Feb. 8, 2017: The Big Issue

NORTH | STAR FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH | ST. CHARLES, MO | 02.08.17 | VOL 31 ISSUE 05

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The Big Issue The abuse of heroin has been a growing problem amongst teens.

This issue covers how the effects can be catastrophic to both the person and the surrounding community.

ON THE COVER

Heroin usage in the community is a bigger issue than some may think.

(Illustration by Aly Doty)

WE’RE SOCIAL,

ARE YOU? TWITTER

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Places To Go

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Here are some last-minute places to visit on Valentine’s Day.

ENTERTAINMENT

Romantic Movies These are the top nine movies to watch on Valentine’s day and why they made the list.

@fhntoday

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SNAPCHAT

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This is what to expect from the annual Snowcoming Dance theme “Let it Glow.”

fhntoday

INSTAGRAM

Snowcoming

NEWS

Budget Update The District has a new staffing plan after the failure of Prop Howell.

@fhntoday

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FACEBOOK @fhntodayfan

Driving Spots

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Freshman Blaize Peebles devotes his time to volunteer work.

Some of the best driving spots from here to Washington, MO. and back.

FEATURES

Helping Out

TUMBLR fhntoday

YOUTUBE fhntoday

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State Qualifier Freshman swimmer Joanna Dohrman qualified to go to State in two events.

SPORTS

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Ice Skating Steinberg Ice Skating Rink is the largest skating rink in the Midwest.

PINTEREST fhntoday

SMUGMUG fhntoday

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OPINIONS

CONTENTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ANNA LINDQUIST

Donald Trump If Trump follows through with his promises, he will violate international law.

44 Theft With assault in schools decreasing, theft is still on the rise.

8 PLACES TO visit this VALENTINE’S DAY

Here are different things to do for Valentine’s Day right here in the St. Louis area, all for an affordable price

1. Crown Candy - Valentine’s Day is a time to serenade a sweetheart with sweets. Crown Candy Kitchen, located in St. Louis, provides many treats like milkshakes and ice cream, but that’s not all they serve. They provide homemade chocolate candy and also have a lunch and dinner menu. Crown Candy is known for their popular soda fountain and vintage vibe. No reservations are needed, and there is more information on their website, crowncandykitchen.net.

2. Adrenaline Zone - This is a place for playing laser tag, driving bumper cars and playing numerous other interactive games including arcade games, pool and foosball. It’s an entertaining way to spend Valentine’s Day while also being with a loved one.

One game of Demolition Ball starts off at $11.79 per game when players walk in for general playing and $5.99 per laser tag game, but reservations are suggested. It’s located on Old Highway 94 in St. Charles and is open from noon until 9 p.m.

5. Blueberry Hill - This is a fun, laid-back way to spend Valentine’s Day and enjoy good food. Located in the Delmar Loop, it brings a cozy atmosphere with live music and its inexpensive menu. They offer different kinds of food, ranging from burgers to vegetarian options. No reservations are needed and it’s open from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.

6. Mastermind Escape Room - This is an interactive activity where people can try to solve puzzles and escape from a room within a number of minutes. It is located south of Old Highway 94. Book reservations now before time runs out and see who will escape. More information can be found on their website, mastermindescaperoom.com.

7. Bowling - Olivette Lanes is a bowling alley located on Olive Blvd. Along with a game of bowling, players can enjoy bar food and music, all for a reasonable price. They stay open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. until midnight on weekends.

3. Forest Park - Forest Park offers a wide variety of places to go that are inside and outside. The Steinberg Skating rink is one of the many places in Forest Park, and visitors can ice skate and also enjoy hot chocolate at their indoor cafe. They are open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Those who don’t like the cold but do enjoy art can visit the St. Louis Art Museum with a significant other and view their many displays of art for free, which stays open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays.

4. Dave and Buster’s - Dave and Buster’s is a place for recreation and a restaurant mixed in one. It’s an entertaining way to get to know someone while still not being too intimate for a first date. They have some of the most popular arcade games like Deal or No Deal, Subway Surfers and simulation games like drag racing. While enjoying food, they also provide TV for people to engage in the different sports. They are located in St. Louis at Riverport Drive and are open from 11 a.m. until midnight.

8. Tucanos - Tucanos sets the mood for Valentine’s Day with its many different foods and its romantic setting. One of the most popular restaurants in St. Charles, it serves a diverse menu at a moderate price. Tucanos is located on Highway I-70, where they stay open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

WATCH

Check out other cool places on the Loop including Blueberry Hill: goo.gl/ToQVz7

ENTERTAINMENT | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY MYAH BLOCKER

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THE GRAMMY NOMINEES

These are just a few of the many nominees for the 59th Grammy Awards, taking place Feb. 12, 2017

MUSIC PROFILE Alternative/Indie- You are more of an independent person. You like to lay back and just enjoy the things in life. You work well with people who enjoy the same music taste as you.

“Still Breathing” by Green Day is a hit from their newest album.

“I love indie because it’s set apart from the other genres in it’s own way and I can relate to the lyrics.”

-Mercy Culver, 10

Heavy Metal- You’re more tense than others at points. You like to be loud and heard, making sure everyone hears your voice and opinions. The loud sound waves give your ear a nice vibe. “Square Hammer” by Ghost is a top rock song.

“I can just jam to the music and I personally think it’s unique even though other people think it’s abnormal.”

-Sam Ulrich, 11

Pop- You’re always in the present.

You are updated with everything in life and are never behind. You tend to strive for the next new thing.

“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran has been recently released as a top pop song.

“I like being up to date on the upcoming songs and albums and the ones that are new. I’m never out of the loop.”

-Evan Bernard, 12

Rap/Hip-Hop- You work at a speedy pace, feeling rhythm in just about anything you do. You like to move your feet and stay in motion. “Bad and Boujee” by Migos is a recent release in the hip-hop category.

“I like hip-hop because it makes me feel motivated during workouts. It just pushes me more than normal.”

-Jacob Posley, 11

Country- You enjoy taking things slow and steady. You like the latenight drives while star gazing from the bed of a pick-up truck. While things may seem rushed and messy in life, you still slow it down and complete things one at a time. “Blue Ain’t Your Color” by Keith Urban is a top country song.

“Country music just makes me feel calm and easy about myself and stuff happening in my life. It’s a firstchoice selection.”

-Nikki Grellner, 11.

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BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

Nominees: “Hello” — Adele “Hold Up” — Beyoncé “Love Yourself” — Justin Bieber “Piece By Piece” — Kelly Clarkson “Dangerous Woman” — Ariana Grande

Nominees: “Closer” — The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey “7 Years” — Lukas Graham “Work” — Rihanna featuring Drake “Cheap Thrills” — Sia featuring Sean Paul “Stressed Out” — Twenty One Pilots

“[The Grammy for the best pop solo performance should go to] ‘Dangerous Woman,’ because Ariana’s vocals sound really good in it,” senior Alex Gray said.

“[The Grammy for the best pop duo/group should go to] ‘Stressed Out,’ because Twenty One Pilots can relate with teenagers really well and can make them feel like they’re not alone,” junior Leo Rodgers said.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

Nominees: “25” — Adele “Lemonade” — Beyoncé “Purpose” — Justin Bieber “Views” — Drake “A Sailor’s Guide To Earth” — Sturgill Simpson “[The most deserving of the Grammy Award is] ‘25,’ because Adele has an amazing voice and really knows how to convey feeling in her songs,” junior Mason Doss said.

RECORD OF THE YEAR Nominees: “Hello” — Adele “Formation” — Beyoncé “7 Years” — Lukas Graham “Work” — Rihanna featuring Drake “Stressed Out” — Twenty One Pilots “[The Record of the year Grammy should go to] ‘7 Years,’ because it has a good story behind the song and it portrays who he is and what his life is about,” senior Trevor Branscum said.

(Graphic information by Rebekah Maye)

ENTERTAINMENT | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALEX LANE

Nominees: “25” — Adele “Purpose” — Justin Bieber “Dangerous Woman” — Ariana Grande “Confident” — Demi Lovato “This Is Acting” — Sia “[The Best Pop vocal album should go to] ‘Purpose,’ because he came back from rock bottom with music that is really personal and speaks to a lot of people,” senior Mikayla Theros said.

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A TEENAGE VALENTINE Seriously!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

It’s My Wifi Password!

Gworrignton3467

(Comic by Jake Price)

TOP 9 MOVIES TO WATCH ON VALENTINE’S DAY Whether you are single or in a relationship, these are some of the best films to view on the holiday Titanic This historic movie tells the story of a young aristocrat, played by Kate Winslet, and an artist, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who both board the unfortunate Titanic. Whether you are single or not, this film is sure to make you and/or your partner shed a tear, so make sure to bring some extra tissues.

Twilight The teenage paranormal romance is about a girl, played by Kristen Stewart, who falls in love with a vampire, played by Robert Pattinson.

Whether you are on team Edward or team Jacob, this is an intense romantic film to watch with your partner and/or friends.

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The Notebook The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and is a love story about a young man falling in love with a rich girl who drift apart due to their social differences. This movie is perfect to watch while on a date or while hanging out with your friends.

Lady and the Tramp This animated Disney film tells the tale of a sheltered Cocker Spaniel falling in love with a mutt who lives on the street. It’s perfect for Disney fans, and all hearts will be lifted during the iconic spaghetti dinner that takes place in the film.

Say Anything This classic opposites-attract romance tells the story of an underachiever falling in love with a valedictorian before she goes off to college. With a pint of ice cream and some tissues, this movie will make your Valentine’s Day a memorable one.

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Dirty Dancing The story told in this film is about a young girl who vacations to a resort with her family but ends up falling in love with the dance instructor who works there. This film is great for anybody, even single people. It’s fun, lighthearted and very entertaining. It also features the iconic lift during the dance scene.

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Deadpool A comic book film starring Ryan Reynolds, “Deadpool” showcases the story of a loud-mouthed mercenary who gains superpowers to save the love of his life from the hands of his adversary. This is a great movie to watch on Valentine’s Day as long as your partner is okay with bloody violence, inappropriate language and crude jokes.

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La La Land This recent Golden Globewinning musical stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The story is about an actress in Hollywood who falls in love with a passionate Jazz musician. If you are looking for a toe-tapping, romantic flick, then this movie is the perfect candidate.

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Valentine’s Day The title of this movie couldn’t be more self-explanatory: this movie is about Valentine’s Day. It’s a series of stories that intertwine with each other that happen on the romantic holiday. With a cast including Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx and more, this film will bring joy to your date on Valentine’s Day.

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STUDENT TAKE: “[‘Twilight’] is interesting and very well thought-out. It gives people a chance to see something other than a sappy movie.”

-Anna Wiley, 11

“[‘Deadpool’] was funny because most superhero movies are about violence, but this one was about being kind.”

-Abbey Hagen, 9

“I think [‘Valentine’s Day’] gave a good impression of how love works and affects people.”

-Torrion Robinson, 12

“I like ‘The Notebook’ because it’s a love story. The part when they finally see each other again is my favorite.”

-Rachel Cutright, 12

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Students dance at last year’s Snowcoming while bubbles float around them. The dance included glow paint, black lights and Tekno Bubbles. Snowcoming is a semiformal event hosted by StuCo every February. Last year’s Snowcoming was Feb. 7 and it was held in the commons. (File Photo)

GLOW UP THAT DANCE FLOOR

StuCo will host the annual Snowcoming dance Feb. 11 for the 15th year, and the theme is Let it Glow. There will be Tekno Bubbles with black lights, like in previous years. Students can get in for $10. During the week leading up to Snowcoming, students promote school spirit by dressing in different ways.

“Snowcoming is a big event for second semester and something that everyone

can participate in,” StuCo sponsor Jani Wilkens said. “It’s been a tradition for students to dress up during spirit week, which students really enjoy participating in.”

Snowcoming is a less formal and more laid-back dance than homecoming.

StuCo wants students to enjoy the event with their friends and for students to do something safe together as a school community. Their goal is to make sure people have fun at the casual dance and to increase the number of students who come each year. For spirit week, they promote school spirit to have an enjoyable week before the dance.

“I’d definitely recommend going to Snowcoming even if you haven’t because the atmosphere is really laid-back and really fun with many things, such as the Tekno Bubbles, to do with your friends,” StuCo president Grant Freitas said. (Brief

by Ronald Joel)

SENIOR BRENDAN KRUPP PASSES AWAY Senior Brendan Krupp passed away on Dec. 8. His birthday was July 11, 1998. He was 18 years old.

Brendan was passionate about baseball, and he was a member of two select baseball teams. He also played for FHN for one season. He was described as someone who cared for others, putting their needs above his own. Brendan

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NEWS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ASHYA ROBERSON & PAGE PRINSTER

loved to spend time with his loved ones.

Brendan was the son of Robert and Christina Krupp, and he had two siblings: Joshua Krupp and Danielle Balance.

A memorial service was held at the Newcomer Funeral Home on Dec. 13.

Donations can be given to the Krupp’s charity of choice, the CHADS Institute of Mental Health.

UPCOMING EVENTS Friday

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February

What: Pep Assembly Time: 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m Place: Gym

StuCo will host a pep assembly Feb. 10 in the large gym for the students.

The assembly will include games, class rivalry competitions, cheerleader performances and more.

Saturday

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February

What: Snowcoming Time: 6 p.m.

Place: Gym

The annual Snowcoming dance will be Feb. 11 in the gym for students at 6 p.m. The dance consists of photo booths, food and a DJ playing music requested by students on Twitter. The theme is Let it Glow and will include Tekno Bubbles and black lights.

