Why I Didn't Report

CENTRAL focus francis howell central high school volume 22, issue 4

why i didn’t report In the #MeToo era, stories of sexual assault arise

Contents Table of 2 CONTENT

DISCOVER

Paying for passage ... 4-5

Financial issues have led the district to purchase a fleet of buses in order to save money down the road.

Testing the waters ... 6

FEATURE

Playing to win... 10-11

The Castaway Esports team competes in tournaments playing games such as "Overwatch."

Terry Thompson ... 12

The job shadowing program is back and students can once again explore careers with professionals.

This security guard greets students with a smile, creating a positive atomospher for FHC.

The importance of getting a job and how to get the one right for you.

A dermatologist gives their insight on dealing with acne in high school.

You're hired! ... 7

Real world experience ... 9

The seminar class Real World Wednesday came back for a second year, informing kids on important life skills.

Healing skin ... 13

MOVE

Sharing space ... 22

FHC is home to many sports teams, but many of those teams struggle to find a place to practice.

Making history ... 23

Sophia Tran makes history as the school's first female wrestler.

VOICE Mini editorials ... 28

Staff speak their mind on the little things that bother them day-to-day.

Plus, the editorial from our staff on how schools should deal with sexual assault.

The family legacy... 30

Settling in ... 24-25

Isaiah Salin writes about the negative effects of a family's reputation on their children.

Hydration is key ... 26

Seth Wilcox reminds others that oppression shouldn't be used to best others.

Gracie Stugart is new to the girl's basketball team and is quickly becoming irreplaceable.

People are often mislead about how much they should hydrate. It's time to break those myths.

War of oppression ... 31

BENT BACKWARDS: Bryce Alberty attempts to escape from a member of the Howell team in a GAC match on Jan. 9. Members of the wrestling team who qualified for the state tournament will compete at the state meet this weekend in Columbia. PHOTO BY PAYTON AMLONG

I

Dear Readers

Staff

n recent years, many women have started speaking out against abusers, bringing to light things that have been swept under the rug for too

long. It's hard to think something similar to those in

Liz Baker

Editor-in-Chief

big cities is happening here. This issue was made to explore exactly that. Victims of sexual assault walk our halls, living with their assault every day. These

pages contain personal stories of victims from our school, how the district handles reporting, stories of victim blaming and the mental after-effects of sexual assault. To bring to light how these issues are impacting our students, we interviewed victims (many of whom remain anonymous), counselors and resource officers. Those affected by sexual assault may not choose to let it become part of who they are. Rather they choose to leave it behind and move forward.

Sincerely,

About The Cover Stories What they didn't report: Sexual assault is a broad topic and it is important to get a clear definition of what a person defines it as.

'Playing' the victim: Blame culture can make victims feel their story is less valid because it doesn't fit stereotypes.

How they reported: Not many victims report what happens to them,

but how does the school handle it when they do.

Why they didn't report: A hazy definition, blame culture, and the mishandling of reports discourages victims from speaking about their assault.

14 16 18 20

Look Out February is the birth month of our very own news show.

Centralized will feature stories from a variety of topics, ranging from the impacts of coffee on academic performance to the dance team and their trip to Nationals. The broadcast will be available on FHCtoday.com, so make sure to tune in on February 22.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: CENTRAL FOCUS: Liz Baker FHCTODAY: Lanie Sanders PHOTO: Gracie Kruep DISCOVER EDITOR: Megan Percy FEATURE EDITOR: Jessica Fults MOVE EDITOR: Kana Chung VOICE EDITOR: Chloe Bockhorst ENTERTAIN EDITOR: Craig Eddy BEATS EDITOR: PJ Sheehan PHOTO EDITOR: Payton Amlong VIDEO EDITOR: Grant Boehne LIVESTREAM EDITOR: Zach Jones SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS: Kierston Fisher and Kayla Reyes COPY EDITOR: Gabby Buchholz STAFF REPORTERS: Jacob Edwards, Marc Falcomata, Madison Fuller, Ruthann Kimbrel, Kierigan McEvoy, Isaiah Salin, Natalie Walsh, Holly Whaley, Seth Wilcox, Margaret Wilkerson, Robyn Ziegemeier STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Faith Carter, Savannah Drnec, Paige Fann, Olivia Fong, Nicole Garthe, Samantha Gnuse, Vincent Graczyk, Andrea Hake, Allison Huffman, Zoe Lentz, Sarah Skelly, Abigail Tarleton, Amelia Vohsen, Doug West, Meghan Zadell, Kayden Zipoy ADVISER: Matthew Schott

THOUGHTS?

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

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. We can also be reached via snail mail at 5199 State Highway N, St Charles, MO 63304.

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.

Connect With Us Instagram: @FHCToday

Spotify: @FHCPublications

Twitter: @FHCToday

Snapchat: FHCToday

ABOUT 3

buy, buy buses

HOMEWARD BOUND: As the day ends, many students run for the brightly colored buses waiting in front of FHC. In order to keep this necessary transportation affordable for the students, Francis Howell District has purchased 190 First Student buses.

FHSD makes big changes to transportation for 2019-20 school year

By Holly Whaley

Staff reporter Francis Howell School District schools have been using busses from First Student since 1999. Working with this company, however, is proving to be a bit expensive and inconvenient.

2019 is the last year in the district’s contract with the company, and it was determined by the district that they would issue a Request for Proposals (RFP). A Request for Proposal is “a document that solicits proposal...by an agency or company interested in procurement of a service,” according to Wikipedia. To put it simply, an RFP is a document that obtains a form of consideration, made by a group interested in a service.

FHSD will be buying their own busses, as opposed to extending their contract with First Student busses, in the upcoming years.

Mrs. Jennifer Simpson is the Francis Howell School District’s Director of Transportation.

She has had 14 years of experience as being Director of Transportation, and previously worked with the Wentzville and Pattonville school districts.

“The District is essentially reallocating funds already spent on transportation services, so we do not anticipate any negative

4 DISCOVER

financial impact from the move to in-house of smaller cost increases than we would transportation services,” Simpson said. She have experienced with contracted services. believes that the only risk of transitioning There have been no discussions of specific from First Student busses to in-house busses allocations for any future savings from the is getting it done in a timely manner. move to in-house transportation services.,” “I am confident that we have plans and said Mr. Supple. resources in place Bus routes are not that will allow us to be yet completed, but successful,” said Mrs. according to Simpson, Simpson.

“Our team will spend The district spent the next five months a p p r ox i m a te l y routing buses in the $10,600,000 with First safest and most efficient Student last year. The manner possible.” change of busses is to FHSD plans on be better for the district having the same financially, and extra number of busses as spending is not to be before, ensuring that expected, according everyone has access to to Mrs. Simpson. transportation to school.

Mrs. Jennifer Simpson, “One of the long term “The decision to Director of Transportation goals is to save money transition to in-house by ensuring that our transportation services transportation services are as efficient,” said will, we believe, allow us to better control the Mrs. Simpson. rising costs of transportation services as we FHSD Finance Director Mr. Kevin Supple move forward,” said Mr. Supple. anticipates small amounts of savings from “We look forward to employing a large this change. portion of the current team. Any remaining “Future savings are likely to be in the form positions will be made available to outside

“ I am confident that

we will have the plans

and resources in place

that will allow us to be

-

successful.”

Looking Forward Feb. 18 President’s Day Home All day DETAILS: Today is your day off to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present. It is also the birthday of America’s first president, George Washington.

March 5

Silver Shield Auditorium 6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m DETAILS: Teacher’s honor students who go above and beyond in representing our school. Congratulations to all recipients!

CLOSING TIME: A student walks out to the buses at the end of the day, ready to go home. Without the transportation provided by the bus system, more than half of studets that go to school everyday would not be able to attend, according to the American School Bus Council.

PHOTOS BY ABBY TARLETON

candidates. We have not yet begun accepting applications as of yet,” Mrs. Simpson said.

Both Simpson and Principal Sonny Arnel say that the current bus staff are very loyal, and most of them will remain.

“Many of our bus drivers take a lot of pride in working for the Francis Howell District,” said Dr. Arnel, “and this will only increase that.” Arnel believes that in-house busses will bring a bit more connection to the bus drivers, students, and the district as a whole. Even looking beyond financial benefits, Arnel says that the change in busses will increase the sense of pride and content in both bus drivers and students.

“There are many excellent staff drivers, routers, dispatchers and office staff who have in vested lots of done a done a great job delivering quality transportation services for our student for years,”

Mrs. Simpson said.

The district is planning on filling as many positions as possible. While a lot of the same staff will remain, applications will soon be available to possible new staff.

Overall, the change of busses will be beneficial for the district, especially financially. It is planned that the entire district will have its own busses that can be scheduled according to the district’s schedule, and will be significantly cheaper.

“I am excited about the transition, as it gives us a chance to further improve our delivery of student transportation services. There is a lot of work to do to get ready for the 2019-20 school year, but I am confident that we are up to the challenge,” said Mr. Supple.

District staff has been looking for the best solutions to bus issues, and they may have just found it.

$10,600,000

March 8 Mr. FHC Auditorium 7:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m DETAILS: All young men have the oppurtunity to show what they got in this talent show. All proceeds go to charity!

March 13-14 Parent-teacher conferences Your classes 4:00 p.m - 7:30 p.m DETAILS: Tonight your parents and educators will talk abut your performance so far in the quarter and assess your work ethic and progress.

Hopefully there are nothing but good reports.

money spent working with First Student last year

March 18-24

250

Spring Break No school

number of positions the district expects to fill, approximately

190

All day DETAILS: In this one week break, rest, relax, and prepare for the final quarter of the 2018-2019 school year. Make it your best quarter so far!

busses to be purchased

DISCOVER 5

How to get a good job

Tips and advice on finding a workplace that fits you DRESS FOR SUCCESS: One important part of the interview process is to make sure you look presentable. Employers are affected greatly by the way you appear to them, and if your appeaarance is not pleasant and positive, they will be less likely to consider you for their position. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ISAIAH SALIN

By Marcus Falcomata

Staff reporter Jobs can be a heavy burden on Spartans with heavy schedules at both work and school, but they can also be a very good way to get extra money for automobile upkeep or college.

