Liberty Ledger - Issue 3 - March 4, 2019

The

LEDGER

Vol. 6

Issue 3

March 4, 2019

Are you...

AP ready?

Content

5

News

6

Feature

Talent Show Students showcase their talents for the whole school to see Pursuing an Art Career Former graduates and current students reflect on their passion

8

In-Depth

Is AP Right for You? Learn more about the various expectations for AP classes

10

Feature

Radium Girls Meet the people who run the show from behind the scenes

12

Entertainment

15

Opinion

17

Opinion

18

Sports

LHS Parody Accounts Liberty students enjoy parody accounts of administrators

Second Sem. Slump Why does second semester come with a lack of motivation?

Parents in the Lot How much of an inconvenience are the extra cars?

Jayce Catchings

Know the story behind this basketball star

20

Sports

Sports Update Catch up on all of Liberty’s winter sports

2

Content | lhstoday.org design by: b.huffman

The LEDGER Volume 6 Issue 3

Editors Olivia Holler* Chasteanne Salvosa* Alyssa Bailey* Design Editor Jessica Gibson* Online Editor Caleb Woods* Reporters McKenzie Bartels, Shae Bowsher, Nicholas Howard, Brooke Huffman, Lauren Polydys *Each editor also serves as a reporter

Intentions

The Ledger is a publication that releases 4 issues (one per quarter) throughout the year, distributing 1,000 free copies to the student body, faculty and administration of Liberty High School as well as the surrounding Wentzville and Lake St. Louis communities.

The Ledger magazine is a part of the district’s curriculum and is designed to provide a practical journalistic experience for written expression on a variety of topics. It is a student-led publication class that reports on stories relatable to the school community. Students write, take photos and design the publication and the adviser will supervise the student journalists.

The opinions expressed in this magazine may not be those of Liberty, nor the Wentzville R-IV School District, faculty, staff or administration.

The main editorial, when included, expresses the opinion of the Liberty editorial staff.

Reacting

Letters to all editors can be submitted in room 239, emailed or mailed to Liberty. All letters must be signed. Limit letters you wish to be published to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space requirements and libelous material to the discretion of the editors. If you have a news story idea or comment, please contact us in room 239.

Credentials

The Ledger is a member of the Sponsors of Student Publications of Greater St. Louis.

Advertising

To further facilitate the space available for student writing, advertising will not be offered in The Ledger.

Upcoming Events

March: 7-9: Radium Girls, auditorium 7 p.m.

9: Choir Large Ensemble Festival 14-16: Robotics at St. Louis Regional 23-31: Spring Break 24-26: DECA State Competition 25-26: HOSA Conference 29: Winter Guard Championships April: 2: WSD Film Festival 13: Prom 19: No School, PD Day 25: National Honor Society Induction 26-31: DECA Internationals May: 2: Senior Honors Night 7: Spring Choir Concert 10: Band Banquet 20: Last Day of School (seniors) 31: Last Day of School Pictured on the cover (left to right): senior Maya Angeles and junior Nicole Krohn

Instagram: @lhs.publications

Twitter: @LHSJourn

YouTube: @lhsstreaming

LHS Today: LHSToday.org

The Best of Coaches vs. Cancer 2019

by Elizabeth Hamby, Kelsey Looney & Ally Schniepp Reporters

With the Cupid Shuffle dance right around the corner, Liberty students threw a pep rally to go down in the books. Seniors Rishi Kondapaneni and Marlee Doniff kicked off the event, ready to emcee the last pep rally of their high school career, going out with a bang after capping off another successful spirit week with theme days such as Liberty’s first ever meme day.

At the assembly, senior Albert Edney is recognized for becoming the 79th Gov. of Missouri Boys State. Other Missouri Boys States participants from Liberty included seniors Carson Brown, Rishi Kondapaneni, Joshua Geisler and Dominic Reyes.

Students were surprised to see doughnuts hanging off of strings and balloons being brought out to the gym floor. The name of the game was to eat the doughnut off of the string and then make it to the end of the court with the balloon between the two partners heads. Each grade level was represented by a pair of students.

After an early lead and close end, seniors Garrett Overton and Maria Fernandez pulled out a win over the younger grade levels, showing who was top dog and earning a $5 QuikTrip gift card in the process.

The excitement was kept alive as the Liberty Belles came out to perform. With every turn, jump and cheer, the Belles killed the routine they performed at Nationals.

Thursday’s pep rally also included talent show winner, junior Dessa Outman, being invited out to the floor to sing her original song. With the first strum of her guitar strings, the whole student section was alive and within the first chorus, nearly everyone’s flashlights were on and

swaying side to side.

Another competition then commenced where iconic teacher pairs were brought out to the floor to play a real life version of Hungry Hungry Hippos and after an intense match, Mr. Cole and Mr. Schumacher came out of the competition on top, earning the title of most iconic Liberty duo.

Teachers and students posted their spirit wear attire during the week on social media with the hashtag #SPIRITLHS on Twitter. And StuCo was on the lookout for the most spirited of the school. Cole was rewarded for his consistent spirit attire during the week as he was crowned as most spirited teacher.

Junior Cody Holtschlag won the title of spirit king and claimed the prize of a trophy and a bag of candy, in honor of Valentine’s Day. As for spirit queen, junior Abby Hinzman received the acclaimed title. She said that her favorite day was meme day, when she dressed as a Tide Pod. But as riveting as Thursday’s festivities were, the main event of spirit week arrived on Saturday’s Cupid Shuffle Winter Formal.

After both girls’ and boys’ Friday basketball games being canceled and rescheduled to Wednesday evening, the Winter Formal arrived with some much needed joy. Despite the crowd’s small size, attendees would say Scan me for more the event was a success with an estimated 150 Spirit Week and Winter Formal 2019 coverage! students in attendance.

Meme Analysis We take a look at the inspiration behind students’ outfits on Liberty’s first meme day

photos by LHS Publications

Senior Logan Cumberland Meme: Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man Senior Logan Cumberland went as far as to arrive at school in a full-fledged Spiderman suit. And while students interpreted his outfit as the popular ‘It’s Wednesday, my dudes’, Cumberland actually intended to dress as Spider-Man pointing at SpiderMan. Quickly adopted into the ‘Me:, Also Me:’ meme family, the image above originally came from a scene the late 1960’s animated Spider-Man series in where Spider-Man confronts an imposter.

Freshmen London Powell, Annika Pastrana and Fiona Flynn

Senior Aria Ellis

Meme: I Don’t Get No Sleep Cus of Y’all Senior Aria Ellis strolled into Monday’s Meme Day in a Meme: Mannequin Head Dance nightgown and slippers, complete with her two baking The Mannequin Head Dance, not to be confused with the sheets in hand to recreate the hilarious clip from the Mannequin Challenge, took the internet by storm in 2016 Oxygen reality series, Bad Girls Club, in which bad when YouTube duo Tinaddie posted a series of video in girl, Tanisha, wakes the other girls in the house out of which they would dance with mannequin heads secured in frustration. The clip would later become a popular vine for their hoodies. its line, ‘I don’t get not sleep cus of y’all, so y’all not gone get no sleep cus of me’.

News | lhstoday.org design by: c.salvosa

3

FCCLA

Liberty FCCLA students took home silver and gold awards at FCCLA Regionals in Montgomery City on Jan. 28. FCCLA state is at Tan Tara on March 17-19.

