February 3, 2020 Volume 89, Issue 3
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Table of Contents
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Featured artist: Lydia Lamb Piña col-lotta love!
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With love, yours Anatomy of an Oscar Love Wins: a heart-y dose of fun Leaving a legacy: Kobe Bryant’s career
F E B R U A R Y
Red&Black Staff Print Editor:
Taylor Baker
Favorite pick up lines:
Art Editor:
Noah Holt
You must be the square root
My love for you is like a hairball, I just can’t hold it in.
Entertainment Editor:
of -1, because you can’t be real.
Opinion Editor:
Michelle Grant
Ash Stickann
You must be made of cheese. Because you’re looking Gouda tonight!
My feelings for you are like diarrhea, I can’t keep it in.
Marketing Coordinator:
Sports Editor:
Alex Kitchell
Rylie Bohanan Do you have a band-aid? I scraped my knee falling for you.
You can call me Shrek, cause I’m head ogre heels for you.
Reporter:
Featured News Editor:
If you were a fruit, you’d be a fineapple.
Blakelee Sutton
Kiss me if I’m wrong, but dinosaurs still exist right?
Web Editor, In-Depth Editor:
Tristyn Smith
Are you an angel? Because I’m allergic to feathers.
For more information about supporting the Red & Black, go to jcredblack.com.
Hannah Thomas
Reporter:
Alex Thomas
Are you a parking ticket? Because you have fine written all over you.
Friends of the Red & Black: Publisher: The Hatfield Family Editor-In-Chief: Mary Moore Editor: David & Marilyn Jobe
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I n - D e p t h Featured artist: Lydia Lamb In-Depth
Ash Stickann
Q: How long have you been into the performing arts? A: It’s really been a lifelong thing for me. I have videos of myself at age six
pumping out self made choreography to Taylor Swift songs while an electric fan acted as the wind through my hair. Not much has changed.
Q: What performing arts programs are you in at JCHS? A: I am in International Thespian Society (ITS), Chorale, Tonal Uproar and J-City Riot.
Q: What inspired you to perform in theatre? A: Church plays and my elementary school music teacher, Ms. Harris, gave me my first taste of performance. Those first few times on stage sparked my drive for theatre.
Q: Was/Is there anyone in your life that always pushed you to work hard? A: My parents have always supported me and encouraged me to push my
limits and try new things. Mr. McKinney has also pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and constantly challenges me with different roles.
Q: What was your favorite performance in your high school career and why? A: My favorite performance has always been Steel Magnolias, which we put
on my freshman year. I got to play the role of M’Lynn; this was my first ever lead role and I got to work alongside five extremely talented ladies.
Q: What was your hardest performance to prepare for and why? A: Steel Magnolias was also the hardest performance for me to prepare for. Not only did I have to keep up a southern accent the entire time, but I also had to deliver a very emotional monologue about my daughter’s death.
Q: Do you hope to continue performing in college or in the future? A: I do plan to continue with theatre as well as choir in college, especially a cappella. I am currently planning to study education and the performing arts and I hope to become a high school drama teacher.
Q: What is a piece of advice you can give to those who want to start
performing? A: Forget any hesitations you may have, and just go for it. Even if it turns out not to be your thing, you will have learned valuable public speaking and improvisation skills and probably met some cool people along the way.
Photo credit: Marcullus Staff
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Nichols Career Center Building Trades class partners with Habitat for Humanity to build a house
Teacher: Brandon Kempker JCHS Students: Joseph Shockley Dalton Fritz Connor Powell
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Sustainability
Michelle Grant
Buy reusable grocery bags.
Small changes really do make great impacts. Consider spending just a couple of dollars All across the world, landfills on a few reusable bags instead of the are filling up, our oceans are regular plastic ones that your groceries being contaminated with countless are bagged in when grocery shopping. plastics and our environment is These bags are really cheap and paying the ultimate price for humanity’s wasteful lifestyle. 60% of landfills are usually sold conveniently near the comprised of plastic waste, according to checkout, usually ranging in Reusethisbag.com and out of the 260 million tons price anywhere from 90 cents of plastic the world produces annually, 10% winds to a couple of dollars.
up in the ocean, with 70% of it sinking to the bottom causing severe damage to marine life and contributing greatly to global warming. In order to slow the advancing progression of climate change, we must join together and do something about it. This can be done through protests, writing to your lawmakers and or implementing some of the following to help Eat less red meat. reduce waste in your lifestyle to make an Raising cattle requires impact worldwide. If everyone does up to 28 times the land the small things, together we can than that needed for pork or make a difference.
Avoid single use plastics.
Purchasing your own metal water bottle is a great investment. Its reusable, stylish and reduces the number of plastic water bottles in our oceans and landfills.
poultry which not only results in deforestation, but also 11 times the production of greenhouse gas emissions according to Thegaurdien.com. Some experts even suggest that cutting out beef would have a greater impact than getting rid of cars. This isn’t to say you need to cut beef out entirely, but reducing the amount you consume can make an impact. Use
In this day and age, plastic is pretty much everywhere. There are some things that you can avoid such as single use plastics, though. This may be purchasing a big plastic bag of chips filled with smaller plastic bags of chips sold at stores. Anything that bags plastic in plastic bags should Shop at second be avoided in order to reduce unnecessary waste. hand stores. Not only is this option better for the environment, but it’s better for your wallet too. The fast paced world of consumerism is one of the leading causes of climate change, as it requires clothing to be mass produced, transported and ultimately thrown away. Buying used clothing results in less trash in the landfills and oceans.
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Get your own water bottle.
a bamboo toothbrush.
