theimagemagazine Lafayette High School - Wildwood, Missouri - Sept. 21, 2018 - vol. 50, issue 1
Sleepless in St. Louis
A teenager staying up all night might not seem out of the ordinary, but it can lead to serious health problems. Visit pages 16-17 to read more.
art by GRAYDEN KURTZ
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
In This Issue: School Bus
pg 4-5
pg 12
Opinions 4 6
NEW START TIME The Image staff considers the consequences of the new start time.
KILL SHELTERS Learn the differences between kill and no-kill animal shelters and how to support them.
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FOSTER CARE SYSTEM Foster care proves itself to teach lessons in compassion.
News 10 12 13
pg 22-23
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TASTE TEST
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One LHS student shares her obsession with the shoe. Image staffers test out the best cheeseburgers in town.
PUMPKIN SPICE Learn about how the pumpkin spice craze came to be.
Take a look at how the new 1:1 technology program affects students.
LINK CREW
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Features
RENAISSANCE The Student Steering Committee faces some major changes this year.
Sports 28
pg 14-15
See how Link Crew is hoping to expand its reach within LHS.
pg 28-29
Lifestyles CROCS
CHROMEBOOKS
PGA TOURNAMENT Two LHS students participate in the 100th annual PGA tournament.
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RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGES Check out how a few juniors embarked on their own religious journeys this summer.
SLEEP TROUBLES
Read about the detrimental effects of a lack of sleep, and a student’s experience with insomnia.
HOMECOMING COURT
Travel back in time to see some previous Homecoming Courts.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS
Meet the five new students from other countries that have been adjusting to American life.
NEW COACHES With five new coaches, the athletic department will look a lot different.
Stay Connected
CONFERENCE POOLS
The Lancer Feed
Take a look at the new Conference system, which affects many teams.
@thelancerfeed
General Information and Policy: This year represents the 50th volume of the Image. The publication is produced by students in the News Production class. Free copies are distributed on campus. The publication’s primary purpose is to inform its readers about events in the school and community, as well
as issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. While serving as a training ground for future journalists, we adhere to all rights and responsibilities granted under the First Amendment. Operating as a public forum, student editors will apply professional
journalistic standards and ethics for decision-making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the publication. A full listing of all the policies and procedures used by student publications can be found at lancerfeed.press under the About Us tab.
@thelancerfeed
Web
lancerfeed.press
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
FROM US TO YOU S
hort summer days turned to busy school days all too quickly. It’s another year at 17050 Clayton Rd. With the start of the school, we’ve all slipped into our regular schedule, practices, meetings and homework - it’s the same every single year. But that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been any changes. The 2018-2019 school year has brought with it a new start time, a new 1:1 Chromebook policy, new coaches, a new athletic director and plenty of new exchange students - all of which we’ve covered in our first issue this year. These aren’t the only things that have changed this year. The Image has switched to a brand new newsmagazine format.
With an all new design and fresh content, we hope that this new format is easier and more engaging for our readers. As a publication, our goal is to keep the students of Lafayette connected— in a school with nearly 2,000 kids, there’s no way to know every single face or story. Through our newsmagazine, we hope to highlight all of the remarkable things that are going on at Lafayette, even if you may not be there to experience them yourself. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @lancerfeed and be sure to read our stories regularly on lancerfeed.press. Here’s to a year of highlights and more!
Image Staff: Editors-in-Chief:
Travis Bodell and Amisha Paul Web Editor: Grace Kirtley Asst. Web Editor: Chloe Baker News/Features Editor: Delaney Stulce Opinions Editor: Clare Mulherin Lifestyles Editor: Natalie Karlsson Sports Editor: Kayla Carpenter Asst. Sports Editor: Addie Watson
Social Media Editor: Jack Weaver Advertising Manager: Jasmin Kim Graphic Design: Grayden Kurtz Staff: Hayden Cottrell Shelby Darnell Melina Hudak Carson Luther Maya Manor Alex Rozar Naomi Saegusa Sophia Scheller Jacob Ward
Digital Media Staff: Digital Media Editor: Jack Weaver Staff: Travis Bodell Emily Budde Jackie Day Janka Gerber
Connor Jones Sam Knutson Jonah Nickerson Lucas Nickerson Ryan Post Jack Roe Colin Swan
Adviser:
Nancy Y. Smith, MJE Travis Bodell and Amisha Paul Editors-in-Chief
Sponsors: Thank you to our sponsors for their support of the journalism program.
Carpenter Family Paul Family Baker Family McDowell Family Heather Pick, Berkshire-Hathaway Home Services
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OPINIONS
Staff Editorial:
Student editors determine the content of the Image including all unsigned editorials. Views stated in the staff editorial represent the majority opinion of the publication staff.
School Bus
WARNING: Inconvenience Ahead
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Opinions 5
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
New start times fall short of meeting original goals, should be re-evaluated
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ll Lafayette students have had to set their internal clocks back 12 minutes this school year, but the advantages the district hoped to achieve with the new start time have fallen short. For the past few years, administrators, teachers, students and parents alike met on a committee to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of implementing a later start time. During the 2017-2018 school year, officials announced the new high school start time would be 8:28 a.m. starting this year. The new time was primarily implemented to give the district’s middle school students, who used to start school at 7:30 a.m., more time to sleep in the mornings. When the middle school start times shifted 17 minutes later, the high school times had to shift 12 minutes later. However, the Image staff has its concerns about whether or not the new start time is as effective as it was meant to be. For many students who wake up at the crack of dawn, the idea of sleeping in longer sounded like a godsend. It’s a fact that teens who get at least nine hours of sleep are more productive than students who only average six hours a night. And while yes, an extra few hours of sleep would be grand, the mere 17 extra minutes that middle schoolers are getting and the 12 extra minutes the high schoolers are getting does not really make any difference in achieving a longer night’s rest. Most students still wake up at the same time every morning. If the purpose of the start time change was to allow students more time to sleep, school should start an hour later, not just a measly 12 minutes later. In fact, due to the traffic patterns in the area and from the city, many students who ledt their house 12 minutes later than last year found they were late to school due to the traffic. Students who ride buses and those that drive now hit rush-hour traffic, meaning longer commute times than before. Students who commute from the city have been hit the hardest by this reality. City buses have been up to 30 minutes late to classes, making students miss almost half of a class period. This reality is especially true for students who ride the bus in the morning. The start time change meant that bus routes had to be compacted to ensure they can get from the middle school, to the high school and to the elementary school on time. Because of the times being compacted for all schools, less buses go to each neighborhood. Buses
must arrive earlier than usual so they can get around to all the stops, meaning students who ride the bus have to wake up at the same time or even earlier with this new start time. Especially for students near the front of their neighborhoods, this change is detrimental because they are forced to get up earlier and wait for their bus. Then they have to wait even longer as the bus goes around their whole neighborhood, then finally gets them to school. The Wildhorse neighborhood, which used to have two buses, now only has one. Being that it is a large neighborhood, it costs students their precious time. The Turnberry neighborhood bus has tried to combat this issue. With more neighborhoods to go to, it no longer makes stops throughout the neighborhood, opting to just drop kids off at the front. This doesn’t even account for the traffic the buses will hit, which is sure to happen on Highway 109. And the problems with the start time aren’t just limited to the beginning of the day. With athletics starting up, it is becoming evident that athletes are missing larger parts of 7th Hour for sporting events. When school ended at 3:05 p.m., students would only have to miss the last five or so minutes of class to make it to their games on time. Now that number is closer to 20 minutes. Most other districts in the area get out a full hour earlier than Lafayette, and there is no possibility of the games getting pushed back. Students should not have to sacrifice their sporting events in order to maintain their grades and attendance, which is quickly becoming a problem for students. All of these issues beg the question of whether or not this start time change was as effective as it was intended to be. Yes, there were solid reasons for the start time change, but we are unsure whether due research was done when implementing this change. The new problems that have arisen as a result of the later start time seem to outweigh any benefit to sleep that students may have gained. It seems as though the new time was not completely thought out, as all the goals of this new plan seemed to have failed. We believe that the earlier start time, at 8:16 a.m., was a much better start time. We recommend the new start time be reconsidered for the coming years to adjust for all of the problems that have surfaced. The new start time may just be better off as a one-time trial run.
