pano rama
LOOK INSIDE:
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READ ABOUT THE NEW RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR AND REACTIONS TO IN-PERSON SCHOOL
Ladue Horton Watkins High School 1201 S. Warson Rd. Ladue, MO 63124 01.25.21 Vol. 69 Issue 6
THE JANUARY ISSUE
EDITORS’ NOTE
World’s tallest man (600 meters)
World’s longest fingernails (30 centimeters)
World’s fastest blindfolded Rubik’s cube solve (0.025 seconds)
Note: we do not actually hold any world records; background courtesy of Stocksnap
January marks the beginning of 2021, and thus, our issue this month focuses on the changes in the Ladue and St. Louis community ushered in by the new year. After nearly a year spent in virtual classrooms, Ladue High School opened for students who wished to return to in-person learning, although the option to remain virtual for the semester is always available. A pletora of safety measures — one-way hallway
Hugh Chan
Editors in Chief Hugh Chan Grace Hu Ethan Willick Associate Editors Domenic Fenoglio Rhea Patney Art Editor Danielle Zhang Photo Editor Grace Hensley News Editor Zeru Marut
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lanes, bathroom regulations and limits on travel — have been implemented for both the safety of staff and students while ensuring the continuation of a physical classroom. Another change in January was the death of Robert “Bobby” Elzemeyer, Ladue’s beloved sports fan. A perpetual presence at Ladue sports practices and games for nearly half a century, Elzemeyer’s passing came as a tragic shock to the countless students and
Grace Hu
coaches who’d formed a connection with him through Ladue athletics. Finally, amidst the gravity of recent tragedies and difficult transitions, we thought it would be appropriate to take a more light-hearted approach to this month’s in-depth. From an enormous afro to a miniscule horse to a massive chess piece, we take a look and explore some of the world-record holders within the St. Louis area and the stories they have to offer.
Ethan Willick
PANORAMA STAFF
Health & Sports Editors Katie Holland In-Depth Editors Erin Turkieltaub Marissa Mathieson Web Editor Sophia Liu Annie Pan Opinions Editors News Staff Mika Kipnis Caroline Edgar Nico Skapof Carly Woodhill Features Staff Arts & Abbey Carrico Entertainment Ryan Tung Editors Lucy Lochmoeller Oviya Srihari Features Editors Clayton Coughlin Caroline Tyrrell
STAFF & CONTENTS
In-Depth Staff Joanne Sung Opinions Staff Kanishk Shanmugam Arts & Entertainment Staff Emily Walker Tariq Lashley
Health & Sports Staff Kiran Varadachari Tommy Margulis Staff Writers
Business Managers Jacob Korn Sarah Suffian Adviser Sarah Kirksey
Allen You Artists Nicole Gorrell Olivia Hu Erica Shi Max Yang Photographers Lauren Pesce Ginger Schulte SPREAD DESIGN BY GRACE HU
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
NEWS
5-7. Opinions and summary of new in-person restrictions 8-9. Pano recaps important January events 10. Seniors organize thank-you project for teachers
FEATURES
11. Freshman Julia de la Paz excels in rock climbing
IN-DEPTH
14-18. A look at some of the World Records in the St. Louis area
12-13. School nurse Nikki Harrison ensures a safe transition into in-person school
? OPINIONS
19. Pano Perspective: people should actively listen to opposing opinions 20. Virtual after-hours should not be required 21. People should embrace boredom 22. New Years Resolutions are harmful LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
A&E
23. Panorama reviews new Pixar movie “Soul” 24-25. Panorama predicts winners of the 2021 Grammy awards 26. Panorama reviews new Netflix shows
HEALTH & SPORTS 27-29. Remembering and honoring Ladue super-fan Robert “Bobby” Elzemeyer 30. The story and success of a group of Ladue seniors who started curling 31. Senior Samantha Fischer breaks school diving record 01.25.21
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PANORAMA POLICY Panorama is a monthly newspaper that strives to inform and entertain students, staff and community members and to uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness. The publication hopes to engage the student body by eliciting dialogue among students. It aims to reflect the diversity of the population it serves and to observe the journalistic principle of doing no harm. All surveys are completely anonymous and the results cannot be used against respondents. Panorama is produced 10 times per school year by the
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newspaper class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School at 1201 S. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63124. The publication lab is located in room 1311, (314)-993-6447 ext. 5844. Read more stories online at laduepublications.com. Follow @laduepublications on Instagram and @laduepanorama on Twitter. Editor in chief photo illustration by Sophia Liu and Ethan Willick. Front cover photo by Marissa Mathieson. Front cover design by Ethan Willick. Back cover design by Grace Hu and Sophia Liu.
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SPREAD DESIGN BY RHEA PATNEY | CLAYTON COUGHLIN & ZERU MARUT
RETURNING TO IN-PERSON
Students heading back to school face new procedures to ensure safety ANNIE PAN
COVID-19 Data Tracking
NICO SKAPOFF news staff
Seminar Procedures
Data & Tracking
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• In-person students cannot travel beginning Jan 25. This policy will be revisited in four weeks • Virtual students have an optional online seminar to meet with teachers • There are two L’s, each is 35 minutes
• County level data is available on the Ladue Schools website and the state COVID-19 data tracker • Specific Ladue School District data is available on the Ladue Schools website under “COVID-19 Data Dashboard”
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SCIENCE ill
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HISTORY ENGLISH MATH
Student and Staff Opinions “I’m not a fan of the one-way hallways, but I understand why they’re there, and I think it makes sense.” KIERNAN PATTONYARBROUGH | senior LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
“It’s a lot easier to focus and stay on task compared to online [learning].” ALEX EARLY | junior
“I think kids just jumped into the routine of just being students in a building really well.” MIKE TARPEY | 12th grade principal 1.25.21
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A STUDENT’S IN-PERSON JOURNEY Students heading back to school face new COVID-19 safety procedures
Hallway Etiquette s Follow Arrow No gathering in groups
One-Way Traffic
Everyday Requirements • Masks on • Snacks eaten swiftly at desks or in hallways • Sit in assigned seats • Wipe desks after class • Utilize handwashing and hand sanitizing stations
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I’m so happy to see people. It’s nice to have bodies in the class, and I’m glad that some kids who probably need a safe space have it here at school again. JENNIFER HARTIGAN | english teacher
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NEWS
COVID-19 Prevention
Bathroom Rules • Bring water bottles; no drinking from fountain • Restrooms only open during class • Maximum of three people in bathroom • Only one boy and one girl can leave class at a time SPREAD DESIGN BY ANNIE PAN
Protocol for Positive Cases 1. Notify positive student’s family if COVID-19 symptoms appear during class 2. Identify close contacts by investigating classroom, sports, lunch and transportaion contacts that were within 6 feet for over 15 minutes within 48 hour time span 3. School delivers list of likely positive cases to present to Health Department 4. Health Department decides if student must be quarantined at home 5. Quarantined students must stay at home for 14 days before they are allowed to School Conduct return to school
Lunch Policy
• Free grab-and-go lunches, includes breakfast for next day • Pickup at breezeway on the way to the buses, multi-purpose room or Jahnke student entrance • Need to sign up to reserve lunch
Lunch Sign-up
illustration by | NICOLE GORRELL & JOANNE SUNG
Bus Procedures • • • •
Students must sit one per seat Face masks required Parents must request bus service Assigned seating implemented
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
• Windows open, weather permitting • Driver wears a mask and face shield
Bus Rules
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JANUARY RECAP illustration by | DANIELLE ZHANG
IN THE CLUBS CLUB NEURO
Club Neuro, which deals with neuroscience, meets every other Tuesday over Zoom at 3:00 p.m. with 45 minute meetings mainly focused on preparing for the Brain Bee, which is currently scheduled for March 27 at Washington University in St. Louis. “We all have a brain; why not learn more about it?” senior and club co-president Ashna Chali said. “Neuroscience is one of the most fascinating and interdisciplinary areas of study. If you look at any field, I guarantee that you can relate it to neuroscience, because the way we perceive the world, in a sense, shapes our reality.” The upcoming Feb. 2 meeting will include information for registration for the Brain Bee. New members are still able to join by emailing achali66@ ladueschools.net. “We welcome anyone who is remotely interested in learning about how their brain works, or about mental health issues, or in fundraising for brain-related causes,” Chali said.
