September 2012 Issue

Parkway North High School

N rsestar 12860 Fee Fee Rd. St. Louis, MO 63146

Volume 50, Issue 1, September 27, 2012

Homecoming Ignites Purple Pride Pgs. 8-9

1992 Scholarship pg. 11

2012 Presidential Election pg. 4

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Welcome Back

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

North High Traditions Welcome Class of 2016 Contributing Writer; Centerspread Editor

Every year, a group of around 350 freshmen students walk through the glass doors of Parkway North and step into a totally different environment than they were in last spring. The first few weeks of freshman year can be hard, especially when students need to balance athletics, academics, and life outside of school.

“[High school teachers are different because of] how strict they are about turning in assignments. It wasn’t as strict in middle school,” said freshman Dominique King.

One important thing to keep in mind as a freshman is joining extracurricular activities.

“Get involved and find something you’re passionate about,” said senior Samantha Jesperson. “[If I could talk to myself as a freshman, I would say] high school is a time to find yourself, so try out a lot of activities.”

Freshmen can get involved by joining a sport, club, student organization (such as Student Government), or many other activities.

“Just be yourself and join clubs and try to find people interested in things you like,” said senior Cheyenne King. “You need friends to lean on.”

A major source of stress for underclassmen is the rumored harassment from upperclassmen. However, many freshmen are finding that to be just a rumor.

“[The upperclassmen] just go by who you are, not what your grade is,” said freshman George Bruns.

High school is different from middle school in many ways, including the challenging academics, freedom, and pressure to maintain a high GPA. “I like [high school] because it’s a lot of freedom, but there’s a lot of homework,” said freshman Meghan Mudd.

Another difference between middle school and high school is the size and layout of the building. Parkway Northeast Middle School, where the majority of students at North went to middle school, is set up so that each grade has a separate wing. At North, every subject is divided into departments and many classes have students from multiple grades in it. “[North is] just really big,” said Mudd.

“Middle school was a lot easier to get around.

And the classes here are spread out and the teachers change classrooms.”

One other major changes from middle school is the block scheduling. In middle school, there are eight classes a day and students have every class every day. In high school, there are four classes a day and students go to each class every other day.

There’s also a lot more pressure to get good grades in high school. Unlike 6-8th grade, colleges look at high school grades to decide whether or not a student will be accepted.

“It’s high school. I have to do well,” said freshman Erin Armstrong.

Photo by Emily McCarter

Monyelle Asher and Molly Thal

The freshman cheerleading squad gets involved with community activities at Parkway North by cheering during their first homecoming parade.

Grades are a big source of stress for high school students of any age, because how a student does in high school may affect a student’s entire life.

“If you do not do well in school now, your GPA will suck, so an Ivy League college or a prestigious college will not accept you, meaning that you will not have a high-paying job to support your family,” said King.

Through the years, students in high school change a lot. However, some changes are negative, such as “senioritis.” Senioritis is the state many seniors enter during their last year of high school that makes them lazier with assignments. Freshmen need to start

with good habits to combat senioritis early in their high school career.

Science teacher Dr. William Bowman said, “I see students who are highly motivated and I see students who aren’t doing their work and probably should.”

High school can be a scary place, but through the years, it gets much more familiar and comfortable especially when students join an activity where they find people who have familiar interests. “[In high school], there’s no one to hold your hand,” said King. However, getting involved can help students find a support system to help them through the next four years.

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September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

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first look

Coach Bunton Creates New Grading Standard for Football Team To Keep Academics Priority The new rule has also increased the chances of many athletes applying to colleges because they now have to maintain a certain GPA. Selective colleges will not admit students to their school with a low GPA, regardless of how good of an athlete one is.

“I am a very proactive person when it comes to college recruiting,” said Bunton. “I personally feel it’s my job to prepare [athletes] for not only football, but for academics. These kids have to understand it does not matter how good of a football player you are; if you don’t have to grade, you’re not going anywhere.”

This rule is being enforced strictly by the coaches. Seven athletes are ineligible to play football this year due to grades. In addition, struggling students are banned from the weight room so they have more time to seek additional help.

“Each football coach has about twelve players that they monitor throughout the semester. In athletic lab, I monitor students’ grades and provide extra support,” said Bunton.

Each coach acts as an academic advisor for a set of specific students.

For athletes needing additional interventions, they may be transferred to Bunton’s athletic lab. There, he helps them to make better use of their lab time. This lab contains only a couple

Norsestar Staff

Photograph by Gianna Sparks

Brandon Fredman Online Editor In order to encourage athletes to earn and maintain good grades, and to earn high citizenship marks, Head Football Coach Bob Bunton has increased the academic eligibility requirement for all Parkway North Football players. Under this new requirement, players must earn and maintain a GPA of 2.3.

“MSHAA [Missouri State High School Activities Associations] is not helping these kids in terms of exceptions. Beginning in 2015, the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association] will increase the minimum GPA to 2.3,” said Bunton. “It makes no sense for the MSHAA rule of just passing classes. If you take seven high school classes, get five D’s, two F’s, and made up an F during summer school, you could be eligible to play with a 0.8 GPA.” Although certain athletes are unhappy with this rule, it has ultimately forced athletes to become better students, leading to an overall grade improvement for the team.

“It improved the overall GPA of the team,” said Athletic Director Kris Kellams. “The citizenship grades were outstanding, and it forced kids to focus on why they are here.”

Football Athletes must now achieve a minimum of a 2.3 GPA to be eligible, according to a new system put in place by Head Football Coach Bob Bunton.

of students, so they can get more one on one help.

Despite the new strict, grade guidelines, students who are struggling academically can turn to their outstanding citizenship grades to help them.

“Not everyone is gifted academically,” said Bunton. “We want kids to behave appropriately during class, so we wanted to reward them. For every O in citizenship, we will add a .2 to their GPA.” Although some students dislike the rule, student response to this new rule has generally been positive because they see the positive effects in the long run.

“You can be as good as you want

...News Editor

Molly Thal

...Centerspread Editor Aurora Wrancher

...Features Editor Richard Reynolds

...Sports Editor Staff Writers and Photographers

...Katryn Dobkin

...Jamie Powell

...Jonathan Herzog

...Taylor Weiss

...Emily Ladig

...Gianna Sparks

...Opinions & Entertainment Editor

Tracy Silvagnoli...Sponsor

Kevin Graeler ...Editor in Chief

Emily McCarter

...Editor in Chief

Jocelyn Treadway

...Design Editor

Mary-Kate Mudd

...Business Manager

Brandon Fredman ...Online Editor

Ian Brown

Steven Chaffin

in football, but if you don’t have an education, you won’t get anywhere,” said junior Levi Buresch.

While this rule is new to football, it is not new to other athletics at Parkway North. For instance, Poms’ and Cheer have used this rule for several years.

The school administration and coaches put this rule into place in the interest of the students. It may make things harder for athletes in the short run, but it makes life better for athletes in the long run.

“The 2.3 GPA requirement drives me to do better [academically], so I can play [football],” said junior Colin Webber. “I feel [like] coach Bunton actually cares about us.”

Norsestar Policy

Norsestar encourages students, teachers, parents, administrators and other readers to publish their opinion in the formof a letter to the editor.

However, due to space limitations,not all letters can be published. Any student or faculty member may submit an article or photo to the Norsestar by placing the item in the mailbox in the library or by giving to a staff member. Leters must be signed; no anonymous articles will appear in the newspaper. Norsestar will accept any letter submitted regardless of whether or not the staff agrees with its opinion, unless the material presented is libelous, promotes illegal activities, or is deemed in poor taste by the editorial board. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length or clarification.

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September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

News

Race to the White House: 2012 Presidential Election Information

“Romney has Wall Street trusting him more. There’s a cloud of uncertainty that might make it better for businesses and corporations to go with [Romney]; although, I’m not sure removing regulation is always the smartest.” --History teacher Scott Nilsen

Forty-seven teachers and 30 students that are eligible to vote in this year’s upcoming presidential election took a poll on their political views. While both students and teachers agree that political views were an important quality they looked for in a candidate, they did not agree whom to vote.

What quality do you look for most in a candidate?

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Teachers: What issue is most important to you?

Jo

The 2012 Republican National Convention, held from Aug. 27-30 in Tampa, Florida, centered on the theme of “A Better Future” and featured speeches from presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan, as well as several party leaders ranging from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to former presidential candidate John McCain, and many of Romney’s former competitors, including Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich.

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney discussed many big issues in his speech including the state of the economy and American pride. Early in his speech, he referenced Neil Armstrong’s achievement of being the first man on the moon, focusing on “that unique blend of optimism, humility, and utter confidence” that makes Americans the problem-solvers of the world. Romney then moved on to discuss his own life and family, conjuring up ideas of “better times” of economic prosperity and the American Dream.

This lead him straight into the big ticket issue for this year’s election: the economy. The Republican candidate highlighted his days at Bain Capital to illustrate his understanding of business and his support for smaller businesses. He also criticized incumbent President Barack Obama, noting that “every president since the Great Depression who came before the American people asking for a second term could look back at the last four years and say with satisfaction, ‘You are better off than you were four years ago … except this president.’”

