Issue 6 17-18 by Marquette Messenger

the

MESSENGER

Volume xxv, issue vi | MO 63017 | MARQUETTEMESSENGER.COM | March 2018

ud th en e ts na a tu nd re o of ffic gu ia ns ls g an ra d pp pr l e ot w es ith t

ACROSS THE NATION, STUDENTS ARE organizing events in which they walk out of their schools during the school day as a means to call for tighter restrictions surrounding the purchasing of firearms. These movements erupted in response to the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. One such nationwide walkout, organized by the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March Youth EMPOWER group, is planned for Wednesday, March 14. A march on Washington D.C., called March For Our Lives, has also been planned by students across the country for Saturday, March 24. These planned nationwide protests have gained traction through social media, particularly Twitter. One of them, called National School Walkout, currently has 111.6K followers on its Twitter page (@ schoolwalkoutUS). These particular walkouts are planned to be held on April 20. A studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to be involved in these protests is rooted largely in the pivotal 1969 Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. The case surrounded students Mary Beth Tinker, her brother, Paul Tinker, and their friend, Christopher Eckhardt, who were all greeted with suspension by the principals of their school district after refusing to remove their black armbands, which they wore in protest against the Vietnam War. A suit was filed and eventually taken to the Supreme Court, with the outcome being that students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate. The ruling also stated that a school may only restrict the free speech of its students if

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THE PEOPLE Editor in Chief Online Editor in Chief Associate Editor Production Editor Copy Editor News Editors Opinions Editor Features Editor Arts&Leisure Editor Sports Editor Online Sports Editor Assistant Online Editor Advertising Manager Business Manager Staff Reporters

Staff Adviser

Greg Svirnovskiy Neelansh Bute Austin Woods Abhijit Srirangam Mahika Mushuni Marta Mieze Kailin Zhang Alex McAteer Kavya Jain Kenzie Winstead Delaney Neely Jeff Swift Jen Bosche Sabrina Lacy Grihith Varaday Jackson Estwanick Ethan Hill Mansi Mamidi Sarah Harris Jessica Li Will Roach Emily Jorgensen

IN MEMORIAM

Matthew Carlile March 12, 1999 - February 20, 2018

hockey

CONSTRUCTION

5 7-9 pancakes 16 13

The TEDx club hosted the first annual TEDx conference on Saturday, Feb. 24, featuring eight speakers including orchestra teacher James Nacy. Officials and students deal with the dangers and effects of human trafficking within the state of Missouri. Messenger staffers choose between IHOP and Uncle Bill’s for the best pancakes in Chesterfield. Megan Eshelman, freshman, pushes the puck past a SLUH defender on her way to the net. Eshelman is the only girl on the Marquette hockey team.

OUR POLICY The Messenger is published eight times a year by students enrolled in the Newspaper 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, the newspaper or the administration. The

ABOUT 8 P.M. TUESDAY, FEB. 20, Matthew Tyler Jacob Carlile, junior, was struck by an SUV near the intersection of Manchester and Old Ballwin Roads. He was then transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and died later that night. Matthew, born March 12, 1999, was in JROTC at MHS. SMSgt Dr. Gary Wamble, USAF Aerospace Science Instructor, characterized him as one of the kindest, most welcoming students in the program. “He could be having a bad day and he would come in and would make everybody feel like he was having a great day,” Dr. Wamble said. “I was talking to the kids at our round table and I said ‘20 years from now, you’re going to be thumbing through your yearbook and you’ll come across Matt’s picture.

Messenger takes responses for any issue. Send these in at www.marquettemessenger.com. The Messenger reserves the right to edit submitted material and to refuse to print material because of space limitations, repetitive subject matter, libelous content or any other reason the Editor in Chief and adviser deems appropriate, including advertisements and letters to the editor.

You’re going to remember him your whole life because of the impact he had on you while in this program whether it was just one semester, two years or three years’.” Dr. Wamble said while Matthew was never one of the JROTC program’s Flight Leaders or Commanders, he always made himself present. “He’d be the first one on Thursdays to go around and help kids with uniform discrepancies and stuff like that,” Dr. Wamble said. “He was an all around great kid who did stuff for not just the ROTC program but the whole school.” Friends of Matthew said he was interested in football, skateboarding and music and that he was always goofy and cheering people up. Junior Principal Dr. Dan Ramsey said Matthew’s character stood out

among his peers. “He was a really nice kid,” Dr. Ramsey said. “He owned the situations he found himself in. He was just a kid you couldn’t help but like.” Condolences are extended to the family and friends of Matthew and his brother, Andrew Carlile, sophomore. A GoFundMe page has been created to “offset the cost of the funeral.” Any extra money raised through the page will be donated to a skateboarding organization. In an email to the MHS community, Principal Dr. Greg Mathison wrote, “We are prepared to provide any support needed in the coming days as we take care of our students and ourselves. Counseling services will be available for anyone who may need them.”

OPINIONS

End Right To Work greg SVIRNOVSKIY

Cartoon by Delaney Neely

editorialBOARD

The power of female leaders IN THE PAST CENTURY, WOMEN HAVE MADE other women entering the sport. enormous gains in society. From women’s suffrage The 2017 movie Wonder Woman, marked one of to the military allowing women to serve in direct the first D.C. movies that focused on a female lead, combat roles, the opportunities for women in the more specifically a woman superhero. The movie U.S. today are vast. contained a variety of scenes, from intimate moments Yet progress still must ensue. with Wonder Woman’s family to her trek through According to the Center for American Progress, No Mans’ Land. The reviews following the movie women make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population described people leaving the theatre both enjoying it and earn 60 percent of all master’s degrees. If you and feeling empowered. shift focus to look at workplace representaWe know men and women are equal and tion, the amount of women in prominent capable of the same things, which makes positions in a wide variety of fields is the roles of women in prominent startling. positions so important to serve as Women make up just 27 of Formarkers of that unrelenting fact. “We hold these truths tune 500 CEOs. In the financial These women show young, often to be self evident, that services industry, women conimpressionable, girls that they all men and women are stitute 54.2 percent of the labor can do anything. force but are just 12.4 percent Powerful women don’t just created equal.” of executive officers, with none serve to empower young girls of them being CEOs. In health of course, everyone benefits ELIZABETH CADY STANTON care and social assistance, women from having powerful female make up 78.4 percent of the labor role models in their life. Young SUFFRAGETTE force but are only 14.6 percent of people as a whole can benefit from executive officers, again with none of strong women in their daily life. For them being CEOs, according to a 2017 many children, this role is fulfilled by study by the Center for American Progtheir mothers or sisters or even teachers. ress. Congress designated March as Women’s History While the rights and opportunities for women Month in 1987 and now the month serves as a celehave greatly expanded in recent history, there is still bration of the different advances and impacts women an obvious disparity in the number of prominent have had on our society. women role models, making the women who are From human stem cell isolation patented by in leading positions — in movies, in businesses, in Ann Tsukamoto, which offers insight into the blood sports — even more essential. system of cancer patients, to fire escapes patented by Billie Jean King, U.S. tennis star, is most famous Anna Connelly, now part of mandatory building safefor her role in the match coined “Battle of the Sexes” ty codes nationwide, women have made widespread in which she played fellow U.S. tennis star, Bobby impacts on the development of society. Riggs, famous for his talent and his taunts to female There are inspiring women around us in every tennis stars. The match ended with King’s sweeping facet of our lives. That’s why in honor of the upcomvictory, earning respect from Riggs and for the future ing International Women’s Day on Thursday, March of women in tennis. King served as an icon for female 8, we scattered powerful women, both in and out of tennis stars today — from Maria Sharapova to Serena MHS, throughout this issue of The Messenger. Have a Williams, both of whom continue to in turn inspire look around and be inspired.

