some of them are with friends; others are just of me. I usually take a ton then go through them later to pick out the best ones.”

Yet, the selfie has more purposes than simply showing off to friends.

“It’s weird because time has been flying by so fast, and you want to remember everything for sentimental reasons,” Copeland said. “It’s such a strange feeling to go back and look at pictures from even just a few years ago.

I can’t imagine years from now looking at all our ridiculous selfies.”

With technology rapidly evolving, people are able to capture more photos than ever before.

“I think it’s a great way to document the attitudes and feelings of that moment,” Tang said. “We have the ability to take an unlimited amount of photos, so why not take advantage of it?”

The obsession with selfies has gone as far as creating a selfie stick, a pole that attaches to your phone, extending selfie range and widening the shot of the picture being taken.

“I myself, do participate in taking selfies,” Progress Monitoring Coach Bina Shah said. “My cousin brought one of those selfie sticks on vacation.

We were actually taking selfies of us taking selfies with the selfie stick, it was hilarious.”

However, along with the purely entertainment purpose of selfies, the pictures also hold a psychological side.

“I think that when people are alone and they want affirmation or somebody to tell them they look pretty or to know what they are doing, that is their way of sharing information,” Shah said. “Some people do it just to hear something good about themselves, but I think other people just do it to share where they are or to literally take a picture because they have nobody else to take a picture of them.”

#logic

The reason for why selfies are taken can also be explained from an anthropological standpoint.

“They are a popular trend, a new way for people to express themselves individually,” Dr. Susan King, social studies teacher with a PhD in anthropology, said. “People are showing themselves in different places or in different moods.”

According to King, the reason relates to technology and the current time period.

“This is one more way people in a very technological age and a technologically focused generation connect with each other,” King said.

“You’re documenting your life. It’s like an active ongoing scrapbook. It’s one more avenue of sharing who you are with people and sharing what’s important to you.”

Similar to Shah, King said that taking selfies could be seen as conceitedness.

“It’s also sort of narcissistic because it’s all about you, and the idea is that other people are going to see this, and in the sense that one is vain enough to think that others are interested in seeing pictures of you,” King said.

King remained optimistic, stating that not everyone who takes selfies is doing it for self-centered reasons, as it could be to show self-expression and creativity.

Tattoos, which became a trend after they were displayed primarily by members of the military before expanding to men, and then finally women, could be compared as a similar phenomenon.

“Things change with time and what the culture is interested in,” King said.

While this is the first era that has the technology to make taking selfies a possibility, it is not the first example of members in a culture trying to express themselves.

“Every culture is going to represent itself one way or another,” King said. “We have cave art going back thousands of years. The Lascaux caves in France for example. They drew pictures that look like people hunting, and they’re doing things in the pictures that people did in their time.”

While taking selfies is a popular trend today, there is a possibility it will not last forever.

“Maybe it’s something that’s just of the moment, and catching the spirit of the times or the fact that people can do this now,” King said. “You guys are living in a very interesting and a very cool time, a time when you can reach out to people and interact with people you never thought possible.”

Corral the

Feb. 12, 2015

me

Cover Story

#stats

147 Selfies seen taken during 10 minutes of lunch

34

Data compiled by Corral Staff.

Percent of males that say they retouch every selfie

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Percent of females that say they retouch every selfie Information taken from Tech Infographics.

#howmanyselfies Data collected by the Corral staff n=131.

(32%)

(43%) Less than 10

10-50

51-200

Greater than 200

(19%) (6%)

13

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Cover Story

Feb. 12, 2015

#selfiesyndrome: supplementary data #sharing_is_caring 79 percent of people asked said they #share their selfies on social media. n=112

5% 21%



30%

#Instagram

#Twitter

#Don’t share

6%

38%

#Snapchat

#Other social media sites

How #obsessed are you with #selfies?

Start

Do you often send selfies to more than 3 friends?

Do you take more than 10 selfies in a day?

Yes

No

No

No

Have you ever taken a selfie alone or with friends?

Yes No

Have you taken one with a famous person?

Yes

Do you make weird faces while taking selfies?

No

No Yes

I couldn’t care less about selfies

Yes

I dabble in the selfie game

Do you often find yourself thinking about selfies?

Yes

I won a gold medal in the Selfie Olympics

Corral the

Feb. 12, 2014

Opinions

Lack of pep rally attendance exposes missing school spirit T CORRAL STAFF EDITORIAL

he winter pep rally scheduled for the end of the day on Jan. 30, turned into an early release for some students who had “doctor’s appointments” or just decided not to attend.

