Panorama March 2019 by Ladue Publications

LADUE PANORAMA NEWSPAPER

3.25.2019 VOLUME 67, ISSUE 8 LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL 1201 S. WARSON ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63124

“Where can you get the best French fries in St. Louis?”

Meet the

Panorama staff

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editors-in-Chief: Hannah Suffian and Anya Tullman Managing Editor: Katie Shaw Head Copy Editor: Adam Rush “The cafeteria.” Design Editor: Felix Hu Photographer-in-Chief: Zach Weller

“Freddy’s.”

“Follow @jilltriesmorefries for my opinion.” Photographers: Lindsey Byer, Samantha Fischer, Grace Hensley, Nicole Kalishman, Maggie Lochmoeller, Caroline Powell and Lou Ritter Artists: Anna Cui, Jill Goldwasser, Nathan Lu,

Features Editors: Katie Holland and Bradford Siwak Sports Editors: Jackson Bry and Jacob Korn

Art Editors: Egret Jin and Jackie Zeng “I’d eat any of them.”

Panorama Photo Editor: Carolina Alisio

Louisia Yang and Michelle Zhou

“Bailey’s Range.”

Web Editors-in-Chief: Anik Jain and Will Minifie Business Manager: Stephen Bowen Social Media Editor: Sunny Lu

“Shake Shack.”

Online Photo Editor: Burke Howe Adviser: Sarah Kirksey

Sports Photo Editor: Abbie Hoefer

Letter from the

editors

Editors-in-Chief Hannah Suffian and Anya Tullman March encompasses a lot. It is a month where we are either over or underdressed for the St. Louis weather; a month where we long for spring break and return for the last homestretch of the school year; a month when we spring forward to welcome in the new season. However, March is also the month when we celebrare Women’s History. Throughout the 31 days of March, females who have made history, both unsung heroes and popular celebrities, are recognized throughout the nation. Read more on pages 12-13 as Panorama takes a deeper dive into Women’s History Month to document how far women have come in recent decades, highlight their current achievements and look forward to the future of women’s rights.

Annie Pan, Aman Rahman, Diora Ton, and Marut Zerubbabel

In-Depth Editors: Anna Liner and Ande Siegel

A&E Editors: Hugh Chan and Malavika Kumaran

3.25.2019

Writers: Natalie Ashkar, Grace Hu,

News Editors: Connie Chen and Sydney Crump

Opinions Editors: Cassie Beisheim and Alex Fu

contents

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Behind the

cover

Photographer-in-Chief Zach Weller The purpose of this cover was to represent all of the diverse and talented women in our school. After experimenting with many different ideas, we decided on a photo that could showcase the unique and powerful group of women at Ladue. The hope of this cover is that it captures and celebrates Women’s History Month. Spread design by Anya Tullman

Table of contents

Thank you to our generous

FEATURES

Panorama’s success would not be possible without your support.

NEWS

IN-DEPTH

Making his case ............................................. 4 & 5 Senior debater wins second place in the nation. Classroom collections ......................................... 6 Teachers keep celebrity knick-knacks in classrooms. District changes schedule ................................... 7 Next year, each week will have only one Ram Day. Gateway 180 contributions ................................. 8 Junior creates a club that volunteers at the shelter. Women’s History Month ............................. 12 & 13 In-Depth documents how far women have come in recent decades, honors their current achievements and looks to the future of women’s rights.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hugh’s reviews: brunch ..................................... 14 Panorama finds St. Louis’s tastiest brunch spots. Environmentally-friendly thrifting ..................... 15 Affordable ways to avoid the hazards of fast fashion.

SPORTS

State champions .......................................... 17 - 19 The girls swim team and sophomore wrestler Jake Mann both took home state titles Presidents’ Day Weekend. Panorama documents their successes.

OPINIONS

Our

Pano perspective ............................................... 20 Ladue’s praise of football overshadows other sports. The dairy debate ............................................... 23 Panorama settles the milk discourse once and for all.

policy

Panorama is a monthly newspaper that strives to inform and entertain students, staff and community members and to uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness. The publication hopes to engage the student body by eliciting dialogue among 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 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)-993-6447 ext. 5844. Read more stories online at laduelead.com. Follow @laduepublications on Instagram and Facebook and @laduepanorama on Twitter. Cover design by Zach Weller.

sponsors.

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Gold sponsors ($75) Hensley Construction The Katzman Family

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Anonymous The Arun Family Walter & Leonssia Beisheim The Bry Family Christy Crump Bianca Daniels Terri Halsey Susie Harris Alan Korn Jeffery and Elaine Korn The Kumaran Family The Levy-Thomeczek Family The Page Family - Luke & Jake Patney Family Southern/Lochmoeller Team Vie Terry and Phyllis Weiss The Wolf Family

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3contents laduelead.com

Making his case features

3.25.2019

KING OF DEBATE Senior Max Kornfeld has numerous speech and debate achievements, including a second place designation in extemporaneous debate at nationals. Kornfeld joined Ladue’s debate team his freshman year. “It’s weird looking back at all my trophies and realizing that I’ve run my course and won’t have many chances to get more,” Kornfeld said. (Photo by Bradford Siwak)