The Republican platform, released for approval by the Republican National Committee and approved at the convention on Aug. 28, includes several policies that give Americans a clear idea of where America would go with a Romney administration.

The platform includes increasing the age of eligibility for Medicare and changing the current system to a premium-support model, committing to domestic energy independence including coal and oil, limiting the EPA’s involvement, cutting funding to universities who provide instate tuition rates to illegal immigrants, and making abstinence the acceptable form of teenage family planning taught in schools.

Throughout the next several months leading up to the election, Romney and Ryan will continue to highlight Obama’s shortcomings as President, while elaborating and reiterating their theme of “A Better Future” for America.

Steven Chaffin Entertainment & Opinions Editor

Po

Republican National Convention

Who do you plan to vote for in the upcoming elections?

Teachers

Seniors Mitt Romney Barack Obama Independent

Democratic National Convention The 2012 Democratic National Convention, affirming incumbent President Barack Obama’s decision to run for reelection along with his Vice President Joe Biden, was held from Sept. 4 to Sept.

6 in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

President Obama reaffirmed what he’s stood for over the past few years, criticized his conservative opponents, and attempted to maintain and regain the widespread support that won him the election in 2008.

His speech started similarly to Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney, discussing better times in America and his fear that those values and dreams were receding, culminating in his decision to run for Senator in Illinois, and later for President.

He then said, “All [Republicans] have to offer is the same prescriptions they’ve had for the last 30 years. Have a surplus? Try a tax cut. Deficit too high?

Try another.” This has been a large part of the democratic narrative for over a decade, especially throughout the Obama administration.

President Obama then shifted gears to discuss the past and next four years.

One of Obama’s primary hurdles for this election is in convincing the supporters he’s lost that progress is still being made, albeit at a rate slower than anyone would have hoped for.

“Now, I won’t pretend the path I’m offering is quick and easy,” said Obama. “I never have. You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth.” President Obama’s primary message throughout this portion and the entirety of his speech is simple: Progress is being made, but you can’t expect visible results immediately, and without hardship.

Throughout the rest of his speech, Obama touched on several issues: the economy, and how “after a decade of decline, this country created over half a million manufacturing jobs”; clean energy, and how “by the middle of the next decade, cars and trucks will go twice as far on a gallon of gas”; and finally education, and how “nearly every state has answered our call to raise their standards for teaching and learning.”

The goal of the 2012 Democratic Convention was to prove to voters that progress has been made over the past four years, and that if reelected, Obama will improve the further.

“The biggest ‘wow’ moment was watching former President Clinton, like him or not, explaining complex ideas; making a case for Obama that many say he couldn’t make for himself.” -- History teacher Scott Moeller

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

Opinions

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Band, Theatre Left out of Yearbook: Unfair Jo Treadway Design Editor It’s an item all high school students look forward to receiving; an artifact that everyone can look back at twenty years from now to remember the “good times.” It’s the yearbook.

The yearbook is something that encompasses every student’s favorite memories of the year, but when a club you’re most devoted to is left out, you may not be happy.

This year, several fine arts students were upset when they discovered that the marching band, the theater, and the improv team were all left out of the 2011-2012 school yearbook.

“The yearbook isn’t due until a month after school,” Kreher said, “and since the yearbok staff was comprised of mostly seniors [last year], and they didn’t all come back to help finish the yearbook, and as we ran out of time and had to cut out what wasn’t finished.”

With limited space and a limited budget, the yearbook staff has to choose which events and activities to cover. As important as it is to cover the most memorable or important events in the school yearbook, it’s difficult to justify why three of the most popular clubs in the school were left out, especially when both the band and the theater department have been featured in past yearbooks.

“In the beginning of the year, we make a page ladder of everything we want to put in the yearbook, and we try to include every club,” said sponsor Scott Kreher, “but as the year goes on and students graduate or we

lose members, its harder to finish every page and unfortunately, we are sometimes forced to cut pages [out of the yearbook].”

With 120 students, Marching Band is the largest club at Parkway North and they practice an hour before school on “B” Days, in class, and after school on Tuesdays.

Last year, the band won several awards, including a first place finish at the Mozingo Drum Line Competition, and they traveled to Hawaii to march in the 2011 King Kamehameha Parade, making last year one of the most successful seasons for the band in recent years.

“I was angry [about the band and theater being left out in the yearbook] because we put in a lot of effort in what we do,” said senior Sarah Horne who is both a section leader in the band and was stage manager in last year’s musical, 110 in the Shade.

The theater department also had a very successful year as they put on the British comedy See How They Run and the musical 110 in the Shade. The improv team, “Insert Laughter (Here)”, performed in two more shows.

Unlike band, the theater and improv team at least had their pictures featured in the back of the yearbook, however that is another issue which upset students even more.

Beside the pictures, where names of students were listed, there were several question marks in place of students’ names.

“We were angry [about not having a page in the yearbook],” said Horne, “but what made us even angrier was the fact that our club picture had question marks where people’s names should be.”

Typically, when there are people in photos for the yearbook and their names are

missing, the staff members have to either find out who is in the picture or get rid of the picture altogether. But finding names should have been an easy task for the staff as the theatre sponsor Chad Little sent them a list of everyone who was involved in theatre and improv.

“Little sent yearbook a copy of the same picture with everyone’s names listed. There is no reason for them to not know who each person was,” Horne said.

This year’s yearbook was disheartening and aggravating to many fine arts students in the theater and band, but that doesn’t mean the 2012-2013 yearbook will be like that.

“Just like last year, we plan to include band and theatre, but we’re planning to get more people involved in the yearbook so we can finish pages earlier [and include every-

one in the yearbook].” Kreher said.

Many students, however, just want to make sure careless mistakes such as this don’t happen again. “[The yearbook staff] needs to be more careful about looking for question marks [where names should be],” Horne said, “and if you see a question mark, either take it out completely or find out who the people in the picture are. They also need to acknowledge the time and effort and the amount of people required to pull these clubs off.”

As aggravating as the mistakes in the yearbook are, that’s all students can say they were, mistakes. And with these mistakes, students in band and theater as well as other clubs throughout the school, hope that next year’s yearbook will be that much more memorable.

Would you be upset if your group was not featured in the school yearbook?

658 students polled Yes Yes 369 No No 279

Teacher Use of Technology Improves Education Molly Thal Centerspread Editor Over the past few years, technology has been quickly becoming more prevalent in classrooms. Today, the internet is becoming a very large part of learning, inside and outside the classroom. More teachers should use the internet resources to help teach students because it makes learning easier, more fun, and more entertaining.

“I don’t use the textbook, which means I have to find resources in other places,” said history teacher Scott Nilsen, who uses an online resource known as Edmodo that enables students to complete assignments entirely online.

Edmodo is a Facebook-like educational social site. Teachers can post quizzes, assignments, and due dates in a class group that students can view. This makes learning easier for both students and teachers.

“I can see who’s turned in what, which is lovely,” said Nilsen.

John Green, founder of Crash Course World History and Green Brothers, perform in one of his videos designed to teach students about a variety of topics in world history and biology.

One other major resource for education outside of school is a web series called Crash Course made by award-winning novelist John Green and his brother Hank Green. “[John Green] is very interesting and awesome, and I like his novels,” said sophomore Alyssa Villacis.

The two brothers started making video blogs in 2006 with a project called Brotherhood 2.0. In 2011, the Green brothers started making educational videos in each of their specialties. John Green teaches World History, and Hank Green teaches Biology. These videos are entertaining and easy to follow.

“Some people like it more because they already know John Green from the vlogs and his books,” said Villacis. “The videos have helped me put together big ideas. We learn details in class, and the videos help bring them together.”

Another reason teachers may show videos like Crash Course in class or require them to watch them for homework is for review. These tutorials are usually around 10 minutes long, so they go over mostly general concepts.

“It takes a bunch of information, and packs it into about ten minutes,” said history teacher Jeff Kinney. “It’s not about facts and a few important leaders; it’s about the big picture and the connections.”

One downside of using the technology is that not everyone has access to the internet. However, teachers can still use the technology in class, which makes class more in-

teresting.

“I can’t take it for granted that everyone has access [to the internet] at home,” said Kinney. “If it’s essential, it needs to be shown in class.”

Hank Green is also the main producer of another science online tutorial miniseries called Sci Show. These videos are shorter than Crash Course, as they are on average about four minutes long.

In addition to their obvious educational benefits, “they’re funny, which is great,” said Nilsen.

Another project Hank Green produces is The Lizzie Bennett Diaries, a modern “vlog” version of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It takes an old, classic novel and makes it an entertaining, funny, easy-to-watch adaptation of the classic book.

These videos, along with other online resources, continue to grow in popularity with both students and teachers. In the future, more teachers should be use online resources, making learning easier, more entertaining, and more fun.

