Dec. 18, 2009 by Lafayette High School

the

Vol. 41, No 4

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Lafayette High School 17050 Clayton Road Wildwood, MO 63011

what’sinside

Dec. 18 2009

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The Date Debate: Dispute between time references in school upsets some Rockwood parents Mina Yu / News Editor

Concerned with an issue that has been gaining momentum for the last few decades, Rockwood parent Dean Mandis presented his opinion on the matter at the Nov. 12 Board of Education meeting. Mandis expressed concern about the different designations of dates that Rockwood teachers have been teaching to.

The Debate

In the traditional Gregorian calendar, which the US uses as its civil calendar, BC and AD stand for “Before Christ” and “Anno Domini” or “In the year of our Lord” in Latin. These references are the most commonly used in the world today. However BCE and CE started appearing over the years in order to be religiously sensitive and politically correct. These abbreviations stand for “Before Common Era” and “Common Era” but can be exchanged for Before and After Christian Era. Yet both time systems revolve around the same events. Scholars predict that Jesus was born sometime between 7–2 BC and died between 26–36 AD. This means in the Common Era calendar, Jesus was born between 7-2 BCE and died between 26-36 CE as well. This being said, Mandis believes to start teaching BCE and CE instead of BC and AD would be denying fact and truth. “There is a distinct difference between introducing the terminology so when a student comes across BCE and CE they know what it stands for, but it’s another thing to take it a step further and start teaching to it,”

Mandis said. Mandis supports and believes it is important for teachers to educate students about the different dates but ultimately wants the historical accuracy of BC and AD. Mandis’ concern has grabbed the attention of many other parents and even grandparents in the district. After Mandis spoke at the Board meeting, St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Tim Townsend wrote an article which received over 200 comments online.

Rockwood’s Reaction

Rockwood Superintendent Craig Larson also addressed the issue on his blog in which he said, “Teachers make sure that students are aware of both designations so they are literate when they encounter either notation.” Larson added, “We do not have an official policy related to these dating designations nor is there a plan to remove AD/BC or to force the use of any of the dating systems.” In an editorial comment made on westnewsmagazinenetwork.com Mandis said, “If you take a moment to consider the introduction of BCE/ CE, you are confronted with the desire to understand what is wrong or unacceptable with BC/AD. It is here that we encounter the flimsy logic from which BCE/CE originated.” “Why don’t we just use the terms PCE/BPCE, Politically Correct Era and Before Politically Correct Era,” Mandis said. Over 700 others seem to agree with Mandis on the importance of setting aside a policy regarding the teachings of dates. An online petition contains over 700 signatures from those who agree with Mandis’s viewpoint in seeing a

policy that would favor the use of BC and AD but not eliminating a student’s familiarity with the definitions of BCE and CE. In Larson’s blog he said, “The best advice we can give to social studies teachers is: help students understand the dating systems they may encounter in whatever source document they may be using. Rockwood teachers do explain the origins and meaning of BC and AD as appropriate, so students understand why BC and AD are in use.” Larson’s blog was eventually taken down because of the repetitiveness within the comments posted. Larson said the blog had become out of control.

Lafayette’s Voice

“From a Christian perspective, I would say it almost would be a disruption if the district actually dedicated any time or amount of money looking into this, because it really isn’t that big of a deal,” junior Alex Eklund said. Junior Matt Theolke said, “I am not religious at all, but I don’t have a problem with BC/AD. It is commonly used and part of the Gregorian calendar.” Theolke added that although he agrees Christianity shouldn’t be promoted over any other religion, political correctness has become a “over-blown issue.” “Someone is always going to be offended, and that is what makes political correctness complete bunk,” Eklund said. But another problem arises if parents and patrons want teachers to teach according to the BC and AD timeline. While the district may hold the power to create a policy on the stan-

dard classes given at Lafayette and other Rockwood schools, the AP Board uses the BCE and CE timeline. AP Art History and Senior Literature teacher Jean Peters said, “The College Board [AP tests, PSAT, SAT] made the change years ago.” Peters said in her classes, she covers a timeline from prehistory to the 21st century. “I was a bit surprised about Dean Mandis’ concerns. Most colleges and universities moved to BCE/CE decades ago. Rockwood students need to be informed of the timeline,” Peters said. Peters teaches both the BC/AD timeline and the BCE/CE timeline while the textbook (Gardner’s Art through the Ages 12th Edition) specifically uses BCE and CE. “I want my students to be very well prepared for all aspects of their AP test in May,” Peters said. Social Studies Department Chair Susan Glenn said whether a book uses BC or BCE is not considered when selecting textbooks for classes. “We look at books that have appropriate content that supports our curriculum,” Glenn said. In Mandis’ closing argument in his editorial response, he said, “Let us not forget that the exemplary education system in the Rockwood School District is a result of the collaborative efforts of the Board of Education, Administration, Staff, Parents and Patrons. Rockwood School Board President Rao Kaza said, “School Boards are accountable to parents and taxpayers and must involve them in the decision-making process.” On Dec. 17, Mandis along with other parents, planned to present the petition at the Board meeting.

The Boxing Gym Former and current LHS students take interest in a hobby outside standard high school sports.

See page 5

justaglance Modern Family: Two step sisters share their story discussing their difﬁculties through the divorce but also during the holiday season.

See page 7 The Ugly Truth: Students and experts share interesting points of view on the behavioral differences of each gender.

See page 10

comingsoon Dec. 18 Library open until 8 p.m. 5th Hour Exam Dec. 21 Library open until 8 p.m. 1st & 2nd Hour Exams Dec. 22 3rd & 4th Hour Exams Dec. 23 6th & 7th Hour Exams Library open until 8 p.m. Dec. 24 - Jan. 3 Winter Break Jan. 3 School Resumes Jan. 13 FAFSA Workshop Jan. 15 Staff Development Day Jan. 16 Senior Portrait Deadline

Potential bond issue presented to Board of Education

Jan. 18 No School

Max Thoman / Asst. News Editor

Jan. 20 Curriculum Night

Although Proposition 3, a $74.5 million bond issue was passed by the voters in 2008, the Rockwood School District will put another before voters in the spring of 2010. A proposed package of $53.25 million was introduced to the Board of Education on Dec. 3.

Bond Issue committee member Pat McDermott said the focus of the bond issue would be SMART – safety, maintenance, additions, renovations, and technology. McDermott said technology is considered the most important, and would receive $9.5 million of the proposed bond issue. The category of “additions”

would also receive a large portion of the budget, though Lafayette will not receive any funding for expansions. However, LHS would receive stadium upgrades that would cost around $175,000. Included in the addition portion of the budget are such projects as parking lot expansions at Marquette

High School, Eureka High School and Pond Elementary, a $5 million library and classroom addition at MHS and a $4 million EHS classroom addition. Not included in the bond issue as of Dec. 3 include three controversial points: turf fields, a new gymnasium at Marquette and a new swimming pool for Eureka.

Jan. 21 Jazz Ensemble Concert STAR Meeting Jan. 22 Winter Pep Assembly

Opinion

Dec. 18, 2009

2009-2010

Image Staff Editorial Board:

Courtney McBay Managing Editor Mina Yu News Editor Max Thoman Asst. News Editor Rachel Brown Opinion Editor Kara Campbell Campus Editor Chelsea Coleman Feature Editor Adam Harris Feature Editor D.Anne Vollmayer In-Depth Editor David Adams Entertainment Editor Mia Schenone Asst. Entertainment Editor Andrew Martin Sports Editor Gian Wessel Sports Editor Jessica Zadoks Ad Manager Nancy Smith, MJE Adviser

Staff:

Teresa Avila, Kelley Bauer, Leanne Beasley, Ian Bernstein, Mary Buttram, Caleb Cavarretta, Daniel Clutter, Dominic Corvington, Christine Jackson, Katie Jardine, Maddie Johnson, Alyssa Knowling, Alicia Mestre, Alex West, Molly White

Information

The Image is published 10 times a year by the Newspaper Production Class. Subscriptions are $30. Free issues are distributed on campus. The 2008-2009 Image received a rating of First Class with two marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association.

Philosophy

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. While the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff. Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process, copyright infringement, or unwarranted invasion of privacy.

We are located in Room 213 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 Visit us on the web at: www.lafayettepublications. com

Policies

Opinions expressed on the editorial page do not reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the Image Editorial Board. Participation through letters to the editor by students, faculty and the community is encouraged. Letters must be signed but names will be withheld upon request and with the concurrence of the Editorial Board. Letters should be limited to 300 words. The Image reserves the right to reject, edit or shorten letters. Letters may be submitted in writing to Mrs. Nancy Smith in Room 213, or to any Image staff member, or via e-mail to smithnancy@ rockwood.k12.mo.us.

by Rachel Brown

Living my life like the world is ending For the record, I don’t consider myself someone who usually buys into superstitions. I’m actually not easily convinced either, but with all the hype of Dec. 21, 2012, I have to wonder if anything really does await me. According to the website www. december212012.com, “You and your family will have to be more proactive and assume more preemptive strategies for long term or even permanent survival. The world governments can not, and will not, be able to assist in your continuing well being and you will more or less be on your own.” Well, to me, surviving this thing sounds worse than losing your life in it, because who wants to be more or less on their own for the rest of their life? I’m not a pessimistic person, so good luck to those chosen ones who survive. In the bizarre event this whole “2012” thing really hits, I don’t want to die regretting things I missed out

on. I have a plan. If I keep living my life the way I am now, and the Mayans end up being right, I’d die a 20-year-old junior at Missouri State University. Great. Don’t get me wrong, I love the direction my life is headed, but if the world is going to end there are a few things I want to do before it does. First, I want to get married. I want the wedding of a lifetime in a ridiculously expensive dress, with the whole enchilada: doves, roses and a sunset. This thing’s going to be on the beach. After marriage, of course, I want to have kids. I would like to have at least one boy and one girl, mostly because if this possible tragedy will occur in exactly three years there will not be enough time to have more children. Traveling is something I haven’t done too much of in my 17 years, which is a shame. By 12.21.12 I’d really enjoy going to London and Paris.

It’s My Turn

[A Rotating Column] This Month: D.Anne Vollmayer

London seems good for me, because if I go somewhere where they speak a language I don’t know, I get insane culture shock. And, after taking three years of French, Paris’ Eiffel Tower really draws my eye. I want to spend one New Year’s Eve in New York City. And, no matter how many trips to Bush Stadium it takes, I am determined to be featured on the Cardinal’s Kiss Cam. Because my dream of being a high school math teacher will take more than three years to complete, someone needs to verify for me that this catastrophe is a sure-fire thing before I chase my back up plan--to become a Victoria’s Secret Angel. However, I believe the world’s

not going to end three Decembers from now, so this whole Victoria’s Secret Angel thing is something I know I’ll never do. But it’s fun to think about. As I sit here and think about all these things I want to accomplish before my time is up, I’m wondering to myself, why do I have to do these things only because I know the world’s going to end? I should have enough drive to be able to do these things no matter what. Everyone should fill their life, no matter the length, with their own personal ambitions. And if the world is going to end Dec. 21, 2012, you have three years. Get started.

