May 16, 2008

[the]image Friday, May 16, 2008 [Vol. 39 Issue 9]

backyard?

Toxic ToxicWaste in your w w w.lafayet te p u b l i c at i o n s. co m

Lafayette High School 17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011

EPA claims area was cleaned, but local residents disagree brookethibodaux ‘Twas the night before Christmas when all [news editor] through the town, soon not a creature would be stirring, not even a mouse.

At the annual Christmas dinner the townspeople were told with care that soon their whole town could not live there.

In 1982, the 1,400 residents of Times Beach, MO were told of the dioxin that had been sprayed across the 23 miles of dirt road, along with oil dumped in the town, to control dust.

Originally, Russell Bliss had a passion for championship show horses and sprayed the solution in his barns, unaware of the harmful toxins it contained. In fact, 62 horses eventually died after the spraying of the solution.

Bliss contracted with companies to dispose of pharmaceutical and other wastes. Times Beach was evacuated, but Bliss had already used his properties as dumping grounds, burying barrels onto his 50 other sites.

One property was his Ellisville site, off Strecker adjacent to Turnberry Place and Strecker Farms subdivisions, that eventually landed on the National Priority List in 1983.

Recently in the news, developer Wesley Byrne bought the 18-acre tract adjacent to the Bliss property. Now Wildwood is concerned with the safety of the area for residents.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims the area has been cleaned, but many citizens disagree.

So how safe is the population considering the proximity of the area?

comingsoon [May 18] Graduation, 3 p.m.

Celebration, 10 p.m.

[May 21-23] Finals [May 23] Last day of school [June 14] ACT test

finalschedule [May 21] Period 1 Final 8:28-10:24 Period 2 Final 10:38-12-34 [May 22] Period 3 Final 8:28-10:24 Period 4 Final 10:38-12:34 [May 23] Period 5 Final 8:28-10:24 Period 6 Final 10:38-12:34

makeupfinals [May 27] 8:00-12:00 1:00-3:00

[Contaminated Area]

A bird’s eye view of the Bliss property and surrounding subdivisions are shown above. Strecker Forest is identified as the blue area, next to the yellow area of the Bliss Property. Strecker Farms is on the bottom left, and Turnberry is at the top left from the Bliss property. [Photo courtesy of Joe Vujnich]

who was diagnosed with cancer his junior year.

“There are no words to describe how betrayed I feel. I’m beyond frustrated,” she said.

Another family living in Westhampton Woods suffered a similar incident with their daughter, Lafayette student Jessica Johnson, who was diagnosed with and ultimately died from cancer at the age of 18.

“Dioxin was dumped in areas near by that included a horse barn where Jessica spent a great Dioxin is a carcinogen (meaning it causes cancer), deal of time for over 10 years,” mother Vicky a component of Agent Orange, which comes Johnson said.

Kramer believes the government and the from waste-burning incinerators of various EPA’s standards are too loose. kinds.

“I’m all for development, but the concern I According to the EPA report, there appears to have is with the government. I’m not angry at the be no safe level for exposure to dioxin.

The EPA confirmed that the toxin is a cancer future developer. In my opinion the area is not hazard through its analysis performed in 2003. clean enough environmentally,” Kramer said.

She believes the city did the right thing. NoneDioxin damages the immune system while intertheless thinks more testing is needed. fering with the hormonal system.

Kramer watched as the clean-up process was “The proper way to rid of dioxin is by burning it, which turns it into carbon dioxide,” science delayed for three months due to constant rain.

Workers had dug a hole to remove the 55 galteacher Randy Seagrist said.

He added, “I don’t know how long it takes to lons of oil filled barrels, but the hole remained open during that constant rain period. disintegrate, if it even does.”

Only 18 drums were found intact. If the EPA

assumes that the drums were full of dioxin when Byrne wants to develop Strecker Forest subdi- buried, 12,000 gallons are unaccounted for in the vision, but construction has stopped due to the area.

Residents are concerned with the proximity threat of toxic contamination. of the area, questioning if development is really High levels of toxins are still being found in safe. the monitory wells the EPA set up.

“The United States Environmental Protection Agency conducted two clean-up efforts in this area which were completed,” Director of Plan- Despite the health issues raised by residents, EPA employee Diana Whiticker said, “All the contamining and Parks for Wildwood Joe Vujnich said.

According to the City of Wildwood and EPA, nation at the Bliss site has been removed and inthe Bliss property excavated 25,000 tons of di- cinerated. There is no longer any concern at that oxin-contaminated soils to the Times Beach site, site. The remedy has been completed.”

Although the EPA and State of Missouri has where they were destroyed. found the properties suitable for residential use, a Homes would be built in an area uphill from study is underway according to Vujnich. the Bliss pollution that has been cleared. But an The study by “the URS Corporation, paid issue of vapor intrusion, where dioxin can seep through the City of Wildwood, (is being done) through cracks into residential areas through the to verify if these assertions are accurate,” Vujnich air, is a potential concern. said.

Due to the concerns, Byrne has stopped deHe said, “The city is working on its second velopment until Wildwood feels the area is truly study of the subject site to ensure all information safe. that it has received from the respective parties is accurate, factual and germane to the current discussion on the suitability of the properties formSome residents oppose the idea of development. ing the Strecker Forest project for future residenSeveral children in the area have had health prob- tial use.” lems, including: kidney problems, premature birth The city is in the process of determining the and cancer. safety of the area.

Kelly Kramer, who lived in Strecker Farms, experienced first hand the damages of dioxin with her son, Jay Thomas (Lafayette Class of 2003), When the area was brought to national attention,

Harmful Toxin

Developing the Site

Contamination Cleaned?

Development Dispute

Real Estate Concerns

selling homes in the subdivisions became difficult for realtors.

But today, not many homeowners in the area know of the incident. An issue arises in the process of sellers disclosing the landfill.

Area realtor Kristi Monschein said not all realtors have been disclosing the information to buyers.

“If you are a relatively new agent, you don’t have a clue that went on 20 years ago. Realtors are required to disclose whatever they have knowledge of, and it’s a fine line. Years ago we didn’t have a disclosure system. The seller should have knowledge and should report it. There are some agents who do not know,” Monschein said.

She added there is a code of conduct book that explains what should be done in such a situation.

She’s even taken classes over it, but it all comes back to what realtors and homeowners have knowledge of.

Vujnich said the city is going to require a deed restriction on the properties in the area.

“So any buyer will know the history of it, along with requiring an acknowledgement from the first series of buyers as well,” he said.

Johnson believes homeowners should have the responsibility of disclosing information such as this.

She said, “If the city in which the property is located approves such development or occupancy permits, it should also have some type of notification/alert policy. Of course total honesty and disclosure from all parties would have been most appropriate.”

Originally, when Kramer was buying her home, she was given a two-page document by the builder at closing.

It said nothing, however, about how hazardous the area could be.

In the case of landfill, she believes “every citizen has the right to know. I would have never built or lived there.”

[May 28] 8:00-12:00 1:00-3:00 [May 29] 8:00-12:00 1:00-3:00 [May 30] 8:00-12:00 1:00-3:00

what’sinside

Students receive the dreaded orange slip, summoning them to the Guidance Office for scheduling conflicts. See what is causing problems for students and counselors. [see p. 5]

Two Lafayette students personally affected by Multiple Sclerosis are helping others fight the debilitating disease. [see p. 9]

More to Come

On May 8, during a public meeting at Wildwood City Hall, the USR presented their findings after reviewing all records on the area.

The USR recommended the city fund further testing in the area, request five year reports of the wells from the EPA and cut out the area from development on the 18 acre tract that overlaps the Bliss property.

Council members motioned to obtain figure a bid on the costs of testing.

Once the bid is figured and received, members will decide whether or not to further test the area.

Senior Elliot Corwin’s club hockey team, the Chesterfield Falcons, won the National Championship. He reflects on the biggest game of his life. [see p. 10]

imagestaff

[people & policies]

[two] imageopinions

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Ryan Bueckendorf editorinchief Brooke Thibodaux newseditor Erik Dauster asst.newseditor Nicholas T. Elwood opinionseditor Jared Anderson asst.opinionseditor Nicole Castellano Sydney Miller featureseditors Aaron Casias entertainmenteditor Alex Davis sportseditor J.P. Bartmess asst.sportseditor Sarah Calhoun admanager Courtney McBay asst.admanager Nancy Y. Smith adviser Staff: mikebujnak karacampbell calebcavarretta danielclutter austingoodman bretthamlin adamharris melaniehinzpeter drewstiehl d.annevollmayer kathleenwaddell ninawalters minayu Information

The Image is published 10 times a year by the Newspaper Production Class. Subscriptions are $25. Free issues are distributed on campus. The 2006-2007 Image received a rating of First Class with three marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association and was named a national Pacemaker Finalist. It was also named an International First Place winner from Quill and Scroll, and Gold Medalist by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

Philosophy

The newspaper’s primary obligation is to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Operating as a public forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper. While the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff. Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption of the educational process, copyright infringement, or unwarranted invasion of privacy.

Contact Us

We are located in Room 213 at Lafayette High School, 17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011. Our phone number is (636) 458-7200 ext. 2338 and our e-mail address is smithnancy@rockwood.k12.mo.us Please visit us on the web at www. lafayettepublications.com

Policies

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

All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Members of the Editorial Board include all staff editors. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the Image Editorial Board. Participation through letters to the editor by students, faculty and the community is encouraged.

Letters must be signed but names will be withheld upon request and with the concurrence of the Editorial Board. Letters should be limited to 300 words. The Image reserves the right to reject, edit or shorten letters. Letters may be submitted in writing to Mrs. Nancy Smith in Room 213, or to any Image staff member, or via e-mail to smithnancy@rockwood.k12.mo.us.

World Changers: The Image Way The Image Editorial Board encourages the student body to indulge in a worthwhile summer vacation.

To ensure summer is not wasted, we have compiled a few basic guidelines to help you reach this goal.

Only five days of school remain before the days of summer are welcomed into all our hearts.

Though we’re sad to see some aspects of the school day come to an end, it’s about time we get out of here and go forth into the world, bringing our free spirit with us. Yes, the Image is taking a summer vacation, too.

As most journeys tend to, our summer starts in an automobile, more specifically in the LHS parking lot. We have two choices—wait it out and let the buses leave first, or risk being trampled on the way out to our car. We’ll also have to dodge Ms. Escalade here to pick up Johnny Freshman on our way out.

Another obstacle we will encounter is administration. As careful as we are not to squint, it’s almost inevitable that we will be stopped and questioned as to our destination. Though the sun may beat deep into our eyes, we will not squint and draw further suspicions than those of a merely tired student.

Once we’ve made it out of the lot and off of school property, we’ll head south on Highway 44 towards ground zero of the Katrina disaster. We realize that New Orleans is still in dire need of help. We believe apathy is out of style, and that we should all take part in helping this nation.

