April 19, 2013

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Lafayette High School

17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011

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STIGMA

Reconsider what you think you know about mental illness.

1 in 5 Americans deal with mental illness at some point.

- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Volume 44, No. 8 / April 18, 2013 / lhsimage.com

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misc. / 02 April 18, 2013

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[6/contents[

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table OF

of Photothe month

Prom without the price tag

Money spent on Prom has been on the rise over the years; however there are different ways to save money that many wouldn’t think of.

7/ @LHSproblems

This popular Twitter account relates to both students and staff by tweeting and retweeting about what truly bothers them at LHS.

STORM TORN/ The storm that wreaked havoc in the St. Louis area on April 10 took its toll on Lafayette’s track equipment. The pole vault pit was flipped over, the high jump pit was blown around and equipment left in the open was either flipped or ripped. “Our major concern was the pole vault mats, since we have a track meet on [April 13],” head track coach Rick Voss said. (photo

by Lauren Taylor)

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upcoming events

Here are some important dates to plug into your calendar app or pencil into your planners.

April 18/ Senior Awards Night at 7 p.m. in the Commons April 19/ Guitar Festival at 7 p.m. in the Theatre April 20/ Peter Navarro Scholarship BBQ from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Upper Parking Lot April 23/ All-School junior ACT Testing April 23/ Senior field trip to the St. Louis Zoo April 27/ Prom at the Renaissance Grand Hotel May 1/ Senior field trip to a Cardinal’s game

image staff / policies Editors:

Grace Bueckendorf.......................................................................Editor in Chief Paige Antolik..................................................................................... News Editor Gabby McDaris................................................. Opinion/Entertainment Editor Katie Blackstone.......................................................................... Features Editor Dylan Corbet. ..................................................................................Sports Editor Arianna Demos...................................................................... Asst. Sports Editor McKayla Treat..................................................................................... Webmaster Karre Wagner..............................................................................Asst. Webmaster Jessica Brown & Hannah Meuret .......................................Business Managers Rebecca Ferman...............................................................Social Media Director Veronica Knysh / Dakota Shaw........................................................ Cartoonists Mrs. Nancy Y. Smith, MJE ......................................................................................Adviser

Staff:

Emily Altic, Avery Cantor, Eric Deters, McKinzie Duesenberg, Delaney Eyerman, Jalyn Henderson, Abby Howard, Alex LaMar, Hannah Marshall, Garrett McBay, Maggie McDaniel, Lucas Meyrer, Kelly Panzitta, Amber Park, Emily Pascoe, Ben Rachell, Jack Rogan, Zoe Scala , Dakota Shaw and Grace Yun.

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The stigma

With mental illnesses becoming more widespread in adolescents, knowing the facts about some common disorders helps people look past the stereotypes.

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Athletes to watch

With Spring sports underway, two Lancer athletes have caught the attention of the Image. Seniors Sean Hoel and Mara Worley have competed well and hope to lead their teams to State.

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Battle of the Bands

While most are aware of school-sponsored bands, few know of students who have taken the initiative to form bands on their own. Get At Me and The Furniture Movers are two groups found around school.

Information:

The Image is published 10 times a year by the Newspaper Production Class. Subscriptions are $30. Free issues are distributed on campus. The 2011-2012 Image received a rating of All-American with five marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association. lhsimage.com received a rating of All-American with four marks of distinction. The 2011-2012 Image was awarded the George H. Gallup Award from Quill and Scroll.

Philosophy Statement:

The newspaper’s primary obligation is to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Operating as a public forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper.

Contact Us:

Located in Room 137A at Lafayette High School, 17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011. Our phone number is (636) 733-4118 and our e-mail address is smithnancy@rockwood.k12.mo.us or visit on the web at: www.lhsimage.com

Policies:

A complete explanation of the Rockwood School District Policies and Regulations concerning official student publications and the policies and procedures used by the Image staff can be found on the website www.lhsimage.com under the About Us tab.

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news / 03 April 18, 2013

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t is time to make decisions about college for many juniors and seniors.

With the cost of college becoming increasingly worrisome for some students, Lafayette offers resources to help ease students’ minds about paying higher education costs.

Delaney Eyermann / reporter

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ome students feel they cannot go to college because they don’t have enough money, but with the right information, college can be an option.

Students have several options when it comes to finding ways to pay for college.

Stephanie Nesler, college admissions specialist, said, “Some people assume that college is out of their reach because of cost, but it’s important to know the facts.”

These facts include students knowing their options regarding financial aid. Financial aid can be provided in grants, scholarships, workstudy jobs and loans.

Senior Principal Tim Jones, said if money is the issue students can, “Work full-time for a year and then save the money to help pay for college,” or, “work-part time and attend school part-time, helping to minimize some of the costs.”

Jones also said some students join a branch of the Armed Forces because they will pay a large portion of college costs.

It’s also important to be prepared like Erin Nischwitz, sophomore, who started looking at colleges the summer after her freshman year.

Nischwitz said, “Right now I’m interested in the University of Alabama, Rolla or Truman, but I need a scholarship for all of them.”

Like the situation many other students may find themselves in, Jones’ parents were unable to pay for college. However, Jones used the financial resources available to him in order to go to college.

Jones said, “I have taken out many college loans to finance the four degrees I hold. My parents could not afford to pay for any of my education, except for the first semester.”

Although college loans may seem messy and complicated, the long-term benefits compensate for the inconvenience.

Jones currently has a, “$265 a month college loan payment that I will be paying for many more years,” but said, “Every penny I pay towards my loans was worth it.”

As Jones points out, “Anyone can take out college loans, but they should be cautious of getting into too much debt.”

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What many students don’t know is that a college degree can increase employment opportunities and salary.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said in 2011, “The unemployment rate for recent high school graduates not enrolled in school was 33.6 percent, compared with 21.1 percent for recent graduates enrolled in college.”

Nischwitz said college doesn’t just impact your future, “It makes your future.”

Jenna Williams, junior, agreed.

She said, “I think college is a big part of everyone’s future because it prepares them for a career.”

Nesler encourages all students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) to get an idea of how much financial aid you can receive.

Nischwitz said, “I feel like the government does a good job of helping kids who don’t necessarily have the money with FASFA. I think that the most important thing is that you need to get a loan or do whatever you need to do in order to go to college because you’ll never be able to get a good job if you don’t go to college.”

For students who are financially incapable of paying for college, Jones said students can apply, “For a Pell Grant, as that is a program providing grants for financially needy students/ families.”

However, students have to fill out a Future Farmers of American (FFA) form that must be verified by Income Tax Returns.

This form ensures the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), how much a family is expected to pay for college. A family’s EFC must be reliable based on their income and ability to contribute.

If college loans seem like too much work, scholarships are a great way to get instant money for college that does not need to be repaid.

Like many others, Williams’ parents have been saving so she can go to college, but she still feels that scholarships are an important financial necessity in paying for college.

Williams said, “Most colleges are very expensive and I feel that scholarships are necessary so you don’t end up in financial debt.”

Alex Moll, senior, received a combined volleyball and academic scholarship to McKendree University.

Moll said, “Money was not a huge issue, but it wasn’t like I was going to apply somewhere unrealistic, and McKendree fell into the unrealistic category. So getting the scholarship was a dream come true.”

Moll plans on attending medical school after undergraduate school, and he said, “This is a huge opportunity to go into medical school without debt.”

Some of the scholarships that the Rockwood School District offers are the A Program, that requires volunteer work and a GPA of 2.5 or higher, Bright Flight, which is based on ACT scores, and National Merit, which is based on SAT scores.

The A+ Program is a program designed to give two years of free schooling for eligible graduates, “who attend a participating public community college or vocational/technical school, or certain private two-year vocational/ technical schools,” Nesler explained.

Also, Nesler points out that some four-year colleges will give scholarships based on a completion of the A+ Program. So, even if a student is not planning on staying in Missouri for college, completion of the A+ Program can still provide financial aid.

Aside from A+, the Rockwood School District awards students with the Dream Catcher scholarship every year. This program gives around $35,000 worth of scholarships to these students.

If students want to go to college but their grades are not high enough to be eligible for the A+ Program or other scholarships, Jones recommends attending a community college for the first two years in order to work on the basics and then attending to a four year university.

