North Star November 2009

HOUR:28

HOUR:5

north.star fhn

What were you doing?

today INSIDE 66 HOURS 2.75 days.

3,960 minutes.

237,600 seconds.

39% of our lives are spent on the weekend. What were you doing?

FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

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com

2549 Hackmann Rd. St. Charles, MO 63303

Vol. 24 Issue 3

NOV. 11, 2009

FHNtoday.com

your source for...

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contents

“Providing an open forum for Francis Howell North since 1986.”

2549 Hackmann Road St. Charles, MO 63303

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Cover:

On the cover are photos that give a brief insight to what happened the weekend of Oct. 29-Nov. 1.

Top photo: Knights crowd cheers at the senior night football game. (fareeha amir) Middle photo: North students go to the Art Museum in Forest Park on Saturday. (kaitlyn williams) Bottom photo: Junior Ben Mendez hands a take-out meal to his customer at Steak ‘n Shake. (fareeha amir)

Distributed for free to FHN by the North Star staff.

Editor-in-Chief: Barbara Jean Palmer

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Managing Editor: Betsy Blanchard Editors: News Editor: Sam Dulaney Features Editor: Julia Gabbert Opinions Editor: Lauren Skinner Sports Editor: Logan Ponche Copy Editor: Ryan Firle In-depth Editor: Rachel Hunt Dir. of Photography: Lydia Ness Business Manager: Allison Sheffler

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news features sports opinion online

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life.style

Superintendent Renee Schuster retires after her fourth year as head of the Francis Howell School District.

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speak.out

General Staff: Abbey Grone Liana Ramsey Adam Rapert Lizzie Johnson Bethany Brady Nicole Clouse Brittany Lounsbury Nicole Renner Chelsey Damalas Olivia Ong Danielle Yuede RJ Howes Elizabeth Diggs Scott Jones Emily Forst Sidney Shelton Hannah Hamilton Taylor Berra Heather O’ Donnell Zach Meier Kelsey Bell

fhntoday.com Photographers:

Junior Ben Mendez adapts to the different experience that comes with working 2nd and 3rd shifts at Steak ’n Shake.

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Spending money comes second nature to most teens. Senior Julia Gabbert shares her experience of going without.

Fareeha Amir Greg Felock Jacqueline Sage Kaitlyn Williams Lauren Buxton

Nicole Thompson Sam Fitzwalter Sam Hurrell Stephanie Graflage

FHNTODAY.COM STAFF

KOE will sponsor National Education Week at FHN in order to honor the faculty and staff for their dedication to education.

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Having watched his father succeed in the Army, Blake Everitt uses his father for motivation in joining the Navy.

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Break dancing brings together sophomores Christian Hickerson and Bryan Ryberg as friends and friendly competitors.

Unlike most athletes, Robby Friedlein and Ryan Gannon juggle playing two sports at the same time: soccer and hockey.

With last season’s success fresh in their minds, the bowling team will work to make this year just as outstanding.

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ONLINE

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Junior Katie O’Neil explains that although some have a problem with apologizing too often, saying sorry is never wrong.

FHNtoday.com: Go online for updates on DECA week and to find pictures and stories of the different events.

FHNtoday.com

Editor-in-Chief: Melissa Shannon Editors: Online Editors: Katie O’Neil, David Hoehn Podcast Editor: Tori Bowden Beats Editor: Mallory Mueller Director of Digital Media: Lauren Smith General Staff: Ashley Niehaus Katharine Carney Crystal Friedman Kayla Vogt Daniel Spak Matt Higgs David Hoehn McKenna Roberts Jared Tompkin Nicole Piatchek Josh Grezinger Paige Yungermann

Adviser: Aaron Manfull

facebook.com/fhntodayfan twitter.com/fhntoday

page design by lizzie.johnson

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‘Fools’ finally brought to main stage

The AllKnighter is an event for seniors to have the time of their lives and to have fun all night to play games and do activities.

The AllKnighter is having a craft fair on Nov. 21 at 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will be selling items like tupperware, candles, Mary Kay products, candles, wreaths and scarves.

The money that they earn will go towards the All-Knighter.

liana.ramsey

All-Knighter committee hosts craft fair scott.jones

On Nov. 21, the All-Knighter committee is hosting their first ever craft fair in the big gym to try to raise funds for the senior classes All-Knighter event at the end of the year.

“I am just excited because this is our first year having the craft fair,” CoChair on the All-Knighter committee

Maurine Rapert said, “I hope that we can establish it as a tradition.”

Because of the advertising that the All-Knighter committee has been doing around school and on Craig’s List, the committee is expecting 50-75 craft booths at the fair.

“I helped get crafters to sign up for the fair,” Security worker for the All-Knighter Gary Heib said. “I also

helped out with the food.”

In order to raise funds for the All-Knighter, all crafters have been charged a $40 fee to set up their tent in the gym.

“Its gonna be a blast,” Chairperson for the All-Knighter committee Yvette Pilkington said. “I invite everyone to come because a lot of hard work has been put in to make this fair great.”

After preparing for months, the fall play Fools is almost here. The play will take place on Nov. 19- 21.

Tickets are being sold next week and the week of the play for $6 in lunches or $7 at the door. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7.

Sophomore Trevin Stephenson received the male lead, and senior Erica Childs was given the female lead. Since Stephenson and Childs received their roles, they have been working hard with the rest of the cast and crew to get ready for the play.

“We were looking for people with good comedic timing and that could really pull off being stupid,” president of drama department Nicole Cuneo said. “And that’s what we have.”

It’s a week before the show and cast and crew are hoping to put on a great production.

“Fools is a ridiculously great play,” sophomore and crew member Cassie Witte said. “The show will be marvelous just like the cast.”

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To see pictures from the fall play, visit the Web site on Nov. 8 to view the photo gallery.

Classes learn stocks through game lizzie.johnson

The Thursday before Fall Break marked the beginning of a month-long battle for money between the students of Mike Freedline’s three Personal Finance classes. The students, along with pupils from both Joe DiCiechi and Mim Eaton’s Personal Finance classes, are competing in an online virtual stock exchange in an effort to learn more about the fundamentals of investing in stocks and investments.

“I hope they gain an appreciation for the elements of risk and reward [in investing],” DiCiechi said. “And ideally that investing in individual stocks is risky and not the way to go.”

In the game, the students all begin with 100,000 virtual dollars. The objective is to wisely invest the majority,

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page design by sam.dulaney

if not all, of the money into lucrative stocks and by Thanksgiving Break have made the largest profit of all participating students. Students have the opportunity to buy, sell, and trade stocks in the virtual market just as real investors do on Wall Street. “[The game] gives them an idea how they can make or lose money and shows them how the economy is doing,” Freedline said.

Personal Finance student junior Jason Cothern is one of the approximate 170 students currently playing the game. Like many of his peers, Cothern knew little about how to manage stock investments before being introduced to the virtual stock market. “[I’ve learned] everything about stocks,” Cothern said. “I knew nothing about it before.”

Becoming Stock Savvy Personal Finance classes have been learning about stocks to participate in a statewide virtual stock market competition. Here are some pointers.

Stock is the smallest unit of a share of a company. Someone who owns a share owns a portion of the company. If someone has enough stock in a company, they have some say as to how the company is run.

Look for trends of growing return on net worth. Net worth return is the profit after taxes divided by the net worth.

Whatever you do, do not put all your money on high risk stocks! Spread the wealth among low and high risk. If one bombs, you still have others.

When considering what stock to buy, look at the stock value- not the price. The price may be low for a reason, so look for possibilities that they will rise!

information from www.buzzle.com

paige.yungermann

Volunteers help out at last year’s StuCo’s canned food drive. Students donate their canned goods to be given to a food pantry where they will feed people in need. (file photo)

StuCo collects cans for needy brittany.lousbury

StuCo. will be running the canned food drive from Nov. 16-20 where students can bring in various types of foods that will eventually be donated to the food pantry. StuCo tries to emphasize on doing activities to help different places around the area which is one of the reasons why they do the canned food drive.

“StuCo. wants to do more for the community than just the school,” sponsor Shelly Grimshaw said. “And I like to see how giving the kids are at FHN.” One teacher who has inspired his class to bring in various types of food each year is Ron Ochu as his class has won the competition more than 10 times. StuCo’s goal this year, however, is to encourage as many classes to participate as possible to reach out to the community even more.

“Hopefully everyone will participate,” StuCo. cabinet member Amanda Cornett said. “But I think that at least one third will help out.”

There are many steps for the canned food drive to be a sucess and Crystal Friedman, StuCo. president, is looking forward to the challenge.

“I want to be there for every step of the drive and the collection process,” Friedman said. “I hope a lot of people help and get involved. Help us help them.”

fhn

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To find out how many cans StuCo collected during their annual canned food drive check out the Web site.

Once again, high school students are preparing to take the ACT. To help students at North succeed on the ACT, there is the ACT Cambridge Review Test Preparation Course. This course takes place on Thursdays in room 208 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It started on Oct. 29 and ends Dec. 10, making for a total of seven sessions.

“The review course is for any students interested in taking the ACT,” teacher of the math and science portion of the course Patricia Bartell said.

Along with Bartell, Mary Baker, and Tom Daugherty help with the

course. Baker teaches the English and reading portions of the course and Daugherty is the coordinator. To help students prepare for the ACT, Bartell and Baker review with students some basic concepts of high school math, science, English, and reading. The students also learn test taking strategies and take a practice test.

Junior Ida Asega is taking this course and she hopes it will help her achieve a 27 on the ACT. “I just wanted to take it because I want to get a good score on the ACT because it really helps when applying for college to have a good ACT score,” Asega said.

While it is too late to sign up this year, the ACT is offered in February.

This course will also be available next spring. It cost $125 and is on a first come, first serve basis, with only 30 spots open. “[I would recommend this course] to any students who want to do well or improve on the ACT,” Bartell said.

get.informed

Cambridge review preps students for ACT

ACT DO’S AND DON’TS “Take a practice test online.”

Thu Nguyen

“Take it as many times as you can.”

Matt Oliveros

x x

“Don’t stay up too late.”

Courtney Shulze

“No energy drinks before.”

Amir Shahri

Marching band practices together for their Greater Saint Louis Marching Invitational competition on Saturday Oct. 24. The band placed eighth out of 12 at the competition on Saturday Their last performance of the season was on Friday, Oct. 30 at the football game. (fareeha amir)

Band, color guard end on a high note lauren.skinner

As Marching band and Color guard had their last competition on Oct. 24 (a competition in which they placed eighth out of 30 teams), they were satisfied with their season as a whole.

“This year’s season has been a lot more fun than any other season possibly because we performed more challenging material this year,” senior Ryan Block said.

With many of the members of color guard and marching band being seniors this year, the members were hoping for a truly amazing season which was exactly what they got with a little practice, hard work, and a

great mix of people. One of their high points was when they achieved the Golden Show, one of the highest honors in band competitions, in one of their performances.

“I am so proud of the band this year,” Band director Jeff Moorman said. “They hit the golden show once this year which is what really matters.

They were together emotionally and musically. It’s called the Golden Show because everyone is on the same page and the crowd is really into it. We had people standing on their feet that weren’t even there for us.”

As the season has come to an end, and for seniors their last competition ever in high school, it is something

that senior Deanna Wohldmann will greatly miss.

“I’m going to miss the random things we would do at competitions, but I know that the seniors are leaving it in good hands”, Wohldmann said. “If anything, the skill level might go down a little, but they will just rebuild just like they do every year.”

Auditions for winter guard were held on Thursday Nov. 5 in the band room. Drumline auditions are going on all this week after school.

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To see who made Winter guard and Drumline check out the Web site next week. page design by zach.meier

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photo

Schuster retires early

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Some of the players of the DECA Jump-Off answer the question, “Why do you think your team will win?”

Sam Baker, 12 “We have had determination and a lot of talent this year.”

Junior Nick Ganousis plays in the Deca Jump-Off which took place last year. Deca will be hosting the basketball game again this year in November. (file photo)

Deca Jump-Off begins

Students and staff compete against each other seniors have taken special recognition to the staff’s main strength, Wagner ECA is hosting their anthinks the seniors will win because of nual jump-off on Nov. 12. The the experience they have. sophomore versus junior game “We have a lot of kids who played will be held at 6:30 p.m., and the basketball until 10th grade,” Wagner senior versus faculty and staff game said. “Plus we have a lot of athletic will start shortly after at 7:15 p.m. This girls.” will be the 5th annual DECA Jump-off Before the seniors take on the staff, and things the junior have been will play the added this sophomores.

Our one weakness is we Junior Nick year making this year a aren’t as young. We’re one Ganousis little differthe game year older than last year.” sees ent but still being an even exciting. match in skill.

“We “I think have it will be added Norm coming,” DECA sponsor good competition,” Ganousis said.

Melissa Trochim said. “Doc Hennef“And they will probably put up a good fent is an announcer and the faculty show.” cheerleaders will be there too.”

With the high level of exciteThe big rivalry is against the staff ment, competition and class pride of and faculty versus the seniors. The winning, Trochim and other DECA staff, who has won five years in a row, members wish to see many students plans to win again this year. present at the jump-off to cheer on the “Our strengths are five-peat, Larry teams as they battle it out for the win.

Scheller and five-peat again,”science “It is just an opportunity to kick teacher Matthew Riffee said. “Our one off the basketball season,” Trochim weakness is we aren’t as young. We’re said. “And it is a fundraiser for DECA. one year older than last year.”

We hope that everyone comes out to The seniors are confident but realsupport their class teams.” ize the staff and faculty’s big strength which is, according to senior Tyler pictures from the Deca JumpWagner, “Mr. Scheller, Mr. Scheller fhn Off,Forcheck out the Web site on Nov. today and Mr. Scheller.” Even though the 12 to view the photo gallery. danielle.yuede

D Matthew Riffee, Science “Five peat.”

Kelley Krause, 12 “Cause we’re stacked, and we’re gonna shut down Scheller.”

Kristen Johnson, English “We have the most talent and it’s tradition.”

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he started out as a speech pathologist. She’s worked in Fulton, Ladue and St. Charles.

And now, she’s retiring.

After four years as Superintendent, Renee Schuster is leaving the Francis Howell School District. In fact, she plans to leave the area completely.

Her decision to leave lies primarily within her family - her husband is currently jobless. They plan on “sticking together” and are currently looking for a location where they both can find unemployment. She is seeking a similar position to that she holds now.

The news of her retirement came as a shock to most.

