PCH Corral May 2017

7 01 63 ol ho , MO c h S eld 17 Hig rfi 0 ral este 12, 2 t n h Ce d, C May y wa l Roa e 6 rk u Pa s Mil , Iss d 61 o e o m W N. Volu 69

Seniors spend ACT day at City Museum pg. 6

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Senior College List pg. 14

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Senior art showcase pg. 12

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contents

May 12, 2017

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CONTENTS

District costs recycling and composting pg. 4 Senior’s culinary & artistic talent paves future pg. 9

Student Council president emphasizes community work pg. 11

Girls volleyball team cheer each other Archer’s Atmosphere: Fine to success Swedish Dining at IKEA pg. 18 pg. 17

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Freshman golfer has a sucessful varisty season p. 19 Junior Chase Colman performs at the Carbet night with the Vocal Jazz ensable.

1. Marlena Neal 2. Jessie Piles 3. Angela Jeon 4. Jonathan Martinez 5. Job Thomasson 6. Myra Dotzel 7. Emilia Cytron 8. TJ Cotton 9. Hannah Klepper 10. Josie Ihnat 11. Chyna Moore 12. Tyler Priest 13. Haley Massa 14. Katie Liesse 15. Sara Berwald 16. Maggie Vlaytcheva 17. Jamie Hamill 18. Janelle Love 19. Mary Rothrock

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staff editorial

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put your summer time to good use staff editorial

places to get involved

corral staff

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ummer is approaching!

And during this lovely two-month break, students will revel in newfound free time. Relaxation and social time will rise to the top of to-do lists. Sitting around -- whether it is on the beach or on the coach -- will start to take up hours.

But even though chilling out is certainly important, there’s a line between enjoying time and wasting it. So this summer, we suggest you pencil one thing into some of the blank boxes on your calendar: community service.

Admittedly, many students already do this, whether just shelving books at the St. Louis County Library or aiding in hospitals across the globe. But this summer pastime should be more common.

Over the school year, there are a million tasks filling up our schedules. The hallway flyers advertising community service clubs almost always indicate that people can get volunteer hours for honor societies or A+. It’s rare -- though certainly not unheard of -- for students to do service without some tangible benefit.

That’s not because we’re all terrible human beings, or we don’t care -- it’s just because we have busy schedules; we don’t think we have time.

However, during the summer, many of us don’t have this excuse. Time watching “Chopped” could be cut in half -- and the rest of the hours spent volunteering at a food pantry. After you get home from building sandcastles by the ocean, you could help build houses with Habitat for Humanity.

While avoiding your assigned summer reading, you can tutor a young student. Or if kids aren’t your cup of tea, make time to help out at a senior citizens’ home. All around us are needs waiting to be met, and it’s time we stopped ignoring them.

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Kindred Hospice Located in Maryland Heights, Kindred Hospice volunteers assist elderly and sick individuals and their families with tasks they may be unable to complete due to inhibitions.

Race 13.1 St. Louis A half marathon or 5k through downtown St. Charles on May 21 at 7 a.m.

17 Research Park Court St. Charles, MO 63304 615-202-4230 chris@race131.com www.race131.com

2055 Craigshire Road St. Louis, MO 63146 314-275-6100 www.kindredhealthcare.com

Earthdance Organic Farm School Offering part-time farming programs based on the gardening and raising of organics, the school offers lessons to those wanting to learn about the sustaining of agriculture even if they do not live on a farm.

KEEN St. Louis Providing free, non-competitive, fun programs to kids with disabilities, volunteers would lead these programs and build up the self-esteem and confidence of disabled children.

233 S Dade Ave. Ferguson, MO 63135 314-521-1006 www.earthdancefarms.org

314-259-5980 info@keenstlouis.org www.keenstlouis.org

Open Door Animal Sanctuary The largest no-kill shelter in St. Louis, Open Door rescues all sorts of creatures. If helping directly with animals isn’t your thing, you can help take in donations.

Energy for Life St. Louis A signature fundraising event for United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, this is a walkathon dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and helping fundraise for those affected on Saturday, May 20 at 10:30 a.m.

6065 Duda Road House Springs, MO 63051 636-671-3643 www.odas.org

4256 Magnolia Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 www.energyforlifewalk.org

Yays:

Neighs:

School is almost out, just TWO more weeks!

This is the last issue of this year’s newspaper (we will miss you, Kayla!)

We are finally complete with AP testing and ACT #thankgoodness Warmer weather means.... convertibles!

Congrats to Ultimate Frisbee for making it to semi-finals at state!

Pools will soon be opening folks, time to break out the sunnies!

Summer means warmer months, and nothing is worse than 100 degree weather We’re sad to say goodbye to our foreign exchange students!

Finals are in a week, just hang in there peeps...

Adios seniors!

RIP Matter and Change & Forces and Motion, you will be missed.

Congrats sophomore class- you are finally upperclassmen!

TFW the last day of school is so much later than other schools.

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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 Sam Benoist Jessie Goldberg Jenna Lazaroff Garrett Lierman Madeline Lee Roya Porshahidy Brett Smith Athena Stamos 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 in Brief

improper recycling efforts end up costing district money MAdeline Lee Staff writer

Henry Eubank, Leanne Davis, Rylee Schertzer and Remi Taylor help beautify the front of the school for Spring Clean on Saturday, May 6. Photo courtesy of Laura Michael.

service group leads spring projects

Project Help sponsored a shoe drive for the Shoeman Water Project throughout April and collected 326 pairs of shoes that will be donated to support global clean water efforts. The group also facilitated the annual Spring Clean on Saturday, May 6, in which 63 students and several staff members assisted in beautifying the school grounds.

rhythm section honored at local jazz festival

Juniors DeAnte’ Byrd (drums), Hannah Rivas (bass), Mitch Broddon (guitar) and senior Kee Jang (piano) received recognition for Outstanding Musicianship at the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on April 20.

PCH EARNS RATINGS ON NATIONAL EDUCATION LISTS

Parkway Central was named to the Washington Post’s “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” list, ranking 1,691st among schools across the nation. The school also received a silver medal rating from U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of Best High Schools, ranking 19th in Missouri and 2,416th in the nation. On both lists, Parkway West and Parkway South both ranked above Central.

PE teachers honored Sue Keller and Terri O’Leary were honored by Special School District with the Special Ambassador Award for their work with the PE Mentors program.

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ecycling and composting are two parts of a larger effort to help the environment which the Parkway school district takes part in.

However, if done improperly, those two modes of waste disposal can cost the district money.

“This slight cost is worth all of the environmental benefits that come with it,” Sustainability and Purchasing Director Erik Lueders said. “Both activities help to create a learning environment that addresses the challenges of an ever changing world. Being mindful of our resources is more important than ever.”

Composting costs more than recycling, which is cheaper than going to a landfill, but both help the environments and help use resources more efficiently. Overall, recycling is the cheapest option out of all of the possibilities for waste disposal.

“Both minimize landfill waste, which is a benefit because landfill space is a limited resource,” Operation 350 sponsor Beth Karfs said. “The issue for both is that contamination in each is costly because it must be separated, and that is generally a process done by hand.”

When the recycling bins have trash items in them there is no cost to the district, but when there is any non-compostable item in the compost bin there is a $3 penalty for the entire bin that holds even one wrong item.

“Since people who purchase finished compost for their garden don’t want to find plastics in their product, our composting provider assesses fines to discourage poor use of bins,” Lueders said. “Central High has more issues with composting than most other Parkway schools.”

When the compost contents are taken to St.

Louis Composting, the material is broken down with other organic material. It is broken down without oxygen and therefore doesn’t give off methane, which is a greenhouse gas.

“It is very important to be mindful of what items are put in the bins,” Lueders said. “The compost facility has a minimal capability to remove non-compostable material from their composting process.”

If handled improperly, waste can end up in the water supply, negatively impact wildlife, and cost the district money. Typically, waste in landfills is not contained very well.

“It is important to be thoughtful about how we handle our waste,” Karfs said. “What we have done for years is not sustainable. We continue to create more disposable items, but our capacity to dispose of these items has not increased.”

Once trash is sent to a landfill, the materials are buried and will never be able to be used as a resource. Organic material and recycling allows for the materials to be reused.

Throughout the school, claims have surfaced that recycling has been handled improperly and has been placed with the trash to be sent to a landfill.

“We will work closely with appropriate individuals and supervisors to address any intentional or unintentional issue that may be occurring,”

“Central High has more issues with composting than most other Parkway schools.”

—Erik Lueders, sustainability and purchasing director

what you can’t recycle: -Anything with a glossy or plastic coating -Anything with food residue (including pizza boxes) -Lids and caps (unless labeled No. 1 or No. 2) -Shredded or brightly colored paper -Plastic grocery bags -Cosmetics and makeup -Unwashed bottles (bottles and packages must be rinsed out before recycling) Lueders said. “It is often found that such rumors are either baseless or were a matter of simply not knowing.”

Building principal Tim McCarthy received an email detailing these claims of throwing away recyclables and has followed up with building manager Greg Mendica.

“It makes it difficult to convince students and teachers to separate their waste consistently if they think it will just end up with the trash,” Karfs said. “We have been assured that there are systems available to keep the waste streams separate.”

two new candidates elected to school board Jeff Todd:

Kristy Klein Davis:

Reason for running for board: “To help continue serving parkway’s mission. I want to make sure that we’re serving our kids as well as we can be.”

Reason for running for board: Wanted to represent minority voices in the community -- “I wasn’t confident when I looked at the school board that we had real diversity of opinions.”

Most relevant experience: >Lived in district all his life, has kids who have gone through Parkway schools >Served as PTO president at the middle and high school level >Involved with Project Parkway and campaigned for Proposition S Biggest concern: The proposed school voucher system, because it takes money away from the district and “schools may lose students to other districts or private schools.”

Key goals: >Security and safety for students -- both from outside threats and from bullying >Updating aging facilities >Continuing to pass bond issues so that the district has the funds to best serve students and staff

Most relevant experience: >Lives in the district, has young children who will attend Parkway schools >Has been involved with disability-inclusion programs in schools Biggest concern: Losing state and federal funding -- “Education funding is becoming a political tool, rather than education being about what’s the best for the students in our country.”

Key goals: -Keeping up with new education practices -Making sure teaching methods and curriculum are modern and “preparing students for the world they’re walking into, not the one I walked into.”

-Actively including minorities, especially students with disabilities, so that “everybody has a place and has a voice and fits in, and that our schools don’t intentionally or unintentionally alienate anyone because of who they are.”

Photos from Parkway board candidate website

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Freedom of speech rights spark debate in schools Madeline Lee Staff WRiter

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he First Amendment of the United States Constitution is 45 words protecting citizens and their right to free speech, expression and assembly. But over the last few years, the foremost words of the Bill of Rights have been debated regarding expressing controversial or un-nuanced opinions on college campuses and in high schools and public forums.

In an interview with the Student Press Law Center, an organization dedicated to protecting the speech and press freedom of U.S. students, George Washington University law professor Catherine Ross addressed her opinion of the debate.

“Ignorance is a huge problem,” Ross said. “Most schools don’t even cover school law and those that do don’t necessarily cover First Amendment rights.”

Most schools address freedom of speech with a mix of law and morals as schools decide what to do when an action involving First Amendment rights is called into question.

According to a survey on First Amendment rights conducted

by Newseum and the Pew Research Center, 43 percent of high schoolers say Americans should not have the right to voice controversial or potentially offensive viewpoints and still be protected by the law. While legally, offensive viewpoints are protected, schools are allowed to take measures against these statements to curb disruptions to the learning environment.

“From a philosophical standpoint, everyone needs to be comfortable in school,” assistant principal Travis Fast said. “You don’t lose your rights at the door, but because everyone is compelled to come to school, we need to create an environment that everyone feels safe in.”

In one such case, senior Nick Sarnytsky was suspended from school after posting a string of controversial messages to his Snapchat story.

“I understand people were offended, but people taking something a certain way is not justification enough to punish,” Saryntsky said. “The administration didn’t care, they said that school policy overrides the law.”

Despite the belief that Saryntsky was suspended for posting controversial messages or having voiced his opinion -- the action

ADMINISTRATORS IMPLEMENT PROACTIVE PUNISHMENT MEASURES

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hen students think of punishment, they typically think of the standard, traditional consequences epitomized in education: referrals, detentions, suspensions, expulsion. However, over the last few years, administrators and teachers in the district at large have worked to create a new way of handling situations beyond traditional punishment and have begun implementing it in the high school environment.