There is so much plastic in most everyday household items. Plastic bags usually come to mind first, but many hygienic items contain it as well. Swapping your plastic toothbrush to a bamboo one is a great way to cut down on your household’s waste.
Cancer Prevention Awareness Month Ash Stickann C
ancer Prevention is something that is not addressed as much as it should. In this world, there are many preventable cancers that still plague society as we know it. February has been deemed National Cancer Prevention Month, this is a time to look at our lifestyles and find ways to protect ourselves from something that is completely preventable. A common misconception of cancer is what can cause it. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), one out of two Americans does not know that obesity can cause cancer to form in the body. Carcinogens are substances that can cause preventable types of cancer. The biggest example brought up is the use of tobacco; it can cause not only lung and
throat, but also in the mouth, kidney, bladder, stomach, pancreas and cervix. This carcinogen is not only potent to the users but the people who are around them as well. Even if a person is diagnosed with one of these cancers, it is still suggested that they should stop smoking in order to live an overall healthier life. Vaccinations and screenings are a very important way to prevent cancers. Human papillomavirus(HPV) is a virus that has come to light in recent years as a virus that can greatly increase the chances of being diagnosed with cervical cancer. This is a risk in both men and women, HPV can even increase risks of anal and vaginal cancer according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research.
Screenings of the body are another important way to make sure your body is not at risk of many cancers. Risks for breast and cervical cancers can be caught and prevented with routine checkups every three years starting at age 20. Colorectal cancer screenings or colonoscopies should be done every 10 years around the age of 50. If you have a direct relative with colon cancer it is recommended that you have your first routine appointment ten years younger than when the relative was diagnosed. Every year 4 out of 10 cancer cases are from preventable and modifiable risk cancers according to an article from the American Cancer Society. Make your life a healthier one and avoid carcinogens.
Featured club: Epsilon Beta Taylor Baker
Q: When was the club established? A: Epsilon Beta as an organization
Q: How has it affected the students who
participate? A: The students who participate in Epsilon Beta get to meet and build relationships with other book lovers, develop teamwork skills, and get a fun and inviting place to be creative and express their ideas.
was started in 1931 in Washington, Missouri. JCHS officially started our chapter in the 2018-2019 school year. Before that, we were the Library Student Board.
Q: Can you describe what your
members do? A: We are the keepers of the library and our members help promote literacy and the library through events like Blind Date with a Book, book clubs, and the Giving Tree. We always try to have fun and creative ways to bring people to the library and get them interested in reading.
Q: Why was this club established? A: Our club was established for high
schoolers that are interested in the library and to connect its members with other chapters statewide.
Q: Anything you would like to add? A: Epsilon Beta is a statewide
organization and they have a conference every year, this year, our chapter of Epsilon Beta gets to be the hosts!
Student from left to right: Alexis Becker, Mikayla Mahaney, Meredith Long, Ainsley Corwin
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O p i n i o n Opinion
Aaron Gillam
W
Piña col-lotta love!
hat is the greatest love song of all time? That answer will continue to be debated forever. However, one particular love song has appeared in over 25 movies and 25 television shows. The writer of this song says that he makes enough in royalties from this one song, written forty years ago, that he could still live a rich life today. What song is it? People call it the “Pina Colada Song.” However, many people not only get the name wrong, but entirely miss the meaning of the song as well. The song is a well-crafted story about a married couple as they attempt to get through the daily grind that has become their marriage. It begins with the husband telling us that he was tired of his lady because they had been together too long, and to use Holmes’ words, “Like a worn out recording, of a favorite song.” This is an important line in the song because of its dual meaning. We all have songs that we have memorized every word to and listen to everyday for a long time, but over time we wear out the song. It is not that we don’t still love the song, but it has become almost habitual. We don’t give it the attention that we once did, much like the husband in this song and the attention he is giving (or not giving) to the relationship with his wife. Interestingly, the second meaning applies to this song itself; almost as if it is a foreshadowing the success of the song and category (a favorite song) to which it would soon belong. The husband begins to read the paper and finds a personal ad in the paper that catches his attention. Why did that ad, out of all of the other ads in the personals, catch his attention? Because it was written just for him. How many other ads could have included all his specific likes and dislikes in one ad? None. This particular ad was written for him by his wife, with him (and only him) in mind. Do you really believe
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that this was the first time he had sat in bed and looked through the paper while she supposedly “slept?” Of course not, she knew what he was doing. Do you really believe that his wife, didn’t feel the same way that he was feeling about the relationship? Of course she did. She felt the same way because they had been together a long time. She knew that he was struggling within the relationship, not because he didn’t love her, but because of the monotony that had overtaken their lives. Some people have argued that none of this matters because he was looking to cheat on his wife. However, it could be that he was just truly bored and looking through the paper. If that is true, then this letter was written to gain his attention. It is as if she is trying to get his attention. She knew exactly what to write to get him to take an action. Some have argued that they both were attempting to cheat on each other. That is simply not what the tone of the song implies. She wrote the ad with her husband in mind to let him know that she is interested in those things too. In the final set of verses, the two people are to meet at a bar called O’Malleys. The husband is there, dressed in his best suit and tie, looking good, waiting for this mystery woman. She, all dolled up, dressed in a sleek dress wearing high heels carrying a clutch purse, walks in the bar. Is she mad at him for being there? No, she has a “smile on her face.” She knew that she was going to meet him. She responds with a flirty opening, “Ah, it’s you” as if to say to him, I knew who you were the whole time. Then they both “laughed for a moment” and the husband responds with “I never knew, that you liked pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.” She wasn’t mad. He wasn’t upset. The husband has now caught on that he was set up by his wife. She wanted his attention.
