Ladue Panorama November 2013 Volume 62, Issue 4

panorama Ladue Horton Watkins High School • 1201 S. Warson Road • St. Louis, MO 63124 • Volume 62 • Issue 4 • November 4, 2013

A&E Karl Kindt [pg. 9]

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school play [pg. 7]

OPINIONS

high school dating [pg. 13]

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FEATURES

SPORTS

hockey preview [pg. 15]

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NEWS quizbowl [pg. 2]

PHOTO

fall colors [pg. 16]

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HEADS UP • Shooting a frisbee into the crowd, LaBot, the robot constructed by the robotics team, wows the crowd at the pep rally Oct. 3. Building robots requires troubleshooting, but that’s what

makes the experience unique. “What we think we are going to have and what we end up with are not always the same, so it’s really cool to watch,” sponsor Michelle Schmitt said. (Photo by Jessica Puyo)

Ultimate frisbee... Rambunction-style

ROBOTICS TEAM’S EFFORTS WOW THE CROWD AT THE PEP RALLY features writer

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is name? LaBot. His game? Throwing frisbees and climbing pyramids.

LaBot, the robot built by the robotics team, went to the regional competition last year and made his way through preliminary rounds and quarterfinals. But most students probably know LaBot as the robot that threw frisbees at the crowd during the pep rally Oct. 3.

The Ladue robotics team, headed by industrial technology teacher Stephen Schmidt with the assistance of librarian Michelle Schmitt and science teacher Sweeney La Barge, looks to improve its robot-making skills as well as advance farther in the competition this year. The team started three years ago when Schmidt and former Monsanto engineer Alda Mizaku founded the Ladue branch of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics Competitions. Teams from all over the country and across the world participate and they wanted to bring this opportunity to Ladue.

FIRST hosts both regional and world competitions every year with more than 32,000 teams and 350,000 participants. These teams will be informed of the requirements for their robot Jan. 4, and then will have six weeks to build it.

Last year’s competition had two aspects: frisbee-throwing and pyramid-climbing. The Ladue team especially liked their robot’s frisbee abilities, which is why they chose to showcase this at the pep rally.

“They work really hard all year,” junior Lindsey Lohr said.

“We were excited to give them a chance to show the school what they’ve done.”

Publicity such as the pep rally will help the team continue to grow. This year they have around 25 students, exceeding last year’s roster of about 12 members. Since there are so many new members, the team is doing a lot of training during their offseason. The older members of the team are trying to familiarize new teammates with the tools, components and terms so that when build season comes around, they will be ready. Mentors, engineers and programmers from Monsanto come in to help the team build its robot.

“They pass on knowledge, but in the end it’s our team,” junior Anastasia Maranto said. “The mentors could build us a robot that would win every time, but that’s not why we’re here.”

Once build season arrives, things get hectic. Members are at school every day of the week, including Saturday and the occasional Sunday.

“It’s the fastest six weeks and the longest six weeks of your life at the same time,” Maranto said. “It’s an incredible experience.”

The team is divided up into smaller teams that handle different components. There is a mechanical team that does most of the industrial things, like building the frame for the robot, an electrical team that connects the motors and confirms that everything is in working order and a programming team that programs the computers so that the drive team can work the robot when it comes time for competition. The team also needs artists, graphic designers and fundraisers.

“The fun thing about [the robotics team] is that people learn as they go,” Schmitt said. “You don’t have to have any prior knowledge.”

Maranto joined the team two years ago with essentially no experience. With the help of Schmidt, team members and mentors, she now plays a crucial role as one of the leaders on the team.

“We actually like people who don’t have experience,” senior Thomas Flucke said. “It means they’re less likely to fall back to something they have already seen or used which makes them more likely to innovate. No one is expected to be an expert at everything.”

The team hopes to showcase their robots at more school events. They hope to use two robots at next year’s pep rally, or even build a robot that throws t-shirts out at football games.

“As cheesy as it sounds, we just want to have fun and learn as much as we can,” Maranto said. “There’s so much out there that we don’t know, and we try to learn something new every day.” «

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NEWS

LOWDOWN Ladue Dance Marathon Morale Committee members selected Sophomores Ellie Cannon, Hannah Frankel, Theo Guhr, Lucy Jonas, Alaina Muchnick and Madeline Spiritas, juniors Peyton Farmer, Mary Kate Fox, Christine Hurster, Jordan Kaplan and Jack May and seniors Haley Bussard, Jane Lee, Zach Levens and Magda Lijowska were all selected as Ladue Dance Marathon Morale Committee Members for 2013-2014.

Student Sustainablity Initiative begins compositing trial Sophomores David Sissac and Emma Cohen, juniors Audrey Kocher, Abby Miller, Janey Sheth and Emma Sterling and seniors Annie Cohen and Elyse Mack have begun a composting trial in the high school.

Running accolades Senior Drew Hutchens won the Boys’ Cross Country District Championship Oct. 26 with a new Ladue course record time of 15 minutes and 58 seconds for the five kilometer course. Family and Consumer Science teacher Juli Stults placed second in the St. Louis Rock ’n Roll marathon Oct. 27 with a time of three hours 37 minutes and 38 seconds, beating 1,505 other runners.

Students published in “Gateway Varsity Sports” magazine Juniors Aaron Bry and Danielle Thompson published an article and photo, respectively, in the second edition of “Gateway Varsity Sports” magazine.

November 4, 2013

Quizbowl to repeat past successes New coach, new players, same nationally ranked powerhouse news writer

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he Quizbowl team aims to repeat last year’s successes with a national ranking in the top five this upcoming season.

Members have dedicated hours of practice over the summer and during the school year to prepare themselves for the season.

The A team, consisting of seniors Sam Crowder, Jialin Ding, Kisan Thakkar and Ben Zhang, kicked off its season with a strong start at the Missouri Fall Academic Tournament at the University of Missouri Columbia Oct. 19. Ladue finished first out of 28 teams, earning the players a spot at the national competition. In addition, Zhang was the top individual scorer of the competition.

This victory comes amidst a transition period with coaching changes and the loss of some key seniors from last year. German teacher Patrick Quinn has taken over as the head coach from social studies teacher Mike Hill.

“My own kids are very busy, and I’m coaching and attending many things that they do, so I decided to cut back,” Hill said. “I expect the team to make a very strong showing. They have many experienced players from our national championship team including Ben Zhang and Jialin Ding. The team shouldn’t slip much.”

Quinn, a Mizzou graduate, brings experience in competitions like Quizbowl. He competed in Science Knowledge Bowl for a year in high school, a College Bowl tournament at Mizzou and on national television.

“I competed on Jeopardy! in 2012 during the Teachers Tournament and again this year in the Tournament of Champions,” Quinn said. “I won the Teachers Tournament and lost in the first round of the Tournament of Champions. I remember two things in particular about the Teachers Tournament.

The first was the moment I found out I was going to the finale. I had already gotten my answer for Final Jeopardy wrong, but only at the end did I learn that the leader did too, and bet too much. I got a bit wobbly-kneed because it was so unexpected. The second is how many friends I made with the other contestants in those two days.”

BUZZIN’ • Eager to answer a question during practice, seniors Kisan Thakkar (left) and Ben Zhang

(right) eagerly buzz in. The dilligence shown in practice proved valuable for their performance in the Missouri Fall Academic Tournament at the University of Missouri Columbia Oct. 19, at which the team placed first. (Photo by Sydney Ellis)

Overall, the transition from Hill to Quinn has been a smooth one. Quinn has been serving the team by teaching and moderating at practices as well as signing the team up for tournaments.

“We’re thankful he’s willing to put so much time and commitment into helping our team,” senior Stella Schindler said. “We’re glad we could find a teacher so experienced in this type of competition.”

In addition, the team has had to cope with the key loss of alumnus Max Schindler, the number one Quizbowl competitor in the country last year.

He is currently competing at the University of Chicago, which was ranked fourth in the country in the pre-season poll. The team earns such accolades by practicing six hours per week and competing in about 15 tournaments per year.

“Questions are harder and the University of Chicago’s team gets given a lot more money so I don’t have to pay out-of-pocket to play some tournaments,” Max Schindler said. “Right now, the three best non-Chicago teams are Virginia, Yale and Penn, so those are our rivals.”

However, Zhang aims to lead the Quizbowl team to success again this year.

Having been part of teams in previous years that competed at the national level, Zhang hopes his experience will help the team succeed.

“We’re aiming for top five in the nation and maybe for another national championship,” Zhang said. “While individual scoring has little importance, I hope to be the top scorer at every Missouri tournament and maybe an allstar at nationals.”

The team’s chances were also helped by Max

Schindler’s commitment to the team even after he graduated from Ladue. Max Schindler ultimately wants the best for the team he is leaving behind and remains in touch with the current players.

“Chicago starts about a month later than Ladue,” Max Schindler said. “So during those intervening weeks I dropped in on practice, either reading questions or pointing out important clues that they didn’t know.”

Furthermore, Zhang has extended his involvement with Quizbowl outside of the team. After submitting an application, he was selected by the National Academic Quiz Tournaments to write questions for middle school and college level Quizbowl tournaments.

“In March of my sophomore year, I applied to write questions for NAQT, which provides questions for middle school through college tournaments,” Zhang said. “I sent in a sample of 10 questions and was accepted. It pays roughly $3 per paragraph-length question, which is raised by a small amount each year. I can write for middle school and college level question sets since I don’t play them, and I’ve written roughly 120 questions.”

The questions prompted over the team’s ability to perform well without key members may actually work in their favor. By deceiving other teams and appearing as underdogs, the team could become the dark horse of many tournaments.

“I think it will be an advantage because most teams will underestimate them due to Max’s absence,” Hill said.

More long hours filled with piles of question packets are expected in order to perform at the high level Ladue is used to. Other teams are thirsty for a national title, such as Ladue’s main rival, Quizbowl powerhouse Liberal Arts and Science Academy of Austin from Austin, Texas.

