the
MESSENGER
n. VII
VOLUME XXIX, ISSUE VII | MO 63017 | MARQUETTEMESSENGER.COM | MAY 2022
Under Pressure
Athletes find both relief and stress in their sports See story on pgs. 8-9
INSIDE 03 11 03 NO MORE FREE LUNCH Lunches will no longer be free for the 2022-2023 school year.
07
07 ASPIRING AUTHORS Creative writers at MHS look to pursue their passion in the future. 11 WALLY’S REST STOP Local mega gas station gains popularity among students.
13 Gas prices rise and cause concern for students who drive. See full story on pg. 4.
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 Baseball and softball coach takes over as new athletic director. See full story on pg. 15.
PREVIEW
16
13 OPINION: SELECTIVE ATTENTION IN NEWS The news leaves many people in the dark on serious issues. 16 SPECIAL OLYMPICS Students from around St. Louis compete in Special Olympics. Photographs by Liza Cooper, Marin Ellington, Willem Hummel, Jacob Robinson and Emma Tyulyayev. Front page illustration by Mason Kellerman
OUR POLICY
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issue VII
NEWS
RSD returns to paid lunches for 2022-2023 school year
175 MHS Students have been absent in the last month
willem HUMMEL
381 MHS students have more than 18 absences this year Photo illustration by Ben Hughes
School attendance rates decline after pandemic rue SIDDIQUI
3
not attend school altogether. “As kids build the habit of missing high school, Across the nation, students are being marked absent they can’t just flip a switch for college,” Durham said. at a higher rate than ever before. “When you’re on your own, it’s even harder to show The Los Angeles Times reports that 46 percent up.” of students have missed at least 9 percent of the Echoing Durham’s concerns, Jenny Yang, senior, school year. The New York Post reports that the rate said she wishes to see attendance prioritized at MHS. of chronic absenteeism went from 26 percent in the Yang has not missed a day of this school year. 2018-2019 school year to 40 percent this school year. “I’ve only ever missed 30 minutes of school before A Brookings study states that more than half of all for a dance performance, so I have a habit of always students in Michigan have missed more than 18 days coming to school,” Yang said. “There have been days or more. this year that I have wanted to skip due to senioritis, At MHS, attendance has dropped from 94.38 per- but I only have about two more months of school, so cent in March 2019 to 92.22 percent in March 2022. I’m just trying to push through at this point.” When applied to the 2,251 student population, that Yang said the problem lies in the transition from adds up to approximately 175 students absent within online school to in-person school, as it has been diffithe past month, when it cult for many students. used to be 125 students “I don’t know if it’s absent. my fear of missing out, “As kids build the habit of missing Rob Durham, lanbut I would hate to miss high school, they can’t just flip a out on something at guage arts teacher, said he sees absenteeism switch for college. When you’re on school, whether that in his classroom daily. be in class or with my your own, it’s even harder to show friends,” Yang said. Durham teaches two freshman classes, two “More students need to up.” sophomore classes and a have that attitude.” creative writing class. Yang said she sug“All five classes, gests more “fun” incorRob Durham, across the board, have porated into school to get language arts teacher been the lowest attenstudents excited about dance in my 10 years school again. here,” Durham said. “There’s still a student I haven’t Senior Jane Doe, who prefers not to be named, even met yet from the second semester.” has had 121 absences thus far this year. Durham said he accounts this issue as a second“I had health issues over quarantine, and now I ary effect of COVID-19, as the pandemic resulted have doctor appointments every week,” Doe said. in a shift in attitude toward school for students and “Since I took easier classes this year, it’s easier for me parents alike. to not go to school and not miss anything.” “We’ve gotten used to making school a part-time Doe said school is a priority; however, health and thing, and missing days has become a habit. When wellness take first priority. students have that mindset and the parents have that “As long as I have all As then I’m okay with not mindset, it doesn’t seem like a big deal to miss that going to school,” Doe said. “It doesn’t feel like I’m many days,” Durham said. “I think parents in some missing anything.” cases are enabling it.” Associate Principal Dr. Tracey Waeckerle said Durham said there should be some sort of “wakeattendance will gradually return to normal. up call” in regards to attendance; however, increased “It’s an adjustment,” Dr. Waeckerle said. “That leniency due to the pandemic has made that difficult. two-year time frame was hard on people, so it’s going “I spend more time with the kids who aren’t here, to take time to get back from that.” making assignments and tests up, than I do with the Dr. Waeckerle said students who are struggling ones that are, so we’ve also enabled it,” Durham said with their attendance can re-learn the importance of Durham said a policy change that puts attendance school. rates on transcripts, along with an overall attitude “Bottom line is, it’s important to be in school. It’s change toward school, needs to start happening. He hard to do well when you’re not here,” Dr. Waeckerle said students who are absent often due to mental said. “There’s a direct link between people’s attenhealth, physical health or other issues should enroll dance and their success.” in online courses provided by RSD rather than simply
Thursday, June 2, will be the last day free lunches will be available to all students. Next school year, students will once again need to pay for food at school. During the 2021-22 school year, RSD operated off of the Seamless Summer program instead of the National School Lunch program used pre-COVID. The Seamless Summer program allowed districts across the U.S. to offer free lunches to their students because of the effects of COVID-19, Carmen Fischer, director of child nutrition services, said. Madison Taylor, freshmen, is a working student who will most likely need to pay for her own lunches when the program is no longer available. “It wouldn’t affect me that much because obviously school lunch isn’t going to be $20 every day,” Taylor said. “But, it definitely would cause me to put more money aside just because I have budgets for certain things such as insurance and gas.” Taylor said she does think lunches should improve in quality proportional to the price. “The quality of food should improve if kids are paying because at that point the money that we are gaining should be put toward better food,” Taylor said. When the program was set in place, some students, like Taylor, noticed a difference in the quality of lunches. A factor that caused this difference was supply chain issues as producers discontinued food products, Fischer said. “We’re just serving what we can get,” Fischer said. “Next year’s menus and service will depend on how many employees we can get over the summer and what food is being produced by manufacturers.” In previous years there would be 18-19 employees, Fischer said, but this year there are only 4 regular ones making it hard to run so many lines. “I normally wouldn’t be out serving, but we’re so short I have to be a cashier,” Fischer said. Ryane Little, a parent volunteer at the School Store, has two children in RSD and has saved nearly $700 since the free lunch program began. She said prior to the program, her girls used to take lunches from home, but they reverted to eating school lunches when the program began. “It was a good program to have, and I think it was worth having, especially when a lot of people were out of work after COVID,” Little said. “But, now that everything is going back, I guess for lack of better terms ‘normal,’ I think it would be good to go back to having free lunches for those that actually qualify for them.”