Because the pep rally occurs during the school day, it is mandatory for the entire student body to attend, but it almost feels optional. Instead, students that didn’t really feel like using the last hour-and-a-half of their school day watching silly basketball shootouts and a parade of the four winter sports teams didn’t have to.

Many students used the tactic of having their parents call them out instead of just playing hookie. I seriously doubt all of the doctors in the area were available to accommodate all of the students who left school with their busy schedules.

For the students that just left after they checked into ac lab, how were they just allowed to walk out of the front doors? If the students can leave for the pep rally, could they during ac lab? Or leave during class? With how strict our school’s policies are for the closed campus, the pep rally seems to be an exception.

In previous years, the gym was packed during pep rallies; my knees were in my chest and we could smell what the person sitting next to me ate for lunch. Even if that doesn’t sound quite enjoyable, it showed that more people were interested in what was going on.

This pep rally, we could have lain down and taken a nap if we wanted to -- because of the room and secondly because how quiet the senior section was. If the DJ wasn’t blasting his music, you could’ve heard the freshmen gossiping all the way across the gym.

The objective of a pep rally is to increase

Corral

CENTRAL SPEAKS

What did you think of the winter pep rally?

“I liked dancing at the pep rally. A lot of the upperclassmen left. They need to get in the school spirit!”

-freshman Meghan Kane

Many students decided not to attend the pep rally on Friday, Jan. 30, and the senior section of the bleachers was so empty there was room to take a nap. The students that didn’t come either skipped or had their parents call them out for various reasons. The lack of attendance created a dull atmosphere at the event with little noise and excitement. It is important for the student body to show school spirit and pep rallies should be mandatory not “optional.”

Illustration by Dean Trail.

school spirit. Forcing students to come and sit there isn’t accomplishing that goal, but it is a start.

Although it’s cheesy when the emcee asks for each grade to make some noise, students should take some pride in making sure their grade is the loudest rather than making sure that their peers and teachers know that they just don’t really care.

Showing school spirit is important because it creates a more positive atmosphere. Pep rallies are meant to lift the spirit of the student body, but the winter pep rally this year failed to do so.

the

The Corral is a student-written, edited and produced publication of Parkway Central High School, 369 N. Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017; 314-415-7978.

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.

15

The administration should implement more strict rules to attend the pep rallies -- and stay until the end -- especially because they are held during the school day. If our role models in the building demonstrate the importance of these events by their active participation and enforcement of school attendance policies.

At the same time, students should take pride in seeing their classmates perform and show off their various talents. Even if it isn’t the best school event, the pep rallies only happen twice a year, so students should be able to bear going to only one each semester.

“My favorite part was step team and breakdance club. A lot of the school wasn’t there, but there were still a decent number of people.”

-sophomore Zach Goldberg

2014-15 Staff Editor in Chief Matt Frischer

Entertainment Editor Kirk Randolph

Managing Editor Dean Trail

News Editor Hanna Whitehouse

Staff Writers Kayla Benjamin Matthew Gibbs Ben Kraizer Jorris Robinson Piper Rother Robert Shifrin Ashley Wright

Features Editor Kate McNeal

Business Manager Kathryn Rechenberg

Opinions Editor Danielle Serota

Adviser Ms. Tara Stepanek

Production Manager Emily Schenberg

Sports Editor Jeffrey Eidelman

“I didn’t go and went to the lake instead. We went to the indoor water park.”

-junior Shaun Sternklar

“I wish they didn’t make it as big of a deal as they do for the Homecoming pep rally.”

-senior Corey Fox

16 Opinions w

đ&#x;’ť Corral the

yays & NeighS

Our take on today’s news Yays: King of Hearts was a chance to get our dancing shoes on!

Congratulations to Patrick Schmittdiel, Mr. PCH! Chocolate. Chocolate everywhere.

The Guy-Girl dance was...well, we were entertained, but keep practicing guys.

Four-day weekend over President’s day.

Feeling like we don’t really go to school in February.

Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day cuddles with bae <3.

10 reasons to utilize technology in the classroom

KATE MCNEAL Features Editor

1 2 3

Efficient

Neighs: Overpriced boxes of chocolates.

Parent teacher conferences coming up...oops!

Freezing temperatures. Brrr...

Six-week grades.

Senioritis is stronger than ever.

End of Parenthood...RIP Zeek :( Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day may be good for the heart, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not so great for the wallet.

- CORRAL STAFF

Feb. 12, 2015

Phones and computers are only getting faster, and they give an easy way to finish work quickly.