IT’S A 100 DEGREE SUMMER DAY IN MISSOURI, but I’m clad in a black suit and Sperrys. That morning, before the first day of my internship at the Chris Koster gubernatorial campaign, I dressed to impress. What kind of intern would I be if I didn’t show up to the office wearing my best? I’d been ignorant to the idea that they’d send me out to canvas — how hard it would be to walk through neighborhoods and knock on doors — and blind to the number of water bottles I’d need to accomplish my task. So I just walk, stopping at homes about 100 meters apart, pitching my candidate to the few people who open their doors and breathlessly asking for water if they seem nice. Not a good look. Why? Why would I subject myself to such pitiful torture? Because the opponent, Eric Greitens, was a Right to Work candidate. Right to Work is a misnomer, a clever attempt at ethos-mongering by politicians trying to pass their own agenda. At its most basic, the law prohibits agreements between employees and labor unions that govern the extent to which an established union can require employees' membership, payment of union dues, or fees as a condition of employment, either before or after hiring. In effect, it cripples them. Eric Greitens won. It still hurts. I remember one of my friends on the campaign. He literally delayed the start of college for a semester to keep canvassing. All because his dad was a union leader, in danger of losing his job if the Greitens administration emerged victorious. I remember how much it scared my orthodontist that her husband, a union worker, would no longer be awarded the same protections as in years prior. It’s 2018. Since Roosevelt’s Square Deal in the early 1900s, laborers have had at least some say in their own wealth and financial planning. Right to Work (RTW) threatens to undermine their financial fate, as well as their hand in it. That's why it’s dangerous. It takes away a say. It strips the voices from those who use them, without any care. Opponents say RTW laws don’t end unions; they don’t prohibit their meeting or existences. Hogwash. They allow workers to opt out of paying union dues if they don’t want to, creating a mass free rider problem, where some workers take advantage of union services without putting money back into the system. That was literally the argument provided by Judge William Foust of Wisconsin, who declared Right to Work unconstitutional because it deprives the unions of their property without just compensation. So no, it doesn’t end unions. But it takes away their agency. And soon, when more workers decide to stop paying for the services that are free, the unions will bleed out, victims of a government which literally sanctions a special kind of market failure. Some also say that RTW laws expand the manufacturing base, rationalizing that more companies will enter into business in a state which grants employers more rights and privileges. Again, though, they miss the mark. When Oklahoma enacted Right to Work legislation in 1998, its manufacturing base shriveled. The mandate is clear. Right to Work doesn’t help the economy. Let's fight for the people. Keep canvassing, keep nominating candidates who support labor unions. Let's end Right to Work to give our citizens a right to fulfillment.

OPINIONS

Stand Against Violence: School Shootings MUSTANGS SPEAK Should teachers be armed?

TIMELINE OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS 2018 JAN. 20

Infographic by Kavya Jain (not to scale)

“I don’t think so because we have to go through so much special training to carry firearms, and I don’t know that the teachers will have time for that.”

Steve Aspinall, school resource officer “I don’t think teachers are the ones who should handle that situation. I think we should enhance our security in this school.”

Isaiah Brisseaux, sophomore “No, because I don’t think bringing more guns into school is going to make it safer. I think it’s going to make it more dangerous.”

Will Lockwood sophomore

Heyward Liu, senior

“I don’t think that we need to have every single teacher in the school have guns, but having a couple is definitely helpful. I think that we’d have to give them a couple years of training for them.”

JAN. 22

Italy, Texas

JAN. 23

Benton, Kentucky

kristen GOLLWITZER

SINCE JAN. 1 THERE HAVE BEEN SIX SHOOTINGS at k-12 schools where at least one victim was killed or wounded. This fact has startled students across the nation and rightfully so. It is saddening and disheartening that despite these statistics, our nation’s approach to gun violence has stayed the same. In response to the growing threat high schools have added cameras and started locking doors during school hours. Schools have also instituted intruder drills and evacuation plans. These tactics have not worked well enough, as proven by the multitude of school shootings in the past few years. After Columbine, there have been 122 deaths in major school shootings in-

alex MCATEER

Parkland, Florida

FEB. 1

JAN. 22

Laws, Not Drills

Robin Craig, language arts teacher “I feel like some teachers should, but only a few. Every teacher shouldn’t have guns, because it’d be too much of a danger, but a couple should.”

Los Angeles, California

New Orleans, Louisiana

Winston Salem, North Carolina

Missouri Gun Legislature

DIFFERENT TRAGEDIES, THE SAME ARGUMENT. After the shooting in Florida, the Missouri Senate exploded into debate. Republicans have moved to allow conceal and carry in places, such as college campuses (with a permit), which would not have been allowed before. While democrats are seeking to restrict the sale of ammunition and to repeal a 2016 stand-your-ground bill that allows for conceal and carry citizens to use deadly force in a public space without first attempting to leave the confrontation. I’m not gonna beat around the bush. The republicans in the Senate have introduced strictly reactionary bills. They want us to be prepared if a shooting happens, minimizing loss of life. Democrats on the other hand have proposed proactive solutions. Both seem to genuinely want mass shootings to stop. Let’s break down the proposed democratic policy first: They want to stop anyone under 18 from purchasing ammunition, a common sense action that prevents underage individuals from getting their hands on potentially dangerous objects. It also proposes to give civilians who participate in firearms training courses a tax break. This should

