Central Focus March 2016

Friendless. - You’re an arrogant p**** and you ruin everything you touch. - Your pants are stupid. - F****t. - I’ve always heard you were a b****. - Queer. - If you killed yourself, the headline would read “Student dies at age who gives a s***?”

- Your prom dress looks like you’re asking for it. - Your hair is blonde, so you must be stupid. - Looks like you got the herpes on your lips. Maybe you should get your face out of your dad’s b*tthole. - She’s a b****. - You walk like a praying mantis. - The only reason you got it is because you kiss up to be the favorite. - Your muffin top is showing. - Her arms are too hairy for anyone to date her. - B****. - You look like a monkey. - You can’t be good at math. You’re a girl. - You look like a dirty Mexican. - What is with your obsession with attention? If you want it so badly, do us all a deed and kill yourself. - Are you here illegally? - I could never marry you because you’re black. - Did you have to cross the border? You let him do it to you, so why not us? - You‘re a freak. Kill yourself. - All I wanted was to lead you on and it worked. Your sandals are freakin’ ugly. - You like girls? Gross. - You’re never going to get far in life. - Why are you friends with them? That isn’t exactly your peer group. - Prude. - Why do you bother coming to school? - The only thing you’re good Volume 19, Issue 5 March 18, 2016 boys; Francis Howell Central High School at is getting negative attention from and that’s not something to be proud of. - You’re the reason for your parents’ divorce. - You try too hard. - Every idea you have is stupid and worthless. Why are you even here? - Stupid. - Whitey-tighty kid. - Everyone can tell you’re trying really hard to be pretty. It’s not working. - You’re a cutter. - What a worthless piece a trash. Who would want you? - She only dates boys so she can cheat on them. I can see it in her eyes. - There are so many reasons people don’t like you. - You look like such a s***. - You’re so boy crazy. - Keep eating like that, and you’ll be fat in no time. In fact, I see some belly. - I’ve always heard you were a b****. - How aren’t you pregnant yet, you s***? - You have no friends, so stop pretending like you do. - You’re never going to get far in life. - You’re such a waste of space. - Loser. - Without me, you have no reason to live. - Why do you bother even waking up in the morning? Nobody wants you. - Now I see why people think you’re a b****. - I could never marry you because you’re black. - You’re Asian.

I thought Asians were smart. - You always smell. Do something about it before people start dying. - Fat***. Stop trying to act cool. You’re not cool. - Nobody wants to see your fat hanging over your pants. - You’re pathetic. You said you were good at soccer. So now you’re bad at soccer and a liar. - Eat less, fatty. - You walk like a praying mantis. - No wonder you have no friends. - Your nose ring makes you look trashy. - Why are you so disrespectful? - I wish you didn’t smell like cigarettes every day. It’s making it hard to be your friend. - You look like trash. - Red hair? Trashy. - If you get fat, I’m going to punch you in the face until you go to the gym. - You’re a whale. - Your face looks like pepperoni pizza. Be better and maybe I will like you. Remember there will always be someone better than you. - Your muffin top is showing. - Your prom dress looks like you’re asking for it. Kill yourself. - Loser.- Why do you always dress like a boy? - Just work by yourself. Nobody here wants to be your partner. Dumb***. - Everyone can tell you’re trying really hard to be pretty. It’s not working. - You’re a cutter. - What a worthless piece a trash. Who would want you? - She only dates boys so she can cheat on them. I can see it in her eyes. - Every idea you have is stupid and worthless. Why are you even here? - Just stop trying.

Friendless. - You’re an arrogant p**** and you ruin everything you touch. - Your pants are stupid. - F****t. - I’ve always heard you were a b****. - Queer. - If you killed yourself, the headline would read “Student dies at who gives a s***?” - Your prom dress looks like you’re asking for it. - Your hair is blonde, so you must be stupid. - Looks like you got the herpes on your lips. maybe you should get your face out of your dad’s b*tthole. - She’s a b****. - You walk like a praying mantis. The only reason you got it is because you kiss up to be the favorite. - Your muffin top is showing. - Her arms are too hairy for anyone to date her. - B****. - You look like a monkey. - I’ve always heard you were a b****. - How aren’t you pregnant yet, you s***? - You have no friends, so stop pretending like you do. - You’re never going to get far in life. - You’re such a waste of space. - Loser. - Without me, you have no reason to live. - Why do you bother even waking up in the morning?

Nobody wants you. - You’re such a loser. - What a judgmental b****. - Why do you dye your hair so many colors? You look trashy. - That is probably the ugliest outfit I have ever seen. - Well nobody wants a fat feminist like you. - Jesus freak. - You are way too clingy. - Death metal screamo is your life. - You wish you were as important as me. - You think kintypes are real? Pathetic. - Your prom dress looks like you’re asking for it. - You’re a compulsive liar. - You look like the kind of trash that would cheat on someone. - Your hair is blonde, so you must be stupid. Looks like you got the herpes on your lips. Maybe you should get your face out of your dad’s b*tthole. - You’re such a nerd. - Your sandals are freakin’ ugly. - You like girls? Gross. - Everyone hates you. - You think kintypes are real? Pathetic. - Your pants are stupid. - I could never marry you because you’re black. - You let him do it, so why not us? - What’s with your obsession with attention? If you want it so badly, do us all a deed and kill yourself. - You can’t be good at math. You’re a girl. - You look like a monkey. - You try too hard. - Prude. - Why do you bother coming to school? - The only reason you got it is because you kiss up to be the favorite. - Nobody wants to hear what you have to say about anything. Try keeping your nose in your own business. - Gay? Nasty. - Just go shoot yourself already. We’re all waiting. - You’re a compulsive liar. I didn’t think it was possible to be that stupid. - There are so many reasons people don’t like you. - You look like such a slut. - You’re so boy crazy. - Keep eating like that, and you’ll be fat in no time. In fact, I see some belly. - I’ve always heard you were a b****. - How aren’t you pregnant yet, you s***? - You have no friends, so stop pretending like you do. - You’re never going to get far in life. - You always smell. You should do something about it before the people around you start to die. - Hipster trash. - You’re so ignorant.- Why do you think you’re worth talking to? - All I wanted was to lead you on and it worked. - Are you here illegally? -If you killed yourself, the headline would read “Student dies at age who gives a s***?’

CENTRAL

focus

These were real statements made towards FHC students; it’s time to make a change. Please go to page 2

2

MARCH 18, 2016

staff staff members

Print Executive Editor Cadence Bippen

Multimedia Executive Editor Jared McClellan

digital media

Staff Reporters

Abram Cutshall, Elizabeth Gerger, Jack Hiegel, Skylar Laird, Elaine Mallon, Haley Mills, Mackenzie Morris, Will Sills, Leslie Sutton, Kaleigh Zehnle

Photographers

Belle Herrera, Josephene Julien, Morgan West

Design Editor Morgan Brader

Adviser/for advertising inquiries Matthew Schott matthew.schott@fhsdschools.com

Discover Editor Emily Mann

Online

FHCtoday.com is the online home of FHC Publications and serves as a hub for all of our breaking news, photography and video work. For all you need to know about the FHC community, head to FHCtoday.com @fhcpublications francis howell central publications

Feature Editor

@fhcpublications

Olivia Biondo

letters to the editor

Move Editor

fhcpublications

Have a letter for the editor or a question for us?

Bri Shatto

Voice Editor

If something we wrote demands your voice, please e-mail us at fhcpub@gmail.com or drop your handwritten letter off with Mr. Schott in Room 139. The Central Focus staff will print the entirety of your letter, providing it meets the standards of publication laid out in the FHC Publications editorial policy, which is available in Room 139 or at www.fhctoday.com for your perusal.

Becca Abrams

Entertain Editor Elisa Swanson

Photo Editor Taylor Tinnes

letter from the editor

I

n January, Francis Howell Central was in the news due to “claims [that] the district [had] failed to take fast and proper action to address… alleged bullying.” We, as students, know that bullying is not a new phenomenon, and something needs to be done. We also know that this edition of the Central Focus has the potential to make Cadence Bippen some people feel uncomfortable, sad, or angry. The point is that it will make you feel something. Bullying isn’t an print executive

issue that can be glossed over or ignored, and we wanted to present it as honestly as we could. Yes, kids really did say some of the awful things listed on our front cover. It’s very possible that some of these statements were made by adults as well.

To us, it doesn’t matter who said it. What matters is people know what is going on, and together we work to put an end to the bully issue.

editor

letter from the principal

C

ontained in this issue of the Focus is a series of articles entitled, “The Bully Issue.” While language in the article may be offensive to many of our patrons, the District has determined that the language contained therein is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as long as it is found to have an educational purpose. The Francis Howell Dr. Sonny Arnel Principal School District believes that bullying is a legitimate issue

and, therefore, has allowed this article to be published.

Francis High Central Administration takes seriously and addresses each and every reported bullying incident brought to its attention and will continue to do so. It is our hope that through conversations inspired from this issue of the Central Focus, students may have a safer more productive educational environment.

Thank you, Dr. Sonny Arnel

3

Contents

MARCH 18, 2016

march 4

Meet the new boss Dr. Mary HendricksHarris has been in FHSD for more than 10 years.

Learn more about her plans, goals as new superintendent.

9 Figuring out FAFSA Students received help trying to understand the complicated financial aid forms many students need to fill out for college loans.

29

page 6

Election direction

As voters head to the polls, this guide provides students with information for choosing a candidate to support.

No silver lining?

Leslie Sutton bemoans the fact that some teachers neglect to award one of their students a Silver Shield.

As the school year moves on, the field of potential presidential candidates continues to dwindle.

On page 6-7, Jack Hiegel investigates why a candidate is able to find appeal with certain groups of people.

Photos courtesy of MCT Campus

4 MARCH 18, 2016

Dr. Mary HendricksHarris, the incoming superintendent, addresses the board of education meeting on Feb. 4, shortly after her appointment was announced. Dr. HendricksHarris earned the spot over two other finalists.

discover

Photo by Taylor Tinnes

Superintendent’s story

New superintendent has long history in education

By Jack Hiegel Staff reporter For most people, Feb. 4 seemed like an ordinary day with nothing particularly noteworthy occurring. However, for FHSD students and teachers, it was a very important day whether they realized it or not. This is because on Feb. 4 at 6 p.m, Dr. Mary Hendricks-Harris was selected as the new superintendent of the district.

