Panorama Senior Issue 2022

PANORAMA

LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL 1201 S. WARSON RD. ST. LOUIS, MO 63124 MAY 2022 VOL. 70 ISSUE 9

THE SENIOR ISSUE 2022

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SPREAD DESIGN BY SOPHIA LIU

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

College Essays

Senior Memories

9

Senior Awards

10-11

Senior Athletes

Senior Destinations Year In Review

8-9

Alternative Destinations

Staff Advice Senior Favorites

6-7

Senior Superlatives

Retiring Staff

Senior Columns Panorama Seniors

12 13 14-15 16 17 18-19 20-29 30-31

SENIOR

STAFF 2021-2022

DOMENIC FENOGLIO Editor In Chief

SOPHIA LIU Editor In Chief

MARISSA MATHIESON Editor In Chief

RHEA PATNEY Editor In Chief

CLAYTON COUGHLIN Associate Editor

LUCY LOCHMOELLER Associate Editor

OVIYA SRIHARI Associate Editor

DANIELLE ZHANG Art Editor

GINGER SCHULTE Photo Editor

ANNIE PAN Web Editor In Chief

MIKA KIPNIS Features Editor

JOANNE SUNG In-Depth Editor

CAROLINE EDGAR Opinions Editor

TARIQ LASHLEY Opinions Editor

RYAN TUNG Health & Sports Editor

CARLY WOODHILL Opinions Staff

ABBEY CARRICO Business Manager

NICOLE GORRELL Artist

SARAH KIRKSEY Adviser

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

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EDITOR’S NOTE Well, Class of 2022, this is it. After starting in a brand new building, surviving Ram days, a pandemic and too many group tests, we’ve come to the end. With all that we have gone through as a class, we hope that this issue helps you look back on high school with some positivity. Each and every graduating senior should be proud of what they have accomplished, and what they hope to achieve in the future.

Every year for our senior edition, we choose a theme that encapsulates our journey in high school. This year, we chose to mimic the story of the very hungry caterpillar. Throughout our learning, the Class of 2022 has been hungry to grow in the classroom and beyond. We were a part of our school’s first ever football state championship and had 29 National Merit Scholarship finalists. We are confident in saying that we have all grown into some amazing butterflies.

The seniors on staff of Panorama each have their own column inside to reflect on their high school experience, so I’ll leave most of the thank yous to them. However, one major thank you needs to go our adviser, Mrs. Kirksey. You are amazing. And, to all of the underclassmen on staff, thank you for helping create some amazing work this year. Finally, to Ladue. It’s been real, catch you on the flippity flip.

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SPREAD DESIGN BY RHEA PATNEY | CLAYTON COUGHLIN

PANORAMA POLICY Panorama is a monthly newspaper that strives to inform and entertain students, staff and community members and to uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness.

The publication hopes to engage the student body by eliciting dialogue among students. It aims to reflect the diversity of the population it serves and to observe the journalistic principle of doing no harm.

Panorama is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Educators Association. All surveys are completely

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Panorama is produced by the newspaper class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School at 1201 S. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63124. The publication lab is located in room 1311, (314)-993-6447 ext. 5844. Read more stories online at laduepublications.com. Follow @laduepublications on Instagram.

All illustrations by Nicole Gorrell, Joanne Sung and Danielle Zhang. Staff photos by Sydney Collinger. Front and back cover design by Sophia Liu. Front and back cover art by Danielle Zhang. All data from student survey May 6.

The Zhang Family

SILVER Janet & Phil Anderson

Liz, Tom & Abby Rea

The Stappenbeck Family

FRIENDLY Patrick Anderson anonymous The Brouster Family Nancy Beals Breternitz Family

Duffy Hofer The Jiang Family Stephanie and Gregg Kinney The Kipnis Family Wanda Laks Mike & Lynne Lippmann The Liu Family Mimi’s Aunt The Moore Family

Lindsey Anderson

Holly & Steve Brewer

The Arnold Family

Chintha Family

Mary Jane Bahr

The Neuman-Howe Family

The Cox Family

The Biernacki Family

The Ning Family

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SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

COLLEGE ESSAYS *The following are excerpts from submissions from two seniors

Garison Siegel

Sam Sachs

University of Wisconsin Madison

B

efore high school, I knew what to call myself. Atheist.

Leftist. Socialist. Feminist. I would sort myself into broad buckets, painting a Venn diagram of different categories around my individualized, intersectional area. For a long while, this strategy worked.

It took a family reunion to snap me out of this pattern. Simply put, my mom’s side of the family is exceptionally Christian, and my mom and I were exceptionally not. I identified myself as a staunch Atheist, and firmly disbelieved in God’s presence.

And thus, every cross I saw inside their home-- either hung on the wall, tessellated into the tile, or etched into the long dinner table-- only heightened the division I saw between myself and my extended family.

Was religion really undiscussable? And, in that moment, I comprehended that it was. Both the Christians and antiChristians knew they stood no chance of teaching the other side-- to learn would be implicitly noncompliant with one’s respective identity. From this realization, the fundamental flaws in my identity reached the limits of its upper bound and invariably fell apart.

So I abandoned the label of Atheist, I also stopped identifying myself with a political affiliation, or even a particular sexuality.

In turn, my approach towards life completely changed to one free from labels.

As I watched moon-lit cacti meander by on the lone dirt roads of Arizona, I began to understand that the world does not operate at either end of a binary line. Even though most may exist at the endpoints, what bountiful, untapped potential occupies the gray area in between.

College of Charleston

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t’s 8th grade. I’m getting to the age where the peach fuzz above my lip has to go. My friends tease me and tell me that I need to get a razor to shave it. No big deal, until that advice is followed up by the fact that their dads taught them and that I need to ask my dad so we can solve this problem.

Before I was born, my dad suffered a heart attack and unfortunately did not make it. Up until the point, I never really went into deep thought about how it impacted my life on a daily basis. How uncomfortable would it be to ask my mom? Or even worse an older sister! Finally, at the end of the school year, my grandparents came into town for my sister’s graduation. This was my opportunity.

Step by step my grandpa instructed the entire time. I was hesitant at first, but I battled through the fear and quickly realized that we all have our own unique stories and I was embracing mine.

I put the hot razor on my skin and slowly traced down towards my lip. In the back of my mind, I remember when my grandpa told me that the blade was super sharp but then it was too late. I cut myself! Blood started coming out of my face and I began to freak out. Lucky for me, my grandpa was there to reassure me that it was no big deal, and it happens to everyone.

The way that I learned how to shave is part of what makes me unique. I do not look at what is missing from my story, but rather the added value of the people around me.

The next morning I woke up and felt a huge sigh of relief that I did not have to go to school with a rat above my lip.

For me, the overwhelming feeling was pride in telling all my friends how I learned to shave.

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SPREAD DESIGN BY CLAYTON COUGHLIN

SENIOR SUPERLATIVES Life of the Party

Best Dressed

Best School Spirit

Buddy Mcnutt

Eileen Suarez

Kennedy Alexander

Longest Activity List

Worst Senioritis

Sophia Liu

Megan Ivanov

Cutest Couple

Armi Mubeen & Sophia DupreDosanjh

Most Artistic

Most Athletic

Most Adventurous

Danielle Zhang

Jared Rhodes

Gwen Griffith

Best Friends Destini Rogers

Emma Smith

Most Laptop Stickers

Most Addicted to Caffiene

Marissa Mathieson

Maria Dolan

Best Smile

Class Clown

Molly Katzman

Benjamin Liu

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

MOST LIKELY TO...

Go Viral

Ace A Test Without Studying

Anthony Chaboude

Will Bender

Win A Nobel Prize

Be Late To Graduation

Anthony Wang

Tori Webb

Break A World Record

Brighten Your Day

Charlie Krasnoff

Ginger Schulte

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Become A Teacher At Ladue

Become A Reality TV Star

Harrison Lamar

Lily Klein

Become President

Become An Author

Ryan Tung

Carly Woodhill

ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS

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SPREAD DESIGN BY MIKA KIPNIS

Sarah Pernik

ANNIE PAN

web editor-in chief

For years, senior Sarah Pernik has been helping out at her family’s business Timekeepers in Clayton. However, as her high school career reaches a close, she plans on taking her involvement with her family’s company to a whole new level by enrolling into the Gemological Institute of America, an institution dedicated to the field of gemology and the jewelry arts.

“The experience I have right now is from growing up in the store and working there since before high school,” Pernik said.

“At the gemological institute I plan on becoming a graduate gemologist and eventually coming back to St. Louis and taking over Timekeepers in Clayton.”

Her choice to go to the Gemological Institute of America requires her to travel to California, nearly 2,000 miles away from her home in St. Louis. However, after months of research and consideration, Pernik believes that her future destination is the perfect one.