On the trip down south, none of us will take part in text messaging, as we have rendered it obsolete. Instead, the staff will be busy debating the benefits and evils of the recent Fair Trade movement, some seeking to further the interest, others advocating its elimination.

Our debate forum will then move to the potential creation of a Ms. LHS competition.

Though no consensus will be reached, the Board will indeed reach a compromise, following the true American Way. Another rule we will adopt is abstinence from alcohol, though

[

some of us think it should be our choice to consume it. Marijuana will also be outlawed on our trip, despite what some argue is its relatively harmless nature.

It is our belief that our civic duty is of utmost vitality, so after each rest stop, all staff members will be sure to pull up our pants to the legal limit, for fear of our parents having to pay fines for our style of dress.

We will also not be viewing CNN or Fox News, as we strongly feel that the majority of the public media forsakes its political responsibility.

Instead, the TV in our car will tune into ESPN, a highly underrated social barometer within this nation. As we learn from sports, so also we will learn from each other, and perhaps develop strong bonds. Alas, no romance will occur, as our stance against public display of affection remains unchanged: keep it private.

staff editorial

]

Once we have helped the victims in N’Orleans, our collective attention will shift overseas.

Perhaps we’ll put on a fundraiser to raise awareness of harmful donation to African nations and use the money wisely to help Africa overcome its strife.

Maybe we’ll stop on the way home in Jefferson City and protest the War in Iraq, but let our troops know we support them no matter what our government decides to do in the Middle East.

After all, America is still the Michael Jordan of world affairs.

Our final stop will be in Kirkwood to pay respects to the victims of this past year’s shooting.

Unfortunate as it was, hopefully society takes the same message away as the Image staff does: government must not stifle the public voice.

It has been a fun year here in Room 213, composing a great paper for all to read and learn from. We can only strive to make our summer as worthwhile as the school year has proved to be.

Irresponsibility: The true gun crime Gun violence is an issue that should be taken seriously. Look around the nation: shootings are happening everywhere.

On the streets, in our shopping malls, at our university campuses, and even at city hall- gun violence is causing public problems.

While there is nothing anyone can do to stop the violence without repealing the second amendment, citizens, along with our government, can play a significant role in minimizing it.

The question remains, however.

How can Americans do this?

As cliché as this sounds, young children need to be educated about the dangers of guns and gun safety.

A child told of the harm guns can create is more likely to use firearms responsibly, if at all.

Uneducated kids are more of a liability. They do not know the consequences of gun use, and thus are much less likely to have a responsible outlook on gun use.

What exactly is responsible gun use? It’s being responsible with the acquisition, storage and use of a firearm. The public must be committed to both selling and purchas-

ing firearms in accordance with the carefully crafted gun laws of this country. We simply cannot have guns in the wrong hands- we’ve seen the dire consequences.

Parents have the largest role to play in lowering national gun crime.

Parental influence starts with exposure to violence.

Yes, at some point, kids will see violence in their lives. It’s all over the place. However, the one thing parents can do to protect their kids from using guns the most is non-exposure. It’s simple--don’t show your kids that you own a gun, no matter how old your child is.

If you feel the need to show your child that you own a gun, at least make sure they have no access to the firearm. Prevent gun accidents before they ever happen.

Storing your gun in a safe place, like a gun safe or a locked gun cabinet, is a solid choice for protection.

If you can’t afford a safe or lock, dissemble your gun, and hide it somewhere only you-not even someone else you trust-can be held responsible for it.

I am a firm believer that responsibility can solve any issue.

Don’t show anyone you don’t trust, especially your kids, that you even own a firearm. This would breed an unnecessary curiosity for them, especially those kids uneducated about guns. They simply shouldn’t be around with guns for any reason except for education and training for purely recreational use.

Not all gun use is bad. Let’s face it: recreational gun use, like hunting, is a major part of American culture.

Hunting shouldn’t be eliminated; nor should other recreational gun use.

According to the Bill of Rights, citizens also deserve to own a gun for personal protection. Guns must stay in this country. But they also must be used wisely.

In theory, if the public does all it can as to fulfill its civic duty to promote the safety of our country, gun control will cease to be a major national concern. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Government must step up to the plate to resolve a key aspect of the issue: assault weapons.

In 1994, the federal government passed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB), outlawing the sale of certain semi-automatic assault

weapons to any citizen.

While it was a step in the right direction, the law had a sunset clause, meaning that in 2004 it expired after no congressional renewal.

Congress needs to pass a new law that entirely outlaws the sale of assault weapons, no questions asked.

I care about and believe in what the second Amendment says, but no one in this nation needs an assault weapon for any reason.

The public needs to realize its role in gun safety. We need to realize that we are held responsible for the sale and use of our guns, and the blame for gun crime lies in the hands of American citizens, as well as with politicians in the White House.

imageopinions [three]

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

studentperspective

Students reveal true meaning behind Day of Silence, confess to scheduling mishap Dear Editor, April 25 is the Day of Silence. A well-meaning protest, but a protest which has lost that meaning along the way. Being a homosexual, I was asked why I chose not to participate.

The Silence is intended to show how homosexuals are silenced by prejudice from being who they truly are. This is where the protest goes wrong.

It is meant that no one is to communicate with another. But protesters have resorted to writing notes and playing charades to communicate.

This is not “Day of charades for homosexual rights.” This is a day of SILENCE. Believe me, I support gay rights fully as a homosexual myself. This protest, however, doesn’t even stay true to itself.

There is a better way to reach people and bring about equality, by showing people in our daily lives that being gay is just the way we are, not by charading around the school.

I hope other homosexuals can follow my path and reach out to people in our daily lives to show them that homosexuality is as normal as heterosexuality.

No this won’t bring about reform in the next

year, but African-Americans didn’t stop segregation by playing charades either.

Sincerely, Lucas Klein, 10 Dear Editor, Lately I have heard a lot of negative buzz and justified grieving over the new schedule. I must admit that I was one of those selected to be on the committee that “chose” the schedule. Before you organize a witch hunt, let me share my unique perspective.

Unfortunately, the most logical schedule is our current one, which had to change due to new state requirements for graduation. A committee of Lafayette’s administrators, teachers, parents and students was charged with this task.

During multiple meetings, we dissected schedule models and analyzed the effects they would have in our school. Then the best prospective schedules were presented by representatives to a new district-wide committee and further debated.

Since the schedule was to be uniform within the district, all schools had to agree and verify that it was compatible to their building. It is hard to be-

lieve everything that new schedule affects-- from buses to lunch to teacher responsibilities to AP requirements. It is quite notable At the end of a year and a half we made our selection: the Modular schedule. Basically, the Modular schedule is a very flexible schedule where the day is divided into many different mods of time and mods are combined to form classes. However, the school board overruled our recommendation and deemed the current, more expensive, Hybrid schedule as the “Chosen One.” I found it extremely annoying that the Board would ask the committees to do all this work evaluating schedules if they were going to reject it in the end.

Yet, I believe the wealth of conflicts people are experiencing with this schedule is not due to a flaw in its structure but a defect in its implementation.

People don’t want blocked classes. So the schedule doesn’t offer enough blocks and cripples itself because a certain number of blocked classes are necessary to successfully run the schedule.

I wish every non-Senior the best of luck next year. I am sorry I failed you.

Sincerely, Cole Donelson, 12

Flow like water through life, be easy I have spent a great deal of time this year staring at a blank computer screen. These “brainstorming sessions” often bred something that I felt worthy of publication. With any hope, my readers learned something, or at least questioned something about daily reality through my column.

Perhaps not; perhaps even after reading my “liberal viewpoints” and curious compositions some readers remain stuck in a rut. So, in retrospect, it is the first and last column that should be considered, the first being the purest and the last being the wisest, most experienced.

And surely I have learned a great deal. Journalism is a nasty business, and the poor souls who learn to take it seriously are doomed to become social grime. Is that true? Are those of us who write about the world unable to escape criticism?

Yes, that’s all part of the deal.

I remember handing out Images during the third or fourth issue. I was urging all who passed by to indulge in the Written Word and collect a paper. I asked one young man if he’d like a copy and he replied, “Not if your writing’s in it.”

So why was he so bitter, so prejudiced against the things I’d written? I’ve often been noted as a pot-stirrer, and perhaps that is true, but the only reason my words are viewed as radical is because most people are too wrapped up in their

routine lives to consider this world from another perspective, whether they’re cognizant of this or not.

In my purest Image moment I discussed the importance of attending school with the right mindset, an attitude of maximizing opportunity.

“Carpe Diem,” I wrote, urging all to value their opportunities and grab hold of their days.

I feel, perhaps, that what I failed to convey was that I spoke not only of academics, but of Life. To live fully, to truly be alive, means far more than accomplishing what is expected of you by conditioning.

We are all given tools and talents, interests and pleasures with which we may shape the construction of our lives, then we’re provided with opportunities to do so. Along the way we all encounter obstacles that impede our progress.

This is natural. We must embrace our struggles and problems as opportunities to better our condition, to build our character and rise above.

These occurrences are an inevitability, for the world consists entirely of conflicting forces: light and dark, liberal and conservative, cops and criminals, etc…

But we encounter the most major problems when we resist nature and attempt to destroy the cosmic order, the Great Magnet. We must move like water through our lives and be flexible and

“32. Mizzou. Journalism. A sportswriter.”

Those words, in order, constitute my stock answers to the Judgment Questions. Over the course of my senior year, I answered them incessantly.

What is your ACT score? Ah, I see.

Where are you going to college? Really?

What will you study there? No kidding?

What will you do with the rest of your life?

I come to you now, in the twilight of my high school career, to offer some advice to those of you with years remaining in this building.

With those four Questions, many people will have learned all they care to know about you.

Your parents ask them, anxious to hear with your Answers that you have your future under control, because they don’t. Your friends ask them, eager to compare your Answers to their own. Your teachers ask them, your coworkers ask them, and you can bet that even people who otherwise care nothing for you ask them.

With so many people asking, it can be easy to begin judging yourself by those same standards.

It can be easy, in short, to look at yourself the way they look at you: in terms of numbers relative to those of your peers. It can be easy to look at ones’ self as inadequate or good enough or exceptional based simply on your Answers.

This can suck the life out of high school. I could show you people who became so totally consumed with the Questions that they lost track

of how to come about the Answers. I could show you others, also, who have done the opposite, becoming so absolutely attached to those Answers that they can’t see the Questions.

Make no mistake, these Questions are important. They can launch you to bigger and better things, or they can hold you back, either way something to be concerned about.

They are not, however, the Only Thing to be concerned about. When you slam your locker shut, throw your notes away, and peel out of the parking lot one last time on your final day of high school, your thoughts will not turn to your ACT score, or your major, or your career choice.

