Editors-in-Chief: Hannah Suffian and Anya Tullman
Sports Editors: Jackson Bry and Jacob Korn
Art Editors: Egret Jin and Jacqueline Zeng
Web Editors-in-Chief: Anik Jain and Will Minifie
Managing Editor: Katie Shaw
Photography Editors: Carolina Alisio, Abbie Hoefer and Burke Howe
Head Copy Editor: Adam Rush Photographer-in-Chief: Zachary Weller Design Editor: Felix Hu Head Copy Editor: Adam Rush In-Depth Editors: Anna Liner and Ande Siegel
Business Manager: Stephen Bowen Social Media Editor: Sunny Lu Writers: Sarah Suffian, Erin Turkieltaub and Caroline Tyrrell
News Editors: Connie Chen and Sydney Crump
Photographers: Jordan Ganzer, Grace Hensley, Nicole Kalishman and Maggie Lochmoeller
Features Editors: Katie Holland and Bradford Siwak
Artist: Jill Goldwasser
Opinions Editors: Cassie Beisheim and Alex Fu
Adviser: Sarah Kirksey
A&E Editors: Hugh Chan and Malavika Kumaran
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 its readers. 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. Panorama welcomes letters to the editors. Please bring signed letters to room 1311. Panorama reserves the right to
Ladue Blue sponsors ($100) Judy Bowman The Hoefer Family The Holland Family The Howe Family Immerse + Atlas Supply Company The Jain Family Les Kaufman The Korn Family Ladue Education Foundation & Alumni Association Frank and Esther Lu Chen Liu & Danielle Zhang The Shimony Family Amy and Stanley Small
The Suffian Family Bob & Carolyn Suffian The Tullman Family Gold sponsors ($75) Hensley Construction The Katzman Family Silver sponsors ($50) The Arun Family Walter & Leonssia Beisheim The Bry Family Christy Crump Bianca Daniels Terri Halsey Susie Harris Alan Korn
revise submissions as long as original intent remains unaltered. Panorama is produced 10 times per school year by the newspaper class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School at 1201 S. Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63124. The publication lab is located in room 1311, (314)-9936447 ext. 5844. Read more stories online at laduelead. com. Follow @laduepublications on Instagram and Facebook and @laduepanorama on Twitter. Cover design by Jackie Zeng and Egret Jin.
Jeffery and Elaine Korn The Kumaran Family The Levy-Thomeczek Family Lochmoeller/Schulte Grandkids The Page Family - Luke & Jake Patney Family Southern/Lochmoeller Team Vie Terry and Phyllis Weiss The Wolf Family Friendly sponsors ($25) Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More Aaron Bry Marcia Crump Harry Diwakaran
The Fruend Family Lily Hauptman Mini Hensley The Huber Family The Kalishman Family The Moore Family Marty Newman Melanie Rush Nancy Rush Robert Rush Dede Sherman Gary Siegel Grandma Judy Stecher Emma Weller The Yeldham Family
Premio de Honor: Sociedad Honoraria Hispรกnica: Jacqueline Zeng
A+ Graduates: Levi Gibfried Johnathan Sykes Carmen Shelton Peter Turner Bill Brackman Distinguished Service Band Award: Lillian Humphrey Charles Jeffers Glik Scholarship: Matthew Butz Charles M. Shepherd Foundation Scholarship: Ryley Arnold Kiara Crawford Jordan Worth Connie Strobach Outstanding Female Athlete Award: Lila Bensky Dads Club Recognition and George Washington Carver Award: Carolina Alisio Ni An Sarah Ashkar Blake Berg Grace Chicoine Rose Coughlin Rebecca Cunningham Carolyn Duncan Eleanor Duncan Robert Fruend Nevan Giuliani Akshay Govindan Samuel Hiken Felix Hu Andrew Hunt Peter Jakiela Kevin Jiang Egret Jin Joanna Jurgiel Menea Kefalov Akhil Kondepudi Max Kornfeld
Anna Lu Hale Masaki Donovon Moore Nikol Nikolova Seema Patil Rajdeep Paul Montgomery Rickey Lauren Ross Moses Schindler Hope Shimony Jay Singh Anna Spirtas Peter Stergios Sarah Stieglitz Anya Tullman Charles Yeldham Jacqueline Zeng Michelle Zhou DECA Scholarship: Joshua Horowitz Nicholas Waltke Frances H. Ginsberg Memorial Vocal Music Scholarship: Charles Yeldham George M. Turmail Band Award: Evyn Levy Goessl Book Award: Rebecca Cunningham Hank Kauffman Math Award: Seema Patil Iris Markman Fine Arts Award: William Hawkins James A. Wagner/ St. Louis Post Dispatch Scholar Athlete Award: Moses Okpala James R. Waechter Band Award: Tyrone McNichols
James Robertson Memorial Scholarship: Alice Breternitz Jeff Lieberman Scholarship: Samuel Hiken Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship: Jacqueline Zeng Kurt H. Knoedelseder Theatre Scholarship Award: Abigail Yearout Ladue Horton Watkins High School Scholarship: Ashley Balsavias Morgan Burke Faith Deddens BreAnna Hardy Courvaun Hill Egret Jin Amelia Malone Anne Morgan Kelly Phung Nicholas Waltke
Ladue Strolling Strings Award: William Hawkins Tennessee San LHWHS Community Service Scholarship: Ashley Byer Hannah Suffian Lois Percival Orchestra Award: Menea Kefalov Lyndon B. Johnson Excellence in Government Studies Scholarship: Charles Yeldham
Michael A. Ramming Dads Club Scholarship: Andrew Hunt MSHSAA Sportsmanship Award: Hannah Suffian Brandon Yan National Hispanic Recognition Program: Alice Breternitz National Merit Finalist: Rebecca Cunningham Robert Fruend Riley Gage Nevan Giuliani Samuel Hiken Felix Hu Andrew Hunt Peter Jakiela Kevin Jiang Egret Jin Akhil Kondepudi Max Kornfeld Kevin Li Donovon Moore Nikol Nikolova Lauren Ross Moses Schindler Nicholas Whitaker Zachary Wild Charles Yeldham Jacqueline Zeng National Merit Semifinalist: Akshay Govindan Alexander Kanyok David Steiner Paganini Award: Akshay Govindan Pat Sanders Scholarship: Sydney Alexander
Sneider-Kaskowitz Expository Writing Award: Robert Fruend Speech and Debate Student of the Year: Max Kornfeld The Visual Arts Award: Anna Fiacco Tony Kardis Senior Science Award: Megan Ross United States Coast Guard Academy: Montgomery Rickey William Heyde Great American Debater Award: Hale Masaki
William Raisch Dads Club Scholarship: Blake Berg Dads Club Scholarship: Charles Yeldham
Faculty, Scholarship, Leadership, and Service Award: Kiara Crawford