She was attempting to rekindle the romance that has faded and he said “he never knew.” He never knew that she was interested in those thing that he wanted to do. He never knew that she was feeling the same way. He simply never knew. This is not a story of betrayal and cheating. It is truly a love story about two married people who have gotten into a rut. The wife was simply trying to reach out her husband so they could escape the life that they had trapped themselves inside. Of course, one could argue that the husband was a poor communicator. Of course, they could argue that he should not have been “mean to his old lady.” But perhaps, rather than dwell on the husband’s faults, we should defer to his wife, who flawlessly pulled off a great surprise, which brought them closer together and helped them both escape.
**Disclaimer: Mr. Gillam’s opinion does not represent that of every other sane person who believes that this is not a love song.
Should the draft still exist? A
merica has a long running history with war, terror and violence. After nearly 250 years of achieving nationhood, our country has been involved in eleven major wars. In six out of those eleven, America utilized a compulsory draft in order to attain a force massive enough to combat the enemy at hand. Not only do I think that a draft is a ridiculous and dangerously controversial idea, but I think that the absence of it greatly benefits the country and increases public morale. Firstly, the return of the draft does not match up with the consensus of the American people on the matter. According to The National Interest’s studies, poll after poll shows that a draft remains consistently unpopular with not only the American public, but also with military veterans and their families. This research is important because it shows that any sort of effort
to reinstate a draft would be met with a lot of resistance. Understanding how and why a military draft came to be sheds a lot of light on why a draft is counter intuitive in the first place. It was created with a few things in mind: to secure manpower and unify the nation. It was manifested out of sheer military necessity and even with that, it was met with public disapproval going all the way back to the Civil War. If the will of the American people is not being reflected with proposed legislation, then our representatives are doing us a blatant disservice. Those arguing in favor of a draft need to consider the fact that they’re advocating for a complete lack of democratic process in our government. A country founded on the idea of guaranteed individual freedom would prioritize the will of its people over the demands of its military.
9 Blakelee Sutton
Not only would the ban of a draft better represent public opinion, but it would also change the way our congress interacts with other countries. If our legislators had no draft to fall back on for military might, we would show more hesitance in conflict with other nations. Not only would this prevent any avoidable carnage, but it would save our country money that could be portioned away from the military into other worthwhile investments. War is a part of human nature. We can do everything that we can to prevent mass conflict, but the possibility of such an occurrence is always present. That being said, the desire to have sufficient military might against others should never outweigh the will of the people that it represents. The only way that any sort of idea like a draft should be able to prevail is if the voting people decide that it is to be so.
Can Valentine’s Day still feel love? V
alentine’s Day is known as the day of love for many in America. The flowers, chocolates and nights out add up to a great day of romance. Even though, is Valentine’s Day really the same as it once was? Valentine’s Day has become more of a spending venture than a day of romance. Consumers make up 51% of the U.S. population on this holiday, spending an estimated $20.7 billion. Each spender is also estimated to spend, on average, from $162 to $279. While in a survey of 1,000 people, studies found that one fifth of the people surveyed expected their partner to spend utmost to $500. Not only this, but 53% percent of relationships end if Valentine’s Day is not properly celebrated. This perpetuates the idea that you have to spend your money and celebrate with your partner is reinforced even more. These absurd prices place a monetary
value on Valentine’s Day when it should just be a day to show your affection to the ones you care about. Ignoring issues money brings to Valentine’s Day, people tend to focus on the fact that Valentine’s Day simply isn’t as big of a deal nowadays. Ten years ago, over 60 percent of the U.S. population would participate in Valentine’s Day, but as of 2019, that number has decreased by just over half. People are becoming less and less likely to shill out a lot of money for a cliche teddy bear and some crappy chocolates. Valentine’s Day has become an empty holiday that no longer gives off that feeling
Noah Holt
of love. 40% of the American population does not even want the holiday in the first place. Valentine’s Day is slowly losing meaning as the years continue on and will eventually mean nothing except another holiday meant to sell merchandise and take a chunk of your most recent paycheck.
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Capitalism causes chaos
W
hen choosing between the lesser of two evils, nothing good can ever come as a result. The “lesser of two evils” argument is often used when comparing the systems of capitalism and communism. This argument is a fallacy that those who defend capitalism use when they run out of arguments. Capitalism is a fundamentally broken system that allows a select few to rise to power and leave those who are less fortunate with little to nothing. Capitalism is a system that not only encourages, but actively rewards the greedy actions of corporations. As a result of American capitalism and human greed, pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to increase the price of insulin to be so high that affordability is a major concern for many low-income people. It is absolutely sickening that people continue to work two full-time jobs out of absolute necessity as those in power watch from their mansions. There is no world where this growing wealth gap is anything but morally reprehensible. Capitalism places those with more money in power and makes sure that they stay there. This makes them less likely to change the system that has worked well for a select few, but so badly harmed the masses. It is difficult to discuss the problems that capitalism poses without mentioning political campaigns. It is virtually impossible to run a political campaign for a national position without millions of dollars. This goes on to create a system that resembles an aristocracy. This is a major issue because it continues to ensure that only the rich succeed and anyone who is not so fortunate fails. This makes those in power only work to push policies that sustain the oppressive status quo. In ensuring that those that benefit from the system are in power,
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Tristyn Smith
capitalism makes itself very hard to change. It is obvious that reform cannot fix the problems with capitalism because America has tried many times through various government programs. These programs serve as bandages covering the third-degree burn that is capitalism. When programs like Medicaid are resisted by about half of the population because it will cost them money, it is an obvious issue. The people cannot be left in charge of the general welfare of others, because history shows that as soon as they are given the chance, they will kick their fellow humans to the curb to grow themselves financially. To put an end to capitalism must also not be a start to communism. Communism is a system that shares many problems with capitalism, namely the concentration of power and money being with an upper class (the bourgeoisie in capitalism and the members of the upper tier of government in communism). A replacement system must work to combat human greed while also giving people enough freedom to not feel oppressed. The primary issue with a replacement system is that capitalism is so deeply rooted in American history that its downfalls have been normalized. The “American Dream” is a capitalistic belief that happiness is derived from the painstaking work put in. This only works for the select few who make it to the top as they leave a trail of those who were not so fortunate in their wake. Capitalism must come to an end in America. It serves only to hurt the people that it affects. This system works to ensure that a select few elites reach the top and everyone else stays stagnant, working to achieve an elite status that they can never reach because the system does not allow it. Capitalism encourages materialistic values that guide humanity away from issues that really matter. Capitalism is a system that ensures that those in power are the ones who have benefited from the system and possess the materialistic values found in most people living in a capitalistic society. This must stop.
