Ladue Panorama, Senior Issue, May 2015, Volume 63, Issue 10

Ladue

Panorama

Ladue Horton Watkins High School • 1201 S. Warson Road • St. Louis, MO 63124 • Volume 63 • Issue 10 • May 14, 2015

CLASS OF

2015 The Odds are in their Favor all art by audrey kocher w ART EDITOR

sarah jacob

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

sabrina medler EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

2 news

Panorama

Saying goodbye to great Mentors sasha rice NEWS EDITOR

May 14, 2015

James Becker

Supervisory aid

sasha rice NEWS EDITOR

A

fter 18 years of delivering those beloved green passes, supervisory aid James Becker is retiring.

Becker began working at Ladue after his grandchildren started going to the high school. A couple months later, receptionist Patti Trower also began her job at Ladue.

“When we first started working together, neither of us had worked in a school,” Trower said. “He helped me out a lot as I got accustomed to the new job. He has been my mentor and my best friend.”

According to Trower, Becker is always BECKER DELIVERYw With a concerned about others, and he makes it a smile, supervisory aid James Becker hands a priority to help anyone he can. She added student a pass. He has held the position for that his biggest assets are his dependability almost two decades. (Photo by Jocelyn Kaza) and his gentleman-like behavior.

“He is here on time every day,” Trower said. “If I call him on the radio, he’s there with no questions asked.”

Becker said he really loves his job. He especially loves supervising the band and choir Ac Labs.

“I like being around the young people,” Becker said. “Old people like me like to be around the younger generation.”

Social studies teacher Eric Hahn believes Becker’s presence at the school has positively impacted the community. He said he loves how Becker comes into a classroom and remembers information about the topic the class is studying.

“Every time he walks into the room, it’s like the sun is coming out,” Hahn said.

“Whenever he walks in, students applaud him. It’s just an amazing experience to have him around.”

For Becker, it is time to start a new chapter in his life. He looks forward to spending more time with his family.

“The first thing I’m going to do is sleep,” Becker said. “After that, I want to travel with my wife, go fishing and work on my garden.”

Trower said she can’t imagine next year without Becker. She added that she will miss his humor and his positive attitude.

“He has touched the lives of everyone in the building, from teachers to administrators to students,” Trower said. “Simply put, he’s a legend.” v

ethan shuchart NEWS EDITOR

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se nio E ss r Stud ents shar ay e ex cerp ts of s thei r colle

ge e

ssay

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Sam Kahn

Vanderbilt University

o Mommy, I don’t want to!” I yelled as I raced naked through the house. Each night I stood in the shower with a disgusted expression on my face thinking to myself, “Why world? Why do you put me through this torture?” Despite my reluctance...my [mom] lathered my three-year-old body up with [soap] and shampoo.

When I turned seven, I was no longer in the “manic” stage of my bathing experience. Rather than fighting my way out of a shower, I could not get my clothes off fast enough. I drew faces in the steam on the glass surrounding the shower. I helped defend the innocent shampoo bottles from the flesh-eating body soaps. I became an artist, an adventurer, a dreamer, none of which I could be once I stepped foot...back into the real world.

Gradually, over the past ten years, I have slipped deeper and deeper into the “sanctuary” stage. My mind becomes naked to any emotion and thought. Every morning, I enter my shower to allow my consciousness to rejuvenate. Whenever I am overwhelmed... I look to my shower for relief. The warm water rushing down my skin is therapeutic; it calms my nerves and brings me back down to a level head. I can stand motionless under the water for up to an hour contemplating... all the world’s problems (like the depleting clean water supply, which I am not helping). I find myself evaluating my thoughts and decisions and what [they suggest] about me as a human being. “Am I being the best me I can be? What say you, shower?” My shower never ceases to give me the feedback I need.

Throughout my life, my shower has taught me to accept the inevitable, dream big, and never be afraid to seek assistance. [It gives] me an escape when... the world feels like a trap. It...inspired me to never stop creating, and provided me with a safe haven to ponder my life. It is the perfect place for me to cleanse myself. v

Panorama

May 14, 2015

Barbara Dwyer

Math teacher

isabella fu

Frances Erwin

3

Marketing teacher

katie bohnert

NEWS WRITER

NEWS WRITER

M

ath teacher Barbara Dwyer is retiring after 16 years of teaching at Ladue.

Dwyer came to the district in 1999 as a middle school physical education teacher and accepted a position as a math teacher at the high school three years later.

“I know a lot of students struggle with math, and my goal is for them to understand the big picture as well as the small details,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer has successfully accomplished her objectives. Sophomore Beth Ayanaw is taking Advanced Algebra II with Dwyer and recognizes her teacher’s efforts to make the class a fun and MATH MAJOR w Focusing effective learning experience. intently, math teacher Barbara Dwyer “Dwyer is great,” Ayanaw said. “She’s always helps a student with his homework. willing to help her students when needed.”

(Photo by Sydney Ellis) In addition to aiding students, Dwyer also serves as head of the math department. According to math teacher Renee Burton, she is also a great friend.

“She’s sarcastic, funny, nurturing and has a ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ persona, which I like,” Burton said. “If you need a listening ear, she’s there.”

Dwyer also played an active role in the school’s athletic department. In high school, she played volleyball, field hockey, basketball, softball and ran track. After becoming a teacher, she channeled this love of sports into coaching the girls junior varsity and varsity field hockey teams, as well as the girls junior varsity lacrosse team.

“Coaching is a great way to know students in a different light and help build lasting relationships,” Dwyer said. “Besides academics, extracurricular activities are also a big part of high school.”

Under her guidance, the varsity girls field hockey team won the Public School Tournament. Although practices can be grueling, Dwyer’s commitment inspires players to work hard everyday.

“Dwyer’s a really good coach,” sophomore Jenny Rosenthal said. “She’s motivating, funny and makes practice enjoyable.”

Dwyer chose to retire mainly because her husband has already done so. For her, the most enticing parts of retirement are the unknown possibilities of the future.

“We’re selling the house and moving to Florida,” Dwyer said. “But for the first time in my life, I don’t have my next steps meticulously planned out.” v

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news

Alice Hsu

Washington University in St. Louis

id you know cows passing gas is actually a legitimate concern for global warming?” I gaze gravely out the window, my mind deep in this vastly profound revelation, watching cows, hay and abandoned barns zip past my view in the window. Who knew, right? Our world could literally come to an end over cows’ inability to properly digest corn.

Cow farts equal global warming. Global warming equals floods. The world could flood over. We’re all going to die. I rake my mind for [a] vital piece of information, but it is then that it dawns on me that I lack the intellectual tools to resolve this dooming debacle.

Suddenly the gaseous refuse of livestock seems all too ominously prevalent, looming over like a cloud of noxious uncertainty. So this is what it comes to? The Cow Fart Conundrum? We’ve come so far– built nuclear weapons, invented solar power, sent humans to space– and yet could it be that our obsession with prime cut steak and dairy products has brought about our demise? I imagine the president declaring a state of emergency, the nation in panic, people rising in rebellion and overrunning farms with torches and pitchforks with cries of “Kill the cows!!!” Yet there is nothing I can do to halt this imminent catastrophe.

I stare out the window, watching as these fat, commercially raised beasts continue to graze, oblivious to my quandary. Do they know the fate that rests upon their hooves? The van hits a dip, shaking me out of my dismal reverie.

I realize that perhaps I will never resolve the Cow Fart Conundrum. Yet this precise failure of knowledge is what drives my curiosity; it is what pushes me to be the pioneer in discovery, to shine a light into the abyss of the unknown.

Conceivably I will not live long enough to know whether or not 50 million metric tons of bovine flatulence will devastate humanity. But this unknown is a great dark playing ground, filled with possibilities yet to be explored; perhaps I will hit bumps along my way, but they will only serve to show me where I have not yet gone. v

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usiness and marketing teacher Frances Erwin plans to retire after almost 28 years of teaching. Not only does she teach finance classes, but she also sponsors DECA, the Web Site Design Club and the Anime Club.

Erwin first started teaching at Ladue in the summer of 1997, but when she realized how much she loved it, she decided to work full-time.

She has been at Ladue for 15 years.

“I love helping students become more selfsufficient and independent, take responsibility for their own learning, grow as young adults, ‘ER WINNING SMILE w and prepare for their future,” Erwin said.

Laughing, marketing teacher Frances Art teacher Stephen Schmidt has worked Erwin organizes shirts in the Ram alongside Erwin for many years at Ladue and Shack. (Photo by Jocelyn Kaza) in the Afton School District before that. He said she always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face when working with students.