Noah Weidner managing editor

taken against him was contrived from the disruption his posts made. This precedent stems from the Supreme Court case of Tinker v. Des Moines, which declared that while students don’t lose their First Amendment rights when they walk into school, the school can take action or suppress speech if they prove that it would, “materially and substantially interfere” with the operation of the school.

“I don’t think this is all about free speech but how we can convince people not to post inappropriate things or send it so it goes out,” the Missouri-Illinois regional director for the Anti-Defamation League Karen Aroesky said. “But, to some extent, if students want to post something and they are ready to be accountable, who are we to deny them and say that they can’t?”

Aroesky adds that school policy is something students have to choose to buy into and that the recent string of issues involving offensive symbolism, controversial messages, and content that is explicit in nature across the region is less about free speech and more about people choosing not to be nice.

“What happens affects students,” Aroesky said. “So saying things because you’re mad has to go away; saying things without consequence has to go away.”

While agreeing with Aroesky’s assessment on how speech affects students, senior Ken Weinstein sees problems with schools censoring or punishing students for things they say based off of student response or controversy.

“Schools should not censor speech because censoring it doesn’t help us,” Weinstein said. “If we talk about it, then we can take action and learn from it in a safe way.”

Weinstein added that being able to talk about the issues openly makes it easier to communicate to opposition why they feel the way they do. It’s something that both Weinstein, Saryntsky and some academic professionals think has merit.

“I got a lot more out of talking with students than getting an official punishment,” Saryntsky said. “Changing opinions and changing your mind comes from talking to people.”

Recently students on college campuses have also worked to change the minds of people through protests and discussion on various issues including racism, sexism and the U.S. political climate. Earlier this year, the University of California-Berkeley had to cancel lectures by conservative writer David Horowitz, con-

FIRST AMENDMENT TEXT

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ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

servative media personality Milo Yiannopoulos and conservative commentator Ann Coulter because of “violent” student protests.

“I think if you don’t support the popular left opinion, even if you’re a moderate, people are not willing to listen,” UC Berkeley student Harmanjit Sodhi said in an interview for CNN. “Just because [Ann Coulter] is a Republican or has views most students disagree with doesn’t mean her views aren’t valid.”

Charles Murray, socially conservative author of “Coming Apart,” encountered a similar response at Middlebury College, where protesters kept him from speaking about his novel.

“Their logic was that since I am a racist, a white supremacist, a white nationalist, a pseudo-scientist whose work has been discredited, a sexist, a eugenicist and anti-gay, I did not deserve a platform for my hate speech, and hence it was appropriate to keep me from speaking,” Murray said.

While some groups nationwide are advocating to put more legal restrictions on what people can say, write or post, others are sticking to their beliefs in their First Amendment rights.

“The law should not censor freedom of speech,” Weinstein said. “If it’s something someone believes in, there’s no reason to hide it away.”

Q: WHAT are restorative practices?

Q: how has it been used?

DR. SHENITA MAYES, CENTRAL ASST. PRINCIPAL “It’s a process for working through conflict that teachers, administrators, and students can use to resolve conflict or to respond issues going on. It lets them be proactive to make sure the conflict doesn’t happen again, and how to handle it if It does.”

DR. JENN SEBOLD, WEST ASST. PRINCIPAL“We train teachers and principals to build relationships with students so that harm is prevented in the first place. We use restorative practice as a piece of creating solutions.”

Q: how DOES IT REPLACE TRADITIONAL PUNISHMENT? DR. SHENITA MAYES, CENTRAL ASST. PRINCIPAL “It depends on the situation, but we’ll when you find a student resistant to restorative action and traditional punishment, you have to find the core of the issue. If they’re not responding [to action or punishment], then we haven’t found the core.”

DR. JENN SEBOLD, WEST ASST. PRINCIPAL “At West High, I would not say that traditional punishments have been phased out, rather, we think about the restorative piece in combination with consequences.”

DR. SHENITA MAYES, CENTRAL ASST. PRINCIPAL “We can use it in small or long conflicts with students; it could be writing apology letters or calling parents. It depends on the situation but it goes back to what you can do to make it right.

Q: how does it work?

DR. SHENITA MAYES, CENTRAL ASST. PRINCIPAL “It’s a series of questions that the people who are involved can use to think deeply about their actions and about people they have hurt.

It’s about understanding both --or all-- the perspectives and having them hear each other out.”

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1 1: Adam Boonshaft inches his way through the skyhigh “hamster tunnels� during the senior field trip to the City Museum on April 19th.

2: Jacob Morton cheers as he reaches the bottom of the slide while, elsewhere, the juniors took the ACT. 3: Nicole Davis savors her last trip down the slide before the end of the field trip.

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4: Lily Madsen watches as Clarie Huang snaps a picture of the criss-crossing spiral stairs leading up to the Ten-Story Slide.

5: Kevin Yn inspects one piece of art on the oft-ignored third floor of the City Museum, which features a modern art gallery.

6: Carly Lander, Kyra Tarlas and Samantha Elkin walk down the stairs toward the exit at the end of the day. Many of the seniors sport the free t-shirts provided by the school, as well as the bright blue Museum access wristbands.

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Features

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Galactic

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Anthony Zuanich guest reporter

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1. Emily West (11) and Katherin Jiminez (11) attend Prom at the Sheraton Westport on April 22. “It was really nice hanging out with friends and Katherin is my best friend and it so nice because we are so close and we both know what we like to do like dancing so we don’t even have discuss it first,” West said. “My favorite part of the night was probably dancing because the music was really up beat and fun.” Photo by Madeline Lee 4. After being crowned prom king and queen, Kartik Murugan (12) and Maddie Hall (12) share a dance.

“It was very surprising and very unexpected. I am so thankful,” Murugan said. “My parents were very happy that I won this achievement in my life and that I had such a good time. It will go down in history that I was the 2017 prom king and Mrs. Lueken told me that next year I get to crown the next king.””

Photo by Karis Kim 5. Raising the roof with a lifelong friend Michael Caradine (12) and Shaan Moheet (12) sing it out. “Shaan is my brother and I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else,” Caradine said. Photo by Karis Kim

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6. Singing along with the music, Adam Boonshaft (12) and Francis Ntimba (12) enjoy the night together on March 22. “It was a night for the books,” said Boonshaft.

“Francis is a great guy and one of my best friends and I had a blast hanging out with him and dancing. The dance floor was crazy and the music made it even more fun. It was a great last dance of high school.” Photo

by Karis Kim 2. Ashley Fogarty (11) and Remi Levinson (11) party it up on the dance floor. “Remi is one of my best friends and I had such a fun time dancing the night away with her,” Fogarty said. “Every song that came on we would look at each other because we both loved the song and then we would just start dancing and having the best time.” Photo by Karis Kim

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3. Tyler Ramatowski (11) sits on top of a friend’s shoulders along with Eyal Kattan (11).

“I was on the shoulders of my friend Sidney Starr,” Ramatowski said. “It was so cool to see the whole dance and how energetic and fun all the people on the dance floor.” Photo by Karis Kim 7. Making moves as they go Emily Cooper (11) and Sam Ballard (10) get ready to hit the dance floor on March 22. “Neither of us can really dance but having each other there made it allot easier,” said Copper. “He kept people from stepping on my dress and god me water just like in the cheesy movies where the guy gets the girl punch.” Photo by Madeline Lee

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leaving

legacies teachers relocate in parkway LIBRARIAN PURSUES NEW GOALS

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rigid Dolan, school librarian will move to Parkway North High after five years in order to try something different and experience something new.

“I’ve had a great time getting to know the teachers and kids,” Dolan said. “But I’m ready for a change.”

Her favorite memory from her time at Central was Celebrate Central this past spring.

“I thought it was a meaningful event and was proud to be apart of it,” Dolan said.

Through five years at Central, she has created units with teachers and was a member of book club. She previously was a high school English teacher at Parkway South.

“We do have a caring community,” Dolan said. “We’re special in that way.”

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR SEEKS NEW OPPORTUNITIES

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elia Flagg, guidance counselor will begin working at Fern Ridge starting in the fall.

“Deciding to leave was really hard,“ Flagg said. “But I am very excited about working with the students at Fern Ridge and helping them with their educational pursuits.”

Flagg worked with students with the last names starting A through E. “Dr. Flagg has always been there if I need her with a smile,” sophomore Jeremy Alport said.

Flagg has been here for four years.

“PCH is a wonderful community of caring staff and great students,” Flagg said. “I will truly miss working with the students and families at Central, not to mention my wonderful colleagues.”

Athena Stamos staff writer

German teacher retires to focus on FAMILY

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fter 31 years of teaching, German teacher Amy McMahon will be retiring to spend more time with her family.

“Believe me, it was not an easy decision for me,” McMahon said. “Being a German teacher is such a big part of who I am and in some ways, it defines me.”

Recently, her elderly parents moved from the Chicago area and her husband became ill, influencing her decision, but she will miss her students.

“She is one of the few people in the school where I could go to her for anything,” German 5 student and senior Noah Prelutsky said.

Through 31 years, she has sponsored German Club and for the last eight years, she has been the Modern and Classical Languages department leader.

“She created the warmest and most inclusive environment that I’ve ever been a part of in this school,” senior and German 5 student Hannah Steinmann said.

Throughout McMahon’s career, she has taught high school and even middle school.

“I love how life-affirming high school students are,” McMahon said. “And helping them through the struggles of the teenage years.”

Because McMahon taught German 1-5, she taught her students all four years of their high school career.

“I feel like I have really gotten to know my students as people: I’ve been to many weddings and baby showers for former students, an honor

which I gladly accept,” McMahon said.

One of McMahon’s favorite memories with her students are the trips to Germany.

McMahon has planned and participated in at least 14 trips to Germany.

Each trip included a Family Stay.

“It made me feel good that I could introduce them to something that significant,” McMahon said. “Seeing their German improve significantly made me very proud.”

When McMahon started teaching in 1986, she had no teaching experience at all. She did German teacher, Amy McMahon helps students group companies into categories at Celebrate Central on March 24 in the commons. Photo by Tara Stepanek student teaching in “I won’t miss grading and planning,” McMathe summer with hon said. “But boy, I will miss Central so very only one student. Initially, she taught German 1-5 much, but what a great run it has been.” and an English 3 class. Gradually, she became the German teacher only.

Psychology teacher retires after 28 years

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sychology teacher Catherine Dobkin will be retiring after this spring to spend more time with her family and explore into new things.

“It’s bittersweet; I am going to miss my colleagues and friends,” Dobkin said. “There is not a better group of humans on this earth than teachers.”

Dobkin has taught for 28 years. She taught sociology, social psychology, regular psychology, honors psychology, and AP psychology.

“Nothing is more gratifying than having students apply what they have learned to their lives and see them make those connections,” Dobkin said.

Dobkin was the cooperating teacher for student teachers, Thomas Sellers, Keith Herberger, and Skylar Kim. She also taught Kim, Ben Silvermintz, and Ryan Banta.

“She has always been known as someone who kids could trust to do to with their problems,” Kim said. “She was always supportive and caring.”

Dobkin taught Kim regular psychology Kim’s junior year. During Kim’s high school career, AP psychology was not an option.

“Mrs. Dobkin has impacted my life by teaching me that psychology is something that can be applied to all our lives,” senior Claire Huang said.

“To give us a better understanding of ourselves and each other.”

Over 28 years, she has helped coach the girls track team, was a sponsor for Wrestling Cheerleaders, worked with Youth Leadership St. Louis, and became the Student Council sponsor. She also helped out with various clubs, including Young Democrats and the Global Awareness Club from last year. Additionally, she has served as a

Social Studies Department leader for about six years.

“That’s another wonderful thing about being an educator is sharing a small part in the lives of so many wonderful people,” Dobkin said.

Her plan after retirement will be traveling, taking some classes, read- Catherine Dobkin will retire to focus on her family and other aspects of ing and eventually her life. getting involved with some agencies that need volunteers.

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Science teacher finds 10,000 relatives through RESEARCH ON ancestry WEBsite moritz dittrich Staff writer

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tarting with barely any information about her ancestors, science teacher Kathy Burnett has found over 10,000 of her relatives by using a genealogy website.

