Panorama January 2023

We don’t need to prove to you that sleep may or may not be an issue for high schoolers. The proof is right in front of us. There’s a yawn here and an eye rub there. The awful first period silence owes its existence to the oversaturation of fatigue that pollutes each classroom. And the only effective people carry their caffeine proudly.

As humans, we spend a significant amount of our lives asleep. For teenagers, it seems that time is not signif-

icant enough. There is just less time in a day when one decides to sleep more; there’s less waking hours before the next school day can start. In this month, our in-depth tucks into the ways sleep, or a lack thereof, affects the Ladue community. We discuss the ways the pandemic, stimulants, technology and academic motivations molded our sleep schedules. After that, we present the statistics of sleep deprivation derived from the student body.

Elsewhere, we cover the elementary and middle school renovations, teachers getting higher degrees and plant culture. We look at the unsung heroes of schools — the custodial and cafeteria staff. We give our take on girlboss feminism, rank rom-com movies and spotlight a female bodybuilder.

Panorama staf

EDITORS IN CHIEF

Max Eastman

Olivia Hu

Allen You

MANAGING EDITOR

Emmi Walker

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Mac Huffman

Mimi Zhou

ART EDITORS

Tarek Al Husseini

Erica Shi

PHOTO EDITOR

Sydney Collinger

NEWS EDITOR

Avery Anderson

FEATURES EDITOR

Riley Coates

IN-DEPTH EDITOR

Annie Zhao

OPINIONS EDITOR

Pranavi Chintha

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Olivia Chen

HEALTH & SPORTS EDITOR

Luke Lochmoeller

NEWS STAFF

Mahith Samarathunga

FEATURES STAFF

Katie Myckatyn

Laura Shareshian

IN-DEPTH STAFF

Rory Lustberg

Arti Jain

OPINIONS STAFF

Richie Jiang

Emily Liu

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT STAFF

Joseph Baker

Jay Heintz

HEALTH & SPORTS STAFF

Lathan Levy

Michael Zegel

BUSINESS MANAGER

Rory Lustberg

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Vincent Hsiao

ARTISTS

Phoebe Chen

Scarlette Maier

Emilie Tian

ADVISER

Sarah Kirksey

Max Eastman Olivia Hu Allen You

Sound the alram

Unsung heroes

Winter dance returns

Horti-culture

News: page 5

All in a year

Infographic: pages 8-9

Muscling through

In-depth: The search for temporary fxes to students’ lack of sleep has become increasingly relevant

Our Policy

A&E: pages 24-25

Panorama policy

Panorama is a student-led monthly newsmagazine that strives to inform and entertain Ladue 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 on important issues. Panorama 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 unless otherwise stated and results cannot be used against respondents. Panorama will not share the names of anonymous sources. Panorama is produced by the newspaper class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School, and students on staff make all content decisions. Panorama operates as a public forum by practice and is not under prior review by administration. All opinions

Read

Sports: pages 30-31

expressed in the Panorama do not necessarily reflect those of the Ladue School District, nor do individual opinion columns necessarily reflect those of the rest of the Panorama staff.

Scholastic Journalism Associations

Panorama is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll and the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association. Panorama earned a Pacemaker in 2021, was a Pacemaker finalist in 2019 and has been a CSPA crown recipient since 2019.

Credits

Front cover photo by Sydney Collinger. Front cover design by Rory Lustberg and Mimi Zhou. Back cover design and illustration by Olivia Hu. EIC photos by Sydney Collinger.

Features: A look at responsibilities of custodial and cafeteria staff of high school

LADUE BLUE

Anonymous

The Caito Family

Jim & Kathy Davis

The Gaither Family

The Gyawali Family

Allison Hawk

Heidi Long Real Estate

June Ogden

Husseini Family

The Patney Family

The Riddle Family

Bill & Rowena Coates

GOLD

Amarakone Family

The Anderson Family

The Chang Family

The Daun Family

Freeman Family

Sponsors

Dennis & Judy Holcomb

The Jain Family

Karen & David

Kurtzman

Southern

Lochmoeller Team

The Logan Family

Myckatyn Family

Olesia & Michael

Myckatyn

The Petersen Family

The Emmi Walker Family SILVER

Anonymous

The Biernacki Family

The Hawkins Family

The Jansen Family

The Jurgiel Family

The Kirby Family

Marc & Krista Luckett

The Lustberg Family

The Ortliebs

The Tobin Family

FRIENDLY

Anonymous

Anonymous

The Bauer Family

Nancy Beals

The Brennan Family

The Brunnquells

The Caster Family

The Childs-Klein

Family

The Claybaugh Family

Jerry & Pat Coates

Benjamin Collinger

Salon Elysium

Dom Fenoglio

Heather Garrett

Interior Design

The Levy-Kurtzman

Family

The Li Family

The Liu Family

Lynne & Mike Lippmann

Debbie & Harvey Lustberg

Chris & Joanne May

The Pearlstone Family

The Ramos Family

Tim, Liz, Allison & Abby Rea

Schonbrun Realtors

The Smith Family

Amit & Brianne Sood

The Walker Family

Tracy Zuckett

LEFT: Students gather in the multipurpose room for the Snow Ball. Tight gatherings were disallowed during the pandemic, explaining the Snow Ball’s absence in recent years. “A lot of planning and conversations with the school faculty goes into planning the Snow Ball,” senior Adam Friedman said.

BOTTOM LEFT: Early on, the dance foor remains sparse as people trickled into the dance. It’s not easy organizing a dance outside of prom or homecoming. “The dance requires a lot of promotional materials to get the word out,” junior Kate Goodman said.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Senior Max Brown strikes a pose. Students bought tickets to dance at the Snow Ball, which cost $10 each. “All of our funds go towards UNICEF,” junior Kate Goodman said. (Photos by Vincent Hsiao)

Winter dance returns

Ladue UNICEF

club revitalizes school’s Snow Ball to fundraise for organization

by Avery Anderson news editor

The annual Snow Ball dance was held Jan. 21 at Ladue high school.

The Sadie Hawkins style (where women invite men) dance will be hosted by UNICEF, a student-led organization raising money for underprivileged children. Many hands are helping organize the dance.

“We’ve been doing a lot [to plan]; we want it to be like homecoming,” Goodman said. “The theme is Winter Wonderland so there’s going to be lights, food and drinks and we’re getting a DJ to come.”

The biggest thing that goes into planning the Snow Ball, according to Goodman, is making sure people come. This is particularly important this year as the Snow Ball has been on a two-year hiatus due to COVID and inclement weather in successive years.

“The most work we’ve been doing is getting in touch with a lot of our friends,” Goodman said. “Just getting in touch with DJs and working out the logistics.”

Goodman said that all proceeds from the Snowball will go towards UNICEF and that as of recently, a large amount of the money they have raised has been donated to relief in Ukraine.

UNICEF raised ~$2600 200 with about students attending

One challenge the UNICEF board has faced when planning the dance is spreading the word to underclassmen since only the seniors have ever been exposed to a Snow Ball. Even then, there are aspects of it that will look slightly different, such as the absence of a Snow Ball king and queen. However, word has been sufficiently spread thanks to emails, posters and a promo video made by UNICEF titled “Snowbamba.”

Scan to view Ladue UNICEF’s Instagram

“It was hard to make and agreement with the staff [because of COVID regulations],” senior Adam Friedman said. “But I think it will be fun trying to create a new school tradition.”

TOP LEFT: A sign displaying the construction plan for Spoede stands outside the school. Renovations are currently underway. "There will be more offces and classes in the new building," teacher Lisa Schreiner said.

TOP RIGHT: A keep out sign stands outside Conway. Construction on Conway is estimated to be done in August. "Conway is getting a new storm shelter and gym," teacher Lindsey Anderson said.

BOTTOM LEFT: An excavator sits outside Reed Elementary. Rennovations have been underway for nine months. "It all depends on what is being done at each school to tell when it will be done," Schreiner said.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A renovated section of Old Bonhomme sits behind a sign for the planned construction. Old Bonhomme is only undergoing partial renovations. "[I'm] lucky to get to teach in one of the brand new spaces," teacher Lindsay Rich said.

BELOW: Middle school students exit the building on a make shift ramp. Most entrances on the building are under construction. "Everything in the building is under construction," student Josh Brown said. (Photos by Vincent Hsiao)

Prop L remodels Ladue schools

Ladue elementary and middle schools undergo renovations and remodelings

by Avery Anderson news editor

Reed, Old Bonhomme, Conway and Ladue middle school are all undergoing partial renovations, whereas Spoede elementary is undergoing a complete remodeling.

Lisa Schreiner is a gifted specialist teacher at Spoede whose classroom is a part of the second wave of renovations.

“For me, I haven’t been as impacted by the renovations because I’m in the second phase,” Schreiner said. “Since it’s a complete remodel, it has to be done in phases. It’s basically a process of tearing down places then moving people.”

