Panorama Oct 2016

panorama LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL v 1201 S. WARSON ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63124

v VOLUME 65, ISSUE 2 10/12/2016

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D E C I S I O N

2016

Table of Contents 3 News

6 Features

The Staff Editors-in-Chief Copy Editors News Editor Features Editor In-Depth Editor Sports Editors

(Photo by Carolyn Duncan)

8 In-Depth

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(Photo courtesy of Allie Schneider)

12 Sports

Photo Editor Art Editors Business Manager Webmaster Writers

(Photo by Sophia Garland)

14 Opinions

16 Photo Photographers

Artists simon nguyen w ARTIST

(Photo by Michael Burke)

Our 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 our readers. It aims to reflect the diversity of the population it serves and observes the journalistic principle of doing no harm.

Adviser

Isabella Fu Aaron Greenberg Julia Biest Sasha Rice Sophia Li Lily Hauptman Katie Bry Glen Morgenstern Sam Shevitz Michael Burke Sophia Garland Audrey Wang Annie Zheng Michael Burke Max Baker Ope Falako Mackenzie HinesWilson Joel Hsieh Felix Hu Mona Kafaie Grace Kim Erica Lee Albert Liu Carolina Alisio Carolyn Duncan Ula Lijowska Lulu Nix Anum Sameer Claudia Zegel Jack Glon Simon Nguyen Aleesha Shi Sarah Semmel

Read more online at www.laduelead.com Follow @laduepanorama

Panorama is produced 9 times per school year by the journalism class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School at1201 S. Warson Rd., St. Louis, Missouri 63124. The publication lab is located in Room 216, (314)-993-6447 ext. 5844.

Panorama welcomes and encourages letters to the editor. Please bring signed letters to Room 216 or email them to panorama@ladueschools.net.

Panorama reserves the right to revise submissions as long as original intent remains unaltered.

3 Behind the scenes of the 2016 fall play panorama

NEWS

Ladue theater troupe performs 'Steel Magnolias'

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The play involves six female characters who live in Chinquapin, Louisiana. Beauty salon owner Truvy Jones and her assistant Annelle Desoto style the hair of rich widow Clairee Belcher, her best friend Ouiser Boudreaux, resourceful M’Lynn Eatenton and her beautiful daughter Shelby. The show focuses on the interactions between these women, telling a story of loss and friendship.

“When we’re choosing a show, we’re trying to find something that has literary [and artistic] merit to it, and we want to find shows that can get as many students involved as possible,” theater director Michael Pecka said. “This semester, I have a lot of really strong girls, and I wanted to showcase them.”

With such a strong emphasis on the female bond, it was critical for the cast to build a strong dynamic. Like the "Steel Magnolias" characters themselves, the

juniors Katie Bohnert and Annie Heartney don their costumes and run through rehearsal. They play M'Lynn, Clairee, Annelle and Ouiser, respectively. (Photo by Hannah Gold)

2. GET GLAM w Sophomore Annie McNutt, who plays Truvy, does the hair of senior Jamie Tao, who portrays Shelby. Truvy's salon is an important setting within the play. (Photo by Hannah Gold)

lighting crew, props crew, makeup crew and publicity crew, but then I have students in charge of those crews, and those would be production staff people. They usually have to fill out an application with me to indicate their interest, experience, why they think they'd be a good leader, etc.

Then I select the production staff from those applications.”

After the cast and crew have been chosen, each person works ha es on his own role. Actors e l a pick up scripts, highlight their parts and memorize their lines while the crew plans the aesthetics of the show.

“The first week usually is a blocking rehearsal,” Pecka said.

“The actors all have their scripts on stage, and we go through the script one page at a time, [writing] down when they move from one part of the stage to another, when they enter and exit, etc.

Thus, when they're memorizing AR T IS T

his year, the Ladue theater department put on Robert Harling’s "Steel Magnolias" for the 2016 fall play.

They performed Nov. 3-5 in the Performing Arts Center.

1. GIRL TALK w Seniors Julia Kennedy and Margaret Moran and

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role, junior Annie Heartney sought to understand her character better.

“To get into the character mindset, I read through the script a lot and did a bunch of research on the story,” Heartney said. “I read up on all the characters, not just Ouiser, so I could get a better idea of the dynamics and relationships she would have with the five other women.”

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Ladue cast grew closer throughout their rehearsals.

“This play has been a great experience because I feel like our cast has molded together really well,” senior Margaret Moran said. “It is made up primarily of seniors, with two juniors and one sophomore as well. Our entire cast is only six people, and we are all female, so it is sort of like having a big group of sisters.”

To get their parts in the fall play, students had to pass their auditions. Unlike the spring musical, students did not have to come with memorized materials like monologues or songs.

“In the fall, we typically do what are called ‘cold readings,’ so you don't have to have anything prepared,” Pecka said. “Anyone from school could show up to audition for a play. We will usually take scenes out of the show and make copies.

Students will look through them and do a reading of the scene in front of me, my student director and maybe a couple of my stage managers.”

Some cast members went beyond memorizing their own lines. While preparing for her

However, putting on a play requires more than just the actors.

Behind the scenes, crew members work to ensure that the lighting, sound, makeup and costumes enrich the play. All students are welcome to join the crew.

“Pretty much anyone who signs up for crew is just on the crew,” Pecka said. “We have

their lines, they're also memorizing their blocking.”

In total, the cast and crew spent numerous hours practicing for the performances. They frequently stayed late after school during their many rehearsals.

“The whole process [to prepare for a play] usually takes anywhere from five to seven weeks, depending on the show.

That’s every day after school for two or three hours. When we get into tech rehearsal, we’re adding lights and sound so the rehearsals run longer. We might be here after school until 6 or 7 o’clock.”

This year, Pecka gave students more control over their parts.

With increased creative freedom, the cast and crew can add their own personalities and quirks to the play.

“I can be compulsive about things, and so it's difficult for me to just let others [take control],” Pecka said. “But that's what I've done for this show. It's always great to see how hard your students have worked.” h

panorama NEWS 4 Thursdays with Sixth Grade Homework Club

High school tutors mentor younger students isabella FU

editor-in-chief

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elcoming its 25th birthday this year, Sixth Grade Homework Club has gotten off to a good start, helping both 6th graders and high school students in different ways.

Sixth Grade Homework Club is a collaborative effort between the middle school and high school teaching staff. High school students are invited to help 6th graders with school assignments in order to help them develop effective study habits at a young age.

“We usually tutor every Thursday, but sometimes the 6th graders will throw parties, and we’ll be invited to monitor them but also to have fun with them,” senior and president Emebte Atanaw said.

Indeed, this social feature of the tutor-student relationship is

very important to the more focused because interpersonal aspects they see how we take of the club. Though things seriously,” sethe high school stunior and vice president dents are generally Tsion Nigussie said. labeled as “tutors,” “They like asking their role is actually questions about high much more complex school, and it’s a great than simply helping resource for them.” with homework.