Opinions 6
“Guilty as Charged”
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
comic by GRAYDEN KURTZ
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“Kill shelters” aren’t killing animals, lack of community participation is nimal lovers and animal activists butt heads all the time; those of you who wear such labels know of the controversy over kill shelters, and it’s time things are addressed. People seem to lack education in this area, which leads to debates and a large schism in the animal-loving community. Many people hear the terms “kill’ or “nokill shelter” and suddenly there’s an ugly, ignorant divide among people with the same goal. People don’t know if kill shelters are ethical, and I can see why. The term “kill shelters” is a very harsh name for “open admission shelters” or shelters that are public and run by the local government. These shelters are contractually obligated to accept and care for any animal brought to them as a community service. As a result, healthy and young animals end up being euthanized due to a lack of resources. With an influx of needy or sick animals, open admission shelters don’t have the resources to support them. Many animals are euthanized— not out of malice, but out of a lack of
community support. “No-kill shelters” or limited admissions shelters are typically privately owned and therefore are allowed to turn away any animals they choose. Newborn animals that have weak immune systems, are already injured, have special needs or are dying can be turned away to conserve funding. Both limited and open admissions shelters save animals and there is no right or wrong side. Limited admission shelters are able to specialize the care they give to their selected animals. Because they control the animals they accept, they can specialize care for neonatal or newborn orphaned kittens or special needs animals. They can spend time treating traumatized animals unlike open admission shelters. Open admission shelters can be “no kill” as well; most fail in this respect simply because there’s a lack of community support and funding. These shelters desperately need volunteers to care for the many animals they take in. They not only need people to adopt animals, but also to foster younger
CLARE MULHERIN Opinions Editor
animals not yet old enough for adoption. Open admission shelters can’t be “no kill” without the support of their communities. The rift between animal lovers and activists is caused simply by ignorance and misplaced judgment. Like many things in this digital age, the problem can be solved with the simple act of personal responsibility and working together. Please understand that there is nothing wrong with a “kill” or “no kill” shelter, both do wonderful things for our animals; they just do them differently. For those of you who do want a “no kill” nation, you have to put the work for it. It’s not the shelters problem, it’s ours.
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Protesting the right to protest Videos of grown men and women lighting tennis shoes on fire litter the internet, and whether those who start the flames intend to or not, they’re TRAVIS BODELL making an impactful Editor-in-Chief statement about the First Amendment… and probably not the one they think they are making. This arson-esque phenomena is a result of a long chain of events, all of which have made the news at one point or another in the last year or so. American multinational footwear and athletic wear corporation Nike made a daring choice that created a very clear divide in its consumer population in a political sense. The face of Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback whose name alone sparks controversy, appeared on the cover of what was a clearly politicallycharged campaign for the company. Starting in 2016, Kaepernick began sitting, and later kneeling, during the playing of the national anthem before each game. Acts of police brutality nationwide, specifically against African Americans, is what inspired these silent but impactful moments of dissent. Naturally, the quarterback’s actions earned him fierce criticism from those that believed failure to stand during the national anthem was a denial of patriotism. Many skeptics argued that refusal to recognize the anthem was a sign of disrespect to the military, so Kaepernick transitioned to kneeling during the song at the recommendation of fellow NFL player and former Green Beret Nate Boyer due to the gesture being seen as a sign of respect in the armed forces. Still, the conversation Kaepernick hoped to kindle in the forefront of U.S. media coverage, the topic of racially-charged police brutality, was accepted by few
and rejected by most. Nike has done an amazing thing as a platform with influence across the globe. All while staying true to and promoting their own brand, they ignited the spark that Kaepernick started back in 2016. Deciding on the outspoken ex-NFLer was no accident in a campaign highlighting the importance of staying true to oneself. The strength and boldness of Kaepernick in the public eye is something an athletic company that focuses on standing out would love to get behind. But a marketing decision as out there as this one has its drawbacks. In today’s political climate, showing zero bias or preference, even as a corporation, is difficult. With the ex-quarterback as the face of their new campaign, Nike has ditched the idea of slight political leanings and slid blatantly toward the left. Although the company’s taking of this risk shows the genuineness of their support for Kaepernick and his message, backlash from conservative consumers included a drastic three percent drop in stock, boycotting and, of course, the burning of Nike apparel for all of social media to view. What are they truly protesting, though? The brand itself is not what’s infuriating these boycotters. It all goes back to Kaepernick, the message he was trying to bring to light about the effect of police brutality on African Americans and the sacrifices he was willing to make to convey this message. These angered consumers are quite literally protesting the right to protest, a right every citizen of the United States is in possession of and can exercise within limit. An issue involving race is a difficult one to tackle, but Kaepernick aimed to do this. Nike’s marketing team was genius in not only using one of the most controversial faces in sports but also showing their support for his cause. Whether it intended to or not, a company that sells shoes to athletes brought to light the hypocrisy surrounding the First Amendment that, unfortunately, many Americans have fed into.
Stars: • This year marks the Image’s 50th anniversary! (And, we don’t look a day over 49!) • A new scientific paper argues that Pluto should be reclassified as a planet. No one is happier than a certain dog at Disney. • In gaming news, NBA 2K19 and Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man are now available. Exciting as that is, teachers probably won’t take those as valid excuses for late work.
Gripes: • Serena Williams learned the new US Open policy the hard way—you break a racket, they’ll make a racket. • Fortnite officially jumped the shark after announcing a themed Monopoly game coming to stores Oct. 1. It’s for the people who like the game, but wish it took three hours to finish. • Over 100,000 documents about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are being withheld from Senators voting on his nomination. If a student didn’t turn in 100,000 pages of schoolwork, they wouldn’t be graduating. •The New York Times released an anonymous op-ed piece this month. This should go without saying, but please don’t reach out to us claiming to be part of the “Lafayette resistance.”
Fostering a child teaches lessons of compassion As humans we can only do so much. We try our best, but despite our greatest efforts there comes a point when we have done as much as possible and we have to let things play out and hope that it was enough. About two years ago, my family had a foster child come and live with us for a year. Traditional foster care was deemed not to be a viable option for her, so she came to live with us. As the year carried on, it came with many difficulties. Home no longer felt like home, our time was no longer our own, it felt like I had lost my parents and every day we had the pressure of making sure we were providing adequate help for her weighing on our shoulders. Despite this, having her live with us was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I watched her grow as a person in so many ways. I watched her gain independence, gain a better understanding of herself, gain strength and gain a family. At the start my family didn’t expect to gain anything from the experience, but we also lacked perspective. The positive outcome it left, not just for her but also for me, outweighed the bad. My family became closer, she now has a stable home environment and if I had to go back and do it again in order to help her, I would. When going through a difficult period, many people have a hard time viewing the larger scope and seeing the bigger purpose to what they are dealing with. Through these tough periods I believe that it is important to lean on others for support and try to keep your gaze fixed on the larger picture of what
could lie ahead, because often the unexpected things we acquire from difficult experiences are the things that matter the most and remain the most valued lessons. Having a temporary foster sister opened my eyes to the amount of love and support that many foster kids need. Children who are in foster care or do not have a stable home are held captive to their situations because not many people are willing to listen and take the time to empathize with them. While she lived with us, I grasped a deeper meaning to what compassion is, and how if everyone showed a little more of this compassion and concern we could help people in so many ways. All my family wanted to do was to help her in any way that we could. We did as much possible, but when it was time for her to leave our
CHLOE BAKER Assistant Web Editor house we had to let it go. We had to trust that we did as much as possible to help her within that year. Obviously welcoming a foster child into your home is a daunting task that not everyone is open to. However, showing compassion is not limited to such situations, especially those that seem as hopeless mine was. Everywhere we go, we are exhibited with opportunities to show others empathy because you never know how it is going to change the larger scope for others, or yourself.
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
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NEWS
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At a walk through for the Fall Play Out of the Frying Pan, cast members ERIN THORLEY, DANNY MOELLER, ABIGAIL MIRIKITANI, MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT, GEORGE REICH AND ETHAN LESLIE get to work at rehearsals in the theatre to prepare for the Oct. 18-19 performance. (photo by MELINA HUDAK)
With Fischer on maternity leave, new director steps in MELINA HUDAK Staff Writer
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or the first time in many years, Lafayette Theater Company (LTC) is welcoming a new director. Lauren Arnet, FACS teacher, will be taking over for Natasha Fischer, drama teacher and previous director, who is on maternity leave. Fischer just welcomed her second son into her family on Aug. 21 and was eager to let Arnet try her hand at directing. “Mrs. Fischer knows of my background and interest in theatre and I’ve been involved in different aspects of our program at Lafayette. When she needed to find someone to cover for her she asked me!” Arnet said. But Fischer isn’t the only one excited for Arnet’s directing debut. Many of the students in LTC are looking forward to working with a new director.
“It’s always super interesting to work with a new perspective,” LTC’s president, senior Nina Lamar said. “Arnet will have her own style of how she wants the production to play out and it will be great to see where her ideas steer the work.” Arnet is excited to see how students react to a new director. “Any time you work with a different director, they will have their own way of doing things. One director’s way is not right or wrong, but it always takes a bit of adjustment, especially in a school where many of the students have only worked with Mrs. Fischer,” Arnet said. Students who’ve only ever experienced Fischer might have to adjust their methods or performance, but everyone cannot wait to work with a new director. “I believe Arnet and Fischer hold the same values upon promptness, hard work, dedication and having fun during rehearsals in order to
Q&A with the Director: Lauren Arnet What is your background in theater? “I’ve been participating in theatre since I was a kid. I’ve performed with the Muny, HotHouse Theatre, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, Bravo Theatre Group and Rockwood School District’s own Spotlight Productions. I’ve received multiple nominations and two awards from St. Louis Arts For Life organization.” What are you looking forward to while working on the play? “Being more familiar with the role of an actress rather than a director, I’m excited that I’ll get to have my voice heard in the interpretations of the words and actions.”