“I decided to go to the Gemological Institute of America because it’s the number one school for my trade and my mother also went there,” Pernik said. “Growing up in the business has given me the resources to learn more and made me excited to do it.” P

Compared to the typical fouryear college journey, senior Kai Regelean will begin his future by studying abroad. Traveling over 7,000 miles to mainland China to study at Tsinghua University, Regelean plans on studying Chinese Language in a non-degree program before pursuing a business degree from Tsinghua.

“I chose Tsinghua because I’d be meeting some of the brightest and most talented students China has,” Regelean said. “Tsinghua is in the heart of Beijing, the literal and cultural capital of China. So by going to Tsinghua, I’d be able to completely immerse myself.”

Regelean’s end goal is to get an international business degree, so he can work with companies in both the U.S. and China. However, while making his decision, Regelean acknowledged the risks he would be taking by pursuing an education overseas.

“When I decided to attend Tsinghua, I was forced to ask myself if I was willing to put a hard reset on my life,” Regelean said. “I struggled with that decision. Ultimately, I decided [that] undergoing such a drastic change would allow me the greatest opportunity. You can’t say you’ve truly lived without taking risks in life, and this is by far the largest risk I’ve taken till now.” P

ANNIE PAN

web editor-in chief

Kai Regelean

Anika Speicher & Alexandra Maranto

MIKA KIPNIS features editor

Seniors Anika Speicher and Alexandra Maranto will be going to the Air Force and West Point, respectively, following high school. While the Air Force is more STEM-focused compared to West Point and Anika hopes to pursue a career in STEM, she felt that the Air Force was a better fit for both her academic and military hopes.

“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Speicher said. “I feel like going into the military is one of the best ways to do that since its entire point is public service.”

On the other hand, Alexandra Maranto will be attending West Point next year and plans to major in International Affairs with a minor in Terrorism Studies.

While some of her classes will look similar to those like a fouryear college, Maranto also has to take other required classes, such as boxing freshman year and military science courses, such as Intro to Warfighting.

“West Point is an institution that has produced leaders for hundreds of years, and I knew that it could help develop me into someone who could make a difference,” Maranto said. “I knew the military would provide me with the best opportunity to make an impact straight out of school.” P

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SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

SENIOR AWARDS A+ Graduates Shania Arnold Samuel Baker Reynaldo Carrero Gary Davis Nathaniel Demissie Christopher Holmes Gabriel Hudson Jaelyn Lever Maleah Muhammad Sydney Robins Shane Singh Kade Vetter

Bill Brackman Distinguished Service Band Award Jake Goldman Kian Howe Charles M. Shepherd Foundation Scholarship Laura Amore Sophia Liu Alexandra Maranto Chick Evans Scholarship for Caddies Adam Fernandez Connie Strobach Outstanding Female Athlete Award Virginia Schulte Dads Club Recognition and George Washington Carver Award Laura Amore Varsha Arun William Bender Lucia Berglund Alexandra Berns Bryce Bernstein Arya Bhushan Michael Cao Roshen Chatwal Samuel Chen Anna Cochran Clayton Coughlin John Cramblitt Maria Dolan Domenic Fenoglio

Fiona Ferguson Brett Garrett Jake Goldman Gwendelyn Griffith Colin Henderson Rhea Kaw Bronte King-Levine Charles Krasnoff Yongjoon Kweon Emerson Linden Alexandra Maranto Sarah Ning Annie Pan Jackson Proper Alex Rybak Hansika Sakshi Maromi Sakurai-Kearns Evan Schreiner Caroline Schuldt Garison Siegel Ryan Silver Jiya Singh Nevin Song Anika Speicher Ryan Tung Anthony Wang Jackson Weisbard Neel Weltken Daniel Xu Danielle Zhang Justin Zhang Iris Zhou DECA Award Sophia Liu Elzenmeyer School Spirit Scholarship Sean McNutt George M. Turmail Band Award Roshen Chatwal Goessl Book Award Jake Goldman Hank Kauffman Math Award Iris Zhou James A. Wagner/St. Louis Post Dispatch Scholar Athlete Charles Krasnoff

Jeff Lieberman Scholarship Daniel Xu

Malcom Joshua Early Memorial Scholarship Lorenzo McGray

Robert N. Soper Foundation Scholarship Kade Vetter

James R. Waechter Band Award Bryce Bernstein Jake Hinz

Michael A. Ramming Dads Club Scholarship Brett Garrett

Sneider-Kaskowitz Expository Writing Award Maria Dolan

Joseph Adams Senior Scholarship Juana Derdoy Kurt H. Knoedelseder Theatre Scholarship Katharine Marks Ladue Horton Watkins High School Scholarship Julia Armbruster Varsha Arun Alison Butz Abbey Carrico Gary Davis Sophia Dupre-Dosanjh Catherine Fox Nicole Gorrell Abigail Jansen Avinash Kamath Lily Klein Reginald Lashley Jaelyn Lever Jalen Mann Justin McBride Sarah Ning Jackson Proper Sydney Robins Anika Speicher Emilia Vaitulevicius LHS-TV & Films Hall of Fame Sandra Salib Lois Percival Orchestra Award John Cramblitt Colin Henderson Lyndon B. Johnson Excellence in Government Studies Award Ryan Tung

MSHSAA Sportsmanship Award Domenic Fenoglio Anika Speicher National Merit Scholarship Program William Bender Arya Bhushan Michael Cao Roshen Chatwal Christopher Chen Samuel Chen Winston Chen John Cramblitt Maria Dolan Domenic Fenoglio Kian Johnson Avinash Kamath Bronte King-Levine Alexandra Maranto Sarah Ning Annie Pan Hansika Sakshi Maromi Sakurai-Kearns Evan Schreiner Garison Siegel Ryan Silver Anika Speicher Oviya Srihari Joanne Sung Ryan Tung Anthony Wang Daniel Xu Danielle Zhang Justin Zhang Paganini Award Ryan Tung Patricia Sanders Scholarship Sydney Robins Premio de Honor Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica Charlotte Madden

Speech and Debate Student of the Year Oviya Srihari Visual Arts Award Annie Li Luke Sewell Tony Kardis Senior Science Award Arya Bhushan William Heyde Great American Debater Award Ryan Tung William Raisch Dads Club Scholarship Maria Dolan Dads Club Scholarship Domenic Fenoglio

Faculty, Scholarship, Leadership and Service Award Rhea Patney

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SPREAD DESIGN BY RHEA PATNEY

SENIOR ATHLETES TRACK Howard Jackson Howard has always been a leader throughout his four years. He has helped guide the team to the state championships and earned All-State honors himself in multiple sprint events.

-Nicholas Buckvar

TRACK Kayliah Motes Kayliah has helped in rebuilding the program through her work ethic.

Kayliah is a multiple time All-State performer in the sprints, and she also holds some of Ladue’s all-time best performances.

-Nicholas Buckvar

SOCCER Connor Krell Connor played an integral role in taking us to state. He specialized in doing a lot of the dirty work to help us win possession and also was involved in some of the biggest goals in the playoffs.

-David Aronberg

SOCCER Sydney Frelich Sydney was a three year captain for the soccer team and was the heart and soul of the team. She played every position on the field. She was a selfless leader and who always did her best to help the team succeed.

-David Aronberg

WATER POLO James Ramey James Ramey epitomizes leadership and excellence in the sport. You can always expect James to work hard and push himself to be the best. He is the heart of our team and we are lucky to have him.

-Michael Clay

WATER POLO Lindsey Fasbinder Lindsey Fasbinder has been a member of the team for one year, but in that short amount of time has shown great improvement Lindsey comes every day with a positive attitude and a desire to improve.

-Michael Clay

SOFTBALL Julia Armbruster Julia is a model student and athlete leading the softball team on and off the field. She behaves with integrity and consistently exhibits outstanding character. We wish you the best on your next adventure!

-Katie Solomon

BASEBALL Cade Seabaugh Cade’s leadership has been very influential. He is one of our captains and his positivity has been an integral part of our team.

Cade is one of our best pitchers and is leading us offensively this season.

-Rob Garrett

SWIMMING Grant Cox Grant is a Varsity Diver who represented Ladue three times at state, scoring in the top 16 twice. He mentored new divers to create our strong diving program. He is always positive and fun to be around.

-Hap Gentry

SWIMMING Marlee Singer Freshman member of Ladue’s Class 1 ‘19 State Champion team, four years of Varsity letters, senior co-captain, inspirational leader, dedicated to the team, mentor, approachable and personable.

-Hap Gentry

VOLLEYBALL Joelle Alexander Joelle has been the leader on the Varsity Volleyball team for the past four years. Congrats to her on reaching the milestone of 1000 assists and 1000 digs her senior year. Her skill level will add to Lynn University.

-Roberta McCaffrey

SPARKLE Julia Tullman Julia’s heartfelt leadership made for an incredibly memorable experience for everyone involved in Sparkle this year.

She went above and beyond to make sure her teammates could be successful and have fun.

-Christine Warner

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SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

CROSS COUNTRY Chandrew Smocknoff Chandrew is the best runner in Ladue history. Chandrew was a two time All-State runner.

