the
MESSENGER
n. VI
VOLUME XXIX, ISSUE VI | MO 63017 | MARQUETTEMESSENGER.COM | MARCH 2022
Close to home
Families feel the effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine See story on pg. 4
INSIDE 03
07 10 03 Q&A WITH SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Curtis Cain, future superintendent, answers students’ questions. 07 SIBLINGS SHARE NAMES Two sisters, one adopted, have the same first name with a minor difference in spelling. 10 RESTAURANT REVIEWS Jacob Robinson, sports editor, evaluates local food places.
13 Students take care of unique pets such as hedgehogs, snakes and spiders. See full story on pg. 6.
ROLL CALL Editor in Chief Marin Ellington Associate Editors Aarushi Bute Akhila Swarna Copy Editor Stephanie Lei Online Editors Rue Siddiqui Arpitha Sistla Production Editor Ben Hughes News Editor Annabelle Miller Features Editors Lajja Patel Parker Brandt Arts & Entertainment Editor Anika Talyan Sports Editors Jacob Robinson Pranav Sriraman Opinions Editor Liza Cooper Illustrators Mason Kellerman Emma Tyulyayev Social Media Editors Katie Wheeler Jack Huster Business Manager Aubrey Lacavich Staff Reporters Annie Alcorn Elle Devous Willem Hummel Claire Lowder Tiona Merritte Elizabeth Neier Aleena Shaik Prashu Sidella Anvi Talyan Sam Wakapa Staff Adviser Emily Jorgensen
ONLINE Students attend concerts post-pandemic. See full coverage on pg. 11.
16
PREVIEW
13 OPINION: ‘DON’T SAY GAY BILL’ Editor in chief Marin Ellington discusses a recent Florida Bill prohibiting school discussion about the LGBTQ+ community. 16 GIRLS BASKETBALL DISTRICTS Girls basketball competes at a District game against LHS. Photographs and illustrations by Peyton Cusick, Marin Ellington, Reese Foreman, Gracie Francis, Jacob Robinson and Emma Tyulyayev. Front page photo by Liza Cooper and front page illustration by Marin Ellington
OUR POLICY
The Messenger is published eight times a year by students enrolled in the News Production class at Marquette High School, Chesterfield, MO, 63017. The publication office is located in Room 226, (636) 891-6000 ext. 26228 Opinions of Messenger columnists or the Editorial Board are not representative of the opinions of the entire Messenger staff or the administration. The Messenger takes
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Gas station serves world class BBQ ___________ by | ben
hughes
St. Louis bookstore fights book bans with free books ___________ by | cassie sun
issue VI
NEWS
QA
You asked, Dr. Cain answered
&
marin ELLINGTON
In Issue V, the Messenger asked students what topics they wanted Dr. Curtis Cain to address next year as superintendent. At a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 10, he spoke about these topics. Dr. Cain currently serves as superintendent of Wentzville School District where he has worked since 2013. Recently, Dr. Cain was named 2022 AASA National Superintendent of the Year.
WILL WE GO BACK TO MASK MANDATES IF COVID-19 GETS WORSE? “I know we want to wave a flag and say we’re done with the pandemic, but just because we’re done with the pandemic doesn’t mean it’s necessarily done with us. And so if conditions warrant us to step things up, then we step them up, but if conditions are allowing us to do something that lets us step back down, we’ll do that as well. And I think it’s important to listen to medical professionals as well.”
HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS INDIRECT BULLYING? “Mental health is a never-ending effort that I think districts have to engage in, and I know that the Rockwood School District has done so. This is one of the reasons it’s so beneficial for us to keep our doors as open as we possibly can, to constantly connect, not only with students but with families as well. If we can continue to find ways to open the door to as many resources as we possibly can, not only for students but for family members, it will serve us well.”
Election: akhila SWARNA
3
News in Brief
HOW WILL YOU ADDRESS THE LACK OF DIVERSITY IN TEACHERS?
HOW WILL YOU BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS?
Kyle Devine was announced as new assistant principal by the Board of Education (BOE) effective July 1.
“Students need to see themselves in all walks. When it comes to staffing, when it comes to titles that are on shelves, when it comes to curricular experiences and opportunities. I think students need to interact with diversity in all those aspects. And so I think it is a richer environment when you bring different perspectives and experiences. Whether it’s a classroom setting, whether it’s a team environment, whether it’s a school setting, the more you are able to diversify that with really high quality staff, I think it just provides a much more robust experience for students because you will experience this in your world of work. You will experience this in your world of life. This is not about what is likely to come. It is coming to you. And so the more we are able to provide that experience and that opportunity for you grades K-12, the better you are going to be set and positioned to be successful moving forward.”
“You are going to find that I am going to want to interact with students. You’re going to find that, in fact, I’m already having thoughts about advisory councils at each high school because we make a lot of decisions. There’s a lot of conversations focusing around students, but I want to hear through student ears what is it that you all are experiencing as students because decisions that are made have a direct impact on you. And I want to be very considerate of student perspective when it comes to those decisions. And so it will not be about one avenue. It will be multiple avenues to get word out and also multiple avenues for me to receive feedback as well. And I will not only want to share and talk with students, but I’m going to want to hear feedback from students as well.”
Devine has worked as a biology teacher at MHS since 2013 and is the head girls golf coach and assistant basketball coach.
Kyle Devine, biology teacher, teaches his fifth hour biology class gene transcription. Devine will be the new assistant principal next year. Photograph by Ben Hughes
Felicia Durst, physical education teacher, was chosen as MHS’s Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022. Proposition P was placed on the April 5, 2022, RSD Board of Education (BOE) ballot. If it is voted into effect by a simple majority, it would allow the district to pull a small amount from the debt service fund and place it in the capital project fund. It will result in a zero-tax-rate increase as the operating tax levy will increase by $0.54, but the debt service levy will decrease by the same amount. The funds would amount to $25 million per year for four years.
On April 5, RSD citizens will vote for two candidates to fill three-year positions on the RSD Board of Education (BOE). The five BOE candidates explained their platforms below.