“I was surprised,” Assistant Principal Tony Grippi said. “It was unexpected. But family always comes first.”

Before she could officially retire, she had to present her request to the Board of Education for approval. At their Oct. 29 meeting, the Board approved her proposal (by a 6-0 vote) and terminated her contract. She will finish the 09-10 school year as Superintendent. At the next Board meeting - to be held Thursday, Nov. 19 - the Board will go over two actions they plan to take to begin the replacement process.

Schuster hopes the selection will be made by January so she will have ample time to assist with their transition.

Her administrative assistant Patty Knight has enjoyed working with her for nearly four years. “[I’m going to miss] her vision for our school district and her caring positive attitude,” Knight said. “I think she’s done an excellent job pushing the District forward in a positive direction.”

Schuster considers these past four years a success; the District ACT average raised from a 22 to a 22.8, MAP testing scores have improved steadily and Advanced Placement test participation has multiplied. She still has “a lot to do” and plans to get building projects off the ground, complete strategic financial planning and make futher steps in student acheivement.

“I love education,” Schuster said, “so I’m hoping to get to serve another community like Francis Howell.”

get.informed Senior Brenton Harms works on putting a bike together during Bikes for Kids. Last year around 300 bikes were assembled. (file photo)

NHS builds bikes for needy kids emily.forst Seniors Brittany Velasco and Annie McFarland hand Jack Ameis a raffle ticket last year during American Education Week. This year, prizes will be given to teachers who gets the most raffle tickets from answering questions. (file photo)

American Education Week

KOE honors teachers for their dedication rachel.hunt

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uring the week of Nov. 16-20, Knights of Excellence (KOE) members will be celebrating American Education Week. Teachers will be recognized as students will realize how important their educators are. Teachers will be given the opportunity to dress up and participate with North students each day of that week. “[American Education Week] gives teachers an opportunity to get acknowledged for their work and just to have a little bit of fun as well,” Co-vice president Meagan Bruns said.

“Students can realize how much teachers actually do for us as students.”

Last year, KOE celebrated American Education Week for the first time. The theme was Hollywood. This year, KOE decided on a Homecoming dance theme.

“This year [the theme] gets students more involved with the daily activities and dress-up days,” officer Monica Dutridge said.

The events and dress-up themes of the week include teachers dressing in:

North attire, alumni attire, dressing as the teachers ‘clique’ (cheerleader, jock, etc), teachers dressing as students (vice versa), and Homecoming formal attire.

“Some students really get into [American Education Week],” Dutridge said.

To recognize the teachers that are participating in the festivities, a raffle will be held on Wednesday Nov. 18 where multiple prizes will be given away to teachers. KOE members will be walking around with tickets and will be asking teachers questions. Once teachers answer one of the questions that the KOE members ask, they will receive a ticket. The teacher with the most tickets then wins a prize.

Because last year’s American Education Week was the first for Knights of Excellence to celebrate, most members have high hopes for this year as well.

“I just hope students realize that being a teachers isn’t always boring,” president of KOE Lauren Brown said. “[Teachers] work really hard and give so much for us to go unrecognized.”

Days of American Education Week Monday Wear your favorite college or high school clothes.

Tuesday

Teachers dress up as their clique from high school.

Wednesday Raffle Day! Teachers chase students for raffle tickets.

Thursday Teacher Homecoming dinner (lunch) and red carpet walk.

Friday Switch it day! Teachers dress as students and vice versa.

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Check out our web site next week to see pictures of American Education Week.

For the fourth consecutive year, National Honor Society will be volunteering at an event called Bikes for Kids. Bikes for Kids is a program run by Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis and the St. Louis Rams. NHS, along with other schools and organizations, will be assembling bikes for underprivileged children.

“A bike is a necessary thing,” Junior NHS club president, Abigail Oleshchuk said. “Everyone should have a bike.”

Bikes for kids will be on Nov. 17 at Whitfield College Preparatory school. NHS will be attending the event from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“It’s one of those activities when you actually get to see the finished product,” NHS sponsor Tom Daugherty said.

Last year, NHS made around 40 bikes, and approximately 300 bikes were made total. Over 2,000 bikes have been given to children, ages 5-14, through Bikes for Kids. Along with the bike, children get a helmet, a bike lock, and safety instructions.

NHS sees this as a very rewarding program.

“The smile on their face when they get it is like ‘Wow, this is mine,’” Senior NHS sponsor Donna Malkmus said. “It’s very worth it.” page design by emily.forst

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what’s given up Fister served for many years in the U.S. Military. With the job he was able to travel to many places and see the world. On his uniform there are severals medals and embelems from around the world. (fareeha amir)

Fister family gives up chance to spend time with extended family Tim Fister remembers his past in the military and how it effected his family, and their lifestyle. While he was away serving the nation his family had to manage without him. (fareeha amir)

In addition to the missions Tim Fister took part in, portion of his military training took place in Baumholder, Germany. (photo submitted)

08 page design by kelsey.bell & chelsey.damalas

hen Sophomore Nikki Fister was born, her mother, Renee, acted as the primary caregiver to Nikki and her siblings while her father, Tim, was traveling for work.

His career required him to be away a lot. This was not a career in which outof-town trips consisted of being only a couple hours away and only gone for a weekend, but instead trips that might be as long as a year.

“For me it was a job, and I didn’t know anything else,” Tim said. “It was an opportunity to get out and see the world.”

This career was called the military.

Tim was deployed numerous times to a variety of places during operations such as Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was occupied by both his military duties and his parental duties as he tried to remain a part of the kids’ lives and do his job at the same

time. While Tim struggled to stay connected, Renee was trying to keep Nikki and her brothers’ lives as normal as possible while still giving them a sense that Tim was present.

Doing this while Tim was gone for long periods of time was the real struggle.

“It was hard, but its part of the lifestyle,” Renee said. “As the wife you learn to do things on your own.

You learn to be the leader for a little while. You go on, but when they get back you’ve bonded even more.

When you’re separated you learn how much you do do for each other.”

Nikki and her brothers, Sean and Ryan, spent part of their lives moving from station to station while Tim was away sometimes for a year at time. He missed holidays, special events, and every day moments with his family.

“There were times on their birthdays I’d call just to ask their mom

Tim Fister bonded with his tentmate’s during the time he was deployed to Iraq. While he was gone, his family was living in Germany. (photo submitted)

Tim Fister was deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborn division Charlie company. In the sand at their feet is a model of their insignia. (photo submitted)

kelsey.bell

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life.style

what I got them, so when they got on the phone I could ask them how they liked their birthday present,” Tim said. “It was really weird. Then I’d come back and they’d be an inch taller.”

The most prominent thing that the Fister family gave up during their military experience was time with their extended family. They were so far away from the rest of their family that it was hard for them to maintain a strong bond with them. They created an internal connection with each other that helped them get through the separations with their father and their family back home. Along with that, they made connections with the people they met along their journey.

“You give up a lot of things,” Renee said. “Your kids don’t grow up with grandparents, cousins, uncles, or aunts. You lose that connection with them, but as a military family you bond closer together. You try and make up for what you’re losing with your real family with the people around you who are going through the same thing you are. You give up what you gain.”

After years of bouncing around from different stations and operations, Tim was given the option to quit the military lifestyle. They would have to leave the new friendships, connections, and places they had discovered during their experience; however, he and his family could go back to the United States, their family, and the familiarity of home. It was a decision the whole family had to make.

“It was the time to choose,” Tim said. “I could either go out, or stay in. Unemployment was low and the housing market was the best it’s ever been. We decided to go home. It was the end of one chapter but the beginning of another.”

Veteran Tim Fister sits with his daughter, sophomore Nikki Fister. Both have lived part of their lives in Germany. Nikki was born in Germany and lived there for two years, while Tim lived in Germany for ten years. (fareeha amir)

When Nikki and her family came back home, they were different than their peers. They did not realize that the places they had seen, the experiences they had had, and the people they had met were things most people did not get to experience. To Nikki and her family, it is a part of their life.

They established a bond with their extended family once they got back, but they maintained the bond they made with each other and the people they met during their military experience.

“It affected my family because we always had to move around, and we were far away from the rest of our family,” Nikki said. “But I don’t think it was a bad thing [that he joined] because it made our family who we are.”

Tim Fister spent many holidays away from his family while he was traveling during his deployment. To stay connected during one of these long separations that stretched over the Christmas holiday, he sent this photo home to his loved ones to wish them a merry Christmas. A handwritten note on the back of the photo reads, “Merry Christmas, I thought I was an elf.” (photo submitted)

FHN gives up teacher to war

FHN science teacher, Chris Dalton began his year long deployment to Afghanistan in August. (photo submitted)

FHN science teacher, 1st Captain Christopher Dalton and his unit, 90th Sustainment Brigade, are currently deployed to Afghanistan. FHN will be sending a collection of beneficial donations to Dalton and his unit.

In addition, FHN will hold a spare change drive during lunches on november 11.

items accepted from November 11-30

requested items to be collected: snack foods chewing gum ground coffee chap stick playing cards sun screen

ground coffee cough drops power bars boot length socks contact lense solution disposable cameras

postage stamps hand lotion bug spray pens/pencils writing tablets envelopes

complete list available with Arlene Kearns in the main office page design by chelsey.damalas & kelsey.bell

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Blake Everitt gives up time with his family to persue his goals chelsey.damalas

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ourageous. Honorable.

Devoted.

Those three words describe what every sailor in the U.S. Navy is required to be.

Blake Everitt, now age 20, enlisted two years ago because he was inspired by his father Jamieson Everitt’s achievements in the U.S. Army.

“My dad has influenced me the most because I have always looked up to him,” Blake said. “Since he was in the Army, I wanted to defend my country like he has done.”

Jamieson was in the army for 20 years which affected both of his children, Blake and Brittany Everitt. From the strictness of their father and the constant worrying to experiencing the downfalls of their father’s suffering after both the Gulf and Iraq wars, they stuck to his side through the rough times.

“From my dad being in the Army, my brother, my family and I have suffered because when my dad came back from war he went through things that none of us could understand,” daughter Brittany Everitt said. “He would dream of things that we couldn’t even imagine. He became a totally different person, that none of us knew anymore, but he was still the family member we loved.”

Even though Jamieson suffered symptoms of clinical anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, he feels that they were not his worst symptoms.

“I think the hardest thing in the

military is being away from the ones we love most,” Jamieson said.

Although many of the soldiers, generals, and sergeants give up many things in the long process of succeeding in their goals, Blake and his father both relate that they are required to give up things in their lives to live up to the honor they will receive.

“I had to give up a few years with my family, but it is a small sacrifice to get me the honor and respect I am receiving,” Blake said.

Enlisting into the military requires that each individual has earned a high school diploma. The Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery [ASVAB] test is also necessary to determine your placement in the service and to clarify which branch you’re completely interested in. The ASVAB is a multiple choice test that each branch grades differently. The higher someone scores on the test, the more jobs they are qualified for.

“I planned to go into the Air Force Academy at first to become a pilot but I wanted to gain some solid experience before I became a officer, so I decided to pick the navy,” Blake said.

“The Navy gave me a goal, I am going to try and beat my dad’s accomplishments. So far I’m on track. I made e4 [petty officer, 3rd class] in less than a year, and I am now working on my bachelor’s degree.”

In the Navy there a distinct diversity of races, nationalities, and styles. According to Blake, you can find nerds, preps, gang members, and people from other countries. The Navy doesn’t only give you the benefit of meeting people with new cultures and styles, but also gives the advantage

Blake Everitt stands with father Jamieson Everitt after Jamieson and the family attended Blakes Navy graduations. Blake’s family was very proud to see that all of his hard work finally paid off. (photo submitted)

to receive educational support, 30 days of paid vacation, and extensive travel in exotic places. To get the privileges that the navy offers receive, each sailor has to follow certain restrictions. Drugs and under-age drinking are not allowed. Also, there are different uniform regulations and codes of conduct you have to follow along with. These strict regulations and guidelines has allowed Blake to become a better person.

“From the Navy, I feel that Blake has matured ahead of his peers, he is more responsible and dependable then many people his age,” Jamieson said. I am very proud.”

The Navy doesn’t only allow soldiers to help other people, but it allows

them to help themselves. Each person receives a wide range of opportunities to choose from and to accomplish. Being in the military makes a statement: to fight for what they think is right.

In the process, soldiers defend their country, help their society, and resolve conflicts around the world.

“Being in the military, you are doing something that many people in our country are scared to do,” Jamieson said. “ It shows bravery, selfless service for this nation and installs strong morals and values in a person.”

fhn

today com

Check out FHNtoday.com for a brief story on the importance of Veterans day and some Veterens Day activities going on around St. Charles.

10 steps to join military 1. Research information 2. Decide if this is the right time for you 3. Choose the right path 4. Meet with a recruiter 5. Score high on the ASVAB

10

page design by kelsey.bell & chelsey.damalas

6. Get the best job for yourself 7. Find information on medical and legal conditions.

8. Raise your right hand 9. Get ready for bootcamp 10. Your there, make the most of what your about to experience. information by www.military.com

Lakeview farms hosts various fall activities

nicole.clouse

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all can be a time for family, friends and fun. At Lakeview Farm Pumpkin Patch, fall is a time for family activities, pumpkin picking and getting outdoors. At this local family-owned and operated St. Charles farm located at 4040 Towers Rd., outdoor activities have been provided for the public for over 20 years.

“I started out with a pile of pumpkins in my front yard,” owner Mark Ostmann said. “And I just kept building to make the farm what it is now. You get different ideas and try something and just hope it grows.”

During the month of September, 6-7 days a week are spent setting up all the activities. The family works 8-10 hour days to assemble the hay maze and playground. The farm also provides a petting zoo and pony rides for children on the weekends. At the petting zoo, children have the opportunity to see goats, a sheep and a baby calf. The farm also boards horses that can be seen all year long. “[The farm] is very entertaining,” sophomore Emma Nicolli said. “There are a lot of things to do for kids and young adults. I really enjoyed their mazes. It’s just a really cool place.”

To go along with all of the outdoor recreation, the farm also offers a wide variety of items to purchase. Their biggest attraction is their pumpkins.

Their pumpkins vary in looks and size with some even reaching two feet in diameter. Furthermore, the farm also

sells firewood, corn, straw and gourds to add to fall decorations. These items are only sold during the fall season.

Although, during the summer time the family also sells fresh produce such as tomatoes, sweet corn and cantaloupe to anyone who visits.

“Everything is home grown,” son and co-owner Dustin Ostmann said.