ETHAN WILLICK editor in chief
TACTIC TACTIC, also known as Teens Against Child Trafficking, meets every Monday at 2:30 p.m. to brainstorm new anti-child trafficking initiatives, such as their upcoming video project. “Every video will have a purpose aside from simply spreading awareness,” senior and president Joshua Wolk said. “Some will function as PSAs for child safety [and] some as calls to action for policy change.” The group has already interviewed Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis Rumi Price, among others, to begin production of the videos, and has more interviews planned. The club plans to release the videos on their YouTube and social media. “We’d love to see new people at our meetings since we have a lot to accomplish beyond the horizon,” Wolk said. “If you’re interested in spreading awareness through mixed media, participating in U.S. politics, or are simply passionate about the issue at hand, this is the club for you.”
IN THE CLASSROOM AEROSPACE SCIENCE
The aerospace science course consists of learning about the engineering of aircrafts, physics of flight and history of aviation. “I think the construction and testing of the aircrafts is [what] I am most excited about,” aerospace science teacher Jeffery Vetter said. “The construction is about the anticipation of a successful project and the testing of the aircraft is where the real learning occurs.” This semester, due to the inability to do group projects, more building materials had to be purchased. This is Vetter’s first time teaching the class, which has previously been taught by Richard Witt, Jesse McGlaughlin and Theodore Waterson. “The intuitive aspects of construction may be realized by learners who do not succeed in academically-challenging coursework,” Vetter said. “And vice-versa, those who do find academic success more readily may discover that real-life construction projects are very difficult.”
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NEWS
BAND The concert and symphonic bands have had to implement new ways of rehearsing in an attempt to mitigate COVID-19 spread. “If you watch our band rehearse, you’ll see students wearing special masks designed to cover the nose and mouth while still allowing the instrument to be played,” band director Aaron Lehde said. “Bell covers are placed over the ends of the instruments to keep any airborne particles from escaping. To catch brass players’ spit condensation, we’re using puppy training pads on the floor.” Rehearsing with these safety measures has been a unique experience for band members. While the precautions can make it more challenging to play the instruments, they also allow the band to finally play music together again. “The precautions make it harder to play tuba,” junior Jake Goldman said. “When I put the mouthpiece in the mask, the mask nearly comes off my face. But, it feels great to play in person again.” SPREAD DESIGN BY RHEA PATNEY
GRACE HU
editor in chief
CAPITOL RIOTS On Jan. 6, a pro-Trump rally turned into a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol. The Capitol police were overwhelmed by rioters who destroyed property, stole documents and threatened the lives of Congress members. Since the riot, dozens of individuals have been arrested for their involvement, and the FBI are continuing to investigate and identify those involved. Arguments have been made that President Donald Trump encouraged these riots. (Source: National Public Radio)
IN THE NATION
INAUGURATION
On Jan. 20, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as the 46th President and the 49th Vice President of the U.S. In Biden’s speech, he identified four crises his administration wishes to focus on: COVID-19, climate change, the economy and racial injustice. Following Biden’s address, the youngest inaugural poet in history, Amanda Gorman, delivered her poem “The Hill We Climb.” Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ casual inaugural outfit also took the internet by storm. (Source: National Public Radio)
IMPEACHMENT On Jan. 13, the House of Representatives impeached former U.S. President Donald Trump for a second time due to his role in encouraging the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Ten Republican representatives voted in favor of impeachment, which is a break from the unanimous Republican vote against the first impeachment in 2020. Although Trump has left office, he can still be convicted in a Senate trial. Trump is officially the first U.S. president to be impeached two times. (Source: New York Times)
CORI BUSH Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri’s 1st Congressional District introduced a resolution to expel those involved in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection in Washington D.C. House Resolution 25 requires the House Committee on Ethics to investigate whether members of the 117th Congress who sought to overturn the 2020 election violated their oath of office and thus should be removed from Congress. (Source: congress.gov)
Photo courtesy of Executive Office of the President of the United States
IN THE STATE
JOSH HAWLEY
Following Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri’s clear stance on objecting to the legitimacy of the 2020 election and raising a fist of solidarity towards the riot that stormed the Capitol, seven Democratic senators have filed a complaint against Hawley and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. The Jan. 21 complaint asks the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate Hawley and Cruz for their efforts to overturn election results. (Source: congress.gov)
VACCINE DISTRIBUTION On Jan. 20, Governor Mike Parson announced that the Missouri National Guard will help establish COVID-19 vaccination sites across the state. Each of Missouri’s nine highway patrol regions is being assigned a mass vaccination team. The teams consist of 30 personnel who will control traffic, support the administration and input data. These vaccination sites have the potential to administer up to 2,500 doses per day per team. (Source: governor.mo.gov) LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
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RIGHT: Senior Jordan Blucher holds up thank-you letters for teachers. Although there wasn’t as much time as Blucher would have hoped for this project, she and others got it done just in time for teachers to get their notes before winter break. “I would just want to thank them so much for everything,” Blucher said. (Photo by Grace Hensley)
SENIORS SAY THANK YOU Seniors write thank-you letters to show appreciation to teachers
MIKA KIPNIS news staff
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s the first semester of the school year came to an end, a group of seniors took it upon themselves to make sure staff members at Ladue knew that they were appreciated under the unprecedented circumstances of online school during the first semester. Seniors Jordan Blucher, Katie Holland and Maggie Lawton took charge of the project that would eventually bring smiles to many teachers’ faces. “I think a lot people wanted to say thank you to some of their teachers because I know that a lot of our teachers have had a big impact on us,” Blucher said. “We just wanted to thank them for putting up with everything and continuing to be amazing and teaching even when we were online or now with the added restrictions.” The seniors decided on writing thank-you letters in order to show their appreciation to staff members after brainstorming a few ideas in the senior class GroupMe. During the week before finals, all of the seniors
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NEWS | FEATURES
had the opportunity to write letters to “One of the last days before finals, any of their teachers, past or present, we dropped the notes off right before and then drop them off at the houses school started,” Lawton said. “We only of Blucher, Holland or Lawton. had 30 minutes to do it and because “We had bins set up at our houses, we’re not supposed to technically be which were kind of spread out around in the schools, we kind of had to do it the district so that it was easier for fast and just turn them in.” a lot of people to drop off [their Once the letters were placed into letters],” Blucher all of the teacher’s said. “I think many mailboxes, the teachpeople wrote about ers received an email three to five, so, in from Becky Jenkins, We wanted them to feel general, we had a the attendance seclot and each person like we did appreciate all retary, to come and on staff got one.” check their mailboxes. that they were doing. With the help Many teachers were MAGGIE LAWTON | senior of Adam Stirrat, pleasantly surprised the instructional when they saw that technology coordinator, who sent their mailboxes were full of thankout a mass email to all of the seniors, you letters — from both their current Blucher, Holland and Lawton were and past students — that expressed able to get the word out about their how much the students appreciation project to all of the senior class witheverything the teachers had done. out the staff finding out. The seniors “It was surprising and I thought felt that it was important to keep it it was really sweet,” English teacher a secret, which is why they refrained Jennifer Hartigan said. “Some were from involving too many adminishandmade cards with coloring on trators and generally took initiative them and others were computer genthemselves in order to have a more erated and I liked seeing everybody’s meaningful reveal and surprise for the personality coming through on how staff and teachers. they chose to say thank you.” p