Politics arguers fight over facts, not opinions I overhear the people around me bitterly debating whether the economy is going up or down. At dinner I listen to my family debating exactly what the health care bill says. Getting a bite to eat at Bread Co., I eavesdrop on a pair of angry soccer moms debating what occurred as a result of government bail outs. This is nothing unusual; humankind has probably been debating politics since they could first plant crops, grunt and hit each other with rocks. “Ugh. Wheel good. Move faster place to place.” “Ugh. Wheel bad. Me no like change.” However, people are no longer participating in the usual time-honored arguments. No more “I want to save the cute little furry seals because I’m a liberal,” or “You’ll have to pry my gun out of my cold dead hands because I’m a conservative.” The people around me, slowly but surely, have begun to sink into a bizarre, non-traditional, sometimes kooky style of arguments that is radical and unproductive in its approach. Strangely, for the first time in my life, those around me do not seem to be asking whether government decisions on current events are moral or amoral, agreeable or disagreeable.

Rather, people seem to be debating the very facts themselves. Politics have no longer become a matter of “right or wrong” but a matter of “true or false.” Take the health care reform for instance. People are not arguing whether they are for or against the health care bill. They are fighting over what the bill even says. All whipped up into a frenzy, people exclaim, “There will be no rationing of care! Where did you get a silly idea like that?” “I heard it on the news! It will take eight months to get a hip replacement and seven months for a liver!” “Well, I heard they are going to pull the plug on anyone in a coma to save money.” “I found out, from a reliable source mind you, that there is going to be a mass execution of grandmothers!” “That is ridiculous. This bill is going to provide quality health care for every American regardless of age or income, and it’s going to be 100 percent free!” “Wait… I thought this thing came with a $2 trillion price tag?” When I set out to write this column, I was planning to write about the health care bill, and whether it is generally a good idea or not. I went online and headed for a

Rachel Brown, Opinions Editor PDF of the Health Care Bill, HR. For a few moments, my computer was overwhelmed by the sheer 1,018 page size of the bill, before it finally popped up on my screen. As I began to read, I found myself ready to make up my mind on this issue once and for all, hungry to shed some light on the truth. Many minutes later, hundreds of indecipherable lawyer jargon phrases later, multiple cups of coffee later, 65 pages later, I gave up. The bill is a jungle of words. A nightmare woven of sentences. An illegible plan written in a cryptic alien language. No wonder people are debating the facts of the bill- it is impossible to read. Another example; the war in the Middle East. Not only can nobody seem to completely explain why we are there to begin with, but it seems that no

one is positive at what point things began to go seriously wrong. Nobody can seem to agree on the historical facts of archaic feuds and disputes, and how they can best be resolved. Perhaps worst of all, there is not a soul who can tell me what exactly the nature of the problem is. There is no agreement on even the basic facts. And don’t even get me started on global warming. There are scientists on both sides of the board screaming at the top of their lungs, “It’s getting hotter!” “It’s getting colder!” “It’s staying the same!” Can someone please shed some light on this for me? Am I going insane? Someone tell me, is it getting hotter or colder? Should I be worried about the polar bears or can I relax already? I am told that “the recession is over.” So why is unemployment still over 10 percent? I was assured real raw information and news that is “Fair and Balanced.” So why is it that no matter which news station I choose, the facts just don’t match up? I have been promised “transparency” in the Obama administration. So, why does my intuition tell me that I am being lied to?

Opinion A new level of political correctness

The Image

The Image thinks political correctness has reached a new and revolting level of popularity. Lately, a fiery debate has flamed up regarding the denotation of dates in Rockwood textbooks. While many textbooks still use BC/AD to indicate dates (Before Christ and Anno Domini), other textbook companies are beginning to specify dates using the secular system BCE/ CE (most commonly standing for Before Common Era and Common Era). This non-issue has Rockwood parents absolutely seething. Superintendent Craig Larson recently posted a short blurb on his blog regarding the different date systems used in textbooks. He writes the goal of teachers is to “help students understand the dating systems they may encounter in whatever source document they may be using.” After the posting of this relatively mild blurb, a fuming flock of parents descended upon the blog, leaving comments ranging all over the board. Some concerned their religion is being stomped out, others furious

the

Image

STAFF EDITORIAL that their standards of “political correctness” have not been met. “This is ignorant. Keep your religious beliefs in your home,” wrote one woman. Another man claimed by wiping BC/AD from textbooks, history was being “rewritten.” Meanwhile, poor Larson has written earnestly that neither date system will be eradicated from Rockwood textbooks. Rather, textbooks will be selected on the basis of how they perform as effective teaching tools. Because of how out of hand things were getting, the blog has been deleted. We feel disgusted this has blown up into such a large issue. Perhaps everyone should calm down, take a deep breath and keep in mind the understandability and quality of textbooks is more impor-

tant than the way dates are written. Outlawing either date system would effectively outlaw a huge swath of textbooks which are necessary both to Rockwood curriculum and the AP curriculum. Maybe we should all take a chill pill and realize the accuracy and the content of learning materials is more important than their level of “political correctness.” Because really, in this society obsessed with pleasing everyone and offending no one, the truth is glossed over, meaning is forgotten, what made sense is clouded over and distorted. In a society is full of suckers for political correctness, no one is tall anymore; they are vertically impelled. In a frenzy for political correctness, the blind become “Photonically Non-Receptive,” the poor “Economically Unprepared,” drug addicts “Chemically Inclined” and the dead “Metaphysically Challenged.” Trees become “Oxygen Exchange Units” and gangs become “Youth Groups.” The drunks are dubbed “Spatially Perplexed” and the obese become “People of Mass.”

Nothing is sacred or off limits in the frantic search for ever more things to make inoffensive. Never again will a bad hair day be endured. Rather, “Rebellious Follicle Syndrome” shall be suffered. There are no smelly gym socks; only “Odor Retentive Athletic Footwear.” The Image staff is sick of political correctness and tired of people forcing their beliefs on others, but we feel the BC/BCE issue is in fact, a non-issue. Does it really matter whether a year in a history textbook ends in BC or BCE, CE or AD, or even other notations like ACE or BP? Though each of these are different acronyms, both stand for the exact same date, the exact same year in our Gregorian calendar. With both systems, no matter the letters tacked on at the end, Gutenberg invented the printing press around 1440. Using either method, Shakespeare finished work on Romeo and Juliet in the year 1595. Maybe it’s time to remember a rose by any other name is just as sweet.

Think Before Speaking: Words have power I learn a lot about the students at our school just from overhearing conversations in the hallways. The most obvious of lessons is that a lot of people here aren’t very nice people. While it’s not safe to judge people based on something we’ve discovered from eavesdropping, some of the words I hear people use aren’t allowed to be said in school. I think it’s safe to say the old expression “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me” is pure shenanigans. Words have to power to break a person’s spirit and kill a perfectly good mood. Even if the UCLA study states 93 percent of communication is nonverbal is true, the other seven percent holds the majority of the power. It pains me the media allows certain words to permeate our culture. Why is it that some slurs directed at minorities are deemed okay, but others are strictly forbidden? The dictionary defines a slur as a belittling remark. Our country was founded on the pillar of equality; no minorities should ever have to feel like they are unimportant. Words like “faggot” are based

on hatred. I can’t count how many times I hear guys call each other a fag throughout the day. The word is associated with just as much hate as the “N word,” and most people don’t realize that. Also, using the words “gay” or “retarded” in place of “dumb” can be extremely offensive. Most people aren’t aware that the misuse of these words can cause so much hurt, it makes homosexuals and the mentally challenged feel like second rate citizens. I have even heard teachers use these words in a negative way, which has really shocked me. For someone who is supposed to be educating students to use berating language is disgusting and wrong. I’m sick of the tired excuse, “I was just joking with my friend; don’t be so uptight. It’s not my fault that you’re easily offended.” I am far from uptight, or easily offended, but slurs have no beneficial value to the English language. They are only used to berate and criticize. Minorities have enough to deal with. They don’t need their friends, peers and teachers using offensive language as part of their common vernacular.

It’s My Turn

[A Rotating Column] This Month: David Adams

Our language has evolved in the past few decades. Almost everyone understands that using racial slurs is wrong, but slurs directed at different religions, sexual orientation or the disabled have snuck their way into our culture. I’m calling for a simple revolution: think before you speak. I understand phrases like “that’s gay” or “that’s retarded” have been acceptable in the past, but no longer should they be tolerated. Most of today’s derogatory words are words that never had a derogatory meaning in the past. Using them in a negative manner makes it sound like you have prejudices against the people these terms describe. You never know who will take offense to these phrases; people around you may have gay or mentally challenged friends or family. Eminem has a song on his new

album with the lyrics “Sorry, Lance, Mr. Lambert, and Aiken ain’t gonna make it/They get so mad when I call them both fake, it’s…” But, Eminem mumbles over the words “fake it’s” to make it sound like “faggots.” Isn’t it about time that the 37 year old star stops using homophobic, misogynistic and violent lyrics in his songs? Let’s use our words for good, not evil. Positivity is rare throughout these halls; everybody has good in their life, let’s start discussing it. I know that tacky Hilary Duff commercial already addressed this issue, but it was addressed much too lightly. The use of slurs is an extremely major problem in our school. If you hear your students using these words, reprimand them. Most people simply aren’t educated about the power these words hold. Once the power is known, there’s a good chance it will stop.

This Month, Month, the Image asks... ?asks...

What is your favorite word?

Opinions expressed are those of the individuals interviewed, and not of the Image staff.

stars & gripes stars to:

To coincide with the opening of Lafayette’s library, the ﬁrst ever school wide art show is on display. The theme is Minimalism, displaying a wide range of petite sculptures of paintings all under a square or cubed inch. Three cheers for doll-sized art. The Oxford Dictionary word of the year is “unfriend,” as in, “I am going to unfriend that girl on Facebook.” And so the English language evolves to completely youth friendly, technology savvy levels. To all of the Bright Flighters out there, because the money you’re pulling in for a 31 on the ACT has been raised from $2,000 a year to $3,000. Also, a 30 now qualiﬁes you for $1,000 a year. Also to smart cookie Norwin Haque, who scored a perfect score on the SAT. Dangerously tasty new bagels in Lancers Landing. Check them out.

gripes to: Dec. 21 marks the shortest day of the entire calendar year. We students will all have to struggle to make the most of these diminutive hours of daylight. Those Senior T-shirts so lovingly emblazoned with white letters across the back, are breaking hearts. After only a few washes, all those names and nicknames and slogans are peeling off, leaving seniors without identity. Winter Break is crushingly, disappointingly, pathetically undersized and ﬁnals are on their way. Ho. Ho. Ho. Air conditioning across the school seems chaotic; sauna-like in some places and igloo cold in others. Many students ﬁnd themselves forced to come to school armed with a full wardrobe worn in layers that can be stripped and added back on according to the temperature. At the dawn of 2010, kids will need to be 15 and a half for a permit, and 16 and a half for a license, leaving all of those freshmen born after the new year left behind by their driving peers.