Chandrew set the record for the fastest Cross Country 5K ever with a time of 15:20.

-Richard Witt

CROSS COUNTRY Ginger Schulte Ginger holds the third best time for a Ladue athlete in the 5K. Ginger has been a varsity athlete all four years and led our team as captain to some fantastic finishes this season and throughout her career.

-Matt Strayhorn

TENNIS Sam Chen Sam is one of the most consistent players for his team, as he is always willing to play where he is needed and is in our starting lineup.

He competes with a level of calm and confidence that is hard to match.

-Margaret Junker

TENNIS Varsha Arun Varsha was one of the top players for the girls during the season. She was always viewed very highly by her teammates and opposing players and coaches for her level of play as well as her sportsmanship.

-Margaret Junker

GOLF Will Park Will Park was first team All-Conference and a State Qualifier his junior year. Will’s passion for the sport along with his work habits have put him in a position to repeat his prior accomplishments.

-Todd Basler

GOLF Kacy Spratt Kacy has been a part of the varsity golf team all four years. This year she served as co-captain and helped lead the team to state for the first time in school history. We are so proud of all she has accomplished.

-Riley Keltner

LACROSSE Davison Birchfield Co-captain of the lacrosse team.

Starting goalie for his junior and senior year. Both a leader on and off the field.

Davison comes to practice every day ready to work and push his teammates to get better.

-Nick Striler

LACROSSE Julia Lane Julia Lane is a 4 year member of the Lacrosse Program.

She is always eager to learn and brings a great energy everyday. She is a great teammate and is always there for a good laugh.

-Kelly McGovern

HOCKEY Kiran Varadachari Kiran Varadachari was our captain.

He led our team in points, was named MVP and he’s well deserving of all his accolades. Great player to coach and I’m grateful to have been part of his journey.

-David Brosseau

FIELD HOCKEY Emerson Linden Emerson is a fierce competitor and a great leader! She was a four year varsity starter on the field hockey team.

She led by example, brought her best to practice and games and made everyone around better!

-Lynsey Porter

BASKETBALL Domenic Fenoglio Domenic Fenoglio was a team captain and provided great leadership to our young team this year. Domenic also earned the Sportsmanship Award in our conference for his high character and leadership.

-Chad Anderson

BASKETBALL Anika Speicher Anika has exhibited excellent leadership skills as a two year captain of the basketball team.

She is a self-starter and has won several sportsmanship awards over the years which speak to her character.

-Joi Lathion *The Laduettes chose not to recognize an athlete this year

ULTIMATE FRISBEE Sam Liu Sam has been an amazing leader for us this year. He’s one of our top players on both offense and defense. Sam never takes a practice, game or play off and he encourages everyone around him to play harder.

-Joe Barzilai

ULTIMATE FRISBEE WRESTLING Danielle Zhang Cami Del Cid On top of helping Cami has improved recruit our first girls immensely which team, Danielle has led to a great senior a brilliant mind for year. Her hard work the game, picks up is something that all new concepts quickunderclassmen can ly, and her personallearn from. Cami ity, with a quick wit has very positive and respect, makes character traits her a delightful which will lead her player. far in life.

-Melissa Gibbs -Kevin Clawson

CHEER Emma Smith We want to shout out Emma Smith for her constant enthusiasm, excellent leadership and overall dedication to the Ladue Cheer Family.

Go be AWESOME! -Merri Cross

FOOTBALL Mason Taylor Mason was a dominant player in all three phases of the game. He was a team captain who had a true passion for the game. His talent, energy and leadership will truly be missed next season.

-Mike Tarpey

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SPREAD DESIGN BY RYAN TUNG

RETIRING STAFF IN GALLEN V E K

What is a favorite memory of your teaching career?

I would say meeting the freshman at freshman orientation for the first time. Because when you meet them, particularly my SSD students, for the first time, and they are kind of scared and intimidated and not sure whats going on, youre able to create a really strong bond with them from the very first day. Because the first person they meet who will provide them some safety and security is yourself, and I did that a couple of times and it worked out really well. I’m still close to those students now.

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I will miss the students and the teachers that I work with, but I am looking forward to retirement. I was in the insurance claims industry for 20 years and I was in management securities for 13 years. [Teaching] is my third career, and I did this because I wanted to make a difference. I’m certainly satisfied with what I did here.

What are your retirement plans?

What is a favorite memory of your teaching career?

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I plan to work in corporate training/instructional design. I am looking forward to new challenges and experiences.

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What will you miss most about the high school?

Nothing brings me more joy than when a student tells me they can hear my voice in their head with the right answer.

What will you miss about the high school?

This may sound silly, but air conditioning. I taught for three years at Ladue before air conditioning was installed. It was HOT!

What is the most important lesson you can teach students?

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What I try and teach my class is consistency. When it’s a college class [after] students go to college, they might take a week or two off from studying. That’s a really good way to get yourself behind. What I try and [teach] is for you work every day and keep that going.

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What are your retirement plans?

I don’t have a whole lot of retirement plans right now. I plan to be asleep when school starts at 7:30, and to spend a lot of time with my kids and outside. I’m looking forward to trying new things, learning new things and having new experiences.

What is a favorite memory of your teaching career?

There are a lot of them, I thought this years prom was spectacular. I used to teach robotics and I loved when we won our regional competition – that was fantastic. But, I really love the everyday of working in the library and connecting kids with books.

What will you miss most about the high school?

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The people: the students and the staff members. I have the best job in the high school because I get to work with everybody and help everybody. I love doing that job.

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

DA MURRY N I TW

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Always continue learning and growing. Whether you go straight into the workforce, whether you go to a technical school or whether you go to a four-year college, I think it’s super important to always be striving for more in whatever avenue you pave for yourself. I am someone that didn’t go to college. I do not have an advanced degree, but I worked really hard to become the professional I am today and to reach this level of career. That took a lot of self-reflection and a lot of seizing every opportunity available to me to learn. I learned from my peers, from my mentors and from the people I worked with on a daily basis. In a time like today when almost every candidate for every job has a bachelors degree, keeping hungry and making sure you’re setting yourself up for success is really valuable.

My piece of advice is to stay curious and to continue to explore your passions in life. Every single day is a new day to learn something new. There’s a famous quote from Eleanor Roosevelt that goes: ‘Do one thing every day that scares you.’ That’s the way we learn and the way we grow in life.

I know it sounds cliché, but life really is not an end. It’s a journey, so keep on searching for ways to grow every single day. On top of all that, be nice to people. Kindness is such an important quality in that journey. Especially, I’d say to be nice to your parents. Your parents are your biggest supporters in life, so you should continue to honor and respect them. It’s funny how, as we get older, we seem to begin to recognize them and how much they mean to us more and more. So, start being kind now.

It is absolutely normal to change your mind. This can apply to your major in college or whatever career you are pursuing. Even if you have wanted to be a specific profession your entire life, it is completely fine to come to the realization that it is not what you had imagined and you need to change courses. This could also apply to your values, religion, politics, or relationships. You may feel like you’re disappointing people if you change your mind on any of these issues, but staying true to yourself is worth much more [to your] happiness and peace of mind.

On Freshman Orientation Day I told you I see three types of students at our school: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who ask, “what happened?” You have answered that call to be leaders and support one another. Your time at Ladue has prepared you to do great things, but do them the right way. When you see others, see yourself in them and recognize the inherent dignity of each person. Love so that you do not only benefit yourself but for the sake of another.

Make things happen!

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SPREAD DESIGN BY CAROLINE EDGAR | OVIYA SRIHARI

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SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

SENIOR YEAR IN REVIEW 1. AUGUST

2. SEPTEMBER

3. OCTOBER

4. NOVEMBER

5. DECEMBER

6. JANUARY

7. FEBRUARY

8. MARCH

9. APRIL

10. MAY

The first day of school arrives.

This is the first year of fully in-person instruction since seniors’ freshman year.

Ladue holds its first homecoming in a year on Oct. 16. For the first time, the dance is held outdoors in the athletic plaza.

The COVID-19 booster vaccination is approved for all individuals 18 and older, marking a downturn in cases as winter break begins.

The month of many snow days!

Ladue announces back-to-back snow days Feb. 2 and 3, and an early release Feb. 17.

A Roaring 20’s themed prom happens on April 9, while the senior field trip and first Ladue Night Lights arrive April 20.

The Ladue community finally gets to enjoy football season, with a white-out game on Sept. 3 and many more to follow.

On Nov. 4, the boys soccer team wins districts against Webster Groves High School, going on to make the final four at state.

The 2022 Winter Olympics are held in Beijing with strict quarantine rules, where the United States wins 25 medals.

The Ladue chess team wins state, the high school goes mask optional and University of Kansas wins March Madness.

After four years of work, two weeks of (many) AP exams and a year and a half of online school, the senior class graduates.