When you leave this place for the last time you will be asking entirely different Questions.

Seniors ask themselves these questions in past tense. Did I have enough fun? Did I treat my friends all right? Did I spend enough time with those friends I might never see again? Did I get into enough trouble? Did I TP enough houses?

Did I make it all worthwhile?

Seniors use the past tense because their test has been submitted; they cannot change their Answers. Those who have Answered the right Questions walk away satisfied. Those who have not are left wondering what happened to their four years at high school.

My advice to you underclassmen is this. Don’t let that person be you. You’re only a teenager once.

social

decadence nicholaselwood

opinionseditor

understanding. The sea refuses no river. It is in these moments of strife that we may find hope and be free.

So shape your life however you’d like. It is yours to create and yours alone. Establish your core values, the guidelines by which you may assess your perspective of the world, and have every action align with those values.

Make every choice akin to the direction you’d like yourself to go, and mind the Greater Good, the universal concept of unity, for we must all share this world.

And by the way, don’t forget that a selfish life is a thorn in the side of humanity. Give back to the Earth. It is far better to create than to destroy. And oh, yeah—keep your head up, even if someone tells you they don’t want a paper with your writing in it.

If you want Answers, ask the right Questions

Truth bueckons ryanbueckendorf

Don’t walk away from this building and these four years, which have so much to offer you, feeling as though you didn’t capitalize on each and every opportunity you received.

If you’re asking those Judgment Questions, fine. Keep asking them. You’ll need those four answers to get where you’re going in life, no doubt about it. Just don’t judge yourself by them.

Remember to ask other Questions too. You, unlike the seniors graduating on Sunday, can ask your questions in present tense. If you aren’t asking the right ones, there’s still time.

Am I having enough fun? Am I capitalizing on all my opportunities? Am I living high school to the fullest? Can I do better? Am I learning?

If you don’t begin asking yourself now, in a couple years you’ll ask yourself how you could have possibly let four years slip through your fingers. What happened?

That is one Question you don’t want to have to answer.

[stars & gripes]

stars to: • The dance floor at the Renaissance Grand Hotel. For a few moments, we all thought another earthquake was hitting our prom.

• The Class of 2009, which produced 35 National Merit recognized students, breaking the previous record of 33 set by the Class of 2008. The bar is set, 2010.

• The Senior Class.

When we aren’t busy missing you, we’ll enjoy the better parking access, empty hallways and shorter lunch lines you leave behind.

• The Guidance Office and the counselors. It takes a lot to put up with angry students and parents concerning the new block schedule, but Guidance is living up to its name admirably.

• Retiring boys basketball coach Dave Porter.

We’ll miss the sight of Coach Porter prowling the sidelines, the look of intense hunger for victory on his face.

• Grand Theft Auto IV. Thank you Rockstar gaming for giving us yet another game that will stir controversy.

Car theft and resisting arrest are enough to get any of us excited.

• Steven Grott. Hope you are enjoying your perfect ACT score, because the rest of us are extremely jealous.

gripes to:

• Lightspeed Systems internet censorship software. Although the bright red writing is pretty cool, the program still hinders our staff from obtaining valuable facts from the Internet.

• AP exams. Even though they’re finished, we’ll still never get back the countless hours of our lives we spent studying for the tests.

• St. Louis weather. We all know this common principle, but when Spring is totally bypassed, we have a right to complain.

• Orange passes. Now the color is synonymous with evil, as students are summoned to address schedule conflicts and forever change their opinion of the block scheduling.

• Construction, the sequel. Just as we’ve finished ripping the school to shreds, it begins again.

nationalmerit PSAT Names 2009 Commended Students Nicholas Bequette Samuel Beushausen Hannah Bliss Shawn Brands Emily Bushold Sean Collins Taylor Criswell Erik Dauster Daniel Davis Laura Dick Laura Hamrick Zachary Holmes Danny Kenny Yoon-Oh Kim Alexander Mace Ashley Mace Jacquelyn Maessen Keely McCaskie Taylor Paglisotti Adam Polson Tyler Sellers Cameron Slauter Brett Smedley Brad Solomon Cynthia Solomon Nicholas Stading Stephanie Thau Christine Umbright Katie Webb Spencer Wells Matthew Welsh Julie Wrocklage Patricia Yang Wendy You Alisa Zimmerman

[four] imagenews

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Setting The Pace:

DVD Yearbook overcomes obstacles to win top national honor in its third year calebcavarretta [staff reporter]

Still in its infancy, the DVD Yearbook has already made a name for itself on the national scene.

The 2007 DVD “Extra Bold” won an Interactive Yearbook Pacemaker, a prestigious national award given to schools based on the DVD’s editing, design, content, concept and videography.

The award is given by the National Scholastic Press Association, which recognizes student publications throughout the country.

The Legend DVD was one of six named a Pacemaker Finalist from all DVDs that were submitted for competition. Of those, three DVDs were named national winners.

“We are excited to come this

far. We were amateurs and over the course of a year, we won a Pacemaker,” senior Nathan Loseke, editor, said.

Senior Miya Norfleet-Aiken, staff member, said, “I feel proud especially because it is only the second year of DVD at Lafayette.”

The recognition and surprising success has not come without challenges, however.

“The two biggest challenges are budget and staff. There is no separate way to raise funds for DVD so we share funds with yearbook,” publications adviser Nancy Smith said.

Recruitment has also been a problem. “Because it is so new, people just don’t know Multimedia Yearbook Production (MMY) exists,” Smith said.

The staff this year has 10 members, while last year’s had 11. The 2009 staff, so far, has only eight staffers due to scheduling issues.

Students on the staff earn a practical arts credit.

MMY was piloted at LHS in 2005-2006 and then adopted by Rockwood, but so far only Lafayette and Eureka produce DVD yearbook supplements.

Norfleet-Aiken also has high hopes for the 2008 edition.

“Each year we get better. We will definitely get nominated again.”

Smith said, “I wish everyone would take the time to sit down and watch the DVDs,” Smith said.

“There are amazing stories being told. Our goal is to build on past successes and make it even better.”

[On Pace] Seniors Nick Gass, Nathan Loseke and Miya Norfleet-Aiken celebrate their Pacemaker. Seniors Aaron Casias and Brett Hamlin were also on the award-winning staff last year. The award was presented at the NSPA conference in Anaheim in April

PSAT Summer Academy boosts National Merit

Each year the math teacher Cindy motivation and the dramatic increase in scores before danielclutter “To wake up at 8 National Merit Slama. work ethic of the stu- instruction to after instruction.” [staff reporter] Scholarship Corporation recognizes the top 50,000 scoring students of the 1.4 million nationwide that take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT).

This year, 35 Lafayette students from the Class of 2009 received Commended Student status, breaking the previous record of 33 set by the Class of 2008.

Many of these students had the opportunity to attend the PSAT Summer Academy last summer, founded in 1998 by two current staff members: Director of College Test Preparation Mary Mueller and

The program been a.m. and spend dents. There is a corbeneficial for potential relation between how National Merit stu- five hours hard students work dents; 21 of the 35 Na- attentive and and their test scores,” tional Merit students Mueller said. from the class of 2009 enthusiastic “We were most attended the Academy. shows a lot of impressed with the To increase scores, kids this past sumSlama and Mueller character.” mer,” Slama said. “To make extensive reviews up at 8 a.m. and cindyslama wake of previous tests and spend five hours atanalyze questions missed frequently tentive and enthusiastic shows a lot by students. of character.”

Both agree that students push Students are always post tested at themselves to do well and succeed. the end of the program to determine “I am always impressed by the their gains. Mueller said “there is a

Hollywood

“Answering a few additional items correctly can make the difference as to whether a student qualifies for National Merit recognition.

I know the program has helped students significantly increase their scores,” Mueller said.

Students must score in the 97 percentile in Missouri.

“Kids here are so smart, we will always have National Merit Finalists,” Slama said.

This summer’s Academy will take place for one week in July, open to current sophomores who achieved the minimum PSAT score.

Tan

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lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Conflicts of Interest

imagenews [five]

OSEP and C-520

Counselors, students struggle with new schedule With fi- We offer Flex, which is an issue in erikdauster [assistant news editor] nal exams itself, and ROTC, which not every and summer break imminent, students have enough on their minds without having to think about next school year.

But as the district makes the transition from a traditional schedule to the new hybrid-block schedule for 2008-2009, students are being called in to do just that.

The hybrid-block format offers students the flexibility to create a unique schedule to their liking by allowing them to take classes standard or blocked while keeping the AP and Flex programs in place.

As students registered in February more than 2,000 student requests made their way to Associate Principal Jodi Davidson, who has the task of building next year’s master schedule.

Davidson is responsible for assigning times and teachers to each unit of classes and making sure there are enough units to satisfy student requests. She quickly found that it would not be an easy task.

“Lafayette offers so much more than the other schools in the district.

school in the district has. We have students that have requested classes that are AP, Flex, standard and blocked. To make that work for every one of those different requests is a difficult situation,” Davidson said.

Because it is impossible to cater to every student’s requests, some have had to meet with their counselor to revise the format of their classes or change some completely.

The main culprit that has caused all of these difficulties is the inclusion of blocked classes.

A blocked class, which will meet for 104 minutes on alternating days, must be taken in conjunction with another blocked class.

Students may elect to take two, four or six blocked classes each semester. This stipulation is causing some scheduling conflicts for students.

If 30 students signed up to take Painting blocked, then those students had to request another blocked class for their schedule to work.

The problem, Davidson said, is that not all 30 students signed up to

take the same class to offset it.

This would result in scheduling conflicts for those students who requested a blocked class not offered the hour opposite Painting.

Junior Cindy Solomon had to drop Principles of Engineering, a class only offered standard, because she can only take AP Chemistry the hour immediately after it, which must be blocked. Solomon has also had to drop AP US History for similar reasons.

“I really wanted to take Principles of Engineering because it would help me with my undergraduate degree. As for AP US History, I loved AP Euro and love history in general,” Solomon said.

As a result of these conflicts, Solomon has opted to take Child Development and a study hall in their place.

Another problem contributing to all of the conflicts are the classes only offered one period of the day, such as Yearbook Production and AP Art History.

Often times, students’ schedules must be built around that class if it is one the student wishes to keep in

their schedule.

Junior Emma Kessinger had to modify her schedule with her counselor and rebuilt it around AP Art History and AP Art Studio, classes that were most important to her and only offered once each day.

“To fit both of my art classes in I had to drop AP U.S. History and instead take Psychology and Politics and Conflict,” Kessinger said.

“I feel that those classes are more blow-off history credits with students that just want to get history credits out of the way where AP U.S. History is kids that actually care about the class. I loved AP Euro and I like learning about history.”

As students are called in to the counselor’s office, Davidson said that they should be willing to consider other options and prioritize specifics concerning the classes they want to take, especially those needed for graduation.