Students walk through the lunch line after receiving their free lunch. RSD will reinstate paid lunches at the start of the 2022-2023 school year. “Quality will definitely be different than what it was before COVID,” said Carmen Fischer, director of child nutrition services. Photograph by Aleena Shaik
NEWS
4
GAS ON THE RISE
may 2022
Increased sanctions on Russia lead to gas price increases
Aubrey Adams, junior, usually spent $37 to fill up the tank of her 2010 Mini Cooper. Since the rise in prices, she now pays about $50. “I feel trapped because I have to stay home more often,” Adams said. “Now, I have to be more conscious of my spending.” Driving is her way to clear her mind. Although Adams’ parents pay for her gas money, she is still concerned about gas prices. “I don’t want to waste my parents’ money,” Adams said. In early February, gas prices started to rise in response to the impending invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The increase is mainly caused by increased sanctions by both the U.S. and other countries who have taken Russian oil off the market. According to the National School Transportation Association, roughly 26 million kids board school buses on a daily basis. RSD is responsible for 13,600 of that number. Mike Heyman, RSD director of transportation, said the district is able to handle the situation. “In regards to transportation, the district will have no disruptions,” Heyman said. The district buys gas for a cheaper price because it buys in bulk, Heyman said. Currently, unleaded gas is about
$3.95, and the district buys it for $3.21. Diesel is sold for about $4.25, and the district only pays $3.52. The budget will be affected because of a rise in fuel costs, Heyman said, but the district’s finance department has fully anticipated and prepared for the increase in prices. Almost 50 percent of the buses in the district are unleaded buses. Heyman said the transportation department is working its best to replace diesel buses with regular buses in the hopes of saving money and helping the environment. The fuel budget from 2017 to 2020 decreased by $197,584. This year, the transportation department had planned $539,896 for the budget. Heyman said that in response to the price increase, the budget is planned for $1,143,137. Some local businesses such as Phillips 66 on Clayton Road, aren’t seeing much of a concern with the rise in gas prices, but are still recovering from the decrease in the volume of gas sold caused by the pandemic. “Our gasoline margins are based on our costs and what we sell at street price,” Rick Grosz, owner of Phillips 66, said. Dave Dyer, owner of Claymont Auto Repair, hasn’t seen a massive rush to the pumps or an increase in panic. The only difference in cost is credit card fees. Back when gas prices were $2 a gallon, customers could get about a 3
Price Pinpoint:
Gas prices in Missouri over a five year period
aubrey LACAVICH
Aubrey Adams, junior, puts gas in her 2010 Mini Cooper at Petro-Mart for about $50, a jump from her usual $37. Photograph by Jacob Robinson
percent credit card fee on $2. Since the rise in prices, credit card fees have doubled with it now at $4. “People that need gas, need gas,” Dyer said. Prices have risen before during the 70s and 80s, and about 10 years ago, they were over $4, Dyer said. “It’s nothing we haven’t seen before,” Dyer said. Adam Starling, economics teacher, said inflation is currently at rates not seen since the 1970s. “Schools, businesses and families will have to make cuts to their spend-
2018: $2.63
MO has the lowest average gas price in the US Information according to American Automobile Association
- American Automobile Association
ing to stay within their budget constraints,” Starling said. “Rising more than just a couple cents, there isn’t a reasonable way for consumers to avoid the financial strain.” Patrick Schrappen, chemistry teacher, drives 25 miles to get to work each day from St. Louis city. To save gas, he only drives if it’s essential. If he has errands around MHS, Schrappen walks instead of drives. “If I want to work here and live where I live in the city, I have to deal with gas prices being what they are,” Schrappen said.
2021: $2.87
2020: $1.90 2019: $2.48
2022: $3.77
Waterway Gas & Wash is the cheapest gas station with $3.73 per regular gallon Information by Geico’s Gas Price Locator As of Tuesday, April 26
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issue VII
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6
FEATURES
may 2022
Previously identified by the puzzle piece, the autistic community has now adopted the rainbow infinity symbol. The puzzle piece was replaced because it suggested people with ASD are challenging to deal with or a “puzzle.” The new infinity logo creates more positivity and unity. Illustrations by Emma Tyulyayev
Autism Acceptance Month encourages inclusion emma TYULYAYEV Sophomore Gabby Bowser, who found out in third grade she is on the autism spectrum, didn’t think she was too different from others growing up. “You can’t see autism, so educating people about it will help with acceptance,” Bowser said. She celebrates Autism Acceptance Month during April because it allows for others who do not have the disorder to learn more about it. Krissy Bowser, Gabby’s Mom, who helped get her daughter diagnosed through the Special School District (SSD), praises that Autism Acceptance Month allows for people to recognize and become aware of the similarities and differences of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). “As Gabby says, autism means ‘awesome, I’m just different’,” Krissy said. “She can do everything, even if it may take a little longer to learn and be a little more difficult.” Krissy has found that the month also focuses on the inclusivity and acceptance of people with ASD, which has had positive effects on the community and the awareness of it throughout the years. She said the more awareness that is spread about ASD, the more people will understand and accept the people on the spectrum. “Be aware of yourself, and hopefully everyone else will be aware also,” Krissy said. “It all turns into acceptance.” Laura Carlton, sophomore, became friends with Gabby their freshman year. Carlton said Gabby’s ASD limits her ability to read certain social cues and interactions, which sets her apart from others. Regardless of the differences, Carlton said ASD does not negatively affect their friendship. Carlton said Autism Acceptance Month should be recognized more often at school and in the community because of the value that awareness can have. “I feel there is a lack of understanding about autism throughout our generation,” Carlton said. She encourages other students to take their time to learn and educate themselves about the disorder.
What is Autism? Lindsey Lux, school psychologist, said the first stride to establish April as Autism Awareness Month came from the Autism Society in 1970. From there, the idea of spreading information about ASD to the public grew. In 2021, efforts to change the name of the month to Autism Acceptance Month aimed to help foster acceptance of the individuals in the ASD community. Over time, Lux said, ASD has been characterized by many types of diagnoses and differing levels of impairment. Today, ASD is quantified as a large spectrum. It typically affects people’s social interaction and communication.