Dr. Hendricks-Harris, who will succeed current superintendent Pam Sloan on Jul. 1, 2016, has a long history of work in the education field. This includes time spent outside of the district and inside of it.

“I was the Director of Special Education in St. Louis. I also taught for 10 years,” Dr. HendricksHarris said.

In 2006, Dr. Hendricks-Harris began her career with the district as the Director of Adult Learning and Program Evaluation where she planned out and evaluated district-wide professional development. This is where she first met her predecessor Dr. Sloan, who developed a very high opinion of her and feels that she has done a great deal for the district.

“She served as Chief Academic Officer for the district, and her main function was to create the academic vision for our schools,” Dr. Sloan said. “Under her leadership, we increased performance scores on state tests and the rigor level in schools while also decreasing the dropout rate and the number of in-school and out-ofschool suspensions. She also moved STEM classes down to middle school and examined the correlation between technology and learning, so I feel that she has done a lot.”

In addition, during her early years at the district, she met Mark Lafata, the current president of the Board of Education. Mr. Lafata also praised some of her qualities and said that she has been very helpful in the district.

“She has strong communication skills and advanced the academic vision of our schools,” Mr. Lafata said. “She also has many high achievements and can relate well with others.”

During her tenure as Chief Academic Officer, she also met Principal Sonny Arnel who later lauded her dedication.

“She is really passionate about her profession.

She has an academic vision for our district, pushed that vision, and supported us,” Dr. Arnel said. “We would meet to focus on the school plan, and she tried to meet all the students’ needs.”

After around a decade spent working at FHSD, Dr. Hendricks-Harris decided to apply to succeed Dr. Sloan and become the next superintendent.

She said there were several reasons that encouraged her to make this decision.

“I found Francis Howell to be a great place,” Dr. Hendricks-Harris said. “I love the people, the students, and the community, and I wanted to continue us on the academic path that we set up.”

Dr. Hendricks-Harris was one of around 20 candidates who applied for the position, and she was one of the three finalists considered by the Board of Education. According to Mr. Lafata, the Board found Dr. Hendricks-Harris was a near perfect choice.

“It was a unanimous vote in favor of her. She also scored higher on her application than any of the other candidates did. We feel very strongly about this decision,” Mr. Lafata said.

Dr. Sloan agreed Dr. Hendricks-Harris was a great choice to take over for her following her retirement, and she highlighted several of her qualities as reasons why.

“Without out a doubt, she will be able to carry out the academic vision we have for our schools,” Dr. Sloan said. “She has a very impressive background in education. She worked at a Harvard Leadership Program and has a doctorate from Lindenwood. In addition, in order to be successful in this field, you have to be knowledgeable and a problem-solver and have high standards for the district, which she has.”

In regards to the new superintendent’s impact on FHC, Dr. Arnel is sure that it will be positive.

“I think that she will be very good for our school. She’s proud of our accomplishments. She believes in the school and in the community. She’s our biggest supporter,” Dr. Arnel said.

Looking ahead to the future, Dr. HendricksHarris has several goals for the district. However, she has one specific thing that she wants to do first.

“The first thing I want to do is sit in the new [superintendent] seat. I need to listen and learn from the people around me before I do anything else,” Dr. Hendricks-Harris said.

Three other areas made it high on Dr. Hendricks-Harris’ to-do list when she became superintendent.

“Closing the financial gaps in our district funding is on my plate. We also need to get the community more engaged in the district and schools. In addition, our academic plan is nearly expired, so we need a new strategic plan,” Dr. Hendricks-Harris said.

Beyond the

By Elisa Swanson

DISCOVER

5 MARCH 18, 2016

DNA destiny

Entertain Editor Epigenetics is the science that explains how the DNA in a skin cell and a brain cell has the same DNA within, but the cells themselves are different.

This goes beyond the blue eyes your mom gave you or the brown hair you inherited from your dad.

As important as the DNA sequence we received at birth, epigenetics explains the effect of things like diet, experiences, outlook, religion and beliefs on our genes. It is time to look past the double helix to answer the question that plagues many, “Who are we?”

Identical twins are the prime example of epigenetics at work because these people share the same DNA but do not experience everything exactly the same. Over time, even identical twins will not look or act identically.

For senior Cheyenne Johnson, an identical twin herself, the biggest change she has seen is that her twin, Sierra Johnson, is taller than her.

“We were more alike when we were younger than we are now,” Johnson said.

“She’s like four inches taller than me now.”

Johnson’s explanation for their height difference was Sierra simply got more of the “stuff” because she was closer to their mother in the womb.

“We were twin to twin transfusion which means it was mom, cord, Sierra, cord, me and not two cords. I feel like that must be the reason she’s taller than me,”Johnson said.

Although more nutrients and blood circulation from being more connected to their mother while in the womb is a seemingly

logical answer, epigenetics comes into play here. Whether it is because the twins play different sports, or just went through different experiences, the epigenome changed the development of the twins’ growth hormones, allowing a change that did not alter their identical DNA but rather the instructions given to different cells in their body.

This tie to real life does not remain with identical twins, although it is easier to see it in the Johnson’s case. Contrary to a former belief, the DNA we are born with does not have all the answers to who we will be later. Recent discoveries reveal that the epigenome, a layer of cells with chemicals that tell a gene what to do, changes throughout a person’s life. These changes do not affect the DNA sequences, but rather what is done with it.

Think of the epigenome as the supervisor and DNA as the workers.

Because of studies done with placebos, or fake pills often made of sugar, scientists were able to clearly draw out the strength of mind over body. Patients are cured 35 percent of the time with placebos. Often times the improvement of patients is highest with the placebo, which leads to a new hypothesis that, even in health, the first step is to believe we will get better.

This study is being expanded to whole societies because epigenetics suggests that in the right environment, a person’s epigenome can alter otherwise heritable traits, like the likelihood of a person to get hooked on drugs or commit suicide. The hypothesis is one that gives hopes — the brain when equipped with the right knowledge will make the right decisions. If proven right, it means people’s knowledge, not the fear of consequences, will change them for the better.

Being part of a twin:

“There’s someone always there for me. I don’t know how it feels to be an ‘only’ but it feels great having a twin. You work together well and you don’t really fight because you are like the same person.”

-Cheyenne Johnson (‘16) “It’s not that much different from having any other sibling but you share the same birthday. I don’t really think about it. ” -Michael Lloyd (‘17) “It’s kind of cool that we can do things together, like we got our licenses at the same time. We can share first experiences.”

-Amy Warner (‘16) “I don’t know...You can brag about it.”

-Katie Lloyd (‘17) “This sounds cheesy, but she’s my best friend. I will always have her. We do the same things and have the same friends.”

-Taylor Cervera (‘18)

Experiences, especially in childhood and during puberty, cause the biggest changes in the epigenome. Stressful or traumatic experiences, like bullying, can cause a person to have a more cautious personality, as well as mess with their memory, attention and emotional stability. These changes can go on to affect reproductive success as well as the ability to be a sufficient parental figure in a child’s life. These will further affect the next generation in their responses to stress and life, in general.

6 discover MARCH 18, 2016

2016 election heats up:

By Jack Hiegel Staff reporter With 2015 over and several weeks having gone by in 2016, we are less than a year away from selecting the next president of the United States.

Since President Obama has reached his two-term limit, he is not eligible to run in the upcoming election, allowing several other candidates the chance to win in what is already an interesting campaign season.

As many students who will be eligible to vote in the upcoming November election may not truly understand what this election entails or what is going on in the political world, this guide will serve as a helpful tool in helping students to understand the election and figure out where they stand.

As of right now, there are six candidates from the two major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, left in the running. Two of these are campaigning for the Democratic nomination, and the other four are competing to receive the Republican nomination. Aside from these seven and the 16 others who have dropped out since the race began, there are countless other candidates from various third parties across the

Primary Delegate Count*

Democrats Needed: 2,383 Clinton: 1,223 Sanders: 574 *As of Mar. 11

GOP Needed: 1,237 Trump: 459 Cruz: 360 Rubio: 152 Kasich: 54

country. Missouri State Professor Joel Paddock believes that the large amount of people in this race is one reason that makes it so competitive.

“The large number of candidates on the Republican side will likely lengthen the ‘winnowing period’, where candidates drop out of the race for lack of financial or electoral support,” Dr. Paddock said. “This may make it more difficult for the party to unify behind a nominee early. It is generally assumed that it is in a party’s best interests to unify behind a likely nominee early so they can turn their attention to the opposition party.”

Missouri State Professor Mark Ellickson believes this divide in the Republican party will definitely hurt certain candidates over others.

“The large number of candidates probably hurt the chances of the ‘establishment’ GOP candidates as their support was diluted with some other candidates and no single ‘establishment’ candidate was able to emerge from the pack early on and take control,” Dr. Ellickson said.

Another factor that is definitely impacting the race is the presence of political outsiders and how well many of these candidates have

polled. According to Government teacher Nick Beckmann, the success of these candidates, especially businessman Donald Trump, provides some valuable information about how Americans view their country.

“Even if you don’t agree with him, you have to admit that Trump does a decent job of bringing up issues that wouldn’t have been talked about normally,” Mr. Beckmann said. “He makes candidates talk about these issues, and it clearly shows that a lot of people like bringing up these issues that regular politicians wouldn’t talk about.”

Dr. Paddock believes that the political outsider candidates, particularly those in the Republican party, will damage their party’s reputation during this election cycle and potentially alienate voters.

“Trump and [Ben] Carson have pulled the Republicans to the right on issues such as immigration. This has made it more difficult for more moderate elements in the party, like Marco Rubio, to fashion a more pragmatic message on immigration policy that would allow Republicans to reach out to Hispanic voters in the general election,” Dr. Paddock said.

Sites to Check Out CrowdPAC: This provides a good map of where the candidates stand.

ISideWith: This will help students find out where they lie on the political spectrum and which candidates they agree with the most.