“I think every member of the Quizbowl team follows the same philosophy for success,” Stella Schindler said. “Work hard, study hard, put as much effort into it as you can — because if you ain’t first, you’re last.” «

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November 4, 2013

NEWS

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‘I’m afraid of ghosts, not the Taliban’ Sixteen-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai inspires the world with her fight for the right to an education love with her. At 16-years-old, she is completely changing the world.”

Her fight for education has inspired others around the world. The United Nations founded a global education t was just over a year ago when Malala Yousafzai was shot program for girls entitled “I am Malala,” and the Malala in the head by a Taliban gunman. The 16-year-old schoolgirl Fund was created to raise money for female education.

“Going on public platforms and exposing the injustices only wanted an education, which she had been denied of as a woman in her native country of Pakistan. that occur on a daily basis across the world takes courage and determination,” Teklu said. “At 17-years-old, I go to school The Taliban first issued threats against the then 14-year-old Yousafzai after she began blogging for the British Broadcasting in the hopes of graduating like everybody else. At 16, Yousafzai Corporation about her struggle as a female student in Pakistan. is making a name for herself.”

One of the goals of the Malala Fund is to educate people of In 2012, after she was shot, Yousafzai relocated to Britain, where the large amount of girls across the world that are denied of an she currently resides. An outpouring of international sympathy education due to economic, legal and political factors. From the and outrage followed.

Yousafzai’s perseverance against strict education laws and perspective of a student in the United States, where public educastrong advocacy of female education has led her everywhere tion is available to all, a lack of female equality in regards to from the United Nations to Buckingham Palace. She became education is hard to imagine.

“Education the youngest person in seems so trivial to history to be nominated me and everyone I for the Nobel Peace Prize, Going on public platforms and exposing the and was named as one of know because we Time magazine’s “100 get up and go to injustices that occur on a daily basis across school every mornMost Influential People the world takes courage and determination. ing as part of our in the World.” In October, At 17-years-old, I go to school in the hopes routine,” Teklu said. she published her best“Yousafzai underselling autobiography, “I of graduating like everybody else. At 16, am Malala: The Girl Who stood the value of Yousafzai is making a name for herself.

Stood Up for Education education at such an and Was Shot by the Taliearly age and fought - senior Yodit Teklu ban,” which chronicles a constant uphill her experiences fighting battle just to be able for education in Pakistan. to learn. By the grace of many people, she survived [the Taliban In addition, Yousafzai’s story has made an impact on stuattack] and had to relearn to walk, talk and learn. I am amazed at dents within Ladue, such as senior Yodit Teklu, who considers how she can rebound from such a traumatic experience.”

Yousafzai’s message one that everyone should know of.

While Yousafzai has the international arena covered, others “I was flipping through TV and stumbled upon a 20/20 are working locally to empower women and work for women’s episode about Yousafzai. I should have kept clicking through the equality. Stacy Taubman, a former Ladue math teacher, wanted channels, but something caught my eye about this young girl,” to create a platform where girls could feel inspired to follow their Teklu said. “After watching the hour long special, I was totally in dreams. In July, Taubman founded the organization Girls Dreamnews editor

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art by ASHLEY TURNER

ing Big, which aims to empower teenage girls throughout the St. Louis area through speakers, workshops, seminars, trips and special events.

“It’s teaching women to feel good about themselves and be confident,” Taubman said. “I want young women to strive for greatness. When you have a dream and you go after it, it changes your outlook on life.”

Girls Dreaming Big offers varying levels of membership for girls to participate, along with free events open to the public. The highest level of participation includes a trip to a foreign country.

Taubman recently took members on a trip to Bali, where they participated in seminars, service opportunities and sightseeing.

“Traveling is what caused me to dream big, so that’s why one of the first things I did was take the girls to Bali,” Taubman said.

Taubman hopes to provide a positive atmosphere for teenage girls to discuss pertinent issues, along with feeling like part of an encouraging community. She stresses the importance of strong support system throughout the trials and tribulations of teenage years, which she hopes to provide through the efforts of Girls Dreaming Big. Along with Teklu, Taubman feels passionate about the presence of strong female role models, like Yousafzai, to teenage girls. According to Taubman, these role models help others to find strength and confidence.

“Being exposed to strong, successful, smart women empowers young women because it shows them what’s out there and builds their confidence,” Taubman said. “Being around inspiring people gives you the courage to go after your dreams — seeing is believing.” «

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

Saudi women defy the country’s de facto ban women driving. Read more about women’s rights in the Middle East above.

St. Louis, Mo. and Boston, Mass.

St. Louis Cardinals faced the Boston Red Sox in the Major League Baseball World Series.

Southampton, N.Y. Legendary guitarist and vocalist of the Velvet Underground Lou Reed died at age 71 Oct. 27.

Saudi Arabia

Danvers, Mass.

Student Phillip Chism, 14-years-old, was charged with murdering his 24-year-old math teacher.

The Vatican The Vatican suspends Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, dubbed “the bishop of bling,” for his alleged spending of $42 million on his personal residence.

Queensland, Australia Scientists have discovered three previously undocumented species in the northern tip of Queensland. art by AUDREY KOCHER

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NEWS

November 4, 2013

Helping feed the hungry Students serve as packagers at World Food Day

“World Food Day taught me that it takes less than a minute to prepare a meal for people who are struggling to find news editor food for themselves and their families,” sophomore Bianca Yu said. “In only [about] three hours, our table packaged about a thousand meals that could potentially save a thousand ifteen Ladue students participated in the St. Louis World Food Day High School Rally Night this year. lives.”

Teams from over 20 high schools united to participate in The event took place Oct. 11 at John Burroughs the event. The volunteers, clad in hairnets and aprons, stood School from 8 to 11 p.m. in an assembly line to package the food while pop music High School Rally Night is an exclusive opportunity for blasted over the loudspeakers high school students to gather with other teens from the St. the whole time. were] dressed in Louis area to package thouWorld Food Day taught me that it very“[We fashionable hair nets and sands of high-protein meals takes less than a minute to prepare plastic aprons while jamming for domestic consumption.

“I decided to participate a meal for people who are strug- to music, [and] all the high schoolers were bustling with in St. Louis World Food Day gling. In only three hours, our table energy as they talked with because I thought it would be a really great and fun way packaged about a thousand meals friends,” Yu said. “Honestly, the three hours of packaging to help out other people and that could potentially save a thou- wasn’t so bad at all. Sure, my get involved in my school,” back ached a little bit, but the sophomore Alex Reagan said. sand lives.

-sophomore Bianca Yu “I have done a lot of charity time flew by before I knew it.” work before, but nothing The high school volunteers packaged over 75,000 macacompares to St. Louis World Food Day. The energy is unlike roni and cheese protein meals, which were all distributed anything you’ll experience, and it actually is a lot of fun.” domestically. Although the work became exhausting after a World Food Day, celebrated internationally, is dedicated while, many participants believe the knowledge they gained to increasing awareness of global nutrition needs. St. Louis has held a World Food Day commemoration for the past four at World Food Day will last a lifetime. “[I decided to volunteer] because there are too many years. All four years combined, one million meals have been people in need and I wanted to help,” junior Jana Rsumovic assembled, roughly 300,000 of these by high school students said. “It was really fun to help.” « from schools including Clayton, Parkway and MICDS.

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NOTHING BUT NET • Modeling his hairnet and gloves, sophomore Connor McFadden holds a bag of macaroni open. “My favorite part of the event was cheering every time our table filled up another box,” sophomore Bianca Yu said. “We tried to get creative with our cheers, but eventually ended up screaming just like everyone else.” The volunteers stood in an assembly line, each member with their own duty, including holding the bag open, putting in the noodles and cheese and vacuum sealing the bags. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Schuver)

New committee to reduce class sizes

Increasingly large class sizes prompt concern amongst parents, teachers and administration news editor

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sports editor

hysics teacher Richard Witt’s AP Physics Mechanics class consists of 33 students. Last year, one student even brought binoculars to see the board.

Concerns regarding increasing class sizes have been a prevalent issue this year, affecting both teachers and students. The district has made a note of these concerns, establishing a class size committee to discuss and form a plan of action regarding class size. Based on their findings, the committee will present a plan of action to the district administration, who in turn will make a recommendation to the Board of

Education in January in order to make decisions for the 2014-2015 school year.

The class size committee consists of teachers from all Ladue schools, parents and administrators. Witt and principal Brad Griffith represent the high school.

According to Susan Dielmann, director of communication for Ladue Schools, the committee is tasked with studying research about class sizes, the financial implications of changing class sizes, state guidelines and policies and what the minimum and maximum numbers should be at each grade level, based on what the parent community wants and the broader community will support.

“We’re trying to evaluate the impact class sizes have on the achievement of our students,” Witt said.

With the average class size on the rise, the level of student to teacher interaction often decreases. According to Witt, it makes it more difficult to cater to individual student’s needs.

“When I came to Ladue in 2000, my class sizes typically were 20 or less,” Witt said.

“It was unusual for me

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to have a class of, say, 24. I don’t know if that ever happened in the first few years that I taught here. It meant that I was able to get to know the students individually better and also provide them with more instruction and to tailor what I’m doing to what their needs are. And you just can’t do it the more people you have, you’re trying to divide in different ways. It’s not possible to make that same level of interaction with each kid.”

This type of personal interaction is exactly what Witt loves about teaching. He adds that students tend to learn more from teachers that know them on a personal level.

“Being in a huge class can be difficult sometimes because I understand lessons quicker than the rest of the class or vice versa,” sophomore Logan Wolfe said.

“Also, it can be hard to concentrate because there are usually a lot of side conversations, more so than in a smaller class. It seems like [my teacher] has a relationship with all of the students, but it could be stronger if there were fewer students.”

