March 25, 2020 Image Magazine

theimagemagazine Lafayette High School • Wildwood, Missouri • March 25, 2020 • vol. 51, issue 5

The cost of being a woman • photo illustration by CHLOE BAKER

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Opening

FROM US ...

TO YOU “What necessarily is the Lifestyles section?” I get that question all the time.

To me, the Lifestyles section is where the personality of Lafayette comes through. It’s where the influential, ordinary and unforgettable come to be highlighted.

It’s where your favorite types of food come head-to-head in the battle for the staff’s favor.

It’s where incredible teachers are featured and appreciated for the great work they have done and the lives they have touched.

It’s where hot-button issues are explored; whether it’s the tampon tax and its effects or the many facets of love in our society and even how students live with extreme peanut allergies.

My goal for the section is

to find what is interesting to our readers, and give them something that is fascinating and relevant to their lives.

Now, of course, our magazine would not be complete without the greatly informative news section, the inciting opinions or the inspiring sports section.

In this issue in particular, I am extremely excited for the news in-depth look into the many deer that make driving difficult for our community.

As journalists, it’s our job to tell you everything that you never thought you needed to know. And it’s our honor.

The Lifestyles section is a home for almost anything and everything and it is my personal favorite aspect of The Image (although I do happen to be biased). I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

Behind the cover

As Web Editor CHLOE BAKER takes the photo, Editor-in-Chief DELANEY STULCE poses with a back pocket full of women’s hygiene products and money to represent both the taxes and stigma against tampons and pads. • photo by KAYLA CARPENTER

Stay Connected • The Lancer Feed • @thelancerfeed • @thelancerfeed

Grace Kirtley Lifestyles Editor

Web

• lancerfeed.press

theimagemagazine

Opening

March 25, 2020

• In This Issue •

• Image Staff • Editors-in-Chief:

Kayla Carpenter Delaney Stulce Web Editor: Social Media Chloe Baker Editor: Jack Weaver Assistant: Makayla Archambeault Artist: Alex Vancil News Editor: Hayden Cottrell Reporters: Assistant: Laura Barratt Corren Tipton

Opinions Editor: Alex Rozar Lifestyles Editor: Grace Kirtley

Assistant: Hannah Fitts Sports Editor:

Morgan Vehige

Reggie Brown Caoimhe Farris Sarah Locke Maya Manor Juli Mejia Sophia Scheller Abby Stebner Aliyah Studt Vijay Viswanathan Sophia Wasson Kennedy Willhite

• Digital Media Staff • Digital Media Editor Jack Weaver

Staff:

Abdi Abdalla Chloe Baker Alli Bishop Micah Bounds Emily Budde Sam Knutson

Jack McDonald Sophia Scheller Colin Swan Ryan Swan Kevin Vera Joey Weaver

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pg 10

Opinions 4 6 7

News

SUMMER SCHOOL FLAWS

Rockwood’s summer school switch to online provides opportunities for some students, but causes many more obstacles for others.

THE NEED TO VOTE

The upcoming presidential election affects students more than it seems, and that’s why it’s so important for everyone to research and vote.

BANNED BOOKS

A Missouri bill that would have allowed a selfappointed committee to remove books from public libraries was considered, but supporters of that bill are concerned about the wrong issues.

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• Publications Adviser •

DEER DILEMMA

With the large deer population in Wildwood, car accidents involving the animal are common, but what are you supposed to do when you hit a deer?

ONLINE SUMMER SCHOOL

Rockwood Summer Academy is making the move to online, changing the nature of summer school and credit recovery courses.

NOW A PANDEMIC

COVID-19 fears are growing daily and the community is feeling the results of the far-reaching concerns as well. See how some students have been directly impacted.

SAFE TANNING

With Prom season just around the corner, there’s about to be an increased demand for tans, but what’s the safest way to get one?

Nancy Y. Smith, MJE

• General Information • The Image is produced by students in the News Production class. Free copies are distributed on campus. Subscriptions are also available for $40 per year.

Rockwood student publications are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by Rockwood students and have been established by both policy and practice as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience.

Publications will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution.

Because school officials do not engage in prior

review and the content of all Rockwood student publications is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editors and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication.

A full listing of all the policies followed by student publications staff members can be found at lancerfeed.press under the About tab.

The Image is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and received First Class rating with two Marks of Distinction. The Image is also a member of Quill and Scroll, journalismSTL and MJEA.

• Our Gold Sponsors •

Thank you to our sponsors for their support of the journalism program.

The Baker Family The Kirtley Family The Carpenter Family The Johns Family The Archambeault Family Steve Martinez–State Farm Agent

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Lifestyles 16 19

TAMPON TAX

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PEANUT PROBLEMS

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Around the country, female hygiene products are taxed higher than other items, but lawmakers could soon pass a bill to change that in Missouri.

OLIVIA’S JOURNEY

When she was in 5th Grade, senior Olivia Kalamboukas moved to St. Louis from Brazil. She’s tackled the language barrier, and she’s now an active member in LHS theater productions.

March is National Peanut Month, but despite the beloved nature of the food, several students suffer from peanut allergies. How do they deal with allergies in a school of over 1,500 students?

TASTE TESTER: FRENCH FRIES

Image staff members tried different types of french fries from various establishments to let you know which salty snack reigns supreme.

CAN LHS ADULT?

Teens are often seen as being too dependent on their parents causing them to lack knowledge on basic tasks, but is that perception true here?

Sports 27 28 30

FRESHMAN PHENOMENON

After leading the girls cross country team to their first State Meet since 2015, freshman Grace Tyson earned a second State medal with swim.

BODY SHAMING IN SPORTS

Despite their active lifestyles, several athletes struggle with their body image as a result of social media and increased comparisons.

STUDENT REFEREES

There is a shortage of sports officials around the country and one reason may be the declining numbers of teens who are taking on the role of referee. Hear about the job of a referee from some Lancers who make the calls.

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• OPINIONS •

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

• illustration by ALEX VANCIL

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

Opinions

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Move to online summer school puts struggling students at risk If you visit Rockwood’s website, you’ll be greeted by smiling faces and a commitment to academic achievement: “We work to make sure all students succeed.”

Rockwood’s decision to change all summer school recovery classes—taken by students who need to retake a required course they have failed during the regular school year—to online courses is not a decision which reflects that goal.

For our story on page 10, the Image conducted extensive interviews with several district officials directly involved with the online shift, which was ostensibly done to help students who have failed classes.

Their reasoning for the change was a belief that the on-site summer school attendance requirements were detrimental to students because they interfered with other summer commitments.

The original summer school policy dropped a student from a class on their third absence, so those who had a conflict with a camp, a job, an illness or anything else were often dropped and could not earn a credit.

The online move, the district says, will solve this issue for many.

For the majority of students, however, online classes reduce access to teachers and limit the likelihood of completing assignments by the rigid deadlines required by online courses.

At-risk students who have to take recovery courses in the summer are already more prone to perhaps procrastinate and/or struggle with the material, which may have led to their initial failure.

At home, away from teachers and administrators, they’ll have little motivation to work and study and no daily assistance from a regular classroom teacher if they need it.

This is through no fault of their own. Instead, it is a systemic flaw in the online shift. At home, on a computer, during the summer—it should be no surprise that students will feel comfortable slacking off.

Students could benefit from the amenities provided on campus by a public school.

Instead, they will be entrusted to succeed by themselves within a few weeks when they could not succeed with classroom instruction within several months.

Rockwood administrators claim they have a fix. Some teachers will be available at all high schools, and transportation to the schools will remain the same as it is during the normal school year. Plus, if students are observed to be slacking off,

teachers and administrators will step in and request a face-to-face meeting, like is expected at school.

Still, for most students, the experience they get online will not be comparable to a day in school.

Even students who seek out face-to-face assistance will not get the same specialized education—will the science teacher on standby really be expected to know biology, chemistry and physics?

Additionally, some of the supposedly robust features required to run classes online may not function for all students.

Students who need a WiFi hotspot will be able to come to school. However, as Assistant Superintendent Shelley Willott said, some of those hotspots may not work for all students.

For the district to put its faith into a program, we must be sure it will work for everyone.

If Rockwood cannot definitively say that students will be able to effectively learn under the new program, then it should not imprudently revamp summer school.

All of this implies students will seek help at all.

Remember, these students have already failed classes. How can we expect them to be proactive in the summer if they couldn’t do it throughout the school year?

Rockwood cannot reasonably expect summer school students to come to school when the classes are online. They are setting these kids up to fail once again.

Staff Editorial

Rockwood says its goal is “to make sure students succeed.” Moving remedial summer school classes to the web flies in the face of that.

Staff Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Image staff.

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theimagemagazine

Opinions

LANCER’S LOT

STARS

ALEX ROZAR Opinions Editor

Stars & Gripes is a satirical column written collectively by the Image staff.

March 25, 2020

Young people usually disappoint on Election Day, aim to fix in 2020

I

President Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders, for example, are more diametrically f you’re reading this right now, then you’re opposed than any presidential candidates in probably a teenager. And if you’re a teenager, decades. The Sanders administration would then the outcome of the 2020 election will be much different for young people than utterly and profoundly impact your future. a continuation of the Trump Why? Because for the first time in administration. modern memory, the issues that matter Sanders’ promise to to young Americans are at the forgive student loan forefront of the national debate.