GRACE HU staff writer | @graceeehuuu

of got caught in a haze, and eventually I walked out at the end and they were like, ‘you won,’ and I was like, ‘oh he scratching of pens against cool,’” Kornfeld said with a laugh. “This paper fills the room as a Ladue is something fun that I can see myself student emphatically speaks doing for a long time.” at the front. In the back, senior Max Now a senior in his final year on Kornfeld sits hunched over a desk, the team, Kornfeld has become one scribbling every argument the speaker of the most competitive debaters in makes while coming up with rebuttals the country. However, this success has at lightning speed. When the student not come without a lot of hard work. directing this speech and debate Often, Kornfeld spends hours after practice asks who would like to give school giving practice speeches and a speech to rise, a couple of things preparing for tournaments. immediately become apparent. Firstly, “Max works extremely hard — I Kornfeld is very tall. Secondly, he mean he puts in the time,” debate knows exactly what he’s doing, and he head coach Molly Beck said. “I think in does it well. He speaks with a pasdebate the amount of time you put sionate fervor, growing incrementally in is a huge difference to your level of louder until he is almost yelling, then success in comparison to other people dropping down to a conversational … He’s come in to do speech redos tone, ensuring his audience underrecently, we’ll talk through an issue … stands every word he says. His ability and he’ll get up and redo the speech. to communicate is extraordinary, just Those repetitious pieces are not like his debate career. always fun, but it does, I think, make In three and a half years, Kornthe difference between someone who feld has been declared tournament gets first and second at a tournament.” champion for his various events His intense hard work culminated and debates countless times, was a last summer when Kornfeld made it quarter-finalist in policy debate at the to the final round of extemporaneous state finals last year, is a two-time nadebate at nationals. During his final tional qualifier and, as of this summer, round, the Ladue debate team left the is second in the main tournament nation at exto watch Kornfeld, temporaneous with teammates [Max] is frequently integral back in St. Louis debate, a fastpaced, two-perto the competitive success watching online. son debate. “He thrives in of other people. “I love arguthat environment — Sam Hiken (12) ing, I’ve loved it … he became for a long time, one of the top since I was a kid,” two out of over Kornfeld said. “I figured that a school 800 competitors — that takes stamisanctioned way to yell at people na, that takes strength, that takes sounded like a great activity.” intellect,” Beck said. “It really was Although Kornfeld first joined just this moment where he was just speech and debate halfway through so in his element in a way that most his freshman year, he jumped straight students … don’t get the chance to be into competing. His first invitational in. Seeing him in that situation, that’s was a varsity tournament, with each where he’s meant to be. He’s meant to of his opponents having a semester of compete at that level, and he had the training that Kornfeld lacked. Despite chance to, and it was really amazing this disadvantage, Kornfeld views to see.” this first debate experience as one his In addition to competing, Kornfeld fondest memories. also helps to teach. One of Kornfeld’s “I kind of just kept arguing and primary roles on the team is as the kept arguing until eventually I kind coordinator of policy debate. In this

“

Spread design by Katie Holland & Bradford Siwak

Max Kornfeld on being one of the best teenage debaters in America

postion, he is tasked with teaching new members of the debate team. Kornfeld often goes out of his way to help underclassmen, regardless of what event they end up competing in. “I remember earlier this year he kept giving feedback to novice duo [two-person acting] partnerships, which seemed kind of random because he doesn’t do duo,” senior Sam Hiken, vice president of the debate team, said. “I think it just speaks to his dedication of the overall competitive success of the team ... He’s frequently the last person to stay at practice, not even because he’s helping himself, but because he’s helping so many other people.” Kornfeld says that his dedication to helping younger debaters stems from those who acted as mentors for him. While winning rounds is fun for Kornfeld, helping the next generation of debaters is far more important to him, as he believes they will be the ones to carry on the team’s legacy. “I have enormous respect for my mentors,” Kornfeld said. “I’m amazed that they put up with me for so long, and I’m really grateful for that. Getting to see that turn-around has convinced me that what I should be doing is to provide opportunities for my underclassmen ... So seeing the underclassmen succeed ... that is a big accomplishment. It means that I’ve passed on [my knowledge].” v

5 features laduelead.com

Social Studies teacher Mike Hill: Elvis Presley Panorama: Can you explain how you got into collecting Elvis Presley items? Mike Hill: People started giving me gifts of Elvis Presley, various Elvis stuff, like most of the stuff in my classroom was given to me by students. And so it wasn’t so much that I was obsessed with Elvis, it was kind of people just kept on giving me Elvis stuff, so I happily accepted. P: What’s the most memorable present you received? MH: [A student] created a picture of Elvis Presley and she outlined Elvis’s image with long pieces of licorice because she knows I also love licorice. And she sort of combined it. It’s one of my most prized Elvis possessions.

English teacher Cathy Russell: Alan Jackson Panorama: Can you explain how you came to like Alan Jackson so much? Cathy Russell: I always hated country music when I was younger, but I had to spend a couple of weeks with my brother and his family, and they loved country music. It’s all I heard for two weeks. When I first came back to St. Louis and played the radio, every time a song I really liked came up, it would always be Alan Jackson. P: What’s your favorite Alan Jackson item? CR: Probably the doll because a former student gave me that as a gift, which I thought was really cool.

Classroom Collections ANNIE PAN staff writer | @anniexpan1

Ladue teachers acquire celebrity-themed items.

features

03.25.2019

Page design by Katie Holland & Bradford Siwak; photos by Bradford Siwak

District revises schedule for next school year

Schedule will include four block days and one Ram Day each week with some exceptions NATALIE ASHKAR staff writer | @natalieashkar

Students comment on new schedule

n the 2019-20 school year, the Ladue High School schedule will shift to an entirely new format with only one Ram Day per week. Each week is currently scheduled to start with a Blue Day on Monday, followed by a White Day on Tuesday. The primary change to the schedule will be that Ram Days will only be on Wednesdays, followed by a Blue Day Thursday and White Day Friday. On weeks with only four days of school, the Ram Day will be eliminated. This change was made largely due to complaints from students over the last four years that Ram Days have not been beneficial. “[Ram Days are] just too much to handle,” sophomore Hieran Andeberhan said. “It’s all your classes all at once. You usually get a lot of homework on Ram Days because [teachers] all assign it, or it’s all due at once, so it’s a lot of burden and work.”