FEB. 14

FEB. 5

Oxon Hill, Maryville

MAR. 2

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

cluding Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and most recently Stoneman Douglas. After the Sandy Hook shooting, a different approach was taken: gun legislation, a highly polarizing topic. Sadly, effective change didn’t come. “Places that had relatively weak gun-control regimes made them weaker, and places that had relatively strong gun-control regimes made them stronger,” according to Saul Cornell an expert on the Second Amendment at Fordham University. Due to many people’s strong protection of the Second Amendment, no national gun regulation has been passed. However, rather than focusing on our right to bear arms, it’s time that the U.S.A. prioritize the safety of our children at school. After trying everything but gun legislation, it is time to move forward. It is time that we move past partisan issues and focus on making our schools safe together. I would strongly advise you, as a student, to educate yourself on this issue. If you feel passionate about gun legislation as I do, you can write to your senators and call other Missouri legislators. If you are 18, vote in local elections for people who are not heavily funded by the NRA. All of these actions could help to stop the gun violence that has ravaged American schools in the past few years.

receive bipartisan support. Rewarding civilians for educating themselves on firearms safety benefits everyone and hurts no one. Finally, democrats seek to repeal the stand-yourground bill in Missouri, a long debated law, similar to one that famously acquitted George Zimmerman of the murder of Trayvon Martin in Florida. These bills allow for people to kill recklessly and leave far too much up for interpretation. Attorney General Eric Holder criticized stand-your-ground laws as “senselessly expanding the concept of self-defense and sowing dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods.” Now for the Republicans: they seek to allow for people to conceal and carry in a host of new places. Why? I understand the need to feel safe, but allowing firearms in more places than ever without passing at least a background check law is the complete opposite of safe. It allows for not just good people, but bad people as well to carry in a plethora of new places. Restricting bad people from having guns is far more important than giving gun owners more privileges. On top of that, there is a bill that seeks to make tracking firearms a felony, an action which seems so moronic I thought I misunderstood. But no, they indeed don’t want guns to be traceable. That means when a bag guy uses a gun, we are limited in the ways to trace the gun back to the bag guy. This action is senseless and fruitless. The most shocking part of this is that it was introduced after the Florida shooting. This time, more than ever, write your senators. Guns are a real threat in our modern society. If people take one thing away from the Florida tragedy, it is that change needs to come.

NEWS

MH S

TED

TEDx speakers perform in the MHS Theatre on Feb. 24. Speakers pictured include Gina Watkins, guidance counselor at Crossroads College Preparatory School; Robert Potter, third year PhD candidate at Washington University in St. Louis; General Stewart Rodeheaver, entrepreneur; Chris King, editor of The St. Louis American; James Nacy, cellist; and Dr. Ammar Hawasli, neurosurgeon at Barnes Jewish Hospital. Photographs by Abhijit Srirangam and Grihith Varaday

TEDx hosts first conference kavya JAIN

them the kinds of things they want to learn.” Aarushi Boinepally, freshman, said the conference was a great way to expose students to issues in the EVER SINCE HE WAS YOUNG, VINAI KUMAR, world today, and the more people who experience it, senior, has spent car rides listening to TED talks the greater impact it has. rather than watching television. He has always had a Boinepally said her biggest takeaway was heardream of one day being a part of a conference either ing about the achievement gap from speaker Gina as a speaker or an organizer. Watkins, guidance counselor at Crossroads College On Saturday, Feb. 24, this dream came true. KuPreparatory School. Watkins spoke on bridging the mar organized the first annual TEDxMarquetteHighsocioeconomic divide in St. Louis. School conference with Akash Sarkar, senior, and “I think it’s so important for everyone to have an other members of the TEDx club. Kumar said TED conferences focus on giving peo- equal opportunity to succeed,” Boinepally said. “The achievement gap was something I didn’t know about ple a space to share ideas to inform and inspire. and now is something I will definitely think about.” “I really wanted to bring the conference to a comIn the future, Boinepally said the conference munity like Marquette because I just think there are would be even more meaningful if students so many people here who are interested in could choose the topics that are dislearning and would just be so receptive to cussed. this sort of thing,” Kumar said. “I saw a “People look at high “I think hearing about things you great opportunity and an even better school kids and think they really love and are interested in is audience.” The event consisted of eight don’t care about learning, but such a powerful thing,” she said. Kumar said he hopes the condifferent speakers, most of whom it’s just the opposite...We just ference not only leads to more Kumar and Sarkar were persondon’t give them the kinds of things conferences among high school ally familiar with. They spoke students, but also a change in about a wide variety of topics they want to learn.” mentality. The conference had a including STEM education and limit of 100 people in attendance, research, the socioeconomic diChris Holmes, veteran teacher which filled up rapidly. vide in St. Louis and preservation “We want people to find what of the arts. at Hazelwood West High their passion is and what captivated Chris Holmes, a veteran teacher at School them and run with it,” Kumar said. “We Hazelwood West High School, spoke at want people to run with their ideas and the conference about reforming the current understand other perspectives.” education system. However, Kumar said putting the conference Holmes said the main message of his speech was the necessity to rethink the classes currently required together was a lot of late nights and hard work. While most people have six to eight months to put on a confor graduation in high school. ference, he and Sarkar only had three to four. “The classes we have are outdated and they don’t The process began with a TED application that, pertain to the changes in the world for a teenager that after multiple revisions, was finally approved. It then have happened in the past twenty years,” Holmes became a lot of event planning such as choosing said. “They don’t take into consideration what teenspeakers, planning the schedule, reserving the Theagers need psychologically, emotionally and frankly atre and arranging for audio and visuals. what their brains need.” “It took a lot of work, but it definitely came into Holmes said every school should have a TEDx fruition, so I’m really happy with it,” Kumar said. conference because it’s the essence of his message. It Nicole Scherder, TEDx sponsor, said one of the gives students the opportunity to think about things most challenging aspects of organizing the event was deeply and to have a dialogue. technology related tasks that needed to be handled. “People look at high school kids and think they “There’s a lot more behind the scenes than I ever don’t care about learning, but it’s just the opposite,” Holmes said. “They crave learning. We just don’t give even realized,” she said.

4 women empowering TED talks

1. his and hers … healthcare 1,115,378 VIEWS

Paula Johnson, Wellesley College President

2. how online abuse of women has spiraled out of control 1,575,691 VIEWS Ashley Judd, actress

3. it’s time for women to run for office

907,505 VIEWS

Halla Tómasdóttir, Iceland Presidential Candidate

4. teach girls bravery, not perfection 3,565,384 VIEWS

Reshma Saujani, Girls Who Code Founder Infographic by Marta Mieze and Kailin Zhang

NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF Admin changes policies

to protect students

mahika MUSHUNI

Claire Schmitz, sophomore, was named Best Performer at the Chesterton, Ind., show choir competition.