More interactive

New technology provides an opportunity for students to do something other than just sitting at their desks taking notes.

Also, activities on devices are typically more entertaining for students because they can do what they know best.

Accessible outside of school

A majority of students own their own phones and have access to a computer at home, and even the ones who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t can go to the school or public outside of school hours. Doing schoolwork on the computer makes it easier for students to do work outside of school because they can access it almost wherever they are, especially with the use of Google apps.

4 5

Uses less paper

The logic is obvious: when technology is utilized in the classroom, trees and notebooks are spared.

Store files in one spot

Now that Parkway is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Google school,â&#x20AC;? students can have all of their documents, pictures and emails in one accessible spot, making it impossible to lose files between different folders on school and home computers or misplace papers in physical folders.

6

Closes gap between teachers and students

Technology has the ability to bridge the gap that forms when students need feedback on an assignment or have questions and are unable to see their teacher in a timely manner. With just a couple clicks of a button, students are easily able to receive feedback.

7 8 9 10

Gives abilities that would be impossible otherwise

Without computers and cameras, it would be impossible to produce the newspaper and yearbook, and classes like Desktop Publishing and Marketing couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist. Technology creates opportunities to do things that just arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possible with a pencil and paper.

Provides useful skills for the future

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basically inevitable that students will use a computer to do work in college, and employers are impressed when hearing about backgrounds with Microsoft and Adobe programs, both of which students can learn to use at school.

Travels better

Rather than lugging around a backpack full of packets and books that students might use a quarter of during the day, work and reading can be done from a personal device, explaining why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferable to use the online math textbook.

Expands your learning zone

Technology allows students to expand their knowledge and increases learning capacity a ton because there are so many possibilities that open up alongside technology use.

Corral The

Feb. 12, 2015

Opinions

17

The meaning of a girls-ask-guys dance KAYLA BENJAMIN Staff Writer

H

e asks her to prom. He asks her to homecoming. He asks her out. That’s why it’s so important that she asks him to KOH. A girls-ask-guys dance is meant to give girls a chance to pick their guy, giving guys a break from that pressure.

So when guys break this dance’s tradition and decide to ask a girl, they just perpetuate the idea that boys should always be responsible for choosing their gal.

“The whole idea of KOH is to break the gender barriers,” freshman Alex Kaiser said. “If the guy asks the girl, it’s kind of setting it back.”

In an ideal world, there would be no issue. Girls could ask guys to homecoming or prom without worrying about anyone’s judgment, and guys could ask girls to KOH. Realistically, gender roles exist, so a ladies’ choice dance should be just that -- ladies’ choice.

“I feel like it’s the same thing with homecoming,” senior Rebekah Poscover said. “Sometimes people might think that that’s weird for a girl to ask a guy; I feel like when guys ask girls to KOH, it’s the same thing then.”

Additionally, it’s also unfair to force boys to always have to be the brave ones. While asking someone to a dance is fun, it can also be super nerve-racking. Guys shouldn’t be expected to do the asking every single time. The risk of rejection is pretty scary for a lot of people. Guys should get a chance to just sit back, relax and cross their fingers... and maybe drop a few flirtatious hints to the girl of their dreams.

Senior Taylor Holton said that if a guy asked her to KOH, she would probably say, “Isn’t that my job?”

On the flip side, asking someone to a dance can be great fun. Flowers, letters, balloons, letters inside balloons!

The experience of decorating posters with cheesy pick-up lines or planning elaborate scavenger hunts shouldn’t be left for just the boys. It’s not fair for guys to ask girls to KOH, which might be the only time a girl feels comfortable doing the asking herself. Some girls want a chance to ask.

“But what if the dance is in two days and I haven’t been asked yet?!” worries our neighborhood high school boy. To him, I say, chill out. Just as girls go in groups without dates to homecoming, it’s totally cool to get a group of bachelors together for KOH.

What boys said:

If a guy hasn’t been asked to KOH, should he break the tradition and ask a girl?

What girls said:

Yes (38%)

No (31%)

No (62%)

You’ve heard our opinions...

Now we want to hear yours!

Go to parkwaynews.net/corral OR Find our tweet on @pchcorral OR scan this QR code => Fill out our poll to enter for a chance to win a Bread Co. gift card!

Deadline to enter is Feb. 20.

Yes (69%)

18

Arts & Entertainment

Sweet t

Corral the

Feb. 12, 2015

th delight

Gibbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Review: Strange Donuts fulfills hype as creative donut king MATTHEW GIBBS Staff Writer

S

trange Donuts will make donut consumers wish they had tried it out sooner.