Nevertheless, Ram Days did prove to be a positive change in other aspects. According to Principal Brad Griffith, the first semester of the 2014 school year — a time before Ram Days existed — had 204 in-school suspensions and out-of-school suspensions, as opposed to only 101 in the 2018 fall semester when Ram Days were in the schedule. Furthermore, on average, 24 percent of students had three or more Ds and Fs in the first semester of 2014, compared to 13 percent in the first semester of 2018. Griffith says that this drastic change is likely a result of students seeing teachers more frequently with a Ram Day in the schedule. “All of those numbers suggest from a quantitative standpoint that we are doing well with our benchmarks,” Griffith said. “But what we kept hearing is the qualitative [concern from students]: ‘it’s hard for me to plan [my schedule].’ ” Fortunately, the new system will allow ample planning time for students

and an easier schedule to navigate. Additionally, the Ladue administration believes that students will no longer run the risk of forgetting an instrument or textbook because of the more static schedule. “It’s really confusing sometimes when there’s early release days or [no school] days, so [this way] it’s always constant,” Andeberhan said. Like any significant change, the new schedule will most likely require an adjustment period for students and teachers before they become accustomed to new routines. For instance, testing schedules and lesson plans may require slight modifications so any bugs in the new system can be worked out. “I’m used to schedule adjustments, [so] I’m happy that this one seems to make sense and create a rhythm,” AP World History teacher Stephanie Belleville said. “It seems that that’s something students have been wanting — a sense of predictability.” v

“I think the new Ram Day schedule is effective because it gives us more time for block day classes, and we really need that.” - Elise Hillebrand (11)

“I want [more] Ram Days because they are fast and easy. Even though I have homework, I can get it done.” - Carter Ta (9)

7 news laduelead.com

Group volunteers at Gateway 180 Junior Jenna Gold creates group that helps at homeless shelter twice a month ZERU MARUT staff writer | @zerumarut

ccording to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as of January 2017, Missouri had an estimated 6,037 people experiencing homelessness. With such a large number of people without a place to stay, organizations like Gateway 180 — the only 24-hour homeless shelter in St. Louis — are increasingly important to provide resources to the homeless and find them permanent housing solutions. To help with these efforts, junior Jenna Gold started a volunteering club at Ladue High School. Through this new club, Gold hopes to have the opportunity to contribute to the St. Louis community by helping Gateway 180. “I’m not sure we are an official club with a name, we are more a group of students who are dedicated to volunteering,” librarian and club sponsor Michelle Schmitt said. There are other ways the club helps out besides volunteering. English teacher Wendy Guhr, a co-sponsor of the club, says that the club helps the staff at Gateway 180 with their day-to-day work as well. “We organize donations, clean the facility and play with the children [and] stuff envelopes for mass mailings,” Guhr said. The Gateway 180 volunteers are currently the only homeless shelter volunteer club at the school. Although in the past there was a similar club called Gateway to Change, it eventually shut down. Gold, who had previously missed out on joining, decided to remake one this year. “I so much wanted to be a part of [Gateway to Change] when I was a sophomore,” Gold said. “I learned that we no longer really had the club at our school. So last year, I went to Gateway 180 on my own to make a site visit and figure out how we could make it work again. With the support of Mrs. Guhr and Ms. Schmitt, I gathered various groups of students to volunteer one to two times per month.” In addition, the club has other various benefits students can reap from it. According to Gold, students will be able to use their community service for other extracurriculars. “Sometimes, for example, students can use their service hours to earn their required volunteer points in the National Honor Society,” Gold said. “I also often open up the volunteer opportunity to members of Character Cadre, although Character Cadre is a separate club from volunteering at Gateway 180. Volunteering at Gateway 180 is open to all students though.” For students interested, the club will meet up on some Wednesdays after school and drive to the shelter. The club usually stays there for around two and a half hours.

news

3.25.2019

FUN WITH THE KIDS Juniors Katherine Zoellner, Jenna Gold and senior Nathanial Marsters organize a few shelves in the playroom of Gateway 180 Feb. 27. After cleaning up, volunteers played with kids at the shelter. “My favorite part about volunteering at Gateway 180 is putting a smile on people’s faces and making a difference in their lives,” Zoellner said. (Photo by Sunny Lu)

“We try to meet two Wednesdays per month throughout the second semester,” Gold said. “We only meet when we volunteer at Gateway 180, aside from the informational meeting I had in January. We usually head to Gateway 180 at around 2:30 p.m. and are back to school by 5:00 p.m. We are very fortunate to have Ms. Schmitt and Mrs. Guhr assist us with the work we do in addition to providing transportation, although some student volunteers choose to drive themselves as well.” As the creator of the group, Gold hopes to give students more chances to volunteer through school. She saw a lack of opportunities for volunteering at homeless shelters and decided to take action. “I want to provide other students at our school with the same opportunities to volunteer in the community,” Gold said. “Whether we help with sorting donations, cleaning the kids’ room or playing with the children, we students are gaining valuable and useful experiences while also helping to make a different in the lives of others.” v Spread design by Connie Chen & Sydney Crump

DANCIN’ TO THE BEAT The Bollywood Dance Group performs at the International Week talent show March 5. To prepare for the show, the group practiced their dance during the week leading up to the event. “I was excited to show everyone the dance we had been working on, and our outfits were a great addition to the performance,” junior Madison Grady said. (Photo by Laura Zoeller)

BONJOUR French students sing “Sympathique” by Pink Martini in the International Week talent show. Students learned the music two times during class. “[Performing] was a great experience,” junior Ashley Osborn said. “I’ve done [the talent show] every year since freshman year.” (Photo by Laura Zoeller)

