Feb. 19, 2010

the

Vol. 41, No 6

Image

Lafayette High School 17050 Clayton Road Wildwood, MO 63011

what’sinside

Feb. 19 2010

w ww.lhsimage.com

Image courtesy of www.wordle.net

Pain in the Back: As students are assigned more homework, it seems they have more injuries and worse posture, and the backpack may be to blame.

District-wide committee to discuss cell phones and their place in school Teresa Avila / Reporter

Cell phones. The very phrase may well become synonymous with controversy.

For several years, Rockwood schools have been struggling to find cell phones’ place in the classrooms and hallways. However, as of next year, there may be a definitive answer from the district level to this old question.

Then again, there may not.

Representative Committee On Jan. 27, all high schools and middle schools in the district sent an administrator, a student, a teacher and a parent to a newly formed cell phone committee. There, representatives openly discussed cell phone use in schools and current policy.

The hope is the school board can use the results of this meeting to create an updated, district-wide policy in time for next school year.

“We’re trying to take a look at our current cell phone policy and come to some sort of update that is a little more realistic, or reflects more accurately, the current cell phone situation,” Principal John Shaughnessy said.

“We were in small groups first, then we got into big groups, and we basically voiced our opinions [on the issue],” Lafayette student representative, junior Samantha Haselhorst, said.

The committee did agree in certain areas.

They reestablished that cell phones should be allowed before and after school at both the high school and middle school level, and that middle

school students should not be permitted to use them anytime during the day.

In addition, all five high schools (including the Individualized Learning Center) agreed teachers should be able to use cell phones as part of a lesson and make the final decision on whether to punish students caught with one in their class.

However, the policy for between classes and cafeteria use is a point of division.

The Voice of Dissent Every representative supported allowing cell phone use in these two areas, except for LHS’s administrative and teacher representatives.

“We were the voice of dissent,” Assistant Principal and LHS’s administrative representative Matt Dieckhaus said.

These representatives defended their decision by pointing out the possible safety issues a more open cell phone policy could present.

Dieckhaus cited data that showed 35 percent of students said they used their cell phones to cheat and 21 percent admitted to bullying by utilizing cell phones.

“What we felt was important was that there’s not a lot of data about the issue with cell phones,” Dieckhaus said.

“While most kids would use [cell phones] without any problems whatsoever, the question that was put before us was: do we allow greater freedom of use in our building when we know and acknowledge these safety issues exist? Our answer to that was no,” Dieckhaus said.

“The other schools were not as concerned with the fallout. But if we open this up and let the

cell phones in, I think there’s going to be a lot of consequences that most people have not even thought of yet,” math teacher and LHS’s teacher representative Kathy Soucy said.

To further this point, Soucy called attention to the fact that most cell phones can do more than just make calls, like function as cameras and video recorders. These additional features could come into conflict with existing district policy.

The Rockwood Student Handbook states, “Beepers/pagers/portable communication devices may not be used or be visible on school premises during regular school hours, and may not be used during regular school hours as a camera.”

If cell phones were permitted during lunch or between classes, it would be much easier to take pictures or video, even if it’s still against the rules, Soucy said.

Blackberries, iPhones, PDAs and cell phones that access the Internet present a similar issue.

“Where do you draw the line?” Soucy said.

“Do we need a specific cell phone policy along with an ‘other’ policy? That’s what we were trying to figure out.”

In the end, Lafayette asked for the ability to use its discretion on cell phones, while still working within the district’s policy.

“The discussion is including [if it would] be appropriate for every school to have a policy or some language that would allow for flexibility per high school to set their own guidelines and limits on phone use in the building,” Shaughnessy said.

In a sense, this model is already being used among the high schools.

See page 5

Phillips earns LHS Teacher of the Year honors Alex West / Reporter

Mathematics Department Chair Danna Phillips has been chosen as the 2010 Lafayette Teacher of the Year.

She will now move on to the district level competition.

She has taught for 35 years, 10 at Lafayette.

Other finalists included Brad Balog, music; Becky Lawrence, FACS; Chris Lofgren, science; and Lori Sanders, FACS. Phillips said just being nominated was an amazing achievement.

“It validates for me the

things I believe in and do everyday,” she said.

Students also sang her praises.

Sophomore Jonathan Perera said, “She’s a great teacher who loves to get her students involved and make sure they are understanding each concept. She does a great job of keeping the students on their toes.”

He added, “Also, she has a forgiving personality and gives the students the benefit of the doubt.”

Phillips said she is honored, but never worked hard just so she could receive an

award.

She said she works hard because she loves her job.

“I don’t think that anyone should work to achieve something given as an honor.

I believe in what I do and I do it everyday regardless of who is in my classroom observing or visiting,” she said.

Phillips said she thinks the best thing about being Teacher of the Year is representing Lafayette for the next year.

She explained, “I really believe that teaching is the most important career in the world.”

See page 4

justaglance Budget Cuts: With the economy at its worst, Rockwood is forced to cut back on it’s spending as well.

See page 6 Healthy Options: Now that the holiday feasting has come to an end, restaurants have responded with healthy menu options for calorie conscious customers.

See page 9

comingsoon Feb. 20 Turnabout, 7:30 p.m.

Feb.22 Taste of West County, 5:30 p.m.

Feb.23 Variety Show Auditions March 2 Band Concert, 7 p.m.

March 3 Staff Development Day Choir Concert, 7 p.m.

March 5 District Solo and Ensemble FBLA Benefi t Concert, 7 p.m.

March 6 Mother/Son Brunch, 10 a.m.

Father/Daughter, Dance 7 p.m.

March 9 Academic Pep Assembly Orchestra Concert, 7 p.m.

March 11 3rd Quarter Ends March 12-19 Spring Break

Teacher of the Year

Mathematics Department Chair Danna Phillips helps one of her students with his math homework. Phillips was selected the Teacher of the Year on Feb. 12 in a vote by the Lafayette staff. (photo by Daniel Clutter)

2

Opinion

Feb. 19, 2010

2009-2010

Image Staff Courtney McBay Editor in Chief

Print Edition

Chelsea Coleman Managing Editor Max Thoman News Editor Alicia Mestre Asst. News Editor Rachel Brown Opinion Editor Kara Campbell Campus Editor Adam Harris Feature Editor D.Anne Vollmayer In-Depth Editor David Adams Entertainment Editor Andrew Martin Sports Editor Ian Bernstein Asst. Sports Editor Santi Diaz Artist Jessica Zadoks Business Manager

Online Edition

Mina Yu Managing Editor Max Thoman Student Life Editor Mia Schenone Katie Jardine Lifestyles Editors Gian Wessel Sports Editor Nancy Smith, MJE Adviser

Staff

Teresa Avila, Kelley Bauer, Leanne Beasley, Grace Bueckendorf, Mary Buttram, Caleb Cavarretta, Daniel Clutter, Dominic Corvington, Misha Emanoil, Ashlyn Goldston, Sarah Greenlee, Christine Jackson, Maddie Johnson, Alyssa Knowling, 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.

Contact Us

Located in Room 213 at Lafayette High School, 17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011. Our phone number is (636) 733-4118 and our email address is smithnancy@ rockwood.k12.mo.us Visit on the web at: www.lhsimage.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

Local government always aces federal Kudos to Rockwood for taking responsibility and taking steps to balance the district’s budget when things didn’t go quite as planned. $4-5 million must be slashed, even if it hurts.

As students, we should grin and bear it, though it may mean fewer fleets of glossy new computers or a silky smooth football field.

Sure it’s a shame that Driver Education and some P.E. classes may end up on the cutting room floor, but what really matters is in the end, we don’t find ourselves under the shadow of a looming, crushing debt, arms twisted by debtors.

Unfortunately our federal government doesn’t share this vision.

Although during the State of the Union, President Obama announced we will ‘tighten our belts’ and get rid of ‘wasteful’ programs,’ he is cutting only $18 billion.

And while $18 billion is a chunk of change, it’s about a 10th of one percent of the existing debt—a debt which will actually continue to increase as he adds on programs.

In just 10 years, the National Debt is projected to hit $23.1-trillion, matching the GDP (all of the money and product that the U.S. will make that year).

And the solution, instead of making dramatic budget cuts, the government believes to be raising taxes

and sucking more tax dollars out of the private sector.

Although President Obama said he has not “raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person,” this is only because he is allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire and imposing a series of fees and other hidden taxes.

These are heavy taxes he will suck out of real businesses that provide tangible goods and services.

Don’t get me wrong, the government does offer some services.

The local government provides police and fire protection, libraries, public schools, trash pick up and community colleges, while the states help out with universities and state parks and highways.

These are services that will advance education, advance business, and protect or add to the quality of life of taxpayers My question is, what about the federal government?

It takes the biggest chunk of citizen’s tax money, but what does it actually provide for its citizens?

The money taken out of checks and gobbled up by the Federal government is used for everything from trying to fix other country’s problems (Defense), paying for old people’s medical bills (Medicare), and of course, paying interest on the ugly accumulated debt (about eight per-

Rachel Brown, Opinions Editor cent per year).

But let’s zoom in even closer now.

In 2009, the Federal Government, after swearing ‘no more earmarks’ and promising transparency, gave $3.8 million to the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy in Detroit, $1.9 million to a Pleasure Beach water taxi service in Connecticut and $1.8 million to the swine odor control in Iowa.

So while our local government is providing our educations, our police and our roads, with great concern for a balanced budget, the national government is willy nilly tossing $100 bills to swine.

Literally.

What I’m trying to communicate is that the smaller the government, the better.

The local government does the most for the average Joe, the state government the second most and the National government almost nothing, except hassle him and snatch

away his hard earned money.

At a national level, tax dollars are shuffled, wasted on entitlement programs, frittered on unnecessary budget items and funneled to bureaucrats, while at a local level they are injected directly into our schools, our roads and our state parks.

Everything the federal government sticks its fingers in, it corrupts.

It makes what was once efficient, inefficient.

What was once well becomes sick and in need of “health care reform.”

Many living a perfectly decent lifestyle become suddenly in need of government handouts, though 97 percent of those below this imaginary “poverty line” own a colored TV, live in a three bedroom house and drive at least one vehicle.