Nesler also points out that, “Federal financial aid is not based on GPA or Test Scores.”

If a student seriously needs financial aid, grants are another way to receive the aid they need. Grants are provided to those based on financial needs as opposed to scholarships, which can be given to anyone regardless of their financial situation.

Students can contact colleges about their Federal Work/Study Program, Nesler said, which allows, “Eligible college students to join work programs through their college to earn money for tuition and other expenses.”

Depending on what college a student is interested in, contacting the university’s financial aid office can be very helpful.

Jones said, “My university financial aid office helped guide me through the process and provided the friendly service I needed to gain the resources to pay for college.”

Jones recommends students, “get accepted into the college you want to attend first and then talk to the financial aid office in person to work out some possible options.”

If students want to learn more about financial aid, Lafayette hosts a College Info Night every fall and a Financial Aid Night every January.

To get more information about college and financial aid, students can contact their college counselor or talk to the A+ Coordinator.

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news / 04 April 18, 2013

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Fashion tour gives insight to New York’s design industry Amber Park / reporter As the forerunner of our nation’s fashion industry, New York City’s style makes the average wardrobe of a West Country student look, well— less extraordinary.

However, on this year’s Fashion Marketing Tour, the Lafayette and Eureka fashion students were not only able to show off their own style in the Big Apple, but also expand their grasp of the fashion world.

Erin Hagglund, FACS teacher, said, “New York is a whole different world. This is a great opportunity to give students the motivation and excitement to see what’s out there for them.”

With fashion being one of the most competitive industries, New York City is one of the best places to get a head start in experience. The trip gave fashion students thorough insight on the designing to the producing of clothes and accessories, revealing the compound clockwork of the fashion industry.

For example, the group went to a sample sale and was able to observe the mixes and matches of fabrics. They met the jewelry designer of Grinnel Designs while visiting the Jewelry Production House.

Senior Morgan Blair said, “She does a lot of jewelry design with other famous people and designers and she’s also friends with them so I thought that was pretty cool.”

Also, students were able to learn the significance of design.

Freshman Ashley Mahone said, “You could be a buyer, a seller, someone who finishes or starts designs, there’s so many parts of design that I just didn’t know about.”

This marked Blair’s fifth trip to New York.

Blair said, “I want to experience the rich fashion culture and maybe live in New York someday.”

She added in the future, she would like to pursue a career primarily in mainstream fashion design.

Senior Rachel Finder on the other hand was more interested in the business of fashion.

She said, “I wanted to go to see how the industry works.”

The trip also gave students a chance to be tourists and visit the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Broadway.

Mahone said, “I’ve never been to New York before and now overall I have a deeper understanding about fashion.”

And of course the icing on the cake was a true hands-on experience: shopping. This was the part about this trip that all the students were looking forward to.

Junior Alice Gothberg said, “It’s fun being able to go with friends and walk around without your parents. You can do your own thing and have fun.”

Hagglund said, “They get to actually haggle and find whatever things they can’t have here but at discounted price at places like SoHo.”

BIG CITY FASHION / The group toured shops and boutiques on their second day in New York. Senior Rachel Finder said, “My favorite part was Fifth Avenue. When we got there on Thursday there was a lot of excitement of just being in the city.” (photo courtesy of Morgan Blair) Mahone said, “I was able to go to stores we have and don’t have here, getting to do things that I normally don’t get to do on an everyday basis.”

Junior Erica Clayton said the best part of the trip said was shopping at Tiffany’s. “I got a bracelet. My parents gave me a gift card to buy something before I left.”

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news / 05 April 18, 2013

Election results in new two new Board members District will be searching for new Superintendent in near future Grace Bueckendorf / editor in chief

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uperintendent Bruce Borchers will resign after the 2013 school year to serve as superintendent for the Oak Ridge School District in Knoxville, TN. Though he has not officially resigned from Rockwood as of press time, The April 2, Knoxville Sentinel reported that Borchers, “was offered a contract by the Oak Ridge Board of Education to be superintendent of schools in a 5-0 vote Monday night.”

Borchers said in that article that he’ll accept the $175,000-a-year post. Board members want him at work by June 15 or sooner.

Rockwood’s Chief Communications Officer Kim Cranston, said, “Dr. Borchers has always been interested in working with school districts on continuous improvement efforts. He believes Oak Ridge is one such district.”

Borchers will be moving from a district of about 22,000 students to 4,430 students, which Cranston said was a deciding factor for him

and his family.

“He [Borchers] wanted to be in a smaller district where he could be more hands-on,” Oak Ridge School Board Chairman Keys Fillauer said.

Cranston also said while the Board has not formally discussed the process to select a new superintendent, that process is to begin soon.

Though many community members had called for Borchers’ resignation, in February the board voted 4-3 to extend his contract by a year, until June 2016.

Borchers’ resignation will not be the only change to the Board of Education for the upcoming school year.

Rockwood and its Board of Education have been the target of much public outcry from several financial decisions and hiring practices.

That peaked after taxpayers requested an audit in which the state rated Rockwood as “Fair” and pointed out several areas of concern.

In the report, Missouri State Auditor Thomas Schweich reported that they had identified

“deficiencies in internal controls, noncompliance with legal provisions and the need for improvement in management practices and procedures,” resulting in a rating of “Fair.”

This spurred public discontent with the Board, as they oversee major decisions within the district. And much of this discontent was directed toward Board member Steve Smith.

Smith was highly criticized for simultaneously working for Glenn Construction Company, the main construction provider to the district, while serving on the board. The audit cited this as a possible conflict of interest.

Although the audit clarified that Smith was not a board member when Glenn Construction Company was chosen as a program manager, the public’s negative opinion of Smith on the board led to his resignation as Board President in mid-December.

Then, in March, Smith announced his resignation from the Board.

In his letter of resignation, Smith said, “I have become the shorthand version of what is

holding Rockwood back. It is easier to blame me than to honestly discuss what our shortcomings and strengths are.”

The vacancy left by Smith will be filled April 25 through an application and interview process. Cranston said the appointed member would serve until the April 2014 election; Board members plan to administer the oath of office to the new member on May 2.

The Board also got an additional shake up when voters went to the polls in April and voted out longtime board members J­ anet Strate and Steve Banton.

They were replaced by newcomers were Loralee Mondl and Jeff Morrell.

“This is definitely a much bigger responsibility than the PTO board. I am now responsible for over 22,000 students— pretty daunting, but I believe we all need to work hard to make sure our kids are our main focus again,” new Board Director Mondl said.

The board selected Bill Brown as President and Sherri Rogers serving as Vice President.

Failure of Prop S leads to difficult choices for administration, Board Hannah Marshall / reporter April 2 was an important day for the Rockwood School District.

Proposition S, a $38.4 million bond issue, was defeated by Rockwood voters.

The bond issue that was going to go toward Rockwood schools to make improvements and upgrades on safety, technology and facilities received only 47 percent of voter support.

A 57.15 percent majority was required for passage.

Rockwood School Board President Bill Brown said, “I am sad that as adults of this community we have let the students down.”

The Proposition was initiated and supported by Picture Rockwood in order to make improvements and upgrades on different Rockwood schools across the area.

With the failure of Prop S, the board must decide how the lack of needed funds will impact the district

and its overall budget in the future.

“I am only one voice and one vote on the Rockwood Board; I can only speak for myself,” Brown said.

He continued, “Our next course of action will be sitting down and making some very tough decisions.”

Money from the general operating budget will not have to be re-allocated to address immediate needs in repairs, technology upgrade etc.

Board members agree change is coming for Rockwood.

Brown said, “Something important

to the education of the students will be adversely impacted. Exactly what item, program or individual that will be is the distasteful choice we will be making in the next few months.”

It is unclear at this point how Lafayette will be impacted, Associate Principal Nisha Patel said, “The Board is going to have to look at what kind of financial situation our district is in and try to come up with a plan. For example, how we are going to address the technology issues in the building,” she said.

She continued, “Hopefully we will get community support when we roll out a plan.”

According to stltoday.com, Tim Rooney, the district’s chief financial and legislative officer, told the board April 4 the district is working to identify maintenance and other issues that have to be resolved immediately.