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SPREAD DESIGN BY MIKA KIPNIS | CAROLINE TYRRELL
REACHING FOR NEW HEIGHTS
De la Paz competes nationally with rock climbing team ABBEY CARRICO features staff
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t Upper Limits Rock Climbing Gym in Maryland Heights, climbers warm up, work on unfinished projects and practice timed drills. This is where freshman Julia de la Paz sharpens her skills and prepares for competitions. De la Paz has been competitively rock climbing for eight and a half years. She has been able to grow in her climbing ability and achieve many of her goals while being a part of the supportive rock climbing community. “[My dad and I] went to the [climbing] gym once because they were having some belay tests, and the gym had just opened,” de la Paz said. “We kept going back to the gym; eventually I got enrolled into some summer camps, and after that I joined the team.” After becoming affiliated with her gym, de la Paz began to use her talent by placing in local, regional, divisional and national competitions. She has competed 10 times in the USA Climbing Youth Circuit. She also holds the winning title for a competition at RoKC North, a climbing gym in Kansas City, Missouri which predominantly features adult competitors. Additionally, the competition is also an outlet for de la Paz to show her technique and work alongside her teammates and compete. “It’s kind of like gymnastics in the
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
photo by | GINGER SHULTE
sense that we all train as a team, but the route for the first time and try to then when we go to compete, we com- figure out where you wanna go before pete individually,” de la Paz said. “It’s you have to actually climb it and really cool because it brings in this you’re allowed to discuss with comproblem solving aspect to the sport as petitors.” opposed to who can pull the hardest.” Whether it’s working on something De la Paz de la Paz has has been never seen competing before in for almost competitions as long as called isolaI like how I know everyone at my she has been tion routes gym. It’s cool to have friends from climbing, so or practicall across the country that are just she believes ing specifa phone call away. having a ic timed supportive projects, JULIA DE LA PAZ | freshman community her friends is vital to are there to her success in many competitions. A encourage her. Another climber at friend and fellow rock climber of de Upper Limits, junior Lucia Berglund, la Paz, freshman Mary Joyce Bezzant, has been able to watch de la Paz believes the rock climbing community demonstrate her talent and progress has a positive and reassuring influat the gym. ence on climbers. “It’s really cool to watch [de la Paz] “If you are working on a certain climb, because usually she is doing project, [the community will] give you something really hard,” Berglund said. advice immediately to help you out,” “It is fun to watch someone do someBezzant said. “We’re really supportive thing like that — she’s insane.” of each other, even if one person is Through all of her practice sesbetter than the other.” sions and competitions, de la Paz Rock climbing is not a traditional continues to grow in her rock climbsport with traditional rules, guidelines ing ability and challenge herself. She or competitions. Unlike other sports, hopes to see a large growth of popcompetitors are encouraged to openly ularity and passion with the sport in help each other in competitions and the future. times of need. “When I first joined, [rock climb“In competitions we try to help ing] was such a small sport and luckily each other before [we] go out to it is growing, which is great,” de la compete,” de la Paz said. “There is Paz said. “We want the sport to grow a preview period where you look at and we want people to enjoy it.” p
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ABOVE: Nikki Harrison calls parents to inform them of their child’s exposure. Harrison has had to make many of these calls. “One of the number one things is trying to keep kids home that are sick, doing the self screenings at home and making students and their parents accountable,” Harrison said. “[With contact tracing], we’re already delayed.” (Photo by Lauren Pesce) RIGHT: Harrison grabs disinfectant wipes out of her supply cabinet. As school nurse, Harrison must allocate resources in accordance with the district’s policies. “It’s been district wide,” Harrison said. “[I] consider what needs to be done to make students, staff, families — everybody — feel safe.” (Photo by Lauren Pesce)
TAKING ON THE TRANSITION
New school nurse implements protocols to ensure a smooth return CLAYTON COUGHLIN features editor
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new face at Ladue High School may be a big reason why students can safely return to the high school building for in-person learning this semester. Nikki Harrison, the new Ladue High School nurse, manages to remain calm as she navigates and implements the district’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Harrison worked in a pediatric office and nurse triage for eleven years until this August, when she became the Ladue High School nurse. Harrison employs the same level-headed approach to school safety as she did while serving as a triage nurse, and she relies on this past experience to succeed at Ladue. “It was time to start a new adventure,” Harrison said. “I had always thought that I would be good at school nursing, [and] though I hadn’t done [it before], I had been around all ages of kids and talked to parents, so it was a good fit for me.” Harrison’s enthusiasm to start the school year was hampered due to COVID-19 and the district’s decision to proceed with all virtual learning. Now, with most Ladue students returning to in-person learning this semester, Harrison can finally meet and start developing relationships with students. The only downside of this is the increased workload and countless additional protocols and responsibilities that are required due to COVID-19. “They definitely look to me to help guide them in a
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FEATURES
lot of the decisions,” Harrison said. “Now that we are back, I’m the person who everybody reports to when it comes to if someone is on quarantine [or] if someone is a positive case. We’re just trying to keep everyone as safe as possible.” Skeptics of the school’s safety protocols might point to the number of students who decided to stay home this semester when given the choice to return. However, junior Benjamin Liu, who decided to remain virtual this semester, revealed that safety was not the primary motivator for his decision. “From what I saw from the virtual meetings, they’re taking many precautions,” Liu said. “I just think it’d be hard to transfer from home and go back to school with the workload.” Every minute of Ladue’s schedule for this new semester has been carefully planned by the administration to minimize student-to-student contact and to advance student learning. Harrison’s priority this semester was to enable students to come back to school. “I think [we] put in place everything [we] possibly could,” Harrison said. “With everything from requiring masks, providing masks, the hand-washing stations, the Plexiglass in the classrooms, the social distancing signs, the social distancing markers, the hallway one-way traffic, the pickups and the drop-offs, everything from the beginning to the end of the day has been looked at.” Although all grades were able to return to in-person learning Jan. 5, it was most new for the freshmen who SPREAD DESIGN BY CLAYTON COUGHLIN & RYAN TUNG
were attending their first day of high school. The class of 2024 began their year the same as the rest of the school — all virtual — and when the opportunity came to experience a normal high school setting, many jumped at the chance. “It was an easy choice for me,” freshman Cole Seabaugh said. “I had a lot of distractions at home, and I learn way better when I’m interacting with people and have more hands-on classes.” While the freshman are the only grade new to regular in-person high school, they share the same view as almost every in-person student, which is to do whatever it takes to avoid returning to an all-virtual schooling option. Harrison believes that the school could mitigate any problem to stay in-person because the district follows all St. Louis County rules and guidelines in hopes of never being forced to go fully virtual again. “Anyone who has been within six feet of [a] student for 15 minutes or more in the 48-hour time frame that [the student] either had a positive test or started having symptoms will have to be notified,” Harrison said.