The club serves as a “The 6th graders great program for both receive help from the 6th graders and the high school tutors, high school students but also develop involved. The time friendships with spent tutoring counts them,” middle school toward school service English teacher hours for National and sponsor Jody STUDY BUDDIESw Senior Nisha Naseer helps sixth Honor Society.

Rozbicki said. “This “It allows you to grader Dylan Patton with his homework. “I love coming to allows them to hear get National Honor 6th Grade Homework Club and seeing all the young kids what high school is Society and Mu Alpha succeed,” Naseer said. (Photo by Isabella Fu) like and compare their Theta points,” Niacademic situations.” gussie said. “It’s also something Atanaw. This special interaction Because the high school tutors allows them to get a glimpse into you can put on your resume later are students of the same generaon, which is important for colthe high school experience and tion, the 6th graders can relate serves as a model for their future lege and things like that.” to them and feel more comfortThrough tutoring, high school academic careers. able asking them, as opposed to students are given the opportu“Having high schoolers help adlts, for advice, according to the 6th graders allows them to be nity to contribute to their middle

school community. At the same time, it lets them revisit former teachers and memories of their middle school experience.

“When the tutors come, they always reminisce about what it was like when they were here,” Rozbicki said. “They listen to the 6th graders, and it always gives them a few laughs because they can recall what it was like to be in middle school.”

Tutors are not required to fulfill a certain number of hours, which accommodates those with busy schedules. New tutors are always welcome to join, whether it is to gain points or help younger kids.

“Come see how it is,” Atanaw said. “You may not think it’s the most fun thing to come back to middle school and help 6th graders, but it’s actually such a fun experience. They take our advice and opinions and learn things from us. But at the same time, we’ve learned so much from them.” h

Students help non-native speakers in English Club Volunteers aid Spoede students in learning the language sophia LI

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articipating in a class conducted in a foreign language can be an intimidating experience. Nonnative speakers may only understand a few words or sentences from the jumble.

However, Spoede Elementary School provides nonnative speakers an opportunity to improve their communication skills through English Club, which works with English as a Second Language students. Each Thursday, high school volunteers spend two hours helping Spoede students with different English activities.

“There’s a consortium of 33 states that gives out a test, the W-ACCESS Placement Test, that measures [the proficiency of ESL students] compared to native speakers of English so we know where they are,” Spoede ESL teacher and English Club sponsor Diana Hsu said.

“That’s how kids get screened into [the club], and I do the screening with them. We help them with listening, reading, speaking and writing.”

Club meetings normally begin with two volunteers each reading a book to give the kids a chance to transition from school to the club. Afterwards, the high school volunteers separate students by grade level, and each group does a different educational activity. The activities vary each week based on what the children are learning in class or what they need the most help with.

“We have the Discovery Education program that finds the [areas] we can help them with,” Hsu said. “The WAPT also tells us [where] the students need more help.”

High school volunteers also benefit from tutoring at English Club because they learn to interact with younger children. Furthermore, hours can count toward service requirements of various academic organizations like National Honor Society.

“Being a part of [the club] has improved my leadership qualities and my skills of working with younger children, which requires a lot of patience and repetition,” junior Sanya Vatwani said. “It’s also made me more responsible because the kids look up to us as teachers, and we are responsible for their learning and behavior.”

Aside from learning about grammar tenses and correct spellings, the children get a chance to bond with their student mentors. It is not uncommon to see the children making jokes with the volunteers.

“It makes me happy to see students make progress because I feel like my efforts in helping them understand English are paying off; their lives in this new, strange place with a foreign language are getting easier,” senior and co-president Margaret Moran said.

The amount of time spent in the club depends on the level of English mastery.

Some students come in knowing hardly any English, but, regardless of initial skill, the kids work hard to graduate.

“Just seeing a kid light up from knowing what is going on is great,” Hsu said. “I have one student who came in knowing no English and, in four months, was almost at grade level. I had two

[new students] actually, and they both cheered each other on to work harder.”

Another component of the club is the parents. Many only know limited English as well, making teacher-parent communication a challenge.

“The American values can be different from the parents’ values, which is hard sometimes to create a bridge among those two,” Hsu said. “We do brunches in the fall and a picnic in the spring to help nurture the communication between us and the parents.”

Hsu was an ESL teacher for two years before creating the Spoede English Club five years ago. The first group of children she worked with are now high school seniors.

“Seeing them graduate from high school and starting their lives and seeing how much they’ve grown is amazing,” Hsu said. h

5 Schools and media report clown sightings panorama

NEWS

People claim to see scary figures in public places

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The media have announced sightings that led to school closures, and law enforcement has issued official warnings. Police have arrested more than a dozen suspicious figures. Students from the University of Pennsylvania searched the campus Oct. 4 to find clowns, calling it a “mass clown hunt.”

“From what we have been able to gather from the news around the country and social media, a wave of ‘scary clown’

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s if in a horror movie, people across the nation have described seeing intimidating clowns around the nation. It’s unclear whether the jesters mean harm or if they are playing a joke on young adults. Either way, it has caused a disturbance.

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affected, the discussion was disturbing and we wanted to be sure that parents knew we were aware of what was being said,” Downing said.

Threats have been mostly targeting elementary and middle schools.

Although they have not been targeted by clowns yet, both the Hazelwood and Parkway school districts have also alerted their students and their families to the clown crisis.

“As you can probably imagine, we don’t take threats of violence in schools lightly, regardless of how remote the actual risk to our students might be,” Downing said. an n

mona KAFAIE

sightings is moving across the country,” Ladue Director of Communications Susan Downing said. “Most appear to be hoaxes in very poor taste.

In addition, there seems to be a bit of urban legend building around the topic, with people talking about it and scaring people with stories about sightings that actually never happened.”

Downing sent an email to Ladue parents Oct. 3 to explain the recent clown activity and inform parents of increased safety precautions in the district. Thus far, there have no sightings in Ladue.

“While none of the schools in the Ladue School District were

Teachers and students alike have been talking about the clown sightings, typically in a fearful or skeptical manner. It is difficult to ascertain the reasoning behind these appearances, but they have produced physical and emotional harm.

“We have been given the same information as the students and parents,” marketing teacher Steven Graham said. “We are aware that there is a clown situation in the St. Louis area. As teachers, we are on the look out, and we are prepared.”

With this concern in mind, many people have voiced their opinion on the legitimacy of this issue. Some believe the sightings to just be a joke. “[The] response from parents today has ranged from thinking the district is silly to take this discussion seriously, to those thinking we should be taking stronger precautionary measures, to those who were simply

grateful to be kept informed,” Downing said.

As this trend continues to appear on social media with posts regarding the clown activity, students are becoming more aware of the issue because of their heavy technology usage.

