Ladue
Panorama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School • 1201 S. Warson Road • St. Louis, MO 63124 • Volume 63 • Issue 7 • February 6, 2015 (Photo by Warren Biest)
news (pg.4)
CHARLIE HEBDO
features (pg.7)
LADUE ALUMNA ON AMERICAN IDOL
in-depth (pg.8)
TEACHER/TV FUSION
a&e (pg.10)
FALL OUT BOY ALBUM REVIEW
opinions (pg.13)
OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION
sports (pg.14)
FOOTBALL TEAM OF THE YEAR
photo (pg.16)
VALENTINE’S DAY
(Photo by Jeanne Wilkinson)
Check out pgs. 8-9 to see teachers reenact TV shows
2 news
Panorama
In the
School
Free to
mary xiao w ART EDITOR
The Laduettes placed first in Pom and HipHop in the St. Charles Classic Dance Team Competition Jan. 24. The team will advance to the National Dance Alliance National Championship in Orlando, Fla. March 6-8. The Talking Rams placed first in every team conference category at the Greater Saint Louis Speech Association Conference Tournament Jan. 16-17. Ladue alumnus Charles Andrew Russell, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Jan. 25. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was named the Steelers’ Most Valuable Player in 1971 and earned two Super Bowl rings.
The varsity football team was named the St. Louis Rams National Guard High School Team of the Year Jan. 27. Senior Rowan Faulkner was selected for the 2015 St. Louis and Southern Illinois Affiliate Award for Aspirations in Computing, a local branch of the National Center for Women in Information Technology Award for Aspirations. Senior YiFan Zhou and junior Jessica Thoelke were selected as runner-ups for the same award.
Obama proposes plan to make first go: two years of community college free
katie bohnert NEWS WRITER
I
February 6, 2015
n order to improve student access to higher education, President Obama is taking measures to make the first two years of community college free for students across the country. Colleges would have to “strengthen their programs and increase the number of students who graduate,” according to a White House fact sheet that discussed the college proposal Jan. 9. Eligibility requirements for students would include maintaining a 2.5 GPA and a 50 percent attendance rate, according to an article by The Atlantic Jan. 12. “This proposal would make two years of college the norm in the way that high school was the norm in the last century,” White House Domestic Policy Advisor Cecilia Munoz said in the article. The article estimates that the proposal could potentially benefit around 9 million students nationwide. Although the impact of this proposal may not be as dramatic at high schools where most graduates attend four-year institutions, its effect at a national level could be significant, according to college and career counselor Scott Cornwell. “I think it’s a great option for a lot of students,” Cornwell said. “Whether or not Ladue students will take advantage of it, I’m not entirely certain.”
Cornwell said that while the proposal may encourage more students to attend community college, seniors don’t always consider this option. For many, community college is simply a backup in case they are not accepted into their dream school. “There are about 87 percent of Ladue seniors who go on to four-year colleges, and about 6 to 8 percent go on to two-year colleges.
Spiritas believes that some of the students who qualify for the two-year free tuition could probably afford paying for all four years. As a result, she said that students who really need the money might not get the amount necessary for them to attend school. “One of the barriers to college is always the cost,” Cornwell said. “If that’s what’s keeping people from applying to and attending community college, then I think anything we can do For to break that 6 down those percent barriers is of the terrific.” class, if Cornwell that option said that some is free, that’s students take terrific,” general courses at Cornwell community college for two steele stewart w ARTIST said. years and then transfer those If the program credits to a four-year institution to is passed, it would be available to save money. By doing this, they get all students, regardless of income. the same degree as someone who According to a Los Angeles Times attended the four-year college all article Jan. 14, the program could four years at a fraction of the cost. cost $60 billion dollars over the “[Community college] is a great course of a decade. setup for somebody that wants to “This proposal will cost taxpaycontinue on to a four-year college,” ers a lot of money,” junior Madalumnus Mark Spewak said. eline Spirtas said. “The commuSpewak currently attends St. nity college proposal will simply Louis Community College–Meraworsen the budget problem.” mec. He said that the proposal will
hopefully broaden students’ awareness of community college and the opportunities it offers. “Anytime you can get two years of college free, no matter what income situation you’re coming from, there’s going to be a [positive] impact on people going to community college,” Spewak said. Spewak believes it would change how parents, and hopefully educators, aid students when deciding where to apply to college. He said that students should consider community college if the proposal passes, even if it is just a backup plan. According the Los Angeles Times article, there is doubt regarding whether the Obama proposal will make it through the predominantly Republican Congress. Nevertheless, many people may consider this option because it could enable more students to attend college and recieve a more complete education. Spewak said that community college may not be something that all students consider as their first choice. However, he believes the proposal could be an important step in helping students pay their college tuition. “I didn’t even realize that community college was an option at the time,” Spewak said. “But what I’ve learned from going to community college is that it’s an awesome place to focus on your studies [and] be in a habitat that you’re familiar with.” v
Panorama
February 6, 2015
news
Teen commits suicide after discrimination Leelah Alcorn’s gender identity causes isolation and struggle isabella fu NEWS WRITER
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transgender teen from Ohio committed suicide Dec. 28, 2014, leaving behind a note detailing the discrimination she faced throughout her life due to her gender identity. Leelah Alcorn, born Joshua Alcorn, stepped in front of an oncoming tractor-trailer on an interstate highway at 2:15 a.m. four miles from her home, according to a CNN article Dec. 31. Alcorn programmed her suicide note to publish on Tumblr after her death. “Please don’t be sad, it’s for the better,” Alcorn said in the note. “The life I would’ve lived isn’t worth living... because I’m transgender.” The note revealed Alcorn’s fight for approval from her family and community. At the age of four Alcorn wrote that she felt “like a girl trapped in a boy’s body.” Ten years later, she came out as transgender to her mother, who “reacted extremely negatively, telling [her] that it was a phase, that [she] would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that [she was] wrong.” “The story of Leelah Alcorn is unfortunately not uncommon,” Ladue Gay-Straight Alliance’s official statement said. “Trans people [often] face massive amounts of discrimination and many find it unbearable.” When Alcorn was 16 years old, her mother began taking her to
Christian conversion therapists after According to The Trevor Project, rejecting Alcorn’s request to undergo a national organization providing sex reassignment surgery. Shortly crisis intervention and suicide preafterword, she came out as vention services, LGBT youth gay to her classmates, which are four times more likely to angered her parents, she attempt suicide than their wrote. In response, Alcorn’s straight peers. mother pulled her child Even so, the acceptance from school and barred of LGBT people has Alcorn’s access to improved over the last social media. decade, as seen by “This was probthe legalization of ably the part of my gay marriage in 36 life when I was the states, representamost depressed, tion in media and and I’m suropen discussion, prised I didn’t according to kill myself,” junior Rachel Alcorn wrote. “I Steiner, a memwas completely ber of GSA. alone for five months “Here at Ladue, [without] friends, support everyone is nice or love.” about it overall, Alcorn’s loneliness, the but there are people pressures of saving enough who joke about how money to move out of her it’s ‘disgusting’ and parents’ home, keeping her other things,” Steiner grades up and facing her said. “But I haven’t church, led to her decision seen direct bullying to commit suicide, accordsince moving here.” ing to her letter. These Students questioning audrey kocher w ART EDITOR problems are common their sexual orientafor many transgender youths. tion often experience more bullying, “Being a transgender youth is unexcused absences from school, complicated, especially when you drug use and feelings of depression, live under your parents’ house and according to the Centers for Disease rules,” founder and chair of LGBT Control and Prevention. Evidence advocacy group TransOhio Shane suggests that a school environMorgan said in a CNN interview ment with clear anti-bullying rules, Jan. 4. “Sometimes they don’t under- specifically ones regarding LGBT stand, which is unfortunate.” students, and supportive educators
reduces bullying and negative feelings directed at the LGBT community. The Ladue School District has set official guidelines concerning discrimination in regards to LGBT students and staff. “The Ladue School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,...sex, [or] sexual orientation,” the Ladue Notice of Nondiscrimination states. Alcorn’s parents have received negative feedback since the publication of her suicide note and after her name began trending on Twitter. Some activists believe the Alcorns should be prosecuted for child abuse, according to People Magazine. Alcorn’s note emphasizes that society must “learn about people who don’t fit the gender binary of girls and boys and make sure it accepts them... instead of judging them.” “Does whether someone is a boy or a girl matter more than their happiness and health?” Steiner said. “Because that’s often what’s at risk.” According to PsychCentral, the best way to stop bullying, the leading cause of depression and suicide in LGBT teens, is to educate parents and peers. Alcorn ended her suicide note stating that she will only “rest in peace” if transgender people are “treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights.” “My death needs to mean something,” Alcorn wrote. “My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide... Fix society. Please.” v
LGBT Suicide By the Numbers of LGBT youth reported at least one suicide attempt in 2014.
leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 is suicide.
of people who identify as transgender attempted suicide at least once before their 20th birthday.
LGBT teens on average commit suicide every year. (Statistics from the Trevor Project and speakforthem.org)
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In the
Nation
mary xiao w ART EDITOR
The New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX 28-24. Quarterback Tom Brady joined quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks to win four Superbowls in their careers.
The state of Texas declared Feb. 2 as a day to honor Navy SEAL marksman Chris Kyle. The film “American Sniper” depicts Kyle’s historic military career as a sniper, which included more than 160 confirmed kills.
As of Feb. 2 two people have died as a result of the massive winter weather system crossing the Northeast. Boston, Mass. declared a state of emergency as the city saw over 14 inches of snow.
A Center for Disease Control report revealed that there were more than 102 confirmed cases of measles in the month of January. The outbreak initially started in California and has spread to 14 states.
San Francisco police found a suitcase filled with loose body parts Jan. 28 after responding to a suspicious 911 call.
4 news
Panorama
In the
World
‘Je suis Charlie’:
mary xiao w ART EDITOR
The four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta were put on display in London for the first time Feb. 2. 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the document’s authorization. Employees at a school in India came across $160,000 in cash and more than 2 kg of gold bars in two unused lockers they were cleaning out. The first large-scale trials of two Ebola vaccines began Feb. 2. 30,000 volunteers will be immunized. Pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko says rebels want to increase their numbers to 100,000 in order to push government forces out of the eastern parts of Luhansk and Donetsk. At least 13 people were killed and dozens were injured in a fire at a plastics factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh Jan. 31. Officials believe that a faulty gas cylinder or boiler caused the incident.
A female suicide bomber set of a bomb in Gomb, Nigeria Feb. 2, killing at least one person and wounding 18 others. The blast came just minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan departed from the scene.
katie bry NEWS WRITER
T
he staff of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical French magazine, was targeted by two Muslim gunmen in an attack Jan. 7. Twelve people were killed in the attack. Brothers Chérif and Saïd Kouachi fatally shot eight employees, a guest at the magazine, a maintenance worker and two police officers according to a Jan. 21 CNN article. Charlie Hebdo had repeatedly satirized and published images of the Prophet Muhammad, sparking outrage among many Muslims and people around the world. The cartoons were deemed insensitive because the Prophet Muhammad explicitly said that such depictions were prohibited because he did not want Muslims to idolize him like a god, according to junior Maryam Bouhraoua. The CNN article Jan. 21 stated that the attackers allegedly claimed they were avenging the Prophet Mohammad and shouted “allahu akbar” or “God is great.” French Club discussed the incidents in a meeting after the attacks. President and senior YiFan Zhou presented a PowerPoint that outlined the initial attack on the magazine’s office and the two days following the attack. “The incident is a tragedy and an alarm to our freedom of expression,” Zhou said. “By the end of our meeting, we wanted the students to walk away with the knowledge of how to be more morally responsible when using their freedom of expression.” It is important for students to remain aware of international events and stay informed about the facts, according to Bouhraoua. She added that discussing events in school allows people to explore differing opinions and ideas. “The events give [Americans] an idea of what happens in Europe. We can relate the attacks [in Paris] to 9/11,” Bouhraoua said. “And as France and other European countries experience terrorist attacks, it strengthens the bond between America and Europe, because we are facing the same issues.” Americans can sympathize with victims due to the terrorism that has occurred on U.S. soil. Amnesty International co-president and senior Artur Derkach said the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 is an example of similar acts of terrorism. The public movement with the slogan “Je suis Charlie,” which means “We are Charlie” in French, supported the French people. This movement set out to preserve and defend freedom of speech and of the press.
February 6, 2015
People worldwide protest in support of victims of attack
“I truly do believe that how everybody reacted was fair, as far as doing the marches and sympathizing with the victims, because of their freedom of speech,” French teacher Cemohn Sevier said. In November 2011, the Charlie Hebdo’s offices were fire-bombed after publishing a cartoon of Muhammad titled “Charia Hebdo,” according to a BBC article Jan. 8. Many people found the PARIS PROTESTS w Thousands of people gathered for a protest in cartoon offensive. “We are in a world Marseilles, France Jan. 10. The protestors marched in support of the victims of the multiple attacks in Paris. (Photo courtesy of Zuma Press/MCT) where we have very sensitive extremist groups,” Sevier said. “[In Islam,] there are cerin the street. According to Sevier, this type of tain things you cannot say or do, one of them is expression in the country is very common. to not insult Muhammad in any way.” Geers agreed with the statement, adding that The first cover of the magazine after the the protests can be emotional. terror attack depicted Muhammad with a tear, “I have a French penpal named Pierre who holding a sign that said “Je suis Charlie” on it, lives in Paris,” Geers said. “He participated in according to an article Jan. 13 by The Guardthe rallies [in Paris] and he said that it was reian. Amnesty International co-president and ally moving, and everyone was crying.” senior Nina Geers believes that the magazine World leaders marched with about 3.7 has mocked the Islamic religion in order to million people in anti-terrorism rallies in Paris elicit a reaction from the public. She said that and throughout France Jan. 11. fficials called this unfortunately came at the expense of the the massive gathering in the nation’s capital the safety of its staff. largest in France’s history, according to a Jan. “I think these events make us more aware 12 CNN article. of the things that we say that could be offenAlthough the movement is rooted in France, sive. Everyday in class, I hear people saying it has spread all over the world. The French incredibly offensive, racist and prejudiced community in St. Louis gathered in front of the things against people of different religions and Pierre Laclede statue at City Hall to protest the ethnicity,” Geers said. “We should look at this terrorist attacks. Sevier was one of the people situation and grow from it and try to be more who participated in the rally. respectful of other peoples’ religions, even if “We assembled and observed a moment of we do not understand or agree, because people silence for the victims,” Sevier said. “It was cannot just expect to face no repercussions for mainly the French-speaking community in St. their actions.” Louis.” Bouhraoua said she attempts to stand up Derkach believes that the protests have had a against the many stereotypes that surround Ispositive impact. To him, the actions the proteslam. According to her, Americans wrongly tend tors and governement officials took have been to group all Muslims into a single category. significant, and thinks that these efforts have set “It is unfair to blame a whole religion on the an example for responses to future situations acts of two people, and those two people did similar to Charlie Hebdo. not do anything right at all,” Bouhraoua said. “I think that the public could not have had “I am Muslim and [causing terror] is not what a better reaction,” Derkach said. “In order to presents us as Muslim.” achieve worldwide peace, world leaders should In reaction to the attacks, the people of come together like they did in France more France came together to protest and march often for crises in countries.” v
February 6, 2015
Panorama
She’s got the golden ticket
Middle school alumna debuts on American Idol hannah frankel FEATURES WRITER
W