Did you pick out Out of the Frying Pan? If yes, what made you select it? “I did get to choose the play. I am more a fan of musicals, so I don’t have a large knowledge base of straight plays. I first saw a performance of the show...maybe fifteen years ago? I performed the role of “Kate” nine years ago when pregnant with my daughter, Sammie. Every time I rediscover the script I remember that it is absolutely hilarious! When first approached about directing, I knew that I wanted to share this funny script with others.”
produce the best show possible,” senior Abigail Mirikitani, who is playing the part of Marge Benson in Out of the Frying Pan, said. “While Arnet may have a different directing style, I believe the same structured aspects will remain since Arnet knows the importance of them in making high school plays higher than high school level performances.”
Leadership changes for school year Undefined
Seniors Abigail Mirikitani and Juliana Sweet, co-captains of Undefined, will be taking charge of the Improv group until Fischer returns next semester. “I’m so excited for this upcoming year because I’ve wanted to [be captain] since freshman year. This year’s team is a wonderful group of people,” Sweet said.
Spring Musical
Special Education teacher Daniel Horst will take part in direction over the musical, assisted by Megan Dill, who Natasha Fischer’s maternity substitute. “The thing I look forward to the most when working with any theatre student is seeing how much we learn about ourselves when imitating someone else. Confidence is gained, a new skill set can be acquired, and greater empathy of human nature and needs is understood. Theatre can be life changing, and I love to see that passion grow in my students,” Dill said.
News 10
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
‘Get Out Your Chromebooks’ Class routines adjust to new technology
JACOB WARD Staff Writer
YOUR VOICE
Matthew Warren
Social Studies “It’s super beneficial to not only students but for the teachers as well. However it can be difficult for me to focus more on the research aspect, and less of me teaching.”
The Rockwood School District (RSD) launched a full rollout of the new 1:1 technology program for the 2018-2019 school year. The program was created to ensure all RSD students receive adequate technology to further their studies. This was done by distributing personal Chromebooks to students. Although last year’s incoming freshmen received Chromebooks, this program is a major adaptation for returning students. To test the efficiency of the program, a few students were given Chromebooks during the 2016-2017 school year. Senior Keeley Cronin received a chromebook her sophomore year, and has found it to be a useful piece of technology in the classroom. “I’ve used my chromebook to take notes in a few classes and it’s been a total life saver,” Cronin said. “It’s hard to judge in the moment what’s important enough to take down and what isn’t, so with the Chromebook, I can just record everything.” However, not all students are satisfied with the shift towards the 1:1 integration of Chromebooks. Some students find it to be inconvenient and a hassle to deal with. “[1:1 Technology] makes me charge it every night, I do not like that. The policy makes me take it home everyday. Now they’re telling me that I need to take this chromebook to school or else I can’t take
Gabby Kennedy
Freshman “I like it because I can take it home and email my teachers if I have questions about assignments.”
tests, and I do not like that,” junior Justus Carlile said. In Carlile’s opinion, the 1:1 program is straying too far from traditional educational practices. “What happened to the good old fashion ways of doing assignments on paper and teachers grading it?” Carlile said. But, teachers see the positive effects of the new program. Language arts teacher Sarah Trankle said, “I still have to find a balance between writing and typing and language arts, but it’s a very useful resource to have,” Additionally, the Rockwood Technology Department is enjoying the change. District level Instructional Technology Specialist Brian Reed said not only was this change necessary, but inevitable. “I think that the 1:1 Technology program is going to not only change the dynamics of how most teachers approach lesson in their classrooms, but also how students approach learning and how parents and guardians look at the world of education,” Reed said. Reed also mentioned equitable opportunities the program provides every student. “The ultimate crux to making sure that the 1:1 Technology program is a success is to not focus learning on the Chromebook itself. It is about what you responsibly do with it that makes the most impact,” Reed said. “Students, teachers and staff have to be willing to adapt to these changes and do their part in this new technological advance,” he added.new technological advance.”
Cory Campbell
Sophomore “It helps me a lot with school work and it’s less of a hassle then using my phone.”
Megan Resinger
Junior “They’re great, in general it makes it super easy at school overall.”
Alexis SeinSchroeder
Senior “I actually do like the Chromebooks, but it makes certain things harder because we have to write more essays now and do more research.”
News 11
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
What if it gets broken? Bring the broken Chromebook to the library. You can check out a loaner Chromebook and write a repair ticket for the broken one. What if it isn’t charged? Most teachers provide charging stations in their classroom and the library provides a couple of charging stations. What if I misplace it? Report your missing Chromebook immediately to the librarans and they will make a report and try to track it down. What if I can’t login? Call the help desk at 733-1111. What if I am a new student? Go to the library and fill out a form and the staff will issue you your Chromebook.
art by TRAVIS BODELL
What if...
Chromebook FAQs
News 12
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Link Crew leaders and staff members line up on both sides of the Gym for the Class of 2022 at freshmen orientation the Friday before school started. Leaders gave freshmen a tour of the school, welcomed them to Lafayette and helped them go through their schedules. (photo by SHANNON WORLEY)
Link Crew looks to increase community involvment CHLOE BAKER Assistant Web Editor
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ncoming freshmen are welcomed every year to Lafayette with yellow hallways, orientation day and Link Crew. Link Crew is a group of upperclassmen that helps ‘link’ freshmen to the Lafayette community, as well as ‘link’ Lafayette to the community. However, this school year’s sponsors Kevin O’Gorman and Meghan Landwehr aspired to increase Link Crew’s role within Lafayette and the community. For freshmen, the leaders are there to welcome them to Lafayette and make the transition into high school much easier. The goal is that they feel a sense of community even before they step foot into school on the first day of. The crew leaders also provide role models and support systems for the incoming freshmen. “When I was a freshman I went though orientation and I had such cool group leaders, and I connected well with them. For the rest of the time they were here, I looked up to them and always thought of them as someone I could go to for help,” senior Link Crew leader Tyler Hagan said. In previous years, Link Crew’s primary purpose was to help freshman at the beginning of the year as they transition into high school. They played a significant role at Freshmen Orientation and helped to guide new students through the first few days of school. The main focus of the group was on freshmen, and mostly at the beginning of the year This school year, Link Crew hopes to increase
the consistency of their involvement throughout the whole school year, reaching out to not only freshmen but people in the community. So far, many of the same initial beginning of year initiatives have not changed. Link Crew has still led Freshman Orientation, helped at Open House and the first freshman football tailgate. “Our leaders always do a fantastic job helping our community get excited about and navigate a new school year,” O’Gorman said. “We saw how much of an impact our leaders had during these beginning months, and wanted to help foster that throughout the school year, so that our community stays strong the whole year long.” While many things have stayed the same from previous years, they have incorporated small things to help increase involvement. Before orientation, Link Crew members were asked to call the parents of each freshman in their group to tell them about Link Crew and to answer any questions the family may have about Lafayette. “As we have become more involved, it is clear that we have already gained better relationships and we are only a few weeks into school,” Hagan said. “As the year continues, I'll become more and more close with my group and I think that the staff will see that and so they will continue to implement more activities.” Throughout the year, sponsors O’Gorman and Landwehr, as well as principal Karen Calcaterra, hope to continue the increased involvement throughout the year. “Link Crew is a leadership group for kids by kids, so I definitely want our kids to be involved. We are always looking for more ways to increase involvement for our students, and I love that our Link Crew’s goal is to support all kids in our school,” Calcaterra said.
Aside from Link Crew itself, over the summer Lafayette invested in a golf cart. The goal of the golf cart was to assist people from the community who come to our campus. The cart will be used to help transport injured individuals as well as people new to our school to different fields and areas during events. While the golf cart was not directly purchased for Link Crew, it will be utilized by senior leaders during events to help supervise and escort people. Calcaterra hopes to serve the community with the golf cart and to have families and visitors leave Lafayette with a positive impression of our school. “I want people to leave our school and for them to think of us as nice and thoughtful and that is a goal of mine, for us to have a reputation as kind and thoughtful,” Calcaterra said. As Link Crew continues to reach out to people in the community Calcaterra hopes to continue a positive impression of our school. Link Crew is a great opportunity to reach out and mentor younger students as well as people in the community. Sophomores and juniors can apply at the end of the school year to participate in the 2019-2020 school year. O’Gorman and Landwehr hope that Link Crew can continue to thrive and be an active part of the community at and surrounding Lafayette. “Our school and our community strive when students are given control of creating a positive culture. Our leaders have been and will be given unique opportunities to have tremendous impact on others in our community,” O’Gorman said. “In addition to that, our leaders will have the opportunity to meet new students and staff and develop invaluable leadership skills.”
