Panorama Sept. 2019

PANO RAMA

Read more about mental health on pages 12–15.

“[Mental illness] is kind of like a wall surrounding your life. No matter what you do, it seems like you can never escape it.”

09.25.19, Vol. 68, Issue 1, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, 1201 S. Warson Rd. Ladue, MO 63124

STAFF Editors-in-Chief

Jackson Bry Katie Shaw Bradford Siwak

Head Design Editors

Cassie Beisheim Anna Liner

Managing Editor

Sydney Crump

Head Copy Editor

Alexander Fu

Lead Photo Editor

Sunny Lu

Managing Photo Editor

Burke Howe

News Editor

Rhea Patney

Features Editors

Katie Holland Erin Turkieltaub

In-Depth Editor

Grace Hu

Opinions Editor

Ethan Willick

Arts & Entertainment Editors

Hugh Chan Caroline Tyrrell

Sports Editors

Domenic Fenoglio Jacob Korn

Social Media Editor

Jill Goldwasser Grace Hensley

News Staff

Rhea Kaw Lucy Lochmoeller

Features Staff

Clayton Coughlin Jamie Korenblat

In-Depth Staff

Sophia Liu Marissa Mathieson

Opinions Staff

Caroline Edgar Tariq Lashley Charlotte Woodhill

Sports Staff Business Managers

Staff Artist

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Nicole Kalishman

Sports Photo Editor

Art Editor

EDITORS’ NOTE

Thomas Margulis Jason Pummer Jake Tackes Danielle Zhang

Staff Photographer

Ginger Shulte

Adviser

Sarah Kirksey

09.25.19

-Katie Shaw, Jackson Bry and Bradford Siwak

While deliberating what Panorama should cover in depth of our first issue of 2019–20, we decided to do a topic that meant a lot to all of us. With September being National Suicide Awarness Month and the stress of college applications coming down on the senior class, there was no better time to cover the pressing issue of teenagers’ mental health.

Our goal for this in-depth story

is to raise awareness and prompt change. By helping to destigmatize mental health deficiencies, we can encourage teenagers to reach out more and feel better talking to peers and figures of authority alike.

As a high school publication, we believe we have an effective voice within the youth of America, making us a great newspaper to cover this issue with discretion.

COVER STORY When we first discussed potential cover designs, we agreed that we didn’t want anything too cliché or literal. Instead, we hoped it would be symbolic, compelling the reader to think more deeply about the subject at hand.

The discussion about the cover trickled out until we read the actual indepth article. A quote from Nyeal Biedenstein describing his struggle with mental illness stood out almost immediately. The vivid description invoked feelings of being trapped in a maze without an entrance or exit, which was a mental image that anybody could imagine.

We used tools from the school’s engineering department to make a technical drawing of the maze and physically create it with a 3D printer. We represented a person with the chess pawn to suggest that mental illness can be controlling of someone’s life, and the human hand directing the pawn was also used to emphasize that detail. The black background was chosen not only to highlight the white maze and pawn, but to give the feeling of a dark abyss that’s only too easy to fall into. Ultimately, we wanted to create a striking image that captured the reader’s attention while conveying the struggle of living with mental illness. We’d especially like to thank Mrs. Behr for all her help with 3D printing the maze as well.

SPREAD DESIGN BY J. BRY, K. SHAW & B. SIWAK

NEWS 5. New Spanish teacher begins working after injury.

6. Students and staff take initiative to make Ladue safer.

FEATURES 8. Sophomore Natasha Theusch discusses her life with Lyme disease.

10. New students on moving from foreign countries.

IN-DEPTH 12. A look into the resources and stigamas around mental health at Ladue.

OPINIONS 16. Pano Perspective: students need help accessing mental health resources.

17. How we should try to prevent in-class distractions.

18. Stop expecting all families to be nuclear.

19. Reforming the new seminar rules.

A&E 20. A quest to find the top doughnut destination in St. Louis.

22. Fashion trends to try this fall.

CONTENTS LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

STAFF & CONTENTS

SPORTS 24. Freshman Bryson Liang goes to China for a Kung Fu competition.

26. Senior joins Ladue soccer after commiting to college team.

27. Q&A with Ladue’s new strength coach.

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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.

All surveys are completely anonymous, and cannot be used against you. Panorama welcomes letters to the editors. Please bring signed letters to room 1311. Panorama reserves the right to revise submissions as long as original intent remains unaltered.

Panorama is produced 10 times per school year by the newspaper class of Ladue Horton Watkins High

School at 1201 S. Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63124. The publication lab is located in room 1311, (314)-993-6447 ext. 5844. Read more stories online at laduelead.com.

Follow @laduepublications on Instagram and @laduepanorama on Twitter. Cover design, staff page and table of contents by Jackson Bry, Katie Shaw and Bradford Siwak.

Editor-in-chief photo by Sunny Lu.

SPONSORS LADUE BLUE

SILVER

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GOLD Backer LLC Judy Bowman Koul Family Mandaria House Patney Family The Hardester Family The Kalishman Family The Kaw Family The Pummer Family The Schlueter/Sutter ‘22 Family The Suffian Family The Tackes Family The Trelz Family The Weller Family The Zhang Family

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09.25.19

FRIENDLY Adam Rush Amy & Jackson DiBlasi Anonymous

Christy Crump Emma Weller Grandma Sonia and Grandpa Jerry Greg & Stephanie Kinney Jackie Zeng Jeff Siwak Katie Bry Lydia Baris Nagarajan Family Sara Willick Sherry Osman Stephen Bowen The Biernacki Family The Bland Family The Bussman Family The Fundoukos Family The Hawkins Family The Mills Family The Rose and Norris Family The Silver Family The Steinberg Family The Varadachari Family The Warren Family The West-Serrano Family The Wild Family The Zigo Family Tussey Family Zach Weller

PAGE DESIGN BY J. BRY, K. SHAW & B. SIWAK

SPANISH TEACHERS BECOME SUBSTITUTES

Spanish department volunteers planning time to teach additional classes for absent teacher Emily Brown

LUCY LOCHMOELLER news staff

T

wo weeks prior to the first day of school, new Spanish teacher Emily Brown was injured in a car accident and rendered unable to work for the beginning of the school year. The Spanish department had to decide what they were going to do with the Spanish I and II classes Brown was assigned to teach. Brown teaches Spanish at both the middle school and high school, so only three classes needed to be covered at the high school. While hiring a substitute teacher to take over her classes for the time being might have been an easier solution, the Spanish teachers wanted to give the students the best available option when it came to their language education.

“We were thinking about what would be best for students, and what would be best is to have teachers that are already qualified to teach those levels,” Spanish II and III teacher Mary DeLia said.

“It just made sense to have us teach it rather than having a substitute.”

Since school started, the teachers feel as though their decision has paid off. They have all the necessary information they need to give the students the best possible learning environment.

“The students have been good,” Spanish teacher Maritza Sloan said. “I think this has been very good for them to not have an outsider come in and teach. DeLia

and Taylor-Arnold know the curriculum quite well.”

