April 2019 Issue: Central Focus

CENTRAL focus francis howell central high school volume 22, issue 6

THE PHOTO ISSUE A look back at the school year’s most captivating moments

Table of Contents

Go, fight, win ... 6

Photo by Nicole Garthe

All in ... 13

Photo by Kayden Zipoy

One point at a time ... 7

Pushing through ... 20

Shaved bonds ... 10

Godier's game... 21

Photo by Gracie Kruep

Photo by Grant Boehne

Homecoming court ... 11 Photo by Paige Fann

Carter hits harder ... 12

2 CONTENT

Photo by Kierston Fisher

Photo by Savannah Drnec Photo by Payton Amlong

Let's get lit ... 22 Photo by Zoe Lentz

Sax solo... 23

Photo by Sarah Skelly

Up and in ... 24

Photo by Abby Tarleton

Spartan spirit ... 25 Photo by Amelia Vohsen

FHC chior ... 28

Photo by Meghan Zadell

In his face ... 29 Photo by Doug West

Most deserved... 30 Photo by Kierston Fisher

MARCHING BAND DAYZ: While marching down Highway N during the fall parade, Christa Rolsing plays her mellophone with pride as the sun shines in her eyes. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

Dear Readerss

T

Staff

his issue is unlike any issue the Central Focus has published before. This is an issue focused on photography. We

thought that it would interesting to have a

Gracie Kruep

Photo Editor-in-Chief

physical copy of all our best photos from last the school year, something that you can hold

in your hand. In this issue, the photos tell the story. We hope to have a collection of pictures that tells the story of FHC in a visual sense, instead of verbal. We will also be showcasing a couple of stories outside of our school, like the natural beauty of St. Louis, and the up-and-coming indie band Hippocampus.

Sincerely,

About Our Photo Stories The Beauty of St. Louis: Showing the beautiful side of our city, instead of the bad that we have all become accustomed to know.

Hippocampus: The indie band that has taken off around the country.

A Legacy in the Making:

Girls basketball has quickly become one of the sports that Francis Howell Central is most known for.

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Look Out Check out the full recap of the pink out winter pep assembly!

Relive the winter pep rally through these photos on FHCToday.com

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: Breanna Epperson, Marc Falcomata, Madison Fuller, Ruthann Kimbrel, Kierigan McEvoy, Isaiah Salin, George Schlotzhauer, Natalie Walsh, Holly Whaley, Seth Wilcox, Robyn Ziegemeier STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Faith Carter, Savannah Drnec, Paige Fann, Nicole Garthe, Vincent Graczyk, Andrea Hake, Kayden Zipoy, Zoe Lentz, Sarah Skelly, Abigail Tarleton, Amelia Vohsen, Doug West, Meghan Zadell 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: Twitter: @FHCPublications @FHCToday

Snapchat: FHCToday

ABOUT 3

FOLLOW THE ARCH: Directions are provided to downtown visitors via a graphic painted onto the sidewalk. These graphics have been added recently since the Archgrounds were renovated in the past years. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK

BULL AND BEAR: On the corner of Washington Avenue and Broadway downtown, a curious statue stands. Outside of the Stifel building is a bull, and a bear statue. The statue is represented by “bull” and “bear” markets within the stock market. Personally, this photo almost takes my number one spot. I love the battle between these two giants and what it truly represents. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK

LEGEND OF STL: Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, is also home to Stan “The Man” Musial. A legend to native Cardinal fans, Musial is memorialized out front and center to commemorate his contribution to baseball and St. Louis. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK KEEPING WATCH: Drago structures keep watch outside the City Museum, where airplanes and cars perched atop the museum are visible. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK

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COLORS OF THE CITY: This photo captures only a glimpse of the architectual variety in the area.