Put simply, our government at the national level has become enamored with the idea that their purpose is to grow larger and larger, and to repair what is not broken with money that was never theirs to begin with.

It is time to take responsibility, spit and yowl at the national deficit, disdain high taxes and goofy laws, and protest fixing what has not been busted.

We must let our national government know, loud and clear, that we want no more money thrown to the odor of pigs.

Letters share concerns on homework, lunch, temps Dear Editor, There has been a rising concern over homework at Lafayette.

Many people have after school activities that keep them busy and some even have a sport on top of an after school activity.

Students are encouraged to participate in activities at LHS, but they are required to do homework, which reduces time for their social life.

Parents are constantly reminding their children to get good grades which adds more stress on the child.

Homework should not be completely eliminated, it should be optional or required if the student has a bad grade in the class.

Taking out homework in a student’s life would reduce a lot of stress and improve performance in the classroom.

-Umair Bajwa, 9

Dear Editor, Even though Lafayette is a very good school, I believe there are a few minor problems.

One of the most frustrating is lunch. My peers and I agree that lunch is too short.

I know it is 25 minutes, but that seems a little too short.

By the time you get through the mass of students to the food and wait in line to pay for it, sometimes almost half of your lunch is gone.

I know students usually complain about how long school is but I know some who wouldn’t mind adding another 30 minutes to each day so lunch could be 10 minutes longer.

Also, second lunch doesn’t have a six-minute bell.

My 4th Hour has a tardy almost every day from students not knowing when to go back to class after

lunch.

I don’t think a few seconds of bell disrupts class.

These are just my ideas to improve lunch at Lafayette.

-J.D. Casias, 9 Dear Editor, A problem that has occurred recently at school is the temperature of certain rooms.

Some rooms are cold, and some are ‘surface of the sun’ hot!

These problems are common for a building of this age and sometimes they are ok, but other times, it’s ridiculous.

Some days I don’t know if I should wear a coat or shorts!

If you could somehow address this, it would be appreciated.

-Matt Chatmon, 9

Dear Editor, Recently I have seen several problems with our school environment.

Two stand out the most. The first is the rule banning IPod and cell phone use in the hallways.

I can’t tell you how many of my friends have gotten in trouble. But, if they’re not bothering anyone, why are cell phones a problem?

The other problem I have noticed is theft. I have seen this many times.

You walk into the lunch line, and see someone stuffing their pockets with Rice Krispie Treats.

This also happens in the school store. You can’t seem to get away from it.

Sincerely, Kyle Bounds, 9 *Editor’s Note: These letters were collected from a language arts class.

Opinion District cell phone policy lagging

3

The Image

Image

Lafayette is now the only high school in the Rockwood School District opposed to cell phone use during school.

Rockwood Summit, though it is against official district policy, is allowing the use of cell phones during lunch and in between classes.

This means if a kid at Rockwood Summit calls a friend at Lafayette during a break in school, he will be essentially breaking no rules, and will be given no punishment.

However, at Lafayette, the recipient of that call could be sentenced to three days of ISS. A mother who calls her child at Rockwood Summit to remind him or her of a dentist appointment would be in the right, while a mother at Lafayette who does the same may be landing her kid in serious trouble.

Marquette and Eureka, although they have not quite gone rogue, advocated at a recent meeting on cell phone policy that they would like to see a change in policy.

Justice and rule following, it seems, is either marked by skewed lines, or being neglected entirely.

Principal John Shaughnessy, unlike the administrator at Rockwood Summit, is simply adhering to district policy.

He says when the Rockwood School District changes its policy, Lafayette will change as well.

We believe it’s time Rockwood took a serious look at its policy.

With one of its four high schools blatantly disobeying the letter of the law, and three of the four calling for a change in policy, it is time for a new set of District rules entirely; rules more likely to be enforced and more fitting with the times.

There is no way to stop every single student from using phones during school. If there was, this wouldn’t be an issue.

Sure, punishment can discourage cell phone use, but the truth is high school students today are tech savvy

You don’t need me to tell you that money can be powerful.

And while many may think of influential money in the sense of multimillion-dollar corporations, there’s actually a much subtler way in which money can have a huge impact.

It’s in the KitKat bar that you buy every day for $1, or the shoes you end up choosing over another.

We, as consumers, are using our purchasing power, our money, to decide the survival of hundreds of institutions, ideas and industries every single day.

You’ve likely heard this idea before. I know I heard it countless times from various sources before it hit me what “spending power” actually means.

I was looking at a shirt in the store one day, considering whether to try it on or not. I checked the tag to see what size it was, and my eyes glanced over the standard “Made in Taiwan,” message. Something clicked.

I suddenly recalled something language arts and AP Art History teacher Jean Peters had once said.

“When you put your money down for something, it’s like you’re voting for it.”

The company with the most votes, or money, she continued, is going to win the game of business.

If I bought this shirt, I would be voting for every process that had

gone into creating it, every method the company had used to obtain the cotton or polyester, and turn it into an article of clothing.

If there was too-low wages and dangerous working conditions hidden there between the threads, then I was supporting it.

Environmental damage? That too. One the other hand, it could be a perfectly fine factory that had made this shirt. I really had no way of knowing.

I quickly put the shirt back on the rack and left the store, wondering how on Earth I was supposed to deal with this idea.

I couldn’t stop buying items based on the chance that child labor might be involved. Not many of us could.

Instead, I really started paying attention to the information I had been given about a few important companies.

A good example is Nestle, Hershey’s and M&M’s/Mars reportedly buying cocoa from West African farms that utilize child slave labor.

And although these companies have addressed this issue, and assure consumers they’ve made efforts to make sure their chocolate is not the result of slave labor, it’s difficult to know whether this is really the case.

Fair Trade chocolate, on the other hand, has almost assuredly been created with cocoa from a small farmer,

the

STAFF EDITORIAL

to the point that the line between their digital reality and their real reality are hopelessly blurred.

For many, the text conversation has taken the place of the real conversation, and some among us text more words each day than we verbally speak.

In addition, research has begun to take place more online and less in heavy books and fatty tomes of text.

The very basics of communication, learning and human interaction, have dramatically changed for this generation, within a span of a few years, to the point that cell phones have become a thoroughly integrated part of teenage life.

Telling some students not to text for an entire school day is perhaps akin to forbidding an adult to speak for an entire work day.

Allotted times for legal cell phone usage would likely decrease the amount of students partaking in cell usage during class.

At least, that’s what’s being reported from Rockwood Summit.

Here, the punishment for the common act of texting is a Saturday detention or a three-day stint in

ISS. In this case, it seems, the punishment does not fit the crime. It is the equivalent of throwing a toddler in prison for shoplifting a Reese’s bar at the grocery store.

We respect Shaughnessy’s decision, but being the lone rule following school doesn’t make sense.

We ask that Rockwood re-evaluate cell phone policy, not only because of lack of unity among schools, but also because the policy should adapt to our generation’s culture.

Because of the information-glutted culture of our age group, cell phones have become a tool to extend learning, not hinder it.

Cell phones are less analogous to a foreign distraction and more like a technological extension of the hand.

When it comes down to it, communication between family members or students at school during allotted times is a fair compromise, but we will understand if the district decides otherwise.

All we are asking for is unity in policy and the enforcement thereof both in our school, and throughout the District.

Buying Power: Being a conscious consumer

?

?

?

It’s My Turn [A Rotating Column] This Month: Teresa Avila

who will receive his fair share of the $1.50 I spent on a bar of chocolate.

Therefore, I now try to avoid buying products from Nestle, Hershey’s and M&M’s/Mars .

I’m not always successful; just the other week I accidentally picked up two mini Hershey bars for 25 cents from the school store. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized how instinctively I had gone for that brightly colored little packaging.

As for the days I do avoid these brands, my small retraction of a quarter isn’t necessarily going to bring the company to its knees. Still, I can feel like I’m doing something rather than nothing at all.

After all, it was not one voice, but many, that led Nestle, Hershey’s and M&M’s/Mars to feel the need to directly look at the issue of child slavery in their infrastructure.

I genuinely hope they will make every effort to be sure I can eat their products with less social guilt.

But until they’ve convinced me, I’m going to stick to Fair Trade, when I can afford and find it.

This same idea is prevalent for

anything we buy. Our spending habits, especially as teenagers, can decide whether a funny little company called “The South Butt” survives.

Or whether an aspiring singer will be a star or a flop.

Or whether socially conscious organizations such as Fair Trade will keep expanding.

We can’t background check every cup of coffee or bottle of nail polish for how much pollution it caused or whether it involved dollar-a-day wages for a family.

The truth is, most of our lives will be spent buying what we need and hoping it’s all right.

I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty, but rather offering a source of empowerment.

We can note those companies that are more likely to have created their merchandise in a conscious manner, and encourage them to continue doing so by buying their products.

Every time we snap down a credit card, or hand over a few bills, we are essentially voting for a method, a practice, an idea.

What will you vote for?

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

What do you think about lhsimage.com, the new online publication?

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

stars & gripes stars to: The new Toy Story 3 movie trailer. It is fascinating that Andy has grown up in real time and will be going off to college next fall.

The Vancouver Olympics, bringing together over 5,500 athletes from 82 countries competing for 258 medals.

Bipartisanship. There is now a chance that both political parties will be heard on issues like health care and the economy, and progress may be made.

One Act auditions. After a year long absence, seniors put their directing skills to the test.

Spring Break. You better have your vacation plans set. A much needed vacation is less than a month away.

Zach Frazer’s perfect ACT score. Now his possibilities are endless.

The Rams staying in St. Louis. Good news to those season ticket holders, they still have a game to go to.

The Teacher of the Year Program. With this annual award, great teachers can receive the recognition that they deserve from both students and staff alike.

The new Rockwood Superintendent Dr. Bruce Borchers for being named to fi ll Dr. Craig Larson’s shoes.

gripes to:

The potholes studding Clayton Road, snagging our tires, and making for a less than peaceful ride to school.

Recalls on Hondas and Toyotas, for air bag malfunction and braking problems.

The amazing smells constantly wafting out of the FACS hallway, reminding everyone how far away their next meal is.