“By far my favorite moment at Wednesday

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February

“The games are by far my favorite part of the assembly, only because my adrenaline is pumping and I’m hoping my class will win,” sophomore Daviona Bonner said. (Brief by Ashya Roberson)

Snowcoming last year was when my best friend Alicia Roberson started rapping along to ‘Work From Home’ because everyone really didn’t know it, but my girl came through with those lyrics,” sophomore Juliana Stennis said. “I just hope it will be like this this year.” (Brief by Ashya Roberson)

What: The Prom Fashion Show Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Auditorium

Junior Class Delegates will run the annual Prom Fashion Show fund-raiser Feb. 22 in the auditorium. Tickets will cost $5 and will be sold in sponsor Marissa Cohen’s class and during all lunches. The show will consist of student models showing off the

dresses they made or brought when they walk the runway. The money is used for prom in April.

“I can’t wait to be able to show my dress off while I walk the runway,” senior Nichole Robinson said. (Brief by Ashya Roberson)

Mock Trial members Jamie Sneed, Noah Slaughter, Grant Freitas and Suhas Andavolu practice their roles after the first round with help from assistant coach Brian Dufrenne. During this practice, members go through and fix any mistakes that they made in previous trials. Next they practice their questions with partners or consult with their coaches. (Photo by Jared Kinnard)

MOCK TRIAL SHOOTS FOR SUCCESS IN ROUND 2

Mock Trial will attend round two of trials on Feb. 14. The 21 members, split into three teams of seven, competed in the first round of trials on Jan. 17, and two of the teams ended up beating both Parkway North and St. Dominic.

“A lot of valuable members graduated last year,” coach Randy Pierce said.

“But we had some really strong members return this year so I knew we would be competitive and I knew we would perform well.”

In preparation for the second round on Feb. 14, Pierce and the three lawyer coaches will review with the students what happened and what they can improve upon to perform better in the next round.

“I am excited about the next round,” Mock Trial member Uma Upamaka said. “I’m mostly excited to get better. I learned things in the first round that I can use to help improve my argument in the second round.” (Brief by Paige Prinster)

DECA PREPS FOR COMPETITION DECA has their annual competition at Chesterfield Mall today. The competition is a series of role-playing events performed in front of judges to see who will be able to go to State and the international competition. Students can compete in marketing, business administration, hospitality and tourism, and finance in order to try to advance to the international competition, which will be held in Anaheim, Calif.

“The DECA competition is really fun but time-consuming,” senior Kevin Welch said. “You have to make sure everything is good enough for the judges and have your roleplay memorized so you can advance to the next level, which is International.”

Doing well in the team events and role-playing about business DECA sells cookies makes students advance to the to help pay for their next level of the competition. expenses: goo.gl/o773Ok Joining DECA is only possible by enrolling in a business course or marketing.

“Being a part of DECA is great because I can travel and do things most teenagers can’t do who aren’t a part of DECA,” Welch said. (Brief by Ashya Roberson)

WATCH

Junior Ben Jamison works on his written project for DECA. DECA is a national club for any students who have taken any business classes and are interested in marketing and business. This is Jamison’s first year in DECA and he also has been a part of FBLA since his freshman year. (Photo

by Hannah Medlin)

NEWS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ASHYA ROBERSON & PAIGE PRINSTER

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HEART-O-GRAMS FOR SALE FCCLA is selling Heart-OGrams as a fund-raiser over the next couple of days

by Paige Prinster

pepprin11@gmail.com | @p_prinster As Valentine’s Day approaches, the community service group FCCLA will hold their annual Heart-O-Gram fundraiser. Heart-O-Grams are personalized messages with a carnation that can be sent to anyone at FHN. They are being sold in the cafeteria for $1 from Feb. 6 through Feb. 10 and will be delivered on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, during first and seventh hours.

“These fund-raisers are fun, and the Heart-O-Grams are just fun to give to your friends,” FCCLA member Taylor Just said.

Heart-O-Grams are one of multiple fund-raisers FCCLA holds throughout the school year, along with Boo Grams and Santa Grams. Each fund-raiser pulls in around $85. The money earned from these fund-raisers goes to projects at Henderson Elementary and other community service projects the club participates in.

“I enjoy these fund-raisers because the money from these goes to the community and they are fun,” Just said. “This all goes to a good cause.”

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Paper volcanoes are one of the many projects that are done at the science fair. The science fair takes place every year in the spring and it is held in the auditorium and the theater. Various awards are handed out such as Best in Show and Most Creative. (Shutterstock)

STUDENTS DISPLAY SCIENCE PROJECTS

The annual science fair is open for the public to come view K-8 students’ projects while encouraging their innovation

by Sarah Zimmerman

volleyballtwin8@gmail.com | @Sarah_zim8 As the 500+ science fair projects and K-8 students arrive at FHN on March 4 for the Missouri Tri-County Regional Science and Engineering Fair, anyone can come view students’ projects from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and find inspiration in their creativity, while NHS members help run the event from beginning to end.

“It was really cool seeing how creative the kids are with their experiments and being able to see all the work that they put into it and how they already understand the scientific process from so young,” junior NHS president Caitlind Walker said. “I just found it very cool.”

While the general public wanders and inquires on the projects, NHS members have the opportunity to sign up to help, either for a shift or for the whole day.

They can assist in a variety of ways, including setting up in the Learning Commons, writing positive feedback sheets for students, judging projects, setting up the awards table, handing out trophies and cleaning up.

“There’s a big need for all the work that needs to be done, and since they need service points, and [the science fair] is here at Francis Howell North, and it’s all

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day, it’s kind of a unique opportunity to earn quite a few points in one day,” NHS sponsor Donna Malkmus said.

With NHS members’ help, they can make the science fair experience a moment to remember for students.

Though everyone receives a participation medal, the top three students in each category- Biology, Applied Consumer Science, Physical Science or Earth/ Environmental- receive medals, with first place getting a trophy. Rather than receiving awards, some NHS members remember their experiences as rewarding in different ways.

“I’ll probably help again because it’s a good opportunity, and I just thought it was interesting to see everyone’s projects,” junior NHS member Jamie Sneed said. “I really enjoyed that, to see their creativity.”

Both NHS members and viewers may even come to encourage the participants to continue enjoying science, giving more meaning to the fair.

“I think it’s important so that they also show younger kids that science is an important thing and that they should continue to be interested in it, as well as making sure that we do have enough volunteers to be able to hold this event and be able to judge all the projects,” Walker said.

An Ongoing Funding Saga

The board of education continues to deliberate on proposed budget cuts, including transportation and a fee structure for school activities

by Chris St. Aubin

cgs8833@gmail.com | @chris_staubin

T

he school district administration proposed a new staffing plan at the Jan. 19 board of education meeting. This new staffing plan was considered “status quo” because it did not cut any classroom teachers. The board, along with some in the audience, found one problem with this staffing plan: it eliminated eight full-time and one part-time reading aide positions from elementary schools.

“If you lose them in first grade, where this is targeted, then if they are not confident that will lead them to shut down and not be able to perform later on,” board member Chad Lange said. “I understand the financial status of it, but I am not in favor of [cutting reading recovery positions].”

After discussions among the board members, they decided to amend the proposed plan so that the reading aides would remain at full capacity. This is a need the board members board election considered essential to the education of students.

Although the largest cut to staffing was reversed, info: there are still smaller cuts to individual schools.

These include some administrative positions and March 8 - Last day to instructional paras. Also, many positions are being register to vote reallocated to better fit the needs of the District and to increase efficiency.

April 4 - Voting held “As a parent, [making cuts] is like asking your kid: from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

‘Which would you rather be punished with?’” board member Mike Sommer said. who’s on the However, changing the staffing plan for the District will not fix all of its financial problems. Therefore, ballot? the board asked to launch task forces to bring 1. Patrick Lane information on a few more possible cuts. These task 2. Rene Cope – forces will investigate the possibility of walk zones, Incumbent the development of a fee structure for extracurricular 3. Mary Lange activities and an investigation of other possible 4. Mike Sommer – revenue sources.

Incumbent “The governor just cut money from transportation, 5. Stephen Johnson so we will get less funding for transportation, so I think All five will run for three that should be the number one priority to look at,” board member Michelle Walker said. open seats currently A few weeks ago, Governor Eric Greitens released held by Cope, Sommer his new budget for Missouri. The largest cuts were to and Mark Lafata education, and the cut that would affect the District

A student walks down the bus aisle to his seat. FHSD has been working on making budget cuts due to Prop Howell not passing on Nov. 8 with 52 percent voting “no.” These cuts could include cuts to transportation along with after school activities. (Photo by Sam Cary)

the most is the $8.6 million cut to transportation for K-12 education, leaving many students without a way to school.

“A comprehensive review of transportation, not just walk zones, would be a good way to go,” board member Mike Hoehn said.

Lastly, the issue of the construction of a fee structure for high school extracurriculars was a point of clash at the board meeting. Hoehn remained steadfast that fees on extra curriculars should not be made because it is a primary reason many students look forward to school.

“Based on that extracurriculars only take up 1 percent of our fee structure, and based on the number of kids that it affects, and the amount of money the kids are already paying to participate, I do not believe that is something necessary,” Hoehn said.

Over the course of the next few months, the board will continue to make tough decisions that affect how the District runs and performs.

“It is the responsibility of the administration and our teachers to intervene when a student needs help,” Rene Cope, board of education vice president, said. “And giving more latitude to what that help looks like and increasing opportunities… while using our resources efficiently, I’m in favor of it.”

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Icicles hang from the front of a car the morning after the ice storm on Jan. 13. School was canceled in advance Jan. 12 due to an ice watch that was issued over the St. Charles area. “That is the most challenging part, having to depend on the weather forecasts and not knowing if they are accurate or not,” Hendricks-Harris said. (Photo by Alex Rowe)

Superintendent Mary Hendricks-Harris speaks at a board meeting in Nov. Hendricks-Harris decides when school will be called off due to weather. (Photo by Riley McCrackin)

Ice days, Not snow days A December ice storm reinforced to the District how dangerous winter weather can be for drivers

by Heeral Patel

Number of Snow Days

“Snow is one thing, it builds up and you can kind of wait on it, but to have our students and staff caught out in the middle of an ice storm, as we learned Dec. 16, heeral.patel03@gmail.com | @HeeralPatel12 that was not something we are going to relive again,” Hendricks-Harris said.

A bus on its way to pick up students at Daniel Boone Elementary slid of the road The incident on Dec. 16 highlighted how much district administration depends and fell on its side early afternoon Dec. 16., according to Gina Steffen, assistant on weather forecasts. That ice storm came with no forewarning, so the District principal at Daniel Boone Elementary. The school’s principal made the decision to could not make a decision before trouble hit. However, the snow day on Jan. 13 keep students at school. Parents were notified to pick up was called the afternoon before because MODOT and their children, who were being entertained by staff. The the Missouri State Highway Patrol requested people stay District supported this decision and helped the school off the roads and forecasts showed an ice watch rather communicate to parents, as well as making them more than an ice warning. aware of the dangers of ice.

“Ice is a whole other thing where extra caution is “That is one of the scariest things that I have ever been needed,” Hendricks-Harris said. “With snow, I do think through,” Jeremy Boettler, FHSD director of facilities and you have to consider the buses and if they can safely operations, said. “We had kids stranded on buses, and run their routes and also our high school students that that was an ice storm, not a snow storm, which is a lot are driving. Can they safely get themselves to and from scarier. I will say that there was nothing we could have schools? Another thing you need to be thinking about done for ice because the weather forecast had not even is if the conditions on the roads are going to get better called for ice. It was something that had caught everyone or if they are going to get worse by the time school is by surprise. The consequences of that storm and what starting. We start driving at 4:30, and by the time the first happened definitely has an influence as we move forward student is picked up, are the road conditions going to be with whether we cancel school. The dangers became real cleared off or is the prediction that the weather is going on that night.” to get worse and therefore the road conditions are going Most of the staff remained and helped entertain the kids. to get worse?”

They had movies, snacks and pizza. The weather let up When weather reports forecast that ice or snow is after midnight, and most kids were able to return home on its way, the superintendent begins the decision of 2012 2013 2014 2015 early Saturday. The storm was among Superintendent whether to call off school or not. Early in the morning, -2013 -2014 -2015 -2016 Mary Hendricks-Harris’ first experiences dealing with a team of various administrative members, including School Year winter weather as superintendent. While days that are the superintendent and Boettler, and some people called off for winter weather are referred to as “snow from First Student drive roads within the district days,” ice is a much bigger concern when it comes to safety. Ice is harder to treat, to analyze road conditions. These observations are all reported back to the harder to predict and harder to navigate. superintendent. If the conditions of the roads in any part of the district are unsafe

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Junior Leo Rodgers auditions for Coffehouse with a story he wrote about his life. Auditions were Tues. Jan 24. before and after school.

(Photo by Sarah LaLonde)

TAKE A SIP AND HEAR A SONG As North Street Coffeehouse comes around, media specialists take new approaches to increase efficiency

by Mackenzie Pugh

Kenzie2019@gmail.com | @mackenziepugh_

A frozen leaf hangs off a bush on Hackmann road due to the ice storm. Students at Daniel Boone Elementary spent the night at the school because of the conditions of the road. The staff members spent the night entertaining the students who stayed. (Photo by Hannah Medlin)

and don’t seem as though they will improve, school is canceled. “[First Student is] one of the participants of the team that goes out in the morning and drives the road conditions and reports back to us how safe they are to operate the buses, so I would say they are a major player in the decision,” Boettler said. “They know their buses better than anybody and their opinion on what’s safe and not safe is a big factor in making the determination in whether to have school or not.”