Jessica Clark
Izzy Imig
Charles Messmer
Amy Ryan
Deborah Stine
“I am running for Rockwood School Board of Education to ensure we find our way back to the purpose of public education - to lay a solid academic foundation upon which we can continue to build. ”
“My goal is to improve student learning. I’ll do this by restoring trust between the parents, students, administrators and the Board of Education.”
“My platform is, as a police officer, to compromise and find solutions. Rockwood’s been in the news so much and it’s all been negative. I don’t believe that school board issues should be political, but they are right now and it’s wrong. ”
“I want Rockwood education to center on children, community and classrooms. What that means is whatever outside forces are going on, we as a community, focus the education on the students and public school staff.”
I really care about having a safe, nurturing, welcoming and affirming school culture for all students, hiring and supporting talented and diverse teaching staff as well as all the other positions.”
NEWS
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march 2022
Oksana Tyulyaev, MHS parent, and her sisters celebrate New Years Day in their Ukrainian apartment. She plays with the neighborhood kids in a field. Tyulyaev lived in eastern Ukraine for 19 years. “I really liked that we had such a nice community there. Young people would gather together, and we would have so many events. Everybody was so social,” Tyulyaev said. Photographs used with permission by Oksana Tyulyaev. Illustration by Emma Tyulyayev.
Conflict in Ukraine
Timeline: Russo-Ukrainian Interaction
Families from Eastern Europe speak out, take action willem HUMMEL • arpitha SISTLA Loud explosions have taken over the once peaceful Romanian village where Yana Dragnev, junior, remembers visiting relatives. A recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has left many Eastern European cities in a similar state. Dragnev’s grandparents went to California for a vacation just before the conflict began, and they have remained there in case Romania becomes threatened by Russian forces. “Since they live in a community that is close to bordering Ukraine, they could be amidst the conflict and all the suffering that comes with war,” Dragnev said. Dragnev is one of many MHS students and families feeling the effects of this international conflict. Oksana Tyulyaev, MHS parent, was born in eastern Ukraine and lived there for 19 years. She is also fluent in Russian having grown up close to the border. “I feel like, in my soul, I am Ukrainian because we learned a lot in school, and my parents were speaking Ukrainian at home,” Tyulyaev said. Tyulyaev said she has two uncles who live in Ukraine, one of whom lives in the territory that has been taken by Russia. “We text them. We see that they read messages, but they don’t answer,” Tyulyaev said. “We think that they are afraid to write anything because they are afraid they will be persecuted, punished or someone is watching or listening to their conversations.” Tyulyaev’s family has been sending them money and trying to convince their family members in the Ukraine to come to the U.S. She said she fears the Ukrainian culture will be greatly supressed if the nation is conquered by Russia. Tyulyaev said she doesn’t want Ukraine to be a member of NATO because Ukraine, in her eyes, is neutral. “Ukraine would be a connection between Russia and Europe, and I think that Ukraine would play an important role in peace,” Tyulyaev said.
children. “Men are largely not allowed to leave because they are expected to serve in the military,” Bauman said. Europe has historically been hostile toward refugees, Bauman said. For example, a few years ago Syrian refugees were closed out of European countries. The attitude toward refugees now will depend mostly on the view of the international community. “Most people feel that what is happening in the Ukraine is unjust, so I think that they will ultimately welcome refugees,” Bauman said
Taking Action Seniors Kate and Nick Bobrusev started a relief drive with MHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Underground Bible Study Club for Ukrainians struggling from the crisis. The drive, which primarily supports Ukrainian women and children, started Monday, March 7, and ended Thursday, March 10. Two women in the community were able to find a freight company that would ship the donations from Chicago to Ukraine free of charge. “Women and children in Ukraine really need our help right now,” Nick said. “They are the ones who are being forced to evacuate the country.” Kate and Nick are Latvian-American. Though they were both born in St. Louis, their mother is Ukrainian and Latvian, and their father is from Uzbekistan. Being so culturally close to the conflict, Kate said, has taken a toll on her mental health. “I’ve had to turn off the news to get my mind off of everything,” she said. “I can’t even take notes in class anymore without constantly thinking about the fact there are kids my age fighting for their families right now.” With the drive, Kate said their goal is to bring awareness to the war and provide relief. “We think of life as just school, sports and homework, but it’s so much more,” Kate said. “We need to realize there are kids our age going through so much. We are so blessed to have all that we do.”
February, 2022: Russia Attacks Ukraine January, 2022: NATO and U.S. forces on stand by, ready to be deployed 2021: Russia sends 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s Border 2014: Crimea secedes from Ukraine and is annexed by Russia 2014: Russian soldiers enter Crimean Peninsula
1994-2004: Ukraine develops into a capitalist nation 1991: Ukraine declares independence from Soviet Union & USSR collapses
Teacher Perspective Katie Bauman, European history teacher, said this war started over the Crimean Peninsula in the Black Sea because the land was economically beneficial as they could put ports on the coast of the Black Sea, but it also had nationalistic importance to Russia. This conflict and invasion has caused people to flee to the border into Poland, but only women and
Fast Fact
The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and has become a symbol of hope.