“Even if someone on the autism spectrum struggles with understanding social communication and interactions with others, it does not always mean that they do not want those interactions,” Lux said. Lux said Autism Acceptance Month is a great opportunity to educate about the basic differences of people with ASD, to uplift and celebrate those in the community, and to understand how to show respect for and honor to the community. “I think that any opportunity to raise awareness and understanding about our differences, disabilities and uniqueness is worth taking,” Lux said. “So often we can feel scared, negative or uncomfortable with what we do not understand.” Danelle Potts, school psychologist, described ASD as the deficit in social skills and communication. The spectrum part of ASD comes from the fact that these two deficits range in their intensities. Potts said when there is a lack of awareness, people will misunderstand what ASD truly is and how it affects the people who live with it everyday. “The more we recognize and to talk about and discuss that disorder, the more awareness we can raise about it as a whole,” Potts said. SSD Principal Stacy Hueberger said the month is important to help raise awareness of the stigmas and false information surrounding ASD. She said it’s important that people realize that even if some kids are different, that does not mean it’s negative. “I think the more that we can bring awareness to ways that people with disabilities are similar to their peers the better,” Hueberger said.
The autism spectrum is more accurately defined by a circle shaped diagram rather than a literal sliding scale. Each person has different symptoms and intensities of what’s different about them, which is represented by the different sections and their sizes and colors.
issue VII
7
FEATURES
novelty- Students aspire to be authors
marin ELLINGTON From the moment he first opened his Chromebook and his fingers hit the keys, senior Marko Marquez was able to bring to life his childhood dream: becoming an author. At 10-years-old, he began to cultivate and to write down his ideas. But it wasn’t until the age of 16 that he started to gain a concrete idea for his novel. “The goal, essentially, was to create a world that was purely alien in every way, and yet these characters act so human,” Marquez said. “Since this is a fantasy world, I can embellish some things and put some eccentricities. I can go all out, make [characters] look nothing like a human but give it intelligence like a human.” When he begins writing, Marquez starts with brief descriptions of the characters before moving onto broader ideas such as landscapes and landmarks. Then he begins to write down a summary of the different races, countries and religions presented in the novel. Though he “wings it” for the middle of the book, Marquez has a definite beginning and end to the story when he writes. “Afterward, I take away all of the things that I don’t like and that don’t make sense and add things that will make the story better,” Marquez said. Marquez also enrolled in the Creative Writing class at MHS to help seal the
Chloe Inman, senior, works diligently during her Creative Writing class. She has plans to attend college to pursue her writing passion. “I’m going into fiction,” Inman said. “It’s one of my favorite genres to write.” Photograph by Emma Tyulyayev
cracks in his writing and become faChloe Inman, senior, has decided miliar with new writing styles. Though to make writing a part of her education he does not have a published book moving forward. Inman will be mayet, Marquez said he hopes to one day joring in creative writing at Columbia be proficient College Chicago to enough to use The average age of authors further her lifelong his writing as for writing. when their first novel is passion a source of in“I can create a published is 36. come. story on my own. “I want these A whole other books to be my world,” Inman said. Curtis Brown Creative legacy. I want Inman said her these books to passion for writing inspire and allow began in seventh grade but she wasn’t more people to take up a computer or aware it was something she could pencil and write,” Marquez said. “I have pursue in college until she got to high a goal to inspire people, to not be afraid school. to express their concepts no matter Recently, Inman was awarded the how weird they are.” Faculty Scholarship from Columbia
College Chicago for her writing. She was required to submit the first chapter of a book she is writing and faculty from her chosen major decided on a winner. “I sometimes have self doubt about my writing, so when I got the scholarship it made me so excited, and I cried,” Inman said. Rob Durham, Creative Writing teacher, said the class works to instill the discipline necessary for his students to produce great work. “One of my goals is to make writing a habit,” Durham said. “I think students have habits of taking pictures of moments. My goal is to try to make them want to write about it everyday.” Durham himself is a published author with works such as “Around the Block” and “Don’t Wear Shorts on Stage” and said he exposes his students to a wide variety of writing styles including short stories, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, memoirs, screenplays, outlining and designing novels, two-line horror stories, menus and stand-up comedy routines. He also hosts the creative writing club every Thursday and Friday morning to provide another space for students to perfect their skills. “Just like anything else, you do it more than four or five times a week, you’re gonna get better,” Durham said. “The voices in your head will connect with your fingers to type out or handwrite whatever your thoughts are.”
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IN-DE
8 Sports Psychology Throughout History Information from Sutori
Time to stress or
Athletes reflect on the mental cons aarushi BUTE
1898: Norman Triplett published the first work on the social psychology of sports
1925: Coleman Griffith establishes the first sport psychology laboratory in North America
With a deep breath in and out, Omoye Ehimare, junior, squeezes her eyes shut and visualizes herself emerging victorious after passing the finish line at her track meet. For Ehimare, this two-minute visualization trick she found off TikTok has calmed her nerves immensely, allowing her to perform better, she said. “The most nerve-wracking part of the whole track experience is the mental stress and the lack of control that comes with it,” Ehimare said. “But being able to visualize me racing and having a pre-race ritual is a good way to have 100 percent control and manage my mental health.” As a track and cross country team member, Ehimare said she dealt with mental pressure. She chose to focus her capstone in her Advanced English Language Arts Research Presentation 10 (ALARP) on mental health in athletes, particularly females. “When people think about mental health, they automatically equate the cause to academics,” Ehimare said. “But with athletes, people tend to shrug it off and tell them to work harder and focus more.” Student athletes tend to have an even harder time dealing with mental health ailments due to pressure from themselves, their parents and their coaches,
Ehimare said. “Athletes tend to place internal pressure on themselves, which, in the long run, leads to physical problems like eating disorders and major perfection issues,” Ehimare said. With 35 percent of elite athletes struggling with eating disorders, burnout, depression or anxiety, according to a study by The American College of Sports Medicine, student athletes face a different experience with mental health than their non-athletic peers.
Student Experiences As a freshman in varsity swim, Louis Chen said joining the varsity team was an eye-opener. “Going into it, my expectations were high,” Chen said. “I thought I would place at every meet, but I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to, and a part of that was because I would get so nervous, which affected my ability to swim.” Chen, like Ehimare, also did his ALARP presentation on mental health in athletes after hearing much-needed conversations about mental health in sports media, he said. “With the Olympics and the platform that a lot of athletes gave to mental health, I felt like it has started to finally be talked about more,” Chen said.
1965: The first World Congress of Sports Psychology took place in Rome and began the discussion between cognitive scientists of the West and the East
1970: The “International Journal of Sport Psychology” begins publication
1978: Carole Oglesby writes “Women in Sports: From Myth to Reality”
Photographs by Ben Hughes, Taryn Moore and Jacob Robinson
EPTH
to decompress?