hat do Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Phillip Phillips all have in common? They found their claim to fame on a singing competition, American Idol. Ladue Middle School alumna seventeenyear-old Oxuana Love Berry hopes to follow in their footsteps on the 14th season of the show. Berry, who now lives in Leesburg, Ga., auditioned for the current season of American Idol over the summer. While Berry has always dreamed of pursuing a career in music, she never imagined she would have the opportunity to audition for the show. “I placed second in a little singing competition in Tifton, Ga.,” Berry said. “My prize was to attend an actual American Idol audition shortly afterward.” Berry’s desire to further her career stems from her love of performing. She won parts in musicals throughout middle school, including the role of Mrs. Teavee in the LMS production of “Willy
for others to see her perform. She Wonka Jr.” One of her biggest supporters was former LMS choir believes her time on the show has made her a better musician. teacher Brandon Williams. “It [has] been a very positive “[Williams] influenced me when it came to how to perform experience,” Berry said. “I suggest to anyone that is thinking about and how to use my voice,” Berry said. “He helped me learn trying out for American Idol next season to definitely [go how to read musical for it].” pieces and coached Berry has learned me when I asked a lot from being on for extra help. I still adhere to his American Idol, including how to advice.” organize her life and Berry used this knowledge career in the public eye. She now is in the to succeed at her audition. For her, process of learning how trying out for to keep these two elements separate. American Idol “You’re a different ended up being person when you are an incredible performing than when experience. She enjuliann bi w ARTIST joyed meeting the judges you’re chilling with your and contestants. friends,” Berry said. “[I have to] keep my priorities straight. “They’re all different types of people with different personaliAlthough I’m a traveling singer on American Idol, I still have ties, but there’s one thing we have in common: music,” Berry said. homework, chores and work. So I “We all sat together singing songs have to keeps my ducks in a row at and joking around; it’s a very funall times in order to get everything executed precisely.” loving environment.” Many of Berry’s friends are Berry cannot reveal how the season plays out, but she is excited proud of all she has accomplished.
@humansofladue
Everyone in this school has a story to tell. Follow us on Instagram to see more.
“[I like] being able to do what I can to help others without stressing over the small things. Even if they don’t deserve it or are mean, I still help. Just because someone was mean to me doesn’t mean I put it back on them. I forgive them and forget about it, then go about doing what I was doing. Don’t stress over stuff. When people are mad at you, or go against you, don’t try to fight back at them. Just let them have their own opinion or word, and go about yours. Just keep going on.”
features Two of these friends are seniors Jenna Fee and Gabrielle Hannah, who knew Berry from when they attended middle school together. “Seeing [Berry]’s audition for American Idol blew me away,” Fee said. “She has always been so incredibly talented. In middle school we always joked around about one day auditioning for the show together, but it always seemed so far-fetched and unreachable.” Like Fee Hannah knew Berry as the multitalented artist who could sing, play guitar and write her own music. She was not surprised when she found out that Berry had auditioned for the show. “When I heard she was trying out for American Idol, I was so happy for her,” Hannah said. “I knew she had accomplished one of the many things she wanted to do in life. It didn’t take me by surprise
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when she passed the first audition because she’s an amazing singer. I know she will go far, not only on American Idol, but beyond it.” Regardless of the outcome of this season of American Idol, Berry will have had the opportunity to improve her skills and learn from many other talented artists. American Idol has helped Berry boost her career and discover who she wants to be as a musician. “In the past year I’ve learned a lot,” Berry said. “In order to further my career, I just have to take everything one step at a time. I don’t want to get ahead of myself and become a cocky teen artist who thinks she’s the best. I want to stay humble and remember my roots and know that I want to express love and passion with my voice and bring happiness to all ages.” v
6 features
Panorama
Polls of the People Which TV show do you like best? Read more about your favorite TV shows on pgs. 8-9.
8%
Breaking Bad
34%
35%
23% Friends Pretty Little Liars
What is the most severe punishment you have received from the school? Read more about school punishments on pg. 13.
60% 17% 13%
I have never been punished by the school.
I had an in-school suspension.
5% 5% 0.6
I have been sent into the hall or to the principal.
My parents have been called.
I had an out-of-school suspension.
How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day?
40%
0.5
35%
0.4
0.3
15% 10%
0.1
0.0
By myself
Spanish club aims to enrich cultural understanding FEATURES WRITER
With my family
I’m not
With my boyfriend/ girlfriend
(Statistics based on 129 sampled)
ali gold
FEATURES EDITOR
T
he members of ¡Amigos de Español! say “Bienvenidos” to all who want to learn more about the Spanish language, culture and community. The club’s goals are to inspire students to speak Spanish outside of the classroom and to interact with students that are studying different levels of the language. The members also strive to learn more about Hispanic culture and history and serve the community. “It’s a lot of fun, and you meet and make friends with people in the club,” secretary and sophomore Matthew Kaplan said. “We plan for the international festival and discuss how to promote the club.” The club predominantly serves underclassmen who are not yet eligible for Spanish Honor Society. These meetings have not only supplemented their classroom educations, but also have increased their interest in cultural aspects. “The Spanish club is for students who are either taking Spanish, or who are just interested in the language,” president and sophomore Asia Cade said. “We talk about the cultural aspects of Spanish society such as arts and crafts, music and the history of Spanish-speaking countries.” In addition to learning more about Spanish customs and society, members can improve their speaking skills at meetings. The club also looks for ways to connect to the local Hispanic community. Club members can get involved with the community by giving back through the Pulsera Project. This organization aids children in Guatemala by selling colorful bracelets and sending the money to those in need. Sponsor and Spanish teacher Haydee Taylor-Arnold wanted to make sure that all pupils were involved in the cause. “All students are welcome to participate in our club,” Taylor-Arnold said. “They can be taking a Spanish class or just want to learn more about the Hispanic culture and
THE AMIGOS w The officers of the Spanish club converse with their sponsor. “Los Amigos de Español was started by Señora Taylor-Arnold when she realized that there should be a Spanish club open to people who enjoyed and wanted to learn more about Spanish culture outside of class,” president and sophomore Asia Cade said. (Photo by Jackie Gordon) language. The purpose is that our students can have a place where they experience the Hispanic culture through art, food, films, and music.” Taylor-Arnold thought of the concept for the club at the end of last year. After that, she brought up the idea to some of her students. “This is our first year, and we hope to continue growing as an organization and sharing the opportunities that learning Spanish and its culture will bring to our students,” Taylor-Arnold said. In an effort to encourage more students to join, participants are working on their advertising. They want to spread their passsion for Spanish to as many as possible. “The club is a great opportunity for students to learn more about the culture of Spanish-speaking countries,” Cade said. “The club gives students more time to learn about the background and history of Spanish-speaking countries.” v
Danced until they dropped
Dance Marathon raised funds for the kids ali gold
Read more about the school’s cutest couples on pg. 16.
