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Red & Black Volume 88 Issue 5 Jefferson City High School Jefferson City, MO.
Out with the old, in with the new
CONTENTS 03.15.19
OPINION 17
NEWS
18
4 4
Upcoming events
5
White out: Green Team performs trash audit
6
Respiration appreciation
6 6
Fentanyl Crisis
7
JC Reads Week
Why do we need biodiversity?
Plenty for 2020 president
FEATURES 8 8
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11 11
Minimalism Senior citizen’s life advice Featured teachers and staff Foreign students: Beyond the states Featured artist: Shaelen Uthe
SPOTLIGHT 12
Spring Break destinations
SPORTS 14 15 16
Player Perspective: Track Featured Athletes Anxious to Play: Performance anxiety Featured Coach: Joren
Editors-In-Chief: Taylor Baker Blakelee Sutton Adviser: Kathleen M. Ledgerwood
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Should teachers voice their opinion’s in class? What’s the deal with bathroom breaks during F.A.S.T.?
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Should students work?
19
Head to Head: Pros and cons: the seven block schedule
A&E 20
Motivational march
20
Jefferson City art
21
Dear Patti
21 22
Spring Break destinations
22
Spring detox
23
Reviews: Captain Marvel, A Madea Family Funeral, From Michigan With Love
Top 5 best “bad” movies
Do you have story suggestions for the Red & Black? Email us at RedBlack.JCHS@gmail.com, call us at 573-340-3715, or come stop by room J141. We’d love to hear your ideas or even publish your work. We accept freelance writers, photographers, and cartoon artists. Come be a part of your student newspaper.
Staff Reporters: Lesley Altheuser Rylie Bohanan Makayla Coleman Avery FitzSimmons Michelle Grant
03.15.19//CONTENTS
Noah Holt Bryan Ibañez Demeshia Slaughter Tristyn Smith Ash Stickann
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March 15, 2019 Volume 88, Issue 5 Red & Black is a student-led newspaper that serves as a public forum for the school and the community. Opinions expressed in the paper are not necessarily those of JCHS, nor the faculty, staff or administrators.
Jefferson City High School 609 Union Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 (573) 659-3050 redblack.jchs@gmail.com
Red & Black Social Media:
@redblackjc
FROM THE EDITORS Hey all! We’re back for the March issue! There’s lots of interesting stories this go around, so buckle your seat belts! I think our Head to Head is very thought-provoking (and I’m not just saying that because I wrote one half). There are a lot of opinions on the topic and I believe we have barely scratched the surface. We feature a variety of students throughout the issue. We do our best to represent different groups in our school. If you know of an artist or talented person who you think should be featured in our next issue, please email us! We are always trying to improve our student coverage. If you have any suggestions for improvements that could be made to the Red & Black, tell us! We love to hear from our readers! I hope you all enjoy this issue! -Taylor:)
You’re back! Good, we’ve missed you people. We’re really excited to bring you our March issue! I’ve enjoyed this issue particularly because of the more school-centric issues that we’ve decided to focus on for our stories. The debate surrounding the switch to a seven block schedule for the 2019-2020 school year has caused a lot of strong feeling that we’re excited to showcase it in the paper. We’ve also got a story that outlines the upcoming presidential election of 2020. This is especially exciting to me because for many current JCHS students, it will be the first election that they can actually participate in. It’s important to keep up with the policy positions of each candidate, and I think we’ve managed to scratch the surface of that. If any of our readers are interested in freelancing for us, please email us as soon as possible! The sooner we can get your ideas for a story, the more of a chance you have to be featured in our April issue! -Blakelee
~Prom will be here before you know it~
223 E High St, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (573) 636-1060 Open Mon & Fri: 10:00AM-5:00PM Tue-Thu: 11:00AM-5:30PM Sat: 10:00AM-4:00PM
Mention this ad and get 10% off of an in stock regularly priced dress Valid through 4-1-2019 Not Valid on a Previous Purchase
www.jcredblack.com 03.15.19//NEWS
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NEWS
Upcoming events
Event: Magic Show Miller Performing Arts Center, March 16th @ 2pm, $5 admission
Ash Stickann
Event: Marvel Trivia Night Missouri River Regional Library, March 19th @ 6-8pm, free
Event: Native Plant Sale Runge Conservation Nature Center, March 23rd @ 10am-2pm, no registration
Event: Discover: Missouri Mushrooms, Runge Conservation Nature Center, March 30th @10am-2pm, no registration/free
Event: Human Trafficking Awareness Presentation, Helias Commons, March 21st @ 6-8pm, free
Why do we need biodiversity?
E
ndangered species and dying ecosystems are rising by the day. By 2050 one in ten plant and animal species will be extinct, according to World Wild Life. While some animals or plants might be able to merge into other ecosystems, most will die or be added to the endangered list. This will cause the endangered species list to grow from 23,000 attention was brought upon this growing epidemic by Schooled by Science Human activity can also cause biodiversity to plummet. Many factors play into this, one of which being the growing birth-rate. This will cause the population of many species to decrease as housing for the growing population increases. This decreases biodiversity and will cause many foods we eat such a watermelon, chocolate and coffee to become very expensive or disappear completely.