Egret Jin
University of Pennsylvania
V
acant parking lots. Airports in the early morning. Hotel hallways. Reality never feels quite right in these places, where even the air settles strangely over your skin. Liminal spaces: throughways from one area to the next. Their existence relies on the existence of other spaces, so it seems unnatural to consider them as independent entities. That’s why it feels weird when we stay longer than necessary — why we feel a persistent nagging that things aren’t as they should be. That feeling nagged 12-year-old me as I sat in my empty room in Richland, Washington for the last time. The boxes were packed; the van was waiting outside. My mom had just dropped a ziploc bag full of sausages onto my lap. It wasn’t just the bag of sausages that felt out of place. Sitting on the carpet, remembering all the times I had lain here reading books, watching the birds outside fight over the feeder and hearing the wind chimes tinkle, I couldn’t help but feel bitter. My presence was transient, a fleeting memory to the space in which I sat. Five years of living neatly packed away in boxes. How could my parents force me to throw away everything I’d known? Unthinkable. And yet, I couldn’t have stayed in that room forever.
Alexander Kanyok Trinity College Dublin
I
was so tired I thought I would die. My legs wouldn’t move, I felt fire in my throat. I walked in the back, but even the slow ones passed me. I had never experienced a struggle as hard as this one. Perhaps a twenty mile backpacking adventure on the Appalachian Trail was not the right choice for a novice. I was desperate for good news. Between breaths I asked for the time. Someone’s voice rang out from ahead, “It’s about 9:00.” My heart sank. Two hours hadn’t even passed since we departed. I had a shred of hope left, however. Our pace must be fast if I was this tired. Another voice asked, “How far have we gone?” “Probably about oneand-a-half miles.” Our plan was to do ten miles. I was dumbfounded. No matter how I looked at the situation, I was not going to finish this trip. I was frustrated. It wasn’t my fault; it was the adults. I didn’t need to suffer, and I wouldn’t stand for it, literally. I sat down on the path and refused to move. The adults forced me up. I tried to stare defiantly, but my vision was blurry with tears. I fought vainly to sit down. One of the leaders, tired of my actions, grabbed my face, stared me in the eyes, and said, “We are not turning around and we are not stopping, so you need to toughen up or we all are walking in the dark.” Everyone waited silently. Turning back was impossible.
What advice would you give to students? Don’t take your high school years for granted. You can’t get them back to do a do-over. Who is your role model and why? My parents. They have had the greatest influence on my life, even now as an old man. After them, Officer Ramirez. What is your favorite part about Ladue? The high level of achievement. What will you miss most about Ladue? The people I have come to know.
What do you look forward to in retirment? [I am looking forward to having] less pressure in everyday life. What is something most people don’t know about you? I graduated from here and got a senior superlative. What is your favorite hobby and why? Reading historical mysteries; I’m a history nerd.
What are your plans after you retire? I will visit my children, grandchildren, travel and spend time with my husband. What is your favorite hobby? Gardening. Because flowers never fail to brighten my day. What are you looking forward to when you retire? Having the freedom to spend my time as I want.
What is your favorite part about Ladue? I love how our students say ‘thank you’ after class. Our students and staff appreciate each other. What advice would you give to students? Turn off your phone. What is something most people don’t know about you? My husband and I were high school sweethearts who met through debate. I went to Parkway West, and he went to Parkway Central.
What is your greatest accomplishment? Being a crossing guard for 26 years without having any of the people who have walked across either get hurt or killed. Who is your role model and why? It’s not just one person. It [would] have to be my parents because they led by example. What is something most people don’t know about you? It depends on how much they know about me.
What do you look forward to in retirement? The one thing I really look forward to most in retirement is letting my daughter sleep longer every day since I won’t have to rush her out of the house so I can get to work. I want to be able to make her breakfast and spend time with her before taking her to school. And, of course, golf. What is something most people don’t know about you? Most people don’t know I earned my Eagle Scout badge in 1976 and have a bicentennial Eagle certificate.
What is your favorite memory at Ladue? My favorite memory at Ladue would have to be the fun times eating lunch with the English department. What are your plans after you retire? My plans include traveling, working with my son at his law office and tutoring. What is something most people don’t know about you? Most people don’t know that my first name is Carol. My middle name is Dianne. I was called Dianne at home to prevent having a big Carol and a little Carol as I was named after my mother.
Who is your role model and why? My role models are the people who I work with every day. If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be? Mauna Lani golf course is pretty nice. Actually, I would like to be anywhere my wife and kids are. They are what my life is all about. What advice would you give to students? For the freshman, my advice is to get the best grades you can starting your freshman year. Understand it’s a tough mountain if you mess around and fall behind on your GPA.