Schreiner said that the remodeling was necessary because of structural integrity issues in the building.

She also said there were leaks and roof issues as well as challenges with the layout of the school. Now, the classrooms will be more open, allowing for teachers to work together more and students to interact and move into other classes. The remodel is similar to that of the high school’s, which began in 2018. Both remodelings caused a displacement and disruption of students as not only are they uprooted during the school year, but also because after the remodeling, the layout of the classrooms and halls changed entirely. Entrances at the middle school have been blocked off so no students can acess the front office.

“Teachers in the first phase had to pack up their room before winter break,” Schreiner said. “Then, before the students returned from break they had to unpack and set up their entire room.”

Meanwhile, the middle school and elementary schools are undergoing smaller renovations. At Reed and Conway, a new gym and storm shelter are being built with construction starting in May 2022.

At the middle school, there is a total renovation of the inside of the building as well as an addition to the outside. Though students have notbeen displaced from classrooms, disruptions are not unheard of.

“It’s affected my normal route to class,” eighth grader Josh Brown said. “And it’s put more restrictions on the building.”

The end date for the construction is contingent upon the amount of work being done at each school.

"The goal is to increase how we work together in the building," Schreiner said. "To bring everyone together." P

Bundling up with books

Librarians host the first winter reading challenge to promote reading

by Mahith Samarathunga news staff

The library is hosting the first Winter Reading Challenge from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28. Winners will be able to attend a donut party and have a chance to win a $30 Target gift card. However, many students who are participating are not doing so for the award, but instead, to become more involved with the reading community within the school.

“I chose to be part of the Winter Reading Challenge because I love to read but haven’t found the time for it,” freshman Ira Rodrigues said. “This seemed like a great way

to do more reading.”

During the Winter Reading Challenge, students will have a plethora of opportunities to explore many kinds of books, ranging from different genres to varying platforms (such as e-books).

”I like being able to explore many genres outside of my own,” senior Jade Regelean said. “I’m normally into reading self-help and human behavior. I was able to venture out into more fantasy and fictional books.”

The librarians were surprised with the participation from students and staff about the Winter Reading Challenge.

“We’ve been blown away by what we did without any expecta-

112 30 staff members

students

AND ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPETITION

tion of what was going to happen with it,” librarian Mary Mortland said. “We have never tried it before. We sent it out to the staff members first and within a day, we had the 30 people who have volunteered send this up to students. We were getting responses really quickly.”

With so many students and staff members recovering their passion for reading, the librarians wish to continue the Winter Reading Challenge in the future.

“I’ve been really happy with the response and we’re excited to see how it comes out,” librarian Jennifer Tuttle said. “We’re excited to try it again next year and make it even better and eventually make this an annual thing.”

What book are you reading?

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK:

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK:

‘“The

SUMMARY OF THE BOOK:

Senior Jordyn Henderson and sophmore Jaysha Sopshire sit down with a book in the library. A display for the Winter Reading Challenge can be seen with the different categories. “The goal is to just increase the love of reading,” librarian Jennifer Tuttle said. (Photo by Sydney Collinger)

Scan the QR code to sign up for Winter Reading Challenge :

Harry Margraf (9)

“’Fahrenheit 451’ by Ray Bradbury.”

Ray Bradbury writes of a world where all books are burned in his sci-f classic, “Fahrenheit 451.” What is America like with mass censorship?

Annette Hayes (assistant principal)

“Michelle Obama’s ‘The Light We Carry.”’

Michelle Obama opens up about relationships, staying balanced, being a mother and becoming the First Lady in her personal memoir.

Levi Sandweiss (11)

Americanization Of Benjamin Franklin’ by Gordon Wood.”

Gordon Wood takes up the task of profling one of America’s most notorious fgures, Benjamin Franklin.

Horti-culture

How plants have helped shape human culture

illustration by | TAREK AL HUSSEINI

Naming Plants

"My plant is named after a type of dolphin, the name is Pygymy!"

Emma Bangert, sophomore

"I named my plant Louise."

Roses symbolize love, romance and beauty. They are the most popular fower to gift during Valentine's Day.

2/3 of American households have at least one houseplant.

15

minutes of interacting with plants is shown to reduce stress levels.

"My mother and grandmother both have connections to plants that I inherited. I take cuttings and seeds from their ventures to fuel my own... I love taking friends and anyone else interested (or crazy enough) on hikes to share and hopefully impart some of my knowledge and love of trees and plants."

Joey Rapp, senior

7/10

millenials consider themselves "plant parents".

"I named one of Ms. Eisenbergs plants 'Sandy' because we wrote a TV show review for The O.C in her intro to journalism class, and that's the name of one of the characters. It's like an inside joke between our class period."

Social Connection

Ella Braig, sophomore

Emerson Blanchette, freshman

What plant best suits you?

Cacti symbolize strength, protection and warmth because they can endure harsh environmental conditions.

Plants in Food

What are adults growing in their gardens?

67% 33% 33% 67% of adults grow inedible plants

of adults grow edible fruits, vegetables, and herbs

herbs

• Herbs are a popular way to add a nice scent and favor to food.

• Herbs help the body break down toxins and provide nourishment, which is why they are used for medicinal purposes in some cultures.

Older gardeners generally prefer growing plants for the beauty aspect and physical

Orchids are very high-maintenance fowers associated with beauty, refnement and admiration. Pass the time gardening while listening to Panorama's gardening playlist

coffee & tea

• Some popular herbs include: basil, lavender, mint, parsley, cilantro and sage.

In Hawaiian cul ture, the Paradise Globe," represents magnifcance .

Sources: Gardenpals, Better Health Channel, ProFlowers, CultureReady, Sencha tea bar, Cactus en ligne, Mayo Clinic

Coffee and some teas contain caffeine that are used as a supplementary energy boost, making them go-to morning drinks around the world.

Tea is often used in cultural and religious ceremonies, and is offered to special guests in Middle Eastern and Asian cultures.

Tea is often used for medicinal purposes because it contains natural anti-infammatory properties.

Learn more about different types of tea

Get involved with Zoo ALIVE

Welcome to the jungle

Ladue students share their passion for the natural world by working with the zoo

by Katie Myckatyn

To the average St. Louisan, the St. Louis Zoo is a common setting of enjoyable afternoons and the subject of downtown billboards with beckoning wildlife. However, for senior Patrick Hawkins, this well-recognized St. Louis attraction is much more personal.

“The Zoo is so much more than animals in enclosures,” said Hawkins. “It’s an opportunity for education, conservation, entertainment and more, depending on who you ask.”

For Hawkins, the Zoo is a nod to his childhood aspirations.

“When I was in kindergarten, I started going to summer camp there,” Hawkins said. “Over the course of that week, I ended up falling in love with environmental

Hawkins’ specialized passion for the Zoo is matched fiercely in sophomores Ella Bender and Eelise Riddle. The three make up a small portion of Zoo ALIVE, a St. Louis Zoo teen volunteer program.

“Patrick, Eelise and I all joined individually,” Bender said. “We’re not very close, but it’s so great to know that there are other people at Ladue with a common interest that Zoo ALIVE has enabled us to find.”

Zoo ALIVE as an organization strives to encourage teenagers in the greater St. Louis area to educate themselves on matters of global conservation and unite the community around appreciation for the natural world.

“Recently we’ve been working on conservation projects, trying to figure out how we can best help the environment,” Riddle said. “My group focused on building bat houses for the endangered species, but, at the end of the day, it was more about the lessons we learned in the process.”

Riddle’s sentiment on experiential learning is shared with both Hawkins and Bender.

“The lessons I’ve learned are alone worth every bit of time and effort I’ve spent here,” Hawkins said. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that an activist isn't someone who does it all on their own, but someone who convinces

other people to give all they can, even if it isn’t perfect.”

For Bender and Riddle exposure to animals played a large part as to why they joined the program. However for Hawkins, the connection to the Zoo he had developed during his youth brought him consciously to this path.

“That first time I went to summer camp, the counselors made me passionate about environmental science,” Hawkins said. “With this program, I have the opportunity to go full circle, since now I'm a volunteer counselor doing two weeks at the same summer camp, being the person who's hopefully giving that same passion to someone else.”

At the end of the day, the takeaway that the three share is best summarized by Hawkins.

“The zoo taught me why the natural world is important and what I can learn about myself by studying other animals,” Hawkins said. “I alone understand the depth of the impact this experience has had on me, but if I can for a moment share even a fraction of it, it will have been worth it.”

features staff

LEFT: Sophomores Eelise Riddle, Ella Bender and senior Patrick Hawkins pose in front of the St. Louis Zoo's south entrance. The three have volunteered there since the end of their respective freshman years. "It's been really cool to see the impact made in the community by teens who were once in our places," Bender said. "I had no idea how much of an impact people like me could make at the zoo." (Photo by Sydney Collinger)

The STL Zoo is home to 14,000 animals and nearly 200 volunteers

illustration by | KATIE MYCKATYN

Lifelong learning

Teachers Ashley Lock and Shruti Upadhyay get advanced degrees in leadership

by Laura Shareshian features staff

The routine rotation of schoolwork, extracurriculars and free time are rarely forgotten by high school students. Similarly, a teacher’s day doesn’t end after the 2:30 p.m. bell rings, nor after grading and lesson-planning. The obligations of everyday life carry on. Among these obligations are advanced degrees, a popular pursuit for high school teachers.