Students at FHC have a wide range of jobs, many in fast food, or at some other business in the area. Senior Fernando Echeverry, an employee at Cane’s, is an example of a student who has learned to love his job.

“Bryce Alberty recommended me for a job back in sophomore year, putting in a good word for me,” Echeverry said. “I went in, I sat down with our GM (General Manager) Brittany and she just kind of ran me through a few questions about my work ethic and why I wanted the job.”

“I know there was a questionnaire in it with one-hundred questions.”

Although most jobs of that caliber do not typically have as strenuous of an interview process, it is very good to be prepared for anything.

Echeverry gave some insight on how one can decide what kind of job might fit you best.

“You definitely need to know your own personality. For example, if you’re an introvert, don’t let it bring you down too

6 DISCOVER

much,” Echeverry said. “Before going to positions or just the job itself,” Hamilton said.

Cane’s, I was a pretty shy person, but jobs “Definitely be flexible. You don’t just want to like mine will really make you open up, and stick to one thing. I also need people who they’ll make you talk a lot more.” are looking forward to working here, positive Echeverry has benefited greatly, from not upbeat people, people that actually want to just the paycheck, but the experience and work and are not just looking for a paycheck.” change it has brought Hamilton thinks a to his life. job is important for “Now it’s been your future, and how really good for me even small low paying because I feel like I jobs can be very have a completely beneficial outside different personality,” of their financial Echeverry said. benefits.

Finding a job that “Experience is suits someone well everything. Even just and can help them a little experience the most is definitely is good,” Hamilton a very important part said. “Your job in the of the mutual job future will be easier Ashley Hamilton, application process if you have dealt with Dairy Queen manager between you and a customers in the future employer. But past.” the employer is also looking for specific traits For Echeverry, taking the initiative to look and qualities in people they hire. for a job and not expecting one to just land Ashley Hamilton, manager at Dairy at your feet is key.

Queen in Weldon Spring, gave some insight “If you’re just looking for a first job really into what attitude to take into an interview. just talk to somebody you know, ask “I’m definitely looking for workers who around, get some opinions on jobs out can be positive be open minded about there. At our age anything is an option.”

“ A customer service job takes you pretty

far in life. It’s definitely

something that you want

to have under your belt. ”

-

A new shadow

With the help of a new program, job shadowing is back at FHC

FUTURE: Junior Carl Swanson is exploring a possible career as a physical therapist with the help of the job shadowing program. “You don’t really know if what you want to pursue is what you really want to do until you get there,” Swanson said. PHOTO BY MEGAN PERCY

By Jessica Fults

Feature editor After her career as a teacher and school counselor, Katie Vargas stayed home with her children. She decided it was time to get back into the workforce and applied for a job in October that was different from her classroom experience: a job for Central office. Instead of working with coworkers, she was on her own for her first task: creating a system of job shadowing experiences for students by reaching out to business partners in the community.

Junior Carl Swanson heard about the job shadowing experience and physical therapy at Ranken Jordan, and it sparked his interest; he liked the idea of a hands-on job where he could help people, rather than a traditional desk job where he would sit all day. Although it sounded interesting, he was unsure if this was exactly what he wanted to do, so he decided to sign up.

“One thing I’m expecting to get from the experience is to really see if that’s what I want to pursue and go in to. I can see what a real professional is doing and what type of person they are,” Swanson said.

Choosing a career after high school is exciting, but sometimes it can be a struggle to determine after years of learning in a classroom setting. First hand experience puts the skills needed for a certain job into perspective and allows students to decide if the job they are considering is a right fit for

them.

You’re actually seeing what they’re doing on “I’m an academia nut obviously and I a daily basis instead of it just being an idea,” believe education is critical. Classroom Miller said. experiences are important, having said The CEA usually runs the program but was that there’s an insurmountable amount of disbanded for this session. Even though there learning and growth that can take place weren’t as many partners as usual, there outside the classroom walls in real world were still a wide variety of opportunities, experiences,” Vargas said. “Job shadowing such as education, civil engineering, music puts you right in the therapy, pediatric middle of that and nursing, social work students get to learn so and biotechnology. many different valuable The next session in lessons about the career April will have more field they are interested careers available, in just by being present but their will be on the job site.” considerably less The counselors helped slots open, so early coordinate the job registration is key. shadowing program so “The CEA, or students could learn Career Exploration more after signing up Alliance, was for the program. Mr. disbanded at Kristopher Miller set up the end of the Katie Vargas, meetings with Vargas so last school year Job shadowing coordinator students know what to and CAPS has wear, what questions to readopted the ask their mentor, and answer any questions CEA program and has really revived it, they might have. they’ve done an amazing job but there was “You get to talk to a professional and see a window of time where we had nothing so what it took to get there. It’s a lot more one when I was hired, I was tasked with creating on one time, sometimes we have career this little mini session. CEA is now picking speakers come in and speak to students the reins back up and they are going to host about that kind of stuff but it’s a different another round of shadowing coming up thing to actually go and see the daily stuff. here in April,” Vargas said.

“ There’s an

insurmountable

amount of learning and

growth that can take place outside the classroom,”

-

DISCOVER 7

8 DISCOVER

HOW TO SAVE A LIFE: During the Real World Wednesday on Oct. 3, nurse Christine Gerling demonstrates how to use a tourniquet to help stop an injury from bleeding. “The main focus we wanted students to walk away with was that in today’s society, unfortunately, one may be in a situation where this would be useful in knowing,” nurse Keri Prest said. “Quick actions, with the basic understanding in what to do, would help provide fast and appropriate medical needs until EMS and Paramedics could arrive.” PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

real world wisdom Learning Commons program teaches kids important skills for adult life

By Savannah Drnec

Staff reporter Senior Aubree Williams, who assists in the Learning Commons and spends a lot of time talking with the media specialists, found herself benefiting from the topics covered in Real World Wednesday, and has attended every meeting since it was introduced to FHC. Williams has even had to use a handful of the skills taught at Real World Wednesday in her life such as preparing for an interview and keeping up with her car maintenance.

“It teaches you real life skills that you will actually use,” Williams said. “One of them was how to change a tire, and since that Real World Wednesday i’ve actually had to use that.”

Real World Wednesday is an hour-long seminar held once a month that gives students the opportunity to learn basic life skills that will be important in the years following high school.

Each Real World Wednesday is focused on a different, yet useful skill that could range from car maintenance to building resumes and preparing for interviews.

The idea of Real World Wednesday was introduced by media specialist Andrea Head. Head read about the idea of a seminar dedicated to specific skills through a group called Future Librarians and thought that it would be a great thing for the students of FHC. Head proposed the idea to her fellow media specialist Mrs. Tonisha LaMartina and she agreed that it was a great idea.

“I thought about my own situation and there’s a lot of things I do know, but there’s also a lot of things I don’t, so if you’re not getting it at school, where are you getting it?

That’s why we wanted to have that option for students,” Mrs. LaMartina said.

After deciding that Real World Wednesday would be beneficial to the students of FHC the next steps were to figure out what skills

the students wanted to learn more about.

To get an idea of the topics they wanted to cover Mrs. LaMartina and Mrs. Head gave a survey to students to gage exactly the kinds of things they needed to cover.

Both media specialists found it necessary to cater to as many student’s needs as possible.

“We wanted students at FHC to have that [Real World Wednesday] so that they could be prepared for anything,” Mrs. LaMartina said.

Sophomore Racinda Gooseby has attended Real World Wednesdays a considerable amount of times because she wanted to learn things that she wasn’t taught in her core classes. Gooseby finds attending Real World Wednesday beneficial because they teach you skills that will be necessary to know as adults.

Real World Wednesday is an all-inclusive seminar dedicated to helping students be more successful and prepared for the years following high school and college.

What’s next in the Real World?

Upcoming Real World Wednesdays MARCH 13: After high school & then what APRIL 10: Soft skills Previous Real World Wednesdays: Car maintenance First aid Buying a car Scholarships Dealing with stress

DISCOVER 9

castaways

New eSports team begins building its reputation in online gaming community

By Lauren White

Staff reporter The house is quiet and the rest of the family sleeps. One stays awake in front of hues of flashing lights bouncing off his face. Words of encouragement for his teammates come out of his mouth. Victory is almost theirs! The payload is delivered! The team is ecstatic and won another competitive match on “Overwatch.”

Senior Logan Davis plays “Overwatch” outside of school in a competitive scene. He’s even gone so far as co-created his own eSports organization called Castaway eSports.

“Me and my friend Mitch Balogh were tired of all these other eSports teams that don’t support their teams or help out with anything,” Davis said. “So me and him decided to do a little more and try to make [our team] like a little family.”

10 FEATURE

Castaway eSports only competes in “Overwatch,” “Rocket League,” and “Counter Strike: Global Offensive” tournaments so far. The team is still in development, but has won first place in tournaments in the St. Louis area, such as at the biannual event Laclede’s LAN which is a gathering of PC or console players who all play together for charity. Castaway eSports played and won against the FHC eSports team during Laclede’s LAN. “[In December], we are starting the Overwatch Open Division which is a tournament ran and operated by Blizzard,” Davis said. “It’s going to be our team versus literally anybody in the world that wants to play.”

This will open up the possibility of getting Castaway eSports name out there to the public.

Davis has faith their team will be good enough to gain some popularity during the Overwatch Open

Division. He realizes his team will need to practice more in order to reach the bigger leagues.

“I feel like we could get close to winning, but there’s no way we could win,” Davis said. “We don’t have any strategy set yet which is what we are going to be practicing more often.”

Regarding the CS:GO team, Davis is one of the captains on the Overwatch team, so he entrusts senior Caleb Garvilla from Francis Howell High School with that team. The two met in Bryan Middle School and have been friends ever since.