Who is your role model and why? My teachers throughout my life who inspired me to study music and helped to shape my creative ‘voice.’ What would you do if you won a million dollars? I would offer support to those family members and friends who are in need. What is something most people don’t know about you? I was trapped for three days due to the Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1980. What is your favorite part about Ladue? The support of the families and community.
What will you miss most about Ladue? What I will miss most about Ladue is the people [and] enjoying the students. What are your plans after you retire? After I retire, I plan to start a small educational consulting and academic coaching business that will help families navigate educational challenges while [also] acquiring new skills and resources. What is one of your favorite memories at Ladue? My favorite memories revolve around the students.
What is one of your favorite memories at Ladue? Being called into the office by Dr. Robert Banister in the 1990s for totally losing my cool with some misbehaving kids and saying ‘bull*!@#’ while teaching a class. One of the students was reprimanded for using the word in the commons and he quickly replied, “It’s not a bad word. Mrs. Sailor said it in class earlier today.” Dr. Banister was so cool about it, for he understood how I got to that point. If you could only give one piece of advice to a student, what would you say? Assume the best intentions of others until they prove otherwise.
What would you do if you won one million dollars? Nothing different, except I might be able to make more charitable donations. What is your favorite part about Ladue? My students — even the ones who didn’t always like what I taught — gave me purpose and pushed me to be better. If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be? [It] might be Portugal. What will you miss most about Ladue? My students.
What are your plans after you retire? I plan to relax, play as much golf as possible, tutor math and maybe find some sort of retirement job that doesn’t require me to wake up at 4:30 every day and bring work home with me. What is your favorite color? Depends on my mood. I like teal, purple, sky blue and sometimes pink. If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you be? On a beach somewhere sipping a mai-tai. What will you miss most about Ladue? The students and watching them learn and grow.
What will you miss most about Ladue? Watching students develop both intellectually and socially. I love watching their writing improve as well as their confidence in their own voice. What is something most people don’t know about you? I cry easily when I watch dramas such as “This is Us” and silly shows like “The Hollywood Medium.” What advice would you give to students? Love what you do and let people in to see the real you.
Who is your role model and why? Who is my role model? I never had one, just me. I’m my own role model. I do it all for me. What would you do if you won one million dollars? I would buy an island. What are your plans after you retire? After I retire, I have a hauling business. Daryl’s Hauling, that’s what I do. What is your favorite hobby? I like fast cars. NASCAR is my favorite hobby. If you could give one piece of advice to students, what would you say? Homework. I do not see a lot of them doing that here.
What will you miss most about Ladue? The people. What are your plans after retirement? Meals on Wheels. [I’ll] take a little bit of a break and then that’s my next project. What is your greatest accomplishment in life? Three beautiful children. If you could only give one piece of advice to a student, what would you say? Stay in school. What is your favorite hobby and why? Really, it’s my granddaughter. She’s into dance, so we do a lot of competitions.
What will you miss most about Ladue? I’ll miss working with teenagers — the funniest creatures on Earth. What do you look forward to in retirement? Sleeping until at least 7:00 a.m. What advice would you give to students? Don’t be in a hurry to grow up. You have the rest of your life to be an adult. What is something most people don’t know about you? I never took biology in high school. What is your favorite hobby? At this time of year I want to be in the garden digging, planting and dreaming about new paths [to create].
“I peed my pants the first couple days of school because I was too shy to ask my teacher to use the bathroom.” - Sarah Stieglitz
“Mr. Y told our class a story about how one of his past students ran with a pencil facing up in their hand. They tripped over somebody and the pencil stabbed the person running in the eye. “ - Sarah Haybron
“Señor Martin sprayed people’s butts with air freshener when they farted in his class.” - Joshua Thomeczek
“I got sent to the safe seat for eating an apple wrong.” - Anna Fiacco
“I wasn’t feeling good on the day of the Junior Achievement for elementary school students. I started to throw up in front of my class and the man who hosted the Junior Achievement.” - Max Yue
“We watched a lot of ‘Liberty’s Kids’ and ‘The Cosby Show’. This memory doesn’t hold up well.” - Robert Fruend
Folio with page number and page name, 10 senior memories
“During the sixth grade puberty video, I fainted onto Matthew Butz and got sent home by the nurse. When I got home, I realized he had sent me an email asking if I was okay.” - Rose Coughlin
“In the eighth grade, the class of 2019 fully united for the first time by pranking our counselor while she was taking our class photo.” - Blake Berg
“The power outage on the last day of school saved my GPA.” - Christopher Naing
“I once downed half a gallon of someone else’s (William Hawkins) Goldfish during the rests in orchestra.” - Phillip Stanton
“I remember during first semester I was walking to Mrs. Hartigan’s room when Mr. Tarpey pulled me aside. I was scared to death thinking I got in trouble for something I didn’t know about, but my mom (we are family friends) had told him to give me a hard time. ” - Anne Morgan
“My math analysis class joked about getting G. White shirts one day while we had a sub. Later that year, I actually organized it and we ordered around 30 shirts that had a picture of G. White on the front and one of his iconic quotes. ” - Abigail Yearout
“Winning state a ton and having such a spirited school atmosphere along with the new school.” - Alice Birchfield
Folio with page number and page name, 11 senior memories
Golf: Rehgan Harris
Basketball: Kourtney Hay
Football: Andrew Hunt
