Globe Newsmagazine, April 2020, Issue 7, Vol. 91

G T he Globe

The College Dilemma +pg 19

. VOLUME 91 . ISSUE 7 .

CLAYTON HIGH SCHOOL. CLAYTON, MO. APRIL 2020.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! The Globe is an entirely self-funded publication. We receive no funding from the school district for printing. Each issue of the Globe costs approximately $2000 to print.

We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for their support of our publication. They make our work possible. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please email us at globe@claytonschools.net.

ISSUE SPONSORS ($2000 Level) Gail Workman

GOLDEN GREYHOUND SPONSORS ($200+ Level) DTLS Landscape Architecture Dale Avenue Pediatrics Windsor Madonna O Cotlar Dave Stine Woodworking Yeung Realtors Melissa Clark Clayton Pilates Studio

The Thompson Richardson Team St. Louis Suit Company Clayton All in Coalition Van’t Hof Family Cobblestone Quality Shoe Repair The Retina Institute

WORLD TRAVELER SPONSORS ($100+ Level) The LaGesse Stanton Family The Sturmoski Family The Abburi Family Jane Cross Eugene Cross Bob and Betsy Cuneo The Stemmler Family Charlotte de Sauvage Nolting Sangeeta Khanna and Aseem Sharma The Chung Family Washington University Physicians Allergy & Immunology Clinics Mary and Dick Anthony Robin and Neil Snelling Maya Jerath and Sanjoy Baruah Venkatesh Narayan and Gita Krishnaswamy Christy Hager DDS Ann Sachar

Angela and Troy Quinn Chandrakant and Aruna Tailor Protzel’s Delicatessen Celsius Cryo-Therapy The Erlin Family Debbie and Andy Schwartz Chandrakant Tailor The Choo-Kang Family The Family of Lary Baker Go Inc. Kay Quinn Malone Geoffrey Espe David LaGesse and Laura Stanton Mindy Keller Jill Moran The Chatterjee Family The Palamand Family The Fisher Family Sharon and Riley Gordon

Christine Auston The Melinger Family Maya Jerath and Sanjoy Baruah Antonie and Makedonka Mitrev The Kerr Family Mindy Knows Katy Morris and How Sweet Is This Marisa and Josip Kos David Anston Kim and Tom Coorigan Karen Prechtt

April 2020

Photo of senior Lila Taylor dressed her in finest beachwear for the dance marathon. Read more about the event on page 11.

Photo by Haley Lewis.

10 Medicaid Expansion

A balliot intiative to expand Medicaid is gaining popularity. The Globe examines the possible impact.

12 Anti-Trans Legislation

Bills that intend to restrict the participation of athletes on teams that do not match their birth certificate gender are currently passing through Missouri legislation.

19 The Cost of College The Globe examines the rising cost of college and Clayton’s culture surrounding higher education.

globe.

STAFF

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Grace Snelling and Lila Taylor

CHIEF MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Michael Melinger

CHIEF DIGITAL EDITOR Richard Cheng

SENIOR MANAGING EDITORS Ashley Chung Katie He Noor Jerath Sara Stemmler

SECTION EDITORS Cece Cohen, BREAKING NEWS/ DIGITAL Shane LaGesse & Kaitlyn Tran, NEWS Disha Chatterjee & Sofia Erlin, FEATURE Jimmy Malone, SPORTS Eliot Blackmoore & Danny Choo-Kang, OPINION

REPORTERS Owen Auston-Babcock Isabella Bamnolker Luka Bassnett Emma Baum Sophia Boyd Danny Bui Jenna Bush Seraphina Corbo Chloe Creighton Isabelle Cross Sonali Dayal Hannah Do Paige Espe Tiancheng Fan Thomas Gustafson Alexandra Hagemeister Max Hagemeister Abigail Hoelscher Sasha Keller Ryan Kerr Daphne Kraushaar

Rachel Liang Moriah Lotsoff Isaac Millians Ana Mitreva Sofia Mutis Ruby Nadin Sofia Puerto Reese Quinn Emma Raine Ivy Reed Helena Reuter Maya Richter Ananya Shah Kathryn Smith Samuel Smith Sophie Srenco Abigail Sucher Sava Tamanaha Carola Vaqueiro Elaine Yoo Sophie Yoshino

Siddhi Narayan & Bridget Walsh, REVIEW

COPY EDITOR Yiyun Xu

PHOTO EDITOR Ella Cuneo

PAGE EDITORS Sarah Baker Vivian Chen Josephine Cross Kate Freedman Sahithya Gokaraju Tallulah Hawley Maxwell Keller Kaia Mills-Lee Margy Mooney

Neema Naemi Naveed Naemi Ruth Pierson Dheera Rathikindi William Redington Junyi Su Sophia Thompson Angela Xiao

PHOTOGRAPHERS Natalie Ashrafzadeh Celia Baer Natalie Bone Lillan Brown Jelani Christmas Isabella Clark Abigail Cooper Audrey Deutsch Gwen Duplain Ellayna French Sophie Furdek Davia Goette Lucia Johnson Kate Lay Whitney Le

Haley Lewis Naomi Merrihue-Irving Eli Millner Mallory Palmer Deborah Park Elise Restemayer Elia Rios Ryan Rosenthal Katherine Rother Annika Sandquist Emma Siegel Emma Stipanovich Katherine Walsh Olivia Williams Lauren Wolff

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from the editor

KATIE HE | SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR

My mom sits at the breakfast table and reads the latest coronavirus news aloud, a daily routine I foresee for the rest of my spring break and possibly for the next few months. As she announces the staggering increase of infected people worldwide, I can’t help but wonder how different the rest of my senior year would have looked like if coronavirus was not here.

It seems as if the pandemic has touched every corner of my life, canceling major events such as concerts, sports games and now school.

Presidential races have suspended their rallies. Major amusement parks have shut down. Festivals around the countries have been canceled. Restaurants and malls have closed their doors as well. Now, cities, states and countries across the world have enacted stay-at-home orders in an attempt to combat the spread of coronavirus. St. Louis is among these cities and it is becoming more clear each day that this pandemic is not going away any time soon.

As more teachers begin posting their new agendas on google classroom, it reminds me that we are entering an unprecedented time, and that it is ever more important to stay safe and act responsibly, because our actions today will determine the trajectory of the next several months

and will be recorded in the history books.

Although it seems that coronavirus only brought with it turmoil and devastation, there are a few positive things that came from it. And it is important to focus on the positives while practicing social distancing in order to maintain a healthy mental state.

Here are a few positive things that have come from the coronavirus: Positive Number 1: Air pollution levels have gone down across major cities around the countries. As a result, air quality for many city residences has improved. Also, for the first time in a while, canal waters in Venice have cleared.

Although these changes are temporary due to the lockdowns caused by the coronavirus, the pandemic’s impact on the climate offers a glimpse on how countries and corporations can work together in the future to combat climate change more effectively.

Positive Number 2: The coronavirus has been a wakeup call as to how under-prepared the United States, and even the world is towards fighting infectious diseases. It has shown us the importance of establishing a strong public health and could result in a more efficient response system and increase preparedness for future epidemics.

Positive Number 3: People are finding creative ways to stay engaged in their community. In a New York Times article, a reporter said people are participating in “Zoom art classes, Skype book clubs, Periscope jam sessions. We’ve got people picking up video game consoles again, taking livestreamed yoga classes, joining virtual dinner parties, and teaching their grandparents how to use FaceTime.” Coronavirus is showing people how the internet should be used: as a way to connect to others, share information and resources, and build communities of people.

It is important during this period of isolation to maintain a healthy mental state. Pick up a new hobby, set up times to call a family member of friend, or spend time working on yourself. Although social distancing can be tough, I know we can still make the best of the situation.

PERLUT PERSISTS CHS junior Jackson Perlut faces off against another player for possession of the puck. Perlut ended the season with six goals and eight assists. The team finished the season 11-11-2.

PHOTOGRAPHER

ELI MILLNER

8

news & notes SHANE LAGESSE | KAITLYN TRAN NEWS SECTION EDITORS

coronavirus hits STL

dance marathon

spring sports delay Due to concerns for the coronavirus, spring sports have been suspended alongside physical school attendance until April 23.

It is uncertain if sports will be resumed on April 23. If the virus still presents a large enough threat, seasons will likely remain postponed.

COVID-19, or the coronavirus, has rapidly spread around the globe, with over 400,000 cases confirmed and 17,261 deaths globally as of March 24th. In the United States, about 48,778 cases have been confirmed, with the first Missouri case reported on March 5th.

Clayton High School held their second annual Dance Marathon, in partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, on February 28th. Over the year, students have been raising donations through activities, events and a final four-hour dance challenge, where it was announced that the group raised over $29,000 to donate to St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon.

The case was a St. Louis-area female student returning to St. Louis after studying abroad in Italy. The woman and her family live in Ladue and were instructed to isolate themselves in their home. However, the woman’s father and younger sister attended a father-daughter dinner dance on March 7th, which was hosted by Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School and held at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. Villa Duchesne and MICDS were closed on Monday, March 9th, for health concerns.

peace in afghanistan

candidates visit stl In preparation for the Missouri democratic primary on March 10th, candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders held rallies in St. Louis.

Candidate Joe Biden won both St. Louis and the state of Missouri, and overall gained a further lead over Sanders. As the democratic primaries slowly come to a close, people are gearing up for the national election on November 3rd, 2020.

On February 29th, American peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban cofounder Mullah Baradar signed a peace agreement that could result in U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan has lasted more than 18 years, and the peace agreement was signed after nine rounds of discussion that addressed the issues of cease-fire, withdrawal of foreign forces, intra-Afghan negotiations and counterterrorism assurances. The agreement is the first step of many in negotiating peace with the organization.

9 ANGELA XIAO | PAGE EDITOR

IOWA CAUCUS

Sanders wins, while Buttigieg gets second.

Both Sanders and Buttigieg declare victory due to technological issues.

Biden wins South Carolina primary.

Steyer drops out

22 3

Sanders wins Nevada primary

Biden pulls ahead winning key states.

SUPER TUESDAY

29 4

Yang, Patrick and Bennet end their campaigns

MAR 1 2

Buttigieg and Klobuchar drop out and endorse Biden.

5

Warren drops out after a strong start to her campaign.

Bloomberg drops out after spending $660M on his campaign.

11

Biden wins Missouri and three other states, extending his lead over Sanders.

16

IN, CT, GA, KY, LA, MD and OH primaries are postponed because of COVID-19 concerns.

19 Tulsi Gabbard drops out off the race after being unable to gain vast support. She exits the race with only 2 delegates.

democratic primary

FEB 3 11-12

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

10

medicaid expansion A new ballot initiative hopes to bring healthcare to over 200,000 Missourians.

SOFIA ERLIN | FEATURE SECTION EDITOR

Golden State Medical Supply recently announced the recall of seven lots of 150mg ranitidine and 12 lots of 300mg ranitidine capsules made for Golden State by manufacturer Novitium Pharma. (Dreamstime/TNS) Missouri is one of only 17 states that have not chosen to expand Medicaid— but a new ballot initiative seeks to change this.

The ballot initiative aims to increase Medicaid coverage to Missourians making less than 138% of the federal poverty level. This means individuals earning below $18,000 per year or $30,000 for a family of three, much higher than the 22% of the federal poverty level that currently applies to families of three.

According to Healthcare for Missouri, this expansion would give healthcare to more than 200,000 Missourians.

Currently, many uninsured Missourians are unable to get treatment until their conditions become life-threatening, causing them to rely on expensive emergency room treatment.

Proponents of Medicaid expansion argue that providing insurance to these lower income citizens will save the healthcare system money because they will receive care before their conditions deteriorate.

In 2018, there were approximately 564,000 uninsured Missourians, an increase from previ-

ous years. Without health insurance, Missourians are vulnerable to medical emergencies which lead to extreme medical debt. Missouri’s uninsured population is unusually concentrated in rural areas. Compared to the national average of 14.7%, 21.6% of uninsured Missourians live in rural areas. Lack of medicaid expansion harms these rural areas in particular.

A lack of health insurance has contributed to

other hospital employees their jobs.

Medicaid expansion would also benefit Missouri’s urban population. St. Louis city has an uninsured rate of 19.3%, more than double the nation uninsured rate of 8.5%. Without reliable health insurance, people are not able to receive the checkups needed to stay healthy. Minor health conditions can spiral into serious health issues.

Besides helping keep the state healthy, Medicaid expansion would also save the state money. Although expansion states no longer receive 100% federal matching on covering newly eligible populations (the number has been reduced to 90%), the WashU Center for Health and Economics Policy’s analysis found that Medicaid expansion in Missouri would save the state an estimated $39 million.

In order to get this initiative on the November ballot, Healthcare for Missouri must gather 172,000 signatures by May 3. Washington University and BJC Healthcare have already voiced support for the expansion. If successful, Medicaid expansion will be on the 2020 ballot.