2008: U.S. supports efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO, but Russia opposes
1989: Anticommunist protests begin in USSR
Information from NPR.org
issue VI
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FEATURES
march 2022
Unusual pets burrow into students lives liza COOPER After junior Peyton Cusick was in the hospital last year, she “guilt tripped” her parents into buying her something special: a hedgehog named Wilbur. Her request wasn’t uncommon - in recent years, the demand for unusual pets has skyrocketed. More than 13 percent of American households have owned at least one specialty or exotic pet, according to a 2016 survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association. “We had been talking about getting [a hedgehog] for a few months so it wasn’t really a random decision,” she said. Cusick’s family contacted a breeder in Chicago to let them know she was interested in adopting one of their Wilber the hedgehog was a gift from junior Peyton Cusick’s parents last year. Cusick said hedgehogs. his snuggly personality has brought joy to her life and family. Photograph by Peyton Cusick Cusick said she was immediately drawn to Wilbur when she visited the feed my snake, I’ve gotten into taxider- it’s at night time or daytime,” Barr breeder’s house after Christmas. said. “It’s also just made life a bit more my, which is a super interesting craft,” ”He will run directly to me when he interesting in general. It’s like living in they said. knows I’m around,” she said. “He has a menagerie.” While most students who have brought lots of joy to my life, and I am unusual pets own only a few animals, lucky to have him.” Price junior Pixie Barr has an abundance of An exotic animal, or exotic pet is an unusual pets. They have birds, snakes, animal that is not usually kept and relaCheck eyelash crested geckos, a leopard tively rare. Generally, they are thought gecko, a snow leopard gecko and a of as wild animals, not domestic pets. Average adoption tarantula. Arianna Holt, prices Along with junior, also has “He has brought lots of the exotic pets, exotic pets, but of also has more a very different Hedgehog joy to my life, and I am Barr common pets, like kind. Holt owns a $100-300 cats, dogs, fish and lucky to have him.” corn snake and two toads. spiders: one Texas Leopard Crested “It wasn’t really brown tarantula and Gecko me that chose the one Brazilian white Peyton Cusick, pets. It was more knee tarantula. $50-100 junior my dad who They purchase wanted the geckos their pets from Tarantula reptile conventions or a pet shop located and the tarantula. My sister wanted $25-75 the snakes and birds,” Barr said. “It in O’Fallon, Ill., called the Tie-Dyed just kind of happened. They saw it and Iguana. Holt said they recommend this they bought it.” Corn Snake store for people who are looking to get Although the idea of having multiinto the exotic pet world. $20-50 ple pets that require special care seems Not only have their snakes and Information from lovetoknow.com, the strenuous, Barr enjoys the energy of spiders taught them how to care for sprucepets.com, happyserpent.com, their house. unusual pets, but Holt said the pets have a-zanimals.com “Honestly, I would think it’s made also opened doors to new hobbies. “Since I started to buy frozen mice to my house a bit more lively whether
Illustrations by Parker Brandt and Emma Tyulyayev
issue VI
Double Trouble
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FEATURES
Sisters share same name emma TYULYAYEV Two sisters were nick-named “Shug” and “Muffin” by their parents. After being adopted in 8th grade, Gracie Francis, sophomore, was called “muffin” while her sister was called “shug” because of one little detail: their names. The sisters have the same first name, with a minor difference in the name spelling. “It was kind of difficult at first. We kind of just got used to it after a while,” Gracie said. Gracie met her sister, Graci, in sixth grade and they slowly became best friends. When Graci’s parents discovered Gracie was in the foster system, they started keeping tabs on her and eventually filed for adoption.
Gracie and Graci Francis pose for Homecoming pictures this past fall. Wearing similar dresses and having the same name, they are hard to distinguish between. Photograph by Dennis Francis
babycenter.com
Sisters pose for a selfie in matching MHS tees. Friends since sixth grade, they got along for years before Gracie’s adoption. Photograph by Gracie Francis
names because she has known them since middle school. When in the same room, Blutmenthal said she points to the sister she is talking to. “Since I’ve been friends with them for a long time, I guess it comes naturally, but for someone who hasn’t known them for a long time, I could see how it’s hard,” Blumenthal said. Lori Francis, the sisters’ mother, personally has never had a problem with the sisters’ same names, using their nicknames “Shug” and “Muffin.” But, one problem has been when the school would call home and not specify which sister they were talking about. She also finds it difficult when people think she’s joking about having two daughters with the same name. “I actually get a pretty big kick out of it when people ask questions, or if they don’t believe me,” Lori said.
Andrew
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William
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Ryan
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Nicholas
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Olivia
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Sophia
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Ava
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Lauren
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girls
Having similar first names wasn’t a big problem for the two back then. But, after Gracie got adopted, the sisters came across a couple problems now that the girls also shared the same last name. One included teachers checking out books to the wrong sister. Another was when one of them was trying to get a passcode changed, but the passcode ended up being changed for the other sister’s account. Graci Francis, sophomore, said the two sisters like to mess with teachers and students when they get the chance. One thing they like to do is pretend they don’t know each other when teachers, who have had the other sister in a previous semester or class, ask if they know the other sister. “We have the opportunity to do it at least once a year,” Graci said. “It’s extremely funny when they go to call our parents and they have to explain to us that we just completely made that up.” When the two aren’t pranking their teachers, they are hanging out with their mutual friends who call the two by their middle names, Graci Elizabeth and Gracie Lee. Mari Blumenthal, sophomore, is friends with both sisters and said it’s not hard to differentiate their
boys
Top MHS Names
“Gracie” was the #103 most popular name in their birth year, 2006.
IN-DE
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G A M E S Popular words to start Wordle Although vowel heavy words are popular, Dr. Lynne Murphy suggests starting with consonant heavy words instead. Information by Dr. Murphy.
1 2 3 4 5 6
DRINK CLAMP ADIEU STEAK TREAD AUDIO
Juniors Collin Durer and Priya Leckliter play Wordle and Taylordle during their lunch. Students all over MHS have taken to making Wordle a part of their daily lives and often use their free time during the day to play the game. Photograph by Marin Ellington
Wordle gains popularity with students, staff marin ELLINGTON • rue SIDDIQUI xasperated and near failure, senior Andrew Lee sat with his friends guessing word after word incorrectly. With only one letter incorrect, the group seemed to guess every other possible letter combination until finally the word was revealed to them: SHAKE. Wordle, a New York Times run brain teaser, is the game at MHS that no one is getting tired of, Lee said. The game consists of a 5x6 grid with the goal of correctly guessing the word of the day. After each guess, players are made aware through colored squares of which letters are not in the word, in the wrong spot or in the correct spot based upon their guess. “It’s something interesting to get my mind rolling and thinking about different word combinations,” Lee said. “I continue playing because honestly it’s some-
Solve the Brain Teaser Flip page for answers.
thing to look forward to every day.” Lee said Wordle doesn’t create competition with others, but instead with one’s self. “It’s a mental test to see if you can logic your way to the word,” Lee said. For the millions of players such as Lee, brain teaser games have become a daily challenge to look forward to and an activity with positive long-lasting effects on brain health.