“Rehgan has been on the girls varsity golf team since it began in 2016. Since then, she has taken on a leadership role and played an integral part in building the program. She shows great character both on and off of the course.” -Jessica Kennedy
“She won the sportsmanship of the year award for her conference for the second year in a row as well as team captain. She is an inspiration to all on the team and will go on to do great things.” -Rich Gray
“Andrew was the Missouri Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year. As a team captain, he led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns on offense. Andrew is one of the most complete football players we have had in our program.” -Mike Tarpey
Soccer: Carolina Aliso
Cross country: Lila Bensky
Basketball: Bryce Bussard
Wrestling: Patrick Kovalak
Golf: Hadley Kramer
“Carolina Alisio was a four-year varsity player for us and a team captain this year. She is truly the heart and soul of the team who leads by example. She’s a great teammate who’s willing to do whatever it takes to help the team succeed.” -David Aronberg
Lila has been the heartbeat of our team since freshman year. She exits Ladue with the second-best 5K time in school history. In cross country, she is a three-time state qualifier and earned all-state honors her junior year.” -Matthew Strayhorn
“Bryce played for the third place boys basketball team and served as team captain. He led the team in three point percentage and was one of our best defenders. He exemplifies what we look for from the players in our program.” -Chad Anderson
“Patrick was a state qualifier through adversity that most people would not have been able to overcome. His hard work and dedication helped him achieve his goals. He sets a great example for our younger athletes to follow.” -Kevin Clawson
“Over the past few years, Hadley served as a role model for our young golfers in the program. He has demonstrated his passion, commitment and work habits to everyone. Because of this, he will continue to play in college” -Todd Basler
Hockey: Carson Acree
Swimming: Luyi Gao
Softball: Madyson Espinosa
Cheer: Camille Hibler
Soccer: Jacob Guhr
“Carson was our team captain and a great leader. Carson led our team in points and has been one of our top players every year over the last three seasons.” -Dave Brosseau
“Luyi Gao’s name appears on the list of top-16 alltime Ladue performances 15 times in six of the 11 swimming events, including one school record. Luyi placed twice individually at the State Championships. Luyi will be sorely missed.” -Hap Gentry
“Madyson played softball all four years as our starting catcher. She was named first team all-conference all four years, and she was named to the all-regional team. Madyson will attend and play softball for Wichita State University.” -Christopher Saxton
“Camille was always prepared and put a lot of time and effort into creating things for our pep rallies like cheers and dances. She had a very positive personality that lifted the spirits of the team.” -Cheer team
“Jake was our team’s defensive player of the year as well as a first team all-conference player, all-regional player and third team allstate player. Jake played varsity all four years for [us] and served as a captain for the team his senior year.” -Dave Aronberg
Laduettes: Anna Spirtas
Field hockey: Hannah Suffian Tennis: Michelle Zhou
“Anna Spirtas became a member of the Laduettes her freshman year. She has been in our competition team all four years and was a part of our nationals win in 2016. She has played a huge part in making the Laduettes what it is today.” -Alexandra Guenther
“Hannah leads by example every day. She is a team-centered, selfless, hardworking athlete who led the team to accomplish great things. Hannah has played all four years with the program and has represented the highest standard.” -Lynsey Porter
“Michelle was such a consistent player for the team. She had a great team spirit and had a crucial win in doubles in the district tournament. It was a pleasure to have her on our team for her senior year” -Margaret Junker
Swimming: Paige Mitchell
Tennis: Matthew Mrazek
Track: Dale Chesson
Track: Kiara Crawford
Lacrosse: Sarah Friedman
“Class 1 Girls State Champion in two events. State Record in the 500 Freestyle and achieved a Consideration Qualifying Standard for National recognition as a High School. Graduates with four of the 11 Ladue swimming school records.” -Hap Gentry
“He has been dedicated to the tennis team during his time at Ladue. He has a tremendous serve and a great attitude on and off the court. We look forward to seeing him succeed this year.” -Maragret Junker
“Dale’s impact on the track program will be felt long after he is gone. In his four years, Dale has helped in rebuilding the program through his work ethic, commitment to excellence and passion for his teammates.” -Nicholas Buckvar
“Kiara is always helping others, passing on knowledge to other athletes. Kiara has always been a great leader throughout her four years and a great example for the other athletes of focus and dedication.” -Nicholas Buckvar
“Sarah has been such a valuable player for our program. She was voted captain earlier this season and was also asked to change positions from midfield to defense. Her work ethic and passion for getting better has helped us grow.” -Tyler Smith
Volleyball: Kaili Smith
Water polo and Swimming: Brandon Yan
Lacrosse: Jackson Morose
Baseball: Andrew Saunders
“Jackson is a leader both on and off of the field. During the 2019 season, Jackson averaged five points a game, which led the team and ranked him top 10 in the state. He will continue playing lacrosse next year at Louisville.” -Nicholas Striler
“Drew has done whatever the team needs in order to make it more successful. He has played catcher, pitcher, third base and first base. He is a leader on the field and helps to make those around him even better.” -Rob Garrett
Cross country: Markeith Crawford “Markeith has been an outstanding runner, teammate and leader on our team for four years. One of my favorite memories of Markeith was at Sioux Passage Park where he conquered Man Maker Hill and medaled.” -Richard Witt
“Kaili, senior captain, has been a huge part of the Ladue girls volleyball program. She has helped lead the team to over 60+ victories. Her leadership, dedication to the game and positive personality will be missed by all coaches and players.” -Roberta McCaffrey
“Brandon is a natural leader that leads by example. He is reliable and will push himself to perfect every aspect of his game. He is a true difference maker, and I compliment his character.” -Michael Clay