I chose to showcase these buildings in particular because of the contrast in colors, height, and design. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK

The Beauty OF

s GATEWAY TO THE WEST: Presented above is by far my favorite photo from the one’s shown. The curved sidewalk leading to the St. Louis courthouse gives the eyes a path to follow, and as you can see, the Arch is behind it. This photo is my favorite because of how clean St. Louis looks here. Obviously this is not the case everywhere, but on this day the two monuments seen above worked in unison to create a visually appealing image that I can not get enough of. PHOTO BY VINCENT GRACZYK

STL

by Vincent Graczyk

t. Louis is home to many monuments scattered throughout the city, But none is more identifiable than the Arch (at left). Not only is the Arch a symbol of St. Louis, it is also regarded as “The Gateway to the West.” It was designed

by Finnish-American Eero Saarinen in 1947.

Construction started on Feb. 12, 1963 and finished on Oct. 28, 1965. The overall cost of such a structure was $13 million, the equivalent to $77.5 million in 2018.

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“CENTER COURT CELEBRATION” by Nicole Garthe elebration commences as the girls JV basketball team claims victory over Howell on Feb. 1. It may be believed that a great action shot is better than a mellow shot of the whole team. However, to me, a good shot of every player coming together tells a much better story than a great shot of a single competitor. This photo is particularly special because it took a lot of hard work from these girls before they were able to celebrate this

moment. Our team was tied in the last seconds of their battle against Howell. Howell was in possession of the ball when freshman Trinniti Matthews stole the ball and passed it to sophomore Madisyn French to shoot a buzzer-

beating layup that won the team the game. It was an amazing moment to witness and this photo shows how happy and excited the team was after winning the hard-fought game. I’m so glad that I’ve gotten the opportunity to become a photographer for the school’s publications this semester. I haven’t had much photography experience before now, but I’ve already learned a lot and can’t wait to continue learning. Photography is a fascinating art,

and I don’t plan to stop taking part in it anytime soon.

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“ONE POINT AT A TIME” by Gracie Kruep n the pursuit of a district title, the girls volleyball team lost its first set against Howell on Oct. 23, but persevered and won the second set. Every point was important in the final set and the Spartans started with the lead in the third — a six-point lead at that — but unfortunately, Howell came back and won the game, eliminating the girls hopes for a district title. In this photo, seniors Haley Vlassos and

Hannah Goestenkors are crowded by their team in celebration of a point. I love this picture because it shows so much passion and positivity in a single moment.

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On stage chemistry is an important part of performing, and Jake Luppen and Zach Sutton definitely have it. Coming out of an intense bridge you can see the excitement and energy on Sutton’s face as he faces Luppen. PHOTO BY SAVANNAH DRNEC

ABOVE: Hippo Campus’ music is so appealing because they write about real and relatable things such as relationships, losing loved ones, anxiety and depression. Regarding their song “Anxious,” Sutton said “I️ realized that I always had this feeling ‘of anxiety’ and it’s a song about coming to terms with that and kind of accepting that.” PHOTO BY SAVANNAH DRNEC RIGHT: Zach Sutton plays the bass effortlessly, with a stage presence ranging from contemplaitve and focused, to wild and energetic. PHOTO BY SAVANNAH DRNEC

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ABOVE: Lead singer Jake Luppen belts out the chorus of opening song “Bambi” to set the mood for a high energy and exciting set. PHOTO BY SAVANNAH DRNEC LEFT: Guitar player Nathan Stocker sings backup vocals as trumpet player DeCarlo catches his breath before his next solo, accidently matching expressions with Stocker. PHOTO BY SAVANNAH DRNEC

small venues, Big

energy

by Savannah Drnec

I

ndie rock band Hippo Campus, based out

together. He later introduced me to the

of St. Paul, Minnesota, gained their rightful

other four members — Zach Sutton, Nathan

fame in 2014 with the release of their first

Stocker, Whistler Allen, and DeCarlo Jackson

EP, :”Bashful Creatures” containing teen

— that make up Hippo Campus.

anthem “Suicide Saturday.”

Hippo Campus will be setting off on the

I first came into contact with lead singer

next leg of their North American tour for their

Jake Luppen in late 2016 when I happened

sophomore album “Bambi,” and will be at

to run into him near The Castle Theatre in

The Blue Note in Columbia on April 19.