While there are many highly motivated and ambitious students, there are also those who do not share a heightened interest for learning.

Teachers can often lose focus on these student’s educations when in large-class settings.

“The class is definitely harder to learn in, but mostly because there’s a lot of people that don’t try and [my teacher] always has to discipline [the other students],” sophomore Katie Bursack said.

In lab classes, students benefit from small classes with an increased personal focus.

Classes such as Witt’s would be able to spend more time on labs and have smaller lab groups, resulting in a wider availability of resources.

art by ELAINE ZHANG

“How many of my students are going to be physicists?” Witt said. “Probably not many, but they’re all going to be people. But how do we provide support for them without personal interaction?”

However, Witt realizes that sacrifices will have to be made in the complex process of determining ideal class sizes. While small class sizes are ideal, financial and spatial issues bring conflict, and different grades and classes have different needs.

“If you do say, for example, that you want more teachers in K-2, that may mean you have fewer teachers at the high school level or that maybe you don’t have the ability to buy a textbook or not be able to afford computers,” Witt said. “There’s a limited size of pie.” «

November 4, 2013

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NEWS

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National Epilepsy Awareness Month How this disorder impacts our school and community

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Awareness Month and its goals. The National Epilepsy Foundation, in celebration of the month of awareness, is hosting a “Now I Know” video campaign, where people like Taryle can share their experiences with epilepsy.

St. Louis held a Seize the Day 5K in March in support of the cause. Kansas City will host their walk Nov. 10. The walks both include food, entertainment and more.

“In November, we will distribute a calendar of activities that we share with our 3,000 subscribers, have a run/walk in the Kansas City area and sponsor a clothing drive in the health center where we have our offices in Kansas City,” Chief Executive Officer of Epilepsy Foundation of Missouri and Kansas Darla Templeton said.

In another fundraising effort to commemorate the month, the Lou Fusz Automotive Network donated a new Toyota Corolla for a raffle. The raffle will be held Nov. 15, and tickets cost $50.

All of the promotions and fundraisers aside, it is important to remember the true purpose of Epilepsy Awareness Month: to provide support to those with the disorder. Students must acknowledge those with the disorder in order to spread understanding. Senior Hope Williams values awareness of this condition, since epilepsy affects her family.

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“For me, I just got diagnosed recently, three months ago on my birthday,” Taryle said. “I had news writer a seizure in eighth grade, and I had a 70 percent chance of having another one in the next six months, but nothing ever happened. Then I had pilepsy, a disorder of the central nervous system, can cause seizures, a loss of one mid-July this year, so I had to get more tests done.” consciousness and sensory disturbance After this mid-July seizure, Taryle had anamongst other neurological symptoms. Novemother seizure, prompting her doctors to raise her ber marks National Epilepsy Awareness Month. medication dosage. Once a patient has a seizure, Epilepsy affects more than 200,000 children and adults in Missouri, they generally cannot drive for including many Ladue a period of time students, their families My friend has epilepsy and and must avoid and friends. she has had a few seizures, but activities that in“Once a person volve swimming has been diagnosed otherwise, she is just another with epilepsy, they and heights. friend. I would never think of “[Rachel] are normally put on her differently because she has had a few a medication to help seizures, but prevent seizure activhas this condition. otherwise, she ity,” school nurse Kelli Buehner said. “There -senior Haley Bussard is just another friend,” senior are many triggers Haley Bussard said. “I would never think of her to seizure activity which vary individual to differently because she has this condition. She individual, so knowing and avoiding triggers is does a really great job keeping up with all her essential.” medication and is never embarrassed about it, If senior Rachel Taryle doesn’t get enough sleep, her epilepsy is triggered or worsened. which I respect her for.”

Although her friends are very understanding, Doctors were able to diagnose Taryle’s condiTaryle said many people do not fully understand tion by monitoring her abnormal brain activity the condition, so she supports the National during slumber.

“I think [epilepsy is] very misunderstood.

There are a lot of different types of epilepsy, and it affects everyone differently,” Williams said.

“It’s unfair to make generalizations about people with the disorder. People should try to understand and help those with the disorder before judging them.” «

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FEATURES

November 4, 2013

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annual Special Olympics

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Yin and Yang Sparkle Effect shines at

Sophomore Natalie Behrens greatly values the features writer connections that she has made with the other girls. he Sparkle Effect performed in the opening act of the She hopes that these friendannual Special Olympics volleyball tournament Nov. ships continue to develop 1. The Sparkle Effect is a nationwide organization that outside of the dance studio. helps students with special needs perform dance and cheer-based “Throughout the past activities. Each squad consists of both students with special needs few weeks, we have and their typically-developing peers from participating schools. formed great bonds and Sophomore Ali Gold started the Ladue chapter after getting made new friends along the the idea from a local news segment. She knew it was something way,” Behrens said. “The girls support art by JULIANN BI she wanted to pursue, so she began making calls to the organieach other and work together.” zation, and with help from the administration, set it in action.

The relationships the girls have developed create a strong Currently, the squad comprises of 20 girls from both the middle sense of community. By participating in this group, Christeson school and high school and their typically-developing buddies. has made many new friends.

Freshman Shirley Gelman was selected as a buddy for the “Being a part of this group makes me feel a little better about dancers on the squad. She helps them learn new chants, cheers myself,” Christeson said. “...[the cheers] are really fun to learn... and dances.

Just being with others and helping them “My favorite part about and having them help you if you get The Sparkle Effect is relating stuck is amazing.”

Being a part of this group makes to kids with special needs and Gold wished to help girls with disme feel a little better about myhaving fun with them doing abilities be part of all aspects of high self... [the cheers] are really fun what I love most, which is school with this performance. By providdancing,” Gelman said. “I got ing them with the opportunity to act to learn... Just being with others involved with The Sparkle as leaders, Gold hoped to increase and and helping them and having Effect because dancing is my develop their confidence. them help you if you get stuck is passion, and I love to share “It is really incredible to incorporate that with others.” such amazing girls into high school life amazing.

The Sparkle Effect meets and see how ecstatic they are to be a part - junior Nora Christeson in the dance studio on Monof a team,” Gold said. days after school. Members worked diligently since the beginning Freshmen Fiona Vetter, Jacob Cytron and Melissa Melnick of the school year to perfect their cheers and dances for their were on the games management team for the Special Olympics.

Special Olympics performance.

Vetter was excited to see how much fun all the students had while “To prepare, we basically just work[ed] out our cheers and playing these games. fix[ed] what we need[ed] to improve on,” junior Nora Christeson “I think the Special Olympics are special because the Ladue said. “But we [had] fun at the same time, bonding and doing all students get as much out of it as the students who come from that stuff with each other.” other schools,” Vetter said. «

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n kindergarten it starts out with who can cut out their shapes the most accurately. In second grade it becomes more clear with timed multiplication tests and Idea Lab. Before we know it, it becomes ingrained in our minds. What is it I’m referring to? Success and its counterpart: competition. From a young age, we are exposed to the idea that we must excel, strive for perfection and be “the best.” And how do we determine if we’ve achieved these embodiments? We compare ourselves to our peers.

The high school environment naturally fosters competition; this is the time we have to prove ourselves to our peers, our teachers and most importantly, to prospective colleges.

And to an extent, competition is crucial. It’s what motivates us to do well in school, stimulates new means of thinking and forces us to dedicate ourselves to tasks. It prevents us from playing hooky for a few days to watch reruns of “Game of Thrones” or “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Competition has the ability to create motivated students and produce positive outcomes; however, our generation seems to have distorted the idea of a healthy, competitive environment. Instead of allowing it to give us a small push every now and then, we let competitiveness consume our activities. We use the justification that if we are not competitive, we fail to distinguish ourselves from our peers. Thus, we fight each other for leadership positions, honor group selections, varsity playing time and ultimately, college seats. Additionally, we’ve allowed it to contaminate almost everything we do. Many times, clubs or interests that we pursue out of passion evolve into our greatest stresses because we want to prove ourselves and boast that we are good at what we like.

And let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a little bit of recognition and glory?

However, there comes a point where ambition drives us mad. It can transform our good intentions and can cause us to isolate ourselves from people. But when do we step over the line between healthy competition into crazy world? It’s easy to point out the flaw in others, but unfortunately the line gets pretty blurred when we ourselves get wrapped up in all the logistics of a situation.

Nonetheless, it is necessary that every once in a while we stop and examine the motives behind our decisions. Do we participate in activities because we like them, or is it because we are good at them and if so, is it something we feel like we must constantly prove ourselves in? If we fall into the latter group, we need to recognize that our choice to participate can quickly become unhealthy and take a break before we allow competition to consume the aspects we love.

Additionally, the urge to become more competitive can be subdued with optimistic thinking. Instead of listening to the little voice in our heads that says we aren’t “good enough,” we should acknowledge our previous accomplishments and take pride in what we have already achieved.

Drive is something that cannot be exterminated completely from our lives. However, because it can quickly get out of control, we must keep our competitive nature in check and try to keep these yin and yang forces balanced. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

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#DoubleTake teacher edition Instead of looking for students who resemble celebrities, Panorama scoured the halls for students who look like teachers. Check out this special double take edition!

Know someone who should be in the double take? Scan the QR code or visit laduetoday.com/ double-take to submit your suggestions! sophomore Kyle Cook

senior Ellie Pinto

teacher Sima Oberlander

senior Mallory Evans

teacher Richard Witt

principal Elizabeth Grana

(Photos by Sarah Jacob)

panorama

Unwrapping the Musical Mystery

Fall play succeeds under new theater director Michael Pecka

“I [cannot] even begin to say enough about the outstanding character and commitment of the students involved,” Pecka said.

“They all really pull[ed] together to help out the ‘new guy.’”

In preparation, the cast ran the show and paused to make ou can never go wrong with a classic who-done-it. Howcorrections when necessary. They also engaged in special acting ever, theater students and new theater director Michael activities, such as improvisation, in order to get into character.