Missouri
Fontbonne University Anna Mumford Lindenwood University Tia Amos Matthew Butz Maryville University Bedriah Al-Kureeti Kyle Faintich Dylan Rosenthal Missouri Baptist University Kaili Smith Missouri State University Margaret Ayres Emily Ingram Samuel Spirn Adam Waltke Missouri University of Science and Technology Ethan Belau Crew Gamble Yunfan Gu Dean King Samantha Kraus Scott Myers Andrew Saunders Missouri Western State University Miles Price Efrata Serbessa Northwest Missouri State University Faith Deddens Southeast Missouri State University Markeith Crawford Carmen Shelton Jonathan Stapleton St. Charles Community College Levi Gibfried Alayna Rowe St. Louis Community College—Forest Park Yarvy Contreras Molina Brejo’n Daggs Khang Lu Yoseph Wassie Breon Gales Johnathan Sykes St. Louis Community College—Florissant Valley Aria Sierra St. Louis Community College—Meramec Tonya Berry David Dziergowski Blake Herkert Panna Medve Lucy Morris Mohammad Noori Nneka Okenwa Maria Orsay Christopher Page Emily Perry
St. Louis University Anna Cui Connie Dong Sarah King Boran Li Santiago Lopez Nathanial Marsters Hebron Marut Aman Rahman Kani Settle Louisia Yang Max Yue Truman State University Ethan Fasbinder Rehgan Harris Lillian Humphrey Alexander Leary Sana Mahmood Lillian Ohlsen Nicholas Rausch Nirapada Rengsomboon Steven Smethers Simone Valentino Justin Wayne Yifu Zhu University of Central Missouri Sydney Alexander University of Missouri Ryley Arnold Alexander Bernier William Bitting Stephen Bowen Kiara Crawford Claire Englander Chase Foster Rae Ellen Frumson Spencer Giacin Abigail Greenberg Grace Hardester Rose Hauser Kourtney Hay Seth Hobbs Meghan Huber Hamza Khan Chase Morgan Elijah Myers Felix Opiyo Samuel Rosen Claire Rowe Adam Rush Isabella Saxton David Steiner Sarah Stieglitz Dalani Tate Sophie Taylor Joshua Thomeczek Ashlyn Zeldin University of Missouri— Kansas City Anik Jain Malavika Kumaran Wesley Lim Michelle Liu Olivia Liu Hannah Suffian Claudia Zegel University of Missouri—St. Louis Emile Belanger Shelley Berry Hairemela Bezabhe Ellie Katzman Tennessee San Melatewrk Yirefu
Washington University in St. Louis Carolina Alisio Blake Berg Eric Biernacki Carolyn Duncan Akshay Govindan Ian Henderson Felix Hu Peter Jakiela Jillian Mann Evan Mutic Lauren Ross Megan Ross Moses Schindler Hope Shimony Charlie Yeldham David Zhang Michelle Zhou Webster University Alivia Brock Lorelei Gebhard Marjorie Kennedy Matthew Rosenbluth
Alabama
University of Alabama Emma Ewell Jordan Ganzer Ajay Kamath John Moehrle Nicolas Schilders Katherine Valeriote Alabama A&M University Brian Brown
Arizona
Arizona State University Sarah Friedman Joseph Weisbard University of Arizona Madeline Diggs Alan Morgensztern Jacob Guhr Cameron Stern Connor Taylor
Arkansas
University of Arkansas Jackson Gallemore Luke Page Logan Trovillion Nicholas Waltke
California
California Institute of Technology Tyrone McNichols Loyola Marymount University Alexis Zeldin San Diego State University Paige Mitchell Santa Clara University Antonio Amore Rojas Santa Monica University Ni An Guangye Lai University of Redlands Ande Siegel University of Southern California Kevin Li
Colorado
Colorado College Lincoln Grench Colorado School of Mines Phillip Stanton Evan Sutter Colorado State University Manley Feinberg Amelia Malone Noah Melson University of Colorado Boulder Courtney Christ Max Deutsch Luyi Gao Mary Gerding Grant Powell Ainsley Watkins University of Northern Colorado Caleb McDonald
Connecticut
Yale University John Madden Seema Patil United States Coast Guard Academy Montgomery Rickey
Washington D.C. Howard University Courvaun Hill
Florida
Florida Gulf Coast University Bryce Bussard Florida Institute of Technology Thomas Francis Florida State University Patrick Kovalak Lynn University Ede Holiday Yair Kadan University of Miami Pierce Kinney University of Tampa Rachel Byrne Madison Milton
Georgia
Emory University Anna Lu
Georgia Institute of Technology Joanna Jurgiel Savannah College of Art and Design Lucas Blucher William Hawkins Luke Minkler Spelman College Raiven Hamilton University of Georgia Ashley Balsavias Ashley Byer
Hawaii
University of Hawaii Manoa Thomas Bliss
Illinois
Columbia College Chicago Paige Morgan
Massachusetts
Berklee College of Music Menea Kefalov Brandeis University Noa Hahn Northeastern University Joel Willick Olin College of Engineering Jaqueline Zeng Suffolk University John Stefek
Michigan
Michigan State University Spencer LeCorgne University of Michigan Akhil Kondepudi
Minnesota
Carlton College Samuel Hiken University of Minnesota Christopher Naing
Mississippi
University of Mississippi Shannon McNutt Monika Onofrey Alexander Turner Lauren Vanlandingham
Nebraska
Creighton University Declan Curran Purdue University Marilyn Lercel Nathan Lieu Jay Singh
New Hampshire
Iowa
New York
Drake University Mary Mullen University of Iowa Grace Chicoine Drew Hotz Max Goldberg DePaul University Cleo Davis Alexander Krasnoff Brianna Smith Peter Stergios Lindenwood University— Belleville Evynne Jackson Megan McGinnis Loyola University Chicago Morgan Burke Sarah Haybron Kaelyn Tobias Southern Illinois University Brennan Kalish Cody Szweda Southern Illinois University—Edwardsville Khamisi Douglas University of Chicago Alice Breternitz Rose Coughlin
Kansas
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Anne Morgan Moses Okpala
Indiana
Butler University Trey Schwartz Indiana University Hannah Gold Matthew Hearst Joshua Horowitz Mary Judson Liam Mulligan Connor Ross Anna Spirtas Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis Emily Witt
Kansas City Art Institute Theresa Heartney University of Kansas Lily Rapp Natalie Rausch Wichita State University Madyson Espinosa
Kentucky
Jefferson Community and Technical College William Carr Louisville University Jackson Morose Northern Kentucky University Breanna Hardy University of Kentucky Mya Danforth Joshua Kittner Jonathan Pitts Reece Rode
Dartmouth College Dale Chesson Andrew Hunt
The Cooper Union Anna Fiacco Cornell University Sarah Ashkar Hamilton College Zachary Weller New York University Max Kornfeld School of Visual Arts Lilliana Hall
North Carolina
Duke University Zachary Wild Elon University Lila Bensky Wake Forest University Abigail Yearout
Ohio
Case Western Reserve University Antonio Human Brandon Yan Kenyon College Claire Golden
Miami University Carson Acree Thomas Gerding Clark Kittner Julia Lett Sarah Lett Margaret Lochmoeller Tripp Lochmoeller Kelly Phung Christopher Sewing University of Dayton Brandon West Madeleine Witzofsky