On the Issues: This site shows what certain candidates believe about certain issues.

7

DISCOVER

MARCH 18, 2016

Here’s what you need to know Several issues, such as foreign policy and minorities and the working class. Sanders does immigration, have become increasingly relevant better among better-educated whites. I have in this race. Mr. Beckmann says that one of no idea who is going to win the Republican the most important topics in this election is the nomination.” economy.

Dr. Ellickson is more sure about who will win the “Foreign policy in the Middle Republican nomination than his East regarding ISIS is important, “The government can colleague is, and he provides but the most important one is some support backing up his only work well when the economy,” Mr. Beckmann the people understand views. said. “I think that it was said “Either Donald Trump or what is going on, during Bill Clinton’s campaign Ted Cruz will win because that, ‘It’s the economy, stupid.’ so students should GOP voters are extremely The economy will definitely be pay attention to the dissatisfied with ‘establishment’ on top this election.” candidates and the overall election.”

As far as who will win the Government teacher performance of the elected nominations, Dr. Paddock GOP members of Congress, Nick Beckmann has an idea of who will end especially the ‘establishment’ up receiving the Democratic types,” Dr. Ellickson said. nomination but is less certain regarding the While some have taken to forecasting the Republican one. winner of the general election, Mr. Beckmann “Clinton is the clear favorite on the Democratic believes this will not yield any accurate results as side,” Dr. Paddock said. “She seems to have it is far too early to determine that outcome. greater appeal than Sanders to key elements “It really depends upon how the country is going of the Democratic primary electorate, such as at that point as well as who wins a campaign. I

Jul. 18-21 Republican National Convention

Sep. 26 Debate

really couldn’t predict it,” Mr. Beckmann said.

While some may not see the merit in getting involved in the election, Mr. Beckmann points out participation in government and campaigning is extremely important.

“Students really should pay attention to the election and know what’s going,” Mr. Beckmann said. “They need to understand what is going on because that’s what keeps our government working. The government can only work well when the people understand what is going on, so students should pay attention to the election, develop their own opinions, and not let anyone keep them from seeing the truth.”

Dr. Ellickson agrees with this point, stating education in politics is important in keeping the country strong.

“Today’s students will become tomorrow’s leaders. Understanding and participating in the political process at an early age as well as understanding the importance of the U.S. Constitution are necessary if we want our future leaders and voters to be knowledgeable and responsible,” Dr. Ellickson said.

Oct. 19 Debate

Election Timeline Jul. 25-28 Democratic National Convention

Oct. 9 Debate

Nov. 8 Election Day

8 Discover MARCH 18, 2016

Changing times at Central

By Elaine Mallon Staff reporter In May 2000, the last day of school finally had arrived. The buses had left The parking lot was empty, except for an old pickup truck.

Four senior boys sitting in the bed of the truck discussed the surreal feeling of an end of an era, and among those boys was Nicholas Beckmann.

“The last day of school, you know everyone leaves, but it wasn't a rush out. We didn't rush out,” Beckmann said.

As the boys reminisced, a warm, familiar face approached the truck: Don Muench. He was there to tell the boys it was time to go, as school ended hours ago.

“We basically said, ‘We’re not ready to go,” Mr. Beckmann said, “Muench told us, ‘yeah, well we aren’t ready to lose you.’ It was really cool. It’s those things that stick with you.”

As a freshman at Howell, Beckmann was selected to act as a student ambassador for the new, constructing school: Francis Howell Central.

This is when he met Central’s first principalMuench.

“I walked through this building when it was just beams. The floor was mud, and [Muench] was telling us where everything was going to be,” Mr. Beckmann said. “The following year we came over [to Central], and Muench asked me to be on his principal’s council. It was one of those things where we grew together.”

According to Mr. Beckmann, Central’s school spirit has been a tradition since day one. Though for the longest time, students weren’t allowed to stand at basketball games, or chant during free throws.

“We [Muench and Beckmann] butted heads on it, so every game we would do it, and he would call us over, and tell us to stop. It became a running joke,” Mr. Beckmann said. “We knew when it was time to get serious and when it was time to joke with [Muench].

For his three years at Central, Mr. Beckmann and Mr. Muench grew very close, along with the first activities director Mr. Terry Kasper.

“I had my dad at home, but when I came here [school] it wasn’t like I was without a father figure.

It was cool to have that type of person at school,” Beckmann said.

After graduation, Beckmann left to study business. Don Muench passed away a year later from a heart attack. It wasn’t until Beckmann visited Muench at Bauer funeral home, did he realize his true calling was to pursue a career in teaching.

Photo courtesy of Nick Beckmann

“When I went up to the casket, I turned to [Muench’s] wife, and said, ‘He always told me to put my student ID on, so I think the best place for this is with him.’ Then I turned around and Mr. Kasper was waiting for me. We had a good cry,” Beckmann said.

Six years later, Mr. Beckmann was back at Central for his first year of teaching. During this time, students Christiana Young and Eddie Rodgers attended Friday night football and basketball games, DECA competitions, and Future Educators of America meetings. Young and Rodgers were close friends, and now the alumni teach special education from neighboring classrooms.

“I started working at [Central] before him. When [Rodgers] got his job, it was weird after knowing

him all these years seeing him being professional and an adult. It’s funny to see the immature high schoolers that we were grow up and to actually become productive citizens,” Ms. Young said.

From her four years of playing soccer, Young created her most memorable times.

“When I think back to high school, I really just think about playing soccer and being with my teammates,” Young said. “These girls were my best friends through elementary, middle and high school,” Ms. Young said.

Mr. Rodgers on the other hand, wrestled.

Through the camaraderie he shared with his fellow wrestlers, Mr. Rodgers enjoyed every moment of his career.

“Every year, after state we would all go to the Ameristar buffet. We would stay for about two hours and just eat the entire time, no longer worrying about making weight,” Rodgers said, “I don’t think it was the craziest thing we ever did, but it was definitely the most memorable.”

As the 2007 Class Clown, Mr. Rodgers was always goofing around with students- creating a repertoire of wacky stories. Amongst many, there was the time Mr. Rodgers won a hundred dollar bet in the middle of marketing class. Two students challenged him to drink an entire gallon of water under five minutes; however, Rodgers managed to finish it in four.

“Mr. Rodgers was definitely a character. He was the kid who would give you wet willies in the hallway, and trip you up the stairs. Definitely a class clown,” Young said. “He was one of my best friends, so he was always giving me trouble.”

Though Mr. Rodgers enjoyed wrestling and winning bets, the relationships he created with his coaches and his teachers have made teaching at Central his dream job.

For 19 years, Howell Central has been recognized by parents and students as a nurturing environment. According to Young, Ms. there is no mystery behind why alumni return to teach.

“Students should be thankful they go to a school like this, because it is pretty great,” Ms. Young said, “As much as kids hate sitting in these desks all way, they should feel lucky they have to do it here at this school.”

DISCOVER

9 MARCH 18, 2016

FAFSA frenzy

By Kaleigh Zehnle Staff reporter Applying to colleges can be stressful and tedious for high school seniors, especially in addition to school work, extracurriculars, and jobs. Furthermore, students and their families may need to apply for scholarships and financial aid through something called FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, though many are unaware of what that really is.

Senior Larissa Kite knows the struggles of filling out the FAFSA because

Many seniors are confused by what the FAFSA really is.

she doesn’t live with her parents and had to fill out her FAFSA on her own.

“I started [my FAFSA], but once I got to the parent demographic page, it got kind of confusing because I didn’t have all my parents’ information,” Kite said. “Since I was filling it out by myself, it was really confusing.”

Kite decided to go to the FAFSA informational meeting on Feb. 4 because she got stuck and had questions on how to complete her FAFSA, and she was grateful for the help the meeting gave her.

“We went through a step-by-step example of how to fill it out,” Kite said. “She showed us each path, and if you marked this box over this box, what would happen.”

Overall, Kite found the meeting helpful and was glad she made the decision to go. She was able to complete her FAFSA the same night she attended the meeting.

“I learned how to navigate the FAFSA page and how its works,” Kite said. “There are websites that will duplicate what it looks like and make you pay for it, so I learned how to figure out if you’re on those websites, so you don’t have to pay $85 to turn your FAFSA in.”

Kite was relieved she has completed her

that [the FAFSA] was government aid to help pay for college, but I didn’t really know much else about it,” Gonzalez said. “I learned t h a t it’s beneficial to do it early because there’s only so much money that can be given out.”

Seniors who didn’t attend the meeting and are still confused about the FAFSA shouldn’t be too worried because there are other resources at school to learn more information about FAFSAs, including counselor Mr. Trevor Wolfe.

According to Mr. Wolfe, colleges want students to fill out the FAFSA form to see if they’re eligible

Jan. 1, so seniors can receive their financial aid packages quickly and are able to begin deciding which college to go to, especially if they have been accepted to multiple colleges.

“Once you receive that financial aid package, and once you understand how much money you’re going to possibly get from work study, grants, and loans, that’s ultimately how [seniors] make a decision on where they’re going to go,”

FAFSA and turned it into her first choice school, the University of Toledo.

On the other hand, after attending the meeting, senior Abe Gonzalez is still confused on how to fill out some parts of his FAFSA. “I went with my parents,” Gonzalez said. “They were kind of confused about it, and they’re still kind of confused, but the informational meeting kind of helped them. They have a better understanding.”

Gonzalez is glad he went to the meeting for the information it did give him.

“Before going to the meeting, I just knew

for financial aid from the government. “[Financial aid] can come in a couple different forms. One of those is work study, where you would work maybe in the library of a college, and they would pay you a certain amount of money,” Mr. Wolfe said. “It also makes you eligible for grants, which are typically for families where their income is a little bit lower. Then you have loans, and there’s different types of loans you can be eligible for.”

It’s typically best to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible after it becomes available on

Mr. Wolfe said.

Mr. Wolfe believes that filling out the FAFSA online can make the process much easier for students.

“Five to ten years ago, it was strictly done with paper and pencil, and it would take a family anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to do,” Mr. Wolfe said. “Now, they really want families to do it online, and they are averaging anywhere between 17 and 23 minutes to fill it out because when you do it online, you’re not having to answer every question.”