0.2
Say hello to my little amigos haley horowitz
Saved By The Bell
February 6, 2015
FEATURES EDITOR
julia biest
FEATURES EDITOR
T
werking met charity Jan. 31 at the second annual Dance Marathon, an organization that benefits Children’s Miracle Network. This year, participants worked together and raised $27,350.02. The money fundraised will be donated to Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon. “We [brought] our high school community together to not only raise money for Children’s Miracle Network, but also to spread awareness to others on how fun it is to give back to others,” senior and executive director Olivia Grimm said. This year, the executive board implemented new strategies in order to increase fundraising and improve the event itself. For example, unlike last year, students could register at school, making the process easier. Additionally, new methods of collecting money were used. “Something we did differently was ‘canning’ in which we sat outside Schnucks the whole day and simply asked for money,” senior and executive director Sarah Kessel said. “It was a huge success, we raised nearly $1,000 and not to mention we ran into TJ Oishi.” At the start of each hour during the event, miracle children came up onstage. They shared their stories and appreciation for the dancers’ efforts. “It definitely inspires students when they get to hear the miracle childrens’ stories and interact with all of them at the dance,” Kessel said. v
(Photos by Sophia Garland and Ula Lijowska)
Panorama
February 6, 2015
Smart phones and smart people New club fights stereotypes by developing apps lily hauptman FEATURES WRITER
T
he average app usually takes engineers and professional website designers up to 18 weeks to design and develop. However, a new club called Technovation, led by junior Jackie Wong, hopes to accomplish this task in only 12 weeks. Members will design, produce and pitch an app to prospective investors for the chance to win $10,000. “Technovation presents aspiring young female entrepreneurs with an opportunity to explore their creativity in the field of app development,” junior Bianca Yu said. “With an experience like this, girls can strengthen their abstract thinking and problem-solving skills that are critical for future careers in technology.” Technovation’s purpose is to inspire women to use technology to solve local issues. In 2014, more than 2,500 girls from 28 countries competed for the chance to launch their apps and receive feedback from professionals through this competition. Originally, Wong was not looking for a contest. She stumbled upon Technovation and started a Ladue branch. “I wanted to bring some technology club for girls at Ladue,” Wong said. After all the Technovation teams submit their ideas, the top six high school groups have the opportunity to travel to Silicon Valley in San Francisco, Calif. to pitch their apps. The winning team will receive $10,000 to fund future projects. This year, Ladue’s branch will be represented at the competition, and will join other Technovation groups in an effort to change the future of women in the fields
of science and technology across the world. “I think that getting girls started early gives them thoughts of some different career paths,” sponsor and librarian assistant Helen Petrofsky said. Petrofsky has experience in this field; she worked as a programmer at McDonnell Douglas after graduating with a computerscience major. However, Petrovsky isn’t the only one on the team with knowledge concerning technology development. Yu has also had exposure to programming software. “The coding style is very similar to Scratch, a computer animation software that I used in a class in middle school, so the familiarity with the format is very beneficial,” Yu said. “I also took Website Design I, which taught me how the coder must pay attention to every single detail that goes into formatting the code for an app or a web page.” The girls will use the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Application Creator to design their entry, but Wong hopes that the members will also learn how to code with more complicated software, such as JavaScript and HTML. Win or lose, the girls will gain useful knowledge about engineering and simultaneously fight gender roles. “There’s a stereotype that not many women are in technology,” junior Adanma Ojukwu said. “I think Technovation will empower women and show everyone that we can be interested in more than just one subject.” Only 18 percent of all computer-science majors are women, according to a 2012 Google study. This statistic has dropped significantly from 37 percent in 1980. Technovation hopes to increase the
number of women involved with computer science. “You think of boys being so interested in videogames and that might lead them to programming,” Petrofsky said. “When girls start thinking about technology in high school and they get some information, then they think careers in technology may be a possibility.” Technovation’s national founder, Anuranjita Tewary, hopes to give young women the opportunity to learn how to start a company, spark their interest in technology and solve problems in their own communities. As well as inspiring women to join the technology realm, Technovation hopes to teach participants teamwork. “Everyone gets to voice their ideas and work off [one another.] Once we get to form teams, I can tell projects will start to form,” Ojukwu said. The teams will consist of three to five people. Every branch can enter an unlimited amount of teams, however each team must present unique ideas on how to improve a local issue. Ojukwu is considering making an app that will make homework more efficient and another to help people remember others’ names. “I like that Technovation has to do with everyday life,” Ojukwu said. “Technovation will help with combining entrepreneurship and coding.” The club meets Mondays and Thursdays in the library after school. Wong hopes that many girls will join, regardless of their level of interest in programming. “No experience is required,” Wong said. “Anyone can learn how to code and take in other aspects of engineering and marketing. That is the beauty of this club.” v
features
Double Take Cartoon Edition
We scoured the halls in search of Ladue’s best animated look-alikes... here’s what we found.
math teacher Debra Carson
Vanessa from “Bee Movie”
junior Tessa Bundonis
Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”
senior Kris Watson
Little Bill from “Little Bill”
sophomore Olivia Jurgiel
TECHNOVATE w
Sitting around a table, Technovation club members, works on designing apps. Participates hope to challenge themselves mentally, and also break boundaries for women in the realm of science. “[There is] a cycle where girls aren’t taking the technology classes,” junior Jackie Wong said. “It tends to be associated that only boys can do technology.” (Photo by Sarah Waldman)
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Merida from “Brave”
(Photos by Jeanne Wilkinson, Julia Biest and Ali Gold; cartoon photos courtesy of nothingbutprincesses.con, galleryhip.com, comicvine.com and princess.disney.com)
8 in-depth
Panorama hayden hunt
jeanne wilkinson
sydney ellis
This season on... IN-DEPTH EDITOR
E
PHOTO EDITOR
PHOTO EDITOR
all art by audrey kocher w ART EDITOR
veryone has a favorite TV show. With so many options, there’s something everyone can relate to. Some people have secrets that they can only share with their closest friends. Others must find atypical solutions to problems bigger than anyone can imagine. Some people just like to hang out with their friends in a coffee shop. There are those that just love to talk and can keep a conversation with anyone. Finally, there are people that form bonds in high school that end up lasting a lifetime. TV shows have a way of connecting with their audiences, sometimes to the point that viewers feel as if they are in the show. v
February 6, 2015
February 6, 2015
Panorama
in-depth
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10 arts and entertainment
Panorama
February 6, 2015
What’s Happening Around Town? Things to do around St. Louis in the month of February
Missouri Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show Now- March 22
5K Run For Your Beads Soulard Neighborhood Feb. 7
Maple Sugar Festival Rockwoods Reservation, Feb. 7