Whoever is chosen, whether debt and make public Political hot topics like student universities tuitionBiden, Sanders, Trump or loan debt, rising healthcare costs free, for example, someone else, will surely have and climate change uniquely would majorly far-reaching effects on both affect young people. impact young Politico reports that Americans. the U.S. and the world beyond Americans owe $1.6 trillion Right now we 2024. It is crucial that young in student loans. National are standing at a people weigh in on what Public Radio (NPR0 said 41% of crossroads of very society should look like.

Americans under 35 have trouble different American paying for healthcare. societies depending The UN estimated we have 12 years on who is elected in to reverse the course on climate change, November. Whoever is chosen, and that estimate was made well over a year ago. whether Biden, Sanders, Trump or As Columbia professor and Earth Institute someone else, will surely have far-reaching advisor Steven Cohen writes, “young people effects on both the U.S. and the world beyond worry about how they will find meaningful work 2024. It is crucial that young people weigh in on and survive on a warming planet.” what society should look like.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Year after year, however, young people as a young Americans approaching adulthood are whole have failed to show up where it matters: at becoming increasingly vocal about political the polls. In 2020, let’s change that. issues. “Generation Z Is Not Afraid,” the Harvard If you’ll be 18 by Nov. 3, vote. If not, make sure Political Review notes. your friends and family vote.

There is a difference, however, between vigor Don’t know who to vote for? Research the and victory. We must take this momentum to the candidates’ positions. Worried about voting for ballot box. “the lesser of two evils?” Don’t be—vote for who As today’s adolescents turn into adults over you think the less evil one is! the next few years, the policies put forward by Your opinion matters. Learn the issues, think the president at the time will determine whether about the world you want to live in and vote for or not America sticks with the status quo. whomever you believe will best achieve it.

“

•An 8-year-old boy won $200 of pot products in a raffle at a Canadian youth hockey tournament.

Hopefully his team won in a blaze of glory.

•A St. Louis man impersonating a police officer pulled over a real police officer and was promptly arrested. It was like the SpiderMan pointing meme came to life.

•The St. Louis BattleHawks are tearing up the newly formed XFL. If the league’s previous short lifespan season is any indication, you should buy your tickets now.

•A Houston man waited six hours to vote, finally casting his ballot at 1:30 a.m.

Savvy campaigns might want to start sending volunteers to polling places with pillows and blankets.

•Penn State students held a candlelight vigil for a closed Taco Bell. May the store rest in pico de gallo.

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Opinions

March 25, 2020

Read between the lines: book banning needs to end

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The Monthly Joust

The Parental ones they think are Oversight of Public inappropriate.

Libraries Act is a There is no proposed Missouri need for banning. bill that would allow Many books that a self-appointed some parents CORREN TIPTON would deem parental committee Asst. News Editor to remove books inappropriate from libraries. address issues that ABC News summarized the are prevalent to the readers. bill saying if libraries failed to The Hate U Give is comply with the removal of commonly banned because of certain books, librarians could language and drug use, but it also has a poignant message be fined—or even jailed. about dealing with racism Although the bill hasn’t yet and discrimination which can been approved, it brings up be very helpful to those with another topic: book banning. similar struggles.

Bottom line: This parent The same can be said for committee should not be Looking for Alaska, The Perks deciding what materials a of Being a Wallflower and To public library can carry.

Kill a Mockingbird in that they While some books would have all been on the ban list not be suitable for children for vulgar language. to read, chances are, the ones Language is a poor reason checking out books for young to ban a book. It’s rare for me readers are adults, not kids. to go through a day without Parents should monitor hearing a swear word or a what their child is reading if they feel there is questionable conversation— inappropriate content. it’s become my kind of normal Monitoring, however, should in high school. Banning books be more of an open discussion for things we are exposed to with the child as opposed to a almost if not every single day restriction with “because I said is just running in circles and so” reasoning. isn’t going to do anything Some argue that except leave an empty space questionable books should on a shelf. have warning labels. Those Instead of diminishing people fail to realize there the libraries’ supply, parents already are. Every library or should be more concerned bookstore I’ve been to (and with parenting their own kid.

I’ve been to a lot) has clearly If committees are looking for labeled sections so buyers can a clean, censored world, it’s easily find the books they’re going to take a lot more than looking for and avoid the emptying out the libraries.

•A plane came to an emergency landing in St. Louis after a man tried to open the exit door while the plane was in the air.

What’s the height of stupidity?

Apparently cruising altitude.

•Oprah fell over while giving a speech on the importance of “balance.” Maybe she should take her own advice.

•In a scene straight out of a dystopian novel, a Republican Congressman wore a gas mask on his way to a COVID-19 vote.

But remember, President Donald Trump said the situation is “under control.”

•A St. Louis man dressed as the Joker walked around Delmar Loop making threats on Facebook Live.

Batman was busy for the night, but the police were soon on the scene.

GRIPES

•In response to toilet paper shortages from the COVID-19 outbreak, an Australian newspaper is printing extra copies. Just so it’s clear, we do not want to see any of our issues end up in the bathroom.

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• NEWS •

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Oh Deer!

Amount of wildlife accidents raise awareness for drivers, cautionary steps MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT • Asst. Web Editor •

CORREN TIPTON • Asst. News Editor •

“I was a minute away from my house on Wildhorse Creek Road. It was [about] 9 p.m., I was going 30 miles per hour, not even fast, and it was dark outside and foggy,” senior Ethan Leslie said.

There are about 6 million car accidents in the United States each year. Roughly 1.5 million of those involve deer. “[I was] coming around a corner and this deer sprints across the road and I started braking, but I caught it on the right edge of my car—it was across the road already. It just kind of bounced off,” Leslie said. “It was just sitting on the road, and I sat there for what must have been two full minutes just kind of staring at it. It wasn’t dead because it was flailing around a little bit. I didn’t know what to do.”

When situations like Leslie’s occur, many drivers do not approach the situation appropriately. In a survey of 1,000 drivers done by Wildlife on the Road, 71% of the drivers say they just kept driving after hitting an animal.

As soon as an accident involving a deer occurs, police should be contacted. Soon after this contact is made, the Missouri Highway Patrol should also be contacted at (573) 751-3313.

“I have no idea how many [deer-related accidents] I have handled. There have been so many,” Student Resource Officer Jim McDonald said. “Since I came out to Wildwood [in 2009], I have hit 12 deer • illustration by MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT

and had two run into the side of my car.

I also hit one in South County when I worked down there. I have no idea how many I have had to put down—probably over 50, just me.”

Deer are typically much more active during hunting and archery season, which occurs through fall and winter. St. Louis, Missouri has the second-highest amount of deer harvested in the state of Missouri with 1,083 harvested during hunting season.

“Fall seems to be the busiest time of year. It is what is referred to as the rut.

During the rut, bucks are more active and less cautious because they have only one thing on their minds: mating with as many does as they can,” McDonald said.

McDonald advises Wildwood residents to be cautious when driving along area roads, as many deer tend to stand next to the road, and oftentimes, when one deer crosses a road, several more are close behind.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, resource scientist Jason Sumners recommends using high beams and being attentive to ditches when driving during the fall and winter months.

Sumners also advises against swerving when attempting to avoid deer, as more injuries occur as a result of this action than if the deer were to be hit.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain John Hotz said in an article

by MissouriNet that, officially, 4,090 traffic crashes involving deer occurred in Missouri in 2018 alone. In Wildwood, there were 231 crashes in 2018.

According to a survey by the Wildwood Deer Management Subcommittee, the majority of vehicle accidents involving deer resulted in a cost of $2001 or more in repairs.

“When we drove back up [to the site of the accident] and looked at [the deer], it had stopped flailing but it was still breathing, you could see it. Then we called the Wildwood police and they came and shot it, I think. I didn’t watch,” Leslie said.

If the deer is killed in the collision and left on the shoulder of the highway, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will remove it during their normal working hours. However, if the deer poses a danger to traffic, such as if it is left in the driving or passing lane, or partially left between the lane and the shoulder, MoDOT can be contacted at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636).

“There was a little bit of a break in the right side of my grill in front and there’s a little bend above the tire,” Leslie said. “I wish I would’ve known there was a deer there. If I knew to call the Wildwood police earlier, it wouldn’t have sat there as long dying. Its name was Debbie—I named it and there was a lot of hair it left behind.”

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News

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

• illustration by ALEX VANCIL

theimagemagazine

News

March 25, 2020

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Rockwood 2020 Summer Academy goes online; adds option to take courses for new credits HAYDEN COTTRELL • News Editor •

MAYA MANOR

T

• Staff Reporter •

he Rockwood Summer Academy (RSA) will go mainly online for 2020.

In previous years, RSA has had a few online classes but most were offered onsite at the Rockwood high schools. “[Credit recovery classes are now online.] The central office leaders wanted to transition credit recovery live to online through the Springfield Public School system called LAUNCH. Kids who failed Algebra 1 will take Algebra 1 online through LAUNCH,” Assistant Principal Tim Jones, High School Quadrant Summer School Coordinator, said.

The choice to transition RSA over to fully online came after many students had conflicts with coming to summer school and also being able to attend other school events, like the mandatory band camp or other school-related workshops in the summer.

“We saw it as an opportunity to give students and their families more flexibility in how they spend their summer,” Shelley Willott, Rockwood Assistant Superintendent of Learning and Support Services, said.