Starting in 2020, teachers Ashley Lock and Shruti Upadhyay began getting their doctorates. This year, the process is ending.

Recently, Lock has finished her capstone project, a cumulative research project with real-world applications. Her focus has been on the effectiveness of anti-racist instruction, something she was able to evaluate in her own classroom.

Though she has no intention of leaving teaching, the program has opened new opportunities and allowed Lock to explore leadership in professional development.

Upadhyay has spent the last 2.5 years balancing two workloads: teaching and taking classes.

“Just teaching English itself is a lot because you’re always giving feedback,” Upadhyay said. “You’re constantly grading, you’re constantly prepping all kinds of things to help kids learn. That wasn’t easy, but [for] the doctorate workload itself, I was taking 2-3 classes a semester where I had class 2-3 Saturdays out of the month. I would go all day Saturday [for] eight hours.”

With her new heavy workload, Upadhyay had to find new ways to manage her stressful and busy life.

“For me, managing the stress load would be, ironically, getting up at four in the morning to make sure I worked out,” Upadhyay said. “For me, it was just a way to release the tension.”

Juggling two conflicting workloads also required Upadhyay to make the most of her time.

“Another way I managed stress was to really compartmentalize [it],” Upadhyay said. “Oftentimes, I would just take one hour at a time, and focus on whatever I needed to do for that hour.”

Alongside the stress, the degree brought other challenges.

“I don’t think I realized what I was getting myself into,” Upadhyay said. “I think I did but I didn’t, if that makes sense. There were excessive amounts of hoops and unnecessary work.”

Lock’s experience was similar.

“You don’t really have the opportunity to tailor the program to your specific needs,” Lock said. “I had to take a school budgeting class. I’m never going to sit down and write a school budget.”

Despite the hefty and repetitive work, high school teachers continue to pursue higher education. Varying motivations for pursuing higher education can be seen in Lock and Upadhyay; despite shar-

ing many similar experiences, their incentives differ.

“I was just thinking of what’s the next phase of what I wanted to do,” Upadhyay said. “Giving myself options is really what I thought of.”

In the far future, Upadhyay could see herself in an administrative role or at a university. Lock doesn’t plan to leave the classroom. In 2020, she promised to start her doctorate. However, she had another motivation.

“The reality for many school teachers is that we are paid based on our degree level,” Lock said. “Getting the doctorate degree does improve your condition in life. It’s just the unfortunate reality of the profession that we’ve chosen.”

For both teachers, the degrees will help leave a positive impact on their own lives and students alike.

“Kids are the future,” Upadhyay said. “To me, [teaching] isn’t just a job. It’s like a mission and purpose. So to go back and do the degree, it was also like: how can I impact more kids beyond the walls of my classroom?”

With their doctorates, Lock and Upadhyay have many new opportunities to explore.

“I’m excited to see what the future holds with the degree,” Lock said.

LEFT: Ashley Lock reviews her capstone project. Lock included data from her students in Black studies. “A lot of the things I’ve learned and practiced I’ve been able to put in motion in the work of diversity, equity and inclusion in our building,” Lock said. (Photo by Sydney Collinger)

LEFT: Rick Dent reminisces on the beginning of his career at Ladue. He had worked in the district for 14 years. "I worked for a company called Plumber Supply until 2008," Dent said. "Then, there was the big housing crash in 2008. And then I started here in February of 2009."

ABOVE: Dent shows off the many keys on his keychain. Each key had access to facilities all over the school, indicative of the many responsibilities Dent had. “One is for what we call the principal’s closet, that’s where we keep all the supplies,” Dent said. (Photos by Sydney Collinger)

Unsung heroes

A look at responsibilities of custodial and cafeteria staff of high school

by Riley Coates features editor

5:30 a.m. for most Ladue students means savoring the last hour of rest before getting ready for school. But a couple of miles away from the snoozed alarm clocks and tired yawns, the quiet stillness of Ladue high school is disturbed by lights flickering on. As the school’s unsung heroes, the kitchen manager and the head custodian among them, prepare for the day.

Rick Dent has been the lead custodian at Ladue for four years, prior to that he worked at Reed elementary school for 10 years. Dent has many responsibilities in order to keep the high school operating, it’s almost hard to keep track.

“I come in at 5:30 a.m. and I take off the alarms,” Dent said. “After that I check the building to see if there are any issues that occurred overnight, especially after a hard rain. If a contractor comes to the high school to work on or inspect anything from elevators to building codes

they call me to guide them around. I coordinate evening events with the night crew. The custodial staff is also responsible for clearing and salting the sidewalks after it snows.”

The custodial staff is also responsible for any and all events that happen in the school, from banquets to football games to club ceremonies.

“Even though it's January right now, we’re working on something for February,” Dent said. “It’s fun seeing things coming together, I like planning and trying to make sure everything goes as smooth as it can.”

Dent likes to say that “this place never rests,” because there’s always something happening. Behind every event is a team of staffers planning and setting up to make it the best it can be.

“[When there’s] a big event that a lot of people are involved in who have different

ideas, and it all comes together and everybody's happy, that's what makes me happy," Dent said. "I like things to go well.”

Unexpected problems can, and probably will, occur every day, but students' have the ability to lessen the workload the custodial staff face through conscientious awareness of the mess they're leaving behind.

“[Students can help by] just picking up after themselves in the lunchroom,” Dent said.

It is owed to the custodial staff that every school day and event runs smoothly, along with all the other staff members who work behind the scenes to allow students to receive their education in the best environment possible.

“It’s not just a job, it’s pride,” Dent said. “We care about the schools. Before, Reed was my school, now this is my school, so I want everything to be right.”

"[Students can help by] just picking up after themselves in the lunchroom."

Rick Dent, staf

What is the most important part of your job?

Cafeteria staf

Perhaps for many students, this is an everyday occurrence: waiting in the impossibly long sandwich line and asking for the same toppings. Or getting a snack from the stall just outside the cafeteria. Regardless, students are always greeted with a smile and a thank you from familiar faces, but unfamiliar people.

Lisa Green is one of the kitchen managers that has overseen the cafeteria staff for all schools in the district for two years. Being in a leadership position come with countless responsibilities for Green.

“I take care of all the ordering, making sure that production is right for the day, that we have enough staff at all of our schools, not just the high school but all of the schools,” Green says. “Also ensuring that we get staff to where we need to go. Making sure exactly what the menu says

is what we're serving you guys and that everyone's following the right guidelines and the nutritional guidelines.”

Since in-person school restarted in the aftermath of the pandemic, short staffing in various areas of the food production industry have created a domino effect that reaches school cafeterias.

obstacles will arise that the cafeteria staff has to be prepared to tackle.

“You have to be very flexible in this industry,” Green said. “Because if you're not, things aren't going to get done. There's a routine we follow but not necessarily a time that we follow.”

Lisa Green, staf

“It's been quite trying," Green said. "Not only do we have staffing shortages all over, but we're running into staffing shortages that affect us [which] aren't even necessarily related to working with us. Like our truck companies, where all of our produce and food products come in. Or product isn't coming from overseas because they've stopped production of [various] products.”

Green’s day starts at 5:30 a.m. organizing everything necessary for production that day. Once staff arrives, Green makes sure that all staffers are accounted for. Each day, unexpected

Despite the need for flexibility, the staff of the cafeteria have created a comfortable and inviting environment that stems from their care for the students.

“We love to interact with you guys and watch you guys eat lunch and the interaction between you and your classmates,” Green said. “It's nice to see how relaxed you guys are at lunch and eating the food that we provide — it makes us happy.”

As hard as the staff works to put students at ease during lunch, the sentiment should go both ways. There are simple ways to make lunch periods easier for the staff in return.

“The main thing is just listening in line,” Green said. “[Not] horseplaying with each other, you know, the line would move faster if everyone could stay in line and listen. But it's exciting, I get it.”

ABOVE: Samantha Loeffelman cleans the slicer in the cafeteria. This helped with preparing the deli line prior to the lunch periods. "We've been brainstorming ways we can make the [deli] line faster," Green said.

LEFT: Kitchen manager Lisa Green discusses plans for the day with one of the cooks. They were preparing food to cater for an event later, Jan. 19. “We cater for the football games," Green said. "We've catered for a lot of the teachers, like the open house." (Photos by Sydney Collinger)

"I just like getting to talk with all the kids when they come in. My coworkers are always telling me to 'Stop making conversation!' but it's my favorite part."