Hozier The Pageant Feb. 24
all art by audrey kocher w ART EDITOR audrey wang w ARTIST
What a lot o’ Gelato Nice setting, average gelato teddy turner A&E WRITER
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elateria Del Leone, a café located in Tower Grove, provides a pleasant selection of Italian delicacies and has a laid-back atmosphere. This eatery, located on South Grand Boulevard, offers homemade sweets and gelato. It’s tailored to serve as a “place for food. A place for people. A place for community,” according to a statement on their website. Because gelato is the restaurant’s specialty, I tried two different flavors: Mayan Chocolate and London Fog. The server cautioned me that the Mayan Chocolate flavor might be too spicy, but I hardly tasted the spices, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. In addition, the chocolate was not flavorful, so I only ate a quarter of this treat. Between the dull spices and tasteless chocolate, I found the dessert surprisingly bland. On the other hand, the London Fog gelato was a pleasant surprise. The Earl Grey tea and vanilla mix were delightful. The gelato was fluffy, but had ice crystals that gave
Apple Turnover
(Photo by Teddy Turner)
the dessert a unique texture. Even those who do not like tea might enjoy this gelato’s unconventional blend of flavors. The apple turnover proved delicious as well. Although it appeared a little hard, I dug through the crunchy crust and into the chewy, warm apple filling. I expected the apple bits to create an undesirable, tart flavor, however they added a delicious sweetness to the dish. It was so good that I ended up scraping the cup’s bottom to finish it. I also tried the Sausage Calzone, which was served with marinara sauce on the side. While the meat was unimpressive, the spinach introduced a healthy aspect to the dish, adding a nice touch to the dish. As for the atmosphere, the lighting was dark, but the decorations fit the café’s ambience. The Art Deco lights hanging from the engraved tin ceiling created a warm and welcoming environment. The café didn’t wow me and it doesn’t cater to those in a hurry. However, for those who want to stick around and eat food in an artistic scene, the Gelateria Del Leone will more than suffice. v
aaron greenberg A&E EDITOR
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wo years after a historic return and the release of “Save Rock and Roll,” Fall Out Boy released its follow-up to its comeback album, “American Beauty/American Psycho,” Jan. 16. When the band recorded “Save Rock and Roll” in 2013, it added subtle nuances, like electronic drums and orchestral arrangements, that were unlike anything the band had attempted before. On “American Beauty/American Psycho,” however, these nuances were magnified epically. In eleven tracks of powerful, dynamic power-pop, this album effectively represents everything Fall Out Boy was afraid to do on “Save Rock and Roll.” The album begins with “Irresistible.” This sharp track sets an electric tone for the entire album, opening with a bold and confident hook. Next comes the title track, “American Beauty/ American Psycho.” Between singer/guitarist Patrick Stump’s forceful vocals and percussionist Andy Hurley’s remarkable drumming, this song works with the previous one and furthers the album’s overall powerful tone. Following this track comes “Centuries,” which was released as the album’s first single and has been playing on the radio for months. After “Centuries” is “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” This ballad opens with a quiet bass and pleasant whistling melody. The charming instrumentation is complemented by Stump’s vocals. His vibrato, used to enhance almost every note, gives the listener goosebumps throughout the entire song. Next is “Uma Thurman.” The title is a reference to Uma Thurman and John Travolta’s iconic dance scene in “Pulp Fiction.” It samples the theme song from the ‘60s TV show “The Munsters,” transcribing the song’s melody as a guitar riff and supplementing the bass with brass instrumentals. “Jet Pack Blues” is the next track on the album. Stump’s vocals shine again on this song, and he demonstrates his abilities
as a soul singer as well as a rock and pop singer. Combined with the aforementioned stunning vibrato and chilling falsetto, Stump absolutely steals the show. After “Jet Pack Blues” comes “Novocaine.” The song begins with a heavily distorted chorus, and gradually the rest of the band joins in. This song is one of the catchiest songs on the album. Bassist Pete Wentz shines on this track, laying down a substantial foundation for the work. Additionally, guitarist Joe Trohman delivers a hard-hitting lead performance. The two ensuing songs are my two least favorite. “Fourth of July” and “Favorite Record” both come across as plain and generic. They’re catchy and fun, but there’s nothing about them that sticks out in the context of the rest of the album. Thankfully, this lull doesn’t last long. Reviving the album is “Immortals.” The track was originally released as part of the soundtrack for Disney’s “Big Hero 6.” For the album, the song was shortened and mixed slightly differently than the version played in the movie, though the distinctions are minute. This song draws influence from hip-hop music, as demonstrated by its thumping bass and effects on Stump’s voice, but the song doesn’t seem out of place. Finishing the album is “Twin Skeletons (Hotel in NYC).” Although it’s not my favorite, it’s certainly the most interesting song. It is in a minor key, which is novel for Fall Out Boy. Stump’s vocals are predictably fantastic, but what struck me was Hurley’s drumming on the interlude after the second chorus. I’ve heard Fall Out Boy’s entire discography so I knew what Hurley was capable of, but on this album, he stuck mostly to simple beats and ordinary fills. On this final song, however, he displays his true expertise. “American Beauty/American Psycho” was an outstanding follow-up to an extraordinary comeback album. Although Stump musically surpasses the remainder of the band members, it is evident that all contributed equally creative aspects to produce something amazing. v
Panorama
February 6, 2015
Toyin Odutola Show T janey sheth A&E EDITOR
arts and entertainment
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he Nigerian born, New York based artist, Toyin Odutola, is showcasing her series “Untold Stories” at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Odutola utilized charcoal, pastel markers, graphite and acrylic ink to create her intricate portraits. The exhibition features pieces with powerful messages that allow people to relate their personal lives to Odutola’s art. v
mary xiao w ART EDITOR
POISON w
Diptych Pastel on paper 30 x 40 inches “Poison” is a diptych, a two-part series of work. Odutola hoped that this diptych would lighten the mood of her collection. Most of her pieces are dark portraits based on the lives of people she knows. To counter the serious tone of the portraits, on the left side of the diptych she created a vibrantly colored collage of bananas. Even though she wanted to evoke deep thoughts from the audience, she did not want viewers to leave in a dark mood. This type of painting stood out from the rest of the exhibit due to its originality and ambiguity. Meanwhile, on the right side of the panel, Odutola uses powerful words and offers something that people can relate to. Many things in life act as “a slow poison,” creeping slowly into our peripheral without us even realizing. This part of the diptych depicts a more serious message; nicely contrasting the seemingly trivial bananas on the left. It’s incredible how Odutola makes an expressive piece of art with a few words and a simple object. The pieces are nearly opposites and add a nice touch to her exhibition. (All photos by Janey Sheth)
ISLAND OF SELFDOM w Charcoal, pastel, acrylic ink and graphite on paper 30 x 40 inches The woman’s face in this drawing is mostly covered by her fur collar. This is done to symbolize her arrogance and aloofness in society and to show that she is isolated, confined to the world of “selfdom.” Meanwhile the background’s dark blue hue adds a coolness to the piece. The zigzagged segments of pastel that Odutola incorporated, highlights the color of the surfaces. These techniques make her stand out in the contemporary art world.