“We have a variety of pumpkins that you can’t find at the grocery stores.

People really think that is unique.”

According to Dustin, throughout the fall season the farm can see an average of 2,000 people. Roadside signs and an up-to-date Web site are the only ways to locate this family owned farm in residential St. Charles county.

Loyal and dependable customers help to spread the word about this one-of-akind local family farm.

“We’ve been here for a long time and we are customer-based,” Mark said. “Everybody just keeps coming back. I know people who have brought their kids here and then their grandchildren here. It’s very interesting.”

As time goes on, Lakeview Farm remains a community favorite. From picking through a large variety of unique pumpkins, riding a pony, or visiting the petting zoo, the farm offers a truly delightful and memorable time.

“If you are thinking of going to get a pumpkin you should go to the Lakeview Farm Pumpkin Patch,” Nicolli said. “They have some really interesting things to do. I love the fun atmosphere. It really is fun for the whole family.”

A goat takes a break from eating a pumpkin at Lakeview Farms located off of Towers. (stephanie graflage)

Lakeview Farms has a display of pumpkins as people walk up to make picking out the perfect pumpkin more coinvent. They also provide many extras such as wagons to make it easier to transport your purchases. (stephanie graflage)

page design by danielle.yuede & hannah.hamilton

11

life.style

Pumpkin patch makes for fall fun

A little girl and her mother walk to pay for the pumpkins they just picked out. They both enjoyed the straw maze, petting zoo, and kid-friendly playground. (stephanie graflage)

Q

&A

To the left, Lynn Roemer holds a picture of her family back in Germany.

Lynn heard about the exchange program from her friends. (kaitlyn williams)

with senior German exchange student Lynn Roemer as told to liana.ramsey

NS: When did you first hear of the exchange program?

Below, Lynn Roemer stands with her host mother she lives with in St. Charles.

Although Lynn misses her friends and family in Germany, her hosts have made it easier for her. (kaitlyn williams)

LR: Three years ago, I heard [about] it from some friends. So I made the decision to come.

NS: Why did you want to become a part of the exchange program?

LR: I wanted to meet new people, see the country, hear the language, and know about the different states.

NS: What concerns did you have about leaving your home?

Q

&A

with senior Chinese exchange student Quan Quan Li (Miya) as told to liana.ramsey

NS: When did you first hear of the exchange program?

ML: My mom - she thought a different culture would be great.

NS: Why did you want to become a part of the exchange program?

ML: I wanted to know more culture and get a higher education NS: What concerns did you have about leaving your home?

ML: I would miss my family but mostly my classmates and friends.

LR: I was scared about the flight. I’m not very home sick. My hosts are like my family. But I miss my friends.

NS: What were your first impressions of America?

NS: What were your first impressions of America?

ML: I was so scared, my mom wanted me to learn how to live by myself and not rely on parents.

LR: I was scared I wouldn’t understand the language and the students [here] would make fun of our cultural change.

I was just nervous.

NS: What are you having the hardest time dealing with in America?

NS: What are you having the hardest time dealing with in America?

ML: Making friends, it’s hard, too many people make it seem like they care about my country and not me.

LR: I can’t drive. I drive everywhere in Germany but here it’s not allowed. I miss it.

NS: Do you like the classes here?

NS: Do you like the classes here?

LR: Yeah, I like the teachers and there is more stuff you can learn here where in Germany you can only choose from 20 classes.

ML: Yeah, English is easy for me but when I get in History I don’t know what the teacher is teaching.

NS: How is school different here vs. school in Germany?

NS: How is school different here vs. school in China?

LR: The teachers are friendly and here, it’s easier. You can do sports. I don’t have sports at home. I play tennis here.

ML: In China we study all day from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. then extra homework.

Here there’s more activities and more clubs to join.

NS: Which school system do you like better? Why?

NS: Which school system do you like better? Why?

LR: Here, you get to choose so many classes and in Germany you can’t choose much.

12 page design by taylor.berra & scott.jones

In China, there are less clubs and more homework than in America. Despite differences from school in China, Quan Quan Li likes FHN. (kaitlyn williams)

Quan Quan Li stands under China’s flag. She came to America to experience more culture. (kaitlyn williams)

ML: FHN is better. I think the teachers are very kind, and encourage you to do better.

life.style

Ryberg learns

the moves from Hickerson

lauren.skinner

L

oud music. Cheers and applause coming from all around. The beat of the music pulsates through their bodies.

Sophomores Christian Hickerson and Bryan Ryberg share the passion of break dancing; a passion that has brought them together not only as friends, but also as dancers.

It all started when Christian was entering middle school. He did not want to be someone who was standing off to the sidelines of the middle school dances and waiting for the moment the dance would end. So to prevent himself from feeling complete humiliation or left out, he began taking hip-hop dance classes. He entered the sixth grade dance with confidence, and he also showed his classmates that he had a truly unique talent.

“I love how they will randomly break out and start break dancing at the school dances or when we are just chilling at peoples’ houses,” sophomore Abbie Krenning said. “They are so hilarious.”

Bryan was not feeling the same pressure Christian faced with not knowing how to dance; he simply

Ryberg

Hickerson

thought Christian’s talent was original and wanted to know how it was done.

He asked Christian to teach him a few moves - an innocent request that would end up turning into Bryan’s passion as well.

“Break dancing with Bryan is different in the sense that we tend to be more aggressive and competitive with each other,” Christian said. “But at the same time, we also learn from each other.”

Break dancing is not all about having fun. It takes time, effort, and practice. Practicing the moves they want to execute is a huge part of break

dancing. Without practicing, the dancer could be injured or end up embarrassing themselves, according to Bryan. But the time, effort, and practice that is put into the moves can result in having great memories such as Bryan’s eighth grade talent show the first time he actually performed in front of an audience - and the random memories such as performing for fun at dances and while hanging out with friends.

“There is a certain rush you get when you’re performing, even if you’re just goofing off with your friends,” Bryan said.

The fun, the rush and intensity of performing, and the support gathered from family and friends are all reasons why break dancing has become such a significant part of Christian and Bryan’s life. Dancing has also taught them that everything achieved comes from hard work.

“If I could tell everyone the one lesson I have learned through break dancing, [it] would be that if you put your mind to something, you really can accomplish anything,” Bryan said.

fhn

today com

learn the

STEPS

“The 6-Step”

Start in crouched position.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Bring right leg across left leg.

Put right hand down and left foot straight out.

Match right leg with left with both hands on the ground.

Bring left leg forward.

Bend right leg under left leg.

Return to crouched position.

Check out FHNtoday.com for footage of Ryberg and Hickerson breakdancing.

Watch the videos and see step-by-step instructions on how to do a few moves. page design by abbey.grone

13

The Eichers, an Amish family outside of Bowling Green, MO, hang dry their laundry as an aternate to using electric appliances. On Saturdays, the Eicher girls switch off between cleaning house and baking cookies in a wood oven, so that they do not always have to do the same chores. (paige yungermann)

Modern day teens live old-fashioned life paige.yungermann

A

large, white house sits on a grassy hill. Across the country gravel road, four horses and two cows graze in lush fields. There is a little sign near the house, reading Creekside Fabrics & Notions.

Inside, two girls in long, plain dresses and bonnets work on cleaning the main room and kitchen, while another mixes sugar cookie dough in a large metal bowl. It's a Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. Most teenagers are sleeping, but these girls and their family members got up with the rising sun.

“We usually clean on Saturdays and one of us makes cookies and a big lunch. That way, we don’t always do the same thing,” Katie Eicher said.

The girls’ mother, Clara Eicher, walks into the kitchen. This room, like all the others in the house, is very plain. It has white walls and light blue floorboards and doors. There is a ceramic counter and a sink. A large table sits next to a stove that not only heats the entire house, almost uncomfortably so, but serves for cooking and as a water heater.

This family is one of the 60-70 Amish families who live two hours outside St. Louis and 10 minutes outside Bowling Green, Missouri. Noah and Clara Eicher live with their three sons and three daughters, the last of their 11 children who are still at home. The three girls working in the house are 18-year-old Betty Eicher, 16-year-old Katie and their younger sister Marie.

14 page design by betsy.blanchard

Katie starts to prepare chicken for lunch.

“We put in eggs, crackers, and corn flakes and mix it all together. It usually takes about two hours to slow bake.”

By slow bake, she means cooking in the oven where the only way to regulate the temperature is by adding more or less wood. Most people would probably have trouble cooking like this, but Katie has never cooked any other way.

Fifteen-year-old Steven and his two younger brothers walk in through the back door. They carry rifles and wear matching jackets and hats, which they hang up on hooks on the wall.

Steven whistles and the other two boys chat with their sisters in Pennsylvania Dutch.

This is the language the Amish speak amongst each other.

“Pennsylvania Dutch is kind of an off-step of German,” said Katie.

“Usually our church services are in German, so we understand it but don't talk [in it].”

Steven now walks out the front door. He is planning on taking his horse for a ride over to his neighbors house, just to say hello. “[Horses] give me a way to get around and I can get out and enjoy the wildlife. I like horses so I ride them,” Steven said.

Steven retrieves his horse from a field and puts on the saddle. He then proceeds to lead his horse out of the barn and Steven starts to lead Betty, his uncle’s horse, who he is keeping to

ride for a little while. Steven leads the horse in several exercises.

“Mostly this stretches the neck muscles, which helps when turning in places [a horse couldn’t] normally. It’s like if you try to bend your back and touch your toes without bending your knees,” Steven said. “If you did that everyday, eventually you'd be able to touch the ground. Also, this way I can get her to move sideways while I’m riding her.”

After Steven finishes with the training exercises, he gets on the horse and rides off. He is going to ride around and stop at a neighbors house to say hello.

Inside, the girls continue to clean and cook. Betty walks up a stairway to her bedroom. At the top of the stairway is the room Katie and Marie share.

To the left is a spare bedroom and the room the three boys share. At the end of the hallway is Betty's room.

“I just got [done] cleaning,” she said. “It would look pretty messy otherwise.”

The walls are white and the room is filled with ordinary objects: a teddy bear, deodorant, a comb, an alarm clock and a box of tissues. On a shelf is a box of chocolates, in the shape of a heart. A gift from her boyfriend, Paul.

For the Amish, social lives - including dating - begin at age 17.

Betty said, “I don’t so much anymore, but when I was sixteen I thought about what it would be like to be English because I didn’t have a lot of friends at that age.”

But from age seventeen until mar-

riage, the Amish get together every church Sunday in the evenings. They play volleyball in the summer and sometimes go for buggy rides. Then for an hour, they sing songs in German. But the other teens in the family who are under 17 still find things to do.

“One of my hobbies is reading.

Christian romance novels [are my favorite],” Katie said. “I read if I have spare time. Right now I’m reading ‘Donovan’s Daughter,’ a romance novel by Lori Wick. We get books all the time at the public library in town.”

As for the younger kids, a big part of their lives is school. For them, school ends after eighth grade.

“We don’t really need higher learning for our lifestyle,” Katie said.

“I never really thought I would want to go to school further. Guess I’m used to it.”

But at age 17, the Amish do begin some form of schooling again. During the summer, all 17-year-olds in the Amish community take classes to prepare them for being baptized.

“The classes are about the Amish and our way of life,” Betty said. “The ministers teach us why we live like we do. We don’t really understand it [before that].”

The Amish have their own reasons for living differently than the rest of the society.

“We don’t want to be like the rest of the world. We have traditions,” Katie said. “[Modern conveniences] aren't necessary; we can do without.”

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WEEKEND

: 66

HOURS

2.75 DAYS 3,960

or

minutes

237,600 seconds

in.depth

It’s 2:20 on a Friday afternoon. Students rush out of the parking lot for two days of freedom from classrooms, teachers, and crowded hallways.

These two days are 39% of our lives. For the other 61%, our lives are spent occupied by the weekdays and school.

From sports games and parties to working and babysitting, this is our weekend. These are our 2.75 days. These are our 66 hours.

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

5 p.m.

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

“I practiced my guitar for my Church’s praise band,” senior Jesse Noel said.

“I got ready for senior night with a bunch of cheerleaders,” junior Abby Rollins said.

“I was rocking with my band members,” junior Andrew Brodnik said.

“I was going to my friend’s then we got ready to go over to my friend Alex’s,” sophomore Courtney Staley said.

“[Blake and I] were driving to go get sundae’s from McDonald’s,” sophomore Rachael Vanbooven said.

"I was enjoying the last football game of the season with my best friends Kelsey and Courtney," junior Sam Stubblefield said. page design by rachel.hunt

17

HOUR:5

Injured quarterback Jake Schneider gives advice to now starting quarterback Clint Toedtmann during the game on Oct. 30. This was Toedtmann’s first start as varsity quaterback. (greg felock)

Seniors struggle at last home game ryan.firle

2

:20 p.m. : 4 hours and 40 minutes until gametime The bell rings to signal the start of the weekend and the school quickly clears out. Other than various sports practices, there are not many children found lingering on the school campus anymore. The classrooms are empty. The hallways are quiet. The parking lot is no longer filled with obnoxious, reckless drivers. The commons, on the other hand, is one of the only places in school now occupied.

The Varsity football team starts to gather and engage in conversations about their game tonight against archrival Howell Central. Although the game no longer has playoff implications for either team, it is still just as big as it is the last time the seniors will ever play a high school football game.

It is senior night - the night they have been looking forward to for the entire

year.

2:45 p.m. : 4 hours and 15 minutes until gametime The players conversations are interrupted as several of their mom’s show up with the team’s pregame meal. Tonight the menu consists of pork tenderloin, noodles, fruit, rice krispy treats, and gatorade. Each player lines up to get their share and eventually take a seat.

Their is something missing in the atmosphere of the commons as senior quarterback Jake Schneider is nowhere to be found.

2:56 p.m. : 4 hours and 4 minutes until gametime Schneider makes his grand appearance. When most think of a grand appearance, they think of spotlights, a standing ovation, or maybe even a drumroll, but for Schneider, his actions are what make his appearance so grand. He is no longer moving swiftly and cutting in and out of his offensive line to get a first down,

but instead he is moving at a snail’s make his first start at quarterback at pace and trying to avoid obstacles on the Varsity level. the floor to prevent him from falling as “I’m excited and nervous because he is hopping around on crutches and I have to fill Jake’s shoes,” Toedtman a leg brace. said.