How technology will change the course of education in the coming years and decades is very unclear, but it is sure to provide many more opportunities for students to learn, and in any way they desire.

With the usage of videos and blogs, students will have an almost unlimited amount of information freely available to them, and will be able to apply that information to what they learn in class.

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Entertainment

September 27 2012 Parkway North High School

Bread Company Provides Best Local Study Spot Photo by Emily McCarter

Emily McCarter Editor in Chief

Students and staff at Parkway North agree that the St. Louis Bread Company (owned by Panera) on Ballas is the best place to study and grade papers.

“Bread Co. is a good place to study because it’s really convenient; I live right down the street,” said junior Irina Shalinskaya.

Although it is short drive to Bread Co. for many students and staff, other aspects make it a favorite spot.

“[Bread Company] has good food. It’s an easy meeting place, and it has a nice environment to get my work done,” said Shalinskaya.

People study or grade papers away from home to not have as many distractions.

“I don’t have my kids to interrupt me if I go to Bread Company, and there are too many ways to procrastinate or do other things to do when I’m at home,” said English teacher Debbie Banashek-Twist.

The only distraction there might be is the enticing selection of food and drinks Bread Company offers.

“There’s good food and drinks to reward myself when I get a certain amount of

Senior Elizabeth Dubinovskiy studies for an upcoming math quiz at Bread Company while enjoying a hot chocolate.

papers graded. I will tell myself I can refill my coffee after I grade five or so papers,” said Banashek-Twist.

Not only do people go there to get homework done on their own, but it is a good place for groups meet to study.

“Teachers have group discussions there

for students to meet with teachers outside of class because it’s an easy and local meeting point,” said senior Holly Hinrichs.

Hinrichs works at Bread Company part time, so she knows why Parkway North students and staff love to study there.

“It has very soothing music, is usually

very quiet, and the tables are always clean. I think it’s a good place for students to study because of its welcoming and friendly environment,” said Hinrichs.

Unlike other places, Bread Company does not require people to buy something in order to be there, making it suitable for people who just want a nice place to study.

“I like studying at Bread Company, but it gets expensive, and my parents make me pay for the extra food I get there,” said senior Margaret Roderick.

A major downside to studying at a food establishment is the appealing food and beverage you can get there, ultimately racking up to a large bill if you go there often enough.

Banashek-Twist agrees, “It can get expensive.”

However, with Panera’s new rewards card, students also get free items for being a frequent customer and for just being a rewards member.

“I know a lot of students have the new rewards cards from Bread Company, so it’s a nice surprise if you get a free drink or pastry,” said Hinrichs.

Even with the cost of food and drinks, Bread Company is still the most popular place for students and staff of Parkway North to get their work done.

Fall TV Brings Shows to Watch, Avoid The Big Bang Theory- Thumbs Up

Mary-Kate Mudd Business Manager

The New Normal- thumbs up

The New Normal premieres Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC. It is about a very successful and loving Los Angeles couple, David and Bryan, that wants a baby. The show soon turns its focus from just this couple to many others, and all their lives come together; one other person being Goldie- a fertile woman who could possibly help this couple out. This show showcases the struggle of homosexuals to adopt and have children, and how this issue can be resolved.

“I saw a commercial for The New Normal and it looks interesting because the characters are outrageous. It is by the producers of Glee so I want to watch it even more because I love Glee,” said senior Jeanne Safron.

Inbetweeners- thumbs up

The Inbetweeners is a new show that premieres on MTV at 9:30 p.m. This show follows four teenage boys that find themselves in some pretty tricky situations.

They turn normal things, like getting a new car, into something crazy. These boys have a hard time communicating with anyone but themselves, and it showcases how awkward a typical teenager is.

“Inbetweeners is really good. I think it showcases the life of an average high school teen. It looks really funny. The commercial

made me want to watch it because it looks hilarious and relatable. I get excited when it’s on,” said sophomore Katelyn Williams.

Guys with Kids - thumbs up

Guys with Kids premieres on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. on NBC. It is about three dads, Chris, Nick, and Garry, who are all in their thirties and have kids while trying to stay young and trendy. This show illustrates the life of dads, married or divorced who do exciting things with their kids and friends, while still trying to be a parent. They bring a new, laugh out loud style to parenting.

“I’m excited to watch Guys with Kids because the commercial reminded me of the movie What To Expect When You’re Expecting. I’m close with my dad and I think it will be interesting to have a show with a father/child relationship,” said senior Caylen Vinson.

The Mob Doctor- thumbs down

The Mob Doctor premieres Fridays at 8 p.m. on Fox. The Mob Doctor is about a woman doctor who tries to balance being a doctor and paying off her family’s debt to the Chicago’s Southside mob. The show is a medical drama that keeps up with the issue of mobs, allowing the audience to enjoy watching the doctor deal with a wide variety of situations, from killing her patients at the mob’s demand and keeping her double life a secret from her co-workers. It also showcases the troubles of going through medical school.

“I don’t want to watch The Mob Doctor because I don’t like violent things, and I feel like it’s wrong when people force others to kill for stupid reasons,” said junior Megan Commerford.

The Big Bang Theory is on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on CBS. It has been airing for six seasons; season seven starting on Sept. 27.

The Big Bang Theory is a laugh out loud comedy about a woman who moved into an apartment that is next door to two physicists.

There are also two other main characters that the show is centered around, making it something that never gets boring to watch.

“I watch The Big Bang Theory because it’s funny and entertaining.

I started watching it because my friends told me how funny it was. This show is nice because you don’t have to watch every episode in order for it to make sense,” said freshman Kevin Melter.

The Office- Thumbs up

The Office is on Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. It has aired for eight seasons, and this Fall is coming to a close with its ninth and final season. The Office has so many fans, making it one of the funniest and most popular shows on television. The Office showcases the lives of everyday office workers for a paper company in Pennsylvania. To make The Office look like an actual documentary, it is filmed with only one camera view, without a studio audience, or laugh track. Having one camera view hasn’t done any harm for The Office, leading this hit sitcom to earn 5 Primetime Emmy Awards.

“I love The Office so much because it’s so funny, and I think so many people watch it because it really does make you laugh. I look

forward to when The Office is on,” said senior Arrion Robinson.

Glee- Thumbs down

Glee, airing for four seasons, is a comedy about high school show choir students who struggle through hard situations. McKinley high school holds many interesting teachers, including Sue Sylvester, a hilarious gym teacher. The students are faced with discrimination for doing what they love, something most high school students experience at some point. The students sing popular songs and make them different than how one would hear them on the radio.

“I liked watching Glee the first season because the music used to be really good.

Since then, the show has been less about music and more about social issues. I like the show less because it’s less about the music,” said band teacher Mark Linn.

Each Fall, dozens of new TV shows enter and exit the spotlight, with only the best surviving for more than a season or two. With so many new and returning shows, it can be difficult for students to determine which shows to continue watching and which new shows might be interesting them. This year, students suggest swapping out some of the old favorites like Glee for brand-new alternatives like Inbetweeners, and sticking with old favorites like The Office.

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

Entertainment

7

Students Find Free, Entertaining Things to do Staff Writer

Photo by Taylor Weiss Several hungry patrons gather around Lulu’s food truck, a popular food truck that offers a variety of foods such as wraps, soups, salads, and other delicious snacks.

Thousands of fans gather at the Levee Concert Series in the heart of downtown St. Louis to listen and watch Nelly, and many others, perform.

well as free yoga on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Lastly, the Science Center is a fun and educational place for teens to visit. The main exhibits are free, but the special exhibits cost just a few dollars to get in.

Some of the main exhibits that are always free include building the arch in Structures, learning about the stars the Planetarium, playing a laser harp in Cyberville, taking control of the flight simulator in the Flight! gallery, and seeing science demonstrations on center stage.

The OMNIMAX is also a must-see, but it costs about six dollars. Every First Friday of the month, the Science Center and Planetarium host a featured event. There are many different exhibits to view, and the Planetarium does the “Sky Tonight” star show for free. Coming here with a group of friends or family would be a fun way to spend a day.

“Every year, I go to the Science Center with my family because we all are interested in science. Last year, I went to the Planetarium and saw the star show and I really enjoyed it because I am interested in astronomy,” sophomore Brian Coulter said.

“I went the OMNIMAX when I was younger and saw a movie about roller coasters, and it felt so realistic because the seats shook as if I was on an actual roller coaster.”

As a student making minimum wage (or nothing at all), it can be easy to assume that there’s no point in leaving the comfort of home and seeking out new, invigorating activities to try. More often than not, the places most talked about are the ones that require a small fortune, but that doesn’t rule out the fact that there are also a plethora of things to do absolutely free of charge.

So instead of logging onto Facebook for the fifth time or sending another allimportant tweet, head to a food truck, the zoo, a free activity, or some of the other dozens of free activities available in St. Louis.

Photo by Taylor Weiss

As a teenager, going out and being social is a big part of life; however, not having enough money for certain activities are a common occurrence among teens.