“When we both met, we both had a similar interest in gaming which wasn’t as accepted at the time,” Garvilla said. “But since gaming and eSport is now more widely accepted, we’re more likely to achieve success in an eSports career, which is what we’re striving for.”

As the creator of Castaway eSports, Davis says

Castaway eSports top games “OVERWATCH” is a teambased first person shooter developed by Blizzard Software.

“COUNTER STRIKE”: is a team-based action game developed by Steam.

“ROCKET LEAGUE” is a vehicle-based soccer game developed by software publisher Psyonix

LEAD IN: Headset affixed, senior Logan Davis competes in a game of “Overwatch,” one of the three games the eSports team he founded - Castaway eSports - competes in Davis has built the team with classmates and fromthose he’s met via online gaming. PHOTOS BY LAUREN WHITE

it’s hard entrusting somebody else with a part of his organization. He trusts Garvilla as captain of the CS:GO team, but it’s still a scary thought if something were to happen without Davis’s knowing.

“It’s stressful trying to organize this team,” Garvilla said. “But once [the team] gets on its right track, it can bring a lot of joy and opportunities.”

Another member of the CS:GO team is senior Drake Bloodworth. He’s teammates with Garvilla and will be playing with them in future tournaments.

Garvilla hopes that his part of Castaway will expand into possible sponsorships, along with Davis’s team.

“Playing competitively is challenging,” Bloodworth said. “But in the end, it’s all about having fun.”

On the side, Davis does some solo work when he’s not playing with Castaway. His online handle is Han Rogan, and he uses Twitch to stream his video games.

“Streaming is so much fun,” Davis said. “I get to interact with with people that are there watching me play. I’ve even met a few friends off of my streams.”

Davis’s dream is to make this a career in the future.

He has support from his father, but his mother on the

other hand is completely against it.

“There’s so many doubts in my mind,” Davis said.

“There’s so many things that will go wrong, I know for a fact things will, but I like making people laugh and being an entertainer. I like being the best, and I’m going to keep trying my best to be the best.”

Davis was never inspired by an internet icon or celebrity, like most people this day in age are. He found inspiration for streaming through himself.

“Everytime my team talks about the Overwatch League, I just don’t care,” Davis said. “The only thing I could get from it is reading articles about the strategies they do and actually watching them means nothing to me. What’s the point watching people that are better than me now, but they won’t be better than me later?”

To follow Castaway eSports and Han Rogan, see the journey on Twitter by searching @CastawayeSports or @Han_Rogan for updates on when streams go live and the teams standings in tournaments. To apply for the Castaway eSports, there’s a Google Forum to fill out on their Twitter if interested.

Top 10

Indie/alternative Artists

Nostalgia and true, pure teenage angst. Current Joys is what you listen to when you either want to self destruct or self discover. The low, almost ballad-like songs put out by Nick Rattigan take you on a journey of love, loss, and defeat.

The Growlers are a band far beayond definition. Their genre, loosely titled “Beach Goth”, incorporates heavy, goth-inspired synths with scratchy existential lyrics.

Although somewhat small, The Districts bring together gritty, melodic, and warm sounds cohesively and beautifully time and time again.

Listening to The Districts makes you feel nostalgia for a time you thought you’d never feel again, while at the same time making you feel exhilarated for the future.

If you’re looking for something weird, here it is.

Jack Stauber’s music is the essence of strange, and yet manages to put out cohesive, catchy songs that stick with you for days.

Based in Philadelphia, Radiator Hospital put out their fist full-length in 2013 titled “Something Wild”, but didn’t break through until late 2014 with their hit, “Cut Your Bangs”, an endearing and raw song about a breakup.

Formed in 2010 by childhood friends, this gritty, down to earth band began in Chicago, but has now gained almost mainstream success with a select group of people. The laid back and casual energy many of Twin Peaks’ songs contain makes them extremely easy to like.

If you’re looking for a new artist with a sound unlike most every other indie rock artist out there, Dr. Dog is for you. Dr. Dog is for you no matter who you are, really.

Taking classic garage pop punk and twisting it on it’s head, Pinegrove takes that small part of you that used to listen to whiny emo music and turns it into something truly beautiful.

Although disbanded, The Walters will always hold a special place in my heart. Affectionately titled “cardigan rock”, they bring together classic indie pop with beachy, melodically layered choruses.

Angsty, rough, and imperfect, Car Seat Headrest is the essence of what indie rock is meant to be. Will Toledo brings in scratchy, low vocals over exposed, heavy guitar riffs and interludes that will leave you exhilarated and most likely very existential.

PHOTO BY PAUL HUDSON

FEATURE 11

a friendly face

Security guard’s relationships with students make lasting impact

By Lanie Sanders

Web Editor-in-Chief 7:20, coming in from the parking lot groggy and uninspired. Coming through the doors and staring into the blinding fluorescents is not contributing to the lack of motivation.

While walking down the hall a friendly voice calls out and says good morning, a special nickname attached to the end. The person who called out was Mr. Terry Thompson, a security guard and student favorite.

Over the five years he has been working at FHC, Terry has developed amazing student relationships that impacted kids like junior Alyssa Heade, who attributes some of her success to him.

“He really pushes me to do good in school,” Heade said. “If it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be here still.”

High school can be a challenging time, and Terry believes that having a positive adult influence around helps students reach their full potential.

“There’s so many things that students go through,” Terry said. “With friends, and families. And they need to have someone stable that can direct them in the right path.”

Heade agrees, saying that having a role model at school is what makes it worth attending.

“I didn’t really like any of my teachers at first,” Heade said. “I just never wanted to come because I didn’t have anyone I wanted to see. [Terry] has been there for me to talk to. He’s funny, he’s just someone to talk to when you’re having a bad day. He makes everything better.”

Someone who agrees with Heade is Principal Sonny Arnel, who believes Terry is a positive influence on the students around him.

“I have the luxury of watching Terry interact with our kids over the past several years and I’ve always been very impressed,” Dr. Arnel said. “I love the relationships he’s able to develop with the students, a really warm and trusting relationship. He’s very approachable to our students.”

Happiness as infectious as Terry’s is learned, and his positive aura has been with him since he was a child.

“My mother impacted me [as a kid]. I got to see how she dealt with people and how

12 FEATURE

she reacted with folks. I learned from her and that’s why I am the way I am today.”

The bonds that Terry has with students are ones that last, and that’s part of the reason the students love him so much.

“Freshman year I was going through a rough time in my life,” Heade said.

“He’s always been there, been someone to talk to.”

When it comes to high schoolers, some find it difficult to share things with their teachers. They feel disconnected and uncomfortable sharing details of their personal lives with them, so having a staff member that they’re comfortable talking with is one way to keep them out of trouble.

“If there’s an emergency or something that I really need to know about, students will come and tell me things that I can share with the resource officer,” Terry said. “There are certain things that occur, like drugs and different things in the school.

When you bond with the students, if something comes up they trust that I’ll do the right thing with that information.”

The world is unpredictable and sadly bad things happen to good people all the time. Because of this it is extremely important to stay positive, or at least have someone around who can help in that aspect of life.

“There’s this old saying, ‘Birds of a feather flock together’. I see the kids really drawn to him,” Dr. Arnel said. “If a kid feels like, ‘Hey, Terry cares about me’, it helps them go to school. That’s going to help them graduate and go into the real world. I love that Terry does that for a lot of our students.

In terms of how Terry got the job, it was mostly chance. But even though his employment was somewhat accidental, Terry loves his job and the relationships he’s built because of it.

“I applied for it online,” Terry said.

“I didn’t know that I’d be stuck in a school. I applied for a Saint Louis county job through a company, and this happened to be where they put me. [My favorite part of the job is] the students. Being able to socialize with them, laugh with them, joke with them, and just spend time everyday with.”

STANDING OUT: Everyday students look forward to seeing Terry Thompson, the friendly security guard who provides students a sense of comfort. He loves his job and the way he’s able to build relationships and guide students through hardships. BY GRACIE KREUP

battling back against

acne

By Robyn Ziegemeier

Staff reporter You wake up in the morning and get ready for another day of school. Other than feeling tired, it’s a pretty good morning. You walk into the bathroom, when you see another breakout, and you can’t help to groan and wonder, “why do I break out so often?”

Stress, hormones, daily habits, and even genetics can cause acne. According to Dr. Wendy Meyer Cherry, the biggest reason for acne to appear is hormone changes and excess oil from oily makeup, cleansers, and greasy foods. Some easy ways to get rid of acne can just be responding to these reasons.

“Acne is caused by hormonal changes in your system, and then you’re not turning over the keratin on your skin, then there’s bacteria on the skin so it blocks the pores,” said Dr. Meyer Cherry.

“Because of all those hormonal changes, and that’s why once you get through teenage years, and your hormones settle down, then most of the time acne goes away.”

Once finding the specific cause of your acne, there are a variety of ways to help get rid of acne.

Some simple steps to getting started is to keep your skin clean and avoid using oily products.

“The most common ways to start with is just

Once you know the cause of your breakouts, you can find the solution to fight back against blemishes

keeping your skin clean, using makeup and Cherry said. “And then there’s the new Differin washes that are not oily, using a non oily lotion for that’s really effective, but again it’s not one dose your skin,” Dr. Meyer Cherry said. for everybody, so you have to try other things.”

According to Nurse Christy Gerling, there are The main reason you should be using skin care many different products that are good at treating treatment instead of popping your pimples is acne, such as over the counter because doing so can cause cleansers, as well as options permanent scarring on your prescribed by a doctor or skin, or infections. dermatologist.

“If you don’t do it the right “[Some] kids see a way, you can cause very serious dermatologist, some go on infections and scarring to your medications,” Gerling said. skin,” Meyer Cherry said.