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SPREAD DESIGN BY SOPHIA LIU

MISSOURI

Missouri

William Woods

Culver-Stockton College

Dylan Sutter

University

Destini Rogers

University of Missouri-

Amelia Christofferson

Emma Smith

Columbia

Lindenwood University

Tyller Arens

ALABAMA

Michael Gakhutishvili

Samuel Baker

University of Alabama

Lorenzo McGray

Alon Barzilay

Ryan Maher

Jared Rhodes

Blake Bautista

Russell Malone

Mary Summers

Isabelle Bernickus

Maryville University

Alexis Berg

ARIZONA

Abigail Soldwish-Zoole

Davison Birchfield

Arizona State

Christina Stoyanova

Dillon Clark

University

Liv Weinstock

Grant Cox

Alesia Davis

Mineral Area College

Robert English

Aiden McLendon

Daniel Byer

Adam Fernandez

Drake Militello

Missouri Baptist

Robert Hardester

University of Arizona

University

Robert Hartrich

Reginald Dickerson

Howard Jackson

James Huber

Missouri University of

Megan Ivanov

ARKANSAS

Science and Technology

Benjamin King

University of Arkansas

Alazar Muche

Connor Krell

Rylee Harris

Ian Rothstein

John Krell

Anna Ross

Wossen Wassie

Vivian Liu

Missouri State University

Connor McKenna

CALIFORNIA

Caroline Edgar

Meaghan Mulligan

California State

Bernhard Von Ruecker

Gianna Olander-Walsh

University-Dominguez

Ranken Technical

Jackson Proper

Hills

College

Allie Rosen

John Welch

Kade Vetter

Evan Schreiner

Chapman University

Saint Louis University

William Sheley

Leona Stern

Helina Birhanu

Alyssa Smith

Gemological Institute of

Jadon Bowman

Andrew Smock

America

Raymi Braden

Mason Taylor

Sarah Pernik

Ai Jia Cao

Omar Thurman

Stanford University

Anthony Chaboude

John True

Iris Zhou

Grant Gorman

George Wehrle

University of California-

Samuel Liu

Emilia Vaitulevicius

Los Angeles

Noah Marut

University of Missouri-

Hansika Sakshi

George Muehlemann

Kansas City

Shane Singh

Adam Osman

Maleah Muhammad

University of California-

Maromi Sakurai-Kearns

Oviya Srihari

San Diego

Antony Stientjes

University of Missouri-

Jake Goldman

Brian Tokarczyk

St. Louis

University of California-

Donovan Yavitz

Gary Davis

Santa Barbara

Southeast Missouri State

Vocational Skills

William Loynd

University

Program

Jiya Singh

Alison Butz

Andrew Crump

University of Southern

St. Louis Community

Washington University

California

College

in St. Louis

Ryan Tung

Makaya Anderson

Zoe Ademuyia

Woodbury University

Shania Arnold

Christopher Chen

Sydney Robins

Reynaldo Carrero

Anna Cochran

Nathan Collins

Juana Derdoy

COLORADO

Adrianna Findley

Tanuja Gunapooti

Colorado School of

Gabriel Hudson

Michal Kipnis

Mines

Jaelyn Lever

Marissa Mathieson

Marc Levin

Leslye Martinez Munoz

Joseph Molina

Colorado State

Brett Miller

Sarah Ning

University

Natasha Theusch

Ginger Schulte

Sydney Adams

Charlotte Woodlhill

Nevin Song

Regis University

Truman State University

Joanne Sung

George Connell

Suparna Chintha

Rohan Tatikonda

United States Air Force

Brett Garrett

Jackson Weisbard

Academy

Ella-Jane Miller

Webster University

Anika Speicher

University of Central

Emma Vincent

SENIOR DES University of Colorado Boulder Jenna Boltzman Emma Danis Jackson Diblasi University of Denver Ethan Sandweiss Western Colorado University Abigail Jansen CONNETICUT Wesleyan University Fiona Ferguson Yale University Arya Bhushan Samuel Chen DELAWARE Delaware State University Kenneth Boaten WASHINGTON D.C. George Washington University Sydney Frelich FLORIDA Aveda Institute South Florida Esmeralda Aguilera Lynn University Joelle Alexander Chastity Jones University of Florida Alexandra Atterberry Sarah Chen University of Miami Laura Amore Kendall Connors Dylan Melnick Jeremy Toledano University of South Florida Buthayna Mimouni University of Tampa Sophia Dupre-Dosanjh GEORGIA Emory University Mason Chyu Kaitlyn Silver Georgia Institute of Technology Michael Cao University of Georgia Megan Byer Lucy Lochmoeller