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The notification process is one of Harrison’s most arduous tasks. The required contact tracing and quarantine notifications following a positive test ranges from asymptomatic students to classmates, teammates, teachers and siblings from other schools and their classmates from their respective schools. “Contact tracing is time-consuming because it’s just so individual,” Harrison said. “[The] administration trained us in contact tracing because it gets down to the fact of just looking at anybody that person has been around in 48 hours. So far, we made it through one week.” But Harrison cannot serve as the sole defender of the high school if Ladue is to reduce the risk from COVID-19. The students as well as the teachers at Ladue need to follow the proper precautions from the designated hallway directions to social distancing. “Wear your mask properly,” Harrison said. “I do see people wanting to pull it down from their nose, [but] it’s protecting them and it’s protecting other people. All of this is helping us to stay in school.” p
FAMILY Rate of spread (high to low):
CLASSMATES
Based on Harrison’s guidelines concerning exposure time, this web shows the most likely path of the virus and what Harrison hopes to prevent by removing both the infected individual and those in direct contact of that individual. LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
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ST. LOUIS BOOK OF RECORDS
Explore some world records based in the local St. Louis area
SOPHIA LIU in-depth editor
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osted annually at the elementary and middle schools, this whirlwind of books and toys is greatly anticipated by students in all grades alike: the Scholastic Book Fair. From the newest release of the wildly popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series to the unmistakable sky-blue cover of the book “Wonder,” it is common for kids to splurge their allowances on a book or two. Perhaps one of the most sought after books, however, is the annual edition of “The Guinness Book of World Records.” Since 1955, 143 million copies of Guinness world record books have been purchased. With records like the most number of canned drinks opened by a parrot, the bizarre contents have created a best-selling phenomenon. Let us tour some riveting world records, answering the question: what Guinness world records call St. Louis home? p
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1. LARGEST DONATION OF HYGIENE PRODUCTS Nearly 18,000 Girl Scouts partook in a 2012 donation drive, collecting 1,415,702 hygienic products
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6 The Funkyard 6. LARGEST BELT BUCKLE Measuring 10.1 feet tall and 13.4 feet wide, the buckle can be found in Pulaski County’s “The Funkyard,” just 100 miles away from St. Louis
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Eureka 5. LONGEST SHUTTLE DESIGN ROLLER COASTER The Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast at Six Flags measures 1,300 feet and goes from 0 to 70 mph in 3.8 seconds
illustration by | SOPHIA LIU SPREAD DESIGN BY SOPHIA LIU & MARISSA MATHIESON
2. LARGEST LITTER OF CHEETAH CUBS BORN
A cheetah at the St. Louis Zoo had eight cubs in 2017, the largest number born in captivity
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3. LARGEST PENCIL
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Since 2009, the City Museum has harbored this 21,700 pound and 76 foot long gargantuan creation on the third floor
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44 4. HIGHEST NUMBER OF BIRDS SPOTTED Late Webster Groves resident Phoebe Snetsinger saw 8,398 out of 9,700 known bird species
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AN ASTRONOMICAL AFRO How Pattonville senior Tyler Wright recieved the title of world’s largest afro SOPHIA LIU in-depth editor
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rom the back, Pattonville High School senior Tyler Wright’s ears and profile are entirely obscured by a puffy cloud of hair. Forever immortalized in the 2017 Guinness Book of World Records, Pattonville High School senior Tyler Wright holds the Guinness World Record title for the largest male afro. Wright began growing an afro in third grade after seeing a picture of his father at a similar age. The two resembled each other so much that Wright sought to emulate his father’s afro and style. Five years later, on June 19, 2015, measuring 10 inches tall, 9 inches wide and 5 feet 10 inches in total circumference, Wright’s afro was deemed the new record holder. “My school’s library had a shelf of world record books and I stumbled across the female holder of the record,” Wright said. “I had already been growing out my afro for a few years when I came across the record; it was sort of a nonchalant decision to go for it.” However, Wright’s journey to acquire the world’s largest afro wasn’t as simple as waiting for his hair to grow. To ensure healthy hair, Wright’s hair was subject to different types of maintenance and styling. Wright credits his mother, Rhonda Wright, for supporting his endeavors in attaining the record. “African American hair is really thick and curly; there’s just a lot of it,” Rhonda Wright said. “He didn’t usually wear it as an afro because it was just too much; I would twist it or
braid it for him to wear. He went through a lot of pain to achieve this record.” Every year, Guinness World Records flies a group of record holders out to New York for television show appearances and press interviews. In eighth grade at the time, Tyler Wright’s title stood out enough that he was selected for the allexpenses-paid trip to New York, encountering his first taste of stardom. “I had two to three interviews a day — it was very busy,” Tyler Wright said. “I met the record holders for the two most tattooed senior citizens; l heard stories of their tattoos and thought it was pretty neat. It was an experience-riddled trip.” Some notable interviews during the three-day trip included a Facebook live, a Huffington Post podcast and a Spanish news station where Tyler Wright’s record was first publicly announced to the world. “He did so many television show appearances; he was like a celebrity,” Rhonda Wright said. “People would approach and run up to him, put their arms around him or touch his hair. When we visited the Statue of Liberty on the ferry, people were circling around and trying to take a picture with him.” Tyler Wright parted with his afro in 2017, having realized his dream of being a Guinness World Record holder. However, until challenged, Tyler Wright will continue to hold the title of world’s largest male afro. “I cut my hair freshman year; I could tell I was growing up,” Tyler Wright said. “But when [the record] happened, it was a really big event for us.” p
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The inside scoop on getting your hair huge
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IN-DEPTH IN-DEPTH
O ft e n
1. Swims on
2. Plays the orchestra
riz u t Mois
e
TYLER’S HAIR CARE TIPS
Who Tyle
W ea r
s in Style
3. Shoots B time state c
SPREAD DESIGN BY MARISSA MATHIESON & JOANNE SUNG
t illus io rat
n by G SUN NE | JOAN
FAST FACTS ON THUMBELINA Get to know the world’s smallest horse
1. Favorite Snacks: carrots and apples
2. Diet:
1 cup grain with a handful of hay twice a day and extra oats
3. Favorite Place:
dog house (that she stole from the barn dog, Cassie)
YLER’S HOBBIES
er is, outside of his massive hair
n his school’s swim team
e Violin in his school symphonic
Barebow Archery, and is a threechampion LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
SMALL
MIGHTY
BUT A look into the life of the world’s smallest horse MARISSA MATHIESON in-depth editor
S
hock and concern flooded Goose Creek Farm in St. Louis, Missouri one morning as the Goessling family discovered what they initially thought was a possum in the corner of the stall. Instead, a 6 inch, 8 pound Brown Sorrel Mare named Thumbelina emerged. “When she was born it was hard to believe that a horse could be a few inches tall,” Thumbelina’s handler Michael Goessling said. “I couldn’t get my head around what it was ... every aspect of it was something completely unexpected and new.” Due to Thumbelina’s dwarfism and her abnormal size, the Goessling family was unsure she would survive. Thumbelina was so small she couldn’t even reach her mother to nurse, yet her mother uncharacteristically laid down to help her. “Thumbelina surpassed any expectation,” Michael Goessling said. “Every day was a blessing because you’re not sure when she wasn’t going to be around anymore, and years passed and she got around just fine — in fact, she ruled the roost.” In 2005, the Goessling family contacted the Guinness Book of World Records and received a certificate for the world’s smallest horse. Along with the certificate, an adjudicator brought Goliath, the world’s largest horse at the time. “She really was fearless,” Michael Goessling said. “When Thumbelina reared up and tried to bite [Goliath] on the nose, he ran off and we got scared because he was so big and we thought he might trample her.” After receiving the certificate, “Fox and Friends,” a Fox News program, paid for Thumbelina to visit New York. From there, her fame skyrocketed. She appeared on “The
Today Show” and “Good Morning America,” and people from around the world began calling the farm. “For the rest of her life people would constantly come by the farm and visit, but since it was a private residence, people couldn’t just pay to roam around,” Michael Goessling said. “And of course, the media got interested as well.” The sudden uptake in Thumbelina’s media presence led Micheal Goessling to take time off to travel with Thumbelina to visit kids in need. After retrofitting their RV with a specialized horse ramp, the pair travelled to 48 states and over 260 youth camps. “That little girl travelled 65,000 miles [and] visited 650 institutions and camps — and did it with just so much grace, which was remarkable,” Michael Goessling said. “She was a great advocate for children in need and brought so much joy to children who were truly suffering,” But this isn’t all Thumbelina did; the Goessling family had plans to raise $1 million for children’s charities with the help of Thumbelina. While doing so, Thumbelina was able to develop a close connection with the kids. “As scrappy as she was, she truthfully had a sense around kids and could tell when someone was hurt or suffering,” Michael Goessling said. “She was so calm, peaceful and just so loving to all of these kids.” At age 18, Thumbelina’s health started deteriorating, and eight months later she passed away. However, her impact didn’t leave the hearts of those who met her. “Parents [would] say [that] sitting with Thumbelina was the happiest moment their child ever had,” Michael Goessling said. “This little horse could make magic happen for these kids; nothing gave them that comfort, joy and peace that Thumbelina somehow could. It was extraordinary.” p 1.25.21
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LONG LIVE THE KING
A BATTLE WITH BELGIUM
Follow along as St. Louis and Kalmthout fight to house the largest chess piece
Kalmthout, Belgium April 4, 2014
St. Louis, Missouri April 6, 2018
height: 14 ft 7 in base diameter: 6 ft weight: 2,280 lb
height: 16 ft 7 in base diameter: 6 ft 8 in weight: 5,420 lb
height: 20 ft base diameter: 9 ft 2 in weight: 10,860 lb
by | p ho t o & illustration
St. Louis, Missouri April 7, 2012
NE AN JO SU
NG
CHECK IT OUT
@worldslargestchesspiece 4652 Maryland Ave St. Louis, MO 63108
JOANNE SUNG in-depth staff
T