Language societies host talent show DIORA TON staff writer | @dioraton08

s a part of Ladue’s International Week celebrations, the language department arranged a student showcase March 5 in the multipurpose room. For months before the event, teachers met and discussed different activities that would engage language students, including a culinary sampler, poster contest, film festival and talent show. Together, the French, German, Spanish and Latin teachers created a program that would display the cultural diversity of Ladue and allow students to make their own contributions to the school community. “We really want to represent the importance of communicating in different languages,” Spanish teacher Haydee Taylor-Arnold said. “[This] is a way to celebrate the cultures we have in our school and use those to create bridges.” In the past, Ladue held gatherings during seminar or after school during which language students would perform short skits. This year, however, the addition of many student-led acts allowed for participants to display their talents and cultural diversity. The various student language honor societies played a large part in organizing this year’s International Week. These students helped ensure the activities ran smoothly and were inclusive for those taking part. “It’s important that people attend the show, not only to support their peers and see how talented the people are around them, but also to appreciate works of art, music and dance from other cultures and in other languages,” senior and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica president Rose Coughlin said. “Art is so important when you learn about other countries because it can give you so much insight into the language and culture.”

Among the featured performers at the talent show were singers, musical ensembles and dance groups. After a short introduction by Spanish teachers Mary DeLia and Taylor-Arnold, sophomores Jameson Falconer, Leo Bochicchio and senior BeLov’ed Brooks took to the stage to perform songs in English, Spanish and Japanese, respectively. Bochicchio, who sang a cover of “Cómo Mirarte” by Sebastián Yatra, has been performing for many years, but only recently started to play the guitar and sing in Spanish. “I love to perform, and I’m always searching for more platforms to make myself more comfortable in front of an audience,” Bochicchio said. “The most rewarding part was performing with a guitar in Spanish for the first time.” Later on in the event, sophomore Daniel Diringer played the song “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi on the cello. His performance was followed by the Bollywood Dance Group, which approached the stage in colorful lehenga skirts and danced to traditional music. Towards the end of the showcase, audience members heard a singing performance by Elise Greise’s and Bridget Milford’s French students. The finale of the show was punctuated by a rap from the Daddy’s Boyz, a group comprised of juniors Cassie Beisheim, Anna Liner, Giuseppe Di Cera, Daniel Jung, Sebastian McGregor and senior Charlie Yeldham. Audience members were largely positive about their experience and enthusiastically received each performer. For the teachers running the production, seeing students express their talents and support one another was one of the most rewarding aspects of the show. “The language program is very strong, and we really want to continue supporting our students,” Taylor-Arnold said. “I know we work on language in the classroom, but what our students can do outside of the classroom is what we want them to be proud of.” v

9news laduelead.com

Junior sheds light on importance of vaccines Ria Dharnidharka works throughout St. Louis to combat vaccine misinformation ADAM RUSH head copy editor | @adamrush01

s infectious outbreaks have re-emerged and spread throughout the United States, the facts about diseases and vaccines have increasingly become distorted, and, in some cases, outright false. To counter this spread of misinformation, junior Ria Dharnidharka has teamed up with professionals in the medical community, the Ladue High School nurse and even other schools throughout St. Louis to ensure that everyone is aware of the diseases that could potentially threaten their lives. Dharnidharka began this outreach in January 2019 as part of her Girl Scouts community service project and was initially inspired to work on vaccines when she read about the current Washington outbreak of measles — an infection the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had previously said was eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. As she researched more about common diseases, she chose to focus her project on spreading the truth about their vaccinations. “One of the main objectives of my project is not so much to increase the rate of vaccination in my community, since St. Louis is already pretty high,” Dharnidharka said. “It’s more about creating awareness as to what is true about vaccines and why we should be advocating for them.”

In the medical community One common misconception about vaccines that Dharnidharka is attempting to fight is that they cause autism, a claim the “anti-vaxxer” movement has repeatedly made based off of now debunked studies. Yet not getting vaccinated is becoming more and more dangerous, as, for the first time, the World Health Organization has listed vaccine hesitancy as a top 10 global threat of 2019. According to Dr. Mark Lowe, a scientist at Washington University who is working with Dharnidharka, not getting vaccinated is harmful not only to yourself, but also to those around you. “The introduction of vaccines is the greatest accomplish-

ment of modern medicine, [but] by not immunizing, kids are at risk,” Lowe said. “A decision not to vaccinate is also a decision to put someone else at risk. People still die [from diseases] that could have been prevented by vaccination.”

At Ladue In the district, Dharnidharka has primarily been focused on working with school nurse Mary Simmons to help gather proof of inoculation for the meningitis vaccine, which students are required to turn in by state law. Simmons says this task is often painstaking and frustrating work, so having a student educating and connecting with the student body will help the collection process run more efficiently. “When you get students like Ria involved, it can be encouraging to get the documentation back in sooner,” Simmons said. “I truly believe that having someone at her age, trying to reach students in a different way, will raise the awareness at Ladue.”

Throughout St. Louis Outside of school, Dharnidharka has attempted to reach students through the creation of educational videos and brochures, in which she will try to diffuse the complex science behind vaccinations into something a bit easier to understand. Across multiple schools, neighborhoods and hospitals, Dharnidharka is trying to send the message that almost all vaccines are easily accessible, painless and safe for use. “I like to consider a vaccine medicine,” Dharnidharka said. “You have to see that there [are] so many benefits from getting these vaccines. When you do your own research, especially as a teenager, it’s easier to understand why you really should go get these vaccines.” v

There are measles outbreaks reported in 11 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, coughing and a rash that spreads to the rest of body. Extreme cases of measles can result in death. The vaccine to inoculate patients against measles is MMR. It is 97 percent effective at preventing measles outbreaks when adminiestered correclty.

news

3.25.2019

The primary cause of the current outbreaks is that pockets of unvaccinated people begin to catch measles, then spread it to other pockets that are unvaccinated. These outbreaks are also inﬂuenced by inﬂuxes of international travelers.