University of IllinoisILLINOIS

Urbana Champaign

Columbia College

Daniel Du

Chicago

Srija Verenker

Noelle Malone Theoren Miller

INDIANA

Concordia University

Butler University

Chicago

Jack Mitchell

McKayley Hopkins

Indiana University

DePaul University

Bloomington

Jeongeun Choi

Abbey Carrico

Lindsey Fasbinder

Demi Rosenthal

Loyola University

Emma Kunitz

Chicago

Thomas Margulis

Michael Beirne

Purdue University

Caroline Cislo

Alexandra Early

Mekdes Desta

Jasmine Jacob

Karina Dravina

Jalen Mann

Andrew Eickel

Alex Rybak

Kayliah Motes

Sanjit Subhash

Camilla Tran Victoria Webb

IOWA

Northwestern

Coe College

University

Adjo M’Pemba

Rhea Kaw

Grinnell College

Sandra Salib

Nicole Gorrell

Southern Illinois

Iowa State University

University Edwardsville

Mackinze Campbell

Julia Armbruster

Argini Lappas

Southern Western

Andrew Walton

Illinois College Samuel Ritter

KANSAS

The University of

Kansas State

Chicago

University

Kian Johnson

Harrison LaMar

17

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

STINATIONS

The Ohio State

University of Texas-

Tsinghua University

University

Austin

Kai Regelean

Sarah Kreisel

Qing Chai

University of Edinburgh

William Park

Grayson Francis

Adam Lynn

Kacy Spratt

Marin Moenkhaus

Christina Von Ruecker

Jada Smith

OTHER/GAP YEAR

Collin Waller

University of Texas-

Aidan Dougan

University of Dayton

Dallas

James Margulis

Reid Bloomstran

Armi Mubeen

Maddon McGowan

OKLAHOMA

UTAH

Samson Tatum

University of Tulsa

University of Utah

Charles Wehrle

Charles Krasnoff

Harry Shipley

Hannah Zhou

Utah State University

UNKNOWN

Julia Erekson

Ian Anderson

Eileen Suarez

PENNYSLVANIA

Michael Anthon

Haverford College

VERMONT

William Baine

William Bender

University of Vermont

London Barger

Lehigh University

Lucia Berglund

Phillip Baringolts

Cassandra Friess

NEW HAMPSHIRE Dartmouth College

University of Kansas

MASSACHUSETTS

Raegan Helm

Boston College

Rica Tanutan

Riley O’Neal Eden Tefera

KENTUCKY

Boston University

University of

Yongjoon Kweon

Kentucky

Brandeis University

Kennedy Alexander

Bronte King-Levine

Camila del Cid

Harvard University Roshen Chatwal

LOUISIANA

Massachusetts

Loyola University of

Institute of

New Orleans

Technology

Zyh’hee Britton

Anthony Wang

Southern University

Wellesley College

and A&M College

Ella Scheffel

Chelsea Robinson Tulane University

MICHIGAN

Alexandra Berns

Hope College

Ryan Kemppainen

Cade Seabaugh

Lily Klein

University of

Riley Oberman

Michigan -Ann Arbor

Julia Tullman

Meklit Tesfaye

MARYLAND

MINNESOTA

Johns Hopkins

Carleton College

University

Bryce Bernstein

Varsha Arun

Minneapolis College

Winston Chen

of Art and Design

Aditya Kondepudi

Eleanor Fister

Annie Pan

University of Minnesota Natan Chernof Justin Zhang

VIRGINIA

Ainsley Bierling

Point Park University

College of William and

Jahmir Blevins

Katharine Marks

Mary

Charli Bourn

University of

William Maxwell

Vistoria Burchak

Pennsylvania

University of Richmond

Joshua Butler

Sophia Liu

Emerson Linden

Lyla Coleman

Caroline Schuldt

University of Virginia

Khalil Davis

Maria Dolan

Nathanael Demissie

Danielle Zhang

Danni Ding

Charlotte Madden

RHODE ISLAND

NEW YORK

Daniel Xu

New York University Avinash Kamath Alexander Levy School of Visual Art

Ishmel Barnes

Ryan Nichols

Brown University

Jagger Doig WASHINGTON

Olivia Dolan

University of

Jalynn Echols

SOUTH CAROLINA

Washington

Trice Edwards

College of Charleston

John Cramblitt

Hilaria Escobar-Polvo

Samuel Sachs

Jayden Fidler WISCONSIN

Eleny Flores

TENNESSEE

Lawrence University

Gabriela Flores

Lipscomb University

Perry Hoy

Sayonna Fortune

Jacob Horrar

Marquette University

Nathan Gibson

Tennessee State

Kian Howe

Gwendelyn Griffith

University

University of

Cory Hargrove

Morgan Standifer

Wisconsin-Madison

Emerson Harrold

University of Memphis

Shelby Coates

Christopher Holmes

Rachel Contreras Molina

Clayton Coughlin

Molly Katzman

Justin McBride

Kyle Cox

Andrea Levay

Kanishk Shanmugam

University of Tennessee

Catherine Fox

Erika Maguire

Sean McNutt

Julia Gourtzelis

Erica Martin

NORTH CAROLINA

Ross Waller

Raymond Ha

Jerimyiah Miller

Vanderbilt University

Colin Henderson

Henry Naismith

Rhea Patney

May Lorenz

Semhar Negassi

Julian Scheer

Danna Perez-Sanches

TEXAS

Garison Siegel

Kamila Pyziak

Baylor University

Kiran Varadachari

James Ramey

Jackson Balsavias

University of

Ezra Shifrin

Southern Methodist

Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Carter Ta

University

Reginald Lashley

Ethan Taylor

Brian Tokarczyk

University of

JaNiya Ursery

Benjamin Liu

Texas Christian

Wisconsin-Whitewater

Irish Walsh

University

Sebastian Hwang

Henry Warenberg

OHIO

Julia Lane

Annie Li Syracuse University Marlee Singer The New School Luke Sewell United States Military Academy Alexandra Maranto University of Rochester

Duke University Domenic Fenoglio Ryan Silver North Carolina State University Neel Weltken Samuel Witofsky Wake Forest University

Miami University Ben Wasserstrom Oberlin College Jacob Hinz

Donovan Weathersby

Texas Southern

INTERNATIONAL

Taja Whitfield

University

Saint Louis University

Zackary Wiseman

Charlye Mitchell

Madrid

Jun Xue

Thomas Zych

Jian Yang

18

SPREAD DESIGN BY LUCY LOCHMOELLER

SSENIOR MEMORIES E KINDERGARTEN “I would try to write books but I didn't know the alphabet yet so I just ended up writing scribbles on paper and giving it out to people.”

FIRST GRADE “My teacher, Mr. Guyre, made our class run a lap around the field before recess every day, and I fell and scraped my knee on the pavement one day. I still have a scar there.”

GARY DAVIS III

CHARLOTTE MADDEN

SECOND GRADE

THIRD GRADE

“When I was chosen to be the image of respect and have my image on the wall with the principle and the word respect. [I don’t know] if it’s still there.”

“I remember doing Cookie Continent with Ms. Lombardo, she’d also give me extra pieces of candy to put on my cookie. She was my favorite teacher.”

ALYSSA SMITH

HANNAH ZHOU

FOURTH GRADE “I remember winning panther day when it was my first and last year at Reed.

I was happy because I was never going to experience panther day again and my team ended up winning.”

JADA SMITH

FIFTH GRADE “We had to make an electrical project using wires and lightbulbs. I remember how impossible it was for me and how much I disliked working with the wire, but the end product was pretty cool!”

WINSTON CHEN

19

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

SIXTH GRADE

SEVENTH GRADE

“Being on pegasus, I had Mr. Aronberg as my social studies teacher and Mr. Winston as my english teacher right before he retired and they always made me feel so excited to come to school.”

“We had to call the teachers at midnight during the Memphis trip after Charlotte pulled a suction speaker off the bedframe and broke it.”

SYDNEY FRELICH

MALEAH MUHAMMAD

EIGHTH GRADE

FRESHMAN

“I was walking to lunch but fell down the stairs.

We thought my wrist was sprained and would heal in a couple of weeks, but one of the bones in my wrist had split in half. That summer I got surgery. Be careful going down the stairs.”

“On a complete whim, Goldwasser convinced me to sign up to run for student council at the activities fair. Four years later, and I’ve been reelected all four years!”

FIONA FERGUSON

JEREMY TOLEDANO

JUNIOR

SOPHOMORE

“During virtual school, someone forgot to mute themselves and starting singing “Heather” by Conan Gray. Another person quickly told him that he wasn’t on mute and I remember laughing so hard I had to leave.”

“At a football game, the other school also brought their band, and the sousaphones in their band didn’t sit down. So nor did we. We stood for nearly an hour and a half with sousaphones on.”

JACOB GOLDMAN

SENIOR

RHEA KAW

“I loved going to the first football game of the season this year. Not only was it our first one in almost two years, but it was the first time I really felt like a senior.”

JENNA BOLTZMAN

20

SPREAD SPREAD DESIGN DESIGN BY

BY DOMENIC DOMENIC FENOGLIO FENOGLIO

DOMENIC FENOGLIO: EDITOR IN CHIEF

COLLEGE: DUKE UNIVERSITY I’ve always said writing articles for the newspaper is easy because the stories write themselves. So, you can imagine my surprise when I was hit with writer’s block while trying to write this column.

I think what held me back was trying to make the column about myself; every other piece I’ve written for Pano has been focused on someone else. Therefore, I’ve decided to share what I know about some of the amazing people of Pano.

First and foremost, Mrs. Kirksey. I’ve never met a teacher who cares more about her students or works as hard as you. It’s

SOPHIA LIU: EDITOR IN CHIEF

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA The past four years on Panorama have taught me to hit deadlines like nobody’s business (with the exception of a few Web Wednesday stories, sorry Annie!). Yet, here I am writing this senior column over a week after the deadline – and I am stumped, to say the least.

So, to start with the beginning, one of my first memories of being in the Panorama class entails Jackson Bry presenting Mrs. Kirksey with a pet fish, much to her chagrin. I was absolutely bewildered by the scene unfolding in front of me because I didn’t know it was possible for a newspaper class to be so chaotic and entertaining. (If you’re wondering what

also no coincidence that my day gets better every time I walk into the publications room. Mrs. Kirksey has this innate ability to brighten other peoples’ days.

Jackson, Katie Shaw, Bradford, Grace, Ethan and Hugh.

Whether it was Jackson introducing me to the Sports section, Grace helping me completely redesign my page or Hugh telling me my writing was a solid 6/10, these six EICs all taught me something unique. You all pushed me to be better and taught me how to help others.

Rhea, Sophia and Marissa. I cannot understate how much I appreciate each of your unique abilities. This publication would not be possible without your dedication, and I feel confident in saying we have left a legacy this year.

Korn, Tommy, Hugh (again), Erin, Katie Holland, Caroline, Clayton, Lucy, Max and every other staff member I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Thank you for giving me some of the best memories of high school. I remember going to Clementine’s after my very first production and realizing that you all were some of the most genuine, funniest, smartest, kindest people I have ever met. What makes Pano special is not our writing or design or awards, but you all.

All of the seniors on staff this year. We’ve come a long way from hearing Carly tear apart the Pano during J2. I can’t wait to see you all in a few years and hear about all of the amazing things you have done. I have never known a more talented group of people, and I am lucky to have met you all.

happened to the fish, who we lovingly named Glen, here’s the blunt truth: he passed away after our class forgot to feed him.)

The rest of the year proved to be just as hectic: we collected food waste from trash bins, set Barbie dolls on fire and even managed to continue producing issues when COVID-19 forced us to quarantine.

Some may assume that Panorama comprises a cohort of straight-A students, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Instead, our class operates as a strangely beautiful melting pot where there’s someone from every background. And apparently, none of us can go two days without experiencing a car crash or brake failure. What unites us is our camraderie and unlucky driving stories.

To this year’s staff – thank you for all the memories, including but not limited to work night dinners and rock, paper, scissors tournaments. In particular, with many our first-year staffers learning how to write and design during a virtual year, I cannot begin to express how proud I am of each and every one of you for your hard work this year.

My fellow seniors – growing up with you these past four years has been one of the greatest gifts, and I can’t imagine my time at Panorama, or even at Ladue, without you all. As we step into bigger shoes and enter new worlds, I hope we continue to stay in touch.

And finally, Mrs. Kirksey – you are by far one of the most influential figures I’ve encountered.

SENIOR SENIOREDITION EDITION| |MAY MAY2022 2022

RHEA PATNEY: EDITOR IN CHIEF

COLLEGE: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY I never used to see myself as a leader. Freshman year, I was a quiet kid with a nervous laugh that only raised their hand in class when forced to. Now, I still have the nervous laugh, but I am editor in chief of not one, but two publications, president of National Honor Society and sometimes, I even voluntarily raise my hand in class. I credit Panorama for the majority of this growth.

For me, Panorama has never really been about the endless cycles of writing, designing and editing. It’s about the relationships built, the people behind the pages. It was building those relationships with every single staffer that allowed me

MARISSA MATHIESON: EDITOR IN CHIEF

COLLEGE: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Freshman year I boarded a plane not knowing where I would end up. I had never been to Missouri, hadn’t seen my cousins, aunt and uncle in over 5 years (whom I barely knew), and didn’t know anyone my age. Flash forward four years, and I’m at a place I never would have imagined. I can now find St. Louis on the map (shocker I know.) My aunt, uncle and cousins have become my biggest supporters and the best people to ever walk into my life. And I found my best friends, my family and my home.