The board previously agreed to use some of its reserves to cover the $5.1 million deficit.

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news / 06 April 18, 2013 With the glamor and excitement associated with the high school prom experience, it is easy to become surrounded by a sea of hefty price tags.

Finding the best gown, the prettiest hairstyle or even the best shade of polish for your toes has become a necessity to the perfect evening. After all, Cinderella didn’t meet her Prince Charming by showing up in her pumpkin carriage with rags and messy hair.

Emily Altic / reporter According to a 2012 Visa survey, American families spent an average of $1,078 on prom, This was a 33.6 percent increase from 2011.

There are many tips that students use to save their hard-earned cash and still look fresh out of a magazine for that special night.

Not everyone has a fairy godmother that can grant a stunning ball gown at the flick of a wand. However, there are still ways that a student can find the perfect attire, without the cost.

“If you get your dress online, you can get a dress for a reasonable price.

You’ll probably get a more original dress too,” junior Maddie Murphy said.

There are many resources on the internet that can lower the amount of money spent on Prom. Some companies allow you to borrow their product for a limited time at a low price, and then send it back once the event is over. Renttherunway.

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Unique ways to save money on the big night

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com and lendingluxury.com have a variety of beautiful dresses for loan at very low prices.

Websites such as happilyeverborrowed.com and bagborroworsteal. com offer jewelry or designer purses just a few clicks away.

Junior Layla Husen said Windsor, a dress shop, offers various prom dresses at much cheaper prices in comparison to other stores.

Dresses aren’t the only prom necessity available for lower costs.

Beauty is definitely a priority as well, and is easy to save money on.

“It’s a lot cheaper to go to a beauty school rather than a salon to get your hair styled,” junior Laynie Duncan said.

Cosmetology schools in the local St. Louis area such as Grabber School of Hair Design and the Salon Professional Academy offer services such as waxing and hairstyling at lower rates than your average salon.

The reason is because a cosmetology student would perform to practice, while a supervisor overlooks.

“We’ll take ironic pictures in front of old, dirty places.” juliesun / 12

Another way to save money is going with a group of people instead of as a single couple.

Not only will this allow promgoers to have fun and ease the awkwardness by going with a comfortable group of friends, but it can lessen the wallet damage by splitting the cost.

“Everybody in the group could pitch in for a party bus rather than using separate limousines,” senior Mason Pramod said.

Junior Danielle Christian recommends a carpool system to prom.

“You wouldn’t have to get separate rides so it will save gas,” she said.

The monetary benefits of taking a party bus as a mode of transporta-

tion instead of the stereotypical limousine reinforce the idea of widening horizons and breaking normal boundaries.

Doing something unique out of the cliché prom outline that everyone seems to follow will ensure a good time, and save cash.

“My friends and I aren’t going to a fancy restaurant. We’re going to a cheaper, fun restaurant. We’ll also take ironic pictures in front of old, dirty places,” senior Julie Sun said.

Prom is supposed to be a memorable night, and upperclassmen are only provided two opportunities to celebrate it.

But that’s no reason to go overboard. Be sure not to overspend on unnecessary things and take advantage of bargains.

Senior Mike Sticksel spent a lot of money on prom last year and regretted it.

“I thought it was worth it at the time, but when I looked back I realized that it wasn’t worth it,” he said.

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How much are students willing to spend on Prom, www.lhsimage.com

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features / 07 April 18, 2013

We Got

@LHSproblems relates to students, staff by sharing funny daily occurences around school

Problems...

Rebecca Ferman / social media coordinator

I

t’s not uncommon for people to complain.

Perhaps it’s about the up and down thermostat, making some classrooms feel like saunas and others like igloos or parking violation fees.

Students tend to vent on their personal Twitter accounts, often using an all-too familiar hashtag: #LafayetteProblems.

And, there is a Twitter that’s been around for a couple of years to share the those tweets and add a few observations of its own. @LHSproblems tweets and retweets relatable and funny things about Lafayette, whether it’s just a basic complaint about the school or something strange that happened.

The account was started in the fall of 2011, and became popular quickly.

As of April 1, the account had over 750 followers—including students and teachers—and it continues to rise.

The Image interviewed the two creators behind @LHSproblems to get more information about the Twitter account, including the history and concept behind it.

Note: The people behind @LHSproblems requested to remain anonymous. Out of respect, the Image will refer to them as Person 1 (P1) and Person 2 (P2).

Image: When was this Twitter account

created, and why?

P1: We created this Twitter account in the fall of 2011. We already had “West County Problems” (@West_County) and a few others, but we needed one specific to LHS. P2: People always tweeted about “problems” at LHS, so we figured that an account where we could tweet relatable and hilarious tweets would be wellreceived by most people.

Image: How did you manage to gain so

many followers?

P1: I remember we followed the Super Fans (@LHSsuperfans) and they tweeted about us and people started following.

P2: We got really excited once we started getting a lot of followers. It was also funny how teachers started following us.

Image: Have you ever heard a teacher or staff member say anything about @LHSproblems?

P1: I heard that the choir teacher thinks @LHSproblems is really funny.

P2: I’ve heard a few teachers say they thought it’s funny and wonder who it is.

Image: What has been the best part

about running @LHSproblems?

P1: Seeing everyone else’s tweets to us.

Some of them are really funny!

P2: People talk about it in front of me and they have no idea it’s me.

Image: What was a challenge or obstacle with running the account?

P1: We tried to keep cussing/inappropriate content to a minimum. So it was occasionally challenging to determine whether or not we should retweet someone who said something that was borderline appropriate.

P2: It’s really hard not to tell people when they talk about it that it’s me. I have to just keep quiet and go along with it.

Image: What was something really funny

or weird that happened with the Twitter?

P1: One time I accidentally retweeted Sean Lowe [from “The Bachelor”] from

this account instead of my personal account. I was frantically trying to delete the retweet as soon as possible. It was pretty funny, looking back.

Image: What was one of your most

retweeted tweets or most talked about school events?

P1: The recent tweet about doctors’ offices being busy during the APA got a lot of retweets and favorites. [“All the doctors/dentists in the city are going to be SWAMPED tomorrow at approximately 1:15 p.m.”]

Image: When you both graduate, will you give this Twitter to someone else?

P1: We’re both seniors, but we haven’t really talked about that. I’m sure we’ll find a few people to give the password to.

Image: Do either of you plan to ever

reveal yourselves after graduation?

P2: We’ll have to think about a way to tell everyone it’s us, I guess.

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features / 08 April 18, 2013

image

W

Jack Rogan / reporter

ith trends and styles emerging constantly, men are becoming more concerned with their looks. These new trends include tanning, piercings, styling hair and maybe even getting nails done. Because tanning and ear piercings are more and more common among men, it was not difficult to find people who sport and see these lastest styles.

Piercings/

*survey of 100 students

Tanning/

Tanning is becoming prevalent among men as many guys are beginning to care about their appearance increasingly more.

While some go tanning before vacation to have a base tan, some guys just want to look good.

Senior Nick Stewart went tanning before his Spring Break trip to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic.

“I went tanning three times, and I’ll never go back again,” he said.

Dana Kline, assistant manager of Tan Company in Chesterfield said, “About 30 percent of our clients are

male. Most come in after they work out, so I assume they want to make sure they look good. There are also many men come in to get a base tan before they go on vacation.”

Many girls think tanning is not appropriate for guys.

Sophomore Jenna Antolik agreed with this.

“Worrying about your appearance should be for girls,” she said.

Antolik wasn’t the only one to think this way.

“I think guys shouldn’t worry about their outer appearance as much as their personality,” freshman Emma Riordan said.

While the idea of men tanning is debatable, most people think piercings are acceptable.

Ryan Bixby, science teacher, pierced his own ears at age 12, and later got gauges in high school.

“I pierced my ears in an act of rebellion,” Bixby said.

Then, everyone seemed to be doing it.

“The pierced ear thing was meant to be rebellious, but then other people started wearing them,” he said.

Although Bixby no longer wears earrings, his ears have not closed up yet.

In addition to Bixby, junior Tommy Brennan has ear

piercings.

Brennan got his ears pierced last summer.

“I moved here from Las Vegas, and in Las Vegas everyone had their ears pierced,” he said.