Information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention *All data as of March 8

Page design by Connie Chen & Sydney Crump; infographic by Felix Hu

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in-depth

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Spread design by Anna Liner & Ande Siegel; photo by Sunny Lu

3.25.2019

The past, present and future of women ANNA LINER in-depth editor | @liner_anna ANDE SIEGEL in-depth editor | @andesiegel

arch sees more than just a transition from winter to spring; it is also when the United States commemorates and honors women’s contributions to history. However, in a time of political activism that strives for diverse representation, Women’s History Month is starting to look a little different. Recently, society has started to broaden the feminist ideology: women of color, disabled women and LGBT women are all adding their voices to the discussion of women’s history and rights. “What I love about Women’s History Month is that people get so excited about it,” Ladue class of 2016 alumnus and transgender woman Candice Mothersbaugh said. “I feel like everyone kind of begins to share that sentiment that I have.” The beginnings of Women’s History Month date back to President Jimmy Carter’s message to the nation in 1980, designating March 2-8 as National Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress established Women’s History Month in response to the lobbying from the nonprofit organization National Women’s History Project. Since then, there has been a Presidential Proclamation issued every year honoring the achievements of American women. “[Women’s History Month] is about how far we’ve come in the U.S., the struggles that women have gone through in history and the struggles that we’re still dealing with that haven’t gone away,” junior and president of the Ladue Feminist Coalition Lisa Miller said. Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration two years ago, the Women’s March has been each January. Sophomore Lauryn Donovan — who previously participated in Anytown and CrookedRoom conferences — spoke at the 2017 and 2018 St. Louis

Women’s March to highlight the issues she felt were important to her. “The theme of the 2018 Women’s March was about truth, and [my speech] hit on most of the topics that I could think of: ableism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, all the isms,” Donovan said. “I tried to be really inclusive in my speech because I could tell it was such a diverse crowd. [I wanted] to show that I’m here to stand with, behind and for everybody [who goes] through oppression like I do. So I just wanted to write a [speech saying] ‘you’re not alone, I got you, I understand, I definitely empathize [with] your pain.’” Donovan hopes to see more inclusivity in the future of women’s rights, especially for women of color, disabled women and LGBT women. Mothersbaugh also agrees with Donovan that even feminists can sometimes be unaccepting of those who do not fit into cisgender norms. Nevertheless, she hopes that women from all different perspectives can celebrate Women’s History Month by remembering the past challenges and looking forward to the future. “I would say that [Women’s History Month] does mean something different to me, especially because identifying as female is not something that I’ve done my entire life,” Mothersbaugh said. “I didn’t transition or [begin] openly identifying as female until I was 17. And it just completely changed every facet in which I navigated the world ... That’s why it fills me with so much pride to be able to say that I’m a woman because now I’m able to say that I’m a part of that population that captivates me so much.” v

13 in-depth laduelead.com

STL’sculinary bucket list HUGH CHAN A&E editor | @hugheychan

These St. Louis restaurants reflect the culinary landscape of the Midwest in a way that no other place in the country can.

thebarbequedribsat Pappy’s Smokehouse Pappy’s, one of St. Louis’s nationally revered restaurants, has continually produced some of the nation’s finest barbeque for over a decade. Although the menu contains various meats and countless combinations, the slow-cooked ribs are always a must order and have propelled the restaurant to national recognition. The restaurant prides itself on serving “Memphis-style” ribs, but Pappy’s ribs are arguably a tier above even the best offerings of Memphis. Roasted for 24 hours over cherry or apple wood, the meat

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is encrusted in a brittle layer of smoky spice, which breaks apart with a smoldering scent at the very touch of the fork. The pink, tender flesh of the pork is succulent with grease and drippings, and minimal effort is needed to pry the meat off each individual rib. The portions are filling, but not nearly as daunting as you may initially think, since the bones of the ribs take up a large part of the meal. Perpetually packed and beloved throughout the country, Pappy’s is a culinary hotspot for anybody in St. Louis.

One of the origin Marcella i titude of s by deliver ravioli sin The ski to a beau seasoned Despite b tions of to to retain i overly dry Spread design and photos by Hugh Chan

the gooey butter cake at

Russell’s Cafe

the toasted ravioli atTrattoria Marcella

One of the many claimants to being he originator of toasted ravioli, Trattoria Marcella is able to stand out from a mulitude of similar restaurants in The Hill by delivering the same delicious toasted avioli since 1994. The skin of each raviolo is breaded o a beautiful golden-brown color and seasoned with various aromatic herbs. Despite being thicker than other variaions of toasted ravioli, the skin manages o retain its crispiness without being overly dry. Enveloped within the ravioli is

a meat filling with a consistency reminscent of stewed meat. Each component of the filling can be clearly tasted, but the most dominant flavor is the meat. The marinara sauce is thick with large chunks of tomato and compliments the meatheavy ravioli perfectly by cuttng through the richness with its tangy saltiness. As an appetizer or a meal by itself, Trattoria Marcella’s toasted ravioli are unrivaled amongst a vast sea of competitiors in the Midwest and are a necessary dish to try.