“Medicaid expansion in Missouri would save the state an estimated $39 million.” the closing of rural hospitals. A study conducted

by Protect Our Care found that of the 84 rural hospital closures since 2010 they analyzed, 90% were in states without expanded Medicaid. In Missouri, nine rural hospitals have closed since 2014.

When rural hospitals close, Missourians lose access to medical care. This increases ambulance commute times and costs doctors, nurses and

11

dance marathon 2020 DISHA CHATTERJEE | FEATURE SECTION EDITOR

Despite only being its second year, the Clayton Dance Marathon team successfully fundraised over $29,000 and looks to continue expanding next year.

Miracle Network Dance Marathon is a national movement that raises funds and awareness for pediatric hospitals across America. The movement has raised over $300 million since its inception in 1991-- and CHS has contributed $50,000 to this organization over the last two years alone.

The year-long fundraising effort, with the main four-hour long event on Feb. 28, was introduced to Clayton in 2018 and had its second-ever event this past February. However, in the span of a mere two years, Dance Marathon has grown and gained a name for itself at CHS. “This year, logistically, we just had a lot more activities going on, we had more sponsors involved, we of course raised more money, we had more kids from the hospital at our event, but overall, everyone was just a lot more empowered to meet our goal and do more for the kids,” Executive Board Member and junior Abby Mann said.

Co-director Bridget Walsh also attributed their success to a larger presence on the board, a strong drive to remain motivated and a deeper understanding of what dance marathon is.

However, she recognizes it wasn’t perfect.

“I saw a lot more recognition in the school and a lot more recognition in the community. I know that [Annika Sandquist] and I were really excited about it, so I was hoping we could take that excitement and create a strong board-- and I think we did, for the most part, but that’s also an area we can improve,” Walsh said.

While they continued effective fundraising strategies from last year, such as bake sales, the team found new opportunities for gaining donations in the community as a whole.

Mann believes the group has expanded their focus past the high school group by becoming involved at the elementary school level as well, for instance, charging students one dollar to wear their pajamas to school a certain day. Other innovative ideas proved to be successes as well.

“We did a cycling workout class where we asked people to donate if they were not on the

the executive board,” Mann said.

Some other goals include going to the hospital multiple times to be more involved with the kids themselves, such as through dance program opportunities or arts and crafts activities. Mann’s hope next year is to keep the focus on these children, shifting the focus away from the amount of money raised to how the team can impact the kids.

Although Walsh graduates this year, she wishes to see more dancers at the event next year.

“I would like to see a bigger involvement in the CHS community which I know is hard, because Clayton doesn’t always have a lot of school spirit, but I was hoping that is something we can work on,” Walsh said.

Mann hopes this will become a reality by changing the date of sign-ups. Although the team starts meeting early into the year, sign-ups are not released until winter. She believes by starting the two events at around the same time, they can raise a greater amount of awareness.

“It’s only our second year. People don’t really know exactly what it is yet. At the beginning of the year, people are looking for ways to PHOTO BY RUBY GALLEGOS get involved in clubs or organizations. If we start [sign-ups] earlier, discouraged when the event we’re going to have more time to get the word out is so far away. You can sometimes lose sight of there,” Mann said. the end goal of helping the kids. But the meetings Both Mann and Walsh additionally want peowere there, and they were a great reminder every ple to realize that although the title includes the week of ‘here’s why we’re doing this.’” word “dance,” several other activities are planned, Next year, the dance marathon team hopes to and the event is much more centered around get the teachers involved as well. This year’s event raising awareness for a good cause. featured CHS business teacher Justin Hildebrand “If you don’t like dancing, you can still come! being taped to the wall by students who paid for a You could ask anyone who came this year. We piece of tape. The team hopes more teachers will had a ton of different things lined up-- a limbo, be involved the night of, as well as throughout the a bouncy house, food from lots of different whole process, raising money within departcompanies-- everyone can find a different way to ments. be involved. We want you to be involved,” Mann “We don’t want this to be known as a onesaid. night event, we want it to be a year-long thing that gets the whole school empowered, not just board, and for everyone on the board, we asked them to try and get sponsors for every mile they were able to ride,” Walsh said.

The tight-knit group met every Sunday night, starting a month and a half into school and concluding shortly after the main event. Although Mann’s work was flexible and meetings were not mandatory, she describes the atmosphere at each meeting positively and speaks highly of the community.

“Everyone is there because they want to help the kids and they want to do the work… you just walk in the room, and everyone’s ready and excited to do something,” Mann said. “It’s easy to get

12

proposed legislation threatens transgender rights A wave of anti-transgender bills aim to limit transgender participation in sports that correspond with students’ gender identities IVY REED | PAGE EDITOR

Taghert in London | Photo from Taghert gardless of hormone therapy use.” receiving one year of treatment.

“It basically affirmed my sense of belonging.

“We already have a climate where transgender Missouri’s policy is seen as too restrictive by Playing on the boys’ team, I never really felt like some. Transathlete, an online resource that propeople are [...] targets of violence, they’re targets I belonged,” Nicky Taghert, 2019 CHS graduate, vides information about transgender inclusion in said about her experience playing on the girls’ of bullying. So why would you open things up soccer team as a transgender athlete. and create this opportunity?” said Anneliese sports, sorts states into three categories based on Schaefer, Taghert’s mother. athletics policies for trans high school students: But if proposed state legislation is passed, othFor Taghert to play on the girls’ soccer team, inclusive, needs modification and discriminatory. er trans student athletes in Missouri won’t have she and her family had to complete a long process They define inclusive states as those that do not the same opportunity. require transgender athletes to Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 50, introduced receive hormone treatment or gender reassignment

by Republican state sen“We already have a climate where transgender undergo surgery to play on a team with ator Cindy O’Laughlin, the gender they identify with. is a ballot initiative that people are [...] targets of violence, they’re tarStates in the “need modification” suggests an amendment gets of bullying. So why would you open things category-- Missouri included -to the state constitution do require these parameters. requiring students to parup and create this opportunity?”

But Schaefer believes ticipate in single-gender MHSHAA’s policy is reasonable activities “corresponding despite being rigid. to the student’s biological “We [...] had faith that the process was fair. sex.” A parallel bill, House Joint Resolution (HJR) through the Missouri State High School Activities And that [Nicky] at least had the opportunity to 82, has also been put forward by Republican Association (MSHSAA). MSHSAA’s policy on transgender athlete participation is modeled on make her case. These sports bills just put a wall representative Robert Ross in the Missouri House up and say if you are transgender, you cannot of Representatives.

NCAA’s procedure. Trans males are eligible to participate in the sport that conforms with your play on male teams regardless of whether they While these two bills call for ballot meaidentity,” Schaefer said. sures, House Bill (HB) 2718, also introduced by have begun receiving hormone/medical gender Along with her husband, she has testified at Ross, proposes a law that would bar transgender reassignment treatment, while trans females are females from participating in female sports “reonly eligible to participate in female sports after legislative hearings for these bills in Jefferson

13 City. From her experience at the hearings, she has come to believe that the reasoning behind the proposed legislation is not rooted in sound fact and more based in “emotion and conjecture.”

“Number one, there’s no scientific data to support the idea of this unfair advantage. Number two, these types of restrictions run afoul of federal protections,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer referred to Title IX, which states “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity.”

This federal civil rights law has been used on both sides of the ongoing debate over transgender participation in sports. For example, three Connecticut high school girls argued in a recent lawsuit that a state policy violated Title IX by putting cisgender females at a disadvantage competing against trans females. A ruling has not yet been made at the time of publication.

The ACLU responded to this lawsuit with a statement that called it “a dangerous distortion of both law and science in the service of excluding trans youth from public life.”

According to GLSEN, an organization that works to end discrimination against LGBTQ youth, there is no research supporting the theory that allowing trans females to compete on girls teams gives them a “biological advantage,” as the lawsuit claimed.

“I can’t find any solid, concrete, peer-reviewed data to support the idea that transgender females have a competitive advantage after they’ve had one year’s worth of hormone therapy,” Schaefer said.

Taghert, who now plays club-level soccer in college, agreed: “Speaking from experience, I can attest to the idea of there not being a competitive advantage. [...] One player can’t really affect the team much in terms of ability to win.”

The wave of proposed anti-transgender legislation in the Missouri government isn’t restricted to sports. SB 842 and HB 2051 suggest that any parent who provides for a child under 18 to receive gender reassignment treatment will be guilty of committing child abuse. HB 1565 would give parents the ability to refuse or remove any curriculum relating to gender identity or sexual orientation.

Representative Chuck Basye, who proposed HB 1565, called it “simply a parental rights issue.

[...] Existing Missouri law already has parental notification and an opt-out provision for sex education. I’m trying to include the same consideration for gender identity and sexual orientation based on complaints from [...] parents.”

Two more bills, HB 1721 and SB 848, would ban hormonal or surgical gender reassignment for minors and establish that any medical professional who provides hormonal treatment or performs gender reassignment surgery would be subject to losing their license. Similar bills that prohibit doctors from providing gender reassignment to minors are also proposed in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Idaho, Colorado and Florida,

that trans students’ rights have not been upheld under the Trump Administration. A month into Trump’s presidency, the departments of Justice and Education announced a reversal of Obama administration-issued guidance that pushed schools to allow trans students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity under Title IX. Despite setbacks under Trump’s presidency, there have been steps taken that are encouraging to transgender activists and supporters. For example, “bathroom bills” (that would require transgender people to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their assigned sex at birth instead of their gender identity), have failed in several state legislatures after the Obama-era federal guidance was repealed. When one of these bills was passed in North Carolina in March 2016, a national outcry followed, as well as an economic toll on the state caused by major boycotts. In July 2019, a settlement was reached that made it illegal for the state to “prevent transgender people from lawfully using public facilities in accordance with their gender identity.”

Meanwhile in South Dakota, a recent bill banning gender reassignment surgery or treatment for children under 16 was declared effectively dead. A bathroom bill and an athletic bill similar to SJR 50 and HJR 82 have also failed in the state in recent years.

It’s hard to predict which way these bills will go in Missouri, but their effects will undoubtedly be felt by transgender students.

Taghert said that if this proposed legislation were in place while she was in high school, “it would have been devastating Taghert at a pride parade | Photo from Taghert to me [...] it’s also just a very restrictive and invasive policy that discriminates against trans athletes and just and more will most likely be filed in other states. reinforces the separation of binary.”

On the federal level, a report released last Taghert would not be alone in her devastaJuly by the liberal Center for American Progress tion. Effects would hit particularly trans kids found that under the Trump administration, particularly hard. A 2018 study by the American complaints related to sexual orientation and Academy of Pediatrics found that transgender gender identity have become significantly less teens have disproportionately higher suicide likely to result in corrective action or investigaattempt rates than their cisgender counterparts. tion by the Department of Education’s Office for “I have no question if kids don’t have this outCivil Rights. let and ability to belong on a team sport, that that Though the Department of Education presnumber will only go up,” Schaefer said. ents conflicting data that argues, “students who file civil rights complaints under U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ leadership are served more efficiently and effectively than [...] during the previous administration,” many still feel

14

clayton all-in coalition The Clayton All-In Coalition recently received a federal matching grant for $125,000 and has big plans for the future.

SHANE LAGESSE | NEWS SECTION EDITOR

Kimberly Sherony, the new full-time project director for the Clayton All-In Coalition (Photo from the All-In Coalition website) In a hurry to get to their next class, Clayton High School students rush through the halls to reach their next destination. Lining the walls are posters advertising clubs, sports teams and theater productions. Among these posters are the various advertisements for an organization dedicated to reducing substance abuse in the student population of Clayton: The All-In Coalition.

The Clayton All-In Coalition was created with specific goals in mind: to prevent substance abuse in the Clayton area and to educate Clayton students and parents.

The coalition specifically tries to communicate with the parents of Clayton students, discussing the ins and outs of what role they should play when it comes to substance use for their child.

Through yard signs, fliers, social media posts, monthly meetings and other events, the coalition attempts to accomplish these missions.

“We do a lot of community outreach, so we are always looking to expand our reach within the community. We do a lot of publicizing for our meetings ownline, on our Facebook, the school district has been kind enough to let us advertise our events through the school district itself as well,” said Kimberly Sherony, the project director for the coalition.

Sherony, the first and only full-time member,

joined the coalition with an extensive background in substance use prevention. Having worked for the past seven years for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (NCADA), as well as being a certified Prevention Specialist in Missouri, she looks forward to being able to further the coalition’s size and impact.

The hiring of a full-time director became possible after the coalition received a federal Drug Free Community grant, which awards $125,000 per year for a span of 10 years. The grant must be matched with in-kind donations, volunteer hours, or other means of contribution.