Link Crew
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
News 13
A Renaissance For Renaissance Student Steering Committee disbands, but recognition events will continue through groups like Class Advisory JASMIN KIM Ad Manager The Renaissance program was first introduced to Lafayette in 1992 with the purpose of celebrating and rewarding students’ academic excellence. Up until now, the program was spearheaded by the Renaissance Student Steering Committee, a group of students who were chosen through a rigorous selection process at the end of their freshman year. This group organized restaurant fundraisers, chose students for achievement awards, chose the staff person of the month and gave perfect attendance donuts and bus driver donuts, among other things. In addition to the Student Steering Committee, there is an Adult Steering Committee. Its main goals are to help fundraise, build regional partnerships and implement different incentives like academic credit cards and coupons from different local businesses for students’ academic success. The committee worked in conjunction with the Student Steering Committee to honor students for their academic efforts. These committees are separate from entire Renaissance program. Many students may be on the various Renaissance Gold, Silver or Bronze levels, but only 24 students were on the committee. The students in the Renaissance program are often given rewards such as T-shirts, water bottles and phone accessories for their commitment to education. These efforts were organized by the Student Steering Committee. “The committee was created as a part of [Lafayette’s Renaissance program], so students would have input to promoting academic success and rewarding people,” Librarian and former sponsor of the Student Steering Committee Nichole Ballard-Long said. And, the students on the committee were committed to getting involved and making an impact on the school.
“I joined the steering committee because I wanted a chance to make a big difference in the school,” said senior Benjamin Brim, member of the Student Steering Committee. However, a major change happened to Renaissance student Steering Committee when former principal John Shaughnessy stopped directly presiding over Renaissance meetings. “[Shaughnessy] made the decision to cease his (administrative) direct work with the Renaissance program. After he made this decision, Renaissance began to head in a different direction. We went through a restructuring of the committee, dividing into several focus groups,” said Elizabeth Joslyn, Class of 2016 One of the events the Renaissance Student Steering Committee led was the Choice former committee member. Awards breakfast. There will no longer be a formal Renaissance student steering Last year, the Renaissance committee in charge, but most of the events will continue with other students and staff members facilitating the projects. (photo by CALLIE HARRISON) Student Steering Committee started to see even more changes. For school. the previous years. example, the responsibilities of “I would say the difference would To those who fulfill the GPA the Student Steering Committee be that this year I think we are going requirement, the academic credit dwindled. to take some time and really think cards will also continue to be “We have a lot of different groups about ways in which Renaissance rewarded, as it is primarily run by that cater to different parts of our could be vital in our school and the Renaissance Adult Steering school. Renaissance [had] a lot of school community because we Committee. things [that] were double covered. know that Renaissance is a really The student members of the We started losing things to do,” great thing,” Principal Karen committee want more student former sponsor Jodie Fowler said. Calcaterra said. involvement with the committee’s Also, many of the student One of the main changes for activities too and are seeking new members of the committee the Student Steering Committee sponsors who can help with the were expected to fulfill other is to encourage more student goal of the committee. responsibilities in other clubs and involvement. “One of things we would be leadership roles. “We hope that everybody likes doing rather quickly is getting some “Many students who were on the things that the Renaissance members, so we can be doing a lot the Renaissance Student Steering committee does,” said Calcaterra. of the things we’ve been working on Committee had many other the past and get that going,”Julia obligations. They were class leaders. “We are looking for some ways that students can be involved and come Lanfersieck, senior member of the They were involved in other clubs. I up with ideas to serve in our school.” committee, said. think it was challenging for them to Fowler thinks taking on this new The Student Steering Committee devote a lot of their time and energy direction can bring more positivity members wish they can continue to yet another group,” Ballard-Long into the Renaissance program. to positively contribute to the said. “I think it’s good. Our school has school community and encourage At the end of the 2017-2018 changed. The Renaissance program academic excellence. school year, all three sponsors of is fifteen or twenty years old. I think “Everyone has been impacted the Student Steering Committee, it’s a good change,” said Fowler. [by Renaissance] in some way. I Nichole Ballard-Long, Patricia The majority of the events that hope [the committee] continues Mabie and Jodie Fowler, stepped the Student Steering Committee on because even if we are n the down from their positions. hosted in previous years will background sometimes, [we Right now, the future of the continue on this year. can] continue to make an impact committee is still up in the air. This The Academic Pep Assembly and make people excited about year, the committee wants to think and staff member of the month will academics and not just the sports more about the impacts that the for certain be a continuation from things,” Lanfersieck said. Renaissance program can make in
14
FEATURES
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Off the Beaten Path Followers travel across globe in name of religion DELANEY STULCE News and Features Editor MAYA MANOR Staff Writer As the 2017-2018 school year came to a close, many students began to embark on their summer adventures. For some, that meant packing up and heading to destinations like Destin, Florida or getting a summer job to make some extra cash. But some students did more than the usual activities. A select few went on pilgrimages. One of these students is junior Kadra Haji, who spent two months of her summer in Saudi Arabia. Haji practices Islam, and as a Muslim woman, she was very excited to visit the cities that are of great importance to her religion. During her two month journey, she traveled to the cities Mecca, Medina and Jeddah. Mecca is known as the holiest city of Islam. It is home to the Masjid al-Haram, which means the Sacred Mosque. It is also the site for a massive annual pilgrimage, known as Hajj. Participating in Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, emphasizing that every Muslim should visit this location at least once in their life. During Haji’s time in Medina, she spent her days praying and exploring the holy city.
Although miles away from her home, she was comfortable right away. “When I first got there I actually liked it. I felt I was in the place where I belonged,” Haji said. “Everybody dresses the same, speaks the same language, eats the same food, practices the same religion and prays five times a day. Nothing felt weird or different.” The first-time pilgrim believes her experience has enlightened her and she hopes to return next summer. “It changed me, made me a better person actually, to live in a different country, to see different people who speak different languages,” Haji said. Haji wasn’t the only LHS student that traveled the globe to explore religion. Juniors Rachel Paese and Siena Meyrer went on a pilgrimage to the west coast of Spain this past summer together along with their mothers, Becky Paese and Sonja Meyrer. On their pilgrimage, Paese and Meyrer traveled to the Camino de Santiago, which translates to The Way of St. James. This trail has no particular starting point, but it ends in the town of Santiago de Compostela. Meyrer and Paese began their hike in Portugal on the Portugues route and ventured along the west coast of Spain. The two juniors ended at the final destination of the Cathedral de Santiago, which is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santiago de
Compostela in Galicia, Spain. “Not having a constant list of things you need to do in your head and just walking is a good way to process things and just experience the world in that way,” Paese said. Meyrer agreed with Paese in that her connection to Christianity was strengthened through the trip because both girls were able to slow down and focus on themselves and their connection with God. “There are many instances when you may feel lost or stressed, or something might just go wrong, but knowing that God is there with you definitely reassures you of God and the fact that he is always there for you,” Meyrer said. In addition to learning a lot about their religion, the girls also experienced brand new cultures. Paese observed that Europeans have a more outgoing and friendly demeanor than citizens of the U.S. “It’s interesting because when you sit in a restaurant it’s not weird for people, at other tables, to just talk to you; they’re more comfortable with having conversations in any setting,” Paese said. Paese and Meyrer make clear that their unique experience was unforgettable, and hope to have the chance to embark on another pilgrimage. “In the long run, it was definitely a great choice, and I will never forget the memories that were made on the trip,” Meyrer said.
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Features 15
RACHEL PAESE, BECKY PAESE, SIENA MEYRER and SONJA MEYRER climb one of many hills on a rainy day in rural Spain. (photo courtesy of RACHEL PAESE)
RACHEL PAESE and SIENA MEYRER reach their final destination of the Camino de Santiago, the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia, Spain after one week of trekking. The Cathedral is believed to be the burial place of the apostle St. James. (photo courtesy of RACHEL PAESE)
The signs with yellow arrows lead RACHEL PAESE and SIENA MEYRER from their start in Portugal through to the end of the Camino de Santiago. These arrows run the full length of the trail which ranges almost 500 miles. (photo courtesy of RACHEL PAESE)
RACHEL PAESE and SIENA MEYRER stop in multiple villages throughout their journey through Portugal and southern Spain. (photo courtesy of RACHEL PAESE)
Features 16
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
No Time For Sleep
Teens pay price for sleep deprivation NAOMI SAEGUSA Staff Writer In today’s world, chock-full of school, work and extracurriculars, teenagers have enormous schedules and responsibilities. With that in mind, it’s not hard to believe that a number of teens are struggling to get the proper amount of sleep they need each night. “Roughly 60-70 percent of American teens live with borderline to severe sleep debt,” Juliann Garey at the Child Mind Institute said. Sleep debt is, in short, the amount of sleep an individual loses over a period of time. Lack of sleep may seem like no big deal to some teenagers, but prolonged sleep deprivation can have severe consequences. “Not getting enough sleep—due to insomnia or a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea, or simply because you’re keeping late hours—can affect your mood, memory, and health,” Johns Hopkins sleep researcher Patrick Finan, Ph.D., said. A lack of sleep can affect teenagers on a day to day basis. A teenager who is experiencing sleep deprivation might find themselves becoming emotionally unstable, unable to perform their best in school and lacking the energy to do ordinary activities. It may seem far-fetched to consider that sleep can influence an individual so seriously, but teenagers who are consistently adding to their sleep debt, and in turn experiencing sleep deprivation, can experience a mental health decline at a fairly quick rate. If a teen is consistently sleep-deprived month after month, it can contribute to depression, hopelessness and can even be a sign of increased suicide risk.