“She expresses her love of teaching through her interaction with students and overall dedication to teaching,” Schmidt said.

Family and Consumer Science teacher Kim Boyles agrees with Schmidt. She said Erwin’s upbeat demeanor is something she admires.

“You can really see her love of teaching in her students, as they become excited to learn,” Boyles said. “I will miss seeing her smiling face every day at work.”

Erwin said she coordinated her retirement with her husband so they could spend more time with family. She look to traveling and starting bridge and Mahjong clubs.

Erwin is also excited to catch up on some of her favorite TV shows. However, she said it is still hard to leave because she enjoys watching the students learn.

“It is very rewarding to see the light bulb go on when the students get something,” Erwin said. “My favorite things are when the students figure something out and answer their own questions.”

Erwin has many fond memories of from here years of working here. Some highlights include the many DECA field trips she has chaperoned and when her colleagues completely covered her car with sticky-notes as a prank.

“I am excited to have the time to visit more with all of my family,” Erwin said. “But what I will miss most about Ladue is the students and their eagerness to succeed." v

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Eleanor Scherck

Bradley University

rash, crash go the waves as I sit on the beach. The sand feels warm between my toes and glistens in the sun. I read my book on the lounge chair atop the sand and listen as the waves come crashing down. I can hear people talking and smell the salty water and sunscreen. At night, as I stand on the beach with my family taking photos, the sunset is a mix of reds and oranges, creating a picture perfect scene.

I was in love with Turks and Caicos from the minute I got there. The views from the rooms were spectacular. I indulged in Italian and Mexican foods at the many restaurants. The resort had many different activities including banana boat rides and kayaking. But the beach was still the one place where I could go to relax, stress-free, and see the clear water in front of me.

There were many spots at the resort where we could enjoy ourselves, but the beach was where everyone wanted to be together. I enjoyed spending time with my cousins who also accompanied me on this trip. We played card games, played all sorts of water sports, and beach volleyball.

But the beach is more than just fun and games. The wet sand allows me to make a footprint that I will not be able to make again once the waves come to wash it away. Everything seems temporary on the beach, almost as a reminder that I can make a mistake, but even mistakes do not have to be permanent.

I can learn from my mistakes; I can apologize for things I have done wrong, and I can learn from past errors and fix them next time. Water washes footprints and sand castles away just like my actions can erase my stumbles.

It makes me happy when I see that my family is enjoying the beach with me. I see my mom reading her book, my cousins playing card games, and my aunt lounging in the same sun that warms me. The beach is the only place where we can all be together, [not distracted] by all of the other things going on in life. At home, we are pulled away by making meals, our phones, and work. Even when I am home in the cold... on the beach where the ocean meets my feet is where my mind will always be. v

4 news

Panorama

Jeffery Lindhorst

Orchestra teacher

Gail Martin

Office business manager

sophia li

sophia li

NEWS WRITER

NEWS WRITER

I

t’s no secret that music plays a part in happiness and relaxation, and orchestra teacher Jeff Lindhorst is a man of music. The director of the middle and high school orchestras is responsible for the magical melodies that float through the school halls. But the 2014- 2015 school year marks the maestro’s last year as a teacher.

Lindhorst discovered his passion for music in high school. In addition to playing the violin, he also plays the viola and piano. Although he spends most of his time teaching, he is also the sponsor of Ladue Strolling Strings, a club for orchestra students who play concerts in small ensembles.

“When I first came here, I wasn’t sure if I THE FINAL ACT w Playing would enjoy the Ladue Strolling Strings only along with his students, orchestra because I didn’t know a whole lot about it,” Lindteacher Jeffery Lindhorst helps the horst said. “It turned out to be really enjoyable and orchestra prepare for its upcoming a good experience.” concert. (Photo by Ethan Shuchart) Another one of Lindhorst’s colleagues, orchestra teacher Ruth Panhorst, worked closely with him throughout his career at Ladue. Together they taught string students at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

“Mr. Lindhorst has been an excellent colleague, collaborating on how to grow student musicians with skill and passion for playing great music,” Panhorst said.

Lindhorst’s retirement will be a change for the student musicians. Freshman Erica Lee, a member of concert orchestra, said she will miss learning from Lindhorst.

“I have known Mr. Lindhorst since I was in seventh grade, and I have known him through orchestra,” Lee said. “He has a good sense of humor, and he always cheers people up when they are down. It’s really sad to see him go. I wasn’t expecting that he would retire this year.”

After retiring, Lindhorst plans to spend more time playing music and cycling. He intends to keep himself occupied.

“I used to love cycling with a team, but now I bike ride on my own because it got kind of dangerous,” Lindhorst said. “I think I’d like to take up some fishing when I retire. Traveling and probably performing more, and teaching a little bit less, like private lessons. I feel too young to retire. I must get another job. So that’s what I’ll do.” v

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May 14, 2015

Julia Bohnert

The University of Tulsa

IT IT,” I yell, and the noise cuts through the quiet morning. Seven a.m. is early, but I want the good water, the water that looks like glass, that makes it feel as if I am flying. I tighten my grip on the rope and keep my weight back as I am pulled up out of the water. I give a thumbs up to my grandpa, who’s driving the boat. I use both hands and steer myself out of the wake and to the side, then turn around and come back across the wake. I’m trying to execute a turn that makes the water spray in an arc. I have been trying to master this skill for an entire summer.

As I make my second turn, I lose control, fly out of my ski and SMACK! I hit the water face first. The fall knocks the wind out of me, and once I can breathe again, I notice the side of my face stings. I swim to my ski, and by the time the boat comes back around, I have my feet back in it. “I’m ok!” I yell to the boat and my grandpa replies, laughing, “That was a spectacular fall!”

Over the years, laughing at my falls has become a part of skiing. As I grab the rope I begin to analyze what I did wrong so I can try to fix it on the next go. I know I will need more speed and that means less control. I will need to make my turns with only one hand on the rope so I can use my free arm to almost throw myself in another direction. I grab the rope as it comes around, push the fear of falling out of my mind, and try again. Five minutes later, I am once more face down in the water– a whole new set of mistakes to analyze.

Waterskiing invites failure. When I increase speed or try new turns and fall, that means I have failed, and when I try new things on skis, I fall. Falling in skiing equals failure. However, failure is temporary. I constantly watch my uncle take his turns at full speed and create a huge spray of water and know that eventually I will accomplish these same turns. The only obstacle in my path is failure. But do I even believe in failure? We encounter new obstacles all the time, and if we do not get past them, we fail. There are different levels of challenges, some more difficult than others, yet when we fail we cannot wallow in it. We must move past it and learn from it. v

I

magine the dysfunction of a school with a supply shortage. Gail Martin, the high school’s Office business manager, plays a large role in preventing that from happening. But after this school year, Martin is retiring.

Overtime, Martin has become a talented accountant. Through her time at Ladue, she sharpened her skills while managing the budget and other monetary functions of the school.

“I’d say probably the most important thing I do though is to work hand-in-hand with the principal of the high school on the budget so he’s aware of what’s in certain budget codes, like for textbooks,” Martin said. “And then we ensure that there are (Photo courtesy of Wagner Portrait textbooks or iPad e-books bought. I oversee all the Studios) supplies for the staff.”

As the Office business manager, working well with colleagues is key. According to principal Brad Griffith, Martin plays a critical role in make sure the school runs smoothly.

“She has been a tremendous support to me in terms of helping work through the intricacies of the budget, the budgetary process details and the details that are associated with it,” Griffith said. “She stands out in that she functions within and works well with the entirety of our office staff. In terms of the effectiveness of any team, it’s that all of the members are committed and engaged and ensuring that the interest of the students and the interest of the building are first.”

Principal Elizabeth Grana, has spent time working with Martin in the front office. She said that Martin enhances the office with her work ethic and spirit.

“She is a hard worker and excellent at her job,” Grana said. “I am going to miss her laugh and the personality that she brings to the office everyday. I wish her all the happiness, rest and relaxation in retirement. She deserves the best.”

Once school ends, Martin looks forward to a more relaxed schedule. She plans to spend her newfound free time pursuing her hobbies like photography and gardening.

“I might babysit the youngest of my grandchildren a few hours a week. I’ve already got my garden planned,” Martin said. “My husband and I are going to get a small motor home, and we’re going to just travel. We’re going to see the country not on a time schedule. Now we can just wander and explore.” v

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Nicholas Krasnoff

Columbia University

he ocean is a strange place. Gravity no longer applies, bright colors are the norm, green stringy plants grow up with no support, everything is covered in a slippery coat of algae, and nothing has a nose!