12 opinions
Panorama
Collinger’s
February 6, 2015
Kocher’s Corner audrey kocher w ART EDITOR
Contemplations audrey kocher w ART EDITOR
Momentum doesn’t exist benjamin collinger OPINIONS EDITOR
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here’s a time in nearly every sporting event that spectators, commentators and participants become possessed by the idea of momentum: an intangible force that seems to determine the outcome of competitions. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science defines psychological momentum as “the positive or negative change in cognition, affect, physiology and behavior caused by an event or series of events that affects either the perceptions of the competitors or, perhaps, the quality of performance and the outcome of the competition.” The player who is in “the zone” and can’t miss, recovers a fumble or continues a series seems to confirm the existence of momentum. Without a doubt, athletes’ and fans’ perceptions of momentum persist, and shift in response to certain plays. Many have convinced themselves, as I had until recently, that this immeasurable phenomena determines outcomes. However, this is irrational. First, our collective belief in the concept of momentum is most likely a product of the pygmalion effect: a type of self-fulfilling prophecy where one constructs his own reality with thoughts, actions and inaction. Momentum, therefore, is a psychological crutch that sports fans use to rationalize a series of random events by assigning a human disposition to chance. For example, basketball players and fans alike tend to believe that a player’s chance of making a shot are higher following a hit rather than a miss on the previous shot. This idea is so ingrained within basketball culture that pick-up-games around the world, video games and commentators rely on it. People are often unable to recognize chance sequences, making them believe that a streaking player or team has a better chance of success. As a result, casual fans would give the game-winning shot to the “hot hand.” Admittedly, I’m just as likely to pass the ball to my teammate on a shooting streak in a pick-up game. Nevertheless, this theory is misguided. As a study performed by Thomas Gilovich of Cornell University and Robert Vallone of Stanford University found, the result of previous attempts, success or fail, did not influence following shots. Thus, streaks balance out over time, and the “hot hand” is simply a result of statistical chance variation that regresses towards the mean. This theme is replicated across other sports as well. The case of American football is similar, according to a 2012 study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which analyzed the phenomenon of momentum in the NFL. In a data set examining 473,621 plays in the 2,921 games during the 2000-2010 NFL seasons, it was determined that there was “no significant association between big defensive plays and subsequent offensive performance.” And, despite popular belief, they “found no evidence to support a transfer of psychological momentum from a team’s defense to its offense.” Unlikely comeback victories solidify our collective belief in momentum, a concept fantastic for growth and interest in sports. However, like many instances of the pygmalion effect, it’s all in our heads. v (This column reflects the opinion of the writer)
Now presenting the Superbowl champions: The Deflatriots
Panorama Editorial Board Affirm free expression after Charlie Hebdo attacks
A picture is worth a 1000 words. And sometimes it is worth 12 House study, “global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in a lives. In light of the attack on Charlie Hebdo, the right to freedom decade,” with only 14 percent of the world’s population living in arof the press has come into question. However, it’s vital to remember eas with free media. This apalling fact should encourage lawmakers the context of the controversial cartoon and the importance of this to fight for the affirmation of the right, not further limitation. freedom in fostering healthy democracies. A balance between tolerance and free expression should Charlie Hebdo strives to “offend everyone equally,” exist, but it should come from editorial judgment, not according to the Chicago Tribune Jan. 13. It hasn’t only government censorship. Such laws would targeted Islam, but also Judaism and Christianity. be detrimental to democracy, as important Although this can offend people, one key subjects wouldn’t reach public forums. Peadjective justifies their content: satiriter Dahlgren, professor emeritus of media cal. Its purpose is to draw attention studies at Lund University, found that to issues by criticizing in a humorous a strong civic culture is “required for light. It provides entertainment, not a functioning democracy, yet it sits hard pressing facts. precariously in the face of politiAlthough unconventional, as cal and economic power. It can be editor of the French daily Le shaped by citizens... and serve to Monde Jérôme Fenoglio, told empower or disempower citizens The New York Times Jan. 13, via the civic culture.” “each paper has its own free will, No part of freedom of the and chooses what seems pertinent press should be vanquished, for or not.” If one doesn’t agree with who’s to say all won’t be lost certain ideas, he simply shouldn’t engage. eventually? As globalnews.ca ting ding w ARTIST In the case of Charlie Hebdo and all reported Jan. 7, “Free expression other publications, consumers should consider is something where the borders are sources’ reputation, political affiliation and sponsors. These factors, always getting a little bit tighter. And if you’re not defending what’s paired with human nature, make it impossible to completely elimion the edges, then pretty soon the edges come close to the middle.” nate bias. Thus, readers should take stories with a grain of salt and Regardless of where an individual stands in relation to the glean information from various sources. depictions released by Charlie Hebdo, he should heed the words of Governments should not use the Charlie Hebdo incident to jusFrench philosopher Voltaire: “I do not agree with what you have to tify tighter regulations on speech with the pretense of maintaining say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” v peace or avoiding offensive content. According to a 2014 Freedom (Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board)
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 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
FEATURES EDITORS Ali Gold Julia Biest
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A&E EDITORS Janey Sheth Aaron Greenberg
NEWS EDITORS Ethan Shuchart Sasha Rice
PHOTO EDITORS Sydney Ellis Jeanne Wilkinson
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Sophia Garland Jackie Gordon Ula Lijowska Jocelyn Kaza Sammy Leary Meghan Proskey Jenna Shanker Julia Tackes Sarah Waldman
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PLEASE RECYCLE Panorama welcomes and encourages letters to the editors. Ideally, Panorama accurately represents the issues most important to readers and should serve as a public forum for all students, staff and community members. Therefore, 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
WEB MASTER Warren Biest ADVISER Jillian Miesen
ARTISTS Juliann Bi Ting Ding Kira Svoboda Steele Stewart
Panorama
February 6, 2015
opinions
Suspending students is ineffective
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Research suggests zero-tolerance discipline harmful
tion, “states with high suspension rates have lower [National Assessment of Educational Progress] scores in math, readkeona kalu ing, and writing.” Suspensions are also linked to a higher OPINIONS EDITOR incidence of delinquency. In fact, this correlation has been coined the “school-to-prison pipeline.” This is demonstrated t seems that schools’ go-to method of discipline has by the fact that, according to PBS.org, 68 percent of males in always been to suspend students. Discipline exists, in prison do not have a high school diploma. part, to teach students how to appropriately conduct Generally, the students who receive suspensions end up themselves in social situations in school and later in the being from specific racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. workplace. But, the zero-tolerance method of out-of-school According to the U.S. Department of Education Office for suspensions does not further this objective and, therefore, Civil Rights, in 2014, black students are suspended and serves as an inefficient method of discipline. expelled three times more than white students. This disproFirstly, for any punishment to succeed in deterring future portionate level of suspensions unfairly puts misbehavior, it must involve some sort of correction. these groups at a higher risk of developing the But out-of-school suspensions lack this. For example, disadvantages associated with suspensions. a student who is suspended for cheating In place of this punishment, schools should just returns to school and begins classes enact positive discipline strategies. According as if, aside from some missed class to the National Association of School Psycholtime, nothing happened. This sysogists, positive discipline focuses on “increasing tem teaches pupils not to be caught desirable behaviors instead of simply decreascheating instead of educating them on ing undesirable ones.” These strategies reduce why it is unacceptable. Out-of-school student alienation and promote fair discipline suspensions do not attend to the roots mary xiao w ART EDITOR and safer schools. Programs like in-school of maladaptive behavior; therefore, the suspensions, which focus on continuing curriculum and issue often arises again. identifying and eliminating the root cause of misbehavior, Furthermore, this form of disciare successful means of discipline. pline seems more like a reward than The New York Times reported Feb. 16, 2014 that Gara punishment. Students are often left field High School in Los Angeles, Calif. was able to achieve unsupervised at home during this time. a “14 percent drop in suspensions and a 12 percent decrease Instead of reflecting on what they’ve in expulsions” during 2012-2013 in part by having “extra done, or even catching up on class work, hands and eyes for critical parts of the day, and [instituting] students may treat their suspension as a after-school detention.” vacation. This barely qualifies as punishment. Without punDisciplinary systems rely too heavily on out-of-school ishment, students will not try to change their behavior. suspensions. This method is incorrectly being applied as a According to a report Oct. 16, 2012 by San Jose Merblanket solution to all behavioral problems. Schools should cury News, the California Department of Education issued begin to move away from suspensions toward a system that 765,000 out-of-school suspensions during the 2009-2010 employs positive discipline strategies in order to foster skills school year alone. A number this high is troubling since outand behaviors that are beneficial to educational or profesof-school suspensions have been tied to lower high school sional environments. v graduation rates and poorer academic performance. In addi-