9
sequences of participating in competitive sports The Tokyo Olympics opened the discussion of mental health to the world after Simone Biles, a seven-time Olympic medalist, withdrew to address her mental health issues. By learning from tactics to reduce nerves, Chen said he now listens to relaxing music and socializes with his friends before a meet to avoid thinking about others’ expectations. Junior Audra Yoder, who plays varsity lacrosse and is committed to Rockhurst University, said she puts pressure on herself as a committed athlete. “Because I’m already committed, there’s extra pressure to be better, or just be the best, which comes a lot with perfectionism,” Yoder said. “And, I put that pressure on myself and feel that pressure from my teammates when people acknowledge that I’m committed.” From practicing for cross country 5 hours a day for three days and 1 hour and 30 minutes for the other two days, Yoder was injured her sophomore year with a stress fracture. Yoder couldn’t play for three months, she said, but the months after, both physically and mentally, were a different, challenging story. “It completely degrades your mental health because you’re so used to playing. You’re so used to exercising, and when that output is taken away from you, your world changes,” Yoder said. “How you play is also how you measure the majority of your selfworth.” Yoder, however, also said she uses sports as a tool to deal with mental stressors. “Honestly, with every issue I have, I deal with it by working out,” Yoder said. “Putting my 100 percent into my sport is my outlet for stress relief.” Engulfed by expectations, just like Yoder, Darion Leigh, senior, plays football and baseball. Leigh said he zones out others’ expectations and instead focuses on the activity he loves most: sports. “I don’t let what other people say get to me,” Leigh said. “I just know what makes me happy as a person and focus on that.” Kaitlyn Maloy, junior, said she witnessed many of her peers’ mental health intensify from sports, sparking her interest in mental health work. With six weighted classes, four of which are APs, and both club and high school swim, Maloy said she tends to be overwhelmed during the swim season. “I’m a lot more mentally healthy outside of swim season,” Maloy said. “I know a lot of other swimmers with anxiety or depressive episodes during the season.” Because of her experiences, Maloy said she has worked to put mental health resources on the
RSD website, is a leader for Mustangs for Mental Health and interns for Arc Angels, a nonprofit aiming to prevent suicide in youth. Maloy said she suggests that student athletes decompress after school and work on getting most of their homework done during school hours.
Support from Coaches
John Meyer, softball and baseball coach, Audra Yoder, junior, catches the ball during a said athletes tend to varsity lacrosse practice. Yoder is committed place unrealistic to play collegiate lacrosse at Rockhurst expectations on University, and has faced pressure from the themselves. recruiting process. Photograph by Ben Hughes “I’ve seen, especially with the high school boy athletes, them not recog- it get too big of a problem before they actually try to keep small problems small,” Meyer said. nize that they’re vulnerable because we’re all vulnerJoseph Schoedel, health teacher, coaches boys able,” Meyer said. “We’re all human. We all make misswim and said that despite the negative consequenctakes, but more and more, I’m seeing kids put more es, sports have more positives. pressure on themselves.” “Having a team also gives a place where kids Especially for those injured, Meyer said, mental health can decrease significantly and hurt their confi- can feel like they belong,” Schoedel said. “There are stressors of this sport but the community here defidence and health. “It’s very difficult to manage the emotion of work- nitely overrides any negatives.” ing so hard to play the season that you’re looking forward to, and then it’s just taken away,” Meyer said. Expert’s Take In his experience, Meyer said student athletes tend to put up a wall due to their pressures, and they After injuring his shoulder two weeks before avoid getting the help needed. college, Riley Nickol’s, sport psychologist, career was “Mental wellness is invisible,” Meyer said. “If cut short. they’re not well, emotionally or mentally, they hide Inspired by the arduous mental challenges of rehathat and put up a front. And again, when they feel all bilitation, Dr. Nickols founded Mind Body Endurance those things, they’re not sure how to unpack them or LLC, which addresses mental health in athletes and who to talk to, so it continually builds on itself.” helps to improve performance. Meyer said he works to support his student “Mental health issues usually are not visible, but athletes as a coach, reminding them that failure is a that doesn’t make them less interfering and less normal and healthy part of life and teaching them severe for an individual’s life,” Dr. Nickols said. “Like breathing drills before practice. any physical ailment left untreated, a mental health He also said it’s hard to convince students to get illness can intensify quickly, so I think timely targetthe support needed. ed treatment is vital.” “I’ve seen it so many times where the kids have let However, Dr. Nickols said that in his experience working with student athletes, sports tend to have both harmful and protective aspects. Sports can both be a community of eyes to help Besides their athletic gear, athletes take on athletes but also they can intensify mental health psychological weight that can have negative issues from pressure and stress, Dr. Nickols said. consequences. To help support student athletes, Dr. Nickols suggested that coaches be open about their experiences • 35% of professional athletes suffer from and show their humanity through their words and eating disorders, burnout, depression and/ actions. “Prioritizing a student’s health, physical health, or anxiety. emotional health and well-being, will also help their • Only 10% of college athletes with mental athletic performance,” Dr. Nickols said. For students, Dr. Nickols said he recommends illness seek medical care. they be honest with themselves and let those close to • 30% of women and 25% of men who are them know if their mental health is deteriorating. “Mental health struggles are not a weakness by student athletes report having anxiety. any means,” Dr. Nickols said. “In fact, it takes a lot of courage and strength to acknowledge mental health concerns and let other people know that they aren’t alone.”
What are athletes carrying?
Information from the American College of Sports Medicine
10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Ask the Expert
Dr. Yi-Huang Chang, food scientist at Yuanpei University of Medical Technology in Taiwan, discusses boba's popularity.
• • •
WHY HAS BOBA RISEN IN POPULARITY?
Boba is more convenient and accessible than making tea from scratch Tapioca balls add a special and fresh chewing experience Boba provides more fun than the average tea drinks
WHAT IS THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF BOBA?
"It’s a vivid Taiwanese icon as it represents a tea break you can enjoy. In a pop culture sense, it’s like Coca-Cola or Starbucks, but a Taiwanese version."
DOES PRE-PACKAGED BOBA MAINTAIN THE TASTE OF THE TAPIOCA? "They should maintain their freshness for short periods of storage time. However, the pre-packaged boba may suffer a loss of quality."