“It’s like a jigsaw puzzle and a scavenger hunt all rolled into one”, Burnett said. “I love the challenge because it makes you use your brain”.

Burnett is currently using ancestry.com to find out more about her family. By plugging in all the information you have, the program uses the given data to find matching ancestors “My family started researching the old fashioned way back in the 1990’s when you had to go to libraries, courthouses or cemeteries to search for information and records”, Burnett said.

“Some people will share family photos and they are amazing”.

The website provides different times of records like marriage licenses, census records, residence, job or education so that people don’t have to leave their home.

Besides that, Ancestry.com has added the function of DNA for research also. After submitting your DNA, users can view who else shares it. Compared to other types of resources, DNA research also helps to find living relatives instead of only ancestors.

“My tree currently has over 10,000 relatives and it is not even close to being finished”, Burnett said. “It is the puzzle that never ends”.

Burnett usually spends the most time on the weekends or in summer, where she visits the places of her ancestors and sometimes meets the descendants of her ancestors.

Last summer, Burnett traveled to Tennessee where her 5th

are you Doing something unique this summer?

Let us know on Instagram @pch_corral or Twitter @pchcorral You could be featured in our first issue of next year!

great grandfather founded the town and is buried. Besides him, Burnett has found more ancestors with a lot of influence, as she “also found 3 US senators to which I am related”.

Her relatives Peter Hardeman Burnett, Forrest Smith and William Pile were the governors of California, Missouri and New Mexico territory.

After having focused on ancestry for so long, Burnett has noticed something about the occupation of her ancestors.

“I seem to come from a long line of teachers, preachers and politicians”, Burnett said. “All occupations that like to talk”.

Sophomore Alex Goldberg has seen Burnett’s family tree and likes the idea of a genealogy class.

“I think that genealogy can change the way people look for their ancestors and is effective at doing so”, Sophomore Alex Goldberg said. “I don’t know a lot about my ancestors. I think a genealogy class could be good for people who want to learn more about their ancestors and how to find them.”

The science teacher has received a lot of positive feedback for her family tree and also was asked to help others with their ancestry.

“I think it is an amazing opportunity to relive history and find out how your ancestors lived, to find their stories”, Burnett said. “I think it makes people have a greater appreciation for where they come from and even where they are going”.

Although Burnett’s father’s family originally comes from Kentucky, Burnett maintains contact with second cousins from St. Louis. The relatives try to meet up occasionally.

“All in all it has made my world a bigger place and my family larger”, Burnett said. “It has helped to revive my love of history. I love the challenge of putting this ever growing puzzle together.”

Jane McDonald (1816-1895) is Burnett’s second great grandmother.

Burnett found out more about her by contacting a distant relative.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Burnett

junior to spend summer on fishing boat LIBBY ARCHER Staff writer

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pencer Hritz is going completely out of his comfort zone by traveling down to Fort Lauderdale, FL. this summer to become a first mate on a deep sea fishing boat.

After going on a charter boat earlier this month with his father, Hritz figured he could do what he loved while making good money.

“I talked to the guy that we went on the charter trip with and he said that there are a lot more first mates needed in the area,” junior Spencer Hritz said.

Hritz has been fishing with his family since he was young so when he saw the amount these first mates were getting tipped, he figured he might have a shot.

“The first mate on our charter boat was 16 years old,” Hritz said. “My dad tipped him $60 and he gets paid around $20 an hour to do it” His father is on board with the idea of this summer job, but Hritz hasn’t even tried to mention it to his mother yet.

“I don’t know how she is going to react,” Hritz said. “I want to just wait till the very last minute.”

Hritz plans on driving down to Fort Lauderdale in his family’s RV and living there while he is working.

Because this is just a new plan Hritz hasn’t ironed out all of the specifics yet with his new job. Since he has a basic knowledge of deep sea fishing he thinks he can learn everything else he needs to know online before this summer.

“I’m not scared because I love the ocean and the water,” Hritz said.

Spencer Hritz holds his catch while deep sea fishing. Photo courtesy of Spencer Hritz

A first mate handles all of the heavy lifting on this fishing boats and help out the captain.

“You need to set up the rod, bait, the holder, and go out,” he said. “You just need to know how to set up a lot of rods and reels, and know the differences.”

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May 12, 2017

chess clubs play for fun, competition Jenna Lazaroff staff writer

O Senior Charlie Bourneuf jumps up and snags the frisbee during the State quarterfinal match against Priory on May 7. Photos by Jessie Goldberg Senior Adam Schenberg, searches for a teammate to pass to before his time runs out.

n Tuesdays, a small group gathers in Mr. Kelty’s room to play games of chess that they all share a passion for.

Chess club is a chance for students to compete against one another in what is known as a strategic game. Being a pro is not required to join the club, although chess club member sophomore Will Peacock went to U.S. chess federation national K-6 tournament in Nashville. Peacock has been playing chess since he 8 years old and does not plan on quitting anytime soon.

“I spend a lot of time outside of just chess club playing,” Peacock said. Whenever I find a free moment. Even in class when we have a break for a few moments I play chess online,” Peacock said.

Peacock is not the only member who has a staggering talent for the game. Brandon Yu, while he doesn’t compete, often poses the hardest opposition.

“Brandon is definitely the strongest in chess out of all of us, which always makes him a really fun challenge,” member Trevor Shelby said.

Yu has been playing for over 3 years and has had a love for the game since he started playing. Yu did not say who the best team member was but, that they have a small group with a wide variety of skillful players.

“I think the small group is nice because it’s easier to get to

Facts about Chess *The longest game of chess that is theoretically possible is 5,949 moves. *Chess was invented in India. *Chess is called the game of kings, because for many centuries it was played primarily by nobility and the upper classes. *There are 400 different possible positions after one move each. It rises to 72,084 different positions after two moves each. The figure rises to over 9 million after three moves. *The second book ever printed in the English language was about chess. *The longest official chess game ever was I.Nikolic – Arsovic, Belgrade 1989, which ended in a draw after 20 hours, 15 minutes.

Source: AmazingFacts4U.com/Sports

Sophomores Sam Benoist, Brandon Yu, Trevor Shelby and Will Peacock get directions from teacher Dan Kelty during a Chess Club meeting on March 28. Photo by Jordyn Tobias

know more people. Although, that being said I wouldn’t mind having some more people coming into play,” Yu said.

The group is made up of four sophomore boys who are all dedicated to playing the game. Once a week they stay after school for a minimum of an hour.

“I know an hour doesn’t seem like much,” Peacock Said. “But to have a constant attention span on one board game and to be always planning your next move, it feels like way longer.”

Chess requires a lot of concentration, and planning ahead.

Theres many combinations of moves players can make, and you have to know what each piece does.

“I don’t play much chess outside of school, although I do know some students in chess club who play at home against their parents.” Yu said.

Chess member Sam Benoist spends his time outside of chess club playing with his father at home.

“My dad is a huge fan of chess and the main reason why I play today,” Benoist Said. “I think it’s interesting that there’s so many possibilities. Plus I’m super competitive, so getting to play against my friends at school is really fun.”

Ultimate frisbee team makes state semifinals hEALTH PROFESSIONS CLUB PROPOSAL OFFERS Jessie Goldberg COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH A HEALTH TWIST staff writer

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he Ultimate Frisbee team wrapped up its season by competing in the State tournament at DeSmet on May 6-7, going undefeated in pool play on Saturday and advancing to the semi-final match.

“I’m really impressed at how the team came together this year,” senior Adam Schenberg said. “There were a lot of first years who play two sports, and I’m really proud at the way we played at State.”

The team, seeded 6th out of 16 teams, beat all three teams in its pool on Saturday: Chaminade 11-2, SLU High 11-3 and Edwardsville 11-5. Team members faced their first true competition Sunday morning against Priory, when they began 0-3 before going on a 7-3 run to take the lead, eventually winning 11-9.

Sponsor Jonathan Gunasingham attributes the string of victories to a team effort, but highlights the contributions of two members.

“Adam Schenberg, as a captain, showed tremendous leadership this entire season,” Gunasingham said. “Joe Brown did incredible this weekend: consistent hands, always getting open, and could jump up in the end zone with coverage and still end up with the disc.”

The team fell to Marquette 15-10 on Sunday afternoon in semi-final action, ending its season.

“It’s been a great season,” senior Jake Liebman said. “It really showed well for the school.”

sam benoist

graphic designer and staff writer

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cross the United States many students dream of becoming doctors, dentists, and many other professions in the health field. The underlying problem with this is that when students start pursuing these degrees in college they are overwhelmed bymany positions and directions to go. However, thanks to Health Occupations Students of America and sophomore Divya Minnaganti this doesn’t have to be the case.

The HOSA is an organization for future health professionals to find career opportunities. It promotes leadership development as well as the delivery of quality health care to all people.

“When I inquired further, I realized that it was a great way to incorporate community service while exploring a field

many people are interested in,” Minnaganti said.

Minnaganti has always been interested in the health field and has future aspirations of being a pediatrician. She found out about the HOSA doing research about similar organizations, but was at first concerned about the amount of people who would be willing to join.

“As long as you are committed to community service, you are welcome to the club” Minnaganti said.

The club is set to start up next fall and is planning to meet the first and third Wednesdays of every month. The clubs sponsor is science teacher Shana Kelley.

Minnaganti also hopes to incorporate an aspect of helping people and is quite keen on giving back to the community.

“Through our chapter, we hope to do community work with a health twist to it, such as volunteer at the local blood drives

Sophomore Divya Minnaganti proposed the idea to being a health professions club. Photo

by Sam Benoist

and at food pantries,” Minnaganti said.

“Also, we will hopefully be able to attend a convention.”

With the addition of an HOSA chapter at school, students will have the chance to test what it is like to have a health-related occupation, have fun and give back to the community.

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Student body president focuses on community service Jessie Goldberg staff writer

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veryone has probably seen student body president Ethan Guller around and about. He’s always cheering, encouraging others to participate, speaking at pep rallies -- generally representing our school. But most people probably don’t know exactly how much work he has done over the course of four years on Student Council.

“Whether it is learning how to be a leader among my peers or learning how to communicate with adults such as faculty, parents, and even local business owners, I feel like the skills I have learned through Student Council will be with me forever and will prepare me for the future,” he said. “I also feel that I have learned a lot about myself and what can be achieved through hard work.”

Since Guller’s job included working with many of his peers, one of his main challenges was balancing being a friend and a boss.

“I have learned if you lead by example and work hard yourself, your peers will notice that and work hard as well,” he said.

It is not surprising that senior class StuCo sponsor, Ms. Reeves, noticed Guller’s leadership skills.

“There’s a lot of peer pressure, and leaders have to be strong enough to clear their own path,” Reeves said. “Ethan came into high school knowing that he wanted to be a leader, and he has stayed true to that in word and action.”

Guller focused most of his time on Day of Service this year.

Leading up to the event, he spent time in his 6th block StuCo hour calling businesses and preparing for the event.

“I think my biggest accomplishments are the role I played in the transition from Special Olympics to the school-wide Day of Service,” Guller said. “Although the event was not perfect, I know that in the future, other leaders will work to further improve the day that we worked so hard to create.”

Watching Ethan throughout his time in high school, StuCo sponsor, Ms. Lueken, commented on his dedication and success in Day of Service.

“In the past 4 years Day of

Service was one of his biggest accomplishments,” Lueken said. “He motivated our class and called so many businesses and Parkway Alumni.”

While Guller focused a lot of his effort on Day of Service, he also spent time leading the underclassmen. Every month, he lead a meeting for all StuCo members, as well as the executive meetings for just seniors.

Another one of Guller’s responsibilities is to inspire excitement for school-sponsored events.

As PCH students, we always see Guller at sports events, pep rallies, and many other extra curricular activities, cheering on our school and encouraging the rest of the school to do so, too.

When asked how he became interested in StuCo, Guller credited his older sister.

“I think my sister was the person who first brought up the idea that I should join StuCo,” Guller said. “When I was in eighth grade she was her grade’s senior class treasurer and she loved it. I thought if she was so passionate about it, then I should at least give it a shot.”

Even though his sister got him in, his friends and the experiences are why he stayed. While he has enjoyed his time in StuCo, Guller is unsure about his future role at University of Miami, where he plans to attend next year.

“I know in college there will be many more opportunities available,” Guller said. “I hope I can have some role in student government in college, but I think I will need to wait and assess my situation once I get there.”