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he chess piece perched in front of the World Chess Hall of Fame is just like any other piece. Smoothly polished and hand carved out of African sapele mahogany, this king is ready to castle, dodge or attack — whatever it takes to get the checkmate. The only thing that sets it apart is that it’s 53 times larger than a typical king piece. The massive structure boasts a towering height of 20 feet, a base diameter of 9 feet, 2 inches and a weight of 10,860 pounds. This is the world’s largest chess piece. “We actually had a previous Guinness World Record largest chess piece but it ended up getting beaten by Belgium,” Brian Flowers, marketing director of the World Chess Hall of Fame, said. “So we decided to up our game and create a new one.” As expected, the construction wasn’t a simple process. Weeks of planning went into sourcing lumber, planning the assembly
IN-DEPTH | OPINIONS
and scanning a king piece from the Championship Staunton chess set to create a series of templates. As it was a Guinness World Record attempt, there were also other procedures to follow. “For one, it had to be built in secret,” Flowers said. “It also could be any weight, but it still had to be movable. Once it was constructed, we then had to go through an approval and verification process which included everything from measurements and video work to a time-lapse video that showed how we created it.” On April 6, 2018, the longawaited approval from Guinness finally arrived. Now the piece could be unveiled to the public. “The original piece was already really unique and tall, but when they built the second one, I was surprised that they managed to make it even bigger,” Iris Zhou, junior and ten year member of the St. Louis Chess Club, said. “It definitely enhances the awe and fame that comes with STL chess.” Aside from its role as an
interesting tourist attraction, the piece also represents St. Louis’s role in the world of chess. “Unofficially, St. Louis is the world chess capital,” senior Erik Tkachenko, ten year member of the St. Louis chess club and employee, said. “Rex Sinquefield, the owner of the Chess Club, funds a lot of it; he made the club in 2008 and we now host a lot of huge tournaments such as the Sinquefield cup, the U.S. Chess Championship, the U.S. Women’s, the U.S. Juniors — pretty much any prestigious chess tournament is held here.” In addition to the array of tournaments hosted here, there’s also a constant presence of grandmasters. Moreover, colleges such as Webster, SLU and Mizzou offer elite chess programs. “One of the coolest things about St. Louis is the chess culture,” Tkanchenko said. “And the chess club is actually expanding soon so I’m interested in how they grow the local community and introduce more people to the game.” p
SPREAD DESIGN BY JOANNE SUNG | KANISHK SHANMUGAM
illustration by | DANIELLE ZHANG
PANO PERSPECTIVE People need to stop convincing and start listening 25 out of 30 Panorama staff members agree
T
he Capitol Hill attack is the latest event to reflect the scale of political tension within the country, but this division will only grow wider as partisanship increases. In order to bridge the ever-growing political gap and reduce the scale of future political turmoil, it is imperative that people stop trying to convince others of their opinions and actually listen to opposing perspectives. Statistics from the Pew Research Center indicate that political polarization has increased significantly in the past three years, with a 16% increase in Democrats and Republicans who feel “very cold” towards one another when measured on a “feeling thermometer.” These hostilities are well-represented within the Ladue community; at any given time, a large number of students’ Instagram stories condemn the actions of opposing parties but fail to address any ideologies that influence these actions in the first place. It is natural to dismiss the positions of those whose ideals contrast with personal opinions. The out-group homogeneity effect describes a common phenomenon where people view those outside their cultural or ideological group as being the same. This effect explains why it is easy to label all Trump supporters as xenophobes and
racists or all Biden supporters as America-hating communists. However, using these generalizations causes people to fall victim to confirmation bias, or the tendency to only process information that supports existing beliefs. The only way to combat the surge in polarization that has plagued the country is to truly consider the perspectives of others. Much political conversation today involves someone trying to convince another of their opinion, but this discourse fails to include a vital step: understanding the root of others’ perspectives. An argument can be made that some opinions — anti-vaxxers, 5G tower conspiracy theorists, Confederate flag-bearers — do not deserve to be seriously considered, but refusing to acknowledge these opinions will not change their existence. Dismissing these viewpoints without first understanding why they exist only reinforces stubbornness; political change and mediation will never occur without empathizing first. Increasingly violent demonstrations of political allegiances serve as reminders that divisions within the country are only growing. Those who hope to avoid future tragedies must stop forcing their opinions upon others, and instead listen and strive to understand opposing opinions so that political gaps may be peacefully bridged. p
Editorial Note: Each editorial, Panorama selects an issue that the staff thinks is important to address and expresses a view that belongs to the majority of the staff. Panorama welcomes the opinions of its readers, and encourages letters to the editors. Please bring signed letters to room 1311 or email Panorama at publications01@ladueschools.net. Panorama reserves the right to revise submissions for length as long as original intent remains unaltered.
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
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VIRTUAL PRESSURE
Virtual after-hours should be optional for students who do not need it SOPHIA LIU in-depth editor
A
fter months of online classes, the Zoom arrangement of screens — a grid-like formation of students stacked on top of each other — has begun to eerily resemble some sort of jail cell or enclosure. On Jan. 4, high school students were given options to return back to school or continue attending from the comfort of their homes. At 1 p.m., in-person students are set free while virtual students are obligated to muscle through additional Zoom classes until 2:30 p.m. Depending on the day, virtual students spend anywhere from five to seven hours staring at their screens. Rather than mandating attendance of virtual students, the additional Zoom classes ought to operate similarly to seminar participation during first semester: not required but available for students in need of supplemental support. To ensure the engagement of those
learning from home, virtual students are required to attend Zoom classes that correspond with the classes of in-person students; ultimately, virtual students spectate the same lessons as their in-person counterparts. In fact, many teachers are equipped with microphones and bluetooth devices to further enhance virtual students’ ability to hear and participate. With these technology aids, teachers can simulate an authentic classroom experience, comparable to the experience of in-person students, for students over Zoom. Additionally, through online resources such as Google Classroom, the schoolwork distributed to a virtual student is no different than what in-person students have access to; teachers post assignments on Google Classroom for all students, not just a select few. The only rigid dichotomy between the virtual and in-person experience is whether a student is sitting at home or school. Given that virtual students are administered classes nearly indis-
tinguishable from in-person classes, both types of students are tasked with the same assignments. Furthermore, homework does not take longer for in-person students to complete than online students. To require virtual students to an additional hour of class is to eliminate an hour of virtual students’ precious time meant for schoolwork. That additional hour drains virtual students of any incentive to work on homework, making the mere thought of schoolwork wearying. And at the end of the day, the signature awkwardness and deafening silence of Zoom rooms are amplified with less student attendance, thus making most attempts at learning counterproductive. The efficacy of additional instruction is limited to only a handful of virtual students. Obligating virtual students to attend these classes produce lackluster results which pale in comparison to the outcome of simply letting students study and work independently on what they need to. p
VIRTUAL VIEWPOINTS
Virtual students share their opinions on the new virtual after-hours
“
“
I think that virtual after-hour periods should be optional and used only when students have extra questions for teachers.”
Going to virtual seminar is very awkward, and I’d rather just email or ask after class.” VIVIAN LIU | junior
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OPINIONS
illustration by | DANIELLE ZHANG
ERIC TKACHENKO | senior
SPREAD DESIGN BY KANISHK SHANMUGAM | CAROLINE EDGAR
THE ART OF BOREDOM People are too afraid of boredom, but there are loads of benefits to doing nothing
CARLY WOODHILL opinions editor
A
majority of people hate being bored. That’s a simple fact of life, but what if I told you that being bored was good for you? Boredom is a concept repeated in self-help books buried under three hundred pages of filler, marketed in pathetic excuses for documentaries that talk about “learning to appreciate the small things” and touched on in scientific studies that are immediately pushed aside by the fast-paced news cycle. However, boredom is a skill that should be learned. In a world where expectations are high and wages are low, people desperately want distractions in their lives. What could be better than the technology specifically designed to hold your attention for as long as possible? You don’t have to think about any of the bad things while you’re constantly being fed
distractions. This makes it no wonder that people will reach for their phone at even the slightest hint of boredom in their lives. This isn’t an argument about how phones are bad in the slightest. Despite how political cartoons depict the modern lifestyle, technology alone does not take the blame for these people’s inability to accept boredom. Using technology in a state of awareness isn’t a problem; the issue is that this awareness is becoming more and more scarce. People have come to accept the endless scrolling and advertisements hidden around every corner just as a part of life, which is exactly what the developers of this technology and marketers want. So what can we do to combat our desire to constantly be preoccupied? The first is becoming aware of that our obsession with distraction is unhealthy. Then, it’s all a matter of boredom and learning how to accept it. Not every second of every
day needs to be occupied. Take some time for yourself. Do nothing; meditate, if you can. As someone who meditates for thirty minutes a day as per recommendation from my therapist, I can attest to the fact that it is difficult to do. I have ADHD; my thoughts do not stop. This makes it hard to focus, hard to sleep and above all, hard to meditate. Meditation involves doing nothing, and when I inhabit a body that screams at me, if my hands aren’t moving, sitting on the floor and having my eyes closed suddenly becomes a task of Herculean proportions. I would rather do anything other than meditate, because at least I would be doing something. The problem is that doing nothing — the thing I have so much trouble with — is exactly what I and many others need. I need to learn how to let myself be bored, and you probably do too. Boredom and the ability to do nothing are skills. So, I implore you: train them. p
BENEFITS OF BOREDOM Boredom can be helpful; here’s how
Boredom improves mental health
Boredom creates need for novelty
Boredom increases creativity
Boredom teaches self-control
Being focused on nothing offers our brains a break from all the information it is constantly processing, and these breaks help relieve stress.