Any sane being should be terrified by such an alien environment. Yet, why am I so intrigued and comforted by the underwater world? I contemplate this disparity while I comfortably sit, or rather float, in my scuba gear in the midst of a reef in the Caribbean. Suddenly a particularly large and ornate fish with yellow and blue scales slides by me, and I decide to shelve my musings. I recognize the fish as a queen angelfish due to its characteristic blue crown-like markings. It lists around like it has all the time in the world, which I abruptly realize I do not. I reluctantly swim my way back to the boat with my buddy, with the sun on my back shining through the serene blue water, and I prepare for the night diving lesson before tonight’s dive.

I find scuba lessons to be mind-dullingly boring, and I often do not pay much attention to them. One can only hear so much talk of BCDs, regulators, and pressure calculations without losing his mind. I usually spend most of my time during these lessons listening half-heartedly while staring contently at something in the distance such as waves crashing over the black surface of a rock. My instructor says, “Then we are going to turn off our lights and close our eyes for a minute.” That wakes me up. I pay attention to the rest of the lesson, as I am now more preoccupied with [it].

When I reflect on my experiences of scuba diving, I see many truths about nature and myself. I see the beauty and mystery of underwater life as Mark Twain once did in a sunset over the Mississippi in his “Reading the River.” At this stage in my life, I am still distracted and comforted by the aesthetics in nature. However, I fear I may lose sight of nature’s beauty through understanding its mechanisms as Twain did after learning the language of the river. I feel content in an environment where I can experience and learn about the world without fear of taking nature for granted. v

Panorama

May 14, 2015

James Moser

Math teacher

news

Guy Sachs

5

Fine arts teacher

grace kim

isabella fu

NEWS WRITER

NEWS WRITER

M

ath teacher James Moser is finishing his last year at Ladue.

Moser began teaching at Ladue in January of 1996 as a student teacher. He became a full-time math instructor in August of that year, teaching Geometry and Trigonometry. In his years here, Moser has taught almost all of the math classes offered.

Ladue’s indescribable sense of unity and community have made teaching very enjoyable, according to Moser. Furthermore, he added that the staff and students are very kind and seem like a family.

“Ladue is a lot like my high school in Bloomington, Indiana,” Moser said. “The community MINUS MOSER w Math wasn’t affluent, but the students were intellectually teacher James Moser helps one of aspiring.” his students work through a math Moser aims to make a difference in his students’ problem during Ac Lab. (Photo by lives and tries to help them accomplish their goals.

Sydney Ellis) He wants to help all students learn.

“I want to be that teacher who made it more possible for them to be successful, whether it’s the top AP student who wants to go to Harvard, or the struggling student who just wants to graduate from high school,” Moser said. “I want to help them equally.”

Over the years, Moser has been sucessful in his attempt to impact students. Junior Huayu Gao took AP Calculus BC with Moser this year and said that Moser always tries to make math enjoyable.

“He has a very unique sense of humor and always has a smile on his face when he teaches,” Gao said.

In addition to helping students, Moser has also made positive impacts on his co-workers. Math teacher Brian Archibald has worked with Moser for six years. “[Moser’s] teaching style revolves around building relationships with the students,” Archibald said. “He has a tough job, teaching material that many kids don’t want to do, but he does a fantastic job of incorporating humor and personality into his lessons.”

Moser plans to move to California, travel and possibly continue teaching. He said that he is unsure of what exactly his future holds.

“I’m ready for some new adventures,” Moser said. v

Miriam Hauptman

T

Tufts University

here exists simply too many activities that people my age, including me, complete without emotion. We are told to find hobbies and join clubs that interest us, yet we end up with resumes that fail to embody any aspect of our true selves. In truth, one cannot hope to succeed in any activity unless her emotions– whatever the kind– are present in some capacity. Artists succeed only when their moods are present in their paintings; poets succeed only when their passions are present in their pieces; and I succeed only when my emotions are present in the forms of messy faces and disproportionate bodies on the artifacts of my school life. As I run my fingers through the hundreds of tiny, detail-packed, freshly liberated doodle clippings, my connections to the activities in which I take part are affirmed.

Here, in my planner, lie several bright-eyed boys adorning different variations of Lederhosen: I am deeply invested in creating the proper artistic accompaniments to my poem about naughty German children. A smudged “Encyclopedia of Debate Outfits,” illustrated during a boring session in student congress, rests on a wrinkled sheet of loose leaf. The details in the suit jackets and the smiles on the doodle people modeling them capture my puzzling love of dressing like a miniature lawyer on Saturday mornings. Even the juxtaposition of a sulking girl and cheery “Mr. Integral Man” on my math quiz proves that there exists some kind of relationship between calculus and me (though I’m fairly certain it is a dysfunctional one).

I admit that doodling is an occasional source of distraction. Regardless, I will mourn the day when my notebooks are clear and my scissors are still.

With new subjects to assimilate and new connections to create, I cannot imagine that my pencil will remain anchored in its place. As I now remove the last of my doodles from this year’s work, a final smile spreads across my face. It is time to rejoice in the graphite marks on my fists, my teachers’ raised eyebrows, the girl riding a dinosaur across a physics worksheet, and all of her friends. v

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fter 16 years at Ladue, fine arts teacher Guy Sachs will retire this year in conjunction with the graduation of his daughter senior Julia Sachs.

“I think all along when I came to Ladue I’ve had this year circled as a possible time I would retire,” Sachs said. “I thought, ‘[my daughter] is going to be graduating this year, and so am I.’” Sachs specializes in ceramics and his expertise was also vital in developing the program. His knowlege is useful in maintaining the high school pottery studio.

“This pottery studio is difficult,” Sachs said.

A WHEEL ARTIST w “There’s a lot of work behind the scenes to get Watching over a potter’s wheel, things running, and putting things away at the fine arts teacher Guy Sachs helps a end of the day is a daily challenge. But to find a student working on a ceramic bowl. [ceramics] program of this magnitude in the high (Photo by Ethan Shuchart) school setting is really unheard of.”

Along with his passion for art, Sachs has always loved teaching and working with teens. He said he enjoys when kids take their art past high school.

“Just working with the students has been the most rewarding part of my day,” Sachs said. “To see what some of them have been able to make and produce over these 16 years is really mind boggling. Some students have gone on to careers in ceramics or art with scholarships to universities. It’s phenomenal to think that they got their start right here.”

According to art teacher Patricia Chavez, the way that he transfers his enthusiasm to his students on a one-to-one level is one of his most striking characteristics. She said that she sees the impact Sachs has on his students over time.

“My favorite quality about him is the relationships that he builds with students and how he gets them really passionate about art and about working with clay,” Chavez said.

“Seeing him interact with students individually over the years is something that’s really made an impression on me.”

Sachs’ passion and dedication has influenced those around him, according to his colleagues. He hopes to inspire his students to strive to make their art and themselves better.

“Enjoy what you do every day that you do it,” Sachs said. “The rewards at the end will be phenomenal.” v

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Veijay Raj

Case Western Reserve University

am an agent. Not the type of agent that represents Kobe Bryant, nor am I the type that spies on other countries. I am an agent in the context of the fundamental laws of physics. Agents interact with other objects; physicists define these interactions as forces.

Last year in physics class, I exerted my force of curiosity on a concept, Newton’s Laws of Motion. Mindlessly writing down the laws at first, I glanced back at Newton’s First Law. I thought, “Did I copy that down right? ‘An object moving at constant velocity has no net force acting on it.’”

Deciding to research the law during the next few days, I watched lecture videos and read articles, attempting to understand the concept. Unconvinced, my curiosity transformed into disagreement with the 300-year-old law.

Encountering a problem on my physics homework that required the formula, I hesitated to mundanely plug and chug. Putting the worksheet aside, I decided to run an experiment with... a toy car. I [noted that] the car maintained a continuous pace. “How did Newton disregard this? I must be missing something,” I thought. I dropped the car and [continued to] research.

While reading about the history of the law, I noticed [that] Newton wrote his laws to describe an object in a perfect world, one without friction or gravity. I laid in bed that night until I had the ability to picture such a perfect world, marking that as the first time I thought like a real scientist.

Although unsuccessful in disproving Newton’s First Law, I increased the validity of the law by challenging it mentally and experimentally. Through this questioning, I paralleled the work of real world scientists who utilize the scientific process to challenge and build on past theories to periodically create new innovations and ideas. This willingness to challenge generated a new way of scientific thinking in my mind to improve my personal.