"[The most important part is] making sure the kids are getting fed and that they're happy. Making sure that every student has a meal."

"[The students], [they] make my job so easy. Along with the people I work with, they're good people."

Samantha Loefelman, staf

Sharita White, staf Ella Smith, staf

"That is what's most important to us, is that [the students] understand we are trying as hard as we can back there to make sure you have everything to be relaxed at launch."

Sound the alarm

by Annie Zhao in-depth editor

by Arti Jain in-depth staff

Acrisis ravages our nation, spreading through the cracks and curves. It’s the sleep crisis. The pandemic has introduced many of the bad habits that have infested our sleep schedules. The devices that are glued to our hands coax us into giving up hours of rest for more and more entertainment. The energy drinks and coffee we consume daily are the band-aids we place over the lack of sleep.

Consequences of bad sleeping habits due to COVID-19 are still evident

within society. Thus, many students may seek a quick fix by napping a few hours after school or by drinking coffee every day. To continue this vicious cycle of sleep deprivation is to continue to deny one’s well-being. Our sleep schedules have been demolished into ruins. It’s up to us to pick up those fragments and rebuild our better tomorrow — a tomorrow without being tired, without complaining about not

ANNIEZHAO&SYDNEYCOLLINGER

sleeping enough or a tomorrow without craving the momentary relief stemming from the little band-aid.

photoillustrationby|

The search for temporary fixes to students’ lack of sleep has become increasingly relevant

One’s yawn retells the story of the late night cramming for a test. Their half-empty coffee cup retells their solution to the grogginess they feel in school. Their messy hair retells the fight to get out of bed that morning. But on some days, they are washed up, lying on their bed with their covers tucked in ready to sleep early. Those days are magical, almost impossible to recall. Teenagers need sleep, but most nights, they are unable to achieve enough of it.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 70% of high school students aren’t reaching their needed eight hours of sleep. Everyone wants to sleep. But so often, it’s the easy reassurances of, “Let me finish this one video then I’ll sleep,” or the, “I need to finish this homework,” which ultimately lead to sleep deprivation. This constant lack of sleep and undermining of its importance can slowly morph into sleep disorders, impacting teens' general health.

Covid-19

the pattern where they are so tired, and then they can't focus and they can't learn, which contributes to anxiety, depression and attention problems.”

Since school and class hours changed, the time for sleep molded to fit a student's desires. This easier workload allowed students to have more opportunities to give their minds and bodies a break.

“Online learning changed our sleep,” freshman Chloe Lang said. “We didn’t have to turn on our camera and school started really late. So, lots of students could sleep whenever they wanted. Also, online classes were much less work and easier. Right now, students can’t sleep a lot because of all the homework and procrastination.”

"Sleep is one of the single best things you can do for your brain. If we really wanted students to have great, awake, aware brains, we would emphasize sleep. But I don't think it's just school. It's society.”

Dr. Zachary Garrison, teacher

The unprecedented pandemic led schools to adapt to a virtual learning form. Virtual learning altered teen's sleep schedules, changing their internal clocks. Students could attend classes with a single click that brought them into school, no matter where they were. They could now sleep and wake up later since start times were pushed back.

“The circadian rhythm that each person follows got extremely messed up during COVID,” high school nurse Nikki Harrison said. “For one, teenagers were doing school virtually, [so] they could’ve stayed up at night, playing video games on their phone. Teenagers from [ages] 12 to 18 still need a good eight to 10 hours. Students are in

Though there were benefits of an easier workload and more time to sleep, difficulties persisted. The pandemic confined students at home with only access to others via online spaces, so there was a rise in mental health issues. But in order to address mental health, Harrison says we must recognize the “link” between the two.

“With COVID and a [rise in] mental health issues, sleeping has become worse,” Harrison said. “It was like perpetual summer where you could just stay up all night and then sleep all day. Unfortunately, it's hard to switch that pattern around. [Still], students come to school in a state where they just want to survive through class without enough sleep.”

Stimulants

Many students turn to stimulants to fight fatigue. Caffeine has become mainstream and is sold in the school cafeteria. While coffee isn’t dangerous in moderation, too much can lead to consequences, especially for teenagers.

“Caffeine counteracts what your body is naturally trying to do," social studies teacher Dr. Zachary Garrison said. "It's kind of like hunger. Your body is telling you that you're hungry, your body is telling you you need sleep, and it's a way to push that aside. Ultimately, when you don't listen to your body, it's not a good thing.”

A glance around school proves how evasive caffeinated drinks are — the coffee mugs or energy drinks in student's hands are what they depend on to get through the day. Some students may feel pressured to try the stimulants that many of their friends drink as well. But often, the stimulants don’t serve the same purpose to one person as they do for someone else.

“I don't do drugs,” Lang said. “A lot of my friends drink coffee, but I'm not going to give in to peer pressure and ruin my brain. Last time I drank coffee, it was really bad and I couldn’t sleep for threew days, so it felt [like] I went through withdrawal.”

Along with the drinks that students consume, melatonin is another common supplement that students take to induce sleep. Garrison describes that it’s “fairly innocuous” and “a natural hormone.” While it is possible to use medications like melatonin to aid in sleep patterns, everyone is different in their needs to fall asleep.

“If someone is having trouble sleeping, they need to talk to their own doctor and see what they would recommend,” Harrison said. “There are supplements and there are even medications, like melatonin, but you need to know the person's history and know what other medications they can take.”

Hustle culture

This decade illustrates both the importance and the addiction people have to technology. Thus, the rise of technology is, in many ways, fueling the sleep crisis. By always having a device beside them, teenagers lose their natural instinct to

fall asleep due to its distraction and white light. Phones, computers and TVs lure people in to ignore the constant time passing.

“We have developed cultural habits that go against our evolutionary patterns,” Garrison said. “It used to be that TV stations would turn off at 8 or 9 p.m. They would just stop showing anything. [But], now you can stream a movie anytime you want, and whenever. We've got a lot of technologies that allow us to stay cognitively aware when we should be shutting down and [sleeping].”

much done in a day, or else we're not going to have the outcome that we want. And I think it's kind of an unhealthy attitude to have."

Fast facts

"A sleep routine that fts you is a good idea. [Some] people need to be in total darkness because as long as your brain interprets that there's light it's not sending you a message to not go to sleep."

School induces stress because of all the work a student takes on. But Harrison says that the nurse's office is a place where “students can rest” if they are fatigued in school. Solutions are provided, but often it's up to the student to grasp hold of them.

Ladue’s culture tends to lean towards working hard and sleeping less, since many students take many difficult classes and participate in many extracurricular activities. Students flaunt to others about how many hours they slept, seeming like getting less should be an accomplishment.

“It’s kind of Ladue’s culture to sleep less,” junior Ari Willick said. “Ladue’s culture is that people like to brag about bad things. There are a lot of people that are like, ‘Oh, I was studying so much last night that I didn't fall asleep until really late.’ But, there're a lot of people that decide not to fall asleep that early anyway. This is a problem, which is why I wished that the school started later.”

As a society, people tend to place less emphasis on the importance of sleep. Students at Ladue grow up in a culture where they must always be working at something, or they are not succeeding. Many give up on sleep in order to achieve this.

“I don't think society does [a good enough job of getting students to prioritize sleep],” Garrison said. “I think school is falling into the same trap as society, which is that we have to take as many AP classes as we can, we have to get so

“School is a double-edged sword because anxiety and stress can cause sleep problems,” Harrison said. "Not sleeping enough can cause you to have more anxiety and depression. That's unfortunate because it seems students have a lot of anxiety, but on top of that [they are] not getting sleep."

Many people rely on short relief naps to gain back sleep they lost. While it’s not healthy to constantly rest, student's bodies demand for a break. Now, students have incorporated their own nap times or techniques, further emphasized by Willick who has acquired his tactics for having a good nap.

“I nap a few times every week,” Willick said. “But, you have to be very strategic with your naps. Because if you take a nap for about an hour to two hours, you'll wake up and you'll be super groggy for the rest of the day, no matter what else you have to do. It’s important to be conscious about what time of the day you're napping, and how long your naps are.”

Future of sleep

Routines are a common way to improve quality and length of sleep by setting aside time to unwind and get ready for bed. From the poll conducted by Panorama Jan. 19, examples of this are “brush[ing] teeth and skincare,” or “read[ing] for around 30 minutes.”

On average, young adults nap about days per year. The average young adult's nap minutes.

93 78 1 3

The best time for a nap is betweenp.m.

“The number one way to develop good sleep habits is to create a routine in which you separate yourself from unnatural light screens [and] computer screens,” Garrison said. “Get in the habit of laying down without disruption, turn all the lights off and put away all types of artificial light. Maybe listen to something soothing; A certain kind of repetitive sound can kind of help slow your brain down. And once your brainwaves start slowing down, that's the first step in the sleep cycle.”