“I was very proud of the kids – they always work hard prior to this event,” FCCLA sponsor Ms. Pizzo said. “I am amazed at what topics they research to complete the Star event. It is an opportunity to grow in public speaking and teamwork.”

Henry Young Advocacy GOLD

Brianna Mills, Alison Lough, Jade Moore Environmental GOLD

Audrey Chambers, Emma Benesek, Katelyn Yoder

Chapter Service Project Display SILVER

Eliana Moore, Kiara Jimenez, Cynthia Jimenez Forcus on the Child SILVER

Food Innovations GOLD

Kierstyn Schierding and Abbie Visconti

DECA

The state DECA conference will take place March 24-26 in Kansas City. If any of the students qualify for Internationals after that, they will be going to Orlando, April 26-May 1.

“We had more district champions this year than we have ever had in the past,” DECA sponsor Mr. Barnes said. “It was good to score that many first and second place trophies. This was also by far the most students we have ever had compete at districts.”

Alexis Bentley & Aimee Weber 1st Place Financial Team

Marlee Doniff & Hailey Forck 4th Place Financial Team

Emily Ristevski

2nd Place Principles of Business Management

Alex Vigor 2nd Place Accounting Applications

Emily Brockmann 1st Place Principles of Finance

Hyatt Hines 1st Place Hospitality and Tourism

Dani Gregory

Tayte Sanders 3rd Place Financial Consulting

Hunter Perkins

6th Place Quick Service Restaurant Management

3rd Place Independent Business Plan

Jason Barry 4th Place Business Financial Services

Zhyar Ameen

2nd Place Professional Selling and Consulting

FBLA

Liberty FBLA students posted some impressive results at districts Feb. 8 at Lindenwood with some of them moving on to state.

“Everyone did great and had a good time,” Ms. Ehlers said, who is the FBLA sponsor. “There were a lot of students who weren’t at the competition but did the online test and performed well. I’m looking forward to building the program for years to come.”

4

News | lhstoday.org design by: j.gibson

Nathan Rhodes

Lauren Polydys

2nd place Accounting 1

5th place Journalism

Lauren Polydys 2nd place, Colin Rice 3rd place, Jacob Martin

Lauren Polydys 4th place Personal Finance

5th place

Jack Elking and Joseph Mesnier

Accounting 2

4th place Sports

Kaitrin Francis

and Entertainment

1st place Graphic Design

Management

Landon Uelsmann 4th place Introduction to Financial Math

Got Talent?

Key Club hosts the second annual talent show

by Olivia Holler Co-Editor-in-Chief

Performances:

Emily Gann

Dessa Outman

Piano

Caleb Woods

Cat Frank

Mykaela Reiland, Emily Gann, Colin Rice, Alex Vigor

Mr. Kling

Maya Angeles Zaniub Ahmed

Dancing

JV Dance Team

Dancing

Summer White Hula Hooping

Grace Medina Singing

AP Langsters

Dancing

Olivia Harris Poetry

Abigail Hinzman Dancing

Singing Singing

Singing and Guitar Poetry

Singing

Singing and Instruments

Irem Inan Piano

Shaina Feinstein Singing

Sprite Cranberry Singing

Annalisa Kercher

Piano and Singing Marissa Pukala and Sarah Downs Annette Oliphant Singing

Singing

Key Club held the second annual talent show on Jan. 25.

Students showcased numerous talents from singing to playing instruments.

“There were a lot of great singers and dancers, as well as some other talented students,” Mr. Hysong said, who served as a judge for the event. “Caleb Woods’ crowd interaction was spectacular, Mikayla Bowman's sign language was inspiring, and there were so many other enjoyable moments.”

Not only did the judges enjoy the show, but so did the audience.

“My favorite part was just seeing everyone perform because you could tell how hard they had all worked,” senior Gillian Sanford said.

The purpose of the talent show it gave students an opportunity to show off their talents and engage in a friendly competition with one another.

“I was most impressed by the depth of talent and the willingness of everyone to have fun,” Mr. Eversole said. “I know that putting together an event like this takes a lot of work, but throughout the rehearsals and the talent night itself, everyone was 100 percent supportive. It says a lot about Key Club and our talented kids that everything ran so well.”

The event raised $244 for March of Dimes.

At the end of the show, there was a trophy for the most talented teacher and student. Junior Dessa Outman and Mr. Kling were the winners of this year’s show. There was a performance by previous winner, senior Christian Tebeau.

Key Club hopes to have previous winners to continue to come back and perform as a new tradition.

Key Club was impressed with the amount of hard work and dedication that the students brought to the talent show and also how many people attended.

For the upcoming years, they hope that the talent show will continue to grow.

News | lhstoday.org design by: j.gibson

5

The Meaning Of Art Students at St. Charles Community College get the opportunity to showcase their art at the college’s art center.

photo by a.bailey

How current high school artists and former art students pursue their dream in the field

by Alyssa Bailey Assistant Editor

M

ost of us don’t even achieve the goals or dreams that we desire. We settle for less than what we are because it’s the safer option, and we try to be okay with that decision. However, what about the people that try to pursue their dreams? The individuals who strive to make their passion their reality?

Junior Madelyn Birkhead has been doing art for about five years and in that amount of time, she’s realized that she would like to pursue a career in art when she gets to college.

“I was influenced to pursue art based on what I grew up on, as well as the tools I had available. Movies and pop culture really pushed me to do that,” Birkhead said. “I mostly want to go into illustrative drawing but I like to dabble in different medias.”

Art can be a risky and unstable profession that adults frown upon because while pursuing a dream job is unbelievably incredible, dream jobs don’t always pay the bills. However, art students like Madelyn and high school graduate, Chad Bailey, want to be on the path to achieve their passion and turn that into their career.

Bailey is currently attending St. Charles Community College and is trying to get his general education while taking some art classes on the side. He’s also been participating in art shows to showcase his new pieces.

“My media is digital art and my concentration is realism but I would like to go into Sakuga art, which is Japanese animation,” Bailey said.

Bailey’s former art teacher and Birkhead’s current art teacher have implemented their pieces in numerous art shows and score to make their art noticed by others, especially colleges. Art teacher, Mr. Tiemann, has been a big influence for students wanting to pursue a career in art. His contribution has helped a countless number of students find a college and build their career from there.

“I’ve written so many recommendation letters. I’ve also put my students’ work in art shows that will give them scholarships and tuition reimbursement to help them get in to their desired school,” Tiemann said. “I’ve had students who’ve never considered going to college because no one in their family could afford college so they assumed that was the path they were on, but I’ve put their artwork in shows and one students even got a full ride to Washington University. She was the first one to go to college in her family.”

Bailey has been doing art since he was 5 years old and has been inspired by a variety of artists over the years, including his former best friend.

“When I lived in California, my best friend named Tom really inspired me. He was always better than me and it allowed me to push

6

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: o.holler

myself in drawing. After that, I would just continue drawing; I would draw in textbooks, pieces of paper… really just anywhere I could find,” Bailey said. “But I would always go to other artists to see what their tactics were and get some inspiration from them so I could stylize it in my own way. Through watching other artists, it actually helped me improve in my drawing.”

In a similar way, Birkhead has most recently, been inspired by fashion design artists that evoke an empowering stance on society. These artists have influenced Birkhead to model some of her own art pieces like them, which has brought upon new art styles and techniques.

“I really admire Erte, the fashion artist, and I’ve been getting into Francis Bacon because he does a lot of impressionistic pieces. He did oil paints and smeared them in a way that’s very expressive. I would say my favorite artist, at the moment, is Francis Bacon,” Birkhead said.