Broad in application, this scientific manner of thinking and solving problems prepares me to be an agent of change in society, always seeking to understand and enhance the world around me. v

6 features

Panorama

SENIOR

MOST LIKELY TO WALK THE RED CARPET EVA ADAMS & JACK LAVEY

SUPERLATIVES

May 14, 2015

MOST LIKELY TO TEACH AT LADUE JEANNE WILKINSON & PARKER FREEMAN

CHECK OUT WHAT THE SPONSORS DROPPED IN... ali gold

sarah waldman

julia biest

jocelyn kaza

sydney ellis

meghan proskey

FEATURES EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR

PHOTO EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

MOST MUSICAL JANINE NORMAN & JOSEPH SCHLESINGER MOST LIKELY TO CU RE CA NCER SARAH J ACOB & YANG LIU

UPLE CUTEST CO Y PENG NG & ZACHAR LI R TE S A M EM

LY TO MOST LIKE NAIRE BE A BILLIO ER & JOHN JAEG OLIVIA GRIMM MOST SPIRIT ED CHRISTINE HURS TER & AUSTIN BU RTON

T YL

ANCE ROM ADE B T S BE TIONE C N A & ISTNER ER CHR

MOST LIKELY BRIGH TO T EN YO KATHERIN UR DA E BURKE Y MPER & JOHN M AY

LY TO MOST LIKE ACE WORLD PE ESTABLISH LL PETER DRISCO & S S O R E IN R KATHA

May 14, 2015

CLASS CLOWN SARAH KESSEL & ERIC MILLNER

MOST LI KELY TO BE P RESIDEN MIRIAM HA T UPTMAN & BENJAMIN COLLINGER

WORST SENIORITIS BRINA BALCER & SEVERN LAW

Panorama

features ENTS ST STUD GREENE HUGHES & ROGER R E H C O K AUDREY

BEST D RESSED SHERRILL HOWARD & COLIN TROUT ITE WR VEL O T O Y NN KEL A I L C I ST ER EILL MO T AM YLE MCN A E &K GR N BI THE N A I L JU

MOST ATHLETIC RILEY KNIPTASH & MICHAEL WIELANSKY

MOST ARTISTIC NINA GEERS & ANTHONY BADALAMENTI

BIGGE ST FLI RT ATE FOX & JAME S DUNG ER

MARY K

WHERE T HE PART MACKENZIE Y AT? WESTER & H ENRY VALIE R

BFFLS ALICE HSU & CHRISTIN

E YAN

LONGES LILLIAN D T ACTIVIT Y LI ST ONAHUE & MALCOLM DAVIS

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8 arts and entertainment

Panorama

May 14, 2015

Senior Favorites Ac Lab 1. Goldwasser 2. Band 3. Pub Lab

Ipad game

Emoji 1.

1. Fun Run 2. Trivia Crack 3. Puzzles Midnight

3.

snack

TV show 1. Grey’s Anatomy 2. Friends 3. The Walking Dead/Empire

2.

1. Steak n’ Shake 2. Ice cream 3. Pizza

1. Theatre 2. Dance Marathon/ Cross Country 3. Band

Class

1. AP Psychology 2. Senior Privilege 3. AP US History

Local Business 1. St. Louis Smoothie 2. Sportsman’s 3. Splash

Musician

1. Bastille 2. One Direction 3. Taylor Swift

Extracurricular

Movie 1. American Sniper 2. 22 Jump Street 3. The Imitation Game

avanti sheth A&E EDITOR

aaron greenberg A&E EDITOR

May 14, 2015

Panorama

arts and entertainment

Senior Memories “Learning about Native Americans and life on the plains; ever since, the buffalo has been my favorite animal.”

– Brian Mayfield

“Being the kings of Reed Elementary School.”

– Jason Hodgins

“Office chair racing in the halls during the Ladue debate tournament.”

– Arlo Franz-Greene

“I wore my pajamas to school because I got the date mixed up for pajama day.”

– Benjamin Collinger

“Eric Millner mooned Parker [Freeman] in science class, and I saw his butt.”

– Mary Kate Fox

“Finishing AP World.”

– Aaron Garriga

“Nap time” – John May

“I wrote a short story about how gorgeous my teacher was and tried to set her up with my older brother.”

– Janine Norman

“We all started playing Zap, and we had to have a class meeting about how 10 years old is too young to be going out with each other.”

– Jeanne Wilkinson

“The entire middle school went on lockdown, but the band continued to play through the whole thing.

Nothing gets in the way of seventh grade band music.

Band is life; life is band.”

– Susanna Barrett

“The Naughty Nine.

Never forget.”

– Eva Adams

“Cutting off my dreads– oh, it was emotional.”

– Antione Cade

“I remember how all the friends I thought I lost started to get closer to again. We all may have fallen off, but we started to reunite again, which was the best for my last year.”

– Elaine Mems

9

The victo Missouri

Missouri University Science and Technology Hannah Christy Donald Ganzer George Garner Houston Miller Johnny Shao Garrett Vieira

Fontbonne University Jelissa Puckett Alexis Wade Kaitlynn Walker

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Rhode Island

Avila University Lindsey Spina

University of Kansas Rory Doepke Parker Freeman Mackenzie Wester

Brown University John Jaeger Allison Loynd

St. Louis Community College– Meramec Cheyenne Arnold Nora Christeson Alexis Costello Gailen Drain Demetries Irving Bailey Lynn Noah Ramirez James Robins Justin Stiffler Kyesha Walls Tewahido Yirefu Stevens Institute of Business and Arts Sarah Lakew The Art Institute of St. Louis Brooke Alexander The Paul Mitchell School at St. Louis Breanna Smith Truman State University William Batterson Smruthi Chintakunta University of Central Missouri Sami Abrahim

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Daniel Petersen

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Unkown

Kansas

St. Louis Community College– Forest Park Megan Caesar Tamari Khmiadashvili Bianca Smith

Illinois

Art Institute of Chic Hejin Xiao Bradley University Jonathan Bohnert Eleanor Scherck Hannah Snidman Noah Steinbaum Caleb Weisman College of DuPage Michael Owolabi Columbia College Meghan Proskey DePaul University Warren Biest Gabrielle Hannah Neal Taylor Megan Wedel Knox College Peter Driscoll Mario Whitley

Other

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Lee Goodman Ariel Groener Sophia Willhoft Pamela Nickels Jay Zhang

Jor Mil Jere Ch Cai

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Jacob Weinstein Malia Williams Rees Williams

Yafet Asefa Blake Lambers Tahjai Lashley Hayat Mohammed Erin Wides University of Missouri– Columbia Chase Akpulonu Nahom Assefa Andrew Baynes Aaron Bry Blake Buchanan Jordan Cosby Saba Desta Camron Edwards Jenna Fee Lillian Geisler Samantha Goffstein Edan Goldfarb Jason Hodgins Nathaniel Howard William Howard Ivan Hurse Keiran Hyte Matthew Karasick Samuel Kramer Joshua Long Catherine Meyer Andrew Ohlsen John Proehl Matthew Richards James Scott Emily Stapleton Ian Thomsen Henry Valier Bailey Washington Kristopher Watson

Millikin University Arlo Frantz–Greene Janine Norman Northwestern University Sarah Beckmann Southern Illinois University– Carbondale Anastasia Maranto

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Lindsey Ludmerer Arielle Nixon Donovan Prenzel Devan Sant Elise Vincent