The popularity of social media platforms like Instagram provide teenagers with videos of the clowns directly on their phones.

“I can’t believe there are actual people trying to do something like this,” junior Grace Levens said. “It’s definitely not just the St. Louis area that has been affected by this.”

The reports originated in Greeneville County, S.C., after children reported seeing clowns waving to them from a forest.

The sightings soon spread to other states like Ala., Calif., Texas and Wis. “I feel safe; I do not feel like they’re a threat to us or the school,” Graham said.h

What in the world? Looking at big news Many Polish women took Oct. 3 off from work to protest a proposed ban on all abortions. Poland is a Catholic nation that already has strict abortion regulations.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claimed Oct. 7 that Russia had hacked into U.S. political and voting websites.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Oct. 7 for working to end the country’s civil war. The national government has faced attacks from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a communist insurgent group created in 1964.

The Pakistani parliament passed a bill requiring a jail sentence of 25 years for “honor killings,” or murders of women committed by family members who believe the womens’ actions are shameful to the family.

During the Oct. 2 Oromo Irreechaa festival in Ethiopia, unspecified attackers assaulted elderly attendees, causing police to fire into the air to disseminate the violence. Fifty two people were killed in the resulting stampede of people. audrey wang and simon nguyenw ARTISTS

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panorama

FEATURES

Transcontinental exchanges at Ladue Foreign exchange student finds friends and a new home in Ladue ope FALAKO features writer

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n order to gain the experience of schooling in America, many students from all over the world come to Ladue through various foreign exchange programs and are given the chance to become part of the close Ladue community.

Sophomore Ashley Byer’s family is serving as the host family for Emma Moreno, a sophomore exchange student from Spain. Moreno came through the program International Exchange.

“It’s really fun [housing a foreign exchange student],” Byer said. “It’s like adding another family member.”

The Byer family wanted an exchange student because Byer wanted the experience of attending school and doing activities with someone with whom she was close in age. In order to make this happen, they had to go through a long process before they could finally meet Moreno.

“You have to fill out an application and complete background checks before the program matches you with a student,” Byer said. “The match usually has to do with how similar the families are.”

Byer sits with Moreno at lunch every day, and the two have several classes together. They have only been together for a short amount of time, yet they have learned a lot from each other.

“My Spanish has been improving, and it’s exciting to see the differences between Spanish culture and American culture,” Byer said. “[Moreno] has never had a spirit week or a homecoming. It’s cool to see how she adapts.”

According to Moreno, the schooling in Spain is not that different from the schooling at Ladue. It was difficult at first, but she quickly got the hang of it thanks to her host family.

“The schooling is basically the same, except [at Ladue] we start earlier,” Moreno said. “In the beginning, I didn’t understand a lot of things in the English language, but now it is easier for me to understand thanks to [Byer].”

In general, Moreno’s experience at Ladue has been positive. All of Byer’s friends quickly accepted her and included her in their activities, thus making her transition into daily life in America smoother.

“I love the [foreign exchange students] because they are always to happy to be here, and it’s always a treat to be able to support them in the educational part of their exchange,” counselor David Tabscott said. “First, the exchange program [makes] sure the student can attend the high school, and if they are approved, they go through the registrar and finally, I get to help them pick out classes.”

Tabscott plays a special role in making sure that the students smoothly transition into life at Ladue. He ensures that the exchange students adjust properly by confirming that they have a network of students to help

Teachers and students attend school together albert LIU

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igh school is a unique environment where students from all backgrounds and experiences unite.

Students form bonds with each other and the teaching staff as the year progresses. One bond, however, forms long before the school year starts: the parent and child bond. Some Ladue students are children of teachers at Ladue.

Though they may be thought of as automatic favorites, teachers ensure fairness. In fact, these relationships highlight Ladue’s family atmosphere and its tightknit community.

“I have a sign with a famous quote from Andy Warhol that hangs on the front of my desk: ‘I think everybody should like everybody,’” Kim Durbin, English teacher and mother of juniors Cullen and Delaney Durbin, said.

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Smiling on homecoming night, Moreno and Byer bond and build their new friendship. “Emma has two younger siblings and we have three kids in our family, and our families have the same lifestyle, so that is how we got matched,” Byer said.

(Photo courtesy of Ashley Byer)

them. Not only do the Ladue students make a positive impact on exchange students, the exchange students leave a positive impact on the Ladue students as well.

“I try to introduce them to people,” Tabscott said.

“When I take them to their first hour class, I challenge the Ladue students to make sure the student has someone who will watch after them throughout the day.”h

Students and their parent teachers at Ladue discuss their unique relationships

“This is the basis of community. with my own kids as well as my If a teacher happens to have We should all strive to see the students.” his or her child in class, the best in each other and work to be The main challenge for many teacher has to avoid the concern our best selves at school. I think parent teachers is caring for each of biased grading. Thus, they communication is key, at home student like their child but not endorse objective grading. and at school. It helps build retreating one child better than any “It is very important to treat spect, trust and true community.” of the others. For this reason, all students equally. Almost all This communication of my grading is objecbetween students and tive. There is very little We should all strive to see the best in each wiggle room for me as parents who are in the same building all day a grader,” social studies other and work to be our best selves at result in teachers unteacher Robert Snidman, school. I think communication is key, at derstanding more about father of junior Leah home and at school. It helps build respect, Snidman, said. “No stuthe interests of teens.

Additionally, according trust and true community. dent should ever feel that to Kim, communication English teacher Kim Durbin they are favorites in my helps to forge the bonds class. Neither of my kids of a good relationship as have been in my class. it allows teachers and students to many students with parent However, if they had been, they get to know each other. teachers decide not to take their would have been graded like “While I feel like I have parent’s classes. everyone else through multiple always tried to carefully consider “I have never had my mom as choice tests and specific grading a teenager’s viewpoint, I think I a teacher,” Delaney said. “I think rubrics.” am even better at understanding it would be awkward, but a lot of Friends of students in this my students because of my own my friends like to be in her class. situation are open to the notion kids and their amazing group of My friends and my mom get that their friends’ parents are friends,” Kim said. “I try to enalong. I don’t think my friends teachers in school and parents courage, support and empathize act differently.” outside of school.

“My friends are very accepting that my dad is our coach and teacher,” senior Ryan Witt, son of science teacher Richard Witt, said. “They think he does a really good job of coaching and teaching everyone. He is very easy-going when he talks to my friends.”

Students in their parents’ classes show how Ladue is a close community by maintaining a positive relationship with their friends, along with their parents.

Many educators at Ladue attempt to get to know students on a personal level, whether they are related by blood or not. Richard provides an excellent example of not only instructing good students, but genuine individuals.

“I’m proud of my dad,” Ryan said. “He has done a great job of not only teaching students about physics but about what it means to be a good student and person. His motto is ‘be nice or go home.’”h

panorama

FEATURES

Booming beading business Twin sisters sell stylish necklaces huge plus. Their necklaces are so cute.”