“My media mainly consists of using markers. My concentration is about women’s empowerment and Erte does a lot of fashion sketches regarding that, and I wanted to incorporate that in my work since fashion is such an exertion of power.”

Tiemann has been teaching for more than 20 years, most of which has been in the city and he’s had the ability to watch his students grow artistically and as people. Some of his former students have shifted their majors upon their college arrival but still want a variation of art in their career and it’s been very encouraging for not only Tiemann but for future students that he has had.

“I give my students direction and support but they have to be the ones to follow through with it so that’s what’s encouraging. It’s not me or other teachers telling them to take initiative, it’s them doing it by themselves,” Tiemann said. “I try to tell all my students that whatever you do in life, make sure there’s a passion you enjoy. You may make money, you may not but as long as you’re enjoying what you’re doing, that’s important. It’s really encouraging to see they’re successful with something that they’re passionate about.”

Tiemann’s advice has enabled some students to open art shops and illustrate pictures in children’s books. He’s also been able to keep in touch with these students and learn what they have been up to since high school.

“Seeing students that have continued to pursue art makes me very proud. I saw another one of my former students that I taught drawing to and he’s published three children’s books with all of his artwork. It’s very exciting to see these students getting recognized, as well as opening up their own businesses,” Tiemann said.

To read more about these artists, visit lhstoday.org.

On the Ice

Sophomore Abby Jordan gives the details on her ice skating career

by Chasteanne Salvosa Co-Editor-in-Chief

Like most students, sophomore Abby Jordan is tied to her unique sport while enduring the constant pressures of school, a job and maintaining a social life. But unlike any other students, Jordan lives her life on the ice as a competing figure skater of 10 years.

Beginning in kindergarten when a neighbor asked Jordan to attend an ice skating class with her at the St. Peters Rec-Plex, Jordan has since attended more than 40 competitions, has earned a picket fence, passed multiple U.S. Figure Skating (USFS) skill tests and performed in several ice shows.

“I’m really into performing; I like theatre, I like dance and I’m into all of that stuff,” Jordan said. “It’s just that when I’m skating, I feel like it’s more of a challenge and when I accomplish something super hard I feel more proud of myself.”

Jordan has been skating synchro for six years. She currently skates with the Metro Edge Figure Skating Club at the Webster Groves Ice Arena where she skates on the St. Louis Synergy Synchro Novice Team.

In addition to skating with her synchronized skating team, Jordan also performs at various ice shows at St. Peters Rec-Plex with shows such as Willy Wonka and Aladdin under her belt.

But the highlight of Abby Jordan’s ice skating career is participating in many competitions over the 10 years.

“One of my favorites I did was about two years ago, in Kansas City, it was my first USFS competition and I got a picket fence, which is basically where the judges place you all as first place and that’s really hard to get, so I was pretty proud of myself,” Jordan said.

In addition to taking part of many different competitions, Jordan has passed multiple skill tests for the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

“There’s tests that you pass for freestyle, which is like jumps and spins, I’ve passed freestyle six. And for moves in the field, which is basically footwork, I’ve passed novice in June,” Jordan said, meaning she

only has two tests to pass before reaching the gold medalist level.

“I would say she’s really dedicated. Ice skating is really hard and it’s tough and it’s a lot of work and it’s also pretty cutthroat in St. Louis,” Jordan’s longtime friend sophomore Emily Brockmann said. “She’s worked her whole life and it’s just constantly her being pushed.”

However, Jordan is still like every other student and has homework to complete and a job to attend to and sometimes balancing the two schedules can become hectic.

“Usually when I’m at school, I’ll try to get as much work as done as possible. So even if there’s like a few minutes before a lecture or even sometimes at lunch, if I have a lot of work, I’ll usually just try to fit it in in weird spots,” Jordan said.

“In addition to skating, I also work every night and it gets kind of crazy, but I work at a bank and I clean it after hours. So I’ll go skate for whatever that time is and then whenever I’m not skating, I go to work for an hour each night. It’s just a lot of whatever free time you have, you’re working. Some nights, I’ll kind of procrastinate and then just stay up really late.”

But no matter how stressful balancing the love for her sport and her schoolwork can get, you can always catch Abby Jordan on the ice.

“It’s just that when I’m skating, I feel like it’s more of a challenge and when I accomplish something super hard I feel more proud of myself.”

- sophomore Abby Jordan

Sophomore Abby Jordan has been a figure skater for 10 years, but has competed with her synchronized skating team for six years.

photo by c.salvosa

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: o.holler

7

Freshmen Is AP Right for You?

College seems like a lifetime away, but it does come up quicker than you think. While there is no rush now to enroll in AP classes, they are something you should start thinking about in the next year. Right now, focus on getting the grade you want out of the classes you are taking. Be sure to stay motivated to do your best because colleges look at your GPA over all four years of high school.

Try to make the most of your time at school for work so you can enjoy your afternoon and not have to worry about assignments that could have been done in class.

by Lauren Polydys & Alyssa Bailey Reporters

W

Liberty’s Declassified AP Survival Guide • Just relax and don’t panic!

• Try to study before class and do the reading.

• Make sure you have all your textbooks.

• Pay attention to the rules.

• The key to surviving is knowing when you are ready.

• Avoid over stuffing your backpack. It’s dangerous and it might give you that helpless turtle look.

• DON’T PANIC!

business and economics, AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, which is taught by Mr. Cole, would be a good fit to help get ready for college class standards.

“I do believe it does [get students ready for college classes] from the set up of the class to mirror a college course,” Cole said. “We do a lot of open lectures, where basically we are doing notes but it is a full on conversation. So there is a lot of interactive activities and usually we spend one day talking and then doing some form of interactive real world scenario trying to play it out.”

When thinking on whether a student should take an AP course, they should first think about their school habits. Most AP courses are beneficial to students because it teaches them to be self-reliant, self-driven, and willing to go above and beyond since that is the standard that are required in college.

“They should go in knowing it is certainly going to be a harder course. Going in expecting to do the work and knowing that it will help them prepare for college, even if it seems difficult will give them a lead on some of the courses they will take in college,” AP Physics teacher, Dr. Deatherage, said. “The main difference is the workload and the pace, with AP courses it is a lot faster than regular courses.”

Story continued on page 9

photo by a.bailey Some students have misconceptions that AP classes define their future, but that is not true. They are not required, only encouraged to help make the transition to college easier.

8

In-Depth | lhstoday.org design by: a.bailey & l.polydys

You still have plenty of time to become prepared for college, so don’t stress about how many AP classes you are taking. Trying to fill your schedule up with a bunch of AP classes is not the way to go. Pick one or two that interest you or will help with your chosen career and go from there. Doing well in the basic classes is better than over packing your schedule to fit in too many advanced classes and having your grades suffer for it. Be smart and only plan on taking AP classes you think you will succeed in. If you feel that you can carry the workload, then try to figure out ways to make sure they fit in your schedule.

e need to make a confession. Advanced Placement classes, ‘AP’ as you know them, are not a necessity in high school to do well in college. This is a common misconception among students. In fact, a multitude of high school students are not as educated about AP classes as teachers and parents might think; the overall consensus is that many students don’t know if these AP classes will be important to them later on and/or if those credits will transfer to their college.

In actuality, students who take AP classes must take the AP exam and pass with a score of at least a 3 or 4, if they want to earn college credit. Most colleges are hoping to see that students are challenging themselves and trying to expand upon their knowledge within their chosen field. That will, ultimately, help them get a start to their career.