It all started last week in the game 3:11 p.m. 3 hours and 49 minutes against DeSmet. When Schneider until gametime was tackled on a run in the first As the players finish up eating quarter, the outcome was not as easy their pregame meal, they scatter to as popping back up and getting in the various areas of the school. Some huddle for the next play as he is so a head to the locker rooms to prepare custom to doing. their equipment but most go to coach “I heard it pop but didn’t know Little’s classroom to relax and watch a it was broken,” Schneider said. “It movie. Coach Brune pops the movie in didn’t really hurt that bad. I could and it projects onto the massive screen just feel tendons moving around and hanging in the front of the room. stuff.”

“Tell me these aren’t home vidHe sat out the rest of the game eos,” one of the players yells. and went to “They the doctor are my the next home day where videos,” the horrific Brune I kinda thought that four news was replies. years of work just went confirmed; “What he had movie is down the drain.” broken his it,” another fibula and player asks. would have “Wildto miss his cats,” last game of his high school career.

Brune responds.

Not only would he miss the game, but Each and every week, Brune he potentially missed out on two allshows a movie to the team after their time records. He was 26 passing yards pregame meal. from the all-time passing record, and “Keeping them here keeps them he was two touchdowns away from the focused on the game and prevents bad all-time scoring record: two records things from happening,” Brune says. that were very capable of accomplishToedtman sits in a row by himself ing in his last game. with his headphones in and is heavily “I kinda thought that four years concentrated on the movie until senior of work just went down the drain,” Nick DiMarco interrupts the silence of Schneider said. “I’ve been doing it all the room. my life [playing football] and working “What time we leaving? Clint ya to play in high school and then one know what time we leaving?” thing stops me.”

“No,” Toedtman responds.

A heart-breaking story for one is Dimarco, a jack-of-all-trades playan opportunity for another. When the er who plays wide receiver, tight end, news was confirmed that Schneider linebacker, and kicker, is a record had broken his leg, junior Clint holder at North along with Schneider.

Toedtman was called to action to Several weeks ago he broke the

“

9 p.m.

10 p.m.

11 p.m.

12 a.m.

1 a.m.

“I was watching [the movie] ‘Repo’,” sophomore Abby Bounds said.

“[My boyfriend, Kyle, and I] were watching [the movie] ‘Se7en’,” junior Emily Wilkins said.

“I was babysitting my nieces,” junior Tessa Haegle said.

“I was sleeping,” junior Anna Seamon said.

“I was hanging out with friends, driving around,” junior Megan Tattitch said.

18 page design by rachel.hunt

2 a.m.

“I had friends over and we were all watching ‘Saw 4’,” junior Taylor Sullivan said.

The coaches call for the players to do walkthroughs to make sure they all know their assignments.

Special teams first. Defense second. Offense third. The team is ready and hits the field to start their official warm-up.

6:09 p.m. : 51 minutes until gametime DiMarco practices field goals and punts and then heads over to the receiver lines to get a feel with his new quarterback. Toedtman drops back several steps and hits DiMarco on a perfect fade route: precision.

While DiMarco, Toedtman, and the rest of the team stretch and finish their warmup, Schneider (usually the person who leads the stretches) stands leaning on his crutches with his head down.

Clearly he is not his usual up-beat self.

“It was a sinking feeling to see that [Jake breaking his leg] after all of the time and effort that kid put in,” Assistant coach Mike Parker said.

6:57 p.m. : 3 minutes until gametime After all of the senior night festivities are finished, the game is about to start. Captains are called to the center of the field. Schneider does not let his broken leg take him out of his normal routine. He slowly makes his way out to get to experience his captain roll for the very last time.

7:00 p.m. : gametime The whistle blows and DiMarco kicks the ball off the tee to signal the start of the game: touchback.

What DiMarco, Toedtman, Schneider, and the rest of the team do not realize is what is in store for them in their last game of the season.

9:30 p.m. : end of the season

3 a.m.

“I was at my house and we were playing ping pong,” senior Micheal Comer said.

After playing an entire career to get to this point, it was a senior night that no one could have envisioned.

Schneider experienced his last high school game of his career on the sidelines. Senior Mike Castro broke his finger and went to the hospital right before halftime. Toedtman’s first start at quarterback of his career did not go as planned as the offense could not move the ball consistently. DiMarco’s story was just as bad as the other three.

With 3:24 left in the 3rd quarter, he and senior Josh Foeller hit helmets on a tackle and both lay motionless for minutes. Josh was able to get up under his own power, but DiMarco was not so lucky. He was knocked unconscious from the hit and needed help to the sidelines. After passing the concussion test and being told he could go back

in.depth

all-time receiving record with 1,003 yards with the closest to him having 752. He also has the single season receiving record with 643 yards (99 yards ahead of the second place receiver). Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is that DiMarco earned honors of 2nd team all-conference on offense, 2nd team all-conference on special teams, and 3rd team all-conference on defense all in his junior year.

One of the only positions that he has not played in his storied career at the Varsity level is safety. But there is a first for everything. When Schneider, the starting safety along with being the quarterback, received the news he had broken his leg, their were two big vacancys. Obviously Toedtman is filling in as quarterback, but DiMarco was called upon early in the week to fill the roll of safety.

3:52 p.m. : 3 hours and 8 minutes until gametime The players eventually found out that the bus was leaving between 4:45 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. so DiMarco, Toedtman, and some of the other plays go to the locker room to get ready.

5:28 p.m. : 1 hour and 32 minutes until gametime The team is now in the locker room at Francis Howell getting prepared for their game. It is suppossed to be a home game for North, but due to inclement weather that caused terrible field conditions, the game was switched to Howell on their brand new turf.

DiMarco is busy tying his cleats and putting on the rest of his equipment. Toedtman listens to his iPod and stretches his hamstrings. Jake is the only player not in the locker room; instead, he is on the field away with several coaches.

“I feel like there is something missing, “ Schneider says. “I don’t know how to explain it. It feels like I should be out there with them.”

in, the refs did not want to risk any serious injury and immediately told him that he had to sit out the rest of the game. All of the emotions of senior night and the realization of his last game ever in high school came tumbling down on DiMarco. He lay at the far side of the sidelines and cried for minutes. The Knights lost 31-16.

Even through all of the sad emotions accompanying the team at the end of the game, coach Brune managed to brighten the spirit.

“I hope you learned a lot about yourselves and what it takes to have success,” Brune says with tears in his eyes. “I’m going to miss a lot of you guys. It’s a great day to be a Knight.”

The final score of the varsity football game was FHC-31, FHN-16.

HOUR:7

Senior Nick DiMarco prepares to tackle his Howell Central oponent on Oct. 30. DiMarco is one of the captains on the varsity football team. This is DiMarco’s fourth year on the team. (fareeha amir)

4 a.m.

“I was watching TV and getting ready for bed,” junior Jessica Reed said.

5 a.m.

“I was watching ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ in French,” senior Jo Heupel said.

6 a.m.

“I was loading up a car to go to Missouri State,” senior Justin Kendall said.

page design by rachel.hunt

19

HOUR:23 Nicole Cuneo rehearses the play with the director. The play is called Scrooge the Stingiest man in town, which will be preformed December 18,19,20 and the 21. Everyone is encouraged to come check out the play. (sam hurrell)

A fellow cast member and Nicole Cuneo rehearse for the play.

Practice for the play is held every Saturday at Saint Charles community College.

Cuneo plans on trying out for the Beauty in the Beast in January, which will also be held at Saint Charles Community College. (sam hurrell) Nicole Cuneo, who plays Belle in this Decembers play at SCC, has a fitting for her costume.

Cuneo is “ really excited for this musical because its her firs principal role.” Cuneo loves singing, dancing and acting, especially all three together. (sam hurrell)

Before Nicole Cuneo rehearses with the director she goes over her lines and her songs. This is not the first time Cuneo has had to memorize an entire characters role. Cuneo has been in eight different plays before this one. (sam hurrell)

7 a.m.

“I was watching music videos on the TV eating a bowl of cereal,” junior Rachel Pauley said.

8 a.m.

“I was going to the Ranch,” sophomore Kim Warden said.

20 page design by rachel.hunt & sam.hurrell

Junior Nicole Cuneo sings one of her character’s songs in the play for her director. She has been with the Tatt Holt Singers since April of this year. (sam hurrell)

Nicole Cuneo goes over the play with one of her fellow cast members. There are around 30 cast members in the Scrooge the Stingiest Man In Town. Cuneo plays Belle, Scrooges childhood sweetheart. (sam hurrell)

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

11 a.m.

“I woke up super early and was watching a movie and was trying to fall back asleep, senior Danielle Schmidle said.

“I was coloring a picture with my teammates Kelsey and Brianna while preparing for my cross country sectionals race,” senior Dianna Prost said.

“I went with the soccer team to FZE to watch [the team] play Pattonville for Districts,” junior Taylor Bell said.

HOUR:26

Renee Avants points at ancient figures at the Art Museum located in Forest Park. It is a great place to visit during the fall and into winter.

Along with the museums, ice skating in Forest Park available in December. (kaitlyn williams)

Renee Avants looks at modern pieces. The St. Louis Art Museum holds over 30,000 works of art. (kaitlyn williams)

In front of the museum is fair grounds from the 1904 World’s Fair. The Muny, History Museum, Boathouse and the St. Louis Zoo are located in Forest Park as well.(kaitlyn williams)

Renee Avants and Beth Hillis pass by a metal sculpture made out of scrap pieces of cars. The Art Museum holds a wide range of ancient, classic,and modern art. (kaitlyn williams)

Beth Hillis looks at a sculpture of a ballet dancer by Degas at the St. Louis Art Museum. The museum was founded in 1879 and has some of the finest collections in the country. (kaitlyn williams)

12 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

4 p.m.

“I was on Facebook trying to keep up my farm on Farmville,” sophomore Missy Holmes said.

“I was cleaning my basement for my birthday party,” junior Courtney Gunnet said.

“I was watching Scrubs at my friends house,” sophomore Chelsea Horton said.

“I was eating broccoli cheddar soup while watching TV,” junior Austin Ward said.

“I was driving home from my soccer game in Illinios,” junior Alyssa Bocci said.

page design by rachel.hunt & kaitlyn.williams

21

Senior David Tecklenburg plays a series guitar and is also the lead singer for Fighting For Friday.

Tecklenburg has been playing guitar for 10 years now.

The band Fighting For Friday originated Tecklenburg’s freshman year.

They went through several different names till they finally stayed with Fighting For Friday. (jacqueline sage)

‘Fighting for Friday’ plays with success mckenna.roberts

T

en years ago, David Tecklenburg began playing the guitar and singing. Five years ago, Connor Usry began playing the bass. Six years ago, AJ Blandina began playing the guitar and keyboard. Seven years ago, Thom Loeffler began playing the drums. Four years ago, they all brought their musical talents together and formed a band they called Fighting For Friday. Eleven days ago they played one of their biggest shows.

It’s 8:01 p.m. as Thom Loeffler pounds the drums with a steady beat.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

The fog machine kicks on.

“Put your hands up, clap ‘em!”

The crowd begins to clap along with the beat of the drum.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

“C’mon everybody! This party’s just getting started. Give it up for Fighting For Friday!”

The crowd roars and begins to jump as the lights go out. Red lights begin to flash with the beat of the song.

The room’s black.

Red. Black.

Red.

HOUR:28 One of Fighting For Friday’s biggest shows is on Halloween night.

They rent out the Stone Ridge club house and invite friends and anyone who’s interested in hearing them play.

This year they invited two other local bands to play as their opening bands to get everyone pumped up and ready.

“My favorite part about being in a band is just playing music and making art,” Loeffler said. “And having people just enjoy what we do.”

On this night, the band played ten of their favorite songs including “Don’t Look Down”, a loud song with an intense beat.

“Here’s what needs to happen on this next song,” Tecklenburg shouts.

“We’re gonna count to four and you’re gonna rock out and jump like you never have in your entire life.”

The music begins.

“1, 2, 3, 4!”

The crowd goes insane. There’s jumping, screaming and moshing in every direction. Tecklenburg leaps up onto a glass box glowing red and bangs his head up and down. A stampede of people surround him and reach their hands up to him and move their fingers as if they’re playing the guitar implying they want more. The stampede shifts to Blandina and does the exact same thing. The band gives them exactly what they want as they finish the song.

The room goes black as the music stops. The crowd is pleased.

Fighting for Friday started off basically like every other band does. They built a studio in Usry’s basement and began practicing and spending most of their time down there. The dedication and long hours of learning music and practicing not only brought them closer and better as a band but brought them all closer in friendship.

“It’s awesome just getting to do what I love with a couple of my best

friends,” Blandina said Fighting for Friday’s music bends back and fourth between punk, rock and music that just makes you want to dance. Six of the ten songs played this night were originals and the other four were mainly from bands they idol and resemble such as Family Force Five, Motion City Soundtrack and Ludo.

“Does anybody know the song Erfquake by Family Force Five?”

“I need you all to shake this place like a 10.0 earthquake!”

And the crowd does exactly that.

Tecklenburg sings the lyrics then points to the crowd and they yell the words right back at him.

“Drop that 8o8, the wall’s begin to shake. It’s too much for the club to take, it’s shakin’ like an Earthquake.

Devastation from the sounds I’m makin’ and there’s no escaping from the bass. It’s shakin’ like an Earthquake!”

The words stop as the room is filled with instrumental solo’s. The band head bangs and dances around the stage. The music fades as the crowd races up to the stage and begins high fiving the members of the band.

“That was great guys, I thought this place was gonna crumble,” Tecklenburg says.

“Now that we’re tired, let’s slow down. I wanna see phones in the air or slow dancing with someone else.”

Arms go up in the air with lighters and phones in each hand. They sway the light back and fourth to the beat of the song. A huge circle of people link their arms around each other and rock back and fourth singing along with Tecklenburg.

“Sometimes you’ve just gotta slow down and take a good look at all the pain and all of the healing that makes us who we are today.”

The music fades as a familiar beat

5 p.m.

6 p.m.

7 p.m.

8 p.m.

9 p.m.

“I was cutting Kyle Morse’s hair with Jodi Wurm,” senior Alicia Delaney said.

“I was just arriving at my work Abercrombie,” senior Kaylie Habighorst said.

“I was in my aunts wedding in Saint Louis,” sophomore Cassie Witte said.

“I was at White Castle. I had five regular hamburgers and a water,” junior Tom Foley said.

“I was at my friends Taylor’s house playing ping pong and we talked,” junior Kelsey Habighorst said.