The Red&Black’s Editorial: O
Never quiet on the western front
ver the years, the United States of America has become a military power that has gone unmatched by any military in existence. The U.S. has left a trail of needless wars and battles in its wake as it worked to attain this. The United States has been known for going to war before working hard to create a diplomatic solution simply because it has the ability to do so. Even if America has no real place in the conflict at hand, we’ve always felt an irrational obligation to get involved. Two major examples of this are the Vietnam Conflict and the Persian Gulf War. In the Vietnam Conflict, America had a peacetime draft where they required those who had no desire to join the military to go overseas to the country of Vietnam and join a fight that America should have had nothing to do with. This was so evident that in Vietnam, the war was called the Resistance War Against America. This set the notion that this war served only to oppress the Vietnamese people. The same sentiment can be shared with the Gulf War, where the U.S. fought the country of Iraq after they invaded Kuwait for its oil reserves. Due to Kuwait being a huge oil source for the U.S., the U.S. invaded Iran, purely for financial gain. This is a problem that continues to cause many casualties and must be put to a stop. The United States has a tendency to jump into wars and retaliation, as shown with the events of earlier this year. The assassinations of leaders beloved by
Illustration by Noah Holt
their countries seen as terrorists causes extreme tensions between countries. The people of Iran will see the US as terrorists. Perspective is very important. To the families of those responsible for the attacks of 9/11, they believed that their family members were doing the right thing for their religion. However, to family members and citizens of those who lost their lives in the towers or on the planes, this was a blatant act of terrorism. It’s completely understandable for a nation to want to retaliate after such a horrendous event. That being said, a wide-spread, heightened state of shock
a n d emotion can make people make irrational decisions without thinking about t h e consequences. Riding the collective desire for vengeance, America started the War on Terror. To the men and women of Iran, launching missiles in retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani seems
completely necessary. The quick process of launching headfirst into every situation puts us at risk of becoming the very thing we sought to destroy. The results of unnecessary wars like this are shown in the communities they harm. Take the ongoing war in Afghanistan as an example. Nearly twenty years after America became involved, its military troops were still occupying the country. Not only has this been met with wide disapproval, but it has sadly brought a large body count. According to the Charles Koch Institute, 53 percent of Americans, and nearly 60 percent of military veterans think that the military has no clear goal in mind and should pull out of the conflict. Around 2 , 3 0 0 servicemen have died in the war. Even greater than that, an estimated 20,000 people have been hurt or injured, all because of a needless war that has gone on for far too long. We, as a country, n e e d to make significant changes to our relations w i t h other nations. Our unwillingness to give deeper thought before charging headfirst into a foreign land is deeply worrying. If we gave more consideration to the results of our actions, we could prevent vast amounts of pain, agony and heartbreak.
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S p o tli g h t Spotlight Ash Stickannn
With lov
What words make you think of the person you love?
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ove, yours
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Words from the heart
Dear Pikachu You electrify me for no reason. I like that. I dig that. I like to play smash bros with you. We have a lot of fun. Love Nik My love,
To my dogs, Even though you both have your issues, Toby with your pooping in the house and Jack with your blindness, Here I profess my love to you. I will forever love you. Even though I simply cannot go another day without I don’t always love your morning telling you how ardently I adore you. surprises, I will always love your smiling I can’t live with you not knowing what I faces. Even though your old age is see when I look at you. How your green starting to show, I still love your puppy eyes sparkle as you sit in the window. How your teeth are beautiful when you instincts. Happy valentines day boys!! smile. Sarah Tuck How you are always there for me when I Your snuggly Owner need support.