Pecka took a new spin on the serious murder mystery “The characters in the show are really strange and pretty much genre with their performance of “The Musical Comedy Murders caricatures of typical theater people,” senior Antonio Zapiainof 1940.”

Luna said.

“I am always excited to Several changes were work on comedies, but the made with Pecka as the best part [was] seeing the new director. The play was actors take ownership in the performed on the main stage play,” Pecka said. “They rather than in the Black Box add[ed] all sorts of hilarious theater. Major efforts were individual character traits.” put into making the set, The plot of the play is simprops, costumes and lighting ilar to the board game “Clue,” exceptional. Custom-making in which the players try to book shelves from scratch solve the mystery of whoand painting them by hand done-it. However, because of were part of the extensive each characters’ specific and effort put into the set. dysfunctional attributes, this “We built entrances to play contradicts the typical secret passages on the set,” serious murder mystery tone.

PIANO MAN • Deep into their characters, juniors Jarami Cal- Zapiain-Luna said. “It’s re“There’s a group of poten- houn and Jack Lavey and seniors Chris Shirar, Hope Williams and ally cool because they look tial producers gathered in a like the bookcases and cabiSam Israel get to the bottom of the case of the Stage Door Slasher secluded house for a backers’ in the fall play, “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.” (Photo by nets from ‘Scooby-Doo.’” audition to watch a readThe theater students Emma Weller) through of a new show,” junior stepped out of their comfort Jack Lavey said. “If they like what they see, they ‘back’ the show zone to make this play the best it could be. Pecka brought a fresh, by paying for it’s production. But there’s a killer loose, and hilarnew style that he instilled among the cast. ity ensues.”

“The cast was so excited to work in a different way than Pecka has had a positive influence on these theater students. they’re used to,” senior Lily Kennedy said. “Changing the proHe strives to help the actors think in different ways. cess gave us a new challenge, and everyone learn[ed] a lot.” « features writer

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FEATURES

7

What you didn’t know about...

Michael Pecka

(Photo by Jeanne Wilkinson)

November 4, 2013

Q: Was there any particular event that inspired you to become a director?

A: When I was in high school, the very first play that I got involved with was “Fiddler On the Roof.” I ran the curtain backstage for the show, and I remember thinking how cool it was to be a part of it. I’ve been hooked ever since then.

Q: From every role you’ve had, is there any one line that stands out?

A: “I am Zeus, god of gods, creator of the universe,” from the one-act play, “God.”

Q: If you could live in any decade, which decade would you live in?

A: Probably the ’50s because of the cars. When I was in high school, I used to work on British sports cars. That was such a part of the culture back in the ’50s, and I think it would have been fun as a teenager.

Q: What’s your dream vacation?

A: To spend a month traveling out west, going to all the national parks and being able to spend some time with nature.

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panorama

A&E

November 4, 2013

St. Louis Manifesto a&e 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. « (Photo by Alli Loynd)

the 1968 Exhibit

(Photo by Karen Figenshau)

St. Louis History Museum

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any teenagers have less than fond recollections of elementary school field trips to museums, but the 1968 Exhibit at the St. Louis History Museum will replace all those negative memories. The exhibit immerses you in the revolutionary year with Vietnam War relics and accounts, civil rights footage and examples of popular culture from television shows to clothing to iconic bands. While many museum displays have linear layouts, the scrambled arrangement of the 1968 Exhibit allows you to go at your own pace without pressure from others to rush on. The thoughtprovoking narratives and letters of soldiers in the Vietnam War are balanced by the displays of quintessential clothing styles boasting humorous pinback buttons. For eight dollars, you can test your knowledge of Jimi Hendrix and watch videos of civil news reports from the Tet Offensive. «

Hoffman LaChance Contemporary 2713 Sutton Place

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n weekend afternoons, you can go see the work of St. Louisans at a small art gallery in Maplewood, Hoffman LaChance Contemporary. Artists like Peat Wollaeger, better known as EYEZ, have art displayed. Many of us recognize Wollaeger’s work from all over the city, especially the wall covered in his eyes in the Delmar Loop. You can closely observe his work in photographs at Hoffman LaChance. You will be able to associate names with the familiar styles you recall seeing throughout the city. The bright, one room venue allows for simple viewing unencumbered by embellishments. While the pieces are too expensive to purchase, it is fun to admire the work of fellow St. Louisans. With constantly changing exhibitions, patrons can return monthly to see new art. «

Strange Donuts

(Photo by Karen Figenshau)

2709 Sutton Blvd

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tepping into Strange Donuts, after waiting in the line reaching down the sidewalk among fellow devout doughnut fans, you realize you are in for a truly unique experience. From the splatter painted walls to the tattooed 20- and 30-somethings taking orders behind the counter to the 12 doughnuts-of-the-day written on the chalk board, Strange Donuts differentiates itself from your traditional doughnut joint. Daily, six traditional doughnuts are offered along with six creations that live up to their motto, “stay strange.” They have recently gained the most recognition for their take on a St. Louis classic with their Gooey Butter Doughnut. They make a plain cake doughnut decadently delicious with heaping amounts of butter and powdered sugar. The ingenuitive recipes offer newness and surprises daily, and the friendly staff provides for the breakfast of champions or an exciting late-night snack. «

panorama

November 4, 2013

A&E

9

Autumnal changes ar rive Releases from Arcade Fire, with anticipated music Lady Gaga, Eminem, all from multiple genres within thirty days of fall a&e editor

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rom pop to indie rock to rap, there’s a musical release for everyone this fall. Will these releases live up to fans’ expectations? Some are high, some are low and some don’t care as long as the artist tours behind the record. I’m here to put in my two cents.

The last time Arcade Fire delivered their fans a record, they were left with one of the best albums of the decade. “The Suburbs” was outspoken, eerie, catchy and moving. It won “Album of the Year” at the Grammys, like that means anything, but an impressive feat for an indie band nonetheless. They are a band that has very high hopes from their now enlarged fan base. Songs like “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” pulled them into the eyes of the mainstream rock fans. The posse of creative Canadians are releasing “Reflektor,” with only the single “Reflektor” to give away the sound of the album. I don’t have a problem with that; this seven minute long jam has hooky guitar licks, groovy trumpet bridges and lead man Win Butler’s haunting vocals. His wife and fellow band leader, Régine Chassagne, is also vocally prominent throughout the choruses. And making a cameo around the five-minute mark is David Bowie, a musical icon and a fan of the Bowie-inspired rock group. LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy is producing the album, hinting at a turn for the electric. The other single that has been released, “Afterlife,” sounds very different

from “Reflektor,” in the sense that all electric sounds are absent and it has more of an indie rock feeling. Other promising tracks include “Normal Person” and “We Exist,” both showcasing a new sound for the innovative group. Needless to say, this song has accomplished exactly what Arcade Fire had hoped for: hype through the roof and expectations for something new. The fans need not worry about a recycled album.

Seventeen years have past since Slim Shady released his debut album.

His career has spawned countless hits and given him permananent praise in not only the rap genre, but the music industry in general. That said, its a bit concerning that Eminem is 41-years-old and is still so popular in the rap industry.

But he is, and his eighth album is being released art by AUDREY KOCHER Nov. 5. His single “Bezerk” is a high energy, party track that samples Billy Squire’s 1981 hit “The Stroke.” So far, the song has received impressive amounts of air time and fans are claiming that he is returning

A Kindt-erview

to his roots, which can only mean a successful sales return. The first single off the album is loud and unapologetic. Eminem is his usual crude self in this fast-paced piece of nostalgia. The song “Survival” was also teased in a Call of Duty trailer in May. At this point, Lady Gaga has such a hardcore fan base that she could release 40 minutes of a broken synth thumping along to a beat and call it “Being Yourself” and bam, it’s the highest selling record of the decade. Although, her single “Applause” suggests that she has no intention of doing that. “Applause” is an electronically-influenced track about the critics, but more significantly, the love from her fans and how it fuels her. This is a fun track, but in my opinion, lacking compared to previous singles. Songs like “Poker Face” and “Paparazzi” are what shot the odd singer’s popularity through the roof, and I’m afraid “Applause” doesn’t stand up to the creativity and catchiness of those tracks. However, it isn’t fair to let one mediocre track speak for the whole album. Gaga is out of the rookie game, now on her third album. Let’s give the meat-wearing pop icon another chance.

2013 has been a great year for music. Acclaimed records from artists like Vampire Weekend, Daft Punk, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake and The Arctic Monkeys made this year a very unique one. Huge blowout tours from big named artists like Muse, Wilco, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and Fall Out Boy lit up Saint Louis. I can only hope that 2014 will be able to follow suit. «

A s i t d ow n wi th for me r LHWHS teacher K arl Kind t a&e writer

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or those who were never fortunate enough to have Karl Kindt IV in the classroom, he taught Advanced Literary Analysis, Film Analysis and Science Fiction and Satire up until last year when he was transferred to the middle school to be the technology coordinator. He published his first novel, “The Immortal Society,” back in October 2010. I asked him a few questions about his book and his new life.

Andrew Tsiaklides: How many books have you written?

Karl Kindt: It depends what you mean by “books...” I’ve written several, but only had one published so far. “The Immortal Society” is my only published book.

AT: What is your book about?

KK: “The Immortal Society” is set in the United States about 40 years from now when citizens can buy “immortality insurance” so they can live forever; however, this means the U.S. no longer has enough money to fund N.A.S.A., so the U.S. no longer does space exploration. It’s about a society that has become so inward focused on itself, it lost the leadership role in the world.

AT: Sounds like there is some contemporary political commentary in there.

KK: Yes, there is. The U.S. is ceding its leadership role in the world in favor of taking care of itself through [policies] like Obamacare.

AT: How did you come up with the idea and how did you research it?