To promote healthy sleep habits, many turn to natural drinks that aid in the sleep cycle. Students reported drinking water or chamomile tea before bed, and Willick likes drinking “warm milk” to aid his sleep. When people are able to have good rest, they enter the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep where dreams occur.

“One time, I was in a dream and I was on ‘The Amazing Race,’” Willick said. “I was really excited, except then there was a big pile of different flavors of cheese that we had to walk through. But, in my dream, I was allergic to cheese, so I had to give up on the race in the end.”

See page 20 for the staff's opinion on how stimulants affect teenagers

Some may feel stressed or anxious before going to bed, which can be helped via relaxation and breathing exercises. A few deep breaths or a meditation before sleep release pent-up worries and anxiety, decluttering the brain. Mental health and sleeping are connected. Therefore, adopting methods like this is successful in the long run to improve one’s general health.

“If at moments you feel anxious, then there's techniques, like breathing techniques and calming techniques, to use that can help you relax,” Harrison said. “The sleeping issues won’t get better unless we continue to address [our] mental health and how important sleep is for our mental health, for our physical health, and for ourselves.”

Nikki Harrison, nurse

Counting sleep

Examining various aspects of sleep and students' experiences with sleep

Do

Do

Rise and shine

Students should get hours of sleep every night

However, on average, students are getting around hours of sleep every night

FRESHMAN: 6.2 hours

SOPHOMORES: 6.4 hours JUNIORS: 6.4 hours SENIORS: 6.0 hours

Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Nap time

68% of students have a pre-sleep routine

35% of students listen to music to sleep

Common sleep conditions that teenagers face:

- Insomnia

- Sleeptalking

- Sleepwalking

- Sleep apnea

Sweet dreams

3 out of 4

students have a fairly consistent sleep schedule

of high school students occasionally dream

of students never dream of students every day dream

High schoolers share what their bedtime routines are Jordyn Gresham (10)

" I always make sure to eat something before sleep."

" I try to get whatever materials I'll need for school. I take melatonin around an hour before bedtime, then I usually like to relax in bed for most of that hour."

Chris Mathieu (12)

" I try to get off my phone 30 minutes before bed."

Anabelle Reagan (9)

" I have to have a fan on. I cannot sleep when my room is silent."

Emily Dieckhaus (11)

" Eat, drink water, roll around in the sheets a few times. In that order."

Damien Maynard (12)

"

[I] brush my teeth and read for at least 15 minutes."

Trip Hofman (9)

Pano perspective

24 out of 24 Panorama staff members agree

Starbucks lattes and Celsius energies have become fixed pieces of classroom decor. Perched atop desks and cradled between hands, caffeinated drinks are now established parts of the school day. As we push through 6 a.m. wake-up calls, afternoon math tests and nighttime study sessions, caffeine is our crutch. It’s an extra limb we’ve grown to lean on. But once taken away, we lose balance and tumble down the abyss of drowsiness.

To keep from falling asleep in class, we heavily rely on caffeinated beverages. This is since caffeine temporarily conceals exhaustion by raising heart rate and adrenaline levels. It’s a stimulant that throws a thin veil over sleepiness, muffling our body’s desperate call to take a nap. But at the end of the day, caffeine can’t make us less tired, it can only make us feel less tired. “Caffeine” isn’t synonymous with “sleep” — and the belief that, somehow, a can of Celsius will make up for 5 hours of lost sleep is extraordinarily unhealthy.

When 2 a.m. bedtimes are justified with the promise of an extra cup of coffee, we sink into unhealthy habits of sleep. Oftentimes, caffeinated beverages become the light at the end of our sleep deprived tunnel. But students cannot use caffeine to shield themselves from the consequences of sleep loss. Nothing can replace the power of restorative sleep. However, when we believe caffeine has the ability to magically lift us up, sleep sinks further and further down our priority list.

Without us noticing, our dependency on caffeine can cross into dangerous territory. As empty cans of energy drinks in the trash accumulate, so too do the negative repercussions. In small doses, caffeine is not harmful. But in larger quantities, especially for teenagers, caffeine’s negative effects become much more apparent. For adults, the FDA sets a daily limit of 400 mg of caffeine. However for teens, this maximum amount drops to 100 mg (for reference, a can of Celsius energy has 200 mg of caffeine). As Columbia University reports, this is because caffeine interferes with the regular development of the body and mind. The American Academy of Pediatrics further cautions that no adolescent, up to age 17, should have stimulant-containing energy drinks. This poses a serious problem because of the widespread availability of caffeine. Especially in school, coffees are sold in the cafeteria and energy drinks are sold in the vending machines. When paired with excessive quantities of caffeine intake, a distressing picture is painted.

The normalization of extreme caffeine consumption comes at a steep price. Caffeine increases our bodies' reliance on artificial stimulants, entrapping students in a cycle of caffeine dependency. It’s crucial that we are mindful of our caffeine intake to prevent it from exceeding healthy limits. The truth is, no amount of coffee can silence our bodies’ need for sleep. But as we stumble through life, deafened by the noise of caffeine, we might never notice the blaring sound of self destruction.

Students should stop using caffeine as a substitute for sleep to prevent dependence

illustration by | ERICA SHI

Selling out feminism

The commodification of feminism fails to address the issues suppressing women

by Emily Liu opinions staff

Just a couple years ago, a quick scroll on social media would have led to unending posts of pastel pink affirmations or women in powersuits, all donning a common hashtag: #Girlboss. This, in and of itself, exemplifies the commodification of feminism as a secondary element to a picture and a catch-phrase meant to be slapped onto t-shirts or mugs. While the term “girlboss” itself has fallen out of favor from popular media, instead being replaced with other slogans such as “Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss,” or “I think I may have girlbossed a bit too close to the sun,” this mockery has done little to staunch the rapid dilution of meaningful feminism.

The idea of the “girlboss” is widely considered to have devel oped from “choice feminism” that emerged as a part of a 90s feminist movement, which was built upon individualism with an emphasis on financial empowerment. Over the years, “girlboss feminism” has proven to be especially marketable, seeking to prosper under the constraints of capitalism rather than advocate for all women.

As a result, the female strife has been transformed into cheap

Statistics on female employment

of Fortune 500 CEOs are women

and are

women of color.

8.8% 1% Following COVID recovery, Black and Latinx women’s unemployment rate was 2 and 1.5 times higher than their white counterparts.

Sources: Women Business Collective, University of New Hampshire

goods with vaguely feminist text. Huge corporations, often backed by white men, have begun to use feminist beliefs to garner a major profit. Several international companies, such as Always with their #LikeAGirl campaign, have bought into this, creating promotional advertisements meant to exploit female empowerment for financial purposes under the guise of female empowerment. Rather than addressing any underlying issues, like those within the patriarchy, politics or capitalism, these products and campaigns merely serve to operate within these systems.

In addition, the mainstream version of the “girlboss” has become increasingly individualistic, with too much emphasis on personal successes and perpetuating the false idea of a capitalist meritocracy. The issue arises when this pursuit of financial success comes at the expense of other women, as “girlboss” feminism no longer seeks solidarity with all women but instead to rise above them.

While there has been a rise in female CEOs, the fear is that women in positions of power will be automatically scrubbed of their criticisms due to appearing as a feminist icon or leader. In truth, being female alone is not enough to make you feminist, and simply glorifying female leaders without any regard for their previous actions is dangerous. To this point, Sophia Amuroso, who coined the term “girlboss” herself, has been found to have fired multiple pregnant employees while still advocating for the feminist cause.

Scan QR code for more on female entrepreneurs and resources on how you can support woman led businesses.

Popular feminism has only come to restrict women of marginalized groups, often portraying an image of a young, white and attrac tive woman who is likely already very wealthy. Systemic inequalities women face based upon race, gen der, sexuality and socioeconomic status are entirely disregarded.

With its negligence to address systemic issues, one is inclined to wonder that perhaps this commodified form of feminism became mainstream on the basis that it does not actually challenge any of society’s norms nor power structures. Even so, to enact true change, we must take an active stance. It is no longer enough to push for female empowerment on the individual level or from behind corporations and singular individuals we blindly trust. Instead, we must take a more active stance. It is only in this way that we may pro-

illustration by | EMILY LIU

Mulling over media

Why we should consume less media and spend more time thinking about what it can teach us

by Richie Jiang opinions staff

Picture this. You’re sitting in an empty room with only a single painting. As the hours pass, you take in the details of the piece, scrutinizing it over and over. Was it painted with care? Or was it hastily made? Why did the artist choose to include this part? Or why this color? Maybe through your examination and contemplation you gain a new perspective on the artist’s era, or life as a whole.

Now consider the same piece, this time in an art museum, where you have the freedom to move around. Do you even bother to look twice?

This nonchalance in regards to the media and content we consume is a simple result of its abundance. For example, when it comes to TV, there are countless options: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ or whatever other platform you prefer. Besides TV, there's music, books, online videos, podcasts and social media. However, how much of the content that you consume do you really remember? Of that content, how much would you say really impacted your own life with a meaningful lesson or outcome?