The paper towel dispenser in the Junior Hallway bathroom seems to constantly be empty, or just have serious issues.

Three brand new sparkling Smartboards in the library during a time of budget cuts. Is this really necessary?

Seniors being out of Snow Days.

“I loved the West County Girl cartoon and I did the poll!”

I like it because it keeps you updated with things going on in the school.”

Leanna Cates, 9

Kayla Hall, 10

“I like the variety of the stories and how much more convenient it is than a newspaper.”

Nick Taphorn, 11

“I like everything about it. It is so cool it makes me wanna slap my momma.”

Izel Smith, 12

The Super Bowl being the most watched TV program of all time.

It wasn’t actually that awesome.

4

Campus

Packing the back:

Feb. 19, 2010

Heavy, poorly positioned backpacks lead to neck, shoulder problems Kara Campbell / Campus Editor

Schoolbags: every student carries one. Every student packs them full at the end of the day while scrambling to leave school, but not every student is protecting his or her back from the low-level trauma that could lead to shoulder and neck pain.

Students prone to back and neck problems tend to carry their backpack on one shoulder. They carry more than 10-20 percent of their body weight in the backpack or do not correctly position the backpack.

Junior Maddie Roll slings both her purse and backpack over one shoulder.

“My personal trainer wants me to wear both straps, but I wear it like this mainly for convenience,” Roll said.

She added, “It’s easier to take things out.

Once people start telling me I’m lopsided I’ll wear my backpack normally.”

Posture problems also could arise.

Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Specialist Pierre Hemecourt said, “With a heavy backpack, many children end up leaning too far forward, rolling their shoulders and giving themselves a more rounded upper-back posture.”

He continued, “They then tilt their head up to see properly. This posture strains the back and neck muscles, and can possibly cause nerve damage in the neck.”

Hemecourt recommends students lighten their backpack load.

Most students, though, do not take home books that they do not actually need that night, so lightening their load is not really possible.

At school, sophomore Jenny Chan has found a solution to the heavy backpack as she spreads her school load between two backpacks during the day.

Chan said, “I hate having to carry a big backpack that I don't need to lug around if I don't need to bring a lot of things to my class. My last two classes are the hardest and I have the most stuff to bring to that class so I always switch backpacks to my orange one that can carry more stuff.”

She continued, “It's useful because people always have to go to their lockers after every class and for my last two classes I only

have to just switch backpacks. It’s much easier and faster for me.”

Chan’s system of switching backpacks throughout the day helps her organization and lightens the weight in her pack.

Lafayette can’t do much to decrease the weight students carry on their backs.

Associate Principal Renee Trotier said, “Textbooks are really, really expensive.

Some cost $100 a piece and with 2,000 students we can’t provide people with two sets of text books.”

She continued, “We don’t have the money to guarantee that for any student. If extra books are available we will do our best to accommodate them.

“For example, if someone is on crutches or has a back problem we will do our best to accommodate them and round up spare books,” Trotier added.

Lafayette has started to move some curriculum online, decreasing the need for some classes to require heavy textbooks.

Trotier said, “It doesn’t help to cut costs of buying textbooks because part of the expense is purchasing the rights to the author.”

Online books also have a certain number of spots available for students which the curriculum coordinator negotiates.

“Every six years, they take this and other ancillary resources that come with it to make their decisions on staying with a current textbook or switching to a new one,” Trotier said.

Senior Ryan Soroka took the matter of backpack safety into his own hands. His backpack gauges the amount of weight and tells him when too much is added.

“My mom went to Sam’s Club and came back with this backpack a few days prior to school starting this year. She was so excited to give it to me, and I guess some of the excitement rubbed off on me. We tested it right away with whatever we could find,” Soroka said.

When school began Soroka noticed, “only two books in my backpack would put the indicator over into the red zone.”

“I usually keep about three books with me. I was afraid that the backpack was faulty. I even went online to see what they

recommended and it said 15 percent of your body weight. That would put me at only 22 pounds,” Soroka continued.

He said it would be a challenge to listen to his backpack.

However, Soroka pays attention to the straps, “If one side is green and one side is red it would mean I would be walking unbalanced and nobody wants that.”

“Mostly my backpack has been a good conversation starter more than a helpful tool,” Soroka said.

He added, “At least once a week someone will come up to me and ask me about it and then proceed to press the button on it. Essentially I have people pressing my buttons all the time.”

For students who don’t have a smart backpack such as Soroka’s there are other ways to reduce pain.

For example, when wearing a backpack the shoulder straps should be worn tightly. This way the weight of the pack is kept close to the body.

Properly loading the backpack can also help.

Rushing at the end of class to stuff books, folders and papers into a backpack creates extra space for the items to shift.

When a backpack is correctly organized, the items should lie flat against the back so the pack can remain stationary.

Put into use, the proper backpack style, wear and weight can reduce neck, shoulder and back pain and prevent lasting injuries.

The Smart Backpack

In his backpack senior Ryan Soroka models the advanced features. It gauges the weight and displacement across the back. The straps have three zones that let him know when his backpack is light, just right or too heavy. (photo

by Kara Campbell)

Now Brewing

It’s a Grind Coffee House 15881 Fountain Plaza Drive (Just off Clarkson in Fountain Plaza) (636)-527-4240 Also visit our other store at 12520-A Olive Blvd/Questover

It’s the prep that counts.

Sylvan understands the pressure and challenges students face in making the most of their college entrance exams. Sylvan’s ACT® prep course can reduce your stress and increase your score.

• • • • •

Real results - 3 out of 4 Sylvan students increase their ACT score by 5 points* Individualized instruction Twenty-eight lecture hours focused on the exact skills you need Two timed practice tests Expert instructors know the test and understand the challenges of preparing for college

FREE Practice Test for ACT & SAT and Test Analysis!

Ballwin/Manchester 636.394.3104 Chesterfield Valley 636.537.8118

CALL NOW! VISIT US ONLINE

SylvanLearning.com

Don’t wait! Courses fill up quickly.

ENGLISH, MATH, READING, SCIENCE, REASONING, WRITING AND MORE!

Students and Teachers Always receive 10% Off of Every Drink Purchase!

$2.00

$2.00

Cafe Mocha

Caramel Macchiato

(16oz.)

(16oz.)

News

The Image

5

Construction enters final phase Misha Emanoil / Reporter

The whirring of power tools has come to an end as the main hallway opened to student traffic last week, bringing teachers closer to moving into new rooms added by the construction.

The new area which was created from the old library space, includes a journalism lab, a new flex room with raised seating, a new office and storage space. Three classrooms have also been doubled in size and a hallway was built connecting the Welcome Center to the Commons.

The rooms added by the construction, including those on the lower level under the new library, all include improved technology.

“Every [new] classroom has updated technology with a data projector and a Smartboard,” Principal John Shaughnessy said.

The new classrooms were created so classes previously taught in the trailers could be brought into the school.

Shaughnessy said, “We decided we really needed to put those [trailer] classes into the building.”

In the area once occupied by the trailers, new varsity locker rooms and a multipurpose room will be built.

“We decided to create a little more space and build a new varsity locker room as well,” Shaughnessy said. “The last piece is a multi-purpose room that we added as well to make another place for large classes.”

The construction of the new locker rooms and the multi-purpose room is scheduled to finish by the start of the next school year.

However, Adam Paul, the project manager for Orf Construction, believes the deadline may be hard to reach.

“With the temperatures below freezing, we cannot work back there [behind the school],” Paul said. “We are kind of shut down on and off until the temperature warms up.”

Though the weather has been making construction difficult, Paul remains hopeful.

“It is going to be tough to make that date, but we will give it a shot,” Paul said.

The last phase of construction is to improve the old locker rooms and replace all of the old lockers.

“We are going to renovate our locker rooms because we needed storage space for our varsity teams,” Shaughnessy said.

The money for the construction comes from Proposition 3 which was passed in April 2008.

The proposition was voted on by people in St. Louis County and Jefferson County and provides $74.5 million to the district through a bond issue.

The money was provided to the district to increase safety and security in the district’s facilities and create better educational opportunities by improving technology in classrooms.

Still, some students are unhappy with the district’s decision to make additions to the school.

“Instead of expanding the school they could have improved what they already had instead of just making new things,” junior Emily Perkins said.

Other students are glad about the construction to replace the library because of the new areas that have opened to students. “[The main hallway] is convenient because you do not have to walk all the way around to get to the other side,” junior Dimetrus Dorsey said.

Dorsey is also glad there are no more classes in the trailers.

He said, “[The trailers] were really far away and you had to go outside in the middle of the day even if it was raining.”

The teachers who have classes that will be moving into the new classrooms are also pleased by the new space and opportunities it will provide.

Student Publications Adviser Nancy Smith is one of these teachers. Currently located in the upstairs Art Wing, her room will move to the new journalism lab in the

crepancy is the difference between Lafayette and Summit, which allows cell phones between classes and at lunch.

Another school whose position on cell phones differs slightly from Lafayette’s is Marquette High School.

“Lafayette takes a little bit stronger stance on cell phones than we do,” Marquette Assistant Principal and administrative representative Greg Mathison said.

“For example, if we get a referral, we give them a warning first. I think Lafayette gives them a detention. Each school has that autonomy to make its own decision about what to do for each offense,” Mathison said.

Mathison added, “But as far as what happens in the hallways, we do try to remain consistent [with the policy].”

Despite these differences, however, Mathison and the Marquette administration present a similar view as Lafayette.

The issue, Mathison said, doesn’t come from the cell phones themselves, but the behavior of the students and what they may use them for.

“We went into the meeting without an official stance or position on that [the policy] yet. We wanted to make sure that each person in our group made their own decision based on the people they’re representing,” Mathison said.

“What we came up with is a recommendation. There’s no guarantee anything is going to change or that they’ll allow Lafayette to have the autonomy,” Soucy said.

As of now, the results of the committee, with a three to one vote in favor of allow-

Roaming The Hall

A student uses the new hall created in the area that once housed the library. The hallway provides a direct route from the Welcome Center to the Commons and passes new storage closets, a journalism room and a new Flex lecture hall. (photo by Misha Emanoil)

main hallway.