According to Allie, she and Lindsay do not want to overcharge people for her jewelry, so they try to ensure that their jewelry is cheaper than what is offered at many stores. Their high-demand necklaces are priced at $12 to $25 on Etsy, a website where people can buy and sell hand-crafted goods.

to spread the word to their more than 440 followers. lily HAUPTMAN “A lot of girls have started features editor Instagrams selling jewelry,” Allie said. “ I noticed that they don’t ome students dream about opening up their own just follow their friends; they businesses once they enter follow so many people so that the workforce. everyone can see it.”

Although Allie and Lindsay opened an Etsy account, their Seniors Allie and Lindsay friends often continue to text Schneider, however, decided not them orders, but the majority of to wait to achieve their dream. the sales go In 2015, they through Etsy. started TwiAccording to Necklaces.

Allie, receiving “TwiNeckorders through laces is a fun Etsy is easier hobby that Allie than meeting and I love to up with people do,” Lindsay to give them said. “We startRosary choker Shimmery lariat $20 their products, ed by making $20 which could our own necksometimes laces, and our be dangerous friends [wanted] because Allie them, so we just did not always started making know for them and selling whom to look. them. We love Gemstone bar Velvet choker Pearl choker “Social meit.” $25 $15 $20 dia is the whole Senior Bella (All photos courtesy of Allie Schneider) [business],” Carr models Allie said. “If for TwiNeck“I tried to [open my Etsy I didn’t have places to post what alces. Allie and Lindsay asked shop] a long time ago,” Allie I’m making, nobody would know Carr, one of their good friends, said. “I didn’t sell anything at all, about it, so it helps a lot.” to model the necklaces one day so I closed my store down.”

Many necklaces on the Twiso that their presentations of the After closing their Etsy shop, Necklaces Etsy shop come in a necklaces would be different.

“Allie asked me one day if I’d Allie and Lindsay opened an Ins- variety of colors. For example, tagram account. They ultimately the TwiNecklaces rosary choker be willing to just [because] she accumulated many followers necklace, one of 17 necklaces needed someone to take pictures and decided to reopen their Etsy on their Etsy page, can be made with them,” Carr said. “The shop. They posted about the rewith pearls, turquoise, lollite or fact that she said I could have opening on their Instagram page rose quartz. Allie and Lindsay necklaces free of charge was a

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a look inside of the shop

double takes senior Teddy Vincent

actor Matt Damon

junior Fatima Sheriff

draw inspiration from different sources, including magazines.

“It is really fun to design things with Lindsay,” Allie said.

“She is really creative, and we give each other input.”

Carr’s favorite necklace is the “Lexie” style, a necklace with three pearls on it. The Lexie necklace is one of many necklaces available from the TwiNecklaces Etsy shop. The Schneider twins’ necklaces range from leather wrap choker necklaces to velvet choker necklaces to rosary lariat necklaces.

“The styles featured on the Instagram and website are all very in right now,” Carr said. “I think that the selection is really versatile in terms of what you can match them with. They are easy to dress up or down and just add a nice flare to whatever you’re wearing.”

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Allie and Lindsay order most of their supplies from online stores, but they also buy materials from a store called Ladybug Beads. Their necklaces take anywere from five minutes to an hour to make. The profits are put back into purchasing materials.

“We are so proud of our daughters,” Pam Schneider, mother of Allie and Lindsay, said. “We can’t wait to see where it takes them.”

Although they plan to keep up the business for the rest of high school, the twins plan on closing TwiNecklaces when they enter college. However, they want to continue making jewelry.

“Working with Allie is super fun,” Lindsay said. “We share ideas about new necklaces and just have a fun time making them. It is nice being able to work with your best friend.” h

Teacher spotlight:

Jennifer Hartigan Lily Hauptman: Why do you like teaching?

Jennifer Hartigan: I like teaching because every day is different.

I enjoy being around teenagers and watching the learning process. It is fun to be a part of the lightbulb moments.

(Photo by Lily Hauptman)

JH: To my students, I would say enjoy your youth. Obviously, school is important, but social lives and mental health are also really important. This is a fun time in your life when you get to experiment with life and figure out who you are. It is okay if that is more LH: What is some important sometimes than completing advice you would give to every homework assignment and getyour students? ting an A+ on every test.

We scoured the halls in search of Ladue’s best look-alikes... here’s what we found.

actress Gabrielle Union

teacher Tim Schuessler

actor Jesse Eisenberg

www.justjared.com, www.thehairstyler.com, www.famousfix.com

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panorama

IN-DEPTH

THE RACE TO THE OVAL I katie BRY

in-depth editor

TRUMP

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SOCIAL POLICY Plans to fight to protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights, which he feels politicians have been chipping away at.

Will enact policies in office that would strengthen gun control in order to diminish increasing gun violence in America.

ECONOMIC POLICY Wants to increase U.S. manufacturing and create more jobs throughout the country.

Wants to lower taxes for all economic classes.

Plans to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and large corporations in order to lessen the burden on working class families.

FOREIGN POLICY Will submit a new budget in order to build the military.

Wants to increase the power and size of the military in order to defeat ISIS.

Believes in the strength of strong alliances. Plans on working to balance the budgeting of U.S. spending on military expenses.

yW ang Au dre t by

Plans to fight to make public in-state universities free of cost and reduce college debt for those currently burdened by it.

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Wants to end Common Core in order to localize education to take away governmental control in the educational system.

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EDUCATIONAL REFORM

Sources: www.donaldjtrump.com and www.hillaryclinton.com

Cleveland hosts the first Republican debate.

Hillary Clinton announces she is running for president.

April 12, 2015

June 16, 2015

Donald Trump announces he is running for president.

Las Vegas hosts the first Democratic debate.

Aug. 6, 2015

Iowa Caucus Results: Democratic Republican Ted Cruz won Clinton won with 27.6% with 49.9% of of the vote. the vote.

Oct. 13, 2015

Jan. 6, 2016

Gary Johnson announces he is running for president.

ELECTION

Missouri Primar D Republican Trump won Cl 40.9% with wi of the vote. th

Feb. 1, 2016

March 2016

IS ON:

NTON

LADUE POLLITICS What issue in the upcoming Election is most important to you?

For whom would you vote from the following candidates?

Hillary Clinton

Social Policy

52%

52% Donald Trump

14%

5%

14%

9%

20%

Other

9%

25% Undecided

Economic Policy Foreign Policy

Educational Reform

National voting turnout ages 18-24 in the 2012 Presidential Election

493 students polled Gary Johnson

SIT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENTS

Presidents of Young Democrats and Republicans clubs share their opinions Katie Bry: What do you think your party stands for?

Margaret Moran: I think it stands for championing for the people because the Democratic Party institutes pieces of legislation that fight for people who are struggling or face challenges that hinder their opportunities.