You are brilliant in every way and your radiant personality always outshines everyone else in the room. Some might say you are just a Pillow Pet in Mr. Thurman’s room, but you are so much more to me. Dear Spring Time, I love you, Rexy the T-Rex, Your lush green hair smooth and lush beneath Love, my feet bring such great joy to my winter frozen soul. Meredith Long Your warm breath flowing through my hair and letting my soul fly free. Your sun kissed smile warming my weary winter bones. My love for you only grows with the blooming buds, no more wintery roads. My heart soars with the distant thunder knowing I will soon discover the tears of joy you wish to weep for returning to my heart your one true home. Dear Stanlee, Love, I love that you never make me feel Your Heart of Heart
forgotten. You always make me feel so loved with how you talk to me all day. Even when you’re squawking at me or flying around the house you always calm down and snuggle into my neck. Your snuggles and kisses are my favorite thing in the world. I wouldn’t trade a single moment with you for the world. I love you my birdy. Love, your human
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Entertainment E n t e r ta i n m e n t W
ell, it’s that time of year again! The time to celebrate and reward excellent achievements in film is coming soon. On February 9, 7 PM CST, the 92nd Annual Academy Awards will make its worldwide debut. It’ll be televised live on ABC, so be sure to tune it! As a prelude to the award ceremony, here are a few categories and their nominations:
Best Picture: “Ford v Ferrari” “The Irishman” “Jojo Rabbit” “Joker” “Little Women” “Marriage Story” “1917” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” “Parasite” Lead Actress: Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet” Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story” Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women” Charlize Theron, “Bombshell” Renee Zellweger, “Judy” Director: Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman” Todd Phillips, “Joker” Sam Mendes, “1917” Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Bong Joon Ho, “Parasite”
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Anatomy of an Oscar Blakelee Sutton
Lead Actor: Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory” Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Adam Driver, “Marriage Story” Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker” Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes” Cinematography: “The Irishman,” Rodrigo Prieto “Joker,” Lawrence Sher “The Lighthouse,” Jarin Blaschke “1917,” Roger Deakins “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robert Richardson Animated Feature: “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” Dean DeBlois “I Lost My Body,” Jeremy Clapin “Klaus,” Sergio Pablos “Missing Link,” Chris Butler “Toy Story 4,” Josh Cooley
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Senioritis: Do you have it? Alex Thomas
How much energy do you have by the end of the day?
Has your snooze button seen a lot more use lately?
A
I have absolutely no energy.
A
B
Not Enough.
B
C
I’m good to go for a few more hours.
I’ve been a little late because of my snooze button.
C
D
I couldn’t have more energy!
D
I only use it when I’m really tired in the morning.
The word Snooze on my clock is gone because I’ve hit it so much.
I don’t ever use my snooze button.
How much do naps appeal to you?
Have you been missing a lot of school lately?
A
Nothing is more amazing than a nap.
A
B
I take them more than I’d like to admit.
I might not get to go to school dances!
B
I miss a lot but I’m still doing ok.
C
When I’m really tired I’ll take one.
C
I only miss school when I’m sick.
D
I’m not in kindergarten.
D
No! I haven’t missed a day this year!
What does your outfit look like?
A
Sweatpants and a sweatshirt.
A
B
Jeans and a t-shirt.
B
C
I put on a nice outfit most mornings.
C
D
Dresses/Suits 24/7.
D
How often do you find yourself checking the clock for the time to go home? Always.
When I’m bored in class. I only care about checking to see how long until lunch. I never care, the bell comes when it comes.
Mostly A’s - Do you even show up to school anymore? That’s a very serious case of Senioritis you’ve got there! Mostly B’s - Woah! You definitely are suffering from Senioritis! But don’t worry graduation will be here soon! Mostly C’s - You might want to watch out! Senioritis is a very real trap you could be falling into! Mostly D’s - You probably don’t have Senioritis! Good job! Keep up the good work!
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Harry and Meghan: royals no more
O
n Wednesday, January 8, 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, announced that they would be stepping down from their senior roles in the Royal family. This announcement came as a surprise to many people around the world. Many questions started to arise with this new development. The most important question being, what exactly does this mean for Harry and Meghan? Harry and Meghan took to Instagram to inform the public of their decision. In their statement posted with a picture of the couple, they said they wanted to “work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen”. This means they wish to continue to work with the Royal family without receiving any funds from programs that fund the Royal family. However, what they wished would happen is not what the Queen has agreed to. Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that Harry and Meghan “are no longer working members of the
Alex Thomas
Royal Family” and that they “will no longer formally represent the Queen”. This means that Harry and Meghan didn’t get exactly what they wanted. In the article “Harry and Meghan are giving up royal titles and state funding” by CNN, it was said that after many
Posted on sussexroyal on Instagram conversations with the queen, Harry made a statement at a public dinner that their, “hope was to continue serving the Queen, the commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible,” which clearly shows
Valentine’s Day frien-tivities
that the outcome was not what they had hoped for. After all the conversations between the Queen, Harry and Meghan, and the statements from them all, it’s clear that Harry and Meghan have decided to fully step down from their titles. Harry said “I would step my family back from all that I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life,’’ as said in the previously mentioned CNN article. Harry and Meghan plan on spending most of their time in Canada. No one is sure how their finances will be made. Their many organizations are still going to stay running but there has been speculation that Meghan may return to her acting career. There have been many questions but the couple has not made any statements regarding their finances yet. All that has been said is that Harry, Megan and their son Archie will no longer be receiving funds from the Queen or any part of the Royal family. Only time will tell what comes next for the couple and their son.
Alex Thomas
Valentine’s Day is always thought of as the holiday for couples. Everyone always spends this holiday with their significant other. However, those of us without a significant other can still go out or stay in and have fun with our friends. Here’s 10 things to do with your friends for Valentine’s Day.
1) Play board games 2) Bake cookies 3) Watch a movie 4) Find a silly craft to do together 5) Cook dinner for each other
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6) Explore the city 7) Pick out outfits for each other at a thrift shop 8) Go skating 9) Paint something together 10) Volunteer at an animal shelter
Reviews:
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Tristyn Smith
Cats” is terrible. Along with the terrible CGI that set the world on fire after the release of the first trailer in mid-2019, “Cats” has a plot that requires the viewer to work overtime to piece together what is going on. In a moment toward the end of the movie, multiple characters begin talking directly to the viewer in an attempt to emulate a scenario that is carried out multiple times in the musical, but creates a situation that ultimately falls flat and makes the viewer extremely uncomfortable. The atrocious CGI in “Cats” is the first thing that anyone viewing the movie will notice. The CGI featured here is over a decade behind where it reasonably should be, with other movies
Blakelee Sutton
1917”, the newest film directed by Sam Mendes, stars Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay as its main characters. Not only is the film an unforgettable and riveting experience, but it is blessed with cinematographer Roger Deakins’s mesmerizing camera work. The film’s entire cast poured their hearts out in their performances. George MacKay gives a near one-man-show, and he truly translates what a soldier’s hellish experience would be like at the height of World War I. “1917” uses a very unique style of filmmaking in order to fully immerse its audience in the experience. The entire movie is filmed to look as if it is one
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Alex Kitchell
The Rise of Skywalker” is the newest addition to the Star Wars franchise as well as the final addition to the Rey Trilogy. This movie trilogy was co-directed between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson. This trilogy is a good way to get new fans involved, however, the trilogy lacks the same feeling that the originals had. The fan base is split whether these movies are great or awful. My thoughts are that they, from a cinematic perspective, are good movies. However, when it comes to me being a fan, these movies dropped the ball. It’s nice to see the return of several great characters to the big screen, but some things are best left alone.