So this is a special thanks to all the people who make me smile every day, the people who stick with me through the

21 21 to effectively lead because it’s the diverse set of experiences — from the football captain to the debate president to the band kid — in 1311 that make Panorama one of the best publications in the country.

I know that when I look back on my Pano experience, I’m probably not going to remember the missed deadlines and stressful productions. I’m going to remember watching Max, Clayton, Avery and Sophia H huddle over the Sports Issue In-Depth — dividing up the last minute cutouts to ensure we send off on time. I’m going to remember never being able to separate Mimi, Annie and Olivia C. I’m going to remember being so proud of Carly as she designed her first ever spread, talking to Riley and Pranavi about books, hearing Dom’s voice 24/7 and watching Sophia L be named one of the best designers and artists in the country. I’m going to remember the family I’ve built and am sad to leave behind.

This column wouldn’t be complete without a few thank yous. Dom, Sophia and Marissa — words cannot express how much working with the three of you has meant to me. Thank you for the endless support and tireless work all of you have put in to take this paper to a new level. Oviya — thank you for helping me bring Melodrama to life and cementing it as a publication. All the Pano seniors — thank you for riding this journey with me. And Kirksey — thank you for seeing the potential in me, being one of the few constants in my life these past four years and helping me find my voice.

hard times, and the people who have mentored me throughout my high school years. I would not be the same person if it weren’t for those who have influenced me and helped me the most.

Through joining speech and debate, Panorama and rock climbing, I have found communities I will forever be grateful for. Communities that I wouldn’t have found otherwise if I had stayed in my comfort zone, afraid to try something new.

But here I am, glad that I did. From staying in the pub lab late at night staring at pica boxes and text wrap on InDesign to sitting at IHop at 1:00 a.m. with my fellow exhausted debaters, I have learned what community truly means.

High school is truly what you make of it. Use this time to your advantage, as this is a time to form your identity and grow as an individual. So join that club you have been thinking about, go sit with some random people at lunch to make new friends, form bonds with your teachers, and most importantly, never get stuck in defining high school as your GPA or test scores. Life is so much more than what you got on your AP chemistry test or what award you got in debate.

Rather, it’s about the connections you form, the experiences you have, and what you learn. I’ve come to love the life I have created and will always be grateful for challenging myself in inexplicable ways. So this is your sign to go out there and make high school a time of learning and exploring, and don’t forget to thank those around you along the way.

22

SPREADDESIGN DESIGNBY BYDOMENIC DOMENICFENOGLIO FENOGLIO SPREAD

CLAYTON COUGHLIN: ASSOCIATE EDITOR

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON In my freshman year, I was randomly assigned to Journalism 1. In place of ceramics, I learned how to conduct interviews and write articles. I liked it enough to switch to Journalism 2 for the second semester to try it out.

By the time freshman year was over, and I had to pick what classes I wanted to take, I chose to stick with Mrs. Kirksey and join the Panorama.

When my sophomore year began, I was shocked to figure out how the school newspaper really got made. The class was filled with upperclassmen and almost completely student led. It was like showing up

LUCY LOCHMOELLER: ASSOCIATE EDITOR

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Without a doubt, the part of high school I will miss most is Panorama. When I signed up for the class, I wished I would’ve known how much it would change my life.

Through high school, the one thing that remained constant was Panorama. No matter what was going on outside, Room 1311 was a place of normalcy I could always come back to, a place I always had something to look forward to. I’m not sure I can ever properly put into words what Panorama meant to me, but I’ll try.

First, I want to thank Kirksey. I don’t think she knows how much of an impact she’s made on my life and everyone else’s

to the first day of practice as a freshman and just being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people and customs. The class was always super laid back and we never had any “homework,’’ yet if I totaled the amount of hours I have put it into Panorama it is more than any other class that I have taken. I remember staying up into the night working on infographics about language and holidays.

In many ways, Panorama was a third sport that I played.

We had practice everyday during class and game days were at the end of each month during production week. It was more relaxed and laid back compared to an actual sports game. There wasn’t any opponent and no game clock forcing you to finish in an hour.

Each month, everyone just tried to top what they did the last month. Looking back to the first page I made it was completely awful. This year my designs have increased tenfold and look far better than I ever imagined.

I don’t think I could pick out a single favorite memory of the Panorama but I am glad to have spent four years doing it.

I am appreciative to the Ladue Newspaper for teaching me how to handle sporadic work schedules and shifting deadlines; to work with new people and to talk with new people; and for letting me hone in on my creative side.

on publications. Other than being the best advisor, Kirksey’s presence has been a constant comforting support. The safe space she graced us with and herencouraging guidance allowed everyone on staff to grow into the best versions of ourselves.

Second, the staff. Panorama is a collection of a wonderfully diverse group of personalities and I met so many people throughout my time in the class. I don’t think there was ever a dull moment or a class where I didn’t laugh (RIP the fish). The people were all so helpful and dedicated, and our camaraderie showed within every issue. Thank you Kirksey, Rhea, Mika, Sophia, Domenic and all the others that made my experience on Panorama so enjoyable.

My time on Panorama taught me a lot about myself, but it also taught me so much about people. Writing stories was never my favorite, but there wasn’t an interview I left not feeling as if I’d just made a new friend or learned something about life. The class constantly put me out of my comfort zone, but in the best way. I met so many people within my community, and I feel as though I strike up a conversation with anyone.

Panorama was an experience in life I will cherish forever. It shaped me into the person I am today, and I know it has done the same for others. That was sappy, sorry! Hopefully Luke can follow in my footsteps, but he will NEVER (or anyone else on staff for that matter) live up to my charcuterie board page.

SENIOREDITION EDITION || MAY MAY 2022 2022 SENIOR

OVIYA SRIHARI: ASSOCIATE EDITOR

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY A few months before sophomore year, I was sitting in the counselor’s office, deciding what classes to take. I had one spot left in my schedule, and I was between another elective and Journalism I. If you know me, you KNOW that I don’t take decisions lightly. Some people would call me indecisive, I call it careful consideration, agree to disagree, but for what felt like years, I went back and forth, debating whether or not I was making the right choice. “Trust me,” I remember being told. “You’re gonna want to take Journalism I.” Three years, two publications, dozens of work nights, even more car-related Monday stories, zero Oxford commas and

MIKA KIPNIS: FEATURES EDITOR

COLLEGE: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS I vividly remember my first day of Pano as I sat facing the zoom screen watching Tommy Margulis do push-ups, Kirksey talk about The Office and Sophia express her love for frogs.

Being new to Ladue at the time, I had no idea who any of these people were but little did I know, that the people in this class would soon become some of my greatest friends.

That year, I was a news staff writer, which basically meant one thing: COVID. Whether it be re-drawing the COVID virus shape or writing about it in every issue, it kind of became my thing. But that year wasn’t just COVID. I also met one of my closest friends from pano.

23 a LOT of Indesign-crashing later, I am so glad I did. Of all the classes I’ve taken in high school, I never thought I’d take away the most from newspaper, but Panorama is the kind of environment that encourages us to learn from one another every day. Whether it’s an InDesign trick, writing tip or getting to hear my classmates speak up about opinions and stories I’d never otherwise have learned about, I walk out having learned something new. The best feeling (other than pizza on production nights) is receiving the magazine each paper day and realizing that just like each month before, we’ve pushed ourselves even more and improved as a publication.

Like the rest of high school, when I look back at the three years I’ve spent with publications, what stands out the most are the people, and I couldn’t write this column without thanking them. So thank you to Mrs. Kirksey for teaching us so much, and for being the best adviser ever––I would never have joined publications if you hadn’t made our J1 & J2 experience so memorable. Thank you to my Melodrama co-EIC for being crazy enough to create a lit mag together, and doing it all over again a second year. And last, but definitely not least, thank you to the entire Panorama staff for being the most hilarious, strange, inspiring and talented group of people and for being the worst group of drivers I have possibly ever met.

I will miss Monday stories and Thursday fun (maybe even Web Wednesdays!) with you, but more than that, I will miss learning so much from everyone each day.

One of the best memories I have from Junior year was in November. My story got changed up last minute and I remember thinking about how I would have to get everything done within the span of two days — re-interviewing, re-writing, re-editing, and re-designing. The next morning, I got a random text from someone in the class and although I didn’t know her at the time, she would become not only one of my first friends at Ladue but one of my best friends for life.

I’ve learned a lot from pano these last two years. Anything from using the oxford comma anywhere I can to my love for comic sans. PDF’ing last minute kind of became my thing and getting texts from the EIC’s to get my work done became a monghly ritual. Also, shout out to Starbucks for saving my Web Wednesday grade every week. Annie, you’re the GOAT. Additionally, getting to be in person with everyone this year has made the whole experience so much better: From Friday fun to hanging out and working during after-school productions to eating cookie cake or dancing Just Dance as a brain break. This truly wasn’t like any other high school class.