KK: I read “Wired Magazine,” books about science like “Chaos,” and I read a ton of science fiction, which helped me with “The Immortal Society.”

AT: C.S. Lewis puts tons of Christian symbolism in his books; did you do the same with this one at all?

KK: Yes, but even more subtly than C.S. Lewis did. I couldn’t hold a candle to Lewis, who was a genius. I’m just more subtle about my Christian symbolism in my fiction. Maybe too subtle.

AT: Has your book been well received by critics? Your family?

KK: Unfortunately I had health and family issues when “The Immortal Society” was released that prevented me from fully promoting it. This means I’ve not gotten myself the full critical exposure I hoped for, but for those who have reviewed it, it has been critically approved.

AT: Have you made any monetary gains on it?

KK: Not enough to quit my day job. So it’s good I like my day job! There are only about 1,000 people in the world who can just make their living off of just writing novels. You have to become a big time best selling author... and even then most authors still do other things to make more money.

AT: What’s the next book you’re working on?

KK: My next one to be published will be “The Quick, the Dead and the Undead.” It’s about a ninja, a Nazi and an archaeologist and how their paths merge in a historical fiction set before and during World War II. It also has pirates, zombies and the Kraken.

It has a touch of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade about it, but there’s no magic. It’s all weird science.

AT: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

KK: I’ll be retired and in Melbourne watching Australian rules football live and saying “g’day” to everyone I meet.

(Photo from amazon.com) AT: Are you still an avid rugby and Android fan?

KK: Yes, I watch streaming rugby from around the world every week. I usually use an Android device to do this, but sometimes I use an iOS or MacOS device.

AT: Have you actually played a game of rugby yet?

KK: I will never play rugby for real because my wife won’t let me.

AT: Why not?

KK: She doesn’t want me to get hurt. I guess she loves me or something. «

10

OPINIONS

panorama

Staff EDITORIAL In a school brimming with self-proclaimed young leaders, there is a lack of social leadership regarding underage drinking.

Every teenager has heard countless times that drunk-driving is dangerous or that indulging in excessive amounts of alcohol will be harmful to their future, but how many kids effectively act on this information?

Decisions made by kids are not based on the ultimate repercussions of their actions, but how appealing they are at that time. Such unthoughtful decision-making processes may end up causing dire and grave consequences. Actions must be taken on the subject of underage drinking not as a consequence of tragedy, but as preemptive strikes, before anything happens, to deter any possible accidents.

Alcohol does not only impair one’s ability to drive, but also derails one’s decision-making skills. This concept is most recently highlighted by a Maryville, Mo. high school student who reported she was allegedly sexually assaulted while intoxicated.

Some efforts are made by students to ensure the safety of others, including the occasional act of taking one’s keys away or assigning a designated driver. In situations that involve teenagers, alcohol and driving, there is no room for flaws. When the consequence is as severe as death, actions must be made to ensure sound decision-making at all times and not “most of the time.”

It is not, nor should it be, the school’s responsibility to make sure students are making safe choices on the weekends. Parents attempt to prevent any possible dangerous decisions, but they are not present when teenagers actually make these decisions. This leaves teens responsible for their own safety.

Accidents involving alcohol are especially devastating because they are preventable. Thus, teenagers need to take precautions to ensure their own safety and their peers’ safety, yet teens can falter when they have sole responsibility for their actions.

Student body must cooperate, take necessary steps to prevent accidents involving alcohol

The only surefire preventative of teenage drunk-driving accidents is to completely eliminate alcohol from the equation. This is ideal and highly-appealing to many parents, teachers and even students. But despite limited access, most teenagers will find a way to drink alcohol if they choose to.

While it may not be considered cool to some students to advocate against drinking, it certainly would not be any cooler to witness a friend harm himself in a situation that could have been avoided. If one is given the opportunity to prevent an intoxicated person from making any bad decisions, by all means he must do so. Whether it be a friend, peer or a stranger at a party, actions should always be made to look out for one another.

Close friend groups often have different methods of ensuring that no one will be put in a position where they have to drive under the influence. Some groups rely on designating a driver, arranging a place to sleep or calling cabs to prevent drunk driving.

Such plans should be discussed between friends in order to make sure that only sober friends drive.

It may be hard to imagine, but our parents were our ages at one point. Most parents do not condone drinking in any way, but that does not mean they should be uninformed. In fact it is highly beneficial that parents know of their kids’ plans to avoid drunkdriving. Parents may view their kids as more responsible for looking after their own safety and will probably rest assured that their children will not be driving drunk or be passengers with anyone who is driving drunk.

Often times, parents tell their kids that they can call them for a ride if they cannot drive. Many teens are hesitant to use their parents as chauffeurs while intoxicated as they are scared their parents will be mad or disapprove. Despite the teens’ perceptions, parents would rather see their belligerently drunk teenager in the passenger seat of their car than in the emergency room.

Staff EDITORIAL Our school offers a lot of extracurricular activities. There are volunteer organizations like Habitat for Humanity or the Hunger Outreach Project, academic groups like DECA or Model United Nations, and national organizations like Mu Alpha Theta or the newly formed Spanish Honor Society. There are even some clubs that are just for fun.

Unfortunately, few students actually participate in clubs for fun anymore. As more and more students feel pressured to get into elite colleges, clubs are less for entertainment and more for college applications.

For those who don’t know, the Common Application has a section for extracurricular activities that allows space for 10 items.

To some extent, this is an opportunity for colleges to eliminate candidates who achieve good grades and test scores but go straight home after school is over to play video games for the rest of the day. It was never intended to be the source of student bragging rights nor was it intended to be the sole reason a student joined a club.

Many students would vehemently deny that they are participating in clubs merely for the sake of college. They would claim that they are doing clubs purely because they enjoy them. That could be true and probably is true for some students. However, very few people ever look like they are having any fun while participating in one of these activities. And why would they?

Many clubs take up a lot of time. Some, particularly academic clubs like Science Olympiad or Quizbowl, require a great deal of work, often because of increased pressure to win the accompanying competitions. And let’s be realistic: many people abuse honor societies and use them as “résumé stuffers.” Some use bothersome requirements to maintain membership. Most clubs are just sources for increased amounts of work and stress. This explains why so many seniors, after they are admitted to college, quit their clubs or at the very least, devote far less attention to them. If these people are really so passionate about their activities, why would they quit?

Obviously, extracurricular activities are a large part of college résumés. However, many students are taking the wrong approach when choosing clubs. Clubs should be interesting.

November 4, 2013

art by MATTHEW HOOPER

(Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of Panorama staff.)

‘Résumé-building’ eliminates enjoyment, passion in students’ high school experience

Students have four years of high school; they might as well enjoy themselves. Why suffer through a club for several months just to add it to the Common Application? Clubs require significant time commitments. Students should value their time and satisfaction over the length of their activities lists.

art by TING DING

Parents only have limited influence on their children to prevent drinking and mental impairment. It is left upon the shoulders of students to determine how much they value their lives when it comes to making wise decisions regarding drinking and preventing accidents and tragedies. The student body must to take all necessary steps to prevent accidents involving alcohol before an accident harms one of its own. «

To many colleges, the trick is quality over quantity anyway.

It’s less important to fill out every available spot for activities. It’s far more important to be really dedicated to just a few. As much as students believe they can be devoted to 15 things at a time, they are wrong; some of them will have to curtail their activities.

At that point, they’re only hurting the club and its other members.

If students are dissatisfied with Ladue’s current offerings, they can easily create new clubs with a faculty sponsor and a couple of other members. Students can demonstrate leadership and initiative and even enjoy themselves more than the student who is involved in countless clubs. The activities office has forms and resources available to students interested in starting their own clubs, but unfortunately, few students take advantage of our school’s resources.

Not everyone in a school club is participating to bolster their college résumé. People who are in Club Asia or Robotics probably are enjoying every minute of it and those in Habitat for Humanity, Sixth Grade Homework Club and many other service organizations seem to be genuinely interested in doing volunteer work for the community. Those who aren’t should consider just one thing: colleges prefer students who demonstrate sustained interest in their extracurricular activities. Résumé-builders might falter in interviews if they are asked why they liked certain extracurricular activities. Instead of focusing on a handful of activities for all four years, they make ephemeral commitments to several activities, joining and quitting them as they please. Résumé-building may sound beneficial, but the most important goal in high school should be to identify one’s interests and find clubs that are conducive to exploring those interests.

More importantly, students and teachers do notice if a student actually likes a club or if he is just there to build his résumé. At some point, students must value their enjoyment of their high school experiences over their desire to list tons of extracurricular activities on their college applications.

Résumé-building may seem beneficial, but insincere interest in clubs will only hurt students who follow this trend. « (Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of Panorama staff.)

panorama

November 4, 2013

OPINIONS

11

The case for later start times: The Fig Picture Change daily schedule to improve student morale and engagement eration to change start times, which would help students get more sleep and eat nutritious breakfasts, thereby allowing them to have more mental stamina throughout the day. It is also likely that they would be less inclined to go home and nap after dying for the opportunity during each class. If students are less likely to immediately fall asleep when they return home, they could finish their homework earlier and fall asleep earlier. Students would be more robust during the week and would benefit from sufficient sleep. Moving the start time would affect productivity and morale, two keys to academic success.

Teachers would benefit from the change as well. Surely, having received enough sleep, a teacher would be in a better mood, translating to more interesting lessons. And if all of their ideas fell upon a class full of well rested students, it would be much easier to teach.

Although students are used to waking up early to go to school, district administrators should entertain the idea of starting school later. It is time to defy the status quo and better accommodate students’ and teachers’ needs by changing the school’s start times. «

opinions writer

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adue’s classes are 90 minutes, jam packed with vital information and filled with sleepy kids.

If every piece of information on school start times suggests that starting later would only benefit students’ ability to learn, then why have we ignored the facts and pushed the start time five minutes earlier? Students would benefit from a later start time with higher retention of information, less stress and increased productivity.