According to the superintendent, for even more insight on the weather situation of the day, the superintendents of school districts neighboring

FHSD communicate to each other about the road conditions in their part of the county. This helps with understanding the road conditions as well as the weather that could be moving in.

“All the area’s superintendents get together and see how they feel because it may be snowy farther out west and we haven’t gotten it yet or it may be snowing in the city,” Cindy Priest, St. Charles School District director of transportation, said. “A lot of districts, once one calls off they all decide to call off.

However, your district, because you have a lot of rural area, while us, we’re all city so there have been numerous times when we have been able to have class where other districts have called off.”

This year’s North Street Coffeehouse will take place Feb. 15 and 16 and will come with a few new updates, such as ordering supplies online and recruiting NHS volunteers. In previous years, all supplies were bought in stores. The media specialists are trying something new this year by ordering cups, hot chocolate, napkins and cookies online. Also, students who participate in NHS will been given the opportunity to volunteer and help with set up, clean up and help with other needs.

“We pretty much have everything down to a science, but implementing these things will make it that much easier,” media specialist Angie Davis said.

North Street Coffeehouse is an annual event hosted by the Learning Commons in which students of any grade can perform talents such as singing, writing and art. It has occurred for 12 years. It first arose when one of the former librarians, Sherri Pogue, saw that another school had done something similar and wanted to bring the idea over to FHN. “I love how much Coffeehouse affects everyone,” Willen said. “You start out the morning with a huge variety of students, some of them don’t know each other at all, and by the end of the day they’re like a little family. It’s so awesome to watch that develop all within the course of one day.”

About 30-50 students sign up to audition each year. Auditions took place on Jan 24. Coffeehouse generally accepts 12 poetry performers and 12 music acts to cover the span of the two days.

Students also have the opportunity to display artwork or sign up to show live art.

“I wanted to help and connect with people through my writing,” former Coffeehouse performer Maria Michalski said. “Coffeehouse gave me an opportunity to show people that art and expression can speak wonders.”

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M E DI A N OW. P R E SS

FHNTodayTV Featured Videos All February Videos https://goo.gl/sl18H3

TSA Participates in Glider Competition Watch here: goo.gl/76sVbQ

FHNTODAYTV CHARITY PODCAST Watch here: goo.gl/UGhzxy In this edition of FHNtodayTV, Taylor Perry and Nathan Williams talk about various organizations and charities around St. Louis that may be looking for your help. Each charity works everyday to help those in need whether that’s a dog in need of a loving

• Features TSA sponsor Michael Green.

• Members of the club prepare for boeing’s upcoming glider competition.

(Video By: Brayton Larson and Alyssa Barber)

home or someone looking for a safe place. Charities featured include Youth in Need, Mother’s Safe Haven, the APA Association, Five Acres Animal Shelter and St. Vincent de Paul’s Thrift Store (Podcast by: Taylor Sherdian).

Thousands Participate in Women’s March on St. Louis Watch here: goo.gl/eCb7QJ On Jan. 21, thousands of men, women and children gathered for a march in downtown St. Louis that started at Union Station and ended at Market Street. The march that first started as a small Facebook event, grew quickly numbering to thousands of participants (Video By: Alyssa Barber).

Varsity Ice HockeyFHC vs FHN

Watch here: goo.gl/kjyL3t

• First varsity hockey stream of the 16-17 school year.

• Late goal by central changed the outcome for the knights.

(Streamed on the FHNtoday YouTube channel)

Stewart Siblings Make Drag Racing a Family Affair Watch here: goo.gl/TjZh2V People Featured: Sam, Sarah and Angela Stewart

12-year-old Sam Stewart and 8-year-old Sarah Stewart are third generation drag racers who recently completed their racing seasons. Racing is a large part of the Stewart family dynamic and they have experienced a lot of success in the sport and travel all around the country to race (Video By: Emily Hood).

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FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY KELSEY DECKER

Five Places to Stop By on Main Street Watch here: goo.gl/RLYXJk

• Features various places worth stopping into on Main Street.

• Many of those featured sell things such as candy, coffee and ice cream.

(Video By: Kelsey Decker)

PECULIAR PETS Most people have normal pets like dogs, cats or a fish, but these students have unique pets most wouldn’t think of having FLYING SQUIRREL

SNAKE Sophomore Jordan Milewczik and his family have six snakes, ranging from a king snake to a corn snake and even to a ball python. In order to maintain all six of the family’s snakes, they make sure to clean their cages daily. The cages are kept in his brothers room. They also feed them frozen food that has been thawed and make sure they’re in good health by weighing them, checking their breathing and making sure they have a very clean environment to live in. They also have heaters running constantly in the cages to keep up the snakes’ body temperatures since they are cold-blooded animals and need to keep warm. The family bonds with

their snakes by routinely handling them. They also take them around to a couple of Boy Scout events where Jordan’s brother teaches a class about the snakes to others.

“The reason we got into reptiles is my brother’s fascination with [crocodile hunter] Steve Irwin. They are just exotic and are interesting, misunderstood creatures.”

“I like them. They’re super cute and weird animals.”

-Navy Birkner, 11

- Jordan Milewczik, 10

BIRD

HEDGEHOGS Sophomore Megan Crain had two hedgehogs, Shimmer and Naomi, that required specific care since hedgehogs are exotic animals.

Hedgehogs need certain amounts of warmth, certain foods and bugs, and specific handling. They stay in crates like bunnies or guinea pigs would. They also use different kinds of bedding, so Crain used to change the bedding every week and wash her hedgehogs’ exercise wheel every night to ensure they were in a clean environment.

Junior Navy Birkner and her mom, Cindy Birkner, were so intrigued when they walked past a kiosk at the mall that was selling sugar gliders, or flying squirrels, that they decided to get one. The Birkner family worked at training their sugar glider to know their scent so that it would not leave their side. After a while, Navy’s brother, Brock Birkner, thought their sugar glider was getting lonely, so they purchased another one from a sugar glider breeder. Navy’s brother bonds with their gliders by letting them crawl on him outside of their cages.

“I think that other people should only get one as a pet if they have a lot of free time and have definitely done their research about them.

They’re interesting and unique animals to watch and learn about.”

-Megan Crain, 10

When freshman Lilly Simpson was younger, her family used to have a bird.

His name was Romeo and he stayed in a cage in the family’s living room that was cleaned often. They would often take him out and let him fly free-range around the house. He kept the house occupied by whistling and singing tunes that he learned through the years.

“I really liked having Romeo around because he brightened up our house.”

-Lilly Simpson, 9

FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY OLIVIA FETSCH

16

1. Weldon Spring Mound

2. Terry and Kathy’s

Defiance

Marthasville

Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park

3. Klondike Park Dutzow

FROM TOTALED TO RESTORED

Wildwood Augusta Washington

alexlanehockey@gmail.com | @ProdigyLane

From stripping off parts of the 2000 BMW 328i, to spending hours in the garage with his father and friends, senior Ashton Clark made his totaled car almost new again after getting in a multi-collision accident in August. Clark took off his front bumper and replaced it, as his old one was damaged along with the headlights. While replacing the bumper and hood, Clark and his dad had to repaint the new ones to fit the color of the car.

“This was a fun, new experience for my dad and I,” Clark said. “We spent a lot of time looking at YouTube videos for car parts and spent a lot of time in the garage getting greased up.”

The front needed a lot of work on the outside, underneath the hood wasn’t any better: the radiator, coolant and control arm were all severely damaged. Clark and four of his friends knew it would be a pain to squeeze between parts to move others, so they put the car on jack stands and went to work.

“Painting was a whole new experience for us,” senior Brandon Bauer said. “We haven’t really painted much. We mostly just do the dirty work[on cars].”

Aside from all the dirt on his clothes and the grease on his hands, Clark wouldn’t mind doing it again on a different car.

Clark even made his car louder after all the repairs, sawing off the muffler of his car. This increased the power and the sound of the car slightly, due to reduced back pressure of the exhaust.

“Starting the car up after the repairs and muffler delete, the feeling felt relieving and great,” Clark said. “It was nice to know the work paid off and I even learned new things after all of it.”

4. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park

WATCH

Follow this link for more information on Klondike Park: goo.gl/ikTA95

Senior Ashton Clark restored his three-month totaled car

by Alex Lane

Matson

Labadie

Boles

JUST A FUN DRIVE Gray Summit

Pacific

Villa Ridge

A spectacular road winding through the hills and past several attractions to Washington and back, all in less than two hours 2. Terry and Kathy’s

1. Weldon Spring Mound

• •

The 75-foot tall mound is a burial ground of sorts, not for people, but that of radioactive waste from a chemical plant that sat in its place years ago.

Completed in 2001, the mound covers 1.5 million cubic yards of hazardous materials from the plant that once produced TNT during World War II. “You need your walking shoes on because it’s a bit of a treacherous hike.”

-Jessica Venegoni, 12

• • •

“It’s a really popular place with bikers at the weekend. If that’s what you like, this is the place to be.”

-Collin Bodley, 12

3. Klondike Park

• •

Right off Highway 94 and the Katy Trail, it is a very popular place to stop for bikers and cyclists.

A local band plays music on the outdoor stage on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Terry and Kathy’s is a bar and cafe in Defiance that is the perfect place to stop for some quick food on the route.

4. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park

With direct access to the Missouri River, it is also a popular boat launching site.

A quick hike will also get someone to a commanding view of the river from atop a cliff, which also happens to be the perfect place for a picnic.

“It’s a beautiful place to spend time. I ride down there on my motorcycle every so often.”

-Luke Floyd, 11

•

Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park is like most other state parks, in that it has great hikes, bicycle rides, cookout barbecues, and has several interesting landmarks that make the perfect background for pictures.

“It was a fun drive up there, and it was a great place to take some pictures of the cars.”

-Dev Patel, 11

(Written by Martin Groves)

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FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY KYLAH WOODS

Seniors Zac Cary and Sydney Weber discuss plans with other crew members about the new production. The crew is currently preparing and designing the set for the upcoming spring musical, “Grease.”

“I know that we will have a talented cast and a fantastic crew and I’m so excited to introduce theater to a lot of students,” Weber said. (Photo by Shannon Lane)

Behind the curtain

Drama crew members work hard to get everything prepared for the upcoming spring play, “Grease”

by Kylah Woods

kylahwoods27592@gmail.com | @kylahrw

A

play isn’t a play without the lights, the costumes, the set and so much more. But all these elements don’t just appear out of nowhere. There’s an entire crew of around 40 people that plans each and every part of the spring production.

“I feel like the crew is kind of like a family,” stage manager Bree Williams said.

“We come together to put on this show and make something that’s beautiful and that we can be proud of.”

Auditions for the spring musical, “Grease,” were Feb. 2. Before auditions, the crew was already hard at work getting everything prepared. The production process began about a month before auditions. By the time the cast lists were out, the set was almost finished, the props were ready to be used and the costumes were waiting to be worn. Getting everything ready so far in advance helps both the crew and cast. It helps the crew because they aren’t rushing to get everything done before opening night. It helps the cast because they are able to work with the props and the set instead of just sitting down and reading the script.

“We don’t want to have to sew a costume the day of the play,” drama teacher Kim Sulzner said. “Getting ready in advance is just a way to help prevent things from going wrong.”

There are six different crews that make up the entire crew. There is set crew,

WATCH

props crew, lights and sound, costumes and makeup, publicity crew and production crew. The newest member of the drama family is the production crew.

This is the first year that drama has included a production crew. Production crew basically plans everything out for the other crews. This way, they don’t waste time when the rest of the students join. There is a lot of time-consuming work that goes on behind the curtain, such as going through the script and finding each and every prop that the production will need. The production crew does these timeconsuming and tedious jobs.

“A lot of times they spend more time here than they do at home, especially during tech week,” Sulzner said. “It’s stuff that they aren’t doing at home and they get to see something Follow this link come from nothing.” to learn about the play Barnwell The glue that holds the crew together is the pair of stage Middle School managers. For the spring musical, “Grease,” the stage put on: managers are Williams and sophomore Riley Lawson. Before goo.gl/5SygAw the production, they work closely with each crew to ensure that everything comes together. During the musical, each stage manager calls out cues and watches the musical to make sure everything is in place. According to Sulzner, organization and observation skills are key to being a good stage manager. If a problem arises, it is their job to recognize it and find a way to solve the problem.

“One thing I find interesting about acting is that you need the crew,” stage manager Riley Lawson said. “They basically do everything for you, but you don’t get to work closely with them. As stage manager, I get to work with each crew closely and see this production come together.”

FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY KEEGAN SCHUSTER

18

Freshman Blaize Peebles signs his favorite letter in American Sign Language, “B.” In his freetime, Peebles interprets music in American Sign Language for his friends and family. “My favorite song to translate into sign language is ‘Rise’ by Katy Perry,” Peebles said. (Photo by Rachel Kehoe)

Contributing to the Community Freshman Blaize Peebles enjoys devoting his time to volunteer work at various organizations for different causes

by Anna Lindquist

alinguist709@gmail.com | @annalindquistt

F

rom working at the Missouri Butterfly Dreams Pageant to volunteering at the St. Louis Special Olympics to translating songs into American Sign Language for his church, freshman Blaize Peebles chooses to spend countless hours volunteering for his community.

“I try to make it a better environment when I’m volunteering,” Blaize said. “I don’t want to make it seem like the kids with special needs are in one group, and I’m in another. We communicate with each other, talk to each other. It’s being there if they need help.”

Blaize volunteers for the Missouri Butterfly Dreams Pageant. It occurs every November and is a pageant for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, like Down syndrome and autism. Blaize works as a Person Assisting with Love (PAL). Next year, Blaize hopes to escort one of the participants.