Photo by Quentin Webert

10

Feature

MARCH 18, 2016

Playing the puppets The Spotlight Players are at it again putting their twist on the classic story of “The Wizard of Oz”

By Olivia Biondo Feature Editor The theater department is taking an interesting turn down the yellow brick road this semester for their production of “The Wizard of Oz.” This show is far distanced from the classic that most everyone already knows, bringing new twists and turns to the stage, and even incorporating other elements.

The Spotlight Players have decided to try something new for this musical. They’re bringing in some brand new actors: puppets. These puppets will take place as characters in the musical, operated by chorus members dressed in all black.

Junior Lyndsey Barillier will be featured as a school teacher puppet during this show.

“They’re these giant foam balls that hook onto your arm, and while you move your arm, the mouth of the puppet moves,” said Barillier. “They’re going to portray the munchkins.”

A lot of work will go into this production in order

for the puppets to turn out the way they have been planned. The theater department has even created a whole new crew solely for puppetmaking.

Senior Tristan Ratterman has been heavily involved in the Spotlight Players throughout his high school years, but for this show, he has decided to become involved in the behind-thescenes work.

“I am in charge of the puppetry crew. We wanted to take ‘Oz’ in a different direction than most,” said Rattermann. “After crunching some numbers, we opted to go the route of puppets for the munchkins and crows.”

The puppets bring a new element to the theater that has never been done before. Cori Nelson, theater director and manager, believes the puppets will be a refreshing surprise to the audiences.

“The challenge with casting the munchkins is that you either have young adults being on their

Photo by Haley Mills

knees and giving the illusion of being smaller, which always looks a bit strange, or you cast elementary school children,” Nelson said. “I am so incredibly excited about them.”

The theater department has high expectations for this musical, they are even adding a fourth show night.

The performances begin on Wednesday, April 20 and continue throughout April 23. Along with adding an extra performance, the cast and crew are adding bonus events. There is a dress rehearsal on Tuesday, April 19 that is only for the teachers, and on Friday night, there is an event that is surely not to be missed. The cast is hosting a “meet the actors” for all the people who come to see the show.

“The audience will still see the classic characters they know and love, but there are some surprises along the way,” said Nelson. “My pride in my students is overwhelming, they deserve all the applause at each night of the shows.”

feature

Pretty boys for a good cause

An inside look at what goes into preparing for Mr. FHC

Meet the contestants:

Freshman: Matt Mossingnoff Sophomores: Aleks Kisseloff, Riley Shaw, Colin Wiliams, and Cooper Reddington Juniors: Cameron Zelei, Trent Diener, Micah Skebo, Nathan Smith, and Logan Mays Seniors: Regis Wilson, Alan Meister, Brendan Bratsch, Patrick Hoth, Jacob Guilstorf, Collin Herdt, and Geoffrey Tibbles

Haley Mills Staff reporter The typical beauty pageant consists of girls in flawless dresses performing talents they’ve been rehearsing for years, followed by witty answers to questions that will seemingly solve all the world’s problems.

“Mr. FHC is our spoof on a ‘beauty pageant.’ We follow their basic format with some changes to fit into our school climate,” Student Council sponsor Stacey Dennigmann said.

The boys will be judged in three distinct categories: talent, ability to answer a questionusually some type of fun question such as “If you could be any superhero who would that be and why?”, and their stage presence by their initial walk out on to the stage with their favorite school appropriate jam.

“My favorite part of competing in it last year was the fact that I was able to put myself in something that was completely out of my comfort zone, ” senior TJ Buchanan said.

This year’s show started being planned at the end of last year’s performance. Lots of thought and preparation must go into the show in order to reserve the auditorium, plan rehearsal and take into consideration the sports schedules.

“Every year we have to start from scratch and make a new performance. We make new posters

11 MARCH 18, 2016

since every year it is slightly different; we make new programs, get all the boys together, publicize the event and make sure everything is going to run smoothly,” Student Council president, senior Larissa Kite said.

One of the main components that goes into Mr. FHC is the aspect that revolves around raising money for charity. All of the money collected from the cost of admission to see the show will be donated.

“Every year we pick a new charity to donate to and this year we choose Friends of Kids with Cancer. We always research the charity to see where they put the money towards and making sure our donations aren’t going to be used to pay people’s salaries,” Kite said.

Mr. FHC is one for the few opportunities for all the grades to intermix and come together to celebrate a common attribute: school pride.

“I enjoy the entire show. The talent over the years has been incredible but I also like to see how the guys actually support and encourage each other at the technical rehearsal,” Mrs. Dennigman said.

Not only the teachers enjoy the boys rendition of a beauty pageant; students also are entertained by seeing the boys strut their stuff.

“Seeing that we are usually very divided grade-wise and don’t mix, it is great to see the boys and their parents bond and get so into the performances,” Kite said.

12 FEATURE

Epsilon Beta MARCH 18, 2016

The club that may not return next year

By Skylar Laird Staff reporter It’s Friday morning before school, and the library is much more crowded than usual. Senior Elise Wantling stands behind a small folding table, working with fellow Epsilon Beta members to hand out cups of hot chocolate for a dollar each to tired students as they approach.

As she fills the small paper cups, it’s strange for Wantling to recall a time only two years ago when Fridays in the library were just like every other day and she was just a sophomore with an idea, filling out paperwork in an attempt to establish an Epsilon Beta chapter at this school. And it’s even stranger for her to think the library might return to its empty state next year, completely void of the club behind the hot chocolate.

Epsilon Beta, although most well-known for its implementation of hot chocolate Fridays, does much more than just make hot drinks for students.

Their other accomplishments, however, often go unnoticed, and they are constantly stuck in limbo between being a well-established club and just a small organization, their endeavors unbeknownst to the general student body.

“It’s a service club for readers,” librarian Kelly Hauquitz explained. “So you basically take your love of reading and share it with others by supporting the learning commons, public libraries, or just reading education in general.”

This means doing a variety of different projects, including running book drives, organizing the school’s Veteran’s day breakfast, and just generally promoting the library. This combination of books and service demands comparison to other clubs such as NHS and book club, but Wantling is confident that what Epsilon Beta does is unique.

“What’s different is just the dynamic of students working together and what their goal is,” Wantling said. “We don’t just come to enjoy books and talk about them. Everything we do is purposedriven; we want to help people and we just use books as our way of helping. It’s a very creative atmosphere, and you have a lot of creative, shy people working together, so it helps people along

with being a good social club.”

Junior historian Penelope Hunter believes what really sets the group apart, however, is the fact that it allows a variety of students to be involved in something they love with people who share a common interest, a quality usually only attributed to more skill-based groups, such as theater, band, and athletic teams.

“The cool thing about [Epsilon Beta] is that it’s for people who aren’t into sports but like book reading,” Hunter said. “You can do certain things that you enjoy, and it’s a cool thing to put on your resume.”

Being the only group in the school to offer an academic letter, it certainly is an exceptional resume booster; similar to varsity letters awarded to athletes, academic letters can be displayed on letterman jackets and look great on resumes and job applications. Even theater and choir, being MSHAA sponsored activities, offer varsity letters, but none are academic.

“There are academic clubs here, but I don’t believe any others have academic letters,” Mrs. Hauquitz said. “In honors classes you earn cords for graduation, and a lot of people know you can get a letter for sports, but this is an honest-togoodness academic letter.”

And yet, despite these benefits of having an Epsilon Beta group, there is an all-too-real possibility of the club no longer existing next school year.

“You have to have an active, decent-sized club before (the school) starts paying the teachers to sponsor it, but in order to run a decent-sized, timeconsuming club, the librarians are working a lot of overtime, and now they’re being told that they might not even get paid for that, so they’re finding it hard to stay committed,” Wantling explained.

The loss of the club is not yet final, but with recent budget cuts, Mrs. Hauquitz fears that Epsilon Beta’s chances of being sponsored in the future may become even slimmer than they are now.

“With financial issues in the district, nothing is a guarantee until it’s set in stone,” Mrs. Hauquitz said, “but right now we just want to put it out there

Photo by Elisa Swanson

Junior Penelope Hunter gives a speech at Epsilon Beta’s annual statewide conference in Jefferson City

because we don’t know. Currently, it’s not a paid sponsor position; (the librarians) just do it because it’s the right thing to do, and either we’ll continue with that or we won’t.”

This loss would mean more than the loss of a book club; this would mean no academic letters available to students, no more book-based service projects, and no more hot chocolate Fridays, the fundraiser Epsilon Beta is most well-known for.

Although these affect the entire student body, for Wantling, the loss of this club would have much more personal meaning. As founding president, she created this club and grew it from the ground up. This club is part of her legacy, and she was hoping it would continue long past her graduation.

“In theory I shouldn’t really care because I won’t be here next year, but this club has been my baby.

I have written so many documents to set up its basis, and we already have plans for next year about what path we’re on, what we’re planning, and what direction we’re supposed to go in,” Wantling said. “I’ve been hoping that through my siblings who are still here, I would still get to watch this club grow and exist, so the thought of my baby dying when I graduate is just really sad.

We’ve worked so hard to build this club. And I think - no, I know — it’s brought in students who aren’t involved in anything else in the school. They finally got involved and now they feel a lot more accepted and welcome.”

This isn’t necessarily the end of the club, though; as of now it still exists, and nothing has been officially announced about whether or not it will continue into next year. If it gains enough support this semester, it may be able to survive another year.

“Mr. Harris would like it to continue, so if students would voice their want for it to continue to him, that would support what he’s trying to do,” Mrs. Hauquitz said.

Wantling agreed that word of mouth is a great way to keep this club from going under; the more people who know about it, the more support and funding it gets, and the more it can do to help.

“Just support the club,” Wantling said. “And be nice to the librarians and the book nerds.”

13

feature

MARCH 18, 2016

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14 MARCH 18, 2016

focus

Tears have been shed, punches have been thrown, and lives have been taken. Bullying is a real issue across America and it is happening within these very walls.

This is the problem, in its honest, truest form.