Oregon
University of Oregon Keaton Connors
Pennsylvania
Carnegie Mellon University Rebecca Cunningham Nevan Giuliani Swarthmore College Linnea Holy University of Pennsylvania Egret Jin Anya Tullman University of Pittsburgh Samuel Shoykhet
Rhode Island
Brown University Rajdeep Paul
South Carolina
College of Charleston Ethan Cochran
Tennessee
University of Memphis Makayla Bommer Rylee Lever Jordan Worth University of Tennessee Hadley Cytron Vanderbilt University Hale Masaki Nikol Nikolova Nicholas Whitaker
Texas
Southern Methodist University Max Bernickus Texas A&M University Luke Militello Texas Christian University Alice Birchfield Robert Fruend The University of Texas at Dallas Rahul Khanna Gopikannan
Utah
Brigham Young University— Provo Riley Gage Elena Welch
Virginia
George Mason University Matthew Mrazek Hampton University Hadley Kramer
Piedmont Virginia Community College Mabel Miller
Washington
North Seattle College Shawn Pernik University of Washington Carlos Cueto
Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin— Madison Jason Garland Abbie Hoefer Sophie Isaacs University of Wisconsin— Stout Sarah Wides Marquette University Davina Lettau
International
University of Toronto Eleanor Duncan Trinity College Dublin Alexander Kanyok
Other
Anna Apolinarski Koryell Hearn Donovon Moore Duong Nhieu Evan Ross Olivia Wallace
Unknown
Bea Marie Acepcion Tyler Beck BeLov’ed Brooks Seth Byman Courtnie Clark Roena Cole Hawi Dagne Kurt Dolan Jasmine Duncan Alexander Garza Andrew Gluck Andrea Hartman Camille Hibbler Emmanuel Mark Isidro Marie Jackson Kevin Jiang Ayubkhon Makhmudmurodov Allison Meade Samuel Muchewas Peter Ormonde Jhovany Perez-Sanchez James Ribbing Javon Robinson Ashton Seitz Cameron Shelton Michel Shenouda Miriam Sokora Jessica Sotolar Emily Spina Rachael Stauffer Peter Turner Ahmad Wade Christian Watson Christian Wells Natan Werede Timmad Wilson Olivia Wright Hok Ming Wu
SARAH SUFFIAN writer | @laduepublications
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ver 80 boats line the pier of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Senior Montgomery Rickey will soon begin an extensive nearly-four-year program that will culminate with a commission to serve her country as a Coast Guard Ensign. “I was inspired by the sense of adventure and a purposeful life of service,” Rickey said. “I have always wanted to travel the world while helping people, and this combined the two.” CAROLINE TYRRELL writer | @carotyrrell
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ost high school students stare at the clock painfully waiting for the bell to sound, but senior Shawn Pernik is not like most students. Instead of just seeing the time, Pernik sees his future and passion. Next year, Pernik will attend North Seattle College to study time theory and horology. Pernik’s parents run Timekeepers, a watch and jewelry shop in the Ladue area. He will continue his family’s business in the future, following in the footsteps of many generations that came before him.
ERIN TURKIELTAUB writer | @eturkieltaub
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ollowing graduation, senior Noa Hahn will travel to Talpiot, an Israeli neighborhood in south Jerusalem, for a gap year. There, she will study Judaism before attending Brandeis University in fall 2020. “The bulk of my classes will be in Talmud, or Jewish law, and [they] will consist of both one-on-one learning and larger group discussions,” Hahn said. “I look forward to getting to know the girls at my school. I hope
Her journey begins with “Swab Summer,” which consists of eight weeks of intense boot camp. Rickey plans to major in Operations Research and Computer Analysis. She hopes to try new things such as flying a helicopter as well as playing women’s rugby. While she knows that it will be physically and mentally rigorous, Rickey feels privileged to be selected to train at such a prestigious service academy. “[I intend] to learn as much as I can and think of every experience, good and bad, as a learning opportunity. Take advantage of the opportunities you have for whatever journey you choose,” Rickey said. v “My family is in the business of selling and repairing watches so I’m around it all the time,” Pernik said, “I started learning about them and realized that I really enjoy them.” Watchmaking is a difficult task, which requires many skills that take years to perfect. Throughout his years of observing the art of watchmaking, Pernik is thankful and appreciative of the lessons he has learned and the skills he has acquired. “The parts inside a watch are really small and easy to break, so you have to be very careful with [them],” Pernik said. “I have improved my patience a lot and also my critical thinking skills.” v to meet girls whose experiences are vastly different from mine.” While Hahn is looking forward to her time in Israel, she knows that it will take some time to adapt. Hahn hopes to learn in a relatively low-pressure environment, contrasting with her time at Ladue. “I really think that by taking this gap year I’ll be able to find my place within the Jewish community,” Hahn said. “I hope to come out of my gap year with confidence in who I am not only Jewishly but as an incoming college student.” v
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kay people, let’s do this one last time. for the past three years, I’ve wrote many articles for the Panorama. Yet I’ve rarely written about myself, so I’m using this last opportunity to engage in a little self-indulgence. I’m just gonna come right out and say it: mostly, high school sucked. Although this wasn’t anyone in Ladue’s fault, I tripped down the stairs more times than I can count and got grades that were sometimes less than stellar. If you want me to say it was all worth it, I’m honestly not sure I could. Yet while high school often seemed like it really was under a hellmouth, I also realize that if Buffy had to fight literal demons at her school, I should be glad the worst Ladue ever had to offer was just an annoying math class. head copy editor Also, since nobody asked, here are other crucial life lessons courtesy of Adam Rush: -Batman beats Superman. -Can someone tell me if the plural of octopus is octopi or octopuses? I know that’s not a life lesson but I really need to know. -Embrace your nerdiness. I literally read news articles for fun. And, perhaps most importantly, don’t trip down the stairs. v