“No.”

“Shenanagins.”

“None of my favorite words are appropriate.”

“Happy.”

Lamiece Martin, 11

Keric Lickerman, 11

Kayla Milsap, 12

Officer Ollie Helbig, Staff

Obama has decided to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, as well as a hefty chunk of change. The national debt has doubled since he took ofﬁce.

Campus

Club News

VIOLATION

FCA collected toys for the Josie Foundation Toy Drive. They will deliver the toys to terminally ill children in the hospital.

Ticket Removal Strategies Car Wash

History Club met for the ﬁrst time Dec. 12 at 3:15 p.m. Sponsored by Jean Peters in Room 183, the focus is on China, local history, art and India.

NHS made 25 deliveries to the Ronald McDonald House from the Dec. 5 cookie bake. Speech and Debate ﬁnished 16th in the Parkway West and Clayton High School Debate.

On Campus Jan. 12 senior cap and gown measurements will take place in the Theater during lunch shifts. Jan. 15 the Sophomore Ring Assembly will take place from 8:40-9:31 a.m. Curriculum Night is Jan. 20 from 7-9 p.m. Sophomore ring orders are due Jan. 21 and 22 during lunch/after school or Jan. 23 from 9-noon.

Vs.

Do it Yourself

Auto Spa Way Cost- $3 or free with any wash. Process

Jewish Student Union hosted the Light Fest Dec. 6. For every student who came, $5 was donated to a needy family. JROTC hosted the Cyber Patriot II Competition on Nov. 7. This was Round I of a three-phase competition. Competitors from 200 high schools in 42 states and Japan participated to ﬁnd and correct vulnerabilities in a virtual network environment. In the Medalist (II) Round on Nov. 21, LHS lost against 37 other teams. Cyber Patriots are seniors Dylan Ashdown, Sarah Dao, James Sullivan, juniors Anthony McCormic, Alex Spradlin, sophomores Tyler Romero, Stephanie Sammons, Austin Vavra, Jacob Zerr, freshmen Drew Livingston (Team Captain), Jessica Koepke and Sam St. Clair.

Dec. 18, 2009

Auto Spa would remove the sticker with a water-based carpet cleaner to loosen the glue. Then a razor would be used to scrape off the sticker and any remains.

Time

The overall removal of the sticker takes about 3-5 min.

Tip Violators Will Be Shot, with Orange Stickers

When parking passes are improperly displayed, Parking Lot Attendant Joe Weherle issues a violation. Students who forget their parking pass will not be issued a violation if he or she informs the Junior Ofﬁce. (photo by Kara Campbell)

If students chose to remove it themselves use a straight razor blade. The sticker will come off clean and not damage the window.

The School Way

LHS recommends students use a straight razor on the window.

The Auto Cleaning Way

Use a straight edged razor directly on car window. Then use denatured alcohol to remove the residue.

The Razor-less Way

Spray the sticker with glass cleaner and let soak until color fades. Then peel or scratch off.

Parking consequences inconsistent in District Kara Campbell / Campus Editor

“Display the [parking] pass,” parking lot attendant Johnny Freeman said, “Then we have no problems.” Everyday, “We wait for all the students to arrive. Then, at about 9 a.m., we go through and start writing tickets. We make sure all the passes are up and try to keep people from parking in no parking zones,” Freeman said. Violation tickets are given when parking passes are not properly displayed or hung up, when students park in staff or visitor spots, when students park in a fire lane or curb and for unsafe or reckless driving. The most common violation is improper display of a parking pass or failure to hang it up. Parking passes for all four Rockwood High Schools are $50 per semester and $100 for a full year. Of that cost, 50 percent goes to the district account to maintain other parking lots. The other 50 percent of the money stays at the school for minimal parking lot maintenance and to purchase items that will benefit students. If a staff member violates any parking lot regulations he or she receives a sticker on the driver side window, but will not pay a fine.

Assistant Principal Tim Jones said he has gotten two violations for not putting up his parking pass. He said, “The sticker is still put on the vehicle as a friendly reminder.” Violations are a two-part ticket. Freeman said, “One part is a paper we keep that goes on records and is given to the office. The second part is the violation sticker that goes on the window.” Violations are put on the driver side window so it is easily seen and vision is not obstructed. Each violation ticket is a $5 fine that must be paid off in the main office. Assistant Principal Matt Dieckhaus said, “If a student has fines and fees, they don’t participate in dances, the graduation ceremony and things like that.” “It has never happened [where unpaid fines restrict students from the graduation ceremony],” Jones said, “But I’ve had people come and pay off violations the day money is due for graduation.” This policy provides an incentive program for students to pay off fines so they are able to participate in school activities. “We want people to pay off their fines early so they aren’t bombarded with any fines or fees at the last min-

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ute,” Dieckhaus said. On average, five to six violation tickets are given a day. Even more are given out on Mondays, because students fail to put up the parking pass from the weekend, Freeman said. Eureka also uses hang tag passes. However, EHS does not have a problem when students don’t display their parking pass. EHS senior Brock Gettemeier said, “I threw mine away the day I got it because we don’t have to display our parking pass.” Also, EHS doesn’t use violation stickers when parking regulations are violated. The matter is handled privately with the student. For example, when a student doesn’t park in his or her assigned parking spot he or she will be called into the office the next day. A $5 fee is issued for the violation, but a sticker is not put on the vehicle. Marquette also has a slightly different policy on parking passes and violations. MHS switched from a hang tag pass to a windshield cling-on permit pass 10 years ago. These passes are small and placed in the corner of the windshield, like a Six Flags parking pass. “MHS began using windshield

cling-on permits to eliminate the problem that existed with hang tags blowing off the rearview mirror and students losing their hang tags,” Assistant Principal Lisa Kaczmarczyk said. She continued, “MHS does not use violation stickers or issue fines. Parking violations are treated as insubordination after an initial warning and parent contact.” Parking violations at MHS include parking in the wrong space, not displaying the sticker and exhibiting unsafe driving habits on the lot. In comparison, at LHS about 900 to 1,080 violation tickets are handed out each year. The money collected from students is around $4,500 to $5,400 a year. “This money goes to a parking lot reserve fund so we can do things like restripe and repave. We will need to resurface within a year or two, and it takes about $40,000 to do so,” Dieckhaus said. Marquette doesn’t get the extra money LHS and EHS receives by issuing violations. However, Kaczmarzyk said, “We haven’t had a problem with this [getting money to resurface and repave the lot]. The district pays for parking lot maintenance. MHS pays only for the repainting of the parking space

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News

LHS Cheerleaders support Toys for Tots Alicia Mestre / Reporter

To brighten the holidays for less fortunate children, the cheerleaders teamed up with the well-known charity, Toys for Tots. The Cheer for Charity event was held at LHS for students, area cheer and dance squads and local dance studios to attend. “The cheerleaders started Cheer for Charity as a way to bring the squad together while giving back to our community,” Varsity Coach Amy White said. This year the cheerleading coaches also incorporates a toy drive in 1st Hour classes that occurred in the weeks leading up to the Cheer for Charity event on Dec. 12. “By incorporating the school more this year, I hope that more people will come out and support not only the LHS Cheerleaders, but essentially Toys for Tots,” White said. White said her goal for the event was to collect $500 and 500 toys with the school drive and event combined. In fact, 727 toys were collected in the

toy drive, hundreds more than White was hoping for. Math teacher Stephanie Hruby’s 1st Hour class collected 325 toys, giving them the largest amount of donated toys. Because the class won the toy drive, they will receive a doughnut party. At the event last weekend, dance and cheer teams from several schools and studios performed to show their support for Toys for Tots. Wildwood community parents, students and friends raised a total of $852.75 in admission fees. “They had a lot of little kids performing from different dance studios, and that was really cute,” varsity cheerleader Riley Rogan, junior, said. “My hope for the event is that each year we do it, we increase our collections and donations. I really hope the community can come through for Toys for Tots by showing we’re more than just awesome academics, we’re awesome individuals as well,” White said.

Santa’s Little Helpers

Dancers from Renee’s Dance Studio performed their rendition of Up on the Housetop during the Cheer for Charity event on Dec. 12. Though many school dance teams and cheerleading squads performed at the Cheer for Charity event, younger dancers also received a chance to perform. (photo by Alicia Mestre)

Regulation 1420 puts price on Rockwood facilities Alyssa Knowling / Reporter

Starting in July 2010, non-school sponsored organizations will be forced to pay fees to use school facilities, through Regulation 1420, which was approved by the Rockwood Board of Education in October. Regulation 1420 makes any organization, team or activity that is not sponsored by the school pay a fee to use the fields, gymnasiums and theaters in any Rockwood school. “These revisions were approved by the Board of Education to ensure we continue moving towards the goal of having a regulation that allows us to manage in a fair and consistent manner the facility usage for the 350+ non-district administered groups that utilize Rockwood schools and fields for approximately 11,000 activities each year,” Michael Seppi, Rockwood Department Director of Community Education, said. Outside groups that use school cafeterias, gymnasiums, fields, commons,

theaters, pools, tracks and classrooms in all elementary, middle and high schools will be charged by the hour. “There are three tiers; school-sponsored, non-profit and for-profit organizations,” Lafayette Activities Director Steven Berry explained. Each tier must pay a different amount for each facility. Both non-profit and for-profit organizations have to pay to use the facilities, but non-profit organizations do not have to pay as much for their use of the facilities. School sponsored activities do not pay money at all. The price differs for the type of facility used, the day of the week the school facility is used and where the facility is located, in an elementary, middle or high school. For example, for a non-profit organization to use a high school gymnasium on the weekend, it would cost them $30 per hour. A for-profit organization, on the other hand, would pay $100 per hour.