While Guller spent a majority of his time on StuCo work, he also participated in other extracurriculars. However, StuCo is the only activity he participated in senior year.

As a result, it is unsurprising that when asked for a piece of advice for underclassmen, he said that it’s more important to focus on one activity throughout high school, rather than taking on a big variety of projects.

“Pick a few activities that you’re passionate about and dedicate a lot of time to them,” he said. “Instead of doing many activities that are not important to you that you do not have time to dedicate to.”

Student body president Ethan Guller rolls around saying hello to everyone during the “bring your pet to school” senior party on May 8. Guller has participated enthusiastically in nearly everything, from sports games to spirit weeks. Photo by Kayla Benjamin

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cover story

May 12, 2017

the Senior artists share their unique means of expression

ihnat finds joy in sculpting

hamill strives to capture moments

kayla benjamin

Kayla Benjamin

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editor-in-chief

ome artwork is meant to be observed sitting on the wall or in a glass case, meticulously protected from oily fingers by glass. But for Josie Ihnat, art steps out of the frame and the box as she works with clay to create works that can be held, felt, and even thrown from hand to hand.

“I like to be able hold and feel what I’m doing,” Ihnat said. “Instead of drawing a texture, I like to be able to feel the texture. That means more to me than looking at something on the page.”

Ihnat found a passion for sculpture, though it took time and effort to develop the abilities she now uses to create detailed, intricate pieces.

“Once I took Design Arts, I discovered that I really like working with my hands and making things out of clay,” Ihnat said. “As I took art classes, I would learn new things about the clay and glazes and different techniques.”

Even though she’s spent countless hours on it for four years now, her clay projects continue to surprise her.

“When you glaze something and you put it in the kiln, it comes out looking completely different,” she said.

“That suspense, and then the amazing feeling of having something you can touch and hold and toss around, is my favorite thing about it.”

As much as she loves the finished products, Ihnat finds the process just as satisfying.

“The time I spend down here in the art room is like my ‘me’ time,” she said. “It’s time when I can just think about the project. I get to think about what’s going on in that moment instead of having to worry about all of the other things that are going on in

editor-in-chief

Josie Ihnat crafted the clay dragon her junior year, when she had no art classes. “Basically any free time I had I was down here [in the art wing] finishing that project,” she said.

Though she made it sophomore year, the spiked pot remains her favorite piece.

my classes.”

For Ihnat, this time serves a crucial de-stresser amid a strenuous schedule.

“My mind has to be in the art I’m making and the project I’m working on,” she said. “It can’t be on my science homework or the lab I just failed -- it has to be where I am.”

Because of her intensive course load, though, Ihnat has struggled to find time for her artwork. Rather than give up on sculpting, she spent nearly every ac lab in Mr. Jafari’s classroom and worked into the summer to finish her project.

Ihnat refuses to work hastily, even when finding free time is hard.

“The most important lesson I’ve learned is patience, because if you rush an art project, it will come out looking like crap,” she said. “You can tell in people’s art how much time they spent on it, how much they care.”

enior Jamie Hamill has spent the last few years capturing moments through photography and video, a skill that she is now using to build a future in cinematography.

“Artwork has changed my trajectory,” Hamill said. “I used to think of art as something fun to do, but now it’s something I pour my emotion into.”

Hamill’s interests have varied over the years, but photography has remained a constant.

“Some of my hobbies, I get into it and drop out of it,” Hamill said. “But photo has stuck with me; I’ve always had a camera.”

Emotion drives much of Hamill’s work, and she strives to evoke in her viewers the same feelings she had when taking the photo.

“When I go out and take photos I wanna capture a mood,” she said. “And I want someone to have an emotion themselves.”

Beyond just replicating the moment, Hamill wants her photos to create a connection to her viewers.

“I wanted to show in my photography that you’re not alone,” she said. “We’re all going through different things.”

For Hamill, photography represented a way to get away from the stresses of high school.

“There was a point in junior year, and senior year first semester, that felt really stressful

fashi

Daihana Hamill’s art show collection features Lain Sherstoff as a model, and this one is Hamill’s favorite. “The St. Louis skyline is in the back,” she said. “Being removed from a place I love and know so much -- it was impactful.”

This, she said, fit especially well with her concentration for the year, which was running away.

with applying to colleges,” Hamill said. “And I really wanted to get out. I wanted to experiment with the concept of running away.”

This idea of escape served as the concentration in her portfolio for AP Photo this year, and the theme permeates many aspects of her artwork.

“I love nighttime settings -- going to places with lots of lights at nighttime to capture movement and experiment,” she said. “I love city photography.”

She plans to take what she’s learned in photo classes with her to college at Missouri State, where she hopes to study cine-

matography.

“I love the art of film,” Hamill said. “It’s tedious, and a long process, but it’s a beautiful in a way; with more time on it, the image that comes out of it means more.”

She prefers to use film, even though digital is the easier option, because of the full process and work that goes into making the perfect photo.

Though she’s passionate about it, Hamill still has some worries.

“I’m nervous about college because some people say art doesn’t take you anywhere,” she said. “But a lot of artists work hard to earn a living off of it.”

staff writer enior and sketches, inspired b doing art since involved in dif like NAHS and “I think art yourself,” Mass Through art be able to find “I really lik little designs an Massa has f tration within through the su “Deffenbaug of my work,” M

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patel highlights digital design abilities noah weidner managing editor

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enior Dhairya Patel has been interested in games and stories from a young age. Now, Patel is now building a future which includes designing and creating the artistic aspects that make up those games and stories he loves.

“I’d love to work at some big gaming company like EPIC Games,” Patel said. “And sometime later, I’d like to have my own design firm.”

Patel says that his interest in video games and art became one and the same because of their similarity and appeal.

“I was 3 years old when I started playing games, drawing and painting,” Patel said. “But I was crazy about video games, and when people would ask me what I wanted to do, they’d say, ‘You’re good at gaming, so use that to make your art.’”

When he entered high school, he changed his art focus to concentrate on character design, the facet of game and story development concerning the aesthetics and visual representation of char-

acters models, designs and avatars.

“It’s mostly hand-sketches and work with PhotoShop,” Patel said.

“You get inspired from something and get a vision of what you’d like and then start sketching.”

Patel’s designs and characters are ones he has spent time developing, and will continue developing, as he plans to attend Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla. “I’m working to be in the second year program when I go,” Patel said. “They wanted to see my first year work, the stuff I’m doing now -- like working on perspective, proportion and style.”

He hopes that Ringling sets him up for the professional world of character design, but additionally enables him to take on other digital forms like UX/UI. “I don’t want to code the games or make the programs,” Patel said. “But I’d love to write the storylines, make the characters and focus on designing them.”

grove’s mural earns approval online Kayla Benjamin editor-in-chief

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shion inspires massa’s art

a Jimenez

d artist Haley Massa creates paintings, and sculptures by fashion. Massa has been e she was little. She’s been fferent activities in school d soccer. t is a way of expressing sa said. “It’s very relaxing.” t she believes that she will d a future. ke fashion so I do a lot of nd sketches,”Massa said. found focus and concenthe fashion industry, and upport she receives. gh has been very supportive Massa said.

May 12, 2017

Massa is still unsure about her career path but hopes that through art she can find her future. Despite her passion for fashion, Massa is not sure if she will be pursuing a fashion-related career.

“I hope my time in college helps me figure out the path I want to take,” Massa said.

lot of people have posters on their bedroom walls. But senior Nick Grove doesn’t need to hang up pictures made by other people -- he paints right on his own walls. After moving a TV in his room, he found himself faced with blank wall space.

“It was kind of bugging me, all that plain space that was just gray, so I thought I’d make it my canvas,” Grove said.

Huge silhouettes of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and James Dean now look out from that formerly-empty space.

Having decided to paint his wall, Grove didn’t have trouble finding inspiration.

“I like Marilyn Monroe a lot because she’s very iconic,” Grove explained.

“I like drawing humans and painting humans, and I just thought she looked really good. And then I had two spots on the sides -- right and left of it -- and so I thought: who else is iconic during that period?”

The mural took him about 16 total hours.

“I’m really particular,” Grove said. “So it comes out pretty clean. I don’t like to stop until it looks like my ‘perfection.’”

Grove began to get recognition once people saw his pictures of the highly-detailed mural on his Instagram.

“I did time-lapse videos of them to make them look cool, and took pictures,” Grove said. “People started to like it on Instagram.”

His art career didn’t start with the bare wall, though. From a young age, Grove has liked to drawing pictures.

“I took it a lot more seriously in high school, but I’ve always had kind of a knack for it,” he said.

In high school, he took tons of art classes, and this year he has two different independent study blocks with Mr. Jafari.

“I’ve taken pretty much every art class you possibly can, except photography, and I didn’t do a lot of painting classes,” Grove said. “And I’ve retaken about three of the classes. I believe if you have an artist ability you should exploit it and do as much as you can.”

He hopes to take more art classes to fill elective requirements at Maryville University, but plans to pursue a marketing major.

Whether or not it will make him money in the future, Grove feels that art is a hugely significant part of his life.

“It’s important to me because I think it’s an act of expression,” he said. “Think about if you just bottled up all the creative minds and inspiration and imagina-

Nick Grove’s ceramic ukelele, which he made for his independent study in art, is currently showcased in the art show. “I’m going to Jamaica in June,” Grove said. “So I did a Jamaican theme. Think about Bob Marley’s ukulele -- as if it’s kind of worn out, and he carved his lyrics into it.” Photo

by Kayla Benjamin

tion and didn’t release it. I really started to open up about art and how creative I am recently, which I wish I would’ve done a lot sooner.”

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seniors

May 12, 2017

Alabama

University of Alabama Emilia Cytron

Arkansas

harding university Riley Cockerham University of Arkansas Jessie Piles

California

University of California - Irvine Mikayla Wieser

Canada

University of Toronto Saiyid Ali Kazmi

Colorado

University of Colorado Boulder Emily Missler Kyra Tarlas

Connecticut

DePaul University Carolyn Brinckwirth Lizzie DeJoie Sally Kim Charlie McIntyre Loyola University Chicago Catherine Suchko

Quincy University Charles Bourneuf

Maryland

Lindenwood University Nataissa Potla

Massachusetts

Maryville University Jacob Berry Nicholas Grove Ben Kraizer Zoe Miller Cameron Rutledge Elaina Speaks Marissa Thames Melanie Wilmert

School of Art Institute Chicago Hannah Klepper Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville Gavin VanHoogstrate University of Chicago Emily Kang University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Amy An Karis Kim Shaan Moheet

Indiana

University of Evansville Jazmyne Meriwether

University of Maryland Alex Dubinsky Zoe Tesser

Lesley University TJ Cotton

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science Kihoon Jang Massachusetts Institute of Technology Jessica Sun

Michigan

University of Michigan Elena Wilner Claire Huang

Military Iowa

Ringling College of Art and Design Dhairya Patel

Iowa State University Jake Liebman

University of Miami Ethan Guller

Iowa Wesleyan University Abraham Sala

army Ashlee Clark

marine corps Aiden Reinhold

Minnesota

Georgia Tech Tony Chen

Joshua Farkas Ken Weinstein

Israel

University of Minnesota Lily Madsen Daniel Brickman

Oxford College of Emory University Charlotte Wang

kivunim Jessie Goldberg

Mississippi

Germany Heidelberg Olivia Gottlieb

Illinois

Bradley University Adam Meyer Sydney Smith columbia college chicago Rebecca Velasquez

IHM Academy of EMS - St. Louis Mary Rothrock jefferson college Carter Spradling

Florida

University of Georgia Morgan Brody

Evangel University Elizabeth Zemanek

Tulane University Allyson Segall

Eastern Connecticut State University Evelin Flores

Georgia

Louisiana

Drury University Abigayle Judd

Northwestern University Souradip Ghosh

Indiana University Rebecca Davis Rachel Fine

Full Sail University Max Landys

Lexi Ecker Maddie Hall Josh Hylan Carly Lander Jordyn Tobias Megan Wallis

Japan

Nagoya Kokusai Center Taiki Yamashita

Kansas

Kansas State University Kyle Folsom Nathan Sellers University of Kansas Annabelle Brozek Michael Caradine Leah Chelist Myra Dotzel