Some students, such as freshman Emily Walker, who is in Brown’s fourth hour class, agree.

Walker, who is currently being taught by DeLia, believes that DeLia has done a good job and feels prepared for when Brown arrives.

“I don’t think it will be a difficult transition,” Walker said.

“DeLia has been teaching the same way that Brown is going to teach. She has been a really good teacher.”

The Spanish teachers had only one planning period as opposed to two in order to make room for the extra classes. However, it wasn’t much of a problem for the teachers. They were compensated for their extra time and appreciated the experience.

“I am following the same exact plan as my other classes,” DeLia said. “It’s kind of nice because Señora Sloan and I never get a chance to collaborate, but now we actually get to collaborate for Spanish II together. It’s working out well. We each have one less planning period. However, it’s okay because I already have Spanish II classes, so it’s all the same information.”

Even though the adjustments were smooth and effective, many students waited patiently and were looking forward to Brown’s September arrival.

“I’m pretty excited for Brown to come,” Walker said. “I just want to know who she is and finally meet her.”

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Spanish teacher Maritza Sloan instructs one of her classes Sept. 11. Sloan, along with other Spanish teachers, has been taking on an extra class in her schedule to help teach in place of Emily Brown.

“Mrs. Taylor Arnold, Mrs. DeLia and I are teaching her classes,” Sloan said.

“This is the best solution.

We already teach these classes so [the curriculum] has all been taken care of.”

(Photo by Sunny Lu)

SPONSORS & NEWS

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COMBATING DANGER:

Students and staff address gun violence RHEA KAW news staff

RHEA PATNEY news editor

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School Resource Officer Rick Ramirez focuses on taking notes Sept. 3. His office was built with glass on three sides to maximize his lines of sight. “My office is centrally located within the main hallway so [my] response to situations is faster,” Ramirez said.

(Photo by Sunny Lu)

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SPREAD DESIGN BY R. KAW & R. PATNEY

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or the 2019–20 school year, students and staff are taking initiative to make Ladue Horton Watkins High School a safer learning environment for everyone on campus.

According to Central News Network, there were 22 school shootings in America in which people were injured between January and July 2019. As numbers like these have steadily risen, so has Ladue students’ awareness about the possibility of a school shooting. While the risk is prevalent, there is no way to accurately predict if a shooting will occur in the Ladue school district.

“There really is no pattern to what type of school, economic and racial background [will cause a shooting],” School Resource Officer Rick Ramirez said. “There are active shooters all over the board.”

STAFF ON SAFETY DESPITE NOT knowing if Ladue will experience a shooting, teachers and staff are taking measures to ensure student safety. Ladue has hired a new Safety and Security Coordinator, Matthew Hill, to support safety committees, oversee safety initiatives within the district, manage district emergency drills and act as a line of communication between the district and the police department. Hill will continue to add to the safety precautions already in place as necessary. “[The] majority of our buildings now have an entryway in which visitors must be buzzed in through multiple doors by school staff to gain access to the building,” Hill said. “Additionally, each building has a crisis safety team that routinely meets to discuss current safety measures and considers any changes that might be needed. We have also provided radios to a variety of staff members around the district that can be used during an incident in addition to cell phones or room phones.”

All Ladue staff members have undergone training with Tier One

Tactical Solutions, a company that through a critical incident such as specializes in dealing with active an active shooter.” shooters. The company works with teachers and gives them specific STUDENTS ON SAFETY strategies to use when in an emerIN ADDITION to staff taking gency situation. action, Ladue students are tackling “If you don’t know where the the issue of safety from a different active shooter is in the school, [locking] your classroom down might angle. This year, students opened a chapter of a club called Students on be the best response,” Ramirez said.

Safety, a larger national organiza“We show [teachers] how to barrition that targets treating the mental cade the doors and prepare themhealth aspect of school shootings. selves if an active shooter actually “Mental health is the precursor gets into the class.” to [school shootings], and it’s someThis training was a continuation thing that’s often avoided in political of instruction that began in 2018. discussions,” senior and club treaWhile information was presented surer Joseph this year, the Berglund said. training also “That’s what allowed staff we’re trying to to partake fix. We want in hands-on demonstrations The Ladue School District has people who simulating a a variety of safety measures in represent us at the national real emergency. place right now to help ensure level and at the “The focus the safety of both students and state or city was more on level to underlife-saving staff.” stand how it techniques and starts. It starts mindset than -Matthew Hill at the mental on dealing with level.” an intruder,” Students on Safety also focuses math teacher Garrett White said.

“We applied a variety of tourniquets, on the mental health of individual students. They feel that if they can both improvised and store-bought. assist these students, they can help If you just do this over and over it bring down the number of gun recan get monotonous, so there were lated incidents. some competitive races to see who “The goal [of Students on Safety] could apply the tourniquets faster. is to prevent future [shooting inciThere were also a few lectures given dents], but also [to] provide solace to reinforce the reasoning behind for people who are struggling,” the training.”

Berglund said. “I think some people The ultimate goal of the training feel that they can’t go to counselors was to instruct teachers on how to react quickly in tense situations. Tier and that it’s hard to tell adults what they’re feeling. The idea is to help One Tactical Solutions also wants them to be able to consider multiple them out and get them the support that they need.” plans of action to handle the probUltimately, safety is a top priority lem quickly. for Ladue. Staff, students and ad“As no single event is the exact ministration within the district will same as the one prior to it, we becontinue to make improvements. lieve that no single response is the “I believe that the school takes correct one at all times,” Hill said. student safety very seriously,” White “Sometimes, the correct response said. “Steps have been taken to make changes two or three times during sure our students are safe throughan incident. Our staff is trained out the school day.” to think outside the box to work

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LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

NEWS

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LIVING WITH LYME Sophomore Natasha Theusch adjusts to life at Ladue with Lyme disease KATIE HOLLAND

in seventh grade, but has trouble recalling her exact feelings around the mysterious illness at the time.

“For the most part, I was glad,” Natasha said. “The way it was explained to me was that we knew what it was, so we would be able to find doctors more easily and treatments, or at least at the time we thought we’d be able to.”

“They were as understanding as they could be, having not been given an adequate explanation for what yme disease is an inflammatowas happening,” Natasha said. ry disease caused by bacteria Although going to school was transmitted by the bite of essentially the extent of Natasha’s a tick. Its symptoms include exsocial life at the time, she recalled treme fatigue, flu-like illness, fever, looking forward to the little things headache, pain in the neck, back her friends would do to keep her and jaw and in some cases a rash. spirits lifted throughout the day.