If students are worried about not being able to connect to a WiFi signal, the district will be providing some hotspots for students to use.

“We will have some hotspots, but those don’t always work if their location can’t receive a signal. Students are able to come into school to work or find a place with free WiFi to do their work,” Willott said.

Since the RSA is mainly online, students who are not enrolled in live classes do not have to come to school.

If a student feels like they are struggling, however, and they need faceto-face help in a class, the school will have classrooms set up for students to come in and get help from a teacher.

“If they feel they can do it on their Chromebook at home, then that’s on them. We’ll have staff here to help assist if they choose to come in,” Jones said.

RSA will continue to keep track of the students’ progress with their courses.

There will be counselors and principals monitoring the work completed.

“The summer school principals and counselors will keep track of student progress and communicate with families when appropriate progress isn’t being made,” Willott said.

Students who are a part of the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corporation (VICC) program will also be able to come in for help.

“We will still have buses. Students just have to coordinate to come in. Everyday isn’t a problem, but if they want to only come a few days then we would need to coordinate busing,” Jones said.

Students will need to indicate how often they would like to be at school when they register for the classes.

“When students register, they will indicate whether they want to work on their courses in the building every day, full time, or on a drop-in basis,” Willott said.

There will also still be an opportunity for students to get breakfast and lunch from school if they choose to come in for additional help or for a live class session.

“Students will have breakfast/lunch available. We wanted to make sure that all the support of traditional summer school was also offered this summer even though we are changing the delivery method of the content,” Willott said.

Another new change to the summer program is that students can take classes for a first-time credit as well to get ahead.

“Students are able to take coursework for first-time credit during the summer,.

The first step is to schedule a time to talk with your counselor about what courses might make sense for you to take,” Willott said.

Many students right now choose to enroll in either Personal Finance or Health online. But this summer, they will have the ability to enroll in many new options now that fit within their four-year school plan that they come up with their counselor.

“Other options could be available based on your planned coursework for the next four years,” Willott added.

Students will be expected to complete

“

[If I took the course online, I wouldn’t have done well] because I’m a procrastinator.

Being required to be there everyday was a big motivator for me to go and do my work.”

ALEXIS PIETRO • 12

the course within the RSA calendar time, which is four weeks.

“First time credit courses are the same amount of work as courses that students take during the school year,” Willott said.

“However, they are packing 18 weeks of work into four weeks. That means it is fast-paced and intensive. Students can expect to spend a minimum of three hours a day, five days a week to get a full semester of coursework completed in four weeks.”

Alexis Pietro, senior, took summer school when summer school classes were offered at school only.

“The class was smaller, so I got more attention to what I needed,” Pietro said.

She believes the transition to online classes won’t help kids out with getting a lot of interaction with teachers. “[If I took the course online, I wouldn’t have done well] because I’m a procrastinator. Being required to be there everyday was a big motivator for me to go and do my work,” Pietro said.

Senior Cy Cain who has also taken summer classes in the past agrees.

“Hands-on [learning] is better for me personally. Having to be there in person is a lot more helpful,” Cain said.

With RSA’s transition to online, Jones said time will tell how students will perform with online coursework.

“I’m a little concerned but we’ll see. I hope I’m wrong. We’ll see how the results come after this year,” Jones said.

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theimagemagazine

News

March 25, 2020

The countries with a red line have at least one confirmed case of the Coronavirus as of March 15, 2020.

Where to next?

• illustration by DELANEY STULCE

Coronavirus impacts families globally, locally Editor’s Note: The information in this story is accurate as submission to the printer on March 15, 2020. Any changes in rapidly changing information that took place after this date are not reflected in this story.

CAOIMHE FARRIS • Staff Reporter •

VIJAY VISWANATHAN • Staff Reporter •

A virus known as COVID-19, or the Coronavirus has been causing global worry over its rapid spread. The virus started at the Hunan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China.

The current virus is a close cousin of the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a pandemic.

And, Missouri officials have called for schools to close. On March 15, 26 major school districts across the St. Louis area announced closure, including the Rockwood School District (RSD), from March 16 through April 3.

At that time, schools will re-evaluate and decide if a longer break is needed or

if it is safe to resume going in.

In fact, 29 states have closed all or most of their public schools into April.

Most universities were also moving to online instruction models, some for the remainder of the semester.

Fear of widespread contamination has led to the closings, cancellations and postponements for every professional and collegiate sports league.

All Disney parks are closed and many other large entertainment venues including Six Flags have shut down.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page declared a public state of emergency on March 13 and banned all public gatherings of more than 250 people.

President Donald Trump also declared a national emergency on March 13.

Many states have ordered restaurants and bars closed except for take out and delivery. Stores have reduced hours.

RSD said it will continue to send updates to families regarding COVID-19 and contingencies for online learning.

RSD also set up a Frequently Asked Questions page that is being updated for students and families.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Widespread cancellations and closures have affected many Lafayette families.

For example, senior Kevin Peng’s mother has been stuck in Nanjing, China

since the Lunar New Year Holiday.

“Every year she goes to China for the Lunar New Year, which is in January. She went back to China about a week before Lunar New Year,” Peng said.

China started locking down cities after the Lunar New Year Holiday.

Due to Peng’s mother being stuck in China, Peng now has added responsibilities at home.

“I have to help out my dad cooking and helping out more around the house cause my mom is not here, but it’s a lot more stress on my dad,” Peng said.

Junior Ashleigh Kennely has been in Missouri since she came from Thailand to visit for an upcoming move to LHS. When her school in Thailand was quarantined, she had to stay in St. Louis.

“Originally, I was supposed to move here later in March, but we came to visit St. Louis to visit our house, take a tour and look at the school, but they put a quarantine on our school [in Thailand]. So I couldn’t go back to my old school unless I stayed at home for 14 days,” she said.

Kennely’s school in Thailand has a lot of students from around the world who attend it. The school was placed under a quarantine after students left Thailand to visit their home countries over a break.

“The school is just trying to be safe, especially since we had a huge break

theimagemagazine

News

March 25, 2020

[for a vacation], and so people traveled to places all over the world that could have [the virus], so they’re trying to be very serious about their approaches and canceling trips. We had a bunch of school trips, and they canceled those,” she said.

One of the hardest hit countries has been Italy. On March 12, Italy had over 15,000 cases of COVID-19, and imposed travel restrictions on itself.

Health teacher David Witter’s daughter was in Italy when COVID-19 first struck.

“She is a junior at Kansas State [University], and she’s over there [Italy] with the study abroad program. She’s in Florence, Italy but is heading to Amsterdam and is planning on coming back here when she can,” Witter said.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the travel industry, with the airline and cruise industry losing money due to the fear of travel during an outbreak. The outbreak has led to changes in travel plans that have affected LHS students and staff.

Sophomore Jenna Loveless and her family were scheduled to go overseas to visit her sister.

Early in March, she told the Image, “My sister is in Madrid, and Spain really

doesn’t have many cases [of COVID-19], so there really has been no change to our travel plans.”

But contacted again on March 12, after Trump announced there would be a 30day travel ban to certain countries due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases she said, “We were at the airport, and had to cancel our trip.”

Freshman Olivia Loyd’s family had Spring Break plans that changed quickly.

“My family was originally going to Florida for Disney and Universal and be there for a little over a week. We [flew to] Florida, and found out Universal closed and Disney World was going to do the same [on March 15]. We changed our plans and now we’re just staying three days and heading home. We still went to Disney, but when we walked in you could tell how drastic the amount of people were there. Instead of it being packed like usual, it was like a fourth of that. Now there’s talk that we’re gonna have to drive back instead of fly,” Loyd said.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Several Lafayette groups had out-ofstate travel plans that have now fallen through. Choir and orchestra students had a trip to Disney World in Orlando

13

scheduled for March 26-30. Both Undefined and the fashion classes had trips scheduled to New York. Student Publications had plans to travel to Nashville for the national convention.

Other personal travel plans were also changing for many. For example, senior Grace Lin was in the process of planning a trip to Fuzhou, China when COVID-19 hit.

“It’s not possible at the moment.

We’re not sure if we may or may not go.

We’re going in May, and we’re going to reevaluate in May to see if there is still a threat from the virus. Most likely, there still will be,” Lin said.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

As of March 15 in Missouri, there have been five confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Two were in St. Louis County, two are in the Springfield area and one is in western Missouri. The first case was a 20-year-old who was studying abroad in Italy and the older sister of a Villa Duchesne student.

That school closed after the student attended a Father-Daughter dance at the Ritz-Carlton after the family was allegedly told to self-quarantine.

For more up-to-date information on this story follow @thelancerfeed on Twitter and check the lancerfeed.press

14

theimagemagazine

News

March 25, 2020

Fun in the artificial sun

Alternative tanning protects against UV rays JULI MEJIA

•Staff Reporter•

SOPHIA WASSON • Staff Reporter•

“My mom was hesitant about me tanning at first because of skin cancer. I self tanned before that for a while, and I would use the lotion that would eventually make you tan, but finally my mom caved in. I think tanning can be okay if you don’t do it all the time.

I usually take breaks with how often I tan because it’s not good for your skin,” senior Kate Deline said.

Deline kept her skin tanned by using self tanning products as well as spray tanning and using tanning beds.

She has been tanning for roughly a year and a half and said she started about a month before the 2019 Winter Formal.