Photo illustration by Taylor Tinnes

focus

15 MARCH 18, 2016

More to it

By Cadence Bippen Print executive editor

What makes a bully?

Nearly every American student has experienced bullying at some point in his or her life. According to bullyingstatistics. org, 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one type of bullying or another.

Everyone has something he or she is insecure about, which makes anyone a potential victim — but only one in five kids admit to being a bully. With an abundance of victims, and bullies the minority, it is odd how it seems all the power is in the hands of those doing the dirty-work. But are bullies really as tough and foreboding as they are perceived? Scientific studies, as well as everyday observations, show that there is more to it than simply being mean. Oftentimes the bully is suffering, too.

Cindy Heidenry, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Ladue, defined bullying as “unwanted aggressive behavior that uses power imbalance to control or harm others over and over again.” Psychologically, Heidenry said that bullying is a defense mechanism, used to gain whatever it is the bully wants. This could be attention, a physical object, social status, etc. The reason bullies use this defense is unclear, but Heidenry firmly believes no one is “born” a bully.

“Some may be more aggressive in their personality, but that does not make them a bully,” Heidenry said.

Bullying can arise in kids who possess a low frustration tolerance, and therefore are unable to make clear judgment calls. If a kid thinks badly of others (which often reflects on how he or she thinks of him or herself), this could also possibly lead to bullying.

Home and family life has a major impact on growth and development, and therefore can cultivate a bullying behavior.

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, parents are the most influential people in children’s lives, passing on attitude, beliefs, religion, hobbies, etc. If a family promotes violence, or is not attuned to the child in the way it should, a child can feel neglected or angry.

“I always tell parents, ‘Actions speak louder than words,’” Heidenry said. If an adult acts respectfully in situations of a power struggle, it is more likely the child will learn and copy.

Bullying in today’s high schools is very different than it was in elementary school. Before the constant access to the internet, texting, and social media, bullying had to happen face-to-face. That means the bully had to be brave enough to hurt someone and see the consequences.

Today, bullying can happen virtually anytime, anywhere. Or, anywhere a cell phone is present. Social media sites provide a platform for kids to be hurtful through a glass screen, or even a fake name. It is easier than ever to anonymously hassle someone.

With changing tactics come changing solutions — the “hot, cold, cool response” method to stand up to bullies doesn’t exactly work in most real-life situations.

Heidenry suggests simply walking away from the ordeal, or responsibly calling out the person’s behavior. She also would like to remind students that by age 18, there are laws protecting young adults from more “serious” forms of bullying such as harassment, hazing, and stalking. Laws against these crimes provide additional protective barriers.

So to revisit the question ‘what makes a bully,’ there isn’t a definite answer. The qualities that make up a bully are as variable as the definition of bullying itself. In the grand scheme of things, everyone has acted “bully-like” at some point.

“I think we all have slipped once or twice,” Heidenry said.

“We use our power to put down others or [go] along with a crowd and [laugh] at someone’s mistake.”

Heidenry has worked with kids in all aspects of her career as a therapist, and she said that it is important to not label someone as a “bully” or a “victim.” Labels reiterate the damage done, and can cause a “bully kid” to think she will grow up into a “bully adult.” In the end, we are all just people, trying to make the right decisions.

Go to FHCtoday. com to read Mel Wyas’ story and learn about a former bully.

16

focus

MARCH 18, 2016

The face of

success C

By Emily Mann Discover editor

ompletely

out

of

place.

Miserable. Draining. Painful.

Degrading. Unwanted.

“I remember thinking ‘I am that kid that they know no one will ask them out, and it is funny to jokingly ask me out, and harass me,” Elise Wantling said.

It was times likes these when Elise felt her worst, with her depression and bullying at its most horrific. The bullying contributed to depressive episodes, and her depression made the bullying harder to handle, a cycle from which she couldn’t escape.

“I would just go random places and kids would gang up on me and stuff like wherever there was a group of children, there is always a nerd on the bottom, and I was the nerd on the bottom,” Wantling said.

Not only did she get bullied in school, but also on the bus.

Her bus line changed in sixth grade, and the new kids added to the route were the root cause of the bullying on the bus.

“We had some different kids on the bus and so we just had a combination of some kids that were very nasty,” Wantling said.

Elise distinctly remembers being addressed by someone who had never been nice to her in the past, and trying to ignore them in order to keep them from harassing her, and they responded to her ability to block them out by throwing things.

“I tried to ignore them and they were all calling my name and I could hear them and like I wouldn’t turn back around,” Wantling said. “Someone took one of those pencil grip things, well they took one of those and they threw it at me … somebody threw a pencil at me.”

Elise’s experiences at school and on the bus with bullies got to be so bad, that she dropped out after the third quarter of middle school and was homeschooled through seventh and eighth grade, and finally returned to public school two weeks into her freshman year.

Photo illustration by Taylor Tinnes

focus

17 MARCH 18, 2016

Elise Wantling rose above years of being bullied, and finishes out her senior year involved with nine school organizations “My parents pulled me out [of school] finally,” Wantling said. “I remember being really depressed, I thought everybody at school kind of hated me cause like I only had a couple of friends.”

Even in the time she spent being homeschooled, the bullying followed her to friends houses and summer camps.

“I remember some boys called me fat and then they were like making fun of me and trying to say I was some kid’s girlfriend,” Wantling said. “And he was like ‘No, I wouldn’t be her boyfriend, like she’s too ugly.”

After going through years of being bullied, Elise’s depression worsened. She wondered what she was doing wrong, what made people want to harass her, and even thought she would not make it through freshman year.

“It was absolutely miserable and like it brought me down mentally a ton and it was evident in every area of my life that I was miserable,” Wantling said. “I’m honestly I’m kind of lucky I made it through freshman year because I almost didn’t think I was going to.”

Although bullying still continued throughout her freshman year, Elise described this as her recovery years, and explained these years allowed her to gather herself enough to really start the recovery process her sophomore year.

“Even though some bullying continued while I was homeschooled, I was able to take that time to find myself, and do lots of things like community service, and find things that I’m interested like art,” Wantling said.

Elise has her faith and youth group to thank for the constant support and encouragement to continue to push through the hard times.

“I found a lot of solace and strength in my faith, I was really involved in my church for a long time and I was really encouraged by that,” Wantling said. “I would wait for Wednesday nights so I could talk to my small group and like let them know what was going on and hear their encouragements.”

Elise is also thankful to her friends and family, for being there to remind her of her worth, and push her in the right directions, finding a lot of strength

BE A PART OF THE STORY. Share your bullying experiences at FHCtoday. com

in her friend Kayleigh Ammond, a junior at FHC. “In a lot of ways, Kayleigh was my rock, she was always super supportive, and wanted to always keep my judgement clear and help me in any way she can,” Wantling said.

Ammond is incredibly proud of all that Elise has overcome, but remembers how hard it was to watch Elise go through that.

“Just in general that really sucks, when your friend is going through that, it made me sad,” Ammond said. “I’m really proud of her and I’m sure it can be inspiring to other people even just looking at her and knowing you can go through being in a pretty bad spot to doing pretty good.”

Another big contribution to Elise’s slow process of finding happiness and confidence was art teacher Judy Switzer, whose classroom provided a sense of support, protection, and happiness for Elise throughout her high school years.

“Any time I have a problem I go and talk to Switzer about it, and I knew anytime I needed I could go to Switzer’s room, I looked forward to going to her class everyday,” Wantling said.

Elise also took steps of her own to help herself through this process, and this is how she got to where she is today.

“I made a point of trying to intentionally step away from some of the toxic people in my life, I also spent my time recognizing my talents, and tried to get rid of all the negativity surrounding me,” Wantling said.

She also began getting more involved in community service and school activities, and she is now involved in nine extra curricular activities.

She is the president of NHS, Epsilon Beta, Principal’s Council. She is a member of Student Council, FCA, NAHS, Art Club, Girl Scouts, and her youth group at her church.

“It is self-validating in a way to see that the bullies always said I was dumb or I was stupid and they made me feel like nothing, and now I have overcome that and almost proved them wrong in a way,” Wantling said. “I mean now when they hear my name it is on the announcements, it is

Check out Kaleigh Zehnle’s story about how principals handle bullying at FHCtoday.com

Learn how to have a discussion with someone who says something at FHCtoday.com

about some award I just won, rather than hearing it in the hallway as people are laughing. So it is almost like I proved them wrong.”

Her friends, family, faith, leadership roles, and belief in the ‘Fake it till you make it,’ mentality allowed her to get to a point of realization that she has talents, and she is more than what the bullies told her.

“I started paying attention to what I was good at, and the compliments people would give me, and I started realizing: I’m not just smart, but I’m smart smart,” Wantling said. “I also just tried to pretend like I was confident, and eventually I believed it, and now I have learned to like who I am.

Most would never be able to overcome what Elise went through, but she was able to take her experiences, learn from it, and thrive. Switzer is very proud of Elis’s ability to do this, and believes it was all capable because of the type of person she is.

“I think that so much of that can be attributed to her character and her willingness to overcome,” Mrs. Switzer said. “A lot of people who went through situations that she went through it would’ve had the opposite effect.”

Even today, when struggles continue, Elise is proud of all she has accomplished, and she now has enough sense of self worth and value to stand up to any bullies that remain.

“I am really happy with where I am at now, I realize a lot of self worth and self confidence,” Wantling said. “I realize I was worth the effort, and like that people supported me, and that I could go ahead and do whatever I wanted to do, so why not go ahead and do it?”

In regards to defeating the bully, Elise knows that it is hard, but she believes it is doable, as she has done it, time and time again.

“If you can make it through still knowing that like you’re not getting bullied because of you, you’re getting bullied because of an insecurity in someone else’s life,” Wantling said. “You have to realize that they’re just people and they can’t hurt you.”

Confident. Strong. Determined. Empowered.

Happy. These are the words Wantling uses to describe who she is today.

Olivia Biondo explores the differences between parents and students at FHCtoday.com

18

focus

MARCH 18, 2016

Go to FHCtoday. com to read Becca Abram’s story on action against bullies taken in the school.