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This can also be due to the exploitation of natural resources. While sustainable farming is on the rise, many places that mine minerals or oil can’t replenish as fast as it’s consumed. Both of these factors can cause many harmful effects on the environment. That being said, the human activity of conservation is helping these issues. Conservation can help protect animals such as the red pandas, hippopotamus, Galapagos penguins and dugong. Conservation not only is helping animals return to sustainable or growing popularization but also plants and habitats allowing biodiversity flourish. When ecosystems don’t have much biodiversity, they tend to plummet. An example of this is when wolves were removed from Yellowstone, causing the caribou to eat almost all the natural food sources. The effect wasn’t corrected until
Avery FitzSimmons
wolves were reintroduced, affecting the population of caribou. If the decline in plant and animal species continues to raise, it will be the sixth mass extinction to happen on Earth, the last being the dinosaurs, WWL touches on this topic. If you’re interested in learning more about this problem or want to donate to help biodiversity and endangered species, please look up the Nature Conservancy or the Ocean Conservancy.
White
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Taylor Baker
Green Team preforms Out:trash audit
n March 7, The Green Team did a waste audit of all the trash collected from the cafeteria and kitchen from breakfast and lunch to see how much Styrofoam students use during one school day. “After sorting and weighing the trash the Green Team determined 1 cubic yard of Styrofoam and 1 cubic yard of food waste had been generated. By eliminating Styrofoam and composting the food waste, the daily trash generated in the cafeteria could be reduced by 2 cubic yards. In a year’s time the volume of trash would be reduced by a whopping 360 cubic yards,” stated Mrs. Fraga, the Green Team’s sponsor. The leaders of the team hope to put 96 gallon recycle and trash bins in the cafeteria, and 48 gallon ones hallways around the school. They have a grant writing committee who needed exact statistics in order to write their grant and propose the idea of the extra bins.
Green Team hopes to raise awareness about how much people waste in hopes that everyone will be more environmentally conscious. Green Team members who helped with the trash audit: Bailey Higgins Rani Patel Elizabeth Nahach Akhi Donthireddy Joanna Chen Bertha Tillman Clari Kawaya Cole Harper Odi Ihenacho Joanna Chen Da’Chanel Sutton Ranae Hurtault Sudhi Kumer Rayana Thompson
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Respiration appreciation
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efferson City High School’s construction zones have raised many an eyebrow when it comes to safety. Rumors that students may not be safe from things like construction dust or something else that is at a level of toxicity. But there are many precautions being taken in order to keep students and staff safe from these toxins. Hallways that are blocked off with the thick drywall walls are used to physically block any airborne toxins from spreading, like dust, bacteria and dirt. Principal Adams he remarked how each of these areas is sealed completely in order to keep the population of JCHS from potential harm. Not only are these wall barriers
keeping the students safe, but in case of a breach in the wall, the construction team would quickly fill the crevice, hole or penetration with a special tape or caulk. Another common noticed issue is the fogginess in construction halls. Several comments from students are quick to claim that this is “proof” of the unsafe air in JCHS, but this would not be the case. There are several reasons as to why this fogginess could be seen. The first possible reason would be due to the lack of windows and low lighting in those areas causing a more of a foggy illusion to the hall. Another thing that is causing this is the change is heating and cooling. The way heating and
Fentanyl crisis
I
n 2016, there were 19,413 deaths from synthetic opioids; one of these opioids is fentanyl, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Fentanyl is a prescription painkiller that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine, another prescription painkiller. As it stands, fentanyl is classified as a schedule II drug, meaning that it is highly addictive and should be rarely prescribed. Due to this status, fentanyl is only prescribed to cancer patients with severe cancer pain. This shows the obvious dangers that the drug possesses. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is not the primary issue though. The main issue is
illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF), which many addicts are unknowingly taking along with their drug of choice. The largest problem that fentanyl poses is its potency. Three milligrams (equal to about seven grains of table salt) of fentanyl is enough to overdose. Synthetic opioids are now the leading cause of overdose death in the United States, passing heroin in 2015, According to Pharmacy Times, In response to the influx of synthetic opioid overdoses, it is important to take several measures to prevent further overdoses. One measure that lawmakers have been taking is making naloxone, which doctors use to reverse overdose, available in
Plenty Candidates for 2020
T
he Presidential Election of 2020 is quickly approaching, and this one marks a special time for a great deal of students attending JC. For many, it will be the first presidential election in which these students can vote. With that being said, it’s important for up-and-coming voters to be aware of the people who have announced their candidacy for the presidency and the policies that they’re advocating for. So far, there are three major names that have announced candidacy. The first and only Republican that has announced a 2020 campaign is, you guessed it: Donald Trump. No other Republican has announced their candidacy, and this
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could be for a lot of reasons. Since Trump is expected to be nominated by the Republican party, it’s most likely that no party member wants to defy their own faction and potentially create a division. The first notable Democratic candidate is former California attorney general, Kamala Harris. She has a proven record as politician, and has a central policy that her campaign is revolving around: The LIFT Act. This would pay out up to $500 a month for working-class families. She’s marketing it as a tax cut and seeks to end Trump’s contributions to big businesses and the upper classes. And making a return to the campaign scene, Bernie Sanders has also announced
Ash Stickann cooling was controlled before used more of the heat and cold air from outside the school to regulate the temperature of the school. But, due to the new air conditioning and heating system that can be seen in the newer classrooms, there has been a disruption in how “fresh air” is brought into the school. Many students may still think that this is a risk, but the many precautions the school is taking are there to protect its staff and students. There is no need for alarm when walking through halls with construction.
Tristyn Smith all 50 states. This is very helpful, but it is not enough. Being the primary synthetic opioid in the United States, IMF is a very dangerous. It kills a large number of people and that number will only continue to increase if we don’t change. Another possible solution to this epidemic is to remove the stigma around addiction. Many addicts refuse to get help because they are afraid of how their families and friends will react. With this stigma gone, many addicts will finally get the help that they so desperately need, and, as a result, significantly lower the overdose rate.
