North Star February 2015 Edition

North Star

Francis Howell North St. Charles, MO 02.11.15 Vol. 29, Issue 8

All-Knighter • Slang • Icing Smiles • Gabe Grote • Huck Finn

model status

Jadyn Arnold steps into the field of modeling while still in high school PAGES 5-6

CONTENTS NEWS 03

FHSD CENTENNIAL

The district prepares to celebrate a successful 100 years of existence

FEATURES 08

SLANG

Is your daily vocabulary on fleek?

Find out with this fire infographic.

11

BRINGING IT BACK

Styles that were previously outof-date make a comeback

16

GIVE DOGS A HOME

Sophmore Meredyth Wood fosters dogs with her family, keeping them out of animal shelters

SPORTS 26

GOLD CUP?

As of press time, the hockey team is competing for a chance to make it to the State finals 29

TEAM LEADER

Gabe Grote, one of the top point scorers, works to bring together the basketball team

PULLIN’ AN ALL-KNIGHTER The All-Knighter committee works on planning this year’s All-Knighter

BY SARAI ESPARZA

saraiesparza.se@gmail.com • @saraiesparza

On June 6 from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., after the graduation ceremony, seniors have the opportunity to participate in the All-Knighter, an overnight lockin party held at FHN. The activities of this event are meant to be kept a secret in order to surprise the seniors that will be attending. In order to attend, students must fill out a form and turn it into the main office or the guidance office along with a payment of $120 by the middle of April.

“I’m excited to go because from my brother’s experiences and what they told me, you get to win a lot of stuff and it’s a lot of fun,” senior Samantha Immekus said.

This year’s All-Knighter committee, which is made up of parents of the senior class, has been working on planning the celebration all year.

The All-Knighter committee highly encourages all graduating seniors to attend.

“It will literally be the last time you will be together with your entire class; it could possibly be the last time you will be with some of your classmates,” All-Knighter committee member David Whitehead said.

Along with an all night party filled with activities and food, the attending seniors will be presented with a secret gift as well as prizes that they can win throughout the night.

“They will go home with quite a little goodie bag, and by that I mean you might need a car to carry your prizes in,” Chairman of the All-Knighter committee Tina Schulze said.

OPINIONS 37

PROM FASHION SHOW

TEACHER EVALS

Student input should be taken into account when evaluating teachers

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Have an opinion on something in this month’s paper? Send us a letter about it to room 026 or an email to yourfhn@fhntoday.com.

ON THE COVER Junior Jadyn Arnold walks down Greensbottom Road. Arnold aspires to be a professional model. (photo portrait by madi graves)

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALEX SHANNON 02.11.15

Graduate Mikayla Weiss poses for a caricature artist at the senior All-Knighter.

The artist was one of many activities offered for the graduates. (file photo)

Senior Jessica Allison and graduate Brandon Chac pose at last year’s Prom Fashion Show on Feb. 21. Girls showed off their dresss while being escorted by guys. (file photo)

The Prom Fashion Show, an event where students get to model Prom attire in a fashion show setting, will be held on Feb. 18 in the auditorium. Savvi Formalwear will provide dresses and tuxedos for the event.

To be one of these models, students signed up with junior class sponsor Marissa Cohen and agreed to sell at least five tickets to the show for $5 each.

For students modeling in this event, model senior Marty Aubuchon advises them to be confident and to have fun. Aubuchon also believes that while some teens might be nervous choosing what to wear to prom, the Prom Fashion Show will help students decide what to wear.

“Be comfortable and don’t be nervous,” Aubuchon said.

Cohen looks forward the the show and the differences that come each year.

“I think each year is unique because we have different students involved each year,” Cohen said. “I hope they get to see the fashion for the Prom season with the tux and dresses and have a little fun,” Cohen said. (brief by kj wilson)

ALL KNIGHTER: MONEY BREAKDOWN WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM

based on 2014 All-Knighter income

WHERE TH

based on 2014 All-Knighter income

based on 2014 All-Kn

$

T

$

G

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROMFROM WHERE THE MONEY COMES based on 2014 All-Knighter income income based on 2014 All-Knighter

WHERE THETHE MONEY GOES WHERE MONEY GOESGOES WHERE THE MONEY

Four of the top categories where based onbased 2014 All-Knighter budgetmoney on 2014 All-Knighter budgetis spent, based on 2014 All-Knighter budget

$50,000 $50,000 $50,000

TakeHome Home Prize Bags Take Home Prize Bags Take Prize Bags

$10,000

$10,000 $10,000 Giveaway Prizes Prizes Giveaway Giveaway Prizes

FHN’s Despicable Me team competes in the Polar Plunge.

This year, NHS, HOSA, and StuCo will all team up for the event. (file photo)

$1,800$1,800 $1,800 Food Food Food

$10,000 $10,000 $10,000

Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment

POLAR PLUNGE

Knghts of the round table

NHS is joining HOSA and StuCo in sponsoring the Polar Bear Plunge on Feb. 28, which supports the Special Olympics. During this event, students can dress up and jump into Creve Coeur Lake to show their support.

Students interested in this event have the responsibility of raising $75 in order to participate.

NHS decided to get involved in the event after Principles of Biomedical Science and Anatomy and Physiology teacher Matthew Riffee asked Senior NHS Sponsor Angie Mason if he could speak at an NHS meeting to raise awareness for the event. Then, Mason and the other NHS officers agreed on point values associated with the event.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for NHS to participate in this activity because it raises money for the Special Olympics,” Mason said.

Riffee hopes that through this event, participants will be able to help out the community and raise awareness for the Special Olympics.

“We thought it was a good way to contribute to the community and get students involved,” Riffee said.

On Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the large gym, FHN will host its annual Knights of the Round Table. This event allows the entire staff to each choose one student who stands out most from everyone else. Students can receive this achievement starting their freshman year of high school. “[Francine] Davis gave it to me when I was in her U.S. History class and she gave it to me because I worked hard every day and I got things done in there,” senior Zack Valleroy said.

Family and friends are encouraged to come to this event. English teacher and co-sponsor of Knights of Excellence Lindsey Scheller is always excited to speak at the event and have the students recognized for their excellence.

“The cool thing about Knights of the Round Table is that there’s nothing you can do to prepare for it,” Scheller said. “Every teacher gets to pick a kid for any reason. There’s nothing you can possibly do to make your chances better other than just be cool.” (brief by garret griffin)

(brief by kj wilson)

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALEX SHANNON 02.11.15

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FHSD’s Birthday BASH FHSD celebrates and remembers 100 years of history during its centennial year

BY ZOE LAWSON

zkl131@gmail.com • @zkl131

Above: Lewis Howell’s larger log schoolhouse. This schoolhouse was the first longstanding schoolhouse on the prarie (submitted photo) Below: Francis Howell Institute students in 1890. Teacher Miss Sophie Watson standing on far right (submitted photo)

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ZOE LAWSON 02.11.15

Not many can say they have celebrated their 100th birthday, but during the 201415 school year FHSD is doing just that.

FHSD plans on having a wide range of celebrations throughout the year to ensure that it is one to remember, from the sale of T-shirts, to a school district centennial book. The District also founded a districtwide alumni association, for which it will have a trivia night in spring.

“One hundred years is a long, long time for anything and it’s a pretty big accomplishment that our school district has been around for this long,” junior Tessa Smith said. “I’m glad we’re celebrating, to help motivate us to keep up the good work.”

Individual schools within FHSD are planning their own celebrations as well, so each school can showcase their own traditions and history. Later this spring, the District is planning on burying a time capsule to commemorate the centennial for later generations.

“The district was thinking about putting in photographs and documents, things that if it is opened 50 years from now that will help explain 2015 to whoever opens it up,” former superintendent Dan Brown said.

“They were talking about putting a copy of my book on District history in as well. I think it’s a very interesting idea, and a nice way to commemorate not just history, but such an historic year.”

In 1821, the first schools run by Francis Howell Jr. and his family were opened, seven weeks after Missouri

became a state. They found that by 1910, they were quickly running out of funds and becoming unsustainable. Over the next five years, a group of smaller rural school districts decided to band together to form a single district known as Consolidated School District No. 2, with 12 one-room school houses and one four-year high school. Officially founded in 1915, Consolidated School District No. 2 was the beginning of FHSD. “It’s amazing that a district was established here because there was nothing really out here,” FHSD school board member Amy McEvoy said. “It is an undertaking. That someone 100 years ago thought enough about education that they put the work into getting a district out here is pretty incredible.”

Over a span of 34 years, from 1881 to 1915, FHSD expanded from a collection of oneroom schoolhouses into a district servicing grades one through 12 and containing one high school. Today, FHSD includes ten elementary schools, five middle schools and four high schools.

