Globe Newsmagazine, February 2016, Issue 5, Vol. 87

G L OBE issue 5, volume 87

SINGLE A LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF FAMILIES WITH ONE PARENT

clayton high school, clayton, mo.

february 2016

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G L O BE

february 2016

Feature 14 Racial Dot Map

The racial demongraphics of the Greater St. Louis Area in color.

16 WashU Debate Prominent local university to host presidential debate.

18 Annelise Laakko CHS sophomore and star of the Clayton stage.

20 Single Parents

The Globe explores different kinds of Clayton families.

News

8 News and Notes

Sports

Catch up on what you may have missed this winter.

10 Paris Attacks The Globe explores the repurcussions of the Paris terror attacks

12 Physics Grant CHS science department is awarded a grant.

28 Lydia Welty An exciting new addition to the CHS girls swim team.

Review 34 35 36 37 38

Gus’s Fried Chicken

The Hateful Eight Spotlight Star Wars Adele’s Album

Opinion 40 41 44 45 46

Gun Control Hilary Clinton Dear Dog Lovers Spirit of the Holidays Things Sophie Hates

30 Nick Foles

Get to know the Rams’ quarterback.

CONTENTS

3

GLOB E

staff

lauren praiss

andreas petermann

tara williams reporters

madeleine ackerburg

mia redington

nikki seraji

marty sharpe

madeline bale

eunice shin

sophia barnes

petra sikic

barrett bentzinger

katie spear

michael bernard

amy tishler

sophie bernstein

karena tse

jacob blair

neel vallurupalli

gabrielle boeger

angelo vidal

eunice chung

catherine walsh

william clay

samuel youkilis

nicholas d’agrosa

samantha zeid

alexandria darmody

lise derksen

emma ebeling

theodore fehr

sarah franzel

webmaster lemuel lan

devin froehlich

mariclare gatter

business manager lucy cohen

anne goode

hugo hoffman

lucas hoffman

photo editors bebe engel

robert hogan

peter indivino

olivia joseph

sehoon kim

cody krutzsch

san kwon

sol kwon

editor - in - chief

alex bernard senior managing editors grace harrison

kevin rosenthal

ellie tomasson

section editors

sophie allen

noah brown

brian gatter

nicholas lee

camille respess

max steinbaum

elise yang

phoebe yao

copy editors

charlie brennan

harry rubin

katherine sleckman

distribution editor

robert hollocher editors

albert wang

ashleigh williams

dimitri baldauf

jacob lagesse

daniel cho

elise levy

nisha klein

benjamin litteken

olivia reuter

madison lockett

mitali sharma

bea mcguire

zachary sorenson

grace morris

photographers sophie argyres

emma barnes

jennifer braverman

ella engel

felix evans

alexandra gerchen

akansha goel

ava hoffman

ricky kuehn

carolyn niswonger

claire schwarz

graphics editor victoria yi

graphic artist cherry tomatsu

design editor lawrence hu

adviser

erin castellano

Professional Affiliations: Sponsors of School Publications . Missouri Interscholastic Press Association . Missouri Journalism Education Association . National Scholastic Press Association . Columbia Scholastic Press Association

FROM THE EDITOR My parents and I immigrated to the United States back in 2004. Regularly home alone, 6-year-old me turned into a wild child on the streets.

By the miracle of freedom, curiousity and a Glenridge Buzz book, my block was daily home to the screams and shouts of kids called outside. Passionate games of tag and hide-n-seek turned the suburbs inside out while half-completed forts and other sketchy constructions littered the streets with twisted branches, broken rocks and piles of dirt. From operating lemonade stands to making a mudslide out of the neighbor’s parking lot, my imagination led me from adventure to adventure to finally, the present.

The unique circumstances surrounding my childhood have shaped who I am, how I live and what I love. While some could criticize my parents for their lack of supervision, I look back with gratitude, for their absence meant love. Working late hours to make it in the states, my parents taught me hard work, compassion and determination, while the people in my community instilled in me a sense of adventure, a love of spontaneity and an independent spirit.

In this issue of the Globe, we explore how family and sometimes the seemingly lack thereof have shaped the perspectives of CHS students. Whatever your background, understanding where you come from and, as a result, who you are is as important to growing up and moving on as any new year’s resolution.

Thus, as I reflect upon what I want out of 2016, my thoughts go back to a summer spent picking wild strawberries in my friend’s backyard, chalking up the streets to map secret hideaways and climbing through the apartment jungle complex of Buckingham Drive to uncover the unlocked doors of “For Sale” opportunities.

The happy places of my youth are still with me, and though settings and people have changed, I will forever aim to make an adventure of the empty days before me.

Look back: do you see your resolution? 

Phoebe Yao, Opinion Editor

The Globe Newsmagazine exists to inform, entertain, persuade and represent the student voice at CHS. All content decisions are made by the student editorial staff and the Globe is an entirely self-funded publication. Not every story that our reporters write is published in the print newsmagazine. Visit www.chsglobe.com for additional stories and photos and for more information about the Globe itself. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement - for more information about advertising and subscriptions, please contact our office: Clayton High School Globe 1 Mark Twain Circle Clayton, MO 63105 (314) 854-6668 globe@claytonschools.net

EDITOR’S

N OT E 5

Senior Abraham Park works on a project in art class.

PHOTO BY COSIMA THOMAS

PA N O R

20

AMA 6

review

commentary

21

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

Bowie Dies The legendary chameleon musician David Bowie died on Jan. 10, two days after his 69th birthday. The singer-songwriter was treated for cancer for the 18 months prior to his death.

Bowie was known for his dramatic performances, unique and ever changing style as well as his progressive song writing.

The Force is Strong

A large crowd of hopeful Los Angeles Rams fans, including one holding a large sign with St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s image on it, watch the St. Louis Rams-Dallas Cowboys NFL scrimmage during training camp in Oxnard, Calif., on Aug. 17, 2015. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

NEWS

AND

Lost and Gone

notes

After being a hot pick for one of the NFC wild card spots, the Rams had another disappointing season. Riding a three game winning streak and a 7-8 record going into the final game, fans were hopeful for the first non-losing season in a decade when a field goal was blocked in overtime against the 49ers. After showing flashes of brilliance over the season, highlighted by a win in Seattle, the Rams ended the season with what has become characteristic of the team of late: a 7-9 record. This was not the best end to the final season in St. Louis.

On Jan. 12, NFL owners voted 30-2 to relocate the Rams to Los Angeles in time for the upcoming season. Kroenke reasoned that a move to Los Angeles was warranted, trashing St. Louis with claims such as that any team that moves here will experience “financial ruin.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also described the St. Louis stadium proposal as inadequate.

by CHARLIE BRENNAN and HARRY RUBIN copy editors

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is breaking box office records, possibly due to a large army of loyal neckbearded fanboys buying six tickets a piece. After earning $90.2 million over New Years weekend, the film grossed a total $742 million. This greatly anticipated revival of a classic trilogy is predicted to overtake Avatar for the title of highest grossing film of all time within the next few weeks.

The Great Deluge An exceptionally rainy week, the first of the year, led to major flooding and highway closures around the St. Louis area. Flooding of the Meramec River caused tremendous damage in Eureka and surrounding areas. Des Peres was also hit hard, with many homes flooded because of the engorged River Des Peres. Twenty-four deaths caused by flooding have been recorded in St. Louis and Illinois.

North Korea Has the Bomb On Jan. 6, North Korea claimed to have detonated its first hydrogen bomb. This claim is not yet verified, although it has been that North Korea in fact does possess fewer than 10 nuclear weapons. 

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 Modestus Bauer Foundation Red Key Realty Golden Greyhound Sponsors ($200+ Level): The Clayton Education Foundation Smarthouse Home Performance Experts Tim Williams Susan Williams Beth Stohr and Charles Brennan Icon Mechanical Jeri Lynn Palmer Just Me Apparel Sweetology Arch Orthodontics Fortels Pizza Den The Derksen Family TLC Family Care The Gatter Family Bearden Violin Shop Women to Women Healthcare Susan E. Block VolenTEENnation The Williams Family Nami Ramen Anne and James Glowinski-Fehr Yan Zhang Orthodontic Consultants of St. Louis World Traveler Sponsors ($100 Level): Jennifer Miller

Wen and Esther Lan Aseem Sharma Jane Krasnoff Donn and Beth Rubin Women to Women Healthcare The Ebeling Family Ann Sachar The Shin Family Deborah Dubin and Michael Steinbaum Adam and Laura Ackerburg Eugene and Sohyung Cho Michael Spear LaVidaCo Autohaus BMW PQ Corporation The Sharpe Family Chakrapani Vallurupalli and Aparna Abburi The Brown Family Kristin Anderson and Matthew Anderson James and Michelle Reuter Stefanie and Jau Litteken Honorary Globie Sponsors ($50 Level): Hollywood Tan Harriet Pepper David Pepper Hrvojc Sikic Thos J. Spear Peter Goode

PARIS: UNDER ATTACK The Globe looks at the Clayton perspective of the recent tragic events in France.

by SAMANTHA ZEID reporter

western sentiment is spreading and growing faster than ever, spurring numerous acts of terrorism.

CHS graduate Faye Laufketter has spent the past year and a half in Paris after graduating in 2014. On the day of the attack, Laufketter was five buildings down from one of the seven attack sites.

“The gunmen were on the loose ... I was inside the bar, thank God,” Laufketter said.

Laufketter had friends that were locked out of the bar at the time and could not reach a secure place. While those she knew ended up okay, too many others suffered a different fate.

“I was fortunate, but others … it could’ve been us,” Laufketter said.

With the gunmen still at large, many Parisians were left feeling unsafe.

“Taxis wouldn’t let anyone in their cars, they closed all the metros and subways, it was complete chaos that night,” Laufketter said.

The European nations were still on high alert throughout the next day.

The city was shaken and people felt unsure and insecure.

“The next day was very, very sketchy ... [the police] didn’t catch everyone that night. Nobody knew what the plan was. [The terrorists] specifically said, ‘This is the beginning’, and that’s what kinda scared everybody.

That’s why everybody kinda stayed away Saturday,” Laufketter said. “The French [are] not gonna let the attacks stop them from living their life, but at the same time, I was nervous. My friends were at the soccer game that was almost attacked. I had no idea if they were safe or not.”

The city was left in shock. However, this initial impact turned around very quickly into solidarity.

“Everything was closed Saturday. [It] was a really sad, quiet day in Paris, but then Sunday everyone kinda came out and brought flowers to the sights, and everybody went to all the bars around Paris, and everybody kind of celebrated, came together and just kind of showed their love for one another, and it brought Paris, all the Parisians, close together,” Laufketter said.

Laufketter noted how Parisians have united after the attacks.

“Everybody was inviting people into their homes who didn’t really get to their own place easily,” Laufketter said. “Paris as a whole came together really closely afterwards. Even the next day they created memorials at all the restaurants and everyone brought flowers.”

Over two months after the initial attacks, fear still remains in Paris.

The city grieves its losses, but also attempts to stand together.

“All of Paris really took the weekend to really mourn the loss. Within the next two weeks, everybody was back to their normal routines,” Laufketter said. “Everybody still thinks about it, everyone still brings it up all the time, in the most respectful way I think. People still visit the sites every single day.”

Not only have the citizens been immensely changed, but so has the

#PRAYFORPARIS “[The French] were not [prepared] ... But they knew that something was going to happen,” CHS sophomore Antoine Perin said on the recent outbreak in terrorism in France. Perin has spent the majority of his life living in France and, although in St. Louis at the time, was affected by the incidents that took place on Nov. 13.

This past November, Islamic terrorists stole any sense of safety and national security, as well as the lives of 130 innocent people, during seven attacks in Paris, France. The targets of the attack included a concert hall, a stadium, as well as restaurants and streets where people were brutally massacred and some held hostage.