I’ve met some of my closest friends and made some of the best memories of high school.

Lastly, I’d just like to thank everyone who I’ve worked with this year. From the EIC’s, to the associate editors to my amazing features teammates. Additionally, a huge thank you to Mrs. Kirksey for everything she taught me and for making these last two years an incredible experience.

24

SPREAD SPREADDESIGN DESIGNBY BYDOMENIC DOMENICFENOGLIO FENOGLIO

RYAN TUNG SPORTS EDITOR

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA If you ever dare to scour the depths of the Ladue Publications website, you’ll find a laundry list of contemptuous hot takes tied to my name. You see, hot takes are my thing: I despise cheese, I find condiments revolting, and I love Dots gumdrops.

Such controversial opinions have earned me nothing less than unrelenting condemnation from my room 1311 peers. But, I remain unswayed. So, for the final Panorama piece I’ll ever write, it only seems proper to leave one final hot take behind: Panorama is kind of uncomfortable... at least, not in a bad way.

Since the moment I first joined the Panorama staff in my junior year, I’ve been a writer. Inexperienced and artistical-

TARIQ LASHLEY: OPINIONS STAFF

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE If I was religious my personal philosophy might be compared to that of a preacher’s. Maybe a belief framework which places hopes in the hands of some higher power, or potentially it could be equated to an annoying overly-optimistic fool. The thing is, I’m not religious. In fact, I used to get a bit peeved when someone said things will be better because they simply have faith.

Yet, I know I will succeed — and I know my friends will achieve everything they seek to accomplish. This isn’t arrogance or

ly inept, the prospect of designing my own pages petrified me.

All I could do – and wanted to do – was merely to write. But merely write, I did not.

In just my second month on staff, I was assigned a page to design all by myself. Confronted with a foreign language of graphic design and an application that seems to never run out of buttons, I left every class more confused and disconcerted than the previous. But, I slowly learned – not with an instruction manual to follow, but by merely exploring alone. I pressed buttons, drew shapes, made mistakes and made them again.

Today, every new page reminds me of that discomfort. I still press buttons, draw shapes, make mistakes and make them again. But, Panorama has taught me to embrace it – to explore what’s unknown with curiosity, not to shelter in its shadow.

With the courage to step into darkness – to make mistakes along the way – the uncomfortable becomes our most powerful compass to growth. For that lesson, I am eternally grateful to this incredible publication.

Thank you, Panorama, for giving me a place to be uncomfortable in the best way possible. I’ll miss the Mondays’ car crash stories, rap battles on Wednesday worknights, and of course, the funniest, kindest and most talented group of individuals I’ve been so lucky to work with over the past two years. To Mrs. Kirksey, all of my EICs, Pranavi and Olivia who beggedfor a shoutout, and so many more: the lessons and memories you’ve given me will last a lifetime

hubris — it’s simply practical.

You’d never catch me calling myself a stoic, because I dislike most of actual stoicism and what it modernly represents.

Absurdism doesn’t quite fit, but it’s the closest I can think of.

You mix the two in a cauldron of rational optimism and out comes a syzygy which approximates the philosophical framework of how I view life.

There is no true path but the path you must carve for yourself, and no greater work than creating your life into the life you want to live. Once this understood, next is the question of how? There’s a drive -- a willpower and an innate desire -- to keep moving forward. There must be a Knowledge, not-quitefaith but not-quite-truth, that you will succeed. In the end, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. You must know it to be true, and thus then it is true. A deserved happiness that only through determination one can achieve.

It’s corny, I know, but mindset has a lot to do with your chances of success. It’s a fact that an optimistic outlook improves the odds of success while a more pessimistic one leads to worsened results, thus even in the darkest hours there must be the belief of success. When one path leads to greater dejection while the other can lead to greater success, if you truly desire that deserved happiness you must believe it to be both possible and achievable with every day being another step towards it. No matter how dark and lost within the forest you may be, there is always a way out.

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CARLY WOODHILL: OPINIONS STAFF

COLLEGE: ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE How To Be Better: The Most Important Senior Column I believe that one of the most unique and special qualities of the human race is the capacity for growth, and the ability for people to change themselves for the better. It takes effort, of course, but it can be done.

I’ve learned a lot about growth over the course of my (as of now) eighteen years on this planet. As a kid, I was extremely impulsive - even violent - and it took a very long time to learn impulse control through therapy, medication, and

lots and lots of mistakes I had to learn from. I still struggle with it today, of course, and some days are worse than others, but ultimately I can look back on who I was, compare it with who I am now, and know that I will continue to grow.

If you, dear reader, take anything away from reading this brief column, I would like it to be this: you can change for the better. It doesn’t really matter how old you are, or where you’ve come from, or… well, anything, really.

It’s simple: you can change if you want to.

Of course, change doesn’t look the same for everyone. If it did, it would be a hell of a lot easier. But it isn’t, which sucks, but oh well. Anyway, here’s my advice.

This is going to sound really basic, but I reccomend journaling. Getting out of your own head is a blessing when you’re an overthinker like me, and you don’t need a fancy new book or anything. Just get some paper, and something to write with, and have at it. Work with what you have.

I was able to change because of my own will to do so, but also because of the people around me. My friends are all remarkable individuals with extraordinary talents and perspectives. I admire them all greatly. If any of you are reading this, I love you guys. I’m thankful for you every day of my life.

Change is hard. You’ll screw it up sometimes. (I screw it up a lot.) But what I think matters is that when you look at who you are now, and consider who you used to be, you feel happy about it. That’s all any of us can hope for.

walk all over me and stayed quiet.

In 2020, while talking to a therapist, she explained to me anxiety and how what I described were textbook definition anxiety symptoms. I was overthinking, and all of my care taken to stop myself from seeming “strange” or “off-putting” was hurting me more than it was helping me fit in, mentally and physically. I was mentally exhausted and getting actual stomach aches whenever I was nervous. And so, in simple terms I desperately needed to become worse– AKA, I needed to learn to not care if other people didn’t like me.

COLLEGE: Step 1 was simple. Learn who I am. I spent a lot of time thinking about who I wanted to be, and what I believed in.

MISSOURI Honestly, that part was pretty easy. I knew what I believed in, STATE all I needed was to start actually making it known to others UNIVERSITY that I believed in it.

How to be Worse: Step 2– you have to stop trying to be palatable.

This title probably worries you. I asWhen you have an idea, and you think it needs to be sure you, dear reader, that this is not me said, say it. This is the hard part. This is also the part If you spend all of your time that I struggled with the most, because it’s the action encouraging you to go out and commit trying to be liked, you won’t phase. People will get mad. People will fight back, but horrific deeds, nor am I suggesting that have any time left to try to be you have to stand your ground. you become insufferable. What I am suggesting though, is that you let go you.”

You might lose social points, become less likable, of the desire to be “good.” We all make even lose some friends but if you don’t want to lose decisions in our lives to fit in, be nice, yourself in the fray of hundreds of people, you have to. It’s be likable, dissolve into the crowd and by doing this, we are better to have people leave you than to have people who don’t protecting ourselves socially. I did this too. I hid, let people actually like the real you.

CAROLINE EDGAR: OPINIONS EDITOR

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JOANNE SUNG: IN-DEPTH EDITOR

COLLEGE: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS My car has two options for audio: a CD player and the radio.

If I’m mid-drive, in the spirit of not crashing, say I give up on putting in a CD and opt for the radio.

If you turn the radio on to channel 90.7 (NPR), at first, you won’t know what they’re talking about; meaning hasn’t settled in yet, it’s just disconnected words floating around. That’s kind of how a lot of beginnings go: jumbled, disorienting and ideally lacking major car accidents. At the very least, that’s how being thrown into Panorama went (although I think across all staff members, there have been a few car accidents).

ANNIE PAN: WEB EDITOR IN CHIEF

But then with the help of time, novelty wears itself down to familiarity, so that once the event passes over, you’re left with the opposite — vague semblances of meaning, without the words.

Inevitably, I will forget the details of being a part of Panorama. Endings are kind of sad like this, and that’s why they’re mourned. Endings will be grieved and beginnings will be celebrated, but everything in between will be forgotten.

The thing with Pano is that it makes you create, the thing with me is that I attach myself to everything I create to the point that sometimes I can’t make anything because it means extending myself to something and if I extend myself halfheartedly, there will be parts of me that exist that aren’t fully me. So departing from the things I create is like departing from parts of myself; so then, along with the details of Pano, I’ll slowly start to forget who I was. This will make me sad, because it starts to feel pointless living if all of our moments will fade away (until there is no past, just present and future).

