PCH Corral November 2016 by Parkway Central Corral

CAMPAIGN DRUGS BORDERS USA WASHINGTON TAXESPOLICYFINANCE CONSERVATIVE OPINIONSNEWS SWING STATES REPUBLICAN EDUCATIONADVERTISING LOBBYISTS TRUMP GUN CONTROL VOTE AMERICANSMEXICO JOBS DEMOCRATS SPECIAL INTERESTS ENVIRONMENT GUNSLGBTQ+ AMERICA CLINTON AMERICA LIBERAL WALL BUDGET JOBS ECONOMICS VOTE DRUGS CONGRESS MEDIA CHINA TRADE PATRIOTISM AFFORDABILITY WAR WAGES DEFICIT NAFTA THIRD PARTIES BUREAUCRACY JUSTICE PLAN PROGRESS ENVIRONMENT ISIS CONSERVATIVES IRAN HEALTH CARE RUSSIA DEFENSE LIBERALS REFORM SUPREME COURT SOCIAL SECURITY EDUCATION 2016 ELECTION TPP CONFLICT 2016

between

lines

POLLS

7 01

what the election issues mean for you PG. 11-15

the

CIGARETTES CONGRESS ELECTIONPRESIDENTIAL

3 l oo O 6 M ch h S eld, 6 g i H rfi 01 ral este . 1, 2 nt h ov Ce d, C N y wa l Roa e 2 rk u Pa s Mil , Iss d e 61 o m Wo N. Volu 69

ISSUES

MEDIA

Departments seek to offer new AP classes pg. 4

PCH Players prep ‘Shakespeare in Hollywood’ pg. 7

Softball celebrates first Conference victory in seven years pg. 16

CONTENTS

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inside this issue

a Thousand words

News: Choir dress code shifts to be more inclusive pg. 5 Features: Debate team participates in radio show pg. 9 Sports: Girls tennis team places third at State pg. 17 Sports: Fall photo wrap up pg. 18 Opinions: AP class distractions create need for criteria pg. 22 Opinions: Places where we can be more respectful pg. 23

The crowd cheers froms the stands at the Day of Service closing ceremony on Sept. 28. Photo by Noah Weidner Senior Charles Garland assists his buddy during the Special Olympics carnival on Sept. 28. Photo by Jordyn Tobias Seniors Emily Kang and Annabelle Brozek admire artifacts created for an the AP U.S. History project on Oct. 26. Photo by Kayla Benjamin

staff editorial

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Students should stay politically aware staff editorial corral staff

“I

can’t even vote, so it doesn’t matter.” It is an excuse for not knowing who is running for governor, what the word “legislature” means, or why third-party candidates aren’t taken seriously. It’s an excuse for teenagers to distance themselves from the often gloomy, infuriating, nitty-gritty, confusing and generally uncomfortable political world. It’s an excuse to stay uninformed. For one thing, we will be of voting age sooner or later, if not now. Do high school students believe that the day they turn 18 and are eligible to vote, they will magically have years of experience and knowledge about political parties and their own opinions on world issues? If we choose to ignore politics now, there is nothing to say that we will begin to care later when it becomes our turn to protect our democracy and freedom. Now, as adolescents, is the time to form habits that will stick with us as adults. Like solving algebraic equations or interpreting poetry, the thought processes that go into doing research and

forming educated opinions have to be developed over time. Now is the time to practice, to start learning about the world we live in and how we feel about issues. No one can argue anymore that it is particularly difficult to stay up-to-date. We have moved past the age when newspapers were the only source of information. Current events are only a click away, and thank to the plethora of informational videos and podcasts, we don’t even have to read any of it! There are even services which will deliver a condensed version of the previous day’s or week’s news right to your email inbox for free. To pretend that it is “too hard” or “too time-consuming” is no longer a realistic defense to avoid staying informed. And there is another reason, outside of technology making it ridiculously easy, for us millennials to make sure we know what’s going on: There are important changes in the making. Things like Brexit and the Syrian refugee crisis are not just words that important-sounding people on TV like to toss around; ecological issues that began with the Industrial Age are coming to a head in ways

central speaks

that may soon become unfixable. Government actions like Obamacare, the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of marriage equality, and even Missouri’s Senate Bill 656, which took away permit requirements to carry a concealed gun, pose significant changes to the lives of millions of Americans. These are events and trends that may shape the course of history, and if we don’t pay attention, we may find that history has forgotten us. As every graduation speech since the dawn of time has stated, we are the future. As citizens and the future of America, we should educate and be educated about the world around us and the things that will be directly affecting our community. We are the next generation, not only of voters and lawmakers but also of businesspeople, engineers, artists, farmers, chefs, lawyers and scientists. We all have a role to play, and we must make an active choice to understand our world and the people we entrust to govern it -- otherwise, we will be forced to stand idly by as things change in ways we may not like. Knowledge is power, and if we choose ignorance now, it may not always be bliss.

ys a y

Do you think it's important for teens who cannot vote to know about politics and current events?

&ghs

Yays!

i e N

The sophomores learned how to count pencils and use big tools on Day of Service -- Congrats! Yay for the early release and late-start in November, 21 full hours of no school. “Politics can be important, but it could ruin friendships and stuff.” --freshman Logan Ostermann

“It’s the right thing to do--why wouldn’t people want to know what’s going on?” --sophomore John Whitney-Butler

Kudos to the freshmen who are learning to not stop in the middle of the hallway. Parkway gave us a four-day weekend. Thanks for letting us binge-watch our favorite shows.

Neighs

Halloween was on a Monday this year. Thank you for crushing our dreams and not having fun while creating the need for seniors to skip on Nov. 1. Halloween happened on an 80-degree night. Date check: it’s NOVEMBER. Only seven weeks until finals, ladies and gentlemen. Stock up on your caffeine. “Eventually we will be voting too, so we have to stay up-to-date.” --junior Nyla Reed

“Yes, it’s so important! We need to be educated. I don’t want to be deported, that’s the situation.” --senior Joanna Rojas

To the seniors who have senioritis already -- too soon.

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

Entertainment Editor Evan Mogley Social Media Manager Libby Archer Staff Writers Sophie Baron Jessie Goldberg Jenna Lazaroff Madeline Lee Alex Luckerman Brett Smith Athena Stamos Roya Porshahidy Graphic Designer Noah Weidner Sam Benoist Business Manager Sarah Whalen 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.

News

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

News in Brief

school looks to add ap classes Madeline Lee Staff writer

N Jamie Hamill (12) and the Marching Colts Photo by Madeline Lee

Marching Colts place high at competitions

The marching band wrapped up its competition season placing 48th at the annual Bands of America competition at the Edward Jones Dome on Oct. 21, the highest finish with the highest score in two decades. This achievement follows success earlier in the season as well. The band started with a 9th place overall finish (2nd in its division) after qualifying for finals at the Lafayette Contest of Champions on Sept. 24. At the OZARKO Marching Festival on Oct. 1 in Springfield, Mo., the Marching Colts qualified for finals and finished 7th overall; senior Josh Adams also received the Outstanding Soloist Award at the competition.

choir members selected for all-star ensembles

Twenty-six members of the choir were selected through an audition process for the St. Louis All-Suburban choirs: Women’s All-Suburban Choir - Nicole Davis - Felina Deck - Angelica Gorban - Sophie Orlet - Marissa Wright Junior/Senior All-Suburban Choir - Aletha Bastin - Anthony Blatter - Mitch Broddon - Chase Coleman - Dom Doray - Will Harold - Sydney Hirsch - Lauren Johns - Luke Mankovich - Katy McCormick - Paulina Runge - Ariana Stein - Hannah Steinmann - Luke Voeller - Charlotte Wang Freshman/Sophomore All-Suburban Choir - Chloe Groner - Rachel Misner - Charlie Schaeffer - Jackson Sniff - Lauren Tubbe - Darren Wunderlich

soccer player named athlete of week finalist

Senior Luke Trail was nominated as Varsity Views Athlete of the Week the week of Oct. 24 after his school-record-setting five-goal game against Parkway West on Oct. 18.

ew classes are considered for curriculums every year, and this year features the consideration of three AP classes in three different departments: science, social studies, and English. The classes currently pending introductions to curriculums are AP Environmental Science, AP Human Geography, and AP English Language & Composition. However, this does not mean that these classes will definitely be a part of the courses offered for next year. “In the required classes, the district has stopped supporting funding for Honors in social studies in favor of AP at the sophomore and junior level,” Brian Adam, the Social Studies department chair, said. “We are looking into offering AP Human Geography this year to see if there is enough interest as an AP elective.” Dual credit options are also becoming popular in departments such as Foreign Language and Science. Currently, dual-credit is available at UMSL, Meramac Community College, Webster University,

Missouri State University, and Missouri Baptist College. “Increasing the list of these offerings is something that we are pursuing,” science department chair Beth Karfs said. “We would likely try to get courses that we already teach approved for dual-credit before seeking out something new.” Before a class is taught, there must be room for it in the teachers’ schedules and it must be able to fit around other classes already available in terms of curriculum and time commitments. Maintaining reasonable class sizes is also a priority to consider when deciding how many classes and what classes to leave out. Often, this means not offering one class in favor of another. “To provide some perspective, this is my 10th year teaching at Central and we have not added any courses to the science offerings in that time,” Karfs said. “The deadline for making changes to our offerings would be when students receive the course guide for registration in January.” Teachers look at registration, credit fulfillment, and needs of the students to determine if classes not currently in Parkway will be added. Currently, versions of English Language & Composition

types of classes already offered >17 AP classes >21 Honors classes (Not including honors option classes) >5 colleges partnered for dual-credit >1 A+ program >1 SPARK! program as well as Environmental Science are offered at Parkway South high school and Parkway North high school while regular Environmental Science is offered here. “Once courses are approved in the district course proposal process, known as Course Proposal, deciding which course is offered at each school is a site (or school-based) decision,” Parkway school district science department head Jennifer Proffitt said.

on day of service, above average group stays home Madeline Lee

comparing attendance

Staff Writer

n the first Day of Service, which involved all grades and students in philanthropic activities, the administration encountered reactions of all sorts. This included students who did not want to come to school and participate in Special Olympics, listen to presentations or go off-site for service. Some underclassmen were upset that they did not get to participate in Special Olympics while some freshmen did not like that their schedule did not feature hands-on activities. The day ended with the entire school in the stadium watching a faculty vs. seniors soccer game, but the entire school was not actually present.

your thoughts “The school’s attitude of ‘we know what is best’ did not promote student independent thinking for a good cause nor promote community involvement. It promoted rebellion and distrust. The Special Olympics was a disaster: There were not enough student volunteers for the special needs students, students deserted their booths, there was lack of communication, and in general the whole event was poorly organized which ultimately reflected badly on the school.” -- junior Justin Nguyen “I think Day of Service was great. It was wonderful to make kids’ days. They were so happy, and we got to bond with them to make it special. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it’s sad that people think it’s terrible and not worth it; it makes me sad.” -- junior Emily Goldstein

“It was fun to work with the kids, and it was a great idea to dedicate the day to them. However, students need to be held to a greater accountability so that they don’t skip the day or ditch their stands at the carnival.” -- junior Drew Edelstein

average attendance

day of service attendance

Excused absences

Unexcused absences

Total absences

school attendance is approximately 1,215 students

news

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Choir makes changes to dress code LIBBY ARCHER fEATURES editoR

ith equality for the LGBTQ+ community becoming more prominent in media, the issue also carries into our school environment. The choir dress code has always been separated between genders, but with societal changes occurring around us, the music department is taking a step to making every student more comfortable in their own skin. “I think that as times change we all need to adapt to trends in society and what we say is our social fabric,” Choir Director Ben Silver-

mintz said. “Right now we are saying you might identify as one gender or another gender or no gender -- the bottom line is we are going for a uniform appearance.” Choir students receive a booklet at the beginning of the year explaining the rules and requirements of being apart of the program. In this booklet it describes the dress code based on the gender of the student. Women have to wear school-appropriate dresses and men have to wear a dress shirt, black pants and a tie. For most people this gender-based dress code wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary with these organized school groups, but with gender norms changing, many believe the choir department is making great strides to make everyone feel welcome. “The nice thing is when our students are identifying differently than they did at one time, they represent their cause in a really positive way and are involved in activities and excelling in school and doing all Repping their choir robes and a variety of collar choices on Oct. 6, freshmen Kale Slayton, Antonio Hutti, Jacob Greene, Eian Jones, Madeline Oliver, Sara Espindola-Chav arria perform at the fall concert. Photo by Tara Stepanek

these other wonderful things,” Silvermintz said. “It makes it so much easier for the faculty members in the building to be supportive and want to do the right thing.” The choir department states that the only reason they have a dress code is for the uniformed look. Choir robes cover all students’ concert attire, so the only piece of clothing the audience usually sees are the bottom of the men’s pants and the black shoes every student is required to wear. At the beginning of the school year, a freshman approached Silvermintz asking if it was OK to wear the clothes that the men usually wore because they made the student feel more comfortable. Silvermintz said that as long as the attire met the professional expectations of the group, the change from gender-specific outfit was acceptable. “I think that if a student comes in and says ‘I don’t identify as this and I do not identify as that, so I want to wear my Grateful Dead shirt and my Birkenstocks,’” Silvermintz said. “I think that means they are kind of gaming the system a little bit.” The choir director even suggested a completely different option for those who do not identify as either gender or do not feel comfortable wearing stereotypical men’s or women’s clothing. “I think allowing the students to at least select between two options or if they decide to wear all black or something is a reasonable option,” Silvermintz said.