“There’s different antibiotics A proper skincare routine or other treatments can be can be as easy as washing your done. You can buy over the face twice a day, or involving counter cleansers, gels, and tons of different steps for each medications, things like thing you use to tame your that.” breakouts. The main things are Some acne products tend to to be consistent with it and - Dr. Wendy Meyer Cherry, be easier to get access to, such keeping your face clean from dermatologist as Neutrogena products and debris and extra oils. face masks, although there are It may take awhile to find many other products that can products that work well with be recommended. your skin, and you may even have to visit a doctor “The most common way to start with and the lots or dermatologist for it. However, once you find a of people use what’s now over the counter such as treatment that works for you, and keep using it, Proactive, or Neutrogena has a system. All of those then your skin should stay clean and blemishwork well, but sometimes it’s not enough,” Meyer free.

“ It’s not one dose for everybody, so you have to try other things.”

CLEANSERS: Dermatologists recommend finding out your skin type before picking out a cleaning product for acne. However, not all treatments work for everybody. PHOTO BY CHLOE BOCKHORST

FEATURE 13

surviving the aftermath Victims struggle to cope mentally after suffering sexual abuse

By Megan Percy

Discover editor As a freshman just starting at a public school, Allison Manassa* had many expectations for how high school was supposed to go and who she was supposed to be. There was more freedom now, harder classes, and more people.

But during that year, while she met many people who became loyal and trusted friends, she, like one in nine girls under the age of 18 suffer: sexual assault.

“I was hanging out with a friend. It happened on two or three occasions where he would try to get me to do things with him and I’d be like ‘No, I don’t want to do that,’” Manassa said. “He had it in his brain that … whatever he was picking up on was okay, for him to touch me in ways that were not solicited.”

In the aftermath of such an upsetting

14 FOCUS

and horrible experience as sexual assault, a slew of emotions can be felt by victims.

Every person is different and how they feel after experiencing the trauma of sexual assault is different. For Nancy Sauer*, regret and shame made her feel as if she had no choice but to be quiet about her struggles.

“It just feels like you’re in a place where you don’t want to tell anyone,” Sauer said.

“All girls feel they are not supposed to be here. They feel like they aren’t there anymore. I felt like I was regretting [what happened to] myself and why I let it happen to me.”

After safety is violated, it becomes difficult for one to trust themselves or others around them. Manassa had a difficult time trusting after her experience, and it extended past relationships to friendships. It also changed her moods

and turned her into a person she was not.

“I became really untrusting and anxious,” Manassa said. “I became a ball of chaotic energy.”

Not only has safety been violated when a person is sexually assaulted, the way that they view their body may become distorted as a result of the experience.

Manassa felt objectified, and that her body was more a thing than a temple that was hers and hers alone.

“Yeah, [I felt objectified], definitely,” Manassa said. “I let it happen because he had been so nice to me. [I felt] like I deserved it.”

Fear of others betraying her in similar ways kept Manassa from other people, and to this day is something that holds her back from trusting others willingly.

“Even now, I’m still afraid that people will just want to be friends to use me,”

Victims are pushed to accept what happens to them. However, acceptance does not automatically mean they’re over the attack, years of therapy and a good support system are necessary to move forward. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ISAIAH SALIN

Manassa said.

She also says on the topic of trust that she believes it is important victims know they should never trust their abuser.

“A common theme is for a person who is being abused to trust their abuser again,” Manassa said. “But that never works. Like you can’t, once someone’s broken that trust. You can’t let them regain that trust.”

Movements like #MeToo and #WhyIDidn’tReport have made sexual assault a more relevant and alarming topic as more and more victims step forward to share stories that previously had been hidden by regret, shame, a discomfort with the subject and the confrontation that would come with broaching these traumatic experiences. Many victims don’t feel comfortable sharing with many on the topic, like Manassa, who felt comfortable sharing her trauma with two people.

“Not even my counselor knows,” Manassa said. “Not even my mother. It’s very much something I’ve shared with only my good friends.”

Others, like Sauer, felt more comfortable

opening up to her parents. It also helped her to be surrounded by people who supported her and were there to be a positive force in her life.

“I had to hang out with all of my friends.

I needed my parents telling me I’m worth it,” Sauer said.

Regret, pain, and shame; all powerful emotions that, left unchecked and uncared for, could be detrimental to those who suffer. Channeling it through other activities is a way in which victims deal with the stress of what happened to them. Manassa realized a passion for singing, in which she put her frustration and anger after being assaulted.

“It helped me to sing, and that kind of helped me realize that I really enjoyed singing,” Manassa said. “I didn’t even realize the emotions that I was putting into it. Those emotions included that trauma.”

Talking to a professional on what a victim may be feeling is another way for them to gain closure and learn to deal with their emotions.

“I would say go to a therapist,” Sauer said. “It’s going to help [you] and it’s going to help to talk to the person you truly trust.”

Despite the traumatic nature of sexual assault, not all is lost once someone has been a victim. Manassa says, to every survivor, that even if it takes a long time, one day they will be able to trust again.

“It gets better. You get through it,” Manassa said. “It might take a couple of months, a couple of weeks, it might take years. But the grass is always greener on the other side.”

No matter how bad an attacker may hurt a victim, it is important that they know it is no way because of them that this happened. Sauer says that all women are in charge of their own bodies, and it is important that they remember that.

“It’s never their fault,” Sauer said. “It was never their fault. They should know that whatever a guy does to [them], it doesn’t mean that they are not the boss of themselves. You are the boss of yourself and you control your body.”

*The use of asterisks next to the names of sources in this article and those following indicates use of a psuedonym for the protection of our sources anonymity.

FOCUS 15

Many victims are made to think they are at fault and they should have done more to stop the assault. Often this leads to little to no real consequences for the attacker. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ISAIAH SALIN

placing the blame Victim culture shifts guilt onto the victim not the attacker

By Kana Chung

Move editor It’s Friday afternoon. The school bus jostles and jolts with the roughly paved roads as it transports dozens of middle school children safely home.

The students laugh and converse with their friends. Their worries have already slipped away, knowing that the official start of their weekend is, quite literally, just around the corner. However, two students seated directly next to each other, don’t share the same excited energy as their peers. In fact, the bus is one of the places they dread most. This is because they know, seated directly behind them, is their sexual harasser, and the bus is one of the places he most often chooses to make advances toward them.

This was the experience of Sarah Marks* and Ruby Strong*, both of which were sexually harassed by one of their classmates through grades seven and eight. Not only were these two targets of sexual harassment, but also of victim-

16 FOCUS

blame. nightmares I had with [my harasser in The pair remember vividly what it was them],” Marks said. like when they made the decision to Even before reporting the offender, report their experience to their principal Strong recalls feeling as if they were at the time. going to be criticized for what had “I wrote and talked happened to about how he would them. sit in the booth across “We were from me on the bus nervous about and smile and take what the pictures, how he would outcome would reach his hand under be; if it would the seat and up my get worse or pants. I talked about better. We were how he knew where I also nervous lived and, around once that it wasn’t or twice a week, [he bad enough to would] ride his bike report and we up to my house and sit were just being looking at my window weak,” Strong Sarah Marks, for a few minutes, an said. anonymous hour, whatever time And as he had to spare. I told much as she him about the countless times I said remembers how she reported her ‘No!’ so angrily and forcefully. I told him harasser, Marks is able to describe in about [how I cried] at night, and [the] painstaking detail the response that she

“ I s h o u l d n’ t have had to stop him, he s h o u l d n’ t h a v e d o n e i t ,” -

received afterward.

“After all of that, I heard a sentence [from my principal that] I will never forget: ‘Maybe it is just boys being boys,’” Marks said.

“Just boys being boys” is a phrase commonly used to trivialize sexual assault and sexual harassment,

48%

of teens grades 7-12 reported experiencing a form of sexual assault

especially for offenders who are still considered minors.

Not only was this problem passed as “boys being boys,” but Strong and Marks were made to feel as if they were to blame for what had happened to them.

“I definitely felt moments were it was my fault. I didn’t know if I was leading him on, or if I had done something else,” Strong said.

They were repeatedly asked questions such as “Why didn’t you tell anyone sooner?” and “Why didn’t you hit his hand away?”

According to Marks, even her parents seemed not to take the situation seriously.

“They said ‘Hit his hand away next time’ and left for what I believe to be a night out,” Marks recalled.

However, unless one has had personal experience with the issue of sexual harassment or abuse, it is often not recognized that there is more to prevention than hitting someone’s hand away.

“Me and my friend looked at each other, we explained how anytime we felt his hands presence, we quickly moved away and shot [him] our dirtiest look, and that fighting and hitting was against the rules,” Marks said, “Everyone [at our school] knew about the kid who had hit back while getting beaten senseless, only to get suspended.”

And although they did feel as if they were to blame for their own harassment, Marks came to the realization, after reflecting on her situation years later, that she should not have been led to feel guilty.

“During, and for a long time after, the principal definitely made it feel like it was my fault, like I didn’t try hard enough to stop him,” Marks said.

“Where in all reality, I shouldn’t have

had to stop him, he shouldn’t have done it [in the first place].”

Both were less bothered by the fact that they were given some of the blame, and more by the fact their offender was not. Neglecting to execute proper punishment is a common problem in cases similar to that of Marks and Strong.

“His punishment for all of this torment was to sit at the front of the bus for a week. I don’t think I had ever been more devastated. His punishment was a thousand times less than what would happen if a student came in late to a class three times in a semester. He had made my life a living hell for two years and this was his punishment.” Marks explained.

According to AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Stacey Dennigmann, people often blame the victims of sexual assault as a form of self-preservation, “Victim blaming happens because we view the world as just and fair,” Mrs. Dennigmann said. “By blaming the victim, it makes a distinction [and we are convinced] that [it] could not happen to us. We tend, also, to believe people are just and good. So if we didn’t victim blame, it could [mean] ‘This could happen to me.’”

And although it is only now that people are becoming more open to discussing and addressing the topic of sexual assault and harassment, it has

*The use of asterisks next to the names of sources in this article and those following indicates use of a psuedonym for the protection of our sources anonymity.

FOCUS 17

always been an issue.