Blakelee Sutton his candidacy for the presidency. Hoping to have more success this time around, Sanders is still promoting his overall narrative of dramatic change in American economics. As a Democratic Socialist, he advocates for policies that would provide free Medicare-for-all, tuition-free college, and a $15 minimum wage. So, prospective voters have different choices to lend their vote to. It’s still early on, and many more candidates will continue to announce a bid for office. Paying attention to their policies can educate future voters and help with an educated decision.
JC Reads Week Taylor Baker
D
uring the week of March 4-8, students and teachers participated in multiple spirit days to celebrate reading in our schools. Here are some students and staff dressing up as their favorite book characters. These pictures and ones like it can be found on the library Twitter page, @Library_JCHS.
Students and staff pictured above: Ms. Sanders Stephen Rogers Ben Mobley Josh Kofahl Lucah Mccullough Hannah Keely Alanna Norris Alexis Becker Denali Cook Sierra Wilman Ms. Davis Mrs. Corwin Mrs. Jorgensen
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FEATURES Tristyn Smith
A
s a society, we are in a perpetual state of want. We see something that we don’t have and we instantly want it, despite not having any idea how we will use said object. Our focus on material possessions makes it harder to get the most out of life. We absorb ourselves in the daily grind, just so we can buy more stuff. We give up time that we could be spending with family and friends so we can work for more material items that add no value to our lives. Minimalism is all about eliminating this issue. It is about holding on to the things that add value to your life and letting go of the things that don’t. The hardest part of minimalism is the first step. Getting rid of the item that you get no value from but still have been holding on to for years is very difficult, but also liberating. Once you take that first step, it gets much easier. You’re able to ask yourself, “Is this adding value to my life?” and if the
Minimalism answer is no, you’re able to get rid of the item. My first step was to declutter my closet. I owned probably 50 shirts (I only wore about 15 on a regular basis), so I condensed. While it is still a work in progress, I have removed the majority of the shirts that I don’t wear from the equation. To the surprise of a few of my
friends, I wear almost every article of clothing that I own on a regular basis. This is something that anyone can do. In my opinion, the closet is the best place to start. From my vantage, high schoolers tend to have very full closets that are
Life advice from senior citizens Michelle Grant
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infested with unworn clothes that others could benefit from. A good way to go about this is to donate your old clothes to organizations that help get them to people who need them. Whether it be Goodwill, a local thrift store or one of the many donation bins you can find around virtually any corner you can certainly find a place to donate the clothes that aren’t adding value to your life and help someone add some value to theirs. Minimalism isn’t only about the physical though. It is equally about how you spend your time. Instead of overworking yourself to pay for the trendy item of your choice, you can spend some time with friends and family. Using your time intentionally is an easy way to add value to your life. While it is not an instant solution to all of life’s problems, minimalism can certainly help put a few of them to bed. If you feel like your life is overcrowded, physically or mentally, maybe minimalism is worth a try.
Everyone needs some insightful advice from time to time. There is no one better to get advice from than from a pair of wonderful grandparents. Keep reading for some wise words of wisdom from Doug and Yolanda Hartman. tomorrow. If you make a mistake, there is Q: If you could go back in time and change always tomorrow to make it better.” anything about your life, would you? Doug: “You can’t undo yesterday, but you Yolanda: “Not really, I wouldn’t, because can make it better.” you learn. Every part of your life that you have lived up to at each point, you learn Q: What would you say you know now from it and grew from it.” about living a happy life that you did not when you were 20? Q: What are some of the most important Yolanda: “What would have brought you lessons you have learned throughout your happiness back then is different from life? the happiness you get now. In my 20’s Yolanda: “I think to live and be happy something that brought me happiness was, with whatever life gives you at that point. woo hoo! I’m gonna go party!” Be happy with it because there is always
03.15.19//FEATURES
Featured teacher & staff Michelle Grant
Lesley Altheuser
Sarah Berendzen
Lauren Winemiller
Do you have a staff member you think more people should know about? Contact us with your suggestion, and we may do a feature on them!
This is Ms. Berendzen’s first year working as a teacher at JCHS. She gives her take on the best and most challenging parts about being a teacher and what inspired her to become one in the first place.
Q: How long have you been working at JCHS as a teacher? A: This is my first year at JC. I graduated from SEMO last May. Q: What is the most rewarding part about being a teacher at JCHS?
A: I love it when my students finally get it! Learning a new
language is so difficult sometimes, and students have to work so hard, but it is amazing when everything finally clicks together for them.
Q: What is the most challenging part of teaching French? A: The most challenging thing is getting students to break out of
their shell and be brave enough to speak in French. It’s so much easier for students to communicate in English, so it can be a battle to convince students to speak in French.
Q: How and when did you decide you wanted to be a teacher? A: Since I was in Kindergarten, I have always wanted to be a
teacher. It wasn’t until I took French in high school, though, that I decided I wanted to be a French teacher.
Q: Why did you choose to teach at JCHS? A: I grew up in Jefferson City and have lived here all of my
life. I went to Helias, though, so I was hesitant to apply here. However, I have been welcomed so warmly. I’ve been a Jay for almost 6 months now, and I can’t imagine being anything else.