PCHtv on YouTube! New episodes every few weeks!

Scan at your own risk.

School’s GSA now sponsored by pride st louis Garrett Lierman Entertainment editor

he GSA has long been a place of comfort and acceptance for the LGBTQ community at this school. Until recently it was recognized by only the district and the people therein, but in September, Pride STL officially recognized and dedicated support the group. “I think it’s really validating, its fantastic,” junior Emily Gardunia said, “it’s amazing to have the means to help people.” Pride St. Louis is the leading LGBTQ connection in Western Missouri, sponsoring parades, and promoting equality and understanding in the surrounding communities. The sponsorship can be compared to the St. Louis Sports Commission’s sponsoring one of the school’s athletic teams. While the scope of the sponsorship is large, it’s not much more than a recognition. The sponsorship is more acknowledgment of the GSA’s participation in their mission statement. “It’s more of a moral support sponsor but they [Pride St Louis] will help us with connections.” sophomore Andrew Bennett, the president of the club. Pride St. Louis’s sponsorship of our GSA will provide not only additional resources but additions connections as well. While PSTL is not providing monetary support, they will be providing the full support of the organization should the

need arise. Additionally, PSTL will assist the GSA with contacting outside resources who can provide monetary, moral, legal, or locational resources. “First of I do feel pride, it feels amazing to be apart of a bigger cause it feels great that all your effort is being recognized it actually helps those who can’t come out.” sophomore Kris Ahn said. The GSA is comprised of multiple enthusiastic people of varying ages and ethnicities. The acronym is a fitting one as some members are transgender, some homosexual, and some heterosexual friends simply there to support the group and it’s members. They seem dedicated, enthused, and invested, closeted or not. Members can choose to remain anonymous although being recognized can’t be helped if someone who knows you is in the room. “I think that it [the sponsorship] will help a lot but the main change is we’ll be more efficient” Bennett said. Pride STL’s sponsorship actually began with Bennett himself, who works with Pride STL as a youth consultant. Bennett reached out to Pride STL regarding their Halloween Party on Friday October 29th. Pride agreed to assist with a location and provide some financial assistance. Pride STL agreed to assist with location and funding and the date was set. After multiple correspondences via email, Pride STL agreed to provide the connections needed for future events, whether they be legal,

monetary, or moral. “We’ve been working to start educating and we hope to create an accepting and open atmosphere.” Gardunia said. GSA is setting they’re sights higher now with the backing of Pride STL. They plan to start moving out of the designated safe spaces and becoming a more known presence within the school, although exactly how has yet to be seen. The GSA’s Ally week was one of the steps in that direction although more is planned. “More recognition will bring it to the light and make people realize ‘oh, they’re a group and i recognize that.” sophomore Megan Stephens said. With more resources, GSA plans to become not only a known entity in the school but also in a bigger scale, all the way up to the state. In spring, they are attending the march on the capitol, a multi-day event in which multiple LGBTQ communities and organizations protest and lobby in Jefferson City for new proLGBTQ laws and policies. On a smaller scale, the group is planning multiple fund raisers and attempting to hold a panel to discuss LGBTQ concepts at the school. Whether this panel will be on an assembly scale or just class to class is yet to be decided. The GSA plans to begin fundraising in the coming months although the exact nature of these fundraisers is undecided. However, Gardunia hinted heavily at one such fundraiser during the holiday season.

The Population ratio of people in the LGBTQ community to the entire st louis population

         

Gallup survey data from 2015 shows that out of the St Louis population of 1 million people, 36,912 are LGBTQ. This means that out of every 100 St Louis residents, 3.6 of them will be LGBTQ. = 10,000 residents that identify as LGBTQ



= 10,000 residents that identify as Non- LGBTQ

features

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IN THE

Sam Benoist GRAPHIC DESIGNER

WEIGHT

GuM

hoW Many noteBooKS are In yoUr BaG?

0-2 3-5 6-7 7+

5% 45% 35% 15%

94% 88%

oF StUDentS KeeP oF StUDentS KeeP a heaDPhoneS WIth theM Water BottLe WIth theM

1202 BACKPACKS

MOST POPULAR WATER BOTTLE

4 IN 5

Features

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

PCH PLAYERS PREPARE FOR CURTAIN CALL staff writer

CH players are preparing for “Shakespeare in Hollywood,” the fall play, which will be performed Nov. 17-19. All members are developing the play by tech crew creating props, managers directing cast and crew, and actors practicing lines as if they are in the 16th century. “Rehearsals are upbeat and energetic,” sophomore props manager and production assistant Mercedes McGonigle said. “Everyone is friends with everyone, and they’re all devoted to having a great show, which makes for a happy and productive time.” The preparation for the show is different for everyone involved. The cast has to work on line memorization, and characterization, while each tech crew member builds props and the set. Research and prep-findings also have to be done prior rehearsal dates. Managers take the time to pull, borrow, or even rent props that fit the time period of the play. Sound crew works on sound effects and researching music of the time period, while set crew focuses on painting and building the set. According to freshman production assistant, Autumn Goldsby, managers need to make sure that actors have all the accents, makeup has their props, and costumes are in their making. “Overall, all the actors have the most preparation because ‘Shakespeare’ is completely different from modern times,” Goldsby said. “I think that it takes more than me to put on a show,” director of the play Nicole Voss said. “As we prepare that’s why we need all the tech managers to be on their game, actors prepare line memorization so it’s more than just me and takes an entire village.” The cast and crew’s biggest conflict that arises with rehearsals are everyone’s busy schedules. McGonigle has to manage her time with all her activities. Anthony Blatter, senior and actor faces the challenge of learning lines as the play approaches while balancing other things in his life. “The characterization is the best part of preparation,” Blatter said. “It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also hard.” Characterization for the actors mean figuring out how a person’s character will act and their history. That is one of the many aspects of the production process, which is many participants’ favorite part of the play. “It can often be the most exciting part of my day and I look forward to it every day,” sophomore company stage manager Stella Bauer said. “Although days can get long and tiring it is one of the happiest moments of my day.” PCH Players sometimes come to rehearsal even if there is no school and have been preparing since the middle of September which constant rehearsals after school each week. “It’s a fun thing, you get to meet a lot of people and spend time with them because you’re together so often,” sophomore actor Jeremy Alport said. Voss said her favorite part of the preparation process is researching background information on the play, working on character development with actors, and finding props. The actors are working on memorizing their lines, and tech crew is making progress with their respective areas. The cast and crew have all of their blocking done. Tech crew are pulling props, costumes, figuring out makeup, creating sound effects and lighting for the show. “It’s definitely important and preparation is key,” junior and master electrician, Jonathan Scully said. Many of the PCH Players are looking forward to seeing their hard work pay off. “I’m most excited for opening night of our show,” McGonigle said. “It’s a culmination of all the hard work that each person put in, and the feeling of accomplishment you get is just amazing.” Until then, they will put in the time to make the performances the best they can. “I think the preparation of the play is exhausting and long,” Alport said, “yet it all pays off in the end.”

To see “Shakespeare in Hollywood”: When: Nov. 17, 18, 19 Where: School theater

 

Athena Stamos

Students: $8 Adults: $10

Tickets can be bought at the door



1. Sophomore Jeremy Alport and senior Emily Kang play out a dramatic conversation at rehearsal on Oct. 17 in the theatre lobby. Photo by Jessie Goldberg. 2. Junior Chase Coleman practices his lines for the play in the theatre lobby at rehearsal on Oct. 17. Photo by Jessie Goldberg. 3. Senior William Harold plays Kitty in the Corner on Oct. 17. Kitty in the Corner is a light-hearted warm-up game that the cast plays before rehearsals to build chemistry. Photo by Athena Stamos. 4. Sophomore tech crew member, Claudia May sets up the stage by assembling the wood blocks on Oct. 19. Photo by Austin Bolte.

features

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Senior launches out of this world app Liad Lerner

Nov 2013: Bryce Wright first had the idea of creating Meteor Crush

Staff Writer

new app named Meteor Crush, created by senior Bryce Wright, is rapidly becoming a popular mobile game among students. “The game is simple enough that anyone can play but challenging enough to keep you engaged,” senior Charlie Bourneuf said. To play, you have to tap on the incoming meteors, making them explode before they destroy earth. Every time you make a meteor explode you get a point, but if a meteor hits earth (by falling to the bottom of the screen) without being touched, you lose and the game saves your high score. “It was just an idea at first,” Wright said. “I had an image of what it would start as and so eventually I said why not just make it.” Wright has made $17 total from advertisements on the game so far, but the rate has increased recently since he started spreading it around the school. The toughest part of making the game was making the 4,000 lines of code needed, and Wright is most proud of the fact that he had enough determination to complete it over the course of seven months. “People don’t realize how much time it takes to make this code,” Wright said. “I taught myself the code, applied it, and corrected it.”

June 2014: Wright started working on the code

Dec 2014: Wright finished creating the app

The formation of meteor crush Meteor Crush (home screen left and game-play right) is becoming a common game among students.

Meteor Crush could not have been created without the help of Bryce’s brother Clayton Wright, who was behind the design of the game, and would often help out with fixing errors in the app. Wright has recently added a “Time Attack” mode where players have 30 seconds to score as many points as they can. He is also working on creating unlockable symbols to replace the meteors. Even with the rising popularity of Meteor Crush, Wright is not thinking about making a new app just yet, as he wants to continue improving this one for the time being. Meteor Crush is free on the App Store and Google Play Store and has a four star rating.

Oct: 2016: Time Attack mode was added

Sept 2016: Wright started spreading awareness of Meteor Crush around school

Present: Meteor Crush has 304 downloads and Wright has made $17

Jan 2015: Original version was released on the app store

May 2015: Wright made a total of one dollar off of the game

March 2015: First Update: A power-up that would slow the meteors down

Students prepare to take standardized exams athena stamos staff writer

s college is approaching, students are stressing and preparing for standardized tests offered this fall. Their preparation for performing better on the ACT/SAT includes working with tutors, siblings, parents; and completing practice tests. “At the moment I don’t feel super confident about the ACT looking at my practice ACT score,” junior Emily Goldstein said, “but overall I’m just not great with standardized testing.” Some students are preparing for these tests and others are seeing where they are without studying for the PSAT. For example, sophomore Mazan Umar will take the PSAT just to see where he is at without studying. “It’s good preparation that I’ll definitely need to do to get into the college that I want to,” sophomore Shoshana Weinstein said. “I think it’ll be good to see the kind of questions so that way I have a better idea for the real thing.” However, preparation doesn’t always mean feeling ready. “Somewhat, I still feel unsure about it,” sophomore taking PSAT, Christina Pham. Pham has prepared for these tests including using the handouts that her teachers gave her as well as online practice tests. She claims that she studies every 3 weeks, and as she gets closer to junior year will study more. “I went to a couple of ACT prep classes at school and they

didn’t help me at all,” senior, Claire Huang said, “but I did the Maryville summer program which helped with strategies for ACT.” Huang’s preparation strategy to score higher specifically was continuous practice, doing the practice tests over and over. Many students believe that these standardized tests are important, but understand they are not the only thing used for college admissions. These standardized tests may result in stress for some students. “I don’t think they are that important, but colleges do unfortunately,” Huang said, who has taken the SAT and ACT twice. “It puts unnecessary stress on the youth of America.” Along with stress, students are experiencing some issues with not having time to study or meeting with tutors due to sports, work, or school work. “It’s hard to find time between cross country, regular school, and my job,” Goldstein said. Upperclassmen mainly use their weekends and summers to really prepare for these tests as they have seen big improvements because of this. “I think these tests are overrated because the test is designed to for you to fail just so you can spend money and take it again,” Pham said. Cost is a factor when preparing for these tests. Money is used towards tutors, prep courses, towards materials such as flashcards or books, and also the test themselves. Some students take these tests more than once, so perhaps they get into their desired

These are one of the practice books used by students who are preparing for the ACT and SAT. Photo by Athena Stamos.

college or university. “They’re [these tests] another way to measure a student’s intelligence but test scores shouldn’t be the only thing that colleges look at,” junior John Kim said. Another factor on how to prepare and better perform on these tests are whether or not the individual is good at standardized testing. During these tests, students are timed and given a four hour exam. “I understand with GPA, [grade point average] each school across the country differs in difficulty, so GPA isn’t always accurate [for college admissions],” Goldstein said.