Davidson added that students should be open-minded to taking blocked classes because of their class size and extended time if they are able to excel in that learning style.

Work Zone: Next Six Months Hard hats go back on as round two kicks off d.annevollmayer The school building with nine classrooms un- to eliminate traffic in the Freshman year is derneath a bigger and better library. Hallway. [staff reporter]

winding down and Lafayette finally has peace and quiet for finals week.

With the Theatre construction over and the hallways back to normal, students will come back next year with the aftermath of Proposition 3. That’s right, all new construction starting this summer.

Breaking ground in August will be the project of an all new two story building and courtyard outside of the Theatre doors near the Freshman and Senior Hallways. The project will consist of a two story

This Library will consist of a video conference room, childhood center for the preschoolers, computer and study space and a multi media editing room for projects.

Librarian Nichole Ballard-Long said, “I’m really excited to be a part of redesigning and modernizing the Library.”

The space that is now known as the Library will also be undergoing multiple changes that have yet to be determined. However, there will be a convenience hallway going from the Welcome Center to the Cafeteria

“I’m not sure yet how, if at all, this will affect the hallway indoors because the construction is outside,” Ballard-Long said.

Principal John Shaughnessy said once the trailers are abandoned the addition of the Locker Room and Multi-purpose room will be started and completed. Also, existing locker room renovations will be made around the same time during the 2010-2011 school year.

Arthur Floyd, project manager at the Glenn Construction Company, said the total cost of additions will

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be about $7.3 million.

Extensive renovations for the summer of 2009 include cleaning exterior brick walls, painting all interior steel, draining, cleaning, repairing, and painting the pool, replacing pool control valves, replacing the water heater and modifying ventilation ducts. Mitch Peters, project manager at the Rockwood Facilities Department, said the cost of those will be approximately $500,000.

The balance of renovations, including the pool, is being handled by the District Facilities Services, with the pool scheduled for renovations during the summer of 2009.

Due to financial constraints, next year C-520 and OSEP will combine, and the spring retreat for C-520 will be turned into a smaller retreat.

Sponsor Nichole Ballard-Long does not know of any group activities next year as of now.

Key Club

Key Club was awarded the Volunteer Organization Award by the Missouri Botanical Society. Lafayette was nominated by Jessica Deering of the Butterfly House for the many contributions student volunteers made. The award is given to clubs that make an outstanding difference on a special project.

newsbriefs Class Election Results Class of 2011

President: Lizzy Wiesner Vice President: Kelsey Haberberger Secretary: Kelsey Garrett Treasurer: Kendra Fullmer

Class of 2010

President: Evy Dick Vice President: Mary Buttram Secretary: Ali Balducci Treasurer: Cory Clayman

Class of 2009

President: Alex Mace Vice President: Jordan Fullmer Secretary: Shelby Fenster Treasurer: Ashley Mace

newsbriefs [six] imagenews

Drop Out Results

Over 200 were in attendance at the Drop Out benefit which raised over $3,000 that will be donated to the Living Water Foundation to build a well for a small village in Africa.

“This well will be built at a school as an incentive for children to attend and get an education while they collect water for their family,” senior Lucy Mosier said.

Money was collected by selling bottled water, food, T-shirts and tickets, as well as donations.

“We have come to take water for granted and we don’t realize how lucky we are to have clean running water all the time,” Mosier said. “Water is necessary for life, so we wanted to raise as much money as we could to save as many lives as we could.

And we definitely rose much more than we ever thought possible.”

Coke Contract

A Request for Proposal for the beverage contract for Rockwood expired on April 30. A meeting will be held on May 15 to finalize the bid of one the companies which submitted proposals, which consist of Coke, Pepsi and Dynamic Vending.

2008-2009 STUCO Executive Board

President: Brent Folan Vice President: Danny Kenny Secretary: Lauren Suttie Treasurer: Kyle Lindner Spirit Director: Anna Prasch Dance Chair: Kelsey Calvert Asst. Dance Chair: Carly Jelinek

Leaving the Building

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Four retiring staff members recall favorite memories, experiences minayu [staff reporter]

Greg Beckmeyer, Physical Education Teacher

What have you been teaching in your years at Lafayette?

I have taught in Rockwood for 27 years and at Lafayette since 1992. I have taught a variety of physical education courses, Driver Education and coached football, basketball and track.

What is your most memorable moment at LHS? Most of my favorite memories are as a football and track coach. Over the years I have had the privilege of coaching many young men and women and enjoyed being a small part of their successes.

What is your best/proudest moment at LHS? Teaching, coaching, and watching my youngest son who be-

gan as a ball boy for Lafayette fooball, progressed to the Lancer Award winner his senior year and then recently returned to teach math and coach football and track at Lafayette.

What is the best part about your job?

The relationships built with student-athletes and faculty over the years.

What do you plan to do after retiring?

Hunt, fish and enjoy my grandkids!

What will you miss most about your job?

The physical education staff and working with today’s youth.

Jean Chard, Physical Education Teacher What have you been teaching in your years at Lafayette?

I came to Lafayette in 1980 at Crestview and I’ve been here for 28 years; I’ve been in education for 31 years. I’ve taught Driver Education, Aquatic classes, Lifeguarding and Team Sports.

What is your most memorable moment at LHS? Each of the 12 girls swimming State championships that I have been a part of have been memorable. I can’t be fair to any of them to say that one was more memorable than the other.

What is your best/proudest moment here at LHS? I’ve been twice recognized as National High School Swimming Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2007. Those are my two

Gaylen Laster, Guidance Counselor

What have you been teaching in your years at Lafayette?

I have been a counselor at LHS for the past 16 years. I have 32 years total years in Missouri.

What is your most memorable moment at LHS? I would have to say my most memorable moment was the 2001 Lafayette Golf team which finished 2nd in State and also the individual State Champion.

What is your best/proudest moment at LHS? My proudest moment would be having 97 students earn Bright Flight status from their ACT score in 2007.

What is the best part about your job?

James Saunier, Language Arts Teacher What have you been teaching in your years at Lafayette?

I have been teaching Sophomore and Junior Language Arts, along with OSEP for nine years, but 39 years in education.

What is your most memorable moment at LHS? A wilderness group was doing excellent and Ms. [Patty] Mabie faked a broken ankle so they had to make a stretcher for her to slow them down.

What is your best/proudest moment at LHS? Seeing the last group of kids and feeling that I’ve had an effect

biggest accomplishments.

What is the best part of your job?

I like being in the swimming pool setting, the sports setting, the outside setting. And the kids really keep me young.

What do you plan on doing after retiring?

I am getting hired as the Aquatics Director at Lifetime Fitness. I will be in charge of all the indoor/outdoor aquatics department.

What will you miss most about your job?

The friendships I’ve made with the faculty and the friendships that I’ve made here with the students.

The best part of my job is working with students and finding out what their future pursuits will be in life and work toward that goal.

What do you plan to do after retiring?

At this point, I plan on obtaining new employment possibly in a college setting or private school. Don’t look for me wearing a blue vest greeting people at Wal-mart!

What will you miss most about your job? I will most miss the daily interaction with all the ladies in the guidance office and the other great friends I have worked with at Lafayette.

on graduates.

What is the best part of your job?

Working with kids, full of life and fun. It gives you energy.

What do you plan on doing after retiring?

Travel and Bike. I have trips planned to New York and Eastern Europe.

What will you miss most about your job?

Opportunities to contribute to society and young people.

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lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

‘Dream Club’

imagefeatures [seven] grammargeek

Fighting a losing battle against monotony, students get WACKED “Plan fun things, and do it.”

That is the motto of founder senior Cole Donelson’s informal club Wild And Crazy Kids in Educational Distress (WACKED).

Activities Director Steve Berry said, “Cole spoke to me about starting an informal organization to try to find ways to add some ‘spice’ to the everyday mundane routine of a school day.”

Donelson said this ‘pseudo-club’ was inspired by a dream.

“I was dreaming one night we were doing a conga line during class. Everybody was looking out, seeing what a good time we had,” Donelson said.

Thus, the conga line idea was brought to life the day before spring break, and a day for picnics was formed one day during lunch.

Every Friday, the club has passed out free cups of orange juice in front of the senior hallway to any student who would like some- a unique way to jumpstart others’ mornings.

Junior Jonathan Citrin was one of the many students given orange juice one morning, a burgeoning tradition the club plans on continuing on every Friday.

“I don’t really know what they’re about. [They] wear capes and stuff at school…kinda crazy,” Citrin said.

The WACKED members decided to throw some color and creativity into the halls and wore an assortment of different designed capes.

Even though senior Elizabeth Angelo is “more of a Batman girl,” she pulled a Superman and pole-vaulted in her cape during track practice.

karacampbell [staff reporter] kathleenwaddell [staff reporter]

April Fools day was another big event on the WACKED calendar.

Members got together and assembled gag gifts for random selected students whose names were drawn from the buzz book.

As of now, WACKED has no new elected officials, but they might “have titles just to have titles and the people wont have any specified responsibilities,” Donelson said.

“The key here is that it was always intended to be an informal thing. This was at [Donelson’s] request,” Berry said.

Donelson said the club is labeled ‘informal’ because WACKED didn’t want to go through a “bunch of red tape,” and have regulations.

Berry said the requirements for a formal club are “There must be a constitution. There must be an official teacher sponsor who takes on the responsibility of hosting the meetings and representing the club in regards to officials activities being approved.”

Members said the support system WACKED has received from the school has been phenomenal.

“The school…has supported [Donelson] and his efforts in a variety of ways. Monique Merritt [Spanish teacher] allows him to use her room for meeting and the administration has approved a number of his activities,” Berry said.

Most of the WACKED members are seniors who will soon graduate Lafayette, leaving behind its legacy to the underclassmen.

Sophomore Josh Bring, one of the few underclassmen involved, said there is “a high probability” of him taking over the club next year, but that “there are a lot of capable juniors who could step up.”

Donelson hopes the new members next year

Each issue, language arts teacher David Choate will provide some helpful hints to improve your use of the English language.

Pronoun Usage for Comparisons after As and Than In comparisons after as and than, if the pronoun is the subject of the understood verb, use the nominative form of the pronoun.

Examples: Mr. Senti is smarter than I (am).

I am older than he (is).

Can you answer as fast as she (can)?

No one understands grammar better than he (does).

[Morning Pick Me Up]

During an ‘orange juice’ Friday, senior Cole Donelson pours drinks for other students. Donelson, founder of WACKED student organization, said he thought of the club in a dream where he and friends did random activities to brighten the school day. [karacampbell]

“continue [to] create new ideas, [so that] people get through the school day by spicing it up.”

Until then, students can spot WACKED members by their offbeat dress and activities.

West County’s premier resort and health club will be hosting a VIP Grand Opening party on June 5th. The party will be open to the public from 7-10 p.m.