The grant has offered the coalition stability, as beforehand it was entirely volunteer-based. Not only does it provide more funding for the coalition, but this in turn also gives it a greater ability to reach the student base in Clayton.

“In terms of sustainability, we really need that student involvement piece. You know, things might change, sponsors might come and go.

But if there’s that student involvement, then we know that that’s a huge part of our sustainability.”

Sherony said.

The coalition offers monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of every month from 6-7 p.m., which are open to the public. The meetings cover what has happened since the last meeting and

what the coalition plans to accomplish for the coming month.

“We’re really trying to incorporate more involvement into the meetings. We’re asking people to brainstorm ideas with us. Our last meeting, we talked about ways that we could recruit more student representatives,” Sherony said. “We’re also talking about reformatting the meetings a little bit, focusing the first half on the coalition, and then the second half maybe having some outside presenters come in who can speak on topics that align with All-In’s mission.”

The minutes from each meeting are available on the coalition’s website.

The coalition is in its fourth year, and it continues to work on spreading awareness about substance use to Clayton students and parents.

After receiving the grant, the Coalition focused greatly on connecting with more members of the student body.

“Up until October, the coalition was basically run by two parents who were deeply concerned about substance use issues in the area,” Sherony said. “I think our goal for this year is just to expand our visibility and to let people know that, hey, we’re here– to get more student involvement.”

15

stl celebrity

A future Hollywood star lives among us in Clayton.

DAPHNE KRAUSHAAR | REPORTER

THE BEGINNING 10-year-old Riley Adams is a 4th grader at Captain Elementary School. She loves to be creative in art class and play games in P.E., but her life outside of school is very different from the average kid. While most kids kick around a soccer ball on the weekend, Riley is running around from classes to auditions to set. It all started in the living room at two years old, when she was dancing in the mirror and singing around the house. When her family realized her potential and love for theater, they enrolled her in classes at Stages St. Louis.

“Her first show was in her Broadway Babies class at Stages St. Louis,” said Rhonda Adams, Riley’s mom.

PREPARING FOR AUDITIONS After a taste of the theater world, Riley couldn’t get enough. She began auditioning for tons of local productions and taking her training to the next level. During a normal week, Riley has combo classes with Krupinski, then jazz, tap, ballet, leaps and turns, as well as lyrical at COCA. Then, based on upcoming auditions, she schedules facetime sessions with her acting coaches in Los Angeles. She also attends local voice over coaching with Clayton Studios, as well as voice lessons to help her singing technique. All of her time and effort has not gone unnoticed.

Riley is currently represented by three agencies in the United States: one here in St. Louis, one in New York City, and one in LA. Talent agencies like these line her up for some very exciting audition opportunities. Because many of her film auditions are not local, most actually take place in the comfort of their own home.

“They send her an audition request based on her age and her profile for anything from movies to TVs, to commercials, to Broadway Shows,” Rhonda said.

Once they receive the notice, Riley is given 24 to 48 hours to learn and memorize the material, to later tape, and send back to the agency.

“People don’t know how many rejections she gets, they see the things that she is doing, but what they don’t see is all of the times she didn’t get cast,” Rhonda said.

STARRING IN SHOWTIME SERIES About a year ago, Riley sent in audition for “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” a brand new SHOWTIME series that would star Kirsten Dunst and be produced by George Clooney.

“I remember the day we got a call from her

agent, they said, ‘You are not going to believe this… they selected Riley for the role!’”

Shocked and excited, she couldn’t wait to tell Riley. When Riley was asked how she reacted when she found out, she said, “I did a cartwheel, a split and then I screamed!”

From that moment, everything changed. Her family was told that she would need to fly out to New Orleans (the location of the filming) with very little notice. Her character, Melody, would appear in three episodes and each episode would take just over a week to film.

LIFE ON SET Upon arrival to set, Riley was greeted with her own trailer, complete with a refrigerator, a fireplace and of course, wifi. There, she would wait until she was called to set. Being away from home for so long wasn’t easy, but they found ways to adapt.

Rhonda worked remotely, and the show had a set tutor for all of the minors.

“Her set tutor was in communication with her teacher back at home and they collaborated to make sure she wasn’t getting behind in her school work.”

It didn’t take long for Riley to adjust. She developed close relationships with her co-stars, especially Dunst.

“When I talked to her, she was super nice and she said I could call her Kiki! I screamed when I got back to the hotel,” Riley said.

Almost everything affected filming, including the times of sunrise and sunset, along with constant script changes. Even Dunst was learning lines last minute.

“She would tape her lines to the vending machine before scenes… I can’t wait until I’m

Riley Thomas, 10, poses for headshot.

Photo from Riley Thomas famous enough to do that,” Riley said.

Her mom added, “You often think that people in the industry are harsh or snooty but everyone was as friendly as can be, because they wanted everyone to exceed.”

Riley is very grateful for the opportunity that she had, and continues to remain humble about opportunities to come. She’s aware of the tougher side of the industry, but she doesn’t plan on giving up anytime soon. It is her passion for performing arts that keeps her going.

If you are interested in seeing Riley, you can screen “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” on Hulu and SHOWTIME. She will also be performing in COCA’s Hairspray this August as Little Inez, and in the Muny’s 2020 season on the Muny Kids Troupe.

16

in house tiktok stars ANGELA XIAO | PAGE EDITOR

abby wallach With her phone propped up against a wall, loud music playing and a group of friends surrounding her, Abby Wallach records a TikTok. An unlikely celebrity within Clayton High School, Wallach boasts almost 40,000 followers on TikTok and more than 1 million views on her videos. However, Wallach didn’t begin making TikToks to gain fame.

“I started making TikToks because I was getting bored of Snapchat and Instagram and other platforms, so I was excited when a new social media platform started to become popular,” Wallach said.

After a few weeks on the platform, Wallach was hooked. Now, she posts nearly everyday.

“TikTok takes up so much of my time and I’m always scrolling through my following page and my ‘For You’ page. It’s a really fun app that can be used for so many types of videos and finding which ones you like the most,” Wallach said.

The short video clips posted on TikTok become popular by appearing on the “For You” page, which is similar to the recommended feed on Instagram. Several of Wallach’s videos have reached the “For You” page, with her most prominent video receiving 3.7 million views and more than 700,000 likes.

Despite the seemingly pointless dance videos and skits, Wallach believes TikTok plays an important role in high schoolers’ lives.

“TikTok gives people a place to share what’s been going on and connects them to people who experience the same situations.”

tommy karandjeff Sitting in a near-empty McDonald’s with theirr piping hot food placed before them, friends Tommy Karandjeff and Nora Mitchell decided to make a TikTok. They set Karandjeff ’s phone down in front of them and recorded a video. When they uploaded it late that night, they thought nothing of it. Unknowingly, they had just posted a video that would gain them fame.

“Nora and I took the video around 1 a.m., so we went home and to bed after. I woke up to several texts from her that said ‘50k!’ and I was shocked. Now, we’ve hit almost 550k views and counting. It’s surreal.” Karandjeff said.

Mitchell shared Karandjeff ’s surprise.

“It was exciting to watch it grow. I remember getting excited over 4,000 likes and now it’s 100,000 likes, which is crazy and unexpected, because we just made the video for fun and didn’t really expect anything out of it,” Mitchell said.

Despite his current success on TikTok, Karandjeff was initially reluctant to download the app.

“I was hesitant about downloading TikTok, because I saw people getting hooked on it,” Karandjeff said.

It was only when he saw more and more people getting on the platform that he decided to join as well.

Since he’s been on the app, Karandjeff has had a very positive experience.

“It’s a fun platform to interact with other people and get in a good laugh,” Karandjeff said.

The comments feature of TikTok allows it to be very interactive, allowing people around the world to give their opinions on content. Karandjeff ’s video received more than 700 comments, the large majority of which were positive. Karandjeff then responded to these comments, creating conversations that spanned borders.

17

sal planells Many TikTokers aspire to have a single one of their videos go viral. CHS senior and TikToker Sal Planells hasn’t gone viral only once, but twice. His first video went viral in November, garnering 300,000 views. Months later, another one of Planells’ videos gained fame, this time receiving more than 5 million views. Even with his broad success on the app, Planells doesn’t view himself as famous in any way.

“I wouldn’t really consider myself TikTok famous. It’s kind of neat having a few videos go viral as they say, but my life is still the exact same,” Planells said.

Planells hasn’t ever searched for fame on the app; he simply wishes to make people laugh. He has achieved this goal, with thousands of people following his account in search of comedic content. One of his followers is Jacob Grasser, another TikTok star in his own right. They have developed a camaraderie over TikTok. “My favorite TikToker has to be Sal, who is an extremely creative content creator and TikTok genius. He puts out relatable and funny content,” Grasser said.

Not only does TikTok serve as a creative outlet to Plannels, but it helps him overcome challenges in a new way.

“It has helped me deal with things, as I just make a joke out of them,” Plannels said. “I constantly think on the bright side and think about how my experience that may suck could be flipped to make someone laugh.”

jacob grasser While scrolling through a TikTok feed, users are greeted with videos featuring dances, skits and even hacks.

Occasionally, users will see a video of a TikToker parodying their favorite TV show or movie. For CHS senior Jacob Grasser, Star Wars movies serve as the inspiration for his TikToks.

Grasser’s first TikToks were sketches, but he soon transitioned to making Star Wars themed TikToks. His most famous video boasts more than 4 million views and 500,000 likes. In this video, Grasser provides his take on Jedi fighting Stormtroopers. Grasser uses a lightsaber when referencing Jedi and a stormtrooper helmet when playing the role of a Stormtrooper. He enjoys using both props and other features that TikTok offers to enhance his videos.

“My favorite part of making TikToks is the brainstorming phase where you find a cool sound and you’re thinking about how you can craft it to be something new, funny and creative” Grasser said.

Grasser’s unique videos and ingenuity have garnered him much success on the social networking app. However, TikTok has impacted Grasser’s life in more ways than one. Along with more followers, Grasser has gained a better self-perspective.

“Tiktok has changed my life because it shows people who I am and my sense of comedy. This allows me to feel more comfortable being myself now that people have enjoyed what videos I produce, which has also boosted my confidence,” Grasser said.

COMBINED STATISTICS a quick overview of wallach, karandjeff, planells and grasser’s total statistics

tiktoks: 172 followers: 82k likes: 2.2M

STATISTICS ON EACH OF THE 4 TIKTOKERS’ MOST VIRAL VIDEO:

views: 13.7M likes: 1.9M comments: 8k

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The College Dilemma

By Ella Cuneo, Grace Snelling, Noor Jerath and Siddhi Narayan

20

I

The Cost of College

“If you need money, there are schools that are diploma. Bryan Caplan, George Mason University Admission Counseling code prevented schools good with giving it and schools that aren’t. I think Economics Professor and author of the book “The from using financial status as a determining the illusion that you can work really hard and Case Against Education” believes that this has factor in whether or not a student would be go wherever you want, that’s not really true for everything to do with narrowing the application admitted. This strategy is referred to as “needeverybody,” CHS College Admissions Counselor pool. blind admission,” and is much less common Carolyn Blair said.

“Time is money. [Employers] don’t have time today. That same code also mandated that schools In 2019, the average cost of college at a private to judge everyone as an individual. They get hunwould meet students’ full financial needs, another institution was $29,500 per year. That’s a total cost dreds of applications for a lot of jobs. So you have provision that is no longer universal. of $118,000 for four-years.

In fact, according to CHS Two people earning Economics teacher Daniel minimum wage and working Glossenger, the price of 44 hour weeks would have to education for those who are set aside their paychecks for now middle-aged was vastly “Time is money. [Employers] don’t have 142 days to save that much different from what current money. That’s excluding all high school graduates face. time to judge everyone as an individual. other costs of living. A single “The amazing thing to parent would need 284 days me, that people seem to have They get hundreds of applications for a worth of income. forgotten in this country, is For many Americans, that in the 1960s, the vast lot of jobs. So you have to come up with that’s just not realistic. majority of public universiToday, the cost of college is ties were free or nearly free some quick and dirty way to throw away rising much faster than the for virtually everybody that rate of inflation, meaning got in. [. . .] The full package almost all of the applications. In this that average incomes are to go to Mizzou, adjusted for not keeping pace with the inflation, was maybe $1,000 society, especially now, it would be so accelerating financial deor $2,000. Today it’s $10,000 mands of higher education. or $12,000.”

