Ladue Panorama March 2014 Volume 62, Issue 8

panorama Ladue Horton Watkins High School • 1201 S. Warson Road • St. Louis, MO 63124 • Volume 62 • Issue 8 • March 3, 2014

(Photo by Elyse Mack)

new a capella club [pg. 7]

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FEATURES

A&E

mberry review [pg. 14]

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school board candidates [pg. 2]

OPINIONS

flipped classrooms [pg. 20]

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NEWS

SPORTS

Clayton game [pg. 23]

Freaking out about what to do this summer?

Take the quiz on pages 12-13 to help you figure out your plans

art by AUDREY KOCHER

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NEWS

St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Junior Joe Schlesinger was selected as a semifinalist for the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition 2014.

Speech and Debate Awards At the Talking Ram’s last season tournament at the Marquette Invitational Feb. 14 to 15, senior Luke Song placed fourth in Congress, sophomore Renee Colby placed third in Dramatic Interpretation and junior Miriam Hauptman placed first in Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking. In debate, junior Tushar Raj placed fourth in Champ LincolnDouglas Debate and seniors Neeti Shenoy and Song placed third in Champ Public Forum Debate.

Meet the candidates

Six candidates to run for Ladue Board of Education April 18 news writer

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he Ladue community will have an opportunity to hear the six candidates running for the Ladue Board of Education speak March 3 at Meet the Candidates night in the high school cafeteria.

In an effort to gain voters’ support, the candidates will speak about their views on various

Andy Bresler

Freshman Alex Tan, sopohmores Royce Dong, Tom Liu, Logan Page, Rasika Sant and Ezra Umen, juniors Brian Jiang, Yang Liu, Alli Loynd and Michael Prablek and seniors Chloe An, Enze Chen, Emily Chu, Jialin Ding, Ben Zhang, Eric Zhu and Toby Zhu placed first at the Science Olympiad regional tournament at Lindenwood University Feb. 22.

Brain Bee Senior Emily Chu placed second in the St. Louis Area Brain Bee, a competition for high school students that tests knowledge in neuroscience.

Sheldon Johnson

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Kisha Lee

Science Olympiad

family moved out of the Ladue School District. As a result, the six candidates are currently running for three open positions on the Board.

The candidates, in filing order, are Steve Spratt, Andy Bresler (who is the current board treasurer), Carolyn Jaeger, Matthew McLendon (who was not available for comment), Sheldon Johnson and Kisha Lee. Voters will elect three of the candidates to the Board of Education April 8, and the new Board members will be sworn in that later month. «

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The single most important factor in the success of our students is the experience they have in the classroom.

I was an outspoken supporter and voted for the recent board policy change to significantly reduce class size in the district.

Presidential Scholars Program Seniors Chloe An, Enze Chen, Jialin Ding, Shira Morosohk, Stella Schindler and Luke Song qualified to apply to the Presidential Scholars Program, which aims to recognize highacheiving graduating seniors.

Sixty-six seniors in Missouri qualified to apply.

district issues and will voice their opinions on how to solve these issues at Meet the Candidates night.

The candidates will also express their views on how to improve the current Ladue School District education system, the social environment of students and the quality of teachers and resources for students to use within the classroom. One issue of concern includes thoughts regarding the renovation of the high school.

Board member Stacy Washington resigned two months prior to her official end-of-term because her

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I will help the Ladue schools by ensuring that the effects of any policy decisions rendered are implemented with fidelity and that there is a mutual benefit for all students and families. I will help to provide a new perspective to board policy and the decision making processes.

(Photos courtesy of Laura Shea)

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I would like to support the superintendent in developing the vision for the district, and developing strategic plans that we can then accomplish that will provide our students with excellent opportunities to academically excel both during their school years here and after graduation.

I am running for the Ladue School Board to help make the Ladue District the best educational experience for our students and teachers in the state and be a national model of success.

Steven Spratt

LOWDOWN

March 3, 2014

Carolyn Jaeger

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If elected, I realize that I represent the entire district and commit to engaging community members to ensure their input and opinions are part of the process. I would consider the goals to be successful if the district is in a better place educationally and financially at the end of my term.

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March 3, 2014

NEWS

Sochi begs for a new beginning

Russia attempts to reenter the international arena news writer

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his year, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi brought an influx of international attention to the state of Russia’s economy, foreign policy and domestic conflicts. After winning the competition to stage the 2014 Winter Olympics, President Vladimir Putin declared Russia’s resurgence into the international arena.

“The Olympics have not changed anything. It’s a very hard place to live,” Felix Burda, native of Russia and Ladue parent said. “Instead of going ahead, Russia is going back.”

The games held in Sochi represent a microcosm of Russian society. The opening ceremonies communicated a clear sense of historical revisionism and repression. Further, a significant portion of funding meant for the most expensive Olympic games of all time was allegedly stolen, representative of rampant corruption spread throughout the country.

The games were completely closed off, under heavy security and open only to those with exclusive passes. Anti-gay rhetoric never subsided throughout the Olympics and a protest ban has been enforced. Worldwide scrutiny has brought Russia’s internal conflicts into international light.

“When a country hosts the Olympics, it draws attention to itself and the progress it is making,” Ekaterina Walter, native of Russia and co-founder of Branderati, said. “It is good for exposure, but also brings up negative aspects.”

Internationally, the reluctance of many foreign leaders to attend showed a disdain for their domestic policy and security uncertainty. In foreign affairs, Putin has used his UN Security Council veto to stave off a western military intervention in Syria while guiding a deal on chemical weapons dismantling and sponsoring a peace conference.

Closer to home, Russia extended incentives to Ukraine in order to persuade it to reject a trade deal with the European Union.

Throughout the world, Russian fights for influence will be greatly affected by its visibility following the Winter Olympics.

Domestically, Russia faces similar issues regarding government visibility. After the economic collapse of the 1990s, Putin and Russian citizens essentially entered an agreement in which

the government provides stability given that its citizens stay out of governmental affairs.

According to the World Bank, Russia’s economy could be very close to reaching its maximum capacity. The inefficient state and the firms it controls account for half of GDP, private consumption and manufacturing are slowing and barriers to entry deter domestic and foreign investment.

“Russia’s growth has slowed considerably and there is little sign that it is going to be revived,” William Pomeranz, deputy Director of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, said.

A substantial amount of Russia’s economic growth is because of rising commodity prices. However, hig*h oil prices alone will not grow the economy. Instead, growth requires new investment in technology and improvement of productivity.

Under current circumstances, more businesses have decided to leave and take their capital elsewhere. In fact, during the first three quarters of 2013, $48.2 billion was taken out of Russia. As a result, small and medium-sized businesses have widely diminished and lack competition.

“Until Russia looks good, not just on paper, its progress is not [real] to normal Russians,” Walter said.

Even without reform, Russia’s high cash reserves and low debt mean that it will likely be able to ensure social and political stability in the short run. However, in the long run, the structure may decline.

“The point where the slowing economy is no longer supported by strong exports of raw materials will be the time the economy takes center stage,” Pomeranz said.

For the average Russian citizen, incomes have risen, and so have welfare payments leading to increasing popularity of Putin. However, despite popularity, Russian society and democratic content is still slowly eroding under the hand of a powerful centralized government. Constant energy revenues have sustained autocracy and given Putin relative stability in the face of political opponents.

“The state of law in Russia is not conducive. Unless the laws become clearer and the state of corruption changes, nothing is going to help,” Walter said.

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Putin has slashed the autonomy of regional governments and parliament through establishment of seven supra-regional governors that he appoints. In the upper house of parliament, he replaced elected officials with appointed representatives. In addition, nearly all media is controlled by the state, serving as a mouthpiece for the Kremlin.

“This is why I have been in America for 35 years, where we can disagree and participate in democracy,” Burda said.

When Putin came to power, he suppressed all three prominent television stations which now provide constant positive coverage of the United Russia party and negative coverage of all other parties. In turn, independent political parties are weaker and more constrained today than they were just after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“Putin has used the notion of a single and unified state to pursue his centralization of policy and attract more power to the presidency,” Pomeranz said.

The argument Kremlin officials often make is that Russia’s democratic regression has increased the government’s ability to provide for its citizens. However, in terms of public safety, property rights, corruption and health, some citizens may be in a worse position than they were before Putin came to power.

“If you lift the veil and look deeper, it doesn’t look that rosy,” Walter said.

The frequency of terrorist attacks, murder rate and mortality rate have all increased. Putin has struggled to quell ethnic tension near Sochi, while counter-insurgency efforts have only antagonized a new generation of fighters. In addition, rates of HIV infection in Russia are the highest of any country outside of Africa. Property rights have diminished, and a small kleptocracy of powerful interests has taken over.

“The Russian people will eventually demand both economic prosperity and political participation,” Pomeranz said. “Simply proart by STEELE STEWART viding for economic prosperity in the long term will not enable Russian leaders to ignore the desire of people to be consulted. However, a democratic uprising seems unlikely in the near future absent social pressure resulting from a severe economic downturn. The Olympic games are only for two and a half weeks, and one is never certain how long the after-glow lasts.” «

WHAT IN THE WORLD? Columbia, Missouri Mizzou football star Michael Sam came out Feb. 9.

If drafted, Sam will become the first openly gay player in the National Football League.

(Read more on pg. 17)

Caracas, Venezuela Venezuela’s political divide between supporters and opponents of president Nicholas Maduro continues, with more than 20 people dead and several hundred injured.

Fukushima, Japan

London, England Alice Herz-Sommer, the world’s oldest know Holocaust survivor, died Feb. 23.

Residents around the Fukushima area of Japan are allowed to return to their homes for the first time since the March 2011 nuclear crisis.

Ukraine An arrest warrant for ousted president Viktor Yanukovych, who is currently in hiding, was issued Feb. 24 for his mass killings against civilians.

art by AUDREY KOCHER

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NEWS

March 3, 2014

Snow days impact learning Record-breaking number of hours cancelled news writer

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he record-breaking four snow days and three shortened days in the Ladue School District this semester forced the district to rely on their earlier preparation plans for dangerous weather. Now teachers, students and parents must figure out how missing days in January and February will affect the educational future.

Director of Communications Susan Dielmann works with the other board members at the onset of every year to come up with the best strategy to deal with threatening weather. Although planning has worked so far with no make-up days needed at the end of the year, any additional cancelled days will result in more instructional hours by staff and students.

“Ladue Schools traditionally have 178 scheduled student attendance days. The state requires 174. As of Feb. 12, 2014, there are no days to be made up,” Dielmann said. “However, any more missed days or late starts will likely result in hours needing to be added to the calendar.

The most likely solution would be to extend the exam day schedules at the high school and/or use time previously set aside for professional development. This could mean eliminating an entire day set aside for professional development or eliminating early release days and making them full student attendance days.”

Dielmann and the rest of the board members realize how unpredictable weather is and they can never know for sure how bad the conditions are going to be. The essentiality of preparing well beforehand means coming up with multiple solutions to deal with any problem.

“We are at the mercy of Mother Nature and planning for inclement weather takes place well before the first flake falls,” Dielmann said. “These plans include how decisions will be made and who will be consulted, how facilities will be prepared in various weather scenarios, how information will be communicated to all parties involved, how before and after school care will be impacted and under what circumstances after-school activities will take place or be cancelled. The district must have plans for full days off, late starts, and early dismissals.”

When determining whether or not to call off or shorten school, the Board’s first and foremost worry is the safety of students. They rely on the teachers to alter any lesson plans in order to teach students all the information they need for the end of the school year.

“While having students in our classrooms is a top priority, student safety must be our art by TING DING primary concern and we must err on the side of caution.” Dielmann said. “Our teachers do an outstanding job of making sure students still get the instruction they need – despite the missed hours and days.

Sometimes it calls for additional creativity and flexibility, but they find ways to manage.”

Parent Humaira Naseer’s only complaint about that snow days is that she wishes the school district would inform her sooner that her children will not have to attend school, but she mostly feels that the district plans for dealing with treacherous weather are working extremely well. She believes the snow days were essential for her children’s safety.

“The snow days were appropriate and needed to prevent kids from freezing temperatures and for safety reasons,” Naseer said.

“If parents can be informed earlier about the decision to close schools, that will be appreciated, especially if the forecast is clear about severe weather.”

As is to be expected, most students enjoy and make use of their time outside the class room. Many students believe that the time off ultimately helps, not hinders, their academics by allowing them to refresh, catch up on work and sleep. Freshman Alex Drier takes the snow days in stride by using them to relax or to spend time with friends.

“I get extra time to hang out with friends and an extra day to do homework so I don’t stress out as much,” Drier said. “It was nice to have some extra time to study because I got a better grade on a test in one class than the previous tests I had taken.”

In addition to missing instructional time, students must miss out on their extracurricular activities. Practices for the upcoming school play, as well as sports practices were cancelled due to the snow days.

However, even though she had to miss cheer practice, sophomore Chloe Simms doesn’t think the snow days are a major ordeal and really enjoys having them. Like many others, she uses her days off productively to prepare for the upcoming homework, tests and quizzes.