“It’s important to show how far the district has come and how hard they’ve worked to reach 100 years,” sophomore Lavanya Kolluru said. “It helps show our progress from then to now and display how much we’ve changed since we started 100 years ago.”

Overall, the district has come a long way since its inception a century ago, which many believe is more than enough cause for celebration.

“I think a 100th birthday is such a great milestone,” McEvoy said. “Now let’s have 100 more.”

100 years through time in fhsd Over the past 100 years, FHSD has grown from a small school house on the prarie to a district consisting of 19 schools

1820-1860

1861-1900

1901-1940

1941-1980

1981-Present July 27, 1981: Hiram Beverly Castlio Elementary School was opened

Oct. 1, 1821: Lewis Howell opened a one-room, log cabin school house, the first school opened by any member of the Howell family. Lewis served as schoolmaster there for 43 years.

Sept. 1867: Lewis Howell opened another school in his hometown, Mechanicsville, which was located about a mile and a half outside the modern day campus of Francis Howell High School.

1910: School board members began a five year campaign to consolidate five local school districts into one, servicing grades one through 12.

1941: Then superintendent C. Fred Hollenbeck worked to merge remaining rural school districts into the now reduced Consolidated School District No. 2.

Oct. 1848: The Pleasant Hill School was opened

by John Calloway Castlio, nephew of Lewis Howell and Francis Howell Jr., and his wife. This was the first public school funded by the Howell family.

1881: The residents of Mechanicsville voted to create a public school district, funded in part by the Castilos.

During the same year, the Francis Howell Institute, for higher education, was opened nearby.

May 8, 1915: Five rural school districts, Howell No. 66, Enterprise No. 57, Junction No. 58, Hamburg No. 67 and Weldon Spring No. 56 joined together to form the Consolidated School District No. 2, the first official Francis Howell School District.

Sept. 3, 1963: BeckyDavid Elementary School opened in the gymnasium of Central Elementary School, with six classrooms separated by boxes. Two months later, the school was moved to its home site.

Sept. 2, 1986: Francis Howell North High School opened with 940 freshmen and sophomores.

Oct. 24, 1940: With the start of World War II, the government requisitioned 18,000 acres of land in order to build a massive weapons and munitions factory. Consolidated School District No. 2 lost over 80 percent of its attendees when they were forced to move out.

1972: C. Fred Hollenbeck Junior High School was opened, the district’s second junior high.

2015: The Francis Howell School District celebrates its 100th birthday.

Source: Centennial: A Magnificent Journey, by Daniel T. Brown

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ZOE LAWSON 02.11.15

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WALKING THE RUNWAY Junior Jadyn Arnold works as a model for a local business

BY ALEXIS TAINTER alexistainter@gmail.com • @lexis_taint

Jadyn Arnold strikes a pose during a photo shoot. Arnold models with a local agency and participates in local fashion shows throughout the year. (submitted photo)

Backstage there is chaos. Someone’s hair isn’t curling the right way. Another girl’s dress isn’t fitting as flattering as before. The stress levels are high and the competition is fierce.

Her heart is pounding almost as fast as the faint pulsing music she hears from the runway. She takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves.

She opens the curtain and takes the runway, ready to dazzle the crowd.

This is how junior Jadyn Arnold has spent countless weekends as a model for the past five years.

Jadyn first signed with Talent Plus Universal at the age of 12 to begin small acting gigs in small commercials. As she grew up and got taller, they decided to introduce her to the world of modeling.

“It wasn’t a difficult transition at all,” Jadyn said.

“They’re really similar in a lot of ways and they pretty much go hand in hand. But although I loved acting, I fell in love with modeling.”

Since then, Jadyn has been working as a part-time

Standing Outside the Athletic Norm A student prepares for a career in bodybuilding through training model, even occasionally missing school for jobs.

She’s modeled for Shan Keith and Micheal Shead, local designers from the Midwest, and also walked the runway at St. Louis Fashion Week.

“Most parents want their kid to have a job by the time they’re 17, but by the age of 14 she has so many shows and experiences and she already has this career built,” Jadyn’s mother Julie Arnold said.

While a big part of modeling is walking the runway, the first step is getting the shows booked.

For Jadyn, that’s where her agent, Sarah Landa, comes in. Landa was suggested as her agent when she signed with Talent Plus Universal. She books all her shows and sends her photos to clients that she thinks Jadyn will work well with.

“She gives me info on anything and everything,” Jadyn said. “She’s basically a life saver.”

While Jadyn is proud of how far she’s made it, she only wants to get better. She notices what she does wrong and is always quick to correct those mistakes, including her facial expressions. She also looks up to her role models and takes note of what they’re doing right. She strives to be most like Karlie Kloss, a current Victoria’s Secret model.

“I really look up to her because of her confidence, success and style,” Jadyn said. “She’s also such a down to earth person. When it comes to getting better though, I love the challenge of a little competition and constantly having to make myself better.”

In between the high competition on the runway and high school life, Jadyn looks to her family and friends as her support system. Jadyn’s friend, junior Diana Ostrovskiy encourages Jadyn and is a supporter of her career.

“I love that she does it,” Diana said. “It’s not your typical teenage job and it’s something she’s passionate about. Not many people can say that their best friend’s a model.”

As high school is coming to a close within the next year, Jadyn is pondering plans for the future. While she is still uncertain of the future, Jadyn knows there is a place for modeling.

“I’m really hoping I can make a future career out of this,” Jadyn said. “I love everything about it.”

BY LEXI WILKINSON lexiwilkinson25@gmail.com

Jadyn Arnold stirkes a pose at the end of the runway during St. Louis Fashion Week. (submitted photo)

Arnold sits on top of a vintage suitcase off Greens Bottom Road in a bohemian outfit. (madi graves)

Arnold poses for a head shot for her portfolio. (submitted photo)

WATCH

Follow the link goo.gl/uZGZjv to see a video of Jadyn’s experiences as a model.

Every morning, junior Sean Clark prepares four or five cartons of egg whites, two pieces of whole grain toast with almond butter, honey and bananas. Throughout the day, he snacks on peanuts or almonds; it’s important to keep his metabolism up, he says. Every day after school, he works out for an hour, lifting weights and lunging to work out various muscle groups in order to keep up with his passion for bodybuilding and work toward his goal of becoming an athletic model.

“I started working out maybe two years ago and I immediately fell in love with it, and it’s just, like, my escape,” Sean said.

“It just makes me feel really good inside, ‘cause I wasn’t confident in myself at all, and I actually disliked myself ‘cause I didn’t do anything but play video games. So I went and worked out for like a week and saw results, and it motivated me, and so now I just wanna make a career out of it.”

Sean’s mother, Kris Clark, thinks that her son’s chosen lifestyle is a good way for him to stay healthy and away from potentially dangerous habits.

“I think it’s awesome,” Kris said. “Anything my kids are passionate about, I support 100 percent. It’s a healthy lifestyle, it keeps him clean and sober, he doesn’t use drugs, he doesn’t drink alcohol and that’s all positive, so I’m all for it.”

Though his goals and aspirations aren’t exactly what one might call ordinary, his closest friends have been completely supportive of him, Sean says. His friend junior Kaleb Bell was actually the one who originally got him into working out.

“When he first told me, he was just joking around, but as more time went on he became more serious about it,” Kaleb said.

“If he wants to do it, it’s up to him, and I support him in it.”

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALEXIS TAINTER 02.11.15

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A UNIQUE ADDITION TO THE CLASSROOM Science teacher Scheller’s classroom is home to Cheeto the lizard

BY KEEGAN SCHUSTER KeeganSchuster98@gmail.com

While most teachers have simple classrooms with only desks, chairs and books, science teacher Larry Scheller’s room has something most teachers do not have: a bearded dragon. The spiked, nearly textbook-sized lizard, Cheeto, has lived in a tank in the back of Scheller’s room for six years.

“At first I didn’t even know. I was like ‘He has a lizard?’” sophomore biology student Evan Bernard said. “When everyone first saw it, they were very excited.”

According to Scheller, many students have become very attached to Cheeto throughout the years. Cheeto was given his name by students due to the orange color around his mouth. Scheller believes it is great for students to have such a unique interaction at school.

“A lot of people think he’s neat, and some kids get attached quickly,” Scheller said. “A lot of kids can relate to pets, and it’s great that they’re able to go back to pet and play with it.”

Cheeto stays at school year-round, with Scheller returning to school weekly over the summer to feed him crickets. He was given to Scheller by a friend of his uncle who was awaiting military deployment and needed to get rid of the lizard.

“People were trying to get rid of him,” Scheller said. “So, I figured the classroom would be the best place for a bearded dragon.”

Across the hall from Scheller, science teacher Joe Brocksmith also has a variety of reptiles in his room. Both Scheller and Brocksmith agree that pets are a great addition to the classroom.