Q:
When you were in high school, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I wanted to work in Marketing. I was very involved with my High School DECA chapter, so a business career seemed like a great opportunity. In college, I decided to major in Business/ Marketing Education, so I could teach those types of classes. Q: What influenced you to be a school counselor? A: I started volunteering in the Women’s Center at MIZZOU
during my junior year of College, and I saw the impact counselors can have. After teaching for a few years, I decided to complete my graduate program in Secondary School Counseling.
Q: Why are counselors important in high school? A: Counselors offer support and advice, and can help bridge the
communication gap between students, parents, and teachers.
Q: What are the biggest challenges of this job? A: Getting students to understand it’s OK to talk to a
counselor if they are struggling with school, home, friends, or life in general. We are here to listen, offer support, and have resources to help. With large caseloads, it can be difficult to form meaningful relationships with all of our students. We may not realize they are struggling until a friend, parent, or teacher shares their concern.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working here? A: Working with the students. I’ve gotten to know some pretty
amazing kiddos over the years. And my coworkers are pretty awesome, too!
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Beyond the states Bryan Ibañez
O
ur school has students from different parts of the world that have come to further their education in the U.S., but have you ever thought of what’s different between our school and the ones that they originally came from? Being a student in the U.S. for your entire life, some people don’t realize the many differences that other students from around the world experience. In the U.S., most of our schools do not require students to wear uniforms. Minaho Yamada, a foreign exchange student at JCHS, said that students in Japan were expected to wear uniforms at their schools. She also added that teachers at JC are a lot more strict than where she attends school in Rawipa Wongkokua Japan. Rawipa Wongkokua agreed that her Thailand original school in Thailand, teachers are a lot more strict and students were expected to wear uniforms, though she added that at our school, we have a lot more homework. Alessia Inguanta, a foreign exchange student originally from Italy, said that unlike Wipa’s and Mia’s school, she did not have to wear uniforms for her school. She agreed that the teachers at JC were strict and she had to study more in our school than she did in Italy. She added that JC is a lot bigger in student size and so is the school in general. She mentioned how our sports department are a lot larger in the U.S., including that some sports were also played inside the building instead Alessia Inguanta of outside. Tristan Swartvagher, a foreign exchange student from France, said that our Italy school is a lot easier than where he originally went to school in France. Although all of their schools were different, they were surprised with very similar things. They were surprised to know that the scheduling of classes was unique for each student, where no two students have the exact same or similar classes. Something that was also shocking to them was how students in the U.S. are a lot more social; they all agreed that where they went school, they went for the purpose of being educated. Education was prioritized instead of being popular or socializing with others. They also thought that school spirit was a bit strange in the sense that their schools did not do anything special for dances, like how schools in the U.S. do special events for homecoming and prom.
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Minaho Yamada Japan
Tristan Swartvagher France
Featured Artist: Shaelen Uthe Taylor Baker
Q: How long have you been playing the violin? A: Since 5th grade Q: How many students do you teach? A: 6 Q: How do you plan on continuing with music in the future? A: I plan on majoring in music performance, maybe music education, I’m not sure yet. Q: What schools do you plan on applying to? A: I’ve looked at several schools like Oberlin Conservatory
in Ohio, and Oklahoma City University. I think my number one choice right now would be Oberlin.
Q: How does music impact your life? A: Music impacts my life in so many ways. It’s what gets
me through my day. I love the emotion you have to put into music, there’s something beautiful about it.
Q: What inspired you to stay with music for so long? A: Music is my favorite thing in the whole world. A life
without music is not what I want for myself, so I need to work super hard so I can make a career out of it and that’s what motivates me.
Q: What would you say to others interested in learning
an instrument? A: It’s never too late to start. It takes a lot of time and dedication but it’s definitely worth it. I think everyone needs music in their life.
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Jays’ Spring Break Here’s an insight on where some of your fellow Jaybirds are vacationing this Spring Break. They’re going all over the place!
Bryan Ibañez Martinez De La Torre, VR
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03.15.19//SPOTLIGHT
Mrs. Overstreet Kansas City, MO
destinations! Jackson Denney Des Moines, IA
treet , MO
Jefferson City
Daniel Brown Universal Studios, FL
Tyler Johnston The Bahamas
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SPORTS Player Perspective: Track I
Jackie Hensley
started running in 7th grade because my mom ran in high school, so my parents made me try Cross Country. I hated running at first, but grew to like it during Track season. Since I started out in Cross Country, I was kind of just put into the distance group. I run mainly in the 3200 meter run and occasionally in the 1600 meter run or 4x800 meter relay. We’re a more tight knit group than the sprinters and the throwers since there’s fewer of us. After Saturday morning runs, we always get milkshakes from Sonic together. And it’s really nice to know that if I need anything, I can count on them. Obviously, Track isn’t easy. We weight lift twice and practice 6 days a week. Usually the long distance team doesn’t finish practice until 5:30. The girls team runs 5-plus miles on any
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given weekday and 7-plus miles on Saturdays. The gym is always packed when we practice inside. We have to run hills for workouts. Sometimes we warm up for a mile, run really fast for 3 miles, and cool down for a mile. Some days I just want to go home. However, it’s all worth it. Medaling in meets is the best feeling because it shows that all the hard work wasn’t wasted. The team typically gets pizza or sandwiches after away meets. Track is an “individual team sport.” We compete against ourselves and all work together to win. If an individual succeeds, we all do. And I think that’s the reason I like track so much.
Featured Athletes Rylie Bohanan
Morgan Jordan: Soccer Q: How long have you been playing soccer? A: “I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old.” Q: What position do you play? A: “I play outside midfield.” Q: Do you plan on playing soccer in college? A: “I do not plan on continuing my soccer career in college.” Q: Do you play any other sports? A: “I do not play any other sports, other than soccer, anymore.” Q: What are you looking forward to going into your senior season? A: “This season I am looking forward to having a team that has a desire to play and to win. I think that if everyone continues to try hard, that we could potentially have a really good season.”