According to a recent study Glossenger’s observation unusual to get highly qualified conducted by the College lines up with the universiBoard, between the 2009-10 ty’s historical tuition and applicants who didn’t have formal and 2019-20 school years, required fees document. The “published in-state tuition earliest year that it records, credentials.” and fees at public four-year 1972, lists average resident institutions increased at an undergraduate tuition at the -Bryan Caplan average rate of 2.2% per year Columbia campus as $540. It beyond inflation.” The same was likely even less than that research found that median in the previous decade. published tuition at public Yet, the compounding and private colleges was price tag of a degree, as Ca$12,710, and that in 2017-18, average debt among to come up with some quick and dirty way to plan observed, has not led to a subsequent decline college borrowers receiving bachelor’s degrees throw away almost all of the applications. In this in enrollment. If anything, college attendance has totaled to $29,000. society, especially now, it would be so unusual to increased significantly since the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Yet, paradoxically, a college degree is becomget highly qualified applicants who didn’t have Needless to say, college costs are rising fast. ing more and more necessary in the job market-formal credentials,” Caplan said.

The question that financial professionals are now even in professions that wouldn’t previously But it hasn’t always been this way. Before the trying to answer is exactly why this pattern has have required anything more than a high school early 1990s, the National Association for College formed and how it can be remediated.

21 Glossenger pointed out four main reasons that tuition has jumped exponentially: an increase in administrative staff, a focus on amenities, support to students from the federal government in the form of loans and incentive to appear more elite. Blair has noticed a prominent push among colleges to live up to the standards that students expect.

“One of the things that I hear my colleagues on the college side talk about are all the things that are expectations from students and families,” Blair said. “They’re looking at the food, the dorms, the WiFi. WashU even experimented with providing free Ubers for a semester. There are a certain amount of things that students come to expect. Colleges feel like they have to do those things.”

In order to compete with other schools, some colleges feel that they must provide services that set them apart from the pack. On the other hand, prospective students are also looking for diversity in terms of race and socio-economic status in higher education.

“Certainly, the admissions offices at universities want diverse incoming classes,” Glossenger said. “It’s something that’s good for their students, but also they need to be able to go back and make their brochure not all rich white kids. That’s an important part of marketing in today’s colleges. They are also looking for diverse socio-economic backgrounds.”

This establishes a difficult challenge for admissions officers.

Only a select few private institutions, such as Harvard and Yale, have endowments big enough to eradicate reliance on tuition.

Nearly every American college is forced by competition with other schools to make student contributions a top priority, occasionally sidelining diversity and socio-economic status as a result. Fluctuation in streams of income to colleges can dramatically impact the way that they set their tuition rates. According to WashU Chair and Associate Professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Mary Ann Dzuback, there are several ways in which these revenue sources can shift.

“Endowment income, tuition, grants and donor funds are critical sources and not always reliable. If the market declines, endowment funds don’t produce as much interest income. If the federal or state government cut back on research funding, institutions can’t count on those overhead costs being covered and the research or teaching they were supposed to support suffer. If enrollment declines, then the tuition income decreases and universities have to cut back on what they can offer. One more reliable and increasing source of income is tuition--it’s the one variable the institution can control, by raising the cost for students attending,” Dzuback said.

In recent years, WashU has faced major criticism for its lack of socio-economic diversity. At one point, a New York Times study found it to be the “nation’s least economically diverse top college.” This backlash inspired the school to put a much larger sum of money-- an additional $25 million, to be exact-- towards reducing financial burden on low-income students.

The way that it has done this is by focusing more concentrated effort towards enrolling Pell-eligible students. The Federal Pell Grant is an award given to students who have a significantly low total household income, usually less than $50,000.

For these students, and for students with a total income under $75,000, WashU has begun to offer more financial assistance.

According to Assistant Vice Provost for Admissions and Financial Aid Susan M. Kapp, as well as the team of financial officers

Photos of the WashU campus by Eli Milner

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142: The number of days that two minimum wage workers would need to save their entire salaries for to pay for four years of college.

22

at WashU, these changes have improved overall diversity.

“We have worked to increase the number of Pell-eligible students to WashU,” Kapp said. “While it isn’t a perfect metric, Pell-eligibility is the most commonly used indicator of lower-resourced students. We have offered financial assistance packages that include no loans for families with incomes at or below $75,000 per year; we have offered Startup Grants to those same students to help them hit the ground running with money for computers, personal items, and books and supplies. We have also introduced more student support, such as the Deneb STARS program, which is a peer mentoring program to ensure that students coming from less resourced backgrounds are well connected and supported as they transition to campus. We have taken a holistic approach to ensuring that every student we enroll has access to the full WashU experience.”

These processes require trial and error. Although WashU was ranked by the American Talent Initiative as the ninth highest-growing institution in enrolling Pell-eligible students, it is still less economically diverse than many comparable schools. Achieving a perfect balance in the enrollment process is much easier said than done when officers are faced with multiple constraints.

“How do you choose among these talented students and identify the ones who will simultaneously contribute the most and benefit the most from a WashU experience? The goals are complex and include wanting to create a diverse community that through that diversity obtains the benefit of a wide variety of perspectives that help each member learn more about the multifaceted issues that impact society. True diversity, in all measures of the word, requires resources. As a school that has a limited financial aid budget we are constantly evaluating and balancing all of the goals with the resources we have to try to find the right mix,” Kapp said.

Although steps are being taken to improve WashU’s admissions, some on campus believe that there is still a long way to go. In an article published

by WashU’s independent newspaper, Student Life, one senior member of the student group Washington University for Undergraduate Socio-Economic Diversity contended that, “It is a little bit tiring complimenting WashU for this, because it is still behind the curve. [. . .] It seems short sighted.”

To further complicate matters for undergraduates applying to college, tuition at certain institutions may not always be what it seems.

Colleges use two strategies when it comes to masking their true tuitions.

The first is known as “gapping.” Gapping takes place when the FAFSA and financial aid packages give families one idea of what they will have to contribute, but grants and loans only cover a portion of that expected cost. This, compounded with the fact that the FAFSA often generates shockingly high expected family contributions in the first place, leads to general confusion about how much the cost will amount to. Additionally, most colleges adjust prices each year, making it much more difficult to lay out a four-year plan.

Counterintuitively, the second step that a college might take is to raise their tuition unreasonably, only to distribute large scholarships to almost every student. This is done in order to project a more selective atmosphere to prospective students.

“Colleges are increasing their costs because it’s a way of signaling to prospective students that the university is more elite,” Glossenger said. “So some universities have raised their tuition by, say, $20,000 a year, and then they’ll give everyone a $20,000 scholarship. And so that higher sticker price indicates to families, ‘Oh, this school much be that much better because they charge $70,000 a year.’”

Caplan believes that, all costs considered, college might not be the essential learning experience that it’s marketed as.

“I think [there is some merit] to the idea that when you go to school, you don’t so much learn useful job skills as you get certified. You get a stamp on your forehead saying, ‘This student has the brains and the work ethic and the conformity to do well here, and probably that means that they could do well on the job,’” Caplan said.

Another element of Caplan’s ideology is that college is mostly valuable in its “signaling” factor. This is the way that higher education indicates to employers the certain desirable qualities that a student must have picked up while earning their degree. However, he cites several studies, as well as qualitative observations of the material that he sees being taught across campuses, as evidence that college might not be permanently imbuing students with the skills that they need in the workplace.

“In 2003, the United States Department of All of these shifts mark a major disconnect check.”

Education gave about 18,000 Americans the between parents and students.

Since the financial depression in 2008, Blair National Assessment of Adult Literacy. The ignoThe first conversation that Blair has with stuhas observed that money has played a greater part rance it revealed is mind-numbing. Fewer than dents applying to college and their parents is how in the schools that students chose, especially in an a third of college graduates received a composite much they expect to contribute to tuition, and affluent district such as Clayton. Before, she said, score of “proficient”—and about a fifth were how much they’re willing to take out in loans. She that “wasn’t even a factor” for many families. at the “basic” or “below basic” level. You could finds this to be essential in ensuring that families Glossenger believes that it will get worse blame the difficulty of the questions— until you read them. Plenty of college graduates couldn’t make sense of a table explaining how an employee’s annual “What’s interesting is that a lot of times, parents health-insurance costs varied with income and family size, or summarize the don’t have that conversation with their kids or their work-experience requirements in a job ad, or even use a newspaper schedule to spouse, or even themselves. We do have a lot of families find when a television program ended.

Tests of college graduates’ knowledge who can write a check, and they don’t care what the cost of history, civics and science have had similarly dismal results,” Caplan wrote is, they often want the name. We have a lot of students in a 2018 article with The Atlantic.

Although Caplan understands the significance that college can have in chasing that name, but not everyone can write a check.” finding a job and even earning a higher salary, he contended that the preva-Carolyn Blair lence of higher education has meant that degrees continue to hold less and less value. Glossenger noted a similar pattern.

“There’s more people who are obtaining are on the same page in terms of money, and that before it gets better. bachelor’s degrees than there were 50 years ago, no student is left without an option by the spring.

“I’m not an optimist,” Glossenger said. “But I although the rate of people going into four year Through this process, it has become apparent that think that some states are beginning to recoguniversities from high school has basically leveled the topic of finances is taboo in many households. nize that it’s not a sustainable path. Other states off since the ‘80s. [. . .] The jobs that people are “What’s interesting is that a lot of times, have not. With the state of Missouri, I have seen getting after graduating are increasingly ones that parents don’t have that conversation with their virtually no indication that it will dramatically didn’t used to require college. So what we’ve seen kids or their spouse, or even themselves,” Blair increase its funding for public universities. I just in occupational categories is that if they used said. “We do have a lot of families who can write don’t see that as a priority in our political state to require a bachelor’s, now they’re moving to a a check, and they don’t care what the cost is, they discourse.”

Master’s. If they used to require a Master’s, now often want the name. We have a lot of students they require a PhD,” Glossenger said. chasing that name, but not everyone can write a

23

24

II

Community College

For 2019 Clayton graduate Kilian Zindel, community college was initially a financial decision.

He never really had a dream school that he was set on going to, but he knew he wanted to focus on engineering in college. So, when he learned that some friends from his old school in Chicago, Lane Tech High School, were planning to attend community college there, he started seriously considering it as an option.

“I had heard good things about the community college in Chicago. And I knew a lot of people that were applying there, so I also applied there. And then I applied at St Louis Community College,” Zindel said.

Zindel is currently a freshman at St. Louis Community College - Forest Park (STLCC). While he is thoroughly enjoying his time there now, initially, stigmas about community college influenced his view on it.

“I think I probably had my own bias towards community college. I kind of looked down on myself a little bit. I knew on paper, it was a good option. But I think I kind of had all these ideas,” Zindel said.

However, Zindel soon realized how cost-efficient community college is. He has a job in the Academic Support Center at the Forest Park campus, and makes more money working 14 hours a week there than his tuition. He is therefore making a profit by going to college.

According to Zindel, job opportunities are vast and easily accessible at STLCC. “I know the Meramec Campus has an apprenticeship where you can work in IT if that’s what you’re interested in,” Zindel said. “They also have an SI program, a supplemental instructor-- if you do really well in a course, you might get to do study sessions with the students once a week outside of class.”

In addition to maintaining a steady job, Zin-

del also stays on top of his coursework. Sometimes, however, he feels as if the standards can be a little low and that it is too easy to get a good grade in a class.

“In Forest Park, you might need a C to go apply for the next course. I think what I’ve definitely noticed is that even though you’re learning more

“For me, I think going to community college was the perfect fit, because it gave me what I wanted athletically, it helped me financially and it helped me academically because of the smaller class sizes and closer relationship to my professors.”

-Sara Shepard

or less the same things, you might think a class is kind of challenging, but then when you take the test it’s really easy,” Zindel said.

Despite this, Zindel enjoys his time at STLCC, and is convinced he made the right decision by going there. He encourages current high school students to consider it as a legitimate option, and not look at it as a risk, but as an opportunity.

“I was kind of questioning whether it was a good decision to go to community college, but so far I’ve had a really good experience. It’s a lot better than I actually expected in the first place,” Zindel said.

After he graduates, Zindel is planning to transfer to Missouri S&T, which is also an affordable school, to pursue his engineering interests.

Like Zindel, CHS graduate Sara Shepard also attended STLCC after high school.

Shepard, a dedicated softball pitcher, wanted to focus on athletics in addition to getting a good education.

“As an athlete going to a big four year school, you have a slimmer chance of playing as a freshman,” Shepard said. “Being a pitcher, I wanted as much playing time as possible, and going to a junior college seemed like the perfect fit for me athletically.”

In community college, Shepard was able to play more and gain more personal attention from coaches. This allowed her to have a better chance of being recruited going into her junior year of college. Now, after two years of studying at STLCC, Shepard attends Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida.

Shepard understands that community college may not be the typical college experience, but she appreciates what it has to offer, “For me, I think going to [community college] was the perfect fit, because it gave me what I wanted athletically, it helped me financially and helped me academically because of the smaller class size and closer relationship to my professors,” Shepard said.

Community college can also allow students to smoothly transition between high school and college. Small class sizes, closer relationships to coaches and professors and often two years free make a huge impact on a student’s future.

Both Zindel and Shepard remain confident in their decision to pursue this route rather than a traditional four year college.