There are many risks that come with tanning indoors or outdoors; however, experts agree that the damage is being done to skin from a tanning bed is much more dangerous than actual sun

Did you know...?

damage.

Medical Assistant Timothy Dillinger recalls times teenagers have walked in with melanoma or other skin cancers.

“We do have young patients, as young as 18 or 19, who use tanning beds a few times a week and they already have developed skin cancer that would be virtually impossible for them to get at that age outside the tanning beds,” Dillinger said.

But, that does not mean the sun is not dangerous.

Dillinger also said patients who have spent their entire lives tanning outdoors could get numerous skin cancers, in contrast to other people whose risk would be much lower.

But, there are some safer alternatives for those who want a healthy glow.

Kiley Burke, an employee at the Color Bar Tan Salon, said, “Spray tanning is not going to harm your skin unlike tanning beds that cause skin cancer and skin damage. It’s very bad for your skin. That’s why I

believe spray tans are better.

[The color bar’s] spray tans are organic so it’s better for the environment too.”

The Color Bar is using their own organic products to ensure safety to customers and be environmentally friendly as well. They use natural ingredients that work with the individual’s body, as opposed to harmful ingredients found in many tanning salons.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), “Indoor tanning devices can emit Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in amounts 10 to 15 times higher than the sun at its peak intensity.”

Dana Sous, a member of The Sun Protection Outreach Teaching by Students (SPOTS), recommends using sunscreen everyday and avoiding tanning beds no matter the circumstances.

“The best option if you want to be tan is spray tanning or self tanning.

They have a harmless sugar, dihydroxyacetone, that stains your skin a little bit darker

color and usually lasts five days to a week,” Sous said.

According to the SCF, melanoma is a common, yet dangerous, form of skin cancer, which can be caused by tanning, genetics and a weakened immune system.

Dr. Christopher Kling said, “[Out of the] 10% of high school students that tan indoors, 70% are white females. Melanoma is the second most common skin cancer in those females from 15-29 years old.”

Sous believes the best way to use a tanning bed is to not use a tanning bed at all.

“The only safe way to be darker is if you use safe tan or spray tan. Using the tanning bed just once is going to increase your risk for melanoma by about 50-75%,” Sous said.

Deline suggests keeping a close eye on a person’s tanning health and habits.

“Just know yourself and your skin because [tanning] can become an addiction, so I think you just have to know your own limits,” Deline said.

In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. More than two people die of the disease every hour.

More people develop skin cancer because of indoor tanning than develop lung cancer because of smoking.

More than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning.

An estimated 90% of skin aging is caused by the sun.

• statistics from SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION • illustrations by HAYDEN COTTRELL and CORREN TIPTON

theimagemagazine

Photos

March 25, 2020

Assembly blends fun, recognition

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1 • After starring in one of the RCA videos, Student Resource Officer JIM MCDONALD struts across the floor to I’m Too Sexy.

2 • As students file into the Gym, senior ADEN BLACK sings with Tuesday Night Rock Band. 3 • Senior COLE RENKEN is honored as a National Merit Commended Student. Over 150 students were recognized for academic, athletic or extracurricular achievements.

4 • PE Department Chair DENISE MEYER high kicks during Escadrille’s teacher dance. 5 • Undefined members junior TREASURE LEWIS and senior ETHAN LESLIE perform “Signs” between awards. 6 • Cheerleaders entertain with some serious stunting. 7 • As Glory of Missouri winners are read, senior RACHEL PAESE is congratulated

by Board of Education Director Randy Miller. 8 • Superintendent MARK MILES sings Country Roads during Carpool Karaoke with emcees JAKE DEDERER and OLIVIA KALAMBOUKAS. 9 • Sophomore SOPHIE MIMLITZ walks to the center of the Gym after being named the winner of the Cane’s Chicken Challenge.

• photos by RACHEL BROWN, JACK WEAVER & SHANNON WORLEY

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• LIFESTYLES •

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theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

Prevalence of Period Poverty

Missouri imposes luxury tax on menstrual products CHLOE BAKER • Web Editor • SARAH LOCKE • Staff Reporter • According to an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) report, The Unequal Price of Periods, “On any given day, there are 800,000,000 people on the planet who are menstruating, of whom at least 500,000,000 lack adequate resources—basic supplies, facilities, information and support—for managing their periods.”

All around the world people lack the supplies needed to manage their personal hygiene during their menstrual cycle. This issue is especially prevalent in St. Louis. “[While working with Dignity Period] one of my research assistants and I realized that this issue was getting a lot of attention in developing countries like Ethiopia, Uganda and India, but there really wasn’t much in the public health professional literature about this in highincome countries like the United States,” St. Louis University professor Anne Sebert Kuhlmann said. “That planted a seed in the back of our heads about what the situation [is] here.”

Kuhlmann’s study on menstrual hygiene supplies documented that twothirds of low-income women in St. Louis could not afford menstrual supplies and one-fifth of women experienced this monthly.

This lack of sufficient menstrual hygiene supplies can lead to disparities in womens’ education, careers and hygiene. “[Those unable to purchase menstrual products regularly] are missing work or school, and it is a really big challenge if you don’t have the resources to get the supplies you need,” Program Manager for STL Alliance for Period Supplies, Laurel Segrist, said. “They are using things that are inferior or unhealthy, like socks or rags or diapers.”

STL Alliance for Period Products is an initiative of the STL Diaper Bank started

by Jessica L. Adams in order to get period supplies to people who are experiencing period poverty and raise awareness about the causes and consequences.

“The biggest thing is that we are trying to get our supplies into different sectors of our St. Louis society where there is a need for them. This year we are hopefully going to give out 400,000 period products,” Segrist said.

A major hindrance in purchasing sufficient period supplies is the tax put

on these products. Currently, menstrual products are taxed as luxury items unlike food, which is considered essential.

Menstrual products are taxed at a rate of 4.2% and food, considered essential, is often at 1.2% in Missouri.

“These are products that are a necessity and not a luxury. Half of the population needs them, so if you think about people who might be getting support or assistance it is usually the same amount regardless of your gender,” Kuhlmann said. “But those who have periods have to buy another set of products as a basic need that the other half of the population doesn’t. There is an equity issue there.”

Some households have more than one female, potentially doubling or tripling the cost of menstrual products for that household.

“If you look at the difference between the tax rates, it adds [to] enough over the course of the year that women could be getting more products for the same amount of money,” Kuhlmann said.

Research like Kuhlmann’s has influenced various pieces of proposed Missouri legislation.

Representative Jim Neely of the Missouri House of Representatives has introduced a bill reducing the tax on these products from the current 4.2%

In Wisconsin, gun club memberships aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Idaho, hair loss treatments aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Vermont, garter belts aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Missouri, bingo supplies aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Utah, admissions to college athletic events aren’t taxed, but menstrual items

In Tennessee,

In New Mexico, admission to souvenirs at minor league baseball stadiums are’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

registration fees aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Hawaii, erectile dysfunction pills aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

• illustration by DELANEY STULCE and CHLOE BAKER

In Louisiana, Mardi Gras beads aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

In Georgia, tattoos aren’t taxed, but menstrual items are.

• statistics according to TAX FREE PERIOD

theimagemagazine

Lifestyles By the

March 25, 2020

to 1.2%, a rate that does not exceed the rate taxed on food.

On March 3, the Missouri House gave preliminary approval to the bill, and if passed, the bill would be enacted in Oct. 2020.

State Senator Jill Schupp is also attempting to pass similar legislation lowering personal hygiene product taxes.

Schupp’s bill will reduce the sales tax rate of period products as well as diapers and incontinence products to the rate of essential food, 1.2%.

“At some point in their lives, nearly all Missourians are burdened with the ongoing costs of essential hygiene products, especially low-income families,” Schupp said in a press release. “This tax reduction is affordable, sensible and will make a huge difference for the women, families and seniors who need these products.”

The legislation needs one more vote in the Missouri House of Representatives before moving into the Senate for more debate.

According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union and Period Equity, 12 states and Washington D.C. have approved laws exempting feminine hygiene products from taxes.

Within the past several years, there has been a push state by state to lower the tax on menstrual products. For instance, the website Tax Free Period has started a campaign to end the tax on menstrual products in all states by tax day 2020.

However, the majority of states have not lowered the tax on menstrual products. One factor impeding this process is possible economic consequences to the state.

“The past couple of times it has been introduced, the economic impact assessment has cost the state [too much] in sales tax revenue,” Kuhlmann said.

Another hindrance in the passing of these laws is legislative bodies being mostly male.

“Throughout much of history our legislatures and both national and the state and local level have been predominantly male, and even though that is changing in many places, this is not an issue that affects them directly,” Kuhlmann said. “I think that bringing attention to the issue and making people realize this is an issue is an important thing.”

In addition to the tax placed on menstrual products, those with a period are faced with the stigma associated with periods. It not only prevents the passing of legislation, but also hinders womens’

17

transition out of period poverty.

“People struggle to talk about what it looks like to really be poor in America right now and to own up to the fact that we have neighbors who are experiencing a low quality of life because they don’t have things. It has been hidden away, and states and Washington women do this too, we don’t talk about D.C. have approved laws [period poverty], we don’t want to make it a big deal, we don’t want to make exempting feminine anyone feel uncomfortable and when we hygiene products from do that, we hide it away” Segrist said. taxes.

The inability to discuss this major issue inhibits progress.

“This is an issue where for a long time people didn’t think about or talk about it.