There are still conflicting opinions on guys having their ears pierced.

Freshman Emma Riordan said, “Piercings are more of a girl thing and they don’t look good on guys.”

Brennan, however has an opposing view.

“I don’t see why it would be a problem for guys to have piercings,” he said.

ryanbixby/ science teacher

(Photo taken by Jack Rogan)

tommybrennan/ 11

*survey of 100 students

(Photo taken by Jack Rogan)

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[the]

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Jessica Brown / reporter

As the weather warms up, so do asthma & allergies

S

features / 09 April 18, 2013

pring is upon us and it’s no secret that the St. Louis area has a relentless allergy season year after year. Along with allergies, asthma can worsen in the spring.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that causes difficulty breathing brought on by specific triggers like allergens or exercise.

According to the St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium, 1 out of every 11 children under the age of 18 in the St. Louis area has asthma, and 13 percent of adults in the area have asthma as well.

“Exercise, allergies, allergens in the air, an underlying illness and also cold air,” are all things Cathy Wieder, school nurse, said could bring on an allergy attack.

Wieder also said she sees the most asthma related cases in the winter.

Since the cold seasons of fall and winter are now over, some people with asthma are experiencing a wave of relief.

One of these people is junior Natalie Youngberg.

“My asthma is worse in the winter,” Youngberg said.

However, people with more severe types of asthma, like senior Mallory Wesley, may not be as relieved for spring to be starting.

“I have three different types [of

asthma] and one of them is allergy related,” Wesley said.

Wesley has allergy induced, exercise induced and stress induced asthma.

According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), allergy induced asthma typically worsens in the spring because the pollen in the air increases the lungs’ irritation, making it harder to breathe, bringing on an asthma attack.

However, many people with exer-

[ ] “[I have] shortened breath, a sharp pain in my chest, I shake and my head hurts.” adrianamcintyre/ 11

cise induced asthma may suffer from more asthma attacks as the weather warms because more people are out exercising and enjoying the outdoors.

The only type of asthma not affected by the spring season is stress induced, which is triggered by everyday things like stress and emotion.

“It’s kind of just like everyday things. I have it all the time,” Wesley said of her stress induced asthma.

When an asthma attack is brought on, it is important to relieve the

symptoms quickly to avoid the risk of respiratory failure.

Junior Adriana McIntyre talked about what her typical symptoms were of asthma attacks. “[I have] shortened breath, asharp pain in my chest, I shake and my head hurts,” she said.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 1,200 people each day are admitted to the hospital due to asthma.

Also, 4,700 people visit the emergency room due to asthma and 9 people die from asthma every day.

“I’ve been to the hospital a few times for it and I’d say the worst time probably I was in the 5th grade. I was in the hospital for a day and then they sent me home in the middle of the night and then I had to go back and then I finally got to go home. It was just a really, really bad allergy season that year,” Wesley said.

Wieder said she hasn’t seen many cases of allergy related asthma cases, but predicts that she may start to see more students suffering from an allergy related asthma attack depending on the spring allergy season.

Wesley said, “I haven’t had any problems so far, but also I’ve gotten allergy shots a couple of years ago and that’s helped it a lot, so it’s a lot more under control.”

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cover story / 10

image

the STIGMA

Reconsider what you think you know about mental illness.

Abby Howard / reporter

Grace Yun / reporter

W

hat’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder?

What do you even know about these mental illnesses?

For many, the stereotypical image of someone in all black, crying or acting crazy probably comes to mind and most of their knowledge about these disorders is from overdramatic television shows and movies.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, one in five Americans have a mental disorder, which means almost 400 students in these very halls could suffer from one, statistically.

Chances are, someone you’re friends with, have a class with or play on a team with has a mental disorder and you don’t know it.

Having a mental illness doesn’t mean a person will always fit in the stereotypes society gives them. In fact, people with mental illnesses often suffer more from the stigma than they do from the illness itself.

To get rid of such inaccurate ideas and better understand anyone who has a mental disorder, it’s important to know the facts and statistics rather than rumors or misconceptions.

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*Students’ names have been changed to protect their identity.

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cover story / 11 SYMPTOMS/

April 18, 2013

OF

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WORLD

-AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

DEPRESSION/ Everyone will, at some point of their life, be affected by depression—either by their own or by someone else’s, according to Annie Conway and Sandra J. Bailey of Montana State University.

Krista Silvernail, psychology teacher, explains that stress may be a key factor to why so many teenagers may feel depressed.

“I have been teaching for 17 years and I would say that I have seen more signs of kids being extremely stressed, more stressed than in my first couple years of teaching, because of all the requirements and all the things they’re trying to do. I think that a lot of that stress is leading to more signs of depression,” Silvernail said.

It’s the most common mental disorder in America among teens and adults. In fact, over 10 percent of all teens are suffering from depression and about 20 percent of all teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood.

Depression is defined as a psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleep-

ing, feelings of dejection and hopelessness and sometimes suicidal tendencies.

“It’s when someone feels constantly hopeless with long term changes in habits. I stress long term because it’s a very human thing for people to feel down; things happen in our everyday lives that may bring us down but being depressed means staying down for weeks or months,” JoAnn Goehler, guidance counselor, explains.

According to Mental Health America, over 80 percent of depressed teens can be successfully treated with medication and/or therapy, although only 30 percent of depressed teens receive any sort of help.

Untreated depression has serious consequences like increased chances of depression in adulthood, involvement in crime and other disorders like eating disorders. Depressed teens are more likely to have trouble at school, in jobs, and struggle in relationships. They’re also less likely to move on in life and have successful careers.

• Feeling like you have no energy • Unable to concentrate • Sleeping too much or too little • Eating too much or too little • Feeling worthless, hopeless or helpless • Feeling pessimistic • Losing interest in things you usually enjoy • Crying frequently withdrawing from others • Neglecting your personal appearance • Unable to think clearly or make decisions

WHAT IT’S NOT/

WHAT IT’S LIKE/

TREATMENT/

Depression sufferers aren’t merely sad. Many describe the experience as isolation or numbness.

“A lot of people think of depression as crying and being sad, but most people who experience it don’t have any emotions anymore and all the things they used to care about don’t matter anymore,” Jane* said.

“I think in high school, a lot of people don’t take depression really seriously and take the idea of depression as being someone being overdramatic. People usually think that it’s something you care too much about when it’s usually something you can’t control; it’s just something that happens.” she said.

John* shares his opinion on the popular stigma and stereotypes as well.

“Most high schoolers just judge people immediately. Some people who have depression really are super tucked away in their heads but a majority of people [suffering from depression] are awesome and I think people with major mental disorders are actually better people because of it,” he said.

Even when it’s sunny out, everyday seems gray and cloudy. Getting up in the morning takes a lot of effort but sleeping at night is just as difficult. Carrying on a normal conversation is a struggle. It’s hard to concentrate on anything. You’re crying a lot for no apparent reason or over something insignificant. You don’t feel hopeful of happy about anything in your life. You feel like you can’t do anything right. Things just seem “off ” or wrong. It’s like there’s a glass wall between you and the rest of the world. You feel as if you are stuck behind this wall with no way out; suicide may seem like the only way to escape.

“It was a really rough time. A bunch of different things happened at once so it was a lot to handle. One physical aspect about it was that for the first two weeks I didn’t eat anything. I lost a lot of weight because every time there was food or I thought about food, I would really nauseated and I didn’t know what that was about at the time. Also, the littlest things like hanging out with your friends would either make you really sad suddenly or you would suddenly not care about it at all anymore,” Jane shared.

“[Depression] definitely affects students’ performance in the classroom because it often leads to a lack of confidence so with everything they try to do, no matter how hard they work, it may feel like they aren’t getting anything out of it,” Cristina Marasigan, science teacher, said.

Jane shares word of advice to anyone who is currently suffering from depression.

“What personally helped me was getting outside because the sun actually helps a huge amount. Hiking or just getting away from the whole bustling metropolis area and going out to a remote place with a lot of sun lets you clear your mind and gives you a new perception on things,” she said.

John shares a tip as well.

“I just get through [feeling depressed] by planning fun things on the weekends to make sure I feel good and have something to look forward to,” he said.

Talking to a psychologist or a psychiatrist is also highly suggested because they are professionally trained to give treatment.