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SCR Fight Club 1024 Watson Rd. Sunset Hills, MO 314-604-5992

The Boxing Gym 14532 Manchester Rd. Ballwin, MO 636-527-8899

Finney’s Kickboxing 626 Crestwood Plz. St. Louis, MO 314-961-1177

Absolute Martial Arts 3221 South Kingshighway St. Louis, MO 314-664-0466

[eight] imagefeatures

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Popularity of MMA, UFC on the rise If the traditional sports of baseball, football and basketball are not your cup of tea, and something more on the lines of boxing, wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu fits your athletic abilities, then Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) could be a nice step out of the ordinary.

Mixed martial arts involves the intense combination of a number of combat sports and skills like submission grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, kick-boxing and boxing.

MMA is on the rise, and it is taking over the media. With shows like The Ultimate Fighter Championship and fights available on HBO and Showtime, it is becoming a must-watch sport.

“I love watching UFC and hope to fight in that organization someday,” senior Nick Pavelski said. Pavelski has been training for three years but is waiting until he is 18 to participate in an actual MMA fight.

The training is intense, and the sport requires an extreme amount of conditioning and endurance.

Senior James Chellis is a UFC fan and amateur fighter because his father has a history with boxing and is also a fan.

“I would train for about two hours every time I went,” Chellis said. “Our training would start with boxing lessons and then we would spar with a partner. After that we would learn wrestling techniques with the same partner.”

Pavelski said he practices four to five times a week. “I work on technique at the gym during the week and spar on Saturdays,” he said.

Sophomore Tommy Copelin said he “trains at North Broadway Jiu-Jitsu and is involved with Team Vaghi.”

Head instructor Rick Vaghi said, “I think this promotes people to focus on fighting in the gym and not in the streets. I hope they learn to have a well rounded background and the goal is to make them the most complete fighters they can be.”

mikebujnak [staff reporter] adamharris [staff reporter]

[Training Grounds]

Stuck in a triangle submission, an employee at The Boxing Gym demonstrates wrestling common in UFC fighting.

The Boxing Gym is one of many in the St. Louis area that offers MMA and boxing lessons along with personal training. [mikebujnak]

“For training we do striking, kicks, grappling, take downs and submission holds. We also do sparring, which is a fight but not the real thing, and conditioning to get endurance up,” Ben Thomas, owner of SCR Fight Club said.

SCR fight club teaches students ages 13 and up in Boxing, Mauy-Thai and Mixed Martial Arts.

Thomas has been training in martial arts since he was 6 years old, being experienced in Judo, wrestling, boxing and Jiu-Jitsu.

Thomas also holds black belts in Judo and JiuJitsu and is a certified USA boxing trainer.

“Any sport has risks, especially combat sports, but there is mainly just a risk of cuts and broken or bloody noses. You have a better chance of getting a broken bone by playing football or hockey,” Thomas said.

Many of the participants say they hope to one day fight with the league. Copelin has fought and

trained for two years and hopes to join the professional team after wrestling.

Another sophomore, Aurelien Billerey, said martial arts is a passion for him, and he only does it for pleasure. He hopes to one day join the French Army and will need the skills he has learned in order to help him achieve that goal His favorite type of martial arts is Muay-thai.

“It is very intensive and I like the style. It takes a lot of practice and you have to use all of your body,” Billerey said.

While fighting isn’t for every one, it is an option for those who have the perseverance. Martial arts are used to train people for self-defense situations instead of promoting violence.

Pavelski said, “It takes a lot of work and dedication but it is worth it in the end. I would recommend someone else to start in Jiu-Jitsu and MuyThai and get into mixed martial arts sooner.”

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imagefeatures [nine] msinformation

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Many people are impacted by the effects of the disease Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system. Here are a few facts to better understand the seriousness of the disease:

•RelapsingRemitting MS:

[Photo Op]

[Family Portrait]

Laura and Joseph Applebaum, shown next to their son, freshman Jared Applebaum, are both afflicted with multiple sclerosis. Jared organizes MS walks alongside a busy school and extra curricular schedule. [applebaumfamily]

Freshmen Jared Applebaum and Rachel Dennis, and Key Club sponsor Jay Buck present a check to the National MS Society. Lancers Landing raised $1,110 for this charity. [alexdavis]

Living With Multiple Sclerosis

Two students, whose families are affected by multiple sclerosis [MS], motivate others to help beat MS through charity walks and drives at Lancers’ Landing April 12, around 300 peoJoseph, also, has had to leave his job in Landing. Recently, the school store raised sydneymiller On ple participated in Eureka High the field of Catastrophic Search and Rescue $370, which the Lafayette Parent Organization [features editor] School’s Walk for Multiple because of 49 operations he has had over the (LPO) matched, as well as the school, bringing

Sclerosis (MS), despite the unusual springtime weather of wind and snow. Among these dedicated 300 were freshman Jared Applebaum and his father, Joseph.

Jared’s family is a unique one. Joseph was adopted in 1968 by Jared’s grandmother, Sandra. In 1989, Sandra was diagnosed with MS. Two years later, Jared’s moth“Financially, er, Laura, was diagnosed as [MS] has well. And this past Decemcompletely ber, Joseph received an andestroyed us. swer for the pain and numbBut it hasn’t ness he felt for 18 years: he, destroyed our also, had MS. souls.”

The same disease is afflicting these biologically unrejosephapplebaum lated people, within the same lifetime. “It’s a statistical improbability,” Joseph said.

The only connection between these three people is an environmental one. In 1963 Sandra moved to Maryland Heights, and shortly after adopted Joseph. Ironically, Laura grew up about two streets away from the Applebaums.

During the 1960s, Maryland Heights shared the same farmland landscape similar to a predeveloped Turnberry Place.

This small connection could be a large break in the mystery of how these three people have experienced the same tragedy.

“Who knows what was buried and sprayed on that land?” Joseph said.

As time passed, Joseph experienced “numbness and prickling pain” in his arms and legs. “[The pain was] sharp and paralyzing. It felt like someone was taking scissors and stabbing me in the back of the calf,” Joseph said.

The disease remained undiscovered for 18 years simply because the doctors never thought to test for MS. Joseph said the doctors believed it was ‘improbable’ that three unrelated people would be diagnosed within a lifetime, within the same family.

Sandra is living in an adult care facility in Chesterfield. Laura has had to leave her job, because “her fatigue was too bad,” Jared said.

years due to traumatic injuries.

“MS has pretty much devastated us,” Jared said. “Everybody is affected differently. My mom has had more cognitive difficulties, and my dad has had more problems with walking.”

Jared has helped organize a few MS walks, alongside an impressive list of extra curricular activities. While maintaining a little above a 4.0 GPA, Jared also participates in Key Club, OSEP, freshman soccer and baseball and Renaissance Steering Committee.

However, Jared’s involvement in the MS walks and Key Club is a priority.

Jared said his goal is “to make more people aware of what MS is, to make money and help people financially that are affected by it.”

“I think [Jared’s participation] is great. He sees the need to get people informed about what [MS] is,” Joseph said.

MS is essentially an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s defense system attacks the nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

Joseph was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, which 85 percent of those diagnosed have. However, according to the National MS Society, nearly half of those diagnosed develop secondary-progressive MS, such as Sandra and Laura, who cannot be treated.

“It’s a devastating disease, because it effects every single person in the family unit,” Joseph said.

Joseph said, “In technical terms, financially it has completely destroyed us.” He added, “But it hasn’t destroyed our souls.”

Every month the Applebaums pay $2,500 for daily shots that hinder the progression of Joseph’s MS. Within the past two years, they have lost their home in Creve Couer, and have moved to Wildwood at the start of Jared’s freshman year, which Jared said was “kind of tough.” “[Jared] sees an obstacle to overcome, and he moves on,” Joseph said.

Lafayette’s focus has recently been shifted to MS, spurring a donation drive at Lancers’

in a grand total of $1,110 for the National MS Society.

According to Jay Buck, social studies teacher, Key Club and Boys Tennis made a donation of $825.

“The things Mr. Buck did, he went above and beyond,” Joseph said.

Another student, senior Julia Mulhall, donated $100 in memory of her father, Tom, who died last year.

Tom had been diagnosed with MS in 1996, when he was 43 and when Mulhall was in the first grade.

“I made the donation as a gift to my grandpa for his birthday. He isn’t the person to like material things, so I thought he would appreciate something that benefited others,” Mulhall said.

Mulhall said she donated $100 because she “figured that it would be best [to donate] through the school” because “it would be matched and turn out to be $300.”

Mulhall and Jared both have experienced the devastation MS can bring to a family.

“Thank God I am still able to think relatively clearly. My wife has a tough time remembering a conversation we had 10 minutes ago,” Joseph said.

Jared added, “It’s a terrible disease that tears apart a family, whether financially, or physically, or both.”

Due to the uniqueness of the Applebaums’ story, Jared said they have been contacted by the Washington Post and The New York Times.

“It’s a long shot, but we’re hoping Oprah,” Jared joked.

MS is not as rare as many people believe.

According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), it is estimated around 400,000 or more people in America are living with MS. “The biggest thing about MS is it can affect you,” Joseph said. “If you are diagnosed, just get up every day and thank God you can see the sun shining no matter how devastating [it is].”

Officer John Young

Consists of relapse flare-ups, followed by partial or complete recovery periods. (85 percent of those diagnosed have relapsingremitting MS)

•PrimaryProgressive MS:

Consists of slowly worsening neurologic functions. (10 percent of those diagnosed have primary-progressive MS)

•SecondaryProgressive MS:

In this course, the disease worsens more steadily with or without occasional flare-ups.

(50 percent of those diagnosed originally with relapsing-remitting MS develop secondaryprogressive MS)

•ProgressiveRelapsing MS:

The patient may experience steadily worsening forms of the disease from the beginning, without periods of remission. (5 percent are diagnosed)

Other Facts:

•MS is known to occur more frequently in areas that are farther from the equator.

•The high levels of Vitamin D from being exposed to the sun is beneficial to the immune system to help fight against diseases such as MS. •Having a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling with MS increases an individual’s risk of developing the disease (Information found from the National MS Society Website)

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National Attention bretthamlin [staff reporter] On May 7, Rivals.com ranked the Lafayette girls soccer team number four in the nation.

At that time, Lafayette was 17-0-0.

This ranking followed a 3-2 win over eleventh ranked St. Teresa’s Academy (Kansas City, MO).

The Rivals poll is contradicted by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll, which ranks the top teams in the metro area, ranking undefeated Lafayette behind St. Joseph’s (15-2-1) and Incarnate Word Academy (14-1-0).

Despite the difference in ranking, the players seem to believe the Post-Dispatch ranking over the Rivals.

“I think we’ve earned it, but we have a long way to go. We have a lot more respect to earn from private schools,” junior Kelsey Calvert said.