People who menstruate can Women figure out how to make do and expect to spend upwards of get by. It’s not something that has really been talked about,” Kuhlmann said.

Senior Katie Barefield believes there is a double standard present in American over the course of their lifetime culture in comparison between products for men and women. on menstrual products.

“It’s men who unfortunately make laws culturally and legally and that is why condoms are handed out like candy while American pads and tampons are taxed. I don’t think teenagers who we can truly be considered a great and free country until everyone can be on an live in poverty equal playing field,” Barefield said. lack menstrual The stigma is not centralized to a products and courtroom, however, Barefield believes support, leading that the negative stigma is rooted deep to a loss of into American culture.

“I think every girl knows what it’s like to educational have to hide her tampon up her sleeve opportunity. and hope you have a female teacher,” • statistics from the American Civil Liberties Union Barefield said.

“Anyone with a wife or daughter or sister or truly anyone who passed middle school should know that periods are not a choice, so deciding to put a luxury tax on tampons and pads is not only ridiculous but another example in American culture that women are not yet treated correctly.”

Organizations such as STL Period Supplies, Tax Free Period, and others hope to lessen period poverty through not only lowering the tax but reducing the stigma.

“I think the more people that talk about it and the more people raise awareness and engage the community Jennifer Weiss-Wolf • “Periods Gone with proper education on the issues that help” Segrist said.

Public”

Numbers

12

$1000

1 in 5

“

The ability to access these [menstrual] items affects a person’s freedom to work, study, stay healthy and engage in the world with basic dignity. And if anyone’s access is compromised, whether by poverty or stigma or lack of education and resources, it is in our societal interest to ensure those needs are met.”

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theimagemagazine

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theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

Taking center stage

Lifestyles

19

Theatre bridges gap for non-native English speakers HANNAH FITTS

• Asst. Lifestyles Editor •

“When [my family] first moved to the U.S. from Brazil, I knew no English, so the process of learning it was a tough and long one. I was only 10, and there was no one at my school who could help me understand things.”

Senior Olivia Kalamboukas and her family moved to the United States from Brazil in 2013 and had to adjust to their new life.

Kalamboukas’ father was consistently traveling to the U.S. and back to Brazil almost every 15 days, so they chose to move to St. Louis.

Learning a new language was difficult, but the hardest part about it all, Kalamboukas said, was the cultural shock of moving to a different country.

“In Brazil, I was always very talkative and loved communicating with others.

When I moved here, I basically became mute for so long. I was scared to say the wrong things, and I constantly felt judged by my peers,” Kalamboukas said.

Discrimination in the United States is something families like the Kalamboukases must face every day; however, Kalamboukas’ mother said there are benefits to knowing multiple languages.

Kalamboukas was put into theatre almost immediately when they moved here so she could learn the language quickly and find the opportunities that knowing multiple languages has.

Kalamboukas was involved in theatre when she lived in Brazil, and it is still a very big passion of hers.

“It was great to help me build my confidence when talking in a big group of people,” Kalamboukas said.

As part of Kalamboukas’ current curriculum, she is enrolled in AP Spanish

Senior OLIVIA KALAMBOUKAS, and her family, standing together after the Lafayette Theater Company’s production of Footloose. Olivia (middle) is congratulated by her parents (far left and right) and her sisters (direct left and right) with a bouquet of flowers. • photo courtesy of OLIVIA KALAMBOUKAS

Language and Culture.

Despite already knowing English and Portuguese, Kalamboukas believes knowing a variety of languages allows her to excel in other aspects of communication.

Coming here and having a strong accent and barely communicating to anyone, Kalamboukas now feels more confident in being bilingual, speaking both Portuguese and English daily.

The Kalamboukas family visits Brazil about once a year, and they continue to speak their native language in their home.

Kalamboukas’ mother said they try not to speak Portuguese in public but it naturally finds its way out. “[It is] very hard to deal with certain comments made by others. It’s definitely something that hurt me a lot at such a young age. The discrimination that I faced and that I still do often was probably the most difficult thing to deal with,” Kalamboukas said.

Her parents felt as if their children had to mature and become more confident much faster in their ability to speak for themselves in things such as school and in relationships.

“It was a very hard transition, especially having to leave everything behind like their friends that they had known all their lives. Arriving and having to completely rebuild every relationship definitely took a toll on all of us,” Kalamboukas’ mother said.

Living in the United States as well is Kalamboukas’ aunt, who had moved to Washington D.C. four years prior to them coming to St. Louis due to a similar situation.

There are a multitude of other families who come from various countries to the United States, including the Gerber family.

Sophomore Janka Gerber and her family moved to the United States from South Africa when she was 3.

In the span of three months, Gerber found herself speaking fluent English thanks theatre, like Kalamboukas, for that.

“Every once in a while I’ll accidentally say something in Afrikaans that is supposed to be in English and vice versa,” Gerber said.

Not every day is a perfect day, but both Kalamboukas and Gerber say that being in the U.S. has given them many different opportunities.

“I am able to accomplish so many things here that I would not be able to accomplish in Brazil,” Kalamboukas said.

Ultimately, being a part of an immigrant family has been a positive and negative experience for the Kalamboukas family, and Kalamboukas is still an active member in theater, even playing a role in the latest Lafayette Theatre Company (LTC) production of Footloose. “[One thing I would like everyone to know about immigrant families] is that a lot of the time people forget that we had to leave everything like our friends and family behind which can take an emotional toll on any person,” she said.

• illustration by HANNAH FITTS

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Lifestyles

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

Peanut Problems

Food allergies create variety of issues for students during daily routines ALEX VANCIL • Cartoonist •

LAURA BARRATT • Staff Reporter •

National Peanut Month; a month not celebrated by all National Peanut Month in March recognizes the numerous health benefits of peanuts, but also brings awareness to those suffering from peanut allergies.

People with peanut allergies are sensitive to a protein inside of the nut. When this protein is ingested, the body mistakes it for a pathogen which provokes an immune response that can range anywhere from hives to anaphylaxis.

The most common mild reactions primarily include itchy skin and hives after coming in contact with the allergen; however, the victim may even experience the same symptoms after breathing air exposed to peanuts.

While mild reactions often resolve without medical intervention, severe reactions are characterized as more life-threatening, often resulting in the need for an EpiPen to be injected into the victim’s upper thigh. Anaphylaxis, the constricting of a person’s throat, is the most serious reaction to peanut exposure, and in such cases, an EpiPen is often necessary to open the airway.

Method of allergy discovery can vary

• illustration by ALEX VANCIL

Freshman Reagan Simonds, sophomore Dane Kemp and junior James Gay have each face the difficulties accompanied with having a peanut allergy and were diagnosed at a young age.

Gay stumbled upon his allergy accidentally, and he came to this realization rather painfully.

“When I had my first reaction, it was to a cashew my dad fed me. He noticed

Lifestyles

theimagemagazine March 25, 2020

“

“[I don’t allow food in the classroom because] I don’t want any student to have an unsafe learning environment.

Some students who suffer from allergies go into anaphylactic shock, so I want to protect them from that.”

STEVE KLAWITER • social studies teacher

hives on my body and I started choking,” Gay said.

While blood tests can be performed to see if one may react to certain nuts, they are not always accurate.

As these tests are primarily designed to indicate the presence of a life-long allergy, they occasionally suggest a false positive due to children outgrowing an allergy.

According to the Wexner Medical Center, 20% of people with peanut allergies outgrow them, and 80% of those people do so before they turn 8 years old.

Gay is just one of many children who found out the hard way that they have an allergy to nuts. Unless a child is specifically tested for his or her allergy, doctors don’t regularly administer blood tests or finger pricks at birth to determine if children have nut allergies.

Instead, an overwhelming majority of those with peanut allergies discover their sensitivity after they ingest a food containing peanuts and show visible signs of irritation.

Students risk accidental exposure Social studies teacher Steve Klawiter enforces a strict no food policy in his classroom in an effort to minimize the risk of accidental exposure. “[I don’t allow food in the classroom because] I don’t want any student to have an unsafe learning environment. Some students who suffer from allergies go into anaphylactic shock, so I want to protect them from that,” Klawiter said.

Despite the multiple precautions both teachers and affected individuals may take to avoid contact with peanuts, there is still ample opportunity for accidental exposure.

“One of my best friends accidentally gave me raisins that were coated in nuts, and I had a reaction in class. I had hives all over my body, I threw up and went into anaphylactic shock,” Kemp said.

Gay has also had a frightening experience with hidden allergens.

“One time I had a reaction to pesto, which is a spaghetti sauce,” Gay said.

While the thought of a reaction alone seems ominous, experiencing one is even more daunting.

“It was much different to [have a reaction] as a teenager [than as a kid].

It was really scary. I just hate getting the shot and going to the ER,” Gay said.

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What food would you miss most if you had a peanut allergy?

“I would miss eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

Lance Hudson • 9

Allergy leads to obstacles in daily life Managing a severe allergy can be a difficult at school or during social events. “[At parties] it gets kind of awkward, because I always have to ask, ‘I have a peanut allergy, does this have nuts?’”

Kemp said.

While individuals with any allergy, specifically to peanuts, strive to avoid ingesting foods containing nuts, exposure sometimes occurs unexpectedly.

“I never expected to have a reaction in the safety of my own home,” Gay said.

Such scares call for extra precautions.