38%

Gunnar Sinnet: I think the idea of the Republican Party that really resonates with me personally is the emphasis on the concept of a free market and capitalism because it is the true system that has the ability to limit no one.

KB: Why is it important for young people to be informed about politics and voting?

62%

MM: Most students fail to realize that their elected

officials are supposed to represent their needs and wants and do not vote. This becomes a problem when students have a major need, and the government is not addressing it.

GS: When you look at the graphs of voting and the demographics, it has declined so much in recent years. For whatever party, I just think that it is important for everyone to get out there and vote. At the end of the day, it is a privilege for which people risked their lives more than 200 years ago that we need to take advantage of.

Source: www.census.gov

ry Results: Democratic linton won ith 49.6% of he vote.

Clinton makes history as the first woman to accept a nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

Ladue hosts viewing of the first presidential debate in the PAC.

July 1821, 2016

Trump accepts the Republican nomination for president at the Republican National Convention.

Today is the last day to register to vote; bring an ID and Social Security number to Robert Good, Robert Snidman or Chris Saxton in order to vote in the election.

Oct. 9, 2016 Sept. 26, 2016

July 2528, 2016

Washington University in St. Louis hosts the second presidential debate.

TODAY

Oct. 12, 2016

ELECTION DAY

N TIMELINE

14, 6

9

panorama

IN-DEPTH

Nov. 8, 2016

Source: www.aol.com/2016-election/timeline/

10

panorama

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Come to Robbie G’s Let the pros help 235 Jungermann Road, Ste 107 St. Peters, MO 63376

Check out www.laduelead.com The Student News Center for

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panorama

LADUE SENIORYearbook ADS ARE ON SALE NOW

2017

OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Full page ad for $250 Half page ad for $150 Quarter page ad for $80 Eighth page ad for $50

LATE ORDERS SUBJECT TO $50 FEE FINAL DAY TO PURCHASE IS DEC. 2 For questions and ordering information, email Sarah Semmel at ssemmel@ladueschools.net Yearbook ads/books can be purchased online at yearbookordercenter.com, school number 8041

don’t forget to order your

2017

YEAR BOOK prices increase October 22 Online at yearbookordercenter.com, enter in Ladue’s school code 8041 Or bring $58 cash/check to room 216

DEADLINE: OCT. 27

Dear Meredith, We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments! You have grown into such a beautiful person, both inside and out.

Good luck at Mizzou and remember to call us!

Love, Mom, Dad, Kacie, and Boots

11

12

panorama Ladue makes waves

SPORTS

Senior Sit Down Ladue boys’ swim team qualifies

every relay, five individuals to state glen MORGENSTERN

D

3x8 Reps

How To: Start with legs shoulder width apart. Lift bar to stand straight. Lift the weight with your legs, keeping your back straight.

Return down with barbell below your knees, but not on the ground.

(Photos by Iyayi Ogbevoen)

Triceps: Skull Crushers

5x8 Reps

How To: Start with legs straddled in the front and back and with equal weight in both hands. Do a lunge, but do not touch the knee to the ground. Return up in the same spot. Do 15 reps on each leg.

Abs and Core: Knee Tucks

Step 1:

Quads and Hamstrings: Dumbbell Lunges

4x10 Reps

How To: Start with a fixed barbell, which has a fixed weight and a curved handle. Keep elbows tucked in and feet on the ground.

Lower weight to forehead, but do not touch it. Push up and repeat.

2x20 Reps

Step 2:

Shoulders and Upper Back: Romanian Deadlift

Step 2:

GM: Do you have any preor post-meet traditions?

DC: After each meet, I like to go to Chick-Fil-A. Typically, I get a spicy chicken deluxe sandwich.

Simple Stuff To Look Buff Step 1:

GM: Do you have a life motto? What is it?

DC: It’s gotta go wrong before it goes right.

achieved most, if not all, of them.”

Last year, LIFTING OFF w Waiting on the block, senior the team lost Iyayi Ogbevoen prepares his entrance into the cononly one dual ference tournament. Ogbevoen qualified to state as meet. Howan individual competitor. (Photo by Hannah Gold) ever, their Despite that display of improvement is sportsmanship, there's an aura of tangible. competition on the team. Every “Every person on the team has practice is a chance to improve a place on the team, and when and prove your worth. they believe they have a pur“Coach Gentry wants us to alpose on the team, then they are ways race the person next to us,” inspired to do whatever they can Benduski said. “Even if it’s your to further themselves,” Gentry team member, you always want said. “I look at the statistics of to beat the guy next to you.” the team over the years, and it’s That mantra has proven to be amazing. What might have been useful to the surging swim team. an amazing time three years ago Constant competition pushes the is now standard practice for 75 team to new heights.

However, it percent of the team. Ninety-nine comes with a catch. percent of the team is able to “The more we compete achieve something that only 33 amongst each other, the more we percent of the team could do build each other and push each three years ago. That really says other to the next level,” Gentry something about the team.” said.

“In practice, I stress that if Another part of the success is you set goals and set your mind the team’s discipline and humilto them, there’s nothing stopping ity. Intense practice after practice you from being very successful. can lead to frustration, but the team keeps a professional image. We compete against each other in the pool, but we also need to pull “Our team has a lot of sportsmanship,” Everaert said. “When- each other up. I want the [swimmers] to become great citizens, ever we finish a race, we always ready to tackle the challenges of shake the guy's hand that swam the world.” h next to us.”

Step 2:

GM: What was your favorite Ladue cross country experience or tradition?

DC: When we have a meet out of town, we have a tradition of playing hide-and-seek in hotel rooms with the lights off. Trying to find everybody was a highlight.

“The swimming team has been building for a couple of years now,” Coach Hap Gentry said. “It’s not that we just miraculously became good, but we’ve been developing talent for a number of years. The [athletes] are just starting to show themselves. We have depth and strength, and it’s starting to come to fruition.”

The improvement isn’t coming from nowhere. Hard work and determination from the entire Ladue swim team in practice led to its rise in every single area of the sport.

Step 1:

GM: Who is your role model in sports and why?

DC: My role models in sports were my cross country captains George Garner and Cal Weisman. They were really good at pushing me to run well.

espite its undeniable catchiness, the phrase “watershed moment” does not accurately describe the swim team’s run of success this season. With a record of 9-0 in dual meets, the team has been a powerhouse in its conference. It’s a slight improvement from last year’s accomplishments, but considering the graduation of last year’s seniors, this year’s ascension is even more impressive.

Step 1:

Glen Morgenstern: When did you start getting interested in cross country?

Devin Callahan: I read this book called “Born to Run.” It basically said that anybody could be good at running. I was interested and wanted to know a little bit more about it.

sports editor

“We aren’t lacking strength in any one stroke,” junior Alex Benduski said. “We have good breast strokers, we have good butterflyers, we have good backstrokers and freestylers, but that’s not just true for the first relay. Other teams might have the same speed as our first relay, but our second, third and fourth relays put in a lot of work, and they’re really fast.”