Features

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Debaters offer political views on radio kayla benjamin editor-in-chief

olitical analysis and argument are no longer limited to the experts on NPR. A radio show featured speech and debate members Daniel Berkovich, Maddy Scannell, Jennifer Heiman and Mark Jewell as they discussed policy issues along with three students from Metro High School. They were hosted by Kristi Carson of 97.1 KTFK-FM, and the session aired on Oct 30. The group got to offer their teenage perspective on the hot topics of this election season. “I think it’s important that the opinions of youth are taken into account,” senior Daniel Berkovich said. “The future of America should be encouraged to discuss contemporary issues and brainstorm solutions.” The subject matter was both complex and widely varied, so the sponsors weren’t surprised that the conversation ran long; almost 12 minutes had to be edited out before it went on air. Still, they couldn’t cover everything. “I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get into important current issues like the Dakota Access Pipeline or the recent WikiLeaks [emails],” senior Maddy Scannell said. “We spent a lot of the time talking about the election and the state of politics in broad strokes.” The topics covered a wide range, including the current presidential election, immigration, transgender issues, gun control and the criminal justice system. The participants were given a list

of questions to look over beforehand so that they would know what was likely to come up in the conversation. “I read over [the questions] to prepare,” Berkovich said. “I didn’t do any active research because the discussion wasn’t meant to be a debate or a statistics battle. I think that’s what I liked most about it: the ability to hear out the perspectives of different people from different schools in a casual, respectful manner.” With so many controversial issues brought up, clashes of opinions were inevitable. “There were a couple of times people disagreed, which was planned,” speech and debate coach Rob Proffitt said. “Everyone was prepared and very professional.” Not only did the participants cope with the conflict, they welcomed the contradicting viewpoints and used their differences to enhance the discussion rather than detract from it. “I was super excited that we had other debaters from Metro because they provided a unique perspective on racial issues in particular,” Scannell said. Proffitt said this ability to deal with disagreement may come from the participants’ experience in debate. “Debaters have the ability to see the entire issue,” Proffitt said. “They are able to see both sides and formulate an argument for either one. They are also able to discuss these hot-button issues and leave the emotion out of it. They can have these discussions in a very professional manner.”

Debate team members and seniors Daniel Berkovich, Jennifer Heimen, Maddy Scannell and Mark Jewell get ready to record a radio show, which was also livestreamed as video online, for 97.1 KFTK-FM. Photo courtesy of Rob Proffitt.

Who: four debate team members What: taped a radio show on current issues When: Sunday, Oct. 30 Where: 97.7 FM Why: to get student perspectives on politics HEAR IT ONLINE: parkwaynews.net/corral/?p=9457

class rings represent fading traditions kayla benjamin

This pressure extends beyond class rings and beyond parents. One good example is the letterEditor-in-chief man jackets purchased by the On the Rocks singing group last year, which were over 50 dollars. ach year around fall, colorful gemstones set “I do like it, but there’s no reason I would in shiny metal bands are sold by Jostens wear outside of choir,” junior Mitch Broddon, a at a vendor’s table in the commons. Class member of last year’s OTR, said. “I might have rings are one of the many items -- such as t-shirts, worn it for a costume party.” letterman jackets, and yearbooks -- that students One reason for this trend may be simply that purchase to make sure they can recall their time fashions go in and out of style, and common in high school. clothing or accessories when our parents or “It’s going to help me remember,” senior Miles teachers were in high school are now Sanders, who is planning on buying a ring outdated. this year, said. “It helps you know where “Whenever a group of people does you came from.” something over and over again, and they High school rings include customizable think it’s cool, it becomes not cool anysymbols for sports, clubs, and other activmore,” Broddon said. ities or interests, as well as the student’s However, other mementos hold onto name, class year, and chosen gem. They are their popularity. 310 yearbooks have been designed to reflect one’s high school expesold so far this year. rience, and many students who have them “It’s a good memory to have,” grade treasure the memories they represent. Erik Lucy said. “When I’m older, I’ll want “I usually wear mine every day,” senior to look back on what I looked like now, Jessie Piles, who bought her class ring in and my friends.” her sophomore year, said. History teacher Ryan Banta said he But they are not a particularly common takes a look at his high school yearbook accessory on the fingers of PCH students. about once every two years. For one thing, they can be fairly expensive; “The farther away you get, the better according the Jostens website, the prices those memories become as you have perrange from 212 to 500 dollars. An every day accessory, Jessie Piles’ high school ring features lacrosse sticks and a colt alongspective about them,” he said. Even beyond the value of the memories,

there is one big reason why students are

willing to spend money on a ring: parents. “My mom really wanted me to get one,” Piles said. “My mom bought it for me for Valentine’s day.” Piles herself also wanted the ring, and plans to continue wearing it throughout the rest of her senior year. But for some, this isn’t necessarily the case. “I don’t really know why I’m getting it,” junior Marissa Larue said. “[My parents] have one, so they’re like ‘you should have one too.’”

side her name and class year. Photo by Kayla Benjamin

new program aids with algebra Jenna lazaroff & Sophie BaroN staff writers

lgebra I students now have the opportunity to participate in an after-school tutoring program. Older students who were successful in algebra with an A or B have the chance to engage in this program as tutors. “We are trying to provide assistance for students who need help in algebra in hopes that the skills they build up can help them be successful in not only algebra but also in future math courses,” math teacher Ricky Haltman, creator of the program, said. “We also are trying to provide an opportunity for all of our students to meet their potential.” Upperclassmen may choose to tutor for a plethora of reasons. Tutors will end up with 20 hours by the end of the school year and get to go on a field trip to the Science Center. “Well at first I did it for hours, but now it’s a great way to help out friends and those who need it,” junior and tutor Andrew Mannis said. “I feel helpful and like I’m making an impact.” Many freshmen are participating in this program because they want to improve their grades and their skills in math. It is meant to be a resource for anyone struggling. “I don’t want to fail math, and I need help with it,” freshman Aiden Tucker said. Although this has the possibility of being a successful and well-used program, some people do not need the help. The tutoring sessions will still be open to help students anytime that they need. “I understand the class, but the second I get confused I will go straight to the program,” freshman Carly Whay said.

10 corRAL

Features

Nov. 4, 2016

a Day in a Life of ... A teacher Jessie Goldberg staff writer

very day brings something new, whether as a student or a teacher. As students, we sometimes forget that when teachers leave school, they don’t just go home and grade our papers. Our teachers do some pretty interesting things outside of school that we don’t normally think about. From coaching a sport or going out of town, to having a relative be affected by the hurricane, our Parkway Central teachers venture into the world and enjoy themselves. However they aren’t so different from us. After a 4-day weekend, it’s hard even for teachers to get back into the swing of things. Also, waking up early for school isn’t the most enjoyable part of the day either. On a positive side though, teachers enjoy chatting with their friends just like students. Let’s take a look at what some of our teachers did on Oct. 11.

Worst Part: “Waking up early.”

Art Teacher Mr. David Jafari

Unique to Subject: “Not much gray area in math.”

Unique to Subject: “I like to set the mood each day with music.”

Oct. 11 Math Teacher Ms. Heather Beal Unusual Event Today: “My grandpa’s entire dock just got destroyed by the hurricane.”

Best Part: “Seeing kids in the morning come to visit and talk.”

German Teacher Mrs. Amy McMahon

Unusual Event Today: “I had beignets that I purchased in New Orleans yesterday.”

Worst Part: “Catching up from the weekend.”

History Teacher Mr. Mark Goldenberg

Unique to Subject: “I get to teach most of those kids for four years, and if the kids stick with it, they’re in the same class together for four years. By the time they graduate, they have their own German family.”

Worst Part: “Getting going after a four-day weekend.”

Unique to Subject: “I hate politics and worry big time about the politics going on in this world.”

Best Part: “When I showed my Design Arts class my pictures of buildings from New Orleans because we’re doing a two-point perspective project on architecture and buildings.”

Best Part: “Probably football practice.”

Opinions

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

ELECTION

20 16

Our local and state elections sometimes carry the greatest weight in how our lives are affected, but are often severely undercovered. Here is a breakdown of local & state candidates that might be on your ballot.

ERIC GREITENS Eric Greitens is the Republican candidate for Missouri Governor. He is an author and former Navy SEAL. His top three policies are enforcing pro-life policy, supporting second amendment rights, and minimizing taxes on Missouri families.

Jay ASHCROFT John “Jay” Ashcroft is the Republican candidate for Missouri Secretary of State. He currently works at a law firm focusing on helping businesses comply with government regulations. His top three policies are creating jobs, using tax money effectively, and ensuring fair elections.

JIM CAIN Jim Cain is the Republican candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 71. He is a retired engineering & operations manager. His top three policies are reforming and simplifying the state tax system, fixing property tax imbalance, and limiting sales tax.

JACK SCHILlIGO Jack Schilligo is the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 89. He is an independent real estate broker, and carpenter. His top three policies include ensuring access to affordable healthcare & expanding medicaid, reforming campaign finance, and assuring voter rights.

local elections candidate guide

CHRIS KOSTER Chris Koster is the Democratic candidate for Missouri Governor. He presently serves as the Attorney General for Missouri. His top three policies are developing Missouri’s manufacturing & agriculture industry, expanding funding for education & early childhood centers, and protecting & expanding pro-police policies.

ROBIN SMITH Robin Smith is the Democratic candidate for Missouri Secretary of State. She is an ex-KMOV TV anchor. Her top issues are voter rights and government transparency. She did not respond to the Corral for a third policy issue.

Tracy mccreery Tracy McCreery is the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 88. She serves as the incumbent for the jurisdiction, and has held office as a representative since 2011. Her top three policies are investing in public education, ensuring access to affordable healthcare, and passing legislation to prevent discrimination of LGBT+ citizens.

dean plocher Dean Plocher is the Republican candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 89. He has served as the incumbent for the jurisdiction since 2015, and also is an attorney. His top three policies are promoting job & economic growth, reducing taxes and regulations, and stopping the implementation of Obamacare in Missouri.

CHRIS MORRILL Chris Morrill is the Libertarian candidate for Missouri Secretary of State. His top three policies include reorganizing the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration; keeping voter ID laws as they currently stand; having physical paper voting ballots but requiring them to be recycled.

SUE MEREDITH Sue Meredith is the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 71. She is the incumbent, and has held the office since 2012. Previously, she held office on the Ritenour School board. Her top three policies are ensuring fair wages, investing in education, and providing decent healthcare.

STEVEN ROBNAK Steven Robnak is the Libertarian candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 88. He is an academic who graduated with a Masters from Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel. His top three policies are cutting wasteful spending, funding and building a better public education system, and delivering social justice for those in poverty.

DEREK GRIER Derek Grier is the Republican candidate for Missouri’s House of Representatives in District 100, running unopposed. He is a small business owner and former Chesterfield Councilman. His top three policies are job creation, fostering economic growth, and eliminating wasteful spending.