Every weekend there is the pressure to go places with friends, but it can get hard to keep up with the prices. Thankfully, there are many free things to do in Saint Louis such as Food Trucks, the Muny, the Zoo, the Science Center, and free concerts.

A new craze that has become very popular is the idea of food trucks. Instead of driving out to a restaurant, the restaurants pack up into a truck and drive around cities.

To make finding them even easier, there are now events that host over a dozen different food trucks in one area. In Saint Louis, there are many opportunities to attend a Food Truck event. There is Food Truck Friday at Tower Grove Park, Food Truck Tuesday at Faust Park, and Food Truck Wednesday at Creve Coeur Lake.

Food Trucks are a good event to attend with a group of friends, family, or a significant other.

By going online, the Food Trucks can be tracked to see where in Saint Louis they will be on a daily basis. This event is very popular to attend over the summer, but can be a year-round experience as long as you are prepared for the weather.

“I’ve attended Food Truck Friday at Tower Grove Park multiple times with my friends. My favorite food truck is Lulu’s because they have sweet potato falafel,” said senior Holly Hinrichs. “It’s a really laid back event, and everyone is just there to have a good time and eat good food. I would definitely recommend for people to go!”

Food Truck Friday’s last night in Tower Grove Park will be Oct. 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The St. Louis zoo is among the most popular attractions in St. Louis because it is

considered to be one of the best free zoos in America. There are over 70 different species to visit on the 1.5 acre property. The zoo is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday.

This is the perfect place to go on a date or with family and friends. A whole day can be spent here because of the amount of different activities there are to do. Animals are not the only attractions, but a 4-D motion simulator, a Safari Tour, a Carousel, a Railroad and much more.

“The zoo has provided numerous times for my family to enjoy the ambiance of that setting,” said history teacher James Hubbard. “For my family, it is sometimes hard to go out and do activities because of high prices, so it’s nice having a fun place to go that is free.”

This October, the zoo is hosting Otteroctoberfest with music, activities, and food. Boo at zoo is an annual Halloween festival at the zoo with costumes and prizes.

Also new to the zoo is the Sea Lion Sound which is a sea lion show as well as a glass tunnel that goes through the sea lion habitat.

Visitors can walk through the tunnel under water and see the sea lions swimming.

Live at the Levee Concert Series is a great place for teens to go over the summer to hear free music. Students can go and listen to music for free in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Every summer different artists come to perform and entertain thousands of fans. Fans can enjoy two weekends of free entertainment.

“I went to the Nelly concert over the summer, and it was a ton of fun. It was a hot, summer night downtown in St. Louis with a bunch of my friends,” junior Abby Kintz said. “Going to his concert brought back memories from all of his old songs from back in the day.”

Even though Live at the Levee is over, the Arch grounds host other free activities in the Fall including “Ghosts of the Arch Grounds” tonight from 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. as

Photo by Taylor Weiss

Taylor Weiss

In Forest Park, the St. Louis Zoo is a free and popular destination for families to enjoy the wide variety of animals that call the Zoo home.

The McDonnell Planetarium, built in 1963, is one of the key attractions of the St. Louis Science Center, where parents and their children can enjoy learning about the planets.

8

Norsestar

September 27, 2012

Parkway North High School

Parkway North Spirit Remains High Despite Homecoming Loss

Centerspread Who is your favorite superhero?

Spiderman captures a villain using spider webs on the junior float 2012.

9

North Students Celebrate 2012 Homecoming With Annual Dance Staff Writer

“Batman. He doesn’t have a weakness and he has mental strength.

He looks out for the greater good.”

-Sophomore Cedrick Quinn

“Batman. My 3-year-old nephew told me that batman is better than every other superhero.”

-Athletic Director Kris Kellams

Players line up before a snap during the homecoming game at Parkway North. for the fall season. The band uses home football games as a realistic dress rehearsal for their regional competitions.

“I like how all of our hard work has paid off,” said junior Duncan Wheeler. “It was our first performance and we have a lot to work on, but [the show] still looked good.”

The choice of scheduling Kirkwood, a team ranked high in the state standings and who finished second in the state of Missouri last season, for the Homecoming game confused many students and fans.

“I think scheduling the number one team in the state was a bad idea but there’s nothing we can do about it,” Irwin said. “It is what it is.”

While the football players were not at all pleased with the game’s end result, it gave them things to build on during upcoming practices and games.

“I enjoy the opportunity of playing someone that big on Homecoming,” said senior Chris Collins, a member of the team. “You can’t take any plays off.”

Students Enjoy 41st Annual Parade

The Vikings fell behind 40-0 at halftime, but they kept fighting and the defense limited the Pioneers to only one touchdown in the second half.

Collins said, “We need to listen to the coaches. They know what they’re talking about.”

The coaches realized that playing Kirkwood would certainly provide a challenge for the team.

“Anytime you go against a team [like Kirkwood] you have to be fundamentally sound,” said Head Coach Bob Bunton, “and we weren’t.”

The game ended on a good note with North scoring its first points on a touchdown just minutes before the end of the fourth quarter.

“I feel like Kirkwood put in their second string players toward the end of the game so it was easier for us to score,” said Irwin. “But it’s definitely good that we did score and were not shut out.”

Aurora Wrancher Features Editor At 11:00 a.m. on Sept. 22, students from Parkway North showed off their school spirit with floats, music, and performances by the Steppers, cheerleaders, and marching band in the Homecoming Parade.

Followed by the game and dance, the parade kicked off the homecoming celebration and got everyone ready for the rest of the festivities to come that day. “[The parade] shows our Viking pride in a fun and entertaining way,” said junior Chancey Bloodworth.

The weather on the day of homecoming was breezy and cool. The sky was cloudless

“Batman because he has no superpowers but can still do the same thing as the other heros. He gets the job done.”

-Junior Jacob Byrd

“Spiderman because he can climb on wall and use spiderwebs.”

-Freshman Lauren Wright “Punisher. He fights and keeps criminals off the street.”

-Senior Justin Campbell and sunny. It was perfect parade weather and the perfect way to get the tradition-filled day started.

“I love being in the parade. It’s a lot of fun watching people clap and sing along to the songs that we play,” said junior Samantha Hass, who is the drum major of the marching band.

The spectators that lined the parade route were treated with candy that was thrown from the floats. When they ran out of candy, donuts were given to the crowd.

The band led the parade through the neighborhood of Seven Pines, starting at Seven Pines Pool, and ending at North High. The band could be heard from far away, keeping things entertaining by playing their well-practiced songs for the enthralled bystanders.

“We get ready for the parade with prac-

tice and more practice. We also do tracking, which is simulating the parade on the track,” said junior Devin Nelson.

The homecoming theme this year was superheroes, so each grade rallied behind their own superhero. The freshmen made a float dedicated to Superman, the sophomores picked Captain America, the juniors had Spiderman, and the seniors used Batman.

The creativity of the float builders from each grade who worked on the floats after school throughout Spirit Week showed through the large and elaborate floats that were in the parade.

“I think that it’s exciting to see all of the floats and see the band play,” said Bloodworth.

Each grade has a week beforehand to get their floats ready for the parade. Willing students volunteer their after-school time to come

Homecoming 2012 took place the weekend of September 21-23 with a theme of superheroes. The dance, a major event in homecoming week, took place on Saturday, Sept. 22, but lots of hard work was put into planning the dance long before that.

“Last year during elections for the following year, we had to vote on what themes we wanted to do, and we sent out forms to each ac lab to vote on which theme they liked best. They chose super heroes. I wanted board games though,” said Nick Piazza.

The senior class got first pick on the superhero they wanted to be their mascot for the week, and they chose Batman. Juniors then got second choice, and they chose Spiderman. Sophomores chose Captain America, and freshmen chose Superman.

The homecoming dance, which also marks the end of the spirit week, started at 8 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m.

The night started with Parkway North students showing off their super-heroic dance moves, taking pictures and getting refreshments to rebuild their super-strengths to get back on to the dance floor.

The song that is gaining national attention called “Gangnam Style” was also a huge hit at homecoming and had everyone acting as if they were riding a horse.

“I love homecoming,” said junior Kimberly Scarborough. “It’s pretty good so far.”

The excitement built towards the end of the night when the Homecoming King and Queen are announced. The King for this year was senior Willie Parks and Queen was senior Isabella Hanewinkel.

“It’s very exciting. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was five,” said Hanewinkel.

When Parks was announced Homecoming King, his excitement was through the roof as he claimed his prize and struck a pose.

“I feel on top of the world. I really didn’t think I was going to win,” said Parks.

This year, the school had paid a lot more money than they have in the years before for the DJ. The DJ this year played a lot of upbeat music and also some of the latest

up with creative ideas for how to design their floats. All of the students worked very hard to win the float-building competition and impress everyone that sees them.

“Making sure everyone had a job and actually getting it done on time was the hardest part [of float building],” said junior Nicole Hunt.

After seeing the band and the floats, the people watching the parade saw girls of nearby Girl Scout troops. The girls threw candy to the spectators.