“The money will cover the cost of personnel required to be present during the activity, will offset a portion of the increased maintenance cost for fields/facilities due to wear and tear, offset a portion of energy needs required for usage of indoor facilities, support a portion of expenses for the Facility Usage office, including personnel expenses and facility usage software program fees and will allow for purchase or replacement of equipment used by outside groups due to wear and tear,” Seppi said. This means teams such as the Jr. Lancers (youth football) and the Lafayette boys lacrosse team will have to pay money to use Lafayette’s fields. Boys Lacrosse Coach Ren Pettinelli said, “Next year it [Regulation 1420] probably will affect the various fees. The cost to be on the team this year was $375. This mostly included costs for insurance, tournaments, travel, uniforms and officials.” “Next year the price will go up about $25,” he said.

However equipment can cost up to $300 and is up to the individual player to provide for themselves. “We have a great relationship with both Lafayette and the school district, so it is what it is and we understand that the fields cost a lot of money to upkeep, so we don’t really have a problem with it,” Pettinelli said. As a result of regulation 1420, teams who are unable to pay the price will have to find a different venue, or to cut their amount of practice time down. “If the financial part of this regulation would keep any team from using it, it would be less time for teams to hone their skills,” Berry said. The district does not expect facility usage to drop. “We do not anticipate this having a major effect on high schools. These revisions are meant to ensure we are being fair and consistent with how non-district administered groups are treated,” Seppi said.

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6 News Briefs Footloose

This winter’s musical, Footloose, will take place Feb. 11-13. The leads are as follows: Charlie Frail, junior, will be playing Ren McCormack and Ethel McCormack will be played by senior Cecilia Dorhauer. Senior Lucas Klein will take up the role of Rev. Shaw Moore and senior Grace Palazzolo will be playing Vi Moore. Ariel Moore will be played by sophomore Hannah Boxerman, Rusty will be played by senior Katie Baum and Willard Hewitt will be played by senior Jared King.

National Board Certification

Spanish teacher Brian Fish was recently honored with a National Board Certiﬁcation from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This recognition is given to “teachers who are highly accomplished educators who meet high and rigorous standards,” the National Board’s web site said. “National Board Certiﬁcation is the highest credential in the teaching profession and is achieved through a performance-based assessment that includes a rigorous year-long portfolio process,” Sue McAdamis, Director of Professional Development/Acceleration, said.

News Discovering Dough:

Dec. 18, 2009

Websites provide help in scholarship search Teresa Avila and Alex West / Reporters

At this point in the college application process, the list of possible colleges has finally been boiled down to the single digits. The essays are written and the school reports are filled out and turned in. That was the easy part. Now, many seniors will need to find scholarships and other forms of financial aid in order to actually pay for that college tuition. Loans from parents, summer jobs, starting at community college and transferring the credits and scholarships help pay the way for students college tuition. Scholarships are usually merit based, from grades, sports, or other abilities, or financial need based. For financial need based scholarships, one must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students can find many of these scholarships online, through web sites such as zinch.com and fastweb. com. By entering in their grade point average, extracurricular activities and other factors, students can find a list of scholarships that fit their interests and qualifications. There are, however, varying viewpoints concerning the helpfulness of FastWeb and Zinch. “FastWeb is great and is much better [than Zinch]. The scholarships are a lot more relevant,” senior Taylor Foley said. Foley said that she thought Zinch was unorganized. “It’s good for looking at scholarships but I haven’t actually won any money from it,” Foley said. On the other hand, senior Alex Creely felt as though Zinch was more useful than FastWeb. “I like [Zinch] better because you can fill it out once and then send it out to four or five different scholarships,” Creely said. Still, Creely has used

Taking Advantage

College Specialist Christopher Ramsay takes advantage of the scholarship ﬁnding website, FastWeb in order to further help students get into college for a decreased price. Ramsay said FastWeb is the national standard scholarship search engine. (photo by Teresa Avila)

both Zinch and FastWeb to find scholarships and pointed out both these web sites had their flaws. “Some of the [scholarships] they match me to have nothing to do with me, and I’m not even mildly eligible for them. I’ve actually found some separately within the same site that I was eligible for and that they didn’t match me up with,” Creely said. Senior Collin Bueckendorf also admitted to receiving more college information than he needed. Still, he thought Zinch was more beneficial than harmful. “I have looked through some of [the colleges who have sent me things], and it’s been helpful,” Bueckendorf said. “FastWeb is the national standard scholarship search engine. We have had several students have success with [FastWeb],” College Specialist Christopher Ramsay said.

Ramsay has only recently heard from students reporting success with Zinch. Ramsay also warns of potential annoyances and dangers from these web sites. “There’s a lot of, for lack of a better word, junk that’s going to be sent to you,” Ramsay said. “I tell students this all the time, you should never have to pay a dime to be eligible for scholarships, to be able to have access to a web site, to tell you about a scholarship, to fill out the FAFSA. Those are things I’d really be aware of,” Ramsay said. Ramsay also encouraged students to take advantage of the resources offered by the College and Career Center in room 121. “We’ve got books, DVDs and CDs and all this information is on our college web site [Family Connections] too. If students are spend-

ing time on Zinch or FastWeb, they need to be spending just as much or more on the scholarships we know about and we promote,” Ramsay said. Family Connections web site can be accessed through the College Center section of Lafayette’s website. Students can get passwords and user names from the college counselors. Students’ abilities to pay for college may be helped by recent Missouri legislation. For the second year in a row, Missouri has made the decision to freeze tuition for all of its state schools. This means the tuition cannot increase or decrease until next year. “I think [the frozen tuition] is outstanding. It makes higher education definitely a priority,” Ramsay said. “Missouri is a little bit behind other states and other schools who have had programs for a number of years where what you pay when you come in as a freshman, that’s the tuition you’re going to pay all four years. Very, very few Missouri schools do that. I’m glad we are catching up with this,” Ramsay said. “Some sort of schooling [after high school] is required, but many colleges are out-pricing students,” Ramsay said. A+ Coordinator Tonya Shipley pointed out that it is possible to pay for this tuition with the many scholarships available through Lafayette. “You have to really educate yourself; you really have to be a go-getter to see what options are out there,” Shipley said. She said, “If there’s something some students haven’t done yet, it’s that they haven’t searched and done an investigation to find these other options.” “There is no magic formula [to pay for college], it’s just work,” Gifted Education Counselor Caroline Podgornik said.

In-Depth

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Modern Family:

Rising divorce rates change the holidays for stepfamilies D.Anne Vollmayer / In-Depth Editor

The holidays are complicated enough as it is. Add in the factor of having to decide whether to spend this time with mom or dad or how to get to both is a decision children of divorce have to face. In 1979 and 1981, the divorce rate in Missouri reached its peak with 5.7 divorces for every 1,000 marriages. In 2003 it dropped to 3.9 divorces for every 1,000 people. The current divorce rate for the United States is 50 percent, but this statistic is before it gets divided up into age categories and when that is done, the number reduces. Divorce can have many different repercussions. Two types of custody that can be ruled are sole custody and joint custody, which may affect the living arrangements of the children. Two seniors, Hali Ballantyne and Taylor Fedechko, are stepsisters who have both lived through their parents’ divorces and remarriages. In 1999 Hali’s mom, Lisa, married Taylor’s dad, Ron Fedechko. Both had gotten divorced in 1997. The stepsisters live with Lisa and Ron. Hali’s dad, Richard Ballantyne, lives in Connecticut. Taylor’s mom, Shelley, lives in Florida, so the two girls hardly ever spend the holidays with those parents. Lisa and Richard only had one child, Hali. But, Richard also now has three stepchildren from his current wife, Ginnie’s, former marriage. Ron and Shelley had two daughters, Taylor and her older sister Kelsey Fedechko, who is now a junior at Mizzou. “At first we [my stepfamily] didn’t get along, but then last year we started getting along better,”

Taylor said. “My stepdad treats me a lot more like a friend than he does a parent, and my dad and I are a lot closer,” Hali said. Richard said he thinks it’s hard to say how the divorce has affected his daughter. But he also thinks because they don’t have the same day-to-day pressures of a regular parent-child relationship. They enjoy their time together much more. Ron said he knows both his daughters had a hard time with his divorce. “It was painful for the kids and they definitely had a feeling of abandonment. It made us a lot closer. I went from just being their father to being their primary care giver. We are very open in our relationship and very close, and probably would not have gotten that way if I did not get divorced initially,” he said. Taylor saw her mom this past summer, but usually sees her once every two years and talks on the phone to her about once a week. Prior to their move to Missouri, however, she would see her mom for one evening every two weeks. Hali never had a set schedule to see her dad when she lived in Connecticut. “He could see Hali any time he wanted. Some days he’d pick her up from school and others I would. We tried to keep it relaxed and flexible for her sake,” said Lisa. Richard knows there are many factors that influence the amount of time he and Hali spend together. “As she gets older and busier with her own interests in life, the time we see each other gets shorter and shorter as it naturally would,” Richard said. To celebrate the holidays this year, Hali will not be seeing her dad or her step family.

Full House

Celebrating Christmas 2008, seniors Taylor Fedechko and Hali Ballantyne, Lisa Fedechko, Ron Fedechko and Kelsey Fedechko take a family photo. “At ﬁrst we (my stepfamily) didn’t get along, but then last year we started getting along better,” Taylor said. (photo courtesy of Hali Ballantyne)

“I don’t usually see him for Christmas so it’s nothing new this year, but the only thing I am upset about is that my pregnant stepsister is due the week of finals so I can’t go see her or the baby,” Hali said. For Taylor’s winter break, she might go to Florida for a few days to see her mom, which is a rare event. “I’ve already seen her a few times this year, and I usually don’t see her every year, so if I do go spend Christmas with her, it will be a new thing,” Taylor said. These days, both girls don’t hold any sort of post-divorce resentment towards either of their parents. Hali said she doesn’t really remember the details of it due to her young age, but knows they tried to make it as easy for her as possible. “Because I was young, it was

easier to deal with,” Taylor said. Lisa said her biggest priority in the divorce was to make sure Hali felt she was not being abandoned. Hali is thankful for the newer and bigger family she wouldn’t have had if the divorce had never occurred. She has five stepsiblings and thinks if her parents wouldn’t have divorced, she would be an only child, like her mom. As far as their future is concerned, Hali and Taylor both know they don’t want to be divorcees themselves. Hali thinks that living with a potential spouse prior to the commitment of marriage can help to prevent that. “I think people just get sick of each other, if I was married I would probably get sick of them after a while,” Hali said. “I think it’s just so easy to get

a divorce these days, people just give up on each other,” Taylor said. Ron said he believes his divorce has helped teach his children that, while it’s not the easiest of things, divorce, is something that can be dealt with and can be survived. “No one gets married with the intent of getting divorced, it’s quite the opposite. Perhaps if anything, children of divorced parents might try harder to not divorce, knowing first hand how it affected them and not wanting that for their own kids,” Richard said. He added, “I think the goal of marriage should be to be the happiest person you can be and the other do the same, then they can enjoy being happy together for as long as we like.” “My family has grown a lot, and I am thankful for that,” Hali said.