Sophomore Natasha Theusch has “When I was still going to school, had Lyme disease for four years and LIFE IMPACT there were a few people in all my continues to live life as normally as classes that would just help me along possible given the circumstances. as much as possible, and that was reADJUSTING TO having Lyme “They call it the mimic disease ally awesome of them,” Natasha said. disease did not come easily for because it can kind of mask itself, Natasha. The life that she had grown “I remember just loving them so so to speak, as a bunch of different much for that. I was so appreciative.” accustomed to was forever changed. things,” Natasha Theusch said. “Like, School became extremely hard “It was really difficult because I for me, they first thought it was fiand taxing for Natasha after her diagmissed a lot of things that I used to bromyalgia, so it took a long time to nosis. She started doing a form of at be able to do,” Natasha said. “I even get diagnosed.” home education called Homebound missed the little things that I took Learning shortly after being diagfor granted, like being able to eat all nosed in seventh grade.

DIAGNOSIS my meals at the dinner table with “[Homebound Learning is] where my family. I wasn’t able to sit up that a teacher from THE PROCESS of finding long for a period a special school someone to diagnose Natasha with of time.” district comes Lyme disease proved almost imposHaving Lyme to your house sible. Natasha’s father, Jim Theusch, disease also took and teachwas supportive in finding a diagnosis a toll on Nataes whatever for her. sha’s social life, I tried to explain it to them, subjects you’re “Presently, there is very little taking her away but it’s hard to explain some- learning.” awareness in the Midwestern medfrom many of ical community regarding Lyme the things she thing to people that you don’t Natasha said. “I did that from disease.” Jim said. “It took several did with friends quite understand yourself.” the middle of years to figure out what we were before. Natasha seventh grade dealing with.” also struggled to the end of Natasha believes she would have with explaining freshman year.” had a more positive experience had her illness to her friends.

Since being diagnosed, it has there been doctors in her region, not “I missed seeing my friends, of only to treat Lyme disease, but who course, and I didn’t really know how become much easier for Natasha to receive the help she needs from truly understand it as well. to go about talking to my friends,” the school district. She is now able “I think it’s important that people Natasha said. “I tried to explain it to to attend Ladue Horton Watkins know that Lyme [disease] is here in them, but it’s hard to explain someHigh School for elective classes, and Missouri,” Natasha said. “It’s all over thing to people that you don’t quite hopes to start going full time. the country, but it is a disease that understand yourself.”

“I do Homebound for math and masks itself and is therefore a lot Although understanding the English, and I come to school for harder to pinpoint because there are illness was hard for both parties inan array of differenwt symptoms.” volved, Natasha’s friends proved true drawing,” Natasha said. “We’re [famAfter a long process, Natasha was throughout the prolonged process of ily] really just working on getting me used to being in a classroom setting.” finally diagnosed with Lyme disease her diagnosis.

features editor

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SPREAD DESIGN BY K. HOLLAND & E. TURKIELTAUB

FAST FACTS

6,537

(according to CDC data)

Tick borne disease cases in Missouri from 2004 to 2016 A tick must be attached to the skin for

36 HOURS 95 percent of Lyme disease cases occur in the grey regions of the map.

There was a point when Lyme disease also made simply going to school and focusing in class extremely hard for Natasha. She recalled having days when she couldn’t even go to school due to the immense amount of pain her symptoms were causing her.

“I was missing a lot of school, because it was a mix of the physical and the fact that it made everything a lot harder as far as concentration goes,” Natasha said.

Natasha knows her situation isn’t ideal, not only for herself and her family, but for the district too. She believes that she would not have had the same success if it were not for the support of Ladue’s teachers, students and staff.

“At first, it was just more difficult for everyone. Since we’ve understood it more, they’ve been as accommodating as they can be,” Natasha said. “I honestly can’t imagine how they could help me more than they have.”

Natasha is not the only one who feels this way. Jim has also expressed his appreciation for the district’s efforts in provding his daughter with a continuous edcation.

“Their willingness to go above and beyond to insure Natasha’s education is remarkable,” Jim said.

in order to infect its victim

Most cases of lyme disease occur in late spring or early summer

Natasha Theusch sits atop the stairs in her home Sept.

12. Natasha was recently able to begin attending school after being homebound due to Lyme disease.

“At the beginning, I was missing a lot of school, — especially before I got diagnosed,” Natasha said.

(Photo by Sunny Lu)

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

FEATURES

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INCOMING FOREIGN FACES New students from around the world join Ladue community CLAYTON COUGHLIN features staff

JAMIE KORENBLAT features staff

Where are you from?

Madrid, Spain.

How long did you live in Madrid?

All my life.

When did you get here?

I came on Aug. 9. I came to Ladue by myself.

Where do you live?

I am living with Mike and Kelly Becker.

What are some of your hobbies?

I like to swim, and I practice each day for the Ladue swim team. I also like music. I play both the piano and guitar, and the Beckers have both here, so sometimes I play.

Did you meet or know anyone before you came here?

Yes, [I knew] Megan Byer. My sister came here three years ago, and she stayed with the Byers.

What is your favorite thing about Ladue?

I like the different subjects and electives, like photography.

What is something that is different between Ladue and your school in Madrid?

In Madrid, the teachers move from class to class, but here, the students move. It was a confusing adjustment.

Sophomore Juan Moreno

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09.25.19

Junior Jared Wake Where were you born?

I was born in Melbourne, Australia.

Did your whole family move, or are you living with non-family?

My parents came, and my brother is in university in Melbourne.

What was your favorite thing about Australia?

The people I have been around and the scenery [are my favorite things].

I really like it there.

Did you meet anyone from Ladue before school started?

I met junior Sam Cobin, and sophomore Hayden Zych is my next-door neighbor, so he’s been giving me a ride to school.

How does your school in Australia compare to Ladue?

[A big difference is] the time I wake up. My other school started at a quarter to nine, and that’s a big difference. I’d be waking up at 7:30 a.m. instead of being here [at school already].

What are some things that you can or can’t do here or vice or versa?

[I miss] going to get a good cup of coffee, outside of my house. That’s a bit of a shame, and I was an hour drive from the beach.

How have people treated you in the Ladue community?

Everyone is really welcoming and happy to have me here.

Where were you born?

I was born in Houston, Texas. My parents are from Washington state.

How long and where have you lived?

I lived there for two years, then lived here [in St. Louis] for two years, then Idaho for two and a half years, then Belgium for six years, then Switzerland for two years, and now I am here.

What was your favorite thing about Switzerland?

I enjoyed the freedom of being able to go anywhere whenever [I] wanted using public transport. [I] could even go to other countries.

What is your favorite thing about Ladue?

I like how friendly everyone is.

What changes have you had to make to adjust to Ladue?

I have [had] to learn [how to use the imperial system instead of] the metric system.

How does your school in Switzerland compare to Ladue?

My old school, International School of Zug and Lucerne, was more cultural, as everyone was from a different country. However, we didn’t have choice subjects.

How have people treated you in the Ladue community?

People have accepted me well into the Ladue community. Everyone’s been really nice.

PAGE DESIGN BY C. COUGHLIN & J. KORENBLAT

Sophomore Gwen Griffith

Interested in sponsoring the

PANORAMA? The Panorama will list its sponsors in each issue of the newspaper, and sponsors will receive a monthly subscription of the newspaper.