But unfortunately, this was my first trip to the small and colorful shop located in Maplewood on Sutton Boulevard. The Maplewood location is the original location of the now three Strange Donut shops. Opening its doors in October 2013, Strange Donuts is a truly unique donut shop. It has different donuts available each time that you come in, but be careful when you visit, as it sometimes sells out of donuts for the day.

When I walked into the store, I immediately noticed the glass counter with donuts in it, which made me feel like a little kid at a candy shop in awe of all of the possibilities. Since it was a fairly long drive, I wanted to try some unique donuts but also a generic donut to see if the generic ones were good too.

I tried the Maple Bacon Donut, the Camp Fire donut, and the Blue Pony. The Bacon and Camp Fire were unique for donuts, and they were incredible. On the other hand, the Blue Pony was generic and it tasted generic also. Since it is a fairly long drive, I recommend that

you go for out-of-the-ordinary donuts because the generic ones arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any better than Krispy Kreme donuts that you can get from your local grocery store.

The Maple Bacon Donut is now officially the best donut I have ever consumed.

At first thought of a bacon donut, like most, I was very skeptical of consuming it. I mean, bacon on top of a donut is not a common food choice. But man, was it good. After taking my first bite, I noticed the sweetness of the donut itself. But almost instantaneously, I felt a salty flavor which was a product of the bacon being on it. The salty and sweet combination worked in perfect harmony. The bacon had a chewy texture as opposed to being crunchy, and it had a maple syrup taste to it, which made it fantastic. The vanilla glaze complemented the rest of the donut. I highly recommend it.

By the numbers

3

locations Maplewood, Kirkwood, Columbia

6-2 a.m.-p.m.

Daily hours

$1, 2 or 5 Varying donut prices

Donuts are priced at either $1, $2, or $5. The $1 ones are generic donuts that you could find anywhere, $2 ones are more upscale, and $5 ones are beyond unique.

Corral staff selections

Chocolate Raspberry Fritter The Chocolate Raspberry Fritter is much like the other odd donuts. It starts with a large, yet average-tasting pastry, but what makes it special is the tastefully tart raspberry jelly on top that harmonizes perfectly with the drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Camp Fire

With the first bite of my donut, I was taken away from the cold St. Louis air and brought the warm bonfire. The campfire donut combined a chocolate cake donut with sprinkled graham cracker crumbs, topped with a toasted marshmallow. It was chocolaty enough without being too much, and the marshmallow provided a nice break.

Jean Claude Van Graham

The donut itself was delectable because it had a lot of flavor and was fluffy, which is necessary.

But the graham cracker topping and icing were plain, making it taste like just a regular vanilla frosted donut. The other menu options were better and more strange.

Blueberry Jelly

The Blueberry Jelly donut was a blast of satisfying sweetness once I reached the center.

Though the outside of the donut was lacking in flavor, the inside was to die for. Despite the disappointing start, I was thoroughly impressed.

iDone

The iDone took all the great parts of classic apple pie and matched it with the modern donut. The trickled nut topping even adding a crunch to the sweet apple inside discovered upon first bite. A caramel glaze found underneath the nuts completed the unique, sweet-tasting breakfast treat. This is easily the best apple to eat for breakfast.

Salted Caramel

The salted caramel donut was a good combination of sweet and salty. The caramel icing really complemented the rich chocolate donut, but the salt was a little overpowering. It was still a delicious mix of chocolate and caramel. *Due to constantly evolving menu at Strange Donuts, there is no guarantee that any of the donuts reviewed will be available for purchase.*

P

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Feb. 12, 2015

Arts & Entertainment

hoto henoms

Tim Kodner

Anthony Zuanich

Anthony Zuanich

PIPER ROTHER Staff Writer

P

hotos. Everyone takes photos, whether it is of interesting things or of them and their friends. For freshmen Tim Kodner and Anthony Zuanich, photography is more to them than just capturing the moment on their phones.

“When I got my first camera I was 6 and it was some weird camera but then I got more into it when I went to Italy when I was 10,” Zuanich said. “Then I got more serious about it when I started my Instagram three years ago.”

From a young age, Kodner was influenced towards and interest in photography.

“My mom is a photographer,” brother Roo Kodner said. “And Tim has always been interested it.”

Acknowledging that interest, Tim received his first camera when he was young.

“I got my first camera when I was 8 and I just taught myself,” Kodner said. “I do have a good family friend who is a photographer and he taught me sort of the basics.”

Unlike Kodner, Zuanich has taken classes here at school to improve his photography skills.