“I think a lot of people have this preconceived notion that an AP student has to be top notch, top flight student, best in the school, but that isn’t really the case. An AP class is a college class and if you are going to a college, you need to take AP classes,” AP World teacher, Mr. D’Antonio, said.

Even if students take an AP class that has nothing to do with their chosen major, the class can still help them become more prepared for college level classes. For students who are interested in

Sophomores

What to expect from AP classes and clearing up any misconceptions

Juniors

If you have an idea of what colleges you might want to pursue, it’s not a bad start by researching if they accept AP credits. Start taking AP classes that you are interested in or that you feel will be helpful to have before college. Taking AP and advanced classes will also help you prepare for the ACT or SAT, which is coming up soon. Focus on learning more independently and becoming more self-reliant. Both of these traits will help you in your last year of high school and in college. Never a bad idea to start preparing while you still have the chance!

Seniors

Start checking the colleges you are applying to and see if you can receive credit from any AP exams you take. If your college will give you a credit for the classes you took in high school, then you should start thinking about taking the AP exam for the course. If not, then spending $90 on an exam probably isn’t the right choice for you. It’s always important to check if these credits are transferable to the college you are planning on attending. Either way, the AP classes you have taken will help prepare you for your future at college. Good luck!

Continued from page 8 AP classes main objective is to prepare students for a college atmosphere and senior Maya Angeles, who takes multiple AP courses, agrees that they are quite helpful.

“You learn so much more material and even though it is more intense, you make more personal connections with the teachers that you have,” Angeles said.

“I am taking AP classes more so I can have a background for when I get to college, and not be completely in the dark on any topic.”

But AP classes are not for everyone. Some students need a little more time to enjoy high school before they are thrown into a college atmosphere. It’s important to take the appropriate classes that are going to benefit you because everyone’s different and everyone’s wanting to pursue a different career path. If AP classes don’t fit in your schedule, it’s not the absolute worst situation in the world.

“I think they do prepare you for college, with all the work, but sometimes I feel like it moves almost too fast so you can’t really process all the information that is going on at once,” junior Nicole Krohn said.

Advanced Placement classes can be useful for when you go to college, but many students aren’t fully informed about these classes and they become hesitant when the beginning of the year rolls around. To take these AP classes, it’s crucial that you understand what you’re getting into because the workload is different compared to regular classes. The pace of these classes can vary but for the most part, it’s more fast-paced than usual.

Freshmen AP European History There’s not much here, enjoy life while it lasts!

“If someone is shy about taking an AP class and you are a really big fan of English, then take AP Language and Composition or AP Literature and Composition. Definitely take the classes that you find the most interest in,” Angeles said. “I didn’t take an AP class till my junior year so I was a little bit nervous about it, but once you get into it it’s not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.”

However, taking an AP class will allow you to meet other students and have the opportunity to branch out with people that have the same passion for the class you’re taking. You not only get to make connections with teachers, but you have the chance to work with other individuals that can help your learning. These classes allow students to take accountability for their own learning and be able to handle more responsibility in and out of the classroom. This often enhances students’ learning abilities.

There are both advantages and disadvantages when considering taking an AP class. Yes, the class does appeal to most colleges and shows them that you not only dealt with inside and outside activities, but you also challenged yourself academically.

But advanced placement classes can be difficult to learn from, especially since the information is hard to process in such a short amount of time. At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your schedule to make the decision to take an AP class. It’s always important to prioritize yourself above all else and AP classes don’t define that contrary to popular belief.

AP classes available per grade

Sophomores AP U.S. History AP Physics I AP Art History AP Computer Science A AP Statistics

Seniors AP Literature and Composition AP Calculus BC AP German AP French AP Spanish AP Research

Juniors

AP Language and Composition AP Government AP World History AP Microeconomics AP Macroeconomics AP Biology AP Physics II AP Calculus AB AP Chemistry AP Environmental Science AP Studio Art AP Music Theory AP Psychology AP Seminar

Take this quiz to determine if you’re AP ready

*Disclaimer: You don’t have to take any of these classes, but they are available to you until you graduate.

It’s also not required to take these AP classes even when you become qualified.*

In-Depth | lhstoday.org design by: a.bailey & l.polydys

9

The Radical Crew

Radium Girls crew is full of hard work and talent leading up to their show March 7-9

By Brooke Huffman Reporter

Behind every good production is a hardworking team of people calling the shots. Whether designing posters, painting sets, applying makeup or moving set pieces, crew members are always busy. The talented, less recognized Thespians are the reason that our shows have the ability to run so smoothly. Radium Girls has a crew filled with dedicated students that are devoted to put on an amazing show.

The stage manager for this production is senior Cat Frank, who had previously been the stage manager for Footloose.

“Being in crew has significantly changed my view on theater, knowing it’s not all just acting. Showing me the behind-the-scenes has resulted in a new appreciation for the persistence of tech and directors, and all of the work that surrounds a performance,” Frank said. “I feel grateful that the crew would trust me with such a position, and I’m especially excited to be able to have my hand in crew and with actors.”

The stage manager is responsible for overseeing all of crew, with additional heads of specific crews like lighting, publicity, costume, sound, set and props. While most would be anxious leading such a large group of people, Frank has it all under control.

“While I do have assistant stage managers, it’s nice to be able to spearhead projects without asking for others’ opinions on it. I completely trust that crew would follow through with what Mrs. Gehrke and I think is the best decision,” Frank said.

When asked about her favorite part of being on crew, Frank knew her answer immediately.

“My favorite part is definitely seeing others flourish in their position, seeing their work pay off as the show progresses. The moments of complete absorbance in both actors and crew. Everyone has a common goal, and focuses completely on the moment,” Frank said.

1

Others in crew have had similarly positive experiences, like head of publicity and house crew, freshman Makenzie Keiling.

“I was super shy when I started Footloose, and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I’ve had so much fun making new friends and working on crew,” Keiling said.

As the head of publicity and house crew, Keiling is in charge of making posters and programs, and selling and creating the tickets.

Having worked on this crew for Footloose, Keiling is well prepared for her new role in charge. For her, crew is a safe space to meet new people.

“I haven’t been working on Radium Girls for very long, but I’m just glad to be there with everyone after school and getting to know more people,” Keiling said.

Another member is sophomore Zach Pinkham, who found his love for crew freshman year. While having worked several different crews, he will be a member of the light crew for this production. That means assisting in designing the lighting for each individual scene, positioning spotlights, and assuring that every actor can be seen.

“My favorite part is getting to be a part of the group that makes the show happen,” Pinkham said.

Each member of crew is working hard to prepare for this production, which is making its debut in nearly a month. Without them, the show wouldn’t even be possible.

Being behind the scenes doesn’t come with as much recognition as being onstage, your face isn’t on display for the whole audience to see.

Crew members work hard despite all of that, they do their work simply because they love it.

Don’t forget to support crew and the rest of your Liberty Thespians by seeing Radium Girls from March 7-9.

What is “Radium Girls?”

Radium Girls is a drama that centers around the dial painters of World War II and the issue of radium poisoning.

When and where can you see it?

March 7-9 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium 1. Sophomore Brooke Huffman (Ms. Wiley) confers with her partner.