“I use them to catch up on sleep and to have more time to study and do work,” Simms said. “I like [snow days], and I think we all can adjust to them.”

On the flip side, teachers had to prepare for and alter their schedules in accordance with the excessive amount of snow days.

However, many teachers believe they will easily be able to make up missed class time. “[I’ve had] no problem, I just push everything back,” social studies teacher Chris Saxton said. “Flexibility is a key trait in teaching.” «

Teachers receive iPads to improve student interaction in the classroom In process of learning how to best utilize the devices syncing email and calendars,” math teacher Micheal Farrell said. “I try to use it as a personal device at home as much as possible to become familiar with it.”

Students have noticed the changes in the classroom. They appreciate the differences that the iPads have made to the classroom environment.

“I think it’s easier for the teachers because if they’re walking around the classroom to help a student, they

Teachers have been attending training sessions to learn more about the new devices. iPads are new to some faculty members, but others feel fter the Board of Education’s very comfortable working with the approval of the purchase in new iPads.

December 2013, 110 iPad “Our teachers are at various places minis were distributed to teachers Jan. on the learning curve with these 28. Some faculty members believe devices,” Director of Information that the new devices will also help Technology Services Rob Highfill teachers stay organized. They can said. “Some are just now beginning use the iPads in a variety of different to familiarize themselves with the ways to not only benefit device itself. Other teachthemselves but also ers are already very adept at Our teachers are at various places their students. utilizing this technology as with these devices. Some are just now an instructional tool and now The iPads will be implemented to help beginning to familiarize themselves have the opportunity to share students become more their knowledge with their with the device itself. familiar and comfortcolleagues.”

- Director of Technology Services Rob Highfill able with technology.

The district is investigating Students agree that the getting students personal iPads can also be working on something iPads can be beneficial if employed for the 2014-15 school year, but the correctly. Some teachers have already on the iPad that will then show up on Board of Education must approve the the board for the whole class to see,” received the opportunity to incorpopurchase first. These personal iPads rate the iPad into their lessons. junior Erin Wides said. “My physics would be for the same purposes as the “Up to this point I have synced teacher sometimes uses an iPad app iPads delegated to teachers. it with my computer, transferred my that will connect to the projector and “As with any district expenditure educational apps from my personal then he can use it like a smartboard, over $25,000, the Board of Education but it’s right in his lap.” iPad to the iPad Mini and began would eventually need to formally news writer

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iTEACH • Math teacher Micheal Farrell uses his new, school-issued iPad

mini as a tool during class. “I try to use it as a device at home as much as possible to become familiar with it,” Farrell said. Next year, all students will receive iPad minis. (Photo by Jocelyn Kaza) approve the purchase of the iPads for students,” Director of Communications Susan Dielmann said. “This is required by policy, even when a purchase does not require additional funding from an existing budget, such as is the case here.”

Students will be receiving iPads at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year with the introduction of the Missouri Learning Standards. With the devices, students will be expected to

know how to learn with technology.

Missouri Learning Standards have grade and course level expectations in many subjects, specifically science and math.

“Board discussions on this topic are far from completed,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Laura Brock said. “An extensive conversation is anticipated on this topic at the March 10 Work Session.” «

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March 3, 2014

NEWS

New district policy limits class sizes Regulations placed in an effort to improve classroom experience news writer

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he district’s Board of Education recently took steps to tackle class size issues by adopting a new policy. The Board met in January to discuss establishing new class size recommendations.

They agreed on a policy that will lower class sizes as much as physically and financially possible at this time and to review the class size situation year to year, according to the minutes of the Jan. 13 Board meeting.

“We know that smaller class sizes increase the ability of a teacher to have more contact with individual students, particularly in the early grades,” Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Laura Brock said.

Students at the high school appreciate the aspects of smaller classes as well. Junior Elliott Shevitz said the ability to connect with his teachers prompted his preference for smaller class sizes, where better relationships may develop.

“I enjoy having a relationship with my teacher, and with smaller class sizes, I will be able to ask my teachers questions,” Shevitz said.

The Board decided change was due this year according to research conducted by a Superintendent Advisory Committee. It suggested class sizes in Ladue schools were becoming too large to be educationally beneficial. “[In a bigger class] it is hard to focus with everyone talking, when the teacher is [also talking],” senior Monica Pulley said. “If one person gets off topic, then the next person does and it’s harder to control the class and is harder to get back on topic.”

Financial and building space issues have held the district back from following the previously instituted policy on class size since the 2004-05 school year.

However, this year the district’s financial position began to change due to several different factors.

“The passing of

Prop 1 put the district in a more financially stable position,” Director of Comunications Susan Dielmann said.

“Since then, while property values in the area, which drive the district’s revenue, have not improved, they

have stopped declining significantly.”

The financial stability played a role in the revisiting of monitoring class size. This school year, the district has begun to address the issue by adding more teachers and teacher assistants to the grade schools and adding more elective sections at the high school.

“Certain classes have specific needs for a reduced class sizes. The struggle between class size in science classes has been a long, serious battle,” science teacher Sima Oberlander said.

“Our science labs were built to hold a maximum of 24 students, yet many science classes have more than 24 students and some classes have as many as 30. This results in serious overcrowding and can create lab safety issues.”

The 2014-15 school year will use the reduced maximum of 28 students per class for grades 9 to 12. Previously, the

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maximum class size had been set at 30 kids per class.

“It is great that that district is addressing the issue of class size,” Oberlander said. “But science classes are a special case, and science class sizes should be capped at the number the labs were actually designed for.”

The class size recommendations are not concrete to each and every grade, however. The new policy includes a typical range for each age group that gives the high school level a range of 10 to 28 students per class.

“Clearly, safety factors and classroom capacity will drive exact class sizes in various content areas which is why maximums and ‘typical ranges’ have been supplied,” Dielmann said.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to classroom size and this has been taken into account.”

According to Dielmann, it should be stressed that class size cannot be the only issue addressed by the Board, as there are other aspects of student’s efficiency to learning. Teacher quality plays a significant role in student achievement meaning acquiring and keeping high quality staff will remain a priority of the Board.

“Other components, such as the quality of instruction and the availability of instructional resources are also important factors,” Dielmann said. “The Board of Education and administration are keenly aware that a balance must be reached in how revenue is used to create the optimal learning environment.” «

art by ERIC ZHU

Burnin’ Love Festival Celebrates 250 Years of St. Louis Loving news editor

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(Photos by Jenna Shanker and Meghan Proskey)

riginally planned for Valentine’s day, St, Louis’ Burning Love festival was rescheduled due to inclement weather.

Despite the change of date, the festival still attracted thousands to Forest Park Feb. 18.

Bonfires warmed the large crowds while music blasted from the heartshaped stage. Lasting from 5:30 to 9:15 p.m., the event was kicked off with classic St. Louis refreshments,

including sea-salt caramels, gooey butter cake and Bissingers chocolate, and ended in a fireworks spectacle.

In addition, nearly 350 couples signed up to take part in the “Lovin’ Moment,” to get engaged or reengaged on Art Hill during the festival.

A light show, heated tents, bonfires, dancers and fireworks surrounded a 25-foot flaming heart, giving literal meaning to the festival’s name.

While the festival marked St. Louis’ official birthday weekend, festivities will continue throughout the remainder of the year at other St. Louis hotspots. «

panorama 6 CVS bans all tobacco products NEWS

Students, teachers weigh in on effects and implications of decision effective this fall news writer

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VS, the country’s largest drug store in overall sales according to CNN, announced a no-tobacco policy aiming to cease all sales of tobacco products by October 2014.

The company sees such action as part of its vision to move away from being simply a retail business and becoming a health care provider. CVS believes selling cigarettes contradicts their goal of promoting wellness.

“Selling tobacco is very inconsistent with being in that business,” CVS President Helena Foulkes said in an USA Today article. “We really thought about this decision as it relates to the future as a health company — it’s good for customers and our company in the long run.”

The initiative means that CVS will lose approximately $2 billion in tobacco revenue annually from its total $123 billion revenue. This sacrifice prompted praise from many, including President Barack Obama, who has smoked in the past.

“As one of the largest retailers and pharmacies in America, CVS Caremark sets a powerful example, and today’s decision will help advance my administration’s efforts to reduce tobaccorelated deaths, cancer and heart disease, as well as bring down health care costs — ultimately saving lives and protecting untold numbers of families from pain and heartbreak for years to come,” Obama said in a statement.

CVS’s move has prompted many competing national drugstore chains, including Walgreens, to consider ceasing all sales

of tobacco-related products. Drugstores like Walgreens and CVS have been re-evaluating their policies in order to better fit their primary goal of becoming health care providers.

“The company has been evaluating its tobacco line for ‘some time,’” Michael Polzin, a Walgreen spokesman, said in the Chicago Tribune. “[We] will continue to evaluate the choice of products our customers want, while also helping to educate them and providing smoking cessation products and alternatives that help reduce the demand for tobacco products.”

CVS and Walgreens will also start offering in-store clinics, vaccinations and other medical services as they aim to provide an alternative health care option for consumers.

However, such policy will not greatly affect many current smokers since they will look to alternative sources to buy cigarettes. As for tobacco companies, many are looking for new customers in abroad markets such as Europe, where cigarette smoking is still a dominant practice.

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less because there are tons of other places that are probably in the same vicinity that sell cigarettes,” senior Spencer Rutter said.

Many smokers see CVS’s new policy merely as a way to lose customers and revenue. However, by instituting this policy, CVS will create a positive image for itself amongst many Americans completely opposed to smoking. Many of those who applaud CVS would like to make it harder for younger people to start

March 3, 2014

smoking cigarettes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 45.3 million people in the US smoke.

“I am not sure that increasing the legal age to 21 would help, but I would support the measure if it came up,” school nurse Kelli Buehner said. “There is absolutely no health benefit of smoking cigarettes and any deterrent to keep teenagers from smoking may help. Studies have shown that the younger a person is the first time they smoke, drink alcohol, etc., the more likely they are to become addicted. I would never tell anyone inhaling anything other than fresh air is safe.”

Many health advocates are hoping CVS will be the first of many to cease tobacco sales. They hope the pressure upon other chains to match CVS’s positive reputation will force them into decisive action.

“Look at what Mayor Bloomberg did in New York City when he took the courageous act to ban tobacco use, smoking in restaurants and other public places and bars and so on,” Dr. Ronald Depinho said on PBS Newshour. art by MARY XIAO “That had a tremendous ripple effect across many other cities around the world, and other mayors, other legislative officials felt that they had the cover needed to also pursue because of the leadership of New York City in this regard. So, while in isolation, it may not be that impactful, symbolically, it may inspire and galvanize many others, particularly those in health care, such as other pharmacy chains and so on, to really take a step towards becoming involved in health care, as opposed to disease care.” «

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March 3, 2014

FEATURES

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Beyond the shower walls A cappella club gives all students an opportunity to raise their voices features writer

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mong Glee, Pitch Perfect and The Sing-Off, a cappella singing has gained popularity over the past few years. Students can now experience this fad through the newly established a cappella club.

Cofounder and junior Juliann Bi has played various instruments over the years but also developed an interest in singing. Because of her participation in orchestra, Bi could not join choir; thus, she opted for other ways to pursue vocal music.

“I began taking vocal lessons in the beginning of junior year,” Bi said.

“I believe that taking vocal lessons has sparked an interest in singing and vocal performance for me.”

Bi thought junior Mariam Salib would be a great candidate to help run the club. Salib enrolled in choir and has a similar dedication and passion toward music.

“Juliann wanted someone with a vocal music background because she is in orchestra and needed someone to help her out with vocals and music selection,” Salib said. “She thought I would be good to partner with.”

Salib displayed her interest in establishing a new club to her choral director, Thomas Lowery. She asked him to sponsor the club, and he was very supportive. “[Mariam and Juliann] came to me and said they were interested [in starting a club] and I said I was happy to sponsor them,” Lowery said.

“I’m excited to see a student-driven, yet faculty-sponsored vocal club in Ladue.”

Bi and Salib decided to create the club because there was not yet a suitable environment dedicated to vocalists. The club hopes to attract choir and non-choir students alike.

“I started this club because I know that many students who aren’t in choir love to sing just as much, including me,” Bi said. “Though we

did admit students from choir, we also admitted some who aren't.”

Tryouts were held Feb. 7. Approximately 20 students tried out and 11 were accepted.

Including Bi and Salib, there are a total of 13 members in the club.

There are four males and nine females.