If interested please contact: LHWHS Publications 1201 S Warson Road St. Louis, MO 63124 publications01@ladueschools.net Phone: (314) 983-5844

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FEATURES & ADS

11

HOW

GRACE HU in-depth editor

SOPHIA LIU in-depth staff

MARISSA MATHIESON in-depth staff

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09.25.19

SPREAD DESIGN BY G. HU

ARE YOU

F

FEELING? A

t the pediatrician’s office, patients are handed a piece of paper. On the top, emblazoned in bold black text, reads “Patient Health Questionnaire (PH Q-9).” Below, a series of statements — increasing in intensity from “little interest or pleasure in doing things” to “thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself” — are juxtaposed with numbers that symbolize the frequency a patient has experienced the statement. While kids may lie, think it’s a waste of time or not bother reading it, this Patient Health Questionnaire is an example of an increased focus on teenagers’ mental health.

The U.S. census estimates that 17.1 million people under the age of 18 have experienced a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. While physical injuries are difficult to hide, struggles with mental health can be easily concealed. This creates a disconnect amoung both illnesses. After all, how can we treat something we cannot tangibly see, touch or describe? Such a disconnect can become devastating for high schoolers who already may feel isolated from figures of authority. There is an increasing number of students silently struggling, an alarming trend that needs to be addressed.

A crucial step to addressing the teenage mental health epidemic is increasing access to resources such as counselors, psychiatrists and social workers. Our school district has a broad network of qualified individuals who are well-equipped to help struggling students, but the student body is often left in the dark when it comes to accessing the various resources.

This month’s in-depth strives to shine a light on mental health within our student body as well as inform students about the mental health resources available to them.

With increased awareness and access to resources, it will become easier to answer the question “how are you feeling?”

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

IN-DEPTH

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ON CAMPUS B MEET SOME OF THE STAFF ON THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR TEAM

ASHLEY ARNOLD HEATHER THEBY District School Psychiatrist

DANIELLE GREEN District Social Worker

MEET YOUR GRADE LEVEL COUNSELORS

CLAIRE OLDERMAN SYDNEI HENRY SUSAN ASHBY JOE SEROT Grade Level Counselors

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art by GRACE HU

The student perspective

etween the drama, heaps of homework and the effort it takes to pay attention in math class, there’s no doubt that being a student can be difficult. However, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes for the 10.3 percent of children who suffer from anxiety or depression.

Students who suffer from such mental illnesses have more difficulty carrying out simple tasks compared to those who do not struggle with their mental health. “[Mental illness] is kind of like a wall surrounding your life,” sophomore Nyeal Biedenstein, who suffers from mental illness, said. “No matter what you do, it seems like you can never escape it. It hits you when you’re not looking. And when people show the obvious signs of stigma, such as bias and prejudice, the wall comes closer, and you hit the wall even more.”

As with most mental health disorders, depression and anxiety in teens do not have singular causes.

Rather, people with these illnesses are affected by numerous biological, psychological and environmental factors that contribute to the development of the mental illness.

“I think [dealing with mental health] is really hard,” Joy Bassett, a clinical social worker who runs Bassett Counseling Services, said. “It’s a hard time to be growing up. There’s a lot of extra stressors and stimuli that are in the world today that perhaps [students’] parents didn’t have to go through.”

Since 2013, teen depression rates have risen. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield, the rate of depression in adolescents (ages 12-17) has risen 63 percent — 47 percent for boys and 65 percent for girls. Therefore, effective diagnosis and management of mental illnesses is crucial. But for many teens, talking about mental health can be intimidating.

“There was so much prejudice and bias in the past surrounding mental illness that people didn’t really un-

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SPREAD DESIGN BY G. HU

derstand how these problems affected people,” Biedenstein said. “This left more bias and uncertainty, and people became less accepting and viewed others [differently].”

This cycle of misunderstanding causes teens to become reluctant to reach out for treatment. Nevertheless, there are various ways to assist those who may be struggling.

“Ask for help,” Bassett said. “There are resources out there. It can be as easy as reaching out to a therapist, primary care physician or pediatrician.”

Unfortunately, it may be difficult for some teens to talk to professionals. Teens often fear the judgment of others, particularly while discussing their mental health.

“I don’t think it’s easy to reach out to professionals,” sophomore Lucia Berglund said. “It’s important for people who are struggling with mental illness to talk about what they’re going through, but obviously, that isn’t easy. There might only be one or two people you feel like you can talk to, and that’s okay.”

As teens start to openly discuss their mental health with professionals, they can also open the discussion amongst friends and family.

“When you’re feeling down with any mental illness, friends and family can be your greatest refuge,” Biedenstein said. “They can help you so much. If you ever need to talk, you should be able to trust them.”

Additionally, it is crucial that adults listen to what teens have to say. Rather than being dismissive, people ought to look at how to understand the situation. These conditions can affect anybody, regardless of race, gender or sexuality. Mental illnesses do not discriminate. Despite the stereotypes and stigmas, it’s essential to understand that struggling with mental health is normal.

“Although things will not always be perfect, you need to keep your head up and have hope that things will get better,” Biedenstein said.

“Persevere. Things will get better if you have the support and hope.”

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LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

IN-DEPTH

THE

ccording to the Naseling administration. After to us so that we can do what’s tional Alliance on the retirement of Ladue’s best,” junior grade-level Mental Illness, apprevious social worker Maxcounselor Susan Ashby said. proximately one in five teens ine Birdsong and counselors “When the grade-level counbetween 13 and 18 years of Dr. Chrystal Sailor and Joyce selors pull students just to age will experience a major Davis, the district hired a check in or say hello, [that] depressive episode or strugsecond district psychologist, can really help establish a gle with a mental disorder.

Heather Theby, and two new connection.”

Theoretically speaking, that grade-level counselors: Sydnei If a student requires largis 260 Ladue Horton Watkins Henry and Claire Olderman. er scale assistance — for High School students and “The district offers instance, talking to a thera8,400,000 high school stugrade-level counselors, the pist — the counselors may dents nationwide.

SEB team and responsive collaborate with other mental The importance of mental services for crisis, grief, social health agencies to provide health can often be overinteraction,” Theby said. free counseling. looked. Mental health plays According to Medical News “Maybe it’s depression or an integral role in the lives Today, the number of adolesanxiety, but we can’t diagof students, since it not only cents with mental illnesses is nose that,” Ashby said. “In a affects daily activities, but it rising. This makes the counsituation [where the student also influences their ability seling departments open-door needs additional assistance], to learn. Ladue students have policy highly useful. we would direct the agencies access to a variety of mental to send people so that we health resources, but many can collaborate and help students might not be aware the student in need.” that these resources exist.

While there is a pleth“Until I talked to the ora of resources available administration further in Every student walking into this to students, there appears depth, my parents and I had building has a different state in to be a lack of publicity no idea that there were so terms of mental health. It’s our job around them. This has many resources that I could resulted in many students to ensure that students can get remaining unaware of the access,” sophomore Gianna the help they need.”