“I see a lot of potential in his work,” Brian Guilfoyle said. “He is improving and has a certain voice he wants to show in his pieces.”

Besides taking pictures in class and around town, both have traveled around the world in pursuit of their next great photo.

“I’ve been to Mexico once and then I went to Fiji over the past summer and I go to florida every year,” Kodner said. “I always bring my camera equipment and take pictures.”

On top of Italy, Zuanich has some more travel plans.

“I’m going to Croatia in a year,” Zuanich said. “I also plan on going to new york soon.”

Despite already being to several places, Kodner plans to continue traveling around the world, as well.

“I want to go back to Fiji and to Europe and go to Italy because it’s a great place to take pictures,” Kodner said.

Although Kodner is passionate about his hobby, he is not sure if it will ever grow into more than that.

“I’ll probably keep up with it and save up for newer stuff and do it as sort of a side hobby,” Kodner said.

Zuanich feels more compelled to pursue his interest.

“I would like to get a career in photography or something close to it like video,” Zuanich said.

Zuanich is already making some money off his photos by selling them on his website, http://www.azuanichphotography.com/, and in Prana Yoga St. Louis.

Tim Kodner

Tim Kodner

Anthony Zuanich

Tim Kodner

Tim Kodner

Tim Kodner

19

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Arts & Entertainment

Feb. 12, 2015

Rapid responses to quickfire questions KIRK RANDOLPH Entertainment Editor

Mitch Weinstein (12)

Celebrity Crush

Last Text Message

Favorite 2014 Memory

Favorite Breakfast Food

Most Severe Injury

Pop punk; “Northern Downport” by Panic! at the Disco

Victoria Secret models

“Is it cool if everyone comes over tonight and maybe has a fire” (to Mom)

Asking my girlfriend out

Cold pizza

Knocked-out teeth or internal bleeding

Childish Gambino and Lupe Fiasco

Jennifer Lawrence

“kk” (to Mom)

Getting my license

Bagels with butter

Breaking elbow (“It was sister’s fault.”)

One Direction

Harry Styles

“on my way downstairs” (to Mom)

Cousin getting married

Bacon

Dislocated knee cap

“You Raise Me Up”

by Josh Groban

Avril Lavigne

“AGT is going to appear soon” (to Dad)

Winning $1,000 in the lottery

Chocolate chip pancakes

Torn knee ligament

Current Playlist

Ryan Lander (12)

Sarah Whalen (9)

Josh Goldberg (12)

Adam Barnes (10)

Zoë Rosenberg (9)

“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Liam Neeson

“Catch and release” (to Brad)

Fishing in Illinois

Eggs

Two-and-a-halfinch laceration on head from jumping into creek (while fishing in Illinois)

“Primadonna” by Marina and the Diamonds

Zac Efron

“Me too” (to Mom)

Summer camp

Froot Loops

Tendinitis in knee

Johnny Guitar

Samuel L. Jackson

“im sorry” (to everyone)

That it sucked

Chicken and waffles

Dislocated shoulder four times

Aaron Graham (11)

Corral the

Feb. 12, 2015

Arts & Entertainment

Recipe of the Month

21

Prepare meal, dessert for your Valentine

Jorris Robinson & Ashley Wright

Don’t have any plans this Valentine’s Day? Why not cook with the bae? They say the way to the heart is through the stomach, so whip out your apron. This Valentine’s Day you can impress your other half with this simply delicious recipe, Chicken & Broccoli Spaghetti.

Chicken & Broccoli Spaghetti ½ lb chicken breast ½ lb fresh broccoli 1 box fettuccine pasta 3 Tbsp. fresh parmesan 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 1 tsp. parsley ½ tsp. oregano 1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. olive oil 8 oz. of heavy cream ½ stick of butter (unsalted) 4 Tbsp. parmesan cheese 1 tsp. white pepper 3 Tbsp. flour

Directions: Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.

Add 1 tsp. of salt to the water, and add the box of pasta. Let the pasta cook till they are firm. Drain and set aside.

Slice chicken breast in thin slices and add to a mixing bowl. Add parmesan, 1 tsp. olive oil, parsley, oregano, salt and Italian seasoning to the bowl with the chicken.

Mix together.

Add the remaining olive oil to a skillet on med-high heat; add chicken mixture in the skillet. Stir occasionally for 15 minute, or until internal temperature is 165° F. Cut broccoli into bite size pieces, next add broccoli in with the chicken- let cook for 5 more minutes over med-low heat.