25

The A+ Program

“I feel like at Clayton, no one really knows about it,” senior Gwyn Scallions said of her experience in the A+ program.

The A+ program offers two free years of community college in which students are given the opportunity to take required classes before continuing on to specialized courses depending on their major.

Those who qualify for the program can attend most community colleges, including Meramec University.

While two years of free college sounds great, there are many requirements for the program, including maintaining a 2.5 or greater unweighted GPA. Students must also have at least 50 hours of tutoring or mentoring community service (this can be 25% shadowing), refrain from alcohol or drugs and maintain an overall record of good citizenship.

According to Scallions, many students at CHS are unaware of this program, as four year college options tend to be considered the acceptable path for higher education.

“Many students are unaware, or they think that community college is less than desirable. They don’t realize that it’s the same education. For me, I’m going to get my associates degree, it’s no different there than anywhere else,” Scallions said.

For Scallions, this option has been incredibly helpful. Students are able to get all required courses out of the way and decide what they want to pursue in the future. After two years in community college, they can transfer to another school, where they will have more creative space surrounding what they want to focus on as a career.

Blair agreed that this can be a beneficial choice for students.

“A+ is great, because it’s two years for free,” Blair said. “Even if you don’t go to community college, there are other schools that will give you some money for being A+ certified. Two years of free college is just two years of free college, and then you can transfer. You could transfer to WashU, and when you graduate, your diploma is going to say Washington University. You’re just going to have two years less of that $78,000 cost of attendance. So that’s a great option.”

III Race

Diversity is a big deal in college admissions. From diversity officers to quotas, universities around the country strive to admit students of different races, gender, sexual orientations and socio-economic backgrounds. This is a fact. This is also where the facts end. In 2018, Harvard University was sued by a group called Students for Fair Admissions on the basis that the prestigious university discriminated against Asian-American candidates. Despite consistently higher test scores and GPAs, Asian-Americans were being admitted at disproportionately low rates compared to other races.

According to “No Longer Separate, Not Yet Equal: Race and Class in Elite College Admission and Campus Life,” simply writing “Asian” on an application essentially equates to losing 140 points on the 1600-point SAT. Conversely, being African American and Hispanic adds 310 points and 130 points respectively.

“I don’t think giving an advantage to some applicants based on race is just in the environment of college applications,” said CHS student Kaitlyn Tran. “It’s a culminating trial in one’s academic career, and I believe it should be based off of the work that the applicants have performed, not their race.”

Showing an arguably unfair preference for certain minorities over others, this idea of affirmative action still does not address the issue of the financial burden that college poses for different groups. Relative to household earning, a study by Young Invincibles found that “college costs take up an average of 63 percent of African Americans’ family income, controlled for the type and price of institutions they choose. For Hispanic families their college costs make up 53 percent of family income. For white families, it’s 44 percent.”

Because African American and Hispanic families end up spending a much higher percent of their income on education despite overall paying less, 72 percent of African American students are forced to take out loans to pay for their education, as compared to 56 percent of their white counterparts, the U.S. Department of Education reported. In 2016, a college graduate who took out a loan to get through school would leave with an average debt of just over $37,000.

13.5 students in 2016 could instantly pay off their loans with $500,000. This amount of money is what actress Lori Loughlin secretly paid the University of Southern California to have her two daughters recruited for sports they did not play. She has not been the only one to use such means to get her children into elite colleges.

Recently, numerous scandals have been brought to the public eye in which the exceptionally wealthy have put down inordinately large sums of money to help their children get ahead.

Disregarding ethics and legality,

26 throwing around this kind of money is simply not an option for most people.

Paying for college is hard enough for many Americans and is clearly exacerbated when famous or rich people use their influence to game the system. Less widely discussed, however, are the more subtle ways that the college admissions process is inherently biased against less wealthy families.

Upon first glance, early decision and early action acceptance do not seem to be discriminatory plans. They seem to simply be stress-relieving and focused options that are available to applicants who are certain in their choice of school. According to the Ivy Coach, over one-third of the University of Pennsylvania class of 2022 was admitted early decision. The prestigious university’s regular acceptance rate was 6.5 percent that year. For those applying early decision, however, it almost tripled to 18.50 percent. This phenomenon is not unique to the University of Pennsylvania and has not gone unnoticed by applicants, with over 40 percent of students who attend elite colleges having applied early decision. According to a document published by Education Reforms Now (ERN), such a plan is said to be like receiving a 100 point boost on the SAT. Clearly, it is beneficial for students’ chance of acceptance to apply early decision if they know where they would like to go, yet it is not a realistic option for most low-income families trying to maximize financial aid packages. A study reported in the same ERN document found that less than 16 percent of students coming from a family with an annual income of under $50,000 applied either early decision or action. This is consistent with the fact that the student body in highly selective schools is almost three-fourths students whose families are in the top income quartile, while only 3 percent of students at the same schools come from families in the bottom quartile. These data quite starkly show the disadvantages that early decision and early action plans pose for low-income families.

More obviously problematic is the tradition of legacy admissions, or preference given to students with familial ties to the institution.

The practice, beneficial to universities because it tends to secure alumni donations, favors wealthy, white families. ERN found that “more white students are admitted to top ten universities under an alumni preference bonus than the total number of Black and Latinx students admitted under affirmative action policies.” To put this vast advantage into perspective, applying as a legacy student is similar to a 160 point boost on the SAT. An argument frequently made in defense of legacies is that the money donated by wealthy alumni whose children have been admitted helps to pay for students who are unable to pay full tuition.

Recently, the idea of diversity in college admissions has worked its way into the public eye. While many colleges do devote resources to diversifying their student bodies, finances have become inextricably intertwined with the matter. Thus, discussion on how to alleviate these broad disparities are incomplete unless the issue of paying for college is thoroughly addressed as well.

“Socio-economic based admissions could naturally integrate more diversity,” Tran said. “Programs that favor white applications, like legacy, detract from the diversity that affirmative action is supposed to help with which seems counterintuitive. I don’t understand why it can’t be a system that focuses on benefiting those with the lack of academic opportunities: the socio-economically disadvantaged.”

27

IV Culture

“Kids are biased towards thinking there is a good school that they can get into, and anything else is settling for something less,” said CHS science teacher Gabriel De La Paz. The stigma surrounding higher education has become one of the most persistent pressures in the life of a CHS student. There is an enduring idea within the community that the single acceptable post-high school path is one that involves a four year college. Not only that, but CHS’ competitive academic environment breeds a culture in which certain “name” schools are deemed more valuable than other universities.

This causes students to compare themselves to one another based on college choices and, for younger students, scores on standardized tests like APs or the ACT. All of these factors make it difficult for those embracing a less conventional route to feel as though their decisions are justifiable.

“I felt like I had to push really hard with the college counseling department to get traction on the idea [of going to the Naval Academy], because I don’t think a lot of people from Clayton do that,” said CHS graduate Noah Engel.

Engel discovered the Naval Academy through his own investigation, and does not remember ever being presented with the opportunity as a main option at CHS. Some of this may stem from the fact that, in the past, the counseling department has come under fire for even suggesting certain schools that parents deemed less prestigious.

According to a survey of 116 Clayton students conducted by the Globe, 81.9% of students would be unwilling to attend a military institution, such as the Naval Academy, for a college education.

In contrast, 90.5% said they were very likely to attend a four year college following high school.

Only 19% of the student body responded that they would be willing to attend a community college.

“There’s a lot of pressure,” Scallions said. “I know I’ve felt it at times, even though I know that this is the best option for me… here, there’s a bigger pressure to not only get into a good school, but to get into your first choice.”

Scallions, who has used the A+ program to pursue her interest in art, continues to feel

some influence from the Clayton environment to conform to a more “traditional” education.

Other students, regardless of their plans after high school, noted a similar pattern.

“I think the pressure comes from all parties, because it is the environment of CHS and the Clayton community,” said senior Mira Upshaw. “I think that Clayton should attempt to lower that pressure and emphasize more that where you go to college does not define you.”

While pressure can originate from a variety

“I know students who go to Mizzou or Truman, and it’s an embarassment to them. And I think to myself, what kind of weird culture do we have here?”

-Daniel Glossenger

of factors, it seems that interactions amongst students cause the most anxiety. Students roam the halls sporting their Harvard sweatshirts or Duke sweatpants, scrolling through endless congratulatory Instagram posts with the lucky school’s logo in bright colors. While all of these things are harmless individually, they undoubtedly cultivate an environment in which college becomes a constant concern.

“College is already a stressful enough process for students, but to have [comparison] added on as an additional stress and knowing that that students [are] compared to one another here, that will also add to it,” Glossenger said.

According to Blair, part of the culture correlates to the amount of money parents are

willing to spend. Since the financial crash of 2008, she has noticed that the inflating price of college means parents can’t contribute as much to a four year education, which allows for a more open mindset towards universities that may previously have been branded unacceptable.

“The economy had a lot to do with those types of changes. It opened people’s eyes to the idea that it doesn’t have to be a name brand, and that it’s more about the experience. But that’s still very heavily a part of the culture here,” Blair said.

While anxiety surrounding college is a facet of any high school experience, students who transfer to CHS feel a very different level of stress compared to other school districts.

Moriah Lotsoff, a sophomore who is new to the Clayton School District, said that switching schools was a big change for her in more ways than one.

“I didn’t go to the Clayton schools before high school, so when I got here it was a very big shock that, by freshman year, we were already supposed to have an idea of our top school choices,” Lotsoff said.

Students aren’t the only ones who notice this atmosphere. In fact, college culture at CHS is an issue that weighs heavily on many teachers. Glossenger, who struggled to pay his own way through college as a teen, has been somewhat taken aback by the opinions that surround higher education in Clayton.

“I know students who are going to Mizzou or Truman, and it’s an embarrassment to them.

And I think to myself, what kind of weird culture do we have here?” Glossenger said.

All of these compounded attitudes may limit student knowledge of college alternatives that could reduce cost. While change takes time, the economy, social structures and administrative views are changing to shift away from Clayton’s traditional view of higher education. Especially as price continues to rise, new strategies and ideas may be necessary to avoid major debt. According to De Le Paz, however, the name of a college itself doesn’t necessarily limit the bounds of a student’s educational experience.

“I’m pretty sure you can go to almost any college and get a fantastic education. Like I said, what matters is what you make out of it.”

29

winning wade

CHS junior Regan Wade wins nationals, elevating the CHS girls’ varsity soccer team.

CECE COHEN | BREAKING NEWS EDITOR KAIA MILLS-LEE | PAGE EDITOR

Regan Wade dribbles the ball down the field in a game against University City.

EMMA SIEGEL | PHOTOGRAPHER At a young age, most girls float from sport to sport. But not junior Regan Wade.

Ever since kindergarten, when she took her first steps onto the soccer field, Wade knew what she would be doing for the next significant part of her life.

Wade began her soccer career as part of the Clayton recreational team when she was five years old and a year later joined her first club team on Scott Gallagher. Four years after starting club, she switched to a team on Lou Fusz and has been playing on the team since.

Throughout her time on this team, Lou Fusz O’Rourke, Wade has made bonds with her teammates and has accomplished many feats.

However, none of these accomplishments have come close to topping their experience at nationals last year.

In the summer of 2019, Wade, along with her club team, won US Club Soccer Nationals for the 2002 age group.

At the start of the tournament, Wade’s team won their first three games with ease, moving on to the semi final. Contrary to most tournaments, the semi-final game was easily the most difficult obstacle for the team.

The game was tied 0-0 for nearly the entire time, until Wade’s team was able to find the back of the net at the very end, winning 1-0. In the final game of the tournament, the game that would determine the recipient of the national title, Wade’s team went up 5-0 in the first half, practically ensuring a win.

Since earning her first national title, Wade has held herself to a higher standard.

“I expect a lot out of my club team and myself now that I know that at such a young age I was able to win nationals,” Wade said.

This year, Wade’s team looks to win another national title, after already having won State Cup for the 2002 age group earlier this year.

Wade’s drive for success not only shows

through her performance on her club team, but also through playing for CHS. During her freshman year, Wade sprained her MCL, delaying her participation on the team.

However, in the 2019 season, Wade rebounded from this injury and amounted 23 goals for CHS, being the team’s leading goal scorer as only a sophomore. With this status, Wade earned the nickname of “The Sniper” from the team.

“I admire the way that she can just find the back of the net in any position possible,” said teammate and sophomore Lauren Hill.

Wade’s goals aren’t the only thing she contributes to the team, though. “[Wade] always comes in and puts all of her effort in and plays really hard. It makes all of the other girls want to work just as hard,” said senior captain Sara Litteken.

Wade hopes that within the next two years she can make an even bigger impact on the team, and hopefully lead them to a district title.

30

triumphant trio Seniors Leo Goodfriend, Ty Sucher, and Will Laakko look to lead the Clayton baseball team to a District Championship entering their fourth year on varsity.