A chronic lack of sleep can create agitation and uncontrollable mental and physical impulses according to Rise & Shine at Children’s National. Mental health consequences aside, sleep deprivation can also result in serious physical harm. Getting behind the wheel while sleep-deprived can often be just as hazardous as driving while intoxicated. According to a National Sleep Foundation Study drowsiness or fatigue is the principal cause of at least 100,000 traffic accidents each year. Receiving enough sleep is considerably more
“
Sleep Deprivation puts teens into a haze, and can affect a “teenager’s mood, ability to think, to react, to regulate their emotions, to learn and to get along with adults.”
— Dr. Mary Carskadon
important to individuals everyday lives than people tend to give it credit for. Contrary to the assumption that teenagers are accountable for their own poor sleep schedule, due to staying up late and being irresponsible, the blame isn’t all on their shoulders. After puberty, there is a biological shift in an adolescent’s internal clock of about two hours. A teenager who used to fall asleep at 9 p.m.will now not be able to fall asleep until 11 p.m. This also means waking two hours later according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
-Melatonin Types of -Valerian Root Sleep Aids -Magnesium
-Working Out -Black Out Curtains
Features 17
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Sleepless in St. Louis
Oliver copes with insomnia ALEX ROZAR Staff Writer In order to function best at school, teenagers should get between 8-10 hours of sleep every night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Last year, senior Charlie Oliver typically got two to four hours of sleep each night. Oliver suffers from insomnia, a sleep disorder that can make it difficult to get a good night’s rest. “It’s frustrating,” Oliver said. “Sometimes I’ll sit there with my eyes closed and just won’t ever fall asleep.” Oliver began to experience symptoms of insomnia when he was in 7th grade. “A couple nights in a row in middle school, I just stayed up all night with my eyes closed, and I was like, ‘That’s kind of weird, that doesn’t normally happen.’ And then that happened for a couple months,” Oliver said. Shortly afterward, he was officially diagnosed with insomnia. “Doctors put me on different medications, but a lot of those you can’t rely on,” Oliver said. “The main one, it’s called melatonin. That’s a naturally produced chemical in your body.” Still, there are risks to taking melatonin, which only may work about half of the time, Oliver said. “If you’re on that for too long, you just become dependent on it,” he said. “It’s like a battle between how much medicine you take and trying to get actual sleep.” Oliver also used to have sleep apnea, a different sleep disorder that caused him to have trouble breathing and wake up several times per night. He had to have surgery to get it fixed. “I had to spend the whole night at the doctor’s office hooked up with electrodes,” Oliver said.
Having insomnia makes it difficult to focus on classwork for Oliver. “Last year, some of my grades in classes were very poor because they were morning classes,” he said. “I know my last hour class was probably the worst, because I was completely drained the entire day. Some days I just feel dumb. Because of the lack of sleep, it’s like you can’t think at all.” Oliver described the difficulty of having to do homework when he has no energy left. “You go home, all you want to do is sleep, and you have homework to do. I’m going to bed instead of doing that homework, just because I need to for my own body’s sake,” he said. However, Oliver said many of his teachers are understanding of his plight. “The ones that know what losing sleep is like, they are, but I’ve had some teachers that are just kind of like, ‘Figure it out,’” Oliver said. “And it’s kind of frustrating. You can’t just figure it out.” Thankfully, Oliver said that summer vacation allowed him to get some more hours of sleep per night. “The worst year, last year, it was around two to four hours a night of just sleep. This summer I didn’t sleep all that great, but I was still getting at least five,” he said. “For the most part, I’m just trying to get the hours of sleep up to an actual teenage level.” Oliver, a tenured insomniac, advises teens struggling with sleep to do one thing. “Put your phone down,” he said. “A lot of people get in the problem of the ‘one more episode’ kind of thing. That keeps you up all night long and the phone definitely doesn’t help with that.” Overall, Oliver can summarize his ongoing experience with insomnia very simply. “It’s not fun. Definitely not fun,” he said.
What Is Your Sleep Debt? On a weekly basis, how much sleep are you missing out on?
(x-y) 7 = your weekly sleep debt x = the sleep you should get per week y = the sleep you actually get per week
art by TRAVIS BODELL and GRAYDEN KURTZ
Features 18
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Who will re19n this year?
Homecoming Court voting opens Sept. 24
Past years’ Homecoming Court members have been documented in yearbooks. 1) The 1980 Homecoming Court included sophomores, juniors and seniors including Queen PAULA BRIMM. There was no Freshman Class during that time and there was no Homecoming King. 2) In 2010, JOE LINNEMAN was the Sophomore Homecoming Knight. He now works at the school as a Hall Runner. 3) The Homecoming Court of 1991 sported the style of the day with “little black dresses” and big bangs. 4) The 2016 Homecoming Court included now seniors Maiden LEETA JOSLYN and Knight DAYTON FELTZ representing the Freshman Class. (photos courtesy of LEGEND STAFF)
SHELBY DARNELL Staff Writer
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What are you most looking forward to about Homecoming Week 2018?
YOUR VOICE
Preston Boyd
Senior “I like the activities before the game. I’ve been on advisory and helped out taking decorations and putting them on the floats.”
Sanjana Kumar
Senior “I’m looking forward to Powder Puff because we raise a bunch of money for a good cause.”
Tara Robbe
Senior “My favorite is the football game. Supporting the Lafayette team is a lot of fun because I love sports.”
Sydney Kim
Senior “I’m kind of excited about Galaxy Day, I’m gonna get a bunch of galaxy leggings and glitter off of Amazon.”
Ads 19
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018 Homecoming 2018-- Out of this World Sunday, September 23-Saturday, September 29
STUCO Presents Homecoming 2018
Out Of This World Homecoming Kick-off Sunday, Sept. 23 Celebrate school spirit while enjoying class competitions, the Bubble Bus, music, and a movie on the turf. Class competitions begin at 5 p.m. *Food trucks and the Bubble Bus will be at the event from 5:30-7 p.m. *Space Jam starts at 7 p.m. on the turf. Dance Tickets:
*$15 for a single ticket & $30 for a couple ticket *Tickets are available to purchase online *Tickets also sold Wednesday & Thursday @ lunch *Tickets will not be sold at the dance
Sept. 24-29 Events
Monday:
Dress Up Day - Alien vs. Cowboy Day
Tuesday:
Dress Up Day - We Come in Peace Day (dress like a hippie) Lunch Activity - Class Competitions Hall Decs After School 3:30-6 p.m.
Wednesday:
Dress Up Day - Galaxy Day Lunch Activity - Class Competitions
Thursday:
Dress Up Day - Jersey Day / Jammes Day Lunch Activity - Class Competitions Powder Puff @ 7 p.m. / $5 entry fee
Friday:
Dress Up Day - Eclipse Day Jazz Band & Vox Solus @ Lunch Parade @ 5 p.m. Football @ 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Homecoming Dance 7:30 -10:30 p.m.
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Speed dating: Foreign exchange edition GRACE KIRTLEY Web Editor Last school year, senior Anna Karner hosted a foreign exchange student from Sweden, Julia Eklund. Because of her positive experience, Karner wished to have more foreign exchange students at Lafayette. With the help of senior Sanjana Kumar, Karner successfully welcomed five foreign exchange students for the 2018-2019 school year. The seniors also founded the Intercultural Awareness Club. Each meeting will be based on each of the foreign exchange students’ coutries and their culture. The club’s goal is to embrace the different cultures at Lafayette. Sponsored by language arts teacher Jennifer Pautz and fine arts teacher Joseph Gutowski, the Intercultural Awareness Club meets before school in the Orchestra Room.
Read more about the Intercultural Awareness Club on Lancerfeed.press Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?
I wanted to learn another culture and I want to see the world. I also [was a foreign exchange student] in the French part of Switzerland, so I know some French, too.
Do you think you were prepared for the language change?
My school system is very hard. I’ve had five years of English, so it was not hard to change languages.
What cultural differences have become apparent?
The food quality in Germany is way higher than here. Here, it’s much more unhealthy. It’s very hard to eat healthy, and healthy stuff is much more expensive. And people here judge faster as well.
What are the differences in food?
Gatorade. We don’t have that in Germany. But everything here either has to be very sugary or very salty and it has more chemicals and isn’t as natural.
What food do you miss the most?
Pellkartoffeln mit quark. It’s a special kind of milk product that you can only get in Germany, so it’s something that I really miss.