When we’re bored, our brains will usually start to wander, and letting our brains wander can help facilitate new ideas.
SOURCE: PSYCHOLOGY TODAY
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
Humans naturally are adventure-seeking and curious creatures, and when we’re bored, we’re more likely to want to delve into these inherent traits.
When you allow yourself to be bored, you are helping control the natural impulse to mentally stimulate yourself, which improves your self-control.
illustration by | CAROLINE EDGAR 1.25.21
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BROKEN PROMISES The top three most common resolutions SOURCE: VITAGENE
19.7% Exercise more
18.3% Start a diet
Save money
illustra tion by |
CAR OLIN E
$
EDGAR
14.8%
NEW YEAR, NEW ME? New Year’s resolutions actually do more harm than good ALLEN YOU staff writer
N
ew Year’s resolutions have existed ever since humans first began to even celebrate the concept of a New Year. The ancient Babylonians were believed to make promises at the beginning of every year to their gods in order to stay in their gods’ good graces. But people nowadays don’t have to worry about when the next rainfall will come. Instead, the people of today worry about their own appearance, traits and habits that make themselves feel insecure. As a result, they follow the tradition of setting a resolution for the next year in the hope that it will motivate them towards self-improvement. And yet, most of these resolutions never come to fruition, and are abandoned up until the next Jan. 1. This fulfills a cycle of abandoned goals and hope without discipline, ultimately ending in self-loathing. The false hope of a New Year’s resolution demonstrates why it does more harm than good, and we need to abandon this old tradition. Opposing New Year’s resolutions doesn’t equate to opposing goal-setting. There is certainly merit to having long-term goals and aspirations for oneself. The problem lies in
the fact that the “New Year, new me” rhetoric has misled many to believe that once December turns over into January, they become entirely new versions of themselves. In reality, the difference between a person on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 is minimal, and by the first week of February, 80% of people discontinue their resolution, according to psychologist Joseph Luciani. Associating goal-setting with a specific date robs people of the opportunity to fail and continue. The concept is there, but the discipline isn’t. And so the cycle continues. Aspiring new gym members, day traders and side hustlers start the year with a half-baked commitment to better themselves, quickly give up and begin to loathe themselves again, believing in the inability of themselves to achieve something they set their mind to. Sometimes, these people even set themselves up for failure. They set unrealistic goals in the belief that their future selves will be motivated and strong enough to accomplish these ambitions. But day by day, people come to realize that the future self they admired so much was just the same person they always were. Rather than helping Americans achieve their goals, New Year’s resolutions have just become toxic ways for people to diminish their self worth. p
REVOKING RESOLUTIONS New Year’s resolutions evidently don’t change much
While
Only
of adults set New Year’s resolutions
of those stick to them
50% 8% SOURCE: NUVANCE HEALTH AND UAB MEDICINE
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OPINIONS | A&E
SPREAD DESIGN BY CAROLINE EDGAR | TARIQ LASHLEY
JAZZ WITH
Panorama reviews new Pixar film “Soul” TARIQ LASHLEY a&e staff
I
did not have good expectations for “Soul.” With a mediocre trailer that made the movie seem a bit too much like Pixar’s previous hit, “Coco,” I went into this movie expecting a cash grab that to me seemed appropriate for its straight-to-streaming release. So, when my family and I sat down in the living room to watch this newest Pixar flick, I was merrily surprised to see that “Soul” was good enough to become one of my favorite Pixar movies to date. SPOILERS: The movie starts off similarly enough to “Coco,” akin to my suspicions. The moment “Soul” first truly stepped out of “Coco”’s shadow was near the end of the first act, where instead of continuing the story within the afterlife for the majority of the runtime, Joe and his companion, 22, went back to the material world. This change of pace was a genuine pleasant surprise for me. While I haven’t directly timed it nor looked for the numbers, I would estimate more than two-thirds of the movie takes place in the material world, and honestly I think this was the best choice that this movie made. After coming back to the real world, Joe and 22 interact and develop their friendship in a unique and unexpected way, set to the beautifully rendered New
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
York City — and yes, Pixar’s graphical prowess has only gotten better over the years with the film amazingly designed and crafted. Additionally, “Soul” does something rarely seen in a children’s animated movie: it perfectly recreates the barbershop atmosphere. There is a scene near the middle of the movie where Joe has to get a haircut, and even in the first few scenes of this part I was shocked. It might not seem like much to some people, but to see such a universal part of black culture displayed so accurately was a nice experience. Some may disagree, but I think the representation and showcase of African American people and culture within this movie was done pretty well, and the movie had messages that surprised me for a children’s movie. The themes that the film reflects would fit more within a movie aimed at an older audience than the demographic for a Pixar movie. Ultimately, “Soul” was a nice surprise that, while not the best Pixar movie ever made, joins the ranks amongst “Inside Out” and “Coco” as being some of the highest quality animated films. p Rating: 8/10
SHI illustration by | ERICA
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2021 GRAMMY PANO PREDICTIONS Panorama predicts results of 2021 Grammy Awards illustration by | DANIELLE ZHANG images courtesy of Genius
BEST NEW ARTIST
DOJA CAT The Nominees Ingrid Andress Phoebe Bridgers Chika Noah Cyrus D Smoke Doja Cat Kaytranada Megan Thee Stallion
33.3% of Panorama voted for Doja Cat
“I think Doja Cat should win Best New Artist because she has so many popular songs. She is especially popular on TikTok. There have been countless of dances and trends to her songs, so she definitely deserves the title of this award.” DOMENIC FENOGLIO | associate editor
SONG OF THE YEAR
“CARDIGAN”- TAYLOR SWIFT The Nominees
“Black Parade”: Beyoncé “Cardigan”: Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner “The Box”: Roddy Ricch “Circles”: Post Malone “Don’t Start Now”: Dua Lipa “Everything I Wanted”: Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell “I Can’t Breathe”: H.E.R. “If the World Was Ending”: JP Saxe and Julia Michaels
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A&E
21.7% of Panorama voted for “Cardigan”
“With ‘Cardigan,’ Taylor Swift introduced her listeners to the world of ‘Folklore,’ foreshadowing the amazing storytelling that carries throughout the album. Aided by haunting harmonies and soft melody, ‘Cardigan’ explores the tenacity of love, even when threatened by the foolishness of young age or time.” GRACE HU | editor-in-chief
SPREAD DESIGN BY LUCY LOCHMOELLER
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“FOLKLORE”- TAYLOR SWIFT The Nominees “Chilombo”: Jhené Aiko “Black Pumas”: Black Pumas “Everyday Life”: Coldplay “Djesse Vol.3”: Jacob Collier “Women in Music PT.III”: Haim “Future Nostalgia”: Dua Lipa “Hollywood’s Bleeding”: Post Malone “Folklore”: Taylor Swift
66.7% of Panorama voted for “Folklore”
“I voted for ‘Folklore’ because Taylor emanates an ethereal sort of tone in ‘Folklore.’ Unlike her previous albums, which were generally very upbeat, the tranquility of this album shows her versatility as an artist.” SOPHIA LIU | in-depth editor
RECORD OF THE YEAR
“CIRCLES”- POST MALONE The Nominees “Black Parade”: Beyoncé “Colors”: Black Pumas “Rockstar”: Dababy and Roddy Ricch “Say So”: Doja Cat “Everything I Wanted”: Billie Eilish “Don’t Start Now”: Dua Lipa “Circles”: Post Malone “Savage”: Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé
29.2% of Panorama voted for “Circles”
“Post Malone is one of my favorite artists; ‘Circles’ is one of his best songs. His album, ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding,’ was a pretty good album as a whole, but ‘Circles’ was the biggest bright spot on it. Hopefully Malone can match that level in the future.” KIRAN VARADACHARI | health & sports staff