Bloomington Illinois, where they were going

“We just want people to listen to our music

to be playing later that night. We talked for

and have a sense of joy, and we want to give

a few moments and decided to grab lunch

our fans what they have given us,” Luppen said.

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“SHAVEN BONDS” by Grant Boehne he Rec-Plex is notorious for its poor lighting, a classic photographer’s nightmare. I wanted to use a lens with a wide aperture, but also a high focal length. In order to get the proper exposure, I had to use a 50mm f/1.8, thus sacrificing the high focal length. This forced me to get creative. With the highstress environment, everyone is eager to see how their teammates are doing in the race. Crowding

the edge of the pool is not uncommon for people, this is another challenge I faced. In order to see the pool, I had to stand on the bleachers. I noticed three swimmers who had shaved their heads, as part of a team tradition, standing in front of me. I asked them to put their hands on each other’s head and got the picture.

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“COMPETING FOR HOMECOMING COURT” by Paige Fann

race Bahru and Isaiah Flowers, freshmen nominees for Homecoming Court, walk up the track during halftime, at the Homecoming game. This photo is one of my favorites because it was a tough shot to get, but I loved how it turned out. When I took this I didn’t have the best lens, and I still really didn’t know how to work a camera. Since it was dark when I took this photo, it was hard to

get them both in focus while they were walking. I love this photo because the faces are in focus and the background is blurred, and how there’s light on one side of the Grace’s face. I’ve loved getting to know how the camera’s work, and getting better at photography.

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“CARTER HITS HARDER� by Kierston Fisher unior Cece Carter makes a fantastic textbook hit at the first softball game of the year on Sept. 6.

The crisp, frozen motion of the softball makes me love this picture. If I could change only one thing about this image, I would change the angle I took it at. I would get lower to get more of a dramatic feel. That is what I love about photography, I love that just where you stand or how you wait for a

shot determines its greatness.

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“ALL IN”

by Kayden Zipoy

F

ans were left with joy after the Spartans won their first game played at the 2019 basketball

districts. Many people would think to get an action shot in a game this intense is challenging,

but

with

the

right camera settings, it can be easy. When shooting at a tight game like this one there are many chances for good action shots. I could tell by the determination in senior Tyrek Coleman’s eyes that he was ready to go for the basket. As he ran up to the hoop, rather than waiting for him to get into the shot I followed him with the camera so my shot would be focused and not blurry. That’s only part of how to get a clean action shot.

Shutter speed is also a really important aspect of shooting because your camera has to be able to shoot fast to capture the shot at the right moment. I believe this shot describes the emotion of the team perfectly because Coleman has the look of determination that all of our players had that night when defeating Hazelwood West 75-66 on Feb. 26

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S-HIVE SURPRISE: Members of the team sign posters made for them by middle school members of the Junior Spartans girls basketball team after the team’s 48-20 vicotry over Francis Howell on Feb. 12. Coach Hayley Leake has reached out to middle school players who want to be a part of the girls basketball program when they head to Francis Howell Central. PHOTO BY NIKKI CRANGLE

A Legacy in the Making

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by Gracie Kruep oming into the basketball season, the whole

ELITE TEAMWORK: As the team’s Jan. 24 game against Fort Zumwalt North prepares to tip off, Coach Hayley Leake exhorts the team to bring its best effort against the Panthers. The Spartans would earn their 14th victory of the season with a 45-28 victory. PHOTO

BY ZOE LENTZ

school was antsy about seeing the girls basketball team in action. With high hopes and high

expectations, the team did not disappoint. With a record of 22-5, the team had one of its best seasons in the school’s history. Their playing style, chemistry, and coaching staff gave the girls basketball team the edge that they needed to succeed this previous season.