Rylie Bohanan
Benton Kiesling: Golf Q: How long have you been golfing? A: “I’ve only been golfing for about 10 months now, but I got really good really fast and fell in love with it.” Q: Do you plan on playing in college? A: “Yes, I want to either go to Columbia College or Lincoln as of right now.” Q: Do you play any other sports? A: “I used to play basketball, but I just got burnt out.” Q: What are you looking forward to most this season? A: “I’m most looking forward to getting better and hopefully going to state with my teammates.” Q: What led you to play golf? A: “After basketball season last year, I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere playing that so I figured I might as well try a sport that gives me a shot to play in college, and I instantly fell in love with it.”
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Anxious to Play: Performance anxiety
Rylie Bohanan
H
ave you ever felt anxious before a game or before a competition? This could be just normal jitters or it could be some form of performance anxiety. While most people get “pumped up” for games and competition, people with performance anxiety feel a wave of anxiety and have negative thoughts about the upcoming event. Anxiety before or during a competition or game could interfere with the way you play or perform. If you are anxious and nervous, you will play anxiously or nervously. There are certain things that could trigger performance anxiety or that make you more prone to performance anxiety. Amatuer athletes are more prone to performance anxiety because they have a lack in experience and they don’t know
how to manage their feelings as well as professionals. If you play an individual sport, you are more prone to having performance anxiety because you have all the weight on your shoulders; whereas, in a team sport teammates help each other manage the stress and pressure. And finally, when teams play away from their home gym, they are more likely to feel some performance anxiety. When a team plays in their home gym, they feel more comfortable because they are in a familiar environment and they are surrounded by their fans. Some people, however, thrive under the pressure. They like to get pumped up before games and competitions. Why is it that they feel okay and excited while others are anxious and nervous? Those players who thrive under pressure usually have more
confidence in themselves and their abilities. Instead of turning their excitement into nervousness, they embrace it. Ways you can reduce performance anxiety: • Think more positively- instead of saying that you’re going to play bad, say and believe that you’re going to do the best you can. • Learn how to embrace the excitement- listen to a song that pumps you up • Be more confident- start telling yourself that you’re good enough, and eventually you will believe it. • For away game, ask more people to come so that you can feel more comfortable.
Featured Coach: Joren Trimle
Rylie Bohanan
Q: What led you to coach at JC? A: “I met coach Eddie Horn in 2015. He brought me to JC to coach goalkeepers for boys and girls soccer. Once I was here I was extremely pleased with the students, staff and the community. I chose to leave and pursue another career in higher education. Once the opportunity opened up I knew where my heart was and knew I was always happy with JC becasue of the students, athletes and staff. I was welcomed with open arms and it feels like I’ve grown up here.” Q: What led you to coach girls soccer? A: “Girls soccer at JC has always been special to me. My first time coaching girls was at JC. I had an unbelievable experience coaching some very talented players. JC girls soccer has some of the hardest working athletes out there.” Q: How long have you been coaching? A: “ In 2014 I coached at William Woods University. From 2014 to 2016 I coached at JC. In 2016 to 2017 I coached at State Fair Community College and in 2017 I coached at Smith Cotton High School. Throughout high school, I coached younger kids and continued when I got to college.”
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The Red and Black’s Editorial:
Should teachers voice their opinions in class? T
eachers should not bring their political views into the classroom. It can interrupt the flow of class and make issues in the class dynamic. I think there are appropriate times for almost every conversation, but as a teacher you shouldn’t insert your political opinions without prompt into the class, especially when it has nothing to do with what you are teaching. At the end of the day, I believe that we shouldn’t prevent teachers from speaking about their views, but teachers shouldn’t be allowed to just shove them into class for no reason. For example, say a Republican teacher were to suddenly bring up their political standing in a class for no reason whatsoever, then there is an issue that should result in a warning to the teacher about taking away from class time. On the other hand, if a teacher in a government class were to somehow use their political beliefs as an example for something in class, then I’m all for it. It can help give a real example to what you are learning instead of the odd ones we sometimes get in textbooks and worksheets. So, to sum it up, I think the only time to bring in personal political opinions is when it relates to the class and what is currently being taught. Aside from that example, never.
R
eligion has always been a sensitive topic. In public schools, teachers are allowed to talk about religion objectively. But, because of the United States Supreme Court interpretation of the Establishment Clause, public schools, along with teachers are not allowed to promote religion. This has not seemed to be the case recently. Teachers encouraging students to engage with them on religious conversation is not appropriate and violates the Establishment Clause. Even further, advocating for their own religion and asking the student extensive questions about their own beliefs is completely unacceptable. Persuading the student to look into the teacher’s personal religious beliefs by telling them to visit their religion’s website is also pretty inappropriate. Some kids might be offended by a teacher’s own religious beliefs if those beliefs differ from their own. Teachers, no matter how passionate they are about their religion, should never preach their beliefs onto students.