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or the past two years, my time has been dedicated mostly to taking photos for the Panorama, but joining the staff was undoubtedly my best decision in high school. In addition to introducing me to passionate people, Panorama gave me the opportunity to tell other people’s stories. These experiences ranged from capturing the state football game to the student-run gun control rallies. The most rewarding stories, however, are the ones that are often looked over. As the National Geographic photographer Stephen Alvarez said, “A photographer’s role is to make the unknown known.” With so many experiences housed in Ladue High School, it’s important to find those that are not always acknowledged. This was my goal as the Photographer-In-Chief, and photo editor-in-chief my photographers have tried to capture this in every issue. But, the most valuable photos I have taken were the unique ones, such as freshmen rock climbing outdoors or juniors building computers from scratch. Building an igloo on the weekend with friends is just as exciting as the state football game. Everyone has a story, and I look forward to hearing every story yet to come. v
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put off writing this column because I knew that when I started, the once-impossible thought of writing my last piece for Panorama would become a reality. Well, it’s now a week past the deadline, so here goes nothing. Three years and many articles later, this is, as Lin Manuel Miranda would say, my “One Last Time.” As a preschooler, I learned about the holiday of Passover. I was horrified by the evil Pharaoh, who enslaved and tortured the Israelites in Egypt. Being a civically-minded 4-year-old, I saw no choice but to seek justice. I immediately put pen to editor-in-chief paper and wrote a letter to Pharaoh, urging him to set the Jewish people free and “stop being so mean.” I sealed the note in an envelope and placed it in the mailbox. For the address, I wrote “Egypt.” Thus began my love affair with writing. Over the next few years, my address book expanded. With my grandfather, I wrote letters to Beethoven, inquiring about his musical inspiration. Every time I lost
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am a creature of habit. Really, if you asked anyone who knows me, they would validate this point. Every day, I make my bed, pack the same lunch for school, wear my watch on the same setting and go to the same workout classes. Another habit I have is to thank others. I say thank you when I leave at the end of a class at school, when I order a meal and when someone does something kind for me. As my last piece of published writing for the Panorama, it only felt right to do it as a thank you. First, I have to thank my friends. You have been there for me since the beginning. I am the luckiest girl to have so many amazing people in my life who always have my back and never fail to make me smile and laugh. I will miss all the shared car rides, trips to Mission Taco and Sportsman’s and endless smiles. Of course this would not be complete without a thank you to a rock in my high school career: sports. Field hockey and lacrosse have allowed me to meet so many wonderful people in this school. We have been through the horrible 20-40s, extreme temperatures during practices and injuries together. Through the ups and downs, we have stuck together and played for each other. Dance Marathon, I owe you a huge thank you! Thank you for showing me such an incredible organization and allowing me to be on an extraordinary executive board. My passion for helping others and for the field of medicine fit perfectly with this club. My teachers deserve a bigger thank you than I can possibly express in this space. All of you have influenced my high school
a tooth, I tucked a note for the Tooth Fairy underneath my pillow with questions like “Are you real?” and “Can you explain why my tooth fell out before I even noticed it was loose?” Without knowing it, I began to employ investigative skills, just like a journalist. In elementary school, I graduated from letter writing and began drafting stories. My portfolio varied greatly: I wrote my own rendition of The Princess and the Frog and reviewed the Six Flags roller coaster, Screamin’ Eagle. The way in which my words formed sentences and eventually stories captivated me, and my desire to reach an audience grew. Cue journalism. Joining the Panorama staff gave me the opportunity to write for a purpose. I write to tell the stories of those who are underrepresented in or unrecognized by our community. I write to expose the injustices I perceive and advocate for change. And, most simply, I write because I love it. Thank you for allowing me to write for you. Thank you to the staff of Ladue High School, for showing me the many ways in which I can further my love of writing, whether it be in a chemistry lab report or a TCQE. Thank you to all my friends, for supporting me as I follow my journalistic dreams. Thank you to Mrs. Kirksey, for turning a naive sophomore into a significantly less naive senior and for being the most incredible role model and adviser. You have changed me for the better. And finally, thank you to the Panorama staff. You are my family, and I will forever cherish the laughs and memories we have shared together. And now, onto the next chapter! v
career in some way and helped me to be the person I am today. Thank you for grading my essays harshly, making me take too many exact value quizzes, read To Kill a Mockingbird and even participate in Friday Fun. You challenged me, encouraged me and motivated me. My final thank you for this column is extremely special and goes to Panorama. You stole my heart, and I would not be the person I am today without you. Thank you for giving me a bigger purpose, connecting me with so many magnificent editor-in-chief people around the country and letting my creativity run wild. Thank you for the journalism knowledge and the opportunity to inform others about unique people and events. Thank you for the incredible friends and the most phenomenal adviser, Mrs. Kirksey, who has given so much and led us with her talented mind and her huge heart. For all of that and much, much more, I thank you. v