“I’ve had pets my whole life and it makes me sad to know that many kids had childhoods without pets,” Brocksmith said.

“It’s great to be able to introduce them.”

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY BRIANNA GONZALEZ 02.11.15

Kisha Bell baked this cake for a 7-year-old girl. Bell has made three cakes for Icing Smiles, including a “smash” cake, which is a personal, individualized cake such as the one pictured above. She has been a “Sugar Angel” for about a year. (photo submitted)

Baking a difference

A volunteer-run organization called Icing Smiles bakes and delivers decorative cakes to children with chronic illnesses From there, the cake gets delivered to the family it

BY BRIANNA GONZALEZ briannagonzalez42100@gmail.com

Icing Smiles is an organization that works on bringing smiles to the faces of children with fatal illnesses in the form of custom-made cakes.

Founder Tracy Quisenberry, after dealing with her own son’s medical concerns, was motivated to help other families facing similar issues. Icing Smiles delivered its first cake in 2010 to a 6-year-old girl, named Violet, who was battling brain cancer.

The purpose for the organization is to create a custom cake for an ill child or sibling. This provides a temporary release from the worries of their health or their sibling’s health and creates a lasting memory of happiness during their tough times.

“Icing smiles gave me an opportunity for my passion of baking and also gave me the opportunity to help families,” Missouri State Representative of Icing Smiles Trish Houseman said. “I’m honored to be a part of that experience to make memories for the families and siblings as well.”

Volunteer bakers, or “Sugar Angels” as they’re called, can be anyone with skills in baking and decorating cakes. All of the volunteers are people that have applied on the website and have been approved to help out based on their cake baking skills. The volunteers bake decorative cakes for the children, often times at the baker’s homes.

was created for. Many of the Sugar Angels create gourmet cakes for families while others can donate money to the cause. Most of the cakes are for celebrations, like birthdays, when families receive their free custom cakes.

“I got involved because I loved making cakes, and I like making people feel better,” Sue Younkin, a volunteer for Icing Smiles said. “Since I had to retire from active nursing due to a health challenge, I needed to find a way to continue making people feel better, so I give smiles through Icing.”

After a feature on The Pink Cake Box’s blog, the organization gained national exposure as well as offers from hundreds of home-based volunteers.

Since the organization started, there have been more than 6,000 cakes served, with more than 75 new cake requests per week and more than 12 countries waiting to create smiles. After consistent growth of the organization, its name became known worldwide, making Icing Smiles more than just the name of an organization. It became a symbol of the smiles that it has and will continue to put on the faces of many families who they’ve served.

“My favorite part about Icing Smiles is the challenges that it presents to me as a baker and the joy and relief that the families get from what we do,” volunteer baker Kishia Belle said. “It’s just one less thing that they have to worry about.”

SLANG THROUGH THE DECADES Throughout the years, slang has evolved and new terms come into teens every day vocabulary. With slang becoming more popular and overused, many different resources have decided to acknowledge these words and add them to the dictionary

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE OXFORD DICTIONARY

TWERK

YOLO

SWAG

interjection

verb

dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance

acronym meaning you only live once

a swaying or lurching movement

exclamation speech regarded as meaningless or stupid, or to comment on a foolish or stupid action

GIRL CRUSH noun

an intense liking or admiration felt by one woman or girl for another

FOOD BABY noun

a protruding stomach caused by eating a large quantity of food resembling that of a woman in the early stages of pregnancy

DAPPY adjective silly, disorganized, or lacking concentration

SELFIE noun a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam

PHABLET noun a smartphone having a screen which is intermediate in size between that of a typical smartphone and a tablet computer

TOO MUCH SLANG TO HANDLE

A few teachers were asked what slang words were popular when they were in high school and tried to see if they could use today’s popular slang for teens in a sentence

Year graduated from high school:

1986 Popular slang in 1986: cool, grody, barfadelic, gag a maggot Attempt at today’s slang: “She’s going on a date with her bae.”

Do you try to keep up with slang: “Not a lot, maybe,

but I don’t know that I use them regularly. Mostly for comedic effect during class, like ‘basic’.”

Used to show excitement or a reaction to an event

Bae A term of endearment that is an acronym for “before anyone else”

Basic

definitions from the Oxford Dictionary

Steve Willott, Math

Today’s current slang words are broken down and defined

Yeet

verb

DERP

THE BREAKDOWN

Joe Brocksmith, Science

Year graduated from high school:

1996 Popular slang in 1996: rad, bogus, sike, sweet cheese, dank, fartknocker, score, jacked up, gank, your mom Attempt at today’s slang: “Hey bae, want to go hang out with the fam?”

Do you try to keep up with slang: “Nah, I live in yesterday. It’s like 1996 in my head all the time.”

Tracy Weurtenberg, English Year graduated from high school:

Popular slang in 1987: gag me with a spoon, not, freak, rad Attempt at today’s slang: “When I give my kids homework they say this is no chill Mrs. Weurtenburg.”

Do you try to keep up with slang: “No because my job is to teach kids not to use slang.”

Used to describe a person with a common style and interests

No Chill A term used to explain someone displaying reckless behaviors at the moment

Fam A shorter form of the word “family”, used to describe someone one is close with

Fire When something is off the chain and above all expectations

On Fleek This phrase is used to describe something that is right on target and looks good

Bruh Expression of disappointment and disbelief towards a close friend

Salty Term used to describe someone who is bitter about a specific situation or event

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALEXIS TAINTER 02.11.15

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FASHION WHAT’S OLD IS NEW

photos by sammie savala

Pin It!

If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out our vintage fashion board goo.gl/EV5Uaw

OVERALLS

Overalls have started making a resurgence in the fashion world. They’re no longer a thing of the past, but a trendy and hip addition to a wardrobe. Senior Brenda Alvarado wears black overalls over a floral top from PacSun. Her black overalls subdue the loudness of her bright floral top. The bright colors and fresh print of the top add a fun and modern feel to the overalls.

Overalls: PacSun, $30 Floral Long Sleeve: PacSun, $15

“

I’ve always liked overalls because I think they’re cute and I remember telling people they were gonna come back in style and no one believed me.”

Brenda Alvarado, 12

BLAZER

Senior Damon Myers wears a blazer that he thrifted from a local secondhand clothing store. A blazer is a great way to add a classy look to your outfit while not over dressing. Finding a blazer that works isn’t too difficult when there are plenty of secondhand stores around. Most of these stores offer a variety of repurposed clothing ranging from blazers to full suits. Myers also wears a pullover sweater underneath to create a more casual feel to the serious piece.

Blazer: Thrifted, $6 Pullover Sweater: Thrifted, $4

SHOES

While these classic converse sneakers Alvarado wears may not have gone out of style, they definitely add a classic edge to her look. Converse give off a throwback vibe that’s almost instantly recognizable. While the shoes may be relatively new, they add an old school feel to any look.

Shoes: Converse, $50

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY MAGGIE TORBECK 02.11.15

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THREE BARKS FOR

FOSTERING

Sophomore Meredyth Wood and her family foster animals in order to save lives and give pets a home

BY SAMI SCHMID

saminicole102@gmail.com • @sami-nicole

Meredyth Wood poses with the family’s current foster dog, Capone. The family must provide their foster dogs with basic training such as house training and basic commands like sit and stay. (mckenzie shea)

Before opening the door to her home, sophomore Meredyth Wood knows she’s going to be bombarded. They knew she was there before she arrived and as soon as she steps onto the porch, she hears an outbreak of barks.

She steps in and four dogs surround her, playfully jumping and nipping at her. Meredyth and her family have fostered animals since she was 5 years old, this has become a common occurrence in her household.

“Fostering is like getting a gift and then regifting it,” Meredyth said. “It’s like saying, ‘this brought me a lot of joy so now I’m going to give it to someone else.’”

The main purpose of fostering is to give animals a place to live outside of shelters until adoption. If a place can be provided for animals to stay, it helps prevent them from being euthanized and gives shelters more room for other animals. The Wood family takes in dogs of all varieties from different shelters, such as Needy Paws. They used to foster cats as well, but the family stopped when they got new carpet. Now they usually foster just one dog at a time in addition to the three dogs and one cat that already have a place in their family.

“We have so many animals in the house, it’s lucky none of us are allergic to them,” senior, and brother, Michael Wood said.

When Meredyth’s family introduces a dog to their home, they first allow it to get used to their family environment.