“I think that it’s really cute to see the Girl Scouts in the parade,” said sophomore Maddie Martin.

The junior float, which won the floatbuilding contest, featured a life-size model of Spiderman capturing a villain with spider webs.

Students elected on Homecoming Court stand on risers after Isabella Hanewinkel and Willie Parks were announced Homecoming King and Queen. music out now.

“It’s fun. I like the music,” said sophomore Ayanna Buckley.

Preparing for homecoming was one of the most exciting parts about the homecoming dance. Finding a date or a group to go with; wondering what dress, suit, and shoes to wear; and picking out flowers is the most important part of homecoming.

“I was wondering if they were going to have a dress code so I was trying to find a really nice dress, but I was worried about not having a date to homecoming because I thought it actually mattered. Then I found out that it didn’t, so I ended up going with my friends,” said freshman Najma Jana.

“I went to two stores the week before [the

dance], and I didn’t find anything,” said senior Daja Jamerson.

If a Parkway North student wants to take a date from another school, a background behavior form must be filled out by that student’s principal. This makes it a little more difficult to bring a date from another school, but it can make the dance more fun and interesting to see new faces.

“It’s a lot of fun seeing a lot of people I know from other schools,” said junior Kara Jacobson.

After announcing the homecoming king and queen, the night came to an end.

All of the super heroes that came out for homecoming 2012 went to find more adventures or went home for the night.

Photo by Aurora Wrancher

Photo by Aurora Wrancher

Junior Levi Buresch prepares to punt the ball during the homecoming game.

Parkway North High School

Jamie Powell

Kevin Graeler Editor-in-chief Parkway North celebrated its 41st annual Homecoming football game on the afternoon of Sept. 22, 2012, and although the outcome of a 47-7 loss to Kirkwood High School dampened spirits, the game remains a tradition that students will never forget.

Students not involved with the team or any of the performances before or throughout the game filled up the student section and remained standing for the entire game with the exception of halftime.

“My favorite thing about the student section is the energy within the group of students,” said senior James Irwin. “The school spirit is explosive, and it feels as if we can affect the game’s outcome and it’s like we all are in the game and part of the team. We give the players energy.”

There were plenty of other activities and performances going on before kickoff and throughout the game.

Before the game and during halftime, the Parkway North Marching Vikings performed on the field. The band, under the direction of Mark Linn and Andrew LaRose, is playing “Innovation” as their halftime show

September 27, 2012

PNH Steppers march down Fee Fee Road in the Homecoming parade on Sept. 22.

10

Features

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

Grapevine Returns to North After Two Year Break Due to Renewed Student Interest

of the students were upperclassmen, but students from other grades are highly encouraged to become involved.

“I was pleasantly surprised – we haven’t had a guy on staff for a while, and it needs some male sensibility, I think,” Pomerantz

said principal Dr. Jenny Marquart.

No matter how many accommodations are made to make foreign exchange students feel welcome, there is no guarantee they will have a great experience.

“I really like it here, but I do miss my culture very much. It is very welcoming, unlike here. It’s very hard to be away from your family and friends that know you and speak your language,” said Caro.

For Mueller, being in America is also a big change from life in Germany.

“Everything is bigger here so it’s easy to get lost in school or at the shopping center.

The weather is also different. Germany is a lot colder,” said Mueller.

Although students in America seem to always complain about school, it is a nice change for foreign exchange students.

“I really like the school here because it’s very individualized. I like that you can choose your classes by yourself. There is a lot more freedom in schools here, but also more responsibility and work to do,” said Mueller.

Both exchange students were very interested in this opportunity to experiment American cultures for themselves.

Mueller said, “In Germany, the USA is a very popular culture. I wanted to experience it as a teenager.”

Foreign exchange students are chosen after they send their transcripts, a letter of recommendation, and a letter to a national organization who then forwards the items to the school.

Foreign exchange students experience other benefits besides just experiencing a different school environment.

“When we are exposed to different cultures at an early age, then I think we are more likely to accept people who are different from us later on in life,” said Rowey.

Parkway North student, senior Haleigh Balentine, was a foreign exchange student in

Germany last year and had a mixed experience.

“Overall my experience was good in Germany, but my family was very mean and I ended up coming home five days early,” said Balentine.

No matter how good or bad a time a foreign exchange student may have, being exposed to a new culture is an experience.

Photo by Jonathon Herzog

flyers to spread the word around.”

Though DeYong is the de facto leader, the mood of the meeting was friendly and informal. Students described their interests and what they wanted to contribute, from poetry to painting to photography. Most

said about the first meeting’s turnout.

Senior Noah Laster hopes to bring that to the table. Laster specializes in poetry and creative writing, as well as keeping the meetings humorous and lively. This is his first year contributing to Grapevine.

“I had friends in [Grapevine] who said I could help contribute,” Laster said. “It’s full of a lot of cool and original stuff from our school. [It shows,] you know, that we have more to offer than football.”

Traditionally, Grapevine publishes one issue at the end of the school year, and is sold through the school bookstore, though alternatives like CDs have been considered.

Anyone can contribute content, whether or not they’re a member, but only the highest quality work goes into the magazine. Members will critique and decide on content for the magazine. Pomerantz said that the best magazines in the past have been the ones with the widest range of content.

“I liked it when we had lots of voices… when there’s something that’s light, serious, dark, edgy, in writing and art,” Pomerantz said.

At the second meeting, Sept. 10, the students looked through collections of magazines for examples of great design.

There was a wide array of opinions and observations, and everyone seemed optimistic about what they could do with the magazine.

“It’s a great year to get involved,” Pomerantz concluded.

“There’s no preconceived notion of how the magazine should be or look. This is a time for innovation.”

Jonathan Herzog Staff Writer Thanks to renewed student interest, Parkway North’s own literary magazine, Grapevine, is scheduled for its first print since 2010.

“In 2009 through 2010, two sophomores were editors-in-chief, but when they became juniors, they got too busy,” said English teacher Melissa Pomerantz, who sponsors the club. After that, there was no publication because there were no students to publish it.

Grapevine magazine meets in Pomerantz’s room every other Monday throughout Fall with a to-be-determined schedule in the Spring. Their first informational meeting, Aug. 27, was a crash course on how the magazine worked.

Pomerantz and senior Kristina DeYong took turns outlining their roles.

“My role is to be a sounding board…a resource, a supervisor, a driver…but aside from that, it’s all student-run,” Pomerantz explained. “I have the last say what goes in, so that it’s school appropriate.”

DeYong decided that, after two years off, the Grapevine deserved to come back.

She raised money over the summer and started raising awareness once the school year started in August.

“I was appointed [as a leader] by Pomerantz for bringing in interest and raising funds,” DeYong said. “I made sure to tell friends about it. I got it on the announcements in Ac Lab, [and] I put up

Melissa Pomerantz, Grapevine advisor, senior Kristina DeYong, and senior Celina Yim look through magazines for design ideas on Sept 10 at the second meeting.

Foreign Exchange Students Experience Life at North Emily McCarter Managing Editor This year, Parkway is hosting two foreign exchange students, junior Maria Caro from Chile and sophomore Lukas Mueller from Germany, who seem to be adjusting well at Parkway North.

Caro is staying with the family of senior Kendra Rowey.

“It’s nice living with a foreign exchange student because you get to experiment with other cultures. But also, you get to see what is different in our culture. The way people act in our country sometimes doesn’t make sense to people from other countries,” said Rowey.

However familiar the United States may be for students born in the U.S., American culture is very different from that of Chile and other countries around the world.

“School is very different here. [In Chile], lunch is one hour and you stay with the same class of 35-38 people for your whole life. We don’t get home until 5 p.m. every day from school,” said Caro.

Although foreign exchange students have a disadvantage not growing up speaking English, Parkway North treats them like any other student.

“We make sure they are in appropriate classes for their English level, but mostly we treat them the same as all the other students.

We try to make sure they have a good American experience; grades aren’t as important,”

Foreign exchange student Lukas Mueller talks to freshman Cameron Schoene during lunch.

Mueller said, “Sometimes I miss home but not as much as I expected.

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

11

Features

Class of 1992 Awards Scholarship to Class of 2013 Senior at Homecoming Photo by Gianna Sparks

Gianna Sparks Staff Writer This year, Parkway North’s class of 1992 awarded a $5000 scholarship to senior Christina Wesley, along with three other scholarships totaling $9000 (two $1000 and one $2000) to deserving seniors, during the homecoming game. They did this to pay tribute to the investments that Parkway North has made in their own lives and the community.

“Our desire is to honor the rich investment Parkway North made to [us] in our lives by giving back in the form of a scholarship. We now understand that one of the greatest ways to show gratitude is to give,” said member of the class of 1992 Harlan Hodge, who heads up the scholarship fund.

This is the first time that a Parkway reunion committee has ever raised money to give out a scholarship. Their goal was to get 100 percent participation, meaning that they hoped that all the members of the class would donate money. .

“All of the applicants were so outstanding, it seemed wrong to just pick one,” said Hodge.