For the sauce, melt the ½ stick of butter in a skillet. Once the butter is completely melted (make sure the butter is not boiling) gradually add in flour, while whisking.

Once you have a thick rue, and heavy cream- be sure to continually whisk to avoid clumps). After you have a nice consistency, remove the sauce from the heat.

Add parmesan, pepper, and mix together. Place pasta, top with sauce, and chicken/broccoli mixture. Enjoy!

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits Directions: Preheat 450° F.

2 c. flour 1 ½ c. shredded cheddar 1 Tbsp. sugar cheese 1 Tbsp. baking powder 2 tsp. garlic powder For topping (optional) Line a baking sheet w/ ½ tsp. kosher salt 3 Tbsp. softened unsalted parchment paper, sil¼ cayenne pepper butter icone baking mat, or (optional) 1 Tbsp. of fresh/dried spray with cooking spray; 1 c. buttermilk (ice cold) parsley set aside. ½ c. softened unsalted ½ tsp. garlic powder butter In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper (if you want to use it).

Next cut butter into the dry ingredients, until you form a bead-like texture, gradually add in buttermilk until a soft dough forms. Gently fold in cheese.

Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop batter evenly onto the baking sheet. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the topping whisk together, soften butter, parsley, and garlic powder, in a small bowl. brush each biscuit with mixture (straight out of the oven).

Still seeking a full feeling after a savory main course? Instead of another main dish, how about making brownies with the bae? A great way to finish off any meal is with a decadent chocolate dessert.

Chocolate Brownies 1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix 2 eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil ¼ cup water

Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F. Pour brownie mix into large mixing bowl. Add in other ingredients and stir together until consistency of brownie mix is thick.

Using a 10x15 inch pan, spread a thin layer of butter throughout pan and sift flour across until pan is lightly coated. Pour mix into pan and spread. Place pan in oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until brownie begins to move away from edge of the pan. Remove from oven and let them cool for 15-20 min.

22 Arts & Entertainment

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Feb. 12, 2015

reunite on Netflix Fans don’t have to wait for reruns DANIELLE SEROTA Opinions Editor

T

he days of Sunday morning reruns are over. On Jan. 1, all 10 seasons of “Friends” hit Netflix. That’s right, 236 episodes of the classic 90’s hit can now be viewed wherever, whenever, by whoever for the very first time in history.

Senior Carly Beck is excited for the new addition to Netflix.

“I used to watch the reruns of ‘Friends’ every day after school since elementary school,” Beck said. “But I haven’t seen every single episode, so basically now I’m rewatching it on Netflix to be able to say that I’ve seen every episode.”

The new addition to Netflix has proven convenient for many students. With busy after school schedules filled with sports and other extracurriculars, the 3 p.m. reruns aren’t always a possibility.

Now viewers can watch their favorite episode, scene or even joke

without having to wait for it to come on. They can simply look up which episode they want, and voila! Whether looking for that one scene where Ross and Rachel realize they love each other, or for Phoebe’s iconic rendition of “Smelly Cat,” viewers can simply sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

“It’s been a tradition to watch ‘Friends’ since I was a kid,” sophomore Jordyn Tobias said. “‘Friends’ being on Netflix makes it a lot easier to watch because now I don’t have to wait for reruns. I actually have a couple friends that haven’t watched ‘Friends’ so now I can show it to them.”

For other “Friends” fans like senior Jeremy Levy, an avid viewer of the series since age 10, Netflix is just too little, too late.

“I own every single DVD box set for every single season, so ‘Friends’ being on Netflix doesn’t really make a difference for me,” Levy said. “Plus Netflix cut some great scenes from some of the episodes, which isn’t cool.”

So maybe that “Friends. The One With The Reunion. Thanksgiving 2014” rumor never came true, but one thing is for sure. With this new addition to the world’s favorite streaming site, the whole gang is back together: Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Monica and even Gunther!

Whether you’ve been a committed viewer since the early 2000’s, or you just finished “Gossip Girl” and are looking for your next binge series on Netflix, “Friends” could be the right choice.

Which Friends character are you?

What do you bring to a dinner party?

1. A recipe for brownies I found in a magazine.

2. A date...what else?

3. The entire meal -- I prepared for this all weekend.

4. My appetite!

How do you like to dress?

1. Whatever the stars are wearing this month.

2. Business casual 24/7.

3. A chef’s double-breasted jacket and toque.

4. The first thing I grab (as long as it’s comfortable, of course).

If your best friend kissed your crush, what would you do?