POPULARITY AND EFFECTS According to The New York Times, Wordle is played by more than 300,000 people daily. The game has gained such popularity that it is played by teens and adults alike. Leslie Tiemeyer, FACS teacher, said a frustrating but entertaining part of the game is the difficulty of the words as they are not ones she would use in everyday speech. “Like any millennial, I was resistant at first,” Tiemeyer said. “I said to myself ‘no way, don’t do it, Leslie,’ and then a few days later, I caved.” Reminding her of Wheel of Fortune without the clues, of Scrabble without the strategy and of Boggle, Tiemeyer said she soon became hooked. “It’s just one word,” Tiemeyer said. “You can give it as much or as little thought as you want.” For many players like Tiemeyer, social media was the catalyst to the discovery and popularity of Wordle. David DiSalvo, author of several books on brain psychology, said social media has fostered the spread of games such as Wordle and allowed them to gain traction
among teenagers. “Wordle fits a model that’s popular with digitally savvy generations – it’s quick to play but still very challenging,” DiSalvo said. “It’s fun to see how much you can improve and also compare your success with others.” DiSalvo said a compulsive element is present that keeps players coming back as it allows them to reflect on themselves while engaging in lighthearted fun. “The only competition is oneself, so they enable us to gauge self-improvement,” DiSalvo said. “We can observe how we get stronger at these games over time.” Beyond emotional responses, games like Wordle also can influence long-term brain health. DiSalvo said counteracting the cognitive and physical decline that comes with age is a crucial part of remaining healthy, and brain teasers can do just that. “The brain is an organ, like the heart, and as such it requires consistent activity to remain in solid functioning order,” DiSalvo said. “If brain games can help play a role in preventing disorders like dementia from gaining a foothold, they’re certainly worth doing, and the research is suggesting that is likely the case.” Ava Nordman, sophomore, agrees that the competition promoted by Wordle can be both internal and external. “I like to do better than my friends, but I do it for fun mostly,” Nordman said. “I try to get better at it everyday.” Nordman has yet to lose a game of Wordle. Though she enjoys daily participation, she said the game has developed an addictive element as players make it a priority everyday to keep their streak alive. “Brain teaser games have always been kind of popular, but I don’t think it’s ever been as popular as Wordle,” Nordman said. “It’s a trend, one of those things where everyone wants to start playing it.”
Puzzle Number 9: Change weak to peak Puzzle Number 19: Son, Daughter
EPTH
More brain teaser games
S
Colorku A sudoku puzzle game using colorful balls and a grid board.
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT While brain teasers have gained popularity, Dr. Joshua Jackson, professor in personality science at Washington University, said games like Wordle are not for everyone. Frustration can often result when players have not aligned their skill level with the task. However, he said the competition it promotes can be fun regardless. “Given the state of the world, they are a nice distraction,” Dr. Jackson said. Dr. Jackson also said changes in personality can result from brain teasers as players can become more open and outgoing. “People who tried a new task, worked on it and improved were more likely to see themselves as able to take on other new tasks and enjoy doing so,” Dr. Jackson said. Dr. Jackson said the daily playing of Wordle allows for participants to interact and develops a social aspect beyond the screen. “Another aspect that is novel to this game is the ability to share your journey through a simple figure that doesn’t give away the solution but tells a story about how you got there,” Dr. Jackson said.
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Dr. Lynne Murphy, professor of linguistics, discusses her tips for mastering the game of Wordle.
Bananagrams A wordplay game where players create their own word grids with the objective of being the first to use all tiles.
Kanoodle A solitaire puzzle game with the goal of fitting bubble shapes correctly onto a board.
VARIATIONS AND ALTERNATIVES Steven Schmitt, math teacher, projects a daily game of Set onto his smartboard at the beginning of class. Set is a game involving three cards with different shapes, colors and numbers that the player must identify. These cards are either all the same or completely different with one similarity. “In Rockwood we always talk about lifelong learners, so anytime students are using their brain and keeping it active, that’s good for mental health,” Schmitt said. Schmitt’s love for his favorite puzzle game, Cross Sums, was introduced to him by a fellow teacher. Cross Sums is a crossword-style game involving numbers 1-9; however, digits cannot be repeated more than once in a horizontal line or vertical column to create the target number. “I just find it entertaining,” Schmitt said. “Putting all the pieces together and figuring something out is a feel-good moment, so it’s kind of fun.” Sums is only one of millions of brain teaser games out there, and since Wordle, more and more similar style brain teasers are popping up. Dordle, a game resembling Wordle, only with two words instead of one; Quordle, which involves four words instead of one; and Taylordle, which solely includes words related to singer-songwriter Taylor Swift are only a handful. Junior Alexis Nguyen, wakes up every day ready to solve the new Taylordle word. Her plan of action is to typically start with “Swift”, “speak” or “ready” as they possess the most common vowels. “The fact that it’s related to one of my favorite artists makes it so much more fun,” Nguyen said. “It’s also fun to discuss how absurd some of the words are with my friends who also like Taylor Swift.” The race to guess the correct word in the least amount of tries is one that Nguyen and her friends compete in every day. “It’s sort of a bonding game in that it’s a fun competition everyday to see who can play the fastest and who can get it in the least amount of tries,” Nguyen said.
QA
9
Scrabble A game with letter tiles assigned point values with the objective of scoring the most points.
Set A card game where players try to find the most sets of three cards with the same or opposite shape, fill, color and number.
Boggle A word game with the incentive of creating the most words out of a random combination of letters.
Watch three students compete in a round of Wordle on our website.
WHY DO YOU PLAY WORDLE IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES? Mostly I play in other languages because I love word games so much that I want to play as many as I can. I use dictionaries sometimes when I play in French of Swedish, so it might help my vocabulary. But, it does help me to think more about how words are made in those languages and how the rules of letter combination differ in them.
WHAT LETTER COMBINATIONS IN WORDLE ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO GUESS? Anything that uses the same letter repeatedly is tough. Some people, when they start the game, don’t realize that an answer can have two of the same letter, and most people’s strategies are to use five different letters in the early turns. Letters in unexpected places are hard too.
HOW DOES THE DIFFICULTY OF THE GAME AFFECT PLAYERS? People get into ruts when they’ve used a lot of common letters to start and then have to figure out which other words to fit in. You might as well run out of guesses before you find it.