Facing down

ignorance

By Bri Shatto

T

Aleks Kisseloff holds his head high in the hallways despite nasty words thrown his way

Move editor

he sound of heels set the rhythm to the hateful words.

“F**.” “Go kill yourself.” “Gay.” These are just a few of the slurs Aleksander Kisseloff faces as he walks into school wearing what makes him comfortable: makeup, heels, and colors. These slurs are the most prominent form of bullying Aleks receives everyday. This hateful behavior is something that started back in seventh grade after Aleks came out to a friend and word spread that he was gay throughout the whole school.

“There’s so many different factors to bullying, that’s why there’s so many different kinds, it could be on how you dress, how you talk, how you act around others, just or who you are as a person, so I think I kind of have like all of them because I talk different than most boys, I act different than most

boys, I dress completely different than most boys,” Aleks said.

Ever since he was young, Aleks loved dressing up and was comfortable with it, but then he got to middle school and was intimidated by the hateful words that were thrown around so casually.

“It was just kinda a natural thing for me, but then once I got to like, middle school, and people using the words ‘gay’ and them using the word ‘f**’ and all these other words, and I was like ‘Wow, I don’t know if I want to do this,’” Aleks said. “But then, I just, one day, I guess I couldn’t control myself and I just came out.”

This is where the the bullying began. From then on, Aleks faced those who did not understand him and kids who would attack him with threats and spiteful words. The everyday hate and bullying wore on him and made him question himself.

“I questioned basically everything about myself because people would say certain things to me and it would make me feel a certain type of way and then I would just be like ‘Why am I this way? Why was I made this way?

focus

19 MARCH 18, 2016

Why does no one understand me? Why am I so different than everyone?’ Because I only had about two friends in seventh grade and everyone else just kind of, was either attacking me, or just wasn’t talking to me,” Aleks said.

As a result of the never ending hate that Aleks was surrounded by as he walked down the hallways, trying to be true to himself, he turned to the unthinkable before he became comfortable enough with himself to ignore the contempt thrown his way.

“I’ve tried killing myself multiple times which I probably should not have done because looking back at it, I’m like ‘Why would I ever do that?’

I love who I am, I love the heels, I love the colors, I love the makeup, I love all this other stuff so why would I kill myself just to remove all that stuff from my life?” Aleks said.

“Life is so much more precious, and there are so much more beautiful things in life than ‘Oh, you’re a f**.’”

Though he has escaped the clutches of middle school bullying, Aleks is still forced to face ignorance that lurks around every corner in high school. He is able to face it now with more confidence due to what he has already been through.

“I get pretty nasty things said to me. I don’t really mind it anymore just because it’s been happening for so long,” Aleks said. “Yeah, it’s not really worth thinking about, it’s not really worth putting it on the pin board and just looking at it and thinking ‘Yeah, this is what they said to me, I should feel this certain type of way.’ So usually when they say something to me, I don’t feel hurt, I don’t feel sad, I don’t feel angry at them, I just kind of blow it off. ‘Yeah, it’s just another word, that’s just how they feel, okay.’”

Aleks’ friend, sophomore Aimee Moore is angered about her friend having to go through the bullying on top of all the things he already has going on, but has noticed a change in how much it affects him.

“It makes me feel horrible, I always think about how, like he was really bad before, he used to get really upset about things, but now, since he has more confidence, he is able to get over it more and he doesn’t really care and I’m really proud of him for that,” Moore said.

Aleks still faces the callous words from strangers in the hallway who do not understand him because he looks different and acts different than what they are used to, but, despite all the hatred he has been thrown and the threats he has received, he refuses to stoop down to his bullies levels.

“Even to my ‘haters,’ I guess you can call them, I still respect them, I still give them all the respect I did before they didn’t like me, because everyone deserves respect,” Aleks said.

Some students may never understand Aleks’ clothes and makeup and animated personality, and may even try to tell him how he should define himself by saying things like “You’re not a girl” and “You’re a boy,” but that does not hinder his search for himself and his own identity.

“Maybe I’m this, maybe I’m that, I don’t know, let’s just try everything,” Aleks. “So, you’ll probably see me in every gender possible, every single sexuality possible, I don’t know.

There’s so many options. I hate that word, normal. Normal should not be a word anymore.”

He may not know exactly how he wants to be identified yet, but his confidence will not waver with because of the nasty words he gets everyday.

“I can’t really change their minds, I’ve tried to, but I can’t, so, if I can’t change their minds, why worry about it?” Aleks said.

Photo illustration by Taylor Tinnes

20 in focus

MARCH 18, 2016

By Haley Mills Staff reporter

Go to FHCtoday. com to read Emily Mann’s story on parents’ perspectives on bullying.

You probably don’t recall the throwaway comments that you tossed my way or the fun that you poked at me — but I do. It’s hard to forget something that you feared every day and without even realizing it you’ve had an inconceivable impact on my life. I was afraid of your comments, I was afraid you would find new ways to taunt me and every day I’d become weaker and weaker as a result of your poisonous tongues.

I’ve cried so many tears because of you, I was humiliated because of you, and I hid because of you. Because of you, I ate my lunch alone every single day. That’s okay though, because of all the names you called me, the rumors you spread about me, and the hate you held towards me, I had to transfer school my senior year, which was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

When I switched schools, I had an opportunity for a new beginning. I was able to start over. I transferred to a new school, where I was granted an amazing scholarship for my dream college and met some of the best friends I could ever ask for. Our paths might not have crossed if it weren’t for you.

My junior year of high school, I didn’t even think I was going to make it to my senior year. You belittled me so much that I couldn’t stand my life. I didn’t have self-worth because of your words.

Those words hurt me. I developed an eating disorder, was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

But, you know, I had a really great support system and a really great mom who got me through it.

They’re the people I want to make proud.

You, even though it has been a year, are a part of my daily life. With every step I take into my future, you’re there. That being said, there are a few things I’ve wanted to say to you. One of them is “thank you.”

You gave me strength. You made me a fighter. When I started at FHC, I realized I didn’t have to hide anymore. I had endless opportunities in front of me and I took them because I wanted to prove you wrong. I wanted to prove to everyone that I can succeed.

You gave me trust issues. That’s not a bad thing, though. I have a lot of friends, but only a handful I can really trust. That handful means more to me than you realize. They are my best friends and I know they’re there for me. The truth is, a lot of people aren’t trustworthy. They will hold your flaws against you. I know what to look for now. I know who I can confide in and who is going to be there for me.

I’ve learned to love a little deeper. I really love the people in my life. There was a time that I had more people hate me than love me, so I really hold on to those in my life now. I try to show them, every day, how much they mean to me. I didn’t think I would ever have friends, and now I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for.

I’ve learned to push myself because of you. When I think I can’t make it, I think of all the nasty things you’ve said to me and it’s driven me to apply myself.

If I could’ve made you live a day in my shoes, I’d have done it in a split second: I would’ve wanted you to see how I felt about my body and life, and how I didn’t need your judgments to make me feel worse about it. I would’ve wanted you to know what it felt like to fear making eye contact with people, just in case you saw pity there, or worse, hate. Living in this body as a young woman felt like a cage — but I did not put myself in that cage, I was mentally shackled to those bars by you.

And lastly, I want to say I forgive you. I forgive every name you’ve called me, things you’ve thrown at me, and rumor you’ve spread about me. I am who I am today because of you. You’ve had a hand in making me a part of who I am today. I still struggle sometimes, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

in focus

Find your

21 MARCH 18, 2016

confidence

By Kenzie Morris Staff reporter

The hardest part of moving on from being a victim of bullying is gaining back the confidence to stand tall. Losing this coveted confidence only makes the victim an easier target for future terrorist attacks, making it the most important thing to hold onto.

It is clear self-esteem is important, but the conflict lies in regaining lost confidence. Students who have been harassed often have their self-concept torn down by the sharp words of their peers and more times than not suffer irreparable damage to their confidence levels. Counselor Tim Holmes, recognizes this and, after working with many different students, says there are a few things victims or ex-victims can do to regain confidence or high self esteem.

“It’s very important to be honest with your parents,” Mr. Holmes said, “and talking to several different people in the community.” He finds it important to gain as many perspectives as possible in any situation.

“The more point of views you get, the better decisions you can make in life,” Mr. Holmes said.

Mr. Holmes’ next advice is to always work your hardest and be the best you can be.

“You need to have confidence working to your full capacity,” Mr. Holmes said, “It’s about learning skills. We have to find those one or two skills that person may not have and work on those to bring their confidence back up.” A major part of confidence is having the skills to do things you can be proud of.

“If you’re doing well, good things will come out of it,” Mr. Holmes said.

Perhaps the most important part of regaining confidence is loving yourself, and more importantly, loving your flaws.

“I always teach my students to love themselves before anyone else can love them,” Mr. Holmes said. “To do that, you have to know who you are.” If you don’t like yourself, you have to make yourself someone you do like. Who you are is completely in your control, but it is not as easy as it sounds.

“Some people are strong enough to realize who they are and not worry about the groups or the cliques,” Mr. Holmes said. “Most people aren’t that strong. They are still trying to figure out where they belong, where they fit in.”

This is where the other two come in. Talking to plenty of people and working on the skills deemed important will lead a person to become the person they want to be and offer the confidence to be themselves proudly regardless of what others may say.

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MARCH 18, 2016

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Becoming a reality

The girls lacrosse team will finally take field

By Jorden Luehrs Staff reporter As of Feb. 29, Francis Howell Central officially has its own girls lacrosse team for the first time ever. The Francis Howell School District will be offering lacrosse to all three high schools.

Getting a new sport has actually been in works for the district for quite some time. The Francis Howell School District has been working on getting a new sport for girls for five years now.

“The district went through an Office of Civil Rights review about five years ago and found out the girls were underrepresented,” Athletic Director Scott Harris said.

Every sport needs a coach though and nobody seemed interested in coaching lacrosse for a while, until Mr. Marcelo Menchaca, a counselor here at FHC, decided to pick it up along with Mr. Chris Perowski, who teaches history.