Suicide hotline provides help for callers, volunteers D.Anne Vollmayer / In-Depth Editor

Taking part in volunteer work is always a satisfying experience. And for senior Michelle Steele, volunteering at Kids Under Twenty One (KUTO) started out as something to do, and has since turned into much more. KUTO is an organization that works to “help kids help themselves” by offering a tollfree suicide hotline run by teen volunteers and supervised by adult assistants, called the support staff. Since 1987, KUTO has been providing help to youth with crisis prevention, suicide intervention and post-vention support. “It’s basically this building in Brentwood. It has a couch, table and phone, and when it rings you answer it,” Steele said. Steele got involved with KUTO when her mom, an employee at Eureka High School, saw a flyer in the counselor’s of-

“

It makes me feel good that I helped this random person get through their tough time just by being there and listening.” -Michelle Steele, Senior

fice. She looked the organization up online, and got started with the application process after that. “Honestly, it really wasn’t that bad. I did have to train for two weeks, three times a week for four to five hours straight. It was kind of intense. I did it over the summer though, so it wasn’t that bad,” she said. Steele volunteers usually once a week, which is expected of most of the teens. On the weekdays, there are two shifts to choose from, a shift from 4-7 p.m. and another from

7-10 p.m. On the weekends, the shift choices are either from 4-8 p.m. or 8 p.m.-midnight. “While waiting for calls, if it’s a week night, I try to do some homework, but there’s also a television where you can watch movies and play video games. I usually get distracted and spend my whole time on the computer though,” Steele said. Steele said there’s no way to detect how many calls will come in on any given night, or the severity of the calls because each call is completely different.

“Some calls deal with people that have broken up with their boyfriends or are having fights with their best friends. Others are more serious, like a suicide call or a report of abuse. You never really know what you’re going to get when you answer that phone. One night you won’t get a single call and others it’ll seem like the calls won’t stop coming in,” she said. If Steele is on the phone and another call comes in, that second call will go on line two. From there, she works to juggle and put the person on line one on hold, while she talks to the person on line two. At that point Steele must decide which call is more important. A suicide and abuse call is always more important, but Steele still said she gets overwhelmed at times. “Basically, if time is up for your shift and your still on the phone, it’s important to treat the caller the same and finish up the

call normally. It’s more important to get to the root of the problem and finish up the call successfully,” she said. Other resources KUTO offers include providing referrals to homeless shelters, therapists and other recommendations people may need. “The hardest part of my job is when I get the really tough calls. Once I got a suicide caller that was crying on the phone and I had to somehow make her feel better. I also got an abuse caller and while I was on the phone, the abuse was happening, I had to call the police and it was really scary. It’s calls like those that make it really hard,” Steele said. “My favorite part is at the end of the call when I ask if they’re feeling better now that they’ve called, and they answer, ‘yes’,” she said. “It makes me feel good that I helped this random person get through their tough time just by being there and listening.”

Dec. 18, 2009 Feature Console Wars: Holidays bring competition

Adam Harris/Feature Editor

As the holidays are upon us once again the question arises: which gaming console will come out on top? This year has seen a lot of changes made to Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s Playstation 3 (PS3), and now they enter the race to decide which console will, not only have the highest sales, but also have the best features and games. With a strong line of games such as the Call of Duty series, most recently Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (CoD:MW2), the infamous Halo Series and the Gears of War series, Microsoft keeps the action coming with a lineup of fast paced Third and First Person Shooters (FPS) on the Xbox 360. “The obvious vital games for the 360 are Halo 3 and map packs, CoD:MW2, Castle Crashers, Borderlands, and in my utmost opinion, Tales of Vesperia,” junior Ryan Wesley said. Not only does the laundry list of hit titles impress, but the added downloadable content available at the Xbox Live Market Place along with access to Netflix, Twitter and Facebook keep the console up to date with social networking and fast paced downloads. “The competitiveness among friends keeps me coming back to the Marketplace. I can download everything from games to movies, TV shows to clothes for my avatar and backgrounds for my dashboard,” junior Marco Eshraghi said. For some, the downfall of the 360 is the added investment of paying $50 yearly for Xbox Live. Junior Jacob Lamberth said, “The 360

is a great console, but the $100 for a wire“It has the most features for the least less adapter and the monthly Xbox Live money,” Lamberth said. subscription fees make it a less than ideal Including built-in Wi-Fi, Blu-Ray Disc choice.” player and free online gaming, this console Yet for students who don’t mind the ex- eliminates the monthly payments the Xbox tra payments, the online experience is hard 360 requires. to match. “It is just now starting to get the type “People complain about having to pay of attention that the 360 has had, and the for Xbox Live, but none of the other con- new features that are being added now will soles match the put it in front of quality of Microall other consoles,” soft’s online gamLamberth said. If you’re asking for a clear ing service which In Eshragi’s has and will devel- cut winner of the console wars, opinion, “It (PS3) there isn’t one. All three are op to better their has great exclusive customer’s experigames like Haze succeeding right now, but for ence,” Eshraghi and Resistance: Fall different reasons.” said. of Man, but I think -Ryan Wesley, 10, Wesley said, it’s overpriced for Gamer “The memory these few pluses.” cards, hard drive “It appeals to all and controllers are very easy to bring over gamers, but if someone really likes highand set up with a friend’s Xbox, and if you def, the PS3 is the way to go,” Lamberth find a game that no one else likes locally, said. you can probably find friends to make over Wesley said, “The PS3 seems to be a very Xbox live.” near equivalent to the 360 right now, with “Just beware of the incredibly irritating the exception of a handful of exclusives like people that you can run into, and as long Demon’s Souls and Uncharted 2, as well as as you wait until they prove to be imma- their arcade catalog.” ture or annoying until you mute them, you Typically appealing to “casual” gamers, can find some pretty good friends,” Wesley the Wii has been cut down to its lowest said. price ever in hopes of increasing sales durWhile the 360 provides a unique online ing the holidays. gaming experience and has many popular Being the first to utilize motion censor titles, Sony’s PS3 focuses on the entertain- technology, Nintendo has created a gaming ment aspect of its most recent innovative experience that takes you off the couch and console. into the game. Competing with the Xbox 360, this con“I really enjoy the motion aspect, it resole has staple games such as Uncharted 2, ally made video games fun for me again afRatchet and Clank and even CoD:MW2. ter getting bored with them and it is very

“

sociable,” World History teacher Nicholas Tygesson said. With titles such as Rockband 2, Beatles Rockband, Wii Sports, Super Smash Bros. and Mario Cart the Wii is bringing a new face to old school and recent games alike. “As of recently, The Wii seems to be on an upturn of quality games, since New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles were released,” Wesley said. Similar to the PS3 and Xbox 360, the Wii allows users to download games with a built-in Wi-Fi connection. Bringing a more active take to gaming makes this console an innovative way to experience old Nintendo classics, as well as new releases. “I got over sitting by myself in a dark room gaming much earlier in life, and to be able to have a bunch of friends of both genders over to play together makes it much more enjoyable,” Tygesson said. Yet with its new take on gaming, this console might not be able to stack up to its opponents for a variety of reasons. “The Wii was highly popular because of its motion-sensitive Wiimote and relatively low price, but now that HDTV’s are getting more popular people may think twice before buying a console that doesn’t display in HD,” Eshraghi said. Tygesson said, “They need to make it more compatible with HDTV’s, give it a larger hard drive and improve the consistency of the remotes.” With these three consoles neck and neck towards the start of the holiday season, it is up to the gamers themselves to decide who will come out on top.

The Image

Feature

In Town for the Holidays:

Area offers activities for those stuck home The bell at 12:26 p.m. on Dec. 23 kicks off the holiday season, and students will be scrambling out to get a head start on fun over the break. But what happens after the hot chocolate and shopping? Instead of â&#x20AC;&#x153;hanging outâ&#x20AC;? for the third consecutive night in a row after repetitive â&#x20AC;&#x153;what do you want to do?â&#x20AC;? texts, discover some holiday inspired activities around St. Louis. From light displays in downtown St. Louis, to ice skating in Old St. Charles, staying in town for the holidays may prove to be not-so-boring after all. Kelley Bauer/Reporter

Dickens Dinner Theater The Lemp Mansion is presenting a Christmas themed murder mystery for just under $50 per person. Along with the entertainment, the dinner includes a main course, drinks and a dessert. Reserve either a private or public party at 314-664-8024 through Jan. 2, 2010.

Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magical Kingdom For a nearby light display, drive to Jellystone Park next to Six Flags. Open during Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve, Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Magical Kingdom uses over a million lights to illustrate holiday scenes such as Elfland, Candyland and Toy Land The display costs $18 per vehicle or $12 per person on train to drive through 35 acres of scenery.

First Night St. Louis For New Years Eve, bring some friends to the annual First Night at Grand Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The event is very family oriented, but we have a lot of teens show up during the later hours,â&#x20AC;? event manager, Rachel Beatty, said. From R&B to flamenco, First Night includes performances from 23 different music groups beginning at 6 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The finalist group from Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got Talent, Cadence, will be performing,â&#x20AC;? Beatty said. Also, two firework displays will be shown to welcome the New Year. Beatty described what makes the event so unique. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a performing arts event first and foremost. We draw in a lot of art and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an alcohol-free event, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very community oriented and very valuable to families.â&#x20AC;?

City Garden In the heart of downtown St. Louis, festive holiday lighting will decorate the trees and some of the sculptures at the contemporary art inspired garden. Every evening, holiday movies will be played on the video screen while visitors are welcome to refreshments.

Tilles Park 24th Annual Winter Wonderland Another alternative drive-thru light show, Ladueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tilles Park runs their display of 200 to 300 lit trees, along with other wintery scenes through Jan. 3, 2010. Admission is $9 per car, except on Saturdays when the park exclusively features carriage rides starting at $60 per group. Reserve carriage rides through Metrotix.

Hidden Valley The skiing and snowboarding resort is open at 9 a.m daily through December. Season passes are $450 for individuals and $1,350 for family of four passes. A midnight session begins tonight, starting at 10 p.m till 3 a.m. Another late opening will take place on Christmas Day. Starting at 6 p.m through 3 a.m.Visit during New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve for a special firework display at midnight to ring in 2010, and enjoy an extended session from 9 a.m till 3 a.m on New Years Day.