WHAT SORT OF STRATEGIES DO YOU RECCOMEND TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE? First, keep in mind that you can’t improve your score that much—getting 3s and 4s shows more skill than getting 5s and 6s, but you can’t really get 2s and call it skill. I recommend using lots of consonants to start, including ones that combine well with others and some medium-frequency consonants (like C, P, K).
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1
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Photograph by Ben Hughes
Local Eats
Messenger staffer, Jacob Robinson, reviews local restaurants
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St. Louis Kolache ($)
Peppers Deli & BBQ ($)
St Louis Taco & Pita Grill ($)
14786 Manchester Rd, Ballwin
32 Clarkson Rd, Ellisville
15493 Manchester Rd, Ballwin
Kolache is a pastry with a traditional filling of fruits or cheese, but now places have started to expand their variety of fillings to more creative flavors. The flavors of the kolaches at St. Louis Kolaches were great, with sausage and gravy being the best one. With good flavor and ingredients that went well together, it elevated biscuits and gravy to the next level. Chicken was a close second, as it had great flavor but was dry. The St. Louis kolache is also worth a try. It had base toppings such as pepperoni, but I wish there was more sauce on the inside. Then I tried the s’mores sweet kolache. It wasn't too bad, just simple, as it was only nutella with graham crackers on top. It was dry but would be good paired with a glass of milk.
Hidden in what most would see at first glance as an auto garage in a small parking lot, Peppers Deli and BBQ serves a variety of dishes ranging from BBQ to many fantastic soups. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich on white bread and got a cup of chicken enchilada soup. The pork was well cooked as every bite into the sandwich had an explosion of juices and flavors that complemented each other well. The barbecue sauce was kind of sweet and paired directly with the savory pork on the fresh bun made it come together as a whole. The soup was made up of chicken, corn, peppers, beans and other ingredients. The flavors contrasted each other well, and the broth soaked in everything to make a tasty masterpiece.
St. Louis Taco & Pita Grill features a variety of dishes ranging from American to Greek to Mexican food. I tried a cheeseburger and fries, a steak burrito, a California chicken philly and jalapeno poppers. The burger wasn't too bad but could’ve been better, but the fries were fantastic. The burrito was really good with a variety of ingredients: steak, peppers, pico de gallo, cheese and more. The flavor was good and never got old. The poppers were a tasty dish. They were filled with cheddar cheese that melted in my mouth. But the best thing I had there had to have been the California chicken philly. This was made up of chicken, cheese and ranch tossed on a hoagie. Every bite was as good as the last.
issue VI
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Concert Craze
Students showcase outfits for concerts, discuss trends elizabeth NEIER
At Tyler the Creator
At Harry Styles
At Harry Styles
Feb. 18 at Chaifetz Arena Janneliz Hernandez, senior
Sept. 21 at Enterprise Center Hannah Shockley, junior
Sept. 21 at Enterprise Center Lauren Marren, junior
"I noticed a lot of green and brown colors as well as flowy pants. For shoes, there were a lot of Doc Martens and Converses.”
"I didn’t see a certain theme color wise, but patterned pants and vivid colors were really common. Harry’s energy and set definitely influenced how everyone dressed.”
"There were a lot of bright colors and baggy pants. Harry Styles has a very vibrant personality. He is kinda like a fashion icon in the view of most, so people would also wear stuff I know related to that style.”
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OPINIONS
SPEAK OUT HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SPIRIT DAYS? DO YOU PARTICIPATE?
“It’s really fun. I don’t usually participate but I like to see what other people do. The spirit days are kind of repetitive so I’d like to see them mixed up.” SAJA MOHSEM,
freshman
“I participate sometimes. They’re not the best advertised. There’s not a lot of people that participate in them in general.” KEIRA PRATT,
sophomore
“I do participate and I like them because they bring the school together and it’s something to look forward to.” ROHAN JAIN,
junior
“Unless the days pertain to my particular interests, I don’t really participate. I participated today (Meme Day) as a joke.” DANIEL VAYMAN,
senior
“I do participate. I think the school needs to do something to get more kids to participate. What they did years ago was have tallies on spirit days and the winning classes would get a prize.”
SHARON PODOLSKY,
SSD teacher
Illustration by Mason Kellerman
School shootings should not be normalized A 15-year-old male was killed and two others critically injured in a shooting outside a Des Moines, Iowa, high school Monday, March 7. Authorities say the shots came from a passing vehicle. “School shootings have become too common,” said Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools Thomas Ahart in a district press release. “Real change EDITORIAL to gun laws and access would go a long way to help us.” Superintendent Ahart is right. Only three days prior, a principal and resource officer at Olathe East High School in Olathe, Kansas, were shot and wounded from an untraceable gun. As students in America, we are tired of feeling apprehensive before entering our school building. The truth is, however, that we have become too accustomed to school shootings. Shootings have become normalized, and the discussion to prevent future shootings has decreased.
With 12 school shootings so far this year, according to Education Week, we must stop the heartlessness and come together as a community to take proactive steps toward student safety and mourn the loss of life from school shootings. Legislation restricting guns must pass immediately to prevent another tragedy. We also must re-evaluate our own preparation strategies. At least half of school shootings are committed by current or former students, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Our current efforts will do little good if the shooters are aware of lock down procedures from practicing it themselves. One school shooting is one too many. The fact that our society has normalized school shootings indicates action needs to be taken now more than ever. Schools should be a place of education, not apprehension.
BOARD
Letters to the Editor Local businesses do good
Blood drives are crucial
The article “Alumnus becomes the face of the Smiley Face Cookie Company” from Issue V is displaying a business that is truly helping the community in more ways than one by allowing people with intellectual disabilities to have a job and be part of something worthwhile. I know a few people that are either related to me or family friends that have disabilities that limit them from going out and working in the real world. The Smiley Face Cookie Company is a great way for people with fewer opportunities than others to go out into the real world to learn something new that could eventually lead to a good job for them in the future. Our community needs more companies like this because everyone has something special to offer to the world, and all it takes is the right situation for someone to express their gift.