In an attempt to avoid ingesting foods with nuts, Kemp and others with peanut allergies have become diligent about their surroundings.

Kemp said, “I know myself and my boundaries. [One way I avoid nuts] is by reading food labels.”

Though people with nut allergies take regular precautions to avoid coming in contact with foods containing nuts, they unfortunately miss out on an array of foods that people without allergies can eat with ease.

Simonds is allergic to peanuts, and although she’s been fortunate enough to avoid ingesting nuts, she feels as though she is missing out on several foods that her friends can eat without hesitation.

“My friends always say every time they eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup how good it is,” Simonds said. “I’ve always wondered what it tastes like.”

Though life with a peanut allergy prevents people from eating some foods, it doesn’t prevent them from enjoying life.

“It’s not as hard as some people think,” Gay said. “I don’t want to jinx it, but I haven’t had a reaction in at least two years.”

“Peanut butter.

I eat peanut butter for breakfast for protein and after school too. I eat peanut butter all the time.”

Annie Gebhart • 10

“I would miss Reese’s because I wouldn’t be able to eat as much candy and ice cream.”

Gavin Oswald • 11 “I put peanut butter on tortillas and bananas, and that’s my favorite meal ever.”

Vrisha Jagdish • 12

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theimagemagazine

Lifestyles

March 25, 2020

FRENCH FRIES

Edition TASTE TESTER

In this issue, two Image staffers sampled French fries from four different restaurants including ChickFil-A, McDonald’s, Lion’s Choice and Five Guys to find the best location for the iconic fast food staple.

French fries were first introduced into the United States by Thomas Jefferson when he brought home a French recipe for pommes de terre frites which are deep fried, small cut potatoes. Despite the introduction, French fries didn’t gain much popularity until the early 1900s.

Today, the average American eats about 29 pounds of french fries every year; however, Belgians consume even more at about 165 pounds per person every year.

KAYLA CARPENTER • Editor-in-Chief •

DELANEY STULCE • Editor-in-Chief •

• illustration by DELANEY STULCE

Chick-Fil-A 304 Clarkson Rd.

Open 6:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

8 minute drive from LHS

7/10

8/10

Five Guys

15869 Fountain Plaza Dr.

Open 11 a.m.- 10 p.m.

8 minute drive from LHS

10/10

8/10

Seasoning

Texture

Seasoning

Texture

10/10

6/10

7/10

10/10

Grease

Freshness

6/10

Grease

Freshness

9/10

Consistency

Consistency

As the only fry not cut julienne style, Chick-Fil-A’s waffle fries added a fun change. They had a good texture and the perfect amount of grease. The biggest flaw was their inconsistency.

Some fries had a good amount of salt while others seemed to have none at all while some were crisp and others soggy.

Although these fries were the most expensive, the portion size and quality were great. Not only did they fill a large cup, but they also added additional handfuls to the bag. The fries were overly greasy, but the thick cut fries were freshly made to order making them the most genuine and only steamy fries tested.

theimagemagazine

Lifestyles

March 25, 2020

23

We Asked You Answered Where’s your go-to for French fries?

Lion’s Choice 3048 Clarkson Rd.

Open 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

8 minute drive from LHS

8/10

9/10

McDonald’s 15901 Manchester Rd.

Open 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.

8 minute drive from LHS

4/10

5/10

Seasoning

Texture

Seasoning

Texture

8/10

7/10

7/10

4/10

Grease

Freshness

8/10

Grease

Freshness

7/10

Consistency

Consistency

Lion’s Choice’s fries had one of the best flavors. The seasoning was the perfect combination of salt and spice. Although they were a little greasy, the fries came out with a good crunch while being soft and fluffy on the inside. It was obvious that these fries came from a real potato since they tasted fresh.

Despite being one of the most well-known fast-food joints in the world, McDonald’s French fries were disappointing. They were cold and flimsy. The salt seemed to be non-existent, and they lacked any additional seasoning or flavor. These fries are at best a mediocre midnight snack.

“McDonald’s ,because there’s nothing better in the world than hot, salty McDonald’s fries burning your mouth.

Similarly, there’s nothing worse in the world than cold McDonald’s fries. A trick is to order McDonald’s fries without salt because they have to remake them.”

Karen Calcaterra • Principal

“Five Guys because they’re salty and thick, and they give you a lot.”

TJ Bright • 11

“McDonald’s, because I like that they’re saltier than other fries, and when they’re hot still, they’re crispy and not soggy.”

Mason Settle • 12

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theimagemagazine

Lifestyles

March 25, 2020

I’m a big kid now?

Seniors reflect on their readiness for adulthood ABBY STEBNER • Staff Reporter •

KENNEDY WILLHITE • Staff Reporter •

In 2017, Monitoring the Future published a study claiming today’s teenagers are three years behind their 1970s counterparts in preparing for the future, specifically in tasks such as working for pay and driving.

High school students seem to work less, pay for less on their own and have less responsibilities within their home life.

Lafayette students, mainly upperclassmen, have fewer jobs or responsibilities outside of school than they have in the past.

After conducting a survey with 100 senior students, one question becomes clear. Are Lafayette students prepared to take the step into the next phase of their life and successfully be an adult?

The survey concludes that approximately 22.4% of seniors do not do their own laundry, 33% do not have a job, 57.1% do not pay for their own gas and 68.4% of seniors do not know how to change a tire.

Because so many students struggle with basic skills needed as adults, Lafayette offers a class called Life After High School, taught by FACS teacher Lauren Arnet. The class offers six units of study to help students prepare for life on their own. The units are food, clothing, technology, health, travel/transportation and housing.

“A lot of the topics we cover are

things that parents may not necessarily remember to talk to their kids about.

For example, we learn about what to do if you’re in a car accident or if you get pulled over,” Arnet said.

Several types of students are enrolled in Life After High School, some who are fairly experienced in life skills, but there are also cases of some students who have never done tasks such as cooking or doing their own laundry.

“It’s always very eye-opening to see the difference in students and the responsibilities they have in their own lives,” Arnet said.

Lafayette students come from different backgrounds and home lives; therefore, they have different levels of knowledge of everyday skills.

Some grew up in families where they are encouraged to do their own laundry, make their own food and get jobs to pay for their own things.

Senior Breeze Bonderer grew up in a big family, so she learned to be independent and to work for her own things. She got her first job at 12 years old babysitting and helping her mom.

“My parents have always encouraged responsibility upon me and my siblings. I am grateful for this because it has led me to appreciate money,” Bonderer said.

Her financial independence and her sense of responsibility have helped her to become more prepared for her future.

“Because I have saved and worked for my money, I am not stressed about school next year. I have many goals I want to achieve, and I have plans in order to achieve them. I have never been

more grateful towards my parents for preparing me. I may not have always liked their methods, but I do appreciate the lesson. It is a skill I will use for the rest of my life,” Bonderer said.

Students like Bonderer who have jobs and responsibilities outside of school, seem to be more prepared for their future life as an adult. But some students choose to spend their time working on academics.

Senior Mason Divine is one of these students “Though I don’t have a job, I am enrolled in a lot of harder classes than most seniors are, so I try to focus on my school work and college and scholarship applications. I prefer to focus on that right now because currently I don’t have to focus on making an income and paying for my own things,” Divine said.

Students who do choose to focus on schoolwork rather than jobs are also preparing for their future in another way.

Whether students have a job or not, Arnet doesn’t think high schoolers are overly prepared for adulthood.

Not many students know how to do their own laundry or change a tire which is why Arnet thinks her class is so helpful and needed for upperclassmen.

“There are so many things that we have to figure out for ourselves when we get out into the real world and even if you have taken great courses throughout your middle and high school career, you may not have been exposed to all of the aspects of things you need to know in order to be a successful human,” Arnet said.

Class of 2020 reveals their knowledge of practical tasks 87.9%

65.7%

67.7%

31.3%

42.4%

84.8%

23.2%

Item 2 12.1% Item 1 31.3%

Item 2 34.3% Item 2 32.3%

Item 1 42.4%

Item 1 67.7%

Item 1 87.9%

Item 2 15.2%

Item 1 23.2%

Item 1 65.7%

Item 2 68.7%

Item 2 57.6% Item 2 76.8%

Item 1 84.8%

survey out of 100 seniors *Survey of 100 Lafayette seniors

theimagemagazine

Lifestyles 25

March 25, 2020

Bolton wins Teacher of the Year “She is really an inspiration and a true friend.”

“She gives [her students] an outlet to find their identity and often brings out a talent or interest that they never realized they had.”*

“She does [everything], often times, with little or no recognition.”

“She is always willing to help in any way she can.”

“I believe Traci is an outstanding example of what a teacher of the year should be.”

GRACE KIRTLEY • Lifestyles Editor •

If you walk toward the west side of Lafayette, you can hear the choir, orchestra or band at all times of the day. Less than 10 years ago, the sound of a guitar would be rare to hear, but now, thanks to guitar teacher Traci Bolton, there are three levels of guitar classes and the five after school bands that fill the fine arts hallway with a new avenue of music.

Bolton was named Lafayette’s 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year after a vote by the LHS staff on Feb. 24.

The other finalists for the award included language arts teachers David Choate and Jeff Landow and math teacher Stefanie Hruby.

Bolton has been teaching at Lafayette for 16 years and has been a pivotal leader of the annual Academic Pep Assembly, which was re-branded as the Renaissance Celebration Assembly this year.