It is clear to them that dogs have different personalities and they take care of their foster pets keeping this in mind, tailoring their training to fit the dog’s behavioral and personal needs. They use boundaries, limitations and

Meredyth’s chewed up shoes are lined up on the stairs. Meredyth has lost countless pairs of shoes to the mouths of playful foster dogs. She has tried to repair them, but hasn’t had much luck. (mckenzie shea)

trigger words to do this. Boundaries and limitations teach the dogs the rules of the house and helps the family to better understand the behaviors of the animal. Trigger words are words that teach the dog the language of behavior such as “sit,” “stay” and “no.” Training foster pets is not required, but is often done by foster families because a trained dog is more likely to get adopted.

“If they’re in a home, they’re getting taught how to be loved and how to be part of a family and it keeps them from being killed,” Meredyth’s mother Sarah Wood said.

While fostering is very rewarding it can also be very frustrating, something Meredyth knows all too well. Because of their experience they sometimes receive dogs that are aggressive and they have had their fair share of nips and bites. There are other things that they have to be accustomed to as well. Wrestling with two dogs for her bed or waking up to chewed shoes are common occurrences for Meredyth.

Despite the difficulties of fostering, the Wood family plans to continue because they find it a fulfilling and worthwhile experience.

“The fact that I can get a new pet every month and new friends every month is like potato chips, you can’t just have one,” Sarah said. “It’s addicting.”

The Wood family has never been unable to get their fosters adopted. They go to many events like Bark in the Park, an annual event that brings foster pets and adopters together in an effort to get a permanent home for these pets. They make signs and bandanas for the dogs to wear that say “adopt me” and many other forms of advertisement to let others know that a new possible family member awaits them.

“I would say the most rewarding part of fostering for me is when they get adopted because then they go to their forever home,” Meredyth said.

Meredyth enjoys spending time with the dogs that her family fosters. Lil’ Bit was orginally a foster dog that the Wood family later adopted. The Wood family has a total of three dogs and one cat. (mckenzie shea)

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY SAMI SCHMID 02.11.15

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TOP TWEETS

@eerrmmaaM

@bethanyybarr

i will never understand how people dress up every day

scholarship essay: plz give me money

2 FAVORITES Emma Meyers, 10

7 FAVORITES Bethany Barr, 12

Vegetarian birthday

(photo illustration by jailan thomas)

Junior Madi Bowen shares her experience and reasoning for becoming a vegetarian, which started out as an out-of-the-ordinary birthday present three years ago

BY ERIKA PAAR

“I eat a lot of salad, and I’m okay with that,” Madi said. “It has gotten me really good at picking meat out of things.”

Although vegetarians have to find ways to supplement the missing protein When one imagines their best birthday present ever, few might recall the in their diet, according to school nurse Brooke Magilligan there are multiple gift of vegetarianism, but for junior Madi Bowen, that was all she wanted protein-packed options that are available to vegetarians and vegans. for her birthday. Her family was not originally excited about Madi becoming “The best way would be to eat different nuts and bean products,” Magilligan a vegetarian, so to get her parents to let her, she decided to ask for it as a said. “I would say they can definitely do peanut butter.” birthday present. Since making the change to a meat-free diet, Madi has Contrary to what some may think, there are a lot of foods that contain faced many obstacles, but continues to live a vegetarian lifestyle. protein besides meat. Nuts, eggs and beans are just a few sources of “My brother has taken bacon, and literally rubbed it on my face,” Madi protein for vegetarians. Meat restrictions do, however, make it hard said. “It was horrific because bacon is fantastic.” for vegetarians to eat at some restaurants and fast food places. Madi At first Madi wanted to be a vegetarian because she does not agree usually orders a salad or some fries, but some places like Taco Bell with the way animals are treated during the meat manufacturing have vegetarian options, and will replace beef with beans or other process. Over time, she has formed her own reasons for being substitutes. meat-free. Madi does not think that eating meat is wrong, or “I’m okay with eating other forms of protein,” fellow vegetarian that it is bad to kill an animal and eat it, it is just her personal junior Kaitlyn Crocker said. “It has impacted my daily life because I preference not to. have to watch what I eat, and where I eat.”

“There is nothing wrong with eating an animal,“ Madi said.

According to Kaitlyn, being vegetarian requires commitment, “That’s fine. I just don’t like the systematic way that it’s and people who make the commitment do it for a reason, even gone about. It’s like this massive disgusting murder of a if they don’t know what that is right off the bat. Madi has turned Bowen bunch of animals, shoved with a bunch of antibiotics. I wasn’t this birthday present into a lifestyle that she is passionate about, a big fan of that part of it, so why not cut that out of my diet.” and has been able to connect her views on animals lives to how she At the beginning of her new diet, it was harder to stay away from meat keeps her life going. because she had to consciously think about it, or she would forget. On her “I don’t exactly remember why I started, probably for some stupid reason like first day as a vegetarian, her dad made sausage, and she was about to take a ‘oh the animals have feelings too!’, and because I watched this big long thing bite when she realized she couldn’t eat meat anymore. Since then, Madi says with this guy talking about it and I was like ‘eh okay,’” Madi said. “I eventually that it has become easier, and she doesn’t really think about it anymore. formed my own views that weren’t what everyone else was saying.” erikakristine101@gmail.com • @curliegirlie

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ERIKA PAAR 02.11.15

@CraigPeterss

@ofcoursealex

School, work, homework, sleep, repeat

man I thought for sure I was gonna do my hw tonight :/

5 FAVORITES

2 FAVORITES Craig Peters, 11

@Maria_Seibel

my aunt gave me an article about student financial aid im 15 please don’t do this to me now

Alex Rowe, 9

11 FAVORITES Maria Seibel, 11

remembering inequality

As Black History Month rolls around, a student’s grandmother reflects on her education during a time when African Americans weren’t treated as equally as they are today

BY MIA ELLIOTT

Journalistmimi26@gmail.com

BLACK EDUCATION: THE HISTORY

Sophomore Chassidy Johnson’s grandmother, Yvonne Hampton-Franklin, was born in 1949, a time period when African Americans weren’t always treated equally.

Franklin was an intermittent teacher for 15 years, and she was restricted to only teach in the African American neighborhood. Today, after 10 years in the medical field, Franklin is a retired nurse, has four children and 13 grandchildren.

“I do believe she deserves that time off because even though she is a retired nurse, she still wants to work and help people, and to show that you don’t have to be crippled in something because of your opportunities,” Johnson said.

In Franklin’s high school, there was a population of about 20 percent black and 80 percent white. Back in the 1960s, when Franklin was in high school, fairness was not being given among the Blacks. She once worked at Mercantile Bank where she worked as the errand runner while the Caucasian girls worked as the secretaries.

“It was very frightening because there was a time in this country when white people could do anything to you, and you had no protection,” Franklin said.

1869 Howard University’s law school becomes the country’s first black law school.

Franklin felt she was very driven to work towards her education and succeed in life. After high school, she attended Lincoln University in Jefferson. While there, Franklin received her Bachelor’s in education and her Master’s in business. She also attended Washington University School of Medicine where she received her nursing degree. Altogether, Franklin was in school for about 10 to 12 years.

“My parents were very big on education,” Franklin said.

“Education was just everything; it was a large part of me being brought up. Aside from being a decent person, education was very important.”

According to The Urgency of Now, a website that reports public education records, in Missouri, the African American male graduation rate is 56 percent, while the white male graduation rate recorded at 81 percent. Just as her parents strived for their daughter to have a good education, Franklin is hoping that in the next 10 years there will be a growth in the education for African Americans of society today.

“I would really like to see those graduation rates improve,” Franklin said. “I would really like to see African Americans beginning to move more towards technology and science.”

1876 Meharry Medical College, the first black medical school in the U.S.

1881 Spelman College, the first college for black women in the U.S., founded

by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles.

What Does Black History Month Mean to you?

“Black History Month to me means the celebration of people that did great things to the world.”

Amani Pullman, 10 “To me, Black History Month is a great time of year where we can recognize black leaders that have contributed to our country or society and recognize them for the great things that are being accomplished.”

Stephanie Johnson, Counselor “I think the idea of Black History Month is to see the growth and ideas that have come through African Americans throughout history. It’s a reminder of all the contributions made.”

Mark Olwig, History Teacher “Black History Month to me means the success, the struggle, and the situations that they went through and overcame.”

Crystal Wilson, 11

2008 The percentage of all 18- to 24-year-old African Americans enrolled in higher education increases to 32.6% from 21.2% in 1988.

1968 San Francisco State University becomes the first four-year college to establish a black studies department.

1969 The Ford Foundation gave $1 million to Morgan State University, Howard University, and Yale University to help prepare faculty members to teach courses in African American studies.

Source: Info Please goo.gl/leNieB

“Black History Month, to me, means a month to honor those who were oppressed and those who stood up to fight for their rights.”