Kilian Koselack, 10
Germany
What is the funniest, craziest or scariest experience you’ve had so far?
An ice cream fight [at the church]. They bought gallons of ice cream and they fought with it. They had caramel sauce and other stuff. It was crazy and so sad because all that ice cream was wasted.
Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?
I wanted to know what it looks like to be in high school because the school system is different than how it is in Germany. And I wanted to do a lot of sports here, like soccer.
What cultural differences have become apparent?
I have every class every day here. In Germany I have two classes, twice a week and that’s it. But I have 13 classes every week in Germany. But, I have to do my homework every night here. It’s very hard.
What has been the hardest part about transitioning to the new culture?
The first day was hard to get friends and get used to the language. Some people I don’t understand very well, so I had to ask them what they said.
Do you think you were prepared for the language change? I think so, I have taken six years of English in my school.
What is the funniest, craziest, or scariest experience you’ve had so far?
I got this belt, two days ago. It means I became a man of the mesh of the soccer team. We’ve won two of tjhree games so far, I play left-back.
What’s the best food you’ve tried? I would say tacos.
Lars Nguyen, 11
Germany
Features 21
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018 Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?
I decided to come here to know all the culture, to learn English and to live the American life.
What cultural differences have become apparent?
Pablo Garcia Spain, 11
I think Spain and America are pretty similar.
What has been the hardest part about transitioning to the new culture?
The language. I think I was prepared for the language change.
What do you miss the most from Spain? My friends.
What’s the best food you’ve tried and what food do you miss the most?? Indian food. I miss the rice and tortillas.
What differences in the school systems have you found?
Here I start very very early, and I have to go by bus. My mom drove me to school at home [In Spain]. We finish at 5 p.m. instead of 3 p.m.
Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student?
I’ve always had it in the back of my mind and when I was younger, my cousin who is 10 years older than me, she went on an exchange year to the U.S. So, I think after hearing about that I’ve always pictured myself doing it.
What has been the hardest part about transitioning to the new culture?
The school system is very different. It’s very confusing how you have A, B and C days and how your classes are set up. Also, just having all my classes in English.
What cultural differences have become apparent?
Just small things such as using shoes inside the house. That’s not a common thing in Norway, you usually take your shoes off before you come in the house.
What is the funniest, craziest, or scariest experience you’ve had so far?
At the cross country meet, where everyone was so excited, nervous and there were so many people and the atmosphere was excited. School and sports don’t work together in Norway, so the teams aren’t connected to the school.
Mari Steinsland
What new foods have you tried?
I’ve tried Poptarts. That’s not normal in Norway.
Norway, 12
Why did you decide to become a foreign exchange student? Honestly, I wanted to improve my English. Also, to mature myself.
What has been the hardest part about transitioning to the new culture?
The new house, the school is so different. And I miss my family so much.
What cultural differences have become apparent?
The food in Italy, it’s much better. Also, the school is so different. In Italy you don’t have to change classes, the teacher changes classes.
Do you think you were prepared for the language change?
No. I understand the words, but it’s so difficult to talk. Also, just listening to the lessons It’s hard.
What new foods have you tried?
Hamburger. It’s so good, I’m in love with hamburgers.
What food do you miss the most from Italy? Pizza. Here, it’s so bad.
Elena Zanella Italy, 12
22
LIFESTYLES
Crazy for Crocs
The elementary school staple shoes have returned to the fashion scene
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Lifestyles 23
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Junior lives in her favorite shoes HAYDEN COTTRELL Staff Writer It all started out as a simple joke. A simple joke between friends caused junior Reese Eckert to wear Crocs almost every week for the past four years. “My friend, Gabby Trottier, got them in middle school. I was like, ‘Oh, these are funny, so I’m going to bring my Crocs to school.’ It just started from there,” she said. Now, nearly four years later, Eckert rotates three pairs of Crocs to match any outfit. To her, Crocs are comfortable and cute. She owns pink, white and light blue Crocs. Some of Eckert’s favorite memories of high school have occured with her Crocs. Eckert has asked her Winter Formal date to the dance with a sign that read, “If the shoe fits, will you croc my world at WF?” with
a pair of Crocs that had jibbitz (little Croc charms) inside the holes signifying WF. “I asked him with Crocs because it was cute,” Eckert said. Eckert even gets festive with her Crocs. Last year, she participated in Croctober. Croctober is an event in October where Croc-lovers can wear certain Crocs on certain days. People who participate can also give Crocs away to their friends and family. Eckert participated herself by wearing her Crocs for a majority of the month. “I wore my Crocs a lot, and went around constantly telling people ‘Happy Croctober.’” Eckert said. “Everyone thought it was funny and cute.” Eckert wishes to expand her Croc collection with pastel yellow Crocs. And it all started with a simple joke nearly four years ago.
REESE ECKERT leans against a wall with three pairs of her Crocs. Eckert wears these with many of her outfits. (photo by HAYDEN COTTRELL)
Eckert and her Winter Formal date, VITO STALLONE, posed for pictures after Eckert asked Stallone. “It was the craziest thing I have ever done with Crocs,” Eckert said. (photo coutesy of REESE ECKERT)
Crocs by the prices
The price of Crocs range from $5 children styles to $1,000 catwalk ready styles. Here are some of the higher priced Crocs available.
Classic Graphic II Clog Croc
Christopher Kane Honey Tiger Clog
Classic Mammoth Luxe Shearling Lined Clog
Christopher Kane x Crocs, Stone Embellished Clog
$39.99
$75
$69.99
$170
Did You Know...?
A rumor about the Crocs company shutting down was spread round in mid-August. However, this is simply just a rumor. They’re shutting down a factory to improve their profits and simplify the business. Crocs will be designing new shoes. “Take comfort, #CrocNation. Our future remains as bright, bold and colourful as ever,” Crocs officials said.
Lifestyles 24
taste tester
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Cheeseburger Edition
F
or our first Taste Tester, what better food to try than the classic cheeseburger? Two Image staffers visited McDonalds, Five Guys, Sonic and Culver’s to find out which of these restaurants, known for their burgers, really did it best. Here’s what they thought:
AMISHA PAUL Editor-in-Chief NATALIE KARLSSON Lifestyles Editor
Lifestyles 25
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Five Guys
McDonald’s Bun: decent, very soft
Bun: thin
Condiments: good amount
Condiments: very few
Meat: thick and juicy, perfect
Meat: thin
Size: perfect
Size: very small
Wait Time: 10 minutes
Wait Time: 3 minutes
Price: $6.29
Price: $1.00
Overall Rating:
Culver’s
A+
Bun: amazing; buttery and thick
Overall Rating:
Sonic
B+
Bun: soft, doesn’t fall apart
Condiments: good, not special
Condiments: not too many, perfect
Meat: thin, super fried
Meat: thin, could be more
Size: big
Size: perfect
Wait Time: 3 minutes
Wait Time: 5 minutes
Price: $2.99 Overall Rating:
A-
Price: $3.89 Overall Rating:
C+
burger
the best YOUR VOICE
I’ve ever had
Tom Richards
Freshman “For me, it’s Five Guys. I went there everyday after elementary school so I have built up so many memories from it, the flavors of the meat mix together really well.”
Andy Min
Junior “My favorite is Parkside Grill. They taste really good and the patties are really juicy.”
Becky Lawrence
Family and Consumer Science “My favorite is a Juicy Lucy. It’s out of Minneapolis at Matt’s Bar. The patty has cheese inside of is so when it’s cooked, it’s all melty inside the burger.”
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
That Escalated Quickly Starbucks credited with starting started PS craze in 2003 The Pumpkin Spice Latte is a coffee drink made with a mix of traditional fall spice flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), sugar, steamed milk, and espresso, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. Since 2015, it has also contained a small amount of pumpkin puree. The drink is offered by Starbucks and many other cafés on a seasonal basis, usually available from September through December.
Starbucks credited with starting PSL 2018 Pumpkin craze in 2003; industry has boomed Spice Timeline SHELBY DARNELL Staff Writer As soon as fall begins, pumpkin spice flavor marketing explodes into consumers faces, but this year the storm is coming even earlier. Autumn doesn’t (officially) start until Sept. 22 but that isn’t stopping many food companies. Starbucks, which arguably began the pumpkin spice craze when it released it’s pumpkin spice latte in 2003, is releasing their pumpkin spice latte earlier than ever before. This year they debuted their famous latte on Aug. 28. Despite the name ‘Pumpkin Spice Latte,’ Pumpkin wasn’t added to the recipe until 2015. In addition to their latte, Starbucks is adding two new products exclusively in grocery. They will now sell Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws and
Pumpkin Spice flavored Ground Coffee K-Cups. Despite being earlier than ever, they were still beat to the beginnings of pumpkin spice this year. Dunkin Donuts released their pumpkin spice lattes on Aug. 27, a day before Starbucks. This trend occurs for a reason within businesses. Forbes estimated the annual sales of pumpkin-flavored food, drinks and novelties at more than $500 million in 2015. They also estimated that Starbucks made $100 million off of the pumpkin spice latte alone that year. According to data from Nielsen, in the last 52 weeks as of Aug. 18, Americans spent $488.7 million on pumpkin spice flavored food. This food is not only the conventional latte, though. At one point the food company Cedar made a pumpkin spice flavored hummus.