PITCH-SLAPPED • Gathered around the piano, junior Juliann Bi, sophomores Sophomore Sema Renee Colby, Rachel Marshall, Sema Dibooglu and junior Katharine Ross work on meshing Dibooglu is one of the their voices together to create the perfect harmony. (Photo by Sammy Leary) nine female members in the club. She’s been in musicals since able for an a cappella [group] that a capella versions of songs are so fun sixth grade and plays two instrueveryone likes.” to listen to and sing.” ments. She appreciated the environThe club meets every Wednesday The club may perform at the ment to pursue her passion. at 6:40 a.m., though that remains choir concert April 23. Though many “I have always wanted to try a people in the club are choir students, tentative depending on attendance, capella, but have never had the opturnout and consistency. At each there is no prerequisite needed to join portunity to join a group,” Dibooglu this group. It is open to anyone who rehearsal, members suggest music to said. “With a background in singing has a passion for music. sing as a group and vote on the selecand song writing, I am able to put tions as a whole.

“Music has been an outlet to exwhat I have learned in the past few “We do not have a specific goal to press my emotions,” Bi said. “I guess years into my part. I love listening to it’s now manifested in a vocal version practice a particular genre of music,” the harmonies and singing along. Plus Bi said. “We’ll sing something suitinstead of an instrumental one.” «

A reel world experience: features writer

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hat’s a wrap! The scenes have been shot and the directors are ready to take their films to the big screen. The time for the 2014 Film Festival has almost arrived and five directors participating in the event are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their films. Seniors Will Ahlemeier, Alek Bundonis, Lizzie Green, Keith Hoagland and Antonio Zapiain-Luna will showcase their films at 7 p.m. April 18 in the Performing Arts Center.

A lot of time and effort have gone into creating these films. The directors, all students in the Broadcast Technology II class, began thinking of ideas for their films before school even started. By the time school had begun, they had already written their scripts and were ready to begin casting.

The actors in the films are students in the Acting III class taught by acting teacher Michael Pecka. Pecka and Broadcast Technology teacher Don Goble oversaw the entire process of creating the films and helped guide the students.

This will be Zapiain-Luna’s second year participating in the Film Festival. This year, he took a different path and chose to make a scary movie based off of the short story “The Monkey’s Paw.” “This year I wanted to do a horror movie just because I had never seen anybody do that before,” Zapiain-Luna said. “[‘The Monkey’s Paw’] is a really good story so I wanted to adapt it and share my vision of it.”

The story is about a few friends that are given a monkey’s paw that will grant them three wishes. The children wish for luxuries, but with each big wish

A look into the 2014 film festival

comes an even bigger consequence. The movie follows these friends through this adventure.

Last year, only two directors participated, but this year more students wanted to direct. Due to this expansion, the directors had to share actors.

“It was a little harder this year because there were only seven actors for five directors, so we had to all use the same actors,” Zapiain-Luna said. “We had to manage our time differently, and it was a lot more hectic, but I think it turned out well.”

Bundonis is pleased with how his movie turned out as well. Rather than fill the theater with screams, Bundonis wanted to fill the theater with laughs.

His comedy, “Callow Cal,” is about a boy that is about to graduate but has never kissed anyone.

Throughout the film, he and his friends go through entertaining turmoil to get Cal that kiss. Bundonis and his actors had lots of fun filming it. “[I enjoy] the whole process,” Bundonis said. “Being on set is really fun, goofing around and making a movie. Even editing is cool because you get to see the whole thing come together.”

For most of the directors, watching the vision they had in their head appear on screen is an amazing process. The satisfaction they feel when they see their idea transform into a movie is immense.

“Sometimes stuff happens that you didn’t necessarily plan for, but you go with it,” Bundonis said. “[My movie] definitely came out as the vision I wanted.”

All of the work is done by the students but they do receive some art by STEELE STEWART

guidance from Goble and Pecka. However, the directors enjoy the freedom that their teachers give them. “[They] really allows us to do whatever we want for our films because [they] understand that it’s what we want to show,” Zapiain-Luna said.

Actors and directors alike are looking forward to sharing their movies. The sponsors are also excited to see the final product.

“I love seeing the satisfaction and joy of my students sharing their films,” Goble said. “[My favorite part] is seeing a student’s small idea come to fruition on the big screen.” «

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Yin and Yang

March 3, 2014

Christian athletes unite for common goal

New club enhances lives by combining sports and spirituality Their goal is to see the world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. This national club features writer has branches in high schools and colleges across the country. The organization is also endorsed by many professional athletes.

“Just knowing that if we are playing an away team I could ellowship of Christian Athletes is a national club with possibly find other athletes I have a common bond with is pretty the purpose of equipping, empowering and encouragcool,” Davis said. “Also its pretty cool to be in a club with Tim ing people to make a difference for Christ. The club was Tebow and Tony Dungy.” restarted at Ladue earlier this year.

The club allows members to learn how to balance their faith “[FCA] provides students in middle and high schools with the opportunity to meet other students that share a love for Christ and and life. Joining the club is as easy as contacting a sponsor, contacting a member or showing up to a meeting. sports,” math teacher and sponsor Drew Crismon said. “These “People should join this club for both the social and spiristudents have the opportunity see how these two influence each tual aspects,” Farmer said. “It’s s a other in students’ lives and through this great chance to meet new people and process, grow personally.” strengthen ties with friends. It’s also This community experience appeals I’ve seen the FCA have maa great chance to be able to talk about to juniors Peyton Farmer and Malcolm sports since for most athletes, it’s a Davis. Farmer got involved because of jor impacts on lives and I pretty big aspect of our lives. Last of all, her love for volleyball and because she like that it provides such opit’s a chance to discuss what it means to wanted to support a greater cause. portunity for change. be Christian as well as how that factors “I think being a part of a national into our daily lives as high schoolers.” club is awesome,” Farmer said. “You - FCA sponsor Drew Crismon The club is inter-denominational, get to feel like you’re a part of somemeaning it accepts those from all relithing bigger.”

The club helps to build up understanding about Christianity, as gious backgrounds. Members hope the club will grow into a place where athletically-minded students come and discuss their faith well as increase mental toughness while playing sports. Members and how it applies to life and sports. enjoy meeting with other athletes who understand their faith.

“It is a great outlet to discuss items that may be difficult for “The goal of our club is to provide a safe environment for students, or to celebrate events that have occurred,” Crismon said. students to talk about their faith and sports,” Crismon said. “This “I’ve seen the FCA have major impacts on lives and I like that it is a student-led Christian group, so it looks very different than provides such opportunity for change.” « youth group at a church.”

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art by AUDREY KOCHER

Out with the new, in with the old features editor

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hen thinking of a library, images of piles of books, people perusing the shelves and students studying come to mind. However, when you walk into our school library, this is not what you see. Despite the librarians’ valiant attempts to maintain a quiet study environment, we continue to destroy it with our incessant conversations above appropriate “library voice” level. The fact of the matter is that our library has transformed from a place of reading into a playground for socializing. This seemingly unimportant observation reflects a sad change in our generation: a diminished value for reading.

For many students, reading does not come close to the top of the list for favorite pastimes; we’d prefer to waste our time trying to beat our “Flappy Bird” high score. We rationalize that after a long day of school, our brains deserve a break. To a point, mindless activities such as these are okay, however, the problem is that we escape to them at almost every chance we get.

In replacing our reading consumption with electronic outlets, we have lost three important qualities as students. First, our reading stamina has gone down (in fact, I’m surprised you’ve made it this far through my column). We groan when we get assigned 30 pages for homework and zone out when we read handouts in class. It’s as if our brains sigh when they are greeted with words instead of images. Secondly, our vocabularies have receded. This cultural shift has assimilated us to the casual comforts of informal language; we employ monosyllabic, banal words. When we read, our primary goal is not to expand our vocabulary, but to get through it as fast as possible. Finally, we have lost a piece of our imaginations.

Instead of conjuring up settings and characters in our minds, we allow the world of films and pictures to complete all the inventing for us.

I’m not going to pretend to be above this cultural shift.

Books once dominated my free time, but now they only make special appearances over spring break and long weekends.

I justify this to myself by saying that I’m involved with too many things and don’t have the time to finish a book.

However, these are just trivial excuses. I would have time for reading if I made time for it. It’s not my schedule that hinders it, but my mindset. It’s a choice that I (and many of my peers) unfortunately make.

So how exactly can we revert back to the days of pleasurable reading? Well, to an extent we cannot; however, we can lessen the gap. It all starts with little steps. Put a book on your nightstand and pick it up when you’re having trouble sleeping. Make a book, not your phone, the first thing you pick up in the morning. Let’s not let English teachers decide everything we read. Instead, let’s turn back the pages and escape into the blissful world of the imagination. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

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Lobbying for a better country Teen advocates for sexual health discuss bills with legislators features writer

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ypically if you ask a young person what role they play in politics, they will say not much. However, Teen Advocates for Sexual Health members proved this to be incorrect at this year’s Lobby Day in Jefferson City, Mo. Sponsored by Planned Parenthood, the event provided TASH members with the opportunity to meet with representatives of the state and discuss bills concerning sexual education.

During Lobby Day, members advocated for the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Act, which will teach safe sex instead of solely enforcing abstinence. TASH members met with legislators and discussed the bill, gaining 11 signatures for it.

“It was really difficult approaching the legislators,” senior Ashley Turner said. “They were on the floor as we arrived, and sometimes we had to pull them out just to talk to them for a couple of minutes.”

TASH members believe that this act will improve teen’s knowledge on sex. They want teens to be able to make their own choices regarding sex with extensive background on the subject.

“The truth of the matter is teens will have sex no matter if you say we should or not,” senior Alex Davis said. “Whether or not we are prepared for it is the real question.”

Missouri currently has an abstinence-only policy and these students hope to change that. Members were happy to partake in

the event and be activists for a cause they believe in. They were able to travel to Jefferson City in attempts to make a difference.

“I want to bring back political activism,” Davis said. “Teens often look at the government as big and uncontrollable, but we are members of democracy and if we take action, we can change things.”

While advocating for the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Act, members voiced their opposition against the Extended Mandatory Delay for abortion. This bill would extended the waiting period to meet with a healthcare professional for an abortion from one to three days. Members believe it will make it more difficult for women to get an abortion and thus, exercise their rights.

TASH members took the lead in conversations with adults and expressed their opinions about new bills. Although the task of discussing grown-up issues with adults can seem daunting, these students were ready for the challenge.

“I feel teens are not given the respect they deserve, often characterized as apathetic and irresponsible,” TASH coordinator Judy Lipsitz said. “I have always been impressed by the energy, passion and determination of young people.” «

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS • At the annual Lobby Day, senior Alex Davis prepares for a discussion with a legislator about the Comprehensive Sexuality Act. Davis and senior Ashley Tuner represented the Teen Advocates for Sexual Health and obtained 11 signatures for the bill, bringing TASH even closer to achieving their goals. (Photo by Ashley Turner)

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What you didn’t know about...

Alena Armstrong (Photo by Elyse Mack)

Q: How did you begin playing soccer?

A: I was adopted from Russia when I was five years old.

When I came over to America, it was the first sport that I started. I just loved it; I proceeded to played it all the way from the Y clubs, to select clubs and then into high school.

Q: Did you play sports in high school?

SPLICE AND DICE • Editing their footage, senior Jacob Smyth and sophomore Reis Rosenbloom put the final touches on

their videos for the Midwest Educational Technology Conference. They interviewed keynote speakers, collected B-roll and spliced it all together. The group of students who attended the event produced 11 videos in three days. (Photo courtesy of Edan Goldfarb)

We be rockin’ and we B-rollin’ Broadcast students develop skills at technology conference features writer

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oft, quick pounding on computer keys, ruffling of papers and beeps from camera monitors fill the atmosphere as students work diligently to get their work done on a tight deadline. Broadcast Technology II students enhanced their knowledge about interviewing, video creating and editing when they trekked out to St. Charles for the Midwest Education Technology Conference Feb. 10 to 12.

“Speakers came to present the new technologies that have been introduced to schools and taught us how to use them,” junior Edan Goldfarb said.

“Our role was to help run the eNews student media team for the METC

conference where we interview the keynote and featured speakers as well as the top organizers at the SchoolTube media center.”

The convention allows students to develop their journalistic skills. This includes interviewing opportunities and uploading packages online.

At the convention, many students found that the information presented was interesting and enjoyed hearing new ideas. The fact that the speakers came from all around the nation helped students gain a perspective from people with different backgrounds and cultural influences.

“They all have different stories, and it’s interesting to hear how I was super excited because they got started in what this is what university stuthey’re doing,” Wides dents do, and I got to do it as said. “The keynote speakers were all differa junior in high school. ent sorts of people. In the - junior Erin Wides parking lot I saw license plates from Indiana to “I was super excited because Colorado... they came from all over.” this is what university students do, They also filmed and listened to and I got to do it as a junior in high many speakers who presented ways school,” junior Erin Wides said. to use technology in the classroom.

“

#DoubleTake

Panorama scoured the school for students who resemble famous entertainers... Here are the results:

technology coordinator Adam Stirrat

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors

freshman Shirley Gelman

A: I played three varsity sports all four years – basketball, soccer and tennis. I was an athlete but I was a student first. I had a 4.0 all four years.

Q: Winter or Summer Olympics?

A: I like each for [their] own elements. I like the gymnastics in the Summer Olympics, but the winter sports are fun, too.