Photos taken from media-released images from candidate websites

POLICY political trends: what aren

CAMPAIGN WASH FINANCE TAXESCIGARETTES CONGRESS ELECTION PRESIDENTIAL

12 DRUGS

COVER STORY

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

2016

SWING ADVERTISING EDUCATION Conservatives face scrutinity in school TRUMP LOBBYISTS AMERICANS MEXIC O SPECIAL INTERESTS “I feel like I have to be E N V I R O N M E Ncareful T GUNS about what I LGBTQ AMERICA LIBERAL WALL say or how I say it.” BUDGET JOBS E C O N O M I C S VOTE DRUG CHINA TRADE PATRIO WAR WAGES DEFICIT N BUREAUCRACY JUSTI ENVIRONMENT ISIS C HEALTH CARE RUSSIA REFORM SUPREME COU EDUCATION 2016 ELEC

POLLS

CONSERVATIVE OPINIONS NEWS

ISSUES NOAH WEIDNER

MEDIA

MANAGING EDITOR

ur modern political climate is characterized by a perceived conflict between two groups of people: liberals, who seek to grow the size and efficacy of the government, and conservatives, who seek to minimize government involvement in American life. This election season has highlighted the stark difference between those two groups, as conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats have clashed in a number of public events, debates, protests and other noteworthy events. These events are by no means a novelty; they’re numerous and coat the fabric of our Democracy. However, they give due attention to a problem that, as of late, has plagued Americans more than ever: the inclination to be dismissive of other people’s political views. In other words, when it comes to listening to other people’s views -- especially the views of an individual who has views not aligned with your own -- there is very little agreeableness and respect. In our school community, this hostility to differing views is no different; although our conflict is more tame, the fear of conflict has led many folks “to the right of center” to believe that their views are subject to scrutiny because of the vast pool of popular liberal views. In a sense, because of the disparity -- real or perceived -- in individuals with conservative views comparative to individuals with more liberal views, there is a fear that conservative-Republican ideas are marginalized since they represent a minority. “There are not a lot of people here who are open about themselves being conservative because there are some rude people,” senior Megan Puettmann said. “I feel like people are just scared to say their opinions because they fear how people are going to treat them.” Puettmann isn’t the only one who feels this

way. In fact, a sizable group of individuals who identify as conservative feel that there is undeniably a stigma in having and sharing the political beliefs they have. This fear of conflict has resulted in a phenomenon that can be referred to as “closet conservatism” -- in which individuals with more reactionary political views choose not to openly discuss or disclose those views because of the possibility that they will receive scrutiny from people who are not aligned with their political views. “I feel like I have to be careful about what I say or how I say it,” senior Mark Jewell said. “There are people who are just going to be like, ‘No, you’re wrong.’” Some people believe that this inclination to deny views is an essential part of political discourse. However, some people think that this denial of ideas is childish and says a great deal about Americans and their willingness to be receptive to different political ideas. “Most people are stubborn on their views, and it’s not always a bad thing; it can be a good thing,” junior Spencer Hritz said. “But it could be a bad thing, especially if you’re in the minority.” Even beyond the threshold of identifying by a political party, there is a stigma even more closely focused on conservative views at large; this has applied even more to individuals who identify as moderate or don’t associate with the name-branded conservative ideas that the mainstream Republican party has made popular -- some examples include the Libertarian party and Constitution party. Senior Nic Morton, though identifying as more moderate, still observes that his more traditional

—Mark Jewell, 12

views, and those views that are synonymous with conservative ideology, are subject to criticism. “The only issue with conservative ideas is that a lot of the ideas tend to be unnuanced,” Morton said. “You can explain them, but they’re not nuances.” Morton adds that “by sheer volume,” those who propose traditional and conservative ideas openly will have to endure barrage of conflicting opinions, who might react in any number of ways based on their enthusiasm, or relation to the topic. That said, the outlook on conservatives is closely tied to their views, which locally are outnumbered by more liberal views. However, generalizations of conservatives have been casted much in the same way that generalizations of liberals have been casted. For instance, a view exists that conservatives are racist, white supremacists, and any other number of negative things. However, these are grounded in stereotypes and not necessarily indicative of everyone who shares those political ideologies. In short, it is abundantly clear that not all conservatives are racist, much in the sense that not all liberals are pro-affirmative action. “My family is not racist, doesn’t hate women, and we’re pro-choice,” Puettmann said. “We’re not the set definition of conservative everyone thinks, and I feel like most conservatives are that way.” Many feel that, despite the political differences present in our school community, it is important to recognize the integrity of our opinions. “We’re allowed to have different views,” History teacher Tom Sellers said. “And to respect that is paramount.”

ELECTION

20 16

ROY BLUNT

Roy Blunt is the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. He serves as the incumbent, and has held the office since 2011. In his political career, he has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Missouri Secretary of State, His top three policies are job creation, growing America’s energy presence, and supporting veterans and their families.

JAson kander

Jason Kander is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. Since 2013, he has served as Missouri’s Secretary of State. Before then, Kander served for as a Military Intelligence Officer for the U.S. army. His top three policies are advocating for veterans & military families, fighting for middle-class Americans, and pushing for more government transparency.

jonathan dime

Jonathan Dine is the Liber U.S. Senate. He is a perso who attempted running fo 2012 against incumbent, R three policies are minimizing growing states’ rights, implemen Congress, and supporting legalization of mariju

HINGTON BORDERS USA aren’t we talking about? G STATES REPUBLICAN P GUN CONTROL VOTE CO TJOBS DEMOCRATS Q+ AMERICA CLINTON “The gun reform lobby isn’t ‘anti-gun’ or ‘antiGS CONGRESS MEDIA Second Amendment.’” OTISM AFFORDABILITY NAFTA THIRD PARTIES ICE PLAN PROGRESS CONSERVATIVES IRAN U.S. SENATE A DEFENSE LIBERALS URT SOCIAL SECURITY CTION TPP CONFLICT cover story

rtarian candidate for onal fitness trainer or the same seat in Roy Blunt. His top g federal rights & nting term limits for uana.

nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Gun PRESENCE makes impact on missouri election ADVERTISING NOAH WEIDNER MANAGING EDITOR

he state of Missouri has been one of the biggest hotbeds for the discourse on guns over the last 10 years. This is demonstrated no better than in the abundant amount of political advertisements which have featured, or even mentioned, stances on guns. On one end of the spectrum, candidates have run ads in favor of gun control; on the other side, candidates have run ads in an effort to establish views on gun liberty and freedoms. This prominence of guns -- both in discussion and visually across our television sets -- in political ads has permeated the media, taken hold at debates, prompted widespread political discussion, and ultimately become a centerpiece for discourse for most local and national political campaigns. Liberties pertaining to guns have served as a major talking point in virtually every Missouri local election. This is namely because the state of Missouri falls into a collection of states -- mostly Southern, Republican-dominated states -- which have very lax gun laws. This relaxed regulation on guns make it so that individuals are not required to register a shotgun or rifle; these same provisions even allow individuals to sell guns in convenience stores by the same terms as selling liquor. For that reason, Democratic opposition exists to pass legislation to make the process of purchasing firearms more difficult. The response by the campaigns, and their candidates, has been to take fire at each other’s policies -- specifically concerning guns -- to direct attention to potential flaws. Though the means by which these ads are composed are much alike, the reaction to the messages have been mixed. Republican politicians such as Eric Greitens, a candidate for governor, have filmed entire ads

in which they shoot firearms while discussing the importance of second amendment liberties. “I think that it’s interesting how they got guns in commercials,” junior Chase Lehmann said. “I think it puts a lot of people off.” Lehmann, who is an outspoken advocate for guns and second amendment liberties, says he has been shooting since he was, “knee-high to a grasshopper.” Lehmann also notes that having guns in commercials is good. “I think pro-Second Amendment advertising is a very good thing, but it’s hard to make it take off in some states where they have some of the strictest gun control laws,” Lehmann said. “It’s going to be hard to change people’s minds who have false ideas [about firearms], but I think the ads would help the nation to see the true light.” Possibly more surprising to viewers, Democratic politicians have had a number of their own ads featuring guns. An ad by Democratic candidate for senator Jason Kander features him putting together an AR-15 while blindfolded. However, unlike the Republican candidates who utilize their advertising to talk about their gun advocacy, Kander spends his ad time talking about the importance of gun control on certain firearms. However, the notion that Democrats would dare to be associated with guns, especially on television, is particularly curious to some individuals.

—Jennifer Heiman, 12

JONATHAN MCFARLAND

Johnathan McFarland is the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate. For the last decade, he has worked with a number of political organizations including the Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment. His top three policies are reforming campaign finance, building a national single-player healthcare system, and making college tuition free for everybody.

Jason Lovera, an NRA member and certified instructor, believes that the inclusion of guns in all commercials represents an appeal to citizens in the state who love their guns. “I would say that Missouri is a generally conservative state,” Lovera said. “You have people like Chris Koster and Jason Kander, they have to run to the right in Missouri; just like in Massachusetts a Republican has to run to the left.” Lovera also notes that the guns in ads alone don’t appeal to conservatives or gun enthusiasts. However, some people deny the connotation that Democratic association with firearms is just pandering or intention to appeal. Senior Jennifer Heiman, a member of Students United Against Gun Violence, says that the assumption that wanting gun reform is equivalent to wanting to revoke Second Amendment liberties is untrue. “The gun reform lobby isn’t ‘anti-gun’ or ‘anti-Second Amendment;’ they are simply pro-safety,” Heiman said. “I think there have been some really positive ads that showcase the true discussion going on in reference to gun reform.” Regardless of the party, candidate, inclusion of firearms or messages, plenty of controversy exists as to what the ads serve to accomplish. “I think that ads like this that represent the real legislative question about what types of guns should be available to what types of citizens are a very positive thing for government,” Heiman said. “It’s time we start moving beyond the inaccurate, inflammatory ‘pro- or anti-Second Amendment’ rhetoric.”

FRED RYMAN

Fred Ryman is the Constitutional candidate for U.S. Senate. He is a retired math & computer science teacher from South Texas. Modernly, he works at a furniture store in Columbia, MO. His top three policies are tax reform, stopping illegal immigration, and closing the income gap for the middle class.

Photos taken from media-released images from candidate websites

14 corRAL

Cover Story - commentary

Nov. 4, 2016

fine print negates good cigarette tax amendment will do for kids Alex Luckerman Staff writer

oters across the state will make their decision on an amendment to our state’s constitution that would steadily increase cigarette taxes from now until 2020, with the increase totaling 60 cents per pack. An additional 67-cent tax would be levied on wholesalers of certain discount brands of cigarettes. This new tax revenue (estimated to be between $263 million and $374 million) would then be used to fund early childhood education through a new fund called the Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund. I can’t even express to you how exciting that sounds to me. You’re probably assuming I’ve written this article to unequivocally urge you to go out and vote yes on this amendment. Don’t get excited yet. The list of education organizations opposing the amendment includes the Missouri National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers Local 420, Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel, and Missouri Association of Rural Education. The list of health-oriented organizations opposing the amendment includes the American Heart Association, American Lung Association in Missouri, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, Tobacco-Free Missouri, Missouri Cures and NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri. Both candidates for governor and 110+ state legislature candidates oppose the amendment. So what could possibly be prompting such a widespread opposition to amendment? No one’s quite sure of the exact impact the amendment would have, but all of the organizations above have deemed it too dangerous and compromising for them

to support it. The primary concern stems from the alternative motives behind the amendment. Small tobacco companies are against the increased tax on wholesalers, which will get rid of their price advantage over large tobacco companies since they previously did not have to pay into a different fund that larger tobacco companies did. Public health groups believe that only a tax hike of a dollar or more will successfully deter smoking. Pro-choice advocates are deterred by language that would prevent any of the fund’s money from going to abortion providers, which could discourage hospitals from providing those kinds of reproductive services. The amendment requires 25% of the funds money to go to research, yet medical researchers worry it will stigmatize against research on tobacco’s negative health effects and erode constitutional protections on stem cell research, since it also prohibits the use of the fund’s money for both purposes. Most importantly, education groups fear that the amendment’s plan to place the decision-making power over the money in an unelected commission will lead to corruption and/or the use of public money for private and religious schools rather than public schools. None of this is easy to understand. It’s difficult to include all of the implications of a two page amendment in two paragraphs on a ballot. Missouri’s Fair Ballot Language itself misses much of the controversy over the potential long-term impacts of this amendment. It’s important that voters in the upcoming election are fully informed about ALL of the consequences of their vote. Many of the dangers of Amendment 3 are uncertain, but personally I feel that Missourians should not have to compromise this much in order to fund something so important. All that is needed is simple amendment to increase the cigarette tax and distribute it fairly based on what has succeeded in the past and where children need it most.