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ty rsi e v i Un te a t University of Missouri– ty eS s rsi sse ame e St. Louis e v Webster University nn J ni Nyjah Bell Te exis lt U Olivia Adkins i l b A n Hector Barillas Chun r er Xavier Gee nd ah ille g Patrick Concannon Va m K il M rlin Sa iga Ste William Woods Paul Gada Ab ma ity University Lillian Geisler ge e ers l v Em l f i o o n n Elizabeth Nelson Kaitlyn Heitert C rk o ity e U es ns es ers tat hod Andrew Hocking od a Pa ilki ton v S i h n ay io te R R ssic e W U h D Brian Horne n e O net f Je ann lio Th yo Adrian Jones Gi vil sit ssel er Je ee: r t o s e n r e iv T oo sky Severn Law e wa th Un rah K Se Sou nder se rsity f W ielan o s e a Justin Liggins e e S th exa ege W ty nn t Univ ell ger oll hael Brian Mayfield rsi Al e e C v n n n T ic o ni on on esi Akili McNair M i U arls ity elm e D Schl n m s C n r B a o e o i n Elaine Mems st iv M oebe uds itz An seph Un ege ddle J l h w e Thomas Poon l v P ren Ya Jo Co Hu ser Re Lo yson ne ica n a r t e L n t u Al o n s e so in of adis W Na p j s a m se Ca jay R Tho on ersity in– M er Iowa i c e l e l s s ty of v i V nie s i ni con illn r e v sh Uni Da nipta W U Wis c M io ley K i i h R y t r i s n O E Univer ngto Drake armer ashi W F f ity o Peyton hou vers Perry i Z n a n Iow YiFa n U am gto Willi lege n e g i e ll ell Col o h s Coe C Grinn Kocher a s o in p Wa s y Justin E Audre University of Californ California ia– n Berkeley rsity University Oregeo n Unive o g re O of rn X r r u th S e O u cr ti o n ip n S g y p D r s R e C in edlands o g m ll a eg e C Susanna B Shea Ride North C University arrett nour of Californ arolina Duke U ia– Santa Cru niversit z y N Boyang ew Yo Christine Jia Hurster rk Colum Colga Iris Yan ng Al b t e Univ g i a U ab n Nicho i er Jake B las Kr versity am ensky sity Elon Un Hami asnof iversity a lt f Fashio Anna on College Sa Nikolas Wolt n Inst F K m i z T t l u echno te of ori Un ford Emily intree l da Welle Abiga ogy Flo Al iver r il Don liso sit Ni rida S a h nM y u e c o o oe le R uth hrl Vi uss ern e ell Col rg Un leg ive in Ch e S a i lim rsity a Un rist Do of F Un Ja iver ophe uai lori ke si r N i v da hy e Jor rsi Be ty e t d w y a rg o p n f or m Ka M G t an pla iam Fl eorge n i Ni oyd Ma ch Le so ola ss n U s R ie niv eic ers ity he rt

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University of Illinois– Urbana Champaign Yuxiao Li

Washington University in St. Louis Chisara Achilefu Eva Adams Alana Dinh Alice Hsu Yoav Kadan Keona Kalu Kalliope Kornfeld Henry Mann Ariel Miller

M

University of Chicago Katharine Ross

IN-DEPTH EDITOR

rs Je iversityk w n le Ne ceton U Prab el in Pr icha

Southern Illinois University– Edwardsville Angel Kinnel Eleanor Whitworth

University of Missouri– Kansas City Natasha Carr Mckenzie Gratz Sarah Jacob Eleanor Lercel

hayden hunt

12 opinions

Constancies Amid Change sarah jacob EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

he seniors always say that high school goes by so fast, but I think you can only realize the truth of the statement once you have gone through it.

However, one thing which may be even more appalling than the quick passage of time is how much your world can change in that period. People you thought you’d stay friends with forever can become estranged figures in your life, while others you could have never guessed you would even become acquaintances with transform into central characters of your daily routine. Concepts you thought your mind would never grasp suddenly make sense; meanwhile, ideas that you believed so strongly in can fade away into the ether. As you change however, you’ll find that there are certain people and things that remain consistent in your life, and looking back, those constants are what I’m most grateful for.

A 2014 study by Purdue found that the key ingredient to a child’s success is the presence of a mentor who cares about a student’s academic achievements and also his well being and dreams. Personally, I’ve been fortunate to find not just one, but three here: Faris, Proehl and Witt.

From constructively critiquing me, to being my mom, to giving me life advice, these adults have guided me and stuck by my side, and I’m so thankful to have been one of their students. Our school is home to a score of these types of teachers, and I hope that you find them because it’s amazing how much they will teach you about life.

As I developed, I grew close with some people and drift away from others, but there were a few friends that always remained loyal. They not only know all my stories but have lived them with me– *cough cough Miriam*. They have dealt with my craziness and been my support team for years. But just as important as the “constant” friends were the friends who wafted in and out. Even relationships that ended in betrayal or abandonment should mean something to you because it has somehow defined a part of you.

Along with all the insights you’ll attain during this journey, second semester senior year you’ll figure out what activities really matter to you. My siblings always poked fun at me for not taking senioritis seriously enough; however, even though I knew this semester may have been the only time I had to slack, I found that for a few things– Panorama and percussion– I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I’ve been a part of both since day one of high school, and they have given me a sense of self and confidence. I owed it not only to these groups, but also to myself to make the most out of all my time. The takeaway? Always follow your passions; at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what you padded your college resume with, but the legacy you left behind and the others you inspired doing the things you loved.

High school was exhilarating and exhausting. I had so many fun times, like when my friends and I made a giant list of the best foods in Moser’s class or when we played our hearts out at our last percussion concert, but there were also extremely tough moments too, like when I thought I was going to crumble under the pressure of Panorama and college applications. But with the support of my constants, I’ve somehow survived and enjoyed.

As my fellow classmates and I finish one era of change, we are about to embark on possibly the biggest one of our lives: college. And although part of me is scared to leave the wonderful place that is Ladue, I’m excited to start my own life, go on adventures and find my new constancies amid change. v (This column reflects the opinion of the writer)

Panorama

May 14, 2015

My story is still being edited keona kalu OPINIONS EDITOR

I

n the towers of college mail that I have received this year, one piece stood out enough for me to keep.

It is from some school I have never heard of and will never investigate.

But the important part is the message, printed on that characteristic glossy cardstock in big letters: “Keona. What is your story?” Questions like this give me the most unease: “Describe yourself in one sentence.” “Show us your essence in only three words.”

“Who are you in one word?”

Condense those innumerable tendrils, every single unit of that interconnected web of your being into something simple.

So I engaged in many staring contests with this message hanging on my bedroom wall, all of which I lost. Still I can only produce the same dissatisfying answer phrased differently: “I don’t know. I don’t have one. It is not written yet.” As much as this answer disappoints me, it seems to disappoint everyone else more.

Unfortunately, our culture requires us to make decisions that will affect the rest of our lives before we have even lived a quarter of them. We are told there is no room for indecision or waiting. There is no room for mistakes. In

my opinion, this is a dangerous ideology. It leads to insufficient deliberation and hasty decision making.

The age that we are living now is a time of definition.

Defining your world, your self, all of this takes time.

Some people can just wake up one day and realize they know exactly who they are, but I was not one of them. I woke up to a cloud of confusion, anxious to solve this enigma because if not now, then when? There is no time for indecision, remember?

If you haven’t done so already, all of you should wake up and start writing your own stories, and I am begging you to please take it slow. There is plenty of time for mistakes, hesitancy and waiting. In fact, this is the prime time.

Don’t let anyone force you to scribble your story hastily on a nearby surface. That would be disgraceful and disrespectful to yourself. Be elegant and thoughtful when you craft it.

You owe that to yourself– to write something that you are proud of, but also something that is true. You don’t have to bend over backwards writing something that matters, because if you mean it and it is true, it will matter. If any of this seems melodramatic, it’s because high school, from the ages of 14 to 18, is the epitome of melodrama.

Take care, throughout your life, to define your world. Who is in it? Who or what will help you write your story? Create a world that you want to be in, that encourages you to keep writing when you want to give up.

My story started when I was born. But I only started writing it when I saw that note. In some decades, it will be time for me to stop writing and start telling it. v

Here’s to sticking it out jeanne wilkinson PHOTO EDITOR

D

ear Mr. Faris, I can still see myself at my audition in fifth grade standing with you in the band room, playing quarter notes on the snare drum to the metronome.

My heart was racing and soon my drum beats no longer matched the clicks like they were supposed to. I froze.

“Sorry– I got off.”

“Yes, but were you too fast or too slow?” you asked me. “...too fast?”

“Good. Just relax.”

Maybe I made the percussion program because I knew that the key of F has one flat, how to play a paradiddle and the difference between a half and whole note. But maybe I made it because when you asked me how much I planned on practicing, I looked you right in the eyes and said, “However much it takes.”

Percussion was the first thing I was ever bad at, and being bad at something was the second thing. A few weeks into sixth grade we had our first playing test on the snare drum. When your finger found me, I gulped and began.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I butchered the rhythm my peers had no trouble performing.

“Well that needs work,” you deadpanned, and I sunk in my shoes, defeated.

At the end of the test, you called each of us up to see our scores. I

walked over, peered at my name and saw a giant, red “50%” next to it. I calmly walked back to my seat and tried hard not to look like someone who had just failed her first playing test. When the bell rang, I began to walk out of the room when you called me over to your desk.

“I think it would be a good idea for you to meet with me one-on-one to make sure you don’t fall any further behind.