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Instant replay distorts the integrity of sports ethan shuchart NEWS EDITOR
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sabrina medler EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ny sports-lover knows that instant replays have dramatically altered how people watch sports. This technology, which every major sports league in the U.S. employs, has been around since 1963, but has only recently been so heavily relied oupn. Although instant replays were originally implemented to keep games fair, there is some controversy regarding the use of them in sports. In some situations, instant replays are effective in determining the right call. Take the case of Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Armando Gallagarra. He was one out away from pitching a perfect game, an extremely difficult feat. The last batter hit the ball, ran to first base and by all accounts was out by a whole stride. However, the umpire called the runner safe, ruining the pitcher’s achievement. Later in a press conference the referee said, “I thought [the runner] beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay [after the game].” Since then, the MLB has followed other national leagues in its increased use of instant replays. Now, in almost every sport, instant replay has become a prominent aspect of the game. There are no more close calls, unbelievable plays, or “tie-goes-to-the-runner” moments in sports. Nevertheless, instant replays don’t always clarify the proper ruling. In many cases they obscure and distort what viewers believe to be the rule. In an editorial for NBC Sports, analyst Joe Ponanski said that sports officials and fans increased reliance upon instant replay “takes away what used to be one of sports’ greatest qualities. It takes away the certainty of the game.” This “certainty” he speaks of refers to the time before heavy replay usage, when a call was what it was regardless
of how correct it was. Although instant replay could’ve prevented egregious calls like the ruined perfect game, its complication of the game makes it a tool that should be used sparingly, if at all. FIFA has opted on numerous occasions to forgo the addition of instant replay to its games. In fact, in a 2012 press conference, FIFA administrator Sepp Blater said, “Let it be as it is, and let’s leave it with errors. The television companies will have the right to say [the referee] was right or wrong. But still, the referee makes the decision.” In addition, instant replays slow down games. For example, in baseball, home run reviews add a few extra minutes to an already long game. Taking into account fair-or-foul calls, outs and strikes can prolong the game dramatically, considering some reviews may require multiple replays. No one wants to be sitting in the crowd, waiting for the referees to decide on a play. Furthermore, sports are supposed to teach lessons, in that they encourage athletes to accept calls, even if they seem unfair. At times, it seems traditional sports are like life– unfair and unpredictable. In the real world, people can’t just demand a replay because they think they have been wronged. Rather, people need to accept what happens and move on. Lastly, instant replays alter the original intent of competition. Adding new technology distorts traditional sports by replacing a referees with cameras. Though it’s important that games are played accurately, referees are trained officials who should be trusted. They are only human, and humans make mistakes. But, these mistakes are always going to be part of the game. It is better to live with Corrections from Jan. 16 a few incorrect calls, pg. 3 Senior YiFan Zhou’s name than to destroy the true was misspelled nature of athletics. v
ting ding w ARTIST
Daniel Tosh is okay keona kalu OPINIONS EDITOR
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ape jokes aren’t funny. Mostly. You see, there’s this governing rule for comedians that adds a qualifier to this sentence: punching up. Punching up is the practice of making fun of the powerful, the well-off and the oppressors of society. Therefore, in the above example, if a comedian references the rapists involved or rape culture, he is abiding by this practice. Most comedians do this in order to be less offensive. The more taboo, punching down, is the opposite. It makes light of the marginalized, the victims of a controversial situation. Punching down is Daniel Tosh’s brand of comedy. The argument goes that a comedian should never punch down because this would be removing power from those who are already weak. It would further ostracize the group. Rape is a brutal subject, so it is a common target for those crusading against punching down, especially since most rape jokes attack the victims or make light of rape itself. But people are applying this comedic law only to rape jokes. As it is defined, this concept of punching down addresses anything that gains comedic value by ridiculing the lives of marginalized people. So the same would apply to jokes with punch lines at the expense of groups such as black people, women, the poor and Jews. Yet substantially fewer people are opposed to these types of jokes. This inconsistency shows that though punching up is supposed to be a tacit, allencompassing comedic law, it shouldn’t be because it is applied only to the most severe cause. Displeasure with Tosh’s stand-up and television shows stem, in part, from his habit of punching down. In just one episode of “Tosh.0,” you can expect him to make fun of women, blacks, gay people or the disabled. He doesn’t leave any group untouched. Though every once in a while, a joke might be too much for me, he should still be allowed to tell it. Punching down is looked down upon because people confuse comedians with satirists. Though both highlight and ridicule certain discontinuities and observations in the world, a satirist does so with the intent to inspire social action and reform, while a comedian’s intent is solely to entertain. Comedy doesn’t have to give power back to the oppressed . It can, but it doesn’t have to. This whole idea of punching up is a good edict to follow for a comedian who wants to secure a large audience and not turn people away with a few risqué jokes. But it is complete bunk as a guideline for comedy in general. Yes, punching up often makes a comedy set less offensive, but why does it matter at all that it might be? Art is allowed to vex people. If we were to prohibit all the artistic, entertaining endeavors that had potential to upset, we’d have very boring lives. I don’t appreciate rape joke. But I still believe that, although it is offensive, punching down should be considered acceptable. v (This column reflects the opinion of the writer)
14 sports
Panorama
February 6, 2015
Keeping their pucks in a row Athlete of Boys hockey team shatters previous record and ends its regular season with 16 wins and 4 loses max baker SPORTS WRITER
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sam shevitz SPORTS EDITOR
he varsity hockey team broke the record of most wins in a season. The team has posted a remarkable 16 wins out of 21 games played. It shattered the previous record of wins in a season– 10– after an impressive 15-0 win over Webster Groves. Head coach Jon Hodgins is currently in his 30th year of coaching hockey, his seventh year with the Rams. He believes a crucial aspect of a good hockey team is that the players develop together. “In hockey, unlike any other sport, one player can’t dominate. In hockey you can have the best player in the world but unless you have the supporting cast, it’s not effective,” Hodgins said. “The Rams don’t have any superstars, but we work very hard together to work as one cohesive unit and it has really paid off.” The boys are led by captain senior Jason Hodgins and alternate captains seniors Ian Thompson, Eric Millner, Elliot Shevitz and junior Tommy Hawkins. All captains, except for Millner, have played for Ladue for six years, gaining the knowledge and experience to fill leadership roles. “They lead by example on the ice with their effort and determination and off the ice with their grades and the way they represent Ladue,” Jon Hodgins said. Sophomore Jordan Stern leads the team in goals this season. He credits his teammates for keeping their heads up and making good passes to him. He says that the team
wasn’t expected to do as well this year, but with exceptional teamwork they are battling this. “This year I have been fortunate to put up some good numbers but I definitely didn’t do it alone. We couldn’t have been this successful if I didn’t have my teammates there to help support one another,” Stern said. After the regular season, the team was seeded eighth for the Wickenheiser Cup. Sixteen teams will be given a berth into the cup. They will be placed into a division along with Vianney, Fort Zumwalt South and Francis Howell North. Each team will play once against the other teams in its division, and then, if it places in the upper half of its division, the team will advance to a standard two-game quarterfinal. Jon Hodgins, formerly a junior hockey player for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, has seen all aspects of hockey and has a vision for the team. His goal is to make each of his players resemble Ryan Callahan of the Tampa Bay Lightning. “He is a smaller guy playing a big guy sport. His determination and hardwork is really unmatched in the NHL and is why he has had a very successful career in the NHL with the [New York] Rangers and [Tampa Bay] Lightning,” Jon Hodgins said. As the varsity team faces Whitfield and Parkway West and enters the playoffs, they look to continue their postseason run. If they qualify for the finals, they’ll play at the Scottrade Center. “Making it to the finals would fulfill the dreams of everyone, especially the seniors,” Stern said. “Just playing in that atmosphere would be an unbelievable experience.” v
Football team wins ‘Team of the year’ sam shevitz SPORTS EDITOR
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ethan shuchart NEWS EDITOR
he football team was voted by the public as the St. Louis Rams National Guard High School Team of the Year. The Rams were one of four teams nominatied. The award is given to a team based on its performance, sportsmanship and community service. “It was really cool for the team to be recognized,” senior Jack May said. “There were a bunch of good teams ... so [we] were lucky to win.”