“I think victim blaming has always been a part of our culture. As a society we are more critical to anyone who attempts to say he or she is a victim of assault or being harassed.

We look at anything and everything they have ever [done] or said,” Mrs. Dennigmann said. “If you dress provocatively you are asking for something to happen. If you happen to have one or more sexual partners you are also judged and it is perceived as you would have wanted an unwanted touch, grope or kiss.”

Mrs. Dennigmann also shares that although the issues that come with handling reported sexual assault or harassment are far from solved, there are many strides being made toward creating safe spaces for those who have been victims, and FHC has embraced this idea.

“We have Central Outreach, Diversity Club and StuCo that try to be a positive influence in our school, along with our other clubs and activities,” Dennigmann said. “As [club] sponsors, we want our members to be leaders and aware of what it means to do the right thing. We also have many different groups that meet in

our guidance office on a regular basis. The district has made a commitment to say this is not allowed [and] we now have crisis counselors at the high school, and this didn’t exist 25 years ago.

In addition to the administration and various club efforts, the students and teachers at FHC, as well as society as a whole, have welcomed a culture of providing support for the victims.

“It was the support of friends that knew about the situation [that] helped the other victim and I really realize who’s fault it was, and help us through the insecurities,” Strong said.

Mrs. Dennigmann has seen social media having a big impact on how the blame culture has slowly, yet not entirely, begun to evolve into a culture of encouragement.

“Today, we have the exposure of social media were we have a large group of people sharing everything. It is a part of their life. I think that in this instance, the use of social media can be helpful.

If someone posts that they have been a victim of assault or body shaming, they have immediate feedback saying they are not alone,” Mrs. Dennigmann said. “They

also have the same immediate feedback about how they deserved it. Instead of it becoming you against everyone it becomes you and your positive followers against the haters.”

Strong and Marks have also received understanding and sympathy at FHC that they had not been shown previously.

There was a point and time where, even in high school, they would have to face their harasser in class.

“Me and my friend drew up the courage to talk to our teacher about it after school.

They were very understanding. It was the most sympathy we had gotten from an adult about the incident,” Marks said. “I assume the teacher talked to him because he hasn’t tried to approach us yet, and I now have major respect for that teacher.”

It’s evident that local communities are growing more and more conscious of the struggles sexual assault and harassment victims face, so Strong and Marks are hopeful for the future of the support movement.

“I hope [victim blame] will decrease. I think as I get more time to reflect on what happened, the more confidence I gain,” Marks said.

*These statistics come from the American Association of University Women and can be found at https://www.aauw.org/article/schools-report-zero-incidents-of-sexual-harassment/

moving forward Guidance and officers work to make reporting assault easier

By Gabby Buchholz

Copy editor After surviving an assault of any kind, it’s hard to know where to go from there. Report, or don’t report? Who is trusted enough to report to? What will happen after reporting?

The first step of reporting a sexual assault is finding someone to trust with that information.

“You’re welcome to come to any counselor, but it’s really going to start with talking to your parents and the police,” said Ms. Shannon Harting, the school’s educational support counselor.

Ms. Harting firmly believes the most important thing one needs when reporting is having a good support system.

“We’re going to try and get you to talk to your parents about [your assault],” Ms. Harting explained. “So that you have that home support.”

18 FOCUS

Ms. Harting and the other guidance counselors understand that going to parents isn’t the way some students wish to handle this kind of situation.

Because of this, the counselors will help you as best they can here at school.

They will become your support system.

But even then, school guidance counselors aren’t always perfect. For Cynthia Werle, 17, reporting to her school didn’t help her win her case. At the age of five she was molested, and at the age of 14 she reported it while attending Saeger Middle School. (She has since transferred out of the district.)

“There wasn’t anything [the counselors] could do about [my case],” recalled Werle. “But they were actually really good and they took me in when I needed help.”

There was one primary counselor that Werle confided in. Many of her

79%

of schools report no cases of sexualassault

teachers did not know about what she was going through.

“My teachers didn’t know anything was going on, so they weren’t that understanding,” Werle said.

Had her teachers known what was

going on in her life, her sexual assault “There’s an anonymous hotline email might have been reported differently. that goes to me,” Officer Inserra said. “It’s This is because all teachers in the Francis on the Care and Concern page on our Howell School District are mandated website.” To find this hotline, go to the For reporters.

Students page on the school’s website “In general, a mandated reporter is and continue to the Care and Concern someone who has care over others, link. like children or the elderly,” Ms. Harting Likewise, there are Care and Concern explained. boxes up around the school.

At Francis Howell Central, mandated “We have three boxes in the school: reporters are any of the teachers, one down by Mr. Warner’s office, one in administration, and support staff. As the cafeteria, and one down [by the main mandated reporters, their obligation is student parking lot doors].” to report to Children’s Division about In the end, Ms. Harting hopes that by any suspected child abuse or assault of reporting their sexual assault, students any kind. This neglect does not need to will be able to ultimately move on from be confirmed; the reporter only needs to their trauma. have reason to believe that it’s happening.

“I want them to get whatever help or After a sexual support they need to assault has been feel back in control of reported, it then their life,” Ms. Harting goes into the said. “I want them to hands of the police, feel empowered and and they handle it still have a good life moving forward. with joy and some “Once we peace.” receive reports In the end, even [of sexual assault] with all of the helpful we investigate tools in place and it and collect supportive adults statements,” throughout school, said the school’s reporting doesn’t resource officer, always solve the Cynthia Werle, Officer Troy problem. senior Inserra. “We also For Werle, her get special counseling for the victim. assaulter wasn’t found guilty, her parents Once we get the report known, it gets separated, and she had to change sent to either the juvenile courts or the schools.adult courts system down in St. Charles “I’m not sure if I still would have reported County.” if I could go back,” Werle said. “There’s no Where a case gets sent depends on downside about it, but it’s really hard to factors that vary case by case. go through. It was almost worse to report Even with all of the support offered by because nothing happened.” different adults at our school, it can be No matter the outcome, for anyone hard to tell someone face to face about who reports their sexual assault, or an an assault. Because of this, the school assault of any kind, it changes their life has set up ways to report, but to do so forever. Just like their assault did. anonymously or on paper.

“ I ’ m n o t s u re if I still would have reported if I could go b a c k ,” -

314-531-2003 YWCA St. Louis Area Women’s Resource Center 24-hr Crisis Line... 314-531-7273 Safe Connections 24-hr Crisis Line...

Reporting a sexual assault effectively requires a strong system in place to help a victim through the process. The guidance office and resource officers assist in the process both emotionally and legally. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GRANT BOEHNE

FOCUS 19

the pain of reporting Why victims decided against reporting their stories

By Natalie Walsh

Staff reporter Our society is big. So big, that for us to be able to comprehend the complexity and diversity of it, we separate ourselves into groups. Some of these groups are harmless; the jocks, the cheerleaders, the nerds. On the other hand, some of them cause damage to those who are labeled. The alcoholics. The stoners. The sluts.

Some labels can’t be removed; ever. And that is exactly why the choices we make are so important in our lives. Choosing to stay away from the evil temptations prevent the evil labels.

But there is one label that can’t be avoided unless it is concealed. A label that brings about shame, stress, hurt, pain, regret, and exhaustion. A label that shouts out loud your deepest secrets and fears to everyone who is listening.

The victim.

20 FOCUS

Sexual assault is real. Victims walk away feeling as though they are hopeless and lonely. Some feel invaded in their own body and safety is far from home.

Some embrace their experience and stand for others who have been assaulted to make them feel safe.

Some want to forget their experience and leave it in the past.

For victims of sexual assault, the ability to avoid or accept the “victim” label is in their hands. Accepting the victim label is a courageous thing to do, yet comes with consequences developed from a condescending culture around sexual assault victims.

Brooke Luther*, a student at Francis Howell Central who has experienced sexual assault feels the public looks down upon victims.

“Our society often makes victims out to be attention seekers or lying about the experience,” Luther said.

However a victim may feel, they choose to act the

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GRACIE KRUEP

way they wish. They make a decision, which for them can be bothersome; to report or to not report.

For Luther, the answer to reporting or not seems impossible to face.

“I didn’t report the experience because the person was very close to me and I didn’t want to ruin the happiness they brought to other people in my family,” Luther said.

In the Department of Justice’s survey on national crime victimization, it was discovered that 80 percent of victims are assaulted by someone they know.

The decision to report or not is made every day. Not reporting the experience can lead to emotional stress and pain, yet reporting will lead to friendships, family bonds, and trust between others completely shattered. Being assaulted by someone you know can be unexpected and traumatic, according to Abby Peters*.

“The most traumatic [experience] I’ve ever had was when I was 14, I was dating a guy who was older [than me],” Peters said.

The person who Peters was dating later went on to be one of her assaulters.

“I was scared. And until you are in the moment, you don’t realize what’s going on…it was really hard,” Peters said.

What makes a victim feel they can’t report something that has caused so much destruction? For both Luther and Peters, knowing that their assaulters were friends and relatives made reporting seem like a lost option.

Regardless of these victims knowing their perpetrators, the lack of faith in others convinced them that reporting might be a waste of time.

“I don’t want my family to be mad and think that I was lying…I had no solid evidence that it happened, so I didn’t want to be the girl that cried wolf,” Peters said.

Luther shared this hopeless feeling as well.

“I felt like no one would believe me if I told them,” Luther said.

Feeling as if there was so much to lose by reporting their experiences, they didn’t report. They made a choice that they believed in.

In today’s society, reporting an assault and accepting the victim label brings about all the stereotypes the public has on victims. These stereotypes lead people to assume things within an encounter that may not have

happened.

Not reporting an incident can result According to the Department of in mental damage for a victim.

Justice statistics on female victims of “Society also thinks that it should be sexual assault, most victims of sexual easy to handle or get over, but it’s not. assault are assaulted by someone they Working to rebuild the trust that was know. The victim is a female who is lost is a hard process that victims don’t assaulted by a man of an older age, and get enough credit for,” Luther said. falls between ages 18-34.