ANXIETY/

BIPOLAR DISORDER/

Anxiety is an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it, according to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.

In a simpler definition, Katie Vargas, guidance counselor, describes anxiety as that overwhelming feeling of stress and fear over things such as tests or day to day tasks.

“It’s when a person has difficulty getting through daily activities,” Vargas said.

“They are feeling overly stressed and are overwhelmed.”

Bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of mania (excitement and happiness) and depression.

“People with bipolar disorder will often feel in one moment energized and upbeat and on top of the world and just as quickly feel very depressed and lethargic,” Katie Vargas, guidance counselor, said.

And, depending on what type of bipolar disorder a person has, these episodes of depression and mania can last different amounts of time.

WHAT IT’S NOT/ When most people think of anxiety, they think of the emotions and thoughts that occur.

“Anxiety is when you’re feeling nervous, excited, and dreadful at the same.” Reese Moore, sophomore, defined anxiety to be.

This is an accurate description, but what most people don’t realize are the physical aspects of the disorder.

Symptoms can also include shortness of breath, dizziness and a sick stomach.

WHAT IT’S LIKE/ You’re about to take a big test. You’ve studied all week, you pay attention in class and have done all of your homework. But once you see the test, your heart begins to race, you begin to feel dizzy and you can’t concentrate. This overwhelming feeling can signify that you may have test anxiety, one of many forms of anxiety disorder.

TREATMENT/ Vargas advises students with chronic anxiety get a doctor’s appointment, but she also has other strategies for helping their anxiety.

“One way to combat anxiety is to reduce stress levels,” Vargas said.

She recommends that students with anxiety find time to relax and sleep and also recommends eating healthily and exercising.

WHAT IT’S NOT/

A common idea is people with bipolar disorder change emotions in a matter of minutes, or even seconds.

“I think bipolar is sudden changes of emotion,” freshman Vlad Barbulica said when asked what bipolar was.

According to the National Library of Medicine, those who suffer from bipolar disorder don’t necessarily change emotions quickly; there are more mild forms of bipolar that have less severe mood swings. And in some cases, the manic, or ‘happy’ phase can for days or even months.

WHAT IT’S LIKE/

Those with bipolar disorder say that one day, you feel on top of the world. You feel as if nothing can touch you, and that your life is on the right track. The next day, however, you feel as if you have been derailed and are spiraling downward. You feel like everything is going wrong and nothing can fix it.

But then the next day, you feel like you did the first day. All feelings of depression have somehow vanished and you feel like your life has managed to get back on track again.

TREATMENT/

“If students feel chronically sad and down, they need to speak to an adult immediately,” Vargas said.

She also warns for students not to decide for themselves whether or not they have bipolar disorder.

“It’s dangerous for students to self-diagnose,” Vargas said.

She also warns students not to turn to their friends for diagnoses either.

“Teenagers go to their friends first, but they aren’t equipped to help them,” The only current treatments for bipolar disorder include counseling and medication, and so it is important that if a student recognizes any symptoms of depression that they talk to an adult immediately.

[the]

sports / 12 April 18, 2013

[

Athletes to

Ben Rachell / reporter

W

Kelly Panzitta / reporter

ith spring sports under way, two athletes have caught the attention of the school. Seniors Mara Worley and Sean Hoel have competed well and hope to lead their teams to winning seasons this year.

Mara Worley/

[

watch

Senior Mara Worley has begun her final season of girls lacrosse, and hopes to make it memorable.

Worley has been playing lacrosse since her freshman year.

Head Coach Carrie Guenzler said, “Mara came in as a great athlete but with no [lacrosse] experi-

image

Worley, Hoel leading way on field, court for teams

ence. I knew from watching her at basketball and softball camps growing up that she had a tremendous athletic capacity to be a solid [lacrosse] player.”

With a 5-0 start this season, the Lancers have dominated the competition. Of the five teams they’ve beat, one of them were the Lancers big time rival, the Eureka Wildcats. The biggest competitor for the girls is Ursuline, an all-girls private school.

When Worley was asked about her goals for the season, she said, “We want to be playing in the State Championship on May 18.”

Although this seems like a long time away, State will be coming up sooner rather than later.

The key to Worley’s success out on the field is working hard at practice and always staying focused during games. To help prepare for their season, the team participates in what they call “neighborhood runs” to help build up endurance.

Guenzler also said, “She is one of the top assisters in the state— she also needs to have the confidence that her teammates will back her

up if she goes for the goal.”

There is a lot more to lacrosse than goggles and mid-calf tan lines: because Worley plays attack wing, she has to focus on covering a lot of territory as the players carry roles at the offensive end of the field. Attack wings also must hustle back on defense to help out the left and right defensive wings.

Guenzler added, “With or without her realizing it, younger players emulate her and learn from her every day. “

Sean Hoel/

With his final season of tennis having already begun, senior Sean Hoel is looking to accomplish many things.

When asked what his goals for his senior year were, Hoel said, “[I want] to win every match and go to State.”

This, of course, will take a lot of work and preparation.

He said, “I prepare [for each match] by concentrating and improving my focus.”

Varsity Head Coach Mark McAllister said, “He can put the ball away when he needs to and has one of the best serves on the team.

Like any player, he can improve his point pro-

duction and decision making. Tennis is one of the most mentally tough sports to play.”

Playing in both singles and doubles, Hoel said he has dramatically improved since freshman year.

With a 3-3 record this season, McAllister said, “We are preparing for the season by having competitive practices and playing tough competition.”

There’s certainly room to improve, so the team is working as hard as they possibly can to achieve a better record.

The Lancers goals are to win during District and Sectional play and hopefully to qualify for State.

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image

superstitions in SPORTS

Arianna Demos/ Asst. Sports Editor

A

thletes across a broad spectrum of sports perform specific rituals and routines that they believe will assist them during game play.

Professionals especially, who seem to excel on their own, have certain twists to their pregame preparations.

Michael Jordan, a graduate of North Carolina University, continued to wear his Tar Heel shorts under the Chicago Bulls uniform while leading the NBA team to a sixth championship.

Even the number one ranked woman tennis player in the world, Serena Williams, follows her tournament rituals to a tee.

She will bring her shower sandals to the court, bounce the ball five times before every serve, and even wear the same pair of socks for every match in a tournament.

Superstitions are seen throughout all levels of athletics, including high school.

For the two-time state champions, the girls volleyball players proved to be very superstitious as a team during their run for a second State title in a row.

Before every game, home and away, the girls

danced in the locker room to get pumped up.

During the National Anthem, the team held pinkies as another superstitious hope for a successful game. Some players even had individual superstitions.

“Lily Johnson [junior] cracked my back before every game. I also stood in the same spot for every serve,” senior Spring Hill College commit Lindsey Pecoraro said.

The superstitions continue for junior tennis player Haleigh Chobanian.

While Chobanian is getting dressed for a match, she must put everything on the left first, including her sock, shoe and earring.

“Not only am I really weird about my left side, I also do everything three times. For example, after every point I win in a match, I spin my racket three times, left, right, left,” Chobanian said.

Also showing signs of psychological quirks was the boys basketball team. During their 10game winning streak, seniors Kamron Emamjomeh, Shacquille Holley juniors Nate Messer and Evan Scales led the prayer and a Gatorade toast before every Star-Spangled Banner.

They believed their streak would conclude without their new superstitious ritual.

sports / 13 April 18, 2013 Athletes, teams hold onto beliefs, rituals to gain success

DEFYING THE ODDS/ Even one of the most dominant girls volleyball teams in Missouri high school history still had their superstitions ways before every game. The girls line up for a home game, holding pinkies during the National Anthem. The team reached a perfect 40-0 record and gained national recognition for their accomplishments. (photo by Lily Johnson) Many people view superstitions as a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Performing certain routines before every athletic competition can be seen as a psychological disorder.

Compulsions and rituals are characteristics, but in order to be diagnosed with OCD, the superstitions must interfere with everyday life.

According to Dr. Chris Stankovich, founder

of Advanced Human Performance Systems, it is all about the power of belief.

“When you believe a ritual you do helps you play better, what happens is your mind becomes more focused and relaxed, you begin to concentrate on appropriate things, and ultimately your mind and body begin to work together in synchrony – allowing you to play at an optimal level,” Stankovich said.