“The guy from the Post has a pretty good outlet on what’s going on,” Lafayette coach Tim Walters said.

“On the flipside, the guy from [Rivals.com] sees scores and ranks accordingly. I mean we had the win over St. Theresa and we were ranked a week later,” he added.

Lafayette still finds itself trying to earn respect from the area private schools, despite having beaten their best on the field.

Last year, unranked Lafayette pulled the upset of a lifetime against Nerinx Hall 1-0 in penalty kicks in the quarterfinals of the State Tournament, Nerinx was ranked seventh in the nation and undefeated.

“We have to go one game at a time. We have a tough matchup right away in the District tournament.

We are playing Francis Howell right away, we’ve played them in the District championship game six of the last seven years,” Walters said.

[ten] imagesports

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

Championship on the rocks austingoodman Over the past couple of [staff reporter]

months senior Elliot Corwin has embarked on a journey that every hockey player would love to mirror; playing for the opportunity to be the best in the country.

The national tournament took place in Buffalo, NY, on April 26, with 12 teams from across the nation. Corwin and the Chesterfield Falcons (Major Central States

League) finished at the top of the brackets with the National Championship.

“It really just made me appreciate hockey that much more. I’ve been playing hockey for a long time and I can’t remember a time that I wanted to play hockey more,” Corwin said.

The Falcons, under Coach Lindsay Middlebrook, have played together for three years.

Before the championship game, the staff wanted the team to remember that no matter what, win or lose, they had become a family and they should be proud of how far they have come.

“I just wanted them to realize that their accomplishments were already awesome and that they should play with no pressure at all,” Middlebrook said.

The Falcons started off the tournament against a team from Massachusetts, winning 7-2. This game was a great confidence builder and sharpened their skills for the later rounds.

For the second half of the season, the Falcons were ranked number one in the nation, but just before the tournament, they were bumped down to third. “[St. Louis] hockey is often considered in the hockey world one

of the best kept secrets,” Corwin said.

As the tournament wilted down to only a few teams, the Falcons found themselves in the Championship game after only one loss in the preliminary rounds.

“Every game we played, teams wouldn’t know what to expect.

They see that we are from [St. Louis] and are considerably high on the national rankings, so we were never really an underdog until we got to nationals after we lost our number one ranking,” Corwin said.

In the national spotlight of the champion- [Smooth Skating] ship game, the Falcons Senior Elliot Corwin surveys the ice patiently, waiting dug themselves a hole for his chance. Corwin and the Falcons played six early, allowing two games in their chase for the Championship. goals early in the third [Photo Courtesy of Alan Dye] quarter from their opponent, the USA Eagles shot of excitement throughout your from Michigan. body. It gives the biggest smile As the game was winding down, you can ever imagine that can’t be Middlebrook kept telling his squad removed,” Corwin said. to just go play and forget about the For winning the national chamscore. pionship, Corwin received: a gold With four minutes to go, the Fal- medal, a national championship cons responded with a goal and held baseball hat, a gold plate for the off the Michigan Eagles to win a team’s trophy and “every bragging hard fought game. right to your friend,” Corwin joked.

“Watching the clock count down “So few people actually get to the final seconds during the champi- feel it but when they do it’s almost onship game sends the most intense unreal,” Corwin said.

Seniors create a ‘League of their Own’ With sum- decided to make this softball league, of the Saint Louis Amateur Softball over the summer. We don’t have a aaroncasias [entertainment editor] mer ap- just have a fun time, play games and League, Maddox is in charge of co- whole lot to do, so it kept people inproaching, students are looking for new ways to stay active and have a good time.

One group of students has found a way to do this without having to make commitments to any serious athletic program or club: create your own.

Last summer, senior Ryan Maddox and a group of Lafayette students created the Saint Louis Amateur Softball League, a slow-pitch softball group that would provide high school students with the means to stay active and become involved in a fun summer activity.

“Some of my friends and I wanted to do something over the summer besides work and hang out, so we

hang out with friends…We have this league and we keep score and just have a fun time,” Maddox said.

Last summer’s league consisted of teams from five local high schools: Lafayette, Marquette, Eureka, CBC and Parkway North.

Maddox said, “This year it was difficult networking games, so I think we are only going to have Lafayette teams.”

Maddox is not concerned this will make the league competition any less enjoyable of entertaining.

“We’re making the league smaller, but more people will be on the teams. The games will run a lot smoother,” he said.

The proclaimed commissioner

Five Star Nails Professional Nail Care Salon

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ordinating all the game and practice schedules for the summer program.

To assist in the task of staying in touch with the students, Maddox calls on the team captains who are in charge of their team and relaying to them information concerning game times and practice schedule.

“Last year I was a captain, and I was the person who would call people, even though no one would show up,” senior Stephanie Erdtmann said.

“Organizing the rosters relies on having a few captains for each team, and I talk to the captains to approve the roster,” Maddox said.

Of the league itself, Erdtmann said, “It was something fun to do

Save the dates:

9/19/08 – 9/21/08

Antique Show at Queeny Park Proceeds benefit the

Discounts for All Students!

St. Louis Alumnae Panhellenic Scholarship Fund

15444 Manchester Rd. Ellisville, MO 63011 (636)527-9599 Contact Theresa Campbell 314.341.7200 Next to Shop’n Save and Fazio’s Music Store

volved. I got to see people I wouldn’t have otherwise, and I like softball.”

“I’m having a little trouble getting a team together this year. I didn’t necessarily want to be a captain this year because it was a big responsibility last year. It turns out that I’m captain again though, so we’ll see how it goes,” she said.

Maddox is preparing the rosters for this summer and hopes more students will become involved.

“We had over 100 people last year,” he said, “There’s really no limit to how many people can be on a team. This year I want to have about 15 or 20 people per team, that way when people can’t make it we can get at least nine to field a team.”

Congrats Nick and Image Staff on a fabulous year!

Patti and Tom Elwood

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

imagesports [eleven]

Athletics to benefit from Prop 3

tion set for the start of the ‘09‘10 school year,” Shaughnessy w o o d said. voters approved the $74.5 milThe new locker rooms, as lion Proposition 3. well as the old locker rooms, Many projects will soon be will be equipped with heating starting throughout the district and air conditioning. as a result of this bond. Lafayette The existing locker rooms will see some major improvewill have some future use, ments in all aspects, including whether it is for classrooms or renovating the pool and building some other purpose. new locker rooms.

“The locker room…adLafayette’s pool was built in dition will be completed the 1989, and has endured its share [Rusting Away] following school year (2010of wear and tear.

2011) after the trailers are The locker rooms have rust building on almost every open metal surface. The funds from According to the Proposed Prop 3 will improve most of the sports facilities including new locker room facilities. [melanie- abandoned.

2008 Bond Issue Projects creat- hinzpeter] The existing locker room ed by the Rockwood Board, the renovations will also be com“steel roof trusses are corrodpleted during this school year,” so that it won’t interfere with school, to get a T-shirt, even if it’s a clean ing, masonry walls are deteriorating, just the Rockwood Swim Club,” shirt, it still smells musty and sweaty,” Shaughnessy said. pool fixtures and pool accessories Athletic Director Steve Berry said.

Another change not associated sophomore Kelley Johnson said. are corroding, (and) pool pumps “The balance of renovations, inNew lockers are being built to with the bond is the new equipment and piping are at (the) end of (their) cluding the pool, is being handled by “remedy potential health issues,” being added to the weight room. life cycle.” our own District Facilities Services,” but these changes won’t be started Berry said it was his own initiative to “The pool is dirty. There is a lot Head Principal John Shaughnessy until the summer of 2010. put the new equipment in and that it of dirt and sand on the bottom, said. “The pool is scheduled for the Berry said that the school is fo- was greatly needed. which is gross,” junior Katie Pulley renovations during the summer of cusing on changing the kitchen and “We are putting in approximately said. The dirty water will be fixed, 2009.” library first, as they were a part of $26,000 worth of new equipment,” as the pool will see work in adding Berry said.

Lafayette will also benefit from the 2006 Bond, Proposition K. new air and water filters, as well as the bond by getting new locker The equipment has been ordered, “Contractors will be working on modifications to the roof. rooms built. the library…additions sometime and is being placed in the weight “We are planning appropriately “Every time I go into my locker during the fall of ‘08, with comple- room over the summer time.

signing day

May 8, 2008

melaniehinzpeter On April 8, Rock[staff reporter]

Lacrosse standout sits out

Twelve Lancers signed Letters of Intent to their future colleges on May 8. They are as follows: J.P. Bartmess William Jewel Nick Battenberg Ball State Univ.

Cami Bird St. Francis-Brooklyn Sean Butler UMKC Sami Dunger Central Methodist Univ.

Eddie Gaines Eastern Illinois Univ.

Harrison Grubbs LeMoyne College Cody Kappel Lindenwood Univ.

Ryan King Northern Illinois Univ.

Stephen McMahon Meramac Comm.

College Tony Meier UW-Milwaukee Meg O’Connell McKendree College

Senior All-State defensemen injures knee versus Chaminade bretthamlin The boys lacrosse [staff reporter] team (11-7) faced

number-one ranked St. Louis University High School (16-4) on April 22; The Lancers won 9-6.

Lafayette was on a high, they had just beaten the number one team, senior attackman J.D. Stumpf had set the State scoring record for a game with 13 goals a week earlier, and the Lancers were playing as well as anyone in the State.

The next day, Lafayette played Chaminade (3-8) and won 14-2.

The rout was bittersweet.

Head Coach Ren Pettinelli was ejected from the game after arguing with the refs, and senior captain Ryan McKibben was ejected for fighting, which resulted in a one game suspension.

Worst of all, senior defensemen Austin Birner partially tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in the third quarter.

Senior Pat James describes the day, saying it was almost as if Chaminade “took the [Championship] ring right off of my finger.”

After the Chaminade game, Lafayette went on a three-game losing streak against Rockhurst (15-8), DeSmet (9-6) and MICDS (11-2) by

[Cradle Away]

Chaminade prepares for yet another LHS goal as Austin Birner cradles down the field toward the goal in the 14-2 rout of Chaminade. However, Birner may be out for the rest of the season. He sustained an ACL injury against later in the game.

[Photo Courtesy of Carol Gentile]

a combined score of 13-32.

Not only had the Lancers not allowed double digit points all season in Missouri State play, and their suf-

focating defense had only allowed 27 points in State play.

They say offense wins games and defense wins championships, and

for a Lafayette team in a 13-year title drought, the loss of Birner may prove to hurt worse than any other.

“When he went down in the Chaminade game, I thought it was just a slash to the knee,” en Pettinelli said.

“Then the trainer came over and did some stress tests on the knee, then we found out it was a partial tear,” Pettinelli said.

“We’re going to be using him in very specific situations, like when we are a man-down,” Pettinelli said.