My favorite sports to watch are half-pipe snowboarding, slalom, the biathalon and ice-skating.

Q: Best way to spend a million dollars?

A: I would pay off my girlfriend’s school debt, give to charity and put the rest into a college fund for my children.

Some spoke about Q: What’s your favorite day of the week? how to use A: I’ll be honest, Friday. I know that’s probably most typical apps for but for me, I feel this renewed sense of energy. assigning comfortable and confident in what homework while other’s talked they are doing.” about pop culture and how it afThe convention deepened fects students’ learning in school. students’ love for broadcasting and Each speaker focused on how techreminded them why they decided nology can revolutionize the school to take a broadcast technology class learning environment. in the first place. Their passion for “One speaker spoke about techvideo production has left some hopnology and the statistics on how ing to do it in the future as a hobby many children and teens are using or a career. it,” Wides said. “She incorporated “I love telling an untold story,” different ways that teachers can junior Lillian Donahue said. “I love use technology successfully in finding a different angle and asking the classroom. Another speaker the tough questions. I have been talked solely on how he teaches his able to work alongside professionals students how to create videos. Then almost every week, and I don’t think they’re on their own, of course with many teenagers can say that.” « help, but learning to get students

Know someone who should be in the double take?

Scan the QR code or visit laduetoday.com/doubletake to submit your suggestions!

Lea Michele from “Glee”

David Cross from math teacher “Arrested Development” Micheal Farrell (Student photos by Emma Weller; celebrity photos from plus.google.com, fanforum.com and cnn.com)

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March 3, 2014

The kiddos among us

editor-in-chief

Meet the younger children who roam the school halls before and after hours

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e’ve all seen them playing in the cafeteria or relaxing in their parents’ classrooms before and after the school bells ring. This month, we sat down with the younger children of high school teachers to learn a little bit

more about who they really are. In the process, we discovered that they are just as curious about us as we were about them.

“It’s fun to see what high schoolers are doing when they’re just walking in the hall,” Maya Smallwood,

daughter of science teacher Marina Smallwood, said.

School days for these children start much earlier than most of ours.

Some of them leave the house as early as 6:00 a.m., spending the morning eating breakfast and hanging out in

editor-in-chief

photo editing by WARREN BIEST photos by ELYSE MACK photos by JEANNE WILKINSON

the cafeteria or the Commons. Most high schoolers can sympathize with these children’s struggles to get up early for the school day.

These seven children range in age and interests. They don’t all attend the same school, but they share one

at which to spend their mornings and afternoons. And surprisingly, they have more in common with most high schoolers than one might think. Take a look at some of their quick facts – you might just find a younger version of yourself. «

Nick Tabscott Grade: third

I play point guard, but we lost a bunch and only won two games.

School: Reed Elementary School Favorite sports team: Reed Panthers basketball Favorite color: orange Favorite app: Minecraft Favorite movie: The LEGO Movie Future plans: basketball player

Caleb Flinn

Grade: third School: Spoede Elementary School Favorite Subject: reading Favorite TV show: Adventure time

ome. He likes My dad is awes and hiking. rock climbing

Favorite movie: The LEGO Movie Favorite color: blue Favorite place in LHS: cafeteria

Sophia Tarpey Grade: second

In music class, we study famous singers. Right now we’re studying the Beatles.

School: Spoede Elementary School Favorite activity: drawing pictures of her family Favorite TV show: “Sam & Cat” on Nickelodeon Favorite apps: “Subway Surfers” and “Cut the Rope” Favorite singer: Selena Gomez Future plans: music teacher

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David Burton My favorite class... do lunch and recess count?

Grade: third School: Spoede Elementary School Favorite activity: video games Favorite sport: soccer Favorite movie: “Ace Ventura” Favorite color: blue Favorite food: bacon

Connor Levine Grade: fifth School: Fifth Grade Center

at school, I like it here er be but I’d rath y cats. home with m

Pets: two cats Favorite sports: football, baseball and basketball

editor-in-chief

editor-in-chief

Favorite sports teams: St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams and Oklahoma City Thunder Future plans: basketball player

Maya Smallwood Grade: fifth I dance seven days a week.

It depends on the day but usually for an hour or more. I take ballet, jazz, hip-hop and character classes.

School: Fifth Grade Center Favorite subject: math Favorite pastime: dancing Favorite movie genre: comedy Future plans: dancer

Gramm Raedeke Grade: third School: Spoede Elementary School Favorite class: art Favorite sport: tennis Favorite app: “Plants vs. Zombies” Favorite movie: “Jurassic Park” Future plans: teacher

Before school, I usually work on projects and play on the iPad. Then I go down to the cafeteria, and the bus picks me up and drives me to school.

(Photo courtesy of Marina Smallwood)

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CENTER

What time is it?

Summer time!

Well almost... features editor

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Do you want to see the world?

Do you want to make bank?

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Students and Teachers as Research Scientists

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sign me up!

“Let’s eat Grandma!” or “Let’s eat, Grandma!”

Does blood make you queasy?

features editor

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yes

volunteer at Missouri Baptist

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A guide to how to spend your summer

March 3, 2014

Media No broadcast ca

Herff Jones yearbook camp

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March 3, 2014

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volunteer at the zoo/camp Kangazoo

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Summer by the numbers

47%

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do not plan their summer

30%

What prefer What dodo youyou prefer to do to doover over summer? thethe summer?

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I love them!

Why was the man at the orange juice factory fired?

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CENTER

Be lazy 10.5% Work at a job 28%

Volunteer 10.5% Attend an educational program 11%

Travel 40%

Work at astudents job 28% surveyed Be lazy 10.5% based on 227 Travel 40%

Volunteer 10

Scan the QR code to learn more about these summer opportunities

Attend an educational program 11% who isn’t?

SLU or Wash U summer institutes

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A&E

March 3, 2014

Controversy s wee ps the Grammys’ Best Rap Album

Kendrick Lamar’s loss to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis disturbed viewers last month and publicity than a black rapper. This concept dates back to the first showings of rock n’ roll, when pioneers like Chuck Berry a&e editor were ignored by the white community until Elvis took the genre, brought it into the white mainstream and was praised as the aves of anger and disbelief crashed into the Gram“King of Rock n’ Roll.” Many black listeners viewed this as an mys decision for Best Rap Album at the early 2014 exploitation of their culture. Hip-hop also has black roots and is award show. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis walked dominated by black culture. It wasn’t until the late ‘80s or away with the award for “The Heist,” while Kendrick Lamar’s mid-‘90s that the Beastie Boys became a respected rap concept album, “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City,” was left in the dark. group for their lively verses and creative sampling.

GKMC is already considered a modern classic in the hip-hop Slim Shady blew up at the turn of the century community, and with the album, Lamar secured his crown as one and was commonly thought of as the best of, if not the one and only, best rappers of all time. rapper alive. His career is thought of The album is linear and follows his dark and exciting adoas bringing rap into the mainstream lescence in the notorious Compton and the pressures that music scene. come with being raised in a violent and crime-ridden No white rapper wants to community. Each track features Lamar’s unmatched labeled in a certain way because flow that blows all other rappers out of the water. Songs of the color of his skin, despite like “Backseat Freestyle,” “Money Trees,” “Swimming the positive attention it may Pools,” and “m.A.A.d. City” solidify the album’s sugarner by the industry. In his periority over any of the other nominees. Amongst song “White Privilege” the hip-hop community, there was no doubt from “The Heist,” that Lamar would leave the show with Macklemore wonders the award, if not Album of the Year. whether or not he’ll So where was the disconnect when a ever be more than shocked Macklemore took the stage just a “white to accept the award? He even texted rapper.” This Lamar that night, apologizing for title hints at a disability in the hip-hop world, robbing him of the award, saying that even though white rappers are treated with Lamar deserved it over him. Twitter was special methods and praised by critics at sucthe first to pull the race card, as thousands ceeding in what many black rappers do every year. of stunned fans pointed infuriated fingers at a He, like Eminem or one of the Beastie Boys, wants to be longtime debate within the hip-hop industry: accepted as any other rapper. white privilege. art by AUDREY KOCHER So, the question is, did the Grammys really award The idea is that if a white rapper in the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis because they are white, as industry is talented and well-known, he attracts more attention opposed to black? No, not directly. Here’s what it boils down

W

Mysterious mberry analyzed

Discovering the powers of a new food fad web master business manager

T

he slogan, “Makes life sweeter,” is prominently displayed on the mberry website. This is a company that promises to turn lemons to lemonade using a protein called miraculum, which is embedded in a small tablet that takes only minutes to dissolve. After dissolving one of the 10 tablets in a box, the user experiences a “flavor trip,” allowing the sour and bitter flavors in food to disappear. The tablet dissolves in two minutes and the effects last up to 10.

Strawberries: They tasted very sweet, as if they were dipped in sugar. The flavor was altered but texture remains the same, making it a strange culinary experience. A sweet fruit made even sweeter, it became a dessert on its own.

Black Coffee: The normally bitter taste was transformed into what seemed like a creamed and sweetened coffee. No additional sweeteners had been added, but it sure felt like they had been. art by AUDREY KOCHER

Lemon: mberry minimized the sour taste of the lemon, altering it into a sweet and tangy treat with the aftertaste of lemonade. It made biting into a lemon comparable to drinking a fountain drink.

Tabasco: The berry exposes the taste of a bell pepper with the spice of a jalapeño. Essentially, it was like eating a mild pepper in liquid form. This was one of the weirder flavors that we tasted.

to: the Grammys are essentially an award show for the music industry to present trophies to its highest selling records. If you imagined a group of stuffy, old, white men picking “The Heist” because Macklemore is white, you were only slightly off. They picked him because his record sold the most copies the year it was released. Now, how does racism get tied in? Macklemore is white, and therefore, his rapping is devoid of a very common racial slur used in other rap songs. His songs don’t have anything to do with gang violence or other gang activity. His songs, in general, are far less controversial and more pop-oriented than many other hip-hop records. This makes the white demographic much more comfortable around the music and more willing to purchase it. In other words, his race enables the white demographic to purchase the album guilt- and embarrassment-free. Also due to his race, Macklemore was portrayed in the media as straight-laced and innovative in terms of the content of his raps. In reality, his songs have similar messages to other rap tracks, just delivered in a mildly different manner. With all of this in mind, Macklemore’s album sold millions of copies to every kind of demographic.

By the transitive property, the Grammys choice on Best Rap Album was somewhat racist, but nobody involved had any racist intent. It’s not fair to blame the non-black demographic for feeling more comfortable listening to hip-hop that is N-word free, especially in the politically-correct era we live in. But in the end, are the Grammys kind of lame for being corporate in awarding the artists? Without a doubt. If the Grammys had any credibility, Lamar would have won Best Rap album art by AUDREY KOCHER without even voting on it.

Despite this, I’ll watch them anyway because some of the performances are awesome, one-of-a-kind happenings that aren’t worth missing over a disagreement with the music industry. And sometimes, the record most sold is the record that deserved it!

Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” took Album of the Year, and rightfully so. So tread lightly when watching the Grammys, and don’t get too invested in your favorite artist winning. Unless they were the person or band getting played once every thirty minutes on Z 107.7, I wouldn’t count on it. «

The tablet opens opportunities to eat healthier, especially nutrientrich foods that don’t taste very good by themselves, like unpleasant vegetables. It also provides a great range of creative options to expand one’s palate by transforming sour grapefruits into decadent citrus experiences. Such an interesting product comes at a steep price of $15 for 10 tablets, so one must consider the high price before purchasing. «

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A&E

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Sugarfire disappoints After high expectations and a long wait, the Sugarfire experience was saved by Bailey’s Chocolate Bar art by AUDREY KOCHER

a&e writer

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lthough Sugarfire Smoke House on Olive and Price has a few cool and notable aspects, it was ultimately a sad and unfortunate disappointment. I wish I could say anything different, but I would be lying.

Here’s why it’s cool. First off, it’s a cafeteria-style restaurant. You walk in and there’s a Six Flags-esque set up where you’re immediately in line (with approximate wait times and all) slowly moving closer to the food.

On the way, you encounter a soda fountain where, instead of names like Coca-Cola and A&W, you can get sodas like Lucky Club and Frostie, respectively, thanks to Excel Bottling Co. in Illinois that produces soda using pure cane sugar.

Sugarfire’s ambiance is also visually appealing, which is always nice.

The entire restaurant takes on a sort of vintage look with worn-wood tables and chairs, colored tiles, chalkboard menus and various neutral tones.