JIMMY MALONE | SPORTS SECTION EDITOR RICHARD CHENG | CHIEF DIGITAL EDITOR

Ty Sucher (left) and Leo Goodfriend (right) visit at the mound RYAN ROSENTHAL | PHOTOGRAPHER “It’s just baseball,” said senior shortstop Ty Sucher. “You don’t have to think about anything else on the field because there’s already plenty to think about.”

This focus has helped the Clayton baseball team experience immense success in recent years, in part due to the experienced leadership from a core group of seniors. Since their freshman year, Ty Sucher, Leo Goodfriend and Will Laakko have played alongside each other, becoming close friends on and off the field.

“It’s easy to interact with Leo and Ty because we hang out a lot outside of school and baseball,” said pitcher Will Laakko. “That interaction really makes the team a lot closer.”

The close relationship between these players on the field helps the team overcome challenges and perform better during games.

“Our friendship helps with the chemistry on

the field,” said catcher Leo Goodfriend. “When one of us gets mad, we know how to calm each other down.”

As freshmen, these seniors all played on the varsity team, gaining experience that they can use to help younger players.

“We know what’s going through the minds of freshman and sophomores,” Sucher said. “It’s important to reach out to guys like that and make them feel like they’re a part of the team, just like the seniors did when we were freshmen.”

Their many years on varsity have also helped them improve as players, competing against some of the best teams in the area.

“I could tell a big difference just from the beginning of my freshman season to the end. I didn’t feel like I was overmatched,” Goodfriend said. “Going on four years now, it helped me get used to the competition.”

They give a lot of credit to head coach Craig Sucher, a CHS science teacher and father of Ty Sucher, for their improved performance and play style.

“Coach Sucher’s philosophy on your attitude on the field was probably one of the most important things I’ve learned,” Laakko said. “Before, I’d come back after a strikeout and yell at myself. But, now we’re able to move past it and look onto the next thing.”

Coach Sucher has been coaching Ty Sucher, his son, since he was six years old playing machine pitch baseball.

“Having my dad coach me was normal because that’s the way it’s always been,” Sucher said.

“It’s cool being able to talk to him all the time about baseball and stuff like that.”

Despite the close relationship between father and son, Coach Sucher does not feel that coach-

31 ing his son changes his play style. He prioritizes future, but really are just benefiting from years of out. every player equally, building strong relationships hard work and sacrifice.”

“Towards the end of the summer season I’m with all of his players. kind of ready for a break,” Goodfriend said. “But, Their hard work and dedication continues “[Coaching Ty] has reinforced the vital necesinto the offseason, where they play for the Easton it’s nice to keep going over the winter once or sity of building strong relationships with every twice a week to stay sharp. Once I have a little Tigers, a local club baseball team. player,” Coach Sucher said. “The experience being “During the summer, we’ll face better pitchers time off, I’m ready for baseball season again.” personalized in this way is a constant and an easy and hitters overall,” Laakko said. “That helps us Approaching the upcoming season, the team reminder to apply the same effort, empathy and is optimistic on their chances to win the district, a prepare for some of the best players we’ll face for care with my students and student-athletes as Clayton.” goal they have every year. though they are my own “I feel like a lot of teams child.” lost people, but we brought “The one aspect that is the same is their Coach Sucher also a lot of people back,” Goodrecognizes the close relalove of the game, passion they apply, and friend said. “I think we tionship between Sucher, really have a good chance to joy they experience.”

Goodfriend and Laakko, win the district.” using it to the team’s advanAt the conclusion of tage. Coaching these players this season, Sucher will look for so long has helped him utilize their skill and to play at the collegiate level, while Laakko and Playing during the offseason also helps them bring the team to its full potential. improve and stay fresh for the high school season.

Goodfriend still hope to keep baseball in their “The one aspect that is the same is their love “It’s good to get reps in over the summer lives, even if that is not full time. of the game, passion they apply, and joy they “I’m planning on playing Division III baseball against live pitching,” Goodfriend said. “If we experience,” Coach Sucher said. “Their underas a pitcher and shortstop,” Sucher said. “But my didn’t have that, we’d be a lot rustier going into standing of the game is highly advanced which goal has always been just to play baseball for as the season.” allows the game to slow down for them. It might long as I could, so it seems like that’s the best way Still, they value their time away from baseball, look like they are “anticipating” by predicting the to do it.” keeping them from getting too fatigued or burnt

Leo Goodfriend tosses his catcher gear to the dugout as he steps up to the plate.

RYAN ROSENTHAL | PHOTOGRAPHER

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33

p.s. i still love you A review of the recent Netflix adaptation of Jenny Han’s book.

55¢

DANNY CHOO-KANG | OPINION SECTION EDITOR It’s Feb. 12, 2020. Three days ago, Bong Joonho’s “Parasite” won four Oscars. Today, “P.S. I Still Love You,” which features a half-Korean protagonist, comes out on Netflix. “What a wild week to be Korean!” proclaims one Twitter user. It is too bad that Lana Condor, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart and Julie Tao, who play every speaking Korean role in the film, cannot relate, as none of them are Korean.

“P.S. I Still Love You,” sequel to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and based on the book trilogy by Jenny Han, picks up where the first movie ended, with Lara Jean in a newly real relationship with Peter. However, Genevieve, Lara Jean’s ex-best friend, who is ever-so-coincidentally also Peter’s ex-girlfriend, as well as John Ambrose, another recipient of Lara Jean’s love letters, may get in the way.

Although I liked “P.S. I Still Love You” the best out of the three books, I found its movie immensely frustrating to watch. The plot of the movie generally didn’t stray too far from that of the book, yet some of the book’s strongest aspects, those that gave characters their complexity and the book its charm, were excluded. The movie left out the game of assassin, for example, which showed the personalities of the characters, as well as the lasting ties between them and how their relationships changed over time. With the exclusion and underdevelopment of this and other plot points, such as the USO party, what remained was an almost exclusive focus on drama, jealousy and which characters were dating.

The removal of the quirks of the characters

left them as stereotypical high school tropes: Chris as the tough and edgy best friend identifiable by her dark eyeshadow and Genevieve as the pretty, blonde ex-friend/girlfriend and mean girl who serves primarily as a source for jealousy.

I was especially sad that Lara Jean and Genevieve’s relationship was based on fighting over a boy, rather than an exploration of the ties that remained between them even after their friendship fell apart. (I also didn’t understand why they would fight over Peter because I personally found him creepy and his relationship with Lara Jean cringey.)

Lara Jean and her sisters are half-Korean and half-white, a background that differed from those of their actors. Now, you say, the actors might not be Korean, but they were obviously cast for a reason! Some of them are part-East Asian, so that’s probably close enough. It’s because they’re playing siblings and they need to look alike! They do not look alike. Maybe it’s because they’re such good fits for their characters? Look, Janel Parrish, who plays a high school student in the first movie, is 30 years old. Yay, representation!

The characters Lucas and John, both of whom are white in the books, are played by Trezzo Mahoro and Jordan Fisher in the movies, who are Black and Black mixed-race, respectively. Despite the added representation to the screen, these changes were clearly an appeal for Diversity™ points, as Jordan Burtchett, the white actor who played John Ambrose in the first movie, was replaced in the second by Jordan Fisher. They have the same first name -- who’ll even notice?

Additionally, Trevor, a side character who is also a high school student, was also portrayed by a halfAsian and half-white actor, despite that his race was not specified in the books, which I appreciated. The actor, however, is 29 years old.

While the movies pride themselves on being representative, the display of culture is limited.

The first film featured yogurt drinks, which are popular in Korea but actually originated in Japan. The second movie plays 30 seconds of K-pop group Blackpink’s song “Kill This Love” cut awkwardly in order to minimize the amount of Korean heard. In one scene, Lara Jean and her sister wear hanbok, traditional Korean dress, but the style and color are atypical and appear costume-like.

Representation doesn’t have to be revolutionary. In fact, casual representation is valuable simply because people can see aspects of their ordinary lives reflected on-screen. I also understand that since Lara Jean’s mom, who was Korean, passed away, Korean culture wouldn’t be prominently featured in the movie. However, as a bona fide half-Korean myself, I was genuinely disappointed by its execution.

A third film, based on “Always and Forever, Lara Jean,” is in the works with the same director, Michael Fimognari. In my opinion, the third book was the worst, so though I’m willing to give its movie a shot, my expectations are low. Plus, based on a recent tweet from Jenny Han, a fourth book and movie adaptation might be in our future. Here’s to hoping they’re better?

dor as Jordan Fisher and Lana Con n John and Lara Jea

Noah Centineo and Lana Condor as Peter and Lara Jean

Photos from Bettina Strauss/Netflix/TNS

34

c. oliver coffee and flower bar The Globe reviews a relatively new, hip coffee shop in downtown Maplewood .

BRIDGET WALSH | REVIEW SECTION EDITOR KATE FREEDMAN | PAGE EDITOR

C. Oliver Coffee’s chai tea latte and hot chocolate ANNIKA SANDQUIST | PHOTOGRAPHER Downtown Maplewood has always been home to an array of businesses, from eclectic antique shops to hip restaurants. Lately, however, strolling -- or driving -- down Manchester, it has become obvious that the area has been rejuvenated.

The streets still have many of their classic storefronts that made Maplewood appealing in the first place, but now the Main Street also features new shops like Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream, trying to appeal to families, teenagers and adults alike.

Unlike downtown Clayton, which has become more oriented towards big businesses and corporations, downtown Maplewood places an emphasis on small, privately-owned businesses to give it its vibrancy. The perfect example of this shift is C. Oliver Coffee + Flower Bar, which opened in mid-September of last year.

Located just off of Manchester Avenue, the main road of downtown Maplewood, the café is nestled in a corner near restaurants such as The Living Room and Strange Donuts.

Maplewood and slowly but surely cultivating its restau-

rant scene by adding a larger variety of contemporary food options.

Upon walking into the café, the smell of fresh flowers immediately filled our nostrils. The lighting and the bright colors throughout offered a very welcoming feel. The café was spacious and had a good amount of seating, while not feeling too crowded. Much of the space was taken up by a large, wrap-around counter with gleaming white tiles.

There is not a large variety of options for drinks or food at C. Oliver, but there is definitely an option for anyone who goes there. We ordered a chai tea latte and hot chocolate, and received our drinks after waiting only five to 10 minutes.

The presentation of the drinks was appealing, as was the taste.

The chai latté did have good flavor, but it was not as strong as we would have liked. The top of the latté ended up having the most flavor, but overall the taste was underwhelming.

Meanwhile, the hot chocolate was made with oat milk because the store was out of regular milk.

It had good flavor, but the oat

milk had a different taste than we were expecting.

Aside from just coffee and dessert items, the shop also sells flowers. They make arrangements themselves, from large bouquets to singular flowers, and even flower crowns. They have an extensive social media presence and mainly advertise on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

There was a wide variety of customers, some hard at work, other studying with friends; the majority were having conversations, or just sitting down to enjoy a cup of coffee. The ambience was perfect to suit every type of customer and satisfy them fully.

Overall, our experience at the coffee shop was great. I would recommend it to a friend, but I would caution them about the prices. Getting just one drink can be up to seven dollars, but the portions do not necessarily match the prices.

35

hitea

Globe reporters share their experience and opinions about a restaurant specializing in boba tea.

ISABELLA BALMNOLKER | REPORTER HANNAH DO | REPORTER KATHRYN SMITH | REPORTER ELAINE YOO | REPORTER

Brown sugar boba tea at HiTea. Photo from Elaine Yoo Tucked behind the longing concrete roads and dull strip-malls of Chesterfield, HiTea’s dull exterior is unassuming. But after taking a little peek at the cacti, we knew this wouldn’t be a run-of-themill boba shop. We would soon be welcomed into a baby-pink bonanza of eclectic pigs and cutesy bears. It was a perfect mix between cotton-candy wonderland and the ultimate boba lover’s dream.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were enticed by the comfy atmosphere. At the front, there was a claw machine with candy and stuffed animal prizes. The one thing that really caught our eyes, however, was a butterfly mural. In the restaurant, there was an overarching theme of greenery. Next to the mural, flowering wall plants were situated with little butterflies of assorted colors. Lavender plants were fixed under the mural, alongside a little guitar. Looking to the

right, there was a little grey couch with succulent pillows.. Seating in the restaurant ranges from booths to high tables to four-seater tables.

As both a restaurant and a boba tea shop, HiTea offers a wide variety of foods and teas that can satisfy the tastes of anyone who appreciates Asian cuisine. For starters, it offers appetizers commonly found in many Asian restaurants, such as edamame, spring rolls, tempura and more. In addition, beef, chicken and vegetable rice bowls are available on the menu.