Illustrations by Mason Kellerman
may 2022
Specialty drink increases in popularity akhila SWARNA
like a reminder of my Taiwanese family,” Lory said. While she said certain boba shops in America After appeasing her sweet tooth and purchasing boba incorporate elements of Taiwanese or Asian culture three times a week for weeks, Sanjana Prabhakar, into their store fronts, the presentation of the boba senior, was banned from the drink by her parents. and in the descriptions of the drinks, the vast majori“It’s because I’m obsessed,” Prabhakar said. “It’s ty of boba shops are different from those in Taiwan. very unique compared to other drinks and is much “I think there’s a level of authenticity you lose sweeter.” when you come to America with the growing popuPrabhakar said her boba obsession prompted larity, but I wouldn’t consider it cultural appropriaher parents to take away her credit card privileges if tion,” Lory said. she bought boba one more time. To solve the probIn the summer of her junior year, Lory began lem, she began to pay for the boba herself and now working at Hitea, a boba shop located on Olive Boufrequents the restaurant Honey Bee Tea in the levard in Chesterfield, and witnessed the rise Lafayette Center in Manchester for their in popularity first hand with the majority of Okinawa flavor. customers being teenagers. Boba, formally known as bubble tea, As she worked there, Lory said she April 30 is a Taiwanese cold drink made with began to notice the store remain popular sweetened milk and tapioca pearls. was National with a diverse crowd. Like Prabhakar, teens all over the “It was cool to see all the people apworld are partaking in a boba craze, preciating the culture, even though they Boba Day contributing to an overall 7.5 percent were all different cultures,” Lory said. growth in the bubble tea market. The Chris Ikemeyer, boba-rista at the market is expected to reach $4.3 billion by Bubblecup Tea Zone inside the Pan-Asian 2027 from $2.4 billion in 2019. Supermarket on Manchester Road in Man“I think the rise in boba is great,” Prabhakar chester, attributes the popularity of boba to its said. “It’s always nice to try new things and have a versatility. variety of foods in your palate.” “It’s like your own little creative playground As a Taiwanese-American, Emily Lory, senior, since boba can be added into any drink,” Ikemeyer said she is proud to see a part of her heritage in said. “There’s also so many different types of boba America. like popping boba, crystal boba, assorted jellies. The Lory’s first time drinking boba was in Taiwan at world is basically your oyster.” 5 which she said was a nostalgic memory for her. Ikemeyer said she recommends the bubble milk Although Lory has been unable to visit Taiwan for tea to those who have never tried boba before bethe past 13 years, she said drinking boba brings back cause it is the most popular flavor. memories of her family and Taiwanese culture. “I think it’s a nice sweet drink to have, especially “It’s nice to see that part of my culture, and it is since it’s getting warmer,” Ikemeyer said.
Boba Blast: Different Boba Toppings Tapioca Pearl: The most common topping and known as "boba", they have a chewy inside and gelatinous outside
Red Bean: Sometimes is mashed into a paste and has an earthy taste
Popping Boba: Has a burstable coating and is usually filled with fruit juice
Cheese Foam: Sweet and savory foam that is made with cream cheese
Jelly: Made out of Agar-Agar and is usually flavored to be grass jelly, a traditional herbal jelly
Egg Pudding: Usually paired with creamy teas and has a custard like flavor
Information from Honestfoodtalks • Illustrations by Emma Tyulyayev
issue VII
11
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wally’s Wonders Mega gas station opens off I-44 emma TYULYAYEV Wally’s, the mega gas station in Fenton that has become a hangout destination for many students, has a direct connection to MHS: Charlie Wallis, sophomore, is the son of the co-owner, Chad Wallis. Wallis said the road trip theme of the gas station, which opened in March, is appealing to people visiting the store. “It feels like you’re going to a destination, but it’s conveniently right around the corner,“ Wallis said. At 36,000 square feet, Wally’s offers a variety of features like a beef jerky bar, a BBQ sandwich house, a popcorn station, a bakery and a beverage bar, which offers a slushie station and fountain drinks. The gas station also provides 75 fueling stations for cars, which is more than an average gas station. Wallis said the gas station is the ultimate destination for a convenient selection of products, and he even enjoys wearing the merchandise with his friends around school. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t get to experience everything you love about road trips in your regular routine,” Wallis said. “With Wally’s, you can do that.” Harini Sreeperunbuduru, senior, first visited a Wally’s with her friends on a road trip back from Chicago. “We stopped at Wally’s because it was huge and looked really nice, and we loved going there,” Sreeperunbuduru said.
1
From Wally’s merchandise to car maintenance supplies and food, Sreeperunbuduru said she was surprised to see a variety of items sold at the gas station. One of Sreeperunbuduru’s friends went back to Wally’s and bought her a “Honk If You Like Wally’s” sticker for her car. Anna Marren, senior, didn’t hear about Wally’s until her mom told her about it and took her there after her hockey game. Since then, she has visited the gas station two times in two weeks. Marren said she especially likes the people who worked there. “Everyone I talked to was nice, and they know how to run it,” Marren said. “It’s a pretty great establishment, and I hope it’s able to make it for the long run.” Lexi Sims, Wally’s cashier, started as an employee at the Fenton location three weeks before its official opening. “Everything is just different than what you would find in a Walmart or another gas station,” Sims said. The gas station has been a popular spot for teens to come and hang out, and Sims said the laid back nature of the store and the products attract attention from others. “I’ve honestly never seen stuff like this,” Sims said. “Even the drinks that we have, I think it’s like 48 different sodas, and they’re all retro, 80s, 70s themed.”
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Wally’s boasts a large beef jerky wall with a variety of 4 oz. jerky packets
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Parked in the merchandise section is a 1976 Winnebago Bravo that features a variety of merchandise
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Wally’s specialty slushy station has an old school vibe with 12 different flavors
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7 may 2022
OPINIONS
SPEAK OUT
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A CLUB OFFICER? “I look for someone who is very smart and educated. They do what’s right for the school and are very school spirited.” TOMMY COOPER,
freshman
Illustration by Emma Tyulyayev
“I look for someone who is nice and smart. They have to have some personality and can’t be boring.” KAIYA HIRABAYASHI,
sophomore
KARIM ELBESHBESHY,
“The most important thing for me is not qualifications, because I think most of the time everyone running is qualified. Personally, what they want to do going forward with the club is most important.”
junior
MADDIE GWINNER,
senior
“Good moral character: they need to be a good example for others. Honesty, integrity, respectfullness and hard work. People who are dedicated to Marquette.”