22 page design by rachel.hunt

in.depth

begins to pick up.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

“Everybody bob your head like this now.”

Usry plunges onto the glowing red box and sings into his iPod making his voice sound high pitched and mixed.

“What is love? Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more.”

Heads bob creating a sort of wave pattern as the crowd forms a huge circle. One by one people jump in the middle and dance including Tecklenburg who hops into the circle and dances with his guitar.

“Anyone go to the Ludo concert?

If not, we know you all know this song.

Let’s hear it!”

“She moves through moonbeams slowly, she knows just how to hold me and when her edges soften, her body is my coffin. I know she drains me slowly.

She wears me down to bones. Must be the sign on my head That says, oh...

Love me dead! Love me dead!”

The long hours of practice certainly paid off for their band as they have played many local shows around St. Charles and got their band known by people.

“We plan on pursuing our band in the music field,” Tecklenburg said.

“We’re a serious band.”

The boys have covered around 40 songs and written 20 of their own but have only kept six of them. They are in the process of writing four new songs.

Every one’s singing, every one’s dancing and every one’s jumping.

Tecklenburg falls backwards off the stage into the crowd as they catch him and throw him back up on stage.

“You guys are the coolest audience ever,” Tecklenburg shouts. “You always dance and sing. Give yourself a round of applause! Thank you so

much, this was the coolest Fighting For Friday show ever!”

There was 90 minutes of blaring music, 65 screaming fans, and four musicians with faces gleaming in smiles. Another successful show for Fighting For Friday. Another stepping stone on the path to success.

Jazz band holds pancake breakfast sidney.shelton

Thom Loeffler, the drummer for Fighting For Friday, has been playing for seven years now, and was the creator of the band name (jacqueline sage)

more in depth fhn Tostoryreadof one junior Tom Ehlmann

today and his weekend, go online com today.

At 8:15 on Saturday Oct 31 Applebees was buzzing with family, friends, and coworkers of FHN’s jazz Band. The cause was the bands first Applebees breakfast fundraiser. “ I think this is great,” Linda Polsen, a band member’s mom said while sitting with other band members parents .”It gives the kids a good experience as far as waiting tables and it’s kind of fun to see the band parents outside of something competition related.”

Twenty three Jazz band members constantly came out of the kitchen serving people pancakes, sausage, eggs, and a drink of their choice, greeting people at the door, offering free gum, or trying to sell raffle tickets.

“I think an event like this kind of brings people together in a different way rather than a competition or getting ready for a competition,” Mike Jarzemkoski said. “You can sit down and eat and still raise money for a good cause.”

The band decided to do the

Applebees breakfast after winter Guards success with it last year.

Tickets were $7 for adults and $5 for children and the money went towards the multiple out of state trips including Kansas City and Chicago “I think it’s great that Applebees would support something like this for the community,” band member’s mom,Nora Reuther said.

In addition to the unlimited breakfast the band also had raffles during the meal for 50/50 and for a 5th generation Ipod nano. The 50/50 half of the money raised goes to the person who won the raffle and the other half goes to the band. “ I think it went very well,” Elaine Lindsay said. “The kids were out selling tickets and i think we sold quit a few.”

By 10:25 the restaurant that was crowded at 8:00 with 145 people who came to support the band was empty.

more of an in depth story fhn For on jazz band’s pancake

today breakfast, go online today. com

Wand to read more?

Band member Samantha Best reaches for a plate of pancakes.

10 p.m.

“I was at Blockbuster with my friends Amy and Justine.

We were renting two scary movies,” senior Samantha Bruni said.

11 p.m.

“I was just getting home from a party and laying in my bed watching game 3 of the World Series,” senior Sam Newton said.

12 a.m.

1 a.m.

2 a.m.

“I was at Kevin Fitzgerald’s house,” senior Chelsie Young said.

“I was trying to sleep but my best friend’s kept calling me to see if my McDonald’s [where I work] was open,

“I was watching ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’,” junior Stephanie Blanchard said.

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23

online today to listen fhn Go to a soundslide from

today Steak’n’Shake. com

Junior Ben Mendez hand off a meal to his co-worker on Oct 31. Even though the night shift is long and disrupts sleep, Mendez manages his sleep very well so that he is back to normal for the school days. His school grades are not effected at all by his shift. (fareeha amir)

HOUR:32

Mendez cooks burgers for his customers during his night shift. Mendez enjoys his shift because he likes working alone instead of in big groups. There is also a lot less people during the night than in the day so it is easier to deal with. (fareeha amir)

Mendez works at late night Steak ‘n Shake

kelsey.bell

W

hen entering through the glass front door, junior Ben Mendez is dressed in his black and white Steak ‘n Shake cook’s uniform ready to begin his shift. The indistinguishable chatter of families blends with the metallic chime of coins exchanging hands and silverware clinking against plates. The atmosphere at the Steak ‘n Shake restaurant, located at 1460 Jungermann Road, on Oct. 31 is hustled.

Ben has been employed at Steak ‘n Shake for 11 months and has been working weekends since he was hired; however, unlike most weekends, this Saturday night Ben is part of the second shift at Steak ‘n Shake which will end at 9 p.m.

For most, this seems like a typical time for a 17 year old high school student to get off work. For Ben, this is ten hours earlier than the routine time he leaves work on the weekends. Ben usually works the third shift. The shift that lasts from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

“I have to change my sleep habits when I work a third,” Ben said. “I’m 2 a.m. (daylight saving time) “I was watching movies, ‘The Boon Dock Saints’,” senior Alex Rosas said.

24 page design by rachel.hunt

usually back to normal by Tuesday, it takes a lot of coffee, but I pull it off.”

Ben does not need to do anything extra in order to stay awake tonight, but the differences between second and third shift don’t stop there. The burgers Ben is preparing are mostly for families and teenagers that come in with their friends. When Ben works the third shift, the orders he has to fill are normally from a group of adults out with their friends.

“You get a lot of different and unique people coming in at 3 a.m.,” Ben said. “Also you have the regulars.

The ones who come in at the same night, every weekend. I know them by face and name. It’s kind of cool.”

In addition to the difference in customers, the chemistry between Ben and his co-workers is different when comparing the two shifts. A chorus of off key whistles float out of the open kitchen as the cooks entertain eachother by putting together their own tune. A melody created by a group of whistling cooks isn’t something Ben would experience on a weekend when he has third shift. The reason for this is that only one other cook accompa-

3 a.m.

“I was hanging out with my girlfriend,” freshman Brendan Kupfenstiner said.

nies Ben when he works these shifts.

Orders are sparse during these times, so more workers are not necessary.

Although having only two people working takes away from the social experience of second shift when there are many employees, third shift makes up for it in a different way.

“When there’s only two people working you get to know each other a lot better,” Ben said. “You can relax, and it’s way more casual and you have a chance to get acquainted because you’re not rushed.”

Co-workers and customers are not the only aspects of Ben’s job that are affected when he works different shifts.

Supervision is another key component that is completely altered. Manager Dan Ribaudo is circling the restaurant seeing over all of his employees in order to assure that all of the work is getting done in a timely matter. There is usually a manager present during second shift so he is always around to do this. During third shift, however, a manager is not present to regulate the ways things are run. In order to qualify to work under this condition, an employee has to meet certain

4 a.m.

“I was playing my guitar,” senior Jesse Noel said.

expectations. They must be trained on all of the kitchen stations, equipped with good mental stamina, and prove themselves to be a good cleaner.

“They have to be able to run things since there isn’t a manager to do it for them,” Ribaudo said. “The most important quality a third shift worker must possess is reliability. If they’re not going to show up for work and do what they’re supposed to, then the restaurant isn’t going to be in taken care of during that time.”

With just a simple shift change, Ben’s work experience is completely transformed in a weekend. As 9 o’clock nears, Ben finishes up the last of the side work he has to do before he can leave. When this is complete and his shift ends, he smiles back at his co-workers, waves goodbye, and walks out of the glass front door as he leaves Steak ‘n Shake before sunrise.

5 a.m.

“I was taking a shower and brushing my teeth,” senior Jose Pagan said.

6 a.m.

“I was sleeping at Brittany Kabacinski’s house,” sophomore Lisa Saville said.

HOUR:38 As the zamboni cleans the ice, Tanner Paige waits to move the goal back in place.

He moves the goals between every period during the games.

Paige also performs many other jobs at the Iceplex such as giving out lockers, cleaning, and checking tickets at the front door. Paige’s jobs vary depending on the events being held since he works weekensds both Saturday and Sunday. (crystal friedman)

Junior Tanner Paige works a hockey game at the Hardee’s Iceplex. He stands inside the rink where he checks people entering and exiting the stands. Paige has been working at the rink for the past two months ever since his neighbor recommended that he put in an application. He enjoys hockey and beng able to work at a place that features it. (crystal friedman)

Bandits players await their time on the ice.

Paige works NAHL games a well as high school games, public skates, and more. (crystal friedman) Paige places the peg back into the second pole of the goal so that it stays securely in place. (crystal friedman)

Bandits fans wait at the rink for the players to come out from the locker room. This is the home rink of the NAHL who plays there a couple of times a week and travels to play the rest of their games. (crystal friedman)

7 a.m.

“I was watching TV at my house and checking my phone,” senior Nick Marquart said.

8 a.m.

9 a.m.

10 a.m.

11 a.m.

“I was hitting the snooze button, getting up, and getting ready for church,” senior Lauren Brown said.

“I was getting ready for work at JcPennys,” senior Monica Martinez said.

“I was doing the moonwalk while eating a snickers bar,” junior Caylee Hecht said.

“I was bowling for the high school bowling league at Harvester Lanes,” sophomore Hannah Miller said.

page design by rachel.hunt & crystal.friedman

25

HOUR:39 Karen, Keith, and Ellen Yarde sit together again and express how happy they are to be back together again. “While in hospital they tried to visit as often as they could,” Keith said. “Chester the dog even got to come up.” (stephanie graflage)

Karen and Keith Yarde hold hands as they are reunited after being serpated for eight weeks. Keith had became seriously ill will a staff infection, and had to remain in the hospital. (stephanie graflage)

Ellyn welcomes her dad home from the hospital. It was a day of many mixed emotions.

“I felt great relieft, extreme exhaustion, long day to get to come home, lot of paperwork,” Keith said. (stephanie graflage) The Yarde family sits together as they look at old family photos and scrapbooks. The family enjoys many things such as going out to dinner often and traveling in order to learn about new places.

Right now the family is learning to adjust to their new life.

“It’s different, but it’s good to have your life back,” junior Ellyn said.

For the Yarde family the hopsitalization of Keith brought many changes and everyone had to make adjustments.

“Ellen had to spent a lot of time on her own so she became very independent and self-sufficient. I think we’ve had to learn to plan together more with logistics.”(stephanie graflage)

12 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

3 p.m.

“I was taking out clothes line posts in my backyard because we don’t want them anymore,” sophomore Alex Lalonde said.

“I was watching Scrubs at my friends house,” sophomore Chelsea Horton said.

“I was doing chores, scrubbing the walls,” sophomore Andrea O’Brien said.

"I am listening to this cool band called Implicit. They're from Germany, but they sing in English. And I'm still in my pajamas," junior Alyssa Roberson said.

26 page design by rachel.hunt & stephanie.graflage

4 p.m.

“I was hanging out with my cousin and watching TV,” junior Taylor Sullivan said.

in.depth

HOUR:40

Paul’s supplies to regulars lizzie.johnson

1

289 Jungermann Road.

5:04 a.m.

It’s Sunday morning and Paul’s doughnut shop is a square beacon of light on a street shrouded in darkness.

Right now there’s no one in the usually overcrowded parking lot to smell the sweet smell of iced rings, cinnamon knots, and the all-time, bestselling chocolate long-johns permeating the crisp morning air. But that will all change within the next few hours.

Just within the glass doors to the immediate left sit the very things that Paul’s is known around the whole of St. Charles County for: row upon row of one-of-a-kind doughnuts. Beneath the counter, veiled behind a thin sheet of glass, lie a multitude of cinnamon creations twisted into braids, knots, and twirls. At eye level, behind the elongated part of the L-shaped counter, the Halloween inspired long-johns are perched next to the cream and jelly filled danishes - the combined smell of the savory snacks alone is better than any advertising money could buy.

Far side of counter. 7:38 a.m.

By now, the first wave of “regulars,” as they’re called, have already come and gone from Paul’s “prime real-estate,” or as it may be more commonly known, the six bar stools at the far side of the counter. On days when the property is already occupied by six coffee-sipping regulars, a just arriving regular might stand behind a stool and kindly, yet firmly, wait for the current occupant to leave. However, on this brisk Sunday morning, there are only two tenants in the coveted spots when a tall and thin graying man approaches the counter.

“What’s up Mikey, have a seat,” says the man nearest to the new arrival, who just prior had been immersed in the Post Dispatch.

“Hey Dan, you just get here?”

Mike replies.

“Nah, been here for a bit,” the man known as Dan says.

Not three minutes later, in comes another familiar face.

“Hey guys,” says an unusually slim woman, just beginning to show the weathering of time on her face.

Mike instinctively gets up and walks behind the counter. He methodically grabs a fresh mug from the cabinet below and reaches for the pot of coffee on the nearby burner. He fills the new mug and goes about re-filling the two emptying mugs of his friends there before him.

The four friends continue to chat about life, sports, and do what the regulars do best, “solve the world’s problems,” as current owner Bill Feld likes to call it. Mike Kerns, or Mikey as his friends at the counter like to call him, agrees. It’s the people and conversation that make Paul’s the Paul’s doughnuts they all know and love.

“These guys [keep me coming back],” Mike says. “It’s really a hangout for us guys and gals.”

It’s now half past eight, and that second wave of regulars has, like the ones before them, finished their cups of steaming coffee, said good-bye to friends, and made their way to the door and back to their lives.

However, tomorrow will be no different than today. Tomorrow, the coffee pot will once again take its place on the burner next to the counter.

Tomorrow, the six stools will wait for their favorite guests to take their places. Tomorrow, the fresh mugs will

sit underneath the counter waiting for one regular to come pour himself and his friends a cup of coffee so that they can solve one more of those “world problems” they love so much.

Four stools sit in the back corner of the store. Most mornings, regulars occupy these chairs. (sam hurrell)

Paul’s Donut Shop sits on the corner of Jungermann Rd. and McClay Rd. Opening early in the morning, regulars stop in for their morning coffee and a traditional donut. (sam hurrell)

fhn For more coverage including

today a video on Paul’s donuts, go com online today.