First, we ordered the boba teas as a drink to start with. The brown sugar boba tea was sweet with a creamy texture and had more milk than other brown sugar teas. HiTea also offers an assortment of many different flavors, including honey pomelo and red jade. They also have cocoa tea, with flavors such as tiramisu and cream cheese.

Next, we ordered the donkatsu ramen, which was served with a savory soft-boiled egg, Japanese-style ramen noodles, pork bone broth, pork belly, corn, roasted garlic and roasted seaweed.

The soup was smooth with silky and tender pork.

The seaweed and egg supplemented the soup well, adding a tangy twist to the velvety noodles. The Japanese-style ramen noodles and delicate strips of beef almost melted in our mouths.

This beef shank ramen was delicious, and could easily hold its own against meals from other amazing restaurants in the area. In addition, the amount of food given was extremely large compared to its price.

The vegetable bento box was delightful. In it was a seasonal salad with spinach and tomatoes, along with gyoza and spring rolls. The crunch of the roll was soft yet delicate, while the gyoza was steaming hot, with vegetables inside. The vegetable tempura was excellent, with fried eggplant, sweet potato and squash. Each bite was sweet and crunchy.

Lastly, we ordered the chicken steak, which was served with a soft breaded chicken breast resting in a pool of flavorful sauce. This dish was, like the rest of the menu, a well-executed and flavorful experience.

The waiters and waitresses were welcoming, greeting us at the front door right as we walked in. They were very generous and amiable to the customers, providing a pleasant atmosphere within the restaurant. They did not seem annoyed or frightened when a family with three young children walked in. After eating, we were simply waiting outside and they kindly offered us another table, always aware of any discomfort that their customers experienced.

Overall, HiTea had the perfect design, food and atmosphere for a comfortable evening, with a claw machine and comfy couches students will be able to enjoy in their free time. The smooth jazz music softly playing in the background added a cozy feel, fitting with the rich dishes and the well-furnished atmosphere. The food leaves a sweet but smooth after taste, the fresh scent of the soup still lingering in the air.

This restaurant is recommended for all Clayton students and families looking for a simple, neat place to enjoy a meal, sweet boba tea and a cozy setting to hang out. As an added bonus, the restaurant provides precalculated taxes on all of their dishes, eliminating any confusion over the bill for students with limited money to spend.

HiTea is definitely a restaurant where you can relax and enjoy the food of your choice. It is not a fancy restaurant for special occasions or a quick and cheap fast food restaurant, but it’s perfect for a relaxed evening with friends and family.

36

millet exhibit

St. Louis Art Museum showcases pieces to illustrate Millet’s influence on other artists.

JOSEPHINE CROSS | PAGE EDITOR ISABELLE CROSS | REPORTER While the name “Van Gogh” may inspire a mental image of a swirling night sky or a stylized portrait, “Millet” is unlikely to produce anything at all. The St. Louis Art Museum is looking to change that.

The museum opened their new exhibit Millet and Modern Art: From Van Gogh to Dalí on February 16. It will run until May 17 and features work from Jean-Francois Millet, a French painter who lived from 1814-1875 and was part of the Realism art movement.

Jean-Francois Millet is not particularly well known in popular culture, but was very influential in his time, as many famous artists were inspired by his work. Significant painters made repeats of his paintings in their own style. Some of these include Vincent Van Gogh himself, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet and Salvador Dali.

The exhibit has about four to five rooms, each displaying paintings from various artists while retaining a central focus on Millet. Most of Millet’s paintings are of nature. He was relatively wealthy, and lived in the country, where he often painted peasants and farmers at work. Evidently, his contemporaries found his work inspiring. Van Gogh produced about five different recreations of Millet’s painting “The Sower.” Most of them were oil paints, but one

“Starry Night Over the Rhone” by Van Gogh Photo by Josephine Cross

“Starry Night” by Millet Photo by Josephine Cross

was a graphite sketch on paper. Pissarro also created his own version of “The Sower” painting.

Most shocking, however, is the fact that Millet originally created a piece called “Starry Night,” as he often took walks past dusk. This is a realistic oil painting, and the stars and constellations in the sky are almost an exact replica of the real night sky. Van Gogh’s “Starry Night Over the Rhone” came after this creation. His painting is very similar to Millet’s, but differs in some ways. It features a night sky above a lake in the city with two people standing on a dock. The juxtaposition of these two pieces illustrates the extent to which Millet’s work impacted the art scene at the time.

Aside from interesting history, the exhibit also offers an interactive section in which guests can try to replicate Millet’s painting of the sower. Children can also entertain themselves by comparing Millet’s and Van Gogh’s starry night paintings. A magnet wall lets them parse out the differences that they see.

One of the last rooms in the exhibit displays Millet’s paintings of fields and the countryside, as well as the other painters’ repeats of his work.

Overall, the exhibit was an interesting experience, and, for many, a once in a lifetime chance, since the art museum borrowed paintings from many places around the world. It serves as a posthumous recognition for the work that Millet did to advance the artistic scene and to influence his now much more famous peers.

37 OPINION

distorted diversity

The Clayton School District is known to be one of the more progressive and diverse school districts— But is it really as diverse as it claims?

ASHLEY CHUNG | SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR

Student in front of Clayton High School.

ELI MILLNER | PHOTOGRAPHER The Clayton School District is one of the best school districts in the U.S. for many reasons, one of which being its strong set of core values.

The first image on the website displays an important ideal for Clayton: a culture of inclusion. The website continues to say, “The School District of Clayton promotes inclusiveness by valuing individual differences and the contributions of a diverse student body and staff.” I completely agree with this core value, but the reality at Clayton High School is different.

In Clayton, diversity and equity are narrowly defined as just fairness between black students and white students.

In an attempt to live up to what they claim, Clayton’s majority-white administration and community put efforts toward showing more diversity and representation for African Americans in the Clayton School District. Through equity committees or community conversations, Clayton has evidence to show that they have been working towards diversifying their schools.

However, by creating a narrative that says that diversity only includes African Americans, the School District of Clayton shows that they do not truly hold the idea of diversity as a preeminent concern. Diversity is defined as the inclusion of different types of people, not just one race or ethnicity.

Earlier this year, a speaker came to talk to one of my classes and expressed her wishes for Clayton High School to hold a more diverse staff.

She said that everyone wants to see people who look like them at school. This is true.

The benefits of representation go beyond individual satisfaction and can actually affect academic performance. A study in the Economics of Education Review conducted in the 2000s found that students who were assigned to teachers of their own race/ethnicity showed “small but significant positive effects” in their academic performance.

Therefore, for students, there are no disadvantages to having a more diverse staff, but the equity and diversity that Clayton boasts does not apply to Asian students and staff.

According to the 2019-2020 school profile, 12.1% of the CHS students were Asian. However, out of the 110 staff members at CHS, there are only three Asian faculty members, which is an underwhelming 2.73%. Three faculty members are not even enough to have a position in each of the four core subjects.

While many of my classes are diligent in addressing diverse perspectives when applicable, I can’t help but feel slighted when a teacher addresses an issue that could apply to all people of color but only focuses on one race.

However, while teachers are very important to the diversity of CHS, there is a lack of Asians in the school administration and Board of Education, which is arguably more important to the diversity of the school district.

To encourage better diversity in the Clayton

School District, we need to first start with diversity in the school district leadership team. The BOE and administration should try to include a more diverse administration and encourage more Asian residents to run for school board. If there is more representation and diversity in the leadership, Clayton will be able to show a more effective change. Representation would be more effective starting from the top down, instead of just filling a quota for teachers. The leadership needs to be diverse in order for the student and teacher population to be diverse.

A study conducted by Boston Consulting Group showed that, “companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue that was… higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity.” In short, organizations with diverse leaders can lead to a more productive outcome.

In addition to change from the highest levels of leadership, change in the smaller day-to-day aspects of school can also push the district to a more diverse culture. In English classes, something as simple as reading Asian authors who have written about relevant topics or, in history classes, adding small bits of Asian American history to the curriculum would be beneficial.

The diversity that Clayton is proud of should not come from a standard they wish to fill but from a wholehearted effort towards the goal of becoming more diverse.

38

all about comic-cons

The Globe examines what makes up comic-cons and how St. Louis tackles these popular conventions.

CHLOE CREIGHTON | REPORTER

Every year, thousands line up to attend comic-cons like those in San Diego.

CHRIS NEUMAN / MCT CAMPUS | PHOTOGRAPHER Comic-Cons exist on many different scales.

Imagine a room filled with all of your favorite Ace Comic Con, which has occurred throughout Some, like St. Louis’ Archon, are smaller. These movie characters. Wizards and Disney princesses the US, is known for hosting several movie stars offer a limited number of vendors and generally mingle, complimenting each other’s clothing. at every convention, including “Avengers” cast do not host celebrities. Despite this, smaller Spider-Man offers you a high-five. Darth Vader members like Tom Holland, Chris Evans and snaps a photo with Harry Potter. Thor and Raconventions can achieve a level of intimacy. More Chris Hemsworth. International Comic Con, or punzel enthusiastically San Diego Comic Con, discuss hair care. takes place on a massive This is Comic-Con. scale. Movie and TV stars Comic-Con, or a from countless shows “Comic-Con, or a comic book convention, is an comic book convention, across the world, along is an event that centers on with directors and writers event that centers on comic book culture. This comic book culture. This go to this convention. culture extends beyond just superheroes, encomculture extends beyond Tickets are extremely just superheroes, encomdifficult to get. Internapassing a wide range of media.” passing a wide range of tional Comic-Con takes media. Superhero-lovers, place every summer, and fans of “Star Wars,” “Lord features never-before seen of the Rings,” Disney movtrailers, announcements ies and anime are frequent for new movies and many attendants of Comic-Con. attention and care can be given to each person at large panels.

Many fans cosplay, or dress up as a character, special events and workshops. Medium convenWhatever the size of the convention, Commaking for a unique atmosphere. Attendants have tions include St Louis’ Wizard World Comic-Con, ic-Con is an unforgettable experience. Panels the chance to purchase art, books and accessowhich will take place this June. Some guests here with celebrity guests can range from in-depth ries in the exhibition hall, where creators sell may be higher-status. While more people attend conversations with actors to musical numbers. their work. Conventions include a wide variety these, attendants still have the opportunity to get Two years ago, at Wizard World Comic Con in of events, from panels with celebrity guests to good seats to Q&As without waiting for hours, St. Louis, sophomore Sabrina Kronemer asked costume contests to steampunk tea parties. The and have the opportunity to ask guests questions. to sing on stage with “Doctor Who” and “Arrow” possibilities are endless.

Large Comic-Cons often feature celebrity guests. actor, John Barrowman. Barrowman enthusi-

39

astically agreed. He morphed the Q&A panel into a comedy show-musical fusion, silver heels shimmering and TARDIS dress vibrant blue. He danced as he sang his solo. The audience roared with applause when the duo finished.

“It was a great experience,” said Kronemer, setting her phone background to a selfie she took on stage with Barrowman.

Comic-Con offers events that would never be found elsewhere. Attendants have access to specialized workshops, parties and panels.

The early schedule for Ace Comic-Con Boston, running from March 20 to 21, is already packed with unique events. The schedule includes a panel on tattooing nerd culture, conversations with various comic book writers, and a Q&A with movie poster creator Bosslogic. Fans in the exhibition hall will be able to snap pictures of the Batmobile and play on the world’s largest arcade machine. Ace Comic Con Boston will also feature a panel with Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Tessa Thompson, the stars of Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok,” as well as panels with seven “Star Wars” actors, including Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker) and Ewan McGregor (Obi Wan Kenobi). These actors talk about their exciting new projects or stories from movie sets, offering fans the opportunity to interact with celebrity guests that they would otherwise only

see on screen.

Not only does Comic-Con benefit loving fans, but it also helps support local artists. Larger cons can feature over 100 exhibitors for one weekend.

Fantasy and sci-fi authors have the opportunity to sell their books directly to people who enjoy those genres. Artists who create drawings, paintings, sculpture, and clothing influenced by comic culture also have a place to sell their work. At cons with celebrity guests, vendors can increase their sales by selling art of specific characters that could later be autographed, or simply saved as a memory.

Artistry at Comic-Con extends beyond just vendors. Many fans participate in cosplay. While some fans “closet cosplay,” or arrange costumes from clothing they already own, others spend entire years constructing elaborate costumes from scratch. These cosplayers create detailed armor that mimics plastic or metal from craft foam and paint. Some sew flamboyant coats or moving wings. Some craft large glowing swords, war hammers and scythes. Cosplay can range from exact replicas of movie costumes to creative fusions, like a Buzz Lightyear Stormtrooper or Disney Princess Bounty Hunter. And when many cosplayers wear contacts and body paint, walking into a convention can seem like walking into another world. Almost all Comic-Cons host

a costume contest, where cosplayers present their costumes in front of an audience and are judged by professional costume-makers. Archon’s costume Masquerade includes specialized sound and lighting for each entry. There are many categories for awards. Comic-Con fuels the artistic passions of individuals who invest themselves in making costumes. Conventions are a place where costume-creators can be recognized for their work, and improve their craft by interacting with others.