In total, the average fan will watch about 3,639 films and 31,507 episodes of TV in their lifetime. That’s a lot of times to rewatch "The Office."

Instead, consider narrowing your selection of media to what really engages you. And then, consider why you particularly like these pieces of media. Maybe it’s something intellectually stimulating, or viscerally powerful or maybe it's just really funny. Whatever

the reason might be, reflecting on why you like these pieces can lead to unexpected insights. For example, your favorite characters might show you what it means to be good, or a beautiful scene might instill a sense of appreciation for the scenery in your own life. It might seem hard to do, but this method of more mindful consumption can actually be quite simple. If you’re a big movie fan, try cutting down the amount of movies you watch in a month by half, and take the extra time to reflect more on the lessons you can take away. If you're more of a TV person, try avoiding binging, and instead reflect on each episode and the intent behind it. In addition, this method of mindful consumption also allows for us to break down the origins behind our preferences and reactions. By consciously reflecting on your instinctive reactions, you can find out what you most prefer and why. For example, I didn't realize that my love of campy kung-fu movies stemmed from more than just wanting to see flashy fights, but a genuine desire to explore my own culture until after a rewatch of Rise of the Legend, where I focused on the attention and detail that went into the setpieces. Furthermore, reflection on why you like or dislike certain things can even lead to insight on implicit biases you might hold. Personally, I had always disliked country music until recently. However, when trying to find the reason why, I discovered that it was simply a bias I had inherited from popular culture growing up. This understanding allowed me to revisit country music with an open outlook. While I still might not be the greatest fan, I've both learned more about keeping

Minutes of media

In their life, the average person will watch...

an open mind and added a few songs to my playlist.

Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll become a superfan, but the process itself can lead to being able to recognize and tackle any subconscious biases you hold, however small. You'll also discover more about your tastes, such as what you enjoy the most and whether you really do detest country music.

3,639 3,639

movies

books

31,507 31,507 tv episodes read 77 00 00 and listen to 11..33 million million songs

Sources: " Survey: The average person will watch more than 78,000 hours of TV" by John Anderer, studyfinds.org, "How Many Books Will You Read Before You Die?" by Emily Temple, lithub.com, "30+ Official Listening to Music Statistics (2022)" by Matija Ferjan, headphonesaddict.com

Scan here for ways to cut down screen time and reflect.

And if you don’t feel like a movie or TV show, then how about a book? Taking the time to thoroughly digest the meanings of a story can again lead to new insights. And if not a movie or book, how about music, paintings or any other form of art?

True, not every piece needs to be scrutinized for any deeper meanings and takeaways for your own life. In fact, focusing too much could stifle any natural curiosity to dive deeper into pieces. However, using even a fraction of the minutes you spend on media to focus on the lessons you can learn from them can be an easy process. Indeed, this practice of thoughtful reflection is something that can also be applied to other aspects of our lives. Taking the time to reflect almost always holds some benefit. Overall, this approach of mindful consumption is both easy to follow and beneficial, as it can broaden one's perspectives and increase their enjoyment of their existing interests.

So, next time you're about to put on another show you'll only half pay attention to or page through a book you don't really care about, try choosing something you're really drawn to instead. Or if it's required, try keeping an open mind. Who knows what you'll learn? P

MILITARY

$25,707 average expenditure of an in-state student attending a public 4-year institution

WORK FORCE

$37,787 average federal student loan debt

In middle school, two words followed us around, haunted us and tracked our every movement. High school. Everything we did in those three critical and transformative years was for the daunting four years that came next. Preparation was everything. And when high school finally came around, the nervous anticipation didn’t go away, but rather transformed from the words “high school” into the foreboding word: “college.”

The culture of elitism at Ladue forces us to always look at what’s next, to plan our future down to a tee and jump from one opportunity to the next. So when the conversation surrounding college reaches its peak at the start of senior year, it’s unsurprising to hear the names of multiple Ivy Leagues and prestigious universities thrown around. On top of my own personal expectations for myself, now there’s a quieter, yet undeniable pressure from my class to prove my worth with a college admission letter.

However, the path looking forward isn’t as easy to identify as The Wizard of Oz’s yellow brick road, but instead it’s a path one must forge themselves. As many of us think about what our lives will look like after we finish our high school careers, or perhaps you’re already nearing the end of your journey, it’s essential we don’t have a one-track mind. Higher education isn’t the end all be all. Majors are subject to change. Prestige means little to nothing in the grand scheme of things.

America has a poor reputation when it comes to higher education. There are limited options for trade schools, high costs for four-year colleges and a whole lot of student debt even after that. It’s so normalized to have a narrow mindset about options after high school that we often ignore the consequences of choosing a path that might not be right for us.

TRADE SCHOOL

Sources: EducationData, The University of Tulsa, Gap Year Association

80% of students in college end up theirchanging major at least once

4000-6000

students on average take a gap year academiceach year

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE

On the right track

Students should look at multiple options when planning their future after high school

illustration by | PRANAVI CHINTHA

Looking back at events, music, fashion and protests of 2022 All in a year

illustration by | SCARLETTE MAIER & EMILIE TIAN

FEBUARY

Russia invaded Ukraine escalating the war which has began in 2014. The war has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II; almost all feeing are Ukrainian.

Sources: CNBC, CNN, New York, NPR, Times, Time, Variety, Verge and Wall Street Journal

MAY

19 students and two teachers were killed and 17 were wounded in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez's green Converse became an artifact of the shooting when Matthew McConaughey spoke at the White House about gun control. McConaughey, who is from Uvalde, said that the shoes were the only thing that could identity Rodriguez because she was shot beyond recognition.

AUGUST

JULY Gregory and Travis McMichael, the three defendants in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, are sentenced to life in prison for the racially motivated murder. Arbery was 25 years old when he was murdered in 2020.

Chris Smalls established the frst Amazon labor union in Staten Island, New York. Amazon fred him in 2020 after he lead a walk out to pressure them into improving COVID safety precautions, Smalls points to this as an inspiration point to establishing the union.

SEPTEMBER

The queen of England died at 96. She was succeeded by her son, Charles III, after 70 years on the throne.

DECEMBER

The House's Jan. 6 committee heard testimony from those involved in attack on the Capitol building. They concluded that president Donald Trump was responsible for the attack and pushed for convicting Trump.

OCTOBER

Following Kanye West's antisemitic remarks and support of Nazis, Adidas ended it's contract with him. They refused to sell his shoes, Yeezys, as well as Foot Locker, Gap and others. Kanye's remarks lead to a spike in antisemitic posts on social media by his fans.

NOVEMBER

Twitter CEO Elon Musk launches Twitter Blue, which allows users to buy a verifed check mark for a monthly subscription. The service was taken down within days of launching because users impersonated companies and politicians, causing havoc.

DECEMBER

The Respect for Marriage Act repeals the Defense of Marriage Act. It protects same sex and interracial couples at a federal level.

ALBUM

APPRECIATION

Around 80,000 albums are released each year, these were students favorites.

AMELIA GOLDWASSER (10)

Karma vs The Invisible Man

Billy Cobb

(Billy Cobb)

JOEY RAPP (12)

Return of the Dream Canteen Red Hot Chili Peppers

(Warner Records)

PARIS JACKSON (12) SOS SZA

EJ HEITZENROEDER (12)

NICHOLAS COWLEN (11)

Work Wear

"[I frst started getting into] antique shops. It's a good place for [jewelry] and you can get expensive stuff for cheap."

Antique Shops Style

"I don't want to commit myself to [a single style.] I'll wear Y2K or something like that one day and dress preppy the next. I like to limit myself to anything, I wear what is appealing to me, no matter what style it is."

"I like how [work wear] fts, specifcally the pants. They're good quality, they last and look well distressed."

Thrifting

"All my clothes come form thrift stores pretty much. I don't spend more than $20 on clothes unless it's shoes. Majority of the time I look for cool jackets, baggy pants and distressed [clothes with] paint splatters."

FASHION TRENDS

PROTEST PERSPECTIVE

DECEMBER

GEORGE FISTER (9) Her Loss Drake and 21 Savage (OVO records)

SABA FAJORS (12) Special Lizzo

(Top Dawg Entertainment) (Atlantic)

MAC'S PICKS

JUNE

Qatar hosted the World Cup and it was criticized for violating human rights from the start. Multiple migrant workers died in the process of building the stadiums due to unsafe working conditions. Additionally, during the games, players were banned from wearing anti-Queer discrimination armbands with the pride fag on them because homosexuality is illegal in Qatar.

SEPTEMBER

The

Forever

Story JID 1.

JID isn't redefning Hip-Hop; he's revolutionizing it.

Mr. Morale & The Big 2.

Kendrick Lamar Steppers

Melancholic lyrics over adrenaline spiking production.

3.

Omar Apollo

A cohesive blend of pop, R&B and indie with simple, yet beautiful lyricism.