17 like 2004’s “Garfield” looking much better than “Cats” when it comes to CGI cats. All of this considered, the movie was very enjoyable. Enjoyment is born out of the sheer hilarity of how horribly put together the movie was. By going in expecting nothing, the viewer can be pleasantly surprised by the unintentional humor that “Cats” exhibits. “Cats” is one of the worst movies in recent memory, having nothing but the “so bad it’s good” value going for it. The movie borders on incoherent and should have never been made. Despite everything previously mentioned, “Cats” is an absolute joy to watch.
continuous shot. This stylistic choice lends itself to a film that travels at a break-neck pace. I felt both immensely satisfied and incredibly exhausted after watching the movie. Roger Deakins has established himself as one of the best visionaries in the business, and “1917” is no exception. The lighting, camera work and color palette of the film is absolutely breathtaking. My jaw dropped to the ground as a result of a movie’s visual quality. “1917” is the kind of new and inventive film that only comes about once every few years. It’s a memorable experience and I recommend it to anyone that loves movies that break the mold of what came before.
While the other movies including Rogue One and Solo did well to add information to the standing story, these new movies didn’t add any new information. This movie is mediocre at best. Mainly due to character issues and a sudden ending. This first movie of this series, “The Force Awakens” was lacking in almost every aspect except cute animals. “The Last Jedi” made an attempt at showing some of the lovable characters from older films, but it seemed like it was competing with the previous movie. This was an obvious cash grab that had good moments hidden within.
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F e a t u r e d News N e w s Featured
Love Wins: A heart-y dose of fun
Ash Stickann
Where: Missouri River Regional Library When: February 14th, from 6-9pm Admission: FREE! Hosted by SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) to place A safe have fun and s relax riend with f
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JCHS celebrates the end of construction O
Alex Kitchell
n January 12, 2020, Jefferson City High School held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Many people showed up for the event despite having to brave the snow and winter weather. A stage was set up inside. Streamers, balloons and banners were dotted around the foyer. Chairs were lined up in front of the stage for guests to sit. However, the guests greatly
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outnumbered the seats. Before Larry Linthicum spoke to the crowded room about the new changes and how they are improving the conditions and lives of students, the JC orchestra played several pieces. Linthicum cracked a few jokes while Jasper the Jay walked around handing balloons to small children. Larry then gave the stage to the choir who sang the Alma Mater, and finally the band played the school fight song. The crowd was shown into the cafeteria where they were invited to go on a short tour of the renovated areas of the high school. The tour groups were offered refreshments, cookies and the ability to talk with some of our student council members. “The newly redesigned school is really nice. I really like the modern take but
at the same time keeping the tradition of the school was not only clever but immaculate too. The new connector is so helpful for getting around and away from the crowd. I’m so happy that all the hallways are open to keep the crowding down. Also, the new cafeteria is really nice and so much more comfortable than the fold-out tables we had last year. All-in-all the redesign is great!” stated Blake Halfen, a student at JCHS. The event lasted until around 2:00 pm, then people began to head out back into the snow. The overall perceptions of the renovations were great for students. The building feels welcoming and the new collaboration areas give the building a more college-like atmosphere.
Australia burns
Ukraine plane downed O
Alex Kitchell
n January 8, 2020, news broke of the crash of the Boeing 737-800 flight 752 when leaving Tehran headed to Kiev. The flight never made it. The plane fell to the ground early in the morning, leading to the deaths of all 176 people on board. Initially, Iranian officials deemed the crash to be a manufacturing mistake or problems with some of the systems used. Officials were searching for the plane’s Black Box. When the Black Box, or plane’s recording device, was found Iranian officials would not release the recordings to other nations involved such as Canada and Ukraine. On January 14, several arrests were made by Iranian officials in relation to the crash. As of January 21, Iran has admitted to firing two missiles at the passenger plane, resulting in its demise.
Tragedy strikes Puerto Ric again
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Michelle Grant
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Blakelee Sutton
n October of 2019, a bolt of lightning struck the grounds of Gospers Mountain in New South Wales, Australia. The country suffered from several consecutive winters that saw little to no rain, and the result was a dry area of land. The lightning ignited the ground, and fire quickly spread all throughout the area. Even three months later, the fires are still burning. The newly named “Gospers Mountain Fire” has become Australia’s worst blaze in history, burning over two million acres. The disaster resulted in a new task to save prehistoric trees so rare that their exact location remains a secret. As of January 2020, the fire is largely contained. Despite some heavy rain in a few areas, dozens of fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.