St. Charles Christmas Tradition About 35 minutes from West County, South Main Street in Old St. Charles offers visitors holiday history and culture. â&#x20AC;&#x153;South Main Street St. Charles is the only location I know of where every building is decorated by handmade velvet bows and fresh greenery,â&#x20AC;? Art Director of Christmas Traditions, Liana Kopchak said. With a cast of over 45 actors straight out of a Christmas Carol, spectators can enjoy an old fashioned Christmas, roasting chestnuts and skating at the Holiday Skating Rink for free. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Visitors to St. Charles enjoy events like Christmas Traditions because it is interactive in a beautiful setting,â&#x20AC;? Kopchak said. Junior Sydney Becker said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;My friend and I made it a tradition during Christmas. We eat at the brewery and ride the horse and buggy.â&#x20AC;?

St. Louis Zoo Every weekend through the end of December, The Zoo will light up scenes of gingerbread houses and penguin parades at $5 per person.

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Feature

Dec. 18, 2009

Going Behind Enemy Lines

You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them. In 1992, John Gray published Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus which examined the differences between men and women. The Image decided to put his theories to the test and asked students and staff the question, “What do you not understand about the opposite sex?” Here are the answers and some expert interpretations as to why genders form certain habits. Maddie Johnson and Mary Buttram / Reporters

FAQ: Both Points of View - Your Questions Answered Q: Why are boys so oblivious?

A: It’s like poetry. You don’t want to read into poetry; you don’t want to interpret anything, you just want it to be straight forward. –Matt Bramon, senior A: We think literally. We’re not mind readers; you’ve got to tell us how you feel. We go from point A to B. Girls go from A to Z to F to G. We just say what we mean. –Khalfani Mar’Na, junior

Q: Why do boys hide their emotions?

A: Because they like to act like they’re always in control of the situation and then their bottled up emotions all come out at one time and it never turns out well. –Anthony Meldrum, senior

Q: Why do guys have such an ego/ alpha male complex?

A: It’s because of the media. It’s what we’ve grown up with, the idea that girls want a tough guy, etcetera. –Matt Bramon, senior

Q: Why do boys always shake hands and then hug?

A: It’s like a pat on the back and a high five at the same time. –Matt Bramon, senior A: We try to be sophisticated. Brothers don’t shake hands, brothers gotta hug! –Matt Martin, senior

Q: Why do boys cheat?

A: They don’t know how to say no. –Ryan O’Reilly, senior A: They’re either tired of who they’re with now, or they want a new girl. –Ryan Ellis, senior

Q: Why do guys act like it’s the end of the world when they’re sick? A: Because they’re so used to being physical and athletic all the time so when their bodies are shut down, they kind of feel like they don’t have anything to offer like they’re unable to do what they normally do. -Mark McCallister, Industiral TechTeacher

Q: Why are girls so pushy?

A: They like the details and we just like to have an idea about everything. –Elle Kiely, senior A: Because girls want commitment and guys don’t want to do that. –Liz Desloge, senior

Q: Why do girls dress provocatively and then get mad when guys stare at them?

Q: Why do girls go to the bathroom in pairs?

A: Girls talk about the guys and how the night is going in the bathroom. –Liz Desloge, senior A: Either we have something to talk about that they’re not allowed to hear or we just want the company. –Brittany Parson, senior

Q: Why do girls cheat?

A: Some girls just want attention. The guys are giving it to them, and they want to be secretly noticed. –Liz Desloge, senior A: They want to be noticed, but not in the wrong way. –Anne Park, senior

A: They’re emotionally starved and want attention. –Kayla Thawnghmung, senior A: Because they’ve been hurt so many times that they don’t want to get hurt again. –Lexie Stellern, junior

Q: Why do girls have to plan everything?

Q: Why does it take so long for girls to get ready?

A: We like to know what is going on. –Elle Kiely, senior A: Girls have a level of maturity boys will never understand. –Brittany Parson, senior

A: Because when we look good, we feel good about ourselves. Also, I have a cowlick and I try really hard to make it lay flat. -Megan Hasenmueller, senior

Experts give insight, shed light on the ‘Ugly Truth’ The way the male and female brains work impacts how the sexes relate to one another. Attitudes, behaviors and thought processes differ in boys and girls, largely because of a structure in the brain called the corpus callosum. Human Anatomy and Physiology teacher AnnMarie Gilman said the corpus callosum “is a neural network that connects the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex.” Simply put, “Guys have fewer connections that bring both sides of the brain working together at the same time. That’s what causes or allows multi-tasking,” Gil-

man said. It is for this reason boys are much more goal-oriented. They take things one at a time. Girls, on the other hand, are more focused on details. Subtleties are much more recognizable to their brains, she added. According to Dr. Nancy Snyderman, host of the ABC News Special The Brain Game: What’s Sex Got to do with it? the female corpus callosum is much larger than that of a male. “This allows them to process the information more effectively. They can absorb and analyze information from the environment simultaneously,” Snyderman said.

So what does this mean for typical guygirl relationships? Girls often think guys are oblivious to the female point of view. Guys view girls as overdramatic and overly analytical. Because of the way their brains work, men don’t pick up on small, emotional clues that women emit, as they are too focused on the task at hand. Women are often frustrated at men’s lesser rate of multi-tasking. It is perceived as ignorance. “[Men] don’t realize that relationships involve other human beings with emotions and feelings…and they instead treat other people as if they were machines,” Dr. Sa-

toshi Kanazawa, Ph.D., a psychologist at London School of Economics, said. “Similarly, women often talk to their cars and copy machines, as if they had minds and feelings. They don’t realize that [the cars and copy machines] have no feelings or emotions; they have no “minds” they can read,” Kanazawa said. Experts agree a better understanding of the opposite sex’s brain can be acquired through adaptation. Women and men must adapt to one another’s tendencies. So maybe relationships aren’t about love at first sight. The perfect equation requires 10 percent connection and attraction, but 90 percent brain chemistry.

Feature

The Image

Mind Over Matter:

Student learns to cope with life-altering tumor

Molly White/ Reporter

The Van Allen family considers themselves lucky, blessed and even “sunshiny” people. This says a lot considering they have experienced more pain than most as their only daughter, senior Jen Van Allen, was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was just 10 years old. It began in October of 2002. Her mother, Linda Van Allen, noticed Jen was having trouble reading at the beginning of 5th grade. After a few tests, several checkups and a MRI, doctors from Children’s Hospital explained Jen would need surgery to remove a brain tumor. And that was just the beginning of a long and life-altering battle against craniopharyngioma. “I have had seven surgeries in total relating to my brain tumor,” Jen said. “We were stunned and shocked–all the words that can be used to describe disbelief and the pain and agony that a parent goes through when their child is suffering,” Van Allen said. “The surgery was performed the very next day, and a portion of her skull about the size of a golf ball was removed to allow a ‘drain’ to be placed in to the tumor and the fluid drained out,” Van Allen said. The doctors hoped this would relieve the pressure compressing her left and right optic nerves and would keep her from going blind. Around this time Jen figured it would be a good idea to learn Braille in case the next surgery was not a success. “I learned Braille because at the time of my first surgery there

was a very good chance that I would go blind because I only had 20 percent of my vision left,” Jen said. “Unfortunately, two weeks later the tumor was bigger than ever and it was decided that she would have P-32 radiation injected into the tumor to try and kill it,” Van Allen explained. Three months later the tumor finally started to shrink. However, it was now necessary to address the damaged pituitary gland. Van Allen said, “She had stopped growing [from the damaged pituitary], so daily, for the next three years, she was given HGH injections at home. She grew 13 inches in those three years.” This sudden growth spurt resulted in foot drop. “[Foot drop] is when you can’t pick your foot up and you can’t point it upward,” Jen explained. In 2007, Jen had surgery on both her right and left legs to fix this problem. “In February of 2007, the ophthalmologist decided that the nerve in her left eye had lost enough elasticity of the muscle, causing her left eye to ‘float’ off her face,” Van Allen said. This surgery was the most painful for Jen as the doctors had to tighten her eye muscle. In January 2009, everything had appeared to improve. Jen’s tumor had shrunk, she was growing, her foot drop was gone and her left eye was back in place. But at her six month checkup in July, the MRI said otherwise. “The tumor (after all this time) had ‘come to life’ and was growing and beginning to take the remaining vision of her right eye,”

“My friends and family have been there for me but I haven’t really needed that much support. I just live with it and deal with it. It’s just a part of my life now.” - Jen Van Allen, 12

Van Allen said. Desperate to save what was left of Jen’s vision, the doctor’s made a much more invasive procedure. “They would cut her from ear to ear and peel back her forehead and try to remove the tumor. Ninety-seven stitches later, and five days in ICU in the hospital, she came home,” Van Allen explained. Along with the surgeries, Jen still has medicine she has to take. “I have to take medicine every day because I have a weakened immune system; I no longer have a pituitary gland or a functioning thyroid or an adrenal gland,” Jen said. Jen also receives some special accommodations at school. “She is to receive extended testing time, no scantrons, class notes are copied for her by her teachers, she has textbooks at home if necessary and we are able to order her books on tape,” Van Allen said. The doctors are also worried about Jen getting hit in the head, and have thus prohibited her from participating in some physi-

cal activities and sports. Van Allen said, “Jen would love to have competed in basketball and volleyball.” She continued, “But the fear of her being hit in the head by a ball, on accident, is a risk not worth taking.” This also excluded the Powder Puff football game. “I couldn’t play in Powder Puff. I was mad, but there was nothing I could do about it so I just went to the game,” Jen said. Throughout this ordeal, Jen still wants to be treated the same as everyone else. “My friends and family have been there for me but I haven’t really needed that much support. I just live with it and deal with it. It’s just a part of my life now,” Jen said. Van Allen said Jen acts just like all the other girls her age, and no one would guess that she had a tumor. “She is goofy, an inspiration to those who really know her and a pain to her brothers. She is much like most kids,” Van Allen said.

Jen also always tries to stay positive during this situation. Van Allen said, “[Jen] has not been a whiney, weepy, feel-sorryfor-herself girl. That in and of itself is amazing and a real indicator of the strength and courage she has.” Van Allen also tries to keep a good outlook on her daughter’s situation. “Through it all- ask [Jen] and she will tell you- ‘The sun will come up!’ That’s what you have to believe,” she said. The Van Allens know a positive attitude, along with patience, is key in coping with a brain tumor. Van Allen said, “You see, you have choices. You can choose to stay where you are and dwell on the negative and not move forward,” She continued, “Or you can say, ‘Hey this sucks but we have another day, so lets go, lets see what the next day has to offer.’ And that is what we as a family do. Move forward.”