2. Juniors Julia Deters (Kathryn) and Emily Gann (Grace) discuss their illness.

3. Junior Emily Gann (Grace) shares with the crowd how radium poisoning has changed her life. photos by l.spakowski

2

3

photo by l.spakowski

10

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: n.howard

Senior Devin Eckardt (Tom) and sophomore Lizzie Kayser (sob sister) try to negotiate coverage of their case.

photo by c.woods

In The Spotlight Liberty teachers Ms. Hall and Ms. Oliva both receive media attention for accomplishments

By Caleb Woods Online Editor It is rare for teachers to get recognized either on local or national stories but at Liberty, it is a different story. Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Olivia both received recognition for their respective accomplishments.

Recently, English teacher and Olympics trials marathon runner, Ms. Hall, was interviewed on KMOX with radio personality Amy Marxkors on the morning of Jan. 13 on At Your Service show to talk about positivity and running.

“Amy is my dear friend and running partner,” Hall said. “We love talking about literature and journalism.”

Marxkors works for KMOX and covers the St. Louis Blues.

While on a recent run together, Marxkors was struggling and Hall was coaching her through her struggle.

“It’s a beneficial relationship for both of us,” Marxkors said in the interview with Hall.

But Marxkors isn’t the only being coached by Hall. Mr. Walterbach, the girls varsity basketball coach, recruited Hall to speak to his team.

“She gave a presentation to our basketball team about changing your mindset,” Walterbach said in J-Dubs in the Morning show #52. “It is awesome that we have her on staff and she’s one of the top 15 runners in the country.”

But Ms. Hall isn’t the only teacher in the spotlight. Librarian Ms. Oliva had our library featured on the Knowledge Quest website.

“The article was written by a friend and fellow librarian, Margaret Sullivan,” Oliva said.

Knowledge Quest is a national journal published by the American Association of School Libraries.

“The article explained how our library integrates the concept of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) by sponsoring STEAM-based challenges each month. The article encouraged other librarians to adopt this idea in their own libraries because it allows students to be creators and problem-solvers,” Oliva said.

Some of the well-known STEAM challenges include creating a video for the Wentzville School District film festival.

“The fact that we can offer so many opportunities to our students is a testament to our incredible administration and staff who support and promote all we do,” Oliva said.

While they are in the classroom teaching kids, they are giving back their expertise in the professional world on their passion.

photo by LHS Publications Ms. Hall gives an interview with KMOX on the phone from her house. She was unable to make it to the studio because of inclement weather.

Feature | lhstoday.org design by: n.howard

11

elson dN lE

@No tR ea

Behind the Tweets

Twitter parody accounts of LHS administrators take students’ screens by storm

by Chasteanne Salvosa Co-Editor-in-Chief

ee lwh rea

ler

@N o

Ki eal tR

e s el

Entertainment | lhstoday.org design by: c.salvosa

@n ot

@N o

SSandy

rPryor

12

it’s a parody account or we’ll take down your account’.”

Thus within the first few months of its activity, the account’s Twitter handle was changed from @ RealEdNelson to @NotRealNelson and the account has been thriving ever since with 261 followers and 975 tweets at the time of this publication.

“The reaction makes it fun to keep it going and whenever we come up with something that’s abstract or weird to post, we just go with it,” one of the co-owners said.

While some of the LHS parody accounts are less active, the more active accounts tweet nearly everyday, some of those being @NotRealKiesel, @NotRealMrPryor and of course, @NotRealEdNelson.

“Tweeting nearly everyday is hard sometimes, but it’s fun to be the one working the strings behind an icon,” owner of the @NotRealMrPryor account said.

And as for the actual administrators themselves, one of the co-owners of @NotRealEdNelson are aware that the administrators know of the parody account’s existence.

“I heard one of my friends messaged me and told me that had heard [the administrators] talking over the walkietalkies that just confirmed Mr. Nelson pulling up the Twitter and showing someone else a tweet,” the co-owner said.

But despite this looming fact that the administrators are aware of the accounts, the faces behind the tweets remain anonymous. “...I guess I chose to remain anonymous because it helps the account remain just as a comedy source, I don’t want it to become a sort of personal page,” owner of @NotRealMrPryor said.

However, as the accounts grow in popularity, the risk of exposure raises everyday, but for now the majority of the student population walk among the students potentially behind these hilarious tweets unaware that their classmates are responsible for.

H ealL tR

@N o

M eal tR

Kiely eal tR

“If you’re talking, you’re wrong.” These words spoken by building principal Nelson at the first day assembly sparked a movement of hilarious tweets parodying the principal himself. Beginning within the first days of school, @NotRealEdNelson has amassed nearly 300 followers, all while being run by a pair of anonymous students.

“It was an inside joke between us, that we would like ‘worship Ed’,” co-creator and owner of the account said.

“It was just really stupid and we were sitting at lunch one day and were like, ‘What if we do this?’ And we didn’t really expect to blow up like it did.”

And within the first few months, the original account had kicked off a trend with each administrator getting their own spin-off parody account. As of today, there are spin-off accounts for vice principals Mr. Kiesel (@ NotRealKiesel), Mr. Pryor (@NotRealMrPryor) and Dr. Kiely (@NotRealKiely) and accounts for Mr. Wheeler (@ notrealwheeler) and Ms. Reininger (@NotRealLHSSandy) as well.

“I started the account after having followed the NotRealEdNelson account,” owner of @NotRealMrPryor said. “I thought it would be something fun, so my friend and I made the account, then said friend went off and made their own account, NotRealLHSSandy.”

However, the hilarious accounts were quickly halted with a problem. It was passed around the school that the owners of the parody accounts had been stopped by administrators, who requested that the accounts specify they were parodies of the people they were impersonating.

But contrary to rumor, the co-owners of the @NotRealEdNelson account were confronted with a potential suspension of their account by Twitter themselves.

“Twitter threatened to shut down our account because since we put in the username that it was ‘real Ed Nelson’,” one of the co-owners of the account said. “It was technically an impersonation and they were like, ‘Yeah, you need to change your username and change your name and put in the bio that you’re not the real person and put that @N o

How Well Do You Know Teachers’ Classrooms?

Twitter Poll: Do you like Valentine’s Day? Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @LHSJourn.

Guess below what teacher’s room is pictured

1.

6.

Answer:

Answer:

Earth Day by Sara Bailey

7.

2.

Answer:

Answer:

8.

3.

Answer:

Answer:

9.

4.

The first person who brings the completed page to Room 239, wins a QT gift card.

Answer:

Answer:

10.

5.

Answer:

Answer:

What film does Liberty think will win “Best Picture”at the Oscars?

Bohemian Rhapsody 24 votes Black Panther: 20 votes A Star Is Born: 6 votes Green Book: 2 votes Roma: 2 votes BlacKkKlansman: 1 vote The Favourite: 1 vote Vice: No votes *poll results from lhstoday.org

Interactive | lhstoday.org design by: c.woods

13

Mini Gifts Wrapped In Blankets Why naps benefit for your mental and physical health

by Shae Bowsher Reporter

Students everywhere can seek many benefits out of taking naps. Napping is one form of stress management. It can bring down your blood pressure.

photo by b.huffman

Napping used to be the one thing I despised the most as a kid. I would think it wasted my day and I would no longer have any time to do anything.

However, through the years, my perspective has changed. Naps are no longer a ‘waste’ of time. They’re more like a boost of energy and give you a time to cool down from a long day at school or work.

Naps can even improve your health and can make you smarter, believe it or not.