International news
ight before 9 a.m. on January 11, an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 rocked Puerto Rico’s southwestern coast. This wasn’t the first earthquake that has devastated the island in recent months. Unfortunately, it most likely will not be the last to come in the next couple of weeks. On January 6th, the region was rattled by a 5.8 quake. 24 hours later, Puerto Rico was hit with a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. The island is no stranger to earthquakes. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there have been 123 earthquakes over a magnitude of three since December of last year. The community is still recovering from not only the recent earthquakes but also from the effects of hurricane Irma and Maria. On top of the devastation from the hurricanes, the community is dealing with landslides, broken power lines, dilapidated homes, schools and even the destruction of the popular tourist destination of Punta Ventana. Understandably, the people of Puerto Rico are devastated and afraid as a result of the earthquakes. In addition to this, the aftershock is prevalent in the region. Communities are feeling the rough aftershocks from the quakes. Considering there is a high chance of Puerto Rico experiencing many more earthquakes, authorities advise the community to stay up to date with recent earthquake information and to stay away from power lines, trees or anything that could fall over. The best way to stay safe during earthquakes is to avoid collapsible objects.
Taal volcanic eruption
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Hannah Thomas
n January 12, at 2:30 pm, Taal - an island around 60 kilometers south of the capital Manila - started ejecting lava and blew a giant plume of rock fragments, known as tephra, up to 15 kilometers high. Ash traveled as far as 70 kilometers north to Quezon City, forcing tens of thousands of people living on Taal’s Volcano Island and in nearby provinces to evacuate. Researchers in the Philippines are monitoring the Taal volcano closely for signs of a major eruption. Even though activity has eased, the threat of a large-scale eruption remains. Not only is it an immediate risk to life, but an event as such could also contaminate water supplies and halt ground and air travel. It could also disrupt power generation for thousands of people. The volcano remains at a level four, the second-highest level on the country’s volcano-alert system. This means a lifethreatening eruption could happen at any moment. Since the sixteenth century, Taal has erupted about thirty times, which includes four major events. Increased seismic activity, like that seen since January 12, preceded most of these eruptions. Although this may seem scary, according to Perla Reyes, a volcanologist at PHIVOLCS, not all cases of increased seismic activity have resulted in a major eruption.
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Jays playing at new heights I
Noah Holt
n the state of Missouri, there is a conference known as the Missouri Music Educators Association or the MMEA. The MMEA is a massive conference with 3,000 educators, from band, choir and orchestra, from Kindergarten all the way up to University. With bands, choirs and orchestra auditioning each year to go, there are over 150 auditions every just to perform there, with only four bands, choirs and orchestras from high schools, middle schools and elementary schools across the state. Attending this isn’t just musical groups from schools across the state, there are also All-State bands, choirs and orchestras performing there, as they are considered the best in the state. “Our
band got to be one of the performances there, and it was the second time in four years that we’ve been able to do that,” stated Brett Myers, the Jay Band director. When asked about any stress added to the band, Mr. Myers,” I think it adds a bit more stress on the kids just because we’ve got Capital Carolling, we’ve got the Christmas concert that we’ve gotta do.” Arianna Boucher, a member of the Jay Band, agreed with Mr. Myers in an interview. Boucher stated,” We had been working for months on the same pieces. As time continued, we started to make mistakes on things we knew how to do, we were burning ourselves out and there seemed to be a lot of pressure put on us to do
well. In the end, though we did really well.” When asked about any words he had to say to the band, he stated,” I’m just really proud of these kids. They’ve gone through ups and downs this with kids quitting band or just one thing or another. I’m really super proud of these kids, as they trudged through everything. It was pretty great, man.” In the end, the Jay Band did great at the MMEA and knowing what a rarity it is and the amount of people applying to go, it shows the exceptional skill the Jay band has and the commendable effort they put into their work.
Award-winning debate team Hannah Thomas
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he mission statement of the debate team states, “The Jay Debate Team is a group of ethical professionals focused on pursuing excellence through helping themselves and others in all their personal, academic, and debate endeavors.” The Jefferson City Debate Team rests its vision upon four major pillars: academic achievement, adequate preparation, high moral character and competitive team spirit. The team began with a small group of students. But throughout the years, they have become a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Missouri District. The team has won over 500 trophies and awards since its founding, including several first-place finishes at invitational tournaments. The head coach for the team is none other than the amazing Mr. Jordan Hart, who has been the coach for many years.
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The group consists of over 50 students, all varying in different grades and attitudes. The team has won many tournaments and brought home over 70 trophies just this year. There are many aspects of the debate team, with many different sections of debate events and speech events. Each member will have the ability to succeed. There are 13 events in total, with three debate events, four speech events and six interpretation events. Within the Jefferson City Debate Team, there is a hall of fame were many bright members of the team are recognized. Many of these people have already graduated and headed off to college. The hall of fame includes two people from 2019: Leticia Nketiah and Yolanda Martin. All debate members have a chance to receive a prestigious award from
the National Speech & Debate Association, called the Academic AllAmerican Award. The 2019 Academic All-American Award recipients include Graham Bond, Andrew Massen, EC Powers, Clara Scovill and David
Leaving a legacy: Kobe Bryant’s career Rylie Bohanan O
n January 26, the world was shocked by the sudden death of former NBA star, Kobe Bryant. He was on his way to coach at a basketball tournament at his sports facility, Mamba Sports Academy. As a son of a former NBA player, Joe Bryant, it was almost expected that Kobe follow in his father’s footsteps. Bryant grew up in Italy, where he played basketball and soccer. After moving back to the U.S., he continued his basketball career at Lower Merion High School. He lead his team to four straight state championships. He had good grades and high SAT scores, but Bryant decided to start his NBA career straight out of high school. He began his career with the Charlotte Hornets, but was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In 1998, Bryant (age 19) was voted a starter at the All-Star Game, which made him the youngest All-Star in NBA history. Bryant helped the Lakers win three consecutive NBA championships, along with earning first-team all-NBA from 2002-2004.