Are you free on Saturdays?”

I nodded. You dismissed me, and I picked up my binders and wandered out. When I got home, I ranted to my parents: “Mr. Faris is the meanest man on the planet!”

That certainly wasn’t the last time I felt that way about you. But I knew what I had to do, and that Saturday morning, I had my first private lesson with you.

We worked for more than an hour, starting with quarter notes to the metronome. At the end of our lesson, you told me something I would never forget: “You just have to practice.

It’s a long, tedious process, but it will be worth it.”

We continued our lessons throughout sixth grade. Eventually I improved, slowly and steadily, just like you always said. I never made first chair, or even close, but I did become a fairly good musician.

However, more importantly, I became pretty good at being bad at something.

So Mr. Faris, thank you for giving up so much of your time to help me achieve. Thank you for teaching me the difference between getting an F and failing. Thank you for giving me parts that were too hard for me and for always calling me out when I didn’t practice them enough. It was a long and tedious process, but I guess you were right about the other part, too.

Sincerely, Jeanne v

Panorama

May 14, 2015

opinions

Dear future freshmen of Ladue

13

Embrace the unexpected and be true to yourself jocelyn kaza WEB MEDIA EDITOR

A

s my high school experience comes to a close, I leave Ladue with more life lessons and experiences than I could have possibly imagined. I am beyond excited to enter the newest chapter of my life, but I want to leave behind some advice to help ensure that you make the most out of your time here.

First, you can learn a lot more from your teachers than solely academics. Several of my teachers made me genuinely feel like a new person when I left their classes. Mrs. Kaupp, Mrs. Russell, Mr. Saxton and many others taught me that there is more to high school than endless days and stressful nights. When I was having a bad day or week, I always found that it was my teachers who could make me feel better. They always knew what to say and the advice they gave me was so important. They taught me to never give up on my ambitions and to always be the best that I can be. Value all of your teachers because they can teach lessons that you will always carry.

Second, surround yourself with people who build you up, not knock you down.

Throughout my years at Ladue, it’s taken time for me to find out who my true friends really are. Now that I have, I will forever cherish the experiences and memories that I had with them. They made me a better person by always being there for me and lifting me up when the stress of high school kicked in. I honestly do not know what I would do without them. Treasure your friends who

bring out the best in you, and do not put up with the ones who don’t.

Third, participate in activities you want to do rather than what “looks good” for the common application.

If you spend all your time participating in clubs that you don’t enjoy, your entire high school experience will be based on what you think you should be doing, rather than what you want to be doing.

Finally, and most importantly, never forget who you are. While it is so easy to conform to the ideas and images of your peers, it’s so incredibly essential to be who you want to be. In the past I tended to change my perception of something just to fit in. However, as the years have gone by, I have realized that if people don’t appreciate you for who you are, they are not worth your time. While it is much easier said than done, you must remind yourself that you don’t have do what everyone else is doing. Knowing who you are as an individual and sticking to your own values and beliefs will help you prosper in high school and in life. So be yourself and don’t let the pressures of your peers change you.

High school flies by, so make sure you make the most of it! There will definitely be some bumps along the way, but if you take these experiences and turn them into opportunities to learn something new, you will succeed. I’m so thankful for everything that Ladue has taught me and I will carry the lessons I learned here with me throughout college and onward. v

A tribute’s survival guide to Ladue VERB ________________________ PLURAL NOUN___________ CLUB ________________________ TIME________________________ TASK ________________________

Welcome to your arena for the next four years! It will be _________, but you will ______ it soon. You must know that VERB

ADJECTIVE

the odds are slim that you will like all of your ____________, PLURAL NOUN

but get used to it. It will always be a battle. This school offers a cornucopia of activites to join, though ______ is the best. It CLUB

takes your mind off of staying up until ______to finish ______.

VERB________________________ TV SHOW__________________ TASK _______________________ CLASS ______________________

TIME

TASK

You’ll want to ________ and watch all of ________ twice to get TV SHOW

VERB

out of ________, but as you’ll see, high school gets better. AlTASK

though it may seem like your classmates are your competitors at times, you will bond over surviving ________ together. You’ll CLASS

TEACHER_________________

encounter some great mentors like ________, although at TEACHER

ADJECTIVE________________

times they will be ________ or ________. But don’t worry, your ADJECTIVE

ADJECTIVE________________

ADJECTIVE

high school experience will be killer. Let the games begin!

warren biest

The archetype

WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

L

et’s face it– the Class of 2015 is graduating high school. When you walk across that stage in cap and gown, in front of your closest family members and friends, you leave behind the people you’ve seen day in and day out. You join the ranks of college students across the country, working professionals and the brave men and women serving our country. However, despite the fact that you are a part of a diverse class, the path you’ve taken is strikingly similar.

Every Ladue student started his or her educational career in a similar manner. Elementary school develops the skills necessary to become a successful learner. And in the midst of AP season, you miss elementary school; you think back fondly on recess and snack breaks. Why? Because elementary school is not really learning– it’s learning how to learn.

In middle school you start to apply that knowledge and put it to the test. It’s an educational and social proving ground. The first challenges in your life suddenly appear, and the stress from those challenges is combined with the social stress of not knowing three-fourths of your class. So you meet people, make friends and get comfortable with who you are going to be. You graduate sixth grade one year older, just a little bit wiser, and with a lot more friends than you started with. Summer comes and goes, and you are thrown into seventh grade. You start going to bar and bat mitzvahs, spectacles unlike anything you’ve seen before (my own were marked by awkward dancing and greasy food).

You start to learn who you are going to be: wild child, musician, nerd or jock. It doesn’t matter, but make the right choice, because once you choose, you can’ t switch. Eighth grade comes; at this point you are well established in your social niche and are readying yourself for high school. You do the boat races with your friends and go to six flags, graduate and brace yourselves for freshman year.

For many of you, freshman year is a time to challenge yourself and test interests previously unexplored.

Here, you join clubs and organizations, either because they interest you, or because you think you have some twisted view on how the college admissions officers will look at your resume four years down the road. You go through your first year as an underclassman, pass your courses and without realizing it, you are a sophomore, junior and, before you know it, a senior. In the final year, you make plans for after graduation. And in the last week of your high school career, you sit out on the courtyard wondering where all of the time went.

So the moral of the story is that you’re all the same, right? Actually, what you may not recognize is just how far you stray from the pack. Sure, you all follow the same basic path. You make friends, try new things and make mistakes. But it’s not too hard to find the special things that make each of this class unique. You might play blues guitar at the Highway 61 Roadhouse every Tuesday night, staying out until well after midnight. You might create art each day in the studio, expressing an inner part of yourself in the best way possible. Maybe you want to be an independent filmmaker, so you make that a huge part of your life. You might like hunting or fishing, or you might spend your time babysitting your little brother. But when you finally walk across that stage, diploma in hand, you won’t remember what makes the Class of 2015 all the same, but rather what makes each of us special, unique and a part of something bigger. v (This column reflects the opinion of the writer)

14 opinions

Panorama

May 14, 2015

Even the greatest books cannot capture everything aaron bry SPORTS EDITOR

A

s I prepared to write this reflection, which is supposed to cover my four years here at Ladue, I sifted through my expansive recollections in search of one grand adventure that I could make the subject of this essay. Eventually, I came to this conclusion: I don’t have one. I was unable to think of one experience, story or lesson that perfectly exemplified my time here.

This agitated me more than it should have, admittedly. Did I really amble my entire way through high school without a specific experience that forged my view point of life?

Part of my inability to select one memory was due to the outlandish expectations I entered high school with. Until freshmen year, everything I knew about high school, rather, thought I knew,

came from various movies and books. In fact, many of my favorite characters in literature are high school students.

I always envisioned having a coming-of-age story that I could compare to Holden’s epic journeys in Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye” or Harry’s countless adventures in J.K. Rowling’s famous series. Yet, here I am, 18 years old, without a single distinguishing narrative that I could confidently say shaped who I am. Could I rightly compare myself to these great characters without any feats to match theirs? I continued desperately in search of the perfect anecdote.

Finally, I decided instead of looking for a certain memory, I should think about who I was when I entered Ladue four unbelievably short years ago. As I compared freshman-year me to myself now, I realized that my growth throughout these last four years was undeniable. That’s certainly not to say I don’t have any

more growing up to do. Trust me, I know I do.

I have struggled with and overcome similar mindsets that Holden struggled with. I share his disdain for growing up, phonies and the “real world,” which is extremely difficult to deal with as I get ready to turn 18 and head off to college.