The room is nearly twice the size and has room for 10 additional computers.

“It will also be easier for parents to find us when they are dropping off information and orders for yearbooks,” Smith said.

“Being centrally located is better for the student journalists because they have easier access to everything,” Smith added.

With the construction in the center of the school ending, students are finally able to walk the halls without the bother of unnecessary detours or sawdust in the air.

District cell phone policy under review (cont. from pg. 1) The Debate

At this time, the Rockwood student handbook, on the subject of cell phones, states, “Use, display or activation of these items [communication devices] at times other than described will result in up to three days in-school suspension…the student may be suspended for up to ten (10) school days out-of-school, with a possible recommendation for a suspension up to 180 school days or expulsion.”

Such ambiguous wording as ‘up to,’ ‘may be,’ or ‘possible recommendation,’ allows plenty open for interpretation, Soucy said.

As a result, high schools can have very different conduct concerning students’ cell phone use.

The most obvious example of the dis-

Diamonds - Fine Jewelry - Custom Design - Repairs

121 Plaza Drive Wildwood, MO. 63040 636-458-1001

Juan Ramirez Owner

http://www.amantejewelers.com

We Buy Gold! amantejewelers@sbcglobal.net

ing cell phones, has been submitted to the superintendent’s cabinet.

They will then review it with a legal team to be sure there is no liability with the district.

“At that point, the Superintendent’s Cabinet, along with Superintendent, and the School Board would decide to amend or not to amend the policy,” Dieckhaus said.

The hope is to have the policy ready by April 1, in time for the annual review of the next school year’s handbook, Soucy said.

“I hope they go about the process of examining all the facts, pros and cons, that go along with this type of issue, because it really has a potential to be a significant change in our current practices and policies,” Shaughnessy said.

6

News Briefs Community Chat

A chat between parents and Rockwood School District staff is being held on March 2 from 7-8 p.m. in the Large Flex Room.

The chat is taking place to inform parents about student drug and alcohol use.

Officer Ollie Helbig will explain how the law applies in student drug use situations.

Taste of West County

The annual Junior Class fundraiser takes place on Monday, Feb. 22 in the LHS Commons for $10 a ticket or $35 for a four-person ticket.

Anyone in the community is welcome to attend and taste the samples offered by dozens of restaurants in West County.

Turnabout

Turnabout will take place on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 7:30-10:30 p.m.

The tickets cost $10 for a single, $20 for a double but they will go up in price on Feb. 19 to $15 and $30, respectively.

This year Student Council selected the theme “Neon Nights” and it will be a blacklight dance.

News

Feb. 19, 2010

Money Saver:

Rockwood to cut $5 million from budget Caleb Cavarretta / Reporter

As the economic downturn continues to take a toll on the area, Rockwood has had to make adjustments in order to maintain its budget.

The district will be cutting about $5.5 million from its budget, in everything from transportation, to Driver Ed. “We sat down starting back in the fall, when we knew this was coming, and looked for various proposals that could make reductions that would not affect classrooms for the most part,” Superintendent Craig Larson said.

Several board meetings have been held in order to discuss the budget changes, some with a larger public attendance than usual.

In these meetings, proposals have been put forward to not only save the district money, but also for the district to function more efficiently.

“Sometimes, you can make cuts that actually help make the way you spend your money more efficiently,” Larson said.

One example of these cutbacks would be the district transportation.

“We are looking to spend less on transportation and be more in line with what people think is reasonable in terms of how we use our dollars,” Larson said.

Some of the proposals that have been introduced would have an im-

pact on Lafayette High School if they were implemented, Principal John Shaughnessy said.

“Many of the proposals that are on the table for discussion do directly affect our school, such as Driver Ed. If there are reductions in staffing, and if there are other major contributions that will affect the high school level will have an effect on us,” Shaughnessy said.

One of the most controversial proposals has been cuts to the Driver Ed program at all four high schools.

The district plans to cut the current teacher to student ratio of 1:10 to 2:25.

While Lafayette already has a similar system, other high schools in the district would need to change theirs.

Sophomore John Carney believes if cuts were made to the class, it would hurt a student’s ability to drive well.

“Driver Ed really helped me get my license,” Carney said.

Larson explained, “By taking the ratios down to two teachers and about 25 kids, we can get half the driving time in the classroom, and we plan to sell additional driver’s training,” This additional training would be made available to students to sign up for before and after school, as well as on Saturdays.

These changes could affect staffing and teacher’s positions.

“We’ve guaranteed that no teacher that is currently on a probationary or regularly tenured contract, which is the vast majority, will lose their job,” Larson said.

There will also be some reductions with some secretaries and administrators in central district offices, but no schools.

Sophomore Tim Heath believes cutting teachers is the last thing the district should do.

He said, “[The district] shouldn’t cut teachers. We really need them.”

Heath added he would be upset if the district decided to make any cuts to sports and activities.

Another controversial cut the district will be making is to elementary physical education program.

“We are looking at changing elementary physical education from five days a week to four days a week,” Larson said.

This change would have the health curriculum built into science and physical education. “That will cause us to need fewer teachers,” Larson said. “All those will be one year only contracts.”

Junior Justin Oliver believes with child obesity being the problem that it is today, the district should have cut another area rather than elementary physical education.

“America needs the exercise. We need more than we have right now.

We should just be keeping what we have,” Oliver said.

He continued, “We should be cutting other things, like the decorations that they have around school.

It makes the environment nicer to be in, but being healthy and educated is more important.”

Larson has run into similar opinions before at board meetings concerning the budget.

“We certainly understand that childhood obesity is a problem, but that is not the central mission of the school,” Larson said.

“The mission of the school is teaching, academics, and helping kids learn to read and write and so forth,” he added.

Many students believe the district should have spent its money more appropriately before the need for cuts came to be.

Oliver said some of the purchases that were made for the new additions to the school were also unnecessary.

“All the lights that we have in the Commons above the stage, that we hardly ever use, that’s a lot of money.

We only used them when the new theater, that we didn’t need in the first place, was being built. They are just really going to waste now,” Oliver said.

So far, the budget cuts that have been proposed have not yet been approved by the board, as debate and discussion continues.

Larson believes the board will be finished making cuts by the end of February.

ill ath Ct. Clayhe

ton

y Cla

sM

Clarkson

Located at Clarkson/Manchester 15933 Manchester Road (636) 230-9989

636-527-7027

r Keh

15480 Clayton Rd, Suite 220 Ballwin

N

7 Feature More than another high school credit: The Image

World language classes offer jump start in careers, life Molly White / Reporter

With science, history, practical arts and fine arts, world language just seems like another item on the list for college applications.

Most students don’t understand the significance of learning a second language.

Spanish teacher Brian Reed said learning a world language has various benefits.

“Learning a second language could help you in a job, either foreign or domestic, when you travel, missionary work or even just communicating with a roommate or friend at college,” Reed said.

Choosing what world language to pursue is up to the student.

“It boils down to what it is you see yourself doing in the future and your personal interests and motivations,” he said.

The 2000 Census reported that the top five spoken languages in the United States were English, Spanish, Chinese, French and German.

“Spanish is the largest minority language spoken in the United States right now,” Spanish teacher Steffanie Jarvis said.

She continued, “So even if you want to be a nurse or a lawyer or you want to go into the police force or be a firefighter, whatever you want to do, chances are you’re going to need to use the language.”

Spanish teachers say another reason to take Spanish is because of America’s close proximity to Spanish-speaking countries.

Reed said, “Most countries south of our border speak Spanish. So if you have to travel for either work or leisure, it is more likely that you will have an easier time than if you did not speak Spanish.”

Learning a world language can also teach students to appreciate foreigners trying to learn the English language. “[Taking a world language] helps to broaden your perspective. When you meet someone who is trying to learn English and their word order is different with how they put their adjectives and nouns, it makes you appreciate more the people who are trying to learn English because you know how hard it is to learn a foreign language,”

Leading The Way

In French III teacher Gina Luerding-Looten instructs students on the different tenses used in the French language. “They [colleges] want their incoming students to have appreciation for other cultures and languages,” College Admissions Specialist Chris Ramsay said. (photo by Molly White)

Jarvis said.

College Admissions Specialist Chris Ramsay said universities would like students to have an open mind toward world cultures.

“Most colleges promote a very diverse and global society. They want their incoming students to have appreciation for other cultures and languages,” he said.

Taking a world language also enhances students’ native language.

“By learning a second language, you learn to pick the language apart and look at the bare bones of how it is put together. We delve into the rules and formulas behind the grammar constructs,” Reed said.

By reviewing basic word relationship,

students get the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the English language.

American Sign Language (ASL) is another world language course offered at Lafayette.

To senior Brittany Handler, learning ASL has helped her to communicate with a family member.

“My cousin is five years old and he has autism. He can hear and understand everything but he can’t speak,” she said.

ASL teacher Sarah Keathley has been teaching Handler’s family skills necessary to communicate with her cousin.

“We have had around three classes now. Already it’s easier to understand what my cousin signs when he wants to tell us

something. We have all been working and learning so that we can understand what he needs and what he is trying to say,” Handler said.

Learning ASL can aid in social situations as well.

“Every week students come up to me and tell me that they met a deaf person and were able to communicate with them and it made the deaf person feel like they belonged,” Keathley said.

ASL is a good option for students who are not interested in learning the writing component of a world language.

Taking a second language can give students a head start in college as well.

Ramsay said, “There are some colleges that require all their majors to take some level of college level language.”

By taking a second language in high school, students can get these credits out of the way for college.

Scholarships are also offered for students who participate in a world language course.

“Many times this money is reserved for a student wanting to pursue a language as a college major,” he said.

But even if a language major isn’t the student’s intention, taking a few courses is extremely helpful.

Ramsay added, “Even being semi-fluent in a language can make you light years more competitive when seeking many types of careers,” Taking a world language can also assist students in learning about other cultures.

“Being able to understand the traditions and ways of other countries and cultures is vital to the world we live in,” Ramsay said.

The advantage of taking a world language course is that it provides a life skill necessary for communicating around the globe.