My favorite albums released in 2022 Ivory Scan for the Spotify playlist behind this ranking

A draft of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked in May and the offcial decision was published in June. Abortion was subsequently criminalized to varying degrees and limitations in 24 states. Large amounts of people protested from streets to the House foor.

DECEMBER

Mahsa Amini was arrested for violating Iran's modesty laws by allegedly incorrectly wearing a hijab. According to eye witnesses morality police offcers, who enforce dress codes, beat her to death. Protests in her home town erupted for the offcers to be arrested and the larger system changed. There were Internet blackouts to prevent the spread of information, however protests only increased in size and frequency.

China's strict Zero-COVID policy put residential areas on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID. In Urumqi, a fre started in an apartment building which killed 10 people, allegedly because they were locked in their apartments. Their deaths sparked protests against the ZeroCOVID policy, however the Chinese government responded with mass censorship in addition to shutting down the protests. People continued protesting by holding up blank sheets of paper, despite saying nothing many were arrested.

Love, Actually

A ve star romance movie review by a movie fanatic and raging romantic

by Jay Heintz A&E staff

When Harry Met Sally

Photo courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment

If you like movies that are set over many years, this movie is for you. In the beginning, Harry and Sally don’t like each other, but eventually grow to develop a friendship. Harry believes that men and women can’t be friends without being attracted to each other and Sally thinks that is subjective.

The After Series

Photo courtesy of Voltage Pictures

In some ways more realistic, the "After" series shows both the beautiful and ugly sides of young love. This series is for movie watchers that are okay with cliffhangers and binge sessions. In college, Tessa meets Hardin Scott. He teaches her to have fun and she brings him back when he loses his way.

Serendipity

Photo courtesy of Tapestry Films

Another movie set over a long span of time, Serendipity is for people who love a good plot. When Jonathan and Sara were in their twenties, they had a magical night together. Jonathan believes in love at first sight, but Sara believes in fate and destiny. After 10 years, they both have to make the decision of whether they are really meant to be together or not.

P.S. I Love You

Photo courtesy of Alcon Entertainment

This movie plays on the idea of everlasting love, but is heartwrenchingly sad. When Kennedy's husband dies from an illness, she is devastated, until she finds a series of letters written by him in preparation for his death. Beginning on her 30th birthday, he wrote to her as a way to get her to be able to grieve.

illustration by | PHOEBE CHEN

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind

Photo courtesy of Anonymous Content

Though sometimes hard to follow, this is a great movie. Clementine had a procedure done to erase her boyfriend Joel from her memory, and he decides that forgetting might be better. It poses the question if you could erase all memories associated with a person, the good and the bad, would you?

The Spectacular Now

Photo courtesy of Andrew Lauren Productions

A good movie for some high schoolers to relate to, highlighting family problems and ugly love. Sutter is struggling with alcoholism and Aimee is a bookish girl and hard worker who never thought a guy like Sutter would notice her. They begin falling for each other and finding shelter from the troubles in each of their lives.

A Walk to Remember

Photo courtesy of Di Novi Pictures Gaylord Films

Classically romantic, this movie is a mixture of love and heartbreak, though it is not one of my favorites. Landon watches life from the sidelines until he starts being tutored by Jamie, a religious and studious girl who appreciates the little things in life. Landon likes to spend time with her, but she has one condition: he can’t fall in love with her.

Notting Hill

Photo courtesy of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

This movie is an amazing representation of how people that have different social statuses can be good together. Anna, a beautiful American actress, crosses paths with a humble English bookstore owner named William. William doesn’t think he has a chance with her, but she when she makes a move, William figures out that maybe he does have a shot.

1

A restaurant $$$

voted for by 33% of students

Throughout history, food has been a centerpiece of connection that draws people together. A restaurant is a special place that gives someone the opportunity to connect with another person on a deeper level. From my personal experience, Brio was a great spot for formal dates, especially during homecoming or if you just want to go somewhere fancy. Panera is also another great option if you’re looking for more of a casual place.

Current and upcoming movies include

The movie theater $$$ 2

voted for by 20% of students

One of the most iconic date locations for years is none other than the movie theater. It is a great choice if you’re looking for somewhere to go for a frst date, especially if you’re nervous. The movies can be a good way to fnd out what another person likes, including which genres they enjoy. From personal experience, the movies really set the stage for the relationship, allowing me to grow closer with the other person without having to speak too much.

A date for two

by Joseph Baker a&e staff

A ranking and review of the best places to take someone on a date

The Art Museum $$$ 3

voted for by 20% of students

The walls are covered with frames of art and there is something to fnd in every corner, ranging from abstract to realism. Art is something that can connect people together and the museum can be a great date location, especially if you’re looking for a costless date because there are no admission fees. The art museum is also a great way to really get to know someone on a more personal level because it can reveal more about who they are.

Scan the QR code below to adopt a harbor seal for Valentine’s Day

Current and upcoming exhibits include Samson Young: Sonato for Smoke and Age of Armor

The Zoo $$$ 4

voted for by 8% of students

Walking around the zoo can be a great location to go to for a date, especially if it is a frst date. Through my experience, I’ve gotten to really know the person as we strolled around looking at all the different exhibits, which was infnitely better than just walking around a park. The Zoo can be a great place to get to know someone from fnding out what their favorite animal is to getting ice cream.

Honorable mentions from student poll: Delmar Loop, Steinberg Rink, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Busch Stadium

Other students recommend BrickTop’s, Maggiano’s and Corner 17

Avatar: The Way of the Water, The Super Mario Bros. and Scream V

Panorama surveyed 152 students Jan. 15

1K wonder

Senior Jack Steinbach scores 1000 career points for Ladue

by Luke Lochmoeller health & sports editor

Senior varsity basketball point guard Jack Steinbach, Dec. 16th, reached a highly anticipated achievement: his 1000th point. After three seasons and full varsity time since he was a freshman, scoring 1000 points highlights his hard work and dedication.

“It was really cool getting my 1000th point,” Steinbach said. “It was basically just a moment where I felt like all my hard work had paid off.”

Leading up to the game, Steinbach was aware of his point total but didn’t keep too close of an eye for he didn’t want to mess with his nerves.

“I didn’t know how close I was on that final free throw,” Steinbach said. “I thought I was two or three points away. I wasn’t very nervous because I didn’t think I was as close as I was, but I'm sure I would have been shaking if I did know.”

Scoring 1000 points in one's high school career doesn't happen overnight. An achievement like this takes years and years of practice.

“My dad was my coach and he made me work so hard every day until he stopped coaching me around 8th grade,” Steinbach said. “I usually train around six to seven days a week during the off-season between basketball and weightlifting.”

This dedication has brought not only accolades on the court but also a sense of camaraderie and friendship throughout Steinbach and the rest of the team.

“I have been just reminiscing about these past couple of years,” Steinbach said. “It’s been the best experience of my life and I love the program so much.”

Como meet

Ladue swim and dive competes in swim meet at Mizzou

by Lathan Levy health & sports staff

The girls swim and dive team competed in a major meet (COMO) Jan. 20 at the University of Missouri in Columbia. This event places teams against each other from all parts of the state that usually do not swim against each other.

“This is the first year that [COMO] will have a varsity cut," senior Liza Yanuck said. "That means you need to have a certain time or below in at least one event to qualify for the varsity race. There's also a JV race and anybody on JV can swim it. This is the only time that Ladue sends a varsity team and a JV team because we are usually just one team.”

There will be 25 girls in attendance, swimming in a variety of races. Aside from the desire to win this major meet, several

swimmers are hoping to solidify their spot in the state final meet at the end of the season.

“Individually, a lot of people are trying to solidify their state cuts,” Yanuck said. “They're trying to be the top and to get a time that is in the top 32 in the state. This is the first time that we will swim against a lot of these teams that we're going to see at state and so we're trying to see how we rank comparatively.”

The team felt optimistic going into the meet. During the season, the team usually has two meets a week, however in preparation for COMO there is usually only one a week, and time is spent more on rest and recovery.

“I think we will do well because being able to pace off others helps a lot of people [get a new personal record],” junior Anna Dalton said. “And a significant amount of people will end up getting [new personal records] just because of the racing environment.”

Aiden

TOP: Senior Jack Steinbach charges down the court in a game between Ladue and Clayton. This game took place Dec. 16 during the game where Steinbach scored his 1000th point. “All I want to do is win and 1000 points came with that," Steinbach said. (Photo by Vincent Hsiao)

"I love the coaches and players on my teams at home, but in college

I am excited to have a team that I get to spend a lot of time with."

Jacob Goldstein, senior

"I like [lacrosse because of the] contact and getting out there and after it. [In college] I'm ready to show what I can do."

Goldstein, senior

"My older brother plays football in college and seeing how many cool things come with playing a sport in college made me want to play more."