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he classroom is a precious environment that is meant to be the place for students to gain as much knowledge about the world before becoming functioning adults in society. The only activity that should flourish within these classrooms is the impartial expansion of knowledge not the spread of the teacher’s biased opinion. Being a public educator is one of the most important jobs in our society. Not only is this occupation responsible for the education of future generations, but they have a tremendous amount of influence on the student body that should not be taken lightly. Since teenager’s minds are so absorbant, educators have the responsibility to spread the teachings of their subject. They should not abuse their position with students to impose their own viewpoint and speak their own personal perception of the world as dogma. Although teachers absolutely have the right to have their own opinion and viewpoints, but that does not mean that they get to shove it down the throats of their students when they accepted the job of educating them, not converting them. Not only is it completely inappropriate and overbearing, but it could make some of their students with opposing viewpoints alienated or delegitimize their own thoughts. This also expands to controversial issues that could relate to a student’s personal identity. If a teacher were to voice their disdain for something like homosexuality, just think about how awful that could make a student feel in an environment that should be accepting and caring of them. Not only is this incredibly abusive of the teaching position, but it can cause so much hurt and hardship for students who only wish to learn. Realizing that being a teacher is an incredibly influential job, educators need to take into account the power over their students that they hold. If they refrain from voicing their own opinions in the learning domain, they can accomplish their role as a conduit of knowledge without any negative ramifications.
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Opinion What’s the deal with bathroom breaks during F.A.S.T.? T
Bryan Ibañez
he bathroom policy at our school was changed so that students are not allowed to go to the bathroom for the first twenty minutes of class to minimize traffic in the halls. If you went to the bathroom when class was just about to start, having to catch up with work afterwards can be overwhelming and you would have missed class time which seems reasonable enough right? F.A.S.T. is a bit different because the bathroom procedure is believed to be that students are not allowed to go to the bathroom. The bathroom policy has become a misconception among teachers and students who currently believe that they are not allowed to leave to use the bathroom during F.A.S.T.. F.A.S.T. is a period where students are allowed to utilize an additional 45 minutes to work on homework, study for upcoming tests or enjoy a book. F.A.S.T is not a core class, so why is it
that students are not allowed to use the bathroom during a class period where they will not miss anything important? The student handbook does not say anything about the bathroom policy for F.A.S.T. Mrs. Bryan confirmed that the “no bathroom passes during fast rule” is just a procedure and teachers are encouraged to use their judgment on whether or not to let students go to the bathroom. I strongly disagree with the policy because of how useless it is during the period where students are not learning any new information. I would much rather miss five minutes to go to the bathroom during F.A.S.T. than five minutes in a core class. Holding urine in your bladder for an extended amount of time is very unhealthy for you, and if you do this over an extended period of time, it can lead to a higher risk of an infection. Holding in large amounts of pee can lead to infections like bacteria growth, which can lead to a Urinary Tract
Infection (UTI). In worse cases, this can cause the bladder to burst, which can lead to fatal conditions or death. Though this procedure is enforced, I believe it can be harmful to students that need to use the bathroom during F.A.S.T. The students are not losing any actual class time so the rule should not be enforced and could be potentially be dangerous for our health.
Should students work? T
Ash Stickann
he teenage lifestyle is filled with stress. From home, to school, to the impending realization that their adult life is starting within a few years, all these things cause teens stress. When a student turns 15 or 16, something they are expected to do is apply and interview for a paying job. This is also supposed to not affect their grades and ability to participate in extracurricular activities. The high school experience is a time to prepare for college, pull up your GPA and understand how to regulate a stable lifestyle with the skills you’re taught. Piling a low paying job on top of this only
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adds chaos. Granted, many teenagers can only pick up 15 hours a week, but a lot of the time that limits study time, homework time and time to socialize with family and friends. These things are most important to avoid anxiety, high stress and depression. Though many would argue that these low-standard working conditions prepare students for “the real world,” as it’s put, I would argue otherwise. These conditions are a recipe for distress and a lackluster set of expectations for life. Many students who work a minimum-wage job with lots of long hours have the possibility of falling
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behind in homework, which could snowball into a deteriorating level of motivation in school and classes as a whole. Earning such a low wage for the amount of work these students already have on their plate can cause large amounts of unhealthy anxiety with thoughts of college and then moving out of their parents’ homes. All of these sudden changes and forced responsibilities are unhealthy to the growing mind, especially when a lot of the stress gained is unavoidable.