ELECTION

20 16

Amendment 1

Renews the existing sales and use tax of 0.1 percent for 20 years to continue funding state parks and soil and water conservation. Fun Fact: This tax has helped keep Missouri’s state parks free for all.

new amendment offers chance to curb donors

Fair Ballot Language: >A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to increase taxes on cigarettes each year through 2020, at which point this additional tax will total 60 cents per pack of 20. This amendment also creates a fee paid by cigarette wholesalers of 67 cents per pack of 20 on certain cigarettes. This amendment further provides that the funds generated by these taxes and fees shall be deposited into a newly established Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund. >A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution relating to taxes and fees on cigarettes. >If passed, this measure will increase taxes on cigarettes.

The Fine Print: “None of the funds collected, distributed, or allocated from the Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund shall be expended, paid or granted to or on behalf of existing or proposed activities, programs, or initiaitives that involved abortion services, including performing, inducing, or assisting with abortions, as defined in law, or encouraging patients to have abortions, referring patients for abortions not necessary to save the life of the mother, or development of drugs, chemicals, or devices intended to be used to induce an abortion. None of the funds collected, distributed, or allocated from the Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund shall be expended, paid or granted to or on behalf of any abortion clinic, abortion clinic operator, or outpatient health care facility that provides abortion services, unless such services are limited to medical emergencies. No funds from the Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund shall be used for human cloning or research, clinical trials, or therapies or cures using human embryonic stem cells, as defined in Article III, section 38(d). No funds from the Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund shall be used for tobacco related research of any kind.”

NOAH WEIDNER MANAGING EDITOR

here’s no denying the impact that money has on politics in America. However, over the last 20 years, this necessity has fueled a growth of monetary donations -- specifically from private corporations and private individuals -- who have aimed to sway elections to support their special interests. For this reason, America has gradually started to look more like a government by the rich and for the rich than by the people and for the people. But come Nov. 8, citizens across the state will have an opportunity to vote ‘yes’ on a constitutional amendment which aims to limit the seemingly endless flow of money from special interests, and in turn, reduce the immense deal of money influencing our elections. This constitutional amendment, Amendment 2, would establish limits on campaign contributions -- $2,600 for individuals, $25,000 for non-political corporate/private donation through Super PACs. In addition, the amendment would require that the identities of donors be disclosed publicly. The means by which these things would be monitored would be through a complaint process, which would hand down penalties to organizations which violate provisions of the amendment. As it stands, Missouri’s campaign funds come at almost an exact 50/50 cut; corporations represent one half, and average citizens making individual contributions represent the other half. Amendment 2 offers Missourians an opportunity, at the least, to reduce the influence that companies and wealthy donors have over politics. The $45.5 million in itemized contributions from super PACs, private donors, labor unions, and corporations in Missouri alone can be minimized by Amendment 2, allowing average middle-class Missourians to choose the fate of their elected officials -- rather than a handful of the rich.

other amendments Amendment 4 Prohibits new taxes or sales taxes on sevices that had not been taxed before. Fun Fact: Currently, the state sales tax in Missouri is 4.225 percent.

Amendment 6

Requires voters to show their identification, which could be photo IDs, at public elections to prove citizenship. Fun Fact: Governor Jay Nixon vetoed a bill for voter ID requirements; the MO Legislature overrode his veto, which is why it’s on the ballot now.

COVER STORY - commentary

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

state and local elections are more important mainstream Y candidates KAYLA BENJAMIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ou might be convinced that by all the commotion that the presidential race is the most important political event in America. All the noise and complaint on social networking, mainstream media, and other outlets are telling us that the fate of our country--maybe even the fate of the world--rests on the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump (and Evan McMullin and Gary Johnson). Either Chris Koster or Eric Greitens will be Missouri’s next governor. The governor is the one who makes the choice, right or wrong, to send National Guard troops to handle protests. He or she makes major decisions about funding for programs like Planned Parenthood, SNAP, or foster care. And the governor gets to speak to the state legislature whenever they’d like, giving them significant power over policy. Speaking of which, let’s talk about the state legislature, also called the General Assembly. Legislation passed here often tips the balance when it comes to controversial civil rights issues, including but not limited to workers’ rights, gun regulation, disability protections, police body cameras, minimum wages, and abortion. State legislatures and the people we put into them are super important, but most people don’t seem to care enough to vote for them (there’s a great John Oliver on this, actually, you should look it up). We don’t pay much attention to state legislators, but in reality the decisions they make can have a huge difference in the lives of their state’s citizens. Do you care about police brutality? Mayors appoint police chiefs and sheriffs. Do you care about the environment? Local governments make decisions about recycling programs. Yet, turnout for mayoral elections can be in the

single-digits. St. Louis City ballots for this November include a vote for treasurer, whose job is to keep track of the community’s tax dollars. Here is one final point we all seem to be forgetting: third parties. I have read countless posts and listened to innumerable rants about hatred for the two-party system, especially this year. There’s a conundrum: there won’t be a third-party president unless people vote for one, but we shouldn’t vote for one because they won’t be elected. I have heard this conversation go round and round. But the solution that is so consistently overlooked is local third party candidates. It is entirely feasible to have a Green Party mayor or a Libertarian state rep. A third party could gain prominence if they worked from the bottom of the system, slowly growing larger spheres of influence, getting on the ballots because they have prior experience with constituents who know them and believe in them--not because everyone hates the establishment. Whether you’re an open independent or a hard-core Constitutionist, your voice can best be heard in local and state elections. If we want a fair system that doesn’t limit our choices to Democrat and Republican, it doesn’t start with an impossible presidential bid; it begins with lots of unglamorous, less-visible positions. Local and state governments are closer to you than the politicians who sit on Capitol Hill. Our president, senators, and representatives have to think about huge groups of people when they make policy, and they have to compromise with others to get things done. That’s not a bad thing. But it does mean that no federal official is representing your interests as well as your mayor or state representative. There are important decisions being made outside the exciting, outrageous eight-second sound-bites constantly analyzed by TV news. The Missouri government may actually impact the issues that only gain social media attention every four years. If you want a say in how your city is run, remember that there are real people behind the names on awkward-looking yard signs for local candidates. If we want a government responsive to our needs, capable of running smoothly, and open to new ideas, we have to care about our government beyond the presidential race.

DONALD trump

Party: Republican Running mate: Mike Pence Things to know: 1. Focuses on economic and immigration issues 2. Businessman, specializing in real-estate 3. Host of The Apprentice

hillary clinton

I DON’T CARE

ELECTION

20 16

evan mcmullin Party: None (independent) Running mate: Mindy Finn Things to know: 1. Conservative policies 2. Polling well in Utah 3. Chief policy director of the House Republican Conference

Party: Democratic Running mate: Tim Kaine Things to know: 1. Advocates for women’s and children’s rights 2. Ran for president in 2008 3. Former Secretary of State, New York Senator, and First Lady

lesser-known candidates jill stein

gary johnson

Party: Green Running mate: Ajamu Baraka Things to know: 1. Very liberal policies 2. Ran for president in 2012 3.Physician and environmental activist

Party: Libertarian Running mate: William Weld Things to know: 1. Fiscally conservative, socially liberal policies 2. Former governor of New Mexico 3. Started his own handyman business Photos taken from media-released images from candidate websites

16 corRAL

sports

Nov. 4, 2016

Softball Team Achieves conference title Daihana Jimenez STAFF WRITER

he varsity softball team achieved 2016 Conference Championship, after 4 years of no victory. But with hard work and determination the girls accomplish an extraordinarily season. “Winning conference brought our team closer together because it proved that we could accomplish a lot if we worked together to reach our goal,” sophomore Talia Emch said. “I’m glad I got to win conference with such an amazing team. The day that we won conference will be a day that I will remember as I look back on my days in high school.” The team lost the first 7 games but ended up winning the 9 last games. Head coach Melissa Sommerfeld helped the team achieve the winning streak and conference championship. Not only did they work in the weight room, run, and make routine plays, they also came in on Saturday mornings to practice and help the girls develop skills. “She really pushed us to be the best that we could be. She saw potential in all of us and didn’t let us give any less than 120%” senior Alexis Hibbs said. They worked hard on and off the field by arranging sleepovers to “team bond” that helped improve unity and friendships that was brought into practice and games in order to gain trust and make the team stronger which helped them win games. “We had a much more stronger vibe, more of a unity because everyone had the same drive to win” junior, Emily West said. Besides the trust and unity of the players, mental health was a big factor in succeeding. They always stayed focused, leaving out any problems off the field.

“We practiced hard and mentally prepared ourselves each game,” sophomore Margaret Vierling said. The chemistry between the players this season definitely helped, and the mindset of winning and the drive to succeed made the team stronger than last year, allowing for more communication and trust. “As the season progressed, we grew as a team and worked harder everyday. We didn’t start out with the best record, which is what motivated us to work harder. As we started pulling out wins, we got momentum, which carried us all the way to the conference championship.” Emch said. Unfortunately, the team received a lot of criticism. The criticism of many doubters motivated them to work hard and prove people wrong. “I feel like we clicked more this year…we just wanted it more, and we were all tired of being labeled as a bad softball team” Sophomore, Olivia Stephens said.

The team received all the support needed from those who believed in them, like close friends and family who cheered them on and helped them power through games. “Everyone was very excited because most people didn’t think we were capable of winning conference, so when we won it was great to experience it with my friends and family.” Emch said. The members of the softball team celebrate after winning the 2016 Conference Championship Sept. 29 on their home field. Photo courtesy of Emily West

sisters share volleyball court for first season Madeline Lee staff writer

fter playing volleyball for over eight years, freshman Lana and junior Sophia Cristiani join together on the court for the first time as members of the varsity volleyball team. “This is the first time we have ever played together,” Sophia Cristiani said. “Lana would always come to my games and watch but now we are both in the game playing and I really like it, I don’t know how to explain it.” Both of the sisters have gone to nationals starting when they were 12, Sophia Cristiani with Rockwood Thunder 16 Mizuno and Lana Cristiani with Rockwood Thunder 12 Navy. Last year Sophia Cristiani’s team ranked top ten in the nation and Lana Cristiani’s team got second at a qualifier to get an invitation to nationals. “I think we do have an advantage now that we are on the same team,” Lana Cristiani said. “We understand each other. Some people are afraid to say anything to Sophia because they think it’ll get her mad but I’m not afraid to say something; we don’t sugarcoat anything.” The sisters are both outside hitters, also known as left-side hitters, a hitting-focused position that also requires that you be able to block the other team’s offensive hits. They play the same position and neither of them switch out for the back row rotation, they play all the way around. “I know what makes Lana mad and

I know what makes her happy,” Sophia Cristiani said. “If we are both down in a game we can pick each other back up and when I get a little crazy she makes me more calm. We even each other out.” Their interest in volleyball started when they were young. Their mother played volleyball when she was in high school and taught them the basics of the sport. Sophia Cristiani started playing in the first grade while Lana Cristiani started in the second grade. “We were really tall and we grew out of gymnastics quickly,” Lana Cristiani said. “When we got really interested our mom helped us join club volleyball which just escalated our game to a whole other standard. My mom is really supportive of all the traveling we have to do for club since we travel all around the country.” Lana Cristiani has been on four volleyball teams, starting with CYC volleyball in third grade while Sophia Cristiani has played for Rockwood Thunder since she began club volleyball. “I want to keep playing club volleyball until I’m 18,” Lana Cristiani said. “I do want to play in college on scholarship, but I don’t want to go where Sophia will. It’s not traditional for any siblings to go to the same college, much less play together.” Sophia Cristiani has already gotten offers from multiple colleges throughout the nation. “It’s good that Sophia wants to do it though because she has to go through the recruitment process and everything before me so it’s cool to see everything,” Lana

Cristiani said. Currently, Sophia Cristiani is one of two juniors in the PCH volleyball program while Lana Cristiani is one of eleven freshmen. “I know that I want to go to college for volleyball,” Sophia Cristiani said. “I have already gotten some offers. We have been playing volleyball for such a long time it would all be worth it.”

Sophia Cristiani (11)

Lana Cristiani (9)

Q&A WITH THE CRISTIANIS Favorite part of volleyball: Lana Cristiani: The team aspect, that others will pick you up when you fall Sophia Cristiani: People on the court, my teammates.

The most annoying thing about your sister: LC: Pass, I don’t want her to be mad at me. SC: So many things, sometimes we argue and that’s pretty annoying.

Superstitions before games: LC: I don’t believe in any superstitions. SC: I have to tie my shoes a certain way, in this weird six-loop thing.