Ramsay said, “While many students may forget how to count to 100 in a particular language, just knowing that the world is a mix of various people is a valuable lesson that students will use in college and beyond.”

Attention Seniors - Juniors Spring 2010 



 

 

 



    

one-on-one

ACT/SAT Tutoring Call Dr. Jack Arnold 314-805-4561 for appointments Tuesday/Thursday evenings or Saturday/Sunday afternoons

www.JackArnold.org Plan ahead for your future Open a Savings Account today!

Bremen Bank and Trust Company 16024 Manchester Rd. Ellisville, MO 63011 (314) 446- 3100 Member F.D.I.C.

8

Feature

Feb. 19, 2010

Adding to the Distraction: Facebook creates entertainment in games, apps Maddie Johnson/Reporter

“I think Facebook has strayed away from what it was originally meant for,” senior Olivia Brown said.

For some, Facebook is simply a method to keep in touch with those from the past and present.

For others, it has turned into the perfect outlet for procrastination.

Now, these diversions have been taken to a whole new level: Facebook Games.

“It’s such a distraction, and some of the applications are really stupid, but when you get home from school basically anything sounds better than homework,” junior Rachel Weisbruch said.

These games and applications range from raising crops and animals on Farmville, to feeding and selling fish on Fishville, to attending Greek events on Sorority Life, to forming mobs on Mafia Wars, to answering mindless questions about your Facebook friends on Social Interview and Friends Exposed.

The guilty pleasures attract Facebook members of all ages.

“My mom is obsessed with Farmville,” senior Berkley Idel said.

She added, “There was one day that she and my brother fought over the computer because they both needed to harvest their crops.”

“My mom will go to her friends’ farms and be like ‘Look how beautiful their farm is!’ It’s so funny,” Idel added.

But these seemingly trivial games leave many wondering why Facebook users are so inclined to play.

Farming on Facebook

On Farmville, students create their own farm, nourish crops and communicate with neighbors. “[Farmville] was kind of addicting for no reason,” junior Aaron Platts said.

“I was just trying to get top spot. [I reached top spot] against my ‘neighbors.’

I was against [senior] Matt Chubb for the longest time, and then I beat him, and then I quit,” senior Gasper Gasperlin said.

As many will testify, it’s easy to just get carried away in the game.

“Over the summer, when I played the most, I didn’t have anything to do. So, I would just log onto Facebook and play Farmville. It gets really addicting,” junior Daniel Lamers said.

For those who don’t take part in the games, it is nearly impossible to see what draws Facebook users in.

“It’s so aggravating because you’re just like, what the heck is this? All you do is plant stuff. And you don’t accomplish anything,” Idel said.

Lafayette students find games such as Fishville to be habitual as well.

“When you get on Facebook, it gives you something to do, rather than get on and realize you have no notifications,” ju-

nior Michelle Leone said.

Senior Taylor Larson finds herself playing because, “it’s fun to buy the fish, watch them grow, and getting coins to buy more.”

The debate we hear about today, due to all of the new applications and attractions on Facebook, is whether or not this is a social networking site gone bad, or still a method of communication.

“I think it has definitely strayed away from being a normal social networking site, but I wouldn’t say it’s exactly for the worst,” Larson said.

She added, “If it simply just stayed the same all of the time, I think people would get bored with it quicker, kind of like people did with earlier blogs like Xanga and MySpace,” Sophomore Carly Farinella feels differently about the social networking site’s new focus.

“Facebook used to be just reconnecting with people, and sharing photos and another way to communicate with someone, but now [Facebook] created all these other additions that make kids want to go on Facebook more often and play around on it instead of doing other more productive stuff.”

Though many users usually have more important things to be doing, Facebook inevitably consumes much of their time.

Whether they use it to talk to old friends, find out when the next Student Council meeting is, or just waste time, they are bound to come across one of these applications. The question is how far will they get sucked in?

“Since the year 2000, we have been committed to helping dedicated high school athletes achieve higher levels of performance on the field and court. We are proud to say that many of our athletes have excelled at the high school level and have continued on to play at the next level in the Big 10, Big 12, SEC, MAC and other divisions across sports. At Fitzmaurice Performance we are extremely results oriented. Every program we design and integrate is for specific purposes…RESULTS, ACHIEVEMENT and SUCCESS.” Laf Lafayette Alumni, Owners— Shawn & Brian Fitzmaurice

636-391-6565 • 15825 Manchester Road • Suite 221 • Ellisville, MO 63011 www.fitzmauriceperformance.com

9

Feature

The Image

You Are What You Eat

Fast food chains offer healthy alternatives Leanne Beasley & Grace Bueckendorf /Reporters

More and more restaurants are responding to the general outcry for healthier options.

Many are introducing nutritious menus and healthier food options to offset their unhealthier entrees.

Calorie awareness is becoming more apparent in today’s society as menus begin to display the amount of fat grams and calorie content in each dish.

Freshman McKayla Treat recently dined at St. Louis Bread Company where she noticed the calories are presented on the menu board.

“I don’t like it because I think it might change what I order and I just want to order what I want,” Treat said.

Most of Bread Company’s sandwiches have enough calories to send the average customer walking back out the door empty-handed, with numbers like 500 to 1040 calories staring back at them.

Bread Company’s Smoked Ham and Swiss sandwich has 700 calories with 2,350 milligrams of sodium, in comparison to McDonald’s Big Mac which has 540 calories and 1040 milligrams of sodium.

Math teacher Kelli Loeffler said seeing the calories at Bread Company affects how she orders.

“It makes you more aware of what you’re eating. I went in thinking I was going to do a sandwich and salad and ended up just walking away with a salad,” Loeffler said.

But the health craze isn’t stopping at Bread Company.

Loeffler also tried Taco Bell’s new DriveThru Diet that introduces their new Fresco tacos and burritos.

“I didn’t know what the difference was other than there was no cheese…the meat tasted the same, except they put some tomato thing on top. And did that really take off that much fat?” Loeffler said.

“

It makes you more aware of what you’re eating.

I went in thinking I was going to do a sandwich and salad and ended up just walking away with a salad.”

-Kelli Loeffl er, math teacher

The Fresco tacos and burritos consist of leaner meat with Fiesta Salsa instead of cheese or sour cream wrapped in a tortilla. The absence of dairy products takes off calories but doesn’t necessarily make it healthier.

And with benefits also come detriments. The calorie count of all tacos and burritos on the Drive-Thru Diet menu are under 350 calories and less than 80 calories from fat.

Yet, the sodium count is through the roof with no item under 350 milligrams and most hitting 1410 milligrams of sodium. Based off a 2000 calorie diet, the acceptable intake of sodium per day is 2400 milligrams.

The Fresco menu isn’t as nutritious as many people believe it to be. But even with the high sodium content, this Drive-Thru Diet is healthier than most.

But for some restaurants, showing the calorie counts isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Excessive calorie amounts are becoming more commonly shown on menus, pamphlets and websites that can sometimes turn away potential customers.

There is now a brochure from Starbucks entitled “Nutrition by the Cup” with the nutrition facts for all of their drinks and treats available.

According to the nutrition brochure, the smallest size, a tall Vanilla Bean Frap-

puccino, without whipped cream is 260 calories, and increasing the size to a Venti without whipped cream will be 490 calories.

A tall Caramel Macchiato has 180 calories and 45 calories from fat. This trend of 100 plus calorie drinks continues for most of the Starbuck’s menu.

Family and Consumer Science teacher Karla Johnson said, “It’s way too many calories. I just get a plain black coffee when I go [to Starbucks].”

Another change amongst the restaurant industry is in Applebee’s Under 550 Calories menu. It claims to have hearty portions without the calories.

Sophomore Tawnnie Crisante ordered a dish off the Under 550 Calories menu and was pleasantly surprised. As a student who doesn’t eat out much, Crisante was hesitant to take the chance on a healthier option on the Applebee’s menu.

“It was tasty. I ordered the Grilled Shrimp and loved it. The whole meal made me feel healthier,” Crisante said.

Applebee’s is one of many restaurants providing healthier options to satisfy the customers who are becoming increasingly aware of the food they eat.

Although a lot of restaurants are taking the next step in healthy consciousness, only a few have been able to successfully handle the weight of the situation.

This vs. That

Smoothie King’s Cranberry Supreme 554 calories vs. McDonald’s Chocolate Triple Thick Shake

1.

440 calories Burger King’s Tendergrill Chicken sandwich 490 calories vs.

Quizno’s Turkey Cheddar sub: 804 calories

2.

Royal Red Robin Burger: 1,191 calories vs.

McDonald’s Big N’ Tasty: 460 calories

3.

Inspiring

Successful,

Independent,

Active Learners!

www.bbiconstructors.com BBi Builds

ACT / SAT Prep (636) 536-6240 www.stlouislearning.com Clarkson Square – Chesterfield 16211 Baxter Rd.

St.Louis

10

Feature

Feb. 19, 2010

Competitive side of choir requires singers’ dedication Mary Buttram / Reporter

A lot of people think that choir class is just another easy A. However, just because there is not a lot of outside homework or rigorous note taking, does not mean the class is a blow-off.

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make choir something to sing about.

There are several different types of choir classes. There are co-ed classes, there are all girls choirs and there is a Chamber Chorale, which consists of boys and girls but is the most elite.

Senior Katie Baum said Chamber Chorale is the top ensemble.

In order to be in Chamber Chorale, which meets Zero Hour, student must audition and must also be enrolled in another choir class during the day.

Baum is in Concert Chorale as well as Chamber.

“Right now we’re doing a Children’s Opera so we’re going to all the elementary schools and performing for them,” Baum said.

In order to be in any choir, an audition is mandatory. If choir isn’t a high priority, stick to singing in the shower.

There are many students who go above and beyond to be the best at something they love doing, and being a part of an ensemble adds to their repertoire.

All the choirs with the exception of the freshman group makes a trip to contest each year with pieces they have devoted a lot of hard work and class time to perfecting.

The choirs usually pick two pieces that are difficult to sing in order to challenge themselves and receive a higher score from the judges.

Judges evaluate the performance on a five-point scale, with one being the best rating.