Attendants of Comic-Con share a love of comic book culture. Fans have the opportunity to meet like-minded people who enjoy the same films, television, books, and games. Their shared passion creates a strong sense of community. A comic book-lover walking into a convention for the first time will be struck by the fact that they have found their people. Fans can purchase art of their favorite characters, talk to creators and actors they love, and converse with other fans.

Cosplayers are recognized and appreciated for their costumes. Even those who have never been exposed to comic book culture could have a great time seeing otherworldly costumes, hearing interesting guest speakers, and seeing a roomful of artwork. Comic-Con is a unique event that attendants will never forget.

Comic-cons are opportunities for comic book lovers to cosplay and interact with like-minded artists.

TERRENCE ANTONIO JONES / CHICAGO TRIBUNE | PHOTOGRAPHER

40

overkill orthodontics As the media begins to focus on body positivity, orthodontics appears to be counter intuitive to this movement.

LUKA BASSNETT | REPORTER

Jonah Tanner, 11, Pinckneyville, Ill., gets braces put on with the help of orthodontic assistant Caitlyn Baker at Markarian Orthodontics.

Photo from Cristina M. Fletes/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS Over the past few years, the body positivity movement, which seeks to bring acceptance of physical differences into the mainstream, has become increasingly popular, with well-known clothing brands and magazines speaking out against negative stereotypes concerning body image. This isn’t some distant trend. Even the Globe has discussed the issue, in the January edition’s cover story about eating disorders.

But with the arrival of this movement, isn’t it surprising that in an environment concerned with issues of body image and self-esteem, corrective orthodontic treatment remains popular? After all, just like the weight-loss fads that the body positivity movement criticizes, the orthodontic industry is for the most part focused on cosmetic adjustments with arguable medical benefits. Why, as things like “fat shaming” become more and more condemned, does the twelve billion US orthodontic market continue to grow?

The examples of other countries show that a large orthodontic industry is not necessary for dental health. According to the BBC, in

2004, twelve-year-olds in the United Kingdom were missing an average of 0.7 teeth per person, compared to a value of 1.3 missing teeth for each American child. The use of orthodontia cannot explain this difference, as in the UK, orthodontics are much less popular than they are in America.

Unlike the US, which has one orthodontist for every 30,000 Americans, the UK lacks a large orthodontic industry, with each orthodontist serving communities that are almost twice as large as those of their American counterparts.

The excesses of orthodontics certainly seem out of place in the modern world. The website of the American Association of Orthodontics states, for example, that you should make an appointment with an orthodontist if, among other things, “You want the best for your family” while the website of The Family Orthodontist claims that, even if your teeth are not perfectly parallel, “There’s no need to suffer embarrassment because there’s a simple, practical solution.” Statements like these should be red meat to the proponents of body positivity, who claim that self-esteem and

self-confidence must not depend on physical appearance. But orthodontics seem almost immune to this sort of criticism.

Perhaps a comparison with plastic surgery should be made. Liposuction, like orthodontics, costs about $3,000 per treatment and is done for both cosmetic and medical reasons. However, the former is looked down on and reviled (especially by advocates for body positivity), while the latter is widely supported. It is possible that this difference stems from the fact that, at least in America, getting orthodontics has become something of a rite of passage for teenagers, similar to passing a driving test or voting for the first time.

But whatever the reason, I think it’s fair to say that something is amiss. While I’m criticizing neither orthodontists nor advocates for “positive body image”, it seems hypocritical that the orthodontic industry should receive a free pass from the supporters of body positivity even as it engages in the same activities that their movement condemns.

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pro: online classes There are already several online classes offered at CHS, and many students have found this a great option to making their schedules work.

RUTHIE PIERSON | PAGE EDITOR

Kids use school computers to learn in a classroom.

AL SEIB | PHOTOGRAPHER At Clayton, a broad range of classes are offered, from culinary arts to engineering. These classes allow students to pursue subjects they are interested in and ones they may even use in their future careers. However, to graduate from CHS, students need 24 credits in various departments such as English, math, social studies, and science.

With only eight periods in a school day, after fulfilling these requirements most students are left with no room in their schedule to take classes they actually enjoy. As a result, many turn to summer school, an option that allows a student to take a semester course such as physical education, government, health or personal finance in four weeks.

While summer school is a good way to supplement credits for many students, others find they have no time for summer school between traveling or a job, or they simply do not want to be in a classroom for four weeks of their summer.

For these students, there is one option: online classes.

Taking online classes allows for more room to take classes during the school year.

“Over last summer, I took personal finance online in order to take AP Statistics during the school year,” said CHS junior Rucha Kelkar.

Taking online classes also allows students to have more free time and a more flexible schedule during their summer while earning credits at the same time.

“The course allowed me to access it at any time between 8 am-8 pm. This was very helpful because the course was flexible to my schedule,” Kelkar said.

Online classes allow for an enjoyable summer,that can be filled with fun activities that are not inhibited by summer school.

“It was manageable for the summer, and I could do it on my time which meant that it didn’t interfere with what I wanted to do,” said junior Rosie Gaugush.

Opponents of online classes argue that there is a loss of interaction among students on digital platforms. However, many online classes give students the ability to talk with other students through their screens.

“There were multiple assignments that showed me other classmates’ responses to certain prompts, which allowed me to respond and discuss with others,” Kelkar said.

Although the interaction is not in person, students taking the online course are still able to connect to other students, maintaining the dialogue that physical classrooms provide.

Another concern with online classes is academic integrity. While the notion that it’s easier to cheat on tests when classes are online cannot be completely disregarded or eliminated, measures are taken even with online classes in order to attempt to maintain academic integrity. For example, the final exam for the online personal

finance class is proctored.

“This minimizes cheating and actually forces a student to learn the information,” Kelkar said.

When students know the final exam, a large portion of the overall grade for the class, will be proctored, they are much more motivated to learn and remember the content, rather than just cheat their way through the assignments.

Not only do online classes allow students to earn credits and save room in their schedules during the school year, they also allow these students to have a more open and enjoyable summer.

43

con: online classes Online classes are ineffective; in-school learning is better suited for student academic achievement.

ANA MITREVA | REPORTER SERAPHINA CORBO | REPORTER With modern technology, students are given the opportunity to receive credit for classes through a screen. But is this form of learning beneficial?

In the 21st century, much of our world is dependent on technology. Students are one of the groups that are heavily impacted, as computers are used in schools and to complete homework.

Many schools and colleges offer various online classes, but there is debate over whether these classes should act as replacements for in-school instruction.

If you’ve ever felt lost in a class, you know how important having a present community is for clarifying and asking questions. By having other students together in a learning environment, peers are able to almost immediately ask questions and discuss the topic matter.

Teachers having an audience also works in favor of the students. They are able to read classrooms for confusion and clarify misunderstood topics quickly and efficiently. In addition, being able to have discussions and build a community in a classroom makes learning the subject matter more engaging and fun, which renders the class less stressful.

With online classes, communication is heavily limited. In order for a teacher to communicate

with their students, they have to create informational videos, give feedback on assignments or email them. It can be very difficult for teachers to effectively discuss with students online, and in general, online instruction is less personal.

In addition, online classes make it easier for students to cheat. While testing in classrooms phones are expected to be away, the classroom is silent and students are monitored by a teacher or proctor. This is a form of academic integrity that online classes don’t enforce. A student at home alone can easily look through notes or Google answers to tests and assignments. This takes away the value of a student doing well on a test because they studied.

If pushing yourself to focus at school wasn’t enough, imagine the unnecessary willpower students have to have in order to learn a whole curriculum on their own. In classes today, students already have problems paying attention and staying focused. Kids pull out their phones, do other work and are distracted by their personal lives. Trying to learn in a place you also relax in is shown to be harder than learning in an learning environment.

While it is important to teach students how to manage their time and create a work schedule, there is an intense requirement for self-discipline

while enrolled in an online class. When learning in an actual classroom with other students, students are more likely to be motivated to complete their work and push themselves academically.

Being surrounded by hard working, talented students encourages others to be diligent.

Kid tests app used for education.

LIPO CHING | PHOTOGRAPHER

44

staff ed: test prep

Photo from Justin Guilak Driving home down Wydown Boulevard, one can see hoards of children consuming the sidewalks. Many of them will be wearing $200 sneakers their pre-pubescent feet can barely fit into. Many of them will be towing a violin case, because a short-lived obsession with any instrument seems to be a middle school requirement.

The most interesting commonality between these students making their journey home is that a select few will be sporting college sweatshirts.

We high school students are familiar with the “I probably won’t go here, but I’ll wear it to look smart” phenomenon. While Wydown students most likely do not have this particular motivation for wearing college gear, it begs the question: how early is too early to begin preparing for college?

Many of you have probably heard the “Today marks the beginning of the rest of your life” line in some cheesy motivational speech. This line is somewhat humorous, seeing as everyday is technically the beginning of the rest of your life.

Still, this line is just one example of the tendency humans have to organize their lives in phases.

Such phases often begin during a transition, either physically or emotionally.

One could argue, especially within an academically-driven society such as Clayton, that the major transitions a person experiences throughout their childhood are when they proceed to the next level of schooling. In terms of academics, the transition from preschool to elementary school marks the beginning of regimented curricula.

The transition from elementary to middle school marks the partial removal of what the district refers to as “scaffolding”: enforcing greater personal accountability of learning. The transition from middle to high school marks an increase in

self-motivated learning opportunities.

For some Clayton families, graduating elementary school also means a shift towards college-oriented learning. In other words, from sixth grade on, every class taken, every extracurricular activity joined, is viewed as a fulfilled prerequisite for college.

This paradigm is ridiculous. It should not have to be said that a transition to sixth grade does not coincide with a transition to career mapping. Still, some 11 and 12-year-olds are thrust into college visits and tutoring for standardized tests. Some are even inclined to take the tests themselves.

“It didn’t do anything for me,” Vincent Clemente, current CHS senior said.

Clemente, along with several other Wydown students, decided to take the ACT offered for seventh graders.

“When a test like that is so difficult, a lot of it went over my head,” Clemente said. “It set me up for failure. I didn’t have a lot of strategies so all it did was scare me. I thought it was going to be super hard. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

There seems to be a misconception within Clayton families about what qualifies as being adequately prepared for college. When asked about how a Clayton education prepared them for college, most graduates will say that they felt overprepared. Such over-preparedness is often viewed as harmless; however, this doesn’t seem to be the case. The rigor of academics within the district already accomplish more than preparing students for college-level courses -- some would say that the competitive atmosphere is actually harmful to students’ mental wellbeing. Why add extra stress and misconception to the process of proceeding to higher-level education with unnec-

essary middle school test prep?

That being said, some forms of early college prep are more profound and less stress-inducing than others. Volitional exploratory programs appear to be more effective as both an extension of learning and as preparation for future critical thinking than parent-forced future planning.

The Duke Talent Identification Program, for example, has been utilized by many current CHS students, and appears to be a preferred method of “college prep.” According to their website, Duke TIP is a nonprofit organization that aims to “support academically talented students grades four through twelve” by offering abovegrade-level testing, enrichment resources, yearround learning options, residential summer programs, online courses, and original research.”

Sophomore Tenley Hall participated in a field research program in coordination with Duke TIP for two weeks between her freshman and sophomore years. She and a group of peers worked at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute to conduct research in the fields of astronomy, astrobiology and astrophysics.

“I wouldn’t call it a college preparatory program so much as a career preparatory program -could you see yourself in this? It allowed me to see all the different paths you can take in the field, and the specialties that you could have,” Hall said. Aside from the research itself, the program helps cultivate interest in the field by bringing in speakers and connecting participants to mentors. This way, students have experts recommending possible courses of study rather than overbearing parents.

Having also taken the SAT in seventh grade, Hall agreed that her experience with field research was much more stimulating and age-appropriate.

“When I took that SAT in seventh grade, I was really stressed about it. My parents were pressuring me to study and to get a tutor. I wasn’t sure why a standardized test designed for high school students was being used to measure my intelligence. When I didn’t get the score that I wanted, it really hurt. Other seventh graders were getting good scores, so I was like, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ Most seventh graders’ brains aren’t able to comprehend those types of questions.”

The time during which middle schoolers are learning fundamental skills should be dedicated to just that. Exterior testing cultivates feelings of inadequacy and unnecessary stress. Additional learning in middle school, and even within the early years of high school, should be performed solely through the search for passion in activities such as extracurriculars. Students should prepare for college when they want to, thereby approaching it with a healthy mindset.

It is easy as Clayton students to forget one simple fact: we are still kids. And for the perhaps the final time in our lives, we should act like it.

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