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SIT DOWN AND SMILE: After the annual pancake breakfast to begin the season, the girls ­— junior Azaria Hulbert (left), seniors Yani Curry and Lauren Ebert (above), and junior Aria Lynch (right) —came together for a scrimmage then a sit-down interview with all of the parents, siblings, and Jr. Spartans of the program. PHOTOS BY GRACIE KRUEP

FALLING FOR THE BALL: Sophia Tweedie dives after Troy’s Rianna Wenzel to try and win back the ball. The coaches and players expected maximum effort from every player during every game of the 2018-19 season. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

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KEEPING IT IN: Lauren Ebert, above, stretches to keep the ball in play on the offensive half during the Lady Spartans 61-49 victory over Troy on Feb. 22.

Ebert was the team’s top threepoint shooter, connecting on 38 percent of her attempts this season. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP PROTECT THE ROCK: As she corrals a loose ball, senior Yani Curry protects the ball during the victory over Troy. Curry was the team’s leader in points per game and rebounds per game and earned numerous player of the year awards for her efforts this season. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

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PUSHING PAST THE PRESSURE: Sophomore Gracie Stugart faces a tough defender from Hazelwood Central as they fight to regain the lead in the district final during the Lady Spartans 62-47 defeat that ended their season.

PHOTO BY NICOLE GARTHE

HYPING THEM UP: Two points behind, JV Coach Shakara Jones gives her team a pep talk so they can close the gap between them and their opponent. Coach Jones is a former player who has come back to the team to lend her experience and passion to the team. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

SHOOTING FOR A CHANCE:Aria Lynch takes a tough shot while the Spartans are in the last minutes of their final game. PHOTO BY NICOLE GARTHE

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SHARING HER PLAN: Coach Hayley Leake stands in front of the whole program at the pancake breakfast, explaining her plans for the upcoming season. Coach Leake used a difficult schedule and intense workouts and practices to lead her team to a 22-5 record this year. PHOTO BY GRACIE KRUEP

ELITE UNTIL THE END: As their season and careers wind down during the team’s loss to Hazelwood Central in the district finals, Coach Leake consoles seniors Yani Curry and Lauren Ebert after they were removed from a game playing for the final time. Curry only played in the first half after tearing her Achilles tendon. Both Curry and Ebert will continue to play basketball in college, as Curry will head to the University of Toldeo and Ebert will play at Missouri Baptist University. PHOTO BY NICOLE GARTHE

HYPING THEM UP: As the players surround her, Coach Hayley Leake diagrams a play for the players who are on the floor during the team’s victory over Francis Howell 48-20 on Feb. 12. The team was able to defeat its district and GAC South rival for the second time that evening. The Lady Spartans were 10-0 in the GAC South, earning the district title. PHOTO BY ISAIAH SALIN

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“PUSHING THROUGH” by Savannah Drnec raving the cold and pushing through to the end, junior Blake Painter focuses on what’s ahead on the course during the Parkway West Invitational on Sept. 29. This photo was taken at a cross country meet at the end of September so not only did he have to run 3.1 miles, but it was also cold. I really like the fact that Painter is the only thing in focus and everything in the back is blurred. I think what

makes this photo successful is where he is in the frame. I don’t think this picture would have the same feeling as it does if he wasn’t where he is. If I could change one thing about the photo it would probably be the kid’s arm in the left side of the frame, I probably would have waited a second so that he wouldn’t be there. What I love about photography is the freedom you have. There are certain “rules” you should follow, but you can disregard them completely and still capture an incredible photo that tells a good story.

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“GODIER’S GRIT” by Payton Amlong hrowing his opponent through the air, Andrew Godier, senior on the wrestling team, is putting up a fight to place at districts. Each competitor had a chance to win the district title in their weight class, and the winners move on to compete at state. Godier made it to state, and ended up placing fifth.

What I love most about the picture is the background. If you take a close look at the bottom right,

you can see wrestling Coach Steve Cross as he watches Godier compete.

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“LET’S GET LIT” by Zoe Lentz he lights go out and hands go up. Students celebrate the fall athletes as they are introduced to the student body at the Sept. 28 pep assembly. This moment took me by surprise because the lights turned off out of nowhere, I immediately had to change the settings on the camera and that’s when I saw the crowd cheering. If I had more time I would have messed with the settings a bit

more to get a clearer shot. However, I like the blurriness in the back row of hands; it shows movement.