Olander-Walsh, a student resources being provided. who attempted to reach out “I think that it’s exto the administration, said. tremely important that The resources range students at least know from district school psychol“Every student walking into about these resources beogists to social workers to this building has a differcause it could... boost morale,” grade level counselors. Conent state in terms of mental Olander-Walsh said. “There trary to popular belief, grade health,” district school psyare numerous benefits.” level counselors do not only chologist Ashley Arnold said.

Regardless, the district schedule classes. In fact, they “It’s our job to ensure that is taking strides to become also work with hand-in-hand students can get the help that more conscious about mental counseling agencies outside they need.” health. Under most circumof school and the Social EmoAnother issue the adminisstances, the administration tional Behavioral team. tration faces is that students is transparent about their Currently, the SEB team may feel cautious when approcess of meeting a student’s consists of one social worker, proaching teachers or counneeds, unless a student is eitwo district school psycholselors for help. In an effort to ther a danger to themselves or ogists and two behavioral bridge the gap between stuto those surrounding them. interventionists, which is a dents and the administration, “With regards to mental significant number of professome counselors will pull health, we are here to support sionals, considering that the randomly selected students to the student,” district social SEB team was established check in to establish a conworker Danielle Green said. only two years ago. Many of nection between them.

“We are always keeping an eye the faces on the SEB team are “It’s important that stuout for each and every one of new to Ladue and the coundents feel comfortable talking them.”

RESOURCES

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What students do not know

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS STRUGGLING, REACH OUT

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255

Ladue Counseling Website

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PANO PERSPECTIVE Adults need to support and encourage student mental health

T

he average classroom at Ladue Horton Watkins High School holds around 20 students. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that 31 percent of high school students experienced symptoms of depression. To put that into perspective, that is around three students for every Ladue classroom struggling with signs of depression.

This approximation does not take into account other mental illnesses, nor the academic rigor of Ladue that could cause those numbers to shift upwards. With such a mental health epidemic on the rise, students need resources to help them combat it. However, the unfortunate reality at Ladue is that, while our counselors do work tirelessly to help, our current mental help offered to high school students is not always adequate.

Our high school is extremely lucky to have such a caring and available counseling office. With an opendoor policy, students are welcome to walk in for meetings with their counselor at any time. The counseling staff works to ensure that students have a schedule that fits them, as well as someone to talk to when they are in need. However, when one is struggling with a serious mental illness, they need professional help.

Something unknown to many students is that there are currently two groups that are providing professional help at Ladue. CHADS Coalition and Provident work with Ladue to provide counseling services for students in need. Although this is a wonderful resource, it is not enough for our student body. Currently, these counselors are only available once a week and tend to only meet with a very limited number of students. However, if these resources were more properly advertised, there would likely be a rise in the availability of these services.

Most of the student body is hardly aware that our counseling staff is available for much else other than scheduling conflicts, and even fewer students are aware of the psychologists who can come to meet with students. When mental illness is growing at the rate it is, a school as rigorous as Ladue should feel obligated to advertise all of its resources.

As a school, it is time we make modifications to our mental health help for students in need. The most useful change would be for Ladue to ensure that they are advertising the services it already has. Students should be made aware of the fact that their counselors are here to help them, and most importantly, students must know about the psychologists they can contact. This can be provided and pushed for by all adults in and out of the high school.

Primarily, our counseling department can further advertise themselves. Two ways to do this are either to have a flyer describing the available services sent home to all of the student body or to have counselors speak at class meetings about the mental health resources.

Additionally, other staff and parents must work towards being more understanding. The stigma behind mental health often deters adults from providing necessary help. Adults involved at Ladue must learn to search for warning signs that a student may need help. Once these individuals have been informed of what they can do, it is their responsibility to try and ensure the students’ mental wellbeing.

In a school where many people struggle in silence, greater awareness and advertisement of the resources available can be incredibly impactful for the students who desperately need it.

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09.25.19

CA rt by

SSIE BEISHEIM

SPREAD DESIGN BY E. WILLICK & T. LASHLEY

May I have your

ATTENTION?

How Ladue could solve its growing inattentiveness problems

TARIQ LASHLEY opinions staff

T

The he clock’s hand strikes nine. ly ted class is silent, and purpor to t Nex working with diligence. his g kin you, a student sits placid, clic notony mo e Th ck.

Cli ck.

Cli ck. pen. Cli loop of of the room drones on as the respects. boredom and inattentiveness k back Whnen the bell rings, you thin g to what you just learned. Nothin t en’ foseems to have stuck. You wer ntion. cused; you weren’t paying atte war on While the school fronts this tracdis y inattentiveness by taking awa e larg g tions, they are woefully ignorin chunks of the overall problem. main As far as I am aware, Ladue’s n bee solution to unfocused kids has tur the removal of any and all dis nes, pho l cel be t tha er eth wh , bances ntGra ls. computers or other such too n utio has ed, for some students this sol many, it proved very beneficial, but for oyann has done little but serve as an l ova rem ance. Instead of the complete at wh , of phones from the classroom is only these new policies have done

about er may spend an hour lecturing den hid re mo be to r avio beh that this t drive a topic and realize after the fac dent, I stu a As s. eye r’s che tea g, hin the not from many students have learned phone acof se rea dec no d y ice the not as e n hav with students tuning out eve reased inc y onl , om sro clas the in ty tivi scrawl notes across the page. ger attempts of hiding it.

As the freshmen adapt to lon ving sol of k thin ny ma how folike stay Un to class periods, many struggle ing ord acc s, nes tive s. tten ina clas t the den stu cused for the entire length of dge bri Cam and sity iver ts Un d den for stu to Ox Without interim breaks, many omend rec rs che tea ny ma , g sity din iver Un grow tired and unfocused, lea dents as thinking about refocusing stu in interest of the be sim- to a sharp decrease can ich wh s, step of de ltitu hension. a mu subject and therefore compre solution. d nge pro eethr a into e been ed hav plifi iodic breaks ool district Classes with per sch the ue, Lad at e with tim , my In shown to produce better results t prong, firs the on ely sol d use foc has the reverse also true. s, while of the elimination of distraction Instead of our current model ating a cre : two er oth the ting dis lec neg focusing directly on removing rkplace wo ng agi eng , tive ly rac ant inte ific re mo tractions, Ladue needs to sign h the wit ies ivit act g ntin e me lud seg inc and change it’s teaching plans to ween. viding inclusion of small breaks in bet both creating breaks and pro t in gine A student who has no interes more inclusive classwork. Ima likely be st mo l wil d han at y p ivit stre act an sick with t arrange- if when a child was ren cur the and ive, uct the rod unp throat, his pediatrician advised this neglected ment of the prongs only fuels child just to drink water, and l utilize wil st Mo f. reo the lack water or , rse fire to mention medicine. Of cou rk, from wo ir the m fro tion trac but dis , any is a step in the right direction a piece t, the playing games to doodling on without other pillars of suppor examse the of l ova rem e Th er. the e pap of disease will rage. To really cur ause the bec e pos pur no ve ser l ng, wil feri s ple problems that the child is suf t solving hou wit le xab unfi is nts. r fro avio all beh issues on A teach- you must fight the m. ble pro the of se cau t roo the photo illustration by NICOLE