Taylor Babb, senior

Saturday night sweep

Senior Tai Moore shares her experience with the sport of curling

by Michael Zegel health & sports staff

When people think of winter sports, hockey, skiing, ice skating and snowboarding tend to be the first few that come to mind. While the sport of curling is very niche and somewhat complicated, senior Tai Moore appreciates and embraces the complexity, intricacy and strategy that comes along with it.

“Curling is a sport usually done in the winter where two teams of four people throw rocks on a sheet of ice at a target that’s drawn on the ground,” Moore said. “There is also a specific way that you count points. There’s specific rules on how to throw the rocks and there is also a ‘skip,’ which is the person that strategizes for the team and tells others where they want the rocks to go. The skips throw their rocks last and then the vice throws third. Then there is also the second who throws second and finally the lead which throws first.”

This complex rule system with all the different positions (combined with the fact that to be successful in curling one must be very patient and skillful) can make curling challenging for an average person. After signing up to take a curling lesson, senior Chloe Gaither is familiar now with that fact.

“I think it’s a hard sport to master because there’s a lot of stuff that goes into it,” Gaither said. “You have to be able to know how to throw at the perfect speed and how to know when to stop sweeping to make the rock slow down. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into it that I think a lot of people don’t understand. I think it’s a pretty technically challenging sport.”

While curling is an officially recognized Olympic sport, it’s one of the least popular sports recreationally with just an estimated 25,000 curlers registered across 185 nationally recognized clubs. Moore is a part of that 25,000.

“I got into it in seventh grade [when I lived in Michigan] because my science teacher told me he has a curling club and invited me and the entire class to go,” Moore said. “But only a few people in class, including me, went. In Michigan, I used to practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. But in St. Louis, there isn’t really much of a curling scene so I can only go on Saturdays.”

While the curling community isn’t as prevalent here in St. Louis, this hasn’t stopped Moore from curling regularly, even against some more unlikely opponents.

“When I first started out, I was just playing against people who were usually middle-aged or people in their 30s,” Moore said.

Curling facts:

The most unlikely opponent being Moore’s own father, who has a background in curling from when he was younger and still competes often to this day.

“He [my father] plays on a different team, but usually in the same leagues as I do. So sometimes we get to play against each other or other days we play against different teams but see each other on the ice,” said Moore.

Curling has strengthened Moore’s relationship with her father, as they have been able to bond, learn from each other and keep each other competitive.

“Curling is a really collaborative and friendly sport,” Moore said. “So whenever I was [playing] with my dad, it helped us communicate with each other better. We had a lot of fun playing and practicing with each other.”

While Moore originally got into curling mainly for the simple enjoyment of the sport, over the years, she has learned life lessons through curling that she can apply to her life off the ice.

“[I learned about] having to be alright with failure, mess ups and things that just don’t go the way that you wanted them to go,” Moore said. “Being able to adapt and not make such a big deal out of something not going your way is a really good life lesson [I learned] because it will happen a lot.”

Senior Tai Moore pushes a rock on the ice in Creve Coeur at her match Jan 21. Moore has been curling since she lived in Michigan. “I really enjoy the camaraderie and the community of curling,” Moore said. “It’s a really cordial sport.” (Photo by Sydney Collinger)

Muscling through

Observing junior Eliza Cedergreen's journey with weightlifting and bodybuilding

by Max Eastman editor in chief

As sweat drips off her brow, junior Eliza Cedergreen pushes through the last few reps of her set of chest flys. She wipes off the sweat and glances at her phone, where the next exercise planned for the day is displayed. She moves with

small. I danced and I did gymnastics, and I did cheerleading. I always got comments from the time I was young about my body, and how skinny I was and how people wanted to look like me. But in my head, it didn't make any sense because I wasn't super happy.”

Cedergreen’s path to success in the gym was not al-

wanted to like lose weight and get skinnier,” Cedergreen said. “I started doing cardio because that's what my sister did, but we have always had opposite body types. But my brother always weight trained and after a couple months the motor on me just completely switched and I kind of went on my own and started doing a bunch of research about everything. And then, I just got super into the weightlifting area of fitness and then it just kept on going.”

After doing research on the best training methods and lifting ideologies, Cedergreen came up with a framework to help keep herself orgaduring her journey in the gym. She makes sure to emphasize variation in exercise choice to keep training inter-

“I have specific days of the week that I train specific muscles,” Cedergreen said. “I don't have a coach of any sort and I don't have like a specific program but I know what exercises I need to do for what muscles. Right now I'm hitting every muscle group twice a week and that's where I start from. Then I do the exercises [within said muscle group] that I feel like doing, that I know I need to work on or that I have goals for. In my head, I have things that I need to do but I also definitely have fun with things and do the things that I like to do.”

Cedergreen also makes sure to find the balance between eating healthy and eating to maximize preformance in the gym but also making sure she still enjoys food and all the social aspects that go along with it.

“The meal plan is not specific,” Cedergreen said. “It's not like I have a setup meal plan but I'll occasionally track calories. If I'm out with friends, my meals are whatever I want to eat but I always am eating a super high protein diet. For school, though, I do meal prep at the beginning of the week, and I pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch everyday. Dinner is sometimes the same as lunch. Everything stays super similar. It's structured but then at the same time, I have make my own choices and go off and have fun. I would only be super strict if I was in bodybuilding prep.”

After switching her initial goal from weight loss to muscle gain Cedergreen began to see results, not just physically either. She first started seeing her relationship with her brother strengthen as they bonded throughout time in the gym.

“[My brother] is graduated from college so there's a really big age gap between us,” Cedergreen said. “We've always been

"My end goal is to go to college for exercise science, study nutrition and maybe compete in some body buidling shows in my 20s."

Eliza Cedergreen, junior

close just because I'm his little sister. But once I started lifting weights it made our relationship much better. It was never bad, but now we are best friends because of the gym. He loves that I got into it and I love getting to ask him all the questions I had at the beginning.”

In addition to seeing herself grow closer with her brother, Cedergreen was also starting to really feel tangible improvements to both her mental health and stress levels.

“The mental health part of it is is huge and that has been like over 50% of why I love doing it,” Cedergreen said. “People are like, 'it's all about your body'.' I'm like, ‘No it's about passion and discipline.’ It becomes routine and you realize how much better you feel after you get into it.”

However, Cedergreen’s experience in the gym has not always been 100% positive. She has had to deal with the hardships associated with breaking into a male-dominated space as a young female.

“For me, being in such a male-dominated space, at first, it was the scariest part of the whole entire thing,” Cedergreen said. “I don't even know how to explain it, it was just super uncomfortable. When I look back and look at the type of person I was when I went into it, I honestly don't understand how I did it because I was super low confidence not even just with males, but with people in general. I remember being really scared, but I became so passionate about it that the passion for the gym kind of took over the worry about what people would think and the judgments I would get. Now like

the male-dominated side of it does not affect me at all anymore.”

As Cedergreen has spent more time in the gym and with other members of the community she has learned people don’t always go to the gym just for the physical benefits, rather because the gym is a great teacher.

“When you think about the gym, you can make it relate to so many other things that are going on in your life,” Cedergreen said. “I don't think people ever make that connection. They all think 'these are a bunch of hunks and only care about muscles'. More than half the people that are in this community that is not even their main focus. It's because the gym teaches you so much about persevering and hard work. It's discipline and it's hard work and it's failing and accomplishing.”

LEFT: Eliza Cedergreen is using the chest press machine. Chest has always been a very important part of her training. “I do chest and back almost everyday,” Cedergreen said. "It's one of the best accesory chest movements ."

BOTTOM LEFT: Eliza Cedergreen is practicing on bench to bring her max up. She recently met the 135 lbs. milestone. "Benching is my favorite compound movement," Cedergreen said. "I usually start off with this lift."

BOTTOM RIGHT: Eliza Cedergreen prepares her set. She has always enjoyed using music to help focus. "I didnt train this when I frst started," Cedergreen said. "Now its my favorite lift." (Photos by Sydney Collinger)

10 to 10:30 PM

As night approaches, your body makes increased amounts of melatonin due to the lower light levels.

Melatonin is a hormone your brain produces that signals your body when it’s time to go to sleep or wake up.

Tips to wind down:

Stay technology-free: blue light emitted from screens negatively affects one's circadian rhythm

Read a book: reading can cause relaxation and distract one from worries

Listen to music: specifcally, classical music has been proven to lower blood pressure

infographic by | OLIVIA HU

UP

6:30 AM

In the morning, the optic nerve in your eyes senses the light. Then, your brain triggers the release of cortisol and other hormones to help you wake up.

10:30PM to6:30AM

THE SLEEP CYCLE

If you're having trouble sleeping... try the military method

Relax your entire face

Drop your shoulders to release the tension and let your hands drop to the sides of your body

Exhale, relaxing your chest

Relax your legs, thighs and calves

Clear your mind for 10 seconds by imagining a relaxing scene

Within 10 seconds, you should fall asleep