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sports / 15 April 18, 2013

Vorbeck shatters gender roles, stereotypes in pool against doubters

Lucas Meyrer / reporter

B

eing the only female player on a maledominated team in a male-dominated sport can be a daunting task.

Many students in high school athletics have tried and simply been unable to really compete and enjoy themselves due to preconceived gender notions.

The formal rule set in place by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) is that no athletes can play in sports with the opposite sex if said sport is represented for both genders (i.e. girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse, softball and baseball, girls basketball and boys basketball, etc.).

Water polo falls into the multi-gender category, as there are no real equivalents offered.

Despite the legality for both sexes to play water polo, traditionally the Lancers feature considerably more males than females across all three competitive levels.

Junior and Eureka High School transfer Candice Vorbeck is bucking that trend this year as the sole female on varsity Lancer water polo, and her transition could not be going smoother.

Head Coach Jamie Waeckerle said, “It’s not the first time we’ve had a girl on the team.

However, I’d say she’s been accepted more so than any other female player we’ve ever had, and I think a large part of that is that she immediately stepped in and proved that she could play every bit as well as any of the guys on the team.”

MAKING AN IMPACT/ Vorbeck handles the ball in her first competitive outing for the Lancers on March 12. The match, at Fort Zumwalt West, was a 14-7 Lafayette victory. (photo courtesy of Prestige) Vorbeck herself isn’t fazed by the pressures of being the Lancers’ only girl.

“It’s not as bad as you would think. The guys on the team are really accepting of me. They’re all really good guys and I just have a ton of fun with them,” Vorbeck said.

Excelling in the pool is nothing new for Vor-

beck. She competes for the Midwest Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) zone team, the precursor for eventually representing Team USA in the Olympics.

Vorbeck, who plays as either driver or center defender, was also the 2012 St. Louis Water Polo Female Player of the Year, winning the ac-

colade after she was a nominee the year before.

Waeckerle has a lot of praise for Vorbeck and her contributions to the Lancers, where she is second in assists and fifth in goals on the team this season with 14 and 8 respectively.

“Candice is one of the smartest players on our team. She’s very intense; she won’t back down from anybody. Her intensity is infectious to the other guys on the team,” Waeckerle said.

“In the pool, she leads by example. She came in immediately and made an impact on the team and quickly earned herself a starting role,” he added.

Senior Rob Northem, who had not played alongside a female player until this season, was also quick to herald Vorbeck’s talents.

“She adds some diversity and a ton of skill to the team,” Northem said.

Outside of LHS, Vorbeck plays for St. Louis Area Polo as well as the aforementioned ODP. She also swims for Rockwood Swim Club, though she sees water polo as her chief priority.

As with many others competing in the ODP, Vorbeck is considering continuing with water polo after graduation.

Vorbeck said of playing post-high school, “I don’t even know. I want to go to college and play. If I could play Division I, it’d be awesome.”

Waeckerle believes Vorbeck has the ability to make her dreams become a reality.

“I think that she can definitely continue with this if she wants to pursue it. I think there are definite opportunities for her collegiality in water polo,” Waeckerle said.

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[the]

opinions / 16 April 18, 2013 [Staff Ed]

Opinions expressed on the editorial pages do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school administration.

All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Signed, columns, blogs, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the Image Editorial Board.

image

Rockwood community must stop punishing students for mistakes of others and instead become a part of a solution It seems a massive overhaul is beginning to take place in Rockwood.

News has come to light about Superintendent Bruce Borchers interviewing for a position at a Tennessee school district and there is a strong possibility by the time you read this, he will have officially accepted that position and resigned as Rockwood’s Superintendent.

The April school board elections resulted in voters replacing two long time board members.

There is a hope that change will begin to make its way through the district if different decision makers are put into power.

So why is it that some folks just can’t move on and begin to think positively and instead have more interest in continuing to spread a negative message?

A perfect example are those community members associated with Rockwood Stakeholders for

Real Solutions and others who have negative feelings about Rockwood.

Disagree with their agenda or not, they are getting it in front of the public’s eyes on a regular basis.

But, simply commenting on the Eureka-Patch website about what “you” feel the district should do, and what all its faults are is not helping.

Voting down Prop S will directly hurt students present and future— not those in power who you blame for the district’s problems.

Those who run for the school board and take on leadership positions in the district are brave enough to take a proactive response rather than just engage in namecalling and negativity.

The recent election made it clear that Rockwood officials were not on good terms with community members who felt great distrust in the school board and the financial decisions they have made in the past.

But now, it is students and teachers who are being punished by this negative relationship through the loss in greatly needed technology improvements, facility maintenance and security upgrades.

By taking out their anger with the board and district administrators by voting down Prop S, our education has been negatively affected.

And, the negatively continues to flow. It must stop and we must move forward.

As high school journalists, we have done our best to cover the recent events as they unfolded throughout the district. We have attended numerous school board meetings and even been a part of private press conferences with Rockwood officials.

Hundreds of articles and editorials could be written about what the student body believes is best for the district, but only a small percentage

of these high school students are actually given the power to act on such matters.

Change is already occurring at a quick rate but without the dedication and positive work of Rockwood community members, Rockwood will continue down the same self destructive path.

A certain level of teamwork needs to be reached between Rockwood and its community members.

The effort needs to be taken to bury the hatchet and try to work out the differences.

No matter what side the voters may be on, there is one thing that the community should be in agreement with, which is that the only way students can attain a more positive future from Rockwood School District is if these adults learn to work together and act on what they feel is best for the community as a whole.

Don’t fear taking a chance when choosing majors After having 12 years of my life completely dedicated to school, it is important that I take full advantage of being able to choose my own path in this moment of my life.

The most common questions high schoolers are asked is what they would like to study in college.

The most common responses tend to be something along the lines of “business and communications,” also known as the most generic and non specific degree available.

One of the biggest fears of humans as a whole is being unsuccessful, which is why a degree like business and communications can be seen as so appealing, because it can apply to so many different things.

Personally, wearing the same mandatory dress code, driving to the same mundane office building and sitting in a cubicle doing the same

thing every day does not appeal to me at all.

I want to be out of the ordinary. I don’t want to attend Mizzou, get a general degree and a job at some company where the only excitement in my life is which route I take home.

There is too much pressure put on children by their parents to choose a life after school that can create a quick financial turnaround and a steady job for years to come.

Too many interesting people are giving up an exciting future for a secure and steady future.

When people ask me what I want to study in college and I reply screenwriting the response tends to be something along the lines of, “Oh how interesting!” followed by, “There aren’t many jobs in film industry.”

When translated out of adult speak you learn what they really meant was, “good luck kid. I wonder how your parents feel about paying

50,000 a year for your successful career in Frappuccino making.”

I am fully aware it will be a tough road and the chances of me succeeding are very slim, but I should at least give my dream a chance.

Wanting to create something people will enjoy and remember for years to come is much more exciting to me than becoming a master at spreadsheets.

It can be so irritating that people are shocked that as a young adult I want to do something interesting with my life. All aspects of someone’s life should be rewarding in more ways than just a paycheck.

It is understandable that parents want their children to succeed so they don’t end up with a 30 year old roommate. But, they should also want their children to be happy and interested in what they are doing with their lives.

Outside The Box Gabby McDaris, Opinions Editor In a world where there are so many different choices of career opportunities, graduating students should not take the easy route in life when they have been given the opportunity to earn a career in something that best suits their talents and interests. to have an interesting and fulfilling career.

Dakota Shaw

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opinions / 17 April 18, 2013

Students use social networking sites to express their opinions High school is the time to develop who you are—morals, political ideals, style, personality.

As students begin to figure out who they are, they begin to test out these newfound beliefs, the most overt being their political ideals.

Angry, backhanded comments about the latest election or bipartisan debate can be found splattered all across Facebook and Twitter, clogging your news feed.

Students should have the right to post whatever they want on their Facebook page, or tweet about whatever they please.

I have no problem with students voicing opinions that don’t line up with my own. That’s part of living in a democratic country. People will disagree with you.

I only have a problem when people who post freely about what they believe in, take any counterargument as a personal attack.