1. Awkward! Avoid them for sure.

2. Approach them tactfully with words like Mommy taught you.

3. Silent treatment...third-grade antics never go out of style.

4. Fist fight...POW!

You are starting to fall for your friend, but you’re totally friend-zoned. You...

1. Tell them. Honesty is the best policy.

2. Ask, “Will you marry me?” *YOLO* 3. Ask for advice.

4. Don’t risk it to get the biscuit.

How many times do you wish to marry?

1. Zero. Marriage is for losers.

2. “Nobody’s perfect. I gotta work it, again and again til I get it right.” Hannah Montana 3. One time and one time only.

4. I don’t know.

What is your favorite food?

1. Grammy’s cookies.

2. Steaming mug of coffee from Central Perk, of course.

3. Chicken cordon bleu.

4. Anything that’s cheap, delivers and has unlimited toppings.

What kind of pet do you have?

1. A smelly cat 2. A monkey named Marcel 3. A dog 4. A duck

Add ‘em up!

6-9 You’re Phoebe

T-Swift’s got nothin’ on you! Your rock-star voice combined with your killer lyrics are out of this world.

You may not have had the best childhood, but you are certainly having the time of your life.

9-15 Shalom Ross

Paleontology and marriage are your two favorite hobbies. You are intelligent, kind-hearted and romantic.

16-20 Chef Monica

Congratulations! You’re a hard worker and a great cook. You’re a little crazy sometimes, but you are witty and cynical in the best way.

21-24 ‘Sup Joey

Macho, Macho Man! You’re chasing your Hollywood dreams in the wrong city, but that’s OK because the women and food in NYC are prime. (P.S. you should find a new tailor.)

SCHOOL Sing-Along

“So no one told you life was gonna be this way.

Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, your love life’s D.O.A. It’s like you’re always stuck in second block.

When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but...

Netflix will be there for you When your gpa starts to fall.

Netflix will be there for you Like it’s been there before.

Netflix will be there for you (‘Cause now Friends is on Netflix).

You’re still in bed at 10 and class began at 7:35.

You’re late for Geometry, so far things aren’t going great.

Your mother warned you she wouldn’t call you out.

But she didn’t tell you that 3 tardies lands you a deten tion.

Netflix will be there for you When your gpa starts to fall.

Netflix will be there for you Like it’s been there before.

Netflix will be there for you (‘Cause now Friends is on Netflix).

It’s like you’re always stuck in second block.

When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but…

Netflix will be there for you.”

Parody by Danielle Serota

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Feb. 12, 2015

Devoting the studens really spend A How their time during the week Y S 3.5

Arts & Entertainment

44 28.5

pages of reading assigned by teachers pages read by students



tudents spend their hours outside of school in countless ways. Watching television, playing video games and reading books are only a few of the weekly activities students engage in.

After polling 136 people on what they do on a weekly basis, the results are as follows.

5.5

hours of TV watched

Rating:

4/5

‘Paddington’ delivers ‘bear’y fun, family comedy

‘P

addington’ was a cute and fun family comedy that follows the adventures of a talking bear in London.

Paddington begins his journey in darkest peru, where he lives with his aunt and uncle.

After a terrible storm he is forced to travel to London on a lifeboat and try to find a home there. The brown family sees him in the train station and gives him a temporary home.

Paddington’s goal is to find a proper home to live in so that he can move out of the Brown’s home. Paddington is a clumsy cub that always seems to find trouble, for example flooding the Loo (as they call it in London) and riding the bathtub down the staircase like a log flume ride. Although he seems like a burden, he takes a liking to the Brown family and they begin to enjoy his company as well.

I couldn’t recognize any of the actors from the film, but they all played their parts well. The father, played by Hugh Bonneville, is a stern and careful Dad. He doesn’t let

3.9

hours of video games played

Data compiled based on a weekly basis, with the exception being hours of sleep.

8

hours of Netflix watched

hours of sleep a night

Dean’s movie of the month DEAN TRAIL Managing Editor

23

his son Jonathan have any fun and disapproves of Paddington staying at their house. The mother, played by Sally Hawkins, on the other hand, is not quite as protective and is more accepting of Paddington.

The movie was a perfect family comedy. It had humorous parts and a warm ending that brought a smile to my face. Paddington was a lovable protagonist, although he was troublesome, he always had caring intent.

The ending was not predictable and I won’t spoil it for anyone planning to see the film. It was an exciting adventure that kept me engaged the entire time.

I would recommend seeing the movie, it surpassed my expectations. And, who doesn’t love a bear with British accent?