The terrorist attacks have attracted attention around the world and have spread awareness on this global incendiary phenomenon that is unlikely to go away. In the aftermath, it has become evident that an anti-

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city itself.

“The feeling of Paris completely changed because it was a very free city … but the coming days after, it was not Paris. The vibe of Paris, the people were not themselves and everything … Paris has a major scar now.”

Even with her American status, Laufketter feels solidarity with the French.

“France always has a place, a really large place, in my heart. But, yes, I mean everybody wanted me to leave ... as soon as the attacks ended, and it kind of made me want to stay ... After that, I considered Paris as my home. I couldn’t even think about leaving,” Laufketter said.

Senior Maddie O’Reilly-Brown has French-Canadian grandparents that were also in Paris at the time of the attacks.

“The city was just very quiet, everything just became still whereas the city is usually bustling ... It was eerie and there was ... a sort of quiet panic ... Everything was shut down for days ... No one was on the street, no one did anything, they were just all hidden inside,” O’Reilly-Brown said in regard to her grandparents’ experience. “[My grandparents] absolutely refused to leave after the attacks happened … they are not going to sever their connections with France because of this, because of their fear,” O’Reilly-Brown said.

O’Reilly-Brown and her family value their connections to France. “[We] just feel that fierce pride. We’re gonna protect our French home-

land even though we’re not actually from France,” she said.

Junior Ernest Vanmosuinck moved to Clayton with his family from Brussels, Belgium. According to The Guardian, as many as 350-550 fighters in Syria came from Belgium, the highest number per capita of all the European countries.

Vanmosuinck lived in Brussels his whole life and still has friends and family in Belgium. He plans to return after this year.

“In Belgium, the reaction was to put the state in a state of emergency, and everybody was afraid. All the shops were closed and schools were closed, too. It’s [like playing] into the game of the terrorism,” Vanmosuinck said. “We have to fight the terrorism with our happiness.”

However, Vanmosuinck still feels a sense of fear. “[France] is near to Belgium, so we may be next,” he said.

Sophomore Quentin Shor Perrier was born in France and spent most of his life there before moving to the United States but still has family and friends in Lyon, his hometown. Shor Perrier was also affected by the Paris terror attacks.

“I mean, who knows how many more of these terrorists are out there,?

You never know what could happen. There could be someone in Lyon right now, you know?” Shor Perrier said. “I’m glad I live here, feeling safe and not having what is going on there happen to me, but at the same time I want to be close to my family there and be there for them.” 

Parisians show their support at memorials a few days after the attack (Faye Laufketter).

NEWS

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AP physics students in Gabe De la Paz’s class (Akansha Goel)

The Clayton High School Physics Department was just endowed with a grant of $______ to improve their facilities.

PHYSICS GRANT

by MADDY BALE reporter The Clayton High School Physics Department was just endowed with a grant of $4,000 to improve their facilities.

In the minds of the majority of high schoolers, the merry-go-round is a thing of the past - nothing but old childhood fun. Soon, however, every physics student will once again experience the thrill of that childhood fun. They will even be able to learn from it.

The physics teachers at CHS were recently awarded a grant of $4,000 from the Clayton Alumni Association and Education Foundation to make this unique educational experience possible. The merry-go-round is part of a projct designed to help Clayton physics students understand planetary motion.

CHS physics teacher Rex Rice said, “[The Association] makes annual grants available for teachers applying with ideas for innovative projects.”

Rice and the the other physics teachers applied for the grant because, although Clayton High School’s science program often exceeds the expectations of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the program did not stack up against other schools when it came to Earth and space studies. “[We, the physics teachers,] did not want to completely change the [science] program because we felt like it was already exemplary,” Rice said.

The team of physics teachers went to work, brainstorming ways to incorporate the study of Earth and space without completely changing the

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curriculum that was already working so well.

“The science department decided to integrate Earth and space science standards within the existing physics, chemistry and biology classes that all CHS students already take,” Rice said. “As we looked at the standards, some [Earth and space studies] could be explicated as part of physics, while others made more sense in chemistry and biology classes.”

The Clayton High School Science Department decided to address the NGSS in the context of each individual domain. Physics, chemistry and biology teachers would have to come up with ways to incorporate Earth and space studies into their curriculum.

The physics teachers decided to tackle their share of the task by applying for the grant from the Clayton Education Foundation. They decided on two pieces of equipment that were essential to Freshman Physics students when it came to understanding planetary motion. In order for physics students to learn about planetary motion, they must first understand circular motion at a deeper level.

“We were looking for equipment and experiences that would further that mission of understanding circular motion well enough so that [students] could then start to understand gravity and the way that gravity acts to cause things to move in circular motion,” Rice said.

The two pieces of equipment that the physics department desires do not exist yet: a proposed merry-go-round as well as a robotic car. Because the devices that Rice and the other physics teachers are envisioning cannot simply be bought, they will have to build the apparatus themselves.

“We are still in the acquisition of materials right now,” Rice said.

“The idea was that the actual building of the equipment would be a joint venture between the physics teachers and the robotics club. We’re definitely going to need the expertise of Mr. Beauchamp, the engineering teacher. He knows how to use all the tools that we will need to fabricate our project.”

Although the robotics team will have a vital role in the creation of the second device, Rice and physics teacher Gabriel De la Paz will be the main hands behind the creation of the physics department’s new kinesthetic merry-go-round.

“We want students to get a sense of what is involved in circular motion by actually having them participate in that circular motion itself,” Rice said. “Students will [be able to] sit on each side of the merry-goround and throw objects back and forth in order to get a feel for circular motion.”

In addition to the merry-go-round, the grant awarded to the physics teachers also gives them the resources that they will need to make a robotic car.

“The car will have a remote control that manages its speed so that we can measure how the forces that must be applied to keep the car moving in a circular path varies with speed,” Rice said. “We have to be able to change and monitor the speed [of the car], which is not as simple as it might seem.”

The robotics team will help Rice and the other physics teachers make

a speed sensor for the robotic car. The team will also assist with the creation of the remote system that will send signals to the car and collect data.

While the merry-go-round will enable students to learn through experience, the robotic car will contribute to many quantitative experiments that teach students about how the force required to keep an object going in a circular path changes when the mass, speed and radius of the circle are manipulated.

Rice is not yet sure whether the two new pieces of equipment will be ready for this year’s students, he is trying to push the project forward as quickly as possible.

“A project like this is big, and it’s something that the physics teachers are adding on top of all the other things that they already do,” Rice said.

Another concern that must be addressed before the new tools are implemented into the freshman physics curriculum is the concept of time. The current physics curriculum already takes up the entire year.

Adding in earth and space curriculum standards will account for even more class time.

One proposal that is being considered is having eighth graders at Wydown Middle School learn the electricity unit that it typically covered in the second semester of freshman physics. This will require major changes in the order that physics students are presented information, but will allow them time to learn about circular motion in depth.

Rice and the other physics teachers are, today, getting ready to build their devices. Soon, physics students will observe the circular motion of a brand new robotic car. Afterwards, they will return to where it all started - experiencing the whirl of the merry-go-round. 

AP physics II student Jane Gillette works on a project with teacher Gabe De la Paz. (Abraham Park)

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Dot Vision Saint Louis

by PHOEBE YAO section editor

B

White

Black

Asian

lue, green, red and yellow: these are the 308,745,538 colored dots you’ll find on the U.S. Racial Dot Map, created by Dustin Cable based on the data from the 2010 U.S. Census. This patterned snapshot of American demographics not only provides valuable insight into the racial diversity and geographic segregation in America’s most populous cities, but acts as an indisputable visual of a controversial state of affairs.

14 F E AT U R E

Hispanic

Other

Zooming in, perhaps in no other city is the line of segregation as clear cut as in Saint Louis.

With current issues fueling an underlying atmosphere of fear and discontent, here, black meets white as green meets blue and, with the map, there is little area for subjectivity to cloud the facts. Let’s take a step back now and look around.

Mysteries may be revealed with a change in perspective.  Image Copyright, 2013, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia (Dustin A. Cable, creator)

n

Delmar Loop

Ferguson

Clayton

Central West End

East Saint Louis

Boston

Detroit Chicago New York Indianapolis St. Louis

Philadelphia Washington

City Comparison F E AT U R E 15

WASH U’S WARS OF WORDS

Tyler Gillam in his backyard.

(Photo by Carolyn Niswonger)

Sidewalk leading to Graham Memorial Chapel on the Washington University campus. (Sophie Argyres)

by NICHOLAS LEE Feature Section Editor On Saturday Oct. 3, 1992, Bob Virgil, Professor of Accounting at Washington University, answered a call from Chancellor William Danforth. Danforth was calling to ask Virgil to lead the planning in the next presidential debate between Bill Clinton, George Bush and Ross Perot, which Washington University had been asked to host. The catch? The debate was scheduled for Oct. 11, only eight days later.

When Washington University had originally reached out to the Commission on Presidential Debates - the independent, nonprofit and nonsectarian organization in charge of planning such debates - they were told they would be a backup and would only be needed if another site backed out. Just eight days before the first scheduled debate, another school did just that, leaving Virgil and his team barely over a week to prepare to host a presidential debate.

However, Virgil had little hesitation in accepting that responsibility.

“My immediate reaction was, ‘This is terrific for Washington University and for St. Louis,’” Virgil said. “I thought people would get on board and rise to the occasion, and they did.”

Virgil worked frantically to form a committee with representatives from each department of the university. Despite the time constraints, Virgil had little difficulty in convincing his colleagues of the value of

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hosting a debate.

“Everyone got on board and committed and was enthusiastic, and we made it happen,” he said. “There wasn’t enough time to consider pros or cons or argue about this or that, we just had to do it.”

Virgil and his team were incredibly successful. Steve Givens is current Chair of the Washington University Presidential Debate Steering Committee.

“We did a really great job of it evidently, and that helped solidify our relationship [with the commission] and our reputation for a place that could do a really good job,” Givens said.

Since 1992, due in large part to their strong relationship with the Commission on Presidential Debates, Washington University has been selected to host two additional presidential debates, as well as one vice presidential debate, and was recently chosen to host the second presidential debate of the 2016 election.

Givens attributed the number of debates awarded to Washington University with their reputation and past successes.

“You have to have the kind of facility that lends itself to this,” Givens said. “And then I think you have to have the right kind of people who are willing to do lots of work to make this successful, and I think we’ve really

proven ourselves.”

Givens explained that the complexity of planning a presidential debate begins with the room itself. Special flooring and drapery has to be installed, as well as extra air conditioning and redundant electrical power.

“They literally build a television studio in the middle of the athletic complex,” he said.

Despite the enormity of such a task, Givens described how there was no room for error.

“It’s 90 minutes of live television, and so there cannot be any chance of power going out,” Givens said.

Virgil remembers feeling a similar sense of pressure back in 1992.

“We knew there was a lot at stake, if the ball was dropped on this or that, it would be a black eye and it would probably linger for a while,” Virgil said. “We wanted to avoid that, and I think that’s what drove us, and frankly, I think we were successful - it went off without a hitch.”

In addition to setting up the debate room, preparation for a presidential debate includes accommodations for thousands of media members and student activities.

“We also try to empower our students to plan their own events, whether that’s their own debates or conversations they want to have with other guest speakers,” Givens said. “Sometimes faculty create special courses students can take about the American presidency or different aspects of political science.”

For Givens, these student opportunities are some of the most valuable aspects of hosting a presidential debate, as only a portion of students will actually be able to attend the debate itself.

“Our job is really to be the host and have everything in place to make sure nothing can go wrong,” Givens said. “But at the same time, we want to create an environment around campus where our students and faculty can benefit from having an event like this.”