Countdowns

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Spring Break

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IN THE WAKE OF THE SHOOTING in Florida, the MHS administration has made multiple policy changes. Senior Principal Carl Hudson said policies regarding visiting alumni were commonly suggested to make the school safer. “When alumni come in the building, they’ll walk through the building so in light of the Florida incident, one thing we talked about was alumni [being able to] come in so we ask teachers to greet them at the Commons,” Hudson said. The driving reason behind the change is the tendency of alumni to wander the halls as they visit teachers, Hudson said. The change is meant to reduce the number of people wandering the halls along with alerting the staff to the whereabouts of alumni within the school. Hudson said if visiting alumni wish to visit multiple teachers, a teacher or a hall monitor would walk them down to the room and out the building when they leave. Principal Dr. Greg Mathison said

Photo Illustration by Kailin Zhang

while he values the presence of alumni at MHS, safety concerns are paramount. “I love the fact that we allow alumni in,” Dr. Mathison said. “Most schools don’t. But they’re wandering the building and that becomes a security risk.” Dr. Mathison said the new policy change also ends outdoor lunches. “That just allows us to keep those doors always locked out in front,” Dr. Mathison said. Hall monitors have been instructed to check-in everyone coming to MHS who they do not know by name or are not wearing a Rockwood badge. All visitors are being asked about the purpose of their visit prior to being buzzed in. Caroline Grosman, sophomore, used to eat outside in the fall.

“It is nice to eat outside and feel the sunshine on your skin,” Grosman said. “Sometimes I feel trapped in the school and I can’t go outside unless I’m in P.E.” Though Grosman does recognize why the administration would take action. “It was nice to eat lunch outside but I can see why they have safety concerns,” Grosman said. Other policy changes include increased attention to those entering and leaving the building, increased supervision of the Kehrs Mill Road side entrance to the school and extra patrols by Chesterfield police on campus. The district also has created a platform for members of the school community to leave tip information on through the Rockwood app.

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IN-DEPTH

HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN STL

Today’s growing concern for human trafficking has led to government action and community awareness. The ‘End It’ movement, marked by a red X, promotes elimination of human trafficking from society forever. kavya JAIN • mahika MUSHUNI • delaney NEELY • kenzie WINSTEAD • austin WOODS SIX YEARS AGO, A FAMILY OF FOUR LIVING IN CHESTERFIELD experienced something that forced them to realize real dangers exist everywhere. Their names have all been changed to protect their privacy. Katie Doe, Class of 2013, ran away from home one night with her short-term boyfriend. The night initially mirrored a few prior nights: Katie would get in an argument with her mother, Jane Doe, and then get in her car and go to her grandmother’s or friend’s house for a while before returning home. But that’s not where Katie went that night. Katie left with a man she had met a few months prior, her then boyfriend. They drove as far as a gas station a few hours out of town when Katie grew apprehensive. Her boyfriend was vague about where they were headed. The pair pulled over to stop and Katie locked herself in a bathroom, calling her parents and the police, and staying there until they arrived. “We were worried sick, but when she eventually did call us and tell us, it was just ‘we have to go. We have to get her out of there’,” Jane said. It wasn’t until a few months later that the full severity of the situation was realized by Jane and her family. Jane’s husband saw the man Katie had left with in a news article. He had been arrested for his involvement in human trafficking in an unrelated case. “It was one of the scarier experiences of my life because had we not gotten involved, that definitely could have been Katie,” Jane said. “You want to get away from things like crime and you want to be able to raise your kids in a safe environment, but the sad fact of the matter is that nobody is safe from something like that. There are certain things that in our society together you just have to be alert and looking out for.” Even before this event, the Does were wary of Katie’s boyfriend. “He never came to the house,” Jane said. “He never wanted anything with us. [The relationship] was going on for months and we had never spoken to him. We never met him. We definitely had concerns.” Jane said there are factors she believes made her daughter vulnerable to this man. “She was definitely struggling with her mental health, and at the time, we weren’t recognizing it for what it was, and so I think she was just looking for anything to help ease the situation,” Jane said. “I think had she been a little more open when talking to us and a little less trusting with anyone who was just giving her the attention she thought she needed, the situation could have been avoided.” In 2016, 7,621 cases of human trafficking were reported inside the U.S., according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. According to a report by the National Human Trafficking Resource Center and the Polaris Project, domestic human trafficking cases in 2016 jumped up 35 percent from 2015. The increase in cases isn’t necessarily from an increase of prevalence in human trafficking but rather from an increase in awareness about the issue. Human trafficking is an act that

Continues on the next page

IN-DEPTH

Trafficked : A look in involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to receive some sort of labor or commercial sex act as defined by the Department of Homeland Security. Jane said it is much easier than anyone realizes to fall into such a situation like this one, but there are steps everyone can take to better protect themselves. “Don’t let somebody take you away from your family or your friends. No one should ever want to isolate you in that way,” Jane said. Another integral part of protecting against the dangers of human trafficking is increasing the conversation about it to reduce the stigma on the individuals who fall into it to reduce victim blaming, Jane said. “It’s been difficult to discuss and reflect on it even within our family because I think Katie, especially at the time, blamed herself for falling victim,” Jane said. “If there was less general blame put on some of the victims, I think that could definitely change some things.” Senior Emma Doe, Katie’s sister, was about 10 years old when her sister nearly fell victim to human trafficking, and it has continued to impact her. “It was the biggest scare to our family, and my mother has been so protective of me and my sister since then,” Emma said. “They were only together two and a half or three months. It wasn’t very long but it was long enough for him to convince her that her life and everything she had wasn’t good enough and that he could provide her with better opportunities.”

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY Although most may seem to think the people of West County don’t have to worry about this issue, St. Louis is a hot-spot for human trafficking. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 74 cases in Missouri related to human trafficking within the first six months of 2017. Of these 74, 59 were for sex, 7 were for labor, 3 were both, and 5 were not specified. Michael Slaughter is a detective with the St. Louis county police department, specifically the vice unit called Special Investigations. His unit deals with cases involving internet crimes against children and human trafficking or prostitution. Slaughter said trafficking, both sex and labor, is prevalent in the area, and the unit has been fairly busy lately. Missouri has an interstate system that runs in every direction. Highway 70 runs east and west and Highway 55 runs north and east. Slaughter said since it’s easy to travel through this state, human trafficking is more prominent.