“It’s all up to him though, if he doesn’t want to go, he won’t play,” he added.

After transferring to Lafayette from DeSmet in 2006, Birner, whose brother Blake was an All-American at DeSmet in 2005, made the AllState team in 2007 and was expected to be named an All-American this spring.

“I’m going to keep playing all I can until something goes too wrong, I’ll play in man-down situations,” Birner said.

Birner is playing lacrosse at University of Dayton next year.

“Because of all the therapy I’m going through this summer, I know that I’ll be 100 percent by the time I go to college,” Birner said.

nickbattenberg

camibird

j.p.bartmess

mego’connell

samidunger [all photos by bretthamlin]

ondeck

[sports calendar] Baseball 5/19 @ State

[twelve] imagesports

of Athlete the Month:

To put a spotlight on the student-athletes, the Image sports staff will select one athlete to be the Athlete of the Month.

These athletes represent the finest Lafayette has to offer, in terms of their athletic prowess, their leadership presence and their unstoppable will to win.

An Image sports staffer will interview these athletes in a Q and A format to introduce those individuals who represent the Lancers in athletic competition.

This month, junior Track and Football player Ian Moore is being highlighted.

Moore ran the 200 dash in 22.34 seconds and the 400 dash in 49.88 seconds making the honor roll in those events.

ninawalters [staff reporter]

Boys Tennis 5/23-24 State Boys Track 5/17 @ Sectionals 5/23 @ State Boys Volleyball 5/17 @ State Girls Lacrosse 5/17 @ State Girls Track 5/17 @ Sectionals 5/23 @ State Girls Soccer 5/20-22 @ Sectionals 5/24 @ Quarterfinals 5/30 @ Semifinals 5/31 @ State

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

The Image asks: Q: Who is Ian Moore?

A: I like to think of myself as a nice, respectable young man.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?

A: Besides sports, I eat and sleep.

Q: When did you start running track?

A: My freshman year, but I ran some in middle school too.

Q: Why did you start running track?

A: Because I thought it would be good for my other sports, and to get faster.

Q: What makes you interested in running track?

A: Just winning a race!

Q: Which meet was the most memorable of the season?

A: Probably the first one when I got first in the 4x4 meter relay.

Q: How much working out do you do outside of track practice?

A: I try to get a couple of miles in every once in awhile.

Q: How has the support of your family and coaches affected you?

A: They let me know I can actually do it no matter how hard. I haven’t been pushed to my breaking point yet though.

Ian Moore

Q: What are your plans for college?

A: Sports, which ever one I get an offer for, I’ll play.

Q: What are your plans for after college?

A: I just want to have a family and a career.

Over The Billiken Hump:

After losing to SLUH in the State Championship last year, the Lancer boys volleyball team redeems the loss, and get top seed in State tournament For the first time in Lafayette boys volleyball’s long and rich history, they came into the State tournament this past week with the number one overall seed.

“It was big getting the top seed.

It is the first time that I can remember a public school boy’s volleyball team get the top seed in the tournament,” Coach Doug Ell said.

The team edged out other top teams for the spot, like DeSmet (176), Oakville (20-3-1), and the reigning State champions SLUH (22-2).

The team beat all three of these teams during the regular season and that, according to Ell, is the reason they were ranked number one.

“We were used to being the hunters coming into State play. Now with the top seed, we are now going to be

j.p.bartmess [asst. sports editor]

the hunted by the teams we used to hunt,” Ell said.

Although they received the number one seed for the tournament, they were ranked number three in the boy’s volleyball power rankings behind SLUH and DeSmet.

“We got snubbed. I know these rankings are computer generated and based on strength of schedule and stuff, but we beat the two teams in front of us,” senior libero Matt Swoboda said.

Lafayette is in the Suburban West Conference for volleyball, which has a combined record of 133-86-15, a much better record than it has had in the past.

The team was a three seed last year going into the State tournament and ended up in the championship game against SLUH. They defeated the number two

seed CBC in the semifinals to reach the finals.

Ell believes that the number one seed doesn’t mean it is going to be an easy ride for the team though.

“There is more parody this year in boys volleyball than before. The State tournament will showcase some good volleyball,” Ell said.

With the team returning senior setter Tony Meier, along with senior middles Nick Battenberg and Carl Dick from last year’s team, they knew the number one seed was possible.

“Its nice to get the top seed, but we know that in the playoffs its win or go home. There is more pressure on us this year than we had last year,” Swoboda said.

Some area critics still believe that private schools still dominate boys volleyball. It has been true so far up

to this year, but they aren’t ready to jump onto Lafayette’s bandwagon.

“People just don’t believe that we can beat SLUH and other private schools in the playoffs,” Ell said.

He also went on to say that people thought defeating SLUH in the Parkway West Invitational was a fluke win.

SLUH was apparently missing their top right-side hitter due to injury, and plagued the team to lose to the Lancers 26-24, 25-23.

SLUH has always had a strong following of fans, but this year Lafayette’s fans have a chance to compete with the “Blue Crew.”

“I challenge our fans along with other people to come out and support the Lancers. SLUH has guaranteed a repeat this year and they usually bring out 100-200 kids for each game. I want to end it,” Ell said.

Fortune Cookies

1 egg white 1/8 tsp vanilla extract 1 pinch salt 1/4 cup unbleached all-pupose flour 1/4 cut white sugar

7/16/08

7/16/08

7/16/08

Expires 7/16/08

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 in. long 1/2 in. wide. Grease 2 cookie sheets.

2. Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy. Sift flour, salt, sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.

3. Place round teaspoonfuls of batter at least 4 in. apart. Start with 2 or 3 to a sheet.

4. Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 in. wide around the around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale.

5. Remove from oven and quickly move cookie place upside down on a wooden board. Place the fortune on the cookie, and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place cookies into tin muffin cups or an egg carton to hold their shape until firm.

LHS FACS

bigleagues

[

stats, standings & stories

Cardinals

]

Albert Pujols and Co. stand atop of the Central Division over the Cubs. Second baseman Adam Kennedy has been a nice surprise, batting .307 after hitting .219 last year. The pitching staff has been stellar and closer Jason Isringhausen leads the NL in saves with 11.

Rams

After drafting University of Virginia’s defensive end Chris Long, the Rams might have one of the most impactful rookies in this year’s class. They started minicamp last week with defensive end Leonard Little and offensive tackle Orlando Pace in great shape after their season ending injuries last year. Coach Scott Linehan is on the hotseat.

Blues

The Blues look to develop talent within their own system, waiting on 21 year old forward T.J. Oshie from the University of North Dakota to sign his name to next years roster. The Blues have the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NHL Amateur draft next month.

Mizzou Football

The team received two huge scares as starting linebackers Van Alexander (torn ACL) and Sean Witherspoon (torn labrum) missed all of spring practice and are questionable for the start of the season. Also two of their backups, Marquis Booker and Connell Davis, were dismissed from the team.

Mizzou Baseball The team is currently ranked number 14 in the nation and are fourth in the Big 12 standings. Junior outfielder Aaron Senne is tops in team batting average (.353) and senior designated hitter Jacob Priday leads the Big 12 with 15 homers.

Junior pitcher Aaron Crowe leads the team with a 2.82 era and a 11-0 record. He leads the Big 12 with 103 strikeouts. Lafayette grad Kurt Calvert is their starting centerfielder and batting .311 and leads the team with 10 stolen bases.

The Tigers host #10 Nebraska Cornhuskers this weekend in Columbia in Big 12 play.

[fourteen] imagesports

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

I’ve never witnessed such a spectacle: Tailgating Imagine, a young child that has yet to embrace this art. He has yet to experience the glory as many of us have.

The wondrous excitement that, thanks to my family, I have personally been able to enjoy virtually my entire life.

Imagine the wondrous look of revelation when he or she experiences it for the first time.

I remember my first time. My first real time. It came in 2002, when the Children of the Corn hit the high road, and split for the coast.

Lala land.

The only problem: the same highway was occupied by a fierce ‘Cane squad, soaring their way to a championship, with Ed Reed leading the pack.

It was unfortunate, and there was a tear on my cheek as I witnessed the raw athletic talents of Miami absolutely devour a simple Omaha high school stud.

However, I’ll always cherish the moments leading up to the game.

The time that I had.

The multi-day party spanning from the deserts of Nevada all the way to the luscious scenery of Pasadena.

The time that my dad, brother and I - and our friends - spent: Tailgating.

The simple act, the mere day spent with friends and family can be life-changing. And I’m not kidding.

If it wasn’t for my tailgating experiences with my cousins and aunt and uncles, I can honestly say that we would not be as close as we are now.

The ability of this time together to change the social medium in

which you and others can exist has no price tag.

Think about it.

You all are together.

Your focal point is a sports team or game which, hopefully, you all revere and admire.

There’s people, there’s music, there’s food; there’s a nice day.

Even if the weather isn’t so nice, the day itself will be.

You know that, as a tailgater.

Be it sunny, cloudy, cold or rainy; it doesn’t really matter.

Because you take it and accept it, because you are together with your friends and family.

Because the team which you love is about to put it all out there. The team which, as you see it, can be claimed as your identity.

Because a loss today can mean vertigo for a lifetime - or just until they win again.

And a win today can mean vertigo for a lifetime - or just until they lose again.

And just as I explain the effects and aftermath a day like that can have, you forget the weather, and all other potential downfalls.

You see, there really aren’t any flaws to tailgating.

The mix of camaraderie and anticipation makes something great.

Add ribs and football into that equation, and you’ve got yourself something indescribable; even as I attempt to do just that.

Last fall, on Sept. 15, Pete Carroll gathered up his group of pigskin ruffians, and made the trek to the Midwest, and didn’t stop until he found himself surrounded by farmland every which way.

That Friday night, my family and

[

I rolled onto the Memorial Stadium landscape, hauling an RV and thoughts of a potential victory, and with it came an amazing experience in which I will never forget, and will try to reinvent this upcoming season.

Times like that are what make sporting events so great.

The way I see it, you have to tailgate. You have to allow yourself to be apart of such an athletic phenomenon.

The event is magical, and the people you meet are memorable.

The people you meet. There’s a highlight I would like to focus on.

For me, it was the USC program, and all of its prestige and glory, bringing wherever it goes the same caliber fans.

That’s because they’re good.

They know they’re good, and that their good isn’t going anywhere.

And with that sense of assurance for the true LA Trojans, comes the humble attitude every fan everywhere should possess.

They knew that they were in a completely different league than the Husker team led by Coach Bill Incompetent - sorry - Bill Callahan.

They knew very well that they were number one, and that Nebraska would stand no match for them, but they were excellent fans, as well as people.

Since this Pac-10/Big 12 matchup was a tad out of the ordinary, I really had no idea what to expect coming from the west coast.