Americorps Kayla Benjamin

Jackson State University Marius Palmer University of Mississippi Chloe Grant

Missouri

Columbia College Geena Stephens Crave Beauty Academy Grayson Sandza

Missouri Baptist University Adrian McKinney Stephanie Ruiz Missouri State University Adam Boonshaft Madison Brown Olivia Currington Jamie Hamill Will Harold Kallie Haugen Devin Hyatt Megan Puettmann Nikolai Sarnytsky Jaylin Scales Brad Smith Missouri University of Science and Technology Kevin Aquino Nathan Burlis Evan Goodwin Luis Ocampo Areeb Ahmed Nicholas Altese Mark Jewell Erik Lee Sung Ki Ling Nicholas Morton Matthew Romine Justin Sellers Jack Weir Kevin Yn Missouri Western State University Jerra Merrifield Darius Ramsey Ranekka Whitfield Ranken Technical College Anthony Braun Charles Garland Nathan Hodam Saint Louis University Andy Dohrmann Hannah Gaehle

seniors

May 12, 2017

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Mitchell Goldenberg Lauren Keymer Tatiana Kobasa Jacob Morton Mya Petty Apoorva Puranik Southeast Missouri State University Lena Cloud Samantha Elkin Janelle Love Sara Stecher St. Louis College of Pharmacy Andrew Sellers St. Louis Community College Amelia Humphrey Roshawnda Johnson Leon Krugliakov Daniel Long Clayton Schmitz St. Louis Community College - Forest Park Tatyana Coleman Honesty Phillips St. Louis Community College - Meramec Dominique Aldridge Laila Alkharabsheh Jaylah Davis So Jin Jeon Briana Kozel Ariella Mahoney Emily Miller Tiffany Parker Jeremy Rathert Lauren Johns St. Louis Community College - Wildwood Joseph Brown Jessica Tyse State Technical College of Missouri Garrett French Izzy Hughes Stephens College Lindy Unell Truman State University Ruby Brattain Tara DeStefano Elyse Ellis Jeremy Fink Paul Gibson Annika Hofer

Johanna Hogan Jessica Hughes Diana Jost Israel Olorunda Hannah Steinmann Stephanie Vierling

University of Missouri - St. Louis Brian Chen Nhi Nguyen Tyler Priest Jacob Province Muhammad Qayyum Mohamad Rajeh Maggie Vlaytcheva Michelle Wu

University of Central Missouri Erianna Cannon Annie Jonz Jaimye Kite Mahatma Portis Joe West Tanner Litchfield

Vet Tech Institute Amber Smith Washington University Katherine Laue Clarinda Tan

University of Missouri Chloe Appel Richelle Bain Rachel Bernstein Braiden Blatt Anthony Blatter Jacob Brand Kylee Bruchhof Sabrina Bushman Kathleen Cannon Bradley Cohen Kaitlin Davis Tom Golan Zach Goldberg Alexis Hibbs Sydney Hirsch Josie Ihnat Will Jost James Kim Natalie Lay Liad Lerner Alexis Livingston Alice Lu Michael Man Luke Mankovich Gabriel Martin Haley Massa Evan Mogley BreAnn Murphy Francis Ntimba Nathan Okpara Noah Prelutsky Adam Schenberg Samantha Schneiderman Jackson Stern Brian Tang Luke Trail Devon Ware

Webster University Nathan Celestine Elena Hipp

Nebraska

Creighton University Nicole Davis

New hampshire dartmouth college Miles Sanders

New Jersey

New Jersey Institute of Technology Zachary Hresko

New York

New York University Jennifer Heiman Pratt Institute Jake Schwartz

Ohio State University Neesha Deshmukh

Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University Yuan Gao Drexel University Samuel Shlafshteyn Pittsburgh State University Chyna Moore

Spain

Daihana Jimenez

TEnnessee Lane College Tayler Pollard

Vanderbilt University Alex Luckerman

TExas

Rice University Madeleine Scannell Texas Christian University Kara Potts University of Texas at Austin Sophia Cantor

Washington

University of Washington Daniel Berkovich

West Virginia Ohio

Case Western Reserve University Josh Adams Nara Baik Casey Goodman

University of Missouri - Kansas City Supriya Ellina

Columbus College of Art and Design Matthew Whay

College of Charleston Sara Berwald

Vocational Evan Rodriguez Ellie Muchnick Victoria Langley Seth Thomas

Next Step seniors prepare for the

Data collected from student who responded to the Corral survey before May 2.

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features

May 12, 2017

Carter’s creativity kickstarts career Sophie Baron

staff writer rtist and senior Erika Carter been involved in a variety of artistic clubs and activities in and out of school. She plans to take her hobbies and use them to create a career.

“After high school I plan to go to a four year college and major in Video Game Art with a minor in illustration,” senior Erika Carter said. “I made this decision based off my love for drawing and video games.”

Carter involved herself in many different clubs and activities in school mostly consisting of things that require artistic skills. Carter has put her creativity to use in many different aspects from video games, drawing and even cooking.

“I joined Culinary club because I love to cook,” Carter said. “Sometimes we make displays out of food and do contests which is fun because we get to be creative.”

Carter is also in the process of creating an art commissions website. Although the website is not yet finished, she has made $124 on this commission.

“Well art commissions is when someone pays me to draw something for them,” Carter said. “My prices vary based

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off what the person wants. I’m still building my website so that people who want to commission me know what my skills consist of.”

The commissions have not only given her a little extra money, but she has also created a fan base.

“I get my inspiration from my favorite games, shows, movies, and also my fans who inspire me a lot.” Carter said.

Senior Erika Carter’s uses both her cullinary and art skills to express herself. Her art pieces were showcased at the Art Show on May 8. Photos by Sophie Baron

Senior volunteers world-wide Senior ENLISTS IN ARMY Athena STamos

Athena STamos

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Staff writer

raveling abroad during her summers in order to participate in an internship in Mongolia, senior Supriya Ellina has also volunteered in Dharamsala, India, teaching English to Tibetan Buddhist refugees.

“I felt like I was giving back to my home country,” Ellina said. “But at the same time it was something I had never experienced before.”

Ellina has volunteered abroad for two summers, going for a full month each time, during her high school career.

“It’s one thing to read about people of different backgrounds, belief systems, and cultures,” Ellina said. “But it’s a whole different experience to be able to meet these people and put yourselves in their shoes.”

Ellina went through an application process for her internship in Mongolia, but did not have to complete an application to go to India because volunteering for refugees is open to anyone.

“I think learning about how the refugees whom have been through so much, yet are some of the kindest and happiest people was inspiring,” Ellina said.

Ellina initially started volunteering locally at St. Luke’s Hospital, Missouri Baptist Hospital, and at the

Staff writer

Senior Supriya Ellina volunteers in northern India to help Tibetan Buddhist refugees read English for a summer. “They were pretty strict about picture taking at the school,” Ellina said. Photo courtesy of Supriya Ellina

Red Cross. She then became interested in volunteering globally.

“Volunteering taught me to understand others from different perspectives and how their journeys in life have shaped who they are,” Ellina said.

She will attend University of Missouri-Kansas City for their six-year BA/MD medical program in the fall, and plans to do more volunteering in the future. she hopes to be able to start a free medical clinic in Dharamsala, India where she volunteered in order to give back to “such inspiring people.”

enior Ashlee Clark decided to enlist in the army to follow her family’s military steps and to strive to become a better person.

“There’s a sense of being able to learn to gain habits in the army,” Clark said.

The Army was actually not Clark’s first choice. Air Force initially was her first choice. She then met with both recruiters and thought the army “seemed best for me.”

In order to be accepted into the Army, Clark had to take an ASVAB, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery which is only valid once the applicant is seventeen years old. From this test, Clark qualified for 60 jobs out of 200 jobs total. However, Clark got to choose her job from four choices which included cryptologic analyst. Also, recently she was notified about her ship date.

“At first it’s temporary but then it becomes your actual ship date,” Clark said.

“That exact moment was surreal for me.”

Senior Ashlee Clark prepares for the Army.

“My whole family is a military family,” she said.

“I tried looking into different colleges, but school isn’t for everyone, especially for me.” Photo by Sophie Baron

Preparation for the army included alterations in diet, very limited intake of carbohydrates and a lot of fruit and vegetables. Also, Clark’s recruiter gave her a program to complete for physical training.

If Clark likes the Army enough, she will potentially make it her career.

“I feel very confident and happy about my choice,” Clark said.

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Senior Girls make strides in track Daihana Jimenez Staff Writer

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he girls track team established a legacy of hard work and dedication that will stay in the girls track program history.

Senior Richelle Bain believes that with a strong mentality and hard work, track athletes can have strong performances in competitions.

“All of the seniors are trying to leave a positive energy during our workouts and races,” Bain said. “One of the big keys to doing well in track is to have a good mindset, it’s important that we always think positively.”

Even though the team has achieved so much, Bain still believes that they have a long way to go and could achieve more if a positive mindset is kept.

“So far, not yet because we have so much more to come, we have Districts, Sectionals and State in our future, so I won’t be satisfied until we succeed through those,” Bain said. “But don’t get me wrong, we are doing great!”

Their positive minds help strengthen their mentality, something that many underclassmen hope to achieve in order to carry on the legacy that this year’s senior girls are leaving behind.

Senior girls are good role models for the underclassmen, they are a prime example of hard work, dedication, passion and how to direct the underclassmen to continue a legacy that many of the seniors are leaving.

“Banta sets them as an example, they’ve worked the hardest and get good results and so

we really want to uphold and contribute to those results,” sophomore Emily Ortmann said.

Underclassmen are the future of the track team which is why many seniors work hard to help them teach the importance of dedication and hard work so they can help keep a legacy.

“We are a pretty talented team, and we are a good image on how to lead the team in the future and to also inspire them,” senior Lizzie DeJoie said.

Thanks to the experiences as a track athlete, Bain serves as a role model and advised the future girls track athletes to take advantage of their practice time by focusing and working hard.

“Be good leaders because people look up to you and act how you act. If you act like practices don’t matter, they will too,” Bain said. “If you goof off at meets they’ll do the same. Freshman most likely haven’t done track before so they’re just learning from the upperclassmen” Even though next year’s seniors don’t have the same amount of girls as this year’s seniors, they still hope to achieve as many goals as they can in order to keep a record breaking legacy.

“We don’t have many juniors but we can still achieve the same goals as this year senior,” junior Emily Goldstein said.

One of the main goals next year girls track are set to achieve is positive minds, a legacy that this years senior girls are setting and through the achievements they show that.

“I’ve always kept a positive mind and if you stay positive you can achieve a lot,” junior Erica Watson said.

students help with TEAMS AS MANAGERS liad lerner sports editor

Name: Will Peacock (10) Sport: Soccer Favorite part about being a manager: “Warming up the goalie.”

Least favorite part about being a manager: “Having to go to all of the games.”

Name: MJ Fritz (9) Sport: Soccer Favorite part about being a manager: “Getting to see BA every day.”

Senior Richelle Bain finishes her leg of the varsity 4x800-meter relay at the Henle Holmes meet at home on April 12. Photo by Madeline Lee

Team spirit shines on volleyball Court, bench Madeline Lee Staff writer

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olleyball is a hard sport that requires a large amount of tenacity, and the boys on the bench help their teammates on the court keep that up.

“Everyone’s up out of their seats cheering you on,” junior Mark Diekroeger said. “It makes you feel better about yourself and creates more team momentum.”

Last year, the team all shaved their heads for state, where the team took second. This year, they hope to win state, and to do that they need to keep pushing each other.

“Last season in the state finals we took the first set, but then the second we were losing the whole time,” Diekroeger said. “We needed a boost. Our bench was able to raise the morale and we started winning the third set.”

Some distinct cheers that the team does include Ace, Zhorse, and Iron Man. “When you serve the ball and they don’t return it, normally it’s called Ace,” junior Daniel Buffum said. “We yell ‘doodle bop no’ and then they yell ‘mehoy minoy’.”

Like with any team, communication is key.

The players constantly talk to each other during games, whether on the bench or on the court.

“Every year we have a stick horse and whoever does well in games gets to keep it for the

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Least favorite part about being a manager: “Seeing the team lose.”

Name: Olivia Currington (12) Sport: Volleyball Favorite part: “Joking around and talking with the guys; they’re all fun and nice.”

Least favorite part: “Sometimes there will only be one manager at a game.”