Although some students might be frustrated that they are not able to attend the actual debate, Givens argued that most still have a positive experience.

“There’s just a great deal of excitement on campus to know that you’re sitting right in the middle of this,” Givens said.

Only some students are able to attend the debate because the commission first gives tickets to the campaigns and the media, and the host school only gets the remaining tickets. At Washington University, the tickets are distributed to students via a lottery system, a tradition started back in 1992 under Virgil.

“The students were really excited about it, and I daresay they all wanted to attend. As best we could, we accommodated that, and used a lottery to make it as fair as possible,” Virgil said.

However, the lottery was strictly for students, and no tickets were given to faculty or administrators.

“Chancellor Danforth decided that none of the administration would go. All of the available seats would go to the students,” Virgil said. “Chancellor Danforth, for example, was not in the room where the debate took place.”

Although the time constraints of the 1992 debate prevented Washington University from having the same activities as they do today, Virgil and his team proved extremely effective given the pressure. Givens, who was the editor of the alumni magazine at the time, remembered the chaos of the week leading up to the debate.

“It was just crazy,” he said. “But we didn’t know any better. It was an around-the-clock operation for sure, and we hope we never we have to do that ever again.”

Virgil attributed his team’s success to the level of cooperation they established.

“They all had other responsibilities at the university, but they put this, [the debate], first,” Virgil said. “We set up ways for communicating and staying in touch, and everyone made it their top priority, and everyone was available. We really worked well together.”

In working with such a devoted and cooperative group, Virgil feels he learned a valuable lesson.

“In many organizations, there definitely is a balkanization that occurs, and silos do develop between different areas of the organization, and it becomes very difficult to put the interests of the institution foremost,” Virgil said. “We broke down the silos. We didn’t care one little bit about this department or that department. It was get the job done for Washington University and St. Louis.” 

The Washington University Athletic Complex, where the debate will be held.

(Sophie Argyres)

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L AAKKO BELT Desiring to sing since a young age, Annelise Laakko has burst onto the CHS stage and continues to prove her raw talent through skilled showmanship.

by BARRETT BENTZINGER and MADELEINE ACKERBURG reporters “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life, right?” Annelise Laakko, CHS sophomore, said.

Laakko, currently starring as the lead in the winter musical, “Cabaret,” has been interested in the arts since she was 3-years-old. Laakko’s mother, Betsy Laakko, noticed her daughter’s interest in music at a young age.

“She took dance in Atlanta when she was three; she was flittering around the stage like a little munchin,” Betsy said.

Laakko began her theater career at Glenridge Elementary School where she auditioned for the fifth grade play. Her interest in theater soared after she received the lead.

“At Glenridge, every year the fifth graders put on a play,” Laakko said.

Annelise Laako and Calista Goldwasser in “Pride and Prejudice.” (Madison Gudmestad)

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“It was a total toss up whether I was going to audition or not, but I decided to just put myself out there and try something new. I ended up getting a part and I loved it. I've been doing theater ever since.”

This musical was also the moment when Betsy Laakko first saw her daughter onstage as an actress.

“The real interest began when she was in the fifth grade musical, Cinderella. I was surprised that she had the voice that she did - she had just sung around the house but not in a formal setting where I could ever really hear her sing,” she said.

Laakko’s participation in her first production was the foundation ofher theater pursuit.

“Theater has become a more prominent focus in my life. It gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment. I also love the whole community aspect of theater,” Laakko said. “When you are in a show, you are working together with a bunch of people to create something that's so much bigger than all of us.”

In Laakko’s freshman year, she auditioned for a part in the high school production of “Into the Woods.” She received a role as Little Red, enveloping herself in the Clayton theater department. Previously freshman year, Laakko had participated in another production, “Tartuffe.”

She finds joy in performing with other students at Clayton High.

“It builds strong bonds and relationships between people, and I think that's something that has really impacted my life. I have met some of the best and closest people in my life through theater. Having special connections with people that love the same things as you, I think, is really important,” Laakko said.

Although Laakko embodies raw talent, she strives for continuous improvement. Outside of school, she participates in extracurricular activities to enhance the quality of her performances. Laakko dedicates the majority of her time and effort to the arts. Her mother estimates she spends more than 30 hours a week on her singing and acting.

“The thing that compels me to keep performing is the feeling that you get when you're onstage. It's addictive and the overwhelming impression of accomplishment is just so rewarding that you want more,” Laakko said.

CHS Choir Director Erick Price, has also noticed Laakko’s potential.

“I have only known Annelise since the beginning of the school year.

However, having worked with her on the role of Sally Bowles, I have seen her process complex emotions, collaboratively work in an ensemble to create art, and systematically work to perfect music and acting,” Price said. “These are skills that are inherent in the arts and are cultivated daily in arts classes.”

Laakko’s skill set goes beyond just her singing voice.

“Annelise has a natural charisma on stage. With seemingly little en-

Annelise Laakko in her role as Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods” (Photo from Globe archives).

ergy she can draw you into the world that she is creating,” Price said.

Laakko’s natural ability and raw talent in music influences others around her.

“I think what makes her interesting when she sings is the emotion that her voice can portray,” Betsy Laakko said.

However, along with the talent Laakko possesses, she faces challenges that impact her choices in the music industry.

“One of the key challenges is the fact she’s not gonna get every role.

There will be lots of times that she’s not going to get her desired role.

Learning how to work through that disappointment and rejection will allow her to power through and continue in her efforts,” Betsy Laakko said.

While making it in the theater industry may be difficult, the community at Clayton High School prepares her for life she will face in college.

Laakko considers her lack of self confidence as her fiercest opponent.

“I second guess myself a lot,” Laakko said. “I get nervous when I'm supposed to make artistic choices because I'm worried about getting it right, making the perfect decision. I'm just trying to work on keeping an open mind with my choices, learning to trust my instincts more, and letting myself grow from the choices that I make.”

Laakko will be performing as Sally Bowles in Clayton’s production of “Cabaret” on Jan. 21.

“It's been an amazing opportunity for growth and the cast is really amazing. It's going to be a great show,” Laakko said. 

F E AT U

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S PHOTO: SENIOR PAUL KRUCYL AK WITH HIS MOM AND SISTER.

by SOPHIE ALLEN and NOAH BROWN

section editors with reporting by Lawrence Hu, Lucy Cohen and Madison Lockett.

All photos provided by interviewees.

SINGLE A LOOK INTO THE LIVES OF FAMILIES WITH ONE PARENT

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G e n e r a l ly speaking, I don’t rea l ly s e e any kind o f f a m i ly a s a r e a l ly “ t y p i c a l” -PAUL KRUCYLAK f a m i ly.

Oftentimes, far too much is taken for granted. The variability of life can cause many to lose hold of what means the most to them. Sometimes, the “normal” that exists for so many can be lost in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, what many hold dearest to them is gone: family.

For over one-third of children across the United States, the stereotypical structure of a family, with two married parents, is no longer the case. According to a study done by KIDS COUNT, these kids are growing up in a single-parent household, a scenario foreign to many.

A single-parent family is just that-- a family that usually has only one primary caretaker, who takes on the role of holding most of the day-to-day responsibilities of raising children.

The stigma surrounding this kind of family composition is slowly coming to light. In a constantly changing world, definitions of ideals such as family are hardly an easy thing to conform to.

While the difficulties and stressors associated with parenting is multiplied to a far higher degree when singlehandedly attempting to raise children, a smaller family can yield close relationships and opportunities for more independence.

PAUL KRUCYL AK How do you perceive a “Clayton family”?

Generally speaking, I don’t really see any kind of family as a really “typical” family because they’re [all] just really different. A lot of people have big families, a lot of people have small families.

How would you describe your family situation?

I have a full-time working mom, and a sister who’s at college most of the time. I don’t really spend a lot of time with my family, and a lot of the time when my mom’s home, I’m doing homework or I’m at something else so I don’t really see her that much.

What are the good and bad things about living in a single parent family?

Good things. I’d say that you learn to be independent more quickly. You learn how to be more sure about yourself. Struggles, you know,

you see a lot of families do a lot of things with their parents. I know my sister had fatherdaughter dances and my sister had issues with that because she didn’t have a father to go with.

My mom had to fight the school on that one a little bit, she likes to fight things.

How has it been as a boy with just a mom?

I learned a lot of things from the Internet.

So it’s not that big of a deal.

If you could tell your mom anything, what would it be?

‘Good job.’ I think she did a really good job just juggling everything. She still managed to get us in activities, as many as she could. I think that was mostly for her sake, so she could get a break. But yeah, she pretty much had us try everything, skiing, swimming, hockey, singing, my sister did synchronized swimming for a while, we played baseball, just about everything.

How do you feel like you differ from your peers? Do you notice a difference between yourself and those who have two parents?

I don’t think I’m a lot different, everyone has their own unique things that make them different from each other. My thing, it’s different, it’s just, you learn to deal with it, it’s not like it’s going to change.

Since your dad’s death, what have you learned as a result of just having your mom as your parent, have you found another father figure?

To an extent, I have, but, I mean I personally have figured out a more independent way to do it. There are people that have helped me along the way and I appreciate that, through Boy Scouts, whatever it is, singing, but overall I’ve just kind of been feeling my own way out.

I asked for help when I needed it, but I didn’t really need it.

so I think that is definitely good.

If you could tell your mom anything, what would you tell her?

I would tell her that I really appreciate all the work she has to put in to take care of me because I know even though I am a single child, it’s tough to raise a kid. And I have realized that especially with money and driving me places and even though we have had a lot of support from my grandparents, she has had to basically raise me on her own which I just think is really amazing. And I am really grateful that she was able to do that.

ANYA ROSNER How do you perceive a “Clayton family”?

In my opinion I just think there’s a lot of different kinds of families. And I think it just depends on the situation.

What are the struggles of growing up in a single parent family?

I think definitely money is an issue because I know that my mom doesn’t have a very high paying job and not having a second income can be a struggle a lot of the times.

What are some good things about growing up in a single parent family?

I think it definitely makes you a lot more accepting towards different kinds of family situations because you are exposed to the reality that not every family is stereotypical and perfect with a mom and a dad and a bunch of kids and

If you could tell your dad anything, what would you tell him?

I guess one thing I would say is that I’m not mad that they got divorced. I know it was a mutual decision between them so I don’t feel that it was detrimental to my childhood. I mean it happened at a pretty young age so I don’t really remember being with them when they were together.

What have you learned about relationships?

I have learned that marriages don’t always work out and that there isn’t always that fairytale happy ending, which I think is really good to learn at a young age because I know a lot of people can get disillusioned when they grow up and they realize it is harder to maintain a good relationship and good family. Especially the fact that, in reality, it is kind of rare to find perfect

LEXY RANGE Describe your situation of having a single parent.

My mom left my brother and I when when I was two. Ever since then my dad has been taking care of us alone.

What is your relationship with you dad like?

My dad and I are super close, considering he had to play the role of my mom at some points in my life. We tell each other everything and I can count on him for anything. Even in the hardest of times he never fails to make me laugh and I know that he will always be there for me and do anything for me.

If you could tell him anything, what would it be?

If I could tell him anything I would thank him for taking such great care of my brother and I and I couldn’t be more blessed to have such a great dad.

Did this situation define you as a person?

Yes, the situation did define me as a person. I feel as if it made me stronger and made me realize that being a single parent is hard and makes me learn to appreciate the little things. And I feel like it will definitely define my parenting if I ever were to have children.

families.

What makes a “parent”?

I would say someone who will support you no matter what and someone who is there to teach you. And kind of guide you through your troubles. And help you become a better person and like pave the way to adulthood.

What makes a “family”?

To me family is really important even though I have a really small family. It means that I always have someone there who can support me and help me through any struggles I am going through.