Originally, the class of 1992 planned on only handing out one scholarship. However after reviewing the recipients, they decided to give out four total instead. To raise the extra money, the class of 1992 held a raffle at Kreigr, a restaurant owned by Josephine

Seniors Jacqueline Sotraidis and Christina Wesley accept their scholarships on Sept. 22 at the homecoming game. Sotradis won $2000 and Wesley won $5000.

over 100 hours of volunteer work, which helped her to win the Presidents Volunteer Service award. She was also the 2011 Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership representative for Parkway North. Wesley hopes to pay it forward by starting her own fund at North for high achieving, minority women, sometime in the future.

Along with Wesley, three other seniors, Jacqueline Sotraidis, Emily Ladig, and Brooke Voeller, also won smaller scholarships from the 1992 graduating class.

“I’ve done a lot of different things, and I’m very [much] focused on issues that are important to me, such as science education,” said senior Sotraidis.

One issue that is important to Sotraidis is science education and conservation. She was the spokesperson for a campaign to get solar panels installed at all the Parkway Schools. In addition, Sotraidis was selected

Photo by Gianna Sparks

Chirol, a member of the graduating class of 1992.

“We are hoping to support an outstanding member of the PNH community who is actively involved with extracurricular [activities]… [and] who has a strong sense of gratitude who really desires to give back,” said Hodge.

The class of 1992 was looking for a student who excels in academics, sports, and/or has given their time to better the community.

Along with filling out an online application, seniors who applied also had to submit a short video talking about their achievements at Parkway North and describing what they would do with the money. Winner Christina Wesley did just that.

“I want to inspire others to achieve,” said Wesley.

Along with being involved in many extracurricular activities, such as band and High School Heroes, Wesley completed

by NASA for an all-expense paid trip to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

There, she learned about the space program, and was the head of one of the engineering teams for the week. Sotraidis was also the leader of a project called “Inspire Green” which aimed to get elementary and middle school students excited about science through fun labs.

“I have a little brother with special needs. It has always been a big part of my family to help people with special needs,” said senior Ladig.

Ladig has been involved in activities such as PALS, and cheerleading. She also has, and continues to be, involved in several programs that help children with special needs, such as Special Olympics, along with programs called Loose the Training Wheels, and Kids Enjoy Exercise Now. “I’ve always loved helping people; I can’t wait to get my civil engineering degree and continue to be part of something bigger than myself,” said Voeller.

Voeller participated in a mission’s trip to Nicaragua where she helped to build modern bathrooms. She hopes to become a civil engineer and help to build safe, longlasting bridges. In addition, Voeller has been playing on Parkway North’s varsity soccer team for four years, and is the treasurer for the student body and vice president of NHS and TSA or technology student association.

“I think [the scholarship] is a wonderful example of paying it forward,” said Karen Calcaterra, the senior principal at Parkway North.

Not only is the class of 1992 paying it forward by donating the money, they hope that the senior receiving the money will pay it forward as well. “$5000 dollars is a lot of money,” Hodge said. “Our only hope is that at some point in the years to come that our recipient will return the good deed.”

Christina Wesley accepts her scholarship of $5000 at the homecoming game. Wesley is going to use the money to become a psychiatrist and give back to the community.

12

COMMUNITY

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

Parkway North Homeless Helpers Begin 9th Year of Service Benefitting Community Kevin Graeler Editor in Chief The Homeless Helpers at Parkway North are beginning their ninth year of existence serving the Saint Louis community, under the leadership of seniors Melanie Lawrence and Darion McCuller.

The group, which consists of around 20 students, lost their primary leadership last year due to graduation but continues on with the same goal: volunteering in the community to help the homeless.

“Some people are in [the group] for the government service hours, and we have other students who stick around all four years,” said history teacher Scott Moeller, the sponsor for the group. “Whatever their motives are, we are very welcoming.”

The group meets every Thursday morning in Moeller’s classroom and plans upcoming events and service opportunities.

“The purpose of these meetings are mostly just to touch base and see who is going where, when, volunteer wise,” Lawrence said.

McCuller and Lawrence decided to take on leadership roles within the group this year to keep the group’s tradition alive and to bring a fresh perspective.

“For people who may be interested in joining, some words of encouragement I

would say is ‘One hand can help feed many,’” McCuller said. “What I mean by that is no matter if you come to the meetings or also go volunteer with us, you can make a positive impact helping people who may be homeless.”

Moeller has been the sponsor of the group since its inception nine years ago.

“The idea started nine years ago on an all-freshman field trip to Saint Patrick’s Center,” Moeller explained.

Due to students involved and change, Homeless Helpers continually changes.

“Every year, it’s slightly different because of each group’s background,” Moeller said. “[My favorite part of being involved] is seeing students really take this issue on with lots of compassion and interest. It’s really inspiring and energizing.”

The group partners with several different organizations around the Saint Louis area and plans service projects around each charity’s goal.

“A connection we’ve had the past few years that we plan on continuing is the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery,” Moeller said. “Last year, we spent a lot of time volunteering on Saturday mornings. That was the most effective and energizing event that we did all year.”

The group relies on ideas from the

students to plan what service events the Homeless Helpers will volunteer at.

“We go to all sorts of places for volunteering,” Lawrence said. “St. Louis Crisis Nursery is the most popular, and we have several [other] drives planned.”

This group goes a long way in raising awareness about the problem of homeless in society, and it also provides a way for students to reach out a helping hand to those in need.

“It is truly a great experience in itself to go and get outside of your own world and see reality and what else is really out there,” Lawrence said. “You really don’t know what you have until you see how much others don’t.”

Society as a whole often overlooks the fact that not all homelessness is chronic.

“The [homeless people] you see on street corners is what you think about most, but that’s a relatively small number compared to temporary homelessness,” Moeller explained.

The group is always looking to expand to increase their influence in the community.

All North students are welcome to participate in the weekly meetings and volunteer events.

“Looking back at when I first started to look at groups that I found interesting, I remember my friends and I wanting to do

A sign outside of history teacher Scott Moeller promotes the Homeless Helpers group that meets every Thursday to plan service opportunities.

something for the community and impact it in a positive way,” McCuller reflected. “So, I think that’s why I was drawn to Homeless Helpers.”

“This club is a huge eye-opener, and makes you so much more thankful for what you do have,” Lawrence said. “Doing this just gives me a heart of joy knowing that I am reaching out, helping others, and making an impact. And even if it isn’t evident, you are leaving an imprint in someone else’s life.”

Peer Teachers Run Car Wash; Donates Proceeds to Child with Microcephaly Syndrome Emily Ladig

Photographed by Julie McMullen

Staff Writer Over the summer, the Parkway North group Peer Teachers raised money at their two annual car washes; this time for the Thornhill family, in order to fund treatment for their son who has Microcephaly with Chorioretinal Dysplasia Syndrome.

The Peer Teachers decided that the

money they raised at the car wash would be donated to help Thornhill’s four and a half year old son, Brodie, who has a very rare condition.

“Microcephaly with Chorioretinal Dysplasia Syndrome causes Brodie to have extremely low vision, making him legally blind. His retinas are damaged and have scar tissue on them, thus impairing his vision. Glasses and contacts do not help,”

Juniors Matt Ney and Ashley Hanson hold signs advertising the Peer Teaching Car Wash.

The car wash took place on the corner of McKelvey and Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights.

said history teacher Amy Thornhill, mother of Brodie.

The family has visited many special doctors in St. Louis about Brodie’s eyes, and even wrote to several eye specialists around the country, but received little help. The next step was to take Brodie to John’s Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, which was an expensive trip that they could not afford.

Being a friend of Thornhill’s, Julie McMullen knew about the family’s financial difficulty, and thought that the Peer Teachers could help send Brodie to Baltimore.

“I thought that we could raise money with our Peer Teaching car washes and help a member of the North community,” said Julie McMullen.

Usually, the money raised at Peer Teaching car washes helps fund tailgates and other events, but this year will be donated to help Brodie.

“We raised five hundred dollars, and at least half of it will be given to the Thornhill family. If the Peer Teachers want all of the money to be donated to Brodie, then it will be,” said Julie McMullen.

Peer Teachers agreed with McMullen’s idea to help the family in need.

“It felt good to know that we were making a difference in someone’s life that actually needed it,” said senior Noah Laster.

Although Amy Thornhill has a lot of hope for the treatment of her son, she did

not expect to have the help and support of students and teachers at Parkway North.

“When Mrs. McMullen told me about the car wash, I cried immediately,” said Amy Thornhill.

Eventually, after hearing back from doctors in Baltimore, the Thornhill’s reached another bump in the road.

“The doctor looked over Brodie’s medical records and said that in the future, there might be technologies that could help him, but that right now, there was nothing they could do,” said Thornhill.

The family has since then changed their plans, and will no longer be making the trip to John’s Hopkins Medical center in Baltimore. Although, with the assistance of the Peer Teachers, they will be using the donated money to purchase a hand-held low vision magnifier device which will make sporting events and family trips to the Saint Louis Zoo more enjoyable for Brodie.