Originating during the Great Depression when baking supplies were extremely low, gooey butter cake is rumored to have been invented as a result of a baker accidentally reversing butter and flour proportions. Unwilling to waste the mixture, the baker continued ahead and baked the cake, which became popular enough to be spread among local bakers and passed down generation by generation. Today, restaurants and grocery stores all over the St. Louis area serve their respective versions of gooey butter cake, and the debate over where to find the best is hotly contested. However, one place narrowly edges out a plethora of tasty competitors: Russell’s Cafe. The restaurant, helmed by acclaimed chef Russell Ping, serves rustic food crafted with local fresh produce. Menu items such as fried chicken sandwiches with fried eggs and sausage gravy, large cinnamon rolls glazed with cream cheese icing and weekly flavors of breakfast bread pudding pack the restaurant every weekend as customers wait in lengthy lines. An enormous array of fudgy brownies, freshly baked cookies, flakey croissants filled with chocolate and fruits, danishes slicked with butter and cloudy muffins sit behind a glass display designed to be visible to customers anywhere within the cafe. Although all of Russell’s pastries are among the best in the area, its gooey butter cake cements the restaurant in the upper echelons of St. Louis dining. The gooey butter comes with various seasonal flavors such as chocolate flavors or raspberry jam in either single slices or a whole tray, but it’s the original gooey butter cake that tastes the most satisfying. Dusted with confectioner’s sugar, the top layer of the cake is paper thin and cracks apart at the slightest touch. The gooey center of the cake, which has a near pudding-like consistency and a zesty sweetness intertwined with notes of cream cheese, rests atop a rich, buttery base reminiscent of a shortbread cookie. On the sides and corners of the gooey butter cake are the best parts: dense, crunchy pockets of baked sugar and butter encrusting the cake within. Although getting into the restaurant can be a hassle in and of itself, Russell’s Cafe truly produces the most delicious version of St. Louis’s famed bakery treat.

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A thrifty way to save the environment Some second-hand clothing options for students in the Ladue area “Fast fashion” describes a booming business model in which retail giants mass produce clothing with designs copied from runways to sell them at low costs. Items are constantly added to and pulled from production while shoppers buy and discard at unprecedented rates. The effects are devastating to the environment, with more than 80 billion clothes manufactured annually, according to The Economist. It can prove difficult for teenagers to stock their wardrobes without paying premium costs or supporting fast fashion labels. Fortunately, there is an alternative that neither harms the environment nor the budget: thrifting.

Avalon Exchange: This quirky, semi-vintage shop has no clothing older than 30 years. It has a gritty, youthful atmosphere that suits the Delmar Loop, where it is located. There is a plethora of inexpensive shoes in good condition, as well as a wig collection. Prices are fairly low as the products rarely have significant historical value. Avalon is a solid option for Ladue residents searching for nearby second-hand clothes.

Found by the Pound: The garments found here fit within the 80s and 90s eras. Though the prices were comparable to Avalon Exchange, the atmosphere was a bit nicer. Rock music played overhead the racks of clothes, which were meant to represent the “Bohemian” style of South St. Louis. Found by the Pound is not a place to be missed for shoppers on a budget.

art by MICHELLE ZHOU

Retro 101: This shop features carefully curated clothing and a small selection of antiques. It was evident that the staff was experienced with clothes from the early-mid parts of the 20th century. Retro 101 has been visited by fashion legend Iris Apfel and will continue to draw customers in for a charming experience.

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Vintage Haberdashery: This shop hosts nearly as many costumes for rent as it does clothing for sale. Most of the clothing was made between the 30s and the 80s, with notable items including vintage formal wear and a collection of 70s-era disco shoes. Though prices are high, the collection and shopping experience makes a visit well worth it.

Page design by Malavika Kumaran; story and photos by Bradford Siwak

Girls Swimming. 1976. 43 years.

State champions. Wrestling. 1966. 53 years. Page design by Jackson Bry

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Left to right: Marlee Singer, Talia Warticovschi, Amy Pumm, Sophie Fredman, Samantha Fischer, Paige Mitchell, Mary Dieckhaus, Lena Liang, Harriet Bezzant and Sophia Muñoz.

Girls swimming.

“I was really excited after state and very proud of our team. I was just glad to be there and to have contributed to our win, even if my personal events the day before didn’t go the way I wanted. My favorite part of the entire season had to be just spending time with the team. Whether it be in practices or at meets, being with my friends through it all made the experience that much more enjoyable. The season was a very big accomplishment for all of us, and hopefully next year we can all come back with the same great energy we had this year.”

Sophomore Amy Pumm

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“It felt great when my hard work paid off because I knew all the practicing we had been doing led to our success. I also felt super proud of my team and all our accomplishments. It was amazing being part of the swim and dive team, not only because we won state, but because of the constant competition that makes me want to work just that much harder.”

Sophomore Samantha Fischer

“It was amazing to have a state title that shows the team’s hard work. At the beginning of the season, it was a lot of talking about how we could be in the running to win the state title. Towards the end of the season, it was like, ‘no, we actually have a chance to win.’ At that point, all the girls on the state team were determined to make that statement come true. To watch everyone compete that weekend and know what was needed to be done in order to win, and then surpassing those expectations was awesome.”

Senior Paige Mitchell

“I remember walking to the blocks before the very last event, the 400 [free style] relay. They announced the scores as of right then. We were in the lead, and unless we got [disqualified] we would win. Me and my teammates were exhausted, but this final surge of energy and adrenaline came over us. As soon as I finished my leg we knew we had won. It was surreal to stand on the podium and hold up the trophy with my teammates.”