Blood drives are a key way to help the community and more people should start to donate. Having blood in stock is crucial for patient survival and needs to be taken seriously. Now that we are in a pandemic, there is a national blood shortage because fewer people are willing to donate blood due to COVID-19. This puts many lives at risk because we don’t have the blood to save them, but if we hold more blood drives then this problem can be solved. Although we are in a pandemic, more people should consider donating blood to help the community. Donating blood doesn’t do any harm, and if people are scared to donate due to the pandemic there are many precautions they can take to be safe. Please encourage more people to donate blood and do it yourself because it can benefit a lot of people.
- William Bomkamp, freshman
- Likitha Gaddipati, freshman
More letters to the editor can be found online at www.marquettemessenger.com
13
OPINIONS
issue VI
Stop making jokes about war emma TYULYAYEV think is a funny joke, not knowing how
port and knowledge. Regardless of your views on the situation, people are hurting. People are crying. People are shouting. They don’t need your jokes. They need your help. Don’t be silent. Illustration by Emma Tyulyayev
Illu
stra tion
m by Em a Tyulyayev
Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by my beautiful Slavic culture, by sweet pierogi and old folktales. Seeing what has unfolded in Eastern Europe over the past couple of months, my half-Ukrainian and halfRussian heart is breaking. But what hurts even more is that I have been surrounded by people making crude jokes out of such a serious conflict. And I’ve seen this happen before. At the beginning of 2020, there were World War III speculations after rising tensions between Iran and the U.S. On Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, you name it, there were people making jokes everywhere. Whether these jokes were about people getting drafted or about the rising tensions between countries themselves, it left a bad feeling in my stomach. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Wednesday, Feb. 23, I was scrolling through my social media for news about the invasion. Post after post, tweet after tweet, I saw jokes instead of the facts I really wanted. When did war become the center of a joke? It breaks my heart that people will go out of their way to make what they
truly insensitive they are being. I’ve been checking the news every couple hours, crying and hoping my Ukrainian family and friends are safe. “It’s my coping mechanism!” is a common excuse, but coping with a problem in such an insensitive way creates an entirely different problem. Of course, not every non-Ukrainian or non-Russian person is using this excuse, but a handful of people who make these types of jokes still dominate a lot of what I see online. I get it. It’s hard to empathize with a situation that you have little to nothing to do with. But that does not give anyone an excuse to make crude jokes about a serious situation, especially when lives are in danger. War is NOT a joke. The suffering of millions of people is NOT a joke. Instead of poking fun at the situation, lift up those who are directly affected. Give support to those who need it during hard times. Educate yourself on the situation and share the news with others, creating an atmosphere of sup-
‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is a step backward marin ELLINGTON Terrified — that’s the way I felt when agonizing over whether to tell my parents I was gay. Unsure of what to say and scared they would never see me the same way again, my only comfort in these moments of indecision was knowing I would be the one responsible for if and when I chose to share this part of myself with them. A recent Florida bill, known informally as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill (House bill 1557), would take this choice away from struggling teenagers. Not only would the bill require school principals to disclose a student’s sexual orientation to parents within the first six weeks the school is made aware of it, but it also would ban school districts from “discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Though my parents were accepting of my sexuality, this is not always the case. Some teens may be unsure if they would be allowed to continue living at home if they came out. The amendment of the bill that sets
guidelines about disclosing a child’s “The fact that it feels so accepted, at sexual orientation has been withdrawn least in much of the country, makes me due to an outpouring of community feel like it would be hard to turn that and government disappage back,” Dr. Hureproval. However, it is one witz said. “It seems like 1 in 5 Gen Z of many amendments it would be hard to fully that make up the bill as a undo that cultural shift.” members whole. Though the bill focusidentify as Such legislation brings es on students in primary nationwide concerns for grades, Dr. Hurewitz said LGBTQ+ the safety of LGBTQ+ it is important to include students, as this act by the LGBTQ+ history in school Information from Gallup Florida government has for students of all ages. the potential to create a “There’s LGBTQ domino effect. history going all the way back to the RSD has made strides in recent beginning of this country,” Dr. Hureyears toward improving the LGBTQ+ witz said. “Many of the poets and the resources available to students, such singers and the songwriters of [the as the option to add pronouns or Great Depression] era were also part nicknames in Infinite Campus, but of an LGBTQ world. Without having to school districts would be at the devote a whole class to talking specifimercy of the state if a similar cally about ‘oh and this is a gay part of law was passed in Missouri. American history,’ they could just add We can not let this beit in to the mix.” come the case. Dr. Hurewitz said adding even a Dr. Daniel Hurewitz, aslittle more representation to the cursociate professor of history riculum can vastly improve LGBTQ+ at Hunter College, works students’ mental health. Making this with students studying to change to RSD classrooms would be become teachers and educates beneficial, as it gives students a chance them on the importance of LGto see themselves represented in the BTQ+ curriculum in schools. curriculum. Though Dr. Hurewitz said he would “It seems a mistake to me to think hope there would be enough opposithat by not having this curriculum tion to stop this from becoming a you’ll somehow shield those kids from nationwide trend, there really is no the world they’re in,” Dr. Hurewitz way to tell the potential consequences said. “In fact it’s doing the opposite. It’s of such a bill, should it pass. not preparing them to enter the world.”
STEM jobs are not the end all be all of careers aarushi BUTE At every family-friend gathering, I’m asked the same dreaded question: what do you want to be when you
grow up? But the question only has two acceptable answers, so they ask another question: are you leaning toward being a doctor or an engineer? At age 12, I knew exactly what I wanted to be: a doctor. But now, at 16, I respond with, “I don’t know.” At 12, being a doctor was drilled into my head. It’s every Indian-American immigrant parent’s dream. I was inside a bubble, unaware of the other thrilling occupations that could potentially be my purpose. I’m now aware of the years of grueling hard work but rewarding experiences that come with being a doctor, but I still feel as though I have an undiscovered purpose in life. Understandably, immigrant parents want to see their children succeed, especially after the struggles they have gone through. But there still is a twodimensional perspective on success in the Indian-American community: you must have a STEM career to be successful. How can every person in a population of 1.4 billion pursue a career in STEM? How do teens plan out their entire life with only two decisions to choose from? The answer is simple: we can’t. The stigma against other fields like performing arts and politics needs to go. Being a doctor or an engineer is not the only indication of success; in fact, entrepreneurs can earn more money at a younger age. Happiness also plays a considerable role in deciding the right career path. Waking up every morning to a job you do not love is unfulfilling. Indian parents may believe a job should just be a job; not something to look forward to. But I think otherwise. I believe every individual has a purpose and a passion, and “work” should be that passion. As college applications draw near for me, it’s scary to see the confusion spread through faces after I respond with “I don’t know.” But at the same time, it’s exhilarating to break free from the bubble limiting my options. It’s scary to take that leap away from just STEM careers to explore others, but I know I will be successful and happy at the end of the day.