Fun fact about you: LC: I did gymnastics when but I got kicked out, same with soccer. I got kicked out of a lot of sports. SC: I’m supposed to be 6’1,” but really I’m 5’7” with a 6’1” wingspan.

Pre-game song: LC: “Headband,” I don’t know who it’s by SC: “Runaway Baby” by Bruno Mars Favorite moment of the season: LC: When we beat Kirkwood. SC: When we won our first game of Districts.

sports

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Tennis team Places third in state Liad Lerner Staff writer

he tennis team won third place in State at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo., on Oct. 13, the first time the team has made it to State in five years. “It’s the best feeling,” senior Lexi Ecker said. “All our hard work has finally paid off.” The girls upset Lafayette, the top team in their District, 5-4 to become District champions. They then knocked off another top team in St. Joseph’s 5-3 and defeated Cor Jesu 5-0 to win Sectionals. “Since we had the hardest path to State of any other team, getting to State feels even more special,” senior Elena Wilner said. Wilner cites the team’s chemistry as one of the key aspects that allowed them to go so far this year. “We have a great team dynamic this year where we truly love and care about each other more than results and winning,” Wilner said. This dynamic is exemplified through the incorporation of freshman Michelle Korenfeld into the predominantly upperclassman team. “I think the biggest thing I improved

was my confidence, knowing that as the new freshman I have so much support and encouragement from all of my teammates,” Korenfeld said. Ecker notes that the attending fans this year have also contributed a lot to the team’s success. “We have never had fans before,” Ecker said. “They have made the atmosphere so much better, and we have more fans than the home teams.” In the State tournament, the girls lost to eventual runner-up Rock Bridge 0-5 in the semi-finals and then shut out Central Springfield 5-0 in the third-place game. In addition to the team competition, Wilner and her doubles partner, senior Rebecca Davis, also competed in the State tournament for the individual competition on Oct 14-15. “Individual was a personal goal for me to get to State,” Davis said. “Since Elena and I went freshmen year and I lost in Sectionals to get there the past two years, it was amazing to go senior year.” The partners defeated Jefferson City in the first round, lost to Notre Dame in the second round, then won three matches in a row (including against Lindbergh, the 2015 State champions), en route to a fifth place State finish.

Head coach Lee Hays poses alongside Lexi Ecker, Michelle Korenfeld, Jessica Sun, Elena Wilner, Rebecca Davis, Zoe Hahn, Michelle Skroba, and Emily Miller as they hold up the MSHSAA third place trophy on Oct. 13 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Mo. “It’s the best feeling, knowing that all our hard work has finally paid off,” Ecker said. The girls said it was the perfect way for seniors Ecker, Sun, Wilner, Davis and Miller to end their high school careers.

Golfer Qualifies for state with father by her side Liad Lerner Staff Writer

enior Melanie Wilmert qualified for the State golf tournament on Oct. 10-11 at the Columbia Country Club in Columbia, Mo., thanks in large part to the encouragement of her father. “My dad has taught me basically everything I know and been to every tournament to support me,” Wilmert said. Wilmert’s dad, a former golfer for Eastern Illinois University, inspired her to play golf at a young age and taught her how to play. He remains her biggest fan, coming to every tournament and always being ready to give her advice on how to do better. “He is my hardest critic,” Wilmert said. “He always has comments on my poor shots and tells me every shot I could have improved on. But he also tells me about my best shots of the day and applauds me on my fantastic shots.” When his daughter made it to State for the first time, Wilmert’s dad was very proud of her and excited for what was to come. “Right as I was walking off the 18th green, he ran and gave me an enormous hug,” Wilmert said. “It was one of the first times I have seen my dad get emotional because he knows how hard I worked to get where I am, and he put in just as much effort teaching me golf.” The two-year captain had made it to Sectionals three years in a row, but after two years of just missing the cutoff for State, she finally got over the

hump this year and qualified with a score of 87 at the Sectionals tournament on Oct. 3 at Woods Fort in Troy, Mo. “It was an amazing feeling,” Wilmert said. “I felt super proud of myself knowing that I am capable of doing very well at golf.” At the State tournament, Wilmert shot a two-day 177 and came in 43rd out of 89 athletes. She had to save herself a few times after hitting into the sand, but she said she was very satisfied with her striking. Wilmert achieved both her goals during the tournament: shooting in the 80s both days and placing in the top 50. Wilmert said she is most proud of her growth since freshman year. She cut her nine-hole stroke average from 56 to 44, and she has developed a more powerful swing. She also frequently watched the PGA tour and got a job at the Missouri Bluffs Golf Course in order to be around golf more and to improve her skills. “She’s gotten stronger, she’s matured, she’s taken the game more serious which results in better work habits,” head golf coach Todd Pannett said. Wilmert said she wants to thank Pannett for being there through the highs and lows of her high school career and for always being able to help her refocus after a bad shot. “The experience was amazing and I am extremely sad that the season is now over,” Wilmert said. “I’m going to miss the team and Coach next year, but I will for sure come back and watch to support the girls.”

Senior Melanie Wilmert looks for the best angle to hit the ball on the green at the Four Seasons Country Club on Sept 7. “My mental game has improved,” Wilmert said. “I have learned how to forget about a bad shot and just keep playing my own game.” This helped her recover from the bunker after hitting a few shots into the sand during State.\ Photo by Noah Weidner Wilmert embraces head coach Todd Pannett after finishing her last hole at her high school career at the State tournament on Oct. 11 at the Columbia Country Club in Columbia, Mo. “We will miss her stability and her leadership and her willingness to help her teammates,” Pannett said. Wilmert is graduating this year, but she promises to come back in the future to support her teammates and the golf program. Photo courtesy of Melanie Wilmert

18 corRAL

sports

Nov. 4, 2016

boys soccer

girls cross country

wrapping up

fall

sports football

The boys soccer team ended its 166-1 season, falling to Parkway West 1-0 in the second round of the District tournament, after beating Westminster 4-2 penalty kicks. Photo by Jessie Piles

boys cross country

The girls qualified for State after finishing 4th as a team at Sectionals in Washington. Individually senior Lizzie DeJoie finished 5th and senior Richelle Bain placed 28th. This follows a 3rd-place finish at Districts at home and a 2nd place finish at the first All-Suburban Conference meet. Photo by Athena Stamos

girls volleyball

The football team is still in the playoffs for the Class 4 State Championship after a 27-7 win over St. Dominic on Oct. 28. The Colts play at Parkway North on Nov. 4 to see if they can extend their playoff run. Photo by Austin Bolte

boys swim and dive Senior Charlie McIntyre qualified for State after a 2nd-place finish at Sectionals in Washington and a 4th-place finish at Districts at home. The boys finished 8th at Districts, ending their team season. The State meet is Nov. 5. Photo by Noah Weidner.

Girls volleyball lost in the second round of the District tournament to Parkway West 0-2 after winning the first round against Pattonville 2-0. Photo by Madeline Lee

Keep up to date with the colts as winter sports get under way!

Twitter: instagram: @pchcorral pch_corral

The boys swim and dive team finished its season with three members qualifying for the State meet: senior Nathan Burlis, junior Kazu Gavin and junior Logan Sheehan. The boys will compete at State at the RecPlex on Nov. 4 and 5. Photo by Roya Porshahidy

Opinions

Nov. 4, 2016

donut drive-in fails to impress

Archer'sAtmosphere -Dining in Style-

On Oct. 18 at about 6:30 p.m., the drive-in is almost completely empty and filled with average donuts.

You see this beautiful donut? It looks like it was sent down from the heavens to fill that hunger in you stomach, but do not be fooled. This is an average donut that will leave you overwhelmed and sad.

Libby Archer social media manager

on’t get me wrong, I’m a girl that likes a good donut. Some might call it an addiction; I call it a not-so-healthy habit. But at this point I need to be wowed by a donut. I can get a 50-cent donut from Schnucks, so when I go all the way to the city area to check out this Donut Drive-in that I’ve heard people raving about, I expect it to go above and beyond the donuts I can get at my local grocery store. I need a little excitement or above-average donut making to really impress me nowadays and I can honestly say The Donut Drive-In didn’t do that for me. This place looks like it could be a gas station: white brick exterior, right off the side of a main street, but the outside was really cute in a 1950’s diner kind of way. When you walk in, there is about 4 feet of wiggle room between the wall and the glass case of donuts separating you from the whole baking process. Being that close and personal was pretty cool but the selection was underwhelming. They had your classic donuts with a mixture of different frosting options. The lady that took my order was middle-aged and seem annoyed that she had to be there that late at night. The place’s hours are amazing for those of us with busy schedules and the constant need for sugary pastries. They are open from five am to ten pm. I was there at about 7:30 at night and everyone there seemed irritable. The

A welcome back to the 90’s Roya porshahidy staff writer

Mallory Newberry showcases her 90’s outfit with a pair of jorts, knee high socks and white tennis shoes. She also wears a crop top paired with a bubblegum pink bomber jacket with shows the essence of the 90’s. Photo by Roya Porshahidy

he 90’s fashion craze is everywhere. From little accessories and trends inspired by the iconic decade. People are totally bugg’n and stocking up on chokers and jean skirts to follow the wicked trend. “I feel like the 90’s was a very influential time period in both in pop culture and fashion,” senior Pati Przerwa said. “I love that there are so many cute and comfy clothes from that time that are coming back in style.” The massive trend started out with the nostalgic feelings everyone is having, for example, with the immense longing for childhood cartoons or the missing of “retro” fashion. The 90’s are back, from the popularity of alternative music to the “Full House” revival. “I think it’s kind of great, because that’s more of my type of fashion with chokers and combat boots,” junior Jacob Safron said. Flannels and jean jackets became a new ideal way of looking fashionable in colder weathers. With many inexpensive ways of acquiring these materials, including thrift shopping, you can dress them up over a dress or button down, or dress them down with a

simple t-shirt and jeans. “I love 90’s fashion trends,” sophomore Sandi Chasnoff said “They’re really in style right now, and it’s not very expensive. A lot of key pieces can be found in thrift stores, so I go thrifting a lot to find ‘new’ and cool outfits.” One key 90’s trend is back in full swing with tons of different styles: chokers. With velvet chokers to ribbon chokers, you can find any style you want. Most importantly, they include the iconic tattoo choker, which now can bought at mostly everywhere. “If anything, it was just a piece of fabric tied around someone’s neck, so I think people put a really modern of twist on it with the charms and stuff like that,” sophomore Maggie Koltun said. People are also incorporating 90’s trends into modern fashion, using different styles to change it up. A-line mini skirts, for example, are a 90’s staple that you can now get in many different modern styles. “People mix it up with more modern fashion and make something new,” Koltun said. The 90’s trend is booming with high-end stores incorporating the decade into their fashion lines and students incorporating the trend in their every day. The trend of using past eras of style will not stop at just the 90’s but will go on to other decades.

corral

family that ordered in front of me got like 2 dozen donuts so I guess someone enjoys the place but I don’t think it was worth my 85 cents. I got a glazed and this huge frosting-filled monstrosity which was the most interesting donut I could find. None of the donuts were labeled and they do not even have a website. They have outdoor seating across the parking lot which was cute but not well maintained. The glazed was average-- light and fluffy, but not worth the 27-minute drive. It tasted like every other glazed donut to ever exist. The monstrosity, on the other hand, was nauseating. It was a regular donut, only bigger and more difficult to eat and covered in a huge dollop of way-toosugary frosting. It hurts my stomach to even look at pictures of it. I was able to get through about half of it, hoping that there would be a delicious center or something like that but was sorely disappointed to find nothing more than gross frosting. Maybe if you are really a frosting lover and can’t get enough of that sugary goodness than this would be a good experience for you, but I do not classify as that type of person so I kind of really hated it. I would suggest this to any artsy people that are just looking for a cute photo op, but not anyone that wants a seriously high quality donut or great service. Definitely not worth the travel time. Save gas and money by going to schnucks and getting a 50-cent glazed donut.

90’s

2016

Chokers were a big trend in the 90s, especially colorful tattoo chokers

Chokers are back with many more and different styles with lace and pendants

Jelly sandals were a very popular shoe bringing every outfit together.

Jelly sandals are slowly making a comeback with different styles available at stores like Forever 21 Suede mini skirts are back with lace up fronts/backs. You can get your own at Urban Outfitters

A-line mini skirts in suede were a main part of anyones closet. Jean skirts with crop tops were a perfect outfit to go out with Doc Martens were great boots to throw on with a pair of denim and a flannel they brought a grungy look to their outfits

Doc Martens have been back for a while bringing the grungy style to your closets and you can just pair them a t-shirt and jeans.