Head to Head N
Pros and cons: the seven block schedule
Betsy Toft
ext year we are in for yet another change; from block scheduling to a seven-period day. I was in the district when the high school went from a six-period day to block scheduling. Most of the complaints were the same. The current block schedule was good for some classes and horrible for others. The same will probably happen with the seven-block schedule he as well. seven I won’t speak for any teacher other than myself, but I’m looking forward to the new schedule. Instead of cramming a block year into a semester (and depending on the semester, leaving out material for the time restraints) I can spread out schedule my lessons and add new things which I had no time for before. change is We are supposedly getting quite a bit of extra teaching time. More time to spend on concepts, one that has which, hopefully, can be parcelled out in smaller doses, so students can succeed. For those of us who teach been a hot topic consecutive classes, there should be less lapse of time between levels. Hopefully that will mean less “loss of among students memory” on the part of students. recently. Many thoughtStudents, what does this mean for you? Well, maybe you won’t get all the classes you want provoking conversations to take (talk to a teacher of the class and see if they will teach you as an independent study, or, if are taking place between you get enough other students, zero hour.) But, students, think of it this way: what was once a students and teachers who will year class crammed into a semester, is now back to a full year. All the homework, studying, be negatively impacted by this whatever you were doing, is now going to be drawn out into smaller pieces. No more change. cramming at the last minute to finish that project, study for your AP classes AND find time One of the first things people for “regular” classes AFTER you spend hours in a club or sport. Your workload SHOULD mention is that every student will decrease. lose one credit per year. The school When I went to school here, back in the Middle Ages, we had six periods a day has adjusted the number of credits and I took band, art classes, two foreign language classes (one for three years, the needed to graduate, but this still means other for two years), four English classes, my math, science, etc. and still had less opportunities for students to explore their openings for other electives. Yes, I know, some of you have based your long interests by taking classes they normally would not term plan on the block schedule and classes you were going to take might take. have to be cut. Part of becoming an adult is making hard decisions. Another huge argument is the fact that AP courses Sorry if that sounds cold. will lose 31 hours (rounding down) over the course of I figure, after the first year of this schedule, we will re-evaluate the school year if classes go from 81 minutes to 45 minutes it and make some adjustments. Maybe some year-long electives approximately. This causes teachers to rewrite the curriculum can be cut to a semester, maybe AP classes will be blocked so and decide what to cut from their already jam-packed course. all the information can be covered--who knows? The shorter class times will also affect the discussions had in those classes. It is difficult to have a deep philosophical or intellectual conversation and also have enough time for teachers to teach the material in 45 to 50 minutes. This will most likely force the teachers to give more homework over the year. There are some classes that are already a whole year long. Those classes will lose 104 hours over the school year. Classes like band, choir, orchestra, newspaper and yearbook will all lose imperative hours of preparation time. This will be a devastating blow to the production of the newspaper and yearbook, which are both important to the student body, not the mention the kids who put hours of their personal time into creating them. Students who enjoy those classes, or even those who wish to pursue it as a career are getting cheated out of so many hours that would be beneficial to their work. The number of advanced courses will most likely be diminished. This change only benefits EOC courses because they will have more instructional time, which the district hopes will improve EOC testing scores, and subsequently improve the JCPS rank with DESE. Since students are no longer required to take the ACT, it is mostly likely that those scores will improve as well, without the shift to seven-blocks. It does not seem to matter what students want from their education. This schedule change does not benefit students who are trying to get the most from their high school education. While some students may be helped with this change, there is no data that suggests that the change will even help struggling students and it certainly seems to only anger higher achieving students and their teachers.
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Taylor Baker
www.jcredblack.com 03.15.19//OPINION
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Motivational march Makayla Coleman Life can be difficult for all of us. Sometimes a situation can bring great hardship, and we feel like we cannot achieve our dreams. Feeling this way isn’t uncommon and can be a burden on everyone. That being said, we can all overcome these feelings. Whether it’s a phrase or inspiring quote, a few inspiring thoughts can be all we need to pick ourselves up and fight on.
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills
“The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” - John D. Rockefeller
“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” – John Maxwell
Jefferson City art Avery FitzSimmons
Jefferson City has a lot of creative art that deserves attention. Not only are they unique and striking, but they have really interesting origins. There are also a distinct range of things that these pieces of art depict. Whether it’s an example of nature or city landscapes, each piece always manages to be an intriguing example of local art.
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Butterfly: A 12-foot statue on the Jefferson Street and Stadium Boulevard roundabout is sponsored by Capital Region Healthcare, the person who’s idea for the statue says it “Represents life’s journey and the healing helping hands of dedicated health care providers who work to cultivate healthier communities.”
03.15.19//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bear: The grizzly bear statue that resides near the Governor’s Mansion is 65-years-old and is carved from a single block of stone. It’s one of the largest statues carved from a single slab of limestone. Facing the Missouri River, it represents the bear that appears on the state seal.
Dear Patti
Dear Helpless Friend, It can be difficult to make a decision in this circumstance. On one hand, you have a person who
Dear Patti,
My problem is between my former best friend/girlfriend. So we currently aren’t talking and we act like strangers. Should I try and fix the friendship/relationship? Or should I walk away and let myself lose that toxic person in my life even though they mean the world to me?
Sincerely, The Helpless Friend
you care about very deeply. But on the other hand, that person is a jerk. I think it would be best to let that negativity go. You don’t deserve to be dragged down. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who let people walk on over them and those that do the walking. Patti
Spring Break destinations Avery FitzSimmons
www.jcredblack.com 03.15.19//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Top 5 best “bad” movies Blakelee Sutton 5. The Wicker Man - Nicolas Cage is an interesting actor. He has given truly aweinspiring performances, but has also managed to give some of the most outrageous and over-the-top portrayals of his characters. “The Wicker Man “features the latter. The weirdly incoherent plot and Nic Cage temper tantrums results in an incredibly enjoyable piece of garbage.
3. The Happening - In 2008, M. Night Shyamalan released his newest bowelmovement of a movie: “The Happening.” The inclusion of an absolutely incoherent plot about killer-plants complete with Mark Wahlberg’s comedically wide-eyed performance makes for an absolute joy ride that consistently gets worse and worse with each passing second.
4. Jaws: The Revenge - It’s sad to see an absolute classic like the original “Jaws” to be followed by so many awful sequels, but this one can’t help but to be wildly entertaining. Starring one of the worst animatronic animals ever and Michael Caine (yeah, for real). “Jaws: The Revenge” is a treasure of narrative stupidity and awfulness.
2. Samurai Cop - This one actually isn’t very well known. Being a direct-to-DVD atrocity released in 1991, “Samurai Cop” has gained somewhat of a cult following in the community of “so bad that they’re good” films. With the crazy range from awfully comedic monologues to a truly spectacular scene with a random nurse, “Samurai Cop” is one of the best catastrophes ever created by a film studio and should not be missed.