TO ME FAMILY IS REALLY IMPORTANT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A REALLY SMALL FAMILY. IT MEANS THAT I ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE THERE WHO CAN SUPPORT ME AND HELP ME THROUGH ANY STRUGGLES I AM GOING THROUGH. -ANYA ROSNER

I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF MY PARENTS HAD STAYED TOGETHER, BUT I AM HAPPY WITH JUST THE T WO OF US. I WOULD NOT TRADE THE BOND WE HAVE FOR THE WORLD. -JAYSON LAWSHEE JAYSON L AWSHEE If it has, how has not having your father in your household affected you?

I don’t think having my dad in my household has affected me too much. I just think that if he had been we may of been closer, had more time to bond.

Describe your relationship with your father.

I really do not have a relationship with him.

I see him on holidays, call him on his birthday and Father’s Day, and that’s about it. If I wasn’t close to my grandparents, I doubt I’d ever see him. I do not hate him by any means, I just don’t have anything to say to him. We have nothing to talk about. Nothing in common.

If you could tell him anything, what would it be?

That it is not my fault or my mom’s fault that he and I don’t have a relationship.

Was it hard growing up just having a single mother?

In some ways, yes. It’s something that I never really thought twice about. With it just being my mom and I, I have definitely had to step and grow in ways that most people my age do not. I have always wondered what life would be like if my parents had stayed together, but I am happy with just the two of us. I would not trade the bond we have for the world.

Did this situation define you as a person?

I don’t think so. It is a small fact about me that does not really matter. People say that kids need two parents but I think I turned out fine with one.

How do you define a “parent”?

An adult in your life that not only loves you, but supports you financially and emotionally. A parent is more than just a provider. A parent is

there when you do something good or bad. Just having a kid does not make you a parent.

As a Clayton student, how do you a perceive a “Clayton family”?

Two parents with two kids and two dogs.

Since I don’t fit into that typical family, I am sometimes seen as an outsider and people do not understand my situation.

Have you found another father figure in your life?

Not really, but it’s not something I have been searching for. I am content and I do not think I need that figure.

What was the biggest struggle growing up?

Having to grow up quicker and having to be the “man of the house.” I have had to be an adult in my house for a very long time now.

DANIEL COHEN As a Clayton student, how do you see a “Clayton family”?

Most of the time, two parents, commonly a father and a mother, and two or three children.

It seems like the family is pretty close and together and everyone’s home a lot. The father’s home, the mother’s home.

How do you see yourself as different from that?

Well I only have one parent, my mother.

So there’s only been one person raising me for most of my life -- since I was five. And being a boy, that has really shaped me almost because I don’t have a male figure to base my life, or like a role model almost. Fathers seem like that for most of the kids in Clayton, but I’ve never had one. Well, I’ve had one, but not for a significant time, only for five years of my life.

cook meals for everyone, take them to school, pay for college. So I mean there’s a big burden on her back. I’m just very thankful for everything she has done for us.

Anything else?

I feel like after my father’s death we’ve grown closer as a family almost, because we’re around each other more. I feel like most of the time parents go out on a Saturday night, but really my mom hasn’t done that a lot. So we’re together a lot. We go on vacation, and when other families go on vacation they normally, like [parents] will maybe leave their kids somewhere and they’ll go somewhere else, but on vacation my mom doesn’t do that, she’ll stay with us all the time.

So that’s helped us grow closer as a family. And we’ve learned to sacrifice stuff for each other.

And also, I have a friend that doesn’t have a father either, so on Father’s Day, most people are with their family and mainly, their father, but I’ll go with this friend because neither of us have a father. But also, I’ll look at my mom almost as my mother and my father because she does everything, so in a way Father’s Day I don’t celebrate anything but I celebrate for my mother and what she does do for us in taking that role as two parents. So, overall, I’ve grown to appreciate my mother so much more than I probably would have if my father was around.

Like most teenagers find their parents annoying, but I like being around my family and I appreciate being around them, because I’m thankful to be around them and to have someone to talk to and call family. So we’ve just grown very close and built a stronger relationship.

Have you found another father figure in your life?

Well, not really. I mean I’ve played hockey and I’ve played for about ten years now, so I mean all the coaches are men. So that’s the closest thing, but not really.

What are the struggles about growing up with just your mom?

First of all, I mean you only have one parent so there’s less stories to hear, less advice, I mean, less of almost everything. And you only have one parent around, so there’s more waiting almost. So I mean everything is different.

There’s only one parental figure at home all the time, not two. But mainly what has affected me most is that I’ve had to wait a lot at sports or at school. But my mom has done so much for us. Like she’s split the job between two parents into one. So I mean it’s been pretty hard for all of us and her, especially. A lot of hard work for all of us.

Any good things?

I mean it taught me a lot of life lessons. Like to be thankful for what is given to you and what you do have, and not to really think about what didn’t happen but what did happen. Because I could be all bummed that I only had my father for five years but at the same time, I should be happy that I had him for five years.

If you could say anything to your mom, what would you say?

Just how thankful I am for everything she does. She does the job of two parents and she has to raise three kids, do everything for them,

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DENA BASHITI

As a member of the Clayton community, how do you see single parent families in Clayton?

I see a lot. I see, well, I see all sorts of different families, I see blended families, single, divorced, remarried, deceased parents, and that’s how they become a single parent, so kind of the whole gammet.

How do you see yourself in that spectrum?

I see myself as a single parent. And that was really solo, however, recently, my ex-husband has been more of a coparent. So, even though the kids are with me 99 percent of the year, he’s really stepped up as kind of a coparent even though he lives in a different state.

As a single parent, which responsibilities did you have to take on that surprised you?

You know what surprised me the most is that you are able to take on more without feeling like you’re taking on more. For instance, I have a lot of friends who have pretty involved spouses or boyfriends or whatever, and they way they would talk, even though there’s two people doing the same job, was a lot of complaining. So, I kind of felt like, ‘huh, I’m doing the job of two without complaining, I must be doing something right.’

What kind of help have you had? Have you put your kids in a lot of sports and activities?

I would say, yeah. I don’t like to overschedule our family, just because I feel like we’re busy as it is, but yeah we’re involved in a lot of that. I also involve myself. For my son and my daughter, I helped coach their soccer teams. I really like being involved in their sports, mostly just because I like kids, you know, like it’s fun to be around kids. I think I’ve always had the emotional support of my family, not necessarily the physical support, but I have friends, and just knowing that alone is quite helpful.

How did your relationship with your kids changed when you separated from your husband?

Well, I think our family was lucky. I separated from my husband when my kids were two and three-and-a-half, so my kids don’t really know. And

I think because of the way it was, it is the way it is. The single parent thing, that’s how it always was, so I don’t think they were affected too much by the change of not being with their dad.

How do you think your life has been different as a single mom?

How have you grown into it?

Well, I’ve always been very independent. But, I think it’s just made me more self-sufficient, self-reliant. It’s made my kids that way. They’re more resilient, they’re more self-sufficient, which I think is a really good thing for kids growing up in this society, to not become so dependent on other people all the time and be hand-fed or hand-held. I think it just makes me more aware of other people and their situations. Everybody has a story, try not to judge too harshly because there are people going through things that you might not even imagine. Whether it looks like a happy family upfront, you never know what’s happening behind closed doors. Just be compassionate with others.

What makes a “parent”? What makes a “family”?

What makes a parent is the ability to take responsibility for another life and be open to whatever comes your way. And touching on things that either you learned, or things that you didn’t like in your past, to make it better for your kid. To me that’s what parenting is really all about. And then just be willing to grow and change with it. You’re not going to be perfect. You’re probably not doing it right, and you’ll learn from that. And then you just hope for the best, you know? Family is so simple, really. It’s just an underlying love and respect for one another. Being able to be who you are in any given moment and still accepting the people around you.

Big or small, family is… you can just feel it in your heart.

Anything else?

At the school level, talk to your counselor or talk to your school nurse, or a teacher that you really feel comfortable with about maybe tapping into those resources. Because there really are all sorts of families. People can help you with that, if you’re having trouble. 

S W I N NING Senior Lydia Welty brings her club swimming experience to the CHS swim team with great success.

by OLIVIA JOSEPH reporter

Welty dives off the blocks with the CSP team. (Gabby Vieira)

In her very first Clayton High swim meet and the first meet of the season, senior Lydia Welty beat the school records for the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle, while also qualifying for state in the 200 IM, 100 breaststroke and 500 freestyle.

After swimming competitively with the CSP Tideriders for nine years, Welty joined the Clayton swim team her senior year. “[We] made a deal freshman year, so eighth grade summer, saying if I swim the first three years of high school just with a club team, [my club swim coach] will let me swim for the high school team,” Welty said.

Welty wanted to be a part of the CHS team. However, because she was showing great potential when swimming, her club coach did not want her joining the school’s team.

“He kinda thought that sticking with the club team would be the best place for me to push myself, reach for my goals, and I think he really believed that was the best place for me, but I’ve always wanted to be a part of the high school team,” Welty said.

Now that Welty swims with CHS in addition to her club team, she has three practices a day.

“I wake up in the morning, 4:30 is when my alarm goes off, and depending on what day it is, I will either wake up and go to MICDS for weights and do weight training, or I will drive up to Westminster where we will have a swim practice. Both of those workouts are about an hour long,” Welty said.

After morning practice, Welty goes to school. Then she goes to two hours of CHS practice, and subsequently straight to her club practice for an hour and a half. “[I] put my parka on, get the chocolate milk that’s in

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my car, the granola bar and just drive straight to the next practice,” Welty said. “It’s literally just put on a towel and go to the next pool.”

Although Welty has a demanding swim schedule, she still manages to balance it with school.

“There are definitely times where I fail to balance it all, but I think a lot of it is just being really focused and motivated, and you know you’re working towards a goal so you do whatever you can,” Welty said.

With the help of a tutor and fitting in her academics during lunch periods, between practices and before and after school, Welty manages to succeed academically in addition to swimming.

Being on the high school swim team is a very different experience from her club team. Unlike club meets, which take a whole day, the high school meets only take around an hour and a half.

“I’ve never experienced something so fast and quick paced as high school meets. I mean, I had no idea we could get through that many races in like an hour and a half,” Welty said. “It’s just nonstop racing, it’s really fun but it’s actually really difficult to swim that many races in such a short period of time.”

Not only are the meets different, but the environment of the CHS swim team is also different from what Welty is used to.

“Everyone’s there because they love it, you know, people aren’t there just because they want to make it into college. There’s not this horribly competitive vibe,” Welty said.

The support, positivity and energy that Welty see in her CHS teammates so far have made her time on the team really enjoyable.

“I don’t experience that [positivity] on my club team. [My CHS team-

ATH

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Welty talking with Athletic Director Bob Bone during a meet. (Madison Gudmestad) mates] just rally behind each other and are so supportive,” Welty said, “It’s definitely a very different experience and that’s why I love it.”

Prior to the season, Welty was nervous about joining the team.

“I wasn’t sure how people would respond to me, you know, joining my senior year and swimming at the level which I do. I wasn’t sure if there was gonna be any tension,” Welty said.

Contrary to Welty’s fear, her teammates have been really supportive and welcoming, and there was no tension when she joined the team.

“No one’s been anything but awesome,” Welty said.

The CHS coaches, Dave Kohmetscher, Katelyn Long and Jill Allen have helped Welty adjust to the new environment.

“Occasionally she needs a set altered, or we have to make adjustments, but I feel like we do that with everybody on a one-on-one individual basis,” Long said. “I was really excited that she was gonna take the opportunity and swim this year. It’s just so fun to be able to represent your high school. USS swimming is a huge part of her life, and I mean, I was in the same position in high school, so I understand how difficult a choice it is to stop doing that for three months and join a high school team,” Long said.