SPORTS
14
march 2022
Search Continues
Student seeks to revive badminton club prashu SIDELLA
Felicia Durst, physical education teacher, began playing competitive badminton in high school in Canada and even made it to the Central-Western Ontario Secondary School Associate, which is the equivalent of making it to sectionals in the U.S. “I enjoyed playing with my best friend,” Durst said. “When we would go play against the other teams, they were all so good, and it was fun getting to play and missing school.” When she began teaching at MHS almost 20 years ago, Durst began teaching badminton in her PE classes. “Badminton is a great sport and can be great exercise once you learn how to really play the game,” Durst said. “I still have yet to be beaten by a student.” The club was started four years ago because of Alita Sunil, Class of 2020. Sunil asked Durst and Kevin Sharitz, technology teacher, to sponsor the club; recruited her friends to join; and created a new chapter of badminton. In total, the club contained about 10-12 students, but only 4-8 students would regularly participate. They would set up nets and play for fun before school and there were no tournaments due to the lack of participation. The club was dismantled after Sunil graduated in
2020 and due to COVID-19. Lilian Lu, competitive badminton player for the Pioneer badminton club in Chicago, wishes MHS still had a team. Pioneer badminton is an international level badminton sports facility where players of all skill levels can train, including where Lu plays. Lu frequently travels to Chicago to play at her badminton club. She usually goes in the summertime and, recently, over long weekends for various tournaments and camps. When she is not traveling back and forth from Chicago to play, Lu trains for badminton with her private coach in the gyms at Clayton High School. The lack of badminton culture in St. Louis makes it difficult to find an alternative place for Lu to play. “I do feel that badminton is so underrepresented,” Lu said. “First of all, I think it’s really fun, and two, it’s just like any other sport, and it takes a lot of practice and dedication, and it can be just as rewarding as any other sport as well.” Lu said they are actively looking to contact the club’s sponsor in hopes of revitalization. Activities Director Shane Matzen said apart from not having a sponsor, the main reason badminton is not available as a club is due to the fact that there is no space for practices. “When a student wants to start a club, we give
Lillian Lu, sophomore, plays badminton at the Pioneer Badminton Club in Chicago. Lu travels to Chicago often to participate in tournaments and sharpen her skills at camps. Photograph by Chistina Yin
them some possible sponsors but if there is no one willing to sponsor, we tell them to go out on their own and find one,” Matzen said. “But the main issue is there isn’t any space. We don’t have anywhere for the club to meet.”
Places to play Pickleball and Badminton: •
Arch Badminton Center (Chesterfield Mall, Badminton & Pickleball) • Vetta Sports (Downtown & St. Peters, Badminton & Pickleball) • Missouri Pickleball Club (Fenton, Pickleball) • Tower Grove Park (Downtown St. Louis, Pickleball) • Tilles Park (Ladue, Pickleball)
Pickleball gains community popularity pranav SRIRAMAN Pursuing a new passion that would help him stay in shape while providing him the opportunity to interact with his friends, Mike Beavers, Chesterfield resident, started participating in pickleball matches at the Arch Badminton Center in Chesterfield Mall. “Our friends started playing and invited us along and it’s just been good exercise and a lot of fun,” Beavers said. “I enjoy the competition but also just the fun.” Beavers said the element of pickleball that made the sport so entertaining was the outlet it presented him to interact with his peers. “Pickleball keeps everybody kind of laughing and engaged in what’s going on,” Beavers said. “We get a chance to hang out as friends and have kind of a regular time every week to do something so excellent.” The nature and rules of pickleball are similar to both tennis and ping pong, which is what drew Jon Richert, a former tennis player, to start playing the sport “It really is kind of in between tennis and ping pong,” Richert said. “Not quite as much running as tennis, but it has a lot of the trick shots that you get in ping pong with the spin of the ball.” Richert said the competitive nature of the sport
Pickleball and Badminton Courts have been assembled by the Arch Badminton Center at the heart of the Chesterfield Mall. This area of the mall used to be home of the double deckered carousel. Photograph by Pranav Sriraman
was another factor that sparked his interest. “When you start getting advanced level players, it’s just as competitive as any sport out there,” Richert said. “If you don’t watch out, you get hit with the ball right in the head or right in the center of your gut.” At MHS, Felicia Durst, PE teacher, plays pickle-
ball at school with former collegiate athletes. “We try to fit a game whenever we can,” Durst said. “It doesn’t always happen before school. Sometimes we will play during the day as well. We play because it is fun and good exercise.” In the matches MHS faculty participate in, Durst said that they get very competitive between her and her co-workers. “The teachers I play with were all college athletes,” Durst said. “We are all very competitive people whether it comes to pickleball or any other sport or activity we do.” Rob Durham, Language Arts teacher, has participated in pickleball matches since the summer of 2017. He said he was introduced to the sport by his neighbor. “My condo complex has a court, and my neighbor friend Paul challenged me to a singles match,” Durham said. “We were instantly hooked. Since then we’ve played almost every summer morning.” Durham said he participates every couple of months and that the tournaments are very tough. “My partner is 70 years old, so mobility is a struggle for him,” Durham said. “But since we’re friends and I don’t have another partner, we keep at it. We know each other’s styles so when we’re on, we’re pretty good.”