NATALIE KARLSSON Lifestyle Editor
Where do you get your Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Gracie Maurer
Freshman “I get them from Starbucks, they taste warm and remind me of the fall.”
Sara Parikh
Junior “I get mine from the grocery store, they’re a cute orange color and taste really good.”
Noah Korenfeld
Senior “I get my pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. They have the best coffee.”
August 27 Dunkin Donuts, Cracker Barrel & 7-Eleven roll out their pumpkin spice items
August 28
Starbucks releases its Pumpkin Spice Latte, Salted Caramel Mocha and Pumpkin Spice Chai, the earliest release
September 5
Bread Co. releases its fall menu, but will not be releasing Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Pumpkin Spice What? Peeps Salsa Pasta Jello Dog treats Kale chips Kombucha
Cream Cheese Marshmallows Coconut milk Soymilk Cereal Coffee creamer Butter
Ads 27
theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
GO Lancers! Have a Great 2018-2019 School Year! Lafayette Theatre Company presents
Out of the Frying Pan by Francis Swann October 18-20 7:00 pm Tickets $5 in advance/$7 at the door
Protect your brain this school year by living above the influence www.RockwoodCoalition.org
Lancer’s Landing We have many new items! New food items & spirit wear! Balloons available! 50 cent coffee Mondays! Daily specials! Candy during HoCo Week!
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
100th PGA Tournament
Bellerive Country Club
156 players, 18 holes, one championship. This year on Aug. 9-12, the 2018 Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship was held in Town and Country, Missouri at the Bellerive Country Club. The PGA was last held at the club in 1992, when World Golf Hall-of-Famer Nick Price won the championship by three strokes. The PGA Championship is one of the four major championships in professional golf, and 2018 was its 100th anniversary.
Kreikemeier competes in JPGA ADDIE WATSON Assistant Sports Editor
Taking a break from competiting in the Junior PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, Kreikemeier poses for a picture. He made it to the second round of the tournnament, but his 82 strokes in the second round did not advance him to the Finals. (photo courtesy of MAX KREIKEMEIER)
When senior Max Kreikemeier heard that the PGA was going to be in Town and Country, he was very excited. “I was thrilled to be able to go out there and see that the pros are actually human and not just people I watch on TV,” Kreikemeier said. Unfortunately, he did not get to meet any of the professional golfers since they were participating in the tournament, but he was able to meet one professional golfer’s family. “Justin Thomas’ parents came and spoke to us at dinner one night,” Kreikemeier said. Much like the professional golfers in the PGA, the younger golfers in the Junior PGA had to qualify as well. Kreikemeier didn’t just watch the tournament, he was
one of the few young golfers that participated as well. “I got into the Junior PGA at Valhalla [Golf Club] in Kentucky through a qualifier. I played with 50 other boys at Forest Hills Country Club and won by two shots to earn an automatic spot into the PGA,” Kreikemeier said. Kreikemeier was cut after the second round with a score of 74 the first round and 82 in the second. “Overall, I think I did very poorly. I struggled with a lot of things, but I think I always do a great job of trying to enjoy each moment I am on the course no matter how badly I am playing,” Kreikemeier said. Kreikemeier said he wouldn’t change anything about the way he played besides making better shots on the course. “I try to have no regrets on the course because if you do, it can really eat at you during the round and ruin your day,” he said.
In order to prepare for such high-level tournaments, many golfers have their own routine. For Kreikemeier, this means going to the range for 40 minutes and stretching for 5-10 minutes. “I hit my odd numbered clubs and then hit some drivers and then go to the putting green for 20 minutes and get a feel for the speed of the greens,” he said. He played the course two times before the tournament began in order to get a feel of the course. “I just learned where you can miss and be able to shoot a good score, and I practiced in my free time,” Kreikemeier said. Participating in the tournament helped Kreikemeier gain more confidence for upcoming tournaments. “It is one of the best junior tournaments you can play in so it felt very good to win [the qualifier in Kentucky],” Kreikemeier said.
Biermann golfs at world level SOPHIA SCHELLER Staff Writer
Biermann takes a swing at the AJGA Swinging Skirts Invitational in San Diego, CalIfornia. She finished the tournament tied for 57th place. (photo courtesy of BROOKE BIERMANN)
When sophomore Brooke Biermann joined the girls golf team last year, the team knew they had something special. As a freshman, Biermann led the Lancer girls golf team to District and Sectional titles while also earning the individual first place title for herself. At the State Championships, Biermann led the Lancers to a fourth place team title. There are no signs of her stopping anytime soon, as she recently won the Rockwood Summit High School Invitational on Sept. 10. Biermann’s success are the result of her hard work and dedication from a young age. She
started playing golf when she was just 9 years old. “My dad plays golf and he would bring me out to play. I drove the golf cart and participated in my first tournament when I was nine,” Biermann said. It was after her first tournament that she fell in love with the competitive aspect of golf. “I liked it because I won, and I was like well I want to do that again,” Biermann said. Her love for the game earned her a fourth place individual finish at the Class 2 State Tournament last year and led her to capturing two American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) championships over the summer. She was also recently selected to the AJGA Junior All-Star
team. Biermann’s victories and accomplishments have thrusted her into the world golf stage. “I got 31st in the Girls Junior PGA [Championship] this summer out of 140 girls and I won two AJGA’s and moved into the top 100 in the world,” Biermann said. Mental strength was key for her success in her performances over the summer. “I just take one shot at a time and try not to think about everything,” Biermann said. Biermann just has one wish: that others would acknowledge the sport of golf. “[Others think] that I’m not a athlete and golf is really boring. It’s not if your good and take the time to be good,” Biermann said.
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
On top of the golf game New golfing range provides entertainment for Chesterfield SOPHIA SCHELLER Staff Writer Topgolf, an upscale driving range with over 44 locations throughout the US, recently opened its doors to the St. Louis area on Aug. 3. The 65,000-square-foot entertainment complex consists of 102 climate controlled bays, a lounge and multiple bars. They offer eight different golf related games with different objectives. Something they all share is that they involve hitting a microchipped golf ball into a target. Players are then given scores based on the game they are playing. According to a press release by Topgolf on July 30, the site is expecting 450,000 visitors annually and will employ over 500 people. One of those employees is senior Jacob Rosomoff. He started working at Topgolf when they first opened. His official job title is “food runner” although he is able to do a myriad of different things. “I run food,” Rosomoff said. “I help guests out with their bays where they play at if needed. I can handle any of their concerns. I can take orders. I can do anything like that.” Despite the high employment numbers, the shifts that Topgolf employees are scheduled for are very long. “For me the hours are pretty
The large structure that runs parallel to Highway 40 in Chestefield is the newest entertainment venue for LHS students. Topgolf provides an upscale driving range along with two restaurants and multiple bars. Visitors can also play several types of games at the range. (photo by SOPHIA SCHELLER)
late,” Rosomoff said. “Eight hour shifts are usually what you’re getting. Working during school is particularly difficult because there are night shifts and you’re working till midnight or 1 a.m.” Although the hours are grueling, it is not a huge bother to Rosomoff because of the benefits of working there. “I get free play for six people which can be really expensive. I get half off of food and 10 percent off of merchandise,” Rosomoff said.
Sophomore Karan Kommu is a frequent attendee of the new establishment. He visits at least once every weekend. “My friends and I were bored one night and Topgolf had just opened up so we decided to go there and check it out.” After trying it once, Kommu was hooked. “The experience was so fun. Even my friends that don’t enjoy playing golf had fun. Something about the environment was just super cool
and unforgettable,” Kommu said. A bay can be rented for $25-45 per hour, and has lounge type seating while offering guests a personal waiter to deliver them food while playing. Topgolf has locations in 19 states and seven states are slated to be introduced soon. They are a worldwide corporation, with locations in the UK and Australia and they plan to open in Canada, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates soon as well.
The Staenburg Group to redevelop Taubman Outlets SOPHIA SCHELLER Staff Writer Another big development is occurring next door to Topgolf. The Staenburg Group (TSG) recently closed a deal to buy out the Taubman Prestige Outlet Mall. The group hopes the new redevelopments will complement Topgolf. Rick Echelmeyer, the Leasing Director for TSG, said, “The center today was built for 300,000 square feet of retail. Our vision is to reduce the retail component to 100,000 square feet
and then provide 100,000 square feet of food/beverage and 100,000 square feet of entertainment.” A lot of the stores have already cleared out to make way for the new redevelopments. TSG is working through each lease right now with tenants to try to accommodate their needs. They plan to have at least two to three phases to the redevelopment. Phase one is slated to start in the summer of 2019 and open in the spring of 2020. The target demographic is 2554 year olds.