But after that, things start to go south. Sugarfire is first and foremost

pers and cheese on a hoagie roll. I a rib joint; however, don’t ever count topped it off with a medley of sides on getting a chance to eat ribs before of varying prices such as sweet potato they sell out for the day. The same grits, brisket chili and potato salad. goes with pulled pork, which together It all sounds great and it all looks with ribs, make up 50 percent the quite good too, so A+ in those departmenu and 100 percent of what you ments. Unfortunately, that’s where ever want to Sugarfire for in the Sugarfire really shines apparently, first place, although there are mixed because it all falls apart once you start reviews about both either way. eating. The best (and nicest) way I Now, you have a decision in front could really describe it all, especially of you. Either just turn around and the sweet potato grits, is just being leave (which many people did) or there. It’s food stay the course and (Photo by Elyse Mack)) and that’s about try to pick anything it. Nothing surelse that may sound prising, nothing appealing, which inmind-blowing, cludes plain brisket, and that’s why it salmon, chicken, was finally disapturkey and their pointing. other dishes with any I tried to ingredients they can blame my get their hands on, thoughts and plus sides. feelings about the Out of necesplace on myself, sity, I ordered the saying that it was Chicken Biscuit just not my thing, ($5.50), a marinated not my cup of tea, but it’s simply smoke chicken breast battered, fried blatant that the issue was high expecand tossed in hot sauce served on a homemade biscuit with honey butter. tations combined with a poor reality, thus making Sugarfire fundamentally I also got the Brisket Cheesesteak an unappealing and boring dud. ($9.00), a brisket with onions, pep-

But the night was not lost. After the downfall of Sugarfire, I decided to rescue the evening with dessert elsewhere. Honing in on Bailey’s Chocolate Bar on Park in Lafayette Square, I was utterly blown away. Jam-packed with people, I waited with a Bread Co.-style buzzer by the door to be seated, knowing all the while that this place was going to be good.

For any of you who have read “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern, whether in school or just for fun, Bailey’s (which in and of itself is the name of a character name in the book) feels just like one of Celia’s tents. It’s dark and painted red top to bottom. Roses and candles adorn every high table and a sweet smell of chocolate floats through the air. All of this also makes Bailey’s a seemingly great spot for a romantic night out, just throwing that out there.

Once you’re seated, you’re presented with a couple starter chocolate chip cookies, which was awesome, with a long list of chocolate martinis and a small menu with really one thing in mind besides a small section of tapas-style savories: dessert. It was a terribly tough decision, but I ended up picking Bailey’s Chocolate

Brownie ($8.00) and Bailey’s and Coffee Ice Cream Cake ($9.00).

Both were delicious. The brownie was big and warm and topped with a huge scoop of Bailey’s ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. This savory treat has the potential to ruin your diet, but it doesn’t matter because you owe it to yourself, and to the brownie, to eat it all and enjoy every single bite of it. The ice cream cake, topped with caramelized banana, toasted nuts and caramel sauce drizzle with a chocolate cookie crust, was a grand slam with the Bailey’s ice cream delivering a wonderful coffee flavor to the dessert.

Afterwards, if a party hasn’t already taken it before, there is a assortment of antique-looking furniture to sit and chat and be merry, which is just about impossible not to do in a place like Bailey’s.

Don’t bother with Sugarfire unless dragged there against your will – reality does not live up to the hype. But do bother a great deal with Bailey’s Chocolate Bar, to revel in a yummy chocolate shake with your heavenly chocolate-inspired sweet treat. That, I can promise you, will be well worth your time. «

Holy city in the limelight

IMAX shows Jerusalem from a new perspective a&e writer

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erusalem’s historic landmarks lay half a world away, but it looks as if National Geographic brought the entire holy city to America.

Jerusalem is one of the world’s most treasured and precious cities, and this beautiful documentary does it justice. Shot in IMAX, the new documentary, “Jerusalem,” shows the city in a unique way that people have not seen it before. It has soaring shots over the city that swallow the entire screen, and fly down to the streets teeming with life and action.

Notable especially is the way they shot the religious landmarks with wide aerial shots running up and down the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, where the rock believed Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. It also provides views of nature with wide aerial views of the lush and green Jordan River.

The documentary focuses on the traditions of the three ageold religions of Jerusalem – Judaism, Christianity and Islam, represented by three girls, each of different faiths. They are all very proud of their traditions and their religion.

The three girls address what Jerusalem means to them individually. The documentary explains how the members of three religions each feel such a strong connection and calling to such a tiny patch of land. It shows places not accessible to general public, such as the Dome of the Rock, a landmark limited to Muslim visitors only.

The representative of the Jewish quarter, Revital Zacharie, begins to talk about what her life is like in Jerusalem and what it means to her. She speaks of how her family is from many places all over Europe and how they had all hoped to live in their Holy Land, Israel. She says she is living their dreams and is so honored to be able to live so close to her ancestors and her heritage.

The audience also sees Zacharie praying at the Western Wall, where she goes yearly to pray. The Western Wall is a spot for tourists and residents alike and is a place where one can write a prayer on a piece of paper and place it in one of the wall’s cracks.

With panning shots of the cracks in the wall, the audience can see the hundreds of slips of paper, each containing one person’s hopes and dreams for the future.

The next girl, Nadia Tadros, represents the Christian quarter of the ancient city. She and the thousands of others from all the over the world retrace Jesus’s steps from the Jordan to the sea of Galilee to his death in Jerusalem on the holiday of Easter.

We also see the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the ancient graffiti that resides far below it. The graffiti is in Latin and reads “Lord, we have come,” put there by the ancient people that lived there. This is proof how long religion has been a central part of the city.

Finally, the Muslim portion of the city is highlighted by our last guide, Farah Ammouri. She tells about traditions and holidays, such as Ramadan. She, along with her mother, prays in the Dome of the Rock, a beautiful space for worship, in the middle of

art by AUDREY KOCHER

Jerusalem and one of the holiest places in Islam. The dome has a mostly blue and purple-tiled exterior and a beautiful golden dome that is eye-catching during the sweeping shots of the city The three religions coexist so close to one another, but each religion does not know much about each other’s traditions and ways of life. The film ends on a somewhat sad note, with the three girls in the street together but not stopping to greet each other or talk.

The quarters of Jerusalem are separated by more than just the distance between where they live. The girls and the youth of today’s Jerusalem want to change that. They want to learn more about their neighbors and their lives in the city they share a love for. The narrator takes the audience back thousands of years to the times of the stories told in holy books, to unite the current Jerusalem and show how the three religions honor those stories with their traditions and practices.

This beautiful 45-minute film combines breathtaking aerial shots of Jerusalem’s architecture and with glimpses of the lush scenery, and Jerusalem’s beauty inside the holy places and the citizens there. «

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panorama

A&E

March 3, 2014

St. Louis Manifesto news editor

Many native St. Louisans tire of the city’s perceived monotony. With this section, we aim to shed light off the beaten path and to help people discover St. Louis anew. Countless field trips and family outings to the Arch or Forest Park dilute the splendor of these actually impressive attractions. After a lifetime of the same old things, we long for the excitement of newness. St. Louis Manifesto aims to showcase the city’s hidden gems. «

This month: Kirkwood

down by the station

the bug store 113 W Argonne Ave

I

n the midst of historic downtown Kirkwood lies a Narnia of unique gifts and decorations. The mazelike, three-floor store houses a plethora of jewelry, beauty supplies, decorations and other knick knacks in every nook and cranny. Sourcing from Indonesia, India, Mexico, China, England, Canada and the United States, the Bug Store offers goods from all over the world. From stained glass to wire garden statues, this store is a great place for affordable interior designing. There is still plenty to interest high schoolers, who lack the freedom to decorate on their own. Beaded bracelets, soaps and candles of many fragrances, glass art and purses make the Bug Store a one-stop-shop for people of all ages with varying interests. «

(All photos by Karen Figenshau)

paperdolls

110 E Jefferson Ave

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s prom season approaches, many girls will flock to department stores in search of the perfect dress.

Paperdolls eliminates the risk of committing a fashion faux pas. It is a small boutique without the quintessential high boutique prices. While the store is small, the selection never disappoints. Each article of clothing, from lounge-wear graphic tees to floor-length dresses, is good quality and unique. In addition, tables of bangles, earrings and bedazzled baseball caps provide the perfect accessories to finish an outfit. «

150 W Argonne Dr

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ith the drawn out winter of St. Louis, a glimpse of spring can be found next door to the Amtrak station. A whole room devoted to Vera Bradley and Lilly Pulitzer prints brightens the bitter cold outside. This store is heaven for the preppy. From pens to tote bags, planners to wristlets, the selection at Down by the Station has more stocked shelves than the Vera Bradley store itself. The large space is split into rooms with different focuses and themes. One devoted to candles, another to babies, and still more rooms with scarves, jewelry and decorations. Down by the Station adds some girly flare and warmth to a place central to Kirkwood’s history. «

panorama

March 3, 2014

OPINIONS

Staff EDITORIAL On Saturday, Jan. 3, Michael Sam became a legend for Missouri Tiger football fans everywhere. In the midst of what looked to be an Oklahoma State game-winning drive, Michael Sam rushed past the offensive line and took down quarterback Clint Chelt in a way that would make Lawrence Taylor proud. Sam stripped Chelt on the way to the ground and Mizzou defender Shane Ray returned the fumble for a 73-yard touchdown with less than a minute to play. That was sack 11.5 for Sam. That number topped the Southeastern Conference, the best conference in the nation, and tied a school record, which he now shares with San Francisco 49ers star Aldon Smith. Mizzou needed one more play. Sam, on the last play of his college career, gave it to them.

Sam’s game-winning play also helped him take home a very prestigious title, “SEC Defensive Player of the Year,” an award also won by the likes of NFL greats Patrick Peterson and Patrick Willis.

Then, a month later, Feb 9, Michael Sam became the only NFL draft prospect ever to come out as a gay man. This news shocked people around the country, but Sam received positive feedback from thousands of

people via Twitter and other sources, including Michelle Obama. While this news was surprising for most, it did not shock all. In early August, in the middle of team camp, Sam came out to his team. It is remarkable that his team, a team consisting of teenagers, were able to keep his sexual orientation a secret for this long. It speaks volumes about the community and sense of comradery of the Missouri football team. After Sam’s announcement, the team still voted him a team captain, and then the team Most Valuable Player at the end of the year.

Not only did his team know, but students in Columbia knew as well.

At Mizzou, which boasts a top-tier journalism school, any student could have written an expose about Sam being gay, gathered credible sources and broken the story to the nation, thus making a name for himself.

Nothing like that happened. Students and teammates respected Sam for his decision to break the news himself.

Sam received support from his teammates and classmates, the kind of support that did not require lavish tweets or endless praises, but instead quiet respect of not talking about it or letting it define him. To them, he was SEC Player of the Year Michael Sam,

University of Missouri sack record holder Michael Sam, the Mizzou’s football team’s MVP, and not “the gay football player.”

Since Sam’s historic interview, media outlets have covered him extensively.

Had he not came out, he would just be an average draft prospect, a fourth or fifth rounder.

Instead, critics watched him very carefully at the NFL Combine, where draft prospects showcase their size, speed and football skills. Some skeptical fans have claimed that Sam came out before the draft intentionally in order to receive extra attention approaching the draft.

Sam however, claims that he simply knew that rumors were circulating and that he wanted to be the one to come out. He also wanted to avoid going through what he already did once: come out to his team while being unsure of how they will respond.

To those who believe having a gay player will be a detriment for an NFL team, need to look at Mizzou’s season this year. Not only did they have a gay player on their team, they were led by him. And they did just fine, winning the SEC East and competing

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J by art

In addition to taking classes that are too challenging, students often take the wrong APs for their personal interests.

There is a preconceived idea of which classes are the right ones to take, as if there is a magic formula for success. Such a formula does not exist, and because every student is different, each one belongs in a different set of classes. Why would one choose to take a class that one won’t like, just because others are? If you’ve always hated history, why take AP World?

If math gives you the creeps, why take AP Calculus? Despite popular belief, there are no AP courses that a student is “supposed to take” any given year, and it is a disservice to sign up for classes just because everyone else is.

Signing up for an AP class in a subject of interest can be a good BI

for students who have shown mastery of key concepts in a subject and are ready for a challenge. It is best for students to sign up for a class that they can excel in, not one that simply looks impressive.

Michael Sam should not be solely defined by his sexuality

art by STEELE STEWART

for a chance to play in the national championship game. Anyone who watched or played with Sam knows that he can flat-out play football, the only thing that should matter entering the draft.

Mizzou’s unwavering respect for Sam should be the model for how the NFL community and media treats him. He should not receive extensive media coverage just because he is gay but because he is a great football player. Everyone will know that he is gay, it is not a secret. But it

Staff EDITORIAL As time to sign up for next year’s classes rolls around, we find ourselves answering the same question over and over again: how many AP classes are you taking? Students seem to have a strange obsession with these advanced placement courses, as if they are a token of merit.

In all honesty, an AP Course isn’t that different from an accelerated or advanced course, however, Ladue students seem to fixate on the magic number of classes with “AP” in the title. But how many is too many?

For some students, AP really isn’t the way to go. Taking a college-level course in high school is a difficult task, and not everyone can handle it.