There were a total of 51 tardies for first block Thursday, Oct. 17. The large number seems quite unrealistic at first. One might ask the question, “Why so many?” It is simply hard to arrive at school on time when school starts so early. Because students are rushed, they create traffic jams near the school around 7:30 a.m., which are major contributors to tardies.

Waking up early also comes at the expense of a good morning breakfast. Hunger can distract students and make them cranky.

These problems, which can be attributed to art by AUDREY KOCHER early start times, ultimately affect student productivity and morale throughout the October issue corrections: day. Later start times would help students feel more relaxed in the • on pg. 2, Jonathan Collins’ and Shahrukh Naseer’s names morning and reduce stress. were misspelled In addition, at the start of most first-hour classes, there is a • on pg. 2, Madison Barker was incorrectly identified as both period of confusion which leads to wasted time. As the day goes Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen. Senior Connor on and students become more exhausted, these periods of wasted Spirtas was Homecoming King. time do not only exist during the start of each class, but begin • on pg. 2, Mary Xiao’s art was uncredited. to accumulate throughout the day. During the long hours, an • on pg. 5, both photos are courtesy of Melody Frese. occasional lecture will surely lull half the class to sleep: heads • on pg. 6, Alex Hahn was incorrectly identified as a junior. He down on desks, eyes closed, minds shut off. It really is hard to is a sophomore. learn anything from a teacher when one is asleep. Students with • on pg. 7, Mariam Salib’s and Yifan Zhou’s names were mismore energy tend to be more engaged. According to the American spelled.

Academy of Pediatrics, teens have an average attention span of • on pg. 8, the four photos in the gray box were uncredited.

15 to 20 minutes. By the end of a 90-minute period, no one can They were courtesy of Kenzie Bussard, Carly Rosenthal, Abby blame students for falling on their faces.

Miller and Emily Dove.

Scientific trials reaffirm the importance of sleep and its effect • on pg. 8, Mariana Leon-Pastore’s name was misspelled. on mental health. Studies conducted by the World Health Organi• on pg. 8, the photos of the Homecoming Court should be zation indicate that sufficient sleep prevents depression and stress. credited to Jeanne Wilkinson.

According to the Massachusetts General Hospital School Psy• on pg. 16, Juliann Bi was incorrectly credited as an opinions chiatry Program, tired people are less patient and easily agitated, editor. She is an opinions writer. which can increase their stress. This evidence warrants a considSPORTS EDITORS Aaron Bry Jason Kaplan

(Photo by Jillian Proehl)

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. «

ART EDITORS Audrey Kocher Ashley Turner

BUSINESS MANAGERS Andrew Cherrick Nick Nash WEB MASTER Warren Biest

WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Justin Cole

PLEASE RECYCLE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Chloe An Emily Biest A&E Editors Karen Figenshau Charlie Garside

Features Editors Sarah Jacob Sabrina Medler News Editors Ali Gold Alli Loynd

Opinions Editors Annie Cohen Mike Figenshau PHOTO EDITORS Elyse Mack Jeanne Wilkinson

WEB EDITORS Yoav Kadan Rachel Wagner-Muns Sarah Kessel WRITERS Juliann Bi Will Deutch Salim Douaihy Hannah Frankel Levi Greenberg Hayden Hunt

Jacob Jacob Bram Levy Michael Petersen Hannah Schwartz Janey Sheth Hannah Snidman Andrew Tsiaklides WEB WRITER Henok Getahun

PHOTOGRAPHERS Sydney Ellis Sammy Leary Magda Lijowska Jessica Puyo Jenna Shanker Danielle Thompson Emma Weller ARTISTS Juliann Bi Ting Ding Matthew Hooper Mary Xiao Elaine Zhang Eric Zhu ADVISER Jillian Proehl

art by AUDREY KOCHER

Popping the Bubble Wrap opinions editor

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olitical correctness saps the vigor, frankness and clarity from society’s discourse. Bubble Wrapping our society with political correctness has become less about restoring clarity to language than about providing cover for offensive words, ideas and actions. Language should let people say what they mean, but if what they mean is mean-spirited, we ought not diminish that by calling it simply “politically incorrect.”

Consider: Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson says blacks are intellectually inferior. Media call it politically incorrect. Don Imus insults women and blacks. Media call it politically incorrect. Rush Limbaugh makes fun of Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease tremors. Media call it politically incorrect. Rosie O’Donnell mocks the Chinese. Media call it politically incorrect.

The net effect is to equate that which is demeaning and malicious with that which is merely risqué. I concede that there is a qualitative difference between using language that has been superseded and flat-out bullying those who are marginalized. But while it may seem like a slippery slope to lift the pressure of political correctness, those who are smart know what is appropriate to say and will typically restrict themselves to what is considered politically correct.

The harsh reality is that not everybody speaks nicely, and they are allowed to under the First Amendment. If someone wants to make a blatantly offensive comment, he should be allowed to, for the consequences he suffers will far outweigh the pain endured by those he offends.

Now, here’s the confusing part of political correctness: finger pointing and blaming others is tolerated, even encouraged. Leaders blame their predecessors; parents blame teachers; society blames victims. It’s everybody’s fault but whoever is really responsible. That’s because nobody is accountable. There are no enemies or bad guys. That wouldn’t be inclusive. Including them will fix them.

The solution to the problem is twofold: first, people should try not to be personally offended by blatantly disrespectful remarks. Hypersensitivity to offensive statements exacerbates the urge to censor material. Second, individuals and institutions need to install filters instead of having the media filter their statements for them, which can alter the intent of the statements. They can most likely convey their opinions passionately, but will still learn to understand what is considered appropriate and inappropriate. The media and the public need to cooperate to reform what constitutes political correctness and restore accuracy and truth to discourse.

With political correctness, everything has to be filtered to ensure no one is offended or gets into trouble. That slows down information processing, waters down communication, strips out critical data and dilutes meaning. As a result, it undermines genuine understanding and effective decisionmaking. Political correctness wrings out controversial statements as if they are sponges, eliminating substance, passion and vigor from discourse. Instead of letting individuals or organizations be criticized to the fullest extent, political correctness attempts to proactively protect those who will be offended. Instead, political correctness protects these individuals and corporations by prohibiting them from saying what they really mean. By watering down controversial statements, the media not only obscure the true intent behind them, but prevent progress toward more respectful speech by artificially rectifying any issues. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

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panorama

OPINIONS

Annie-way...

The fall of the music industry If artists want their songs to stand the test of time, they’d better start singing a different tune opinions writer

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art by AUDREY KOCHER

The good old days opinions editor

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y absolute favorite book in the universe is J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye.” I’ve read it backwards and forwards many times, and I find something new to marvel at with each reading. However, the thing that has stood out the most to me since the very first time I read this book was the hauntingly poignant final line. The narrator and protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is reflecting on his tumultuous past when he abruptly advises the reader, “It’s funny. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”

Now, this quote of Holden’s is characteristically somber and vague, but there is an unavoidable ring of truth in it. We all live in the present, but our past is what molds us into the people that we are. We all carry around with us the earlier versions of ourselves. Those pictures of you with braces and glasses? That person is still you. Sure, we become wiser and more experienced with age. We grow more sophisticated, and we tend to make better clothing choices (no more denim skirts with Uggs, thank goodness). Despite all of these favorable developments, there’s always a part of us that yearns for a return to a simpler time.

Remember elementary school? Coming home, putting in a good half an hour of homework, then playing outside until dinner. We took those years for granted back when we were living them, but how much would you give for a carefree evening like that today?

Occasionally, I even find myself missing things from the past that I bemoaned at the time. For example, between DVR and Netflix, I have infinite options at any given moment when it comes to television. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great thing. But sometimes, maybe after one too many episodes of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” I’ll catch myself reminiscing about the days of yore, where a TV show was just a TV show. It had commercials, it was on at a scheduled time, and you watched it, then moved on. It taught us patience, it built character. There was no binge watching, no fast forwarding. And was it really that awful?

I hate to sound like a crochety old man, but this idea goes for cell phones too. Can you believe that the omnipresent iPhone has only been around for about five years? In 2007, it was still a total novelty. I remember my seventh grade English teacher had one that the entire class would gape at enviously.

Little did we know that within a few years, we would be gawking at the people who (gasp!) didn’t have an iPhone.

Let me be clear, I love living in 2013. I love being able to watch “Arrested Development” whenever I please. I love being able to incessessantly text my friends. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t feel a brief pang of sadness when recalling what life was like back in the good old days. Who wouldn’t occasionally want to return to a world of less homework, less stress and less twerking?

So Holden is correct. Reconciling the past with the present is complicated. It can be quite difficult to be both in touch with our pasts and to be looking ahead toward our futures. But that’s just the way life works. « (This column reflects the opinion of the writer.)

November 4, 2013

he music industry has a problem. A major problem. If you need proof, just google “Miley Cyrus” and see what comes up. Spoiler alert: it ain’t pretty.

It’s relatively simple to pluck out the musical fiascos of the century, what with the expansion of the media. For simplicity’s sake, let’s consider this year’s Video Music Awards. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the polarizing Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke performance. While some herald the two entertainers as “artists” who are “just expressing themselves,” the fact is that Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke’s display has caused a permanent loss of hope for the modern music and dance industry.

First off, Cyrus’s song “We Can’t Stop” coupled with the accompanying music video targets an adolescent audience. Since when was it a socially acceptable act to encourage explicit dancing, the use of drugs and getting utterly wasted? The same goes for her other song that’s been making headlines, “Wrecking Ball.”

We’ve all been naked in a construction site licking hammers, right? Wrong. What happened to the songs that made people think and feel on a deeper level about love, hate and mortality?

Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” is no exception to this problem: it seems like the norm has skewed toward churning out catchy songs about substance abuse and libido. Freedom of expression in our country is an unequivocal right, but there’s a moral limit to what we can put out on public screens.