Like him, I have come to realize that alienation and isolation are not healthy or productive ways of protecting oneself. Maybe I didn’t come to this conclusion as a result of one happening but rather all of my experiences compounded together. Much like Harry Potter, I am now aware of the fact that sometimes the best experiences and most valuable friendships can come from the most unexpected, unfamiliar places. I didn’t have to fly a car to Hogwarts to learn this lesson because I learned it right here at Ladue. During my time in high school, I have learned to keep a positive mindset through adversity, like Ponyboy did in S.E.

Hilton’s masterpiece, “The Outsiders.” As long as I’m comparing myself to Ponyboy, my friends and I aren’t very different from the Greasers; give us some oil for our hair and a few switchblades and we’d be indistinguishable.

Maybe, contrary to what the literary world might suggest, high school isn’t supposed to shape who you are for the rest of your life. But I do know that I will always look back on my experiences here, with the friends I’ve grown closest to, and know that the past four years have been the most formative and amazing ones of my life. Even as I rapidly approach the finish line that is graduation, I know that this is not necessarily an ending.

It is incredible how grateful I am for attending high school at Ladue. It was an experience truly like no other. I could not express enough thankfulness to my friends, family and teachers that have supported me unconditionally, even during that 1 percent of the time

when I’m difficult to deal with.

The insanely good teachers and the caring administration have instilled in me a strong, balanced base of fundamental knowledge, respect for others and personal accountability for my actions.

My friends have blessed me with experiences and memories I will cherish and appreciate forever–and not tell my kids. My mission is to use my foundation to be successful in the future. For that, Ladue I commend and thank you, for you have given me all I could ask for in a high school experience.

Regardless, I’ve made progress that I’m proud of. I’ve forged relationships and friendships that will transcend my time here and last for the rest of my life. I know now that it is completely acceptable that I don’t have one story that stood above the rest. My journey from a scrawny freshman to who I am now could not be more complete, regardless of if I had an epic adventure to write about. v

In a world of self-promotion, listen

Commencement messages often miss the target benjamin collinger OPINIONS EDITOR

Panorama strives to entertain students, staff and community members and to uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness. The publication aims to engage the student body by eliciting dialogue among our readers.

Panorama is produced 10 times per school year by the journalism class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School. 1201 S. Warson Rd., St. Louis, Missouri 63124 (314)-993-6447 ext.

5463 www.laduetoday.com EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Sarah Jacob Sabrina Medler

ART EDITORS Audrey Kocher Mary Xiao

NEWS EDITORS Ethan Shuchart Sasha Rice

PHOTO EDITORS Sydney Ellis Jeanne Wilkinson

FEATURES EDITORS Ali Gold Julia Biest

A&E EDITORS Avanti Sheth Aaron Greenberg

PHOTOGRAPHERS Sophia Garland Jackie Gordon Ula Lijowska Jocelyn Kaza Sammy Leary Meghan Proskey Jenna Shanker Julia Tackes Sarah Waldman

OPINIONS EDITORS Benjamin Collinger Keona Kalu

BUSINESS MANAGER Lizzy Puyo

SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Bry Sam Shevitz

ADVISER Jillian Miesen

IN-DEPTH Hayden Hunt

WRITERS Max Baker Katie Bohnert Katie Bry Hannah Frankel Isabella Fu Lily Hauptman Haley Horowitz Joel Hsieh Grace Kim Albert Liu Sophia Li Michael Petersen Mark Rogers Teddy Turner WEB MASTER Warren Biest ARTISTS Juliann Bi Ting Ding Kira Svoboda Steele Stewart Wenxin Chen

Panorama welcomes and encourages letters to the editors.

Panorama aims to accurately represent issues most important to readers and serve as a public forum for all students, staff and community members. Letters voicing readers’ opinions strengthen the paper. Please bring signed letters to Room 216 or email them to panorama@ladueschools.net.

Panorama reserves the right to revise submissions as long as the original intent remains unaltered. v

S

couring the depths of the internet’s commencement speeches, a clear theme emerges: a culture entrenched in the word “you.” Undoubtably, addressing speeches or columns to the individual is inevitable and can provide valuable advice. However, parting messages regarding graduation seldom express the inherent value of listening.

The message, symptomatic of our selfie-driven culture, often encourages rugged individualism to a fault. Our rhetoric endorses the endless self-promotion characterized by social media, where people broadcast a version of Sportscenter’s “top ten plays” of themselves endlessly. As a result, graduates should learn to balance this culture of humble-bragging with listening and humility. As David Brooks explained in The New York Times April 17, “What’s lost is the more balanced view, that we are splendidly endowed but also broken. And without that view, the whole logic of character-building falls apart. You build your career by building on your strengths, but you improve your character by trying to address your weaknesses.”

Using grit, drive and work ethic to reach personal goals isn’t bad. On the contrary, these attributes are essential to one’s personal success. But this mindset must also be supplemented by understanding the value of listening; otherwise, our full-speed course into the so

called “real world” will fail to connect with the people surrounding us and our environment. Here’s my parting advice to the Class of 2015: listen more than you talk, change yourself as the times change and act in the best interests of others as well as yourself.

First, being a good listener involves gleaning important information from others in order to assist them in developing ideas and solutions. Listening to others, and thereby empathizing with them, will allow for stronger relationships and a happier you. Additionally, it will humble you, keeping your mind and heart open and contribute to a better world. I’ve learned to become a better listener by being open to constructive criticism, and trying to always empathize with others.

The paradigm allows listeners to act in sustainable ways for themselves, their families and their future. Listeners challenge their beliefs, are seldom stagnant and take the feelings of others into account more readily.

Second, learn to embrace change. In many ways, we have no choice. Regardless of one’s path after high school, life requires some form of adaptation. Thus, rolling with the punches is the best strategy for dealing with impermanence. This mindset will generate positivity and fill you with more calmness, peace and courage.

Third, act in the best interests of others, not just yourself. Whether it is in voting, community work or interaction with others, act selflessly. Try not to hurt the people who care about you, and don’t burn bridges.

In a few short days, the Class of 2015 will be engaged by the commencement speech. Quite ironically, the word “commencement,” according to the Oxford dictionary, is defined as “a beginning or start.” Our high school career is over. However, our future gives us the opportunity to supplement the selfies with a more balanced perspective. v

Panorama

May 14, 2015

awards

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Xueting Ding Rowan Faulkner Arlo Frantz-Greene Audrey Kocher Janine Norman

Bill Brackman Distinguished Service Band Award Garrett Vieira Charles Jeffers Glik Scholarship

Eleanor Scherck Charles Shepherd Foundation Scholarship Nautica Huddleston Tahjai Lashley Kaitlynn Walker

Senior Awards 2015

Connie Strobach Senior Female Athlete Award Riley Kniptash

DECA Service and Commitment Scholarship YiFan Zhou

James A. Wagner/St. Louis PostDispatch Scholar Athlete Award Michael Wielansky

Dads Club Recognition/ George Washington Carver Award Eva Adams Katherine Alpert Susanna Barrett Sarah Beckmann Juliann Bi Julia Bohnert Xueting Ding Alana Dinh Rowan Faulkner Eva Grench Olivia Grimm Miriam Hauptman Sherrill Howard Sarah Jacob Sam Kahn Jordan Kaplan Sarah Kessel Jack Lavey Jessica Lazaroff Yang Liu Abigail Miller Ariel Miller Janine Norman Veijay Raj Katharine Ross Katherine Rubin Eden Smith Hannah Snidman Emma Sterling Christine Yan Iris Yang Kevin Yang YiFan Zhou

Dr. Robert L. Bannister Award Katharine Ross

James A. Wagner Alumni Association Award George Garner

Enlistment in the Marines Thomas Hawkins Frances H. Ginsberg Memorial Vocal Music Scholarship Janine Norman George M. Turmail Band Award Tyler Christner Elena Hammann Goessl Book Award Miriam Hauptman Hank Kauffman Math Award Yang Liu Iris Markman Fine Arts Award Hejin Xiao Faculty, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service Award Sarah Kessel

James R. Waechter Band Award Yoav Kadan James Robertson Award Katharine Ross Jeff Lieberman Forensics Scholarship

Tushar Raj Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship Xueting Ding Kurt H. Knoedelseder Theatre Scholarship Award Jack Lavey Ladue Horton Watkins High School Scholarship Sami Abrahim Jordan Cosby Paul Flynn Paul Gada Nina Geers Mckenzie Gratz Angel Kinnel Thomas Poon James Robins Marim Salib Bianca Smith Bailey Washington YiFan Zhou