5 p.m.

“I was eating and playing video games,” senior Anthony Blount said.

6 p.m.

“I was at my boyfriend’s house watching a movie,” sophomore Katy Friedlein said.

7 p.m.

“I was eating roast beef with my family,” senior Erin Martin said.

8 p.m.

“I was sitting at home, playing some x-box,” junior Kyle Gittemeier said.

9 p.m.

“I was doing some homework and listening to music,” senior Thu Nguyen said.

page design by rachel.hunt

27

HOUR:50 Eighth grader, Chris Grone, plays pool with his friends when they have some free time to play games and watch tv. Youth from all different schools go and worship at this church for a couple of hours. (lydia

Youth pastor Brandon Salter sings during youth group at the youth center. Each sunday the youth group gathers to hang out with fellow friends and to learn more about God. (lydia ness)

Church of the Shepard brings excitement barbara.jean.palmer

I

t’s 3:00 p.m on Sunday and the doors to the youth center at Church of the Shepherd open up. A huge sign hangs above the window that says “The Crossing” and as students walk in the door, there are two couches and a front desk. One member of the youth group sits at the desk. The youth pastor, Brandon Salter, walks over to greet one young girl and they strike up a conversation.

For some teens, they might choose to spend their Sunday sitting and playing video games or going to the mall, but others choose to spend their Sunday in an active church group.

“I would like to think it [the youth group] strengthens their relationship with Jesus,” Salter said. “Some aren’t there yet but with the cafe, band, and theatre it’s very inviting and is fun.

And the atmosphere is welcoming and it has the wow feature which brings them in.”

A few of the teens sit on the couches inside the cafe watching the Rams versus Lions game. A few of the teens are playing pool down the hall in the game room. A few of the teens even play rock band.

“Uno, dos, tres,” one girl yells as she begins to bang on the drum set.

“SCORE!” one kid yells as he puts the ball into the pocket of a fools table.

When youth starts, they get a chance to interact with each other and play games.

“We give them time to do what they want,” Salter said. “I also go into a game, which I call the ice breaker that welcomes everyone. I throw people into a team and they can strike up a conversation with new people. It’s a great way to welcome them because you don’t want to bring them in [new members] and lecture them.”

“Everyone find a partner,” Salter says.

Cups of candy corn are passed around the room to the teens and right before the game begins Nick Ponche walks in.

“Ponche Two is here!” (Ponche Two a nickname the group gave him since he has a twin brother).

The goal of the game is to catch as many candy corns into a cup as possible. After Ponche has joined in, the game begins.

“On your marks, are you ready? and GO!” Candy corn is flying everywhere...

“TWO!” one kid yells as a candy corn lands in his cup.

“Hey did I just get hit in the head with a candy corn?” Salter asks over

the microphone.

“20 more seconds...Chuck em’ all,” Salter yells.

The games they play are so successful because they allow the members to have fun and catch up with their friends at the same time.

“I mainly see them [youth friends] at church and youth group because they don’t live any where near me,” Youth member Katie Kimack said.

“The are a little different [than normal friends], they are more into Christ and I am a little closer to them. Everyone is more open and you can talk to them more, I pretty much talk to them about everything.”

Because the games and activities allow for interaction between the youth, it helps kids meet people from other schools.

“There is some people at youth group that go to FHC or FHH and friendships have kinda developed and I wouldn’t have met them otherwise,” Ponche said.

After games, the youth members gather in front of the stage that the band begin worship at.

“YO Mathew Johnson where you at?” Salter yells for one of the other band members.

“You guys ready to worship? “ Salter screams.

10 p.m.

11 p.m.

12 a.m.

“I was snuggling with my ‘Boog’. He likes sitting with me,” senior Dylan Henry said.

“I was watching ‘Traveling Circus Episode 2’,” sophomore Patrick Fountain said.

"I was trying to get to sleep so that I would have some energy for Monday." sophomore Georgie Wright said.

28 page design by rachel.hunt

“Yeah!” the teens yell back.

Teens stand and begin to clap their hands together to the beat of the music.

“Here we go 1-2-3, Lets clap for Jesus!”

Salter begins to sing and the band leads the youth group in worship.

I am free to run I am free to dance I am free to live for you I am free to run After the band has finished, Salter yells, “God is good” and the teens yell back “All the time.”

Youth members typically run the majority of the activities. This includes the band, the message, and other little tasks like typing up lyrics for the songs. When teens choose to take on a bigger role in the youth group, they have to put in more time. For example, the band gets together every Sunday about an hour before youth begins to practice. When the message is given by a member of the youth group, Salter thinks that it’s more affective and students will be able to relate more with their friends.

“It’s like mom or dad telling a son or daughter to do something,” Salter said. “As a teen the last thing you want to hear is advice from mom and dad but if it comes from another peer they are

1 a.m.

“I was up listening to music,” senior Mike Donaldson said.

2 a.m.

“I was eating Easy-Mac and playing Nintendo 64 because I don’t sleep.” sophomore Haley Gilbert said.

3 a.m.

“I was studying for my AP Chemistry test,” senior Scott Kuhl said.

you do. Anything you do during the day is a choice, Ponche answers.

The teens gather into the small groups so it is more comfortable for the different age groups to talk about the message. The leaders lead the teens in the discussion by asking a few questions.

“It’s easier for people to open up in a small group rather than with 40 people,” Salter said. “A teen is less likely to raise their hand, but when you have five to 10 people it’s less threatening. One of those five to 10 people is more likely to experience those same things another is going through.”

After the message and the last game of the day has come to an end, everyone picks up and gets together for closing prayer.

“Let’s circle up,” Salter says.

As youth comes to an end for the teens at Church of the Shepard, they gather together in a circle and hold hands while Grone leads them in prayer.

The youth group of Church of the Shepard meets every Sunday with 30-40 students. But they don’t just get together to have fun and play games.

They have helped out in many ways around their community, by hosting car washes and other events such as Cross Rock and Trunk or Treat.

“We set up for trunk or treating,” Ponche said. “That was fun to give candy to the little kids.”

The youth group has also traveled together for missions to places like Chicago and Mexico. In fact the high school students are traveling to Mexico July 10-18 and also going to Sicsten, MO June 13-18 Next week Church of the Shepard’s youth group will meet again at the same place, same time, and with the same people.

It’s now 5:00 p.m.

“Amen, God is good all the time.”

4 a.m.

“I woke up and got ready for Seminary, an early morning class at church,” senior Anne Rackham said.

in.depth

more likely to listen. That’s why their needs to be more positive role models out there.”

After playing games and going through a lot of excitement in the beginning of youth ,the teens now calm down. It’s time to get serious because the message begins.

Grab a seat and move up, Salter directs.

This week the message is given by sophomore Abbey Grone.

“All right how many of you have made a choice today? Who has used God to make a choice?” Abbey asks.

I chose to go to church this morning instead of sleeping in, Ponche answers.

“That’s why I like you Ponche Two,” Abbey says.

Everyone get a Bible and open it up to Joshua 1:7.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Joshua 1:7.

After the verse has been read out loud to the youth group, Grone asks someone to interpret the verse.

You can have success where ever you are, a quiet girl answers as the message for the week comes to a closing.

A teen giving the message is only one example of a youth member stepping up to the plate. Since teens in the youth group are given the chance to run certain parts of the youth activities, many feel more comfortable around each other. They have made friends they can relate to and talk to.

“I can relate to other people at youth group,” Ponche said. “It’s a good environment, people the same age and with the same interest. It’s a good place to hangout and friendship can develop there cause of that.”

After the message, teens break into their small groups. The high school teens get together and gather into a room just behind the stage where they discuss the message.

“What kinds of choices do you make every day? “ leader Michael Baalmann asks.

What you choose to eat. Anything

Sophomore Abbey Grone gives a message about incoroprating God in your choices and how it is hard to always include him n your life. Youth give the message to connect with each other. (lydia ness)

Church of the Shepard is located off of Harvester Rd.

5 a.m.

6 a.m.

7 a.m.

“I took my dog on his regularly morning walk,” sophomore Dominic Conway said.

“I was putting my lunch together: peanut butter crackers, a granola bar, a waterbottle, and chips,” junior Chelsea Norman said.

“I was looking at previews for this new game called ‘Harvest Moon Animal Parade’,” freshman Katie Cuneo said.

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United by cleat and blade

Gannon kicks the soccer ball at Friedlein with both soccer and hockey gear on. They both juggle playing two sports at once. Gannon and Friedlein have been playing soccer since they were in elementary school. (lydia ness)

Playing since they were kids, junior Ryan Gannon and senior Robby Friedlein learn to deal with the hectic schedule of playing two sports they love.

julia.gabbert

T

he Varsity boys’ soccer season may be nearing an end, but practices continue. At one of the final practices - this one indoors at Vetta due to the swampy conditions of many outdoor fields - the boys run drills by habit, with many athletes cracking jokes constantly.

“Scheller, you’re on fire today!”

“Oh my God, he’s two for 29!

Ladies and gentlemen, Schelllllller!”

During a line-to-line drill, the boys jog across the field, some kicking balls as they run. One teammate kicks a ball at junior Ryan Gannon. Distracted from his lap, Gannon turns to kick the

32 page design by logan.ponche

ball back, but another teammate gets to it first.

“No, no, I got you,” says senior Robby Friedlein.

Friedlein adjusts his stance in order to get a better angle on the ball.

With one swift kick, he blasts the ball back towards the boy, hitting him square in the back. The three of them share a laugh before returning to their drill.

“Keep it moving! Make a pass and keep it moving! Ball on the floor!” instructs coach Vince Nowak.

For Robby and Ryan, soccer may be just about over, but they still have a whole season of club hockey to look forward to. In soccer, Robby is a start-

ing defender and Ryan plays midfield.

In hockey, Robby is a goalie and Ryan is a forward. The two have been juggling multiple sports since they were just children. Robby began playing soccer in kindergarten, and started hockey soon after in first grade. Ryan began playing both sports at age 4.

“I kind of thought one would become more dominant,” Ryan’s mother Holly said. “I thought he would pick one, but he likes both and he’s very talented at both.”

Both coaches could not agree more.

“They’re both outstanding players,” Club hockey coach Paul Bruemmer said. “Very athletic, very smart.

Great kids to have on the team.”

Tryouts for both sports take place around the same time, before the school year starts. At the beginning of the school year, the soccer season begins, but practices for both sports proceed at similar times. Soccer practices start directly after school and does not let out until 5:00 p.m, and hockey practice takes place twice a week at 8:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. Then as the soccer season comes to a close in November, the hockey season starts.

Therefore, Robby and Ryan have to make sacrifices to make it to both practices, often going to two practices in the same day.

“Sometimes it’s not the easiest, but

play.hard

after a warm-up I get used to it,” Ryan said. “Sometimes I find myself going to a wrong rink or wrong field because practices overlap.”

Soccer practice always takes priority for Robby and Ryan, since it is an established rule of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) that school sports trump club sports.

“I understand that soccer isn’t as long as the hockey season,” Bruemmer said. “I make sure that they do their soccer first and then their hockey.

They split it up pretty well. It’s a good relationship.”

Anyone that plays a school sport knows the amount of concentration and hard work that goes into balancing the sport with school work. Robby and Ryan are no exception as they both manage to keep up with school as well as have a social life.

“We’ve always stressed that school comes first,” Robby’s father Frank said. “But we haven’t really had to deal with it because in [Robby’s] three years in high school, he’s only gotten two B’s. He does an extremely good job at managing both. It’s taught him a lot of discipline.”

Robby agrees, saying that it helps to have a set schedule for managing time.

“Homework is more important,” Robby said. “Once you have a good habit and schedule of doing homework, whatever free time you have you can do whatever you want. Basically know what is more important and what you have to do first.”

In the little spare time that they have, Robby and Ryan still remain very busy. In the fall and spring, Robby refs soccer games on weekends as a job.

He plays baseball in the spring and summer, and he is also a lifeguard in the summer.

Ryan, on the other hand, even juggles another sport. He also plays for the Affton Americans select hockey team, which goes out of town every other weekend for competetion.

And when he can, he buses tables at McGuirks Pub and Restaurant. Robby and Ryan’s families, friends, and coaches are all amazed that the boys manage to handle as much as they do.

“We’re extremely proud,” Frank said. “I don’t know how you play sports year round, while getting straight A’s and having a social life.

[Robby] makes sacrifices. There’s never an off season here.”

Along with working well together

On top of playing hockey for North, Gannon also plays outside of school for a nationally ranked club team based out of Affton, MO. Gannon has been playing hockey since he was four while Friedlein has been playing hockey since high school. Both Gannon and Friedlein are on Varsity hockey and Varsity soccer. (lydia ness)

on their teams, Robby and Ryan are also good friends outside of sports.

“We see each other often and it’s a lot of fun hanging out with him,” Ryan said. “It cheers me up to see him everyday.”

Having such an impressive high school athletic resume, it comes as no surprise that the two wish to continue playing in college. Ryan wishes to pursue hockey in college, while studying business. Robby wants to play baseball and study engineering.

“I think every kid that plays a sport in high school want to become a professional,” Robby said. “But I’d be satisfied with a good family and a good job.”

Being so active in high school may take up the majority of Robby and Ryan’s time, but neither would consider changing that.

“I like both sports a lot,” Ryan said. “It’s tiring sometimes, but there’s nothing I don’t like about either.”

For both boys, soccer and hockey are life passions that they cannot choose between.

“I’ve never been able to decide [which I like more], probably never will,” Robby said. “I think everyone gets tired of practicing, but you have to know it’s going to make you better in the games.”

Look at a typical week With two sports come with two responsibilities - both Gannon and Friedlein have to deal with multiple practices and games every single day. Here’s a schedule they might have any given week.

High school soccer: 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

High school hockey: 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Home by: 6 p.m.

High school soccer: 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

High school hockey: 8:45 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.

Home by: 10:15 p.m.

High school soccer: 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

High school hockey: 4:15 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Home by: 6:15 p.m.

High school soccer: 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

High school hockey: 9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Home by: 11 p.m.

High school soccer 2:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

High school hockey: Game at 7:30 p.m.

Home by:

Weekends vary for Robby and Ryan. There are occasional soccer games on Saturdays and at least one or two hockey games.

page design by logan.ponche

33

Wrestlers make improvements

fall sports: by the

numb3rs

kelsey.bell

Sophomore Austin Doeren swims the 110 yard breast stroke on Friday, Oct. 23. The boys swim team won ten out of 12 events at their meet against John F. Kennedy and McCluer High. (kaitlyn williams)

Swimmers finish strong heather.o’donnell

The season has come to an end for the FHN boys swimming team as they had their last meet between Nov. 3-5 at the St. Peter’s Rec Plex. It was GAC’s (the conference meet) and was hosted by Fort Zumwalt South.