After receiving help from the Peer Teachers, Amy Thornhill said, “I’m proud that I live in a community where people will reach out to help my family.”

Each day, the Thornhill family gets closer and closer to finding more help for Brodie, and continues to look towards a bright future for their son. As for the Peer Teachers, the group is eager to see what else they can accomplish after a successful start to their ye ar.

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

COMMUNITY

13

Parkway North Plays Parkway Central in Annual Pink Game In Memory of Gaubatz Business Manager

Photographed by Brooke Voeller

There is one football game every year when it is acceptable for PNH fans to wear pink instead of purple, and this game is Playing for Pink, which happens on Sept. 28 this year against Parkway Central.

“It’s so great because Central has always been our biggest rival, and this year we get to play them for a good cause,” said senior Chris Collins, wide receiver and running back.

Usually, the money raised goes to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. However, all of the money raised during the Playing for Pink game this year will go to the Gaubatz family who recently lost mother of three, Ronnie Gaubatz, to cancer.

Not only will all of the money from the Playing for Pink game be donated to Ronnie’s family. It will then be doubled by the Parkway School District.

“I think it is really good that the money is going to Ronnie’s family because it is going to someone in the North community, and she gave a lot of inspiration to a lot of people,” said junior Chaney Cooper.

Three years ago, Playing for Pink was started by Captain’s Council members that heard about the idea at a Sportsmanship Summit. This idea turned into a huge success when Parkway North hosted the first Parkway Playing for Pink football game against Parkway West.

“My favorite part of playing for pink is the fact that it heightens awareness about breast cancer. Often times, many people don’t know how they can help [the cause] and this gives them the opportunity,” said Cooper.

Since then, PNH has been hosting a Playing for Pink game every year.

“I love going to the Playing for Pink game so much because everyone is decked out in pink, and it really brings us all together,” said sophomore Emily Evans.

Not only do students love attending the game, the PNH football players enjoy Playing for Pink.

“I love Playing for Pink because it gives us a chance as football players to show support for women with breast cancer. I love wearing pink shoelaces, gloves, wristbands, mouthpieces, and socks. It really helps unify our team,” said Collins.

Jonathan Pai and Aimee Dion position their pink converse in the letter “E” out of support for their friend Erin Gaubatz’s mother who died of breast cancer.

Pregame rituals are different for the Playing for Pink game. The first year, PNH

had a tailgate with Parkway West on PNH’s school ground to see who could gather more

people. North and West also sold T-shirts to raise even more money for breast cancer, making over one thousand dollars.

This year, the T-shirt sales have continued, and the tailgate will take place Friday night before the football game.

“Playing for Pink gives us a different purpose to play for. Instead of playing for ourselves or our team, we play for an even bigger cause,” said Collins.

This bigger cause happens to be breast cancer and a Parkway family. This past week a PNH mother, Ronnie Gaubatz, passed away from breast cancer. She spent her time on Earth raising three children who all belong to the Parkway North District. Although her death was not unexpected, she had been fighting breast cancer for 4 years, Ronnie’s death took a major toll on her family and the financial help from the game is only a small relief to them.

Throughout Ronnie’s battle with cancer, she kept a blog. Her blog talked about her journey through life, regrets, all of the things she wished she could have done, and even letters to her future grandchildren.

One of Ronnie’s posts says, “I want to bottle my perspective and give it away for free. I want more days. I want more time to love and be loved. I want to see my girls happy in their lives. I want to hold a grandbaby in my arms. I love that baby now, already.

I want to go on college visits. I want to sit, reading, on a beach in Greece one more time.

I want those who love me, who will grieve me, not to be too sad for too long. I want those who love me to celebrate my life.”

As this quote said, she didn’t want her family to be sad, she wanted her friends and family to celebrate the things she did.

Ronnie then decided that she would do something new and exciting with her life every day. She documented pictures of the new thing that she did daily, she talked about her battles, and how she overcame them. Many would consider Ronnie an inspiration.

She knew her family would be sad so she said, “Big tears make room for big joys.”

Ronnie knew her time was coming to an end soon when the doctor told her she had 3-6 months to live. She decided to set up a fund for her children so they would be able to keep their house and be able to go to college.

Although most would consider Ronnie’s story amazing, she’s not the only motivation to win this game. This year is the first year PNH will be playing this special game against Parkway Central.

“Having more teams open up to Playing for Pink is really good for us; it raises more awareness and gets more people involved,” Evans said.

Playing for Pink is not only for students, it also brings the community together for a great cause.

“I love that everyone wants to be involved and help. It brings our school together,” Collins said.

Playing for Pink gives the community a chance to be brought together over an issue many deal with daily.

Ronnie Gaubatz holds her hands up with pride as she fights cancer. Her mother and sister, on her right and left, supported her through her battle with breast cancer.

According to The American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States.

The American Cancer Society also said that, “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36.” “[Playing for Pink is so important] because so many people have been affected,” Evans said.

Breast cancer death rates have been going down slowly, and this is probably because more and more people are becoming aware

because of events like Playing for Pink.

“We knew that breast cancer was a big deal, but having someone affected by it in our community was huge for us,” Evans said.

Parkway North will bring the Parkway community together on Friday to Play for Pink, Play for Ronnie, and raise awareness.

Parkway hopes to put more light on the issue of breast cancer and help those who need it in the time of loss.

“The most important part of Playing for Pink is bringing the community together through sports to raise awareness,” said Kris Kellams, North’s Athletic Director.

Photographed by Brooke Voeller

Mary-Kate Mudd

Seniors Emily Recor, Erica Roux, Hannah Peterson, and Allison Heininger show support by wearing Pink in honor of Erin Gaubatz’s mom on Monday, Sept. 17, 2012.

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Sports

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

North Faces Challenges for the 2012 Season Photo by Jocelyn Treadway

Brandon Fredman Online Editor After losing the senior class of 2012, Parkway North faces new challenges with the new Fall season. The underclassmen need to step up and take on new leadership roles and responsibilities. Community will play a big role and team work will have an affect on how successful each team will be this season.

Parkway North’s sports teams are stepping up, hoping to overcome the obstacles the 2012 season has in store and hoping to have an overall successful season this year.

Senior captain Ashley Van Camp prepares to drive the ball down the field in a home game against Parkway West on Sept. 24 where they won 5-4.

beat any team.”

Girl’s Golf The Parkway North Girl’s Golf team has already began their 2012 season with a lot of victories, despite being moved into a tougher district this year. “[This season] is going better than we ever expected,” said senior Stephanie Mazzoni. “We’re 5-0, which we have never been before.”

The season is still only beginning.

Since MHSAA moved them to a district with tougher teams, the season may bring some challenges.

“We’re in a new district. It’s a tougher district,” said Mazzoni. “We’re playing a few harder teams. [Some] matches are away, so we’re unfamiliar with the courses.”

A major goal the team has this year is to send as many people to state as possible.

“We just trying to get as many people as possible through districts, sectionals, and off to state,” said Mazzoni.

The team is still learning their stregthes and weaknesses, so they can perfect them selves.

“We’re trying to work harder and practice,” said Mazzoni. “We all have different

struggles. When it comes to practices, we try to focus on what we’ve been struggling.”

The season is only beggining, and the team is working as hard as possible to be as successful as possible. Districts will be October 1-3.

Photo by Brandon Fredman

Field Hockey The Parkway North field hockey team takes on new challenges as they enter the 2012 season. Currently, the field hockey team has won two games beating Parkway West and Riverview Gardens but has lost nine games.

Field hockey has several returning players as well as new players this year. Total, the team has twenty-three players which is a large number for a field hockey team which typically has eleven players on the field at once.

“It’s tough having a big group of girls who are new,” said senior Ashley Van Camp, captain of the field hockey team.

They are also faced with the challenge of having many new players on the team causing some difficulty with preparing for opposition. Because there are no cuts, the team has inexperienced players who need more practice than returning players. The teams they will face are already training for the season.

“We’er going up against schools that do a lot of training,” said Van Camp.

Even though the team practices every day for two hours when they don’t have a game, other teams have players who began playing field hockey at a young age and who practice in the off-season.

The task of tough competition is a challenge that they will face in the 2012 season as they ready themselves for opposing teams.

The team participates in drills and conditioning to improve stick skills and endurance which are both neccessary to play well. and beat the competition.

Despite the difficulties the field hockey team is still preparing for a successful season. They take on these tough challenges with hard work and dedication but also cooperating as a team. “[We will] keep practicing and try to work as a team,” said Van Camp.

The team’s next game is against Clayton at home on Oct. 1.

Photo by Jocelyn Treadway

Boy’s Soccer

The Parkway North boy’s soccer team began their season with challenges, but the team is beggining to click with an important win 3-0 against Ritenour at the homecoming game.

“The first couple of games, we were deciding where to put players, but the guy’s have stepped up,” said coach Jeff Church.

“We had a lot of question marks, and they had to come up with answers, and they did.

Things are starting to click.”