Improper presentation and deficient lyrics aren’t the only problems that accompany many modern compositions; the issue of redundancy is just as grave. How many times have people mistaken one song’s melody for another’s? The past few years have witnessed an assimilation of pop music: by rhythm, form and implementation of instruments. Many pop pieces include a continuous background beat, typically composed of a percussion apparatus, and follow the “solo-chorussolo-chorus” format so frequently that a listener who has never heard a song can guess the notes and words that are coming next.

Next, the instruments, or lack thereof, that modern music producers utilize the most are the usual piano or guitar, and more frequently now, auto-tune and synthesizers.

Anything deviating from these instruments seems to be taboo, and this adds to the banality of the music industry. That’s why songs like “Secrets” by OneRepublic and “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities attract such a large array of fans: the former is characterized by its imitation of a timeless cello solo by J.S. Bach while the latter features unconventional trumpet solos.

With the slip-ups of modern music exposed, the next move is to reverse the trends. Of course, we must have some kind of a paradigm, an epitome of good music to

follow at this point. Recently, amidst the assembly-line song industry, a 16-year-old New Zealand singer-songwriter by the name of Ella Maria Yani Yelich-O’Connor, more commonly known by her stage name Lorde, has gained international renown from her hit single, “Royals.” Taking a closer look, the song is relatively simple compared to others of its kind, devoid of complex instrumental enhancements. It consists of a plain bass beat accompanied by the snaps of fingers, which embody the background of the harmonization of several alto and soprano melodies. In addition, the song makes an iconic social commentary on the vanity and colorlessness of excessive wealth. Though it was the product of a collaborative effort between Lorde and Joel Little, another New Zealand musician, it stands out against the run-of-the-mill songs of the century. Even beyond this, it also expresses Lorde’s personal viewpoint of a salient and timeless social discrepancy.

An easier way to characterize good music is its life, or how long it lasts. Will the public’s “Billboard Hot 100” still be so hot in a year or two? A decade? Half a century? Songs that have survived since the 1960s, like “Hey Jude” by the Beatles, are still being sung for live auditions today, and not just in Englishspeaking countries. Other songs of that era that are still recurring in modern performances and movies include “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel and various Broadway pieces such as “Seasons of Love” (recently covered by the “Glee” cast) from “Rent” and “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables.”

These are the songs that weren’t just “cool” when we first heard them; they are the songs that appealed to us on a deeper level than simply causing us to subconsciously bob our heads up and down. They’re the type of songs that can instantly connect two strangers who love good music, no matter what language either of them speaks, or the different backgrounds they come from.

The originality of music is characterized by recycling ideas, learning from various gaffes, and putting it all together in an effective, comprehensive and personal manner. This is the problem with today’s music: a loss of originality, unless one can call salacious, repetitive lyrics and an overuse of auto-tune original.

Within the last few years, songs have been exhibiting less and less of the parameters that identify an innovative composition, and are in dire need of a reorientation.

Everything’s so decorated and formulated that artists are beginning to forget that sometimes, when it comes to music, less is more. « art by ERIC ZHU

panorama

November 4, 2013

OPINIONS

13

To date or not to date?

Go for it! Dating helps teens learn valuable social skills opinions writer

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ountless high school movies depict the tumultuous world of high school dating. There’s the classic “Clueless,” where Cher finds herself meddling in her friends’ relationships and struggling in her own, “Mean Girls” with the rock-solid relationship between Regina George and Aaron Samuels (although she cheats on him every Wednesday in the projection room above the auditorium) and “Grease,” where Sandy and Danny have a perfect summer fling and somehow manage to sing in perfect key at the drop of a hat during school. As unpredictable and stressful as they may often end up, high school relationships build character and prepare teenagers for the real deal in college and beyond.

Apart from the three percent of people who actually marry their high school sweetheart, most people know right from the start of a high school relationship that it won’t last forever. Other generations scoff at this outward acknowledgment that a relationship is doomed to fail. Why waste your time?

Finding a future husband or wife is not the purpose of teenage dating, but high school relationships can help with future dating when it actually matters. Like playing a sport, high school is the perfect time to practice before the big game. Without dating at all as a teenager, a 20- or 30-year-old will feel much less sure of themselves when dates could possibly become a future spouse.

Simple details like who pays, who calls and what not to say on dates are learned during high school “amateur hour,” where messing up doesn’t have large consequences. Nobody wants to make rookie mistakes later on. Mastering the first date early in

life makes for a much easier time in the future, where the stakes may be much higher.

Although high school students aren’t exactly known for their maturity, dating during this time serves as a learning opportunity and a crash course in the thought processes of the opposite sex.

Members of both genders can figure out what to say (and what not to say), how to approach certain situations and why people act the way they do in a relationship without the pressure of marriage or engagement. Trying to decode the actions and words of the opposite sex without prior experience can negatively impact dating in the future.

High school is a time that teaches how to interact with others. Before the teenage years, boys and girls tease each other on the playground, pull each other’s hair and make each other cry. When people get to high school, this behavior (hopefully) evolves. Instead of poking each other in the back, we’re poking each other on Facebook.

Dating as a teenager can be part of the process that transforms others from annoying people with cooties to annoying people that should probably be respected and treated with more care.

In addition, teenagers can learn how to care about someone other than themselves from dating. Besides family and pets, high schoolers tend to have a hard time caring

art by ELAINE ZHANG

about their peers. Sure, they like being around their friends, but they don’t spend a lot of time on feelings. Unlike relationships with friends, emotions have to be taken into account in romantic relationships, which increases teenagers’ awareness of their very existence.

Gradually learning that yes, other people do have feelings helps in future relationships of all natures: in jobs and careers to come and any other forms of interpersonal communication. The sooner people learn the skill of considering the feelings of others, the sooner they can improve their ability to communicate and become more effective in all kinds of social situations.

Finally, dating aids the high school process of finding out who you are. Just as noticing what you like and dislike in friends reveals your own individual personality, so do criteria for your significant other. Dating helps to cultivate personal identity during a crucial time of self-development.

While it definitely challenges all who attempt it, high school dating can positively affect teenagers’ communication skills, self-concept and future dating lives. After all, there is no better time than high school to explore your social options. Sure, it may not be as smooth or humorous as movies might have you think, but you know what? That’s what friends are for. «

Slow down! Dating creates many unneeded distractions opinions writer

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or most teenagers, relationships may seem like the end all be all. Unfortunately, rushing into a “committed relationship,” especially at such a young age, is not without risks and repercussions.

The pressure to begin dating earlier and earlier can often be overwhelming, especially when we live in a culture that is so fixated on it. Today, dating is considered an integral part of the high school experience. By the time they reach high school, many teens will have had at least one boyfriend or girlfriend.

While these flings are mostly short-lived and ultimately insignificant, such experiences are admittedly helpful in helping educate teens about the very nature of relationships.

Unfortunately, the risk ultimately outweighs the reward, for teenagers put much at stake when they embark on relationships too soon.

While casual dating is fun and easy going, relationships tend to be more exclusive, focusing on an intimate and personal connection. Entering into a serious relationship prematurely can leave teens vulnerable, as they will have to face the inevitable social and emotional consequences that will follow.

Not to mention that the teenage years are a crucial time developmentally.

After all, we are only just beginning to discover ourselves, let alone a significant other. Relationships can be intense. Jumping into a serious relationship be-

fore one truly knows themselves can prove to be quite precarious, and is likely to lead to many problems.

High school relationships create a lot of unnecessary drama.

The high school rumor mill is a vicious one, and is particularly ruthless when it comes to people who are dating. Such couples are often the target of malicious rumors and gossip, frequently facing judgment from fellow classmates. These outside pressures coupled with the regular internal stresses of any relationship are a lot to manage, especially for a teenager. Simply put, the drama is ultimately avoidable. So why put that kind of unneeded stress on yourself?

art by ELAINE ZHANG

The all-consuming nature of a “serious” high school relationship leaves little time for anything or anyone else. They leave little flexibility in both partners’ schedules, as much of their time and attention is devoted to their significant other.

Such couples often become consumed in their own relationship, and the people and things that used to matter to them become obsolete. Due to this, relationships can often have a negative impact on academic performance and other aspects of social life. Your little high school fling probably won’t matter ten years from now, but if that fling adversely affects your GPA? That’s going to follow you. Teenagers tend to have difficulty balancing all of their priorities anyway, and once dating enters the equation, the task becomes even harder, nearly impossible.

Unless you plan on marrying your high school sweetheart, the sad truth is that most high school relationships will inevitably end sooner or later. The break-up process can often be awkward and uncomfortable and can sour what once was once a lovely friendship. Our efforts are better focused on cultivating these friendships, rather than pursuing something more when there’s the risk that it might not work out.

There’s no denying that dating is a major part of high school culture, and it can even be a positive experience from time to time. But is any of this worth the potential consequences?

The inevitable awkwardness, the heartbreak, the sacrifices?

When it really comes down to it, I think not. «

panorama

SPORTS

Undefeated: sports writer

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With a perfect conference-play record, the Rams prepare to tackle the playoffs carry themselves,” junior Malcolm Davis said.

The offense has been on its game this season. Hooper, the starting quarterback, has eclipsed 1,000 yards after only seven games. Senior Udell Hyde and junior James Scott have both ran the ball well. Key pass catching contributors have been Kniptash, Cannon and senior Ryan Glazer.

BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE • Tackling his opponent,

senior Duncan Cannon wraps up the ball carrier and contributes to a comeback win over Fort Zumwalt North. The team now turns their attention to the district tournament, which they last won in 2010. (Photo by Jessica Puyo)

This team has been together for a long time. There are 21 seniors on the team and most of them have played together throughout high school. All five offensive linemen are seniors and three of them have been starting since their sophomore year, contributing to the chemistry of the squad.