“People can get from Chicago to here, Memphis to here, Indianapolis, Kansas City,” Slaughter said. “We are aware of the labor trafficking that is going on here in Missouri for tourism.” Slaughter said tourism in Missouri is seasonal and can be seen in the Lake of the Ozarks where people may be opening hotels, tree trimming services, lawn care or golf course maintenance. Pacific Alderman Steve Myers partnered with New Beginnings Lutheran Church in Pacific, to host a human trafficking forum on Jan. 19. About 50 people attended, and they discussed sex trafficking and its relevance in Pacific. They also discussed legislation and law enforcement. Myers said he read a story about a girl being taken from a parking lot of

More than 31,600 total cases have been reported to the Hotline in the last eight years. a Pilot truck stop. Living near a Pilot truck stop in Pacific, his awareness of the issue then opened up. “I started thinking Highway 44 is such a corridor of drug trafficking we know that - there are busts all the time over here,” Myers said. “Is it such a problem with human trafficking? I didn’t know because I never heard much about it.” Myers said he started researching this issue and was amazed by its prevalence. He called Nate Tate, a Missouri House Representative, for more information and discovered he was passionate about raising awareness. From there, he called the Franklin County sheriff asking if they too had a problem. The answer he got was no, but there are busts and known transports through their town. Sullivan, Saint Clair, Pacific along 44 are three towns that get a lot of truck stop traffic. Myers said it is important to bring awareness to healthcare professionals. Often times, the victims of human trafficking find it necessary to go to the doctor or an abortion clinic or any other health care professional, whether it be for regular check-ups or an emergency situation. “I kept thinking if it’s a health crisis maybe that one of the traffic victims

is having a tooth ache you’re going to take them to a dentist right, that dentist right then and there has an opportunity to be aware and alert,” Myers said. “Awareness is the only way they are going to know. I don’t think in the medical industry they really teach that.” He said it’s important for medical professionals to be educated on these issues, and that he had personally reached out to a local dentist and his staff to invite them to his forum. “If we can make a difference for one person, it’s worth it,” Myers said. “[We] try to get them out of this nightmare and into freedom.” He said the education of law enforcement is equally as important. They teach why the victims are in the situation so as to help them get out

Forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry worldwide. instead of locking them up. Slaughter said there’s multiple reasons why girls are in that situation. It could be due to a bad homelife or experiences with abuse. Or it could be that she’s a runaway, a single mother or a drug addict. “Instead of arresting them, let’s take them. Let’s talk to them,” Slaughter said. “Let’s figure out what’s going on. Let’s offer them services, see if we can figure out why they are doing this and help them get out of it.”

SOCIAL MEDIA A girl goes on social media and says she is mad at her parents. A predator is waiting for this. He messages her through a fake profile. “I hate my parents too. Meet me at a party next weekend.” Lauren Ziegler, 2017 Mrs. United States and human trafficking advocate, said this is how it begins. “When we think about human trafficking, we’re picturing the movie taken - a big white van pulling someone off the street,” Ziegler said. “That is not how your children and people are actually being targeted. Social media is one of the biggest dangers today.” Melanie Sallis, senior, often receives

IN-DEPTH

nto human trafficking in STL direct messages from men she doesn’t know. Most of them ask for her Snapchat, but sometimes they even ask to meet up. While Sallis said she knows better than to respond, there may be younger girls who respond and fall prey to possible predators. Dr. Rebecca Dohrman, associate professor of communications at Maryville University, said an important thing for young people to do is to refrain from putting information about their personal lives on social media, as traffickers can use this to detect vulnerability and groom potential victims. “If it’s a quote about being broken hearted or something that had happened recently in a person’s life [on their profile, that could be the opening

An estimated 1 out of 6 runaways are likely child sex trafficking victims. that someone would use to try to provide social support and build a relationship,” she said. “It’s that relationship that can then be exploited long term, and I think that’s what’s really important for teenagers to understand. It’s not just the first or second time a person contacts you that they’ll make some sort of awkward or creepy offer.” Dr. Dohrman said every type of app can potentially be used for trafficking purposes, and that the problem is not only limited to social media. “Even in games people are building relationships and building communities, and anyone can use those to exploit people at any age,” Dr. Dohrman said. “Pretty much any online game or silly little iPad app, like Words With Friends that have that private chat feature can be used in that way.” Educating teenagers about these seemingly trustworthy relationships is something Dr. Dohrman said is imperative for the safety of social media users. “We’ve taught kids to not accept candy from strangers or assess people to see if they feel safe or see if their intuition makes them feel safe and I think that one of the problems with that is that these traffickers do develop strong relationships and groom these individuals before they move into that,”

she said. Among the biggest red flags indicating an attempt at trafficking via social media is encouraging conversations to be kept secret, veering conversations toward sexual topics and making an effort to isolate one from their friends and family, Dr. Dohrman said. “If a person develops a certain relationship with you, they should want to know the people that are in your life,” she said. “So showing a desire to get to know your family, or get to know your friends is a much healthier relationship that’s not built on isolation and ‘I’m the only one that understands you, I’m the only one you should come to.’ Encouraging you to be closer to other people, that’s the sign of a healthy relationship.”

There are 20.9 million victims around the world. Statistic credit: polarisproject.org

A challenge that comes in combating these cases, Dr. Dohrman pointed out, is the reluctance of many teenagers to report to an authority figure when they feel uncomfortable. This is often due to teenagers striving for their own sense of independence and adulthood. Dr. Dohrman said it’s important for teenagers to get over the shame of telling a parent, friend or teacher that they believe they are in a potentially dangerous situation. Altogether, Dr. Dohrman said combating these issues should be a goal of the companies that own social media platforms. “I think that social media companies have a responsibility to think hard about this and to work with legal officials and child psychologists and law enforcement to ensure that to the extent possible they are minimizing the ability of people to use these apps in this way,” she said.

WHAT’S BEING DONE Jean Evans, Missouri House Representative, is currently working on three bills that fight the prominence of human trafficking in Missouri. Her concern for human trafficking victims began before her political

career. The representative worked in a ministry that assisted victims of human trafficking. Evans said this experience opened her eyes to how close to home the problem really was. During the process of creating her bill, Evans met with the State Attorney General’s team on human trafficking. “Someone who was in one of those meetings mentioned that in the Philippines, which is a hotbed of human trafficking, they increased their penalties dramatically,” Evans said. “They saw a huge reduction in the amount of trafficking.” According to the House of Representative website, Evans’ bill “increases the penalty for certain crimes committed in the course of human trafficking.” Evans’ other bills include making it impossible to charge a child with prostitution, requiring people soliciting a minor to register as a sex offender, and charging anyone who presents pornographic materials to a child. On Feb. 20 the House of Representatives passed Evans’ bill that banned marriages of children younger than 15 years of age . The bill was passed in the House of representatives 95-50 with supporters from both sides of the aisle. Matt Giegling, special agent with the FBI, worked on a public corruption task force for 10 years. Cases of human trafficking fell under the squad’s jurisdiction, Giegling said. Still today, he works side-by-side with those who now fight human trafficking. “Everyday, special agents are tackling those cases,” Giegling said. “They monitor social media platforms and websites like Backpage to pin down perpetrators.” The agent confirmed that human trafficking cases are of the utmost importance to the FBI. He said because of their current prevalence, they are a large priority. Jessica Wilkins is the reducing the risk coordinator for The Covering House, an organization founded in 2008 with the purpose of providing refuge and restoration to sexually exploited and trafficked children. “I am currently trying to get ahold of administrators to make three main points: sex trafficking is a problem, it is a problem here, and it is important that we educate students,” Wilkins said. The Covering House offers child victims of sexual exploitation a safe haven. Children and their families are invited to stay at the farm house where they undergo group and individual therapy. Children often stay in the program for up to 13 months, Wilkins said. “To my knowledge, The Covering House is the only foundation in Missouri that offers those under 18 years old assistance,” Wilkins said. “I think that is important to understand.”