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have been in Ladue all my life. This has been my only community, my only exposure to the world, and come fall 2019, I’m going to college 1,759 miles away from Ladue to Redlands, California. When I tell people this, I am usually met with eyebrows and a “that’s-pretty-far-from-home!” comment, as if I am doing something bold. But for me, venturing out of the Ladue community to the west coast feels more necessary than bold. I’m not going to tell you my life story. It’s boring, and I only have a quarter of a single page. However, I want this column to address those in Ladue who could not accept my loud authenticity. I got a lot of negative reactions to my identity, and because of that I felt like I deserved to be alone. I’m going to California to find in-depth editor people who can accept me for who I am. For the first time in a while, I am excited about the future because it promises a wholesome environment where I can flourish and remember why I love life. And to those who reached this point (or you’re my mom), I genuinely hope that you find your community because all human beings deserve that feeling. v
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n the summer between ninth and tenth grade, I realized I wanted to write for the Panorama. Without considering my actions, I emailed Ladue administrators regarding an in-depth story idea I had under the pretense that I was working on behalf of the Panorama. The real Panorama organization had no clue I was doing this (or who I was, for that matter). By tenth grade, I was a news writer for the Panorama. I hadn’t even taken the Journalism I class. My first story was trashed. Go figure. Three years later, I’m the head design editor — I spend my days drawing polygons and creating color palettes. What should I say about Pano... the general consensus is that production week sucks. It takes time outside of school. So on and so forth. head design editor BUT, don’t mind the cons. Because I was in Panorama, I remember getting a tour of the unfinished new building. Seeing the PDFs finalized is heckas fulfilling. Did I mention the free food during production? I love it. As a wise senior, do I have any advice to give? Join the Pano team. It’s honestly amazing. But please sign up for Journalism I before you do. v
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often have my greatest epiphanies when watching “Our Planet,” a nature documentary on Netflix. There’s something about David Attenborough’s voice and scenes of dolphins gliding through the Atlantic that bring me the most earth-shattering wisdom. It’s as if I’m taken to another world entirely. How has it become so easy to forget that such magnificent beauty is, in fact, part of OUR planet? That this lonely green marble orbiting endlessly around the sun is the place we’re lucky enough to call home? The series is both laced with the striking brilliance of nature and an undertone of anguish that comes with the knowledge of its terrifying impending doom. When reminded of the vastness that decorates Earth, every worry seems When reminded of the trivial. vastInstead, inspired Earth, to bask in ness thatI’m decorates every a&e editor the glory of ittrivial. all. It’sInstead, when we worry seems I’m zoom outtoofbask our in lives, theit inspired theadjust glory of lensIt’s and shiftwe ourzoom perspective all. when out of our that we realize greater lives, adjust thealens and sense shift of purpose. As students, our perspective that we we’re realizenot citizens of this school, As but aonly greater sense of purpose. citizens ofwe’re the Earth. Within each students, not only citizens us lies the power to nudge of this school, but citizens of humanity towards betterofdirection, the Earth. Withina each us lies apart fromto the ability to adorn a the power nudge humaniresume. Forever vanishes quickly, ty towards a better direction, so enjoy thethe ride. v to adorn a apart from ability
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remember the first day of high school so well. My first class was U.S. Studies with Dr. Good, and what I thought was yet another social studies class became my first taste of Ladue’s greatest asset: people. Nope, not the new building and definitely not Ram Days. Dr. Good began class by passing out a dollar bill to every student. Immediately, I was interested. What I thought was a joke turned out to be his own way of making us understand the core principles that would later guide his class. Despite his retirement, Dr. Good’s energy lives on with Ladue’s people. As I leave Ladue, among the hundreds of scantrons, late nights and AP Lit reading assignments, there is one thing that I will forever be grateful for attaining: my own voice. I was able to rectify my passions and understand who I am through web editor-in-chief the efforts of my teachers, and, of course, friends. From the Fantasy Fatheads to the Ladue Healthies, I could not imagine four years without the love and hatred of those around me. My final piece of advice? Create your own experience and take time to understand yourself. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. So, for a final time, I say goodbye. Catch me in Kansas City. v
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STATE CHAMPS (Left) Wide receiver Dale Chesson helps hold up the Missouri State Championship Football trophy after the team’s win against MICDS Nov. 3. Ladue beat MICDS 48-11 at Mizzou’s Faurot Field. “I felt at peace,” Chesson said. “I was most proud of us having a chip on our shoulder the entire season and accomplishing our one goal: Ladue’s first ever state championship.” (Photo by Maggie Lochmoeller) COACHES VS. CANCER (Bottom right) Fans cheer as Ladue faces Clayton at the Coaches vs. Cancer game Dec. 14. While both teams competed on the basketball court, the schools raced to see who could raise more money for cancer research. “I love the Clayton Ladue rivalry ... but also it’s really awesome that both schools work together to raise money for cancer awareness,” senior Alexander Leary said. (Photo by Jordan Ganzer) LAST FIRST DAY (Below) The senior class gathers outside the new student entrance before the first day of school Aug. 20. Dressing up in a theme and taking a class photo has been a tradition for the past few years. “I was so excited to finally be a senior and to dress up on the first day,” senior Molly Mullen said. (Photo by Zach Weller)
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” — Winnie the Pooh
Stephen Bowen Carolina Alisio Panorama Photo Editor Business Manager
Abbie Hoefer Sports Photo Editor
Felix Hu Head Design Editor
Hannah Suffian Editor-in-Chief
Anya Tullman Editor-in-Chief
Anna Cui Artist
Rose Hauser Digital Photo Editor
Anik Jain Web Editor-in-Chief
Egret Jin Art Editor
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Davina Lettau Writer
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