Lauren Hogan, 12

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY MIA ELLIOTT 02.11.15

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MORE THAN A CASE Phone cases are becoming more and more popular as smartphones do, and the different types have different features to offer their users

Smartphone users use a phone case

However, here are the top reasons people don’t use a phone case: Cases add too much bulk to the phone Like the look of the phone without the case Not worried about dropping or damaging the phone Cases are too expensive Source: NPD Group http://goo.gl/W87XTY

Protective CASES

These cases are meant for protection, and most come with a warranty to guarantee that. Unfortunately, that also usually means a higher price tag for these cases.Some of the most popular brands for protective iPhone cases are Speck, OtterBox, and LifeProof.

Speck

otterbox

Slim design “CandyShell” dual-layered design has a hard outer covering with a rubberized inside to absorb the shock of impact Multiple color options

Protection from bumps, drops and scrapes Bulit-in screen protector Multiple color options

Cost: iPhone 6 CandyShell Grip case $34.95 Source: Speck http://goo.gl/593YY8

CREATIVE CASES

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY GARRET GRIFFIN 02.11.15

Cost: iPhone 6 Defender Series case $59.90 - $64.95 Source: OtterBox http://goo.gl/on0daw

lifeproof Waterproof, shockproof, dirt-proof, and snow-proof Multiple color options Cost: iPhone 6 LifeProof case $79.99 Source: LifeProof http://goo.gl/tTRDH8

Fashionable, fun cases are typically not meant for protection, but for style.

There are nearly endless possibilities for personalized phone cases out there, ao a couple of students share their phone cases and a little story about why have them

“When I had an iPhone, I collected different phone cases and I wanted to match one with every outfit.”

“I really like how it reminds me of my childhood. I wanted it because it was cute and I’ve liked Winnie the Pooh since I was little.”

Kelly Mahaffey, 10

Beth Stonebarger, 12

#relationshipgoals

Sophomore Janae’ Robinson’s parents have been together for 21 years. They currently live together with their five children.

BY MIA ELLIOTT Journalistmimi26@gmail.com

Sophomore Janae Robinson’s parents have been together for over two decades. Janae’ is the oldest of five children. She has three sisters: Joy, Jalynn and Justis, one brother: Tiy, and two married parents, LaRita and James Robinson. All together there is a total of seven. “[The best part about having married parents is] you don’t have to go back and forth between visiting your mom, visiting your dad, having them argue over who they get,” Joy said. We don’t have to see anyone being sad because our parents aren’t together.”

James and LaRita have been married for 14 years and have been together for a total of 21 years. Their family first lived in Spencer, Oklahoma and moved to Missouri when James’s military base was moved in 2012.

Since she was a little girl, Janae’ has seen how her parents have gone from “kids” to the grown and mature adults that they are today.

“They’ve grown up a lot in their relationship,” Janae’ said. They went from a bunch of childish kids, now they’re actually starting to get along better and they’re not as bad as they use to be. I think they’ve grown up

a lot.

But before marriage and the baby carriage, comes love. James and LaRita first met in middle school. James was the popular eighth grader while LaRita was a sixth grader who was the “different” girl with an attitude.

“She wasn’t like one of the popular kids,” James said. She was totally different, you know what I mean. She didn’t dress like everyone else, she didn’t act like everyone else, she did her own thing.”

But for LaRita, a popular boy who was on the stomp team and in the band was not going to win her heart that fast. But eventually, when she saw a side of him that wasn’t desperate for her attention, she let her guard down.

“I didn’t find James really attractive until he changed and he stopped like hunting me or whatever, and he end up accepting me for who I was,” LaRita said. “He let me be me.”

During Larita’s senior year in highschool, Janae’ was conceived.

Although James was in the Navy during the first few years of Janae’s life, LaRita was able to raise Janae and wait on her future husband to come home.

My Way is Mechanical Junior Berlyn Johnson spends her free time drawing portraits with only a mechanical pencil.

BY PRISCILLA JOEL

pjchristo16@gmail.com • @JCPjchristo

Usually, artists have a certain set of brushes, pencils, or paints that they like to create art with. However, this is not the case with junior Berlyn Johnson. Berlyn creates black-and-white pencil drawings equipped with simply one mechanical pencil.

“It has defined tips that’s more narrow than a regular pencil,” Berlyn said. “I think because the lead is smaller, you can get more into details and stuff.”

Berlyn enjoys drawing a wide variety of portraits but her favorite is depict portraits specifically of people. According to Berlyn, her favorite portrait she has created thus far is one of Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix.

“These aren’t just drawings of form, or that just show an exceptional understanding of shading and line work,” junior Caleb Black said. “These are all of the things, while being interesting, creative drawings that capture life on a page. Berlyn draws like Dr. King speaks, or how Mozart plays.”

To Berlyn, drawing is a daily routine that has been a part of her life since as far back as she can remember. She draws whenever she gets a chance to, keeping an eye out for people and objects that interest her.

“Her drawings are just amazing,” junior Kasey Wagner said. “She’s so quiet in class, but her drawings speak volumes.”

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY PRISCILLA JOEL 02.11.15

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Conner McDermott starts the process by walking around to each gas pump to sell a car wash to a customers. After they have accepted a wash, he writes the type of wash on the front window.

Workin’ At the Car Wash Many students at FHN try to find a job where they are close to their friends and the pay is good. At Waterway, a car wash located in Creve Coeur, a large number of employees are from FHN. “I chose Waterway as my job because I had many friends who worked there and heard very good things about the job,” senior Jordan Boettcher said.

Unlike most jobs, some of the students are on a routine shift. They work for certain amount of time then switch to another part of the car wash.

“The ultimate goal when cleaning a car is delivering a clean car to a happy customer,” Boettcher said.

Photo Story by Ariel Kirkpatrick

After the symbol is written on the window, McDermott tracks the pricing on a paper tablet, then tears off the price and gives it to the customer. Next, he sends the customers to the of the car wash.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ARIEL KIRKPATRICK 02.11.15

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Boettcher puts the car on the track and sprays off the left side of the car to make sure the dirt is off of the tires.

Boettcher pushes a button on the keypad to send the car into the car wash. As the car is slowing heading into the wash, he finishes spraying the right side of the car.

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ARIEL KIRKPATRICK 02.11.15

Once the car is out of the wash, senior Brett Reinhardt drives the car to his lane to dry the car. Once wiped dry, Reinhardt prepares to clean the inside of the car by vacuuming the carpet and wiping all the windows.

Reinhardt begins to spray the inside of the car with cleaning spay. Everything inside of the car is wiped clean with a mico fiber cloth.

Senior Evan Miller uses a rag and brush to clean the interior by brushing the dust out of the cracks then wiping off the dust.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ARIEL KIRKPATRICK 02.11.15

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After the inside and outside of the cars are cleaned, dried and wiped down, Miller uses a new rag to clean the rims. Miller makes sure the inside of the rims are clear of dirt. Then he cleans the wheels of the car with a sponge and tire cleaner.

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ARIEL KIRKPATRICK 02.11.15

Miller swings the rag to signal to the customer that their car is ready. They come to the car and check the cleaning job to see if it’s to their satisfaction.

Once the customer is happy with their car wash, they tip the person who washed the car. The tip is split among the people who worked on the car. Reinhardt is giving half of the tip to an employee that worked on the car with him.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ARIEL KIRKPATRICK 02.11.15

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PLAY WITH PRIDE

Proud supporter of

The Francis Howell North Knights!

Steve Hall, CLTC®, FICF Financial Associate 816 South Main Street Saint Charles, MO 63301 636-724-9700

For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures.

Appleton, Wisconsin • Minneapolis, Minnesota Thrivent.com • 800-847-4836 25635SP R3-14

Senior Brennan Buerck looks away after attempting a goal in the second period. The shot missed. FHN went on to lose to Ladue 5-7. The night before the Knights defeated FZS 8-4. (ashleigh jenkins)

Split record after two games

With one playoff win and one loss under their belt in this year’s Wickenheiser Cup, the Varsity hockey team hopes to progress to the next round and improve their postseason performance from previous years

BY LAUREN PIKE

laurenpike14@gmail.com • @pike_n_ike

The Varsity Hockey team ended the regular season with a record of 8-8-4 and are seeded 12th for the playoffs. With an 8-4 win over FZS in their first playoff game and a 5-7 loss in their second against Ladue, the team is still hopeful that they will make it to the finals of Wickenheiser Cup which will be played on March 2 at the Scottrade Center.

“I think we’ve had a pretty solid season, but we could have been ranked higher in the playoffs,” senior Brycon Johnson said.

In their victory over the FZS, the Bulldogs scored three goals at the beginning of the first period. The Knights were able to narrow the gap when they scored with five minutes and 55 seconds left and then scored again with four minutes and 15 seconds remaining in the first period. The Knights kicked off the second period with another goal which tied up the game at three points apiece, then the Bulldogs had their last score of the night with three minutes and 13 seconds left. Finally, the Knights sealed their victory with a goal at the end of the second period followed by four more goals in the third.