Bryant led the league in scoring in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. This was the second-highest singlegame mark in NBA history. Bryant was then named Most Valuable Player in 2008 as he carried his team to the finals. Bryant was a part of both the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. He played among other top players at the time, such as Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony. Both years, they won gold medals. He was known for being a determined, hard worker. He tore his Achilles in April 2013, but worked hard to return to the court by the start of the regular season in October. Unfortunately, just six games in, he fractured his knee which took him out for the rest of the season. In 2015, his season was also ended early due to a torn rotator cuff. He was back in time for the start of the 2015-2016 season, but he struggled. In November 2015, he announced his retirement. “My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind but my body
S p or t s Sports
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knows it’s time to say goodbye,” Bryant wrote on The Players’ Tribune website. During his last game, he scored 60 points and led his team to a win against the Utah Jazz. This was Bryant’s sixth 60-point game in his career. Bryant wrote a poem titled “Dear Basketball” in 2015. He then decided to turn his poem into a short film. This almost five-and-a-half-minute film was debuted at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. In 2018, Bryant received an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Kobe Bryant was one of the greats in NBA history. He was an extremely hard worker who was passionate about the sport. He was very well-respected in and out of the basketball community. He will definitely be missed.
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Featured Athlete Athlete Featured
Sarah Linthacum: Basketball
For this issue of featured athlete, we took the time to ask junior basketball player Sarah Linthacum some questions.
Q: Who is your favorite sports hero? A: Larry Bird. Q: What are three reasons you like
being part of a team sport? A: You make great friendships, you learn perseverance, and it is fun to compete and win together.
Q: What is the best part about
competing? A: I love that everyone is on the same page working together. It makes the wins so much better.
Q: How do your teammates make
practice fun? A: My teammates are so fun to be around. They are always joking, dancing, and laughing. Everything we do together is fun.
Q: What is your favorite sports quote? A: “In the end, we will only regret the chances we didn’t take”- Fearless motivation.
Q: What emotions do you
feel when you play well? A: I feel joy. It is fun and my teammates always help make everything awesome.
Q: Who do you wish was watching you perform at every game? A: I love seeing our students fill the stands and be loud.
Q: What is your favorite song to listen to prior to competing? A: My team always warms up to “We Ready.”
Q: What is your favorite movie about sports? A: My favorite sports movie is “Remember the Titans.” Q: Where do you feel the most confident in your body? A: I feel confident when I’m playing basketball.
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Taking down stereotypes: Girls Wrestling Team Michelle Grant
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or the first time in Jefferson City High School history, there is a girl’s wrestling team. Before, if a girl wanted to wrestle, she had no choice but to join the boy’s team. Although Celeste Cashe paved the way for girl’s wrestling at JCHS, the addition of an official girl’s wrestling team created a better sense of equality and inclusion among the genders. A lot of girls on the team love the feeling of being able to compete in a typically allmale sport, like senior Madeline Showers. “It’s really fun because you get to get down and dirty...and be involved in a sport that doesn’t usually have girls,” Showers comments. Senior Abbe Zimmerman agrees as well that being a part of the wrestling team has been a great way to try something new. “Being a part of something new and different and being able to say I’m on the wrestling team is my favorite part about wrestling,” Zimmerman states. Although the girls enjoy wrestling, for the most part, they face some challenges being the first-ever female wrestling team.
“Some people think it’s not a good thing… like older people sometimes aren’t comfortable with it,” Zimmerman remarks. “Sometimes we aren’t included as well (as the boy’s team) just because it’s our first year. But, it should get better over time as we get more girls in the program,” Showers adds. In addition to the slight exclusion felt by the girl’s team, since the team is still
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wrestling, or who we’re wrestling until 30 minutes before the match which is hard because you aren’t sure if your head should be in the game,” Showers expresses. However, despite these obstacles these girls have had to overcome, the girls that joined girl’s wrestling this year have truly made way for more gender inclusion in the athletic world. Girls to come will surely be grateful that the girls this year made the brave leap to try this new sport.
new, it is a challenge to get as many matches as the boy’s team. There aren’t as many girl’s teams as there are boy’s teams and it can be difficult to find girls to wrestle. “Usually we don’t know if we’re even
Why sports psychology is important B
eing a student-athlete has been found to be very stressful and can have very negative effects on someone’s mental health. Due to this, sports psychologists have been more commonly found on coaching staffs and the study of sports psychology has been popularized. Sports psychology (the study of how psychological factors affect the way an athlete performs) is a relatively new study of psychology. The first laboratory was created in the 1920s in Berlin, Germany. It slowly started to expand after that. Sports psychologists can help with many issues that athletes can face during their careers. They can help with performance
Rylie Bohanan
anxiety. A lot of athletes are affected by performance anxiety. They have a fear of failure and fear of embarrassing themselves. Sports psychologists find ways to help athletes to overcome these fears. Athletes can also need help shaping their mental skills. This is the most common role a sports psychologist plays on a coaching staff. They help an athlete enhance their performance by improving their focus, intensity, composure, confidence and by establishing trust in the process. These skills can be focused to help an athlete prepare for a certain game or practices. Not only can these skills help the athlete in their performance, but they can also help with aspects in everyday life.
An injury can affect an athlete not only physically, but it affects an athlete mentally too. Returning from an injury can be very difficult for some athletes. They can be scared to play and reinjure themselves, or have “mental scars”. These mental scars can last long after the injury is fully healed. Sports psychologists can help the athlete return to a preinjury mindset and intensity. As an athlete, it is important to keep a good mindset and always be positive. Sometimes they need help, and that’s where sports psychologists come in to help.