Not only has Welty been a good addition to the team because of her ability to beat the records and qualify for state, but she has also helped less-experienced swimmers.

“Right before a meet I always see her over there teaching someone how to do a relay start, or how to improve their stroke, or how to do a faster flip turn,” Long said.

Welty recently signed to Indiana University for swimming, which has a division one swim team. For the next four years of college, she will be doing intensive training to hopefully qualify for Olympic trials, while still trying to balance her swimming with school.

“When you go to college, you’re not just an athlete, you’re a student athlete, so [being a] student is always first,” Welty said.

Without her love for the sport, Welty would not have been able to be as successful as she is.

“This might sound cheesy, but I have a really big passion for the sport,” Welty said. “I’m so excited to swim it for the next four years in college.” 

Welty swimming at a meet with the CHS team. (Madison Gudmestad) SPORTS 29

IN THE FOLD Globe reporters talk to Nick Foles, quarterback for the Rams and a resident of Clayton.

Foles gets sacked in a game against the Chicago Bears. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

For the months he has been living in Clayton, Rams quarterback Nick Foles has partaken in much of the St. Louis life. He is often seen around Clayton, even on the Shaw Park tennis courts.

Foles moved to Clayton after being traded to the Rams. Right away, Foles realized key differences between St. Louis and Philadelphia.

“Everyone on the East Coast [are] die hard Philadelphia Eagles [fans].

That’s their life,” Foles said. “[The fans] wait all year and save their paychecks so they can go to the games.”

The nature of the fans and the lifestyle in Philadelphia is much different than in St. Louis.

“St. Louis is a great town to play in,” Foles said. “[A] much more laidback lifestyle.”

Though Foles is not always able to find the time to get out and enjoy St. Louis, when he does he thoroughly enjoys the laid back lifestyle.

“Maybe a few times a week my wife and I will go out to eat at restaurants in Clayton or the Central West End, but really when you’re in the season it’s a job, so I’m at the facility most of the day,” Foles said.

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by MICHAEL BERNARD and JACOB LAGESSE reporter reporter At the facility, Foles works twelve hours a day, practicing and recovering from the brutal hits taken the previous Sunday.

Foles began this incredible committment to football in first grade playing flag football. From there, football became a passion of his. He practiced hard and became a starter for his varsity high school team at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. Foles broke the school record, throwing for 5,658 yards and 56 touchdowns, surpassing the previous record held by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who also went to Westlake High School.

In high school, Foles played tight end for two years before becoming the quarterback.

After high school, Foles initially went to Michigan State University for college. After a year, he transferred to the University of Arizona. There, he started as quarterback for three years.

After a successful college career, Foles was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Foles made his NFL debut in 2012 after former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick suffered a concussion mid game against the Dallas Cowboys. Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid then decided that Foles would start the remainder of the season, regardless of Vick’s recovery.

In his second year with the Eagles, Foles tied the record for most touchdown passes in a game against the Oakland Raiders by throwing seven touchdowns.

Foles was traded to the Rams in March of 2015 for former Rams quarterback Sam Bradford and began Foles’s career as a Saint Louis Ram. As a professional football player, Foles knows the dangers of the sport, especially in younger players.

“Make sure someone has taught you the proper fundamentals of tackling. A lot of guys get injured when they don’t do the right thing, and put their head down,” Foles said. “Make sure that you have a coach that’s there to teach you the proper techniques of full-on tackling.”

It is important to recognize that football is a physical contact sport and that there is a risk for injuries.

“Once you play tackle football and take some hits, your body will be Foles was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing basketball sore. You just gotta get used to it,” Foles said. and baseball, along with, of course, football. He excelled at all three. BeAccording to Foles, to be successful, it is necessary to show dedica- cause of his basketball performance, he received recruiting offers from tion, which includes making sacrifices of Georgetown, Baylor and Texas, all three free time.

Division 1 colleges in basketball. During “All your friends are out partying high school, he did not commit entirely “I had a great support sysand doing stuff and you have to make to football, allowing him to develop a the sacrifice,” Foles said. “If you want wide range of skills that benefit him totem growing up, with my to take it to the next level, you gotta do day. family and my parents,” a lot of extra stuff, you know, in high “[You have to] go to the football field school.” late at night and run sprints or [shoot] Foles said, “[and] amazing Foles also recognizes the need for enhoops until 2 a.m. and your hands are coaches along the way that couragement along the way to success. bleeding because you’ve been shoot“I had a great support system growing so much with the basketball,” Foles pushed me to be better than ing up, with my family and my parents said. “It’s at those times that you know [and] amazing coaches along the way that having that dream as a kid of beI thought I ever could be. “ that pushed me to be better than I ing a professional athlete at a high level thought I ever could be,” Foles said. [means] making the sacrifices to get Although many students are encourthere.” aged to focus on and hone their skills on one sport in high school, Foles However, Foles believes that success does not come just from presencourages students to branch out and try new things. sure, but also from the enjoyment of the sport. “[If you ever feel pressure to play] just one sport, just realize that you “You gotta have pressure put on you, but you gotta make sure you won’t get the opportunity to play multiple sports again like you do in always enjoy and love what you’re doing,” Foles said. “You gotta make high school, so make sure you take advantage of it,” Foles said. sure you have that passion.” 

Foles looks downfield for the open receiver. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

S P O R T S 31

JUNIOR CLASS ASCENDENCY

Athletes in the class of 2017, this year’s junior class, lead both the boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams.

by KEVIN ROSENTHAL and MAX STEINBAUM senior managing editor and news section editor All of the eggs seem to be placed in the same basket -- concerning, that is, the age of the players hurling orange balls into the basket for the Clayton boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams. For Clayton’s rebuilding boys’ outfit, three of the five starters hail from the junior class, while the surging girls’ team astoundingly fields all five of its starters from the class of 2017.

Any high school team dominated by a class of students other than seniors is worth noting. That this abnormal age disparity holds true for both the boys’ and girls’ squads of the same sport concurrently is what makes this uncanny reality at Clayton a true sports anomaly.

Bob Bone, Clayton High School’s athletic director, has overseen many seasons of Clayton sports in his tenure of ___ years. To have this aberration in the composition of both basketball teams is something Bone notes as particularly unique.

“It is unusual to have this many underclassmen playing such prominent roles,” Bone said.

Nick Almond, a junior for the boys’ basketball team averaging 6.3 points per game, spoke to the overwhelming athletic preeminence of the junior class.

“The athleticism of the juniors is far superior to any other class. Although all the other classes have many talented individuals within the basketball program, the junior class has a lot of potential and a winning mindset,” Almond said.

Almond’s female counterpart, Brooke Jones, noted the dominance and cohesion of the junior class with regard to the girls’ team.

“Our starting five is made up entirely of juniors,” Jones said. “The juniors are playing really collectively this year and we really feed off of each other, in terms of our vibe and intensity,” Jones said.

Bone acknowledged the invaluable contributions of both Almond and Jones for their respective teams.

“Brooke and Nick have already established themselves as really good players, and I’m looking forward to watching them over the next one and a half years,” Bone said. “They have a chance to be great.”

The intrigue associated with such irregular anatomies of the teams, however, is nothing more than sheer intrigue unless the heavy junior presence translates to triumph on the court for the Hounds.

In other words, the junior starters must do more than simply breathe and occupy space on the court if the teams are to experience success. quality performance and leadership from the junior class is imperative for the success of the respective basketball squads.

Though the the girls’ team already seems to already be finding their stride through an abundance of talented juniors, the boys’ have not yet paralleled the degree of success experienced by their female equivalents.

While the Lady Hounds are off to a respectable 5-2 start on the season, Clayton girls’ basketball’s best record out of the gates in years, the boys - at the outset of a new era under the inaugural regime of Blake Ahearn - are a head-scratchingly dismal 1-9.

However, both the girls’ and boys’ have bona fide potential to ma-

SPORT

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ture into more competitive teams, with legitimate promise to compete in 2017 for district titles.

On the big-picture level, Almond re-affirmed his confidence in the emerging junior class and stressed the significance of strong work ethic to prepare for the upcoming season.

“It is important to have a solid foundation because we can develop chemistry throughout this season and into the spring and come back next season with more confidence and a great attitude.”

Bone reflected this hopeful sentiment in describing his high expectations for the junior players of the two teams on the rise.

“It is always fun to watch the growth of players between their junior and senior year. That is normally when the most improvement takes place,” Bone said. “So with both teams having such strong juniors, next year should be a lot of fun.” 

Junior Armon Watkins practices with the boys’ varsity team. (photo by Carrie Niswonger)

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THE HATEFUL EIGHT

by MARTIN SHARPE and NEEL VALLURUPALLI reporters In a gritty synthesis of the western and mystery genres, writer and director Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film, “The Hateful Eight,” pays tribute to the old-school filmmaking in a three-hour spectacle complete with a full musical introduction and 10-minute intermission.

The film opens in post-civil war Wyoming when Major Marquis Warren (Samuel Jackson), a black Union war hero turned bounty hunter, and John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell), a more irascible bounty hunter who likes to catch his bounties live and watch them hang, cross paths and end up sharing a stage coach. Ruth is escorting Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock where she is to be hanged for murder. The stage coach also picks up Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) along the way, a former Confederate fighter and an old enemy of Warren who claims to have been named the sheriff of Red Rock.

However, a violent blizzard forces Ruth, Warren, Daisy and Mannix to seek shelter at a lodge where four other men have already decided to hide from the storm. Among them are rancher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), British hangman Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth) and Confederate General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern). Something immediately seems wrong for Warren, a regular at the lodge, who notices that the usual owners are missing and that Bob (Demian Bichir) has been left in charge.

With the octet of shady characters stuck together, suspicions rise and tensions bloom as each hour continues, letting the murder and mystery commence. The eight cast members all deliver exceptional performances within the parameters of their nuanced characters. Unlike most of the movies being shown today, “The Hateful Eight,” does not develop just one or two main characters, but instead develops the eight individuals equally, allowing the audience to change their preference between the characters as each of their ambitions change through the film. The lack of a central protagonist makes the characters even more compelling to watch.

The most interesting character is Major Warren, who carries the racial undertones of the film as the only African-American lead character.

Warren’s tense interactions with the white people around him become key to the story even as the mystery continues around them. Tensions between Warren and the Southern whites rise as Warren begins to investigate which of the shady characters’ stories and behaviors do not follow through.

Jennifer Jason Leigh’s performance is also strong, as her fearsome facial expressions show her wild character interpreting every situation of the mystery differently than her captor, Ruth, with whom she is bound together for the majority of the movie.

On a more technical note, Robert Richardson’s cinematography use of a 70mm ultra rare film and camera which has not been used in mainstream film for over 50 years allows for an ultra widescreen capture of the film, letting the audience view every inch of the haberdashery even when the camera is centered on a single character in the true paranoid nature of the film. The musical score, filled with heavy western motifs and composed by Ennio Morricone, is also a terrific component of the film.

Director Quentin Tarantino gives the viewer his trademark elements of witty and ingenious dialogue, unique camera angles and, in true Tarantino fashion, over-stylized violence and gore, which all combine to keep the audience entertained for the full three hours.

One caution is that this movie is not to be watched by someone who is

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(Official Movie Poster) easily offended. In what might be Tarantino’s bloodiest film yet, extreme violence and gore is a recurring motif throughout the film. The use of four-letter words and the n-word is frequent throughout the film, but is used to accurately portray post-Civil War racial tensions that keep the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire production.

In the end, with the exceptional 70mm ultra widescreen format, witty dialogue, intense action and stellar cast, “The Hateful Eight” might be the best Western film of the 21st century. 

Released: 30 December 2015 Rating: R Run Time: 187 Minutes

GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN

by HARRY RUBIN World Famous Copy Editor

The first thing that a first-time Gus’s customer should expect is waiting. Lots of waiting.