“The pageant is more focused on giving special needs kids the opportunity to succeed in their talents, but also having it be an environment where they can feel comfortable doing that,” Blaize said.

Blaize also works at the St. Louis Special Olympics. The organization provides 21 different athletic competitions throughout the year for kids with special needs and physical disabilities.

“People think that kids with special needs aren’t able to do what we’re able to

WATCH

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FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ANTHONY KRISTENSEN

do, but they are,” Blaize said. “This gives them the chance to show that.”

Though he works often with special needs, that isn’t all he does. He taught himself how to use American Sign Language and dedicated his time to perfecting it. He translates songs for his church, Bible Baptist, and also translates songs for his deaf family and friends through videos or live presentations.

“American Sign Language is a language on its own,” sign language interpreter Thomas Skinner said. “It’s a living language. It develops like the English language does. It takes a lot of dedication to learn, as expected by every other language. You have to be fully involved to learn it and even more to translate for others.”

Blaize first had an interest in volunteering in elementary school and then got more involved through a club called All of Us at Bryan Middle School. Through the club, he was introduced to volunteering opportunities with special needs kids.

“It started because he had a friend since kindergarten who was autistic,” Blaize’s mother Shawna Peebles said. “We always told him to keep an eye out for him. Blaize has always been interested in helping out, but this past year he has done a lot more.”

Like Blaize, Thomas Skinner Although Blaize doesn’t want a career working with ASL uses ASL to or helping people with special needs, he still plans on communicate doing what he can with volunteering opportunities. with others: “I will continue working with kids with special needs goo.gl/vLW7WA and volunteering with ASL in the future, without a doubt,” Blaize said. “I think that once you learn to love others, you learn to love yourself. If I learned to love someone different than me, then I can learn to love myself. That’s what I like the most about it.”

Have you bought a yearbook yet? Check here: Yearbooks for 2016-17 are currently $60 and can be purchased in room 105, 131, the Main Office, or online with a credit card at FHNtoday.com.

If your name isn’t on the list, it means you haven’t ordered a book. The price goes up before Spring Break so make sure you get your order taken care of soon. If you have any questions, see Mrs. Kiel, the yearbook adviser. The following students are those that HAVE purchased a book already.

Abanathie, Madison Adams, Carsten Adams, Ellen Addison, Aislee Alega, Jose Alexander, Samantha Allison, Hayden Allison. Hayley Allman, Devon Alvarado, Javier Andavolo, Suhas Anderson, Trenton Archer, Natalie Argent, Corynn Argent, Grant Arnold, Catharine Arnold, Jaren Avants, Krista Aylesworth, Ethan Back, Abbi Bailey, Spenser Baker, Audery Baker, Cassie Bales, Grace Bales, Jadyn Bales, Morgan Balleydier, Victoria Balleydier, Victoria Baniak, Cameryn Bank, Pierce Barlos, Elizebeth Bateman, Edward Battles, Madison Bauer, Dani Beach, Caleb Beach, Chase Beasly, Stacy Beckman, Jessie Bedwell, Devilyn Bengtson, Cam Benton, Tina Bequette, Connor Berger, Hannah Berkeley, John Bernard, Evan Berthold, Enoch Berthold, Joshua Beste, Pamela Beye, Taylor Bickford, Robert Birkner, Navy Black, Nick Blanchard, Christian Blanchard, Jenifer Blankenship, Kylie Blessing, Joshua Blodgett, Nick Boardman, Dillion Boenitz, Della Boenitz, Joel Boettcher, Allie Bogda, McKayla Boiles, Alex Bommarito, Laini Bonney, Danna Bowen, Elijah Bowman, Justin Bowman, Nikki Boyd, Ethan Bozich, Ashlynn Bradbury, Delanie Bradbury, Misty Bradt, Haley Branscum, Trevor Brauch, Max Brengle, Autumn Brink, Ashley Brissette, Andrew Broadway, Sabrina Brombolich, Matthew Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Jenna

Brown, Parker Brown, Tommy Brune, Dylan Brune, Zachery Bryant, Brianna Bryant, Isaiah Buck, Joe Bugajski, Jamie Burke, Sammie Burris, Kelly Bustos, Noe Butler, Emily Cabrera, Kianu Callewaert, Maddie Cannon, Bryan Cannon, Bryan Caordon, Elise Carpender, Marcus Cary, Sam Cary, Zac Casey, Jacob Caughlan, Betsy Cavato, Allison Caw, Declan Cemaster, Seth Chac, Bryan Chaney, Leah Chapple, Jordan Chaves, Ariana Cheim, Mathew Chilcoat, Emma Chruma, Abigail Clark, Alexis Clemons, Nikki Cline, Madison Coffman, Abigail Conley, Elizabeth Connolly, Chris Coons, Sam Corbeil, Hailey Cox, Jeffery Cox, Kaitlyn Cozart, John Crain, Megan Crawford Graves, Lisa Creeley, Rachel Crist, Tyler Cronin, Conor Crook, Tyler Crow, Kyle Crump, Brandon Cunningham, Mia Curight, Rachael Dale-Derks, Thomas Dalske, Savannah Dattilo, Max Davis, Elizabeth Davis, Emily Davis, Thomas Davis, Thomas Day, Cameron Decker, Kelsey Dehesa, Trey Delaney, Ryan Dempski, Adam Denno, Amanda DeSalvo, Maria Dickherber, Audery Dickherber, Eric Diehl, Ashlee Doerhoff, Kate Donovan, Clayton Doty, Aly Dunn, Andrew Dunn, Andrew Dunn, Paige Dupske, Anna Durham, Andrew Durham, Emma Echelmeyer, Delaney Eckhard, Emma Edelen, Kailee

Emerson, Mark Erfling, Michaela Escobar, Mayelin Estes, Payden Fame, Jessica Farkas, Jacob Farner, Amanda Fashacht, Victoria Faupel, Alivia Faupel, Brianan Feldman, Luke Ferkel, Jake Ferrell, Kaitlyn Fienup, Shae Fisher, Morghen Flerbert, Payton Fletcher, Bryce Flores, Patricia Floyd, Brendan Flynn, Dominic Foster, Kent Foster, Kyle Gahagher, Janae Gallahan, Danielle Gannon, Brendan Gardner, Ella Gauerke, Seth Gehrick, Jenna Geogre, Jesse Gerhardt, Emmalyn Giacalone, Dominic Giacommara, Noah Gianopulos, Louis Gibson, Eric Gillen, Trevor Gledhill, Isebella Goeke, Matthew Golliday, Mark Gonzalez, Cameron Gonzalez, Carolynn Gordon, Daniel Gordon, Ryan Gray, Alexandra Gray, Michal Grey, Michael Griffero, Dominic Griffin, Spencer Griffin, Spencer Groves, Martin Hackney, Carson Hackney, Sydney Hackstadt, Anna Hackstadt, John Hahn, Kenra Haislip, Courtney Hale, Elizebeth Hale, Ryan Hammond, Bret Hardin, Emily Hargrove, Devin Harris, Holly Hart, Savannah Heckman, Joanne Heitmann, Ann Heller, Madeline Helmick, Caleb Helmick, Courtney Helmick, Emily Henry, Emily Hercules, Paige Herrman, Jadon Herrmann, Brooke Heutel, Mandy Higgins, Adele Hilgore, Kellie Hilker, Stephanie Hillman, Maggie Hodge, Ian Hodgkins, Connor Hoekstra, Nathan Hoffman, Jake Hoffman, Zachary

Holder, Chase Hollaway, Logan Hood, Julie Hopper, Anna Hosea, Cheri Hughes, Reese Hurd, Charleigh Jaeger, Jayden Jamison, Ben Jamison, Tom Jennings, Makayla Jensen, Emily Jewson, Matthew Jo Arnold, Sarah Johnson, Dana Johnson, Mitchell Johnson, Riley Johnson, Taylor Johnson, Trent Johnston, Dallas Jokerst, Kaleie Jones, Charles Jones, Genesis Jones, Jessica Jones, June Jones, Samantha Juncker, Madison Juncker, Susan Just, Taylor Karase, Lily Karase, Sophie Keating, Carol Keating, Taylor Keatting, Josh Kehoe, Rachel Kelly, Christine Kelly, Elijah Kelly, Isaac Kerby, Rebecca Kiel, Jeremy Kientzel, Hannah King, Chris Kinnard, Jared Kirkpatrick, Kylie Knuuttila, Skyeler Koester, Aimee Koester, Aimee Koester, Patrick Kohlman, Benjamin Kolath, Brook Kolb, Anna Kornberger, Bette Korte, Abby Kruep, Gracie Kuberski, Caleb Kuhlmann, Brandon Kuhlmann, Connor Kuhlmann, Kyle LaBarge, Hunter Lane, Alex Lane, Lisa Lange, Adam Langi, Yousef Lanig, Drew Larson, Brayton Lassanske, Evan Lauer, Courtney Lawson, Riley Lechner, Tristian Ledbetter, Andrew Lester, Saretta Leuthauser, Katie Levins, Colin Lichtenegger, Evan Lincoln, Ashley Lindstorm, Grace Linhardt, James Lodde, Jenna Long, Alex Longmore, Blaine Longmore, Bryce Love, Hailey

Lowe, Tiana Lowrey, Jennifer Luckett, Destiny Ludwig, Ben Ludwig, Rachel Lukistch, Trey Lukitsch, Trey Lyons, Noelle Maag, Evan Macmann, Kyleigh Madina, Guadalvpe Majeski, Cody Major, Nathaniel Malone, Bradley Maniscalco, Dana Maniscalco, Erin Manthey, Isabella Marquart, Austin Marshak, Max Martian, Kennedi Martin, Kaili Martin, Trace Martinez, Kayla Martinez, William Mathews, Seth Matthews, Lyric Maye, Rebekah Maye, Sarah Mayer, Danielle Mccann, Savannah McCormick, Hunter McCullough, Mary McDaniel, Aidan McDaniel, Bryce McDaniel, Colin McDermott, Mia McDonell, Lindsey McKee, Seth Mcllroy, Megan McNevin, Margaret Medley, Anastasia Medlin, Hannah Medor-Bolard, Jeremiah Meijia-troop, Anabel Meyer, Devyn Meyer, Doug Meyers, Emma Milewezik, Jordan Miller, Abbie Miller, Angie Miller, Angie Miller, Hannah Miller, Jake Minter, Cameron Minter, Logan Mitchell, Maddie Mollett, Brenden Monken, Devon Monson, Stephanie Mooney, Paige Moore, Mackenzie Moore, Sarah Mulawa, Daniel Murphy, Allison Murphy, Josef Murrell, Michelle Muss, Claire Myers, Rebeckah Nabzdyk, Walter Neff, Hannah Nelson, Russel Nepal, Rajat Neusihwander, Jordan Nevels, Miranda Nevnaber, Riley Newberry, Olivia Nost, Jessie O’Donnell, Andrew ODonnell, Ryanne Ogunleye, Adewale Oleshonule, Jacob

Olsen, Courtney Orlando, Amanda Orlando, Isabella Oster, Ben Osterloh, Emma Owens, Chloe Owens, Madison Palmer, Marjorie Panagos, Natalie Papka, Jessica Papka, Lindsey Pardo, Anna Parks, Jack Pasuparthi, Aakruthi Patel, Hari Patterson, Conall Pauley, Scott (1) Pauley, Scott (2) Pecher, Devun Pelletier, Max Pena, Dylear Peper, Connor Peper, Courtney Pepper, Kyra Percy, Jake Perry, Bryce Perry, Ian Pete, Karen Petews, Blake Pierce, Casey Pierson, Kevin Pipes, Zach Pirrone, Rachel Plattenburg, Chris Platter, Chloe Plawski, Timothy Plawski, Timothy Poirer, Taylor Polito, Noah Powell, Carter Primeau, Amelia Primeau, Louis Primeau, Phoebe Prinkey, David Prinkey, Katie Prior, Amber Privett, Jacob Proebsting, Abby Prost, Luke Puhse, Amanda Puhse, Megan Purcell, Rebecca Quigley, Adam Quinn, Patrick Raminez, Marcos Randolph, Sarah Raster, Ashley Ray, Garett Ray, Lauren Reed. Gabrielle Reese, Andrew Rhomberg, Sean Richards, Reagan Rick, Nicole Riggs, Brayden Rinck, Janice Rives, Peyton Roark, Alexander Robinson, Torrion Roeslen, Kelli Rogers, Erika Rogers, Tyler Rohlfing, Kyle Rohlfing, Luke Rohmberg, Justin Roider, Emily Roloff, Emily Routh, Jake Routh, Olivia Rowan, Austyn Rowe, Maddie Rufkahr, Reiley

Russelberg, Megan Russelburg, Jackson Sabourin, Cameron Samson, Ethan Sanaldi, Kailyn Santel, Andrew Santel, Josie Sargert, Kimberlin Scanlon, Michael Schaepher, Abbie Schaffer, Kylie Scheer, Drew Schellman, William Scherff, Laura Schindenette, Ella Schmidt, Brendon Schneider, Dominic Schniepp, Chris Scunders, Trinity Seals, Nathan Seigler, Megan Senaldi, Jake Shank, Rebecca Shariff, Austin Shenidar, Taylor Shine, Adam Shine, Michael Sickendick, Grace Siegel, Daniel Skillingten, Jack Skoba, Austin Slaughter, Ethab Slaughter, Noah Smallwood, Max Smith-Eveld, Chole Smith, Aaron Smith, Nick Smith, Travis Smyth, Leann Sneed, Jamie Soar, Dylan Sobotka, Connor Somtheimer, Olivia Sontheimer, Lily Sparks, Madeline Springli, Kurt St John, Lily St.Aubin, Christopher St.Aubin, Colin Stack, Ben Stahlschmidt, Alena Statzer, Emilee Stevens, Corrine Stevenson, Grace Stillman, Kira Stinson, Alyssa Stock, Erin Stock, Grant Stock, Kira Stock, Maddie Stratman, Richard Struble, James Sullens, Jessica Sullivian, Chole Sulzner, Gianna Tabaka, Lucas Tasils, Dillon Teemul, Sarah Temper, Emma Teusherr, Zachary Tharp, Leah Theros, Mikayla Thrist, Dominic Tierney, Joseph Tollferson, Andrew Tomson, Jeremy Torpea, Harley Towery, Shannon Tran, Kevin Turnbell, Christina Turner, Kayla Turner, Natalie