Some important seniors graduated, but it doesn’t appear to be a problem. A surge of young swimmers this year has revitalized the swim team’s core.

“A lot of new swimmers came in, and it’s their first time swimming in a race, but they love being a part of the team,” senior Cedrick Everaert said. “Practices can be hard, but competition can be fun. A lot of the young guys have worked hard to improve.”

That work has paid off. The team has qualified all three relays and five individual athletes to state, an incredible amount for one team.

“We’ve had a lot more discipline,” junior Reid Rogers said. “We’ve all been there at practice doing the hard work that’s necessary, and at meets we perform just like we should. We set our goals pretty high, but we

Step 2:

Each month, Panorama sits down with a senior athlete.

This month’s featured player is cross country runner Devin Callahan.

How To: Start holding a pull-up bar with feet off the ground. While keeping the knees together, raise the knees to a 90 degree angle.

Return back down, keeping knees bent and together.

(Photos by Sam Shevitz)

13

panorama

SPORTS

A chip off the 40-year-old block The Rams’ girls’ golf team is finally rekindled after 40 years without a Ladue team to tee off joel HSIEH sports writer

A

n unfamilar sound rung through the air in Forest Park this fall. In Highland Park, woods, irons and sand wedges whipped around to send balls hundreds of yards away. In the spring of 2016, Ladue athletics added a team to its roster that had been missing for 40 years: girls’ golf. The revival of girls’ golf began as the movement to bring back the team took off as a project led by Ladue business teacher Jessica Kennedy and the boys’ golf coach Todd Basler during the spring of 2015-2016 school year.

“There has been an interest for a couple of years now, but last year Coach Todd Basler and I decided to talk to the girls in our school and get a list students that really wanted to play,” Kennedy said. “We showed the athletic director that there was enough interest to take the next steps to create a team.”

Though Kennedy is already the DECA teacher, she also has a passion for athletics. Kennedy had coached girls’ golf in the past and sought to use her experi-

ence to return girls’ golf to the “Golf is also definitely a putting, chipping, strategy and Ladue tradition when she came mental sport as well as physical,” more,” Kennedy said. to Ladue in 2015.

Feng said.

“We have to carry our With the skill level at varying “Kennedy has a lot of credit clubs on our backs from hole to points, Kennedy helps every infor how girls’ golf came to be,” hole, and it definitely gets heavy dividual where their game might senior Leanna Feng said. “She’s since most girls have about 12 need work. awesome because she continued clubs.

It’s very easy to get frus“Coach Kennedy would to coach us for as long as she trated because beginner golfers walk around and help whoever could until the doctors ordered are never very consistent.” has questions or to correct our her on bedrest.”

That training was the fuel positions,” Feng said. “When Late September, Kennedy to truly unite the team. Team we aren't at the driving range, began her maternity leave. Howchemistry is especially important we would be on the course. The ever, as the season began, she to a new team, and it seems to and Basler had a large task in have made a difference with Our primary goal was to teach the the group. front of them to create a new players how to play golf while havteam from scratch.

“We really bonded as a ing fun. We wanted them to learn team even though it was our “Our primary goal was to teach the players how to a lifelong skill that can be used in first year, so we didn’t replay golf while having fun,” both their future personal and pro- ally know each other,” junior Kennedy said. “We wanted Pardes Lyons-Warren said. fessional lives. them to learn a lifelong skill “Even though it’s an individuCoach Jessica Kennedy that can be used in both their al sport, you still get to have a future personal and profesteam there to support you and sional lives.” learn from each other.” coaches would split us up in In addition to this philosophy, groups of three or four and send Though it was only the first the coaches taught the skills season in many years for girls’ us to different holes, and we the players would need during golf at Ladue, the team has would usually play two or three matches. With many of the team already had success. The varsity holes a day for practice.” members complete novices, the team placed 5th in the conference In addition to the athletic coaches and athletes worked and sent two players to districts skills, the coaches instilled resilhard to improve to a high level ience and patience in the players, and one to state. Freshman Kylie of play.

Mani, who shot an 81 at the many of whom are new to the “We go to the Highlands sport. The coaches worked on the sectional tournament, qualified Golf Course in Forest Park after mental aspect of the sport, which for the state tournament and will school to work on specific golf play against 90 other Missouri is especially important in a tactiskills including swing technique, cal sport like golf. girls in Columbia, Mo.h

Noteworthy Number

23

The number of concecutive wins the Ladue varsity boys soccer team has had this season. They have only had one loss, which was to the 15th best team in the nation. Ladue has also scored first in 23 of their 24 matchups.

That might be why after every game some players can be seen wearing Ram hats for being Player of the Game.

“The amazing thing with this group of kids is that they’ve been so consistent,” Coach Dave Aronberg said. “It’s hard for a professional team to be consistent on a game-by-game basis.

It’s really hard for a group of teenagers to be consistent. They have brought it every game.”

Mark Your Calendar Boys Cross Country •10/22 Districts 9 a.m. @Hazelwod West

Swimming & Diving •10/15 Flyers Invitational •10/18 Chaminade Tri Meet @Ladue •10/20 Marquette 4:30 p.m. @Ladue

Football •10/14 Fort Zumwalt South 7 p.m. @ SLUH

Girls Cross Country

•10/22 Districts 9 a.m. @Hazelwod West

Field Hockey

•10/15 Edwardsville 11:30 p.m. @Edwardsville

Volleyball •10/13 Mary Institute 4:30 p.m. @Ladue •10/14 Lutheran South 4:15 p.m. @Lutheran South

Boys Soccer •10/13 Mary Institute 4:15 p.m. @Mary Institute •10/20 Pattonville 4:15 p.m. @Ladue

(Photos by Michael Burke)

14

Pinterested yet?

panorama

OPINIONS

Staff Editorial Schools should observe a variety of holidays

glen MORGENSTERN sports editor

L

et’s talk omelets. They’re great. In fact, omelets are one of my favorite breakfast foods, even one of my favorite foods overall– but I don’t need to see a picture of the generic bacon, cheddar and chives omelet you ordered at your favorite brunch spot on Sunday with the hashtag #deliciousomelet. The “delicious” is redundant; all omelets are delicious.

My real problem is with the obsession over everything social media-related. Social media addiction is a real issue. Everywhere I go, I see people– mainly teenagers– staring down into the dark abyss of their cell phone screens… and they don’t see me back.

Maybe Taylor Swift posted an update on her new music video, but I’m right in front of you, and I’m looking for your attention– and I promise I’m rather good-looking, if you just look up! People need to realize the potential things that could get done without the constant distraction of social media.