Before becoming the full-time guitar teacher, Bolton was the Assistant Band Director.

“I had one guitar class, and I saw these classes were surfacing a totally different section of the student body,” Bolton said.

“We had our kids that were really involved in band, choir and orchestra and those programs are still very solid, they were getting all these experiences. But there were students that missed the train for music that you kind of have to get on early,” she said.

Bolton found the students in her Guitar 1 class were not reaching their full potential of learning in one year, and she began to push for more years of guitar classes.

“You can do band, choir and orchestra all four years of high school. You can do art all four years of high school. You can do four years of everything, so why not guitar? That was the big push I had for guitar. There is so

“I have no doubt she will continue to go above and beyond for all students for years to come.” much more to learn,” she said.

In 2016, the highest level of guitar was created — Guitar Ensemble. The addition of this class has allowed students to be able to stay in guitar for four years and continue to improve their skills.

Bolton wrote a curriculum for her guitar classes and then began to travel the country to teach workshops on building guitar programs. She has instructed workshops in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Utah and Wyoming. She says the response from the teachers that try to build guitar programs has been amazing.

“It’s absolutely not a knock or a pull away from those other programs because it is just something new for the kids that we have lost. That’s my favorite part about it,” Bolton said.

In addition to the new guitar classes, Bolton has created after school bands that have continued to grow since their creation 10 years ago.

The Tuesday Night Rock Band (TNRB) was created to teach students the entirety of songs and how to play in a group setting.

Bolton said the beginning year was fun but came with transitional difficulties.

“It took us forever to learn five songs. No one had worked together in a group, and I was still working on how to teach that sort of setting,” Bolton said.

Despite the challenges, the band grew each year. Now Bolton leads a different band every day after school.

Math teacher Paul Krull was a bass player in the first TNRB. Bolton had heard Krull bought a guitar, and she invited him to sit in with the band to put the skills in practice.

“That was really gracious of her to let me try to do that and then she kind of let me hang on for a few years, so I could improve, and now I can play with other teachers,” Krull said. “I got involved with the little talent I have, and I wouldn’t have

been able to do that without her support and encouragement and her giving me the opportunity and that’s what she does with her students.”

Krull gave the nomination speech for Bolton’s Teacher of the Year presentation and was one of the three staff members who initially nominated her this year.

Bolton is passionate about the importance of music education.

“Music is a huge form of expression. It’s a way to deal with emotion and express emotion. It’s also a social activity within that, playing with someone else gives you a different relationship than just sitting next to them in a class and not talking. We have in these music groups all sorts of non-verbal communication,” Bolton said.

The five bands Bolton leads after school can be found hanging out in her room during Flex Time. Bolton attributes this to the social bonds that are created as the students play together in bands. “[Bands are these] social teams that try to figure out how to make all of [the music] come together at once and make it happen.

So you create friendships and bonds and understandings of each other because you’ve played in these groups,” Bolton says.

TNRB band leader and senior Alex Scheman moved to Lafayette and was introduced to his best friend through Bolton.

“She’s just that kind of person that takes you in and shows you the kind of things you’re interested in,” Scheman said.

Scheman has been counting on Bolton’s winning Teacher of the Year for a few years due to her welcoming personality and passion for her job.

“She always takes care of her students and always makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable in her room, and it’s really nice to have teachers like that at Lafayette,” Scheman said. *Quotes from Teacher of the Year nominations

26

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• SPORTS •

27

In a match against Eureka High School, freshman GRACE TYSON competes in the butterfly. At the end of her swim season, Tyson placed second at the State Meet with her relay team. • photo by SHANNON WORLEY

Completing a sports trifecta

Tyson excels at cross country, swim, track MORGAN VEHIGE

W

• Sports Editor •

hether on a course, on a track or in the pool, freshman Grace Tyson is building quite the legacy.

Tyson participates in three sports: cross country, swimming and track. In cross country, Tyson placed first in Districts and Sectionals and went on to place third at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Championship Meet. For swimming and diving, Tyson, along with her relay team of seniors Paige Daws, Sarah Higgins and Clare Van Biljon, placed second in the 200 medley at the State Championship Meet. In the upcoming 2020 season, Tyson will also compete in multiple distance events in track.

Tyson wasn’t originally a runner. She had competed in the meets throughout middle school, and that’s when girls cross country Head Coach Steven Stallis began to notice her abilities.

“I used to go to the middle school cross country and track meets, and one day, I saw her run a 5:20 mile which really impressed me,” Stallis said. “She wasn’t going to run at first, but after a little convincing, she joined the team. After seeing her run and then seeing her work ethic, you could tell she was going to be really good at the sport.”

While Tyson feared losing some of her swim season to running, she found a new passion for cross country.

“I learned to love it,” Tyson said. “I was able to meet new people at the beginning of the school year, and so I had my teammates helping me out with everything and pushing me to be better. I think I ended up making the right decision.”

Throughout the 2019 season, Tyson placed in the top three in almost every race and placed first for a five-meet streak in the Paul Enke Invitational, the Suburban Conference Championship, the Parkway South Patriot Classic, Districts and Sectionals.

“I’m really proud of myself. I’ve trained really hard, and I’m going to keep pushing myself in the next three years,” Tyson said. “It was a lot of fun, and I was just so happy with the season.”

Even though her cross country season was exceptional, Tyson was also looking forward to the girls swimming and diving season. Tyson has been swimming since she was 5, and since then, her love for it has continued to grow.

She also participated in Rockwood Swim Club where she met her future assistant girls swim coach Evyn Spencer.

“I just had a feeling that she was going to be an amazing addition to the Lafayette team,” Spencer said. “She just has a knack for it. She has amazing body control, she knows where she is in the water and how she needs to move. It just works for her.”

After placing second at the State Championship Meet with her relay team, both Tyson and Spencer are excited to see what Tyson’s future brings for her in terms of swimming.

“I knew Grace would be able to hit her goals. I have no doubt in my mind that now that she’s experienced it, these next few years I can see some awesome work coming her way from both on a team and as an individual,” Spencer said.

In addition to her physical abilities, both of her coaches say a lot of her success comes from her mental preparedness and positive attitude with her teammates.

“Grace is extremely determined to win at everything, she’s a super competitor,” Stallis said. “She’s extremely driven, extremely motivated. She is probably one of the most motivated people on the team as a freshman. She puts in the work, outside, inside, everything. She’s constantly wanting to do more.”

It’s that extra step that Tyson takes, and how she can bring everyone on the team up with a few encouraging words that makes her a great Lancer athlete in all of her sports. She’s expected to do great things in her future years at Lafayette.

“As she gets older, she’s going to be one to watch for everyone around her. She has nothing but pure passion and joy for what she’s doing,” Spencer said. “What her teammates will get to see is what it’s like to have that pure passion for something. She’s a leader when she doesn’t even know it.”

However, Tyson feels as though her joy, passion and success for her sports come from both her coaches and teammates.

“They push me in running and swimming. They make me want to go faster, but they also help me realize that the sport is not only about what you achieve but it’s also about the friends you make and the team you work with,” Tyson said.

In both her upcoming track season, and in future cross country and swim seasons, Tyson plans to continue on the path to greatness.

“I plan to just keep improving and having fun,” Tyson said.

“I hope to do the sports that I love to do, so I’m going to keep doing it because I love it, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store.”

28

theimagemagazine

Sports

March 25, 2020

Sports impact body image

Athletes can develop different self-perception due to images portrayed in sports, social media

“

SOPHIA SCHELLER • Staff Reporter•

ALIYAH STUDT • Staff Reporter•

There is a side to high school athletics that isn’t always seen from the outside. When athletes are at the top of their game, the fans are sometimes unaware of the healthy or unhealthy habits of the athletes that are playing the sport.

According to sports psychologist Rod A. Thompson, “athletes must deal with ‘competitive thinness’ issues and tend to make unhealthy body comparisons in both the sport and societal environments.”

For one runner and multi-sport athlete, these unhealthy habits led to permanent heart damage and a lasting iron deficiency.

“Once I started doing really well when I was running, I started cutting down like two minutes a race, and I was running on the varsity team then I was like, ‘I need to take this more seriously, and I need to get tiny. I am not good enough,’” Susan* said.

That mentality had Susan restricting her food intake and adding in more exercise outside of practices in order to lose more weight.

“I always thought I wasn’t good enough, and I always thought that there was a reason for that and that reason was I wasn’t in shape enough or I wasn’t tiny enough,” Susan said. “I always felt like I had to better myself, and, in my mind, bettering myself was losing weight.”

Running led Susan to look at other top athletes who promoted unhealthy habits on their social media platforms.

“Social media definitely played a big role. I don’t blame any of my coaches or any teammates, but we would always send each other articles, runners blogs and Instagram accounts, and when you look at them and what they are doing and how they are eating and how they are spending their time, it’s not necessarily healthy or they aren’t always in the right mindset either, so it’s like, ‘Oh if that runner is doing it, and they are being successful, then I need to do it,’” Susan said.

The fatigue and lack of nutrients led to Susan not being able to successfully compete in her other sport.