Shots in the dark are hard to get for many reasons, you have to change the settings on the camera as quickly as possible and (not to be obvious) it’s hard to see in the dark. Pictures like this are why I joined FHC Publications. To be able to see something that is hidden within the crowd is amazing.

You can take a single shot that creates a whole moment that outside of the camera flies by instantly.

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“SAX SOLO�

by Sarah Skelly unior

Alex

plays

his

Anderson saxophpne

FHC auditorium at the annual Night of Jazz on

Feb. 21. All three Francis Howell high schools came together to share what they had been working on throughout the semester and to celebrate jazz as a whole. I have improved a lot as a photographer over the course of this year. I have learned

many

new

things

about how to use a camera and to get the results I want. I like this photo because of the lighting and the angle and because you can see people in the background playing their instruments, but Anderson is still the main focus.

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“UP AND IN” by Abigail Tarleton umber 00, senior Cameron Dent, flies through the air as he goes up for a lay-up against Troy at their game on Feb. 1. I waited a long time at the corner of the court waiting for a shot like this, but since each player is different, I wasn’t exactly sure how it would turn out. Finding the right spot for a good angle for sports can be one of the most frustrating parts of shooting any sport because

there is no way to guarantee that you have found the spot where the athletes will be looking. I was really excited I captured almost all of Dent with him completely frozen in action, it gives the photo a sense of suspense as we wait to find out if he made it in. I wish I could have gotten more of his face, but the side profile works just as well.

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“SPARTAN SPIRIT” by Amelia Vohsen he crowd roars as the junior varsity cheerleaders perform at the Homecoming pep assembly. The lighting in the school gym usually results in discolored or grainy photos. However, this photo turned out clear and bright despite the lighting. I really love the energy in this photo. The cheerleaders always have to be energetic and smiling, but freshman Katie Moore is genuinely enjoying herself.

When I look at this photo I can feel her energy and the pride she has for her school. I think that’s what makes this photo successful: because it makes me feel something when I look at it. As I progress as a photographer, I strive to take photos that will make people feel happy, or sad, or inspired. The idea that one photo can make someone feel any different emotion is what I love about photography and what pushes me to want to improve.

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26 Photo issue

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.

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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“COLLECTING THE CHORUS” by Meghan Zadell ound flows as the Francis Howell Central Choir comes together to performs all of their hard work for state. Choir in general is a true honor to be in, especially when your in middle and high school because it’s a great way to get involved and out there. Being in Choir or even just having music in my life really gives me a chance to express myself and feel free. Being involved with music really

expresses who you are whether you like to listen to mood music or dancing music.

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“IN HIS FACE� by Douglas West chose this image because I loved the facial expression of senior Adam Lewis guarding the hoop as they played Fort Zumwalt South on Dec. 11. I decided to include this image because it shows a great example of how competitive our varsity basketball team is and it shows how bad they want to win.

Photography to me is a great way to tell a story, whether it be a birthday party or a catastrophic event.

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“MOST DESERVED”

by Kierston Fisher

W

hen I was asked to

take

pictures

of Mrs. Fetsch for teacher of the year

I immediatley said yes. I love this picture for many reasons, the biggest is the emotion.

Being in this moment was so special, seeing the pure joy on Mrs. Fetsch’s face gave everyone in the room chills.

Being able to capture that moment in a photo was very rewarding.

The

best

part

of this photo is even if you weren’t in this moment you can still feel the happiness that is radiating off her. I can speak for eveyone when I say Mrs. Fetsch is so deserving to receive the 2018-19 teacher of the year award. We are so glad to have her back this year.

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E p i s o d a e p r 2 i l 15

April showers bring new episodes of the Broadcast. Centralized will feature stories from a variety of topics, from the growing number of people in track to what happens in the printmaking class.

The broadcast will be available on FHCtoday. com, so make sure to tune in on April 15.

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