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
“WATERMELON SUGAR”- HARRY STYLES The Nominees “Yummy”: Justin Bieber “Say So”: Doja Cat “Everything I Wanted”: Billie Eilish “Don’t Start Now”: Dua Lipa “Watermelon Sugar”: Harry Styles “Cardigan”: Taylor Swift
37.5% of Panorama
voted for “Watermelon Sugar” “I picked ‘Watermelon Sugar’ for Best Pop Solo Performance because it’s catchy and everyone enjoys listening to it. It creates variety within his new album and also adds a new aspect to the pop genre. Harry’s songs are a form of music that everyone can enjoy, and that’s why I think it’s special.” CAROLINE TYRRELL | features editor
LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
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PANO’S TOP PICKS
NEW ON NETFLIX
Panorama reviews three popular TV shows that recently came out on Netflix
OVIYA SRIHARI a&e editor
GRAND ARMY “Grand Army” follows the lives of five students at Grand Army High School in Brooklyn, New York. The first episode literally starts off with a bang as a bomb goes off blocks away, and the school is sent into lockdown. While this is supposed to remain a central event throughout the first season, the writers quickly drop the plot point, marking the beginning of a season riddled with the same issue. In an attempt to seem socially conscious, the show slaps the characters with countless social injustices to juggle. Instead of handling these issues with care, it forgets about them by the next episode, finding a “trendier” problem to focus on. The characters could be compelling, but unnecessary plot twists often mean the character you’re rooting for ends up disappointing you. “Grand Army” tries too hard to be relevant, and is fully performative in addressing important issues. I would only watch this show again to see Leila’s outfits.
“Tiny Pretty Things” follows a group of students at an elite Chicago ballet school after Neveah Stroyer is admitted to replace star dancer Cassie Shore, who is in critical condition after being mysteriously pushed from the school’s roof. “Tiny Pretty Things” specifically casted ballet dancers in its lead roles, which allows for beautiful extended dance scenes with the actors and actresses. Although the characters’ backstories and the drama of competitive dance would be enough to carry the season, the show often creates other drama to focus on. Between juggling individual problems, feuds between characters, dance drama and multiple mysteries, the show often feels like it can’t keep up with itself. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for a well-executed plot, but “Tiny Pretty Things” is worth watching for the characters and dancing.
illustration by | OLIVIA HU
TINY PRETTY THINGS
THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT
“The Queen’s Gambit” tells the story of orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon. The show successfully weaves flashbacks between Harmon’s childhood and the present to follow her competitive journey along with her struggles away from the chess board. The show keeps viewers constantly engaged by revealing Harmon’s story in bite-sized pieces throughout the season. Everything from Harmon’s hair to even the lighting all contribute to clean transitions between flashbacks that are interesting to watch. Every single scene is so thoughtfully created that “The Queen’s Gambit” manages to make chess matches feel suspenseful and high-stakes. Harmon — both in the past and present — and the characters that surround her are intelligent and relatable, but still interesting and nowhere near perfect. Chess player or not, the characters, setting and slow-but-dramatic plot all make “The Queen’s Gambit” hard to stop watching.
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A&E | HEALTH & SPORTS
SPREAD DESIGN BY OVIYA SRIHARI | DOMENIC FENOGLIO
IN MEMORIAM
ROBERT “BOBBY” ELZEMEYER 1956-2020
“
I mainly come to games because of you guys. I just love these kids so much. Seeing them at the games, talking to them and meeting them. It means so much to me that they continue to want to talk to me. It means that I’m wanted.” -Elzemeyer, 2018
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I LOVE YOU, MAN Ladue’s lifelong sports fan dedicated his time to friendship with players
Robert “Bobby” Elzemeyer stands with former Ladue athlete Elliot Loitman at a soccer game. He wore a plastic hat from Firehouse Subs to every soccer game as a good luck charm after visiting the restaurant with the team. “I think a great legacy he leaves is that beautiful moments and beautiful friendships can emerge from someone who is a complete stranger,” junior Hayden Zych said, “The only thing that separates you is 44 years.” (photo courtesy of Ladue Soccer)
DOMENIC FENOGLIO associate editor
W
hen senior Dylan Stern arrived at his Ladue soccer practice without cleats, he knew he was in trouble. Facing an entire practice in Crocs, he turned to Robert “Bobby” Elzemeyer, a honorary member of the team who attended nearly every soccer practice, and asked if he could wear his tattered Nike shoes. Without hesitation, Elzemeyer traded Stern for his Crocs and spent the rest of practice smiling on the sideline, knowing he had helped a friend. A lifelong sports fan, Elzemeyer spent countless hours with Ladue sports teams in the 44 years since he graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School in 1976. He built relationships with as many athletes as he could, always greeting them with a bear hug and his trademark phrase “I love you, man.” Elzermeyer passed away Dec. 20 due to complications from COVID-19, and current Ladue athletes wish they could get time with him back.
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“After a game that we lost, I didn’t want to talk to Bobby, [I said] ‘You know what, man, get away from me. I’m just going home,’” junior Hayden Zych said. “Those are the moments you regret; those are moments that make you think ‘This guy really is more than we are. He’s a better person than we are.’ In times where we need him — maybe we need a good pat on the back, for him to say, ‘Hey, and it’s gonna be okay, we’ll get ‘em next week’ — Bobby was always that.” Elzemeyer’s love for sports began as a child, when he would start his chores at dawn so he would finish before the first sports game. Even when he got grounded from the television and could not watch sports at home, he found any way he could to tune in. “He always had a way of getting around the rules,” Carolyn Crowley, Elzemeyer’s sister, said. “One time he was grounded, [so] he walked up to one of the stores, one with TVs in the front. He would go into the store and ask them to turn the station because he was watching the TV through the window, probably pacing the sidewalk.”
Elzemeyer has been around some Ladue sports longer than anyone else in the program. Current boy’s varsity basketball coach Chad Anderson first started coaching at Ladue in 2000, and by that point, Elzemeyer had already become a regular at team events. “I think he became a member of our family dating back to before I was here,” Anderson said. “He’s been all around basketball, but he’s around every sport. Just having him in the gym was like having another member of the team.” Traveling to distant games and attending early morning practices helped foster a bond between Elzemeyer and the student athletes he spent time with. Even away from practice, he checked in on his friends consistently through text messages and phone calls. “Bobby would call three times a day,” Zych said. “When I picked up the phone, he would just want to talk and say how much of a friend I am to him. He would always thank me for being his friend. It never occurred to me how important that is in a friendship or how important it is to him.”
SPREAD DESIGN BY DOMENIC FENOGLIO
alumni speak LASTING Ladue about what Bobby meant to them LEGACY
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SCOTT STERN class of 1976
My favorite memory about Bob Elzemeyer was from the 2018 district soccer finals featuring Ladue vs. Clayton. Of course, Bob was invited to sit on the sidelines by Coach Aronberg. In overtime, Grayson Francis scored the game winning goal and the students ran onto the field. After a few minutes, the soccer team all got together for a team picture holding the district championship trophy. The photo included the team and the coaching and they allowed one other person to be in the photo. Of course, that person was Bob. As always, the team and coaches treated him like one of the family and I’ll always remember the smile in his face as he stood with the team wearing his worn Ladue baseball hat. I’ll never forget how happy he was at that moment.”