According to, “Journal of Traumatic Accepting the victim label brings Stress” by several authors, 94 percent about assumptions like these to the of women who have been raped table. Even when this is not always the experience post-traumatic stress case. The Office of Justice Programs disorder. The effect a perpetrator has and a report from the Association on a victim can be unbearable. of American For Luther, Universities it became too report that one unbearable in every ten to conceal to victims of sexual herself. assault are male, “It wasn’t until 21 percent of a year later when college students I told my sister, that are a part she told my dad of the LGBTQ+ and we went community to court for two are victims of years over it,” assault, and Luther said.

A m e r i c a n Reaching out Indians are two to someone times as likely about a sexual to be victims as experience can opposed to any be daunting for other race. a victim. There Things are is always the risk Cathy Greene*, not always as that the person anonymous they seem. you confide in Cathy Greene* was in a sexual assault will have doubts on the truths of your different than most. She was assaulted scenario. In the end, Luther’s fear of by a female whom she was close with. not being believed by those she told “Boys can be raped by men or women became less important than reporting and girls can be raped by males or her experience. females,” Greene said.

“I regret not reporting sometimes Greene was unclear what had because had it been reported sooner, happened, as most victims are in the the court case would have also been aftermath of a traumatic experience sooner,” Luther said. like this.

In the end, reporting or not is a Society has set boundaries on what choice made by the victim. Each path they view sexual assault as. These has its own ups and downs for each boundaries had confused Greene situation. Some victims value the ability into being unsure of what she had to leave their past on the pavement faced. While feeling disappointed in below them, while others want to serve the actions of her perpetrator, she justice in their community. contemplated how to deal with the “To someone who is in a similar situation. situation, I would like to say you can “I didn’t realize what [the assault] get through it. Some people may not was, so I didn’t know what to do…I kept believe you but I do, and the hard part it to myself,” Greene said. will be worth it in the end. Report abuse Not being sure what to make of the right away and don’t leave out any assault due to societal assumptions details. Authorities can help you if you resulted in a sensation of loneliness let them. Think positively. Life will get and feeling that reporting would do no better. You just have to bear through help. the ice to get to the spring,” Luther said.

“Some people may not believe you but I do, and the h a rd p a r t w i l l b e worth it in the e n d ,” -

*The use of asterisks next to the names of sources in this article and those following indicates use of a psuedonym for the protection of our sources anonymity.

FOCUS 21

Sharing the Space

TIGHT CONFINES: Lack of space is a year-round problem that Activities Director Scott Harris and sports coaches are continually trying to solve. The solution generally requires everyone to compromise so that each team gets access to the facilities it needs to improve. PHOTOS BY NICOLE GARTHE

Splitting practice spaces between sports takes complete cooperation

By Craig Eddy

Entertain editor In many cases, to play a sport means practicing to get better.

Also in many cases, that practice. requires an area in which to practice on. When a sports team such as soccer has a field for practice all to themselves, there is not much conflict or struggle to be had.

But when two different teams have to share one field at generally the same time, there can be some problems that arise. The girls’ soccer team and the girls’ lacrosse team have to share the turf of the stadium whenever they practice since both seasons are at the same time. Sometimes the teams can split up the field down the middle and share the space fairly, but junior lacrosse player Skylar Zipoy, explains how the system usually works.

“Basically, if they’re not there, we get it,” Zipoy said. “But there’s no specific division or anything like that.”

22 MOVE

Sometimes this isn’t a problem, time, as junior Sydney Kloepper, and the teams can figure out a another soccer player, explains. solution, or go to a different field, “Well, soccer almost always gets yet the other field is dirt rather [the turf] and then if it’s raining, than turf, which can cause some that’s when we normally go on issues. the field,” Kloepper said. “Because “Practice is usually fine [on the it will ruin our backfield by getting dirt field],” Zipoy explained. “It’s it all muddy and ruining the grass.” just games are very hard going And it’s not just the backfield from practicing on mud and that is in danger from the rain, dirt to going on to according to turf because the Kloepper. ball moves very “When it’s differently.” raining, we’ll all From the other be drenched in side of the field, mud from using senior Jenna Mathis, the backfield,” a soccer player, can Kloepper said. agree with Zipoy “So that’s when Scott Harris, on the backfield we would split Activities Director situation. the field up.”

“Our backfield is Although kind of bumpy since we have the it seems that this would cause ball on the ground all the time for turmoil between the two teams on soccer, so when we play on turf it’s who deserves the field, most seem a little bit difficult,” Mathis said. to be pretty content with how the Although the backfield is a so called ‘system’ works. mild setback to both the teams, “[The lacrosse team] has the it can get worse with weather and right to the field just as much as we

“ It’s good to meet as a group to sort things out.”

-

do,” Mathis said. “We’re definitely cooperative, and no one gets mad or anything about it.”

From a coach’s perspective, it can be a little tough trying to get a space that your team can practice in, and activities director Scott Harris explains why.

“With basketball, you need a basket, so during the winter seasons basketball teams get first priority,” Harris said. “Then after that we try to get some dance teams in there, cheerleaders, baseball, volleyball, [etc.]”

Along with figuring out which teams should get priority before the season even starts, the meeting beforehand is a good way to have the coaches talk things out.

“Everybody is an advocate for their program. We have so many hard working coaches and everybody wants to do something every day,” Harris explained. “I think everybody being in a room together really helps because you can talk with the other coaches and work things out in a calm way.”

fierce first female Sophia Tran makes history as school’s first female wrestler

By Jacob Edwards

Staff reporter Wrestling is a very demanding sport.

It takes a lot of hardwork, practice, and physical and mental strength to be good, and even then there is no guarantee of success. This winter, Francis Howell Central introduced its first female wrestler to their program: junior Sophia Tran. While she is completely new to the program, she is quickly learning and developing her skills, and becoming a better wrestler in the process.

“I’m learning and having a new experience,” Tran said. “I still push myself and I actually enjoy it, too.”

Although Tran is the first girl to join the team here at FHC, she is not the first female wrestler in the district. In fact, many have come before her, prompting the state to create a girls’ division for wrestling. While Tran is the first female wrestler at FHC, most other schools have at least two girls on their wrestling teams.

“Other schools are actually surprised,” Tran said, “I’m the only girl, while there are other girls at different schools that have more than two people.”

This is something that looks like it will be changing in the coming years, though.

According to senior wrestler Austin Smith, Tran has been a perfect fit for their team, and the boys have taken to her well..

“She is just like another teammate,” Smith said, “It’s fun.”

Her teammates aren’t the only ones excited to have a female wrestler at the school. While there are those who oppose it, most of the school has come together in support of Tran.

“Everybody is really proud of me, actually,” Tran said. “And I’ve gotten a lot of support from them.”

While this may be her first year of wrestling, Tran is no stranger to physical contact sports. She also does martial arts, when she is not wrestling for the school.

Head wrestling coach Steven Cross credits this to her ability to learn and adapt to wrestling so quickly.

“She’s mixing her wrestling training with her martial arts,” Coach Cross said. “She does a little bit of both.”

The girls wrestling program is one that many hope to see grow in the coming years. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular new programs in the state,

and many are excited to see how the program continues to grow. Tran has opened the doors for other girls to follow in her footsteps.

“I’m hoping it’ll open up the floodgates; I hope we get more girls out for the team,” Coach Cross said. “Girls wrestling in Missouri has really taken off, and I’m hoping that there’ll be a lot more that want to get involved next year.”

The wrestlers are excited for where the sport is going, as well. Many of them have never wrestled with a girl before this year, so they are excited to get more involved in the program.

“I think it’ll be good for the program if we get more girls on the team,” Smith said.

Tran is perhaps the most excited, out of everyone, to see where the future of girls wrestling will go, and she is excited for more girls to join.

“Oh yeah, they should totally join, so I don’t have to be lonely,” Tran joked. “But seriously, even if it’s supposedly a ‘boy’ sport, a girl can still do it and you can still move with it. I suggest that a lot of girls join the sport and get outside their comfort zone, because you never know what you like until you actually try it.”

Tran has done more than just open up the doors for other female wrestlers, though. She has changed the way many at FHC have thought of wrestling and other male-dominated sports, as well as changed the future of the wrestling program.

“The goal is to have the girls basically as a separate program,” Coach Cross said, “I think that’s what everybody is moving towards.”

Overall, this season has been a great learning experience, both for Tran and her teammates.

“I’m still learning, I’m still really new at it.”

Tran said. “And there’s still more to learn.”

This willingness to learn is only part of the reason for her success this season; attitude has a lot to do with it.

“Her attitude stands out in particular,” Smith said. “She’s passionate, strong, hardworking, focused, and tough.”

She seems to be a fast learner, though, as both her teammates and coaches have nothing but good things to say about her, both as a wrestler and as a person.

“She is courageous, tough, intense, and determined,” Coach Cross said. “I think she has earned a lot of respect from all the other wrestlers.”

FIRST WIN: Sophia Tran wins her first match on December 5th against Fort Zumwalt South. This was the first win by a girl in the school’s history. PHOTO BY DOUGLAS WEST

“ Her attitude stands

out in particular. She’s passionate, strong, hardworking, focused, and tough.”

-Austin Smith, senior wrestler MOVE 23

Taking Control Sophomore Gracie Stugart spreading her work ethic and energy on and off the court

By Kieirgan McEvoy

Staff reporter The lights go out. A single spotlight illuminates the opposite sideline of the court with teammates lining both sides like a tunnel to the light. Sophomore Gracie Stugart sits covered in darkness with four of her other teammates. Mr. Patrick Reed bellows out her teammate's names, position and number as they run through the tunnel of teammates, the spotlight igniting the white and blue of their uniforms. She sits waiting, thinking, planning, and preparing for the task ahead. She closes her eyes and hears the crowd around her. She hears her dad’s voice, “control the controllables.” She takes a deep breath.