Turner, Nathan Uppalapati, Parvathi Vakil, Armon Vallory, Cory Van Velkinburgh, Jeremy VanBarneveld, Shane Vanek, Paige Vanourney, William Vapa;apari, Akila Vargas, Nayla Venegoni, Jessica Vergas, Najla Vidra, Kaitlyn Vore, Tyler Wagner, Jos Walachli, Alyssa Walker, Caitlin Walker, Nicholas Walls, Hannah Wang, Silvana Ward, Kira Warhover, Kristen Warring, Abby Watt, Jordam Weaver, Sam Webb, Emily Wedewer, Amy Weiner, Tristian Weslar, Virginia West, Brady Westermann, Pagie Weyhrich, Samatha Whitehead, David Wilkinson, Cole Willaims, Nathan Williams, Brooke Williams, Ethan Williams, Makaiah Wilson, Angel Wilson, Breanna Wilson, Hannah Wimer, Bree Wineman, Anton Winkeler, Quinn Winkle, Theresa Winner, Colby Winner, Michael Winner, Tyler Wise, August Wise, Sydney Witherbee, Riley Witte, Christian Woelfel, David Wony, Isabella Wood, Alex Woods, Ryan Workmen, Hallie Worsham, Katie Wortman, Courtney Young, Margaret Yuede, Carson Zerbonia, Emily Zerr, Ben Zettwoch, Mary Zierenberg, Kaitlyn Zimmerman, Hannah Zimmerman, Sarah Zylka, Brittany Zylka, Zach

The Alega family stand on a balcony with the view of the Taal Volcano in the background. The Taal Volcano is located in Batangas, Philippines and last erupted in 1977. (photo submitted)

Traveling across the globe Over winter break, sophomore Juan Alega and senior Jose Alega traveled to the Philippines to visit their family

by Ethan Slaughter

ethanslaughter0@gmail.com | @ethanslaughterr

After moving to the U.S. from the Philippines in 2006, sophomore Juan Alega and senior Jose Alega traveled back to Manila, Philippines to visit their family for the first time in 10 years.

“It was great because we all got to catch up and honestly it was like meeting each other for the first time again because we haven’t seen each other for so long,” Juan said.

The Alegas haven’t been able to go back and visit family and friends since 2006. They moved to the U.S. after their mother was offered a job opportunity and decided to take it. After moving to the U.S. the Alegas have only been able to reconnect with family and friends through social media. Since they moved here, they’ve had green cards and haven’t been able to travel back to the Philippines because they would risk losing their green cards.

After getting their citizenship last year, they decided it was time to take a trip

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FEATURES | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ETHAN SLAUGHTER

back to the Philippines to visit their family and friends after moving to the U.S. 10 years ago.

“The Philippines were different because they’re not as developed as America, so it took a lot to get use to the streets and the way people move,” Jose said. “It was nice to experience different cooking because my dad can cook some Filipino food but there’s a lot he doesn’t, so it’s nice to be able to experience more of it.”

The Alegas drove to Chicago Dec. 17 and then got on a flight to Manila on Dec. 18. When they got there, they visited family and friends as well as doing things such as going to the beach and shopping at places like the Mall of Asia. After staying for three weeks, they flew back to Chicago Jan. 6 and drove home that day.

“It was an amazing experience overall, just to be able to go back after 10 years without seeing them,” Juan said. “I forgot everything because we left when I was 5 years old and I didn’t know I had some cousin I had. It was great to be able to go back to the Philippines and reconnect with them since I haven’t seen them in so long.”

BG THE

Heroin caused more overdose deaths than any other drug from 2012-2014.

From 20082014, St. Charles County had 142 heroininvolved accidental poisoning deaths.

ON THE

NATIONAL LEVEL

The ME data report for 2013 showed an increase in heroinrelated deaths in an area covering St. Louis City and St. Louis County and the rural counties of Franklin, Jefferson and St. Charles.

In 2014, Missouri had the 17th most opioid overdose deaths with 696 deaths.

In 2015, more Americans died from heroinrelated causes than from gun homicides.

In 2007, gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths 5:1.

In 2013, the Midwest had more heroin overdoses than any other U.S. region.

From 2014-2015, heroin overdose death rates increased by 20.6% nationally.

In 2014, Missouri had the 18th most drug poisoningrelated deaths in the U.S. with a total of 1,067 deaths.

Heroin availability and purity began to climb in late 2008.

In 2015, males aged 25-44 had the highest heroin death rate at 13.2 per 100,000.

(Sources: CDC, National Institute of Drug Abuse, Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services)

ssue IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

24

A Ft. Zumwalt East student passes out a drug disposal system after the community awareness night. In the bag is a powder that dissolves any drugs put into the bag when mixed with water. After waiting a few minutes, the pouch can then be put into the trashcan. For larger amounts, it is recommended to go to a local police station to dispose of them.

From Reactive to Proactive As the number of heroin overdoses in St. Charles continues to grow, many in the community are trying to reverse the trend

by Noah Slaughter

reader524@gmail.com | @noahslaughterr

O

ne by one, almost every person raises a hand.

There are mothers.

There are fathers.

Others are friends and neighbors.

Most live nearby. Some don’t.

They’ve never met one another, but one thing has brought all of them to the auditorium at Ft. Zumwalt East on a windy night in January: they all know someone who has died from prescription painkillers or heroin.

Ft. Zumwalt East hosted a community awareness night about heroin and prescription painkillers on Jan. 25, hoping to inform locals about these drugs and slow down their spread. From a detective to an attorney to St. Charles paramedics, attendees had the opportunity to hear from experts about the effect of these drugs. The event, which only expected a crowd of 50-100, nearly filled the auditorium.

“It really reaches all aspects of a family,” Jeremy Moore, assistant superintendent

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IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

of student personnel for Fort Zumwalt, said at the community awareness night. “I think we’re hard-pressed to not think of one family member or one friend or one co-worker that hasn’t experienced something negative from the impact of what’s going on with prescription painkillers and heroin in this community and beyond.”

Overdose deaths from heroin and prescription painkillers in St. Charles more than doubled between 2008 and 2015, rising from 22 to 53 and making the county a microcosm of the broader trend in the U.S. As these drugs take more and more St. Charles residents every year, some feel that the problem is not being properly addressed.

“Just imagine what kind of conversation we would be having if our motor vehicle accident rates tripled, or what kind of reaction we would see if our homicide rates tripled,” Cassie Morris from the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse said at the January meeting. “Unfortunately, this just isn’t getting the attention that it needs, which is why we’re seeing and continuing to see these numbers increase.”

In response to what they view as a lack of knowledge in the community, the St. Charles ambulance district started an awareness campaign. Last spring, paramedics wore “Stop Heroin” t-shirts as part of their uniform for two months,

Special Agent Tim McDermott speaks into the microphone and answers an attendee’s question at the FZE auditorium during the community awareness night. Parents, community members and students attended the meeting and were given a chance to ask questions about heroin and other drugs toward the end of the night. (Photos by Riley McCrackin)

and they now travel to schools and other groups, including a planned trip to FHHS in April, to give anti-drug presentations. They hope to stop the spread of heroin by first showing members of the community that St. Charles isn’t immune to the effects of the drug.

They also plan to start an overdose referral program in St. Charles within the next month or two. Under this program, paramedics will return to the scene of an overdose within 24-48 hours to try to get the survivor the help they need to beat their addiction.

“We decided that we no longer just wanted to take a reactive approach to this epidemic,” paramedic Lisa Cassidy said. “When I say reactive, I mean that’s all we ever do and have done in the past. There’s an overdose, we get a call, we come, we treat the patient, they wake up or they don’t, and that’s it.

That’s all we do, and they don’t always make it back to the resources.”

Heroin and prescription painkiller addictions often go hand-in-hand. Doctors prescribe painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet for everything from major dental work to sports injuries. These substances can be highly addictive, and they are fairly easy to get with or without a prescription in Missouri, which is the only state that does not have a prescription drug monitoring program, even though a few counties, including St. Charles, have one. This can lead to other drugs, as people who are addicted to prescription painkillers are 40 times more likely to also be addicted to heroin, according to a 2015 CDC report.

According to Tim Lohmar, a St. Charles County prosecuting attorney who was present at the January meeting, the heroin epidemic really started in the

early 2000s, when the federal government began regulating these prescription painkillers more heavily. Around the same time, heroin started entering the U.S. in the hands of Mexican drug cartels, eventually making its way to communities like St. Charles. This made heroin cheaper and easier to get than prescription painkillers.

“Those people who had opioid addictions through the painkillers, in many cases in order to feed that addiction, were forced to turn to heroin,” Lohmar said. “That, in a nutshell, is how we got where we are.”

Much like the ambulance district, Lohmar eventually decided to take an active stance against drug use in St. Charles. In May 2015, he started the group Community Resources United to Stop Heroin (CRUSH), which holds an annual Teen Drug Summit for 350 middle schoolers and also informs students of the dangers of the drug and the importance of making healthy decisions, both in classroom settings and in assemblies. CRUSH hopes that giving the community information, like at the community awareness night in January, can help slow the spread of heroin.

“As I’ve been learning more about this, I’ve been shocked at how prevalent it is,” FHN mother Chris Schmidt said. “I know three families who have lost someone to this problem.”

Even though Lohmar says that St. Charles resident are more aware of the problem now than they were in the past, many feel that there is still a long way to go.

“We all know that if you don’t treat cancer, it’s going to grow, and eventually you may die,” Cassidy said. “It’s the same thing with this epidemic. You have to keep talking about it.”

“We all know that if you don’t treat cancer, it’s going to grow, and eventually you may die.

It’s the same thing with this epidemic. You have to keep talking about it.”

-Cassie Morris

IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

26

FHN REACTS TO ONGOING HEROIN BATTLE Heroin abuse in the St. Louis area has local schools concerned about the wellbeing of students who may be suffering from an addiction

by Keegan Schuster

keeganschuster98@gmail.com

W

A “stop heroin” sticker sits at the front of nurse Brooke Magilligan’s desk. The nurses’ office hands out these stickers as well as bracelets that say “stop heroin.” Magilligan lost her brother, Mitch Stenger, to heroin in 2014. (Photo by Alex Rowe)

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IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

ith a growing concern of heroin abuse in schools all over the country, FHN has taken action to ensure that students stay safe and healthy as St. Louis is plagued by overdoses. The school administration has enacted a number of ways to keep students, staff and parents aware of the drug’s presence in the community.

“I think we are on higher alert but have more student awareness in regards to heroin,” school nurse Connie Robertson said. “There is definitely an increased exposure with potential life-threatening effects. Awareness should be a community effort with parents and staff involved.”

The primary goal of the administration is to ensure that the school stays drug-free as the epidemic hits closer to home than ever. To help the cause, the school has organized multiple events to keep heroin in the spotlight, including visits from various organizations, conferences with parents and even an upcoming drug assembly for students set to take place before third quarter ends.

“We obviously know that heroin is a national epidemic that is being dealt with in many communities,” Principal Andrew Downs said. “The bottom line is that we need to do everything we can to keep kids from going down that path.”

Freshman health teacher Jenelle Louis-Bauer also has an intricate plan to spread drug awareness to students, with a large chunk of the class’s curriculum pertaining to drug use. In the class, students study the effects and consequences of various drugs, including heroin. To help further their understanding of these substances, students receive visits from figures such as a former heroin user, a prosecuting attorney and a police officer.

“Educating the younger generations couldn’t start any earlier in my opinion,” Louis-Bauer said. “We have to make sure that they have the knowledge and can identify the negative effects of drugs. It’s all about spreading awareness and supporting the cause.”

THE EFFECTS OF

HEROIN THE RUSH

1

THE SIDE EFFECTS

2

THE BODY

3

The use of heroin can leave users with various short and long term consequences

Once heroin enters the brain, it converts into morphine.

Morphine acts on the central nervous system to decrease the feeling of pain. The user then feels a pleasurable sensation, commonly known as a rush. The intensity of the rush varies depending on how fast the heroin is injected.

The rush is then typically accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth and a heavy feeling in the extremities, which is typically accompanied by nausea, vomiting and severe itching.

After the initial effects, users will usually be drowsy for several hours; mental function is clouded; heart function slows; and breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes enough to be life-threatening.

Slowed breathing can also lead to a coma and permanent brain damage.

THE LONG TERM EFFECTS Lower decisionmaking abilities, the ability to regulate behavior and responses to stressful situations.

Withdrawal of the drug a few hours after the drug was taken.

Restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps and leg movements.

An increased risk of infectious diseases, such as HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis B and C.

Poor appetite and malnutrition.

An increased risk of developing depression, anxiety and memory problems.

(Sources: CDC, National Institute of Drug Abuse)

IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

28

THE

OPIOID ANTAGONIST

Naloxone is a drug that can reverse a heroin or opioid overdose and save someone’s life

NALOXONE AVAILABILITY NATIONWIDE (Source: The Daily Her ald)

Naloxone can treat opioid overdoses in emergency situations to help save a victim. It acts against slowed breathing, drowsiness and unconsciousness from an opioid overdose in just two minutes.