Junior Harriet Bezzant

Spread design by Jackson Bry & Jacob Korn; photos by Zach Weller

Jake Mann. HOPE SHIMONY staff writer | @hope_shimony

s sophomore Jake Mann stood on the first place podium in Mizzou Arena, he gleamed with pride as the state championship medal was placed around his neck. All his hard work and dedication had paid off; he had finally accomplished his goal. Saturday, Feb. 16, Mann became the first Ladue wrestler in 53 years to win a state title and the first wrestler from Ladue to ever win state in the 120 pound weight class. One of Mann’s main goals as a wrestler was to win a state title. Last year, as a freshman, Mann also advanced to the finals, but he fell short in the final match. “Losing in the finals last year definitely made me a better wrestler,” Mann said. “After that loss, I learned that I needed to be more conditioned and make mental adjustments in order to achieve my goal of being a state champ.” Mann said that he had to put in a grueling amount of work this season to win the championship. His work ethic and motivation stem from his belief that a wrestler’s

hard work determines what kind of stantial,” head wrestling coach Kevin wrestler he becomes. Clawson said. “The repetitions he gets “The biggest thing I have learned [during the off-season] is by far the most from this accomplishment and from of any member of our team. He also wrestling in general is the importance competes at the highest level possible, of hard work,” Mann said. “Ever since [and] he has a strong drive to win and I started wrestling, I’ve been taught that works hard to be at the top.” the best wrestler is the hardest worker. Maintaining a humble and gracious I know that I am attitude regarding success capable of so much is an important part of more, so I need to being a good teammate After that loss, work even harder and leader. According to I learned that to get where I want his coach and teammates, I needed to be to be.” Mann does just that. His Mann conattitude and outlook on more conditioned tinuously works the team has allowed him and make mental throughout the year to grow close with his adjustments in order teammates. This positivity to further his skill to achieve my goal of has also given Mann the set and continue improving, especially being a state champ. opportunity to form great after his loss at state life-long bonds throughlast year. Mann’s out the Ladue wrestling work ethic not only program. comes from his goal to win state but also “Jake is a very funny and humble from his immense desire for success. The person,” junior and teammate Miles dedication that Mann continuously puts Bassett said. “We are always joking in is admired by many members of the around with him on car rides and before Ladue wrestling community weigh-ins, but he will never shove his “His off-season training is subaccomplishments in your face.” v

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a t h n e let v E i cs n art by JACKIE ZENG and EGRET JIN

PANO PERSPECTIVE Our student body should show equal appreciation for all sports

adue has a long history of high quality athletics. Although we’re not as decorated as some of the schools around us, we have had our fair share of success, especially this year. It is because of this success that we have some of the best fans in the area attending our games. However, at certain times, that attendance suffers a severe drop. Football is easily Ladue’s most popular sport. Each fall Friday, friends pile in a car and make a night out of going to the game. However, once football ends, it seems as though people just stop going to games altogether. Sure, we have certain events like Coaches vs. Cancer that garner in large crowds, but the majority of games for the rest of the year are left empty. Supporting our school’s teams is something that every student at Ladue should do; after all, the student athletes are our peers and friends. Every team at Ladue should have a

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strong, supportive fanbase behind it, and that fanbase can help lead to more success. While games on school nights are more difficult to attend, there is no reason a Friday night basketball game or swim meet should get any less attention than a Friday night football game. On the rare occasions that sports other than football do get attention from the student body, they are almost always boys sports. Girls sports never really get the attention they deserve from fans. They’ll get the occasional crowd for districts or a postseason game, but even those fail to live up to the average football crowds. It is clear something must change. The problem here does not lie upon the administration. They are well aware of the issues and have done a lot this year to promote girls sports. The school provides them with equal opportunities, whether that means giving the girls basketball team special

throwback uniforms or having celebratory parades for all the state champions. Instead, the blame lies on the student body. Some may think that sports games other than football just aren’t as fun, and that’s why they choose not to go. However, this only worsens the problem. What’s making the games less fun is that people refuse to show up. So, if everyone got a few friends and started attending more sports games in general, they would all be more fun. Besides, watching the football team blow out every team they play is definitely not as gripping as watching a close girls lacrosse game, or a close baseball game or a close swim meet. The list goes on and on. We as a student body have an obligation to our peers to attend their games. This issue is not one that is hard to solve. Go to more games. Show school spirit. And get your friends to do the same. v Page design by Cassie Beisheim & Alexander Fu

UNPLUGGED If you are reading this, then I didn’t make it through the day. I embarked on a quest of the mind, perhaps the greatest of our generation: to not use my phone for a day. This is my story. ADAM RUSH head copy editor | @adamrush01 I am alone, cut off from the world, freezing in this urban wilderness. Are there Avengers: Endgame spoilers that will vanish into the night? What ridiculous presidential Tweet did I miss? Is there another Kim Kardashian and Kanye West baby who is somehow named East West??? 11:00 AM

When I woke up, I instinctively reached for my phone. I was about to power up this glorious piece of human innovation, but I remembered my mission. I wanted to throw my phone in a lake, until I realized that 1) my iPhone is waterproof and 2) iPhones are basically $700 a piece. 7:00 AM

Does my phone think about me when I’m away? Does it daydream about me as I do it? Locked away in the darkest depths of my backpack, will my phone survive the trying day, as I must? If I don’t get the chance to say it, I want my phone to know I loved it. 1:00 PM

LOGGING OFF: Turn off your alerts

Stop checking for every little notification you get from social media. It will not kill you.

Every day, delegate some time to just relax your mind. Take a walk or reflect on the day.

Page design by Cassie Beisheim & Hannah Suffian

Move your apps elsewhere

Take time to do nothing

This is the end. My inactive brain has begun to wander. How did an object become what is perhaps the center of my life? Can, or even should, we go back to the old ways? This is perhaps the most profound lesson I learned: everything you can do on a phone you can also do on a laptop. 4:00 PM

ways to detox from your phone addiction

Take distracting apps off your home screen. Your eyes won’t stay on your phone as long.

Find some other type of activity you can lose yourself in. Go work out or read a book.