A group of German neuropsychologists found that after learning something new and then taking a nap can cause you to remember that information almost five times better than when you would typically not take a nap. You could use this fun fact when your mom yells at you for napping too much in class after reading an email from your teacher regarding your naps. Boom, you just saved your grade with what you do best; napping!

Napping is also one form of stress management. Stress causes your blood pressure to go through the roof, but when taking a nap your blood pressure goes down. Napping can basically save your life from a potential heart disease or stroke that can be caused by high blood pressure. Your welcome, mom. I saved you from a big hospital bill.

These short gifts can even make you happier. A study by the Edinburgh International Science Festival found that out of 1,000 people, 66 percent of short nappers reported feeling happier afterwards.

I love naps because you always feel better and happier after them, even when it’s just a small 20 minute nap. What’s not to love?

I usually get home from school and just mentally crash, forcing me to take a nap to reboot my brain. I normally nap from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

One thing I highly recommend is to never, ever and I mean ever wake up a person from their nap. It’s like waking up a hibernating bear, a month an a half before winter ends. It’s dangerous and just plain scary.

For a person like me, who takes almost an hour to fall asleep, taking naps helps regain those few hours of just tossing and turning. I’ve always found it kind of annoying and funny that, I’m out like a lamp in about five minutes flat but getting to sleep at night takes me a good 45 minutes on a good day.

All in all, naps keep my life from running into the ground with exhaustion. Everyone can benefit from a good nap. It can literally save your life.

So take my advice and take a good nap that satisfies your sleeping health needs.

14

Opinion | lhstoday.org design by: s.bowsher

The Second Semester Slump Does starting third quarter come with a lack of motivation?

by Brooke Huffman Reporter

W

ith the start of each school year comes a burst of new energy, newfound motivation, the decision that this year is going to be different. Sometimes this energy can carry you through the first week, the first month, the first quarter, the first semester if you’re lucky. Then it all comes tumbling downhill.

The little voice in the back of your head that used to keep you awake and attentive in class goes quiet, you start blowing off assignments, you fall into the same old cycle that you had decided to put an end to. Despite New Year’s resolutions, you’ve decided that re-watching “Friends” for the third time is much more important than passing Spanish, and hey, there’s no shame in that. It happens to the best of us.

This sudden lack of caring is most often referred to as the second semester slump, the complete disregard of all things school related as soon as you come back from winter break. Some people are immune to it, their high goals keep them in check day in and day out until graduation rolls around. Others don’t even wait until the second semester, they’re already snoring through science by the second day of school. Most of us slump at some point in time and usually that falls around the first or second week of third quarter.

Much like senioritis, the lack of motivation demonstrated by seniors because, “high school is basically over anyways,” second semester slump shows most of the same signs. Declining grades, backpacks stuffed with missing assignments, sleeping through the school day or just not showing up at all, are all common examples of a slumping student. It’s understandable, they both root from similar causes - the feeling that it’s all over, you can stop working because it’s practically summer already.

It doesn’t help that January is filled with days off, whether planned or canceled due to snow. It already feels like you’re on break, you’re becoming so accustomed to sleeping in that you refuse to wake up at 6.

It’s understandable - stress is forced on students, you’re bound to snap at some point. Being expected to be the same student throughout the entire school year is like being expected to sprint for an entire marathon - it’s exhausting, and physically impossible. You’re running on hardly any sleep as is, staying up late due to rehearsals, practices, assignment after assignment and being expected to keep up an active social life doesn’t leave much time for rest.

So why the slump? It’s a side effect of spreading yourself too thin, putting too much effort into every area of your life, to the point where you don’t have the energy to put effort into anything. Even I’m writing this article the hour before it’s due, I’m not immune to slumps. By second semester, you’ve already gotten a taste of free time through winter break, and are craving breaks whenever you can get them. So you stop working. You doze off, you put off homework until the last minute.

Next thing you know all of this work has started piling up, it’s too intimidating to tackle and you let it take over. Doing one assignment would mean doing all of them, you can’t even think about all of the work you have to do without stressing out, and you’re supposed to avoid stressors, right? You’re too far gone, doing all of this work now would mean no free time whatsoever, and who wants consequences for their actions?

photo by s. bowsher Students have faced a lack of motivation towards second semester.

So how to avoid the slump? You can’t, but you can work your way out of one. Stop overworking yourself, find a healthy balance between rest and school. Those four AP’s you were going to take might be a bit too much, being on the dance team and in the play might mean no time for yourself. So how to avoid the slump? You can’t. If you keep yourself at a steady pace throughout the school year, work on good study habits, try to think ahead when it comes to doing assignment, you’ll be able to succeed in school without having a complete emotional collapse. When you fall into those slumps, dig yourself back out of them. Motivate yourself, stop waiting for the “perfect moment to write this paper” or a sudden burst of energy and just power through. Second semester slumps are inevitable, but that doesn’t mean they have to get the best of you.

So when next year rolls around and you find yourself getting overwhelmed, remember that it’s not too late to start motivating yourself and you don’t have to succumb to the second year slump.

Opinion | lhstoday.org design by: s.bowsher

15

Please Use the Car Rider Lane

Parents are using the student parking lot as a faster way to drop off their kids

by Jessica Gibson Reporter

Being a student in the parking lot everyday, I understand how busy it can get. It could take anywhere from a minute or 20 to get on Sommers Road from my parking spot. But having a line of parents waiting for their kids in the middle of the parking lot does not make it any easier.

Every day you have the three or four cars waiting in the student parking lot right in front of the walkway. Not only does that hold up traffic for all the parking spaces behind them, but it’s also dangerous for all the students walking. When a car is just waiting there, my first instinct is to go around because they won’t be moving anytime soon.

While doing that, numerous of situations could occur. Students could be crossing and I don’t see them till last second because I’m more focused on not hitting the car I’m going around. A car could also be coming from the other way. If I’m trying to go around a car, and another car is driving towards me, now I’m in the way of them and it causes a confusion between everyone.

Another problem that has happened to me more than once is when leaving, cars fly past me when backing up. There was one time when I was about halfway out of my parking spot and a car comes speeding behind me. At first I thought it was a student who was also trying to leave, but when following their direction to the exit, I notice the car stop and wait. I thought they were waiting for students to cross, but then I see a student get in the car, and then drive off. This has happened to me more than once while leaving school. Students already have to be aware of the other students trying to leave the parking lot frantically, but now we also have to worry about the parents picking up their kids in a hurry as well.

Parents also wait in the empty students and faculty spots at the end of the day. Yes, it is better than in front of the walkway, but at the same time they can get in the way of me trying to leave. When leaving school, I always let other cars out in front of me, because I understand the struggle of trying to escape the mayhem of the lot. But I normally only let students out of their spots. When parents are trying to exit a parking spot, I normally move up in the line, due to the fact that they should be

waiting with all the other parents in the pick up lane.

Everyone knows of the neighborhood next to Liberty, and it’s walking distance from the school. Some students who live in the neighborhood find it aggravating when parents park in the side of the road and wait for their kids to walk to the car. The roads in the neighborhood are only two car lanes. So when parents are waiting in the front, they are blocking one of the two lanes. It’s very difficult to enter the neighborhood when a car is waiting on the side of the road sometimes. But what makes it even harder is when there is a car exiting the neighborhood at the same time. At that point, you have to wait for the exiting car to leave before you can enter because there is no room for three cars at the entrance.