Anyone can sign up for an AP class, even if they have never taken another class in that subject. The amount of students in these classes is rising constantly, which could possibly lead to a rise in the percentage of failed exams. Students often find themselves in over their heads trying to keep their grades up in courses that are simply too hard. AP classes are meant

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does not need to define him. He should not be seen as “the gay football player” but instead as Michael Sam. If in fact, the NFL community is ready for an openly gay player, we will be able to tell, not from countless praises and constant recognition, but by the same respect that he received from his University of Missouri classmates. « (Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of Panorama staff.)

Students should not feel pressured to take AP classes

decision, however these classes have some serious downfalls. First of all, APs are mostly self-taught. Although this is a valuable skill to learn, most students aren’t ready to make the jump to learning independently by their sophomore or junior year. Also, the specific requirements from the College Board for an AP class limit creative lesson plans and prevent teachers from teaching their own ideas and concepts. This approach hurts students because there is often interesting and important information to learn that is not necessarily covered by the College Board.

Also, it can be detrimental to cover every concept that could be on the AP test because there simply isn’t enough time in the school year.

Many topics end up being glossed over, and very little in depth learning takes place. For example, AP History classes cover such a large time period that key concepts can be lost in an effort to cover every topic.

Colleges are discovering the lack of benefit of AP classes and many of them, including Dartmouth, have stopped accepting AP credits. The original concept of getting credit for

classes and being able to skip courses or even graduate early doesn’t tend to hold true today. Some colleges allow students to skip the most basic level courses, but this protocol does not entitle them to take fewer credits.

Even then, college students in schools that do accept credits often find themselves behind other classmates who took an equivalent class in college.

The idea that high school students need to load up on AP classes in order to get into a good college is misguided. Being in the most challenging of courses is far from the most important thing. Colleges want to see a student who has passion and takes classes he or she is interested in, not one that signs up for every AP offered just to look impressive. Believe it or not, that’s pretty transparent and an admissions officer will be able to tell if you’re faking it.

So really consider things before enrolling in AP classes. Instead of pouring all of your efforts into a class that may not end up being worthwhile, perhaps it’s time to rethink your schedule. « (Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of Panorama staff.)

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panorama

OPINIONS

March 3, 2014

Minimum wage increases

Annie-way... Raise will promote economic prosperity opinions writer

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art by AUDREY KOCHER

Rejected opinions editor

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o, as it turns out, Mick Jagger was correct. Allow me to explain. I found out the hard way this past December that you can’t always get what you want.

That’s right. I, Annie Helen Cohen, am a college reject. I spent months preparing what I thought was a stellar application and I spent years doing things to fill up that stellar application. So when senior year rolled around, I thought that I was prepared. I sent off my early-decision application in November to my number one school. I remember sitting at my computer triumphantly after submitting, confident that my college would agree that I was as amazing as I thought I was.

They didn’t.

After spending about a month in limbo, I received an email from my college saying that admission decisions would be emailed within the week. And what a week it was. Every day was rife with excitement and tension, every check of my inbox a potentially life-altering moment. Now, a person can only exist like this for so long. So imagine my relief when a new email finally appeared on my screen. My heart pounding, I opened it. And then my heart dropped.

The email was terse, formal and coldly polite. The admissions officer thanked me for my interest in their college and then told me that, regretfully, they could not offer me admission. I scoured the email over and over and over. It wasn’t sinking in. Just moments ago everything had been possible, my number one school well within reach. And now, just a few sentences later, my dream school became just that-a dreamnever to become a reality.

I’d love to say that I responded to this disappointment with grace and elegance, but I’d be lying. The following days were filled with tears and anger. Of course, my family and friends could not have been more supportive, but that wasn’t the point. I was livid with myself. Why wasn’t I good enough?

What could I have done differently? What was going to happen now? Even beyond that, I was still reeling from being faced with an outcome that, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t change. No amount of groveling or begging would make the college reverse their decision. It was simply out of my control, which isn’t something that I am typically very comfortable with.

Then, slowly but surely, things began to improve. Granted, I was still devastated, but I was coping and enduring. Of course, I couldn’t just sit around and mope. I had to move on with my life and apply to other schools, as much as I resented the idea at first. I dove into researching alternate schools that I grew to love just as much as my first choice. I realized that my hopes and dreams would not be restricted by the college that I attend. People like to say that everything happens for a reason, and for now, I’m choosing to believe that.

I don’t know what the future holds for me, and that’s pretty scary. But life doesn’t always go smoothly according to plan.

Corny as it sounds, I can only continue to move forward and use what has happened in the past few months as a learning experience. Yes, Mick Jagger was correct. After all, time is on my side. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

n his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama talked about pushing for progress using executive orders, changes that don’t require the usual climb through the legislative branch. True to his word, Obama began the process of raising the minimum wage for federal workers to $10.10, nearly a $3 dollar increase from the previous wage. At first glance, this raise could be seen simply as more money for the 3.6 million people who work at or below the federal minimum wage, but the increase also impacts and affects the nation’s struggling economy as a whole.

While the number of people working at federal minimum wage represents only a fraction of U.S. citizens, the federal pay hike will encourage other wage increases. Already, 13 states have increased their statewide minimum wages this year, some to almost $9 an hour. As shown by these states, like California and Connecticut, the increase will raise the pay of minimum wage workers to that of low-wage workers paid above the minimum.

This will force employers to raise the pay for those working higher level jobs in order to maintain an equilibrium. If Obama reaches his goal of a standard wage of $10.10 per hour, most workers, even those not working at minimum wage, will see more money in their pockets. As America slowly recovers from its recent economic recession, more money in consumer pockets is exactly what the doctor ordered.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services puts the monthly income of the federal poverty line at $973 for one person, while working 40 hours at current minimum wage earns $1,160. This individual squeaks by above the poverty line, but add a child or a non-working family member into the equation and then the minimum wage is not enough. With an increase of minimum wage to $10.10, the monthly income becomes enough to keep both a parent and a child $300 above the poverty line.

This $300 becomes known as discretionary income or money

Stormy seas ahead for internet pirates

that can be used to further or raise one’s standard of living. This money helps support a family, lessening worries about fulfilling basic needs.

As with anything, a raise in minimum wage will come with a negative side. National unemployment has seen a drop since 2011, with current statistics by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing 6.6% of Americans jobless, and the threat of a minimum wage increase may bring fears of increased joblessness. However, despite economic theory, there have been many studies proving that minimum wage increases can actually increase employment.

In 2005, the National Bureau of Economic research compared the fast food industries in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as minimum wage was raised in New Jersey. Despite what was expected, employment in the fast food industry actually rose 13 percent in New Jersey, while remaining fixed in Pennsylvania. This rise went against the economic principle which predicted unemployment and supported the idea of minimum wage increases.

This trend makes sense. Go back to the idea of discretionary funds. If everyone who starts earning $300 extra begins to make frequent trips to the movies, the movie theater may need to hire extra minimum wage workers, such as custodians and ticket takers, in order to meet the new demand.

Then these workers, now that they have a job, will be able to spend more on goods and services, which will increase employment, and so on.

Even though nothing has been fully implemented, the idea of a higher minimum wage attracts the attention of Americans.

Although it comes with risks of unemployment, the reality is one of better employment rates and more money in the hands of workers and the recovart by MATTHEW HOOPER ering U.S. economy. «

with theft in Dowling v. United States. When a shoplifter swipes an egg carton, the product cannot be sold. With illegal downloading, only a potential sale is lost.

Some companies have installed digital right measurements, methods that limit copying. These measurements prove ineffective and inconvenient to legitimate customers more than they do to pirates. opinions writer The mentality that pirates must be stopped no matter what inspired the Stop Online Piracy Act. If the mass whiplash didn’t he ethics of illegal downloading do not matter compared doom the proposal, it could’ve led to companies shutting down to the misaimed, poor methods that the enterentire websites from the smallest infringement. No matter what tainment industry is taking to fight piracy. companies do, pirates will eventually overcome any measure The advent of the Internet caused copyright used to stop them. So should the entertainment industry do infringement, known as piracy, to skynothing? No. Instead, they can take the money that rocket. Illegal downloading is easy to they spend on DRM and use it to profit from the commit and hard to catch. Anyone with illegal piracy. enough tech savvy can visit a torrent hub Some companies have figured out how to use to snatch the newest Beyoncé album for piracy to their own advantage. The creators of free and elude law enforcement. the indie video game “Anodyne” promoted it Various organizations have blamed on the infamous torrent hub The Pirate Bay, and piracy for lost sales. The Motion Picture even though a free download was provided, tens Association and Recording Industry of thousands of dollars of profit resulted. Word Association reports from the Institute for of mouth is hard to buy; it comes when enough Policy Innovation claiming billions of dolpeople like it to spread the word. A free product lars and thousands of jobs lost from piracy. can cause popularity to explode. Maybe if a However, illegal downloading is more comproduct is given away, not only will more cusplicated than seen on the surface. For one thing, a tomers hear about it, some of the pirates might London School of Economics study proposed that aquire it out of a sense of obligation. art by JULIANN BI industry revenues are not in decline and declared If piracy becomes too mainstream, entertainthat the old approaches to copyright “will only suppress innovament would be already doomed. Since a profit can still be gained tion and dampen growth.” on a mainstream level, it shows that many people will pay for A pirate does not equal a legitimate customer. Sometimes the products they like. pirate would have never bought the product, so loss cannot be Regardless of the morals of illegal downloading, piracy will counted with a 1:1 ratio. Piracy is different from stealing. The not go away. Anyone who recognizes that can turn illegal downSupreme Court ruled that infringement does not easily equate loading from a bane to a boon. «

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panorama

February 3, 2014

Blown out of proportion

OPINIONS

19

The Fig Picture

Grade inflation encourages mediocrity, apathy opinions writer

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any students’ fears lie just below the 90 percent grade level, not because a B is necessarily bad, but because a B seems more like a C due to grade inflation. Grade inflation has become a widespread problem across the country.

Grade inflation occurs when higher grades are given for work that should receive lower grades. According to the Huffington Post, there was a widespread sharp increase in grades in the Vietnam War years, and since the since the 1980s, grades have slowly risen. It is hard to attribute grade inflation to one factor.

An A used to be a highly-valued achievement reserved only for truly exceptional students. But now, the A has been devalued by its common occurrence in school systems, so much so that students expect an A, regardless of whether they deserve it.

The problem can start within states, within districts or even within schools. The biggest cause of grade inflation is the different standards of grading that teachers have, especially when it comes to subjective subjects like English and the arts. What one teacher considers an A paper may be considered a B paper to another. The main problem with this is that students seem more exceptional than other students of equal rank.

Unfortunately, there is no clear solution. National standardization of grading strategies would eliminate the discrepancies in the entire country. But this method would also create generic rubrics for students, which would stifle their creativity. The rubrics would cause them to conform and focus solely on getting the grade and create robotic students who, when given an assignment, produce only A material without gaining insight on the topic. Some teachers promote the idea of a school system without grades to be able to give honest feedback and avoid having to equate a student’s work to a range of 10 percent. art by TING DING Another major cause of grade inflation that students complain about is the option for extra credit in a 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 Panorama strives to inform and 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 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 edit submissions as long as the original intent remains unaltered. «

class. One math teacher may include enough extra credit on a test to make up for most mistakes, while another rarely allows extra credit. A student in the first class, with the help of the extra points, may get an A on a test, while with the same work and effort would get a B on the second teacher’s test. By giving some students opportunities unavailable to others, extra credit makes the equally prepared pupils seem inferior. This can be solved by making extra credit options uniform among classes.

Grade inflation also encourages mediocrity and students to engage in half-hearted work.

Students often feel cheated because their peers may put in little to no effort on assignments and still be able to achieve that sought-after A. The grade inflation phenomenon tells students they can get the same amount of credit with two hours of work as they can with 20. And being teenagers prone to laziness, they cash in on the deal, assuming an apathetic attitude. The worst part is that so do the students who spend their weekends studying. The result is a culture of students who desire to put in the least amount of work possible, but still get the highest award for it.

Grade inflation can indirectly affect students. When juniors and seniors excitedly begin to fill out their college applications, they will not only be competing against students of equal intelligence or achievement. Due to grade inflation, someone who would have previously been a B or C student becomes an A student, ranked just as high as the ones who toiled through piles of homework and textbooks. There is no difference between as to college admittance boards. A hard-earned 4.0 looks just as appealing as an inflated one. The fact is that it is impossible to distinguish the exceptional students when even the mediocre ones get the highest scores.