• illustration by SOPHIA SCHELLER

Eating disorders interfere with teen health • Statistics from National Eating Disorders Association

“Once I was about six to eight months I always thought I wasn’t good into my eating enough, and I always thought disorder, I had lost that there was a reason for that like 25 pounds on my and that reason was I wasn’t in already small frame,” shape enough or I wasn’t tiny Susan said. “Then I got enough. I always felt like I had around to the spring to better myself and in my mind season when I started bettering myself was losing playing [my other weight.” sport], and I didn’t SUSAN • have enough energy, multi-sport athlete and I would bruise really easily. I started talking to some of my teammates which made me realize what I was doing was not helping me. That’s the sport I fell in love with, and I couldn’t participate in it if I was going to be as tiny as I was. So my one sport got me [into an eating disorder] and my other sport got me [help].”

However, not all athletes spiral into an eating disorder.

Senior wrestler Jalin Reese has always needed to cut weight for wrestling, and although there are some sacrifices he needed to make in order to be able to compete, he never had a serious issue with food.

“At first losing that weight sucks, the grind to get down there, but once you get down there, I feel so much better about myself.

I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m at my peak physical form.’ I know it’s where I should be when I have the equal amount of muscle and a good amount of fat but not too much,” Reese said.

Despite the short term struggle to lose the initial weight, cutting weight for the season helps Reese feel confident in his own body.

“It makes me feel lighter and smaller, and I look more in shape,” Reese said. “I don’t have too much fat on me. It makes me feel really slimmed down. Wrestling makes you feel better about your body; it makes you feel more comfortable in your skin because for weigh-ins, you have to weigh-in with underwear on and nothing else, so it gets you out of your comfort zone and out of your shell because it’s something you

40%-80% Between 40% and 80% of anorexia patients exercise outside of their normal regime in order to lose weight.

10x

Anorexic patients, between the ages of 15 and 24, are 10 times more likely to die compared to their peers.

theimagemagazine

Sports

March 25, 2020

have to do.”

Reese also finds the singlets that he wears for wrestling helps him to be more confident in his body.

“I like to show off my guns, and I know all the team does too. We all feel good, and we all look muscular and ripped, so it’s nice to have a uniform that shows our hard work,” Reese said.

For some athletes like former competitive gymnast Emily*, the clothes they are required to wear hurt their body image rather than help it.

“For me, gymnastics made me feel insecure because everyone was very skinny. The tight leotards we wore definitely made me more insecure, especially as I got older,” Emily said.

With similar sports, a trend of comparing oneself to others can be seen.

“I do [think dance made me have a negative body image because] seeing not only yourself in the mirror everyday, but your peers makes you over think a lot. It made me think things like ‘How come they’re skinnier than me?’ I also know fellow dancers who have eating disorders caused by dance that were greatly influenced by the sustained comparison of herself to her friends,” freshman Mackenna Glazer said.

While some athletes will make a conscious effort to limit food intake or to purge food, the boys cross country team participates in the Triple Crown Challenge to show the impact of healthy eating.

They run from LHS to Smoothie King, roughly three and a half miles, to order smoothies. After they are done with their smoothies, they run back to the school and try to keep the smoothie down.

This is the first year, though, that this activity has been modified to be less rigorous. In past years, they ran the same distance, but went to three different restaurants: Smoothie King, Dunkin’ Donuts and Five Guys.

“We only went to Smoothie King because they just changed it from how it was in the past years. It was really fun; I didn’t throw up that day. The main lesson we learn from that is that we should really watch what we eat and watch what we do during the season. It was like a friendly reminder [to eat healthy],” sophomore Darren Hwang said.

Hwang does not know of anyone who has a negative self image due to cross country, but he has actually seen many people become more confident in their bodies at the end of the season compared to the beginning.

“One of the things we do in cross country is we take our shirts off before we run, so some people don’t want to do that at the

29

• illustration by HANNAH FITTS

beginning. By the end of the season, though, almost everyone does it,” Hwang said.

Hwang commended Head Coach Sean O'Connor for his coaching style and constant push to make each individual better.

“There is never any pressure [from the coach to create unhealthy habits]. He just wants you to get better, that’s the one thing they’ll press on you. If you don’t perform at a race or you run your time and don’t perform as well, you just improve and come back next time,” Hwang said.

For a lot of athletes, the physical activity makes them feel more confident about themselves.

“You feel better about yourself because you know you look good and lean, and you don’t feel gross. You feel good in your own skin,” Reese said. *Names changed to protect identity

1/2

of teenage girls

1/3

of teenage boys

reported using unhealthy weight management skills like skipping breakfast, withholding meals, smoking, throwingup and taking laxatives.

41.5% 8x High school girls in sports such as wrestling, dance and swim, reported eating disorders at a 41.5% rate.

Eating disorder patients are eight times more likely to have an injury during their sport than their peers.

25%

Percentage of patients with anorexia are male.

The risk of death is higher for them due to the stigma surrounding men with eating disorders.

30

theimagemagazine

Sports

March 25, 2020

Youth sports, MSHSAA both facing shortage in officials REGGIE BROWN • Staff Reporter •

“N

o one gets into officiating to be treated poorly. People understand that when they get into officiating there are going to be emotions and times where people are unhappy, but that has to be the exception and not the rule. Our officials are still humans, and they want to be treated with dignity and respect,” Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Director of Officiating and Assistant Executive Director Kenny Seifert said.

According to the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), as recently as 2018, 80% of youth sports referees quit their position after two years.

More recently, there’s been a major shortage of referees across all youth sports.

Seifert works to recruit new referees for high school sports. Seifert sees the youth sports shortage as a huge problem for MSHSAA because most referees start out doing youth sports. He sees the behavior of coaches and parents as the prime cause for the shortage.

Sophomore Derek Chanski has been an umpire for the Ellisville Athletic Association (EAA) for a year and said one perk of the referee shortage is that it allows him the chance to officiate multiple games in one day.

“Over the summer and especially in the fall, I’m only there from 6 to 8 p.m. working two games a night, but on weekends, if I have nothing better to do, I can work up to six or seven games a day, and if they have tournaments there, I could get even more,” Chanski said.

Chanski said doesn’t allow rude parents to get in the way of officiating the game.

Umpires at EAA are trained and taught how to deal with inappropriate behavior from parents and coaches, and if a parent is being overly aggressive or disrespectful, they have full authority to eject them from the game.

As far as training is concerned, Chanski goes to the ballpark every Wednesday for two to two and half hours to review the rulebook and help the new umpires get acclimated to the job.

The training sessions last for eight

weeks. Returning umpires are not required to attend every session, however, new umpires are encouraged to attend all the sessions. Chanski still attends these sessions and plans to participate in all of them for the upcoming season.

“Parents don’t really bother me, but it’s funny because the younger their kid is, the worse the parent is. They think their kids are MLB baseball players and it’s the world championship game. I can recall several times where I’ve been just sitting down trying to take a break or get a drink of water in between innings, and I’ll hear them say I’m favoring the other team or I just made a wrong call,” Chanski said.

Seifert said often with youth sports, there is not much administrative support for the referees.

Because there is not much oversight, essentially, a recreational league for beginner athletes often has parents or coaches who disrespect officials. This makes the job a poor experience for the new officials and creates an atmosphere of toxicity for those who may not be able to handle that environment because they have a lesser experience.

MSHSAA officials training consists of Mechanics Clinics. Aspiring referees attend three clinics in their first three years on the job along with clinics by the Local Certified Official Association that teaches each individual sports knowledge, play calling as well as how to deal with coaches, behaviors and the necessary punishments to handle difficult situations.

While MSHSAA doesn’t hire high school students, the organization is looking for ways to find and hire younger referees. The idea is to get younger referees involved in officiating before they find a job in youth sports.

MSHSAA has a program that started in 2016 at 11 high schools that offers a sports officiating class for any students who are aspiring referees.

MSHSAA also has a High School Graduate program that allows every athletic director in the state to submit a graduating female and male to receive a free registration during their first year.

Lafayette is one of the schools in that program.

“We like to talk about the benefits of

officiating, you can make a lot of money, or be involved with a sport you either can no longer play or a sport you just love,” Seifert said.

Junior Katie Bollinger is a student referee for volleyball. She’s dealt with her fair share of complaints from parents, specifically claims she favored another team while officiating. Despite that, Bollinger enjoys the job.

As far as disrespectful parents and coaches are concerned, Bollinger, like Chanski, said it doesn’t phase her as she tends to just ignore parents who get out of control. For tournaments, however, Bollinger said those games are more nerve-wracking as the stakes and emotions are higher.

“For our training for club teams, we go to a reffing clinic every year where they go over the rules and quiz us over what to do in certain situations and scenarios,” Bollinger said.

Like Seifert and Chanski, Bollinger attributes the recent shortage in referees to ill-mannered parents and coaches as there are lines that are consistently crossed when it comes to a parent or coach’s passion for their sport.

Despite the shortage in referees nationwide, Seifert hasn’t given up hope as he still sees the positives to being a referee and still encourages those interested who may not be able to play after high school to get involved and remain apart of the sport they enjoy.

“I think officiating is a great avocation,” Seifert said. “I think it’s good for people to get into it while they’re young as they come out of it with a better understanding of how the real world works. I also see officiating as a great way to give back to a sport that you love.”

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Springing forward

Teams prepare for home openers

On March 6, the baseball, girls soccer and boys and girls track and field teams headed outdoors to practice. All spring sports officially started on March 2, but now upcoming games are on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As of the announcement on March 15, all games and practices are cancelled until April 3. At that time, officials will re-evaluate and make a determination about how to proceed with the spring sports schedule. • photo by JACK WEAVER