The parking lot as is has many rules, which I understand is for our safety, but it gets frustrating when cars that aren’t supposed to be in our lot make our entering and exiting more difficult than it should be. In the end, parents should have to go in the car rider lane and wait for their kids, just like most of the other parents. The student parking lot is for students that drive to school, and should stay that way.

What Students Say? “Parents can be disruptive in the parking lot. They cut you off. We just want to get out of the parking lot just like them.”

- Senior Sonya Timchenko “It’s disruptive because parents block the entire first entrance and they don’t let the kids go, we get stuck in the parking lot.”

- Senior Eradyn Bailey “Since I park over by the football fields I get out really fast and smoothly if I beat the buses which I usually do. The parents don’t really bother me but I’m sure they will when I park out front next year.” - Sophomore Braden Bond “I park in the front row of the student section in the lot and some parents think that they can break the rules and skip the car line, making it harder for me. Since I am in the front row, they block my spot.”

-Senior Zoee Harrington

photo provided by Mr. Creen The parking lot has many rules when entering and exiting, which can benefit our safety. When leaving school, people are rushing to leave, so adding the rushing parents adds to the mayhem.

Opinion | lhstoday.org

16 design by: o.holler

Unintentional Consequences

A minimum wage increase that Missouri voters passed can do more harm than good

by McKenzie Bartels Reporter

of minimum wage workers are young, and it is proven that the minimum wage ack in November, a ballot increase will decrease teen employment measure to boost Missouri’s due to job availability. It also is proven minimum wage up to $12 that those experiencing unemployment an hour by 2023 got more than at an early age have years of lower 60 percent of votes and passed earnings and an increased likelihood of on Election Day. This means that unemployment.

Missouri is one of 20 states that Another disadvantage of raising the minimum wage will go up in 2019 minimum wage would be the increase in for more than 5.3 million workers. consumer goods.

On Jan. 1, workers began According to a study done at Purdue receiving $8.60 per hour, an increase University, raising the minimum wage from $7.85. It will eventually rise to would increase the price of goods by 25 $12 per hour in 2023. photo by LHS Publications percent respectively or a reduction in It wasn’t an easy decision, and Missouri is one of 20 states that minimum wage will go up in 2019 for more than product size between 12 percent and 70 there was a huge debate before 5.3 million workers. percent. election day took place, and many Certain states, such as in California or New York have a higher people aren’t happy with the results. minimum wage but this is also due to the fact that the standard of Proponents of a higher minimum wage say that the previous living is higher in these places. Gas costs an average $3.27 in California minimum wage of $7.85 an hour is too low for anyone to live on and as of Feb. 19, according to AAA, so it makes sense that the minimum that a higher minimum wage will create jobs and increase economic wage is $11.00 an hour. Increasing the minimum wage would harm the activity. They also say that the minimum wage increase will reduce poorest areas of the country because employers would have to pay their poverty, as well as government welfare spending. employees more and would be unable to cover the cost by raising prices However, in my opinion, I feel that the minimum wage increase is because their consumers would not be able to afford them. going to impact society in a more negative than positive way. Being a There are many diverse opinions on this topic, and although I teenager that works, I know looking into the future, this is going to do can see where some people feel that the minimum wage needs to be more harm than good. increased, I feel like it was a bad decision for Missouri because it will Teenagers and young adults may be out of the workforce. lead to unintended consequences.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, about 50 percent

B

More Than Meets the Eye A generation that is ready to take on the world

by Emily Barrett Reporter

There are some pressures of living an average teen life that reoccur in every generation such as being peer pressured to drink, stress over exams, and anxiety between managing sports, extra curricular, social life, while maintaining a steady job.

These themes are often brought up over and over for a reason, because throughout time they remain a constant to a part of life that every person has, is, or eventually endures.

Some aspects of teen life remain constant throughout time. Other aspects change throughout each generation. Teens nowadays (known as Gen. Z) are often criticized and face backlash from the public for many reasons.

First off, teens face a major difference in advances of technology and change of teachings that many other past generations haven’t had to endure. Past generations do not remember checking their phones for updates

and doing work almost exclusively online like today’s teens do. With new technology comes media that tends to pump out rumors and gossip on human flaws and unspeakable acts committed by society. It has been said that teens’ parents will outlast them in age because of the rise in obesity due to technological advances. It also has been said by other generations that we are lazy and will not lay out strong futures for ourselves.

All of the flaws brought up by society and the mistakes made up environmentally, economically and in leadership bring up questions of how we will improve in the future.

A huge weight is cast upon the minds of a young generation that has the potential to do great things. The biggest thing to understand is that times change.

We cannot shy away from mistakes that

have been made but everybody has the chance to change the face of the future. Life is change, and over time generations will come to adapt to the new change and realize that people are capable of any outcome. artwork by: a.bailey We should encourage Gen. Z to do better in the world no matter what problems are present. In the end, just like chaos, teen life although altered throughout time is a part of life in which all generations remain united.

Opinion | lhstoday.org design by: o.holler

17

Balling On and Off the Court

Jayce Catchings balances school work in the classroom and athletics

photo by e. mason Junior Jayce Catchings (right) and sophomore Landen Ball (left) talk with coach Sodemann during warmups before a game. Catchings is one of the top scorers in the area this year.

by Nick Howard Reporter Balancing school work and time for sports is a tough job. Not only is junior Jayce Catchings a great basketball player, but he does well in the classroom as well.

In his second year at Liberty, Catchings has excelled in his game and is one of the most consistent shooters in the state this year. A season removed from being a good role player that came up big in some games, he has turned into a scoring machine becoming one of the top scorers in the St. Louis area averaging 27.4 points per game.

Balancing what he is doing on the court with his time in school work is difficult.

“It’s definitely a grind balancing both on court activities and off court activities,” Catchings said.

“It takes a good idea of time management putting the idea of being a student before being an athlete.”

If there’s one place to see Catchings at when he isn’t doing school work, he is most likely going to be in the gym lifting weights, conditioning or working on his basketball skills. Senior Kent Lawson is one of his teammates who have noticed how focused he is to get better as time goes on.

“He’s a gym rat that’s determined to work hard and reach his goals,” Lawson said.

When Catchings isn’t dribbling or shooting a

18

Sports | lhstoday.org design by: m.bartels

basketball, he is focused on getting his work done and obtaining good grades in school. His passion for the game of basketball is strong, but getting the knowledge he needs in school is what’s most important to him.

Coach Sodemann appreciates how good of a student Catchings is in school along with his work ethic to become better at basketball.

“His drive to be better and to work [on his basketball skills] is unlike any other that I have seen,” Sodemann said.

As Catchings does his part on being a good student, he also does his part on a team that does best when everyone is doing their job. At the end of the day when he isn’t working on school, in the gym or with any of his friends, his mom is what means everything to him. Mostly everything revolves around his mom as he takes inspiration from athletes that put their mom first.

“At the end of it all, she’s the one who takes care of me and makes sure I’m settled with everything,” Catchings said.

Being a student athlete is a tough job for anyone and no one said that it’s easy but at the end of the day, Catchings does what he has to do to make his future bright.

Jayce Catchings Favorites Food: Zebra Cakes Movie: MegaMind TV Show: Flash Music Artists: Drake and Kendrick Lamar Fun Fact: He can surf Fast Food Restaurant: Steak ‘n Shake Cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Place to Travel: Hawaii Sports Team: Chicago Bulls

A Swimmer’s Soul

Junior Hallie Anderson reflects on her life in and out of the water

by Chasteanne Salvosa Co-Editor-in-Chief

The sport of swimming not only takes a physical toll on the athlete but requires a lot of soul out of those who participate in it to endure the potential hardships that come with the sport. And that’s exactly what coaches and teammates see in junior Hallie Anderson when out on the water; they see a swimmer’s soul and dedication to the sport of swimming.