“I knew Mr. Harris had sent emails out, asking for people, to see if anyone wanted to coach lacrosse, and I know for a while nobody was picking it up. So I thought I would pick it up to keep me busy in the spring,” Mr. Menchaca said.

The district decided on which sport girls at the high schools would like to be offered for them by surveying a bunch of girls from 8th-11th grade two years ago.

“We surveyed 8th-11th graders two years ago, to see what sport they would like us to offer and girls lacrosse was overwhelmingly the winner,” Mr. Harris said.

So when Central had told girls that lacrosse was now being offered as a spring sport, no one knew what the outcome or how many girls would actually be interested in joining.

“We didn’t know if girls were actually interested in playing lacrosse and so I was very surprised in our first informational meeting that we had 80 plus girls show and were interested in playing,” Mr.Menchaca said.

The lacrosse team will have its inaugural game Thursday against Incarnate Word Academy at 5:30 p.m. at Francis Howell High School.

LAX Terms for real laxaholics:

FIVE HOLE: when a shot is made by going through the goalie’s legs ANKLE BREAKER: super fast turn or dodge CRADLING: to maintain control of the ball, a player must turn their wrist and arms to “cradle the ball” in their stick pocket DINGER: super hard goal that somehow made it in EGG: a soft shot FAST BREAK: when an offensive team quickly gets the ball down the field FEED PASS: a player passes to a teammate already down the field for a quick shot FISH: a bad defenseman GOOSE: to flip a ball from the ground to a teammate GROUND BALLS: balls that are surprisingly loose on the ground HACK: a cheap player or a player that tries to injure people with random checks RAGGING: to run down the clock in a nonattacking manner TAKE A RIP: to attempt a shot WHEELS: used as encouragement to a player running down the field, means “Doing great, keep at it, faster!”

ZEBRA: referee

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MARCH 18, 2016

LA 101

Things to know before you go to a game

CENTER CIRCLE: play begins here at the beginning of every half and after every goal

27 meters

arc

12m fan

8m

RESTRAINING LINE: defensive and offensive players cannot pass it

3 meters

Things to know before the whistle:

THERE IS NO OUT OF BOUNDS. Because the game is from a Native American war game, there are no “uniform� boundaries. Instead, when the ball goes out, it is given to the player closest to the ball when it goes out of the playing area.

WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS, players must stand still. If a player moves after the whistle, a foul could be given to her.

SUBSTITUTIONS HAPPEN WHENEVER and as often as necessary, the substitute must wait until the player comes completely off the field before entering.

GOAL CIRCLE: players cannot enter this circle

9-18 meters

Endline 55-74m

critical scoring area

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MARCH 18, 2016

A growing problem

Concussions continue to become more prevalent in teenagers

By Haley Mills Staff reporter As fitness is on the rise so is the number of sports-related injuries. According to the Head Case concussion management association located in Chicago, within the past decade the number of reported concussions in those age 13 to 19 has risen 200 percent.

“A concussion can occur when a person gets a hit or blow to the head, whether they lose consciousness or not. It is very common for people to receive a concussion even if they are doing an activity that they don’t believe could result in one,” Dr. Xiema Schnurr said.

Concussions can result from a variety of reasons and come in different severities, but they all have similar symptoms. The symptoms that are most common with all concussions are headaches, nausea, fatigue, and lack of coordination. As they begin to get more dangerous, symptoms such as vomiting, loss of consciousness, and memory problems surface.

Senior Haley Clark has been involved in figure skating her whole life and the dangerous reality of receiving a concussion from skating became true in her life when she took a fall on the ice.

“I knew I had a concussion as soon as I woke up on the ice from being unconscious and not being able to feel my body,” Clark said.

After a concussion has been diagnosed, there are three main areas that must be investigated.

“The number one concern is brain bleeding; when the head takes a blow it is possible that a vessel in the brain could have opened. A CT test must be done to look at the brain and see what damage has been done,” Dr. Schnurr said.

The second concern is the possibility of a buildup of fluid in the brain, when the brain gets moved

around it is possible that it could cause bruising which could cause fluid to start forming. Lastly, after those two things have been either ruled out or treated it is important to let the body and head rest.”

Being a rowdy child and involved in football from a young age has left junior Logan Mays no stranger to living a life with concussions.

“How I dealt with my multiple concussions is by taking some time off, usually just a week because I was stubborn and wanted to get back in the game quickly,” Mays said.

There have been recent investigations to see the effects of multiple concussions over time, particularly in contact sports. Some long term effects of concussions are more serious than just headaches.

“The most recent discoveries of the long term effects of repeated concussions are increased short term memory loss and early dementia,” Dr. Schnurr said.

While it is impossible to completely eliminate concussions, prevention for concussions is simple; be careful.

“For prevention, I would say don’t play contact sports, but since we live in a world where that isn’t going to happen, I think it’s safe to avoid head collisions to protect the head surrounding tissue,” Mays said.

Drilling the idea of protecting the head and being careful into children’s minds from a young age is one way to help reduce the number on concussions in children and teens.

Common Symptoms of Concussions:

Nausea Poor Balance Dizziness Vomiting Headache Fatigue Irritability Confusion “I still feel the effects of my concussions.

I get dizzy and frequent headaches and sometimes have problems with my memory.” junior Logan Mays

move 25 MARCH 18, 2016

Weighing the myth In a society obsessed with losing weight, it is often difficult to find the truth amongst it all

Mackenzie Morris Staff reporter In today’s society, fitness and body image are some of the most talked about topics. Seemingly everyone is concerned with the “Skinny Pill,” the latest fad diet, or the new intense workout.

Everything is about how quickly the next weight loss methods work and how much effort they take. Somewhere in the mix of trend followers and traditional fitness enthusiasts come the myths.

Here are some common fitness myths dispelled:

No Diet or Exercise

Exercise Only

could actually cause weight gain even being somewhat active. When making changes, a bad diet should be the first to go. This isn’t to say exercise is unimportant. The best results come from a healthy combination of diet and exercise.

Fitness Level

Myth: In order to make progress, one has to abruptly change their whole lifestyle to fit a diet or exercise plan.

Truth: The greatest results come from small changes made a little at a time. Leading fitness and health experts such as Phil Mcgraw, Ronda Rousey, and Mehmet Oz agree the longest lasting results come from slow integration into daily life, rather than huge changes at once.

Myth: All fat should be cut out of your diet.

Truth: The only way for humans to function is with energy, or calories. Most people think food with calories are bad, when in reality, calories are what give us the energy to do functions as basic as live and breathe. Fat generally has a lot of calories and supplies other things the body needs. It not only provides important nutrients and minerals, but it also adds to the taste of most foods it is found in. Even so, fat, like anything, is only healthy in moderation.

Myth: Crash diets are good methods for losing weight.

Truth: These diets are designed to target “water weight”. A week-long diet of only fruits may cause you to drop ten pounds, but the abrupt change is hard on your body and once you go back to your normal diet, you will gain all of the weight back on.

This is far inferior to permanent alterations to your current lifestyle.

Myth: Carbs should be avoided at all costs!

Truth: This is along the same lines of the fat dilemma. Just as with fat, carbohydrates are very important for bodily functions. “Better Health” says each food group is important and none should be completely eliminated. Even with health issues like diabetes, where people have to significantly reduce the intake sugar and carbs, getting the good they have to offer is very important. This is why Dr. Julian Whitaker, founder and director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute, encourages people who suffer from diabetes to take vitamins or supplements to make up for the nutrients and minerals they are unable to get through their diets.

Myth: Exercise is the key to weight loss.

Truth: Diet has more of an effect on fitness than physical activity does. “A pound of fat is 3600 calories. A marathon burns 2600 calories,” fitness expert, Wayne Anderson, said to illustrate the small difference exercise makes in comparison to calories consumed. Eating a 5000 calorie diet and doing exercise that only burns 100 calories

Diet Only

Diet and Exercise

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MARCH 18, 2016

CUSTOM SCREENPRINTING & EMBROIDERY

Nearly

ONE IN FIVE St. Charles County high school graduates chooses SCC.

Earning a degree from St. Charles Community College makes perfect sense. Compared to the universities where most of our students transfer, SCC’s TUITION is typically ONE-THIRD the cost.

SCC accepts admissions applications year-round. Apply now for fall 2016.

Registration for classes begins April 18. | stchas.edu/discoverSCC

Trevor Nemnich SCC student Francis Howell Central alum

voice

LAZY Land of the

By Elizabeth Gerger

Staff reporter Everyone can agree Monday mornings are rough, but there’s a few minutes where we should forget about our tragic day and focus on issues bigger than us. Standing and honoring our country is one of the most important things we as citizens can do.

Growing up with two patriotic parents made me who I am today: I stand up straight with my hand over my heart proudly for the first two minutes of school every Monday morning, I respect our soldiers more than anyone, and I am proud to be an American.

My father served his time in the Marines and was a police officer for 20 years, so I grew up around many military family friends. His love for

this country and protecting others is unreal. My mother’s father and most of her many brothers served in the military also.

Looking around and hearing how much people “hate America” or think our country is “so messed up” is incredibly disappointing. There are men and women putting their lives on the line to keep this country safe, yet all many people ever think about is our country’s debt and the bad choices our president makes.

Half the time on those Monday mornings students complain and see it as a burden to stand up and honor our great country. Most classes don’t even say the pledge, they just stand there in complete desperation. They aren’t desperate because they’re fighting for our lives, oh no,

27 MARCH 18, 2016

Photo by: Taylor Tinnes

Students show disrespect during weekly Pledge of Allegiance they’re desperate because getting out of a desk at 7:20 in the morning is horrific to them.

Standing in a crowd at a football or basketball game is just as disappointing. Students are distracting each other and not respecting the little time we do actually give. Not only that, but students yell “home of the spartans” instead of “home of the brave” during the National Anthem.

Saying our Pledge of Allegiance is the least we could do. We’re too scared to join the military and God only knows how many people, including me, stand up when they play the National Anthem on television. I’m not saying that we all need to join the military or start waving the American flag everywhere we go, I’m just saying we need to learn to respect America more than we do now.