Too often, crazy right—and left—wing students are unable to comprehend that there is another side. For example, the latest social

Gracefully Said

Grace Bueckendorf, Editor in Chief

media blow-up stemmed from the cases the Supreme Court is hearing that pertain to DOMA and Proposition 8.

Students are changing their profile pictures to red equal signs to signify their belief that all people should be treated equally. This is fine.

Students are able to express their beliefs in a peaceful, reasonable and noninvasive manner.

In a similar manner, it is reasonable for stu-

dents to post comments that serve as a logical and well-thought-out counterargument.

What I don’t think is mature or sensible are the comments that attack the person instead of the issue.

Debates are meant to test your ideas in a tame and logical manner, not to rip the other person apart or make attacks that question the other’s integrity because of where they stand on a certain issue.

Students who post things such as, “You’re going to hell for believing that,” and the like are not being productive or reasonable.

Such arguments go nowhere, and reflect poorly on the person from which they stem.

On either side of the issue, that is simply not acceptable.

Freedom of speech is meant to give you the right to express your ideas, not say any rash, immature or ignorant comment you please.

So, even if social media doesn’t filter what you post, please, learn to filter yourself.

[My Turn Now] Recent fads may create negative impressions of current generation Emily Pascoe / reporter Trends. Many have come and pass throughout the years. Tamagotchies in grade school and Silly-Bands in middle school have lead up to some of the interesting, yet odd crazes in high school.

Ever since the very first iPhone came out in 2007, texting has become increasingly popular and now seems like a necessity to every teenager’s life. Prominent text slang includes “LOL,” meaning Laugh Out Loud, “OMG,” meaning Oh My Gosh, “BRB,” meaning Be Right Back and “JK,” meaning Just Kidding.

These common text acronyms are used throughout the country and now have managed to find their way into everyday conversation.

I don’t understand why people just don’t actually say what they are implying. It really doesn’t save that much time or breath to abbreviate what you are trying to say.

For example, if you say “OMG” it literally takes the same amount of syllables to say “oh my gosh.” Abbreviating in everyday conversations not only makes you look like you spend way much time texting, but also makes you seem unsophisticated.

If the simplest things, such as taking a fraction of a second to actually say what you are implying, can make you sound more intelligent,

why wouldn’t you do it? It’s not like it takes any in-depth thought. If this trend is put to rest, maybe people will look back on these times and say, “Wow, these teenagers sounded mature for their age,” rather than, “I have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. I’m not even sure they know what they are talking about.”

Is anyone else tired of logging into Facebook and being bombarded with never-ending selfies? Many of them are of girls alone with a bathroom mirror or in their room, holding up a “peace sign” along with an unattractive duck face.

Sure, it’s not like its illegal to take that many pictures of yourself, but what’s the purpose? No offense, but most of us have more important things to do with our time then look through 300 pictures of someone else.

Pictures are meant to capture significant moments in our lives. What’s significant about being at home and taking an excessive amount of photos of yourself? Sharing so many selfies can make people come off as self-centered.

Usually, positive feelings should be portrayed in pictures. But all I see when someone shows me a selfie is someone who likes themselves a little too much.

However, most people who take that many selfies have absolutely no intent to seem selfabsorbed. They usually don’t even realize the way other people see them. So, before posting a

picture, you may want to consider how people may view you as a result.

YOLO: Even reading it annoys me. The saying “You Only Live Once” used to be an inspiring motto but now, it has been dumbed down and engraved into our brains so much that I’m not sure anybody even remembers what it really means.

It is used as an excuse for teens to act like morons, and possibly destroy their lives, along with any remaining hope of a sophisticated human race. Oh, you’re going out to party to get wasted, then driving home? Because YOLO? Yes, you do only live once and therefore you need to make sure your one chance at life lasts as long as possible. Of course in order to live our lives to the fullest, we have to take chances, but there needs to be a limit. At a point, we should ask ourselves, “Is it worth it?”

All of my ranting has a point. People may not even realize the negative appearance of peculiar these trends are until they step back and really think about them. Is this really what we want our generation to leave behind? Do we really want to be the generation that people are disgusted by?

Let’s leave behind something important.

Something that makes our generation go down as a legend. Something that will make every future high school student wish they could be a part of the 10’s generation. I mean, YOLO.

stars & gripes Stars To:

• The start of baseball season means Cardinals spirit is in the air.

•Spring is arriving slowly. But, since it’s Missouri, cold weather coupled with high pollen counts spell disaster for those affected by allergies and asthma. #sneezingintherain • Pixar announcing a sequel to Finding Nemo entitled Finding Dory. #justkeepswimming • Hostess Brands bought by Apollo Global Management and Metropoulos & Company means the return of the Twinkie. #justintimeforswimsuitseason • Adam Scott winning the Masters, becoming the first Australian to win the green jacket. #dingosarewaycoolerthantigers

Gripes To:

•North Korea threatening a nuclear attack on South Korea and the United States, although their missiles cannot reach us. #nukingthemselvesinthefoot • A strain of Bird flu, strain H7N9, has killed at least 10 people in China. #dontflywestforthesummer •Schnucks’ lack of security when it comes to customer credit cards.

Many accounts of credit card fraud have been linked to the company. #dierbergsftw • Prop S not passing. Who needs updated security in schools anyway? #ouroutdatedcomputerscanprotectus •5,000 jars of Nutella were stolen from a parked trailer in central German town. #youregonnaneedabiggerpantry • Justin Bieber claiming that Anne Frank “would have been a belieber.” #selfabsorbed

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[ the [

image asks

After numerous nuclear threats from dictator Kim Jong Un, do you feel endangered

by North Korea?

Seamus Mclain, 9 “No I do not. I feel like our country and our military are much bigger and powerful than theirs and we have more allies than they do.”

Alex Erickson, 10 “No because they’re just doing that for show, really. They’re not going to do anything.”

Hannah Witzig, 11 “I do not, I don’t think that they’ll really act on their threats and that we can take care of it. We’re strong enough as a nation to fight against them because we’re awesome.”

Jacquelyn Ingram, 12 “No because I feel like even if they do bomb America, they’re not going to hit St. Louis, so we may get some of the dust. It’d be a waste of their time.”

Steve Klawiter, history teacher “North Korea is a threat in that they could potentially destabilize a region. They do have the ability to do significant damage to South Korea and Japan.”

[the]

entertainment / 18 April 18, 2013

Picks of the Month

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Features Editor Katie Blackstone chooses the entertainment picks for the month of April.

Movie/

Album/

Book/

TV Show/

Marvel Movies returns May 3 with the much anticipated Iron Man 3. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark along with Gwyneth Paltrow as his no-nonsense assistant and girlfriend, Pepper Potts. Though Stark had made a lot of friends with other superheroes in The Avengers, he must face his new foe, The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), alone. This will be no easy task since The Mandarin is by far one of the most powerful enemies Iron Man has ever dealt with. With this threat testing Stark more than ever before, the next installment of Iron Man could prove to be the darkest one yet.

Though Diluvia came out back in October last year, Freelance Whales is unknown enough for most to notice the release. Being one of my favorite bands, I am determined to change that “unknown” status. Freelance Whales really stepped up their game from their previous album, Weathervanes, by adding a psychedelic mood in their songs and increasing their electronic use. By combining this with a typical indie rock feel, Freelance Whales creates a whole new unique sound. I urge anyone who has any interest in music outside the mainstream to check out this unrivaled band.

John Green released his fourth solo novel back in early 2012, and it is his most popular and arguably best one yet. Green’s ability to write teenagers as actual, three-dimensional people, along with his very real and quick writing style, makes his novels some of the best young adult fictions out there. The Fault in Our Stars tells the story of a 16-year-old cancer patient named Hazel Lancaster who is forced to attend a cancer support group. There, she meets Augustus Waters, a 17-year-old amputee. What follows is a sad but surprising and funny story about these two teens falling in love.

In the middle of its first season, NBC’s Revolution has proved to be one of the best actiondramas offered on network channels. The series starts with an unknown event forcing all electricity to stop working, causing worldwide chaos. Fifteen years later, main character Charlie Matheson (Tracy Spiridakos) is forced into a journey to save her brother with her uncle (Billy Burke) and a ragtag group of rebels to try to solve the larger problem of turning the power back on. Created and produced by an all star team, Revolution excels with its fantastic character development and mysterious plot.