“At guarrrd, sophomore number eleven, GRACIE STUGARTTTTTTT!!!,” Reed shouts.

Her eyes fly open, she’s running past her teammates, giving high-fives, to the end of the tunnel, all eyes on her following the spotlight glow. She can do this. She has to for her team, for her family, and for her school.

Stugart, who plays varsity girls basketball and is new to the team this year has taken FHC by storm.

Moving from South Dakota and going to Christian High School freshman year, Stugart transferred to FHC this year looking for a new adventure and some new competition. According to stats provided by head

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PLAYMAKER: She calls the play. She runs the offense. She passes to teammates. Gracie Stugart creates scoring opportunities by working with her teammates and never standing still. The girls basketball team is currently 15-4 and one of the top-ranked teams in Missouri. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

Coach Hayley Leake, Stugart has played 330 minutes, the most on the team so far this season. “[Central] is definitely bigger and more competition than where I’m from at Christian High School because that is a very small school. It is definitely tougher,” Stugart said.

Stugart lives for new challenges. Coming from a family where her father is the head football coach at Lindenwood University, and a brother who also plays basketball and golfs undoubtedly assists in her love of being pushed to her max.

“Gracie has an incessant drive to be better - in everything she does, in every capacity she operates. This makes her a winner on so many levels,” Coach Leake said.

Currently Gracie is a starting guard for the team and as of Jan 10 after the team played Rock Bridge High School, Stugart had 38 assists, 29 steals, and 42 rebounds.

“Gracie impacts the game in so many ways. She plays at a ferocious pace, distributes the ball in places where her teammates can be successful and also has the ability to score the basketball. With the ball in her hands so much, there are heavy expectations to run and manage a team.

She has stepped up to this challenge and gets better every game,” Coach Leake explained.

Not only has Stugart’s work ethic appeared on the court but also in the classroom.

Mrs. Teresa Odle, Stugart’s English II teacher, did not even realize that she was such a basketball star. Once informed of Stugarts athletic ability Mrs. Odle easily made the connection of her classroom work ethic to her work ethic on the court.

“I would say the second thing that stands out about [Stugart] is her work ethic and I think that can definitely be connected back to basketball and the expectations that Mrs. Leake sets forth for all of her athletes,” Mrs. Odle said.

To say that Mrs. Odle has enjoyed having Stugart in class this year is an understatement.

She loves Stugart’s optimism and willingness to encourage others.

“Whenever other people start to make improvements like that she’s always willing to tell them ‘Good job’ or ‘Hey that’s awesome…’ and those are things that you can’t always teach,” Mrs. Odle explained.

Not only is Stugart’s work ethic noted by teachers and coaches, but her teammates and peers see the hard work she puts in to be a better player, but also a better friend, according to teammate Azaria Hulbert, a junior and three-year girls basketball player.

“She just seems like she never gets tired and like if you make a bad play on the floor, she always tries to pick you up and say it’s good. Or if you make a good play, she always acknowledges you for that. It’s just really nice,” Hulbert said.

Energy is definitely a recurring theme when it comes to describing Stugart’s personality. It is also a trait that she knows her self to be a strength that she possesses. When asked what she brings to the team, Stugart’s response was simple: energy.

“I’m a loud energetic person and so I always try to be loud and encourage teammates,” Stugart said. Then jokingly, “Hopefully I don’t get too annoying.”

This energy stems from a multitude of factors in her life. From playing a variety of sports growing up, the support system she has at home, but most importantly her love for the game.

“I love to play basketball because I love working with a team and being a part of one. I love the team effort of it, how its a very fast-paced game, and it takes a lot of strategy,” Stugart explained.

Memorizing plays, always being ‘on your toes,’ executing plays, setting up the defense based on another team’s plays; all these things play a role in strategizing within seconds on the court. Her love for the game shows in her play and practice.

Leading up to tryouts for the season, this passion was evident from day one and separated Stugart from the rest in a very positive way.

“When I first met Gracie, I knew she would immediately be such a strong ambassador and contributor to the culture within our program. She would live it, protect it, and embrace it,” Coach Leake said.

‘Live, protect, embrace.’ Living out the expectations of hard work on the court and in the classroom. Protecting the name not on the back of her jersey, but on the front by demonstrating good character and encouraging others. Embracing every challenge thrown her way and stepping up to be a leader in the midst of also learning the ropes.

The competitors get into position on the court. The student section is on their feet, and she can hear her teammates on the bench throwing encouragement her way. She knows she can do this. She has trained for it, physically and mentally. The ball is in her court and she knows what to do. ‘Control the controllables Gracie.’ The referee blows the whistle, here comes the storm.

ENERGY: Gracie Stugart drives down the court, tongue sticking out, displaying her passion and love for the game. Her enthusiasm is clear as she looks for one of her teammates to pass the ball to. PHOTO BY ZOE LENTZ

“ G r a c i e h a s a n i n c e s s a n t d r i v e t o b e b e t t e r- i n everything she does, in every capacity she operates.

T h i s m a ke s h e r a w i n n e r o n s o m a n y l e v e l s , ” -Coach Hayley Leake, head coach

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Myths of Hydration Which facts are true and which aren’t worth their weight in water

By Patrick Sheehan

Beats Editor At FHC all athletes have something in common; Hydration. Being properly hydrated is absolutely key to performing the best that athletes can. Junior Ethan White, a member of the FHC varsity cross country team, makes sure to hydrate while running to be able to do his best.

“On average I’ll usually have about three to four [18 ounce water bottles] on me before a track race,” White said. “Unless I have had a problem with drinking water, I will occasionally come with a Gatorade or something with electrolytes.”

Although athletes hydrate during practice to keep themselves active and able during their sports they still have to hydrate during their normal day. FHC trainer Austin Avalos makes sure that athletes are drinking the recommended amount of water.

“The usual recommendation for water to consume in a day is about eight 8 fluid ounces... which is about a half gallon,” Avalos said. “My recommendation to all athletes would be [to] carry a refillable water bottle around during the day, preferably 32 ounce or larger, and to consume-at the minimumtwo a day.”

While hydration is important on and off the field athletes do have some doubts about the facts they hear everyday.

“I feel like the human could probably live a little longer than three hours without water,” White said. “ That seems a bit over exaggerated in my opinion, but I get the severity of not

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drinking water for a longer period of time.”

Some hydration facts seem so ridiculous to athletes that they don’t seem to refer to humans at all. Junior Tori Dobbins finds a particular fact over the top.

“Some people say you have to drink a bottle per hour,” Dobbins said. “I just think that’s too much.”

While some athletes see these facts and feel like they may be too much others see them as rules that must be followed. Overhydration can be just as bad as not hydrating at all.

“There was a big case where we had a runner have some complications after a race and threw up ten pounds of water weight,” White said. “The importance is to do it but not overdo it because that’s just as bad.”

While dehydration can be a terrifying possibility for athletes during their activity, over hydration can be just as dangerous. The key to hydrating is not to just drink a lot of water.

“One hydration fact that may be overrated is that when you are dehydrated you need to drink copious amounts of water,” Avalos said.

“While yes, you need to drink water, you may also need to replenish the electrolytes which help hold water in, [they] are essential for muscle function, and are lost during activity through perspiration.”

Hydration is incredibly important, but it is just as important to know where the limit is.

If athletes stay informed on which facts about hydrating are supported and which are not, they will know their limit and perform better.

Hydration myth: You have to drink eight glasses of water a day. This number may be too much for some and too little for other depending on individual body size.

Hydration fact: Dehydration can impair cognitive function.

When individuals are dehydrated performance using visual, and short term memory is impaired.

Hydration myth: Electrolyte enhanced drinks are best. “Hydration “ enhancing drinks can be loaded with sugars and other chemicals that can ehydrate individuals during activity.

Hydration fact: Drinking water can help you lose weight. Drinking water does not trigger weight loss but it can replae other calorie containing bevarages.

Introducing the

Tune in on: The Science of Sports

Podcast editor Zach Jones discusses sports injuries and various sporting events throughout history that effected modern sports. Episode 1 premiered on Sept. 10 and will air every other Monday.

Lanie & Craig vs. The World

The Science of Sports

Are You Going to Finish That?

PREMIERING: Inside the 300

Lanie Sanders and Craig Eddy put their unique minds together to produce interesting takes on everyday topics. So far, Lanie & Craig have discussed school, horror stories.

Love strange foods? Kana Chung and Megan Percy explore food in the St. Louis area. Megan and Kana have sampled pickle-flavored shaved ice and weighed in with their thoughts on all things pumpkin spice.

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Podcast editor Zach Jones discusses sports injuries and various sporting events throughout history that effected modern sports. So far, Zach has talked about the importance of Jackie Robinson, concussions and other injuries.

Inside the 300 features discussions with students, faculty and staff from around the FHC community. Episodes began premiering in December. Episodes so far have featured Mary Wachtel and Nick Cummings. Upcoming episodes will feature Anatomy and ZoBot teacher Patrick Reed and art teacher Michelle McCune.

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CLUB QUESTIONS

Members of a club or sports team are asked a question relating to their goals for this year. This issue, we asked girls basketball:

focal points Every issue, the Central Focus staff is asked what issues have been on ther mind as of late. The best are chosen to go on this page.

Why do you think your team is one of the best?

Mackenzie Jones Plays guard “We all want to share the ball, and we all play for our team, ourselves, our coaches; we’re all on the same page with that,” Jones said.

Sofia Tweedie

REVIVING READING: Books sit on shelves in the Learning Commons. Copy editor Gabby Buchholz believes that teenagers should reignite the love for reading they once had as a child. PHOTO BY CHLOE BOCKHORST

Plays forward “We know how to run plays and we know who’s good at what. So we bring that all together and win games,” Tweedie said.

Read more

Gracie Stugart Plays guard “All of us really care, we’re all here to win but we all appreciate each other and want the best for all of our teammates,” Stugart said.

Yani Curry Plays forward “I think [it’s] because the effort and the hard work we put into doing what we do,” Curry said.