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Five new varsity coaches take helm CARSON LUTHER Staff Writer
Ashley Lewis, Softball “I am really trying to build a community with both of our softball teams, parents and Junior Lancers.” Ashley Lewis is the new head girls softball coach. Lewis has been the assistant softball coach for nine years and has also coached basketball. When she attended Lafayette as a student, she played both sports. Lewis came back to Lafayette to teach because she said there is no where else she would rather teach or coach. “I love this place,” she said. “I started to become the person that I am today in this building.” Lewis said there is a sense of pride and passion from the student athletes that she sees when all of the kids show up to play. “This place is rich in tradition and it is expected that you, as the coach uphold that,” Lewis said. Her first impression was that all of the girls love the game just as much as she did when she played here. The girls were ready to compete and give everything they have for the season. “My goals are to be better than we were last year, give it everything we got for every game, stay positive, communicate with each other and build this program to what I know it can be,” Lewis said.
Boyd Manne, Baseball “It will be great to be a leader of such a great program with a lot of baseball tradition.” Boyd Manne will be the head baseball coach starting with the 2018-2019 season. Manne found out he would be the head coach this school year in June. “When I found out, I was happy. This program was great to me [when I was a] student athlete,” Manne said. Manne has spent 27 years coaching, 19 of which have been as the head football coach and 11 as the assistant varsity baseball coach. In previous years, he coached girls volleyball and boys basketball. Manne hopes for this to be a successful year and for he and his team to be well prepared.
“They will be outstanding student athletes in the community, in the school and on the field,” Manne said. “I know the teams will carry themselves in a firstclass manner.” Manne expects his student athletes to work hard and do the right thing, both on and off the field.
Jason Sellers, Boys Soccer “I expect everyone to see kids that set good examples in the classroom, in the community and on the field. That represent the school and program in a positive way.” Jason Sellers is the new boys soccer coach. Sellers has coached for over 20 years at both Hazelwood West and Pattonville High Schools. “I have coached hockey and baseball, and I played college soccer,” Sellers said. “I also played high school baseball, soccer, football, track and roller hockey.” Sellers said he had a good relationship with former soccer head coach Tim Walters and jumped on the chance to work with him as an assistant. When Walters retired last year, Sellers applied for the head coaching spot. “The tradition of the program, and the reputation of the school and student body were appealing,” Sellers said. Sellers is looking forward to building relationships with the athletes. His first impression came last year when he was worked with Walters. Sellers said he was impressed by the way the boys carried themselves, and that he was excited by their desire to improve and push each other. “They get along, and they seemed to work for each other,” Sellers said.
Denise Meyer, Basketball “I expect the girls to keep an open mind, have a willingness to work hard and for them to be the best that they can be.” Denise Meyer has been named the varsity girls basketball team for the 20182019 school year. “When I found out [I was selected as the coach], I was both pleased and motivated to get to work,” Meyer said. This will be the second time Meyer
has been the Lady Lancer basketball head coach. The first time she was coach was from 1998-2008. Meyer served as an assistant in the program during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. All her coaching at Lafayette have been with girls basketball. Before coming to Lafayette, Meyer spent 19941998, coaching varsity girls basketball and as the assistant varsity girls volleyball coach. “The girls should expect enthusiasm and intensity from me,” Meyer said. Meyer says she expects the same level of enthusiasm and intensity that she gives to them, in addition to hard work. “[With Meyer’s athletes] you should expect to be very well cared for,” head softball coach and former student of Meyer’s, Ashley Lewis said. Meyer is excited to be able to work with this specific group of girls. “They are all smart, self-driven and athletic girls, and I am very excited to get a chance to work with them,” Meyer said.
Ashley Lewis
Boyd Manne
Joe Wier, Wrestling “I look forward to continuing on the rise of our program. We have three returning state medalists and a lot of young talent in the program.” Joe Wier will be the new wrestling coach for the 2018-2019 school year. Wier has coached wrestling s a head coach or an assistant coach for 20 years. Wier started wrestling when he was at Belleville East after he saw how wrestling had helped his own brother. “I did not know how impactful that decision would be in my life,” Wier said. “At Belleville East I actually beat my own brother Jack in a match 8-4 my sophomore year.” Wier chose to coach for LHS since his own kids go here and have graduated from here. “This school is home for me,” he said. Wier expects nothing less than success this year. “Every year our goals include a Conference title, a District title and a State plaque,” Wier said. Wier’s first impression of the athletes showed that they work hard and are always ready. Since they are all committed to the sport, they work through the spring and summer just to prepare for the winter season to come. “Our athletes have the best attitudes and plainly outwork other local teams.”
Jason Sellers
Denise Meyer
Joe Wier
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theimagemagazine Sept. 21, 2018
Conference Craze
(photos by Kayla Carpenter, Sophia Scheller and Shannon Worley)
New alignment impacts Lancer teams’ schedules
KAYLA CARPENTER Sports Editor Eighteen months ago, every Activities Director in the St. Louis Suburban Conference schools met to discuss the realignment of the conferences. After much consideration and sharing of ideas, they developed a new system which goes into effect this school year. The 31 Activities Directors agreed upon a divisional tier system which includes pools for the new conference organization no longer based on geography and school proximity. Larry Cunningham, the Athletic Commissioner for the St. Louis Suburban Public High School Athletic and Activities Association, said the biggest factors they considered were safety and competitive balance. “In some sports it was starting to become an unsafe environment during games due to various safety factors such as size, ability and numbers. It was not necessarily with Lafayette, but with some of the other schools in the Suburban Conference,” Cunningham said. “We also wanted to create a situation where the game was competitive for both teams involved and to help build up the programs of schools that were struggling to field teams.” Instead of having the Suburban West, Central and XII Conferences each with an American and National Division, the pools are now labeled by colors. The Yellow Pool is the top tier with the most competitive schools, followed by the Red, Green, Orange and Blue Pools. Each athletic program within in a school, with the exception of football which has its own conference system, now have different pools with different teams. Therefore, if one team in a school is in the top tier, the Yellow Pool, not every team at that school will be in the Yellow Pool. “One school may be strong in two different sports. Another team may be strong in one sport. Thus, they are in the same pool but very weak in the other sport, so they are now in a different pool,” Cunningham said. “Ideally, a very strong LHS volleyball team should be in a pool with the top six or seven volleyball teams of the whole Suburban Conference. It should make for great competition and matches. Lafayette will still be able to play against the teams they have in the past as a non-conference match if both agree.” Although the new pools will create more competition for Lafayette teams, it also causes several challenges. “It makes it harder to get buses for our teams. In the past, we were likely to compete at schools close to us and even share a bus if needed, as we could compete at the same schools in our conference in multiple sports. Now that each sport is in a different conference and competes with different teams, that can no longer happen,” Activities Director Jon Sumner said.
“It also means our administration will be working longer hours as more teams are competing at different locations, which means more administrators working each night to oversee our programs,” he added. Every school’s Activities Director determined the pool each of their teams would be placed in. At LHS, former ADs chose each teams’ pool, but most coaches were not involved in the pool selection process. Every LHS team except for girls basketball, is in the top Yellow Pool and most teams are scheduled to play a wider variety of schools. Sumner said, “Many teams will be competing with teams they haven’t competed with in the past. Programs will also be making longer trips to contests, as they will be playing teams all over St. Louis, instead of those closest to them like we did in the past. Competition level should be more equal if the conferences are aligned as they are aimed to be.” For example, both the boys and girls swim teams are in the Yellow Pool with Marquette, Lindbergh, Eureka, Parkway South, Kirkwood, Ladue, Parkway Central and Parkway West. Head Coach Todd Gabel said this will make for an exciting Conference Meet and help his teams prepare for the State Meet. “The conference will definitely be stronger and faster. It will be a meet we look forward to swimming,” Gabel said. “I believe the girls and boys team need to be in the top tier. We strive to be State Champions every year and if we are swimming the best [teams], it gives us a good indication on where we stand going into State.” The boys basketball team is in the Yellow Pool with Hazelwood Central, Jennings, Marquette, Parkway South, Ritenour and Webster Groves. With the exception of Marquette and Parkway South, each team is a new face in the team’s conference. Head Coach Matt Landwehr is sad to see the old conferences go, but he is staying focused on the upcoming season. He said, “I’m not a huge fan of the change, but it is what it is, and we’ll move forward and are excited for the new pool we will play in. I liked the old traditions and set up of the Suburban West Conference and losing that is unfortunate. The Suburban West coaches liked what we had, but the fact of the matter is the change was made, and all we control now is how hard we play against all the teams in our new pool. Although the team is now in a conference with talented teams including the defending back-to-back State Champions Webster Groves, Landwehr says it will not affect his team’s mindset going into the season. “We are always excited to play challenging competition. Our goal is to win Conference, Districts and beyond that. It doesn’t matter who is on our schedule, our program is going to work hard, have fun and win no matter what pool we’re in,” Landwehr said.