LEGEND Available without prescription at Walgreens Prescription required at Walgreens

Commonly known by its brand name, Narcan, the drug naloxone was invented by Jack Fishman, who received a patent in 1961.

According to the CDC, between 1996-2010, naloxone reversed over 10,000 overdoses.

(Sources: The Huffington Post, The Advocate)

3 WAYS TO ADMINISTER NALOXONE

1 2 3

INTRAVENOUS (IV)

• Naloxone is diluted to be injected into a vein.

• Based on how the victim responds, more doses can be administered.

• Not available for purchase.

In December of 2016, naloxone became available in both CVS and Walgreens as over-the-counter medication in Missouri. When purchasing naloxone, instruction on how to administer it will be given.

INJECTION 1. If victim is not breathing, perform CPR. 2. After following assembly instructions, inject needle into a muscle (thigh or upper shoulder).

3. Continue CPR until help arrives.

NASAL SPRAY

1. Assemble the needleless syringe.

2. Tilt the head back and spray half the naloxone up one nostril and the other half up the other.

3. Perform CPR if there is no change in breathing.

(Sources: drugs.com, harmreduction.org)

29

WHERE TO PURCHASE

IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY CAROLYNN GONZALEZ

• Nasal spray: $90

• Nasal spray: $78

• Syringe: $45

• Syringe: $78 (Sources: KSDK, The Advocate)

FOR MORE INFO ON NALOXONE VISIT WWW.SAMHSA.GOV

GETTING THE CALL First responders must follow critical steps in order to save the lives of those that are found with a heroin overdose

by Sami Schmid

saminicole102@gmail.com

T

here were 425 heroin and prescription painkiller overdose 911 calls in St. Charles in 2016, which has more than doubled since 2008, according to the St. Charles ambulance district.

“I think we can all agree that this is a problem we’ve got to get our hands around in our community,” Kyle Gaines, director of community relations at the St. Charles ambulance district, said at a Jan. 25 community awareness night.

A first responser’s main priority is safety when arriving to these scenes. In cases of heroin overdoses, police officers make sure the scene is safe for medical professionals and perform any life-saving measures until they get there. Once healthcare professionals arrive, officers on scene assist them in any life-saving measures. Then their next priority is to secure the scene, collect any evidence and interview possible witnesses.

Each crime scene is treated as though it is a possible homicide upon arrival. They do so in order to be sure they have done everything in their power to aid investigation and provide sufficient evidence for a court case if need be. In nearly all cases, ID officers or crime scene investigators are called in. They are officers who are specially trained in the collection of evidence and work shifts solely dedicated to attending crime scenes.

“Every officer knows how to treat and preserve evidence at a crime scene,” officer Jason Taylor from the St. Peters Police Department said. “My specialty just goes into more depth as far as collection of evidence, photography, fingerprints and a little more detail in preserving evidence.

So every police officer has the basic knowledge to identify a

crime scene, preserve evidence and make the scene safe.”

According to Taylor, all scenes differ based on whether or not the victim is dead upon arrival or if life-saving measures need to be taken. It also depends on who is at the scene and what their relationship is with the victim. Sometimes they don’t even know they are responding to a heroin overdose because the family of the addict doesn’t know about their loved one’s addiction.

“I’ve been to scenes where a mom finds their 18-yearold kid has overdosed and is screaming and hitting you and pulling on you, screaming at you to save him and do everything that you can,” school resource officer Sarah Brueggeman said. “It can be chaotic or quiet, it just really depends.”

According to the St. Peters Police Department, heroin and other opioids have such a strong addictive quality that they cause the people who become addicted to them to go to extremes for more. Addicts will often spend all the money they earn to fund their habit, leading to stealing food and clothes. Currently, dealers are even asking for goods in exchange for the drug as well. Due to this, major strains are placed on first responders and medical personnel. Narcan is a drug used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and police officers carry it on them at all times. Departments have to buy Narcan themselves, and they are strained financially since it is used so often.

“Heroin’s effect on the community is way deeper than people think,” Taylor said. “The effect of heroin isn’t just the effect on the drug addict that uses the opiate. What heroin does is it actually deteriorates. I like to think of it as like a molding peach. Even though you cut away the mold, there’s still something inside eating away because of how many people had to die or how many people were injured or hurt just to get that heroin. People don’t think about that.”

NEED HELP? If you’re suffering from a heroin or drug addiction, call one of these numbers for advice on what to do next.

Addiction to Sobriety 877-476-6214 Foundations Recovery Network 855-203-9141 The Watershed 844-265-9425 Wellplace 800-821-4357

IN-DEPTH | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY ALY DOTY

30

SCHEDULE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL 2/10 FHN VS FHHS: HOME 2/13 FHN VS PHS: AWAY 2/17 TROY BUCHANAN: AWAY

2016-17 RECORD WINS: 3 LOSSES: 14 TIES: 0

BOYS’ BASKETBALL 2/10 FHN VS FHHS: HOME 2/14 FHN VS LHS: AWAY 2/17

TROY BUCHANAN: AWAY

2016-17 RECORD WINS: 4 LOSSES: 11 TIES: 0

WRESTLING 2/10 DISTRICTS 2/16 STATE: COLUMBIA

Senior Kailyn Senaldi bowls at Harvest Lanes during Sunday League. Senaldi started bowling on the FHN team when she was a sophomore and aspires to compete in state in the spring. “I originally started because I was looking for a challenge and this was a good one. I love the atmosphere at the bowling alley,” Senaldi said. (Photo by Michaela Erfling)

BOWLING TEAM WORKS THE ALLEYS The three bowling teams are making a striking comeback the season progresses. They credit it to the camaraderie and and are currently more than halfway through their season of hard work of the teams and individuals. matches and practice. Their tournaments are set to start in a “It’s just three individual teams,” senior Richard Stratmann little over a month with the first St. Louis Qualifier on March said. “Everyone’s season is going really good.”

12. The teams will compete for a spot in The three teams compete at various St. Louis Finals, which are held April 30. locations around the area every Sunday.

“It was rocky to begin with, for me These places include Cave Springs Lanes, Check out a map of local personally,” senior Kailyn Senaldi said. “I Harvest Lanes and Plaza Lanes. They compete bowling alleys: was bowling badly. And then, just recently, against many schools in the St. Louis area. goo.gl/f59pyY it started getting better. Our team started Their season began in late September and will finally clicking and we all started doing continue through the end of April when St. really well.”

Louis Finals are held.

After a rough start to the season and not bowling up to their “I’m looking forward to growing as a team and hopefully own individual standards, the teams feel more confident as coming in first overall,” Senaldi said. (Brief by Christian Witte)

MORE INFO

BOWLING

FIRST SEASON, HIGH GOALS

02/12 HARVEST LANES 02/19 CAVE SPRINGS LANES 02/26 HARVEST LANES

ICE HOCKEY 2016-17 RECORD WINS: 1 LOSSES: 14 TIES: 2

Senior Chandler Edgecomb poses as he puts his helmet on. This is Edgecombs first year on the varsity team as goalie. “I’ve had a really good time. We haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to winning but it’s been a lot of fun playing my senior year.” Edgecomb said.

(Photo by Sam Alexander)

"

33

SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY SYDNEY WISE & CHRISTIAN WITTE

As the hockey season becomes more intense, senior Chandler Edgecomb begins to feel the pressure that comes with being a new goalie on the team. Not only is this his first year on the varsity team, but it’s also his first year playing hockey since he was around 9 or 10.

“It’s pretty nerve-wracking,” Edgecomb said. “It’s really a lot to take in.”

After eight years of not playing, getting back into it was not easy for Edgecomb. It’s not everyday that a player is goalie his first year on the team. Although he’s had a few rough games, Edgecomb has still shown much improvement since the beginning of the season in October.

“He’s a bit of a character,” Coach Paul Bruemmer said. “It would be a little less fun if Chandler wasn’t there.” (Brief by Sydney Wise)

PINK RIBBON GAME SCOOP •

Last year, the game raised around $10,800

•

Their goal this year is to raise around $2,000

•

New shirts are designed by Coach Hahn every year

•

Shirt sales start before Christmas and continue to be sold through the week of the game

•

T-shirts are $12, long sleeves are $15 and hoodies are $25

•

A portion of ticket sales from the game will go to the cause

•

All raised money goes to the American Cancer Society

•

Pink Ribbon games have been held annually at FHN for nine years, but started 14 years ago

Sophomore Hannah Wilson tries to get to the ball while sophomore Maddie Stock keeps her eye on a member of Timberland’s team. The final score was 27-49 and all proceeds from the game went to research for breast cancer in remembrance of Mrs. Hahns mother. (File photo)

PLAYING FOR A CAUSE The girls’ varsity basketball team will host the annual Pink Ribbon game on Friday, Feb. 10. Coach Dawn Hahn started this event around 14 years ago after her mother passed away from cancer. The game will start off with girls’ varsity playing, followed by girls’ JV, boys’ varsity and lastly boys’ JV. The girls’ varsity basketball team will play at 5:30 p.m.

“The game itself isn’t any different, but it’s a different atmosphere,” junior Maggie Hillmann said.

Posters personally made by the basketball team are handed out to members of the audience who either have or once had cancer. The posters are then hung up all around the gym in honor of those people. They will also sell shirts to raise money for cancer awareness.

“It really puts a focus on the fact that basketball isn’t just a game,” sophomore Gabby Delarue said.

“You’re always playing for somebody.”

(Brief by Sydney Wise)

SWIMMING IN FOREIGN WATERS For the 2017 swim season, the team has picked up junior foreign exchange student Julia Haas for her first competitive season since her sixth grade year. Haas returned to swimming because it was something she already knew how to do and has been doing since she was at a very young age.

“The first practice was really hard,” Haas said.

“But once you make it past the first week you’re on the team.”

Haas started swimming when she was 3 years old and competed through her sixth grade year.

This year along with the rest of the team, she has grown stronger as a swimmer and has worked to place third in the 100 butterfly at one of her meets and dropping seconds on some of her

other events.

“She’s a really nice person and she’s really motivated,” Haas’ teammate Erin Stock said.

“She’s improved so much over the season and is a positive influence on the team.”

Some of the changes that Haas has faced with the switch from German to American pools is that American pools are shorter and measured in yards, Haas now competes against swimmers from other schools instead of various select teams and she can swim in more events that the coach puts her in.

“It’s just so much fun,” Haas said. “Seeing the results of the practices is the big thing. I made so many friends.” (Brief by Christian Witte)

Junior Julia Haas poses at the poolside before her meet on Jan. 19 against SCH at the Recplex. FHN won the meet with a final score of 120-68. Haas is a German foreign exchange student who has joined the girls swim team this year. (Photo by Kamryn Bell)

SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY SYDNEY WISE & CHRISTIAN WITTE

34

THE SPORTS STRIP

STATE QUALIFIERS JOANNA DOHRMAN

ERIN STOCK

500 FREESTYLE 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

100 BUTTERFLY

THE STRUGGLE IN THE WAIT

by Heidi Hauptman

heidihauptman9@gmail.com

Injuries are something that almost every single athlete will experience at one time or another. Whether it is a minor injury that keeps them out of practice for a day or two or something major that can impact their whole season, injuries can be extremely mentally challenging to deal with.

Anyone that has gone through a situation where they have had to take a break from playing the sport that they love to try and recover from an injury knows the struggle in the wait.

I have personally had to sit out almost a whole season because of a stress fracture that I had. The days of going to practice and competitions and not being able to participate were almost like torture. I felt like a part of me was taken away. My sport was my stress reliever, and when I couldn’t be fully involved anymore, I felt like my whole life became more chaotic.

The right mentality that you must have to cope with an injury is unique and often difficult to achieve. You need to do whatever you can to stay healthy and keep your body in a prime state to recover.

Although it is hard to look ahead, you need to understand that everything you do could impact the road to recovery. The right mentality is important because it will help maintain your love for the sport even through the hard times. You must try and maintain a positive attitude. You need to stay focused on what you love and keep your head up. This will help to ensure that when the time comes around, you are ready to get back into your sport as strong as ever.

35

Johanna Dohrman swims the breast stroke during her meet on Jan. 10. At the beginning of the season, Dohrman swam the 200 Individual Medley and 500 freestyle, and now she mostly swims 100 breast, 200 free, 200 medley relay, and 400 free. Dohrman takes honors classes and is involved in school activities such as band. (Photo by Sam Cary)

SWIMMING TOWARD STATE

Freshman Joanna Dohrman has had a strong season by already qualified to go to State in two events and she is looking to qualify in two more

by Heidi Hauptman

heidihauptman9@gmail.com | @HauptmanHeidi

There are few people who qualify for State in high school, and it is even more rare for a freshman to do so.

However, Joanna Dohrman is a freshman who has already qualified to go to State in the 500 freestyle and the 200 individual medley.

“Right now I have a lot of emotions about State,” Dohrman said. “I don’t really know what to expect. I think it will just be fun to see what it is like and compete against swimmers that I don’t see during the rest of the season.”

Coming into high school, Dohrman’s goal for her first swim season was to make it to State in the 500 freestyle event. Qualifying for State in swimming is different compared to other sporting events. A swimmer has to meet or get under a certain time for that event set by the state of Missouri. This can be done at any meet of the regular season. Joanna qualified for the 500 freestyle at the first meet of the season on Dec. 12 and for the 200 individual medley at the sixth meet of the season on

SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY HEIDI HAUPTMAN

Jan. 7. Along with Dohrman, junior Erin Stock has also qualified for State.