Name: Mallory Horn (11) Sport: Tennis

Members of the boys varsity volleyball team Matthew Deay, Liad Lerner, Daniel Roman, AJ Kazmi, Clayton Rodriguez, Nick Arciszewski, Lawson Cockerham, Jaylin Scales and Jacob Morton celebrate a team point in their home game against Vianney on May 1.

week,” Buffum said. “Its name is Zhorse. It’s kind of the mascot.”

Iron Man features a deflated volleyball that has had holes cut into it to make a mask, which the players on the bench wear.

“It gets people excited when someone’s wearing the mask, and it’s funny,” junior Matthew Deay said. “The crowd likes it, and they start to cheer too.”

Like many sports, a large part of volleyball is in your head. Having teammates support you can take some of the strain away.

“Volleyball is a very mental sport,” sophomore Charlie Meier said. “If you make a mistake the guys on the bench are there to help you and get you out of that.”

Favorite part: “Being able to develop relationships with all of the guys and cheering them on.”

Least favorite part: “Riding the bus because I hate buses.”

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sports

May 12, 2017

teams seek new leaders for next year

liad lerner sports editor

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ith graduation right around the corner, many coaches are figuring out how their teams are going to look next year without their seniors, and some teams will be losing a lot of talent.

“Elena Wilner and Rebecca Davis have been the one and two seeds since their freshman year,” girls tennis coach Lee Hayes said. “And they’ve had a lot of success, especially this year.”

Wilner and Davis, who placed fifth in the State doubles competition, are just two of the four seniors on the team who are graduating at the end of this year, leaving behind only a third of the team to return for next season: sophomore Zoe Hahn and freshman Michelle Korenfeld.

“We are losing the experience and confidence they brought to the team,” Korenfeld said. “Everyone is going to miss them and the energy they brought to every practice and match.”

Coach Hayes has a rebuilding season ahead of him but he is confident in the talent and leadership of Hahn and Korenfeld, and of junior Mallory Horn and sophomore Michelle Skroba.

“I will be captain with Mallory next year which is a big role,” Hahn said. “But I’m thankful for the model I got from Becca and Elena and I’ll try to follow in their footsteps.”

But tennis is just one of the many sports that are going to have to rebuild for next year. The boys soccer team is losing an All-State defender, a 2nd team All-State forward, an All-Conference goalie, and four additional starters. The girls lacrosse team is losing nine seniors, including Parkway Central’s all time leading scorer. Boys cross country is losing four runners, including one who set the school record for the course and placed 7th at State.

“Losing them is going to impact us a lot,” lacrosse player Molly Wesolich said. “We are losing a lot of great talent and some of us, including myself, are going to have to step up.”

With a school record 99 goals and counting, losing senior Jessie Piles will definitely be a big blow to the girls lacrosse team next year, but the team is not as centered around her as it once was. Last year, Piles scored 50 percent of the team’s goals and did so from the midfield position. Only six individual players scored the entire season. This year she has been playing on offense but has scored less than a third of the team’s goals, and already ten players have scored.

“Last year Jessie was our go-to goal scorer,” girls lacrosse coach Beth Karfs said. “But this year we’ve gotten better at team

Freshman Brooke Lierman battles for the ball against an opponent from Incarnate Word Academy on April 13. “I think we will all be able to work together and I will have to have a bigger part in the leadership next year,” Lierman said. Lierman has scored 12 goals with only 22 shots, leading the team in shooting percentage. Photo by Tara Stepanek

play and we are comfortable scoring with multiple people.”

Wesolich, a sophomore, along with freshman Brooke Lierman are two stand-out young players that the team can build around.

The midfield pair have scored a combined 27 goals and nine assists and Wesolich leads the team with ten caused turnovers

and seven interceptions.

“Brooke and Molly are already so skilled and act like upperclassmen,” Piles said. “It will be easy for them to take on a bigger leadership role in the coming years.”

The boys cross country team faces a similar challenge in that their fastest runner is also graduating. Senior Charlie McIntyre set a school record of 15:44.60 at McNair Park on Oct. 8, and he placed seventh in the State Championship race on Nov. 5.

“Charlie really showed what it’s like to be a quality runner with the time and effort he put in,” boys cross country coach Brian Guilfoyle said. “He gave his all every practice and he performed well at meets. He led by demonstration.”

Guilfoyle is expecting junior Colby Powell and sophomore Andrew Richardet to step up as captains next year and help lead a very deep and talented squad of freshmen.

“I have always given the new and flourishing athletes advice, but I will have to work on being here for my team every day,” Powell said.

The boys soccer team is graduating multiple players in multiple positions, but what might hit them hardest is the loss of senior goalie Job Thomasson. Thomasson was second in the conference in goals allowed per game (1.08) and in save percentage (.807) of goalies who played at least five games.

Boys soccer coach Brian Adam has high praise for last season’s Varsity backup goalie, junior Ryan Ellinger, who did not let up a single goal in the 140 minutes he played. But Ellinger will need more experience in goal if he hopes to replicate senior Job Thomasson’s form.

“The biggest thing I can do is be stronger on the goal line,” Ellinger said. “All confidence and leadership stems from that, so if I can step up my shot blocking game, then my leadership and shot-calling improves a step as well.”

Competing with Ellinger for the starting spot are multiple goalies from the JV and freshman teams including a few who joined club teams in the offseason and have improved a lot since the fall season.

“We have numerous contenders for goalie,” Adam said. “It’s not as clear-cut as it has been in the past, which is good because I really value competition at every position.”

Once the goalie position is settled, Ellinger believes that the strong and experienced midfield pair of juniors Cam Baird and Agustin Barcellona, along the continued solidarity of junior defender Nick Buerk will create a strong backbone for the team to build off of next year.

freshman soars high on golf team kayla benjamin editor in chief

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e’s small and he’s young, but freshman golfer Dedrick “Deuce” Harris defied expectations this year, earning the number two spot on the golf team. He made it to the District tournament on May 1 at Aberdeen Golf Course and shot 80 -- only 8 above par.

“In golf, it’s kind of like life, because if you hit a bad shot you can’t really get it back,” Harris said. “In life, if you mess up, you can’t really get it back. You have to work hard and nothing’s given to you.”

Harris lives out this lesson in regards to his golf practice. In addition to after-school practice with the team, he also works with a golf coach every Saturday and by himself on Sundays.

“I practice almost every day,” he said. “I start off with chipping. I chip for about 45 minutes and then I start putting for about 45 minutes. Then I hit a large bucket of balls for an hour.”

This practice routine is nothing new for the freshman, though. Before high school, he played on a team at Spirit of St. Louis Golf Course. And he’s been golfing since he was 2 years old.

“My dad saw Tiger Woods’s dad started him that early, so

he just started me playing,” Harris said. “My mom and my little brother are always pushing me to work better and become better at it.”

Even beyond his family, Harris is never without friendship on the course. Team members, he said, support one another.

In particular, Harris worked closely with senior Josh Hylan, the number one golfer.

“It’s been kind of cool teaching him how to control himself, how to act on the course, manage his game and kind of watch him progress as the year went on,” Hylan said. “When we have matches, we typically play two from each team -- two Central people in one group. If he’s playing well, I tell him to keep it up. If he’s playing badly, then I’ll give him recommendations.”

Harris’s success came as an unexpected boon for the team.

“I was expecting two or three OK golfers -- and then Deuce comes out and manages his way to be number two on the team,” Hylan said. “When I leave, in the next three years he’ll be the top person, I’d guess.”

Harris, on the other hand, wasn’t surprised at his placement in the least and attributes his success to his many years of experience and countless hours practicing.

“I knew I could do it,” Harris said. “That’s what I’ve been waiting to do.”

But his season certainly hasn’t been without challenges. Harris also plays basketball, and he broke his thumb right at the end

Freshman golfer Dedrick Harris attempts a putt from the hole 9 green at Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Course during a match against Pattonville on April 12. Harris and senior Josh Hylan qualified for the District golf tournament. Photo

by Tara Stepanek

of the season -- meaning that he spent the first four weeks of the golf season unable to hit the ball.

Despite the unlucky beginning, Harris is known on the team as one doesn’t let much get him down.

“Deuce brings a positive attitude towards golf,” Hylan said.

“He’s always happy, whether he shoots badly or shoots well.

He’s always positive; he’s always making jokes.”

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May 12, 2017

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Archer's Atmosphere -Dining in Style-

ikea is an instagramer’s fantasy Libby archer features editor

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have to say, IKEA has me shook. Seniors Kayla Benjamin, Karis Kim and I drove all the way out to IKEA, didn’t get that lost, (which is harder than you’d expect) and ate at the food court. I had been told about these amazing meatballs for months now, so I thought I’d try it out for myself.

We made the long journey (during rush hour) to visit the most confusing place in the world.

It took about 35 minutes to get to the city from school, plus another 10 minutes because Kayla took a few wrong turns. Surprisingly, once we arrived, there were a ton of parking spots (because apparently IKEA isn’t the place to be on Tuesday nights).

This place is the largest and most intimidating building I’ve ever seen. Since the company is Swedish, everything is just a little different. For example, we walked through a children’s room set up and the only options for stuffed animals they had were pigs, dogs and rats. Maybe that is normal in Sweden, but it confused me.

The restaurant area was an instagramer’s dream. It was way modern with a ton of light.

My one concern was it smelled like a furniture store. This was a bit disconcerting and was a constant reminder that this was not, in fact, a restaurant but was, in fact, a furniture store.

I was blown away by the food options for a Tuesday night. Their setup is similar to a lunch room, with a little more pizzazz. The single-serve options: pre-made wraps, sandwiches, desserts, and salads, were protected in a glass box. I got a

BBQ salmon wrap, which was nothing I had ever heard of, and an assortment of Swedish desserts.

Next you walk through the line to the buffet-style section where they had all the sides and comfort-food-centered meals. I got mashed potatoes with gravy and veggie balls. This ended up only costing me 7 dollars.

At this point I was a happy camper. This was one of my cheapest food reviews, which I think my bank account appreciated, and one of the most requested. Karis, Kayla and I sat facing the sun, which was setting over the city.

I ate the sides first because I love a good mashed potato. This tasted homemade, which I promise is not an insult to my mother. I would drive out to IKEA on Thanksgiving just for a promise of these potatoes. Next were the meatballs. I had to go with veggie even though I have been hearing about the chicken ones for years, because I am technically a vegetarian. Thankfully I am a bad vegetarian, so I allowed myself to try one bite of Swedish balls. All I can say is that one bite was almost enough to make me convert.

They are worth the hype, and so were the veggie ones. They were both unlike anything I’ve ever tasted, because of their consistency and Swedish-flavor. I don’t know what Swedish flavor is, because this was the first Swedish food I’ve ever tasted, but I am pretty sure this is it.

Next I had my weird wrap thing. It was smaller than I expected but so dang flavorful. The BBQ seasoning was just enough to add to but not overpower the salmon. They had garnishes, which made me feel fancy, and were overall amazing.

Even though the wraps were puny, they still filled me up so much that I almost didn’t have room for dessert -- but I have never been one to miss

out on dessert.

The dessert was the most confusing part of my evening. There were three dessert things that they gave me on my sampler. They each varied in size and color, but confused me all the same. I am going to blame this, yet-again, on the Swedish. I have no clue what I was eating but it was strange and I still don’t know if I like it. The first one was covered in coconut crumbles and chocolate but it didn’t taste much like coconut or chocolate. Next was the yellow cake drizzled with chocolate sauce. I think this one tasted good but I was so surprised by the fact that it wasn’t hard that it ruined the full cake for me. The exterior was really sweet but the inside was fluffy with icing in the middle. This cake made me feel uncultured and sad. Finally was the chocolate, yellow cookie. This was by far the strangest. The outside looked like chocolate, smelled like chocolate, but when you bit in, it kind of tasted like a vegetable.

When I got these desserts instead of the chocolate cake, I didn’t expect it to be this much of an emotional roller coaster.

Finally were the Swedish drinks. I have a feeling after this comes out I’m going to find out that none of these things are actually Swedish, and I have just been living in a hole my entire life. But these drinks were amazing. They had this weird berry juice that I am almost positive is foreign. I don’t know how I have survived this long without tasting this strange concoction. It is kind of like a better version of cranberry juice.

They also had sparkling lemon water which was just Sprite.