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

OPINIONS

KALISHMAN

17

AGAINST THE NORM CARLY WOODHILL Census Bureau, only 69 percent of people in the United

CAROLINE EDGAR

States live in a nuclear familial structure. This means 31 percent live in other dynamics, and yet in the United ou turn on your TV, and on the screen is the com- States the general consensus is that a nuclear family is to mon family: a mom, a dad and their two children. be expected. This is a harmful mindset for those who live This isn’t unusual, in fact, it’s everyone’s expecin other familial structures because it makes kids who do tation. This kind of family is called a nuclear family. In not live like that wonder why their families are different. our modern life, a nuclear family could be defined as any They might feel incomplete or insecure about their place family structure where there are two parents and some in their families. With many children being raised in kids, which could include families with LGBT parents non-nuclear families today, the average person should be too. Currently, though, according to the United States knowledgeable about other structures. opinions staff

opinions staff

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Single Parents

Extended Family

Grandparents

Many people today have a strong belief that a child needs two parents to grow up happily.

This is not true, and the fact that this mindset lingers in the U.S. when, according to a report by the Pew Research Center, eight percent of American households are made up of single fathers, is ridiculous. That is 2.6 million dads, and if you add the 15 million single mothers, the percentage becomes significantly higher.

The report also says that the number of single father households increased from less than 300,000 in 1960 to more than 2.6 million in 2011. With this huge rise, the fact that many people believe a child needs two parents to be happy is saddening.

An extended family structure is a family where there are not only parents and their children, but grandparents, cousins, aunts or uncles living with the family too.

Interestingly, Western societies are some of the only places where the nuclear family is expected. In an extended family structure, oftentimes the grandparents, if they are part of the household, are the most respected members of the family. Children are expected to listen to the grandparents above all and then to their parents. If one were to go to an Eastern country, this familial structure would be seen everywhere, which goes to show how ignorant the expectation in the U.S. of a nuclear structure for all families is.

Many children are raised by their grandparents instead of a parent or parents. The reason behind this structure can vary, from the parents not being able to raise their child to being absent. Whatever the reason, the parents are not present, and instead of them, the grandparents are tasked with raising the children. This can oftentimes be extremely stressful for the grandparents, who are already in their later stages of life. All grandparents who are in charge of raising their grandchildren ought to be respected. Unfortunately, many people still frown upon these hardworking grandparents purely because they are not the parents, which is unacceptable.

These family structures outlined only scratch the surface of how many there are; these are just the most common. It’s also important to remember that living in a nuclear family structure is fine. However, assuming your family structure is the most functional is not correct, but unfortunately, that appears to be the current collective belief. To combat this, people should put their bias aside and be more accepting toward familial structures all over the world or on a smaller scale in their communities, starting here in Ladue.

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09.25.19

SPREAD DESIGN BY E. WILLICK & C. EDGAR

What do you think of responsive scheduling?

In response to responsive scheduling The problems and solutions that come with the new seminar sign up system ETHAN WILLICK opinions editor

Eileen Suarez, 10 “At first, I wasn’t really cool with it, but now that I'm more used to it, I’d say it’s pretty alright.”

Stephen Jiang, 11 “I think it’s really inconvenient for everyone because now you don’t have time to plan ahead [for] where you want to go to receive the most help.”

Samuel Liu, 10 “It’s okay. It helps me be more productive and schedule things better, but I’d like to have more freedom with my scheduling.”

A

ug. 22, Assistant Principal Jessica Bitting spoke about the new seminar sign up rules in front of the junior class.

Almost immediately, a chorus of booing spread across the crowd. Everyone quieted as Bitting discussed the reasons behind the seminar rule change: safety and productivity. In theory these new policies could be beneficial, but in reality, the execution leaves much to be desired.

I understand that the administration needs to know where the students are, especially when parents come to pick them up or in an emergency situation. However, this policy is poorly designed, terrible for students’ productivity and makes it difficult to study for tests.

First of all, the design of the seminar program causes gridlock within itself. When one person fills a slot, no one else can take it. However, students are told to sign up for their classes during the home period of the seminar beforehand. Most people’s first reaction is to sign up for their own home seminars and then change their regrestrations later, once they know what homework they have to do. This causes spaces to fill up and makes a virtual gridlock where many end up stuck in their homeroom.

The new seminar system is also bad for productivity. In a theoretical world where everyone knows what they need to complete, this system makes sense, but this is an impossible scenario. Students do not have all the information they need. They LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

OPINIONS

are forced to decide their seminar locations nine hours and 30 minutes before seminar starts. This means that when they are awake at 1 a.m. working on homework, they can not decide to sleep and complete their work in seminar. They also will not be able to predict the homework they are going to be assigned during first period before seminar.

Additionally, the limits on the number of students who can go into a class are harmful for those studying for tests and those with large projects. In the past, I have been in rooms filled to the brim with students watching a teacher’s review session. This is not possible with the current responsive scheduling system, and in reality, you can’t set a limit on the number of people who need help. This system of first come, first served is unfair to the students.

So what can be done about this?

First, the seminar sign ups can be changed so that people can fill out their responsive scheduling during their homerooms so that students have more information about how to make their decisions and to eliminate the gridlock. In addition, there should be no limit on the number of students that can join a teacher’s seminar, so that in the case of a huge project or important review, no one would be left out. In the event a class becomes overly full, the teacher should be able to get a larger room, such as the teleconference room.

This isn’t a case of the student body complaining about not being able to spend time with their friends.

This is a concern about the productivity and the inclusivity of the new seminar rules.

19

HUGH CHAN a&e editor

DoUGHNUT TELEPHONE

I trekked through St. Louis in a game of doughnut telephone to find the best doughnut in the 314. After trying a doughnut shop’s recommended doughnut, I asked the workers at the shop where they thought the next best doughnuts were sold and travelled to the suggested location, visiting a total of four shops.

1 Vincent Van Doughnut

Fr e nc h

The Vincent Van Doughnut in Clayton carries itself like a hipster café and offers a variety of tantalizing doughnuts, but it is the french toast doughnut that the store prides as being its signature. At nearly three dollars, the doughnut is pricier than many other doughnuts, but the yeast doughnut is massive and almost covers a plate. The icing to doughnut ratio is perfect; each bite of the soft, pillowy dough is complemented by the gooey texture of the beautifully fragrant icing. At first, the cloying sweetness of maple syrup overwhelms any other flavors present in the doughnut, but the icing gradually mellows out to strong notes of cinnamon paired perfectly with the crunch of walnuts and pecans sprinkled atop. With ample amounts of natural lighting, multiple seats available and a variety of delectable doughnut options, it’d be difficult to find a doughnut shop more inviting than Vincent Van Doughnut.