20 corRAL

Entertainment

Nov. 4, 2016

Mogley’s MUSIC of the month Evan Mogley Entertainment Editor

n this issue we take a look into the world of overlooked and or under appreciated artists. Whether they are new to the industry and deserve some attention, or they’re a veteran in their field who has been overlooked for the new generation, these are a few just shy of stardom. We delve behind the spotlight to find the next big thing.

Roses- Carly Rae Jepsen

argely overshadowed by Taylor Swift’s 1989, Carly Rae’s EMOTION was lost in the hype. This gem of an album was the most beautifully crafted 80’s synthpop album we have gotten from an artist in the past decade, (and yes, that includes Swift’s 1989). Largely overlooked by the public as a “one hit wonder,” Jepsen has been crafting blissful pop music for years. Songs that carry weight, and productions that match her light and airy voice, she has been defining what 80’s pop looks like in the digital age. On the eve of EMOTION’s one-year anniversary she released the B-sides, with the clear standout being Roses. Jepsen uses the imagery of a rose growing through the cracks of concrete and then dying as a metaphor for her love for another. While they may not be the most daring lyrics they certainly match the build-up of the song to its breaking point into the chorus. Jepsen has continued to push herself and the image of pop and I personally hope that the music world begins to take notice of the strides and achievements that she is making with her art.

B+

Don’t Touch My Hair- Solange Knowles

et’s address the elephant in the room. Yes, she is sisters with Beyonce. Does that create an expectation for Mrs. Knowles? Yes. Does that mean we should create an image of what music she should make? Not at all. Knowles infuses all the right elements of R&B to make a bold social statement with this song and her album “A Seat at the Table.” She discusses the societal conflicts she deals with when wearing her natural hair, and being black in America, one of those conflicts being in the very name of the song. “Don’t Touch My Hair,” is a response to those who touch African Americans hair, as it is seen as a micro aggression towards their cultural identity. Knowles is making a statement to embrace self expression and identity in a society that demands conforming. With a voice that glides over saxophones, background vocals, and claps, Solange has created a piece of art that conceives itself into a statement necessary in a world of tension and misunderstanding. With a number one album now under her belt, we can’t wait to see what Mrs. Knowles surprises us with next.

A-

Trust Nobody- Cashmere Cat

f you saw the name of this next artist and have no clue who it is, it’s very understandable. Cashmere Cat or Magnus Hoiberg is a Norwegian producer who first began working in music in 2012. He has created a very diverse resume since then, working with artists such as Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Selena Gomez and many more. With such an expansive list of singers and styles, Hoiberg has become a very in-demand artist. On the single “Trust Nobody,” he gains assistance from Selena Gomez and Tory Lanez as they attempt to keep a relationship secret from others that might try and expose them. Steel drums lead the into the tropical-like production, Gomez helps to stay present in the song as she tries to keep the relationship obscure with soft and breathy vocals. Lanez dulls the song with a vocal performance that blends into a repetitive delivery, and an artist who seems separated from the project his name is on. While the lyrics make the song no more than a radio-friendly bop, it certainly gives insight into the workings and thought process of the producer Cashmere Cat.

B-

Gemini Feed- Banks

aunting. The one word I feel describes Banks, the 28-yearold singer born in Orange County. Her vulnerable and somewhat dark tone deliver a truly memorable and somewhat chilling listen. Through her past two albums, she has created an atmospheric inflection by use of her vocal delivery and the production that accompanies her. Usually filled with heavy bass, strums of electronic melodies along with some light aspects of pop, Banks defines what a blended genre artist looks like in the modern age. In the second single off her second album “Altar,” Banks breaks down a manipulative relationship she was entangled in. With lyrics that point to passive aggressive phrases, mental abuse, and the increasingly self-destructive nature that makes Banks feel suffering and hopelessness, she renounces the connection with the sassy remark “to think you would get me to the altar.” Banks has been a bankable artist since her debut, and one who continues to grow in her writing and singing style. I would expect to see a lot more of her in the coming years.

Keller’s computing corner Yelping for yodots Civ 6 offers new graphics, poorly coded ai The AI Sam keller also has guest reporter

id Meier’s Civilization VI is the next game from Firaxis in the Civilization franchise. Civ 6 was released Oct. 20 and met with stellar online reviews. However, Civ 6 was met by only above average player reviews by longtime fans of the series. The reasons for this are very clear once you start a game. The graphics are stupendous. Civilization VI has gone for a cartoon-like graphics style, where the previous games have aimed for realism. These graphics have made the game much more pleasant to play because of the increased saturation levels, compared to Civilization V. Even though the graphics are important to the overall game, the most important feature to the Civilization games is the AI. The AI of Civ 6 is atrocious because of its rash decision-making and poor logical abilities. Most games will be started off with an early war, around turn 30, by a competing civilization. The AI always starts an early-game war, even if they have just met you. The harder the difficulty you choose, the earlier this war comes; some see wars as early as turn 20. When you make it through the early wars, you will still have to deal with the AI.

a trend of settling new cities super close to valuable resources, ignoring your own boundaries and the proximity to your cities. If you can look past the horrendous AI, the game is actually very impressive. The new cultural tree really adds to the gameplay with new types of governments and bonuses. Firaxis also made some changes to the UI, and it has brought a lot to the game, including the streamlining of the reports information tab and the trading information tab. The game more pleasant to view and the data is easier to read. However, some areas of the UI could use some work, like the city planning menu, which is a cluster of poorly placed information. With a few patches to the game and several major updates, Civilization VI has the possibility to be one of the best Civ games -- without it, we’ll just have to wait for Civ 7 or more expansions.

snackers love packs for convenience, taste JEnna Lazaroff staff writer

rand new to the snack bar menu, YoDots have flourished. The new craze has been spreading from person to person. You may not have noticed them yet, but you will. “I eat them at least three times a week,” said sophomore Jake Gaby. “Sometimes that’s all I eat for lunch.” They offer something sweet and delicious without being totally unhealthy, and making you feel gross about yourself after eating. “It’s literally the exact same thing as dippin dots but yogurt,” Gaby said. “You could compare it like frozen yogurt and ice cream.” Although the item seems to be a bit pricey at $2.85 a package it hasn’t been stopping most students. Junior Alexis Poe buys YoDots everyday at lunch, not only for herself but all her friends too. “I had never had them before,” Poe said. “But once I got them for the first time I got addicted and craved them all the time. They made my day so much better.” They’re a more efficient way of eating frozen yogurt without the mess. However Poe said that her mom would be happier without her buying them due to the cost. “I’ve never had Dippin Dots before so I can’t compare, but my friends who have, also like YoDots just as much,” Poe said.

1801

calories

19g

sugars

23g

20mg

cholesterol

5mg

80mg

sodium

65mg

Entertainment

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

Halloween: The Night HE Made A Classic

Brett smith

staff writer eath has come to your little town, sheriff.” - Dr. Samuel Loomis. Every year, a haunting date makes its way onto the calendar, a day of ghosts and ghouls. Halloween is a time where children and their friends LARP as their favorite fictional and nonfictional persons and travel door-to-door, collecting candy from strangers and getting a good laugh out of scaring the pants off of their squeamish friends. But if you look beyond the jack-o-lanterns, lurking in the trash pile of chocolate wrappers are the real “frightful” surprises of the night. Wolves with the physical attributes of humans howl throughout the night, blood-sucking stalkers infiltrate the houses of their next victims, and William Shatner doppelgangers double as bogeymen, looming the late hours of their childhood neighborhood in search of their sister. OK, so that doesn’t sound like a typical Halloween. Usually, it’s carving pumpkins with your babysitter and watching scary movies with the girl next door. But for Laurie Strode, Dr. Loomis, and all of Haddonfield, Ill., it’s a night they’ll never forget. We’re introduced to “Halloween” through the 6-year-old eyes of our young antagonist, Michael Myers, as stalks around his house late at night. He enters the kitchen, grabs a large carving knife, puts on his clown mask, and heads upstairs to his sister Judith Myers’s room. He infiltrates her room, where his sister then “ran into his knife” about 10 times until she eventually dies from her wounds. Michael then leaves the house, with his parents inexplicably arriving home at the same time as the murder, approaching the young killer and questioning why he is carrying a bloody knife. We jump to 15 years later at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. We are introduced to Dr. Samuel Loomis, Michael’s doctor and psychologist played by the immortal Donald Pleasence, who has been with him since he murdered his sister on that fateful Halloween night. “I spent eight years trying to reach him,” recalled Dr. Loomis. “and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely

“D

and simply... evil.” Later, Loomis, along with a nurse, drive up to Smith’s Grove to pick up Michael and transfer him to another location. However as they approach the building, Loomis noticed that there are inmates roaming outside. Loomis goes into the building, and Michael jumps onto the car and proceeds to attack the nurse. He throws her out of the vehicle and drives away from Smith’s Grove. How he can successfully drive a car after spending 15 years in the same building without any contact with the outside world is very impressive, so props to Mr. Myers on that one. In Haddonfield on Oct. 30, we find protagonist Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, at her school gazing out the window at a mysterious figure behind a police car. But she turns away for a moment to answer the teacher, and when she glances back both the car and the shape are gone without a trace. Not sure how he could leave with the car and for Laurie not to hear the car start. However, I really like this about Michael, and it is shown again throughout the film. I mean, he’s the bogeyman. The embodiment of evil. This gives the character a sense that he could be anywhere at any time, making him even more terrifying than the shape already is. After this scene, Michael follows Laurie and her friends in the police car as they walk home from school. But after he passes them, the girls continue along their way, unaware they have become a killer’s new targets. This is another thing the movie does right: everything happens for a reason. Every event Michael takes part of all lead with motivations leaning towards a single purpose. Everything mentioned and achieved feels very natural, as if months of planning had gone into play. No one is thrown away. Every character, big or small, strongly contributes here. Cut to the elementary school where Tommy Doyle, a young boy that Laurie babysits, is carrying a pumpkin that he wants to carve. He is teased by the other children, who tell him the bogeyman will come for him. The shift of the camera angle switching to the ground as Tommy falls onto and smashes the pumpkin is very impactful, and connects the viewer with him in his moment of weakness. Next to the scares, something that this movie executes extremely well is the characters. Each one of them is relatable in their own ways, and you almost instantly

feel for them. As the boys run away from Tommy, Michael catches one of them outside the gate, but lets him go. Something that this film does a great job of, and this scene really shows that, is the suspense in this film. Even if you think you do, you never really know what is going to happen, and you are always left in a state of panic and paranoia every time that he is present in a scene. There are points where you know where he is, and the anticipation gets to you, or you know that he’s there, but you don’t know where in the room, or house, that he is at in that moment. The remainder of this movie is filled with lots of suspenseful material, horror and scares for anyone to enjoy, and is just too good to give away. It’s a masterpiece in my eyes; from the acting to the plot structure, this movie has everything you’d want to find inside a slasher film. This was the first horror film I saw, and I have been watching it every Halloween since I was about three years old. The characters in all of their respects are very relatable and memorable, and the fact that the love for this film has been just as strong today as it was in 1978 is truly amazing. This earns its spot as a iconic slasher film, and stands its ground in history as one of the best horror movies of all time.

in a clothing slump? Outfits on repeat Sophie Baron staff writer

earing the same outfit may seem a bit repetitive, but for many people it provides a sense of comfort and reassurance. Students often wear the same thing out of habit, search for comfort or just because he or she likes that particular piece. “The school is freezing and I think of it as a part of my books or lunchbox,” junior Marissa Brady said in reference to her pink North Face jacket. “It’s just something I take with me to school.” Brady comes prepared with a jacket for all seasons. Although almost everyone has more than one jacket, not all people have two of the same one. “I have one that is heavier for the winter and one that isn’t but they are the same color so it makes it seems like I wear it every day,” Brady said.

Many things come along with being a repeat offender. One of these things is judgement from other students. Although it may not be life changing or too important, it does still happen. “I think people just think of Marissa as a pink jacket,” Brady said. “I don’t know, if they do judge me for then they do it behind my back for sure.” On the other hand, if an article of clothing is so special to a person, they do not care what others think of it. For these people it is difficult to think of what would happen if they could no longer wear it. “I think if someone told me that I couldn’t wear it ever again I would be very upset because this bracelet allows me to feel connected to my friends in Kansas City,” junior Nicole Fagin said noting a bracelet she wears every day. “But, I don’t think it would be the end of the world because I have other memories and objects that help me think of them.”