Sports

Learning Curve

Dec. 18, 2009

Sophomores learn on the fly as Lancers try to rebound from 2-4 start Gian Wessel / Sports Editor

With a 2-4 record through six games, the Lancers will look to jump start their season in Conference play starting tonight at Northwest (2-2). The team will then look to prove itself against top competition in the Meramec Holiday Tournament, which starts Dec. 26. “Conference [play] is the first real competition of the year. Every game is a big game and there is not much room for error,” senior Matt Fercho said. Entering the season, the Lancers faced the challenge of continuing the winning tradition of recent years. With senior Michael Messer being the only returning starter, the pressure has been put on sophomores Nick Messer and Joel Pennington to open things up for the team’s most accomplished player. “We’re still getting a feel for playing as a team. [More players] need to step up so everyone can get shots and the other teams can’t key in on one player,” Michael Messer said. Both players have emerged as consistent scoring threats, averaging 10 and 7.3 points per game respectively. Pennington has taken on the team’s point guard responsibilities with ease, averaging nearly four assists per game. “The speed of the game is a lot faster and also more physical. It’s been good to play with guys that share the ball and I feel like one of my strengths is getting the ball to open teammates,” Pennington said. As for Nick Messer, the experience from

playing varsity last year has allowed him to take a leadership role even as a sophomore. “I feel more comfortable and I am being more aggressive. [The experience] gives you more confidence so I can be one of the leaders,” Nick said. After two straight wins in the Pattonville Tournament, the Lancers appeared to be in position for a possible surprise championship. However, a loss to Chaminade and then to CBC in the third-place game ended such hopes. While the fourth place finish didn’t provide the early momentum he was looking for, Coach Scott Allen was impressed with the team’s performance. “We were definitely tested. I was very happy with how we responded. It’s still early but I like the make up of our team,” Allen said. After two seasons of being the team’s third option, Michael Messer has taken advantage of the opportunity to control the offense. As expected, he has leading the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game. With the increased exposure, he recently accepted a scholarship to SIU-Edwardsville. “Mike has been a wonderful studentathlete. He has done things the right way and is being rewarded for his hard work with this scholarship,” Allen said. It is still early in the season, but the Lancers will have to learn from recent losses to Eureka and Marion. “It’s a process. Once we get to know each other’s strengths and play together on the floor we’ll be fine. We’ll get there,” Allen said.

High Percentage Shot

Driving baseline, senior Michael Messer shoots for a lay-up in the Dec. 8 loss to Eureka. As of Dec. 11, Messer lead the Suburban West in scoring with an average of 21.4 points per game. (photo by Gian Wessel)

Sports

The Image

Parkway South Tourney shows early signs of success Ian Bernstein / Reporter

Coach Scott Sissom said the Parkway South Tournament would show the Lancer wrestling team what they were made of. With their first place finish, the team is definitely made of something substantial. Their crushing 72-3 victory over Oakville on Dec. 2, and first place finish in the Parkway South Tournament Dec. 4-5 have proven that the Lancers are a serious contender. Eleven out of fourteen wrestlers were sent to the finals. The team’s seven State returning qualifiers—seniors Kyle Black, Chris Cooper, Dan Droege, Andy Early, Vince Farinella, junior Danny Wrocklage and sophomore Ryan Jones—all played a role in the wins. “Last year we became competitive in the St. Louis area. This year we will hope to be in State,” Sissom finally added. Senior Andy Early missed last season due to a knee injury, but is making a strong comeback as a contender for State. Another notable wrestler is freshman Nick Olejnick, who placed first in his weight class at Parkway South. A key to success in the wins is the team’s high level of fitness. “The team is in really good shape. We focused a lot on conditioning, but now we will start more on technique,” Sissom said. While strenuous, the team performs

conditioning techniques like shark bait, where a wrestler will stand in the middle, while two others try to take him down. “[Conditioning] definitely pays off in the third period when the other guy is out of breath, but you feel fine. It gives the team a huge advantage,” junior Kyle Black said. One of the most difficult parts of the sport is cutting or gaining weight. If the wrestler doesn’t make his weight class, he won’t compete. “Kids natural body weight can fluctuate five to six pounds. We just have to teach them to be aware on what to consume,” Sissom further added. When it comes down to match day, the calories of the food are less important; instead its the actual weight of the food. With a strong work ethic and mixture of young and veteran talent, the Lancers are shaping up to be a challenging team. They showed their strength in the win over Northwest House Springs snapping the Lions’ 61 meet home winning streak. The meet came to the final two matches leaving seniors Nathan Perry and Ben Westfall to finish the job. They did their duty as the Lancers defeated Northwest 30-24. “I did not want to be the one to cost the team the win. During the last moments I knew I had to step it up and finish it out,” Westfall said.

Sizing Up The Opponent

Right before the match sophomore Ryan Jones stares down his opponent. Jones defeated the Nothwest foe 7-4 on route to ending Northwest House Springs 61 game home winning streak 30-24. (Photo by Daniel Clutter)

Extra effort provides the Lancers with an undefeated start Christine Jackson / Reporter

The Lady Lancer swimming and diving team worked hard for the last month in preparation for the first meet against Parkway West on Dec. 8. “Most of varsity swims all year long,” sophomore Hannah Chobanian said, “and we’ve been doing even harder practices than ever before.” The team put in the extra effort needed to prepare, coming in before and after school and on weekends. “We’ve been training after school every day and on weekends to improve our strength, speed and endurance,” sophomore Nicole Hoog said.

The team beat the Lady Longhorns 113-59 last year and hoped to repeat that success which they did with a 128-54 win despite the chaos of the meet. “Our suits may not come for a while, not until the end of December. It’s been a really chaotic first week,” Hoog said. Still, the meet was a great start as the team’s scores continue to reflect their work over the last month. “We got five individual State cuts and two relay State cuts,” Head Coach Todd Gabel said. “I think we’re happy with how we did. We did everything we needed to do to get our first win and hope they’ll be more to come,” junior Taylor Paskoff said.

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Paskoff, who placed in the top three in the100 butterfly and 100 freestyle last season, was prepared for anything during this meet. “We knew Parkway West lost one or two people last year,” Paskoff said. “We knew we had a strong team to beat them but didn’t know what to expect.” Gabel also felt the pressure of a new season with new talent. The biggest challenge: making sure each girl is in the right event. “It’s like chess. You have to make sure everyone is in the right place in order to win the meet,” he said. The team ended the opening week of meets with the Marquette Relays. The team won the Marquette Relays last

season with a score of 280, placing first in the 600, 400, and 200 medleys, 400 free, and 300 back relays. The Lady Lancers won the Relays for the second year in a row, taking first in seven of nine relays. The 400 relay team finished first in State last year and all those swimmers have returned back to repeat that victory. As for the rest of the season, “We just have to stay focused and think about what we need to do as far as goals for Conference and State and stay focused on the meets ahead,” Paskoff said. The Lady Lancers hope to continue their success at home on Jan. 6 against Holt High School.

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Sports

Dec. 18, 2009

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee The Boxing Gym provides athletes with new, high intensity workout Dan Clutter / Reporter

School sports are not for everyone. So, often students find alternative methods to stay active and participate in some kind of sport. For some, that sport is boxing. “I started boxing when I was younger because I couldn’t skate anymore. I kept breaking bones, so I found a new adrenaline rush,” trainer and fighter at The Boxing Gym Brandon Berkel said. Junior Nick Taphorn was drawn into the boxing world by his older brother Tanner Taphorn. “Tanner always talked about these classes and showed me little things at home that got me interested,” Nick said. He added that the classes have helped him get into better shape and have more energy overall. Tanner said boxing was something he has always wanted to do and finally got a chance when he started training at The Boxing Gym. “Boxing has helped me a lot physically,” Tanner said. “I’m in a lot better shape and it has helped a lot with my focus and determination with a goal.” Tanner said he is not bothered by the risks that come with a high contact sport. “There’s always a little bit of, I wouldn’t say fear, but you’re definitely more cautious,” Tanner said. “But there’s risk with everything you do, even walking to your car, but you just have to get over it.” “Most of our students are here partici-

pate in the conditioning classes to either stay conditioned in the off-season of their sport, get into shape, learn to defend themselves, want to box, or learn a UFC-style of jiu-jitsu,” trainer and co-manager David Ingamells said. Ingamells has been a part of The Boxing Gym team for a little over two years and worked at the Ballwin, Central West End and South County locations. “All kinds of kids come in to train. Some come to get a good work out and others come because they are getting bullied and want to be able to defend themselves,” Berkel said. Ingamells said the staff at The Boxing Gym includes professional instructors from a variety of fighting styles. “It is a great joy to see the transformation from a kid learning to box, getting into shape, and walking with their heads held high,” Ingamells said. One boxer has taken training to the next level. Junior CeJay Young is ranked number one in the junior middleweight class in Missouri and number six in the country. Young also has four junior middleweight titles under his belt and a record of 45-3. He uses a very intense training regiment to keep him solid for fights. “I have to run three miles and do 100 push-ups, 50 sit-ups and 20 dips. Then I jump rope for 15 minutes then I spar or train with the sway bag or punching bag or I do defense exercises. Then for a cool

Blood, Sweat and Tears

(Above) Nick and Tanner Taphorn train with medicine balls at The Boxing Gym. Nick became interested in boxing through his brother. (Left) Trainer Brandon Berkel spars at The Boxing Gym. (photo by Dan Clutter)

down I take two sets of 30 punches to the gut to get my body ready for punches to the kidney,” Young said. Young knows there is also mental preparation involved with boxing and said he learns as much as he can about his opponent to develop a game plan. “When I’m training I think about the person I’m going to fight,” said Young. “I just get a tape of him boxing and see how fast his punches fly so I can see how hard I have to work to win the fight.” Whether it’s training for a title shot or just keeping in shape, boxing provides an alternative for students not involved with school sports.

“I think it benefits high school kids because members will learn how to protect themselves; therefore, giving them the confidence needed to stand up for what the believe in,” Ingamells said.

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The Image

Winter Sports Calendar Boys Basketball -Dec. 18 @ Northwest 7 p.m. -Jan. 5 vs. Oakville 7 p.m. -Jan. 8 vs. Kirkwood 7 p.m. -Jan. 9 @ Highland 8 p.m. -Jan. 15 @ SLUH 7 p.m -Jan. 18 @ Hickman 6:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball

-Jan. 5 vs. Seckman 5:30 p.m. -Jan. 8 vs. Kirkwood 7 p.m. -Jan. 9 @ Fort Zumwalt W. 5 p.m. -Jan. 11 @ Oakville 7 p.m. -Jan. 13 @ Parkway West 7 p.m. -Jan. 15 vs. Parkway South 7 p.m. -Jan.19 @ Eureka 7 p.m.

Wrestling

-Jan. 6. @ Parkway South 6:30 p.m. -Jan. 19 vs. Howell 6 p.m. -Jan. 21 @ Fox 6 p.m.

Girls Swimming

-Jan. 6 vs. Holt 6:15 p.m. -Jan. 7 vs. Lindbergh 4:15 p.m. -Jan. 12 vs. Webster 4 p.m. -Jan. 22 vs. Parkway South 4:15 p.m.