I wasn’t sure if we would have been delighted with the kinds of fans that they turned out to be, or with the kind of Big 12 North fans, of certain Big 12 North teams, that

Third and Forever alexdavis

]

litter every matchup with the Huskers and somewhat negate the whole sense of “sportsmanship” among fans.

When sportsmanship is not upheld, it can taint the entire system.

Sportsmanship makes it enjoyable.

That’s why, as Lancer fans, coming this fall when we (Lafayette) meet up with Eureka in the first game of the season, I ask that as you tailgate, you keep your composure and just relax with your fellow Rockwood students.

It’s a time to enjoy. Bitterness just adds a distaste that won’t be good for anyone.

Nebraska and USC played later the next day.

Nebraska lost. I was disappointed. My family was disappointed.

We left the stadium with our heads down, blaming the coaches and making our “what if ’s” and “if only theys”’.

It was a sad night.

Of course, it was.

The team in which I claim my identity with had been stricken of its dignity, left in the dirt on national television.

I just sat there watching, not being able to do a thing.

The utter confusion I felt, I didn’t know how to handle it.

It just seemed surreal.

Would I do it again?

It’s tailgating… In a heartbeat.

Coach Porter’s retirement, from my perspective It was March 2005 at the Farmington Civic Center.

The Lafayette Lancers were set off to play their sectional match of the Boys Basketball State playoffs.

They had two of the top players in the state on their team in Matt Lawrence and Landon Shipley.

The other team, the Poplar Bluff Mules, had the best: Tyler Hansbrough.

They defeated the Lancers that night 79-59. I was at the game and I could tell there was something spreading among the fans.

It wasn’t a shock or astonished look that the team lost. It was more of a rumor kind of look on their faces as they played telephone to one another.

Finally the phone chain got to my friend. He told me, “That was Coach Porter’s last game coaching.”

I said, “No way?”

But it made sense.

I was only a freshman, but I quickly put the pieces together.

The year before, the team reached the Final Four, losing to Hansbrough and the Mules in the Semis 57-72.

They won the third place game against Jefferson City 60-52.

They had a very good senior class that year, but with Lawrence

[

and Shipley returning, Porter knew NEVER he had anj.p.bartmess other shot.

He came back the next year with one goal on his mind: State or bust. He came one win short in 1998 and felt that the team with the experience returning could get him there.

I would have come back, too.

So when I went back to school the next day, the telephone chain turned into an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder text messaging fiasco.

Rumors about who would precede the legendary Porter were in full swing by second hour.

Teachers were even talking about it in their classrooms.

But the announcement never came about his retirement. It didn’t make sense to some people what was the point of him returning.

Lawrence was off to start for the Missouri Tigers and Shipley was off to Austin Peay. They both scored over 1,000 points each in their careers.

He was losing four of his five starting players to graduation.

Not to say that an incoming

2432 Taylor Rd. Wildwood MO 636-458-3443

$1 Off Any Smoothie Expires 6/16/2008

DIE

egends

]

freshman, who was 6’8”, by the name of Tyler Griffey might have persuaded Porter to stay, but to truly understand why Porter stayed after that year is simple in my mind.

The ole’ ball coach still had some fire left in him.

He wanted to give everything he could offer to the game of basketball and felt he could still be successful in doing it.

The game has changed since he started coaching back in 1969, but his philosophy of toughness and defense was going to be his teams’ core each and every season.

He went on to coach three more years after that night in Farmington, MO, getting three Conference championships and two District championships.

But he never got past the Sectional round of the playoffs ever again.

His former players would come up to him in these last three seasons and tell him that he has lost that “intensity” he had as their coach and was getting “soft”.

I don’t know if that is what stopped him, but everyone figured

that Porter was going to coach for four more years and then be done with the sport.

People figured he couldn’t pull the same stunt he did back in ‘05.

He was going on year number 40 of coaching and was at 595 victories in his career after this year.

To say that his retirement came abruptly might be true.

But the man had too much respect for the game that if he couldn’t give the same effort into coaching as he used to with that same passion and concentration night in and night out, he would leave.

Basketball was a key part of this man’s life, but now he can watch another Porter coach Lafayette basketball as his daughter, Jennifer Porter, will be the new varsity girls’ basketball coach next year.

And as his legacy carries on, you might find Dave Porter either at a golf course playing 18 or a concert for his son Scott.

But you will never see the man again dress up in a suit and tie, screaming out of his chair off the bench, or shaking the other teams hand ever again.

It is time to say goodbye.

Thanks for the good times coach.

lafayette high school [may 16, 2008]

08.230 Lafayette Ad 10x16.indd 1

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4/11/08 10:16:12 AM

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From Sea to Shining Sea drewstiehl • [staff reporter]

Prepare for the Trip A well-planned road trip should begin long before the car ever hits the highway. First, the party must find a means of transportation. Odds are that you aren’t old enough to rent, let alone drive a rental car, so somebody in your party must be willing to donate a car for the trip.

Vans and SUV’s are by far the best choices, as they offer the most space for luggage and passengers.

However, for shorter trips, sedans are acceptable on the basis of their superior gas-mileage.

Coups have minimal storage and require squished knees, not to mention the unholy and unyielding blur of white-noise that occurs as a low-riding car zooms down a highway, so they should be left out of all car-related equations.

Regardless of car size, all bags should be packed in the most conservative fashion possible, with only enough clothes to last the trip (remember, jeans can be re-worn).

Bulky, expensive suitcases take up the same amount of room regardless of whether they are full or not, so your most practical luggage choice is the duffel bag.

Anything that you might need during your trip, i.e. iPod, book,

toothbrush, change of clothes, etc, should not be packed into your luggage, but rather into another small “carry-on” such as a backpack or purse.

A road trip cannot be successful without a well-stocked food reservoir such as a cooler or a simpleyet-effective grocery bag.

Candy and energy drinks should be brought along for those times when a driver needs that extra kick to make it to the next exit, but beware of the often devastating crash that comes within an hour or so of consumption.

The best food to bring is easily eaten with one hand, dry, and requires little cleanup after eating.

“I try not to bring a lot [of food] because I don’t like being full and just sitting,” senior Kodi Thornton said.

Thornton, who recently made a trek to the Windy City Classic Lacrosse Tournament with the Lafayette girl’s lacrosse team, added “I usually just pick up things at gas stations as we go.”

To increase the longevity of your food-stores, only have one open container at a time, and throw it away as soon as it is empty to prevent trash accumulation.

As the school year comes to a close, students and teachers depart on vacations across the country, embarking on a staple of American summers: Road Trips

Keep Busy, Keep Sane Spending extended time in cramped quarters with several other people is hardly a desirable situation, but there are ways to enjoy yourself and to appreciate the trip more than the destination.

As previously mentioned, music is one of the most important parts of a trip.

If the party cannot agree on music, the driver of the car has complete control of the radio, unless he chooses to divvy the responsibility to the shotgun position.

Unfortunately, music can only take you so far without becoming boring by itself, but it is easy to multi-task while listening to music.

If you have the means, Game Boys are invaluable time-wasters.

The entire Mario and Pokemon series’ take endless hours to complete, and very rarely loose their appeal; nevertheless, several games should be brought along to prevent boredom.

If your wrists, thumbs, or eyes begin to burn or ache, it is important to risk the slippery slope to boredom and take a break from your gaming experience.

Perhaps the most effective way to pass the time is napping. If you can settle into a comfortable po-

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Wednesday, June 11 She Wants Revenge 7 p.m. $17.50 Advance/$20 Door Thursday, June 12 The Raconteurs 7 p.m. $37.50 Friday, June 13 Iron and Wine 7 p.m. $20 Advance/$25 Door

Pops Sunday, May 25 Tiger Army 7 p.m. $13 Advance/$15 Door Saturday, June 28 Rancid 7 p.m. $19.99 Advance/$22 Door

Fox Theatre Thursday, May 22 Sheryl Crow 8 p.m. $45-95 Thursday, May 29 Erykah Badu 8 p.m. $38-59

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Friday, May 22 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

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attach either to your windshield just below your rearview mirror, or on the dashboard.

These systems, which run off of batteries or through your car’s cigarette lighter, are suprisingly precise on most roads, and essentially make the knowledge of where you are a superfluous luxury.

Some GPS also have a function that allows you to see the nearest hospital should any emergencies arise, rest stops, restaurants, and hotels.

If you are unable to connect to the wireless internet via your cell phone, you may very well be out of luck on the road.

However, some restaurant chains, such as Starbucks and sur-

prisingly, a few Denny’s, offer wireless internet access to their paying customers.

These restaurants may or may not offer unlimited access to the internet, but odds are that because of the unrelenting time schedule of a road trip, you won’t be logged on long enough to accrue any large debts.

A third device that is a priceless commodity on long trips is the iPod radio transmitter.

A good transmitter (i.e. anything not made by Belkin) should be able to charge your iPod during playback, which ensures that your tunes will last much longer than your gas tank. As long as the car is running, so should your iPod. gons

one package, but it also was pretty inaccurate sometimes,” senior Caleb Welchans said of his father’s cell phone GPS device. “It does give you traffic alerts and routes around traffic jams, so it was pretty cool that way.”

All of these possibilities, when coupled with its ancient “talking” functions, make your cell phone too valuable a utility to leave at home.

If your phone doesn’t have either of these functions, however, you aren’t necessarily doomed to recalling the map-reading skills you learned in 7th grade geography class.

Companies such as Garmin and Tom Tom make GPS systems that

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Road trips used to disconnect a person completely from the digital world for the duration of their expedition, but thanks to wireless internet, global positioning systems (GPS), and cell phones, it is possible to journey to the center of the boonies without leaving the warm embrace of the internet.

If your cell phone is capable of accessing the internet, activate those functions a few weeks before your trip in order to become acclimated to its workings.

Some cell phones are also equipped with a GPS device, which may require activation from your service provider as well.

“The GPS on the cell phone was pretty convenient because its all in

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sition to grab an hour or two of sleep, take advantage of the opportunity.

Not only will this enable you to be rested for your turn at the wheel, but the time you spend asleep is time you don’t have to keep yourself occupied, slowly eating up things to do.

Senior Cole Donelson, who will take a 15-day road trip to 12 different baseball stadiums beginning June 17, said that the one thing he could not do without on a road trip was his “Bugs Bunny pillow.”

However, you must pay attention to whether other people are asleep before you dose off yourself so that the driver is not left without someone to keep them company.

Car games such as “padiddle,” “I Spy”, or license plate spotting can be fun for awhile, but it is important to inform the entire party that the game is being played, and each person must then declare whether or not they are playing.

The most important thing to keep in mind while entertaining yourself is that the driver must not be distracted from their driving duties, so keep all superfluous noise to a minimum and recognize when traffic demands their full attention.

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Friday, May 16, 2008 [Vol. 39 Issue 9] page 16

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