Outfits of the week Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Wednesday

22 corRAL Distractions increase need for restrictions in classes where students want to learn

Opinions

Nov. 4, 2016

Madeline Lee staff writer

s colleges become more competitive, the pressure to take challenge classes is increasing. However, with more students comes more distractions, which can take away from other’s learning. “Some people definitely distract from the upper-level learning environment,” sophomore Divya Minnaganti said. “It makes it harder to learn.” More restrictions to get into those classes as a way to minimize distractions and maximize the learning environment and experience for other students. An entrance exam would be impractical, but if counselors looked at the grade, overall GPA, and citizenship grades of students who want to level up, then it would make the learning experience of other students more meaningful and enjoyable. “It’s an honors class for a reason,” sophomore Sophie Zucker said. “Some people who shouldn’t be in the class are also really immature and misbehaving, and that disturbs the other students.” In addition to counselors looking more harshly at GPA and citizenship grades, students who want to move into advanced classes should also have to get a signature from three current teachers. That way, a thorough examination of the student’s behavior -- not just intellect -- can be conducted, which allows for fewer distractions in class and it keeps those students who just want the weighted grade out. “There should be GPA requirements because if someone has a low GPA, then they shouldn’t be allowed in an AP class

because they shouldn’t waste the teacher’s time,” sophomore Noah Pistory said. “They should raise it before trying to join an honors class.” Along with minimizing class distractions, admissions criteria would keep class sizes down. In a school where some AP and honors classes are comprised of 25 students in one period, such as Dr. Susan King’s second block AP World class, smaller classes would not be a bad thing. In addition to that, larger class sizes provoke the need to talk to peers more, even when teaching is going on, which distracts the class further. Distractions in class cause student’s learning to be disrupted as well as the teachings of the lesson, which impacts the overall classroom environment and even grades of other students. “I think there should be a citizenship requirement,” senior Claire Huang said. “There should also be class requirements, Students in Joni Patton’s AP World History class study during Academic Lab. AP World is a sophomore-level class that is like you have to go through one class to get currently taught by Patton and Susan King. to another one.” sophomore Alex Edelman said. Some students believe that honors Yes, kids who want to challenge themselves should be able classes should have an open enrollment and that any student, to, but before they challenge themselves in an honors or AP regardless of their preparedness for the material or their behavclass, they should challenge themselves to get their GPA up and ior in their other classes should be able to take an honors- or their citizenship grades up so that they can be an asset to the AP-level course. class, not a detriment to the learning environment. “It should be a free learning opportunity for all students,”

School should be called off on the jewish high holy days kayla benjamin editor-in-chief

f you are looking for a shocking, never-before-heard, eyebrow-raising opinion, you are not going to find it in this piece. Jewish students, non-Jewish students and teachers have voiced this idea before and will probably continue to do so until someone finally makes it happen: We should have school off on the Jewish high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Having school on those holidays is unfair to the considerable number of Jewish students at PCH who, in some cases, miss out on the one valuable thing that happens at school on these days: extra work time with a teacher readily available. For example, on Yom Kippur, my AP Lit classmates worked on their Othello essay. I missed out on time that I could have used to ask vital questions; I was at a disadvantage, though very slight, that I needed to make up for. On the other hand, there has definitely been something done to negate this unfairness. It’s a cultural guideline for teachers that the high holy days are work days or review days or, more

commonly, “do-nothing-at-all” days. No teacher at our school can really teach anything when at least a quarter of their class will likely miss out. Yet it makes no sense to have two days of school entirely devoted to the inability to do anything productive. What I have presented here is a quandary: Students shouldn’t be put at a disadvantage because of their religion, but it’s ridiculous to be at school when teachers can’t teach. So the answer is clear -- we should have the days off. Everyone wins. Jewish students don’t miss out, no one has to put up with unproductive school days, and if you don’t have to be at synagogue, you have two free days. “But then wouldn’t you have to take off for all the minority religions’ holidays?” Good point. No student should bear the stress of make-up work for religious reasons. However, if one or two students in a class have to make things up, it’s not too difficult for a teacher to answer their questions and fill them in during ac lab, before or after school. When eight or nine students converge on a teacher, simple questions can become confusing and hard to follow. The percentage of Jews at PCH makes it pretty impractical

to do make-up work. “But if we take off, we’d have to go two more days into the summer.” Another valid point. Except this year we had four-day weekend just one week after Rosh Hashanah. If Fall Break had been a week earlier, the pointless school day would have been removed, and Jewish students would not have had to make up for the potential lost class time. “But there aren’t nearly as many Jewish students in most of the rest of the district.” This is true. Nevertheless, it is irrelevant as an argument. As I pointed out before, the district took off two days for Fall Break. So to change those two days to be on the Jewish holidays doesn’t hurt anybody. It would help Parkway Central to avoid its yearly dilemma of useless school days and would not take away anything from schools with lower Jewish populations. It’s a winwin situation. There are few, if any, logical reasons to have school on the Jewish holidays. I urge the district to stop being silly and do something about it.

Teacher’s lesson plan for the week of Oct. 3 MON (Rosh Hashanah)

TUES

WED

THURS

FRI

>NOTHING >NADA >ZIP >ZERO

>Daily quiz >Vocab >Cover Unit 4 -- learning objectives -- background -- outline

>Daily quiz >Pass quiz back >Introduce project -- questions -- show past projects >Vocab

>Daily quiz >Vocab >Project research >Pass back quiz >Pass out articles

>Check annotations >Class discussion --everyone speaks --move desks back >Pass back quiz

opinions

Nov. 4, 2016

corRAL

remember the rules of the road Devon Ware guest reporter

y now, most of us have spent years walking in the hallways of a school, moving between classes while taking care of bathroom breaks, water bottle refills and prime social time. Maybe we’ve spent too long in this routine, so we need a few reminders on how to travel from class to class without disturbing -- or downright annoying each other:

Rule #2: Keep it moving What possesses someone to stop moving in the halls? You only have six or seven minutes to get to where you’re going, depending on the day, so why pause and hold up traffic? It only takes one person to mess up the flow, and you do not want to be that person!

Rule #3: PDA can wait Yes, some students choose to find a companion to spend their time with at school, and that’s understandable. However, this does not mean you have to be publically affectionate with each other at all times. Not everyone wants to see that -- in fact, most people aren’t interested in watching your public displays of affection. It makes us uncomfortable, so do that on your own time and not in the mix of hundreds of kids.

Rule #4: Keep your hands inside the vehicle Under no conditions should you shove anyone in the halls. Not only is it childish and will tick people off, but also it affects more people than you think. That single push can result in a collision with someone you never intended to bring into your game, which results in anger at the least and complete and utter chaos that leads a lot of students to be late to class, another thing we do not need.

Rule #1: Stay on the right side If you live in United States, you should be aware we drive on the right side of the road. Those rules still apply inside of the school. Don’t drift to the left unless you want a major collision. Do everyone a favor and stay in your lane!

Mix it up day stirs up nothing new Jordyn tobias

Libby archer

Guest reporter

features editor

ix It Up Day happened on Oct. 26, but you might not have even noticed. At lunch everyone sat down in their normal spots. Yes, normal spots, because even though it was “Mix It Up Day,” nothing of significance changed. Sure there were low-quality audio tracks of pop songs playing a little too loud in the background of the conversational din, but for the most part, people were just talking over them and carrying on with their day. Yes, some people may find the class games fun and interactive, but so many people ignore them and talk at their tables that it’s hard to follow the games even if you try. Dressing up in odd attire can be fun, but barely anyone did it; most people seemed to be saving up until Halloween that was less than a week after this scheduled day. Whether it be sheer laziness of high schoolers or having barely a week’s notice about the day, the lack of participation further cements its arbitrary appearance on our busy school calendar. The point of Mix It Up Day as stated in the announcements was to “celebrate the diversity” of school.

an open letter from an angry junior

ear freshmen who sit in the lower commons in the morning,

Don’t be fooled by our smiles. We are not showing our enjoyment of Mix It Up Day but merely how adorable we look in our matching hats.

What makes our diverse school atmosphere so special is that it just exists. We have students with a variety of interests, cultures, religions, activities, career goals and personalities walking through the halls each day. That diversity doesn’t need to be pointed out or “celebrated,” because its greatness comes in the fact that it’s just naturally integrated into our school culture. Silly socks and random games, while entertaining for some, don’t change that fact.

I have no problem with you sitting in an area that has traditionally been the “junior section.” I am baffled that a group of freshmen want to hang out in the space where the junior class sits, but my actual issue isn’t you sitting there. My difficulty with you started when you threw trash around and shouted obscenities in that unofficial junior zone. Like seriously, it is 7:15 in the morning. Maybe it’s because high school has beaten my soul to a pulp, but I have no clue how you have that amount of energy to fight and scream before school has even started. I’m not going to lie, in my first interaction with you, I completely overreacted because I was in a bad mood. I decided in my sleepless mind that yelling and questioning why you were there to begin with was the best bet to make you shut up and leave. I really regret this decision and wished we would’ve had a better first interaction. But your collective response to my action was immature and just rude. I’m not even 100 percent sure that you started yelling things at me because I yelled at you or if it was because I was an easy target, but you made me feel like trash. I found out later that I wasn’t the only girl that was getting these profanities yelled at them. As a freshman, I was so uncomfortable even making eye contact with an upperclassman, so this turn of

events has really puzzled me more than anything. I am pretty sure the reason for this sudden boost of confidence is the group effect. I am almost positive that if any of you came up to me individually and said those things to me you would pee your pants. I know that I would’ve done that as a 14-year-old. In response the group, mostly girls, decided that on Oct 21, we would occupy the lower commons. Some students brought breakfast and the whole junior class was invited to come and sit at 6:45 a.m. Surprisingly, about 30 people showed up by 7 a.m., and they kept multiplying as the time got closer to 7:30, and we were asked to stop our “demonstration.” But I still have an issue, dear freshmen. In the morning I have found myself walking a different route so I don’t have to go down the main staircase and face you. I don’t want to start my day with your antics. This is not a declaration of war. I just want you know that I want to feel comfortable in my own school again. Love, An Exhausted Junior Girl

24 corRAL

spotlight

Nov. 4, 2016

sisters start own business Madeline lee staff writer

tarting a business from scratch, sisters junior Funmi and sophomore Olamide Ayeni created Genki Slush, a beverage business that has been featured in the Festival of Nations and Oktoberfest. “I felt like there were no healthy options out there for kids,” Olamide Ayeni said. “I love slushies, but my mom never let me have them because they are unhealthy, so my sister and I decided to make healthier options. Our drinks actually have fruit in them instead of just sugary mush.” The sisters came up with the business for a camp known as Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. The camp is for high school students and is a competition that gives winners a cash prize. “I did the business plan and the math, and Olamide made the recipe,” Funmi Ayeni said. “Doing that combined both of our strengths. We won the competition, and we got money because of it.” The sisters had to come up with a business plan and present it in order to win money from the NTE camp; the presentation itself took two weeks. “I always expect perfection,” Olamide Ayeni said. “If I expect it to go far, I do anything to get it to where it needs and I look for solutions to any problems that arise.” The sisters get the ingredients, including fresh fruit, from Trader Joe’s and Schnucks. They purchase ingredients that are fresh and mostly organic. “We did market research, so we had mango and strawberry frozen drinks, and in October we had pumpkin spice frozen and a warm drink,” Olamide Ayeni said. “For winter we are thinking vanilla because of snow. The whole basis is to have an alternative solution to other frozen drinks like slushies; these are all natural ingredients and healthy, and there’s also no dairy.” The name “Genki Slush” comes from the Japanese word for “healthy” due to the healthy alternatives for slushies. “We haven’t found a place we can sell, a vendor, because we have been busy with school,” Funmi Ayeni said. “We will be registering and legalizing our business pretty soon -- our mom and dad will help us with that.” The sisters will continue with the business, and they hope to have an outside store-front by the time Olamide Ayeni graduates high school in 2019. “It’s always in the back of my head, I’m always thinking about it,” Olamide Ayeni said. “About seven hours a week we just see what we have and look for more opportunities to sell: what flavors are in, what fads are happening -- it’s not a chore for me at all.”

Photo by Madeline Lee

FROM THE

GROUND