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VOICE

MARCH 18, 2016

Beauty beyond the body

Evaluating the importance of self worth without society’s input Photo by Taylor Tinnes

By Elaine Mallon Staff reporter Self-worth shouldn’t be influenced by a girl’s bra size, nor by a boy’s biceps. Beauty is greater than facial features, yet so many people fail to realize it.

Throughout my early teen years, I struggled. I struggled with my praying mantis posture, with my giraffe neck, and with my smaller chest size. I bawled my eyes out in dressing rooms, examining my body with contempt. The shame I had for my body harvested so much pain. No one should ever hurt like that.

Unfortunately, so many young (and old) men and women do feel inadequate. According to “the heart of leadership.org,” one in four girls between the ages of 15 and 17 have contemplated undergoing plastic surgery.

That’s approximately 375 female students at our school. It is reported 90 percentage of teenage girls are unhappy with at least one physical feature- whether it’s their weight, their height, or even their ears. However, teenage girls aren’t the only ones self-conscience about their bodies.

According to The Guardian, approximately 38 percent of adult men would sacrifice a year or more of their life to have a body like Channing Tatum. Sixty-three percent of men believe their body is not as muscular as it should be and 29 percentage of the surveyed men confided that

they think of their physical appearance at least five times a day. I could go on listing stats about the percentage of men self-conscious about their hairlines or the percentage of women and teens who avoid public pools, but the point is anyone — and just about everyone — suffers with insecurities.

In every aspect of our lives, we are exposed and put to shame by society’s unrealistic expectations of what our bodies should look like. Every man must be at least six foot tall, with large protruding muscles. Every women must be petite and under 130 pounds. It is frowned upon for any man to have a chubby stomach. It is frowned upon for any woman to wear an A-cup bra. Every man this and every women that.

We read and see these expectations in movies and magazines and we pin celebrities as the standard for which we should all be compared to.

If our body doesn’t fit the mold, then we should be brought to shame. How dare that man! How dare he have a beer-belly! How dare he take his kids swimming without a shirt on! Or what about that girl over there? Shame on her! Shame on her for not spending hours in the gym! Shame on her for not having the body of a Victoria’s Secret model! Who cares if she’s only 13, she should be ashamed!

Self-worth shouldn’t be measured by physical

appearances. However, that’s what we all tend to do. We all compare and despair our bodies.

We blindly accept every Instagram post about the importance of thigh gaps, the importance of flat stomachs, the importance of large breasts.

Somewhere along the lines, all of our efforts in school, in sports, in our talents no longer seem as important as they once did. The desire for physical perfection poisons all of our thoughts about ourselves, and about others.

We have a choice though. We can fall victim to society’s unrealistic expectations, or we can embrace the beauty in our imperfections.

We can learn that beauty is more than a body measurement — that beauty is found dwelling inside all of us. Not in the pages of Vogue.

I’ve always been told that inner beauty reigns triumphant over physical appearance. I was told that looks fade, and that a person’s kindness is an illustration of their beauty. I never wholeheartedly believed any of that until this last year.

It takes time detoxing the mind from the false ideas society has instilled in us. The insecurities will never truly go away, we’ll always have our imperfections.

Though, once we ignore society’s expectations, all of our doubts in our self won’t matter.

Your body is an instrument of your mind, so take care of it. Treat it with respect. Don’t belittle it. Don’t obsess over it. But most importantly, don’t let your body define who you are.

VOICE

29 MARCH 18, 2016

Hiding behind the shield

By Leslie Sutton Staff Reporter Students sit in their classrooms, the rooms hushed as pencils scribble across paper. Their backs arched as they stare down at their notes, and a student slips into the room holding a few white envelopes with names written in scrawling script. A knowing glance goes to the students whose fingers trace the edges of the crisp, glue-coated edges of the all-defining white envelope, students holding in their hands the biggest award the school has to offer - the Silver Shield.

The Silver Shield is an award sought after by many, but extremely hard to attain. The shield itself is given by teachers, and each individual teacher has their own separate criteria, making the award all the more exclusive. But many people will argue, the higher the exclusivity, the higher the feeling of pride in receiving one. Could it be that I, the simple student, got something so absolutely incredible from this teacher who I see a single class period per day?

Some teachers, however, refuse to give these awards.

When instilling such a feeling of utter fulfillment in students, why would someone refuse to give the ability to brighten someone’s year?

Teacher Nick Beckmann is disappointed in the number of teachers who don’t give Silver Shields. As a previous student here, he walked these halls, sat pen-in-hand in these classrooms, and even received a Silver Shield himself.

“I was honored, it was from Mr. Muench. It made me feel like I was doing something correct and that a teacher, in this case, the Principal, cared a lot about me as an individual,” Mr. Beckmann said.

After receiving one himself, Mr. Beckmann understands how much the award means to students, and strives to give this opportunity to his students every year.

“This is my tenth year ... and I’ll be here for as many days, or as many years as I possibly can be, and every year, I’m going to choose one,” Mr. Beckmann said.

Teachers are only allowed to give one per year, which may seem like favoritism, but when a teacher chooses someone who has truly earned it, there’s not much to argue.

“We have a lot of awesome kids here, but we don’t reward them, because you just kind of blow it off, and I think that you’re doing a kind of disservice to the profession,” Mr. Beckmann said.

Yet even when we have incredible, deserving students at this school, teachers still refuse to

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give them. Some teachers may be too lazy to sign a sheet of paper and turn it in so they can make an student’s entire year.

“It’s just the recognition part that I don’t think teachers realize it means. It means a whole heck of a lot to these kids,” Mr. Beckmann said.

We as students give our all, work our butts off day, night, and day again only to have recognition slip through our fingers, because a teacher doesn’t want to pick or can’t make the ceremony.

“The kid’s still getting it from you.

They still announce that you gave that kid an award. To me, that says a lot, and you can get your picture taken later,” Mr. Beckmann said.

I know I hold my teachers in the highest regard. They’re the people I look up to, even my friends, and getting told you mean just as much to them as they mean to you is incredible.

In the end, the ceremony doesn’t matter. The slip of paper, the award to list on the college application, the photo with the nice clothes and your teacher, it’s nothing. What really matters is how much you mattered to a teacher. You made an impact out of the hundreds of kids the teacher sees every day — you — and any teacher unwilling to recognize your excellence is a teacher that’s not worth your time.

er

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Br

30 entertain MARCH 18, 2016

10 ways to make a

Splash

What you can do to help when your friends are having a bad day

in someone’s day

By Abram Cutshall Staff reporter

From students 1. “Little jokes that’ll let your friend know that you’re thinking of them” -Alan Meister

2. “Make them a card.”

-Sydney Luther 3. “Giving them a high five.”

-Megan Smith 4. “Telling a joke.”

-Cameron Olea

5.“Giving a compliment.”

-Mallory Wantling 6. “Let them know that they aren’t alone and they have friends.”

-Derrek Tinnes

“Sometimes, it helps to just be there for your friends. Smiling also helps a lot.” junior Rachel Fortney Everyone has bad days every once and awhile. So what can you do to help? Sometimes it’s as simple as just being there for your friends and making them smile. Other times, they just want space to breathe and work through things.

“I ask them what’s wrong and then I’ll ask them what I can do to help them and if they don’t really want to talk about it, I’ll send them dumb photos or tell them dumb puns,” senior Elise Wantling said.

Junior Rachel Fortney feels that it’s helpful to just give a friendly smile or give advice even if you don’t know the whole situation.

“It’s also helpful to just give a smile,” Fortney said.

So what can you do to help your friends have a great day? It doesn’t even have to be something complex or expensive.

Something as simple as saying hello or holding the door open for someone can change their whole day. “ Friends talking to me or sometimes just people acknowledging me and smiling,” Fortney said.

You have the power to change someone’s day completely with just a kind word or a smile. Whether you choose to do so or not is completely up to you.

7. “Just talk to them.”

-Abimael Herrera 8. “Share a smile.”

-Rachel Fortney

9. “Give ‘em Quick Trip taquitos!”

-Celtic Pipkin 10. “Sending them memes cheers them up!”

-Elise Wantling

“I think that just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” sophomore Kevin Flett

10 ways, scientifically proven, to make your day better 1. Exercise can help get rid of sadness 2. Sleeping more helps you to be focused 3. Spending time with your family and friends 4. Being in the great outdoors helps develop an optimistic attitude 5. Helping others helps boost morale 6. Practicing smiling can actually make you happier 7. Plan a trip (even if you don’t take it) 8. Meditate! It helps relieve stress 9. Try to commute less 10.Practice being grateful

“You have the power to change your day with just a positive attitude.” sophomore Shelly Murry

Break into action

Spring break is coming up and even if you’re not vacationing, you can still have fun with these cheap and fun ideas.

entertain 31 MARCH 18, 2016

College visits: What better way to spend your spring break than going on a college visit?

Seniors, your high school term is ending soon, and it is time to buckle down and decide where you want to attend university for the next 2-4 years. Juniors and below, it is never too early to get ahead of the game and start visiting potential campuses.

By Becca Abrams and Olivia Biondo Voice Editor and Feature Editor

DIY Spa day: There are so many tutorials online to try and, of course, there are some on making your own face masks. It is surprisingly more fun than you would think and it’s even more fun if you fail to do it correctly. Grab your cucumbers and log into YouTube to watch a beauty guru preach to you about face masks.

Bonfire: Spending time with friends over spring break is somewhat essential, so plan a night for a bonfire where you and your buddies can catch up on the last few days you haven’t seen each other.

You can roast marshmallows, or even each other, whichever suits your fancy.

BuzzFeed binge: Waste the day away on this highly addicting website; watch the videos, take the quizzes, and read the stories. Whether you want to or not, you can bet that you will be on the website for well over an hour. There is so much to explore on BuzzFeed; videos on people who hate cats, discovering what the world’s biggest hedgehog looks like, and even quizzes on what Great Lake you are according to your zodiac sign.

Park: Get out of your cave of a room and experience the great outdoors at the park.

We all know Missouri’s weather is ever changing, but pick a sunny day to enjoy outside and maybe you can have a contest with your friends to see who can get the most selfies with animals. Have a picnic, play some sports, or go on a hike. You never know what you could find, the adventure is out there.

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