A major challenge this season is that there are a lot of new players and new coaches.

“We have two new coaches on the staff.

As a program, we have some adjustments to make,” said Church. “We lost a few key players last year, so we’re looking for guys to step up and play the roles of the game.”

Despite the changes, they players are adapting well to the adjustments.

“Everybody is playing their role and doing well. We have a lot of speed. We have physical presence,” said Church. “Some of the guys have stepped up and are playing positions they have never played before.”

Now, the team has established themselves, and they hope they are ready to go against some tough competition in the district including Lindbergh where they lost 4-2, Kirkwood where they won 2-1 and Parkway Central whom they will face tonight at home at 4:00 p.m.

“The district is going to be very tough, but we have a good build,” said Church. “If we play strong, and stick to our system, we can

Girl’s Tennis The Parkway North Girls Tennis team is off to a record breaking start. The team is already 8-2, and they have the potential to go to State.

“This season, we’re a lot stronger as a whole. We have more experienced players,” said junior Joy Garcia. “We’re probably one of the best teams Parkway North has ever had.”

Although the team is winning the majority of their games, they are still setting goals for themselves.

“Our goal this year is to make it to 10 team wins, which will be a record for the girl’s tennis team,” said Garcia.

In order to achieve all those wins, the team must work together.

“We’ve gotten better and we’ve supporting each other, and everyone is putting their time and energy into the game,” said freshman Bianca Gavaller.

The season is only beginning, and the team still has a long way to State.

“I believe we have a potential to make it to State,” said Garcia.

This year’s team is more experienced than ever, and they are focusing on polishing their plays.

“We are working on improving individual and double teams, and we’re taking advantage of opportunities to improve ourselves,” said Garcia.

The season is still young, and there is still plenty of games left. “[I’m looking forward to] winning matches, and having fun,” said Gavaller.

The tam’s next match is Sept. 28 at Francis Howell at 4 p.m.

Senior captain Marc Hansell chases ball out of bounds during the varsity soccer game against Linbergh on Aug. 24 at home where they lost 4-2.

Senior Kendra Rowey goes for a swinging volley in a doubles match versus Parkway West.

September 27, 2012 Parkway North High School

15

Sports

Parkway North Graduates Excel in College Sports Sports Editor Parkway North graduates of 2012, Michael Bozarth, Katie Kuehl, and Donavin Newsom, are starting to get a feel about what life is like as a student athlete involved in college athletics.

College athletics has proven to be different by having more vigorous and accelerated practices. The stakes are higher at the collegiate level and many of former North athletes are learning to adjust to the demands of college athletics.

“College athletics is different from high school athletics because, although I am training for less hours a week, each practice is very fast moving and has a very fast pace.

When you are getting paid to compete for a college, you have a job to do and there’s no more messing around,” said Katie Kuehl, a 2012 graduate who is on a scholarship for gymnastics at Lindenwood University.

Other athletes from Parkway North have also learned the differences early on from high school athletics to college athletics.

One such athlete who learned early about the demands of college athletics is Michael Bozarth, who plays baseball for St. Louis University.

“College athletics are very time consuming. Four hours a day, six days a week, and lifting a lot. Also, I can already tell the competition is better,”said Bozarth.

Not only has the speed in which the practices run increased, but so has the intensity of them.

“The hardest part about college athletics for me is the intensity there is during every practice. At both 6 a.m. practices and 12:45 p.m. practices, you have to give 100 percent every turn you take. You are also in charge of

The competition also increases with everybody trying to fight for a spot on a collegiate team.

“Some advice I would give to athletes who are trying to compete on the college level is to be aggressive when talking to colleges and visit as many as you can. You have to reach out to them because they won’t always reach out to you,” Kuehl said. “Never take a practice for granted because time will go faster than you think. Be prepared because it is the hardest and most fun experience of your life.”

Not only do college athletes have to work hard but they have to get themselves known. Student athletes have to show that you have the interest and desire to make it at the next level and have to prove that they will put in the work.

“Contact coaches and use the help of your high school coaches and summer coaches. Also work hard in the gym. That’s what I used as confidence and it separates the athletes with natural talent and those who want to be more,” Bozarth said.

Once a student athlete gets to college, everything changes and student athletes have to be ready to take on those changes, whatever they may be, to be successful at the next level.

“The number one thing a high school athlete must do to be prepared for college is realize that they are a freshman that knows nothing all over again. Countless North graduates have come back from playing college athletics and said how different it is,” Friedman said. “It’s hard to prepare for college before you get there. Mentally, you just have to be ready to accept the new challenges and work as hard as possible. A high school athlete that thinks they are allthat won’t last long in college.”

Curtesoy of Katie Kuehl

Richard Reynolds

North grad Katie Kuehl performs on the paralell bar at a gymnastics competition. Currently, Kuehl is part of the Lindenwood gymnastics team.

keeping your body healthy and fueling your body correctly in order to perform at your best,” Kuehl said.

The time put into practices is also a major difference between high school and college athletics. In college, it’s more of a win or lose factor which makes athletics even more competitive.

“The biggest difference between high school and college athletics is the time commitment. High school practices are during the season, for 2-3 hours. Depending on the sport, colleges will practice year round (including meetings) for 5 plus hours a day,” said Fred Friedman, who coaches baseball and football at North. “Another key

difference is that for the coaches, their jobs depend on their success. That increases the pressure to win immensely.”

College athletics not only differs in work ethic but also in the community feel.

“High school had a much more personal feel to it. SLU is still a small school with baseball being a bigger sport here, but it’s still not the communal feel,” Bozarth said.

Because of this reason, former North athletes find themselves missing their old teammates.

“Although I never competed for my high school particularly, I miss my old teammates and coaches that I grew up with my entire life,” Kuehl said.

Kniffen Returns for his 25th Year as Football Coach News Editor 2012 marks the 25th year at Parkway North for art teacher and line coach for the freshmen football team, Grant Kniffen. He graduated from Parkway North in 1979 and began his teaching and coaching career at North in the fall of 1986. “[Kniffen] brings a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to the football field and this translates from classroom,” said head football coach and history teacher Bob Bunton.

Along with football, Kniffen also coaches the shot-put and discus throwers during the track and field season. Coaching is a passion for Kniffen, but what he really enjoys is the classroom.

According to junior Rodney King, “He helps you with the skill and fundamentals that are needed to get to the next level.”

As much as Kniffen loves teaching, he also loves coaching but couldn’t find the time to coach varsity due to his busy schedule as an art teacher.

Kniffen said, “I did not have the time outside of the classroom to devote to varsity, and the freshman team allows me to do what I enjoy most.”

Those that know sports in general will appreciate the way he teaches the basics of the game. He is able to teach the basic fundementals in a way the the players are

able to learn what their responsiblities are for their position. These lessons help players elevate their game when they get to the junior varsity and even varsity levels. On varsity game days, Kniffen enjoys his relaxed role that allows him to coach only when needed and watch the games up close.

Relationships are important to coach Kniffen. He said, “Being able to work with and get to know these kids on a better level each day is something I look forward to.”

King said, “Kniffen has fun with what he does.”

The friendships that he builds with the other coaches on the staff are important as well. Throughout the years he has been able build those strong relationships and “I consider these people my good friends and the relationships we build help us on the coaching side. When I am done coaching, the one thing I will remember most is the people I have met and the relationships I have built,” Kniffen said.

Another talent that Kniffen possesses is his art. Kniffen’s art ranges from colorful sceneries and murals to abstract and even portraits. He paints and even creates sculptures that capture emotions. Kniffen teaches Drawing 1 and 2 as well as +AP Studio and Painting at North. His students seem to enjoy time in his class and improve on their art skills along the way. Kniffen’s art is displayed in a link on his website.

Photographed by Kevin Graeler

Ian Brown

Coach Kniffen directs players during the first half of the homecoming game against Kirkwood. Kniffen has been coaching for 25 years.

Posing right before their homecoming game, the varsity soccer team attended the first half of the pep rally before going off to the field and getting a win against Ritenour 3-0.

With strong expressions showing on their faces, the junior class attempts to beat the senior class in tug-of-war, but they fell short.

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Backpage

September 27, 2013 Parkway North High School

As co-captain of the step team, Senior Jonathan Brown began the routine for his teammates with much expression on his face.

Pep Rally Excites Students for Homecoming 2012.

Dressed as the Vikings mascot, senior Willie Parks represents his 2013 graduating class. “I couldn’t be a part of a contact sport this year, but I wanted to still be part of the team,” said Parks.

Photos By Katryn Dobkin and Jer’Mia Alberty

The Parkway North color guard kicked off the pep rally with their routine along with the marching band. They performed the third movement of the 2012 show “Innovation.”

As their first performance in front of the entire school, freshman cheerleaders get the crowd intrigued with the “Go! Fight!” cheer.

As the finale of the pep rally, the varsity football team came together for a team chant followed by applause and support from the entire school.

The senior class shows excitement as they cheer on their classmates for the win against the sophomores in the tug-of-war.