One thing we’d be doing is actually enjoying our food. Taking gratuitously high amounts of photos of our food is gross and unnecessary. Seriously, guys, this is a problem. Besides, the quality of food is not entirely reflected in its outward appearance. Surely experienced foodies will agree with me on this one point. Gosh, I’m getting worked up about this.

Second, we would have more friends. I’m talking real friends– friends we could confide in during times of trouble, or when we are in danger or about to make a stupid decision. And if those friends aren’t good to you, then at least you have a wider breadth of people to choose from. As humans, we’re bound to make dumb decisions. It’s our nature. Personally, I make hundreds of bad decisions every day, and I consider myself a relatively responsible person. Just a couple more friends can do a world of good in your life. At least, more of a difference than an extra Facebook message on your birthday.

But more important than any of that would be, especially as future voters, the clarification of our viewpoints on important issues, both social and political. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are avenues of ignorance, allowing one to throw his support behind a movement he doesn’t really understand. Imagine if you said everything you posted online to someone’s face. Yes, including the #blessed– never forget the #blessed. Instead of arguing with a vague understanding on Facebook, you’re forced to speak with more knowledge and a clear viewpoint. As an extra incentive, it’s an opportunity to try out all those jokes you thought of in the shower last night.

If I have to state my opinion directly to someone’s face, there’s no doubt that I’ll pick my words more carefully, and possibly even open my mind up and examine how I really feel. How likely that is remains to be seen, but I’m up for it. More general political discussion is a good thing, and if that means I have to go without posts from Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson for a week, then so be it. At least I won’t have to deal with those grainy omelet photos anymore. h simon nguyen w ARTIST

Instead of eating apples dipped in honey with family after Rosh Hashanah services, breaking the fast at the end of the month of Ramadan or observing a number of holidays that fall on school days, students who belong to a religious minority taste the bitterness of reality: they are missing classes, quizzes and clubs. The administration should account for religious holidays that require students of religious minorities to miss school.

Though it is impossible for the school to allow days off for all religious holidays, there are methods the school can use to measure the significance of holidays in the community. For example, the school could send a poll asking students to identify their religion. If 15 percent or more of the student body is a religious minority, the school should attempt to find a way to close school on the most major holidays of that religion.

Of course, this research method has its limitations: though someone may identify as Jewish, Muslim or Hindu, he may not attend services or celebrate a holiday in any form, and therefore would attend school on major holidays. Additionally, many students would not want school to extend into the summer, which would be necessary in order to close school on different holidays.

Six decades ago, however, New York City took note of the challenges students face when they miss school because of a religious observance. According to the New York Times, New York City public schools have been mandated to close on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur since the 1950s. In 2015, the city saw the creation of a regulation that impacted yet another religious minority: Muslims. With this new change, schools must close

so that students can enjoy Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr without the anticipation of returning to heaps of missed schoolwork the following day.

One need not travel to New York City to see the closing of school for a religious observance, however. John Burroughs School, a mere two miles away from Ladue, closes on both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Because Jewish holidays start at sundown, Jewish students often cannot finish their homework before attending services.

However, if Jewish students were allowed to complete it at their leisure, they could connect more with services and the meaning of the holiday. Of course, John Burroughs School is a private school not mandated by the state to have a certain number of school days. But couldn’t Ladue elect to extend the school year by two or three days to give students and teachers of a religious minority security, knowing they would not have to scramble to catch up?

While Christian students may have to miss school for holidays like Good Friday, one major holiday of theirs can be celebrated without worry: Christmas. The phrases “Winter Break” and “Christmas Break” are nearly interchangeable. Though at least one of Hanukkah’s eight nights does occasionally fall over Winter Break, this rarely occurs. Likewise, the Hindu and Sikh holiday of Diwali and the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha sometimes fall on school days. The point is simple: students of religious minorities should have the same liberties that Christian and nondenominational students have, whether that be spending time with family, attending services or eating festive foods, without the hassle of missing school. h aleesha shi w ARTIST

15

panorama

OPINIONS

Should the GPA scale be weighted? Polls of the People

YES

The weighted scale rewards academic effort grace KIM

opinions writer

W

hen it comes to evaluating students’ grades, high schools usually choose between the weighted or unweighted GPA scales. But does it really matter? Though the choice may seem arbitrary, a weighted GPA scale is more advantageous than an unweighted GPA scale for various reasons.

According to The Glossary of Education Reform, an online resource discussing school improvement, weighted grades provide academic advantages to students excelling in high-level courses such as Advanced Placement courses. This system gives students who take such advanced classes the deserved recognition and credit for their work by accounting for the different factors that contribute to one’s grade, such as course rigor and the degree to which one challenges oneself, rather than comparing classes of varying difficulty on the same 4.0 scale. After all, how can one say that an A in an introductory freshman course is the same as that in an AP course?

Weighted grades can also serve as an incentive for students to take more challenging courses. In an unweighted system, a student may worry about taking a difficult class in fear of not being able to maintain his GPA. Instead of enrolling in a class based on interest or ambition, the student may opt for a course that is perceived to be an “easy A.” However, that worry does not apply as much in the weighted system. Because the extra weight is given for taking advanced classes, there is less pressure for the rigid upkeep of a certain GPA and much more flexibility

NO

in one’s scheduling. Students, therefore, have more freedom to challenge themselves and pursue more demanding options for their personal interests.

Finally, the weighted system may have certain advantages in academic competition. According to prepscholar.com, an online test preparation service, students may have more difficulty standing out in an unweighted system because students will have similar GPAs despite taking classes of varying difficulty. If class rank is based purely on an unweighted GPA, class rank may not accurately reflect effort. The use of a weighted scale where all of these considerations are already factored into the GPA automatically can allow for class rank to be more definite as well as more representative of one’s success and work.

A common concern about weighted GPAs is whether or not they’ll be beneficial to high schoolers when they apply to college. Indeed, for many years, colleges often recalculated GPAs to an unweighted scale regardless of the GPA’s original format. But now, many institutions are straying from this approach. University of Michigan and Columbia University, for example, don’t recalculate GPA, while Haverford College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology place more emphasis on class rank. In both situations, weighted GPAs would more directly differentiate students excelling in easier classes from those being challenged in harder courses.

Granted, most college applications require applicants to list their courses, from which admissions committees can evaluate course rigor. However, overall, the weighted system provides more benefits to a student’s academic career and serves as a way to offer the proper rewards for one’s efforts. h

Unweighted GPAs benefit students’ well-being mackenzie HINES-WILSON opinions writer

A

t the top of the page of a Ladue student’s transcript, a number stares directly at him: his GPA. Although classes taken are listed directly below, the primary focus is that unweighted GPA measurement because it sums up a student’s entire high school performance. For some students, that number is used in determining their admittance into the college of their dreams.

For this reason, the GPA scale should not be based on honors and AP classes because it ultimately fluctuates a student’s grade to create an inaccurate measure of one’s achievement throughout high school.