“When I found out that I had qualified for State, I was really excited,” Dohrman said. “It’s really cool because I will get to go to State with some of my friends. It was also just really great to realize that I made it and that I had reached my goal.”

Dohrman is also trying to qualify for State in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. She already swam the qualifying time she needs for the 200 freestyle, but since it was not in a high school competition, she could not qualify for State. For the 100 breaststroke, Dohrman is 1.41 seconds off from a time that would get her to State.

“Joanna works incredibly hard during the season,” Karen Whitten, head girls’ swim coach, said. “She always wants to stay and work and do her best. I think that she has a lot of natural ability and I think that her work ethic reflects and supports that. I expect her to make State in the other events. That’s something that I am really looking forward to because I think that she will. She definitely has a love for swimming.”

“16-17 SEASON RECORD” Flyer Classic

GAC Tournament

Win vs.

Washington, Mehlville, Marquette, FZN & Lindbergh

12.27.16

Win vs.

St. Charles, SCW, Holt & Winfield

01.04.16

01.06.16

Win vs.

FZW

Win vs.

Troy Buchanan, Rock Bridge

01.11.16

01.18.16

Win vs.

Timberland

01.27.16 Forfeit due to injury

PINNING THE COMPETITION Junior Jacob Smith takes down his opponents to obtain his record this season

by Hannah Wilson

hannahmae691@gmail.com

Junior Jacob Smith leans against the wall of the wrestling room. Smith has been wrestling since he was 9-years-old. He has wrestled for varsity since his freshman year, and has been a State qualifier for two years. (Photo by Savannah Wandzel)

Sweaty floor mats, well-used headgear and discarded athletic tape. These are marks of a typical high school wrestling room; to junior Jacob Smith, these are also the marks of his second home. With Districts coming up Feb. 10 and Smith holding a 16-1 record, he hopes to make this difficult season worth it and continue on to State for the third year in a row. “[The season] was rough at the beginning, I’ll just say that,” Smith said.

“But once I got my head right, it started going really good.”

Smith kept a perfect record until the Thrasher Tournament Jan. 27-28, where he also sprained his right thumb, but he hasn’t let that stop him. He has gone 16-1 for the season and does extra work like sprints and weightlifting to get in shape and be prepared for the State-qualifying meets.

“He’s got really good technique and he’s probably the strongest 132-pound athlete out there right now,” wrestling coach

Chris Brown said. “And he hates losing.

Throughout the course of the season, I think his technique is just getting better and I think he is more confident than he has been in the past.”

With his teammates, family and friends all rooting for him to qualify to State again, it’s easy to feel the pressure, but Smith doesn’t let that faze him in his matches.

“I’m just going to have to work hard and not let anything set me back,” Smith said.

“It’s all in my head, and I don’t want to let anything affect me.”

Regardless of how Smith finishes the season, his performance this far has had a positive effect on the wrestling team and the wrestling program, according to his teammates. Meanwhile, Smith looks forward to the challenge that State could bring.

“For Districts, I’m excited and nervous,” Smith said. “I’m nervous because I really want to go to State and it’s important to me and I’m excited to wrestle. I’m looking forward to the competition and showing how good of a wrestler I am.”

SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY HANNAH WILSON

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A mother and her daughter skate together in Forest Park at the Steinberg Skating Rink. The skating rink is 27,000 square feet with a bonfire to keep skaters warm. The rink offers free parking for customers, lockers to put their belongings in while they skate, skate sharpening, and skating lessons.

A couple watches from inside seating that looks out onto the skating rink and the landscape of Forest Park. The Steinberg Skating Rink is open for all holidays, and extra late on the weekends. They host several special events that include Skate with Santa, a New Year’s Eve Party and a Mizzou Day on Ice.

A boy holds his skates as he waits for his father and brother to turn in their skates. The Steinberg Rink is a primarily outdoor complex, with an inside cafe providing anything from hot cocoa to burgers. Skate rentals and window seating are also offered inside. (Photos by Elise Gordon)

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SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY SAMI SCHMID

winter destination The biggest local ice skating rink is a family-friendly, fun attraction with different activities to enjoy throughout the season

by Sammie Herr

the largest law firm in the St. Louis area many years before, which is where they got the money that was used to build the rink. Over the years, it turned into a resh ice waits every day in fall and winter for place for families and friends to go, and it is now run skaters to come skate, have fun and eat. People

by Anne Kasal. travel from all over the Midwest to come visit “I usually went there every other week,” freshman Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park.

Dani Sommer said. “I’ve been skating since I was “It’s truly a magical place,” owner Anne Kasal said. little. My mom owned a rink. Most of the friends who I “It’s a fun place for the entire family, and brought had never ice skated before, so it it’s absolutely beautiful at night.” was fun to teach them.”

Steinberg Skating Rink is located in Steinberg also puts on special events, Forest Park and is an outdoor skating rink like Skating with Santa, a New Year’s Eve with all-day admission. No matter what party and Mizzou Day on Ice. Santa takes the weather is like, they’re always open. a public skating session with everybody They offer two types of skates, hockey the first week of December. The New and figure skates, that both cost $6. They Year’s Party is a celebration held all Find other things to do don’t close privately for events and are day, and the rink stays open until after at Steingberg besides open on holidays throughout the winter the countdown. Mizzou Day is when all skate: goo.gl/OT2LWZ as well. customers dress up in black and gold for To find out about four “There’s a bunch of reasons why we the Alumni Chapter, who spends the day more ice rinks around skate there,” freshman Ash Bozich said. at the rink.

St. Louis, go here: “The main reason being because it’s the “[Steinberg] is a lot of fun because I goo.gl/4rkurm cheapest one we can get into. They have personally love ice skating, and I think quality skates compared to other places. it’s got a good atmosphere with lots of It is one of the biggest rinks that’s in the activities to do,” freshman Paige Hercules area. I’ve been able to run into people. said.

I’ve met people from our school there, some from my The inside portion of the rink is a cafe known as the church and even some friends who I haven’t planned Snowflake Cafe. It stays open during all rink hours, on meeting there.” and large windows in the inside overlook the rink.

The skating rink was founded on Nov. 11, 1957 by “It can be very fun with a lot of people,” junior Etta Steinberg, who developed the idea from Central Leo Rogers said. “I ended up falling over because Park’s Ice Skating Rink in New York. She dedicated someone bumped into me. It creates memories to the rink to her husband, Mark C. Steinberg. He started laugh about in the future.” sammieherr17@gmail.com | @ouchthatherrt

F

WATCH

SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY SAMI SCHMID

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Winter sports in action Senior Myron Crawdord wrestles with his opponent on Jan. 11.

FHN faced Timberland in a duel and the boys ended the game with a score of 15-54. Several of the wrestlers won their matches but it was not enough to win the meet.

(Photo by Savannah Wandzel) Girls from the FHN JV and varsity swim team sit on the edge of the pool cheering on their teammates. On Tuesday Jan. 10th the girls competed against Timberland High School and FHHS. FHN took second placE, losing to Howell. (Photo by Sam Cary)

Senior Brendan Johnston and sophomore Sam Kenton skate along side the opposing team member attempting to get the puck to Howells goal. The FHN varsity boys faced the Howell Vikings on Oct. 28. The score was tied at 4-4.

(Photo by Riley McCrackin) On Dec 16, senior Makaiah Douglas dribbles the ball. The FHN varsity Lady Knights played against the FHC Spartans. The girls lost with a score of 53-35. (Photo by Riley McCrackin)

Senior Michael Shine bowls at the Cave Springs bowling alley in a tournament on Jan. 29. This year is Shine’s first year being on the bowling team. (Photo by Jared Kinnard) On Jan. 24, senior Tucker Rhodes shoots a basket while the opposing team tries to block him. FHN faced the Helias Crusaders at FZN. The Knights lost with a score of 47-69. “[I rushed] trying to find my teammates when they were open and getting the pass to them before the defender gets there to steal it,” senior Tucker Rhodes said.

(Photo by Michal Basford)

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SPORTS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY RILEY MCCRACKIN

Want select daily school announcements sent to your phone via text message?

If you would like to receive 3-5 announcements to your phone via text daily, follow the directions below to sign up. Standard text messaging rates apply and you can opt out at any time.

TO SIGN UP: With your phone, text ‘Follow FHNtodayNews’ to 40404 TO OPT OUT: To stop receiving the daily text announcements text ‘STOP’ to 40404 Here are some sample announcement texts from last year: • SENIORS, remember to pick up your GRADUATION TICKETS today, ALL fines must be paid, senior survey completed and commencement pledge signed.

• Order your YEARBOOK while you can, they are $55 in room 26, main office and http://FHNtoday.com .

• ALL library books need to be returned by FRIDAY. • SOPHOMORE class rings will be here next month.

Designs for the ring t-shirt are wanted, bring them to room 135.

• SENIORS in StuCo, if you are planning to attend college you are eligible for a $500 scholarship. Stop by room 133 to pick up the prompt.

STOPPING THE STIGMA

Teaching more about mental health and mental illnesses in school would help erase misconceptions about those suffering from mental health conditions

by Rebekah Maye

rebekahmaye@gmail.com | @RebekahMaye1

A green ribbon symbolizes Mental Health Awareness.

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As we discover more about mental health and how to treat mental illnesses, we should be teaching more on the subject.

However, this isn’t the case, with many people still suffering in silence out of fear of being judged for something they can’t control. Even with resources all around, getting help for how one feels can still be a challenge. How can they ask for help when feeling weak and alone? How can they speak up for themselves without feeling ashamed?

Mental health education in the average high school health class is very limited, with little material and almost no time spent discussing it in class. The issue is this: health class curriculums spend far more time on things that are becoming less and less of a problem. Teenage pregnancy rates, for example, have fallen drastically in the last 50 years, with the national teenage birth rate at an all-time low of 22.3 births per 1,000 women. Teenage depression, on the other hand, has stayed at a constant rate. According to www.ineedalighthouse.org, approximately 20 percent of teenagers experience depression before adulthood. If educating students on the risks of teen pregnancy and how to prevent it is effective in minimizing the issue, then educating students on mental illnesses and how to treat them would likely have the same effect, making it easier for those in need to reach out. But why are people afraid to reach out in the first place?

One reason students are afraid to reach out is due to confusion about how they feel. With mental illnesses discussed for only three days at most in FHN’s mandatory health class, the surface is barely scratched. Students struggling with a mental illness will learn almost nothing about how they are feeling, leaving them in a rough patch. How can a student learn

OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY REBEKAH MAYE

the difference between being stressed out and having an anxiety disorder? How do they tell the difference between being sad and having major depressive disorder?

More time spent on the subject and more material given out could help students differentiate between a temporary feeling and a long-term illness.

Another reason why reaching out can be difficult is because of stereotypes reinforced by the media. From fiction to the local news, society’s view of mentally ill people is that they are violent and are the perpetrators of most violent crime. In reality, this is not the case. The truth is, most people who suffer from a mental illness are not violent, and most violent people are not mentally ill.

According to North Carolina State University, people with psychiatric illnesses are nearly three times more likely to be victims of violent crime. Fictional media is even worse, with characters being poorly represented everywhere you look. A character with a diagnosed psychiatric disorder is often portrayed inaccurately, giving the public an incorrect view of people who suffer from that disorder. How can you ask for help when the misinformed might think you have bad intentions? How do we, as a whole, stop seeing the mentally ill in this detrimental way? If mental illnesses were discussed in the classroom with current statistics and the truth behind outdated stereotypes, students could learn what mental illnesses do to the people around them.

But it still isn’t an easy solution. Treatment for mental health is difficult to come by. Due to a shortage of psychiatrists in America, it can take months to get an appointment with one, and follow-up appointments are few and far between. Treating a mental illness takes time and patience. A depressed person can’t just cheer up, a person with anxiety can’t just stop worrying and a person with bipolar disorder can’t just control their emotions. Mental illnesses need to be taken seriously and treated properly.

While we’ve come a long way, we still have many societal barriers to break before these misconceptions are seen as myths, and teaching the truth about mental illnesses is the best way to start.

GLOSSARY Rome Statute The treaty that established the International Criminal Court.

Discrimination Per the Rome Statute: the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group.

Crime Against Humanity A widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population through the means of anything listed in Article 7 in the Rome Statute.

War Crime Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives on stage to deliver a speech at a Thank You tour held at the Giant Center In Hershey, PA. (Evan El-Amin / Shutterstock, Inc.)

TRUMP CAN’T TRUMP HUMAN RIGHTS

If Trump follows through with campaign promises, he could be violating international law

by Christopher St. Aubin

Universal Declaration of Human Rights ought not to be taken lightly, and should be checked. This is a man who is wholly immersed in a lifestyle, controlled by his fragile ego, that is Over the course of more than a year, we have heard frightening outright denigrating toward minorities and opposing ideologies. rhetoric from the new president, Donald Trump. Most people His discriminatory comments toward those who are critical who dislike Trump look at what he has said as extremely of him are not conducive to the open and free society that insensitive and outlandish, but what if the things he says turn Americans are so proud to call their own. Some may argue into real policies? Are there any ramifications? There has to be, that these actions could be the precursors to worsened right? Well, there are. However, Trump can’t actually be punished circumstances such as moderate forms of censored speech. and that is what is the most frightening to the American people.