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they “materially and substantially interfere with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school.” For instance, all schools maintain the right to punish students for walking out in protest because that constitutes a disruption in the school’s ability to properly operate. Nevertheless, Principal Dr. Greg Mathison said it is important to create a school environment free of disruption in which all students feel as if they can speak their minds and express themselves. “My goal is to make sure we value the learning experience here in the classrooms, as well as make sure students feel that their voices can also be heard,” he said. Dr. Mathison said it’s just as important for a student to ensure that they’re not only voicing their opinions, but respectfully listening to the opinions of others as well. “What’s been lost in society is civil discourse, civil discussion, being able to say ‘this is what I believe and here’s why,’ and somebody listening not to win an argument, but to see another person’s perspective,” Dr. Mathison said. “If we could get there and teach our students to do that, we will be at a much better place than we are right now as a country. I think we have to teach students how to be engaged in dialogue and improve our listening skills, and I think it comes down to ‘I’m not listening to win an argument, I’m listening to truly understand’.” On the country’s recent spread of student protests, and the issue of school shootings, Dr. Mathison said the two most important things to keep in mind are to have positive relationships with other members of the school community and to follow the concept of “see something, say something.” Dr. Mathison also said he encourages students to download the Rockwood app on their phones and utilize the anonymous tip feature if they believe a

FEATURES fellow student is going to hurt themselves or someone else. The feature is completely anonymous, and various administrators will receive the tip and take immediate action. There are numerous school dis-

the Senate,” Haas said. “I don’t know how the House is looking right now, as there are more conservative members in it. I’d love to see that get passed.” While Haas said he believes in people’s right to own guns and is a supporter of the Second Amendment, he believes that, along with every RIGHT TO PROTEST other amendment in the Bill of Rights, tricts throughout the country that have it is not absolute. Because of this, he taken a hardline position toward the said he sees no need for people to own walkouts. The Needville Independent weapons like AR-15s. School District in Texas, for instance, “You do not need an AR-15 to plans on suspending participating stuhunt,” he said. “There are plenty of dents for three days. other guns you can use for self-deDespite this, a myriad of univerfense or home defense. You can’t sities have promised applicants that conceal carry an AR-15 just because of any punishments they are met with how huge they are. I feel like AR-15’s for participating in a walkout will not specifically are weapons where there’s harm their likelihood of being admitjust objectively no use for their private ted. DePaul University, Yale and Dartownership.” mouth are only a few colleges that have Haas said that while he is staunchly expressed such reassurance to student against the stigmatizing of the mentalprotesters. ly ill, mental illness still plays a role in Other schools, like the University a large number of mass shootings. of Chicago, have expressed support for “I would support expanding the nationwide demonstration while funding to mental health services for not stating whether suspensions due people who do have various kinds of to involvement in a walkout would be mental illness,” he said. ignored by the admissions office. Devin Zara Abbassi, junior, also said menHaas, senior, has committed to the Unital illness plays a role in mass shootversity of Chicago, and said that ings, and that extensive background he is content with the school’s checks should be utilized to provide statement and hopes that more insight as to whether someother schools follow suit. one’s mental illness actually “I think that there’s contributes to their potential “What do you suggest I nothing more patriotfor violence. do? Just sit here and let ic than exercising “I think that we need this continue to happen? your constituto come up with some This is just going to haptional liberties sort of test or methpen, and we need to get to stand up od that can analyze used to it? I’m not okay for what you ‘these people have with that, and I don’t think believe in,” Haas mental illnesses, but anyone is.” said. “There’s a they’re safe, they’re not reason we have a First going to do anything harmZARA ABBASSI Amendment. I would ful’ versus the people who will JUNIOR love for all colleges, and all harm people, and that’s how we high schools, to recognize this should decide who should obtain as a legitimate exercise of the firearms,” Abbassi said. First Amendment, and I hope that Abbassi said she also supports more colleges send out such statements measures such as background checks saying that if you are standing up for and banning semi automatic weapons, what you believe in, as long as you but that her biggest goal in participataren’t being violent and you are within ing in gun control protests is to help in the limits of your constitutional rights, making the amount of people who are that you will not be punished.” passionate about reform apparent to Haas said he appreciates students lawmakers. using social media platforms to let their “The big thing is to show how voices be heard, but they should realize many people care and want there to that it needs to paired with direct acbe change,” she said. “We need to start tion to truly be effective. somewhere, and I want to start with “At the end of the day, tweeting showing how many people care.” about a problem won’t solve it,” he In the past, Abbassi has attended said. “But getting out to vote for people two women’s marches and the March who will have the power to solve it, for Science in 2017. She has also writthat’s how problems get solved.” ten to state representatives. “[Activism] is important in my life because I’m a very opinionated LOOKING FORWARD person, and I’m very passionate about Haas said some specific solutions certain issues and policies,” she said. “I to gun violence that he would like like to be involved in the government to see go into effect include banning and bringing action to my beliefs. So the bump stock, stricter background it’s very important that I have a way checks and raising the minimum age to to exercise that and I do that through own a semiautomatic firearm from 18 activism, whether it’s through peaceful to 21. He is also extremely supportive protesting or just sharing my opinion.” of the Fix NICS bill, which outlines Something that frustrates Abbassi, repercussions for federal agencies that she said, is when detractors brand studon’t report records to the National dent protests as being ineffective and Instant Criminal Background Check not worthwhile. System. “What do you suggest I do?” she “I’m very glad that it does seem said. “Just sit here and let this continue to have bipartisan support, at least in to happen? This is just going to hap-

pen, and we need to get used to it? I’m not okay with that, and I don’t think anyone is.”