Teachers should not change their standards based on the available talent. Grade inflation lets students think it’s OK to slack, killing the ideals of education. «

(Photo by Jillian Proehl)

BUSINESS MANAGERS Andrew Cherrick Nick Nash WEB MASTER Warren Biest

WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Justin Cole WEB EDITORS Yoav Kadan Rachel Wagner-Muns Sarah Kessel

PLEASE RECYCLE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Chloe An Emily Biest

News Editors Ali Gold Alli Loynd

Features Editors Sarah Jacob Sabrina Medler

PHOTO EDITORS Elyse Mack Jeanne Wilkinson

A&E Editors Karen Figenshau Charlie Garside

Opinions Editors Annie Cohen Mike Figenshau

SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Bry Jason Kaplan

ART EDITORS Audrey Kocher Ashley Turner

WRITERS Juliann Bi Katie Bry Benjamin Collinger Will Deutch Salim Douaihy Hannah Frankel Isabella Fu Levi Greenberg Mackenzie Hines-Wilson Haley Horowitz Hayden Hunt Jacob Jacob Keona Kalu Jocelyn Kaza Bram Levy Melissa Melnick Michael Petersen Meghan Proskey Anna Reichert Sasha Rice

Hannah Schwartz Janey Sheth Sam Shevitz Ethan Shuchart Journey Smith Hannah Snidman Andrew Tsiaklides Teddy Turner

WEB WRITERS Julia Biest Henok Getahun Naomi Oberlander

PHOTOGRAPHERS Sydney Ellis Sammy Leary Magda Lijowska Jocelyn Kaza Meghan Proskey Jessica Puyo Jenna Shanker Danielle Thompson Emma Weller ARTISTS Juliann Bi Ting Ding Matthew Hooper Steele Stewart Kira Svoboda Mary Xiao Eric Zhu ADVISER Jillian Proehl

art by AUDREY KOCHER

Let’s get rowdy opinions editor

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ome on, guys! Give ‘em that famous defense we’ve been talking about all week! Stick with the zone! It’s time to get rowdy!”

Yes, I play for a basketball team. And yes, our team name is the Cocks – the St. Louis Rowdy Cocks.

I’m an admittedly bad basketball player. I quit after seventh grade, partially due to a delayed growth spurt and partially due to a general disinterest in the sport. My main sports are now golf and poker. (I do consider poker a sport.)

When I was “recruited” to join a Jewish Community Center recreational team by a few friends, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. Why, you ask? Besides being fun, participating in J-League presented a great way to enjoy the second semester of senior year.

As much as I’m ashamed to admit it, I’ve come down with a mild case of senioritis. The symptoms arose after winter break. I noticed I lacked the motivation to do basic homework assignments, study for tests and put my best effort into extracurricular activities. I didn’t think I would ever feel burnt out in high school. In all honesty, my high school experience hasn’t been that hard, and I’ve had a great time. But the prospect of college is screaming my name at the top of its lungs, handcuffing me and covering my head in a Guantanamo hood, trying to abduct me from the status quo. I must resist.

This is where my participation in J-League came in. Just a couple of months ago, I was bored, tired and slovenly, staring at the calendar in anticipation of graduation and college decisions. The team has helped me strike an invaluable balance in my life between my fighting a war of attrition at school and my insuppressible urge to goof off when I’m not at school.

I hope to maintain my rowdy lifestyle in the spring by regathering the team for a spring league. Being a a part of the team is sacred to me. I value the hour-long practices we have on Tuesday nights from nine to 10, even though I wake up tired the next day. I cherish our weekly 32-minute games, even though we’ve lost every time. (As of Feb. 25, we are 0-7. Our best finish has been an eight-point loss.) I take pride in our relentless phallic humor and our sky blue jerseys adorned with a menacing, anthropomorphic rooster and our team name printed in bold red letters. I love my team.

Surprisingly, my academic performance improved after joining the brotherhood. I felt less restless in school, I afforded myself more time to put in a solid effort in my classes and I even started writing my newspaper columns on time.

I write this column neither to denounce the pointlessness of the second semester of senior year nor to urge insurance companies to include senioritis coverage for their customers.

I write it to commend students who have managed to make it through more than seven semesters of high school without having dropped out, fallen off the straight and narrow or lost all motivation to work in school. Here’s to the kids who are willing to stick around for a few more months, smile, sit down in class and get rowdy afterward.

Second semester has been a rollercoaster. I’ve struggled to hang on for dear life. As Tom Petty puts it, “God, it’s so painful when something is so close, yet still so far out of reach.”

So let’s stick together, stay in it for the long haul, and enjoy our last few months together as a cohesive high school class.

Before we know it, we’ll leave for schools far and wide and this high school will be nothing more than a memory. We only have a few months left. Let’s get rowdy. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

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panorama

OPINIONS

March 3, 2014

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT Will

iPads

YES. Students can learn at their own pace and delve deeper into tough concepts. opinions writer

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he sounds of crackling page turns hum in unison throughout the classroom as students flip to the next page in their notes packets. Sally is perplexed by the material on the previous slide of the powerpoint, but refrains from asking the teacher to re-explain it so as not to disturb the momentum of the lesson. As the material accumulates, however, Sally finds it harder and harder to understand what is being taught. On the other hand, Joe, sitting two rows behind to the left, impatiently taps the tip of his eraser on his desk, wondering how the teacher could possibly spend such a long time explaining such a simple topic.

This situation isn’t uncommon in the typical classroom setting. Inevitably, some students will cruise through lessons while others struggle to grasp the concepts. There are several ways this could be resolved. The students who didn’t quite understand the day’s lesson could visit the teacher during a study hall or before and after school to review the material. They could also seek a private tutor to supplement their coursework, which can be cumbersome and costly. The most effective way, of course, would be for the classroom to be inverted, with students learning new material at home and doing exercises at school.

Some form of communication will always be required for effective learning, preferably with the instructor. The problem is, in a regular classroom, students often do not receive this kind of attention, or not enough of it. Most of the class is spent teaching material rather than allowing students to think outside the box or ask questions that will deepen their comprehension. In addition,

NO. Aside from logistical difficulties, students will struggle to identify weaknesses. opinions writer

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here is no shortage of complaints about American education. Everyone has something to say about “one size fits all” education, the excessive importance placed on grades and standardized tests’ relative inability to test understanding. A much talked-about alternative, the flipped classroom, switches the traditional goals of class time and homework and attempts to personalize education to fit different learning styles. This option appears enticing at first, but has major fallacies that could prevent it from becoming the new norm in schools.

Proponents of the flipped classroom are particularly concerned about students who do not complete their homework because they do not understand their material after in-class lectures. They believe that by having students watch videos and presentations outside of class and then practicing problems in class, students will be more successful.

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while the students scramble to copy down notes from the lectures or powerpoints, they tend to miss other important points that are being discussed.

That’s where the flipped classroom comes in. Instead of students attempting to follow the pace of the class, they get to pace themselves and their own lessons via video lectures and readings at home. During the next class, students get the chance to ask their art by ASHLEY TURNER instructor for elucidation and corollary information that may expand the scope of their understanding of the subject matter. The classroom then becomes an active working environment where learning isn’t confined to a strict set of lectures.

Sally can spend more time on the concepts she finds confusing, while Joe can breeze through the lecture.

Many teachers have already been flipping their class-

A problem exists with this mindset, however.

Students have no problem completing problems with the help of peers and teachers, but do not have the opportunity to practice alone and ensure mastery of the content without guidance. Homework is meant to be a challenge, measuring just how well a student understands content and is able to apply it in various situations and settings. This challenge allows students to prepare themselves for tests and quizzes, where only minimal help is available and individual problem-solving is necessary to complete tasks.

Completing homework at home also teaches students how to identify their own weaknesses and address them. Flipped classrooms often seem to coddle their students, guiding them through each step of the learning process and then leaving them to tackle exams for themselves, their ever-present assistance nowhere to be found. By working through problems alone at home, students have the opportunity to measure their own progress and discover which concepts need clarification. This ability to determine issues in understanding leads to increased self-sufficiency

in learning and more engaging class discussions as a result of students’ homework questions. Traditional classes are clearly better for studentled discussions.

Flipped classrooms can only be successful with a combination of setup and access. Schools experience problems with both of these components, as teachers struggle to create effective presentations and students

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rooms for the optimal benefit of their students, using programs such as Tegrity and Camtasia to record online lessons that the students can view at home. The system should also be commended for its flexibility. The flipped classroom can be implemented in a myriad of different forms when it comes to crafting the logistics of a curriculum. It is used, but not limited to, the areas and lessons where it would make the most sense. For example, it would be more feasible to invert the lesson for a harder, longer lesson than it would be for a straightforward lesson. An integral dilemma that teachers face is how to cram a certain amount of information in a strict allotment of time and make it an effective lesson plan. With the inverted method, they simply have to oversee the students’ development in the learning and correct any misinterpretations during class, without having to qualify the material being taught.

A flip side of this advantage is the activities and assignments that the students must complete. Most classes require some amount of homework to be done in order to apply the material learned in the lectures. However, there’s no factor to monitor whether or not the student is going through the correct thinking process. In lieu of this, in an inverted classroom, students may freely interact and have discussions with their peers and instructors the entire class time.

This approach to teaching isn’t news. It has been used by teachers from middle school to high school and all divisions of colleges. In fact, instructors who use the method often collaborate and share their ideas and improvements on networks such as the Peer Instruction Network. Individual vloggers on YouTube also make short lecture videos, which are very effective as supplements because students have the chance to pause the lecture or return to a specific area for clarification. In general, inverting the classroom significantly increases the efficiency of teaching, so that all the Sallys and Joes learn what they need from the courses they choose. «

from lower income families cannot reap the full benefits without the ability to use individual devices.

Personal devices are crucial in the idea of flipping the classroom, but many students’ families cannot afford tablets and other forms of technology that allow for individualized learning. British schools with flipped classrooms have noticed a difference between students who do not have tablets or laptops and those who do.

Although these students may have access to a family computer, school computers or public library computers, the time limitations and public setting attached to them deteriorate from the experience. Even when students have personal iPad Minis next year, technical difficulties could easily detract from learning and there is no substitute for a regimented, disciplined classroom setting without external distractions.

Education is not all about the students. Flipping requires a great deal of preparation and integration of elements to create meaningful in-class and out-of-class learning experiences.

Many teachers have expressed frustration that they cannot look at their students during their lectures to gauge understanding. As they create videos, teachers are forced to infer what parts need extra time and what steps can be completed quickly, an inference that may not mirror reality. Lecturing in

person allows teachers to stop midlecture and address questions raised by students before they continue.

From a student’s perspective, classes almost seem unnecessary and virtually pointless if no material is being taught, especially with a block schedule. After working so hard to learn concepts at home, there appears to be no reason to spend more than an hour doing practice activities at school. Students tend to view activity-centered class periods as less important than classes where subject content is covered in class and will most likely lower their attendance accordingly. For advanced students, opting out of supplementary exercises will not be problematic; however, struggling students will fail to experience the flipped classroom’s benefits by missing school. If the goal is to help these students, it is important that they see attendance as crucial.

While it is always healthy to examine the process of education and search for improvements, it is also necessary to consider the consequences of changes in educational methods and determine if innovations would provide benefits. Flipped classrooms promise greater engagement and higher levels of understanding, but fall flat in other areas. Their inconsistency, in addition to their emphasis on self-guidance, guarantee negative results for students and teachers. «

panorama

March 3, 2014

SPORTS

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Florida in February Laduettes travel south for National dance competition in Orlando, Florida

PEPPIN’ POMS • (Above) Focusing on her dance, senior Haley Bussard

and junior Alyson Yawitz work on performing their dance to energize the crowd at a football game. This is Bussard’s fourth and final year on the team. “Dancing for Ladue has been an incredible experience and I am going to miss it and my teammates so much,” Bussard said. (Photo by Jessica Puyo) (Right) In a school-wide pep rally, seniors Rachel Taryle, Shir Barzilay, sophomore Sabrina Medler, senior Vivian Phung, freshman Kenzie Bussard and sophomore Madeline Spirtas perform their routine. This year’s team was led by six seniors. The dance, which they performed in October, had been practiced for longer than two months. “Our choreography this year was by far the most challenging it has ever been, which motivated us even more,” junior Jordan Kaplan said. (Photo

by Magda Lijowska)

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he Laduettes dance team wrapped up yet another successful season showcasing their talent in the National Dance Team championship. The team first began to prepare for the tournament all the way back in summer. Their tenacity paid off and is shown in their top 20 national finish.

Along with performing at the halftimes of both football and basketball games, the Laduettes also

competed in several competitions this year. The first of their season was the Yvonne Cole Lindbergh Invitational.

The team performed two different dances, poms and hip-hop. The team took home first place in both.

“It was really amazing because we’ve never gotten first at that competition, and we got first in both dances,” senior Rachel Taryle said.

In January, the team also performed in the Saint Charles Classic where they were awarded first place, once again for both their poms and hip-hop dances for the second year in a row.

“Competing in both the Lindbergh and Saint Charles competitions really helped us prepare for nationals,” junior Jordan Kaplan said.

This past season, the team put in vast amounts of sweat and determination in their work in order to be where they are now.

“Our choreography this year is by far the most challenging it has ever been, which motivated us even more,” Kaplan said.

All of the team’s hard work and dedication paid off after finishing in first place at the Universal Dance Association camp, which qualified them to go to Nationals. After qualifying, the team made the trip down to Disney World in Orlando, for the National Dance Team championship.

“Nationals was an amazing experience to show how hard we worked as a team this year,” sophomore Madeline Spirtas said.