“We have great leadership from our seniors, and they make the rest of the team better just by the way they

“Our offense [is] explosive; we don’t [rely] on the big play,” Davis said. “We can drive the ball down the field and that is going to be really important in games to come.”

The team has had many big wins this season. One in particular came over McCluer South-Berkeley.

“The biggest win was over the Berkeley Bulldogs [because] they are very similar to us,” Scott said.

Berkeley is also 6-1 and was a very key win. Though the team did not start the game the way they wanted to, they managed to prevail.

“We had some trouble moving the ball at first but rebounded and finished the game strong,” Kniptash said. “We found a way to win.”

The team also manhandled their conference opponent Clayton 58-7.

The boys look at this game as a big statement of their talent.

“When you destroy Clayton, you have to consider that big,” Archibald said. “Plus, we showed ourselves how good we can [and] will be entering the playoffs.”

The team has been working hard to improve on last season’s playoff loss. With off-season training starting shortly after the conclusion of last season, the team has been motivated for a long time.

“Since January, our whole team has taken huge steps to win state,” Cannon said. “We’ve come into the weight room almost everyday in the afternoon after school, in the mornings before school and everyday in the summer, and it is starting to translate onto the field.”

The team had high expectations coming into the season. Archibald wants to ensure they remain focused.

“The biggest obstacle is the lofty expectations we had for ourselves and trying to meet them without pressure overtaking our mindset and preparation,” Archibald said.

After last year’s tough playoff loss, the team is ready to take it a step further. They know they have their work cut out for them, but have put in the practice to be successful. » CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 «

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Drop your plans and hitch a ride to go cheer on your Rams at these must-see matchups:

• Nov. 5 - Boys Soccer vs. University City @ Gay Field • Nov. 9 - Boys and Girls XC State Meet @ Jefferson City (subject to elimination)

• Nov. 11 - Boys Football District Championship

(subject to elimination)

• Nov. 16 - Boys Hockey vs. MICDS @ Brentwood Visit http://laduetoday.com/calendar-test/ for more upcoming events.

(Photo by Elyse Mack)

Senior Sit-down Each month, Panorama sits down with a senior athlete. November’s athlete is Cam Newton from the girls tennis team.

Jason Kaplan: How long have you been playing tennis?

CN: I started playing tournaments when I was 10.

JK: What championships have you won this season?

CN: So far I have won conference, a doubles tournament and a singles tournament. I also placed second at that same tournament for doubles.

JK: Tell me about your favorite tennis match.

CN: My favorite match is definitely when I won state freshman year. I won first in state doubles that year, second as a team at state and third in state singles sophomore year.

(Photo by Jenna Shanker)

fter a tough loss in the opening game against Parkway Central, the varsity football team won six straight games and is undefeated in their conference.

From close games to lopsided wins, the team has found a way to get on a roll. The tough week-one loss has not stopped this team from reaching its potential this season.

“We’ve played really well so far this season,” senior Cody Kniptash said. “We’ve rebounded really well since the Central game.”

The team has seen improvement on defense this season. They have one of the best defenses in the area, allowing, on average, just more than 11 points per game. “[Defense] has not been our strongest unit in the past,” math teacher Brian Archibald said. “They have been very stout and aggressive this year.”

The team has exceeded their initial expectations. Senior Duncan Cannon points to the closeness of the team as one of the many reasons for their continued success.

“We have been successful because we are all a very close group,” Cannon said. “We all love the game of football and love being around each other. There is something really unique about our chemistry together.

We are playing with an attitude with something to prove and staying humble and hungry.”

Seniors Kniptash, Cannon, Matthew Hooper, Chris Boudoures and Brent Morrow have been an extension of the coaching staff this season.

They have made sure that everyone is contributing to the team. “[We captains] take it upon our shoulders to lead the team and make big plays when we need them,” Cannon said. “We set the bar extremely high and expect nothing but the best from our teammates. It’s our job to keep everyone in check and continue to work hard.”

November 4, 2013

(Photo by Sydney Ellis)

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JK: What is your favorite pregame and post-game meal?

CN: My favorite pre-game meal is a turkey sandwich and a Kit Kat and my post-game meal is a virgin margarita and a burrito.

JK: What is the worst tennis memory you can think of?

CN: My worst memory has to be this one time when I lost a really close match and I was so mad that I smashed my racket on the court. Also, one time, I got so many point-penalties that they gave the other girl a set, but I still won.

panorama

November 4, 2013

Hard hitting hockey team Well-prepared squad poised for great year sports writer

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he varsity hockey team is ready to come back from a great year, already preparing for their upcoming season this winter. The team went 8-10-3 last year, but unfortunately their season was full of setbacks that prevented the team from reaching their full ability. This year, the team is looking to “We started doing off ice training the week before school stay healthy. started,” Schalk said. “We do a lot of conditioning and certain “Last year our team had a lot of potential, but we had a lot of things to help improve our skating.” injuries,” senior Colton Schalk said. “We had six broken bones.

The boys have also had a few practice games to get them including a collar bone and femur.” further prepared for the winter season. The team played Parkway Through all of the injuries, the team still managed to have a South, beating them 9-0, and Duchesne, winning 3-1. strong season and went on to score the most points in one season A big goal for the squad is to stay healthy this season. They since 1994. The team also had the opportunity to play in the hope to minimize injuries to keep their players on the ice.

Wickenheiser Cup playoffs for the first time in school history.

“This season we will do really well if we can keep everyone The team was unable to advance past the first round, but they are healthy,” Schalk said. “If we can keep a healthy roster, we have a prepared to build off that finish this winter. Although the team ton of potential.” lost six seniors, including many key The squad’s schedule is packed players such as Charlie Jonas and with strong opponents and big Alex Schott, they remain confident.

We’re going to have the matches. The team is most looking “With our new talent we should best team that we’ve had in forward to the Clayton game because be just fine,” Schalk said. it is always a high-energy, exciting This new talent includes freshyears, we have a high powgame with a great fan turnout and a men Jordan Stern and Sam Shevitz. ered offense, a very solid deloud crowd with fun cheers.

They hope to contribute to the varsity fense, and great goaltending “We have a very difficult schedule squad in their first year.

“We only have two freshmen - senior Matthew Gould this year playing schools like Eureka, Westminster and Rockwood Summit playing varsity this year,” senior Matwho are very strong,” head coach Jon thew Gould said. “But they’re both Hodgins said. “However our team is prepared, we have a solid very talented and should make big contributions to the team.” game plan and the coaching staff is confident in our ability to Along with the arrival of the new freshman, the team also compete with everyone this season.” welcomes back Schalk and senior Eric Heidenreich from injuries This season they hope to make it further in the Wickenheiser last season. Schalk broke his femur and Heidenreich broke his Cup and possibly to the finals at the Scottrade Center this Februcollarbone, effectively ending their seasons. ary, something that no Ladue hockey team has done.

“It’s great everyone is healthy and to get Colton back for the “We’re going to have the best team that we’ve had in years,” start of the year after his scary leg injury towards the end of last Gould said. “We have a high powered offense, a very solid deseason,” Gould said.

In August the team started their preseason training. Along with fense, and great goaltending. We have very high expectations and ultimately would like to compete for the state championship.” « ice workouts, the captains also led practices twice a week.

“

SPORTS

15

SENIOR PARTY • At a prac-

tice game, seniors Craig Emert, Eric Heidenreich and Chase Cornwell celebrate after a goal. “We all really like playing together, and I think the fact that we are friends off the ice helps when we’re playing,” Heidenreich said. “Some of us have played together for more than five years. We are playing together as a team.” In 2012, they played on the team that won the Founder’s Cup, the state championship for their division. “It’s important that we’ve already won a big championship,” Heidenreich said.

“It will definitely add experience to our team when we play in the playoffs this year. And this time, we’ll be the ones leading the team.” The team looks forward to a strong year using a balanced mixture of experienced upperclassmen and young talent. (Photo courtesy of Mark Shevitz)

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 « “Our goals for the rest of the season are to finish strong,” Kniptash said. “Included is winning the conference, our district and making a deep playoff run. We feel all of these are very reachable and are all excited for what’s to come.”

Archibald has three goals for the rest of the season: first, win the district championship. Second, meet the defending three-time state champs in the quarter-finals. Third, win the state championship.

The playoffs started Oct. 31. The state championship will be held at the Edward Jones Dome, where the St. Louis Rams play, on Thanksgiving.

“We plan on making a long run in the playoffs all the way to Thanksgiving,” Cannon said.

Though the team doesn’t want to get too far ahead of themselves, they are confident. They are all striving for one thing: state.

“We won’t be happy with anything less than going to the Dome for state on Thanksgiving break,” Cannon said. «

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PHOTO

panorama

November 4, 2013

Turning a new leaf photo editor

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The apex of autumn appears all at once

ur lives are a series of cycles. Life rotates through months, weeks and years. We experience the seasons of sports and school.

Often, we are blind to the gradual change until someone spells it out for us. “November already!” we often exclaim as we print the date on a test we were too busy studying for to note the month.

In psychology, this phenomenon is known as “change blindness.” Sometimes things happen so gradually, we fail to notice a difference at all.

The cycles of the world will continue, just as they always have. And while we can’t simply stop and freeze life as it is, we can pause and appreciate the changes we’ve made along the way. «

art by AUDREY KOCHER

FINALLY, FALL • (Top) At Rombach’s Farm, the pump-

kin picking was prime. From tiny decorative gourds to giant pumpkins bigger than bean bag chairs, the fall festivities were in full swing. (Left) Reminiscent of Christmas ornaments, intricately painted pumpkins dangled in the midst of corn stalks and tractors upon entance to Rombach’s. (Bottom) Under a clear blue sky, the beautiful pop of crimson leaves flanked the St. Louis Art Museum over a glorious fall weekend. (Photos by Elyse Mack)