For students who like to per-

form separately from a group, Solo and Ensemble and All-State choirs, as well as many other choirs, are available for vocalists.

For Solo and Ensemble, small groups or individuals prepare pieces to compete with in front of judges.

A one rating, makes the participant (s) eligible to move on to the State Solo and Ensemble where they are judged again.

Senior Lucas Klein, who has been selected for the All-State Choir before said, “There are a lot of things outside of our school choir that we do like district Choir, where you audition as a junior or senior with a piece you have prepared and then you have to sight read. That’s just for the suburban area.”

“Out of there, the top 20 are selected to try out for the AllState Choir for each voice part and then from there you sing a voice part on an accompaniment track. From there the top four are selected to be in the All-State Choir,” he added.

All-State Choir is one of the most prestigious choirs in the state for young performers who have outstanding vocals.

Only juniors and seniors are allowed to participate in the AllState Choir, but anyone can compete for State Solo and Ensemble.

“Basically you just sing for a collegiate professor and they rate you on how well you sing,” Baum said.

She added, “The competitive part of choir is going above and beyond and practicing outside of class and doing things like Solo and Ensemble to compete for a rating.”

Like Baum, sophomore Caitlyn Webb participates in many of the outside activities for choir available to competitive singers.

“I’ve always taken a solo when I can and I’ve always gotten ones

The

Oswald Law Firm,

LLC

Graham Oswald and Grant Mabie

x Traffic Tickets x Drug, Alcohol, Shoplifting, and Other Charges

All-State

At the Missouri Music Educators Association Conference that took place Jan. 26-30, senior Lucas Klein is with fellow choir members and All-State Choir Coordinator Janice Bradshaw. “Choir is not just a class. It extends outside of the classroom and we represent Lafayette competitively,” vocal music teacher Michele Rodgers said. (photo courtesy of senior Lucas Klein)

and twos. What I get in Solo and Ensemble determines if I’m eligible next year for state. My goal this year is to get a one so I can go to State,” Webb said.

In addition to practicing in class, it is very important for these vocalists to prepare for their competitions outside of traditional class time. Working extra hours could make or break their chances by a tenth of a point.

Webb said, “Not only do you want to practice for private teachers if you have one, but Ms. [Michele] Rodgers likes to practice privately to see how you’re doing and then you should practice with your accompanist to get acquainted. They need to know how fast or slow you sing.”

Klein said, “For Solo and Ensemble, I’ll usually practice by

myself and then I’ll go in with her to get some musicality stuff like interpretation of music so I know how to better improve like the musicality of the song that I am singing.”

Klein is in Concert Chorale as well as Chamber.

To participate in these events, it takes a lot of dedication to singing and making it a high priority.

Senior Cecilia Dorhauer was pleased to be one of the top 20 singers selected to audition for the All-State Choir last year.

“It’s very competitive because it takes a lot of hard work. Because maybe 100 people tryout for each part, so top 20 is pretty good,” Dorhauer said.

Although she didn’t make it as one the top four people to be selected for the choir, like Baum,

Officer John Young

“Be Safe”- Learn from Law Enforcement

Excel Driving School, LLC Beginning, Intermediate & Advanced Driver Training

P.O. Box 231 St. Charles, MO 63302

(636)724-3260 Mobile: (314)323-5441

“Do Something With Your Hair” x x

Low Flat Fees Discounts for Lafayette Students, Families, and Staff

14615 Manchester Road, Suite 102 Manchester, Missouri 63011 Telephone: (636) 386-8322 Email: gmabie@oswaldlawfirm.com The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements

* * * *

Latest Styles & Trends Colors/Highlights Up Do’s Yeah, we have stuff for you guys, too...

15% off

15% off Services

173 Long Road Next to Wildhorse Grill Chesterfield, MO 63005 (636) 536-HAIR (4247)

she is impressed with her own abilities.

Last year, she was also accepted into the top 20 and was number five, so close from being one of the lucky four.

“When you audition for State, four people get chosen and I was the fifth person—the alternate.

It’s really competitive,” Baum said. “The difference between the number one and me was a tenth of a point.”

The dedication in and out of choir class is substantial to these young vocal performers.

School and other priorities piling up make it difficult to set aside time in order for these students to sing, but with determination they’ll work to subtract that tenth of a point from their scores.

11

Features

The Image

Food For Thought:

Leftovers go other places besides trash

D.Anne Vollmayer / Reporter

As one of life’s essentials, food affects people every day. It’s prepared, eaten, but then what?

Because eating regularly isn’t a big concern for most Lafayette students, thinking about what happens to leftover food doesn’t usually cross our minds.

But, lots of places like Panera (St. Louis) Bread Co. donate their leftover food to different organizations, like food banks, every week.

Other places, including Lafayette’s Cafeteria either throws out unused food or reheats it the next day, depending on what it is, because Rockwood food service is not allowed to donate its leftover food.

Since 1990, ‘Operation Doughnation’ has been the program Bread Co. sponsors to donate leftover items such as bagels, bread, pastries, muffins and cookies to local organizations.

They also collect money in their retail locations as part of the program.

The organizations in need of donations sign up through the corporate office, and then are assigned a store location which provides donations once a week.

Winchester Bread Co. General Manager David Steele said the

“

If other places did this too, then you know where it is really needed, and you are helping someone out.”

-Anna Thomas Bread Co. Manager, Winchester

goal is to have assigned pick-ups every day of the week for every cafe in the country.

Anna Thomas, a manager at the Winchester Bread Co. said, “The organizations range from soup kitchens and food pantries to senior centers to hospitals. As long as it is a non-profit organization, they can apply for food pick up.”

“Unfortunately, as organizations drop from the program, we need to find a qualified replacement. This can be challenging, as our products are perishable and most food pantries will only accept non-perishable items,” Steele said.

Two different groups receive donations from the Winchester Bread Co. located in Ballwin.

The donation process begins with employees counting up the number of leftover bread and bak-

ery items they have at the end of the night. After that, it is entered into the computer and finally, boxed and bagged for donation.

If a group receiving the leftovers cannot pick up the food, it must be thrown away because it is never served the next day.

Steele said nationwide Panera donates roughly $100 million dollars in products every day.

According to Thomas, company policy states employees are not allowed to take food at the end of the day unless it is paid for, because it is either donated or thrown out.

“Any associate that takes the food without paying may be considered stealing. If our morning and afternoon associates can not take food home, our evening associates should not be doing this either,” Thomas said.

On the other hand, Rock-

wood’s food service isn’t allowed to donate any of its leftover food, because it’s either discarded or fed to students the next day.

Lafayette Cafeteria Manager Wendie Bening said the managers and cooks decide what can be served and what needs to be thrown out.

“If we have enough leftover soup to have the next day, we can reheat that, because it remains at a constant temperature during lunch and then we cool it down and can put it in the cooler overnight. We can also do that with a lot of other hot dishes. Most oven items, once cooked are not reusable,” Bening said.

Bening said after day two of being served, the food is always discarded along with the other items from that day that couldn’t be re-served.

Cafeteria employees are never allowed to take any food out of the kitchen for any reason.

Thomas believes more restaurants should donate leftover food.

“If there is someone who needs that food then why not let them have it. We track everything that goes out these doors, and where it is going. If other places did this too, then you know that it is going somewhere where it is really needed, and you are helping

someone out,” Thomas said.

One of the major Foodbanks in Missouri is the St. Louis Area Foodbank (STLAF).

Ryan Farmer, STLAF Communications Manager, said the organization, receives donations on a daily basis from places like such as The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Feeding America, local food manufacturers, corporate donors such as Walmart and Shop n’ Save and food drives organized by offices, churches, schools, etc.

The most desirable items received are called “shelf-stable” items which don’t spoil quickly.

“All products that we receive, regardless of where they came from must be inspected to ensure that they are safe for consumption before being distributed out into the community,” Farmer said.

STLAF reaches over 261,000 people annually in 14 counties in Missouri and Illinois. In 2009 the organization donated 22 million pounds of food through their network and over 450 of their partner agencies such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

STLAF assists people under 18, households that have at least one working adult but don’t make enough money to support the family and a range of diverse races and ethnicities.

Or $10 A Month w/Student I.D!

12

Sports

One Step Ahead

Feb. 19, 2010

AAU sports brings opportunities for elite athletes Dominic Corvington/Reporter

Many young athletes come into the high school sports scene with a set plan as to how they will somehow make it “big” in college athletics.

They do all they can to become standout players, some even earning All-Conference or All-State honors and may receive a few letters of recruitment.

Still, there is a well-known breaking point as too how much national exposure can be brought through competition between local schools.

As an alternative, many athletes turn to their Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), club, and travel teams to aid them in their quest for greatness.

When high school seasons have ended and students look to continue their practice, the AAU has proved to provide players with not only the top competition in their areas, but also at the national stage.

In contrast to high school squads, AAU teams call for trips to cities and towns across the nation where the level of play varies.

“Club teams travel a lot more [and] are a lot more competitive because players come from all over the St. Louis area,” junior Drew Garrone said, who is now in his third year with the St. Louis Scott Gallagher soccer club.

Therefore it’s not uncommon for a game held in one place to end in a blowout victory against a sloppy team while the next is a struggle against one of the top travel team lineups in the country.

“It’s different. It’s the best kids from each state. High school sports are more spread out. Travel teams are more stacked,” junior Michael Huntebrinker said.

For the past three years, Huntebrinker has been part of the St. Louis Jr. Blues AAA hockey organization where he’s played with

top recruits including John McFarland, who is a prospect for the 2010 NHL draft.

However, highly acknowledged athletes view this type of competition as means of getting widespread attention from college scouts, and annual showcases are held throughout the United States to highlight the skill of teams as a whole, or just the talent of individual players.

“These teams are more competitive because every player is selected to compete, In high school you get what ever players tryout and play for your high school,” former varsity field hockey coach Kelly Yates said.

She continued, “They play in age groups like U-14, U-16 and U-19 rather than four years of high school players on the same team.”

In turn, this concentration of the country’s finest athletes gives coaches and recruiters an insight as to which players posses the potential to excel at the next level.

With these club programs comes a lasting bond between teammates that has all the makings for both better team chemistry, and more wins.