(Photo by Meghan Proskey)
Senior Malcolm Davis believes that fans played a major role in helping the team win this honor. The award includes a trip to Ram Park, the official practice site of the St. Louis Rams. “[The team] gets to tour the facilities and meet the Ram’s coaches and some of the players,” Davis said. The winning team of the year will bring new attention and publicity to the football program, according to sophomore Chino Davis. “People doubted us at the beginning,” Chino Davis said. “And this award proves that they were wrong.” v
the Month Each month Panorama picks one athlete to spotlight who has excelled in her sport. This month’s athlete is:
Julia Tackes
Tackes, a junior, is having a standout season. This is her third year swimming on the varsity squad. She qualified for state as an individual for the 50 freestyle and as a member of two relay teams. She won the 50 freestyle race at the Ladue Invitational and has placed in this event at other critical meets, such as the Rockwood Summit Invitational. Her favorite part of swimming is seeing her teammates every day after school. (Photo by Jackie Gordon)
February 6, 2015
Senior wrestler chases state title
Panorama
sports
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Senior Sit-down Each month, Panorama sits down with a senior athlete. February’s athlete is Eric Millner from the boys hockey team.
Justin Espinosa holds perfect record and strives to win state championship
Espinosa’s final season was his 100th high READY TO POUNCE w Using his right hand to balance himself, michael petersen school career win. SPORTS WRITER senior Justin Espinosa prepares to take down his opponent in the Ladue “Reaching my Quad Meet wrestling tournament. This is Espinosa’s fourth year wrestling on enior Justin Espinosa is having a very big 100th win felt great,” the team. He hopes to take home the state title this year for the first time in wrestling season this year. Espinosa has Espinosa said. “Espehis high school career. (Photo by Sammy Leary) accomplished what many can only dream cially that most of the of in his sport. old guys who helped me get to this point were “Wrestling with Justin everyday is a This year, Espinosa has achieved his 100th there to see it happen.” privilege, and it has allowed me to learn a lot,” career win and defeated the number-one ranked Another huge success for Espinosa this seaMorose said. “Justin is an awesome teammate wrestler in his weight class in the state. Howson was his win over the previously number-one to have; his passion for the sport and eagerness ever, Espinosa’s success has not come easily. ranked wrestler in his weight class. The defeat to get better is contagious.” Through rigorous workouts and exercise, surprised many, but not Espinosa. With the end of his high school career Espinosa has been physically preparing himself “With me ranked second in the state,” Espiin sight, Justin now has his mind set on the for the season. nosa said, “although I had no losses and he had ultimate goal: his first state championship. “This season I have just put everything into four at the time, I wanted to silence the people Although Espinosa has wrestled in the state my training, whether it’s the 4 a.m. runs or who didn’t think I should be ranked first.” tournament before, he has never won or placed. extra workouts With all of Espi“I’m looking forward to state,” Espinosa after practice,” said. “As long as I stay healthy, I believe I can Justin is a great role model. He leads nosa’s accomplishEspinosa said. ments, he has also achieve what I am so desperate for, which is a by example and that is very important. proved to be a leader As a result of state title.” his tenacity and Wrestling is an extremely tough sport for the team. Younger Looking forward, Espinosa hopes to wrestle dedication, Espiand it takes a good captain to keep kids players look up to his in college. He has expressed interest in Cornell nosa has reaped exceptional work ethic College, Coe College and Truman State. committed and working hard. the rewards. and perseverance. Espinosa has worked his way to his success - coach Kevin Clawson Currently, he “Justin is a great this year. His opportunity to win a state title holds a perfect role model,” coach comes as a result from his growth as a wrestler 30-0 record. In addition, Espinosa earned first Kevin Clawson said. “He leads by example, and during the past four years. place in the John Burroughs Tournament, that is very important. Wrestling is an extremely “Justin has always been a gifted athlete,” Chaminade Red Devil Tournament, St. Louis tough sport, and it takes a good captain to keep alumnus and assistant coach Chase Ridenour All-Suburban Conference Tournament and St. kids committed and working hard.” said. “In the past four years, Justin has develCharles Invitational. Espinosa’s determination has positively afoped a mind-set that not many 18-year-olds Aside from his numerous tournament wins fected many of his teammates. One of them is have. Justin has grown mentally tougher and and perfect record, an important highlight of junior Alex Morose. that’s what sets him apart from the pack.” v
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Aaron Bry: How did you get your start in ice hockey? Eric Millner: I started ice skating when I was three but I began my hockey career with the Webster Grove Wings when I was five. AB: What were your team goals entering the season? EM: One of my goals was for us to be over .500. As a team, we have met and exceeded that goal with a 16-4-1 record. AB: Do you, or your team, have any interesting pregame rituals? EM: Personally, I always wear my “We Are Ladue” t-shirt that I got from Ms. Carson for good luck. As a team, we bump our stereo, Young Titus, with really loud, energizing music.
Drop your plans and hitch a ride to go cheer on your Rams at these must-see match ups:
• Feb. 10 - Girls basketball vs. University City AB: What is your favorite pregame meal?
• Feb. 10 - Boys basketball vs. SLUH
EM: Sportsman’s Park is my favorite place to get food from before a game.
• Feb. 13 - Boys Basketball vs. Clayton
AB: What is your favorite thing to do after a big win?
• Feb. 13 - Girls Basketball vs. Clayton
EM: Going out to celebrate with friends. (Photo by Meghan Proskey)
(Photos by Meghan Proskey)
16 photo
Panorama
They’ve got chemistry:
February 6, 2015
A look at the cutest couples at Ladue
jeanne wilkinson PHOTO EDITOR
sydney ellis PHOTO EDITOR
Freshmen Alex Sterling and Brooke Waller Jeanne Wilkinson: How long have you been together? Alex Sterling: Eight-ish months. Brooke Waller: It will be nine on Valentine’s Day.
JW: What is the best gift you have received from each other? BW: He got me earrings. AS: She got me a Southern Marsh T-shirt. JW: What are your favorite things about each other? AS: I like her toes and nose. BW: I like his eyes and his teeth because he just got his braces off and they look really good. v
Sophomores Nathan Hsu and Olivia Jurgiel Sydney Ellis: When did the two of you meet? Olivia Jurgiel: In middle school, from being in class together. SE: How long have you two been together? Nathan Hsu: Four and a half months. SE: What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? OJ: Well, that’s my birthday. NH: Maybe she’ll get her license and drive us around. SE: What is the best gift you have received from each other? OJ: He gave me a giant stuffed seal. NH: She got me an amazing purple tie that I love. v
Juniors Austin Bliss and Huayu Gao Sydney Ellis: How did you two meet? Huayu Gao: I think we were friends first. Austin Bliss: Yeah, we were friends first. SE: What are your Valentine’s Day plans? HG: Well, I’ll be at a debate tournament. AB: And I will be in Scotland, but we’ll have a Skype date. SE: What is the best gift you have received from each other? HG: He got me a necklace with my Chinese name on it. AB: And she gave me 52 cards with something she likes about me on each of them. It was really nice. v
Seniors Antione Cade and Phoebe Carlson Jeanne Wilkinson: When did you two meet? Phoebe Carlson: In middle school, in Mrs. Crabtree’s class. Antione Cade: And industrial [technology]. JW: Were there any sparks back then? PC: Well, we found out we both liked each other. AC: But nothing ever happened. JW: What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? AC: Maybe see “50 Shades of Grey” and have a nice dinner. JW: Phoebe, what is your favorite thing about Antione? PC: The list is too long; I can't pick one. v