EFFECTIVENESS OF PROTEST Michael Wu, senior, said he doubts the effectiveness of student protests, although he does think it is important that those involved are standing up for what they believe in. “I’ll wait and see how effective it is,” Wu said. “But if I had to guess, I don’t think anything will actually happen.” Wu said he doesn’t believe the recent nationwide demonstrations will lead to change in the way guns are purchased and handled because the attitudes held by those involved are not rooted deep enough in historical sentiments. “It’s too much of a spontaneous effort,” he said. “If enough people made a really extended effort to do something, then [change] might happen. It can’t just be inspired by current events, it has to be a long, deeply held belief. That’s the only way to change something.” Wu said that the nature of how protest begins is often misconstrued by popular belief as being more sudden than it actually is. “It might seem counterintuitive because we think of revolutions as spontaneous and coming from popular sentiment, but most of them aren’t spontaneous and are a long time coming,” Wu said. “‘Revolution’ is a misnomer.” While he said he doesn’t have a strong stance on the issue of gun control at the moment, Wu said he is sure of one thing: gun control research is imperative. “Guns are involved in a lot of deaths, yet compared to the research we’ve done on a problem such as cancer, it’s completely negligible and nonexistent,” Wu said. “And you can do research. You could figure out a way to do causation studies on gun control in certain areas and the effects. It could be a science, but we haven’t made it one yet.” Wu said that effective research on the matter is needed, but an exact cause of mass shootings will never be identified. He said he believes the nature of protests will always remain vague and likely ineffectual. Jackson Maurer, senior, said student protests can be effective only if they’re part of a much larger, expansive movement that has strength in numbers. “I think this is going to do nothing from just MHS, but if it’s a nationwide thing I think it will start some changes,” he said. Maurer describes himself as politically moderate, with his views on social issues leaning more toward the left. He said he believes in some gun control measures, but not to an excessive degree. For instance, he is supportive of background checks, but not of raising the minimum age to own a gun. “I don’t think the age should be moved to 21 because then you shouldn’t be able to serve in the military [at age 18] because you’re handling guns,” he said.

FEATURES ARMING TEACHERS One thing Maurer leans more toward the right on, he said, is his view on arming teachers as a means to combat school shootings. “I think it would be a good approach, just in bigger schools,” Maurer said. “It would be appropriate for more suburban schools like MHS that have near 2,000 students because there are a lot of people that could potentially get hurt and somebody needs to be there to stop it other than just one armed officer.” Along with their students, teachers have found themselves being drawn into the discussion of what actions need to be taken to minimize school shootings. President Trump recently condoned the idea that arming teachers would be an effective way of combating the issue. In response to this, teachers have taken to social media with the hashtag #ArmMeWith to express distaste with the notion that they should be armed, and instead bring attention to resources they believe would be more effective, such as increased funding for mental health resources in schools. Amy Doyle, social studies teacher, said that while arming teachers may seem like an effective way to keep students safe at first, examining all the different possibilities reveals that this might not be the case. “I think at the end of the day it would contribute to a chaotic environment if something were to happen,” Doyle said. “Not to mention when the

THE VOTE: mahika MUSHUNI

EVERYTIME A FRIEND OF HIS turns 18, Elliot Svirnovskiy, senior, immediately grills them on their favorite candidates for the 2018 midterms. “I just love politics,” Svirnovskiy said. “It makes me upset to see anyone not meeting their civic duty.” Svirnovskiy has been following politics since the 2008 election. So this cycle, the first in which he can vote, has a special meaning for him. “It’s the first time I can be heard,” Svirnovskiy said. “I get to make a difference. That’s really empowering.” Missouri government policy allows its citizens to

TO W HO ISTER REG OTE: TO V

police are coming in, not knowing who the actual shooter is. Then you have the slew of problems of ‘where do you keep the guns?’ You can’t keep them in the classroom because somebody could get ahold of them. If you keep them locked in an office, then how are you going to get to them on time?” Doyle, who teaches Contemporary Issues, said she has seen a lot of discussion among her students in light of the recent shooting in Florida. “What I’ve noticed is, with the juniors and seniors especially, [student discussion] really echoes the beliefs of the adult population,” she said. “You guys are adept enough, and you know enough just as much as anybody else does. I see similar types of conversations happening.” Doyle said the vast majority of her students believe in keeping guns out of the hands of violent people and keeping them in the hands of law-abiding citizens. She sees more divisiveness in the question of how this can be achieved. “What I’ve been seeing more recently is the recognition that there needs to be some sort of regulation,” she said. “In the last 10 years I’d say that’s a shift because it used to be, ‘there should be little to no regulation’.” Throughout her years as a teacher,

CULTURE/CLIMATE Doyle said she first noticed a drastic change in the culture of the schoolhouse after the Columbine High School

massacre on April 20, 1999. This shift in the cultural climate involved an increase in the prominence of school shootings and their related issues in public discourse, she said. “That’s when we started doing intruder drills, and we didn’t have intruder drills prior to the Safe Schools Act that was passed in 1999,” she said. “I would say ever since those intruder drills people have been thinking about and talking about [school shootings].” Scott Szevery, social studies teacher, also said he saw school shootings in this building that are very symbecome a much more preeminent issue pathetic and would want to help the after Columbine. students in some way, shape, “There had been other school or form, to be effective,” he said. “The shootings on a smaller scale, but when last thing anybody wants is, whethit happened there, we were all so er you’re a student or an adult in the shocked and thought, ‘this is a crazy, building, a pointless event.” one-off event’,” Szevery said. “The sad In addition, Szevery said that to thing is how routine it’s become.” yield actual results, the nationwide As a history teacher, Szevery said school walkouts should not be the only he first heard about student protests course of action taken by students. going on in the area when a student “I don’t know that a walkout does brought it up in relation to the protests much,” he said. “Is the state legislature of the civil rights movement that the ever going to know that the MHS stuclass was discussing at the time. dents walked out? Probably not, unless Szevery said he believes that any they lived in the area. Even if they lived student who is planning on particinear here, maybe not. If you want to pating in a demonstration should look get in the way and effect change, you back to student protests of the past have to make sure you think it through and try to emulate the values upheld and do it in a way that actually could by those, such as meticulous prepara- make a difference, as opposed to a tion and extensive knowledge of one’s gesture that might feel good in the rights. moment but doesn’t have any practical “Do your research, do your home- effects.” work, find out exactly what’s allowed, and talk to the powers that be as well because there are a lot of adults

Being an active citizen register to vote as soon as they turn 17 1/2. For seniors like Svirnovskiy, that allows them to complete their paper work and learn about their assigned polling place prior to the election. Svirnovskiy turned 17 and a half in January, but he hasn’t registered to vote. He said he plans to shortly. “I definitely want to get up there as soon as possible,” Svirnovskiy said. “It’s a really significant thing.” Erin Sullenger, social studies teacher, first voted in the 1979 presidential election. Sullenger said that free elections are part of the American fabric. “Voting is a civic responsibility. No one can force us to

vote, but we are given the opportunity,” Sullenger said. Sullenger views voting as an imperative part of democracy. “As a government teacher, I think voting is very important because it allows you a chance to voice your opinions, and since we live in a democratic society, we want the people to make decisions,” Sullenger said. Rebecca Sparling, registrar, handles voter registration forms at MHS. Students can grab a form from either the Registrar’s Office or Principal Dr. Greg Mathison’s office. “If students want to register to vote, they have to produce a drivers license or another legal document showing

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their birthday,” Sparling said. “Students can register to vote when they are 17 and a half.” After students complete the paperwork, they can either turn it back into either office or take the application home and mail it in to the county board of election. Sparling got her voter registration training about a month ago and said since then her office has had no traffic regarding registration. “The majority of people register to vote at the post office. I don’t think they realize they can do it at the school,” Sparling said.