Sophomore Patrick Fountain, who swims the 100 yard Breaststroke and 200 yard Individual Medley, qualified for State.

“I’m pretty happy because I’ve been trying to for two years,” Fountain said.

Throughout the season the boys practiced at the Rec Plex with the other Howell schools every night from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. They swam 3,000 to 4,000 yards, approximately two miles, every practice to improve their time as well as endurance. They participated in 13 different meets throughout the area against numerous schools, including Fort Zumwalt South and West, who were considered their toughest competitors.

Even with such challenging opponents, junior Nate Weiss was able to make it to State with times such as 55.11 in the 100 Backstroke and 1:50.62 in the 200 Freestyle. Swim-

mers such as Jake Simms also had a good season with his highest time in the 100 Freestyle being 1:02.20 and 25.42 in the 50 freestyle.

“In one meet I got first in the 50 free,” junior Jake Simms said. “That felt really good.”

Even with a positive attitude among the players, the team was at a disadvantage. This season there were only ten members compared to the other teams in the district which had about 25 members each. However, they have won more events this year because they have improved their skills. Another asset to the team was Austin Anderson, the team’s only diver, whose best score this season was 128.80. The support from other classmates also encouraged the swimmers.

“When we had KOE [athlete appreciation] night, the turnout was phenomenal,” coach Steve Kelly said.

“There were 50 to 60 students and half a dozen teachers there.”

Although the team was at a slight disadvantage with limited members, they were happy with how the season turned out.

“I think we’ve done well,” Fountain said. “We’ve definitely improved a lot from last year.”

34 page design by elizabeth.diggs & brittany.lounsbury

On Nov. 2, the FHN wrestling team began the season with their first practice. Of the seven wrestlers who qualified for state last year, two won medals. Senior Jeff Shell took 5th, and junior Harold Ritchie won the 6th place medal. This year they hope to have a better showing at State. “[My goal this year] is to have a better record,” Harold said. “And place higher at state.”

His father, Head coach Harold Ritchie, anticipates seeing new grapplers that will add an array of talent to the team. This will help improve the chances of reaching their goals.

“I want everyone in practice to be good partners [with each other],” sophomore Jeremy Shell said. “And work hard to help others get better.”

This season’s opening match will be against Holt on Dec. 2, and a tournament will be the following weekend.

With two important events coming up and only a month to practice, coach Ritchie and the team will be spending every minute possible practicing diligently in preparation.

“They should be ready to work hard,” coach Ritchie said. “Be ready to improve every day.”

wins-losses-ties GIRLS’ TENNIS:

9-5

SOFTBALL:

13-12 GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL:

17-13-3 FOOTBALL:

4-6

GIRLS’ GOLF:

5-5

ICE HOCKEY: current

1-3

BOYS’ SOCCER: current

16-5-1

Girls set goals for basketball elizabeth.diggs

The Lady Knights basketball team has been preparing for tryouts (which start on Nov. 9) for the past couple of weeks. Dawn Hahn, Varsity coach for eight seasons, has many goals for the upcoming season.

“My main goal is always that the girls who play basketball represent the school well with class and character,” Hahn said. “Positive role models are what define a successful season.”

Much of the team, including junior Kelsey Fouch, has high expectations for the season, compared to last season with a record of 12-14.

“I think we did well last year because we had good team chemistry,” Fouch said. “I expect better this year though. We have a lot of potential as a team and we also have good players.”

Junior Kelsey Fouch dribbles the ball as the ref keeps a close eye on her. The girls basketball season will begin soon. (file photo)

Junior Brooke Oostendorp, last year’s “stud” according to Hahn, is excited to get the season started.

“My favorite part is the basketball girls,” Oostendorp said. some of the photos from the fhn Togirls’seebasketball tryouts this season, go

today

to the photo galleries at FHNtoday.com

com on Nov. 9.

hannah.hamilton

The Varsity Boys start their District race on Oct. 24 at McNair Park. (lydia ness)

Runners finish successfully adam.rapert

With the conference and district meets over, the season is finally coming to an end. For most individuals, the season has gone fairly well, but for coach Bob Doak and the team as a whole, it has not gone according to plan.

“This season hasn’t been as well as I would have liked,” Doak said. “When you are used to being successful as a coach, it gets frustrating when you are not.”

Even with the season falling short of expectations, senior Zach Nichols has quickly made a name for himself on the team. Only running cross country his sophomore and senior year, he finished 25th at conference and 27th at districts. Along with Nichols, junior Jordan Summers has been very successful as he placed second at the conference meet,15th at districts, and 13th at sectionals, which will be taking him to state.

“I believe the season has gone really well for me considering I have already accomplished my goals of making it to state,” Summers said. “I was very happy I made it to state, however I was kind of upset that my teammate [Nichols] did not.”

Next year, the team will look much different because the team will lose it’s leader and dedicated coach as Doak and his family will be moving to Mississippi.

“I’m going to try and work something out to come back to coach for the season,” Doak said. “But if I can’t, I’m sure coach Johnson and the the other coaches will do a great job coaching the boys and making sure they do their summer running and keep them in good condition for next year.” see photos from the cross fhn Tocountry season, check out the

today photo albums on FHNtoday.com. com

With a record of 16-5-1 (as of press time Nov. 4) to end the regular season, the Varsity boys soccer team has had an impressive year. They have secured their coach, Vince Nowak, his 400th career win, were awarded the first seed in Districts, and won the GAC South conference.

“It felt really good to win since we haven’t won conference in five years,” junior Zach Johnson said.

One of the biggest factors for the teams success has been the chemistry between the players. Starting during summer workouts, the players were able to unite, work together, and build special bonds between each other that led to an improved record this year.

“Everyone is pretty cool and we like each other,” Johnson said.

The team was able to defeat many of their biggest rivals during their regular season, including Fort Zumwalt South, Fort Zumwalt West, and Howell Central. Perhaps the most memorable game for Nowak and the team, though, was the game on Oct. 12 against Timberland. The Knights were able to win the game 2-1 in overtime, securing Nowak his 400th victory.

“It was great,” Nowak said. “It showed two things. One, it shows that we’ve had a lot of really good players

Junior Zach Johnson takes the ball while trying to fight off the defender. North defeated Timberland High School on Oct. 12 with score of 2-1 to earn coach Nowak his 400th win. (stephanie graflage)

who have won a lot of games, and that I’ve been coaching for a long time.

Two, [that] I’ve been lucky enough to have coached for a long time.”

Many factors lead to the team’s success including the team’s chemistry and the contribution players have made in every game. The greatest

example of enahnced performance is the improvement from last year’s record of 14-13.

“We have a number of players that are doing a nice job,” Nowak said. “I’m not going to single anyone out. All 21 players have contributed.”

Basketball boys make a change for the better chelsey.damalas

Junior Andre Wooten dives for the ball against Holt. This season the Knights are more devoted and are having a positive outlook on the season. (file photo)

After last season’s disappointing 11-16 record, the returning players were looking forward to redeem themselves and get ready for this year. “[Last year] we were average, but we got better,” senior Stephan Whitehurst said.

During last season, the team suffered from lack of defense and rebounding. To improve, workouts were arranged and recommended for each player at the end of last season.

Along with the workouts offered for each player, the players were also provided with an open gym and access to the weight room. Coach Bill Moyer was hoping that the workouts would benefit the players for try outs and future practices.

“The workouts help a lot,” junior Dan McGraw said. “It gets everyone

into the ‘basketball shape.’”

This years tryouts are starting Nov. 9. Moyer is setting the bar high for the players that are trying out.

“I am expecting their to be more height, more talent and more players to just work harder,” Moyer said.

“Also players need to be in shape, execute the fundamentals, and be able to work as a team.”

Because of the dedication that the players displayed in off-season workouts, Moyer and some of the players believe that the team is going to be very devoted during the regular season as well.

“We will have a good team because we have good chemistry and we are all dedicated to having a successful team,” Whitehurst said.

fhn

today com

To see the scores from the boys’ basketball season, go see the photo albums at FHNtoday.com.

page design by elizabeth.diggs & brittany.lounsbury

35

play.hard

Varsity soccer has milestone season

Junior Lauren Jacobson bumps the ball over the net in their district championship match on Oct. 28. The girls defeated their opponent in two straight games to win the match. (greg felock)

out scores and pictures from fhn Tothecheck volleyball season, go to

today com

36

FHNtoday.com.

page design by adam.rapert

zach.meier

T

he bowling teams are getting out their bowling shoes, polishing their bowling balls and hitting the lanes. Since the team has already started the season, they are now practicing and improving on skills for the competition that is fast approaching.

“Last year I would say would have to be our best year since I have been playing on the team,” junior Jeremy Lundgren said.

After last year, FHN unfortunately lost their two top teams. Each team had previously won their respective divisions. Even though there is a loss of seniors who graduated, this year’s

get to know

your athletes SWIMMING

G

irls Varsity volleyball has wrapped up the 2009 season.

The team practiced every week after school and consistently worked on previous weaknesses they faced in the beginning of the season. Coach Robin Yuede says the team has made improvements since the beginning of the season.

“I think were playing more in sync,” Yuede said. “Were hitting the ball harder and attacking better on defense.”

Working together became the biggest asset in districts as the girl’s beat Parkway North in semi finals with scores of 25-23 in both matches. They came out victorious once again in Finals on Oct 28. The girls defeated Parkway Central with a score of 25-17 in the first match and 25 - 21 in the second match.

“Winning Districts like the icing on the cake this season,” junior Lauren Jacobson said. “It was incredible to see our hard work pay off. Winning was a great way to bring the season to a close.”

The girls went to sectionals on Oct. 31 against Howell. The game was close with scores of 25-17, 23-25, and 23-25. However they suffered an unforunate loss “This year was a huge learning experience ,”junior Sarah Peth said.

“Now we can utilize the skills we developed to make next year even more successful.”

Bowlers aim for strike on season

VOLLEYBALL

nicole.renner

Junior Ryan Fisher intently bowls for a strike at a game on Nov. 1 at Cave Springs Lanes. At this game the Knights played many teams such as Holt and Francis Howell. (lydia ness)

BASKETBALL WRESTLING

Girls volleyball works together

team is ready to move forward.

“This year we’re still doing well,” Head bowling coach Denise Lupo said. “We lost a lot of our most skilled bowlers that graduated.”

Last year there were four divisions and this year there are now five. The Bowling team practices every Monday and every Wednesday at Harvester Lanes and every Tuesday and every Thursday at Cave Springs Lanes. No practices are mandatory, but most of the bowlers show up to improve their game. The bowling team’s season will last 20 weeks. Throughout those weeks they will play three games every Sunday at assorted lanes.

Jeremy Lundgren’s team is one of the leading bowling teams. They have had

only lost one game so far this season, according to Lundgren.

“Its been going pretty good so far but we don’t like that lanes that we have been bowling on,” junior Darin Voyles said.

Throughout the year, the bowling team will play in two scholarship tournaments. One scholarship will be raised for the players themselves, while the other will go toward St. Louis county. The ultimate goal, however, is to be selected to participate in the state tournament at the end of the year.

“My team expects to place in the top three or top five in our division,” Voyles said.

favorite Subway sandwhich

worst practice drill

athelete who makes you mad

favorite place in the mall

ham

long sets

David Beckham

food court

ham and turkey

running

Rodger Federer

Pacsun

chicken bacon ranch

running stairs

Tito Ortiz

Panda Express

chicken bacon ranch

5-4-3-2-1

Dennis Rodman

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Brandon Sandbothe,9

Megan Jacobsmeyer,10

Harold Ritchie,11

Kelsey Hieb,12

play.hard

Team pulls together for the new year olivia.ong

C

onsidered to be the best Lady Knights swimmer last year, Lauren Thrasher lead by example by being the only swimmer to place in the top-20 at State as well as earning a scholarship to Lindenwood University.

“She was really good,” sophomore Aly Bouquet said. “She lead the team by example and she treated everyone with respect.”

With the loss of Thrasher and other seniors, Coach William Crow expects a much smaller crowd of veteran swimmers; however, he still expects everyone’s best “This year we are planning to step up our game,” Crow said. “We are planning to increase [the number of] our stroke techniques, [and] also work on having better endurance ability.”

Senior Josh Foeller goes in to tackle an offensive player. North suffered a loss being defeated at Desmet High School on Friday, Oct. 23. (crystal friedman)

Senior Lizzie Johnson swims to the finish line. The Lady Knights are hoping to rebuild their team this year.

Although the team lost six seniors from last year, they have gained three divers this season. (file photo)

Along with Crow, many swimmers are also planning on working towards a better season next year.

“I think that this year will be better

than last year because this year we have some really good freshmen and sophomores coming in,” junior Amy Getzlow said.

Check out

FHNtoday.com

DEFENd

AG A I N S T C HOC ONOGO Prep a re f or b a t t le. Te x t CHOCO to 74 64 2 .

Sta nda rd te xt and d a t a r a t e s a p p l y.

t w Y w t 3VO BT # 8

Football season relative success sidney.shelton

F

HN’s varsity football team showed improvement from last year’s 3-7 record ending this season going 4-6. Even though there was only a one win difference they were much more competitive with top high school teams such as Fort Zumwalt West and CBC. “I think we played hard all our games even the ones we lost,” senior Nick DiMarco said.

The hard work payed off when the Knights won their first game of the season against Holt, 28- 2. They went on to win the homecoming football game, which hadn’t been won in four years, 58-22 against Seckman. The school support and spirit also greatly improved with the efforts made by KOE, StuCo, and the numerous fans at FHN. “I thought our school spirit was better this year than it has ever been since I’ve been here,” Head coach John Brune said. ”I think the team was successful. I think the administration and different organizations like KOE and StuCo made it more of a priority to recognize the sports teams this year.”

Even with the loss of so many seniors, the team is looking forward to improvement for next season, according to Brune.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our sophomores mature and seeing our team work together,” Brune said.

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Senior Matt Higgs expresses his thoughts on wearing a seatbelt.