Under Yates, junior Shannon Knobloch has been part of the Gateway Field Hockey club team since the 8th grade where she played alongside a few of the same athletes for the last couple of years.

“It helps when you know how everyone else plays, but when you play on a team when you don’t know everyone it’s hard,” Knobloch said.

Whether it be AAU or club sports, travel teams have proved to be a dominant method of gaining attention at the collegiate level.

Despite having their share of national rankings on ESPN and USA Today, high school sports may continue to be overlooked by travel lineups because they lack a constant, high level game play.

Ready for Action As she prepares to rush to the net after a corner, junior Shannon Knobloch competes with the Gateway Field Hockey club team. In the offseason, Knobloch turns to AAU program to further develop her skills. (photo courtesy of Shannon Knobloch)

lhsimage.com

Check it everyday for updates!

Lafayette School Special LHS Student Special: Bring this coupon in for a FREE Group Fitness Class

Bring in this ad for a free lotion pkt with any purchase!

Student tans start at $2.99* *competition beds w/ valid I.D., expires 5/31/2010

OR

Wildwood

$25 Boxing Lesson

(636) 273-1372

14532 Manchester

636-527-8899

Dierbergs Wildwood Town Center

www.pacificbeachtan.com

13

Sports More Than Getting The Gold: The Image

With the Winter Olympics in full swing, televisions are tuned to see the best

What is your favorite Winter Olympic sport?

“Bobsledding because of the movie Cool Runnings.”

- Nick Tyrl, 12

“Snowboarding because I love the flying tomato [Shaun White].”

- Sam Strickland, 11

“Speed skating. They go really fast and it is exhilarating to watch.”

- Bogi Atanasov, 9

In the middle of February, sports often falls into a rut. Football has just ended, baseball is counting down the days until spring training and the NBA is in the heart of a drawn out season. Hockey is just, well, hockey, but every four years a big event comes around uniting the whole world.

The Winter Olympics are more than just a competition for gold, silver and bronze.

It helps unify the world in one place for 16 days, forgetting about economic problems or terrorism and focusing on friendly competition in the activity everyone loves, sports.

Granted, everyone’s competitive nature comes out and wants to win, when giving a chance to be the best in the world in the sport you have been giving blood, sweat and tears to.

The sports held in the Olympics are fun for all viewers to watch, whether it is Shaun White tearing up the super pipe or a tropical nation like the Jamaican bobsled team showing people cold weather nations are not the only ones who can win these events.

Legends are created and scandals are remembered forever. If a person messes up the world is watching and it will be on every news stand and T.V. station in the morning.

The 1980 United States men’s hockey team is still talked about for providing one of the greatest upsets in sports history defeating the heavily favored and hated Russians during the time of the Cold War. No fights broke out. There was no drama on the ice. The players were in that place for reason and one reason only, for the pride for their respective country.

Scandals will be remembered for years, like Nancy Kerrigan being attacked by fel-

Andrew Martin / Sports Editor

Now H

low Olympian skater Tonya Harding’s husband and friends. Harding was so consumed with getting gold it blinded her from the real reason she was even competing in the Olympics.

The Winter Olympics have been held since 1924, though not as long as the Summer Olympics but still has the same meaning.

World class athletes, no matter what age or race, all compete for the pride of their country, not for money.

No athlete receives money when they decide to represent their country in the Olympics and that is the way it should be.

If athletes were paid the concept and whole meaning of the tradition would be completely different. People would participate for dollar signs not their country’s colors.

Watching the Olympics goes beyond watching people compete in events and get a cool shiny medal at the end.

These athletes have been training for years in their sport so they can go up on that podium and hear their country’s national anthem being played for the whole world.

Spring Weekend and

203 Chesterfield Industrial Boulevard Chesterfield, Missouri 63005 P.636.536.7050 F.636.536.7051

Mechanized Mayhem Www.hellbentperformance.com

iring

Summer Positions

Available

Apply Today at SixFlagsJobs.com Whats in it for me? Free Tickets Unlimited Admission for You and a Friend Competitive Wages Flexible Scheduling Scholarships and Paid Interships Where can I work? Hurricane Hardor Park Services Food Service Admissions Games Rides Call Human Resources:

636.938.5300

Entertainment Merchandise

14

Sports

Feb. 19, 2010

The best team no one knows about Wrestling gets little recognition despite perfect season Ian Bernstein / Asst. Sports Editor

Compared to basketball and football, wrestling seems to be the ugly stepchild of the high school sports world.

In the halls, students mention going to the basketball or football game, but rarely to a wrestling meet. And this, despite the fact that the Lancers wrestling team has posted a 17-0 record.

Part of the low popularity is due to the lack of a professional wrestling league.

“There’s no pro league for wrestling.

Also many colleges don’t have wrestling because of Title IX,” senior Nate Perry said.

Title IX is an educational amendment designed to increase female participation in collegiate activities.

To receive federal funding, colleges are required to expand athletic opportunities for females.

When it’s time for funding, the less popular, male-dominated sports take a hit, with college wrestling and track and field programs often being targeted.

In addition to problems at the college level, there are always jokes about wrestling being awkward to watch.

“I know a lot of people are turned away from the sport because of what they see.

They see us in skin tight singlet grabbing other dudes and rolling around with them on the mat,” senior Andy Early said.

But attend a meet, and your opinion of the sport will likely change.

When there is a competitive match, the struggle on the wrestlers’ faces is like none other.

The competitive drive has shown with only holding opponents to 10.5 points per game. That is statistic is good for first in the Suburban West Compared to the more popular Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) style, and sensationalized World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) fights, high school wrestling is about as raw as you can get.

Wrestlers are also given problems for their strict weight management.

In the sport, there are 14 weight classes, which range from a light 103 pounds, up to 285 pounds (heavy weight).

When it’s time for the match, the wrestler has to weigh within two pounds of their class, otherwise they can’t compete.

Because of this, weight management is a top priority for wrestling teams.

“Last year I didn’t eat or drink for three days, and still went to practice and ran at home in sweats. It was to make the 130 pounds class for the Jeff City tournament,” junior Kyle Black said.

While some would consider that extreme, to wrestlers and other fans, that’s dedication to the sport.

This dedication from the Lancer wrestlers has allowed the team to be undefeated in dual meets. In a dual meet, two wrestling teams face off, with each wrestler competing in their weight class.

The Lancers’ victory in Districts means they will send 10 wrestlers to State.

They include Kyle Black, Chris Cooper, Andy Early, Connor Edlund, Vince Farinella, Ryan Jones, Taylor McKenna, Nick Olejnik, Nate Perry and Ryan Siebert.

Up Close And Personal

In a fight for position, senior Ben Westfall goes for a take down. The Lancers went on to beat the Mehlville Panthers 83-0 on Lafayette’s Senior Night. The Lancers wore throwback uniforms to honor the classes before them. (photo by Dan Clutter)

Lady Lancers swim wins 25th Conference Title Christine Jackson / Reporter

Senior Send-off

Seniors on the girls swim team pose with their bouquets and sashes on Senior Night. The girls won the Feb 8 meet against Oakville 140-46 (photo courtesy of Jessi Holz)

Key Club

General Meeting

Wednesday, March 31st 7 p.m.

Room 180

The Lady Lancer swimming and diving team has won every big event this season, placing first in the Marquette Relays and the Parkway South Invitational, the only event that they lost last season.

The team has not only dominated Suburban West swimming this year, but now for a quarter of a century.

The team won its 25th straight Conference Meet Feb. 12, a feat which had not been accomplished by a St. Louis high school team.

“We believe [winning Conference 25 years in a row] has not happened in the history of high school sports in St. Louis.

These girls are serious competitors for the State Championship next weekend,” parent Michelle Cox said.

The Lancers also have high hopes for State.

“The goal is to be top three at State with our eye on winning,” Coach Todd Gabel said. “Our biggest competition will be Blue Springs, Glendale, Hannibal and MICDS.”

The team also changed their training regiment, going from daily intense practices to lower intensity practices and rest days.

“During the regular season, we train every day that we don’t have meets and don’t rest for regular meets at all. When Conference and State come around, however, we start to taper our season,” senior Jessi Holz said.

With senior powerhouses Ashleigh Grammar, Jessi Holz, Shannon McCoy and Sam Wright scoring points in both individual events and relays, and junior Alyssa Shaw taking care of points in diving, Lafayette has the potential to dominate the competition at the State Meet.

“Our Senior Class is very strong, and a few of us are trying to win our individual races at State as well as placing first as a team,” Holz said.

The State Meet will take place on Feb. 19 and 20 at the St. Peters Rec Plex.

“The team has worked hard to get to where we’re at,” Holz said, “and hopefully it pays off.”

Rejuvenate Salon and Spa Complimentary Haircut with a Color Service!

See Jennifer Bright, stylist and color specialist

636-394-7546

On the Corner of Clayton and Kehrs Mill

The Image

15 Entertainment I’d Like to thank the Academy: Changes in Oscars cause varied reactions among movie fans David Adams/ Entertainment Editor

This summer, the entire movie world was thrown for a loop when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced there would be 10 nominees for Best Picture instead of the traditional five.

On Feb. 2, nominations were announced and the 10 Best Picture nominees for the 82nd annual awards include: Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up and Up in the Air. Most experts speculate with the added nominations, ratings should rise. Five of these films have grossed over $100 million.

Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time has earned nine nominations. The Hurt Locker, the lowest grossing Best Picture nominee, also has nine nominations.

AP Art History teacher Jean Peters is a selfproclaimed movie buff who enjoys watching the Oscar’s every year.

Peter’s reaction to the five additional nominations this year was less than thrilled. “I’m a little baffled. Splitting it up into drama and comedy categories would make more

sense. How can you choose between a film like Up and a film like Precious?� she said.

Some students said they are more likely to watch the awards due to the added nominees.

Junior Aleks Husic thinks Avatar’s box office success will lead to more viewers of the Academy Awards Ceremony.

He said he is more inclined to watch the Oscar’s this year to see if what he calls “the best movie ever� will win.

Sophomore Kyle Siebert is excited about the changes made this year. “I really like it. The change allows for a wide variety of different types of movies,� he said.