To

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Donut Drive-In is designed with a retro aesthetic that closely mirrors a mid-century drive-in, but the cute decor is where the fun ends. The tiny shop hardly has enough room for all its customers crowding in front of the doughnut display, and there is nowhere to sit, inside or outside. The shop seems to be devoid of any hospitality; when I asked for a knife and fork, I was told they didn’t have any utensils. Their signature doughnut, the turtle doughnut, is extremely cheap at around eighty cents but also ridiculously small. Other than the rich caramel icing, the doughnut has no redeeming qualities. The dough is extremely dry and reminiscent of a stale grocery store doughnut. While it isn’t the most awful doughnut I have ever tried, it is possibly the most mediocre one. With countless superior doughnut options available throughout the city, Donut Drive-In should never be a priority for doughnut aficianados.

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SPREAD DESIGN BY H. CHAN

ut

2 Donut Drive-In

rtl Tu

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art by ANNA LINER

And the best doughnut shop in the city is . . .

Vincent Van Doughnut The clear standout doughnut shop in St. Louis is Vincent Van Doughnut. Not only do the doughnuts fulfill and exceed every possible criterion, but the shop itself also has a relaxed café vibe that is pleasant to spend time in. Although Pharaoh’s Donuts comes very close in terms of doughnut quality, Vincent Van Doughnut is still the best in the city.

3 Pharaoh’s Donuts

C ru mb C

ake Doughnut

Pharaoh’s Doughnuts seems and smells like an abandoned crime scene. Nearly all the paint covering the walls is chipped in some way, and the dank carpet is soiled with various dark stains.

The only window in the entire shop is a narrow horizontal slit covered by shades, and I feel as though I’ve stepped into a rundown warehouse rather than a doughnut store. However, their crumb cake doughnut is one of the best doughnuts I’ve ever eaten. The doughnut is moist and delicate enough that it collapses the instant it hits my tongue, dissolving into intertwining flavors of acidic lemon and aromatic cinnamon. The bits of crumb cake on top add a different dimension of texture to the doughnut. Although the shop may have one of the most unpleasant interiors in all of St. Louis, the range of doughnuts available are truly

spectacular and cement the location as one of St. Louis’s

must-visit doughnut destinations. eD ee Cak Coff

4 Strange Donuts The Strange Donuts in Kirkwood is dark and cramped, but the two benches outside partially make up for the lack of interior seating. Only one person is working in the store, and he seems extremely disinterested in his job, half-heartedly advertising the coffee cake doughnut as the shop’s signature pastry.

The doughnut, much like the rest of the store, is just okay. The dough is drier than preferred, but somewhat moistened by the abundance of icing poured atop it. The hints of coffee speckled throughout the icing help to build the doughnut’s flavor profile, but it’s not nearly enough to help establish the doughnut as a worthy treat in St. Louis’s competitive doughnut scene and could greatly benefit with a more pronounced coffee flavor. If you’re in the area, Strange Donuts is a perfectly reasonable place to buy doughnuts, but there’s much to be desired in their quality, and you’ll be getting average doughnuts at best.

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

oughnut

21

TRENDS WORTH CAROLINE TYRRELL a&e editor

TREND

FALL TIPS

A trend that has been present for almost all of 2019 and will likely continue to thrive is animal prints, whether snake, leopard or cheetah. These prints have been on display in spring/summer 2020 runway shows, such as Baja East.

A subtle but popular way to style this trend is by wearing an animal print belt. This look is very simple and can be worn with an all-black or all-white outfit. Another perk is that it can easily be dressed up or dressed down.

a ce L Gr

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Zych, 10 yden a H

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TREND

ane, 12

S by

A very easy fashion trend to try from this fall is all things denim. It’s obvious that jeans have always been a staple piece in the fall, but this year, people are accessorizing using denim pieces in order to add something different to their outfits.

N U

TIPS A popular look is the “denim on denim” trend. An easy way to achieve this look is by pairing a denim jacket with a pair of jeans or by adding a denim button up with black or white jeans.

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09.25.19

SPREAD DESIGN BY C. TYRRELL

LING

FOR THIS SEASON

TREND

Another popular style is adding a leather jacket to an outfit. Colored and patterned leather jackets are unique trends that can spice up a simple look.

teinberg, ill S 11 W

TIPS

Add a leather jacket with a pair of black jeans in order to create a monochrome outfit, which is a popular runway trend.

Hamilton, 1 ris 1 a P

TREND

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Y

One of the biggest trends this year has been neon.

Neon appeared in spring/ summer 2020 shows such as Tom Ford. Neon has been worn in the past few seasons, despite the fact that it breaks the fashion norms of cool tones in winter and dull and warm tones in the fall.

LU

TIPS

If you are a true minimalist and only veer towards neutral items, try wearing a hint of neon by adding bright glasses, shoes or a bag.

LADUEPANORAMA.COM

A&E

23

THE KUNG FU KID

Freshman Bryson Liang travels to China for kung fu competition DOMENIC FENOGLIO sports editor

Freshman Bryson Liang practices his Kung Fu forms Sept.

11. Bryson worked every night in China to prepare for his competition. “You need to be flexible and fast, but not bulky — it’s better to be lean,” Liang said.

“Each form has multiple movements: jumps, kicks and punches.”

(Photos by Nicole Kalishman)

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09.25.19

SPREAD DESIGN BY D. FENOGLIO

K

ung fu, karate and martial arts — these terms are not interchangeable; each signifies a different and unique sport. Freshman Bryson Liang practices kung fu, which traces its roots to China.

This past July, Bryson traveled to Beijing for an international kung fu tournament. The tournament consisted of athletes competing in unique events called forms. Bryson chose to compete in three different forms: mantis, staff and nine-section chain whip. Each form contains sets of choreographed movements that must be performed in front of four judges who score the contestants. While each form takes less than a minute, they are made difficult by the large variety of jumps, kicks and other acrobatic moves.

“It was a really, really unique experience, being my first competition in another country,” Bryson said. “Experiencing the competition and seeing how [people] practice in China was very different.”

The differences in competition and location created a stressful atmosphere for Bryson. Every night in Beijing, Bryson searched for a flat location to train until he could no longer walk.

He was dedicated to succeeding. “[When I compete] I remember to keep calm [and not] be too nervous, or else I go too fast,” Bryson said. “When I go too fast, I start to lose control and make mistakes.”

Keeping a level head worked for Bryson.

He received third place in mantis and first place in both staff and nine-section chain whip. As one of the few competitors not from the various regions of China, Bryson beat athletes who had more training, and thus, more complicated moves to add to their routines. Unlike them, he used a straightforward approach for his performance. Bryson focused on being precise with each move that he made.

“Placing so high meant a lot to me,” Bryson said.

“It was a culmination of my hard work. I was one of the only foreigners to go, so it felt even harder.”

However, Bryson’s journey did not end there. Because he had won two of his events, Bryson qualified for the champions’ round of the tournament. It consisted of the first place winners of all the forms, meaning Brys0n competed against other athletes who had accomplished what he had.