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North Star Take: turf should be for all editorial.staff

D

ue to convenience, many schools are switching over to turf fields. Out of the three high schools in Francis Howell’s school District, Howell was the first school to get a turf field while North and Central still have grass fields. Howell got their turf field about a month ago because construction on the school interfered with practice routines. At Howell, things such as a cafeteria, library, and class rooms are being worked on. Players were being transported to Hollenbeck middle school just so they could practice because of this reconstruction. Even though the reason for them to get a turf field was understandable, the fair thing for the District to do is to make sure that the two other schools have one so everything is equal.

The weather can play a deciding role in any sports season which is exactly what happened for the fall sports here at North; many games were canceled or even switched to schools with turf fields. For example, North’s last football game of the season was relocated to Howell, and students here at North didn’t get to enjoy it in their own stadium. The Knightpride marching band and Knightline dance team

Due to the poor conditions of the field, the Knights and Spartans traveled to Howell High School to play on their astroturf. North still carried out all of the traditional senior night activities, despite not being on their home field. (crystal friedman)

had to perform on the track a couple of times because the field was unusable.

Instead of the hassle of rescheduling games at other schools or canceling them, the District should just give everyone a turf field.

Even though it is unfair that Howell is the only school in the District with a

turf field, the District doesn’t have the money right now to pay for the other two schools to get one. If the District would have thought about equality when this was coming down the pipeline and when Proposition B was being passed, we wouldn’t have this problem.

Since Howell already has a turf field

and the District isn’t able to afford two more, they should find another way to help North and Central. Turf fields cost around $645,000, but since they have been on the market for a while now, the costs are dropping. If the district would take the lead and help raise the money, it would be a good thing for all the schools. To make sure that the District does not have to take all of the weight of raising the money, they could coordinate with different organizations outside of school or find groups of people in school willing to donate. The money is a lot to raise, but if they are willing to consider options to help raise the money, it would make the decision to get a turf field for North and Central a lot easier.

The right thing to do is obvious.

As we are living in a world where everything is based on equality, it is only right if the District follows these same guidelines. The more the District is willing to help, the closer North and Central will come to having a turf field of their own and be on the same playing field with Howell.

on behalf of the

North Star editorial staff

Students’ futures may be hindered by social networking allison.sheffler

W

hile sitting here trying to write this column, I find myself typing in www.facebook.com instead of where I should be headed on the internet. It’s not unusual that I’m found Facebooking when in reality, doing something more productive should be top priority. Instead, I open a new tab and begin chatting with friends.

As I begin to forget what my surroundings are and go into the internet work of social networking, something catches my eye that suddenly brings me back to reality; a status.

“Should be doing homework and finishing an essay for a scholarship but instead I’m on FB.”

42 page design by lauren skinner

It’s funny how we are able to admit that we should be doing things of higher importance but the entertainment Facebook (as well as other social networking sites like Myspace and Twitter) offers, makes us forget our priorities.

As one of my teachers has told me before, our generation has been raised virtually online. Need directions? Go online. Need homework help? Go online. Need to know what your friends are doing? Go online. Any answer you need, any person you want to find, any directions to navigate the way can be found on the World Wide Web. Millions of people a day are getting lost in cyberspace; finding answers, finding people, and finding directions.

Some are playing their favorite music,

some are typing away on a new status update, and others are finding “symptoms of the Swine Flu.” These millions of people know that in the back of their minds, they should be working on a paper, applying for college, or doing research.

So as you sit down at your computer and start writing your English paper or a college essay, forget bringing up Firefox and typing in Facebook. Remember your top goal when you make your way towards your Mac. Facebook won’t help you get into a college. A scholarship essay will. The choice is one you shouldn’t have to think about but only the controller of the mouse has the final say.

speak.out

W E A R lauren.skinner

Eye shadow. Just about every girl uses it and puts up with the complications that come along with it. These complications include shadow lines that you get half-way through the day, and worst of all it doesn’t even look like you had any on because it starts to diminish throughout the day. At least that was the problem I also seemed to have when I used it. So I started using this blush that I found called Markwins Pressed powder. It looks just like eye shadow except that it doesn’t leave icky grease lines and it doesn’t come off during the day as much either. It might be weird to use blush for eye shadow, but it really works just the same so you might as well use it. It isn’t harmful to your eyes as long as you don’t get it in them. It’s easy and does the job better than eye shadow does any ways. So if you’re tired of getting grease lines and your eye shadow wearing off by the end of the day, try putting blush on your eyes instead.

Senior Julia Gabbert continues her series of weekly “give ups” with refusing to spend money for a week. Experimenting with this task left Gabbert in surprise, with how simple it is to say no to the things we want that cost. (sam fitzwalter)

JULIA LIVES WITHOUT: money julia.gabbert

Illustration by rj.howes

Real high school lifes aren’t like movies liana.ramsey

T

here are so many movies where the producers stereotype the real life of American teenagers.

Usually, you always see a guy or girl with the perfect life; they always have a boyfriend or girlfriend, they play for the greatest sports team, and they have the most laid back parents.

Recently, I sat and talked with a couple of my friends about this topic and it turn out, we all felt the same way. For example, in the movie Mean Girls, there were cliques, jock lunch tables, and something they like to call “the plastics.” At FHN, our student body is wildly mixed with different clubs, sports, and social activities.

Everyday when I walk into school and enter the lunch room I notice there isn’t a jock, art freak, or “plastics” table. If you actually take the time out to look in the crowded halls or the table filled lunch rooms, you will see that everyone has their group of friends and they are all diverse.

Do the producers really know how it affects peoples lives? I don’t think they understand the kind of pressure teens are under these days. I catch myself everyday waking up and asking a series of questions: does my hair look good, is this shirt too flashy, and are my shoes ugly? This is the pressure movies put us under: to become something we’re not in high school.

The movies have people starting a

diversion in their school when their suppose to act as one staff, one student body, and one school.

I don’t think the producers actually thought about how unreal their stereotypes actually are. I mean seriously, no kid at this school has the perfect life where everything always works out for them. And there definitely are not little clicks where everyone is the exact same and won’t let anyone else into their group. In reality, our school is nothing like the schools in movies and it really bothers me how the producers portray what high schools are like. I am proud to be at a school where everyone is diverse and can be whoever they want to be.

I get paid every other Friday from my job at Slackers, and usually by the following Monday, I’m already broke. I don’t know how it happens or where all that money goes so quickly, but it’s become a real problem. I’m sure many other teenagers feel the same way I do.

Things come up, things you just have to have, right? Well, for a week I experimented and found out what it would be like to resist all those impulses and not spend a dime of my hard earned cash.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t so bad. I realized the only things I really need to buy are food and gas. The food I get at home, so I didn’t need to spend money on school lunch. The gas, on the other hand, was a little bit of an issue. I was pretty much driving on E for three days which is something I never do. I don’t think my car liked that too much.

Nevertheless, by the end of the week, I had no complaints. And I think my bank account was happy as well.

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To see the day-to-day struggle that Gabbert had to endure during her week without money, check out her video blogs on FHNtoday.com.

page design by lauren.skinner

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P L AY melissa.shannon

A few days ago I checked out the Farmville application that everyone’s talking about from Facebook.

I always get requests sent to me from this application but I had no clue of what any of them meant. I would get so many requests I figured I should check it out. Well, I still didn’t get it.

Basically, it is asking all your friends to give you stuff. In order to succeed and move on to the next level, you must have neighbors and animals, clean them and feed them, and all kinds of crazy stuff. That’s too complicated of a game for me. I’m not a fan of this application at all. It involves time and dedication that not everyone has for a computer game. The people who are on Farmville are crazy about it. Just the other day my friend was freaking out because he didn’t harvest his grapes.

What grapes? He kept going on and on about how they would die and he would have no money left. What money? The game is fake!

TA S T E mallory.mueller

Sour and sweet and everything in between. The new Five Zing bubble gum is a perfect combination of pucker and pleasure. When unwrapping this gum, consumers are presented with a vibrant pink color that’s simply eye catching. The subtle, yet very present, sour tingle surrounds the taste buds giving the chewer an unforgettable experience. For those who have a sweet tooth, the sour sensation is only temporary. The sweet oasis takes over after about one minute of chewing.

Although the sour only last a short while, the sweet taste is endless. You don’t have to worry about getting a new piece every five minutes.

44 page design by mckenna.roberts

Millions of dollars a year are sent out of the U.S. to aid people of foreign nations. Lizzie Johnson believes that this number is far too large and that the money should be kept to help our own citizens. (greg felock)

Desperation lives among us lizzie.johnson

U

NICEF. Project (RED). World Vision. The list of international charities goes on. Charities fighting hunger, poverty, AIDS - all extremely worthy causes, yet causes all focused on ending strife somewhere else on the globe. Is it really so hard to see what’s happening on the chunk of land between 38º 00’ N and 97º 00’ W? Not to say the “land of the free” is necessarily worse off than the people of warring nations in Africa, but don’t we owe it to ourselves, no pun intended, to take care of our neighbors first?

I’ll admit, I too have fell victim to the irresistible smiles of children

scattered around the globe, but it’s easy to remind myself that our children are suffering too. Abandoned children living in swamplands and abandoned children living on the streets are essentially in the same situation. In both cases, children are put in what could amount to mortal danger, danger they should never have to be exposed to.

But who’s to say those children in the Philippines are more important than the children that will inevitably become part of the future that both you and I as Americans will be living in? Isn’t it more logical to first fix the problems ailing our own nation and put a permanent stop to them rather than attempt to play doctor to a wait-

ing room full of other nations?

Take poverty as another example. America is plagued with it.

Why should I feel compelled to give my money to someone I’ve never seen before when across the street there’s a man struggling to simply find a place to sleep? It’s arguable by many that that man has ‘done this to himself’; but what if he was born into the patterns that made him that way? According to the US Affordable Housing Institute, childhood poverty will essentially lead to poverty in adulthood. So for the most part, many impoverished American adults could, technically, have little to no control over the means that led them to a life of poverty.

So why? Why can’t we as Americans come together to put an end to the problems festering on our own piece of the globe? We seem to relish the opportunities we can shell out a pocket full of cash to a child we can’t relate to, can’t see, can’t even talk to if we wanted to because of language differences, yet we’re reluctant to help the family that would celebrate Independence Day with us if only they had the money to do it. Why can’t we instead invest our money in programs like the Big Brothers/Big Sisters chapter of St. Louis? Or perhaps the Children’s hospital downtown, a hospital that helps local children? Or even the regional Children’s Home Society, helping our own children stay off the streets? If we could for once all come together to end the problems happening in our very own towns, just imagine the things we could accomplish around the rest of the world.

Helpful for me and helpful for the community also elizabeth.diggs

O

n the first Saturday of each month, a few friends and I volunteer our time at OASIS Food Pantry. Serving around 30-35 families over a 90-minute period, we feel a sense of gratitude and obligation to give back to the community.

How would you picture a client of a food pantry? What would they look like? Employed or unemployed? These are questions I thought I knew the correct answer to until I began working with the clients. I then realized how true the statistic (the average family is two pay-checks away from needing the services of a food pantry) is; this could happen to me. This service acts as a

support system for clients in need.

Volunteering to assist a service agency is an awakening experience because it makes you realize how fortunate you are and how close everyone is to needing the services. The clients of these services are everyday people; neighbors, friends, people you pass at the mall. They don’t necessarily have to live in boxes or beg on street corners. Volunteers receive a different perspective thanks to the clients they serve.

I wanted to volunteer without incentives or being guilted into it. I wanted to volunteer. I am as grateful to the clients as they are to me by the end of the morning. We give our time, but we receive so much more in return.

Elizabeth Diggs believes that volunteering at the OASIS Food Pantry is beneficial. (nicole thompson)

Letter to the Editor Guidelines

katie.o’neil

I

’m sorry, but I have done nothing wrong.

I am one of those people who says “sorry” for everything. I have been told on multiple occasions that I need to quit apologizing. Some people have even attempted to ban me from saying “sorry.” It’s not odd for someone to ask me why I am apologizing and then for me to quickly follow up with some lame excuse. All of this to be followed up with another quiet uttered apology, this time for ever having said sorry in the first place.

It is understandable that the sound of someone who is constantly saying they are sorry is annoying, but annoying you is most likely not their intention at all. Actually, I can guarantee you that they are not trying to annoy you. There will always be the person who is to hard on themselves and feels remorse for every tiny mistake that they make and in stead of blowing it off, they apologize. If something bad happens to a friend and they don’t know what to say, they apologize.

I am one of those people. To me though saying “sorry” is being polite.

If I make a mistake, I was taught to admit it and apologize. If you tell me something bad has happened, I am

speak.out

Saying sorry too much is not a problem

• Letters must be signed by the author and verified for publication • Letters may be submitted to room 026 or Mr.Manfull’s mailbox • Letters must include the author’s phone number and e-mail for verification • Letters should not exceed 300 words • Letters will not be printed if content is obscene, profane, invasive of privacy, encouraging physical disruption of school, and/or implies libel Some people say “sorry” too much, even for saying sorry in the first place but they are just trying to be polite. Katie O’Neil believes it’s better than being rude and blaming it on other people. (lydia ness)

going to say “I’m sorry” to show that I feel sad that something negative has happened to you. If I even think that something I might have said or done had been even slightly wrong, I am going to say sorry.

I would much rather say sorry too much than not enough. I’m proud of

student

traditions

the North Star talked to four students about their different Thanksgiving traditions.

the fact that I apologize, and if you are one of those people that are repeatedly saying sorry, you should be proud as well.

So, I am sorry if my apologizing annoys you. Honestly, I regret that you don’t apologize more.

• Letters may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, and content • Authors will be notified if any changes are made to the letter by the editorial staff

fhn

today com

For the full-length version of the editorial policy, and the full-length version of the letter to the editor guidelines check out FHNtoday.

?

What are you doing on Thanksgiving this year?

?

What are some things that you are thankful for?

Going to my uncle’s house and eating dinner.

My friends, especially Colton.

Turkey, it’s good stuff.

Staying home and eating dinner with my family.

My family and friends.

Stuffing.

Getting to see my brother because I hardly ever see him.

Going to my grandma’s house with all of my family.

Family, friends and Evan.

I’d have to say dinner rolls that my mom makes.

All my family comes in so it’s good to spend time with people I don’t see all the time.

Probably going to spend it with my family.

Having friends and for having a family that loves me.

Turkey or crescent rolls.

Going to my grandma’s house.

?

?

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

My family and I go to my uncle’s house every year.

Ryan Block, 12

Ellyn Yarde, 11

Mallory Lusa, 10

Brittany Pohrer, 9 page design by katharine.carney

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