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ARTS & LEISURE

FEMALE EMPOWERMENT:

1 The Survival Girls Written by Ming Holden, this is a nonfiction novella that follows young women in the slums of Nairobi shaping their stories into empowering lessons for women everywhere. The book is based off her work with Congolese women in Nairobi, Kenya who were victims of gender-biased violence.

kenzie WINSTEAD

Here are three novels that embody International Woman’s Day, which is Thursday, March 8, and Woman’s History Month. This diverse group of literature offers both fiction and non-fiction windows into the worlds of feminism, misogyny and racism.

2 Difficult Women Written by Roxane Gay, this is a short story collection that creates an image of modern day America. The book is said to be a perfect read in light of the #METOO movement. Gay’s writing shines light on sexual assault among many other controversial topics.

3 This Will Be My Undoing Written by Morgan Jerkins, this book takes readers through a collection of essays all reflective of Jerkins’ life as an African-American woman in the U.S. The essays touch on topics such as pop-culture, misogyny, racism and feminism.

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ARTS & LEISURE

Rock On:

DERIC BECKER AND HIS BAND PREPARE FOR UPCOMING RELEASE PARTY austin WOODS

ALL STACKED UP kavya JAIN

This month, the Messenger visited brunch places in the area and reviewed two dishes of pancakes. These were our highlights. Let the pancake wars begin.

Fluffiness: 8.5/10 Toppings/additions: 7/10 Atmosphere : 9/10 Price: $ 5.3 Miles

IHOP

While IHOP is more commercialized than Uncle Bill’s, it’s bright interior and fun booth seating provides a different sense of comfort. The menu consists of a plethora of breakfast options including french toast and waffles. The tables are set with four extra types of syrups and upbeat music plays in the background. While the pancakes were hot and fluffy with loads of whipped cream and compote piled on top, I found myself looking for more blueberries inside the pancake and less of whatever was on top.

Credit to decedy.bandcamp.com

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the decision to record in analog to achieve a more vintage rock sound. “The production is different, but the music is similar,” Deric said. It took awhile for the band to get to this point, however. The band started out doing a lot of pay-to-play shows on the STL scene, where the artist plays shows without getting paid for the purpose of bringing people into the venue. “We got noticed by doing that because the venues liked what we did and invite us back,” Dylan said. Deric said he is immensely proud of the new album and has seen a lot of recent improvement in Decedy’s music output. “I think that it was just kind of a maturing process of finally finding the writing ability and playing ability to write and record music that we’ve always wanted to write and record, we just didn’t have enough experience to go after it,” he said. “Now I think we do, and I’m excited about how these came out.” The band is throwing a release party for the album on March 16 at the Firebird, 2706 Olive St, at 6:30 p.m. The tickets cost $12 at the door, and $10 in advance. As for Decedy’s performance, Deric said to expect the music to be put first and foremost, in lieu of over-the-top theatricality or special effects. “From us, you’re going to see raw instruments onstage,” he said. “We’ve got a couple things for props, little things. But we’re not the band that has a big screen behind us or a lot of background effects or sounds or anything, so it’s just instruments and amps.” Deric said that altogether he wants the party to be less of a show and more of an event. “As a live show, it’s gonna be way more fun and there’s a ton of kids coming from our school already so it’s gonna be a party kind of thing,” he said.

Unc le

DERIC BECKER, SENIOR, RELEASED his first studio album with his band, Decedy, entitled 1979, on Tuesday, Feb 27. Decedy is a local rock band influenced by classic groups like Led Zeppelin and Rush. They have been going strong since 2009 and are only gaining prominence as they make more music. The band is composed of Becker, senior, on guitars, keyboards and vocals; Dylan Becker, Class of 2014, on bass and vocals; and Isaiah Blackford, Class of 2016, on drums and vocals. “Music helps me get my thoughts out,” Deric said. “I tend to over think things and it helps me rationalize my thoughts and take it as it comes.” The band’s songwriting process consists of Deric coming to the rest of the group with a rudimentary song concept, which Dylan expands on. Then, the band rehearses until they get it right. Blackford also helps write on occasion and is credited by Dylan with bringing a newfound energy to the band that wasn’t present when it was only the Becker brothers. This energy comes from a lot of the pop-punk and contemporary rock he listens to and takes inspiration from. The synergistic songwriting process combined with the group’s classic rock energy has clearly proven to be a beneficial formula for the band, as they even landed a set at the coveted Vans Warped Tour in 2015. Dylan said that if other local STL groups want to reach this level of success, they need to make sure they do one thing as much as they possibly can: promote. “Promote, promote, promote,” he said. “Get people involved. Social media is a really big thing. Promoting is the key.” Despite the success they’ve seen, one thing has remained constant: they are strictly a rock and roll band. “We are rock and roll music,” Deric said. “That’s kind of our thing. There are so many bands trying to corner themselves. You ask what genre it is, and they say like, six different subgenres.” The band started on Halloween of 2009 when the Becker brothers were playing in their garage for the people passing by in their neighborhood. Ever since then, they’ve been putting out original music and playing shows around the STL area. Prior to 1979, the band has released two EPs, “The T-Shirt EP” and “Do You Ever Think?” The new album is composed of remastered tracks from the “Do You Ever Think?” EP, as well as a handful of new tracks recorded at the “Welcome To 1979” recording studio in Nashville, Tenn. “Welcome To 1979” is a strictly analog studio, meaning there are no digital recording materials present. The band made

Fluffiness: 8/10 Toppings/additions: 10/10 Atmosphere : 8/10 Price: $ 10.5 miles This 24-hour pancake house is casual and homey. It’s large windows, fireplace, old fashioned decor, and quick service make it a comfortable and low-key restaurant. The menu consists of classic pancake options and comfort food. The chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes both had perfect topping to batter ratios and were warm. The creamy butter and syrup made the pancakes all the better. Good pancakes for a good price.

Other breakfast hotspots: Balabans ----- 2.6 miles The Shack ----- 3.1 miles First Watch ----- 4.2 miles Mimi’s Cafe ----- 5.4 miles