This variety includes Up, the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture since 1991’s Beauty and the Beast.

Avatar and District 9 are the sci-fi first films to be nominated for the prestigious honor since E.T. in 1982.

Most critics predict an Avatar/The Hurt Locker showdown for the March 7 ceremony.

While clearly the underdog, The Hurt Locker could go all the way to be the lowest grossing Best Picture winner of all time.

Whether the Oscar goes to a sci-fi, animated or dramatic film, the winner will make history.

My Predictions for the Winners

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker Best Actor: Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart Best Actress: Sandra Bullock The Blind Side Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz Inglourious Basterds Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique Precious Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino Inglourious Basterds Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner Up in the Air Best Cinematography: The Hurt Locker Best Editing: Avatar Best Art Direction: Avatar Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria Best Makeup: Star Trek Best Original Score: Up Best Original Song: “The Weary Kind�, Crazy Heart Best Sound Mixing: Avatar Best Sound Editing: Avatar Best Visual Effects: Avatar Best Animated Film: Up Best Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon Best Documentary Feature: The Cove

Local venues offer music lovers change of scenery from overly crowded Pageant, Pop’s Night Club Kelly Bauer/ Reporter

West County isn’t exactly known for the most popular music scene.

However, some venues are moving from the typical downtown concert setting into the county. In exchange, they offer a more intimate experience which draw artists from all stages.

Whether trying to find exciting new Friday night plans or a place to hang out and study with friends during the week, local venues are becoming increasingly more popular for cliental who enjoy a unique concert locale.

Although these live venues aren’t near as large in scale as most well-known performing arenas, they passionately believe in their contribution to the local music scene.

The Loft at The Crossing

Once a month on Fridays, The Loft hosts a $5 concert featuring local rock, indie, experimental and various music groups.

Chrissy Stergos, Youth Events Coordinator at The Loft, believes the venue nurtures talent in young musicians. “Our sound system, lights and facility are a reflection of the priority of the Crossing ‌ a place for young musicians to develop stage presence, perform in front of an audience and grow as artists,â€? she said.

Friday evenings at The Loft are mainly made up of high school students and young adults. “I think our biggest hope is to encourage community‌ they [people] seem to come together over good music. Whenever we can accomplish that, it’s a good night,â€? Stergos said. “We’re constantly adding fresh faces and new sounds,â€? Stergos said. “We love young, but dedicated performers, who work at their craft and have matured to a point where they have a good sound.â€?

The next concert will take place Feb. 26, and all the proceeds will be donated to Living Water. This organization excavates freshwa-

ter for those who need clean drinking water.

Lone Wolf Coffee Co.

Newly announced as a live music venue, Lone Wolf amps up Wednesday through Saturday nights with the Brown Dog Blues Band.

On Mondays and Tuesdays, the stage in the Blackhawk room will be offered to student performers.

Ralph Pfremmer is not only the owner but a member in the Brown Dog Blues Band. He hopes to create an influential space by opening the room. “I want to encourage artists to use the space to learn,� Pfremmer said.

The music style is a blend of indie, folk, blues, soul and acoustic classic rock.

However, culture is the main concern for this coffee house.

Pfremmer said, “I feel strongly about my community and feel it needs a little more culture‌it is not really about the money. It is about the culture.â€?

Tribeca Lounge

Introduced to the Chesterfield Valley on Oct. 23, 2009, Tribeca offers live music Tuesday through Saturday.

Entertainment includes piano, acoustic, jazz and pop band nights. “Tribeca is what Chesterfield Valley has been missing,� Manager Justin Sprengel said. “It is a perfect blend of an exotic bistro and uptown lounge meets late- night club.�

Although Tribeca is open to the entire public during the day, at 9 p.m. it becomes a 21+ club.

This non-franchise and independent establishment aims to stray away from a typical dining and viewing experience.

A mini-grand piano and fireplace area combined with the modern dĂŠcor contribute to the abstract environment.

Sprengel said the main goal of Tribeca is to provide stylish, social and accessible environment for the people of West County.

Join Newspaper, Yearbook or DVD! .FNP UP UIF $&0 3FEVDF 3FVTF 3FDZDMF &OIBODF :PVS #PUUPN -JOF

Needed: writers, photographers, videographers, designers and all around cool people Applications due March 10 lhsimage.com

Have you read 3 Gateway Award Books?

Read 3 by March 10 to vote on the award winner.

Hollywood Tan Have a special event coming up?

Why not walk in with a Hollywood Tan?

4 months of unlimited tanning $75

Student Specials: 1 Mystic Tan $15 3 Regular Tans $15 10 Regular Tans $35

*With Valid High School I.D.

/ **Reg beds only

15505 Manchester Rd. Ballwin, MO 63011 636-386-8226

(Across from Royal Gate Chrysler, next to Imo’s)

A message from your LHS Library

What Are You Waiting For? Check out our other great specials online www.hollywoodtanco.com

16

Feb. 19, 2010

infotainment Arts & Crafts:

thingstodo Film Releases

Not Just For Pre-Schoolers

Strung Along

Sophomore Brittany Willis makes a necklace at Bizzy Beads, a craft-making store in the Chesterfi eld Valley. (photos by Alyssa Knowling)

Teens find businesses in Chesterfield Valley where they explore their more creative sides

Alyssa Knowling / Reporter

When you think of the Chesterfield Valley, you most likely think of the biggest strip mall you have ever seen, the Werenberg Chesterfield Galaxy 14 movie theater and Wal-Mart.

However many are not aware of the assortment of other activities available in The Valley, particularly all the art projects.

For a cheap price, you can complete a variety of creative projects such as jewelry making, crafts and pottery painting at various locations.

Instead of simply shopping in or going to see a movie, doing something creative and artistic truly provides a great and unique way to spend time.

That is why Bizzy Beads, The Painting Paw and Michael’s are some of the most unique places to enjoy in The Valley.

To begin, the craft locations in the Valley all have affordable and fun projects to offer.

The atmosphere at each location is very relaxed, especially when going with a group of friends. Take a few pals to do these activities and each one can make something completely different, but equally interesting.

Completely new experiences and stories to tell come from creating at these locations.

So next time your friends suggest seeing another movie, offer up one of these locations as an alternative.

Getting Crafty

Necklaces, picture frames, and door signs can all be made during an inexpensive, and fun trip to a craft store in the Chesterfi eld Valley. (photos by Allyssa Knowling)

Bizzy Beads

Bizzy Beads opened in the fall of 2003 to create a place for the public to make jewelry.

The store is filled with thousands of beads as well as wires, chains and helpful workers.

There are many different things to make, such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key chains or rings.

The price of what is made depends on the beads chosen. Each is priced differently. A fully beaded necklace would cost about $25.

Classes are offered with prices ranging from $15-$50. They teach jewelry making techniques.

Bizzy Beads is a great place to go with a group. It has a relaxed atmosphere and each person can make something unique and personal.

It is located at 135 Chesterfield Towne Centre and the number is 636-728-1515.

The Painting Paw

Michael’s

Michael’s is known for providing art supplies.

What is not as well known is that Michael’s offers cake decorating classes along with scheduled craft making days in the store.

On Jan. 30, a Valentine’s Day picture frame painting craft area was set up from late morning to early afternoon.

For $1 one can buy a blank picture frame, sit down at a table and paint or decorate their frame.

This process was both fun and cheap, and the frame could be made into a great homemade gift.

Throughout the month of Feb., cake decorating classes will be occurring at the Michael’s Valley location.

Each Michael’s has different classes, demonstrations and craft set-ups for different days throughout the year.

On Nov. 19, 2005, The Painting Paw opened to give the public access to a quality store to paint pottery.

At the front there are shelves of blank pottery. There are also tables set up and a wall of paints, sponges and paintbrushes.

The Painting Paw allows people to paint vases, plates, mugs, bowls, figurines and more. Prices range from $6-$100, but expect to spend about $20.

To begin, pick out what you want to paint and then choose colors, patterns and techniques to paint with.

When finished, leave the painted pottery and the workers with glaze and fire it so you can pick it up a few days later to use it to decorate your home or give as a gift.

They are located at 140 Chesterfield Valley Dr. and their phone number is 636-530-9559.

Feb. 19 Shutter Island The Ghost Writer Feb. 26 The Crazies Cop Out March 5 Alice in Wonderland Brooklyn’s Finest March 12 Green Zone Remember Me She’s out of My League Our Family Wedding March 19 The Bounty Hunter Diary of a Wimpy Kid Season of the Witch Repo Men March 26 How To Train Your Dragon- 3D Hot Tub Time Machine

Performing Arts

March 4-20 The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-theMoon-Marigolds @ Stray Dog Theater March 17- April 11 The Fantasticks @ The Rep

Album Releases

Feb. 23 Michelle BranchEverything Comes and Goes The Rocket SummerOf Men and Angels David Byrne & Fatboy Slim-Here Lies Love Feb. 30 Rouge Wave-Permalight March 9 Gorillaz- Plastic Beach The Morning BendersBig Echo March 16 The White StripesUnder Great White Northern Lights (Live) Ludacris- Battle of the Sexes March 23 She and Him- Volume II

Picks of the Month

David Adams gives his top entertainment choices for February

Movie: Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton is the perfect man for the job to direct this 3-D film. The all star cast includes Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter. The only question is, will it be too trippy for the kids?

Album:

Vampire Weekend- Contra This popular indie band released their second album last month. African inspired beats, and unique instruments can be heard in this outstanding release. Highlights include lead singles, Cousins, and California English.

Event:

Adult Easter Egg Hunt Located in Forest Park, adults 18 and older can participate in a challenging but fun egg hunt. Registration is $22 per team and a $500 prize is up for the taking for this March 27 event.

Play:

August: Osage County at the Fox This Pulitzer Prize winning dark comedy plays at the Fox from March 2-14. Don’t let the three hour plus running time turn you off. The large cast of quirky characters and the witty script will leave you begging for more.

Book:

The Screwed up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson This hilarious novel is definitely for mature audiences, but those that read it may want to do so privately as they will surely be laughing out loud at Charlie’s blunt and twisted views of growing up in the 21st Century.