Anyone who has driven down Manchester between Big Bend and McCausland in the past month can tell you that in front of Gus’s there exists a constant, snaking line. If you think you can beat the crowds by arriving at a non-peak time, you’re wrong. The line is as long at 4:30 as it is at 7:30.

If I hadn’t taken part in the line myself, I could easily be convinced that the line never moves, that a fake crowd is planted in front of the place at all times to trick people into thinking the restaurant is busy.

By the time I had made my way from the back of the line to the front, around 45 minutes had passed. The sky had turned from something that could easily still be considered blue to black enough that if the sky were a cat, and you crossed its path, you would be pretty messed up for a while.

But still, there are worse ways to spend 45 minutes than standing in a line, hungry. You could be reading a second-rate school newspaper.

After 45 minutes, I was finally seated and given a menu. The menu is quite simple, consisting only of chicken and nine sides and appetizers, four of which are different varieties of fried vegetables. A permanent sign placed outside the door jokingly reads “Today’s Special: Chicken.” This allowed me to decide rather quickly what I was going to order-- chicken.

Let me make one thing about Gus’s perfectly clear: it isn’t fast food.

One could easily be deceived into making this assumption, based on the fact that the food is served in paper and plastic. For those who crave fastfood chicken, there’s a Popeye’s down the road. The main difference is that each menu item is made to order completely from scratch. This is completely unnecessary, given that your order could only possibly be one thing: chicken. And of course, you could more easily describe a tortoise as fast than the service at Gus’s. Gus’s isn’t nearly as cheap as Popeye’s either. To get a reasonably-sized meal at Gus’s, you need to pay around 15 dollars. But that’s the price one must pay to get chicken that hasn’t been kept warm sitting under a lightbulb for six hours.

After ordering my food, I had to wait another 45 minutes for its arrival. A big question still on my mind is what took them 45 minutes to do?

It wasn’t as if I had ordered something too complicated, something that required multiple cooks to struggle over for extended periods of time.

They only have one thing on the menu, and that was what I ordered. But still, there are worse ways to spend 45 minutes than sitting on a wooden bench, hungry. You could be standing in a line, hungry.

The chicken was quite tasty, to say the least. It’s possible that I was so delusional after spending 90 minutes starving that I would’ve found the chopped up bits of rubber that they fill playgrounds with tasty, too, but either way, I enjoyed the chicken.

The chicken itself isn’t your Colonel’s Extra Crispy. Billed as “Hot & Spicy,” Gus’s chicken is very thinly breaded with a peppery taste. It is at the level of heat where a bottle of honey is kept on hand for the weaktongued patrons, but at the level where most of the patrons shake their heads at those with the honey, thinking, “Wimps.” The chicken inside is moist. The side items, meanwhile, are nothing special. I wouldn’t be sur-

prised if someone had come out of the kitchen and yelled, “Surprise! You just ate beans from KFC!” Despite this, the taste of the chicken would be enough to bring me back, if the long lines and high prices don’t keep me away.

Boastfully describing itself as “World Famous,” Gus’s Maplewood outlet is its 11th location and the first to come to St. Louis. What does it mean to be “World Famous?” Certainly most of the world has never heard of Gus’s. Up until the past few months, most of St. Louis had never heard of Gus’s. Can a restaurant call itself “World Famous” just for having name recognition among a handful of people? While you mull that over, this has been the World Famous Harry Rubin reporting for the World Famous Globe Newsmagazine... 

The sign outside the restaurant, located on Manchester. (Ella Engel) REVIEW 35

Peter Mayhew and Harrison Ford in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” (Photo courtesy Lucasfilm/TNS)

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS As the credits rolled for J.J. Abram’s highly anticipated film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the whole audience in the cinema cheered.

People walked out of the theater with genuine smiles on their faces rekindled with memories of watching “Star Wars” for the first time and dueling with childhood playmates with toy Lightsabers.

Although “The Force Awakens” has its flaws, the film’s immense strengths of displaying elements from previous “Star Wars” films along with providing a strong new cast, a sentimental soundtrack and the work of the whole team who passionately made the film possible produces a motion picture that will be treasured by all.

“The Force Awakens” is set 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi.” Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has gone into hiding. BB-8 is a droid that holds a map that leads to Luke. The First Order, rising from the remnants of the Galactic Empire, and a young sith lord named Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) intend to find Luke and get rid of him. BB-8 falls into the hands of Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger who lives on the desert planet of Jakku, and Finn (John Boyega), a stormtrooper that fled The First Order.

The two join Han Solo and Chewbacca to make sure that BB-8 gets into the hands of the Leia Organa-led resistance before the First Order does.

Many people, such as George Lucas (creator of Star Wars), scorned “The Force Awakens” for its similar plot structure to “A New Hope.” However, “The Force Awakens” is executed extremely well, paying tribute to previous films. The movie does many things better than the original trilogy, even better than Lucas’s own prequel series.

The whole cast does a stellar job of portraying their characters,and the return of old characters is awesome, but it is the two new leads in the film that are outstanding. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega both deliver strong performances as Rey and Finn. Ridley does an amazing job of portraying the lonely scavenger on Jakku. From her hopeful yet desperate gazes across Jakku’s sand dunes to simple yet meaningful interactions with her co-stars, Ridley is definitely a talented actress. Similar to his co-star, Boyega portrays a runaway stormtrooper well. Despite his depressing background in the film, Boyega offers passion and humor in the appropriate moments. The bond between the two leads in the film is incredible,

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by SEAN KIM reporter

and it really shows.

Composer John Williams does a fantastic job of bringing back the feel of the original themes through a mix of prominent brass and orchestral themes that are reminiscent of the previous films. However, Williams introduces new, memorable tracks.

The cinematography in the film is excellent. Ranging from wide shots of a downed starship to the lighting of the final Lightsaber fight, it is all familiar territory. Cinematographer Daniel Mindel chooses particular shots to evoke the sense of the “Star Wars” feel. The feeling of vastness that was expressed through these shots brought awe to the screen. One of the best lighting choices for the film was the clash of red and blue in the film’s final duel. Rey and Kylo Ren have Lightsabers locked in a fight to the death.

The choice to incorporate as many practical effects as possible into the film was a solid choice. Scenes where Jakku could have been represented behind a green screen were actually filmed in the sand dunes of Abu Dhabi. Instead of telling visual FX artists to produce a fake Millennium Falcon, a real life size model was built. Creatures and props were passionately hand crafted into masterpieces. The existence of such things adds so much more to the feel of “Star Wars.”

J. J. Abrams’s incredible vision for the first installment of the trilogy is proven through his passion for the franchise. It is clear that Abrams put a lot of thought into the project. The film rarely has pacing issues, and Abrams took note of what elements made a “Star Wars” film feel like a “Star Wars” film.

Overall, the care that “The Force Awakens” has been put under by director J.J. Abrams and the passionate crew paid off to be a great seventh film in the franchise through treading familiar territory to let the public know that “Star Wars” is back, and it is returning as an even better franchise. The new trilogy allows for another generation of kids to experience the same awe we all did when we first watched the origninals. Director Abrams and the whole crew have created a film that looks and feels like a true “Star Wars” film, and it is great to see the franchise back in action. 

SPOTLIGHT ILLUMINATES

(Kerry Hayes/Open Road Films)

Fear, shame, guilt and power: these emotions and complexes have the unearthly potential to dominate a person, to grasp unfalteringly at the jugular of its victim, to penetrate the soul of its prey. Within the human condition, however, and emulated in the worthy film of the year in 2015, is an almost mind-blowingly simple way for humans to unleash their capacity to overcome pain: written expression.

Tom McCarthy’s groundbreaking Golden Globe nominated film “Spotlight” reinvigorates the idea that journalism is not merely a mechanical channel through which information passes, but an organ capable of shedding light upon otherwise repressed truths.

In a current era of popular disillusionment with the supposed callousness of journalists, “Spotlight” debunks the rhetoric that journalists work in search of little more than personal gain. In doing so, the film revives the contrary idea that the efforts of journalists are for a greater purpose of spawning societal betterment.

“Spotlight” illustrates the persistence of a group of distinguished journalists in their quest to execute their jobs with dignity: to tell a meaningful story their immoral opposition wants smothered.

The film masterfully depicts the efforts of members of the Boston Globe in 2001 to unmask the corruption of 87 Boston Catholic priests.

Though these priests are outwardly perceived as heavenly figures, they turn out to be so psychosexually feeble as to not be able to resist abusing their power to prey unto innocent children.

The representation of the near-inexplicable pain carried through the lives of the victims of clerical molestation paired with the heartening journalistic response distinguishes “Spotlight” as an outstanding film.

Devastated by being taken advantage of as children, most all the victims of rape by members of the Catholic church tried to suppress the truth of their internal suffering as adults. Many victims suffered through depression and turned to drugs and alcohol as a means for escape.

It is only when the Boston Globe enters the fray, eager to reveal a necessary story on a previously unexposed facet to the darkness of humanity, are the victims able to find their voices. “Spotlight” proves that human expression is not only cathartic but also can be an essential part of the healing process for someone with deep-rooted pain.

“Spotlight” is a portrayal of journalism at its finest: the journalists do not press salt in the wounds of the victims, but rather, they treat their interviewees with compassion, remaining tender with the victims’ psy-

by KEVIN ROSENTHAL senior managing editor chological gashes.

In one heart-rending scene involving a Globe journalist conducting an interview with a victim, the two are walking through Boston when they happen to pass a church. The victim shudders, revealing that every time he passes a church, he thinks back to his darkest memory from childhood, when he was molested in a church. All the victims are clearly scarred. The journalists sympathize with their interviewees and remain determined to tell the pressing story.

A testament to the quality of the film is the manner in which the actors so veritably embody journalists. The actors portraying Boston Globe journalists, specifically Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber and Rachel McAdams, pull off such a convincing mimesis of the mannerisms and physicality of postmillennial reporters that just minutes into viewing “Spotlight,” the audience members shed any sense that what they are watching is nothing more than its essence of film clips strung together of actors pretending to be journalists.

The actors’ widespread abilities to convey a great degree of seriousness through their physicalities as journalists, coupled with the overt vigor the Globe writers seems to secrete in their efforts to break the story, culminates undoubtedly to convince the audience at all times that the stakes are always high for the main characters of the movie.

In a modern society that generally defines cinematic “high-stakes” based upon how much ongoing violent action occurs in the film, “Spotlight” is refreshing because the viewer picks up on the notion that major consequences are set to ensue based simply upon the demeanor of the actors.

The film’s resolution during the credits includes a list of all the cities in the world in which proven clerical molestations of children have taken place. Not only does the overwhelming number of cities (over 100 of them) leave the viewer of “Spotlight” in awe of humanity's depravity, but the list also validates the significance of journalism. The publication of the Globe’s topical article empowered many other individuals who had repressed their experiences of similar sexual exploitation to come forward and reveal their stories.

"Spotlight" is a must-see film with award season approraching. The movie is an adrenaline-provoking example of how capturing -- and illuminating -- a significant story can ultimately trigger societal progress. 

MASTER OF NONE Netflix’s new hit show, “Master of None”, is highly binge-worthy, as the first season contains only 10, 30-minute episodes. Created by Aziz Ansari (best-known for his role as the lovable Tom Haverford on NBC’s Parks and Recreation) and Alan Yang, the romantic comedy has many parallels with Ansari’s life. At times, Dev, the main character played by Ansari, seems like Ansari’s alter-ego. He is a struggling actor who is mainly known for his role in a Go-Gurt commercial.

The show also focuses on Dev’s love life in New York City, as in the first episode he meets his main love-interest, Rachel (Noel Wells), a music publicist. However, throughout the season Dev has relationships with many other women, and they reveal his insecurities about dating in a modern world.