Gabby Buchholz Copy editor

For a lot of people, reading for pleasure ended in middle, or even elementary school. They’ve completely lost the spark of reading for fun. Is there any way to get it back? I recommend rereading an old favorite book from childhood or asking our school librarians or a friend for their recommendation. Take it slow, and read at your own pace. All it takes is finding that one good book to respark the joy of reading.

Texting and driving

Driving in 2019 is a whole lot different than driving 20 or 30 years ago.

There’s no worse feeling than having to dodge random cars left and right who swerve into your lane, tailgate you, and overall endanger your life on a daily basis. Typically, when you look to see what they’re doing, their eyes are glued to a screen. Multiple studies have shown that texting and driving actually limits coordination more than drinking and driving (shocker: both are illegal, wrong, and selfish). Roads are more dangerous today than they have ever been, and it’s all because people can’t ignore that text. They can’t Holly Whaley Staff reporter let that Snapchat wait. They want to see what their friends are doing on Facebook (middle aged minivan drivers, I’m looking at you). But next time you want to check your phone while you’re driving, think about how awful it would feel to take someone’s life, to permanently take someone from their loved ones. Because every time you take your eyes and attention away from the road, you put your life and and the lives of everyone around you in imminent danger.

Participation trophies In a society where you earn your living and income, it makes logical sense that you would earn every accomplishment you achieve. Participation trophies go against the entirety of this statement. Rewarding those who have not put in the hard work and effort that others have, simply because they have participated, is discrediting the value of success. Earn your trophies.

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Natalie Walsh Staff reporter

staff editorial: sexual assault

OPEN TO DISCUSSION

Schools need to learn to help student victims

I

t’s common knowledge the U.S. school system is out-of-date and seriously lacking in money. What isn’t common knowledge is that faculty and students need to be able to have open discussions about sexual assault and harassment.

We know it seems like a jump but we promise it’s not. In the era of #MeToo and #WhyIDidn’tReport, open discussion is vital to ensuring the safety of students. In health classes, the topic of sexual assault isn’t even approached. Francis Howell School District requires teachers to report any knowledge of a crime. But how can they report when students aren’t aware talking to a teacher or nurse is even an option?

When students aren’t educated on what qualifies as sexual assault and don’t know who to talk to when it does happen, it breeds a culture of hiding the truth. It breeds a mentality that sexual assault is something you keep to yourself, deal with the aftermath alone. Some people do know they can report but they don’t think anyone will believe them which leads back to the necessity for open discussion. If the school system just started a dialogue between teachers and students as early as the freshman health class everyone is required to take, it would set a precedent for open dialogue.

Administrators — from the governor down to those at FHSD’s Central Office — need to find a way to productively communicate with their staff to ensure the safety of their

students. Look to counselors and online resources. In this day and age, traditional ways of doing things need to be rewritten.

The entire mission of the school system is to educate and keep children safe. We would argue the safety and learning of a student are entirely thrown off kilter when they have to keep something so deeply upsetting to themselves because they don’t trust the adults around them.

Building trust between students and faculty is the best solution here. Many teachers already have great relationships with their students, but it’s hard to imagine many have reached the level of trust and openness necessary for mandated reporting to really be effective. Both parties need to put forth effort to make the system work the way it should. Teachers need to check in with students a little more often and students need to be more open and receptive to the help offered.

Schools take a long time to update to issues affecting student bodies. A change has to come in time, they have to open their eyes eventually. The only real thing we can do now is speak up. When people talk about their experiences and let those in charge know the problem is not distant, it is right here, right now and it will not stop unless they evolve and grow to protect their students.

-the editorial board

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Lasting legacies

ILLUSTRATION BY CRAIG EDDY

The power of legacies and their destructive tendencies on younger generations The trails left before us by family and friends impact our lives knowingly and unknowingly, mostly through how we are expected to live up to the standards of family.

Legacy, or anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor, affects all people.

Legacy tends to impact us in ways we notice quite clearly, and mostly through social interactions with

By Isaiah Salin other people. The way we Staff reporter interact with other people is largely impacted by the legacies that we follow. For most people, following a legacy is similar to the way of that children are taught to walk- it is mostly secondnature. Legacy affects everyone, whether their legacy directly, or a friend’s legacy indirectly.

Personally, the legacy of my family has greatly affected me, as my parents both work in the financial advisor business, and are known as upper level workers at their

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company. Every summer, their work takes my family on a business trip, and I get to socialize with my parents’ coworkers. When I talk to their coworkers, they ask who I am, and then once they find out who my parents are, they usually strike up a conversation with me about my parents. This allows me to get opportunities to talk to my parents’ coworkers about their jobs, and how I could benefit from going into their business. This almost always appeals to the coworkers, and they then believe I am following in my parents footsteps.

This legacy that my parents left before me is certainly positive, as it could give me a greater business opportunity in selecting a job in the future.

But with positive legacies also comes negative legacies.

Among my friends, my parents are kind of notorious for being strict in general, which then leads to the idea that I am my parents, meaning some my friends have the impression that the strictness of my parents will wear onto them as well.

This is a perfect of example of why negative legacies are overall very unfair, and that the

recipient of such negative legacies is being treated poorly. I’m not trying to say that the effects of this legacy are having a huge affect on me, but it certainly could if my parent’s legacy was worse.

For example, if my parents were both in prison, I would leave the impression that I would also end up in prison, or be the receiver of people’s so called “empathy.” This would be when people say they care but really don’t. This would be a perfect example of legacy affecting negatively.

Overall, if legacy is so important, then the negative effects of such an important thing wouldn’t outweigh the positives right? Wrong.

The negative effects of legacy are looked at more frequently than the positives as they tend to show more than the positives.

My parents being good businessmen/ women seems to not have as much of an effect as it would if my parents were both inmates at the local federal prison, or my friends thinking my parents are strict. So, in all the effects of the legacies left before us tend to leave a bigger impact than the possible positive effects.

I have it worse!

A war of oppression is running rampant throughout our generation ILLUSTRATION BY CRAIG EDDY

I walk into school on the first day, having recently returned home from CenterPointe Hospital, still dealing with medication errors.

I go over to talk to a couple of friends about my recent hospitalization to try to feel better, but all I get in response is “my summer was worse” or, “that sucks, but at least you didn’t have to deal with…”. I go throughout the rest of the day feeling even worse about myself,

By Seth Wilcox wishing people would Staff reporter stop fighting over who has it worse and actually acknowledge that someone else is suffering.

This overwhelming epidemic of “special snowflakes” who believe the more oppressed a person is, the more attention they should receive is running rampant through this generation. It’s a war of oppression that needs to end. I’ve seen it everywhere: in our school, in a restaurant, even in my own home! It’s the gays against the bisexuals, the African Americans against the Native Americans, even women against transgender women! Nobody is safe from this widespread argumentation.

The real reason people do this is to seek attention and to gain some kind of popularity.

I know, this is the argument for everything, but coming from someone who used to do this, it’s true. I used to be a hardcore social justice warrior who would lecture people left and right about how I’M more oppressed, and why they should listen to MY problems because I have *insert generic teenage problems*. Thankfully, that terrible phase is behind me and I can now see

how ridiculous dictating who has it worse is.

Anything these days can be used as an “oppression card.” I swear, I could win an oppression argument by saying I have tendonitis and astigmatism! I don’t care if you are a white, cisgender, straight male, I’ll treat you the same as an Asian, transgender, gay female: with respect and equality. These people who parade around with 50,000 labels, scanning for their next dispute are beyond infuriating. There is a very THICK line between activism and awareness, and contending with every person you meet over how you are somehow better than them because you don’t fit the “norm.”

There are even people who pretend to be part of an oppressed group. For example, there are people, known as “transtrenders,” who believe that being transgender is the new trend and proceed to pretend to be trans for the attention.

These people make me want to rip out a rib and throw it at them!

Actual transgender people suffer so much every day while these transtrenders go around parading inaccurate representation of the trans community. They take away the opportunity for easier access to life changing surgeries, hormones, and basically every other trans exclusive resource.

The most enraging thing that this oppression war causes is it makes actual issues seem less important. When some crazy SJW yells that a man is being sexist for holding a door open for her, it makes actual sexism lose its meaning.

It’s the same thing for racism, transphobia, ableism, etc. Heck, someone could make a joke about depression and that could be classified as ableism! I have depression and I make depression jokes; does this make me an ableist now?

If someone is going to bring prejudism to

attention, it has to be more serious than a small instance or twisted words. Now if there are many small instances occurring, then that’s a different story. But, point being, stop using discrimination as a scapegoat. Bigotry is something that should be taken serious and is not a cry for attention.

Rather than dictating over who has it worse, actually do something about oppression people still face in this country. For example, instead of arguing how women have it worse than men, work towards better pay for women and eliminating sexism.

Also, there is a difference between equality and superiority. Working towards equal rights is good, but fighting for more rights than a “normal” person is ridiculous. I’m not being a “men’s rights activist,” but sooner or later men are going to have it harder than women.

I’ve been told I’m going to have a very difficult time getting a job in the medicinal field because I am a male. If there is so much sexism in this country, shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Both men and women should have equal job opportunity, not one more than the other. It’s an actual thing for the oppressed to become the oppressor.

This whole ordeal over oppression has me shook to the core, and not in a good way. These crazy social justice warriors need to lighten up and take discrimination very seriously, not treating as a logical fallacy to win an argument.

As a white male, y’all might think I have too many opinions on oppression for being in the “un-oppressed” group. But as a bisexual, transgender male with multiple mental illnesses, I know a thing or two about discrimination.

In all honesty, if I could give away all my “oppression cards” I would; they’re problems I suffer through every day, not a status symbol.

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d e b u t i n g

f e b r u a r y 18

February is the birth month of our very own news show. Centralized will feature stories from a variety of topics, from the impacts of coffee on academic performance to the dance team and their trip to Nationals.

The broadcast will be available on FHCtoday. com, so make sure to tune in on February 18.

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