The team advanced all the way to the semifinals for poms and hip-hop, placing in the top 20 teams in the nation in both. Although the girls’ main focus of the trip was competing and placing well in the competition, the team also had the opportunity to take some time off to relax and enjoy themselves while visiting Disney World.

“The team had so much fun bonding at the parks and on stage while we competed,” Kaplan said. “The trip definitely unites our team and is something we look forward to every year.”

Unfortunately, the Laduettes will be losing a large portion of talent next year, with six seniors graduating. This

will give an opportunity to next year’s freshmen and other students who wish to try out for the team next year.

Their season officially concluded Feb. 25. The team is holding a spring clinic in March for younger girls and then tryouts the following week in order to prepare and build up the next great Ladue dance team. «

22 Ice hockey blues SPORTS

Hockey team takes spotlight in Olympics and T.J. Oshie gains fame for his late-game heroics sports writer

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liding, skating and flying: the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics displayed some of the most intriguing and electric sports in the world. From ice dancing to cross country skiing, the games were an exciting battle between countries, teams and individuals.

Among the most exciting events was mens ice hockey. The U.S. went undefeated in the group stage, earning a bye to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinal game against the Czech Republic, Team USA dominated with a 5-2 win. The semifinal brought a rematch for the gold medal game four years ago in Vancouver between Canada and the U.S. In the gold medal game last Olympics, Canada stole the gold medal with an overtime goal by Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain

Sidney Crosby. Four years later, the Canadians barely survived an almost detrimental quarterfinal loss to Latvia.

Team Canada outshot the Latvians 57-16 but the final score was a marginal 2-1 victory.

In the first semifinal game, Sweden, the 2006 gold medalists, handled Team Finland 2-1. The second semifinal game, between the U.S. and Canada, became dubbed the “Battle of the Borders” game. Dallas Stars’ captain, Jamie Benn, scored the only goal in the game off of Blues’ Jay Bouwmeester’s pass. The Canadians earned their second consecutive gold medal game berth.

The bronze medal game between U.S. and Finland was a lopsided upset. The Finns, lead by Anaheim Ducks veteran, Temmu Selanne, shut out the U.S. 5-0, sending the Americans home empty-handed.

The gold medal between the two former champions, Canada and

panorama Sweden, did not disappoint. The Canadians first scored in the first period with a goal by Chicago Blackhawks’ captain, Jonathan Toews. The next goal scored by Crosby in the second period. The final goal of the game was also scored a Pittsburgh Penguin, Chris Kunitz. Behind Montréal Canadiens goalie Carey Price, the Canadiens shut out the Swedes 3-0.

St. Louisians were able to cheer on our own Blues members in Sochi. T.J. Oshie had a heroic shoot-out performance to help Team USA defeat the host team Russia during group play.

Oshie gained national fame rapidly after his David Freese-esque clutch goals in the Miracle on Ice rematch.

According to Yahoo Sports, Oshie’s Twitter gained more than 156,000 followers the day of the game. David Backes had three goals and one assist for Team USA, and Alex Steen had one goal and three assists for team Sweden. Overall, the team had 18 points over nine participating players.

Despite the disappointing performance by Team USA, hockey at the Olympics did not fail to provide an exciting week for spectators. On to 2018 in PyeongChang! «

T.J. SOCHI • Regretting his decision to try and check USA forward Oshie into the boards, Czech Republic defensemen Ladislav Smid gets thrown to the ice. (Photo by Chuck Myers/MTC)

Let the madness ensue

comparing their predictions with other students.

Once the madness begins, kids will brag about how good their picks are and try to beat their friends.

There is a reason they call it March Madness – because people go crazy over their brackets.

Of course, there are the high-profile teams like Syracuse University, University of Arizona and University of Florida at the top of college basketball. Perennial powerhouses are near the top as well like Villanova University, Duke University, University of Kansas and Michigan State University, but there have been many surprise teams that have made it big so far this year that have a chance to win the Big Dance.

Local Saint Louis University had one of the best seasons in the history of the school and could be primed to go further than their past two seasons, where they went to the Round of 32 twice. Led by Dwayne Evans and Jordair Jett, the Billikens have a respectable offense with a dominant defense that could stifle high-scoring teams in the tournament.

They look like they could be up to a three or four seed.

University of Missouri-Columbia seems to be on the bubble of the madness. Though forward Jabari Brown has been excellent in scoring around 20 points per game, the Tigers have gone under .500 in the weak Southeastern Conference. They also have not been able to beat the bigger SEC teams like Florida and University of Kentucky. Mizzou should still make the tournament and could make an impressive run with their raw talent.

The favorite looks to be undefeated Syracuse. With a team led by C.J. Fair, the Orange seem to have what it takes. Plus, they have done it against some of the best competition in college basketball, beating Villanova, University of Pittsburgh, Duke and University of Maryland.

One player to watch in the tournament is Duke freshman Jabari Parker. Parker is averaging nearly 20 points and nine rebounds for the strong Blue Devils. One of the top recruits coming out of high school, Parker has made Duke a strong championship threat. Look for him to have a strong tournament and help Duke advance to yet another Final Four.

It is almost time for bracket frenzy

SLY SLU SENIORS • Quietly flying under the national

radar, Saint Louis University, a team led by five starting seniors, hopes to make a deep run in the national tournament. The team is led by guard Jordair Jett, who is averaging more than 13 points per game and five assists . (Photo by Chris Lee/MTC) sports writer

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he NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is coming up soon and many Ladue students are excited for the perennial March Madness to begin.

Students enjoy creating leagues with their friends and making brackets. Many can be seen walking the halls, brackets in hand,

March 3, 2014

Businessman and billionaire Warren Buffett has offered a prize to anyone that completes a perfect tournament bracket: $1 billion. That may seem like a crazy amount to throw out there, but according to Depaul University math professor Jeffrey Burgan, there are 147.5 quintillion ways to fill out a 68 team bracket (that is 147,500,000,000,000,000,000 ways). No one has ever proven to have filled out a perfect bracket.

People love to get into the chaos known as March Madness.

Everyone can fill out a bracket, no matter how much or little they actually know about college basketball. Anyone can pick based on their knowledge of the game, the seeds or even something as ludicrous as favorite jerseys. Soon the halls will be filled with students comparing brackets and maybe a Ladue student will be the first person to create a perfect bracket and win $1 billion. «

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panorama

March 3, 2014

SPORTS

Ladue defeats rival Clayton in both hoops and fundraising efforts big part of it as well. The crowd was rowdy, but in a good way. We raised $1,089.99, and they raised [far] less.

We combine our donations with Clayton because the real enemy is cancer.”

Many students felt inspired by Goldwasser’s story. Everyone knows someone who has fought cancer, and the game was the perfect chance to help fight back.

he Rams conquered rival Greyhounds Feb. 21 in an effort to not only beat Clayton but fight cancer as well. Ladue filled the stands with an impressive crowd, and some would say social studies teacher Jim Goldwasser’s heartwarming speech at the Pep The real enemy is cancer, Rally earlier that day about his son Joey’s not the Clayton Greyhounds... battle with cancer hopefully part of our goal is to had a direct effect defeat cancer. on the game’s high student turnout.

- social studies teacher Jim Goldwasser “This is our third year having Coaches vs. Cancer. I “When Mr. Goldwasser made us didn’t want it to be about me or my all raise our hands to see if we knew son, I wanted it to be about Coaches anyone who had cancer and the whole vs. Cancer,” Goldwasser said. “So gym raised their hand, it showed how in my talk at the pep rally I wanted cancer impacts all of us and really to convey that there is a face to this. made us come together as a school to That’s why I asked everyone to raise support our team and defeat cancer,” their hand if they’d been personally senior Rachel Taryle said. “We had affected by cancer because I want a bigger crowd than Clayton and a there to be a face to this charity. If really good turn out.” they didn’t have someone to relate to, During the game, the Rams left maybe they could relate to me.” nothing behind on the court. The Along with bringing more fans offense saved the game, according to to the game, Ladue also raised more senior Connor Spirtas. money for the Coaches vs. Cancer “Jon Collins had a very stelcharity than Clayton. The fan turnout lar game, putting up 22 points and was the largest in recent memory. dominating the boards,” Spirtas said.

“I haven’t seen us travel as well as “[Senior Andrew] Maddock definitely we traveled that night,” Goldwasser brought the game to a nice conclusion said. “Certainly the fact that we were with his dunk. [Senior] Cornell [Johnplaying our rival Clayton makes a big ston] and [junior Jordan] Cosby also part of it. And the Blue Crew makes a had very good games. I hit a couple

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Brent Morrow

Northwest Missouri State

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I’m really looking forward to playing at Northwest Missouri State. I had a great time during my visit there, and the coaches are nice.

(Photo by Jessica Puyo)

Maddy Weller Hamilton College

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It’s a beautiful college in a beautiful location, and I can’t wait to row there.

(Photo courtesy of Maddy Weller)

WHAT TIME IS IT? • As senior Jon Collins

flies off the court, he extends his arms to make a basket. The crowd went insane during the entire game, cheering as loudly as possible to encourage the Rams. “The crowd was hyped up and the coolest thing was raising so much money,” senior Patrick Sullivan said. “It was awesome to raise more than Clayton.” (Photo by Magda Lijowska) threes, and our offense really saved us. I can now say I’ve never lost to Clayton in the past three years.”

Maddock was also very pleased with the team’s performance during the game. His dunk set the gymnasium into an uproar as the Rams had won the game.

“I was pretty pumped I got to throw one down because it was my first this season,” Maddock said. “It

was the perfect exclamation point on an already exciting game.”

All in all, the Clayton game was a major success for Ladue. The Rams now turn their attention to districts.

“Districts start March 4 at SLUH and if we manage to win that we will play Chaminade in the district championship,” Spirtas said. “We will need as much support as we can get for these next few games.” «

Jake Peterson Colorado College

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I chose Colorado because I spent a month there over the summer studying cosmology, and it was a great experience. Also, I knew I wanted to play tennis in college, so it was the perfect school for me.

Victoria Wolsky St. Mary’s of California

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I chose St. Mary’s for its D1 athletics combined with a good education topped with a nice location.

Jason Kaplan: How’d you first get involved in basketball?

CJ: I started playing at the YMCA when I was seven years old in North County. I started playing select basketball the year after in third grade and I’ve been playing ever since.

JK: What’s it like to feel famous?

CJ: I really don’t look at it like that. I treat everyone as if they are the best player on the team.

I would take me shooting a shot at the end of the game, and I would take anyone else taking a shot at the end of the game; it doesn’t matter.

(Photo courtesy of Jake Peterson)

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Each month, Panorama sits down with a senior athlete. March’s athlete is Cornell Johnston from the boys basketball team.

(Photo courtesy of Victoria Wolsky)

sports editor

Senior Sit-down

These are just a few of Ladue’s collegebound athletes who signed at the Senior Signing Ceremony February 14, 2014, along with why they chose their school.

For more athletes, turn to page 24.

JK: What are your college plans?

CJ: I haven’t signed anywhere yet. Truman State University, Northwest Missouri State University and Missouri Southern State University are my top three right now.

JK: What are your basketball plans post-college?

CJ: I plan on playing overseas.

Like possibly going to a huge D2 or smaller D1, starting as a freshman and having the chance to go overseas. I’m not sure yet where. « (Photos by Magda Lijowska)

panorama

SPORTS

Mariana Alisio

Madison Barker

Columbia University

Chris Boudoures

Duncan Cannon

Butler University

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Columbia is a really good school. It has a really good track program so it had both things that I was looking for.

Bowdoin College

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First I chose Bowdoin for its academics, second for its location and third for its athletics.

(Photo by Jessica Puyo)

Senior Signing Ceremony

Andrew Maddock

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I wanted to go to a place that was a great academic school, and I’m glad I could use basketball as a tool to get in.

(Photo by Sammy Leary)

Colorado College

New York University

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I really like New York City. It’s amazing. I’m really excited to go [to NYU] and fencing was just a bonus – but a good bonus.

Grace Waldman Depauw University

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I chose Depauw because I wanted a small school where I could play D3, and I really liked it a lot.

(Photo by Sammy Leary)

(Photo courtesy of Stephanie Cunningham)

Steph Cunningham

February 19, 2014 Ladue’s college-bound athletes and why they chose their school

Jack Levy Jacksonville University

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Academics were important, but the best rowing school was important to me.

(Photo courtesy of Jack Levy)

Lee Jimerson Central Methodist University

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I really liked the school, and they were the first ones to seriously come after me. It felt like a great fit.

(Photo courtesy of Lee Jimerson)

(Photo courtesy of Mariana Alisio)

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I really like the campus, and when I met the team and coach they seemed really cool.

It seemed like a place I really wanted to be. I just went for it.

sports editor

(Photo courtesy of Madison Barker)

Washington University

Butler is a really great school and is at the level where I want to play at. It felt like the right fit.

March 3, 2014

(Photo by Jessica Puyo)

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