But we’re not meant for remembering, we’re meant for living, and so, because of that, I’m grateful that Panorama — in all its glory, escapism, fun, late nights, stress, moments that will be forgotten and the meanings that won’t — once accompanied me.

to cover all sorts of cool stories. I also was foolish enough to believe that. I was wrong.

My entire junior year was spent writing about COVID-19.

I read about it. I thought about it. I talked to Mika about it. I made an infographic about it. I probably even dreamed about it. By the end of my junior year, I wrote and designed enough stories about how COVID-19 was affecting the student body COLLEGE: and our community to the point that I probably had more knowledge than a standard health official.

JOHNS Later, entering my senior year, my work changed. I became HOPKINS the Web EIC, where I was in charge of grading web stories UNIVERSITY every Wednesday. I also worked to redesign the way the webiste looked, and tried to get staffers to get exctied about publishing stories online. That’s when I finally learned about how teachers feel when students don’t do their work.

Panorama was one of many things I did during my freshLast fall, my phone received at least two texts every man year. Beginning with the Journalism I and Tuesday night asking for an extension. There II classes, I became intrigued with writing for was even a girl in my AP Statistics class who ran the newspaper and decided to join the class There was even a girl who ran away from me because she thought I was going during my junior year. I can confidently say to ask for her web story. For the record, I simply away from me because she that I made the right decision. thought I was going to ask for wanted to ask her something about our class However, at the time, COVID-19 appeared work. her web story.” and I happened to be placed into the news Overall, my Panorama experience was very team, covering news stories. Honestly, you enlightening. I learned a lot about writing and would think the news section of the Panorama would cover a utilizing Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, and I’m glad that I diverse array of topics. In prevoius years, the news section got took the time to join Panorama during my high school career.

“

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DANIELLE ZHANG: ART EDITOR

COLLEGE: UNKNOWN

FAR LEFT: Lauren Pesce (class of 2021) plays in a field hockey game.

LEFT: Senior Jack Welch poses with his mohawk.

TOP: Glass is heated in a furnace.

ABOVE: I sit with former photographer Grace Hensley (Class of 2021).

GINGER SCHULTE: JOANNE SUNG: IN DEPTH PHOTO EDITOR EDITOR

COLLEGE: WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS

FAR LEFT: Lauren Pesce (class of 2021) plays in a field hockey game.

LEFT: Senior Jack Welch poses with his mohawk.

TOP: Glass is heated in a furnace.

ABOVE: I sit with former photographer Grace Hensley (Class of 2021).

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BY DOMENIC DOMENIC FENOGLIO FENOGLIO SPREAD

to be able to join Panorama junior year. I immediately recognized that it was a class like no other, with a real life purpose.

I remember the class stirring with passion, creativity, determination and a lot (a LOT) of laughter. Along with being entirely student-run, it’s the perfect environment to publish an incredibly impressive news magazine.

After my first year on Panorama as Features staff, my publication journey took a turn. I became Panorama’s business manager. It’s a position I am truly grateful for, as I’ve been able to see that “unbroken view” or “panoramic view”, if you will, of COLLEGE: the news magazine. I know how the inner workings of both the INDIANA business and creative side of the Panorama work. It’s incredible UNIVERSITY to see it all come together.

Overall, I’d call Panorama the perfect teacher.

BLOOMINGTON It showed me how to effectively communicate with others Do you know what “panorama” means? It’s an “unbroken in pressing situations.

How to utilize design to tell a story in itself, or view of the whole region surrounding an obcatalyze an important topic. server”. I’d say not only is panorama the perHow to manage my responsibilities. (This is fect name for the Ladue news magazine, but Overall, I’d Call a big one.) also for my experience being on staff.

Panorama the perfect And finally, how to properly engage my interPanorama is limitless. The publication has ests at Ladue. covered topics varying from debated economiteacher.”

Thank you to each and every person on the cal issues to cookie reviews. The secret to this “unbroken view” the Panorama gives of the world around us Panorama team who made me laugh, think, smile or improve, can be credited to the individuals behind it. I felt so blessed I appreciate you. :)

ABBEY CARRICO: BUSINESS MANAGER

“

cause over the course of my four years of high school, I have learned so much about life, and I think that I would have benefitted from a senior telling me about the important life lessons they learned throughout high school when I was a freshman. Now, I am happy to share that information with some of you.

The number one thing I would tell any underclassmen who asked me, “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned throughout high school?”, is to live your high school experiCOLLEGE: ence to the fullest. Put yourself out there. Get involved. One UNIVERSITY OF thing I’ll always regret is not trying out for the hockey team WISCONSIN MAD- during freshman year. Was I not going to make the team, as I told myself? No, that wasn’t it. I didn’t try out because I was ISON scared. So I would just say, if you have the opportunity to do anything of interest or an exciting opportunity, take it. You BAM! Alright perfect, now that I have your attention, never know where it could lead. stick with me for a second. I know that 75% of you freshmen Next, find something you’re passionate about and let your and sophomores already skipped the Senior Columns section potential run free. Join clubs that grow those interests and because you’re probably thinking, “Why do I care about what engage in summer programs that enhance such interests. some random 18-year-old that I’ve never actually talked to High school is all about setting yourself up for the future, so has to say?” At this point, you still probably don’t care at all, taking a moment to think about the person you’re going to be but again, just stick with me. will go a long way towards becoming a productive member of I feel like I have some credibility to make that assumption society. because I, along with the rest of my lunch table, was absoluteHigh school can somehow feel like the longest and shortest ly part of that 75%. four years of your life. Bottom line: Take advantage of it. Just But, for those of you who stuck with me, lucky you belike the band OneRepublic once said, “I swear I lived.”

KIRAN VARADACHARI: STAFF WRITER

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KANISHK SHANMUGAM: STAFF WRITER

COLLEGE:

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I mean it’s only expected from a kid in high school who doesn’t take much seriously. But it’s not the regret that was significant to me: it was learning to cope with them through hobbies like writing.

I’d consider myself someone who’s often stuck in the past.

One of my weird and frequent activities was lying on the floor, daydreaming and thinking about what could have been.

Obviously, there is no cure to leaving the past in the past. You can’t just stop doing something you’ve always dealt with.

However, working with the Panorama and seeing the unique and amazing people there with their passion for

NICOLE GORRELL: ARTIST

COLLEGE: GRINNELL COLLEGE

Not only will I remember Pano as my first high school extracurricular, but I’ll never forget how wonderfully gratifying my time as an artist has been.

Coming on as a ninth-block artist in the middle of my sophomore year was definitely a learning process, albeit adjusting to receiving art requests and submitting them was pretty smooth. I joined publications to learn and improve my art skills, but I never expected to find such a close-knit community that strengthened my ties to Ladue along the way. It was a beautiful experience because I never even had to take a journalism class to feel like I belonged and contributed

writing influenced me to start a journal. And for some reason, writing in it whenever I feel stuck in retrospect has made me feel like I trust my future more, which is a feeling 100x more comfortable than the touch of a rough carpet to your back.

I think that writing about my experiences helps me understand myself better, and by recording the memories, I learn from my mistakes and empathize with them.

Being stuck in the past is common, but it doesn’t have to be universally plaguing. There are many ways to deal with different experiences. But if you feel absolutely transfixed and helpless from the past’s static emotions, try taking up a hobby that exudes meaning for you.

Things like keeping a journal helped me believe in my future. For you, it might be something distinct; only you know your past. As Neon Genesis Evangelion said, “The only person who can sympathize with you and understand you, is you. So, be good to yourself.”

meaningfully to each issue I was a part of. The support and feedback that propelled me throughout high school helped me grow in ways I hadn’t initially imagined. Although I tended to do my assignments very close to the deadlines, I always enjoyed investing myself in the art and its purpose, and expanding the creative boundaries I had.

Creating art for a phenomenal newsgroup, with phenomenal people, helped make my high school journey more of an adventure and ever more fulfilling. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

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PANORAMA

ABBEY CARRICO Business Manager

CLAYTON COUGHLIN Associate Editor

CAROLINE EDGAR Opinions Editor

DOMENIC FENOGLIO Editor In Chief

SOPHIA LIU Editor In Chief

LUCY LOCHMOELLER Associate Editor

MARISSA MATHIESON Editor In Chief

THEOREN MILLER Photographer

KANISHK SHANMUGAM Staff Writer

OVIYA SRIHARI Associate Editor

JOANNE SUNG In-Depth Editor

RYAN TUNG Health & Sports Editor

SENIOR EDITION | MAY 2022

SENIORS

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NICOLE GORRELL Artist

ABIGAIL JANSEN Staff Writer

MIKA KIPNIS Features Editor

TARIQ LASHLEY Opinions Editor

ANNIE PAN Web Editor In Chief

RHEA PATNEY Editor In Chief

HANSIKA SAKSHI Staff Writer

GINGER SCHULTE Photo Editor

KIRAN VARADACHARI Staff Writer

CARLY WOODHILL Opinions Staff

DANIELLE ZHANG Art Editor

MATTHEW KWEON Staff Writer

And they flew off into the world...