So, Trump takes away people’s human and unalienable rights, In 2002, the international community set out what it means how does that make him a criminal? Let us look further into what to be an international criminal in the Rome defense strategies he has proposed. The president Statute. This statute established the world’s first said last year that, “We should go much stronger TRUMP QUOTES ever International Criminal Court in The Hague, than waterboarding.” Waterboarding is a form of Netherlands. For the last 15 years, the court has torture that simulates drowning. Although it is well - “When you get these tried war criminals under four main charges: known that the U.S. used enhanced interrogation terrorists, you have to crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, techniques in the past until a Senate investigation take out their families.” war crimes and genocide. Now, I do not believe and the cessation by President Obama, the that Trump will become a genocidal dictator by argument for continuation and even crueler - “Torture works, OK folks... and any means. However, I would like to focus on forms of torture used by our new president raises waterboarding is your the other three categories of crimes, and draw eyebrows across the intelligence community and minor form.” parallels between what Trump has said and how the world. In a legal sense, torture is banned due those proposed policies may infringe on human to its human rights violations. In the Rome Statute, - “I’d bring back a rights with some amounting to war crimes. torture is listed as both a crime against humanity hell of a lot worse than Article 7, section 1(h) of the Rome Statute and a war crime since it breaches the Geneva waterboarding.” stipulates that persecution on the basis of Sources: Time, Reuters, News Day Conventions. Therefore, our new president could political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, amount to a war criminal. religious or gender identities is considered a We all know how often Trump can change his crime against humanity. This is, perhaps, Trump’s most flagrant statements, so none of these policies may ever be enacted. As abuse of human rights. An example, out of many of his attacks we progress through the times of Trump, I sense a mellowing on minorities, was suggesting a ban on Muslims from entering out of his most excited policies into a more practical and less the United States. Excluding a whole group of people based atrocious policy. However, the American people learned how solely on their religious beliefs should not be allowed and easy it is to sign an executive order during this last presidency. is utterly against the law. This is classified as a crime against So, for the next four years, the American people must stay humanity under article 7(d). Although Trump’s plan may come vigilant so that atrocity does not occur. Although the United out of reactionary worry about the security of the country, he is States is not within the ICC’s jurisdiction, Americans have also alienating almost a quarter of the world who are adherents proven time and time again that they do not stand idly by when to the Muslim faith. This deprivation of the 7th article of the American values are being threatened. cgs8833@gmail.com | @chris_staubin

Grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 through the means of anything listed in Article 8 of the Rome Statute.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights The declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly that lists universal human rights.

Geneva Conventions Conventions signed at the closing of WWII that serve as the modern “rules of war.”

ICC FACTS • Established in 2002 by the Rome Statute.

• Located in The Hague, Netherlands. This city is known as the “International City of Justice”. The Hague is also the seat of the Dutch Government.

• The idea of international criminal law came during the Nuremberg Trials, which prosecuted Nazi leaders.

• The Court prosecutes only four crimes: crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, crimes of aggression.

• There have been five closed cases. There are also 10 current cases and 10 current preliminary examinations.

• The U.S. is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, therefore no U.S. representatives can be tried in the Court.

OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY SAMMIE HERR

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A USAgain clothing collection bin sits in the FHN parking lot near the softball fields. USAgain collection bins accept clothing and shoes that are able to be recycled or reused. Household textiles such as towels, bedding and blankets can also be donated. Clothing collection bins are a way for anyone to help give back to those in need. (Photo by Alex Rowe)

Lending a helping hand

Poverty in St. Louis has become a very large and often-overlooked problem. The numbers are alarming, and if something isn’t done soon things will only get worse for those struggling financially

by Stacy Beasley

sbeazley125@gmail.com | @sbeazley125 Research shows that 33.2 percent of St. Louis residents have incomes below the poverty level, according to city-data.com. Some are disabled, some are children and others are single mothers working three jobs, but they are all people. It is easy to overlook someone’s misfortunes when they do not affect us, however the truth of the matter is that it affects all of us. Getting involved is something every individual should consider.

A high homeless rate can correlate with a high crime rate, which could partially explain the 25,000 crimes committed in St. Louis annually, according to neighborhoodscout.com. When people have no money to buy necessities, some might resort to crime to survive. This in turn affects our community as a whole.

Poverty affects our community economically, as homeless people are usually unemployed. When a high number of people are jobless, businesses could suffer and possibly affect economic progression of the city.

There are roughly 1,800 students here at FHN, and each of us is blessed with a free education and a chance to prepare for college and the real world. However, there are those who do not even have access to a good education. Many of the poor living in the city grow up without a decent education and go through their lives without the basic knowledge of things like math, science or history. A poor education can lead to difficulty finding a good job, and can even lead to criminal

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OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY STACY BEASLEY

activity. All of these things can combine with each other to bring down our society as a whole.

This is not just a problem in St. Louis. According to guidance counselor Mary Kerr-Grant, 25 percent of FHN students receive free school lunches. That number needs to be much lower because these students deserve an equal opportunity to succeed and so do those in the city. We all know someone who lives in poverty, even if we are not aware of it. It may be your next door neighbor, or your close friend or even a family member. Maybe it’s someone you’re sitting next to in class right now. It should be our duty to help these people get back on their feet so they can live a long and successful life.

There are many ways to get involved in the community and help contribute to someone that needs help. If you know a friend that might be in this kind of situation offer them some morale support and ask what you can do. You may want to try doing research on your own time. Volunteer at Sts. Joachim and Anne care service for those having financial difficulties or just need help getting on their feet.

There volunteers have the chance to work at a pantry and distribute food. The Salvation Army has a volunteering service where people can help those without a home or with drug-related problems. We are all in this together, and if we wish to better our community we need to start helping each other. We need to rebuild our city, we need to pick each other up, we need to take care of each other and ensure that every man, woman and child has the chance for a successful life. This may sound like a monumental task, but it all starts with you.

“Distractions comes from the combination of bringing things to school that are too valuable and not being responsible with them.”

-Ryan Johnson, teacher

“I think it causes {peoples attention in class} to decrease because people are more worried about their stuff being stolen so they focus less on work ”

“It makes learning decrease because when people get their stuff stolen they’re not going to want to respect people or pay attention in the classroom.”

Mackenzi Durrett, 11

Kama Struckhoff, 12

THEF T While incidents of assault in schools across the U.S. are being addressed and are decreasing, theft remains at a constant rate

by Mackenzie Pugh

kenzie2019@ | @mackenziepugh_

For many teenagers across the country, worries about safety and security in schools are a common concern. While the numbers of schoolrelated deaths and serious violence are starting to decrease, according to the U.S. Department of Education and Justice, incidents of theft and assault remain constant. While incidents of assault are strongly addressed with a new Missouri law, theft is yet to be efficiently prevented. This problem should be addressed, and there are many things people can to do keep their belongings safe.

In the 2012-13 school year there were 31 violent deaths on school campuses, a major decrease from 63 deaths during the 2006-07 school year. However, the report also stated that after years of decline, the number of nonfatal victimizations, such as theft, appear to be at a constant rate. In 2012, students between the ages of 12 and 18 experienced more than 1.3 million nonfatal victimizations.

As of Jan. 1, students who commit a third and fourth-degree assault may now be charged with a felony, as opposed to a more minor charge in previous years, if it is witnessed by a school resource officer or police officer. This statewide Missouri law addresses the issue of violence in our schools, but the epidemic of theft is still a problem and is treated with minor repercussions in comparison. In the court of law, a juvenile

convicted of a theft offense is typically considered a delinquent and charged with neither a felony or misdemeanor. Students arrested for theft should receive a heavier charge than what many are receiving.

Also, more preventative measure should be taken such as having more security cameras in the public areas of schools. This will help if a theft occurs and no one personally witnesses it, there will be film to look back on. Also, knowing that their actions are being documented may make a person more hesitant to perform an illegal act.

People shouldn’t solely rely on security cameras to keep their stuff safe. One must be responsible for their own belongings. Keeping you items close and secure to you will reduce someone’s ability to take them, as well as remembering to lock your locker and keeping your locker combination to yourself.

As well as keeping your own belongings safe, people should also be attentive to the belongings of others. If you notice strange or suspicious behavior, let someone know! You could be preventing a theft. It is important that we work together to ensure our safety and security.

Theft is a serious issue that distracts students from the main purpose of school: learning. Students shouldn’t have to worry about the security of their personal belongings. Anything that prevents a student from putting the entirety of their focus toward improving their education should be dealt with more seriously, and those committing these actions need to face stronger repercussions before entering the world after high school.

OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY MACKENZIE PUGH

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STUDENT TAKE:

WHAT DOES OUR SCHOOL DO WELL AND WHAT COULD THEY IMPROVE ON WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATION ON DRUGS?

“They do well in showing the harmful effects of it, but they could do more.

It was kind of a short unit when I was in health.”

CHARITY JONES, 11

“The schools need to focus on educating on hard drugs, not just alcohol and marijuana because that’s not the only thing being used.”

YURI TAKENAKA, 12

“We do enough to learn about it because we go through D.A.R.E and health.

They don’t tell us where to get help, they just tell us not to do it.”

PARKER BROWN, 10

“I think the school is doing enough and there are opportunities there if people need help. I don’t think people want to acknowledge that it is a problem.”

MEGAN HAMELBACK, 12

“They could be stricter with the rules. I guess giving presentations and stuff would help teach us more.”

HANNAH DEGRAW, 10

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NORTH STAR TAKE

EDUCATION CAN PREVENT COMPLICATIONS Members of the community need to address the problem of heroin through conversations at many different stages On Behalf of the Editorial Staff yourfhn@fhntoday.com | @FHNtoday

W

e need to inform people of the facts of heroin.

Preferred Family, who provides adolescent and adult substance use rehabilitation, believes that the younger people start talking to their family and friends about drug abuse, the better, because it will eventually become a more comfortable conversation. It is important to really emphasize the facts in these conversations starting around elementary school and continuing to college. Constant guidance is important because a person’s brain does not fully develop until they are 25. The more

OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY MCKAYLA BOGDA

adolescents hear about the effects of abusing drugs, the better chance there is that they will understand why they should not do it. We need to nip it in the bud and start teaching young people about how their decisions will affect them in the long run. We need to teach more about this problem in our communities and talk about the issue more.

Family influence students in their decision making and knowledge of what is right and wrong. Parents need to talk to their students often about topics like drugs and get it in their heads that it has lasting effects. If parents talk to their children then it is more likely the family member will ask questions and truly understand the cost of this decision.

Friends should be a good influence on

north | star

Editor-in-Chief: Carolynn Gonzalez Business Manager: Kayla Martinez Business: Gabriel Avalos Madison Clifton Managing Editor: Aly Doty Copy Editor: Noah Slaughter Content Director: Anthony Kristensen Team Editors: McKayla Bogda Ethan Slaughter

we’ve

Now, I Iknow ...Now, know we’ve youtoto tellingyou been beentelling stay away from drugss drug from y awa stay since elementray ry enta elem since school... school...

General Staff: Stacy Beasley Jake Price Myah Blocker Paige Prinster Olivia Fetsch Mackenzie Pugh Martin Groves Ashya Roberson Heidi Hauptman Samantha Schmid Samantha Herr Keegan Schuster Ronald Joel Christopher St. Aubin Mia Kristensen Hannah Wilson Alex Lane Sydney Wise Anna Lindquist Christian Witte Rebekah Maye Kylah Woods Heeral Patel Sarah Zimmerman Editor-in-Chief of Photography: Alex Rowe Newspaper Photo Editor: Riley McCrackin Yearbook Photo Editor: Hannah Medlin Photographers: Sam Alexander Matthew Jewsen Kamryn Bell Rachel Kehoe Sam Cary Jared Kinnard Aaron Dupske Bernadette Kornberger Michaela Erfling Sarah LaLonde Elise Gordon Shannon Lane Madi Graves Kyra Peper Savannah Wandzel

FHNTODAY STAFF

the student. If a person is concerned about them, another fellow student or friend or family a friend it is important they talk to them or member might become addicted. Each day get them help because at our age sometimes we don’t address this issue in our lives we hearing a concerned friend might have a bigger could lose another member of our community impact than a parent would. Along with being from this fatal problem. Students need to a good friend it is important too that a person get the information before they experience it surrounds themselves with other good friends. themselves.

If they make poor decisions that could lead to Action needs to happen, and the school needs more harmful decisions, they probably are not to take responsibility for their students’ welfare the greatest choice. and teach them the facts. Have a person FHN plans to have an come in and tell their story. Have an assembly talking about this assembly where professionals explain problem in March. All of the high the effects on everyone who uses the Follow this link to schools in the country should drug. Have students watch videos of learn more about the effects of heroin: have something comparable parents calling emergency services after goo.gl/3bzs9k to this if they want to protect they just found their child and they are their students. Schools should not responding because they overdosed have programs in place where from heroin. The fact is that these students truly know all the facts and have places simple actions could save a person’s life, so the to go for help. school, friends, family and everyone individually Each day, 120 people in the U.S. die from a should be doing everything they can to educate drug overdose. Each day we don’t talk about everyone to help this problem go away. heroin and opioids and learn more about

WATCH

Editors-in-Chief: Michal Basford Chase Meyer Social Media Editor: Isaiah Bryant FHNgameday Editor: Jacob Lintner Web Staff: Madison Abanathie Dalia Gonzalez Gavin Atkinson Jadon Herrman Joel Boenitz Riley Kampff Kyle Dearing Tyler Rogers Editor-in-Chief of Video: Brayton Larson Special Projects Editor: Alyssa Barber Podcast Editor: Taylor Sheridan Video and Social Media Manager: Kelsey Decker Video Staff: Carsten Adams Reide Pearson Jacob Dulaney Taylor Perry Emily Hood Madilyn Shinault Dominic Hoscher William Skaggs Daniel Kuhn KalI Skikas Lupe Medina Lily Sontheimer Nathan Williams Advisers: Aaron Manfull Jordyn Kiel

OPINIONS | FHNTODAY.COM | PAGE BY MCKAYLA BOGDA

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