“The first one we started off shaky, but towards the end we picked it up and pulled out the win,” senior Brennan Buerck said.

On Jan. 31, Ladue started the game with two goals in the first period before the Knights answered with a goal near the three and a half minute mark. With

about a minute left in the first period, Ladue scored again and FHN finished the period with a goal with 25 seconds left. In the second period, Ladue brought the game’s score to 7-4 as they scored three goals within about five minutes and another with 28 seconds left. FHN started the third period with a score, but the rest of the game remained scoreless from both sides.

“Our heads weren’t in the right place before the game,” Buerck said. “We have to come to the game focused and ready to go.”

The next stage in the tournament is a three-game series against one team and in order to move on, the team would have to win two out of the three games. From there, they would have to play in one more round before progressing to the finals.

“We have to play defensive hockey and score goals no matter what,” Johnson said. “As long as we play well in the defensive zone, we should win.”

Last year, the Knights were defeated 1-4 in the first round of the Wickenheiser Cup by the FHC Spartans. Head Coach Joel Herr believes that the his coaching system of increased focus on power plays, breakouts and defensive skills has aided the team in playoff games. Herr also wants the team to progress to the finals so the seniors can end their season strong.

“I’d like to make it to the finals, and I think we can do it,” Herr said. “I’d like the seniors to go out with a bang and make it to the finals.”

To find out how the team performed in their final playoff game on Feb. 5 go to http://goo.gl/cpWhqr.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY SARAI ESPARZA 02.11.15

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Junior Maci May gets ready to block a Central player on Feb 3. (jessie define)

pink ribbon After beating the Troy Trojans 44-35, the Varsity Girls’ basketball team find themselves at a 7-10 record as of press time. This win moves the Lady Knights (2-3 conference) to third place in the GAC South standings behind Francis Howell (15-4 overall, 6-0 conference) and FZW (13-6 overall, 6-1 conference). Their next game is the annual Pink Ribbon game this Friday at 5:30 p.m. against Francis Howell. Watch live at FHNtoday.com/live. juniors Austine Pauley and Jessica Brady lead the Lady Knights in scoring, assisting, and rebounding. with 264 points, 30 assists and 88 rebounds and 128 points, 16 assists and 113 rebounds respectively. (brief by alex weinstock)

Sophomore Anastasia Medley swims a freestyle race against St. Charles West High on Jan. 22. The final score of the meet was 48-30. (ravyn motsinger)

gacs begin Girls’ swimming is in the midst of GAC’s on Feb. 10, 11 and 12. Recently, the team tied FZN, lost to St. Dominic and Liberty and defeated FZS. That marks the team’s first victory against FZS in school history.

This recent success, however minimal it may be, has definitely boosted the team’s confidence.

“We’re just getting ready for GAC’s,” Head Coach William Crow said. “We feel good coming off of our tie with Zumwalt North and our win against Zumwalt South, so we should be right in the middle of the pack.”

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY NORTH STAR STAFF 02.11.15

Junior Reaghan West looks to the basket as a defender from Troy tries to block her on Jan. 29. FHN won the game 44-35. (amanda eckhard)

WINTER SPORTS: TOP PHOTOS

sitting out senior year Two seniors leave behind old sports for different reasons

BY ALEX SHANNON

alexshannon96@gmail.com • @TheRealTwin96

Freshman Alivia Newberry performs at the FHSD showcase on Jan. 17. (ashton stegman)

Freshman Jacob Smith wrestles a CBC wrestler on Jan. 27 in a home meet. CBC defeating the Knights, winning 56-18. (jessie define)

Senior Ryan Hyde made the decision not to go out for shot put, a team he has been on since freshman year, this year. He did so to try new things like participating in the play and competing in Mr. FHN. “I did have some really good times with my friends there,” Hyde said.

“But I feel like now I’m just on to bigger and better things.”

Seniors deciding against doing sports they’ve been doing is not as uncommon as you would think.

Senior Kevin Rudberg was unable to return to Varsity Boys Volleyball this season because of a shoulder injury.

“I have a job so I’m just gonna work and I go to the gym a lot,” Rudberg said. “I just wanna chill before college and not have a lot of stress.”

While the decision against returning may seem simple, many students come to regret quitting their sport in high school, according to shot put coach John Brune. These sports can become a big part of students life and this may be his last chance to do it. ”The opportunities that they have, such as being a part of sports programs, is only going to be here for a short time,” Brune said. “So it breaks my heart when I see them walk away from sports when they’re in high school. I’ve never met a kid who has walked away in high school who has come back later and not regretted it.”

That being said, Hyde remains optimistic about his decision.

“Honestly, I feel like I would regret the decision if I did do shot put,” Hyde said. “I think you should try to get your full high school experience and try different things because what’s the point if you’re not going to try out everything that the high school has to offer.”

Rudberg feels similarly about his decision.

“If I were to have played I could end up doing something to my shoulder that could end with me needing surgery,” Rudberg said. ”That’d be a real buzzkill.”

Senior Brycon Johnson swings at a Ladue hockey player on Jan 31. The final score for the game was 5-7. (ashleigh jenkins)

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALY DOTY 02.11.15

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The JV and Varsity Knightline team pose in front of Cinderella’s castle in Disney World. (photo submitted)

knightline dances at disney world The dance team makes it to semifinals and meets a hometown sports legend

BY ALEXIS TAINTER alexistainter@gmail.com

The Varsity Knightline dance team went to Orlando, Florida for UDA Nationals Jan. 29 to Feb. 3. The competiotion began on Jan. 31 where they competed in the jazz and hiphop categories. They advanced to the semi-finals in both categories but did not continue onto finals. If their hip-hop category was higher by 0.4 points, they would have continued onto the final competition as one of the top competitors.

“There are so many great things about Nationals, but one of the best parts is the time that the team gets to spend together and therefore, the memories that are made.” Head Coach Tammy Rokita said.

While they were at Disney World, Knightline got a chance to get closer as a team.

“My favorite part of Nationals has been team bonding and our parents decorating our windows,” JV dancer Brianna Smith said.

The team met St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Adam Wainwright at Magic Kingdom. Wainwright signed the team’s UDA nametags and some T-shirts, as well as Varsity dancer Sydney Dattilo’s brother Max Dattilo’s phone case.

Wainwright later tweeted about meeting the team.

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY DAN BORRELLI 02.11.15

Senior Gabe Grote attempts to stop his FZN opponent from getting to the hoop on Jan. 26. Grote has the highest free throw percentage on the team.

Grote hopes to take his team to State. (ashleigh barlow)

HE “GABE” THEM A LEADER

The Varsity Boys Basketball team has found a leader in senior Gabe Grote

BY DAN BORRELLI danielborrelli1@gmail.com • @danboreallycool

With the basketball season nearing its end, senior Gabe Grote has established himself as a leader of the Varsity team. His 160 points in 15 games, along with his intensity and drive has helped him become a respectable figure in the eyes of his teammates and coach.

“There’s leaders and there’s followers,” Head Coach Darrell Davis said. “He’s just a natural Follow the link goo.gl/bMjt1V to see more about leader for the team. His Gabe Grote’s leadership. teammates look up to him, he’s always encouraging his teammates, he’s positive and he’s a smart young man.”

After a slow start of the season, a change swept through all the players of the team, including Grote.

“The beginning started off rough; we hadn’t really found our groove,” Grote said. “But something changed at the new year. ‘New year new me,’ like they say. I’ve just been playing a lot better.”

During this season in tournament and league play, Grote has achieved a 78.9 percent free throw

WATCH

percentage; the highest on the team.

“It’s cool playing with Gabe because he’s a great part of our offense,” sophomore Fletcher Dietrich, another member of the Varsity basketball team said. “When I’m with him I don’t expect to see many turnovers out of him.”

Grote has been playing basketball since the age of eight. Now, as a senior in high school, he plays three sports: basketball, soccer and volleyball. The work put into these three sports helps build Grote’s intensity during games.

“Intensity is contagious,” Davis said. “I think once you have one guy out there being very intense, then all of a sudden five guys are intense. That’s what he does, his intensity spreads through the team when they’re out on the floor.”

That quality, among many others, makes Grote such a respected leader and player. With the rest of the season, Grote is looking to polish his game play and achieve his goal of winning State.

“I want us to develop even more,” Grote said. “And push each other to become the best quality team that we can be.”

Senior Olivia Stuertz adjusts the noseband on Madeleine’s bridle. The bridle and saddle are in the English style. The two main riding styles are Western and English. English riders use shorter reins than Western riders, and have more contact directly with the horse’s mouth. Western horses respond to the reins touching their neck. Olivia has been riding in the English style for eight years.