Sports

The new youth movement

Young talent fuels fresh start, with 3-1 record Dominic Corvington / Reporter

The Lady Lancers are on the verge of another strong season as a third place finish in their preseason tournament has set them in a winning direction. The team defeated Webster Groves in the first round of the competition before falling to Nerinx Hall. However, they rebounded with a win over Francis Howell North to earn their top three finish. Still, what separates this team from the many others is its strong reliance on underclassmen and the team has made the transition of being huge during the past eight years to becoming a small squad. With only one returning senior from last year’s lineup, a new group of freshmen and sophomore players are making their way to the varsity level. “A lot of the seniors graduated, but the team we have is close and we have a lot of fun,” sophomore guard Jordynn Martin said. Martin has emerged as a definite scoring threat, going seven of nine from the field with 22 points in the team’s season opener. With an average of 17.8 points per game, Martin is second in the Suburban West in scoring. Fellow sophomore Kayla Hall has also made an impact by providing the Lady Lancers with an additional 6.8 points per game. “There are several newcomers that will also make an impact. I think you’ll see that from game to game different kids will step up,” Head Coach Jennifer Porter said. Both Martin and Hall are returning starters whose leadership has played an important role in helping their freshmen teammates and other new players adjust to the varsity level. “I know where they’re at, it’s nice being able to be there for them,” Martin said. Regardless of having a younger group of players, the pace of each practice is one of the few factors about this year’s team that has yet to change. “I don’t think it changed that much,” Hall said. “Our practice is a lot different than last year but the tempo is still the same.” The Lady Lancers are also holding plans to continue their success and keep hopes of a Conference championship alive, despite having to face tough opponents such as Rock Bridge, Hazelwood Central, and Fort Zumwalt West along the way. “Though we are young, we are fundamentally sound. While we will try to play fast, we will play smart and play together. It should be fun to

Flow Of The Game

In transition, sophomore Jordynn Matin runs the floor against Parkway North. Martin’s 17.8 scoring average is good for second in the Suburban West. The focus of the team is on Martin and sophomore Kayla Hall. Both combine for 24 of the teams 44 points per game. (photo by Dominic Corvington).

watch,” Porter said. As of Dec. 14, the team holds a record of 3-1, with opportunities to improve during back -toback games that were held this week prior top press time against Columbia-Rock Bridge and Northwest. Over the break, the Lady Lancers will compete

in the 35th Annual Visitation Holiuday Tournament where they are seeded 9th among the 16 participating teams. The first round takes place Dec. 18-21. After a break for Christmas, games tip-off again on Dec. 26 with the championship game slated for Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Some parents push boundaries in sports “Run! Keep going! Come on, you’re embarrassing me!” No, that is not the head coach. It is the stressed out parent on the sideline. In today’s sports, parents cannot get enough on how their kid is performing. Parents want them to be the best when sometimes all they need is a little comforting. A “good job” can go a long way in sports. The key phrase is constructive criticism; by definition the word means comments serving to improve or advance providing helpful critical judgment expressed with knowledge. When your kid makes a bad play, instead of yelling and making them look like an idiot, parents should be a secondary coach and give them tips after the game. At my sister’s 11 and under select volleyball game last year, one of her teammates was having a poor game. Her dad couldn’t take it; he was yelling and screaming for her to stay relaxed, but in reality the yelling made her more stressed. Halfway through the third game the parent had enough and took his kid off the bench and sent her home.

baseball and this is when I noticed parents crossing the line. I was umping an 8U league and they used pitching machines so the kids had a better opportunity to hit the ball. The whole game I was calling strikes on every pitch. It was a pitching machine--it only throws strikes. When the game was reaching it’s end, I had to call another strike because the kid was not swinging his bat. When I called the strike a parent from the stands jumped out of his seat and about blew his lid about how my strike zone is horrible. It was a pitching machine, it only throws strikes. How am I supposed to call it? The angry parent got so upset that I had to throw him out for unsportsmanlike like conduct in an eight and under youth baseball game. At this age the kids are trying to learn the tools to be successful, not be like Albert Pujols and hit home runs.

Andrew Martin / Co-Sports Editor

She could not tolerate her apparently making a fool of herself, but all she was doing was trying her best. Parents also need to realize that they are not the coach. If they wanted to be a coach they could have signed up before the league began instead of standing on the top bleachers calling out orders to the kids. If anything it gives the kids wrong directions of who they should listen to. Coaches are the number one authority during the games and practices, if they signed up that usually means they know what they are doing. I used to umpire little league

Kids are starting sports earlier and earlier, and parents feel the need to mold them into a super star. Sports at such a young age are to get the kid out in the world and meet new people, not to be the perfect athlete. When parents have a problem they shouldn’t express it angrily, screaming to the umpire or to their son or daughter. They should calmly talk to the coach after the game and give them tips on how they should handle the situation or player better. Yelling and screaming just piles on stress to the player. Hearing this dissatisfaction, players might feel they are not even good enough to impress their own parents. Coaches understand the game and will help mold your son/daughter into not just a good player, but a better player off the field. It is not just all about the wins and losses; it is about the experiences and how to trust and deal with other people. So if you see something you don’t like, take a deep breath and remember; we are just kids, we all make mistakes.

nfotainmen

Dec. 18, 2009

Head of the Class

thingstodo SmartReleases phones: Film Dec. 18 Avatar By The Did You Hear About Morgans? Numbers The Me & Orson Welles

The Evolution of Smartphones

Before the era of Smartphones, the original BlackBerry 850 was used as a PDA, but also had e-mail access. BlackBerrys today have the orginal features of the 850, but with a phone and PC capabilities.

New technology seems to be deciding factor for student phone purchases

U Katie Jardine / Reporter

ntil recently, the trend was always to have the tiniest, most compact cell phone available. But times have changed, and so has the market. Now, owning a hand-held computer seems to be all the rage. Before gadgets with PC-like capabilities even existed, the choice was simple: cell phone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Where a cell phone was used strictly for making calls, and little else. PDA’s were meant to be organizers, creating todo lists and keeping a library of personal contacts. Somewhere down the road, the two morphed together, gaining features similar to that of a computer, like messaging and e-mailing, wireless internet access and mp3 playing. These devices have become what are commonly known as “Smartphones.” Research In Motion (RIM) introduced the idea of Smartphones to America in 1998, with the BlackBerry 850. This device, with a mere memory ca-

pacity of four megabytes, was the first of its kind to successfully provide mobile internet and connection to corporate email. Although the first BlackBerry didn’t make calls, its convenience quickly made it a must-have for all businesspersons in the workforce. But Smartphones are no longer designed just for the chronic workaholics. With thousands of downloadable applications and access to Facebook at the touch of a finger, these Smartphones have engrossed a hefty fan base of youth and young adults as well. Web sites are flooded with applications geared toward this generation, and it’s not uncommon to come across things like the Beer Pong app. Appealing now to a much larger spectrum of customers, Smartphones are booming the industry. By May, the NPD Group reported that Smartphones had already made up some 23 percent of all cell phone sales this year. A local Verizon store reported that, in sales for the month of November alone, roughly 38 percent were Smartphones, and an AT&T retailer had similar November sales, with 35 percent Smartphones.

What tends to make Smartphones uniquely expensive is the data package. Most require the monthly purchase of that phone’s data plan, which will provide internet accessibility. While the monthly plan can be made affordable with different options, the price of the data package generally remains stable, and can sometimes come close to doubling the monthly payment. Senior Leah Bartmess, proud owner of a new iPhone, is still hesitant about her phone’s price tag. “I’m not one of those kids who will really want something and just get it. This is my only Christmas present,” Bartmess said. “But I definitely still feel spoiled.” Bartmess said her monthly phone bill of $90, in addition to the initial $299 for the phone itself, is steep, but reasonable. “If you think about it,” Bartmess said, “iPods are, what, $200-300? And a reliable phone will be, on average, like, $100. Then, on top of all that, I get a computer? I feel like it’s paying itself off.” The debate on how much money is too much for a Smartphone will never be settled. But one thing is for certain: Smartphones will no longer be solely on the wish lists of the tech-savvy.

iPhone (AT&T) Touch screen 16 GB/32 GB memory. Cost to open 2 year contract: $199.99 ($299.99/32 GB) Monthly payment: $149.99

Dec. 25 Alvin & The Chipmunks 2 It’s Complicated Sherlock Holmes The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus Nine The Lovely Bones Jan. 1 Case 39 Jan. 8 Daybreakers Leap Year Youth In Revolt Jan. 15 Book of Eli Hoodwinked 2: Hood Vs. Evil The Spy Next Door

Concerts

Palm Pre (Sprint) Touch screen (slideout keyboard)8 GB memory. Cost to open 2 year contract: $149.99 Monthly payment: $99.99

Droid (Verizon) Touch screen (slideout keyboard) 16 GB memory. Cost to open 2 year contract: $199.99 Monthly payment: $149.99 *Prices do not take into consideration family plans or other discounts and reflect the unlimited texting/ talk plans.

Jan. 7 Lady GaGa w/ Kid Cudi @ the Fox Jan. 19 Nick Jonas & The Administration @ the Pageant Jan. 23 Owl City @ the Pageant

Performing Arts

Dec. 15-27 Irving Berlin’s White Christmas @ the Fox Jan. 1-3 Chicago @ the Fox Jan. 12-24 Grease @ the Fox Jan. 6-31 The 39 Steps @ the Rep

Album Releases Dec. 22 Mary J. BligeStronger Jan. 12 Vampire WeekendContra Ok Go- Of the Blue Colour of the Sky

Gifts of the Month David Adams gives his top gift choices for this holiday season

Glee: Season 1, Volume 1The Road to Sectionals The first 13 episodes of the smash show are being released on Dec. 29. Make sure to buy the most entertaining TV show in years, due to its great music, memorable characters and outlandish plotlines.

Adam LambertFor Your Entertainment The American Idol runner up shows Glam-Rock is not a thing of the past in his debut album. With songs written by P!nk, Lady GaGa, Matthew Bellamy of Muse and Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, almost all songs are radio ready and perfect for the clubs.

Sookie Stackhouse Boxed Set These novels are the inspiration for the hit HBO show True Blood. The set includes the first eight books in the ongoing series by Charlaine Harris featuring sex, violence and vampires galore.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Available on Xbox360 and PS3, the best reviewed video game of the year will also be one of the best selling games of the year. For good reason too, from the story, to the graphics, to the realistic portrayal of war, Modern Warfare 2 is truly revolutionary.

Inglourious Basterds Quentin Tarantino’s hit movie about “killin’ Nazis” is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Watch for Cristoph Waltz who played one of the best villains in years, Col. Hans Landa, to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor at this year’s Oscars.