Iron Man 3

Freelance Whales - Diluvia

The Fault in Our Stars

Revolution

[the]

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entertainment / 19 April 18, 2013

Living in harmony

Alex LaMar / reporter

Psychology teachers give views on effects of music on personality, behavior

M

usic has the power of definition. The soundtrack of a movie can determine the overall nature of the film and the type of music released throughout a decade can lead to define that generation in the music industry.

But is this true about people as well? Can the type of music somebody listens to have an effect on their behavior, or even their personality? Many have argued whether the music controls the individual’s personality, or the individual’s personality controls the music they listen to.

Krista Silvernail, Psychology teacher,

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sides with the behaviorist view of the matter. Silvernail believes the music one listens to can effect behavior as a whole.

“I think that if the media you are listening to is constantly on your mind, it could possibly change the way you think about things and therefore change the way that you behave in certain situations,” Silvernail said. “Similar to the idea of how people who play violent video games are more likely to become aggressive because that media is on their mind for multiple hours a day.”

However, Susan Glenn, AP Psychology teacher, sees the argument from a slightly different standpoint. Glenn believes it is not the type of music that defines a person’s personality, but rather that a person’s personality defines their music selection.

“I think that people use music for different reasons,” Glenn said. “For some, it is just pure enjoyment. For others it is used to calm them down or to escape.

For some it is to put them into an upbeat mood. I think that who you are affects what you decide to listen to more than the music making you a certain way.

But, I have no evidence of that, just my opinion.”

Glenn said a study was conducted in 2003 by psychologists Sam Gosling and Jason Rentfrow on the topic of music to personality cross-examination.

“They concluded that you can make a prediction about someone’s personality by knowing the type of music they listen to. The factors they believe are predictable are creativity, extraversion and open-

image asks

Does the music you listen to affect your personality?

Claire Moore, 9

“I think that the music that I listen to does not define who I am because I just listen to whatever music I think is catchy.”

Taylor Mayte, 10

“I think it does because when people are going through a rough time, sometimes they listen to music that is similar to the situation that they’re going through.”

Instructor: Barb Z. Small Class Sizes Located across from LHS

ShakeItWithASmile.com

Satchel Perry, 11

“I would say that it can because I listen to a lot of Christian Rock and Alternative and it influences how I act around my friends and who I hang out with.”

Eric Pascoe, 12

“Music shapes my behavior because I can always hear it in my head, so it keeps me calm when I want it to, and when I get energetic, I think of something else.”

mindedness. Extraverts seek music with a heavy bass line. Creative people seek jazz and classical music,” she said.

Silvernail’s view on the matter is more linked to the message or theme of the music that one listens to instead of the music’s basic genre.

“Listening to music that might have an aggressive message or talk about violence could possibly affect their behavior. Not necessarily that they might be violent people, but tend to be more aggressive,” Silvernail said.

This being said, there are types of music that can have a positive effect on personality, behavior and even mental development. Many are familiar with the idea that playing Mozart during an infant’s sleep will improve the child’s intelligence. This assumed link between classical music and positive mental status may ring true.

“Most of the music that has been linked to positive behavior would be classical music,” Silvernail said, “We know that classical music seems to stimulate the brain and is good for the processing skills of young infants.”

Along with listening to classical music, there are also benefits to the brain that can be obtained by learning to read music or playing a musical instrument.

“Some have found a link between people who play music and ACT or SAT scores,” Silvernail said, “The ability to play the music and read the notes can correlate with their intelligence as well.”

[the]

entertainment / 20 April 18, 2013

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Everyone dreams of becoming a rockstar at one point in their lives. However, few are talented enough to accomplish this. The Furniture Movers and Get At Me are both successful student bands.

Avery Can tor

/ repo rter

“Somebody told us that we were either going to be rock stars or furniture movers,” junior Eric Rachell said. Ironically, Rachell, juniors Luke Uebelein, Andrew Monson and sophomore Dan Jandro, became both when they formed their band The Furniture Movers.

The Furniture Movers have a unique sound inspired by a variety of rock artists such as Oasis and Foo Fighters.

“We draw from a lot of different kinds of rock. I like Indie-Rock, Luke is a big punk-rock guy, and Eric likes 90s or alternative rock,” Monson said.

For most, performing in front of a large audience would be stressful, but The Furniture Movers have gotten used to this since their formation in 2010.

“Our first show was good; we were all really excited to play. It was a weird match up though because we opened for a metal band and they all had really long beards, and then there’s us, some high schoolers,” Monson said.

Since then, the band has performed at Cicero’s, The Way Out Club, Fubar, Chesterfield Amphitheater, Sky Music Lounge and various high schools. They also have a monthly residency at Sky Music Lounge.

As The Furniture Movers developed, they began writing and performing original songs, and released their first EP in December.

Rachell said, “All of the guys are more musically inclined than I am, so when we write songs I’ll come up with something basic on acoustic guitar and then they’ll add their parts on top of it.”

THE FURNITURE MOVERS/ The As for writing lyrics, Furniture Movers released their first EP Rachell said he is inspired in December 2012. It was recorded in by other songs, and often Jupiter Studios. takes their words and gives them a different connotation.

Their EP, The Furniture Movers, is available to download at http://thefurnituremovers.bandcamp.com/.

While many high school students are still figuring out what the future holds for them, senior Matt Lucken and juniors Matt Glanvill, Jake Smith and Noah Smith plan to make it in the music industry with their punk-pop band, Get At Me.

Get At Me was formed in 2010, when Jake and Noah met junior Max Conrad and decided to form a band in order to be like their idols, Blink-182.

“Noah and I were new kids to the district, so we didn’t know a lot of people freshman

year. So at orientation, we saw this emo kid [Max Conrad] sitting alone so we talked and became friends,” Jake said.

At first the band started off solely as a Blink-182 cover band, performing songs like First Date and What’s My Age Again?

“I think it helped starting as a cover band because it gave us a solid structure to build onto. It got rid of the original nerves of performing because we didn’t have to worry if they didn’t like our songs, because everybody loves blink [182].” Noah said.

But as the band grew and added members, they began writing and performing original songs.

“We just recorded an EP over Winter Break. We have a song about a mental disorder called seasonal affective disorder, a song about how 2012 sucked, a song about a girl and a song about being happy by yourself. Most of our songs are inspired by personal experiences,” Jake said.

When asked to describe their band in one word, all members agree they’re “energetic”.

“We are just really, really, energetic. Our music gets you pumped up and makes you want to run around,” Glanvill said.

Their new EP, Everything I Could Never Tell You is expected to be released by June and features Will Pugh from pop-punk band, Cartel.

GET AT ME/ Everything I Could Never Tell You will be released by June. It was recorded in Springfield with producer Kevin Gates.

:

Although many students “I’ve made almost $20 performplay instruments, few ing here, but I probably have about perform in front of their $40 total” Swisher said. peers on a daily basis.

His motivation for learning guitar However, freshman started when he went through some Michael Swisher does just personal struggles in middle school, that. eventually leading to homeschoolSwisher began playing ing during sixth and seventh grade. guitar at school around “When I was home-schooled, I three months ago and can had a lot of emotions built up and I be seen performing during didn’t really have any way to bring it second lunch in the Flex Hall. out. But one day I was playing Rock “At first, I started playing at Band and I decided that I wanted to school so I could hopefully GUITAR HERO/ Freshman Michael Swisher try to play guitar. So my mom got make some money, but now my plays his guitar in the Flex Hall during secme my first guitar. It was a good best friend’s birthday is coming release,” Swisher said. ond lunch. He is inspired by John Lennon. up and his family doesn’t have a lot Not only has Swisher been playof money. He really wants a drum set so I want ing for three years, but he is completely self-taught. to help him get that,” Swisher said.

“He’s been fantastic! He’s done everything on his own without Since a drum sets can cost anywhere from $100 to any formal training at all. I really enjoy listening to him; I’m so $1000, Swisher is far from achieving his goal of purchasing proud,” Swisher’s mother, Rhonda Swisher, said. one, but has still made a bit of money performing.

Swisher hopes to have a musical career in the future.