15
SPORTS
issue VI
Ultimate Frisbee gains all-girls team stephanie LEI This year Ultimate Frisbee has a new addition: an allgirls team. Senior Harini Sreeperunbuduru, co-captain of the girls team, said while there have always been female players, they haven’t had enough participation to create a girls team. “For the past three years, we’ve had lots of fun playing with the guys, but it’s just a different environment playing with all girls,” Sreeperunbuduru said. “Joining a new sport can definitely be intimidating, but having an all-girls team really encourages more girls to get involved.” Scanlon, senior, receives a pass at MHSappear Ultimate blurry. Colors displayed here will not match the is Sreeperunbuduru reduced in quality be emailAddie compatible, making some images saidto they Frisbee Club’s practice Tuesday, March 8. Scanlon was have been reaching outINFORMATION to girls final product exactly. VERIFY YOUR IS CORRECT. any changes return this proof promptly. Ad Pages is not chosen as a captainIndicate for the first all-girls ultimateand team at in different grades and classes MHS this season. Photograph by Ben Hughes responsible for any printed errors afterathapproval is given. Additional proofs requiring design or copy changes may result in extra charges. by contacting off-season letes and speaking with anyone who may be interested, as well as the club and its members, Lory said. field.” Approved, Approved, speaking to other coaches. “During a normal season, we play against a lot Because Ultimate 2/16-MKrelies on trusting oneself and AD PREPARED BY: _________________________________ no changes Kayley Lory, junior, is a returnof private schoolwith teamsnoted becausechanges it’s more popular one’s teammates, wins can be especially exciting, ing player excited to start this season. amongst those schools,” Lory said. “However, this Scanlon said. “Before I started playing Ultimate, we have tried to expand Ultimate as a sport in “Although we would love to win every game, we Approval year, Signature: _______________________________________________ www.AdPages.com I wasn’t sure if it was really a real sport, RSD schools.” know that’s not possible and not something to expect HALF PAGE but after playing through the spring and For Addie Scanlon, senior, Ultimate Frisbee has from a newly established all-girls team,” Scanlon said. Date: _______________ Corporate Fax: 972-509-1603 972.424.1980 | 888.424.1980 summer season, I can confidently say it is,” been rewarding both as a sport and as a social expe“What’s more important is thatBOA0322GS04S everyone improves a Lory said. “It doesn’t get as much attention as other rience. little and has fun.” sports like football or basketball since it’s relatively “Like any other sport, going to practices together Ultimate Frisbee is a no-cut sport that began new, but I can see it gaining popularity in the future.” and playing teams really connects the players in a Tuesday, March 1 and practices every Tuesday and While Ultimate Frisbee is generally considered way a lot of newcomers to the sport don’t imagine,” Thursday. The team competes in games throughout a club sport and doesn’t receive much funding from Scanlon said. “To my surprise, I made a lot of friends the week at various schools and parks. RSD, the student leaders and outside coaches support playing the sport that I now talk to on and off the
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16
SPORTS
march 2022
The sun sets on Busch Stadium as the St. Louis Cardinals play ball. Photograph by Liza Cooper
Don't keep the designated hitter liza COOPER Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred announced the implementation of a designated hitter in the National League on Thursday, Feb. 10. This upset many fans, including me. A designated hitter is essentially a player who bats for the pitcher. The American League has used designated hitters since 1973, adopting the rule because of declining batting averages in position players. With a few rare exceptions, pitchers are usually the worst hitters on a team, which makes sense because their main job is to throw strikes, not hit them. The American League thought that replacing the worst hitter in the lineup with a player whose main job was to hit would boost team productivity. In 1970, only three seasons before the addition of a designated hitter, American League offenses had a batting average of .250. In 1973, batters averaged .259. While this is an improvement, it was not the significant one MLB executives had hoped for. But because the introduction of a designated hitter increased the American League’s previously dwindling fan base, they decided to keep the position. At the same time the American League was petitioning for the introduction of a designated hitter, the National League was adhering to tradition. They argued that the first baseball teams in the world didn’t have designated hitters, so why should they? People have remained interested in baseball since its creation in 1846, so the National League did not see a need for change. As someone who grew up surrounded by the St. Louis Cardinals, a National League team, I am a huge supporter of tradition. If a player plays defense, they need to do their part and play offense as well. Furthermore, pitchers can be essential in game-changing situations. Pitchers are the players that probably spend the most time on the art of bunting, which can be essential in advancing runners into scoring positions. Watching a pitcher bat is exciting. You never know what they’re going to do. When a pitcher does something big, like hitting a home run, fans go crazy. Because we know a pitcher’s main job is not hitting, when they shock us with offensive feats, it makes watching the game even more special. Introducing a designated hitter to the National League is a huge misstep. If the MLB’s goal is to take part of the excitement out of games or shift the focus of National League baseball to power instead of skill, then sure, it's the right thing to do. But one thing is for certain: when the designated hitter comes up to bat, I will not be rooting for them.
Girls basketball celebrated their first win in Districts against Lafayette. Closing out the close game in the fourth quarter, MHS pulled through to win 49-46 at home. Next, they faced Kirkwood at St. Joseph and won that game 55-49. MHS ended the season 18-10. Photograph by Jacob Robinson
Varsity girls end season at Districts jacob ROBINSON Girls basketball went 18-10 this season and lost 58-44 to St. Joseph in the final round of Districts. MHS beat Lafayette 49-46 in the first round and Kirkwood 55-49 in the second round. The leading scorer during the season was senior Katie Baumgartner who scored 585 points this year and reached her 1,000 high school career point. Baumgartner also led the team in rebounding with 338 rebounds. Taryn Blevins, junior, led the team in assists with 96 while scoring 370 points of her own,
giving her the second highest points scored during the season. Going into next year the team will lose a few of their contributors, some of who have missed this year with injuries. “There’s going to be big shoes to fill because they were all contributers to the team,” said Peyton Woley, junior, when asked about next year’s upcoming team. “But I’m confident in the upcoming seniors and juniors because we all have a really good work ethic.”
Driving up the court, Taryn Blevins, junior, looks for an open opportunity to score. Coach Tim Bowdern watches from the sidelines. Blevins scored 26 points during the game and was the lead scorer against Lafayette. Photograph by Jacob Robinson
Katie Baumgartner, senior, went to the paint to score 9 points and get 14 rebounds against Lafayette. She went up for multiple shots but thrived in rebounds. Samara Davis, junior, drove up the court with the hopes of scoring to help MHS beat their rival school. The MHS bench cheers for their teammates as they extend their lead. Photographs by Jacob Robinson