principal
“No athletic team or sport designated for females, women or girls shall be open to students of the male sex, as assigned at birth,” states Senate Bill 781. The “Save Women’s Sports Act” was passed on Wednesday, April 25, by a 93-14 vote in the Missouri House of Representatives. The bill was scheduled to be perfected in front of the Senate Tuesday, April 26. Introduced by Republican Senator Mike Moon, the act pertains to middle, high school and collegiate sports and states that schools that allow transgender women on their female sports team will not receive any state funding. Chuck Bayse, Republican representative, argues that because males are biologically “superior” to females, transgender women would have an unfair advantage in sports. Excluding trans women from sports further excludes them, which, in turn, makes them more susceptible to discrimination. The Missouri State High School Activities Association EDITORIAL (MSHSAA) already requires trans athletes to undergo hormone therapy for one year to balance out the biological differences before they are permitted to compete. However, hormone therapy is not always an option for transgender women. It can be costly and difficult to attain without parental involvement. This requirement is a strain on transgender women and also ineffective as transgender women undergoing hormone therapy do not have an advantage on the field. According to a study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, transgender men and women who underwent hormone therapy while enlisted in the U.S. Air Force found that after a year of hormone treatments, trans women had no advantage
in the amount of push ups and sit ups they performed in a minute over their cis gendered counterparts. The study also found that trans women reduced their speed advantage in a 1.5 mile run from 21 percent to 12 percent. Additionally, the field of athletics is all about biological advantages. Some athletes are taller, stronger and faster than others of their same level regardless of gender or assigned sex at birth. Runner Usain Bolt has longer legs than the average person, allowing for longer strides. Swimmer Michael Phelps is double-jointed, giving him a greater range of motion than other swimmers. These athletes, despite having significant biological advantages, are not protested against the same as transgender women. MSHSAA’s Communications Director Jason West said until an official decision on the bill is made, they will follow the rules outlined in the MSHSAA handbook. “There really hasn’t been anything similar that has happened before,” West said. “As of right now, MSHSAA will adhere to its current guidelines in the handbook but if state law changes, we will follow suit.” There have only been two trans women who have conformed to MSHAA standards to compete in Missouri in the last 10 years. Transgender athletes are the same as their cis counterparts; they want their opportunity to work hard, compete and have fun in their respective sport. They are people, and they deserve a right to enjoy sports in an environment that supports them. Missouri lawmakers must be held accountable for their prejudice toward the trans community. Students must use their voice to communicate their malcontent to state lawmakers to prevent this legislature from becoming law.
BOARD
“Honestly, some of it comes from who I know because I can trust them. Also, what they do outside of school. People who list their credentials are always better.”
STEPHEN HANKINS,
Let transgender athletes play
Letter to the Editor
War jokes are in bad taste
War isn’t funny. It never was supposed to be. It is understandable that many people use jokes as a coping mechanism, pretty much everyone has at one point or another. Comedy can shine a light on even the darkest of situations and make them easier to talk about or handle. Despite this, the topic of war is seriously controversial and a sensitive subject on several fronts. For one, war divides nations — and not just the nations fighting in it. It can cause economical issues as well as tremendous fear looming over citi-
zens in all areas. There is talk everywhere about the Russia-Ukraine crisis which has now turned into a war. Imagine how non-native citizens of the U.S. and other countries not currently involved in the situation feel about it? They could have family in those countries, or friends. Joking doesn’t keep anybody safe. It is a temporary fix at best. It is hurtful and insensitive to the world at worst. - Ava Smith, freshman
We can’t pick and choose our news liza COOPER As a journalist, I believe news should be relevant, timely and unbiased. But most of all, I believe news must be important. Opening the News app on my phone usually disappoints me. The most popular stories most likely contain information concerning celebrities, internet trends or lists of funny tweets. Sure, reading quick articles about Kim Kardashian’s latest fashion look or the current top TikTok trend has a certain appeal: It is something to read without thinking too hard. Since just being an American comes with some of the highest stress levels in the world, fun distractors from our everyday lives, like these articles, are embraced. But that news isn’t important. Important news moves people and inspires them to do something. One of the biggest problems facing our planet today is the war crimes being committed by Russia against Ukraine. TV broadcasts, news podcasts and articles convey the pain of the people of Ukraine and the unendurable suffering they are experiencing. Yet, most of us turn a blind eye, which is made possible by our past actions. Consistently reading or watching the same type of stories on social me-
Illustration by Mason Kellerman
Ashton Baez, known as @Ashton_got_baez on TikTok, has received backlash for getting a tattoo of Ms. Lauryn Hill, one of the most notable Black neosoul artists of the 1990s. This situation sparked debate: can people who are not Black get that specific tattoo of Lauryn Hill? There is really no easy answer, but there are certain artists who are special to certain races. What makes an artist’s music so powerful is speaking about their own struggles. Lauryn Hill sang and rapped about the economical and educational gaps in the Black community and living in systematic racism. These are issues Black people specifically relate to. Lauryn Hill was born on May 26, 1975, in South Orange, N.J.. After dropping out of Columbia University to pursue her music career, she founded a band named The Fugees in 1993. The band split in 1997, but Hill was just beginning to become a popular soul artist. She released her first solo album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” in 1998. She was nominated for five Grammys the following year. Hill still tours and produces music to this day. Illustration by Emma Tyulyayev
Should MO legalize marijuana? In April, members of the Missouri House of Representatives backed a plan to fully legalize marijuana when it voted 6-4 to keep the Cannabis Freedom Act. Messenger staffers weigh in on the legalization of marijuana.
dia can set up echo chambers, or environments where a person only sees information that reflects their own opinions or preferences. If a person continues to gravitate toward mindless, entertaining “news,” that is most likely what they will view when they open their social media accounts. I get that it can be hard to see, hear and think about topics like war and death. But it has to be done. Journalism is a major way people connect. If we don’t pay attention to what’s important, we sever that connection. By not watching and reading stories about significant events in our local and global communities, we are isolating those in tough situations.
The people in Ukraine need our help. They are hungry and tired and have probably seen things that no one should ever see. Even though we are oceans apart, just watching and listening to their stories is one of the most crucial things we could do for them. If they just knew how many people are heartbroken with them and cheering them on, it would make a world of difference. But we can’t do that if we only concentrate on news that is not important. Putting up a mental shield against things that bother us can be convenient, but it is not the right thing to do.