Overall, I am in love with IKEA and I still have never explored the actual store because I am scared I won’t be able to find my way out.

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May 12, 2017

Mogley’s music of the month Evan Mogley Entertainment Editor

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very Summer there is a fight to see which artist will come out on top.

To dominate the summer is to achieve a very special feat. It gives you three very sought after things in the industry. Longevity, momentum, and exposure.

These three things can break an artist into the mainstream and project them to new heights. This isn’t necessarily always the case however (see Rude and Cheerleader). To get it right requires the right timing (a March through May release,) the right sound (typically upbeat), and the right lyrical structure (fun and about living in the moment). Since summer is right around the corner, I decided to take a look at summer smashes past and see what made them the iconic songs we still play at the beach today.

Umbrella- Rihanna

Sitting here in 2017 it is odd to look back ten years and think of Rihanna still as a newcomer to the world of music. With “Umbrella” she started her reign on the world of pop music and stated her longevity. Blending together aspects of rock, pop and R&B, Rihanna and mentor Jay-Z build a bridge crossing not only genres but crossing into what would become Rihanna’s territory. With lyrical content that discusses a platonic relationship and the strength between the two partners, and the imagery of rain, the lyrics create a sense of warmth and security. While the “eh eh eh” takes away from the phenomenal chorus, and with a somewhat unnecessary 30 second intro from Jay-Z, the song has created a legacy with the single word of Umbrella. Originally rejected by Britney Spears, Rihanna made the song her own and uses her unique voice to make the song not only more enjoyable to listen to but something that is an anomaly within radio music today. With thumping drums, a light keyboard and guitar it makes a somewhat edgier pop song whose style has yet to be replicated. The songs impact lives on through multiple cover versions, a curse involving flooding in the UK, and its rightful place as a pop culture staple.

confessions pt 2- usher

In its right this song should not have been a summer smash. “Confessions pt. 2” holds no qualities that point to it dominating the airwaves in the simmering months.

It’s an odd phenomenon to have witnessed. A mid tempo R&B song about a cheating husband accompanied by light strums, hand claps and beat drops. It makes for a refreshing listen as nothing quite matches up to it on the radio in that day or for today in that matter. With heavy lyrical content about a mistress sparked controversy and had everyone guessing about whether it was the truth.

It escalated Usher’s spot in pop culture and the song on the charts. Usher’s voice also adds layers to the song as he harmonizes parts of the chorus and creates a very emotional journey. Written and produced by the same two people that helped Usher create his album, it fits the mold for a personal narrative. The song suffers from awkward phrasing and pauses and due to the inverted chorus nature of the song- the chorus appears one too many times. The summer of 2004 held scandal, R&B, and a song that ran through the American public’s head asking the question, “so what is the truth?”

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A-

I got a feeling- black eyed peas

california gurls- katy perry

This song screams summer overplay. Once “California Girls” is in your head it will not let go.

It is some of the sweetest bubble gum pop made to date. Credit is due to producer Max Martin and all 6 writers of the song who managed to not only produce a disco-esq bop but match the lyrics with the light airy guitars and synths. It all comes together to make a poolside favorite. Even though has become essential for the summer months, it isn’t without critique. While Katy Perry uses the playful nature of the song to her advantage and certainly uses inflection to make it work, it’s a double edged sword in its own right. The “Oh Oh Oh” part of this song is memorable for all the wrong reasons. It sounds like a cheap filler for the ending of the chorus- and is even repeated in many other Katy Perry songs (see Firework). Not to mention the feature of Snoop Dogg himself.

Snoop has no place on this song. It’s cringe worthy. It’s tasteless. It’s a collaboration to call it a collaboration- not two artists wanting to work together on a project. While the song propelled Perry to new levels of stardom in 2010 and enraptured her “sweet like candy” image, its success is more deserving to people behind the scene rather than Perry herself.

C+

As I listen to the song “I Gotta Feelin” on repeat trying to review it, I realize something. It’s a really bad song. I’m not quite sure where the Black Eyed Peas will end up in music history, but this song captures everything that they were. A blend of auto tuned vocals, cringey one liners, and a histrionic beat. One of the groups that truly pushed the trend of auto tune, they used it in every way that they could. Singers will.i.am and Fergie sound completely robotic and monotone in some placesespecially when the repetition of the song hits you.

The same phrase over and over and over again.

It’s a special kind of torture. The song has become fundamental at bar mitzvahs and middle school graduations with lines like “fill up my cup, mazel tov,” and “Friday, Saturday, Saturday to Sunday,” who wouldn’t go for those quirky lyrics. Looking past the meaning of the song, the instrumental (produced by David Guetta, go figure) uses heavy synthesizers, a ticking rhythm and guess what?

More auto tune! How creative. It broke records, it was nominated for a Grammy, it spent 14 weeks at number one. It shows the truly desperate times America was dealing with in 2009.

‘The Promise’ proves to be Incredibly Moving Film Brett Smith Staff Writer

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he Promise has just recently been released in theaters, and with its great acting and fantastic narrative delivers a powerful and emotional ride.

This movie was one of those that I really had no idea was even in production until I saw the trailer for it while in theaters waiting to watch “Life”, great movie BTW. What immediately grabbed my attention was the subject that this film represents.

This movie is based on a true story about the Armenian Genocide, which was an event in history from April 24, 1915 - 1917.

This event was the mass extermination of the Armenian people, with approximately 1.5 million deaths as a result.

Throughout this film we follow the stories of Mikael Boghosian, an Armenian medical student played by Oscar Isaac, and Chris Myers, an American journalist played by Christian Bale.

And I believe these were the best choices for their respective roles, giving powerful yet memorable performances.

The film’s acting has many levels. Every emotion is strong, present, and effective. Every ounce of dialogue is weighted with emotion, as they go through very real situations, with the audience drawn in along for the ride. Oscar and Bale definitely carry this film with their powerful portrayals of these characters.

I think that they were the best choices for these roles, as the

years of hurting is shown in all of their actions. An actor with no experience with these kinds of roles wouldn’t be able to pull off what these two very talented men are capable of.

The locations that this movie offer are vast, ranging from villages to the open forest and much more. All of the shots in this film are beautiful and successful at not only capturing the event, but also the feeling behind it. The environment that fills every scene is full of so much character and depth, with the ambiance helping this feel immensely. The extras in this film are not just thrown in the set the background. They have their own unique characters that not only help with establishing the setting, but also you can feel their relationships bounce off of each other and also affect the actions of the main protagonists.

This movie is pretty difficult to talk about without giving away too much of the story. However, I can say that if you are looking for a historical film about a very rough time in world history, that’s here. If you’re looking a dramatic romance film, that’s here too. This movie offers a lot to the audience to keep them invested and interested enough to keep watching the film, and then make them feel good about doing so as you deliver a powerful film about the struggles of being an Armenian man during this time. I would give “The Promise” an 8.5/10. This film is a very immersive ride, with the dynamic characters and powerful narrative delivering an intense experience for the audience.

If you are looking for a movie to spend your money on, then this is the movie for you.

D+

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MICROSOFT’S NEW GAME CONSOLE will not impress garrett lierman Entertainment editor

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roject Scorpio is Microsoft’s latest gaming console project.

The project was announced in 2016 at the E3 gaming convention with the claim being made that it will be capable of 60 frames per second at a graphic resolution of 4K. On April 6, Microsoft announced the specs of the Project Scorpio and they simply do not support the claims.

At the 2016 E3 gaming convention, Microsoft held their annual press conference. The conference went mostly without anything of note or interest. The Xbox One S, a slightly smaller and more efficient Xbox, was announced alongside multiple new game titles and sequels. However, at the end of the conference, the lights dimmed and videos of mystery hardware appeared on screen. This mystery hardware shifted and turned, finally zooming out to look at something of a pseudo Xbox. This was announced to be the new Project Scorpio.

“The future of console gaming,” Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said.

Microsoft proceeded to brandish the new console, showing off the complexity, and boasting almost constantly the six teraflops of processing power. A single teraflop is one trillion floating point operations. Think of it like a single digit. The Scorpio allegedly can process six teraflops per second. Microsoft loudly claims that the Scorpio will be able to attain native 4K at 60 frames per second and that it will revolutionize the creation of console games for the foreseeable future. As of May first, a price has not been released but Spencer has called it a premium product and said that it will cost significantly more than a standard Xbox One. “It’s gonna have eight CPU cores, over 320 gigabytes of memory bandwidth, six teraflops of GPU power,” one Microsoft representative said, “it’s a monster!”

On April 6th, 2017, Microsoft’s twitter account posted the official specifications of the tech within the Project Scor-

pio. It was revealed to have a two point three gigahertz hard drive, one terabyte of storage, 326 gigabytes per second memory bandwidth, and a six teraflop GPU. While a terabyte of storage is certainly on par with a mid-level PC, a two point three gigahertz hard drive pales in comparison to even lower middle tier computers. A computer with a three point five gigahertz hard drive would be able to attain native 4K at 60 frames per second, but only just barely. Not to mention that a GTX 1080 graphics card has eight point three teraflops of processing power compared to Scorpio’s flat six. With such a massive drop off on power it’s difficult to see a reality in which Scorpio is truly as powerful as Microsoft claims.

Sony’s annual press conference arrived with multiple new titles and the announcement that the new Playstation Virtual ReThe Scorpio hasn’t just been anality headset. The press conference was staffed with an entire live orchestra that played the soundtracks of any trailer that nounced, but has caused an Internet came on screen and Hideo Kajima even made a return to the gaming scene after his fiasco with the Konami Holdings Corfirestorm between lesser known YouTube poration. The Xbox press conference brought the announcement of the new Xbox One S. A new Gears Of War 4 trailer along with a bundle with the Xbox One. The announcement that got the gaming community buzzing was the announcing content creators. Some creators claim it will be the most powerful gaming machine of the Project Scorpio. Microsoft’s Phil Spencer spoke of the original goal in mind with the original Xbox. The stage went dark and multiple Microsoft spokes people appeared on screen and spoke about their dreams within the company. Some of ever built, and others loudly protest such the representatives spoke of the company’s goal as a whole, while some spoke about the Scorpio itself. The main product statements. The videos have created a vafeature that all of the representatives continually expounded was the six teraflop GPU. riety of opinions and multiple predictions about the Scorpio’s actual capabilities.

Rumors surrounding the price of the Scorpio put it between 600 While the Scorpio may not be as powerful as a mid-tier PC, it and 1000 dollars. If the Scorpio actually lives up to Microsoft’s will certainly be the most powerful console ever. The PlayStation claims, it will absolutely be worth that price. However, if it does 4 Pro has a AMD “Jaguar” 8 core processor that clocks 2.1 ghz. not, it will simply not be worth purchasing unless you absolutely While it may not be a large advantage for Microsoft, it will still can not own a PC. have more sheer power than a PS4 Pro. The Scorpio also packs When it comes to the question of, “Should I buy a Scorpio?”

150% of the Ram, and 1.8 more teraflops on its GPU. The only response is to wait and see how the console actually When it comes to the purchasing of a Scorpio, it’s probably performs. Ignore any and all preorder deals or bonuses until it is best if the decision is left until after the console is released. clear exactly what the new console can do on it’s own.

reflecting on year-long trends ROYA PORSHAHIDY sTAFF WRITER

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his school year was full of trends that took over central by storm and had everyone trying to fit in with the latest trends.

One trend that took over central are the Patagonia vests and jackets. The brand were matched with multiple different outfits and despite the prices that are awfully high the items sold are warm and very versatile for the constant changing St. Louis weather.

Next trend that I saw during this school year would be oversized everything. From oversized t-shirts that are paired with shorts, or oversized hoodies, flannels, or long sleeved shirts worn by everyone.

The oversized trend in my opinion has comfort and style wrapped up in one. Why wouldn’t you want to snuggle up in an oversized hoodie and be immensely comfortable at school?

Another trend that has actually been accumulating for a couple of years, is thrifting. The thrifting trend which takes on man's trash into another man’s treasure has shown that you can look good and not spend a fortune. You can find a lot of vintage jackets, tops, and jeans at thrift shops that are dirt cheap.

You can pull a Sophia Amoruso and take old clothes and transform them into fashion pieces that will make people think you spent 50 dollars on something you only spent 4 dollars on. I think this trend should never die as it is affordable and fun. I recommend Savers as your go to thrift shop, I have found so many cool clothes there.