Weighting a student’s GPA takes into account the difficulty of the classes taken. So, an A in an honors or AP course would be equivalent to a 5.0 instead of an unweighted 4.0. Because of this, if students choose not to take tough courses, they will seem like they are academically below their peers. At the same time, other students may feel obligated to take more strenuous classes simply to increase their GPA, even though they are not interested in a course or know they won’t do as well in it. A better approach to education would be to allow students to follow a curriculum that they enjoy and in which they believe they can excel.

When students try to build their transcript with AP and honors courses, they are also less likely to take “regular” classes they might enjoy, such as electives. According to Grantham University, electives allow students to create a niche, or something they’re passionate about. That way,

they can stand out from their peers and focus their skills on one topic. In addition, electives allow students to take a break from more challenging courses.

Not weighting all courses can also devalue “non-challenging” courses like art classes or theater. Why are these classes not perceived as difficult? To some, the classes might require more effort, or they could develop potential artists. For example, a student extremely gifted in music may decide to not take a music class because it would hurt his GPA in comparison to other students who took an honors class instead. That could ultimately hurt his performance in college if he continues to pursue music.

Unweighting a student’s GPA creates a healthy amount of stress and pressure needed to succeed as well. Knowing that everyone’s GPA is on the same playing field will cause students to try more in their courses because there isn’t a cushion for not doing as well in an AP or honors course. Adequate amounts of stress due to the increased effort in class create stem cells in the brain to proliferate into new nerve cells, which prime the brain for improved performance overall, according to a study by the University of California, Berkeley. Furthermore, it has been proven that a small amount of stress can improve alertness, as well as behavioral and cognitive performance.

Although weighting the GPA of high schoolers seems to have immediate gratification with a higher point total, it will ultimately lead to miserable students only taking demanding classes because there is no room for less than stellar work. Alternatively, unweighted grades means students can take other classes they enjoy without worrying about the weight, and they can feel more encouraged to try their best in every class.h

Do you think the high school should be on a weighted or unweighted GPA system?

Read more about GPA scales on this page.

Unweighted 45%

Weighted 55%

How often do you workout?

Read more about working out on pg. 12 30

25

27% 25%

20

20%

15

15% 13%

24%

10

5

0

5% Never 1 time a 2-3 times 4-5 times Everyday week a week a week

What is your favorite part about Homecoming Week?

Read more about Homecoming out on pg. 3

29% of students said the Homecoming Dance 27% of students said spirit days 20% of students said the pep rally 15% of students said the football game 9% of students said the bonfire (Survey based on 401 people sampled)

16

panorama

Thinkin’ Bout Ink The tattoos that walk the halls of Ladue

Michael Burke: When did you get your tattoo?

Ashley Black: I got it Aug. 17, 2015.

MB: What is your tattoo of?

AB: It’s a saying that my grandfather used to tell me written in Italian.

MB: What is the significance of your tattoo?

AB: It means, “When the world was created, God created man to do the impossible, so find your impossible.” It lifts me up from day to day; when I feel like I’m not doing as well, it makes me want to venture out more.

MB: When did you get your tattoos?

Jared Israel: I got them on my birthday, Aug. 11, before the school year started.

MB: What are your tattoos of?

JI: The tattoo on my right arm is something that I drew. It’s a symbol of three trees with a circle in the middle. I also have a black lightning bolt on my wrist.

MB: What is the significance of them?

JI: It’s kind of an “everything comes back to the roots perpetually” type of thing. The lightning bolt is a family thing. My dad and my brother got one too. It represents Harry Potter and how that paved the way for my love of books.

PHOTO

michael BURKE photo editor

MB: When did you get each of your tattoos?

Mariana Reichman: I got my first tattoo about five years ago. I’ve been getting one almost every year since, so it’s kind of a tradition for me. There wasn’t really a specific reason why, I just felt that it was a form of my own personal expression.

MB: What are your tattoos of?

MR: On my left arm I have a skeleton of a giraffe. The inside of my left arm has a cosmic cat; my right arm has three orchids.

MB: What is the significance of your tattoos?

How did you choose those designs?

MR: The orchids have the most significance for me. There are so many climates in which orchids can live. When I graduated from college, I did a lot of job searching, trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Like the orchid, I could adapt to different environments, so that’s why I decided to do orchids on my right arm and add to it over the years. The giraffe doesn’t have a huge significance behind it. My friend, the artist, wanted to put a spin on my giraffe idea. It’s my favorite tattoo; I get a lot of compliments on it. I just like it personally.

Tattoos are for the person and not for anyone else. As for the cat, I wanted to promote and support [a friend’s] art as a form of self-expression. I don’t regret any of my tattoos.

MB: When did you get your tattoo?

Jarrod Smith: March 14 of 2014.

MB: What was your motivation behind getting your tattoo?

JS: I was always interested in getting a tattoo, and I thought it’d be cool.

MB: What is your tattoo of?

JS: My tattoo is of Chinese symbols that mean “Family always first.”

MB: What does it mean to you?

JS: It means a lot to me because my family is the most important thing in my life pretty much, besides football.

MB: Do you plan on getting anymore tattoos in the future?

JS: Yes, I’ll be getting a tattoo as soon as the football season’s over with. It’s going to be of my mom, my sister and my grandmother’s birthdays in roman numerals.

MB: When did you get your tattoo?

Caelin Crump: Two weeks ago.

MB: What made you want to get a tattoo?

CC: I had seen my brother get one, and I thought “That’s actually pretty dope,” so I decided to go ahead and get one.

MB: What is your tattoo of?

CC: Each part of it symbolizes something different, but altogether it goes back to my Native American roots because that’s my culture, so I got a tattoo to correspond with it.

MB: Do you plan on getting any more tattoos in the future?

CC: Yes, definitely. I may add more tribal designs on my tattoo to fit the theme; it will probably connect to my chest too.

MB: When did you get your tattoo?

Lauryn Bommer: April 27, 2016.

MB: What is your tattoo of?

LB: It’s a Bible verse, “With God all things are possible.”

MB: What made you decide to get your tattoo?

LB: I decided to get it because it’s my favorite Bible verse, and it helps me with sports and school. If I’m struggling, I know that I always have God with me; He’s on my side. I wanted it to be there forever so that I could remember it.

MB: Do you plan on getting any more tattoos?

LB: Yes, I want to get my mom’s name somewhere where it’s not visible.

MB: When did you get your tattoo?

Logan Kemp: Sunday, Oct. 2.

MB: What is your tattoo of?

LK: It’s roman numerals of the day I came out as gay to everybody: May 26, 2015.

MB: What does your tattoo mean to you?

LK: It’s something that will always be with me so I can remember how great that day was and all the amazing support that I got.

MB: Are you going to get any more tattoos?

LK: I’m going to get a key hole above my heart and an equals sign on my ankle.