Go pick up some hobbies

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#satisfyingposts The psychology behind the social media trend that is taking the world by storm AMAN RAHMAN staff writer | @itsamanrahman

hy are there videos on the Internet that are so strange, yet also so oddly satisfying? Often times, scrolling through my Instagram feed, I find myself coming across a video that fits this category. The pressing of slime, the cutting of sand symmetrically and Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) videos are among some of the most satisfying content that our society is obsessed with. These seemingly insignificant videos can spark an inexplicable sensory feeling that no one can quite pinpoint. Little did I know that a video of someone perfectly scooping up ice cream could scratch an itch I never knew I had. Everyone has their preferred method of relaxation, and for some, these videos provide comfort. When I first discovered these videos, I didn’t understand the hype, but after watching them for a while, I realize they are, in their own way, meditative. While I

am certainly not as hooked to these videos as others, I know that the road to relaxation is only a click away. According to Pennsylania State University psychologist Jessica Myrick, our bodies can recognize when we are stressed out, which is why we are drawn to these kinds of videos. This explains a lot for me as I am always stressed. A combination of what we are witnessing visually and aurally contribute to the appeal of these videos. As humans, we unconsciously desire things to be congruent. This is the reason why I and many others feel such a sense of ease watching sand being precisely cut. In some ways, patterns and symmetry are naturally therapeutic. According to scientist Alan Lightman from the Massachussetts Institute of Technology, symmetry represents order, and that is something we all want. In addition to the visual appeal, sounds such as someone pressing into slime or people engaging in ASMR can be soothing to many. If for some reason you don’t know what ASMR is, it is commonly defined as a calming, pleasurable sound associated with a tingling feeling. These videos feature people whispering into a mic,

tapping onto hard surfaces, eating and so on. Personally, I am not a huge fan of most ASMR. It is pretty uncomfortable to watch, though I will admit I do love the sound of nails tapping on a hard surface. I think the worst sound is hearing people eat into the mic, as this is a huge pet peeve of mine. However, psychologists have found that ASMR is linked to the release of serotonin in the brain, which is responsible for the stress relief people often find themselves experiencing after watching the video. Another kind of satisfying video is one where the viewer sees the process of a task from start to finish. Being a perfectionist myself, when a task is not completed, I know I begin to feel slightly agitated. This applies to the videos as well, which is why I like watching something being perfectly executed. In the end, I cannot say I hate the trend of “oddly satisfying videos.” There is something unifying about them. The perfect combination of sight and sound can get just about anybody addicted to them. v

ch e ns o ck o i t ut @laduepublica on ake t Inst r agram for ou on d! n t he s e r atisfying t

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Page design by Cassie Beisheim & Alexander Fu; photo illustration by Zach Weller

pro

CASSIE BEISHEIM opinions editor | @cassiebeisheim

Milk haters do not know what they’re missing

write in order to promote values that I believe need to be heard. This is no exception. The Ladue student body needs to understand the blandness of many of their lifestyles. What I mean to get across is, whether you like to hear it or not, a milkless life is a life wasted. To get this out of the way, I do not turn a blind eye to the individuals who

are lactose-intolerant. Alternative milks, while inferior, are still a viable option. When I rally for a glass or two of milk a day, I know that not everyone will be able to experience it the same way. However, there are several things to take into account when you love milk the way I do. First off, to understand the infatuation I have with milk, one must be tasting it correctly. You must maintain a cold temperature and preferably drink it with a straw. Milkstaches kind of suck. Without a doubt, these simple tips will bring you into the world of milk. Second, recognize its health benefits. Most alternative milks are supplemented with the Vitamin D and calcium that cow milk naturally contains. Around 90 percent

of women and 70 percent of men don’t receive their daily recommended amount of calcium, making milk not only a want, but really a need (unless you would prefer broccoli, which I hesitate to recommend). Third, know that milk drinking is not a perfect science. If you are not in love with the taste, I disagree. However, I will not blame you for mixing the drink with some chocolate syrup or making a glass an occasion rather than a daily routine. To be fair, I have not been totally honest here. I don’t care whether or not you drink milk. What I do care about is learning to respect others. Let me live my life and brand my love for milk. Know that you are missing out. I am right, and you are wrong. That is all I ask you to see. v

the dairy debate Milk haters always stand strong and proud; they miss nothing

about, tainting all corners of my mouth. The flavor, which I cannot stand, just stays there, which leaves a horrendously spoiled aftertaste. I’m a big texture person, and that creaminess makes it so much worse. The thickness amplifies the detestable taste, and I silently suffer, as if my soul was being swept away by the River Styx to Hades’ chilling embrace. All the tears I’ve shed as a child have developed into a resistance to the white devil’s venom. “Oh, woe is me, t’ have seen what I have seen.” Now, I accept a glass of milk out of courtesy, albeit unwillingly. Yet, when I stand at death’s door, my will faltering as the milk passes through my lips, I think about my life thus far. All the trials and tribulations,

the ups and downs, they all flash across my field of vision. I smile, pondering the insignificance of my being in the universe, downing the milk ... and immediately run to the sink and let out a strangled shriek. Yep, milk still sucks. v

anti

art by ANNA LINER and DANIELLE ZHANG

h, milk is SO healthy for you. It gives you calcium and vitamins that maintain your health, and it’s absolutely perfect with cereal. Forget that. Do I have to drink healthy? Do people eat fried chicken to get that simmering summer bod? Of course not. They eat fried chicken because they enjoy it. I detest milk, and I’d give it a hard pass. Has anyone ever gotten so sick of a food that just bringing it up to your lips triggers a gag reflex? That’s me with milk — every time. After downing my milk glass, I would promptly fill up a cup of water and finish it quicker than Usain Bolt’s fastest 100-meter dash — divided by 50. It’s even worse because milk is a drink. This venom just swishes

ALEXANDER FU opinions editor | @alexlfu Page design by Cassie Beisheim & Alexander Fu

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