25 Three million copies sold in just one week. British singer Adele has proved that people are still willing to buy CD’s.

According to Billboard, after releasing her third-studio album, “25”, on Nov. 20, Adele broke the world record for the amount of records sold in its first week, surpassing the 90s boy-band NSYNC’s “No Strings Attached“ first week sales.

Adele has a history of writing her songs about the pursual, attainment, or loss of love, “25” is no different.

The album, which features 13 songs, allows the listener to enter the world of Adele. Her songs, with a slow beat, demonstrate the importance of the artfully crafted lyrics, allowing the listener to feel, as they hear the powerful voice of Adele, that they are getting to know the immense pain, sorrow and regret that love has brought the 27-year-old. Opposingly, listeners are able to also hear her belief in the power of the warmth of an intimate love through her lyrics.

“Hello,” which Adele released on Oct. 23, speaks to the hearts of millions as a ballad highlighting the pain and melancholy in leaving behind and moving on from a past lover.

She contrasts this painful breakup song with tracks such as “Sweetest Devotion,” which begins with the laughter of her 3-year-old son, Angelo, to whom the song is dedicated. The song separates itself from the others on the album because of its more upbeat tempo, featuring the higher ranges of Adele’s voice and a heart warming message. With lyrics such as, “With your loving, there ain’t nothing/That I can’t adore/The way I’m running, with you, honey/Is we can break every low,” the singer-songwriter demonstrates her maternal love for her son, separating the morefulfilling message of this album from her prior work.

On Dec. 14, NBC aired “Adele Live in New York City”, a concert previously recorded at Rockefeller Center. Unlike many other popular performers, her performance had no theatrics, no wild lights, background dancers or fireworks on stage. Her raw voice holds such beauty and power that it alone is able to captivate audiences.

As a follower of her music, I have been able to re-enter the world of Adele. “25” is a masterful album with lyrics that are so honest that it makes the relationship between artist and fan intimate, as if this Grammy award winning singer is a friend opening up about her biggest heart-

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by ELISE YANG review section editor

While at times “Master of None” may seem like another comedy about hipster urban-singles, it also brings to light serious elements such as immigration in America. The second episode provides background on Dev’s roots with the story of his parents, played by Ansari’s real-life parents, who have come to America from India to provide a better life for their children.

However, at its heart, “Master of None” is hilariously funny, as Ansari, with a show of his own, can finally showcase his brilliant comedic ability.

One of the funniest moments on the “Master of None” is when Dev wants tacos, but he first has to make the distressing decision of which place to go in a city filled with dozens of mexican restaurants. After thorough research, Dev settles on one place, but of course, it is sold out.

“What am I supposed to do now?” he complains. “Go eat the secondbest taco?” 

by CAMILLE RESPESS news section editor aches as well her greatest loves.

I, as well millions of other fans, are thankful to say, “Hello” to Adele after her four years of absence from the music world. 

Official Album Cover

CONTROLLING OPEN CARRY Just recently, Texas became an “open carry” state for handguns. This means that licensed Texans are now allowed to publicly display their guns in holsters on their hip or shoulder. Texas is the 45th state in the United States to do so.

In Colorado Springs, Colorado, 33-year-old Noah Harpham shot three people this past Halloween. Apparently, a neighbor phoned 911 beforehand to call for help against the threat of a possible gunman, but, at the time, due to “open carry” laws, Harpham was legally considered to be exercising his 2nd amendment rights, and the police had no liberty to do anything until he actually opened fire.

Harpham slaughtered three innocent beings, and “open carry” paved the way for his actions.

After mass shootings like the one in San Bernardino, and the recent shooting in the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood, the need for gun control has become even more obvious. But laws like “open carry” are moving the U.S. in the wrong direction and opening a large window for even more gun violence.

A person could parade an AK-47 around on their shoulder, and the police could do nothing about it until the person took the action to start

by MITALI SHARMA page editor

shooting. How is that making America safer? Instead of enabling individuals to protect themselves according to the 2nd amendment, it is enabling people to murder without resistance. Ironic? I think so.

In the wake of the increase in these shootings, politicians like Donald Trump and Ben Carson send thoughts and prayers, but make no motion to get the U.S. what it needs: increased gun control. Obama has spoken out on the issue several times this year and, if we are to make progress in the future, we need control, not idiotic laws like ‘open carry.’

45 states in the U.S. have passed this law, including Missouri. In some states like Alabama or Colorado, licenses are not even required and the law is completely permissive. This is insane.

We get it. You want your 2nd amendment rights, but at least see the need for strict regulation and let people live comfortably without flashing them a peek at your rifle.

More than 457 people died in hundreds of shootings this past year.

Now, it is 2016 and surely time to take action. It’s time to repeal “open carry” laws and ensure that the U.S. is getting safer, not creating the path for more acts of domestic terrorism. 

(Randy Pench/Sacramento Bee/TNS)

RESOLVING TO RESOLVE Upon the beginning of every year, people relentlessly post uplifting photos with the excitement of manufacturing a new self along with the new year. Barrages of posts fill Twitter, Facebook and every other form of social media. Many make very small promises, like cutting soda out of their diet or being just a tad nicer. Others, however, expect to accomplish more ambitious tasks, like cutting all negativity out of their life or going to the gym every day. Nevertheless, very few New Year’s Resolutions are ever accomplished, producing two crucial questions: why are said resolutions never accomplished? And what’s the point of promises that are basically never kept?

To answer the first question, we must delve deeper into when resolutions are created. After having survived a full year, a new outlook has been produced. People reflect on the year as a whole and generally answer

by JACOB BLAIR and ALEXANDRIA DARMODY reporters

two major questions: what do I want this year that I didn’t accomplish last year, and how can I get? The answer to the latter becomes the New Year’s Resolution. However, as months pass, willpower fades. A previously wellfunded program goes bankrupt, overrun by work or school. The excuses that created the problems of last year soon fill the new one as the ebb and flow of the previous year returns. So why do we continue to aim for what we know generally ends in failure?

The positivity itself is what keeps people living. Hope for the future, and one's ability to change keeps people optimistic and allows them to forge ahead. If we were to simply accept that change is futile, then we would have no motivation, and life would be bland. Optimism keeps the human mind alive. 

HILL ARY C AMPAIGNS IN ST LOUIS

by LAUREN PRAISS and MADELEINE ACKERBURG reporters As the congregation of waiting Hillary supporters increased, one could As Clinton took the stage, a deafening roar filled the air, the crowd hardly make out the entrance to the International Association of Sheet pressing forward to get a closer look at the presidential candidate. Phones Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers. A light drizzle fell over the lifted into the air, people attempting to snap memorable pictures and vidanxious, gradually growing crowd as several reporters drifted down the eos, elbowing neighbors in frantic movements. Clinton grinned at the sidewalk. crowd, speaking in the praise and the screams of her name. As her eyes When the doors opened, hearts lifted, grateful to finally escape the swept over a young girl on her father’s shoulders, holding a sign reading frigid air, and elbows and shoulders jostled as a mad dash for the en- “Fight for Us,” Clinton gripped the edge of the podium. The crowd quieted trance ensued. Inside the as Clinton began her inspirawarm foyer, multiple police tional speech. Every word officers and, further yet, a that came out of her mouth SWAT team, watched over seemed as if she was speaking the bustling crowd. While directly to a single individual. walking through intense However, as the twenty minsecurity, large canines with ute speech drew to an end, baring teeth shifted furione could become almost ously. The swarming group fearful of the large looming of Hillary supporters procrowd as Clinton descended ceeded into an enormous off the stage, moving slowly auditorium, snatching around the auditorium. Alchairs nearest to the loomthough the speech had been ing stage at the front of the meaningful and resonated room. At the round tables, with the crowd, it seemed the Hillary Clinton supporters main reason for most of the encountered other demoattendance was one thing: socrats with similar perspeccial media. The crowd pressed tives regarding U.S. politics. forward, phones held out, As the news spread that desperate yells and pleas for Clinton would not arrive pictures to be taken and for until several hours after the hands to be shaken. As Clinoriginal time, the spirits ton moved along the railing, dwindled. Although many the supporters stretched out of the teenagers present their hands and screamed her had little knowledge of the name. We followed the railpolitics, the time provided ing and moved to the edge of to communicate with the the stage, as Clinton graduClinton supporters helped ally made her way around the provide a clearer view of the room. After patiently waitissues plaguing America. ing on the side of the railing, Clinton campaigning in St. Louis. (Lauren Praiss) At the announcement Clinton came up to us, gripthat Hillary’s van had arping our hands. rived outside the building, “This is the last one for the spirits soared and smiles crossed everyone’s face. In a panic, support- day,” she pleaded, exhausted, but the chesire cat smile still remained on ers began jumping to their feet, making a mad dash for the other room. her face. She handed our phones to her agents, as people pressed around People gathered, fighting for a chance to stand at the front of the metal us, desperate for a chance to get in a selfie with possibly the country’s furailing. As more Hillary supporters poured into the tight space, popular ture president. As the camera flashed, we got a photo that we will always music blared from the speakers and news reporters taped the chaotic remember. Clinton gave back our phones, still smiling (but somewhat scene. After anxiously waiting for more than an hour, the mayor of St. frazzled) and quickly walked to the back of the stage, behind the black Louis, Francis G. Slay, and Senators Lacy Clay and Claire McCaskill made curtain, as people continued to scream her name.  an appearance on the stage and gave quick speeches.

OPINION

41

PRO / CON: RESPONDING TO TERROR KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN? Terrorism is by no means a new phenomenon, but ever since 9/11, Americans and people all over the globe have had terrorism on their minds.

As terrorist threats and attacks permeate the globe, the need for a proper procedure for dealing with terrorist threats is becoming increasingly necessary. The question begins to arise: what should be done?

On Dec. 14, 2015, school officials of the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as officials in the New York City School Districts received virtually identical terror threats. The threats talked about bombs being planted and gunmen being sent to these districts.

With dwindling time, the districts had to make a decision and fast.

The two districts answered the threats in the opposite way: the Los Angeles schools shut down on Tuesday Dec. 15, while the New York schools remained open.

The threats were received at 10 p.m. on Monday night. Los Angeles Superintendent Ramon Cortines made the call to shut down. This decision closed 1,100 schools and kept 640,000 students home. New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton, on the other hand, claimed that the threats were “a hoax.”

Eventually, both threats were investigated and they turned out to be just that: empty threats. They were remotely routed by the same person through Frankfurt.

Now the question is, which district made the right call? In the face of a terror threat, should shut down like Cortines decided, or should we

A Los Angeles School Police officer checks in with officials at the LAUSD Gardena Garage where the fleet of school buses from around the district remain parked while law enforcement investigate a threat against the district on Dec. 15, 2015 in Gardena, Calif. Officials have closed all Los Angeles Unified School district campuses Tuesday morning after receiving a “credible threat” of violence involving backpacks and packages left at LAUSD unnamed schools.

(Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

by ELLIE TOMASSON senior managing editor

remain open and not bow to immaterial threats which don’t have a shred of physical evidence to back them up?

We can’t let new terrorist threats jeopardize the strength we have established by shutting down, halting our lives and letting terrorists control us. In ceding to these threats, we help terrorists achieve their goals of inciting panic.

The key idea is that terrorism’s goal is “to frighten.” If we do not allow ourselves to be scared, we take away the terrorist’s most powerful weapon: fear. This can be achieved by refusing to react to unverified threats.

When we react to empty threats by closing schools, closing borders and putting our lives on pause, we give legitimacy to these threats.

However, there is a fine line between not reacting to an empty threat and negligence. If an attack is supported, cautionary measures should be taken in order to avoid hurting people, but only as much as the threat calls for.