Horsin’ Around

The sun is going down as senior Olivia Stuertz pulls into the gravel parking lot. She opens her car door and puts on her short riding boots and half chaps, a cloth that protects her calf. After entering the barn, she checks the list. She’s riding Madeline again.

Olivia has been riding horses at Irish Fox Stables for 14 years. She rides Madeline, a 16-year-old Arabian cross, the most often. Olivia rides almost every Friday in semi-private hour-long lessons with two or three other riders.

During the lesson, Olivia and the other riders practice horse control and jumping. Olivia occasionally competes on Madeline. Last time they competed, they took the blue ribbon.

After the lesson, Olivia takes off Madeline’s gear, and gives her a treat and a nose rub.

Photo Story by Ashleigh Jenkins

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ASHLEIGH JENKINS 02.11.15

Madeline and Olivia warm up at a canter before the lesson starts. Riders warm up for approximately 15 minutes. A gait is considered a canter if three hooves are off the ground at once. It is the second fastest gait after gallop. Speed control is part of equitation, or how well the horse moves on the ground.

Madeline jumps over an oxer. An oxer is two jumps parallel to each other with varying heights. The jump is approximately 2 feet 6 inches tall. Jumping is an important part of competition. Madeline and Olivia have been competing together for four years. They most recently took first place in November for Hunter jumping. There are two kinds of jumping: Hunter and Show. Hunter is more concerned with form while Show jumping is more about speed.

FHNTODAY.COM

PAGE BY ASHLEIGH JENKINS 02.11.15

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Olivia and Madeline leave the ring after a lesson. Madeline will return to her stall to be untacked and groomed. Madeline may have as many as three lessons each day with experienced riders.

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Olivia offers Madeline a treat before she leaves the barn.

Madeline’s favorite treat is apples. Olivia often offers Madeline and other horses treats after her lessons. Olivia rides almost every Friday for an hour.

Madeline, a 16-year-old Arabian cross, stands. Madeline has been at Irish Fox Stables since she was born. Students ride her in shows regularly. Out of the eight horses at the stables, five of them are considered ponies. Madeline is a pony. Ponies are horses that are shorter than 58 inches at the withers.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ASHLEIGH JENKINS 02.11.15

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TIL DIVORCE DO US PART

With the rate of divorce increasing, more children are left to deal with the results of a failed marriage and growing up in a broken home

BY ALEXIS TAINTER alexistainter@gmail.com • @lexis_taint

Fifty-two. According to the Washington Post Fifty-two percent of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. When stumbling across this statistic, I found myself with my jaw to the floor in disbelief at how high this number is. Over the past decade, the divorce rate has increased, jumping from 49 percent to 52 percent. This means that roughly 52 percent of all once married couples are now divorced. With divorce being almost a cliché nowadays, it seems as if couples don’t think twice when it comes to signing the papers to legally end their marriage. It’s as if they forget that their divorce will not only affect them, but also their children.

For a child growing up with divorced parents, they feel stuck in the

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FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY ALEXIS TAINTER 02.11.15

middle. When the holiday season comes around, it turns into World War III over who gets to have a big Thanksgiving dinner or spend Christmas opening up presents, watching a smile plastered across their child’s face, while the other half of the couple spends it celebrating all by their lonesome. Putting their own child in between their problems just makes things worse for all parties involved. According to Psychology Today, children of divorced parents that are constantly fighting over custody are less sociable and are more likely to be depressed.

According to The Heritage Foundation, children of divorced parents perform more poorly in reading, spelling and math, and are also more likely to be held back or repeat a grade. They also have higher dropout rates and lower rates of college graduation. This is because the child has to deal with going back and forth between parents, or a parent that is no longer present in their lives, which has harmful effects on their psychological state.

Children may also have to adjust to the addition of new members of the family that they may or may not get along with. Either way, the child now has to incorporate a new person into their lives while also managing the possible tension between their divorced parents.

The adjustment is a huge one, and according to stepfamily.org, 1,300 stepfamilies form everyday with children reportedly becoming unhappy with their stepfamily.

It is obvious that divorce complicates things for a child, wedging them between a rock and a hard place. Whether it’s bouncing from home to home every other weekend, dealing with potential future stepparents, life for the child is a difficult adjustment. So maybe a married couple realizes things aren’t so hot between them. Maybe they realize marriage just isn’t their thing. But it seems like they’ve failed to realize the psychological effects that divorce can have on their kids and how much they alter how they will grow up. They should take that into consideration before breaking their sacred vows.

THE HOT TOPIC OF:

HUCKLEBERRY FINN

Throughout history, people have gone to extreme lengths to ban books and deny students the opportunity to read them, despite the fact that they have lessons to teach. One example is “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain

Don’t duck huck

Required Racism

BY LEXI WILKINSON

BY EMMA PURSLEY

lexiwilkinson25@gmail.com • @loupy0925

emma1996ecp@gmail.com

What Huck Finn naysayers are denying is that the novel is of undeniable literary merit, and should therefore remain on the list of books to read. According to The College Board, a work is generally considered to have literary merit if it meets certain criteria including entertainment value and has “a social, political or ideological impact on society during the lifetime of the author or afterward.” Cleary, Huck Finn meets these requirements, along with others.

Twain’s use of heavy satire throughout the book is meant to entertain the reader, poking fun at things like religion, family feuds and superstition to name a few. Undoubtedly, Huck Finn has also stood the test of time, and has been read ever since its original publication in the United States in 1885.

Also important is the impact the novel has had on society. Today, in 2015, exactly 130 years after its publication, Huck Finn is still considered one of the great American novels. Ernest Hemingway, one of the most well-known American writers of the 20th century, was quoted having said that “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called ‘Huckleberry Finn.’”

Huck Finn may contain racial slurs and they are patently offensive, but ignoring a problem isn’t going to make it go away. Racism is still an issue in our society and turning our back on it isn’t going to make it any easier. Unless we encourage discussion and debate about an issue to stimulate change, we are merely perpetuating the problem.

Additionally, choosing another book from the same time period may be an option, however we are ignoring a defining characteristic of the time period. There is no denying that racially motivated inequality and mistreatment occurred in the past and that such mistreatment was wrong; however, it is a characteristic that must be observed and acknowledged in order to achieve a full portrait of the era and combat the racist views of the past.

Huck Finn has shaped how writers write today and how we as a society view literature as something that should not only reflect the values of our time, but draw attention to them as well.

Taking it off the list of books to read in English class would be like taking Huck away from Jim and the Mississippi River- a decision that just doesn’t have a raft to float on.

Advanced Placement Literature students are reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a book that glorifies small children running away with grown men that they don’t know. A book written with racial slurs, adult situations, and horrible grammar. The pages are absolutely dripping with racism. This book is currently being read within the walls by students who are barely even old enough to drive.

The main reason for keeping this book on the curriculum for this school is the fact that it has literary merit, but so do so many other books. The Invisible Man follows similar themes of racism and how a black man can survive the racist tendencies in America. This book doesn’t have nearly as many racial slurs, and can save the students a lot of uncomfortability while still getting the point across.

But instead of going along with another viable option to replace Huck Finn, teachers continue to subject students to the bullying that this novel provides. Students already have to endure the foul language of TV shows, and other students, but now they’re also forced to be verbally abused by the books they are reading for class. Students barely have any other option; if they choose not to read this book then they are sent to the library to read an alternative novel, forcing them to be excluded from the class altogether.

This book was written satirically, and some people would say that makes it okay for them to use these slurs, but just because it’s said as a joke doesn’t take away the meaning of the word. No matter how it is analyzed it is still a word with racist connotations that could potentially offend and hurt the students who are basically forced to read it.

While banning a book seems scary, and people automatically flinch away from it as an intrusion on our free speech, it shouldn’t be seen in that light. Banning a book is merely a way to ensure that students are protected from content that could be considered inappropriate or potentially harmful. Huck Finn is offensive, rude and completely unnecessary for the education of students. There are millions of people around the world who never read Huck Finn in high school, and it’s not like their lives are crashing down around them. They are managing just as well as everyone else, the only difference is they weren’t forced to read a book that cusses like a sailor.

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY MAGGIE TORBECK 02.11.15

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YOUR TAKE Students and faculty give their opinion on students evaluating teachers at the end of the semester.

“I think it’d be cool because the students are with the teachers every day so you’d get a better perspective from them than you would from administrators.

The students could definitely give better input for the kids after them.

Shelby Galatioto, 12

The Breakdown: Teacher Evaluation Get some background on how teachers are evaluated before looking at how the Editorial Board believes the process could be improved with student input.

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This year, Missouri set new standards for teacher evaluation and FHN adjusted its system to meet these requirements.