Matt Pearlstone Memorial Scholarship

Anastasia Maranto Michael A. Ramming Dads Club Scholarship John May Michael Murray Ramming Memorial Scholarship Mario Whitley MSHSAA Excellence in Sportsmanship Award George Garner Jane Nelson National Hispanic Recognition Program Nicholas Krasnoff Michael Prablek National Merit Commended Award Katherine Alpert Juliann Bi

Dads Club Scholarship Jack Lavey

Patricia Sanders Scholarship Malcolm Davis “Premio de Honor” for the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica

Yoav Kadan Speech and Debate Student of the Year Scholarship Benjamin Collinger

Tony Kardis Senior Science Award

John Jaeger William Heyde Great American Debater Award Miriam Hauptman William A. Raisch Dads Club Scholarship Hannah Snidman

Lyndon B Johnson Excellence in Government Studies Scholarship Benjamin Collinger

T “ B

National Merit Semi-Finalists Mary Kate Fox Miriam Hauptman Boyang Jiang Kalliope Kornfeld Nicholas Krasnoff Yang Liu Allison Loynd Michael Prablek Veijay Raj Nevel Vaidyan Christine Yan

Sneider-Kaskowitz Expository Writing Award Miriam Hauptman

Lois Percival Orchestra Award Lillian Donahue

Da Vinci Award Meghan Proskey

National Merit Scholarship Finalists Miriam Hauptman Boyang Jiang Nicholas Krasnoff Yang Liu Allison Loynd Michael Prablek Veijay Raj Nevel Vaidyan Christine Yan

o my truth seekers: You were my first recruited staff. I taught most of you when you were at the middle school, and I awaited your arrival anxiously because I knew of what you were capable then. You have never disappointed me since. Just remember all you’ve learned, all you’ve given and all you’ve endured here. Go forth and do you. You’ve got this.

– Regards, Ms. Miesen

“

Why don’t you just be yourself ? … No one can help but admire your spirit.

Page 121, Chapter 9 -- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

e daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary. ~Cecil Beaton Sarah Jacob

Editor-in-Chief

Warren Biest

Web Editor-in-Chief

Aaron Bry

Sports Editor

Benjamin Collinger Opinions Editor

Keona Kalu

Opinions Editor

Jocelyn Kaza

Multimedia Editor

Jeanne Wilkinson

Photo Editor/Rambler Editor-in-Chief

Audrey Kocher Avanti (Janey) Sheth Hejin (Mary) Xiao Art Editor

A&E Editor

Art Editor

16 sports

Panorama Girls Track and Field: Chisara Achilefu

“Chisara is a very unheralded athlete in our program, but has become the most valuable asset we have on the girls’ side. Her work ethic is undeniably awesome, and she has become one of the premier sprinters in the state of Missouri.”

– Coach Keith Harder

Girls Tennis: Sarah Beckmann

“Sarah was my number two player and a great leader for the team. Both on and off the court, she is a hard worker and dedicated to academics as well as athletics.”

– Coach Margaret Junker

May 14, 2015

A tribute to our favorite tributes Cheerleading: Gabrielle Hannah

“Tyler is my number two player. He has a great attitude, and his teammates look up to him. He demonstrates great leadership skills, as well as being an excellent tennis player.”

– Coach Margaret Junker

“Gabby has shown her ability to accept challenges and conquer her goals in and outside of practice. She works remarkably hard and always gives her best effort. Her dedication, understanding and positive demeanor have a positive effect on her teammates.”

– Coach Tara Bishop

Football: Malcolm Davis

Ice Hockey: Jason Hodgins

Boys Tennis: Tyler Christner

“Malcolm is the ultimate competitor and teammate. He is willing to do anything for the betterment of the team, including willingly switching positions to center at the beginning of the season.”

– Coach Mike Tarpey

Wrestling: Justin Espinosa

“Jason is a tenacious worker and dedicated leader, and captain, who lead the team to a school-record 16-4-1 season. He is a fierce competitor who gives 100 percent every time he steps on the ice.”

– Coach Jon Hodgins

“Justin’s hard work and dedication to the sport of wrestling has made him one of the highest placers in Ladue’s history.

His ability to adopt and wrestle different styles makes him unique. With a record of 50-3, with two of those loses coming to state champions, proves that he is one of the best in the state.”

– Coach Kevin Clawson

Poms: Jordan Kaplan

Softball: Jenna Fee

Field Hockey: Riley Kniptash

“Jordan has been a great team member for both school performances and competition dances. We will miss her but wish nothing but the best for her as she begins the next chapter in her life.”

– Coach Alexandra Whaley Guenther

“Jenna takes pride in doing the right thing on and off the field, and she has a drive to get better at every aspect of her life. This makes Jenna an exemplar for her teammates and a tremendous leader of our team.”

– Coach Drew Crismon

“Riley has an outstanding work ethic, and as co-captain, led by example and pushed herself and the rest of the team to be their best. She also possesses outstanding stick skills and has one of the hardest drives in the St. Louis area.”

– Coach Barbara Dwyer

Boys Cross Country: George Garner

Boys Swimming: Nicholas Krasnoff

“George has been an outstanding leader both on and off the cross country course for our team. Watching George set a new state course PR this year at the State Cross Country meet was one of many highlights in his career.”

– Coach Richard Witt

May 14, 2015

“Nick has demonstrated steadfast commitment and leadership throughout his four years on the team. He is a fierce competitor, supportive teammate, an academic role model in a demanding sport and teammate whom others looked up to and followed.

– Coach Hap Gentry

Girls Cross Country: Tahjai Lashley

“Tahjai is a hard worker and great teammate. Tahjai is our leader on the course and in the locker room. Though soft spoken, Tahjai is able to lead through example by competing and training hard at all times.”

– Coach Matt Strayhorn

Boys Basketball: Jeremy Loftin

“Jeremy was a part of a team that won conference two years in a row and a team that won a district championship. Jeremy led by example with hard work and his dedication to the program.”

– Coach Chad Anderson

Girls Lacrosse: Jane Nelson

“Jane is an exceptional talent and a true joy to coach. Her work ethic is exemplary and does not go unnoticed on the lacrosse field or in the classroom. She is a true team player and a strong leader both on and off the field.”

– Coach Heidi Ricken

Boys Track and Field: Thomas Poon

“Thomas has been with the team for his duration here at the high school. It has been great watching him develop into a great athlete. He has such a great attitude, and I have never once seen him down.”

– Coach Keith Harder

Girls Basketball: Jelissa Puckett

“Jelissa was our point guard this year, and I don’t believe we [would] have the success we had this year without her in that spot. Jelissa did a tremendous job this year for us both offensively and defensively.”

– Coach Cord Dockery

Panorama Waterpolo: Matthew Richards

“Matthew is knowledgeable, committed and does everything he can to excel at the game of water polo. There are few, if any, players at the goalie position that have his combination of physical ability and intelligence.”

– Coach Michael Clay

Volleyball: Julia Sachs

“Julia is one of the finest female volleyball athletes I have ever coached. She is a hard worker, always willing to take the extra rep to improve her skills and level of play. I hope someday Julia passes on her talent by coaching young athletes.”

– Coach Roberta McCaffrey

Boys Lacrosse: Elliott Shevitz

“Elliot is a team captain for the second year in a row now. Elliot is one of the best natural goalies I have coached, but that does not stop him from pushing himself to be the best possible goalie and teammate that he can be.”

– Coach Pat Callaham

Girls Soccer: Erin Wides

“Throughout her varsity soccer career, Erin had to face many obstacles, including missing all of one season due to a torn ACL. Instead of letting the obstacles get her down, Erin persevered and continued to improve her game. By her senior year, she had become a starter and important contributor to the team.”

– Coach Dave Aronberg

Baseball: Michael Wielanksy

“Michael places the team before himself and gives everything he has every time he takes the field. He is a leader and an exceptional player.”

– Coach Rob Garrett

Boys Soccer: Michael Wielansky

“Michael is exactly what you want a captain to be. He led by example not only during the season, but by the work he put in during the offseason. His ability to make those around him better helped our team tremendously this season.”

– Coach Dave Aronberg

Girls Swimming: Christine Yan

“Christine has been swimming for four years and is extremely dedicated to the sport and the team that she loves. No matter what goals she has, she makes sure to find a way to accomplish them and to also help her teammates accomplish their goals as well.”

– Coach Nikki Andre

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HOPE is the only thing STRONGER than

FEAR