“I was nervous [in the champions’ round] because I was competing against people who had already won,” Bryson said. “It felt like what I had

done before was gone. It was like a brand new competition.”

Again, Bryson competed to the best of his abilities, placing 20th in a field of 88 against some of the highest class athletes in the tournament. This was no small feat for a 14-year-old from Ladue. The higher level of competition added a new layer of stress, but that was no problem for Bryson.

“That was my personal best; it felt really good,” Bryson said. “I had hopes for the competition, but actually doing it was a great feeling.”

Bryson’s father, Walter Liang, helped inspire him, as he too practiced kung fu during his childhood. His father’s experience created a role model and adversary for Bryson, someone to stand in his corner to help him.

“Kung fu now [compared to when I competed] emphasizes mental strength [more], besides physical abilities,” Walter said. “Kung fu not only helps strengthen [Bryson’s] body, but also builds up self-discipline and confidence. It takes years of repetitive practice to perfect kung fu moves, and this builds up persistence and the desire to do his best.”

Another figure in Bryson’s career is his coach, Xing Qi. As a master of kung fu, he brings a special experience after training in China for years at the famed Shaolin Temple.

“I started [learning] kung fu when I was little,” Qi said. “Kung fu has taught me that we can overcome many hardships in life if we stay strong and work hard.”

As a father, Walter could not help but be proud of his son. He had competed at his son’s age, so to see Bryson following in his footsteps made him pleased.

“It was very nice to see Bryson [build] up the strength to overcome physical and mental challenges to calmly face tough competitions,” Walter said. “He stayed very focused and was at his best.”

Bryson will attend the American National Team qualifying tournament next spring. He has a chance to stand out as one of the top kung fu athletes in America. Bryson’s coach believes strongly in his abilities.

“Bryson has good self-control; he is willing to work hard, very hard,” Qi said. “He will be good at anything he wants to do with the determination that he has shown through kung fu practices.”

Helping one’s country win a sport in an international competition resides in the dreams of all athletes. Bryson, too, desires this and will continue to train so he can accomplish his goals. With the help of his father and coach, Bryson looks to become his strongest.

“If I win my event, I will get to represent America in China,” Liang said. “It’s really amazing to compete for your country.”

LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

SPORTS

25

Senior Giuseppe Di Cera juggles a soccer ball at the Fifth Grade Center Sept. 10. Ever since Di Cera was young, soccer has been a part of his life.“It’s a major part of my Italian culture, and it’s the only sport that I have ever seriously considered pursuing,” Di Cera said.

(Photo by Burke Howe)

SENIOR LEAVES SELECT TEAM FOR LADUE Giuseppe Di Cera joins Ladue soccer after committing to Universty of Chicago JACOB KORN sports editor

A

s senior Giuseppe Di Cera approaches the six yard box, he starts to scream for the ball. Di Cera is playing in his first ever game for the Ladue soccer team against Quincy Notre Dame in Quincy’s stadium Aug. 30. Di Cera continues to scream for the ball.

The ball finally gets passed to him, and without hesitation, he buries it into the near side of the goal.

Di Cera has been playing s0ccer for almost his whole life. Although he could have excelled in any sport, soccer was always, without a doubt, the sport for him.

“Soccer is more than just a sport for me — it’s a way of life,” Di Cera said. “Ever since I could walk, I’ve had a ball at my feet. When I was very little, I would play against guys who were much older than me. I liked being pushed around in this challenging environment.”

Di Cera’s talent on the field has always been evident, so much so that it earned him a spot on a very competitive local academy team called the Saint Louis Football Club. Because of this commitment, he wasn’t able to play for Ladue Horton Watkins High School. Playing at such high level requires a lot of discipline.

“I was able to play at this high level through discipline and persistence,” Di Cera said. “I was told many times that I wasn’t a good enough player. Believing in myself throughout these tough periods was crucial to my development. Moreover, I think that dedicating so much time to training is critical toward performing at a high level in an environment where people are constantly challenging me mentally and physically.”

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Earlier this year, Di Cera committed to playing soccer at the University of Chicago which then gave him the opportunity to play for Ladue this year.

“Representing my school on the soccer field has always been a dream of mine,” Di Cera said. “It was my last opportunity to be a part of a program that is pursuing school history.”

Captain senior Carlos Puyo has been playing varsity soccer for Ladue for three years. He believes that Di Cera will impact the Ladue soccer team this season.

“Giuseppe will be a key part of our midfield this year and will help control the ball and the tempo of the game,” Puyo said. “This will allow us to play the game I know we can and hopefully also lead us to many victories.”

Head Coach David Aronberg has been with the program for 15 years. Aronberg had nothing but good things to say when he heard that Di Cera was going to play for Ladue, not his club team, this season.

“I was ecstatic,” Aronberg said. “I thought he might play as a junior and was hoping he would decide to play as a senior,” Aronberg said. “He’s such a good kid on and off the field, so it was a no-brainer to want him to play for us.”

After receiving the news, Aronberg began to think of his options for the season with Di Cera included. Aronberg believes that Di Cera has many great strengths that will guide the team to success.

“Giuseppe’s biggest strength is the way he competitively attacks training day in and day out,” Aronberg said. “He’s a great two-way player that should help us defensively and offensively.”

SPREAD DESIGN BY J. KORN & T. MARGULIS

Ladue hires new strength coach

Mike Dillon changes outlook of Ladue Strength and Conditioning What prior experiences do you have?

I got my degree in exercise physiology, and I [coached] football. But this is the first time I’m dedicated to the weight room.

What has changed in the Strength and Conditioning program since you arrived?

It used to be a class [mainly for football], but now it’s becoming more and more for all student athletes from all sports, and one person is running the weight room.

What skills are needed to coach an athlete?

It’s hard to teach if someone doesn’t want to work; it’s hard to teach motivation and the mindset of having to work to get better.

Some people want to get better but don’t have the mindset, drive or motivation to get better.

What do you look to do with the program in the future?

One thing I want is that no matter what sport you play [the strength program should be] be a common ground for all athletes to communicate.

What has stood out to you about Ladue?

Since I started June 3, I have been very impressed with the hard work, coachability and high expectations the school holds for all students and athletes.

As the new strength and conditioning coach, Mike Dillon spends his time in the weight room helping students Sept. 12. He restructured the high impact class to work on basic movements. “We try to focus and improve on the five core human movements: loaded carries, squats, hinges, pulls and pushes,” Dillon said. (Photo by Grace Hensley)

Captains’ Corner Caroline Waldman:

Field Hockey

8 years of experience One of her sisters coaches the field hockey team Doesn’t like tomatoes

“

As captains, we organize team bonding, help run practices with coaches and encourage the team.”

Lienne Childs:

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LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM

5 years of experience Had to play goalie for a game last year Has a younger sister

I feel like at our school [field hockey is] a pretty underrated sport, but it can be really hard to play.”

SPORTS

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editorial cartoon by DANIELLE ZHANG