Spring detox D
etox is a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic substances. There are many different forms a detox. You can use a detox to cleanse a more specific part of your body, such as skin, hair, nails or just to simply clean out important organs in the body. You can even use one to lose weight. A Spring detox would use refreshing items that you can find at your local store in the Spring season.
Strawberry Detox Water
A strawberry detox water includes fresh strawberries, mint, ice and lime. This is an easy detox to make in everyday life. Just grab a glass or water bottle, cut the strawberries and limes in circles, and add a couple mint leaves. There you have it: a refreshing, nonsugary-substance for the Spring. This detox helps cleanse the skin and kidneys. This could be an option for those who don’t like water because of the bland flavor.
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Ingredients • • • • •
1 cup strawberry sliced 2 cup ice 3 cup chilled drinking water Few fresh mint leaves 1 lime sliced
Yoga
Another detox method you can do in the springtime is Detoxifying Holistic Yoga, a three-posture-sequence that massages the digestive system. The inclusion of both yin and yang, strong and supple postures will prepare a balance as you enter spring. 1. Child’s pose- From a kneeling position, bring the big toes together and separate the knees wider than the torso. Fold forward from the crease of the hips, placing the forehead on the floor. Place the arms by the sides or extend them forward with the palms facing down. (take 10-15 deep breaths)
03.15.19//ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1. The Room - This was to be expected. Tommy Wiseau shows his truly awful directing, writing, producing and acting in what is without a doubt the best bad movie ever: “The Room”. Whether it’s the lack of any emotion of complete overacting in every actor’s performance, “The Room” is one of the most engrossing pieces of entertainment for all the wrong reasons. If you’re looking for a complete dumpster-fire of a movie that never manages to disappoint in its awfulness, check out “The Room”.
Makayla Coleman 2. Twisting triangle- fold over the front leg, placing both hands onto the floor or two blocks. Next, shift your weight forward onto your front left foot and lift your back left leg off the ground parallel to the floor. Place the right fingertips on the mat directly under the right shoulder. Rotate the chest toward the left as the left fingertips reach for the sky. 3. Fists into abdomen- sit on your shins, either directly on your heels or with a block between your heels for added knee support. Pull your belly in and lift your chest, opening your collarbones. Make fists with your hands and place the fists on your abdomen, pressing in firmly. Take a big breath in and continue to press. Check out more information at WhatUEat.com
REVIEWS C
Did you see a good movie? Read an interesting book? Hear a great song that’s stuck in your head? Stop by Room 141 with your suggestion.
Blakelee Sutton
aptain Marvel is the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s collection of record-breaking blockbusters. Despite the film’s jumbled exposition and weak lead performance, it manages to remain an enjoyable experience. The cinematography at play in the film is one of the best examples from the franchise. The use of color is down right gorgeous at some points and engrosses the viewer in the movie’s world. The chemistry between Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson was a treat to watch and provided some wonderful chemistry. Their back-and-forth interactions made for some of the best humor in the film.
The movie also utilizes a form of CGI that completely de-ages the faces of Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg. Not only is it the best implementation of the technology in a film yet, it was completely convincing. The only major thing bringing the film down is Brie Larson’s sometimes stale performance as the titular character. She does an acceptable job overall, but didn’t bring the depth to her character that could’ve been possible. Captain Marvel is an overall enjoyable movie. Its cinematography and character interactions are the highlights of the film and elevates it to a harmless and enjoyable watch.
Makayla Coleman
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Madea Family Funeral is Tyler Perry’s last movie in the role of America’s funniest grandmother: Madea. The movie was about Madea and her family suddenly having to plan a funeral for an unexpected death in the family. The movie jokes about a situation that would be sad and devastating to most families, but the film takes things and twists them into a comical situation. The movie also involves some deep family issues other families may be able to relate to. In the movie, it also teaches a lesson about values to carry on in life, no matter the situation. This movie also gives advice about ways you can go about creating
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a solution for similar problems. Madea is also portrayed a little calmer and more serious. This is a family oriented movie that everyone of all ages would love and enjoy, this is a great movie for all ages.
Tristyn Smith
rom Michigan With Love is Quinn XCII’s third full-length album and it is a thing of beauty. Every track is filled with the unique sound that Quinn has put to good use since his first EP, but also treads into new territory. Quinn touches on many feelings and actions that are often uncomfortable to talk about in everyday conversation (i.e. addiction, intrusive thoughts and self-destructiveness). Quinn does a great job of being relatable in his emotional expression. One song that really hits hard is “Autopilot,” which is the clear shining star of the album. “Autopilot” discusses the complete inability to
control your own thoughts, mixing in a bit of Quinn’s trademark sound to make a truly great experience. The only glaring problem with Michigan is the fact that “Sad Still,” a rap track, feels very out of place. The placement between “Abel & Cain” and “Good Thing Go” (two softer and more relaxing songs) just doesn’t make sense. Despite being a great song, “Sad Still” simply doesn’t belong on the album. Overall, “From Michigan With Love” is a phenomenal album with very few flaws. It perseveres in all of the places that matter, making for a delightful listening experience.
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Jeff City High School Culture Word Scramble 1. ASERJP ___________________________________________________ 2. NEEPIAPPL _______________________________________________ 3. BOB EJMAS _______________________________________________ 4. UAULCRMLS ______________________________________________ 5. RTNTCCOOISNU __________________________________________ 6. TNIRDOUAGA ____________________________________________ 7. PMRO ____________________________________________________ 8. SUCTO ___________________________________________________ 9. DRE AND CLABK __________________________________________ 10. GAONRRISTMNF _________________________________________
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