When a threat is issued, it should be investigated thoroughly. If there is no backing to the threat, the area and the people should not give it credibility by reacting. Schools should remain open and business should proceed as usual.

Ultimately, if we allow terrorist threats to shut us down as a country and a community, then the terrorist’s goals are accomplished without them having to take action. Thus, we impose the terror on ourselves by letting us become terrified. 

Los Angles School police officers Frank Avelar, left, and Jose Zamora after doing a safety check leave Breed Street Elementary on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015 in Los Angeles. Officials have closed all Los Angeles Unified School District campuses Tuesday morning after receiving a “credible threat” of violence involving backpacks and packages left at campuses.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

by ZACH SORENSON page editor

OR CLO SE THE M D O W N ?

The reaction both in scale and scope to terrorism and terrorist threats has, perhaps now more than ever, been a growing object of contention in this country as the dark specter of terrorism expands globally. In New York, in light of a terrorist threat, schools remained open, the city identifying it as a hoax, and Los Angeles, receiving an almost identical threat, chose to close its schools and send hundreds of thousands of students home.

Both threats were electronically routed through Hamburg, apparently by the same person or group of people, and both were proven nothing more than threats. These make the argument in favor of New York’s reaction, or lack thereof, easy to defend. However, school districts like the ones in Los Angeles understand that it is not right to take a risk with kid’s lives, especially in light of the terrorist attack in San Bernardino only two weeks earlier and 60 miles away from L.A. The question we need to ask ourselves is, what price are we willing to pay for our integrity? Are we willing to put the lives of civilians and or children at risk?

One would think the answer for most people is no. The reaction does, however, lead to a problem as students lose valuable instructional time, and any number of threats can be made without so much as a shot following, making it an issue of discerning what is a credible threat and what is just hot air.

The public perception of terrorist threats has been that most are false, and most are. But, it takes one bomb to kill or maim, like in 1983 and 1993 when the IRA bombed outside the Harrods department store in London following threats which were ignored either by authorities or civilians. The 1983 blast killed 6 and wounded 90 while the 1993 bombing wounded 4.

If we ignore threats we could be faced with similar results, especially as international terrorism rises alongside our own domestic terror threats, like the armed anti-government militia that occupied Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Jan. 3rd and countless, well, several hundred,

mass shootings this past year.

Furthermore, it is important to understand the limitations of our police forces in determining the credibility of a threat. The police cannot determine whether a threat for an entire city of schools is credible in a matter of hours and when you as a mayor of that city, like the mayor of L.A., receive a threat at 5:30 am, only a few hours before school begins, you have to make a call.

We oftentimes do not have time to determine definitively whether a threat is real or if it is not, but are we to leave our schools open unsure of whether or not we are safe? Or are we to close the schools and ensure the safety of students?

That is not to say, however, that the only response on the table is to lock down our schools and cower. That is quite simply neither a sustainable nor a reasonable long-term solution.

What is realistic, as evidenced not just by recent threats but also by the attacks on schools that have plagued national consciousness for several decades, is the need to beef up security at our schools. As of 2010, only about half of public schools had a police officer attached. Ensuring that every school has access to police security is paramount to our safety, not just in preventing shootings like with Officer Carolyn Gudger, a school resource officer, who in 2010 held a gunman at bay until backup arrived protecting numerous students, but also in being a liaison between each school and the police forces around the country to determine whether threats, like the ones in L.A. and New York, are actually credible.

What we as a country need to do is take action in the wake of threats, even if it means closing schools. Long term we need to pursue those that make false threats and prosecute them to the best of our ability, all while strengthening the defenses of our schools against all threats to the student body.

No one wants to be left having to answer the question, “You had a warning, why didn’t you act?” In this situation and in this climate of international terrorism, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

OPINI

ON 43

A Clayton resident walks her dog. (Lisa Raymond-Schmidt)

DEAR DOG OWNERS According to the American Pet Products Association, 37-47 percent of all households in the United States have a dog. Many dog owners treat their dogs as part of the family (if not the preferred member of their family). While dogs are commonly considered “man’s best friend,” sometimes, dog owners are not.

Most people would be disgusted if a parent threw their baby’s dirty diaper onto their lawn. However, they would not think twice about allowing their dog to poop on someone else’s lawn without cleaning it up. This is essentially the same thing. When dog owners leave their pet’s feces on the lawn or the sidewalk, there is a strong probability that some unfortunate person will step in it. Or worse, a young child doing somersaults on her front lawn may, well, you know... This is not only gross, but it can also expose people to disease.

In Clayton, not picking up after one’s pet is actually a misdemeanor, with the punishment for the first offense carrying a fine of $20 to $50.

It is common courtesy to clean up after one’s dog. Dog owners should always carry a plastic bag or two when walking their dogs in order to pick up any waste they leave behind. The waste should be cleaned up properly; dumping the bag full of feces on the neighbor’s lawn is almost as yucky as not picking it up. Dog owners should dispose of the bag in a public trash or their own garbage can when they arrive home.

Many dog owners not only violate the waste removal law, but they also ignore Clayton’s leash law (Chapter 210 of the City of Clayton Code).

While I personally like to stop and pet dogs, I know others who are scared of dogs and consider it a terrifying experience when a dog approaches them or barks at them. Worse, dog owners often dismiss others’ fears by saying, “Oh, my dog is harmless. He is just being playful and friendly.”

What is playful to a dog’s owner may be truly traumatic to another person.

For this same reason, dog owners should also carefully consider where

OPINION 44

by AMY TISHLER reporter

they take their dogs. Bringing dogs to grocery stores, restaurants and other public places such as schools, doctor’s offices and shops is unsafe to people who have severe allergies to dogs or who are afraid of dogs.

Even people who are not allergic to or afraid of dogs may dislike having a stranger’s dog jump on them. Shop owners and shoppers alike may resent having a dog licking, sniffing or putting its muddy paws on the merchandise.

Taking a dog to a grocery store or allowing a dog to freely roam an outdoor cafe is particularly bad. (And yes, I have witnessed a non-service dog in the local Schnucks.) Dog owners may feel that their dogs are a part of their family and should go wherever they go; however, human family members generally do not wander around a restaurant sniffing other people and begging for table scraps. It is a violation of the health code to bring a dog other than a service dog or patrol dog to an indoor grocery store or restaurant.

Bringing one’s dog to a public place is not only inconsiderate to other people but it may also be upsetting to the dog. Laumeier Sculpture Garden normally allows dogs at the park, but they do not allow dogs at special events that are particularly crowded. This is for the safety of the dogs, who may get stepped on or get in a fight with another dog.

Finally, dogs who bark into the wee hours of the night or early in the morning can deprive their neighbors of sleep. This problem can be prevented with proper training or by at least keeping the dogs inside. However, some dog owners are either oblivious to the noise created by their dogs or they are not receptive to their neighbors’ requests for peace and solitude.

Dogs are cute and furry and wonderful. However, their owners must not only love their dogs, they must show consideration for their noncanine neighbors. 

Staff Editorial:

H O L I D AY S P I R I T

As Cindy Lou Who put it, “Where are you Christmas, why have you gone away?” The words of a small child from the movie “The Grinch” go a long way in describing how societal culture has deviated from the true Christmas spirit. We, as today’s society, prioritize exchanging gifts over spending valuable time with loved ones. This is the common holiday cheer because businesses have enveloped us in their views of the holidays as solely being times of commerce.

For Thanksgiving 2015, Verizon presented an ad luring consumers by rebranding the time as “Thanksgetting.” Although the ad may have been directed more toward the following day, Black Friday, it provided a false foundation of the holidays. It is also disheartening that Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become their own times of celebration. The two days solely glorify the act of buying; they honor greed and resentment, not the appreciation for others we should show during holidays. Whether the occasion comes at a time of Secret Santa or simply getting a gift for the ones we love, retailers have the market hooked, coming back earlier each year.

All of these newly-instilled traditions are profoundly superfluous.

They have turned us to judge others’ appreciation through the amount of money spent on gifts. Tradition has us making a list, but if we do not receive particular items, we are found bitter. The envy for others’ gifts takes over. In time, we end up throwing gifts away, as if the entire tradition was meaningless from the start. And to a certain point, it is meaningless.

Gifts are a simple way of substituting our true feelings of gratitude. During the holidays, we want to present our best in form of physical material; however, true appreciation is shown through simplicity. We can find it in the way we treat each other or the ways we choose to approach challenges. After all, daily signs of acknowledgment go further than those that come around once a year.

The real holiday spirit should come from the heart. Many holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day allow us to give thanks to those we love through true means of compassion and sincerity.

In other words, it is not bad to give a gift to someone; however, when doing so, it is best if the gift is meaningful. Furthermore, giving to those who are less privileged is just as beneficial. It shows care because one is

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giving to a stranger, accepting that the only return they will receive is gratitude for his or her kindness.

During the holidays, no one should be alone, not even the Grinch.

When Whoville let the malevolent green beast celebrate the Christmas with them, they realized that the celebration is not dependent on presents nor decorations. It is solely contingent on those who are there to share the moment. The next holiday season, make sure to keep this in mind. Instead of giving more through gifts, give a little more through love. 

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45

THINGS

S PHIE a column by SOPHIE ALLEN, opinion section editor

HATES

Winter break is a time meant for celebrating the holidays with close family and friends -- oh, and don’t forget the Author’s Project.

Saturday and Sunday are motivation enough to get almost any student through a normal school week. Finals week, however, requires the extra motivation of two weeks with the promise of no school, no work and no unwanted social interaction. And yet, more often than not, one or several of Clayton High School’s finest will simply forget the second cardinal rule of a good break.

The point of homework over break varies among teachers and subjects. In math class, homework is likely assigned so that you don’t forget absolutely everything you’ve learned over the last semester. In English class, it’s almost impossible to fit all of the required books into a full year class, so one must be assigned over break. In science class, the classic “go outside” cop-out is frequently assigned and greatly ignored (do you know how many seasons of “Lost” I could watch in two weeks?).

This topic has been hotly debated in the world of education. Not only regarding homework over the holidays, but over summer and even just in general.

In Clayton, specifically, there’s a constant and all-consuming fear of “falling behind.” Homework is assigned over breaks of all lengths simply to ensure that students don’t return to school with less information than when they left.

While the goal is clear, the stress and pressure put on students to complete the assignments could outweigh the value of the homework.

Nancy Kalish, co-author of “The Case Against Homework,” raises an important question: “Do we want our children to return to school refreshed and ready to learn? Or burned out and resentful?”

Homework assigned over a break only has value if the student completes it willingly. If the entire project is done hatefully the night before returning to school, regardless of the grade that is returned, the work isn’t worthwhile.

As a student, I can vouch for the fact that motivation is a major part of learning. Students who succeed in the classroom want to be there, even if only slightly more than their peers, but that pays off.

Throughout a student’s journey in school, teachers have the opportunity to tap into the intrinsic motivation students have to learn… or not. Even educators themselves acknowledge that students only want to learn to a certain point. After consistent forced “learning,” the desire disappears.

Homework over break does nothing to fuel that desire. If teachers want to keep the motivation students have to learn, give them a break every once and awhile. It’s called winter break for a reason. 

(Abel Uribe/Chicago Photo byTribune/MCT) Sophie Allen

RedKey Realty Leaders St. Louis is Seeking All Do-Gooders!

Nominate a student, teacher, coach, or friend who is making Clayton High School a better place by sending an email to contest@redkeystlouis.com. Include your name and phone number, your nominee’s name, and a description of what good deeds your nominee has done well.

Each month, RedKey will loan our limo (and driver) to the winner to honor the individual’s commitment to service.

Ready, set...NOMINATE. 314-692-7200 RedKeyStLouis.com 10333 Clayton Road | Saint Louis 63131