First dipping her toe into the pool at the age of 4, out of her mother’s concerns for her safety after visiting her grandfather’s lakehouse, Anderson began competing at the age of 5 and currently competes with the Clayton Shaw Park (CSP) swim seam and the Disabled Athlete Sport Association (DASA) swim team outside of school.

“I was probably like 4 or 5 when I began swimming and the only reason I started [swimming] is because my grandpa actually has a lakehouse and my mom didn’t want me to drown if I fell off the dock, so she was like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna go to Alligator Creek and she’s gonna learn how to swim and everything is gonna be fine’. And so it kind of just started from there,” Anderson said.

Since then, Anderson estimates that she has attended over a thousand meets, picking up various honors and recognition along the way including swimming at state last year.

But what truly separates Anderson from other swimmers is her impressive record in the world of paralympic swimming, which she began competing in over a year ago after being diagnosed with brittle bone disease at the age of 10.

“This past February, so it’ll be almost a year now that one of my coaches was like, ‘Hey, you could be a para-swimmer for this’. And I was like, ‘You’re joking me, right?’,” Anderson said.

And when Anderson expanded her repertoire by beginning to participate in the paralympic swim world, her career took off. She received the most highly esteemed recognitions in her long resume by holding the National Junior Record for the 100 freestyle in Paralympic swimming and making the cut for the 2020 National United States Paralympic Swim Team.

From there, Anderson began attending paralympic swim meets, garnering national attention as a National Junior Record Holder and making the National Paralympics Emerging Swim Team last year. However, as athletes are not chosen for the National Paralympic Swim Team, they must meet time standards that allow one to qualify for the team. And at the Para National CAN-AM meet in Arizona in December of 2018, Anderson did just that, placing second in the 100 fly event, third in the 200 individual medley event and third in the 50 free event.

Everyone, from Anderson’s coach to close friends, was elated by the news that Anderson had made the National Paralympics Team, expecting nothing less from the hard-working athlete.

“When her mother first called me with the news, I was so excited.

Hallie works very hard and deserves this spot on their national team,” coach Danielle Althage said. “Since she isn’t the kind of person to go around telling everyone, I knew I wanted to make sure she was recognized for her hard work.”

But no matter how modest Anderson is about her accomplishments, none are more proud of her than her close friends and teammates.

“Honestly, I was extremely blown away, I was like, ‘I can’t believe one of my closest friends is going to be doing that’,” friend and teammate, junior Nicole Krohn, said of Anderson.

However, joining the National U.S. Paralympic Swim Team is no easy feat, with athletes having to complete hours-long physical examinations as a part of a process called ‘classification’, in which athletes are placed in a certain class in which they are to compete in.

“So [my coach and I] investigated it and it was super hard to get classified like you think it’s going to be easy, but they tested every joint in my body, every single muscle,” Anderson said. “Like each individual joint in my fingers and toes; they wanted to test the strength of them to make sure and all that. So it was a three to four-hour process of just physical classification and then you have another hour in the pool of classification. So it’s like a four-hour process just to even get into the sport.”

And as exciting as the opportunity is to represent your country through your sport, Anderson doesn’t strive for the recognition, but rather for the safety the pool provides.

“Even as a kid, I felt like the water was kind of where I belonged like I didn’t feel different than anyone else in the water. So it’s kind of like an escape, a safe space,” Anderson said. “And I don’t know, there’s something exciting about competition, I have grown up around competition. So it’s just something to put all of my energy into.”

All the energy Anderson puts into participating the sport shows in how her day revolves around swim as she runs through a jam packed afternoon routine that would make most peoples’ heads spin.

“It’s a pretty hard balancing act because I spend two hours in the pool every day, not including travel time,” Anderson said.

“When I’m practicing with my club team, it’s about three and a half hours total. After school, I’ll come home and have a really quick photo by m.foster snack before and everything like homework, eating, showering, comes after swim. But my night routine/my after school routine starts at approximately 8:30 or 9:30 at night. So it’s definitely a balancing act; sleeping enough, making sure I don’t fail school and then also training.”

As for Anderson’s future in the sport of swimming, while Tokyo 2020 is rather close for Anderson to compete at, as international classification is an even longer process, she sets her sights on The City of Lights as she hopes to compete in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

And as Anderson soars towards the top of the paralympic swimming world, she strives to remain humble while being the best athlete she can be.

“Really take each individual as an individual,” Anderson said. “Just because I’m not the classic person on the Olympic team doesn’t mean I’m not just as up there with you.”

Sports | lhstoday.org design by: m.bartels

19

1

photos by e.mason, a.jordan, k.swanson

2

3

1. Jaden Betton (9) drives the ball to the basket. 2. The girls swim team poses after a meet. 3. Mia VanPamel (11) puts up a layup.

Wrestling

New Year, New Team A quick update on Liberty’s winter sports

by Brooke Huffman Reporter

statistics as of Feb. 22

Highlights: • State qualifiers were: Janna Stevenson, Brandon Jones, Wyatt Haynes, Christian Zeik, Trentin Helton.

• Zeik finished 2nd at state in the 145-pound weight class.

• Stevenson became the first ever female wrestler in school history to qualify at state. She was third at districts.

• Zeik was the GAC champion at 145 pounds. Jones and Haynes were third and Helton was fourth in their respective weight classes.

• Won the Pacific tournament championship.

1. Landen Ball (10) and Jarrin McKeithen (12) are on defense, watching for the pass. 2. Katie May (11) and Kylie Bernet (10) perform with the JV Dance team for the showcase. 3. Brandon Jones (12) grapples with a Centralia wrestler. 4. The varsity dance team displays their routine for the showcase.

2

1

3

4

photos by e.mason, m.morris

Girls Basketball Record: 9-16 Highlights: • 2-8 Gateway Central (fourth place) • Mia VanPamel leads the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game.

• Melanie Giljum leads the team with 7 rebounds per game.

• Toni Patterson has 37 steals and 30 blocks.

Dance Highlights: • Varsity placed fifth in the nation for small varsity game day.

• JV placed in the top 2 for the season overall in every competition.

• Varsity placed in the top 3 for the season overall in every competition.

Boys Basketball Record: 17-7 Highlights: • 6-3 Gateway Central (second place) • Jayce Catchings leads with 27.4 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game.

• Corye Keller has 11.9 points per game.

• Jaden Betton has 42 assists.

• Team won 6 in a row from Jan. 2-21.

Girls Swimming Highlights: • GAC conference champions for the fourth-consecutive year.

• State qualifiers: Hallie Anderson, Anna Decker, Lanni Guffey, Olivia Guffey, Aubrey McCain, Caroline Myers, Dessa Outman, Marjori Russo and Evan Worobec.

• All three relay teams qualified for state.

• 400 free relay (Caroline Myers, Anna Decker, Aubrey McCain and Marjori Russo) place 13th in state finals.

• Aubrey McCain set the new school record in the 100 breaststroke.

1. Christian Zeik (12) faces off against a Centralia wrestler. 2. Dessa Outman (11) competes at the GAC conference. 3. Toni Patterson (10) drives past her defender.

2 1 3 photos by e.mason, a.jordan

20

Sports l lhstoday.org design by: b.huffman