Stop appropriating Black popular culture tiona MERRITTE
13
OPINIONS
issue VII
From slavery to the civil rights movement to present day, music remains an important part of AfricanAmerican culture. Music is one of the ways Black people find or found peace necessary to endure terrible situations, which is what prompted the negative reaction to Baez’s tattoo. It seems Baez not only doesn’t understand Lauryn Hill’s music, but doesn’t care about its immense effect on young Black people. Baez is appropriating a culture he is not a part of. When a person gets a tattoo of an artist’s face, there is usually a song or album that spoke to them, which is why the individual wants to keep a piece of the art at all times. Which song led Baez to want that tattoo? “Doo-Wop (That Thing)”? “Killing Me Softly With His Song”? In a TikTok that showcased his tattoo, he used the song “I Get Out” by
Hill, and lip-synced to the part of the song that said “you just want to use me, you say love then abuse me.” This led many to the assumption that Baez made the TikTok about an ex. “I Get Out” is a song about the harmful “box and psychological locks” put on Black people and advising other Black people to open their eyes to a system that continues to hurt them. If Baez truly loved and understood Hill’s music as he claims, he would know and understand that singing that song in reference to a past relationship wouldn’t be taken lightly. Black culture is constantly being appropriated because it has no true cultural roots. African Americans made their own music, hairstyles and clothing trends and even ways of talking, but it has become normalized for this to be taken from them. Almost every non-Black person in the spotlight, and some out of the spotlight, has used African American Vernacular English, got locs or hair extensions, started tanning or has listened to a Black-based genre of music without the proper understanding of the lyrics. There should always be a sense of respect when listening to music with a deeper message. Lauryn Hill is an important artist to Black people, and having a non-Black person disrespect her music by getting a tattoo of her with no proper understanding is a punch in the face to the Black community.
YES parker BRANDT The legalization of marijuana would not only create countless job opportunities for business owners and bankers but also would channel millions of dollars into the economy. Most banks won’t even accept or open accounts for state legalized operations or dispensaries, so they operate in cash, which isn’t safe or reliable. It would also encourage prison reform and decrease the number of non-lethal drug related convictions and arrests. In 2016 alone, there were 459,506 marijuana possession arrests in the U.S. If it were legalized, funds could be redirected toward significantly more deep seeded and harmful epidemics like the rise in cocaine usage, which is the second most used illegal recreational drug in the United States.
NO anvi TALYAN As the use of marijuana has become seen as more casual, it feels like more and more people have stopped recognizing how harmful it actually is to your health. Since marijuana isn’t as damaging as tobacco, many disregard the fact that the drug can pose new dangers, especially since not enough research has been done to definitively say if the drug does hurt a person’s overall health. It is important to know the full effects of marijuana before placing it in a position to hurt many unknowing consumers.
SPORTS
14
may 2022
Dance influences unhealthy eating annie ALCORN I have been dancing since I was 3 years old. I love getting a dance step correct after hours of practicing it. I love putting on a costume and competing with my teammates. I love the adrenaline rush of performing on a stage. Dancing is exciting and rewarding, but it does not come without a cost. Extensive amounts of body image issues, which can lead to eating disorders, plague the dance community. The way I see it, eating disorders in the dance world are self imposed. Growing up in the dance world, I thought being a successful ballerina meant you had to be dangerously skinny and not eat. Professional ballet companies showcase dancers that are all extremely petite. The skinny dancers are put on a pedestal. Criticism is also a large part of dance. Dancers are encouraged to criticize themselves, and dance teachers give an ample amount of their own corrections. Like any sport, corrections or critiques from a teacher can be about technique and how to better oneself as an athlete. But, in dance, appearance and body image are equally as critiqued. I have been told to close my rib cage so my stomach looks flatter, stretch my neck to make my torso look longer and tighten my core to make my body look skinny and strong. It’s hard enough to stand in a room full of other girls while wearing only a leotard and a pair of tights that expose your body, but having someone comment on your body only makes it worse. To have a teacher, someone you respect, tell you things you can do to “fix” your body to look more appealing to the audience is damaging. Linda Hamilton, professional psychologist who has worked with ballerinas struggling with body image, said ballerinas have been trained to have a perfectionist personality that can make the dancer intolerant of any physical changes. Unfortunately, in the world of dance, eating disorders have been normalized. No one bats an eye when someone slowly stops eating, and I have heard dancers joke about not eating so they can fit in a certain costume or so they will land a certain part. Eating disorders are a serious problem in the dance world, and it is important we make a change moving forward. I don’t want younger dancers to think they have to change their body for a sport. The mental and physical health issues that come with an eating disorder will never be worth getting the lead role in a ballet.
Illustration by Mason Kellerman
Jenna King, PE teacher, shows her Charity Miles accomplishments, with more than 3,000 steps so far for that day. Charity Miles is an app that records individual’s steps, and donates money to a charity of their choice depending on how much they run or bike. King has been able to raise money for her chosen charity, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “I enjoy being active and I enjoy supporting charities, so it’s a win-win,” King said. Photograph by Anvi Talyan
Miles For Money
Students, staff support charities with steps learning, Adriano Robins, junior, was introduced to the Charity Miles app. Since it was part of the curriculum, there was a minA new opportunity has become available to enimum number of miles students had to walk, but Robins courage teachers and students to be more active said he found himself going over requirements as he while also allowing them to support a cause that found benefits from the app. is close to their heart. This came in the form of “A lot of the times I found myself actually getting the Charity Miles app, which tracks the amount active and doing it to actually boost charity,” Robins of steps a person takes and then turns that said. “It was more than just for actually exercising for into money that is donated to a charity of their the class and earning points.” choice Robins decided to support a charity relating to heart As an active user of the Charity Miles app, disease. He said he was interested in Jenna King, physical educaheart disease after learning about it tion teacher, uses the app in his science class, and felt it made to donate to the The Leuke“If I can do a simple because Charity Miles encourmia & Lymphoma Society, thing like walk or work sense ages cardio activities that contribute as lymphoma runs in her out with my classes to heart health. family. Robins continued using the app “If I can do a simple thing and it’s automatically until summer began and he put his like walk or work out with donated to charity, focus on other activities. Though he my classes and it’s automatically donated to charity, then then why not help out doesn’t use it anymore, Robins said he had originally continued it because why not help out when it’s when it’s no money it motivated him to work out and he no money out of my pocket,” out of my pocket.” found it rewarding to give back to King said. those who are less fortunate. She and other PE teach“Doing that service to myself was ers implemented the Charity Jenna King, also doing a service to other people, Miles app in their classes PE Teacher which I found to be motivating to starting in 2020 to encourkeep going,” Robins said. age students to