- =+×-=+× + × contest + = × - =math = sponsored by Mu Alpha Theta! = + × + × = = × + + × = = ×+= +×- = +×-= +×-× Mu Alpha Theta presents your first MATH PUZZLE of 2014-2015. By completing the math puzzle with correct answers, students will earn the chance to win prizes at the end of the Spring semester through a raffle.

Prizes will include: St. Louis Bread Company gift cards

Gas station gift cards

PCH Athletic Pass (to all home games next year)

Sophomores and Juniors will be entered to win a free PCH Parking Pass

Each Math Puzzle will present an EASY, MEDIUM, and HARD question related to the same topic. This first puzzle is about Probability and the National College Football Championship.

You can begin by going to the link below or scanning the QR code below. You must be signed in to your Parkwayschools.net Google account to enter the contest. GOOD LUCK!

http://goo.gl/yAlYZy

24 Spotlight

Corral the

Turnage Twirls in the Ballroom

F

KAYLA BENJAMIN Staff Writer

French teacher Lori Turnage rushes out at the sound of the bell twice a week to make it to her ballroom dancing lessons at Prestige Ballroom.

“I just love the feeling of gliding across the ballroom just really feeling graceful and elegant,” Turnage said, “and being able to perform these complicated steps.”

Her ballroom dancing hobby began two years ago, inspired by the performers on “Dancing with the Stars,” a show of which she is a fan.

“I just thought that the dancers that were performing on the show were just so elegant, so fun; it made me want to do it,” Turnage said. “So I just thought, why not?”

She attends two hour-long dance lessons every week after school. Even though it can be hard work, Turnage looks forward to her lessons.

“When I get home from a dance lesson, I’m kind of tired; too tired to grade papers,” she said. “But at the end of the day, I know the lessons are good for me because I have something else besides “I just love the feeling of school to concentrate on. It’s a real stress reliever in a sense, and it’s a across the fun hobby.”

She works one-on-one with her ballroom just really feelinstructor and dance partner, David Thompson. The lessons are often and ing difficult and require both concentra.” tion and physical exertion.

“It’s really a mental challenge because you have to remember the steps, but at the same time just kind of go with the feeling of the music and the feeling of the steps,” Turnage said.

“With each new dance step that you’re learning, there are five or six moves. It’s quite challenging, because there are turns and pivots and all.”

Turnage works within a dance curriculum, on a level called “Advanced Bronze.” She is learning steps for the rumba, the cha-cha, the tango and the foxtrot.

“She is a very good dancer,” Thompson, her instructor, said. “Aside from her skill and devotion, she embodies the joy of life and moving and dancing like an ambassador for all the new students.”

In addition to individual steps, Turnage learns

gliding graceful elegant

French teacher Lori Turnage gets dressed up in preparation for a ballroom dancing performance. She participates in a showcase twice a year. Photo courtesy of Lori Turnage.

Feb. 12, 2015

and practices a dance routine that she performs for showcases, which take place twice a year -- one in the winter and one in the spring.

“I was thrilled to be watching Ms. Turnage dance last January with her instructor, David,” substitute teacher Betsy Breckenridge, who went to see last year’s winter showcase, said. “My husband and I walked into the studio and could instantly feel the excitement in the room.”

Turnage herself enjoys performing, which she says helps contribute to the atmosphere.

“We were all so excited for her because we knew she was excited,” Breckenridge said. “She truly looked comfortable in her role for the evening. I don’t think she stopped smiling the whole time.”

Beyond just the movements, Turnage’s dances are also meant to portray certain emotions suited to each piece of music. According to Thompson, she excels at this as well.

“She has a number of personas she plays in her routines. In a rumba, she will be in character as a Latin lady fully engaged in the music of rumba and showing the emotions that fit that particular song,” Thompson said. “There is one routine where I even get slapped -- the tango -- and that has been one of her favorites.

Not sure why…”

The process of choreographing, learning and perfecting the routine for the showcase usually takes one to two months. But Turnage says the effort pays off.

“It’s really gratifying knowing that the hard work that you put in day in, day out allows you to achieve your goals,” she said.

In addition to regular practice, Turnage puts in extra work right before the showcase to prepare. She has a costume for the performance that’s related to the dance, and to top off the look, she gets her hair done, gets a spray tan and does her makeup. She said that the process makes her “really feel like a performer.”

This additional work also pays off, according to Breckenridge.

“She looked absolutely stunning in a black dress and heels. Her hair was pulled back and her makeup was perfect,” Breckenridge said. “She looked like she could have been ready to appear on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’”

Une jolie danse...

Translation: “It’s a beautiful dance.”