Another trend that isn’t fashion related but is crucial to this year, are the fidget spinners that has a big spot at Parkway Central this year. The rubber and metal spinners are actually pretty fun and are perfect for when you can’t pay attention in class, or just simply need something to fidget with. The fidget spinners are an inexpensive fun way to keep focus in class.

A shoe trend that I’ve seen and personally partook in are the Adidas Superstars. The classic shoe which has rose from the grave the past couple years has become a fashion staple in every closet. The shoe which you can get in many different colors can be paired with anything you want to wear and look awfully cute. The most popular color the white ones with the black stripes, is the one I have seen worn on many people. People think it’s overdone but I think it's cute, comfortable, and a must have.

Eman Abuzeid, Amy Johnson and Marneece Howard

22 corRAL Day in the life of a ... Preschool Teacher

entertainment

May 12, 2017

Jessie Goldberg Staff WRiter

Jenny Cole

“I don’t mind messes” “At first, being at the high school was scary because high school students were big, but now, it’s a great tool for the preschoolers to see different departments in the school.”

“We’re able to use the track and the gyms, as well as the cross country trail for a nature walk.”

“We can spend the whole day outside when it’s nice out” “There are a lot of hands on activities” “We learn through play”

Deborah Jenne

Imagine if you came to Parkway Central from 7am to 6pm every day and taught your students through play. Imagine if your students took naps in the afternoons, had designated snack time, and played outside on the playground every day.

Imagine if you had 15 students who were younger than five years old.

Each of our preschool teachers goes through this seemingly similar rhythm every single day. They teach the youngest students at PCH, the preschoolers, what it’s like to live in this world.

While we are sitting in desks discussing a book in English or learning a new lesson in math or science, these students are learning through hands-on activities. These pre-school teachers have one of the most important roles: developing the minds of the future. While the preschool is open from 7am to 6pm, the learning truly happens from 8:30am to 12pm.

“It’s nice to have child development classes so the students can come in and help us. They’re sort of like interns” “We take naps” “We can use the tricycles and the playground” “We do get messy a lot” “The preschoolers can be as loud as the teachers”

Similar to high school students, preschoolers have pretty regular schedules. In the morning, there are different activities the kids can choose from.

Then it’s time for learning. Then snack, music and dance, and then another learning session. These learning sessions can be a story or an activity. After the learning session, the preschoolers go outside and have story time. As the day nears its end, the kids have lunch and then it’s nap time. They wake up, have snack, and then go home.

Now, let’s take a look at everything these teachers do on a regular basis, specifically on Thursday April 27.

opinions

May 12, 2017

corRAL

School systems: comparing the united states and germany Moritz DittricH STAFF WRITER

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t first look, the school systems of Germany and the U.S. seem quite similar, but if you take a closer look, you notice plenty of differences between the styles of education in both countries.

In both countries, the most common way of education is twelve years of school before going to a college afterwards.

While America has an elementary school, a middle school and a high school, in Germany you don’t have a school between elementary and high school. After fourth grade, students and their parents have to make the decision to go to a secondary school, where they will graduate. Students are allowed to choose between three different types of schools, which mostly differ in the difficulty , and the speed of learning. The highest school level, gymnasium, ends with graduation in twelfth grade like in America. The other, “lower” school types learn at a slower speed and eventually end in ninth or tenth grade. After that, students usually would learn a trade instead of going to university.

In my opinion, fourth grade is too early to make a decision that will affect your whole life, as your education also influences your job. It is ridiculous to make children choose their education at the age of ten years, even if the parents and teachers are involved in the decision, too. This early age leads to parents who act hastily and end up sending their kids to the gymnasium, because they would be ashamed of their kids would go to a school level that isn’t the highest. Even if it is only for one or two years, it could be helpful to have a middle school so that students can find out what level of education is the best one for them.

The biggest part of these activities are school sports. It sounds surprising, but Germany doesn’t have any school sports at all. As mentioned above, basically all activities take place separately from school. That means that Germans are basically on their own when it comes to finding a sport do to after school.

It is a good idea to include sports in school, because it - in a

“German high schools don’t have any school sports at all.”

positive way - forces inactive students to start a new sport with people they might already know from class.

Another huge difference is how much students identify themselves with the school they attend. American schools have plenty of events throughout the school year, whether it is school dances, clubs, or other activities, there are multiple ways you can get involved in and after school. And yes, Germany also offers a few clubs after school, but the fact that there aren’t any dances or multiple clubs makes Germany look like a joke. Nearly all activities take place outside of school, which results in a lack of school spirit. For Germans, school basically means classes and learning, not necessarily fun through non-educational events.

That is why I like the way that American schools connect pure education with entertaining activities. It helps to create a great school spirit and makes students identify with their school.

In spite of American schools providing a lot of advantages, there are also some problems I have noticed after having been here for almost a whole school year.

After having observed both systems extensively, I am critical of the connection between high school and college. In Germany, junior and senior year of high school help students find their way by having them take very intense classes of their choice, depending on their strengths. Colleges work the same way: If you want to work as a physician, you attend very science-specific lectures, take notes and have only a few tests per semester.

You don’t need to take any social studies classes or other topics that won’t be necessary for your future job. You could say that school - up to twelfth grade - is about common knowledge, while college allows to totally focus on what you want to do in life. I like this difference between high school and university. I believe that the U.S. is lacking this kind of focus, that gives you a lot of detailed information and makes you an expert in one area. Yes, you major and may also in a specific subject minor something, but still you are required to take classes in college that will not have an effect on the skills that you need for a successful career.

One thing I personally find very bothersome is the components that encompass to grades in America. While tests have the same influence on grades in America and Germany, Americans value participation and homework differently than Germans. If you want a good grade here, you always have to do your homework.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing these assignments,

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because homework is one way to review information that you just learned. The problem is that homework, on most occasions, is busy work, which means that it is easy to complete and just requires time. Anyone can complete these assignments. If I think about the possibility that someone who didn’t complete all homework assignments ends up with a B, and someone who finishes them may receive an A, I wonder if the grade is still about knowledge or if it is about discipline. Homework is definitely a necessary part of education and I am aware that grading homework is a way to make students do their homework.

I think there are other ways to make students complete it. You shouldn’t be rewarded for your discipline but for your knowledge and ability to learn and progress. I also have a skeptical view on the importance of participation in American schools. As mentioned above, homework is usually busy work, as well as having to spend a lot of time to complete the assignment. On the contrary, participation shows the immediate response of a student to a new topic and can prove ones ability to transfer old information to solve or analyze new topics.

To participate often and to contribute useful responses, you need to demonstrate many abilities. Participation should always be a major component of grades.

I have an ambivalent opinion on the differentiation between regular and advanced classes in the United States. On the one hand, it is a good way for students to control their level of education, but on the other hand, I ask myself if that leads to a low level in regular courses. While advanced classes go greater into detail and reason their facts, regular classes usually just teach the pure facts. I feel like it should be the standard to go more into detail.

Both school systems have a lot of positive similarities, but still both have several disadvantages. While German schools are lacking sports and any type of school spirit, American schools have a strident grading system and a questionable connection between regular and advanced courses. I am glad to have had the chance to experience both systems.

“In Germany, participation usually counts as 50 percent of the grades or more.”

Role of valedictorian vital to high school experience Madeline Lee Staff writer

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signature tradition of high school, the valedictorian, has been excluded from the Parkway Central graduation ceremony since 2016. The valedictorian is a position awarded to the most outstanding academic individual, and it should be brought back to this school.

The chance to be valedictorian gives students something to aim for; it pushes some students to get better grades and be more involved. Without a potential reward, students don’t always push themselves to be the best they can be. Sure, getting good grades is a good thing, but you can get into college with a 2.5 GPA. For a student who has a 3.8 GPA, it can be hard to find a reason to shoot for that 4.0.

A position such as valedictorian could cause competition among classmates, but that is not always a bad thing. Competing

to get a better grade, trying for even one point higher than someone else, there is no downside. Friendly competition is important, and without it some things can be pointless.

I recognize that competition can stress students out and that the position of valedictorian can make students too focused on grades, as well as influence possible competition between peers. However, if someone’s entire being is focused on being valedictorian, then they need to sort out their priorities. Valedictorian is an honored tradition that is awarded to one kid, and if someone can’t understand that they are statistically likely to not get the position then they don’t have the mental comparability to be valedictorian.

So some parents complained that their special kid did not get the esteemed spot of valedictorian. Boo hoo, it isn’t anyone else’s problem that Johnny has a 2.0 or that Mary has a 3.7 but the valedictorian had a 4.2. We are in high school, we shouldn’t have our parents complain for

us or fight for us to get something we didn’t earn. If you need your mom or dad to validate you and make you feel special and ruin the chance to be valedictorian for future classes, you should not have been valedictorian.

The valedictorian is one person, one golden spot. The chances of becoming valedictorian are one in about 400, and even though I would never be valedictorian, the chance to see one of my classmates achieve that is something that I would love to see.

As graduation draws nearer and a new generation of freshmen prepares to walk the halls, I hope that in the future one of those ninth graders can become valedictorian and have the chance to obtain that position through hard work. It is not for selfish reasons or demands that one should want the position of valedictorian to come back to Parkway Central again, but it should be because you want to see your classmates and your grade as a whole achieve something really cool.

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Valedictorian breakdown: Average GPA of high school student: 3.0* Average GPA of a valedictorian: 4.2* *Statistics taken from prepscholar.com

According to Boston College, the average valedictorian earns a 3.6 in college

24 corRAL

spotlight

may 12, 2017

Baking Buddies

Above: Business logo designed by senior Sydney Hirsch. “I was taking an independent study on branding and design with Mrs. Schwent,” Hirsch said.

“She asked me to find a business to work for as my final project and I knew that Adina and Rina were starting Better Than Bubbie’s Baking so I offered and they were really excited.”

Left: Finished Challah made by Adina Levy and Rina Gersten. Challah is a traditional Jewish bread typically eaten on the Friday night Sabbath and other holidays. Photo courtesy of Rina Gersten Right: Juniors and Co-owners of Better Than Bubbie’s Baking Adina Levy and Rina Gersten roll out their homemade challah dough for a weekly customer. “Each month we have a different specialty item but we always have weekly customers who order challah or cookies.” Gersten said. Photo by Sophie Baron.

Junior Friends turn hobby into Nonprofit Business Sophie Baron staff writer

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dina Levy and Rina Gersten took their baking hobby and turned it into a non profit business called ‘Better Than Bubbie’s Baking’. The two decided to take something they enjoy and elevate that to something better for the community.

After munching on a muffin, the two realized they could that they could make something great. The friends joked around and finally decided to actually give the business a try.

“Rina was eating a muffin and said it was so good, and then we were joking by saying we could sell this and make money,” junior Adina Levy said.

Creating their Facebook page was only the beginning of their business. Starting with just small orders, it transformed into weekly customers and mass orders for large groups.

“At first it started as just friends and parents of friends and then about 2 months ago The Jewish Light wrote an article about us and we got some business from that,” junior and co-owner Rina Gersten said. “Now we have weekly customers who always order challah or cookies. ” Not only does the business benefit those who indulge in the baked goods, but those in need benefit as well. A majority of the proceeds go to support charity.

“Part of it [the money] goes back into the business for supplies and ingredients,” Levy said. “With most of the money we buy canned foods, cereal, toiletries and other things to donate to the Jewish food pantry.”

Family had an impact on both of the in terms of their baking careers. Along with their support, the family also provided inspiration in an unexpected way.

“My mom is a really good cook and likes it, but she doesn’t like to bake because she doesn’t like how you have to be exact and measure stuff,” Levy said. “I just kind of took it on and became the baker of the family.”

The bakers have their monthly specials along with the two continuous items. Challah and Chocolate Chip Cookies are not only enjoyed by the customers, but the owners too.

“I personally like making chocolate chip cookies because the recipe is in the back of our heads since we’ve made them so many times,” Gersten said.

Most of the time Adina’s kitchen will do, but sometimes for the big orders it is necessary to book a larger kitchen. The duo has support from the Jewish community in many aspects and one of which is through Youth Group known as United Synagogue Youth or USY. “We usually bake at Adina’s house but for big orders like my USY regional convention, my youth director has us bake like 300 cookies and we do that at either B’nai Amoona Congregation or Traditional Congregation,” Gersten said.