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Teachers were previously evaluated using a long list of standards and principals decided whether the teachers met or didn’t meet them. Now, there is a scale ranging from one to seven for each standard.

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Teachers used to be evaluated for either two 30-minute sessions or one 60-minute session per year based on their preference.

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The new system uses a cycle of two formative years followed by one summative year for each teacher. During formative years, teachers are evaluated three times for 10 minutes each; during summative years, they are evaluated six times for 10 minutes each.

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Teachers are now evaluated on three standards: cognitive engagement (students are paying attention and mentally challenged), lesson aligned with curriculum, and student assessment (teacher stops to make sure students understand lesson.) (editorial cartoon by brandon macias)

North star take:

“I wouldn’t have a problem with students evaluating teachers as long as there were specific guidelines on how to evaluate.”

Matthew Watson

“I think students might take it in a funny way and not be as serious, but for those who do, it’d be cool to see what the teachers have done to help them throughout the semester.”

Brendan Floyd, 9

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the elephant in the room The North Star takes a look at how teacher evaluations have changed this year and how the process could be improved with student input

ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL STAFF yourfhn@fhntoday.com • @FHNtoday

We’ve all seen it. A usually brilliant teacher is in the zone, instructing the class, and hammering home the lesson when a principal walks in and takes a seat to evaluate.

Now, one of three things might happen. Sometimes, the teacher melts before our very eyes into a puddle of learning objectives and sweaty palms. Other times, the teacher continues teaching the lesson while trading all personality traits for those of a robot. Or lastly, the happygo-lucky teacher who enjoys joking and connecting with the students makes the brutal transition to that kid who’s never spoken in front of a class before. Worst of all, there may be an uncomfortable combination of the three.

However unpleasant it may be, this evaluation system is necessary and, without the Big Brother-esque addition of video cameras and secret student evaluators lurking in classrooms, unavoidable. This isn’t about eliminating the current system; it’s about recognizing additional ways to see how effective teachers are. Teachers have a right to know when being evaluated, and principals need to observe the strategies of those teaching, even if they get a slightly skewed look at the teacher’s actual style.

To compensate for these inconsistencies, FHN should introduce student evaluation. Students are the ones who spend hundreds of hours each year with their teachers, rather than the unfamiliar 30-60 minutes per year that administrators spend in classes evaluating. Students should take “exit surveys” at the end of both semester and year-long courses in which they judge the effectiveness of their teachers. True, students aren’t trained to evaluate

Editor in Chief: Daniel Bodden Managing Editor: Lauren Pike Business Manager: Aly Jenkins Business: Brandon Macias Austin Ferguson Team Editors: Emma Pursley Alexis Tainter Design Editors: Maggie Torbeck Nick Wyer Copy Editors: Priscilla Joel Lexi Wilkinson General Staff: Alex Arger Sasha Kaganov Michal Basford Anthony Kristensen Dan Borrelli Kyleigh Kristensen Alyssa Doty Zoe Lawson Mia Elliott Joe Luley Sarai Esparza Erika Paar Timothy Godfrey Sami Schmid Bri Gonzalez Keegan Schuster Garret Griffin Alex Shannon Chelsi Morton-Hoskins Bennett Smallwood Belle Herrera Ryan Sparks Jamie Hetlage Risa Takenaka KJ Wilson Editor in Chief of Photography: Ashleigh Jenkins

and may not seem like the most reliable option.

However, according to Harvard University’s Center For Education Policy Faculty Director Thomas Kane’s research, students were able to accurately identify their most and least effective teachers, with little variation across ages, racial groups or classes. It may be expected that many students would fill in the same answer for each question, but Kane found that only 0.5 percent of students did this in the first 10 questions.

The exit survey could be modeled off of the current climate survey, except tweaked to fit the new usage and rephrased to apply to individual classrooms.

Kane’s survey found the following five questions to highly correlate to students’ test performance in the classes they evaluated, all of which are similar to FHN’s climate survey questions: • Students in this class treat the teacher with respect.

• My classmates behave the way my teacher wants them to.

• Our class stays busy and doesn’t waste time.

• In this class, we learn a lot almost every day.

• In this class, we learn to correct our mistakes.

These questions specifically evaluate the control teachers have over their classes and whether or not a teacher is academically challenging his or her students, both of which are difficult to accurately

gauge in a 10-minute sitting by an administrator.

Before battle cries against merit pay and high stakes teaching are readied, let’s be clear: in no way should this student evaluation be used to determine teacher salaries or employment. Like with all evaluation, the goal should be to improve learning in schools and quality teachers should not be pressured into pleasing students or constantly have evaluation numbers in mind. Especially when student evaluation like this is initially introduced, it should have no bearing at all on teachers’ final evaluation numbers until a long period of testing for accuracy and adapting to the new system. The exit survey could be quickly taken after each final in the time already allotted for taking the final.

The bottom line is that students are hands-down the most knowledgeable about the teachers they spend every day learning from and they are the ones who can attest to whether the teacher is able to effectively manage and challenge a class.

Let’s face it: they’re already judging and evaluating teachers every single day. Why not listen to what they’re saying? They can form an opinion based on the semester or year as a whole and compensate for good and bad days, rather than bits and pieces gathered from 10-minute sittings. FHN needs to begin taking advantage of the 1,800 evaluators it has walking its halls daily and allow its educators to learn a thing or two in the process.

Photo Editors: Newspaper: Alyssa Savage Photography: Sammie Savala Yearbook: Ariel Kirkpatrick Web: McKenzie Shea Photographers: Samantha Alexander Alex Lane Jessica Allison Hannah Medlin Ashleigh Barlow Lauren Price Yasmeen Belakhoua Ashton Stegman Rachel Creeley Lucas Tabaka Jessie Define Tristan Tainter Amanda Eckhard Abby Temper Emily Floyd Jailan Thomas Madi Graves Ravyn Winter Editor In Chief of Digital Media: Jake Chiarelli FHNgameday Editor: Alex Weinstock Video Editor: Sam Skaggs Video Staff:

Alyssa Barber Adam Quigley Kyle Cuppy Jillian Strickland Cristina Lanzara Joseph Samuels Brayton Larson Taylor Sheridan Abby Mills Autumn Todd Ben Moxley Collin Witte Web Staff: Alex Brice Tristan Chenoweth Martin Graves Ryan Jensen Jacob Linter Chase Meyer Zach Mills Advisers: Jordyn Klackner Aaron Manfull

FHNTODAY.COM PAGE BY DANIEL BODDEN 02.11.15

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SELFIE sticks

The latest in the selfie craze -- an extendable stick that allows users to take long-range selfies -- makes its way to the U.S.

Methods Some sticks use Bluetooth to take the photos while others use a button at the bottom of the stick or just the built-in camera timer.

Camera Sticks have an adjustable mount that will typically fit any phone less than 8.5 inches in width.

Handle Sticks are usually covered at the end where the photographer grasps the stick, and may include a wrist strap.

Weight Sticks are extremely lightweight, usually weighing in at about 5 ounces.

Size On average, sticks can expand from 9-11 inches for storage to more than three feet for use.

Angle An adjustable ball-head-and-thumb screw locks for multiple angles with 180 degree position.

a few FAST FACTS

SOUTH KOREA CRACKDOWN

SALES START TO CLIMB

A GLOBAL PHENOMENON

THE DEBATE INTENSIFIES

Late last year, the Science Ministry in South Korea announced that those selling unregistered selfie sticks could face up to $27,000 in fines and three years of jail time. Officials mainly were warning against the bluetooth models which allow users to wirelessly take the photos. This technology is designated as “communications equipment” and must be tested and certified before use. Many sellers ignored the threat.

Selfie sticks usually sell for about $5 for basic models and $25+ for Bluetooth or higherend models. An estimated 100,000 were sold in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Nordstrom, which carried Selfie on a Stick in 118 of its stores had to reorder twice and finally sold out before the holiday.

The Selfie on a Stick company saw a reported 3,000 percent growth in sales last November alone.

According to Google Trends, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines were the earliest users. The Philippines, which Time Magazine declared the selfie capital of the world also appears to be the selfie stick capital. The obsession with selfie sticks began in late 2013 where the interest was seven times higher than in the U.S. at the time. The trend spread across Asia before coming to the U.S.

Selfie sticks are cheaper versions of a monopod, which is a device that has long been used by experienced photographers to stabilize their cameras. Now, with the specific function of including the photographer in the frame, some believe the sticks take self-absorption to a new level.

Many have deemed selfie sticks the “narcissistick”, a new way to avoid interacting with others to get a photo taken.

PAGE BY DANIEL BODDEN

Sources: goo.gl/saAGJI, goo.gl/j1mgYg, goo.gl/ySjCxU