JOSH HORWITZ class of 2018
Bobby was not a fan of Ladue basketball, he was a member of our family. If Bobby missed a practice, or wasn’t in the locker room before a game, something was wrong. Every day he would give me a big hug and say “I love you, man.” Bobby was an incredible friend and I think about him every day.”
Being a part of the team meant inclusion in events like end-of-season banquets. The boys soccer team moved to an online celebration because of COVID-19, so Elzemeyer received help from Zych to set up Zoom on his computer. “The juniors’ job [for the banquet] was to deliver either senior gifts or food to coaches,” Zych said. “I got to deliver to Bob because I helped him set up his Zoom. I dropped off the food, and I went home like a normal night. The next morning he called and told me that he had COVID.” After Elzemeyer lost his fight with COVID-19, a funeral was held in which six different Ladue coaches were pallbearers. Anderson was moved by reflections from Elzemeyer’s closest friends. “He was just such a genuine, thankful person that loved people,” Anderson said. “I really realized that when I attended [the funeral], because there were so many people that had so many nice things to say about him, even though they admitted [that] in the past, they weren’t always as good of a friend to him as he was to them.” LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
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Also in attendance was Crowley, who learned for the first time the enormity of Elzemeyer’s presence in the Ladue community. For years, Elzemeyer had rescheduled birthday parties or family events on account of a Ladue game, but Crowley never fathomed that many athletes counted on him to be there. She was in awe that her brother had spent so much of his life committed to a fraternity of athletes she had never met. “I think most people hope to affect people,” Crowley said. “We all want to leave a legacy. We all want to make a difference in the world. And he did make a difference in the world. He made a difference to all the students in the school — he touched so many lives. Everybody wants to do that; we strive to do that. I just wish I knew about it before he died.” While Ladue sports will have to continue without Elzemeyer’s presence, many athletes feel that he fundamentally changed the way their teams care for each other. Stern does not see his impact leaving the Ladue community any time soon.
HANS CHAN class of 2017
I can’t look back on my time in Ladue sports without thinking of Bobby. He was at every game and practice and was our number one fan. His enthusiasm and warmth always encouraged us, and we’ll all miss him.”
“Bob’s legacy is well deserved and should be long lasting,” Stern said. “He made Ladue sports teams like family. He devoted his life to this school and the people it holds. Bob’s legacy is unconditional love and passion for the students and staff of this school, as well as the athletics happening outside of it.” p
1.25.21
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COMMENCE THE
CURLING Seniors Sam Addison, Roland LaBonte, Jake Shelton and Tomi Zigo hold their brooms during their curling competition. They are currently not playing, as their season starts in February. “It’s no pressure, and it’s good to have a nice competition,” Zigo said. (Photo courtesy of Jake Shelton)
Curling team discusses how they formed and their future KIRAN VARADACHARI health & sports staff
L
aughter and cheers echo throughout the Creve Coeur Ice Arena as the Ladue curling team prepares for a game. Rather than focusing on competitive success however, curling is more about fun and enjoyment for four students at Ladue. The Ladue Curling Club formed two years ago through the efforts of seniors Jake Shelton, Roland LaBonte, Tomislav Zigo and Sam Addison with the hopes of spending time together and trying something new. Rather than practicing multiple times per week, the team only competes in one game each Saturday night from February through April, lasting approximately one to two hours. Their season is played under the supervision of the St. Louis Curling Club, and consists of a five-game exhibition season against other St. Louis-area schools with a championship tournament as the conclusion. “It was odd at the beginning, but
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it’s always been awesome to get to spend time with friends on a Saturday night,” Zigo said. “Curling is a pretty casual sport for the high schools that participate, so everyone has a good time while we try something new.” Although these seniors made the most of the opportunities high school provided, their inspiration to start a curling team proved essential in finding an alternate way to hang out together. Due to the niche setting and supplies needed to curling, the seniors had to take matters into their own hands. “We were looking for a different way to spend our evenings, and when the idea came about we were intrigued,” Shelton said. “My dad used to play in an adult league, and without him, we would have never even thought of the idea. My dad got us set up with the basics, and the idea took off from there.” Using the fundamentals they were taught, the newly formed club won multiple games in the exhibitions, they were seeded high and eventually
made it to the championship game before losing. While they now believe playing was the right choice, some members of the team were initially uncertain of whether or not it would be worth it. “At first, I was skeptical,” LaBonte said. “I was unsure that it was something I wanted to do, but they needed another player. In the end, I gave it a shot, and I am so glad I did because we always have a great time. This experience has definitely brought us closer together.” Regardless of their initial doubts, the team members were successful in their desires to broaden their horizons. In the future, the team is looking forward to seeing if other Ladue students can continue the club. “We had a handful of underclassmen ask us about playing, but due to limits on team sizes, that wasn’t going to work,” Shelton said. “Hopefully, they follow through and keep the team going in the future because if they make the most of it, it will be an experience they never forget.” p
SPREAD DESIGN BY ERIN TURKIELTAUB | KATIE HOLLAND
Senior Samantha Fischer sets new record for girls diving KATIE HOLLAND
“[Fischer] has had some great performances this season,” Gentry said. “She’s really helped to prove the [dive] n 1998, Ladue diver Lauren Corey program is working and attracted set the school record for diving more athletes to the team.” with a score of 33.7. On Jan. 7, Similar to Fischer, sophomore Cate senior Samantha Fischer became Thomas got her start in diving from Ladue’s new record holder, scoring a her previous career in gymnastics. 35.2 in a six dive dual Thomas has only meet competition. been diving for Fischer is the first to three months; It was awesome to finally come close to beating however, she see some of my hard work the girls record in already sees over twenty years. Fischer as an pay off in such a huge way Breaking the inspiration. SAMANTHA FISCHER | senior school record has “Samantha been a personal goal has been workof Fischer’s for a majority of her diving really hard to get [here] and got ing career. Despite her preparations, really close [to the record] earlier in Fischer was not expecting to break the season,” Thomas said. “We were the record during her meet against super excited when she finally did Eureka Jan. 7. it. The whole thing was just really “I felt like I did pretty well in the inspiring.” meet, but I didn’t really think that Gentry has high hopes for the rest I broke it,” Fischer said. “Then my of Fischer’s senior season. He also coach added up my score and came up anticipates Fischer’s success sparking to me really excited, and I knew.” new interest in the sport, both for Swim and dive coach Hap Gentry athletes and spectators. has been working with Fischer since “[My hope is that] other divers freshman year. He has seen progresor gymnasts see Sam breaking the sion in Fischer’s technique throughschool record and want to give diving out her career, and is pleased with her a try,” Gentry said. “They could even recent performance. set the next record.” p
health & sports editor
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LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
Critical moments in Fischer’s diving career
DEFINING MOMENTS IN
DIVING:
photo illustration by | GRACE HENSLEY & DOMENIC FENOGLIO
DIVER DELIVERS
freshman:
sophomore:
- First year on the diving team - State championship qualifier - 13th place at state
- 12th place at state - Member of 2018 state championship team
junior:
senior:
- State championship qualifier - 6th place at state
- New dual meet competition record holder for diving 1.25.21
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CASES IN CLASSES
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A look at the spread of COVID-19 in Ladue classrooms All stats as of 01.25.21
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K-5 STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE QUARANTINED DISTRICT-WIDE REED
DISTRICT-WIDE ACTIVE CASES IN STUDENTS AND STAFF IN GRADES K-5
FIFTH GRADE CENTER
278 29 13
CUMULATIVE STUDENT CASES IN THE DISTRICT OLD BONHOMME
SPOEDE
6
90
6-12 K-5 48% 52%
140
GRADES 6-12 STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE QUARANTINED
LADUE MIDDLE
CUMULATIVE CASES IN AGES 5-19 SINCE MARCH 1, 2020
LADUE HIGH
CONWAY
CUMULATIVE CASES IN AGES 5-19 IN THE PAST 14 DAYS
ACTIVE CASES IN STUDENTS AND STAFF IN GRADES 6-12
57
6-12 33% K-5 IN 56% ADM 11%
CUMULATIVE STAFF CASES IN THE DISTRICT
Sources: Missouri Department of Health, Ladue Schools
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