continue to Junior Principal Dr. Rick Regina has used the Charity be active during virtual learning. Miles app to help encourage teachers to be more active Since then, King has continued to share the during the school day. program with her students and has even created Dr. Regina is part of MHS’ Wellness Committee, competition in her classes to motivate students where he and a group of staff members work to motito use the app. For every 20 miles a student vate teachers to balance their work and well-being. walks, their name gets entered into a raffle for “We have different activities throughout the year to gift cards to be awarded at the end of the year. try and encourage the staff to take care of themselves King said she has found success with the and work on their physical, mental and social health,” app, as many students will make efforts to use it Dr. Regina said. during class when walking the track. For April and May, the Wellness Committee chose “They’re doing it on their own, and it is cool Charity Miles as the activity for teachers. They have the to see that they want to make that contribution,” opportunity to use the app during their planning period King said. or on the track before or after school. Because of the continued positive results “Sometimes it’s good in the middle of the day to over the past few years of using Charity Miles, take a break, get a deep breath, go outside and get some King said she plans to use the app in upcoming fresh air,” Dr. Regina said. “I think that’s important for years. everybody.” While taking a PE class during virtual
anvi TALYAN
issue VII
15
SPORTS
Coach Starling accepts admin position anvi TALYAN After almost 18 years of coaching, Adam Starling, social studies teacher, is stepping down to become the new activities director (AD). “I feel as if my leadership was capped in my current role of only teaching economics and coaching in two different sports,” Starling said. “I feel that I can help lift up some of the programs and help push them forward.” As the new AD, Starling will be in charge of all the activities and athletics that happen at MHS. His roles will range from hiring coaches to having athlete leadership groups. However, with his new role, he will be unable to continue coaching as the assistant varsity baseball coach and the head varsity softball coach. Coaching is something Starling said he enjoys because of the relationships he can make with the players and their families as well as what he can teach them. “I love teaching the life lessons that go along with both of those sports,” Starling said. Giving up coaching will be difficult, Starling said, but he hopes he will be able to make a difference in the lives of all the student athletes instead of only baseball and softball. “It’s hard to give up coaching because I’ve been doing that for so long,” Starling said. “But the trade off to not being able to coach anymore is now to have more of an imprint.” Zachary Thelen, senior, has known Starling for 10 years because Starling coached him and his brother. During those years, Thelen has noticed Starling’s coaching style is intellectual, which Thelen said has
Pitching coach Adam Starling watches the game against Lindbergh on Thursday, April 21, and takes notes of the team’s performance. This is his last year of coaching before he becomes the new activities director. Photograph by Jacob Robinson
improved his game. “He’ll tell me things I never even thought of; it broadens my perspective of the game,” Thelen said. Thelen said Starling’s previous involvement at school as a coach and teacher and his ability to schedule and direct well makes him a good fit for the AD position. Thelen is still sad to see him go. “It’s sad when I come back, he won’t be necessarily coaching,” Thelen said. “But I think it’s also cool he’s moving into a position that’s going to help him out.” John Meyer, head baseball coach and assistant softball coach, has coached with Starling since he started coaching. Meyer said what sticks out to him most about
Starling’s coaching is his loyalty to MHS and how Starling seems to make situations better, which he said Starling will continue to do in his new role. “I just think at the end of the day, when you judge somebody, you think ‘did you make the situation better or worse?’,” Meyer said. “He’s always made it better, and I really appreciate that.” Meyer will continue to be the assistant coach for the softball team, and the new coach to replace Starling is still being decided. “I wish him the best of luck and he’ll be sorely missed in the baseball program and softball program,” Meyer said. “But I’m happy for him because it’s exciting.”
16
SPORTS
may 2022
1
James Jones, senior, signals the start of the race and times athletes with the volunteers at the Special Olympics on Friday, April 22. The orange sleeve helps to catch the attention of the racers and identifies the finish line. Photographs by Marin Ellington
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1. Princess Anna, senior Chloe Inman, and Queen Elsa, senior Sarah Henderson, embrace a young spectator. They offered photo opportunities and supported the athletes as they competed in their events. 2. Volunteers gather under a pavilion before the start of the Special Olympics on Friday, April 22. They received training before the start of the event. 3. Brayden Knittel, senior, high-fives the athletes after one of the opening events. The Olympics lasted three hours after the opening ceremony.
MHS hosts first-annual Special Olympics
marin ELLINGTON Everyday, 20 of the students who participate in the Special School District gather for the Applied Skills class at MHS. They learn, they train, but they only compete against one another. “They’ve never had a home meet,” Felicia Durst, P.E. teacher, said. All that changed, however, with the lighting of the ceremonial torch and the commencement of the first Special Olympics at MHS on Friday, April 22. Durst first brought up the idea eight years ago, but was told no several times before she got approval in 2020 from Principal Dr. Steve Hankins to organize the first Special Olympics. As a result of COVID-19, the games were canceled. With the help of several MHS clubs such as National Honors Society, Student Council and Key Club, the event took place this year with 10 schools from around the St. Louis area. “I couldn’t ask for a better day,” Durst said. “Weather wise, it’s been fantastic, and everyone’s having fun.” A second grader from Fairview Elementary spent the day bowling with her buddies and competing in races, despite being in a wheelchair. Her buddies, senior Anisten Albrecht and sophomore Carle Bachman, went to training the day before to learn about the structure of the day before actually meeting her buddy and spending the day with her. “It's been really fun. We learned a lot,” Bachman said. “I definitely love spending time with [her].” To organize the event, all the student volunteers met to brainstorm event ideas. They followed a binder that illustrated what every committee needed to do to help make the day successful. On the day of the event, buddies wore blue, athletes wore green and volunteers wore white or their club t-shirts. In total, there were more than 200 MHS students who participated in the event. Senior Shermar Hall worked the event as a volunteer and spent the day organizing food as well as handing out awards to the winning athletes from the different events. Hall said the diversity of athletes present was interesting to see and he enjoyed watching the athletes engaging and having fun. “I thought it would be fun to see the kids participating and see how well they can do and compete
Fast Facts
• • • • • • • • • •
Ten Schools Attended the Special Olympics on Friday, April 22. MHS Ballwin Elementary Wren Hollow Elementary Woerther Elementary Ridge Meadows Elementary Rockwood Summit High Parkway South High Carman Trails Elementary Pattonville Fairway Elementary
against each other,” Hall said. Lucy Dean, junior, was a buddy at the event to a Pattonville sophomore. Buddies, such as Dean, helped to organize the athletes’ schedules and to make sure they were able to get to every event on time. “We’re all pumped up for the 100 meter and to do some running,” Dean said. Dean said not only was the day fun, but it allowed her to connect with students from around St. Louis who she may never have known. “I really just love getting to meet new people and spend time with all the athletes,” Dean said.
The first ever Special Olympics took place in July of 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago