Norse Star October

Parkway North High School

Norse Star

12860 Fee Fee Rd. St. Louis, MO 63146

Volume 53, Issue 2, October 31, 2014

Boys’ Basketball Begins Practice See more on page 11

Also Featured:

Spark! students Annalise Ruzicka and Marisa Hacker win $500 grant for Popcorn Straw See more on page 8

Students and staff share favorite seasonal recipes See more on page 5

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NEWS

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

United States sends airstrikes to ISIS 2004 Al Qaeda is established in Iraq

April 2010 The leader of ISIS is annointed.

Oct. 2006 Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) is created.

May 2014 ISIS kidnaps over 140 Kurdish schoolboys.

Feb. 3, 2014 Al Qaeda renounces ties to ISIS.

Christina Ibrahim Staff Photographer ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is a terrorist group that has been in control of much of Iraq and Syria since launching an offensive attack in June of 2014. With the death toll of over 5,500 and the unrest, the United States has decided to intervene in order to end the violence.

ISIS was originally a part of Al Qaeda until they split in 2003 and became independent. They elected Abu Bakr AlBaghdadi as their leader.

“They look back at history in the caliphates of the past as their model and what they want to do: that they’re going to be both religious and political leaders of the Muslim world, in their vision of what the Muslim world means,” said social studies teacher Jeff Kinney.

The violence has not been limited to Syria. Recently, videos were released showing two American journalists, one

Norse Star Staff Molly Thal ...Editor-in-Chief

Gianna Sparks

...Copy Editor

Sarah Butterfield ...News Editor

Zoe Schuver

...Community Editor

Lauren Sparks

...Centerspread Editor

Sarah Noble ...Features Editor Natalie Blue ...Features Editor

June 11, 2014 ISIS takes control of Tikrit.

June 28, 2014 Iraqi border crossings become restricted.

June 9 and 10, 2014 June 21, 2014 ISIS seizes Mosul’s ISIS takes conairport. trol of three Iraqi towns.

July 2014 The cities between Deir Ezzor and the border have fallen

June 29, 2014 ISIS creates a caliphate (IS)

British reporter, and one British taxi cab driver being brutally beheaded by a masked man thought to be a 23-year-old rapper living in an Arab household in London, Abdel-Majed Abdel Bary.

After these videos were released, the United States sent airstrikes to Iraq and Syria.

The videos released by ISIS of the beheadings are bloody and brutal. However, after a look by forensic experts, some people believe the videos may have possibly been faked. The camera cuts out when the beheading takes place. If ISIS’s job is to terrorize, the video may be real or may be to spread fear to a larger audience.

ISIS hasn’t stopped at harming others on their own; they are now forcing other people to do the same. During the month of May 2014, they kidnaped approximately 140 Kurdish schoolboys and they were forced to take classes on radical Islam.

Al Qaeda has even broken connections between the two terrorist groups because of the level of violence and because of the fact

July 17, 2014 ISIS killed 270 people after seizing the Shaer gas field.

July 3, 2014 ISIS takes control of a major Syrian oil field.

Aug. 19, 2014 U.S. journalist James Foley is beheaded by ISIS

that ISIS is killing not only people of other religions, but Muslims as well.

“I think it’s [the air strikes] a terrible thing, but it’s necessary. I think it’s necessary that we do something about it. We have the ability. There are not many countries that have the ability to do something about this, and we do. I think, therefore, we have a responsibility to do this. They’re pretty brutal. When Al Qaeda’s telling them to calm down, they’re doing a little too much,” said Kinney.

The airstrikes are costing about $7.5 million per day totalling a whopping $10 billion per year according to International Business Times. So far, 32 locations in Syria have been bombed by the United States including a gas station near a Koniko gas factory near the town of al-Khasham in Deir al-Zor province. Other targets have been major ISIS bases, training camps, and checkpoints causing major damage.

“I don’t think it will [be the start of a world war]. I think they’ve made enough enemies that they’re not going to gain a lot

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Ryan Lutker

...Sports Editor Emma Petrofsky

...Opinions Editor Brianne Lewis

...Entertainment Editor

...Ad Manager Staff Writers and Photographers

...Christina Ibrahim

...Gabrielle Redfield

...Trever Toll

...Sharrell Evans

...Dylan Farmer

Sept. 23, 2014 The United States carries out airstrikes against ISIS.

Sept. 13, 2014 ISIS posts a video showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines.

Oct. 3, 2014 ISIS posts a video showing the beheading of Alan Henning.

of support among other regional countries that are even our enemies. We’re kind of in agreement with some of the countries that we traditionally don’t get along with on how these guys need to be dealt with,” said Kinney.

The large death toll and seriousness of the situation has led some to believe that this conflict could lead to something bigger and bring the United States into a full war.

“I am against [the airstrikes being sent] because it can start a bigger war, and it could get out of control. I feel like we are kind of making the situation worse because when we’re sending missiles out, I feel like they are going to kill more people or do something worse,” said freshman Mya Larrieu.

Recently, ISIS has reached new levels when it comes to the seriousness of the situation.

“They kick people out of their houses because they won’t convert from their religion to Islam or pay taxes [if they don’t]. If you’re poor, you’re kicked out of your house. It’s a sad story,” said sophomore Madonna Bisada.

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Tracy Silvagnoli ...Sponsor

Sept. 2, 2014 ISIS releases a video of the beheading of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff.

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Community

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

North students give back to their community Photo by Brianne Lewis

Brianne Lewis Entertainment Editor During the fall, many Parkway North High School students are working towards getting all of their service hours done for Government classes, National Honors Society, and the A+ program at various locations. This activity helps provide students with a new outlook on their community but also helps students get more work experience in certain fields.

“NHS is designed to be an organization that has students make giving back to their community a priority, and to help and serve those around them. One element of that is serving the broader community because we exist in a school community that is bigger than the school itself. To recognize that means you should serve people outside of the school,” said NHS sponsor Scott Nilsen.

A major activity students do for volunteering is tutoring students at Parkway North or the surrounding elementary schools such as McKelvey, Craig, Bellerive, and Ross. The hours can be applied towards Government, A+ Program, or NHS. “I have volunteered at Thornhill library and tutored here at Parkway North with couple subjects including Latin 1. At Thornhill, I ran the summer reading club, shelved cds, and helped people look for books if they needed it,” said senior Rebecca

Students volunteer during the summer and fall seasons at the St. Louis Branch Library, Thornhill, to complete community service hours. Levin likes to volunteer because “you get to interact with people you normally wouldn’t”

Levin, who volunteered to fulfill Government and NHS hours.

Community service is a tool to help students learn more about their surrounding communities and help students learn more about a passion of theirs that is not taught at school.

“Over the summer, I interned at Autism Speaks, but the previous weekend, I was working at the 5k Light it up Run for [Autism Speaks], and then I volunteered at their walk,” said junior Mischa Perez, who wants to work to help people when she gets older.

Students are able to gain skills that are relevant for life outside of high school. The skills that they learn are more than those for the class or for credit; they are learning life skills.

“I think [the benefits of volunteering] is interacting with people I wouldn’t normally and being in a service position where I have to help people. You actually have to interact with them, and social interaction hasn't always been easy for me so it is a good experience to practice that,” said Levin.

The volunteering will also help students

to gain more connections outside of high school that will help them with future careers.

“For Autism Speaks, I am actually friends with the Executive Director so she helped me meet new people. I have met people from Chicago, and I am working with students. There are two sides of it where you work with the students and also work with behind the scenes where you're in an office and you're working to get stuff passed for them. Through that, I kind of decided that I want to work with the students because I don't like to work in the office because I don't feel like I am doing anything. When I get to meet new people, I see that I am helping people,” said Perez.

There are also more options than tutoring for student to volunteer, a student could volunteer at the library, food banks, or even the Magic House.

“I have been doing some [volunteering] with my church [Incarnate Word Parish], and I am going to try to work some soup kitchens.

Also, I do work with Homeless Helpers, but my brother is a priest at another church so I go to that church and volunteer," said junior Faith Schroeder.

Volunteering has become a required activity for many students at Parkway North High School. With volunteering, students are able, not only to get credits done, but also to learn more about a career that they are interested in. They also can practice skills that are needed to succeed as adults and are learn more about their community.

Envirothon team prepares for next challenge News Editor The Parkway North Envirothon team started off their 2014/2015 school year by preparing for the upcoming challenge that will take place in March of 2015.

Senior Ellen Wang, a current member of Envirothon, said, “I think Envirothon is probably my most favorite club here largely because the people in Envirothon are so dedicated, and they are really passionate about the Environment and learning about it.”

Envirothon challenges are set up with teams that visit five different stations and complete a written test that covers a certain environmental subject specific to each station. Possible subjects can include aquatics, soils, forestry and wildlife. Later in the day, the tests are graded and the highest-scoring teams are announced.

Then, team members give a pre-planned oral presentation of a possible solution to an environmental issue. Judges compare the ideas from each of the teams, and the team with the most effective solution moves on to the state competition.

The top eight teams with the most effective ideas win a monetary prize of up to $10,000, depending on how many students helped. After state challenges, the best teams from state are invited to nationals.

Judges then compare the final ideas to each other, and the top six teams get an extra $15,000.

Teams are set up in a hierarchy based on skill level, just like sports teams are: the A Team is like the varsity team; the B Team

is the equivalent to junior varsity; and the third team is mainly composed of freshmen.

In May, the A Team took first at state with the B Team in second place. The A Team won all of the individual tests except for soils and ended up winning the competition.

“Sophomore year, I was on the middle team who’s not really expected to go on,” recalled junior Justin Camie, a member in his third year of Envirothon. “We went to state, and we did pretty well considering we were the B Team.“ In the past five years, Parkway North High’s Envirothon team has won six challenges and two teams were chosen as one of the top six in the nation.

In order to prepare for challenges, students interact with their environment by doing hands-on activities such as going outside and directly observing a variety of trees from multiple environments. “For the challenges, it’s not so much training as digging in and starting to do the work,” said Russ Barton, science teacher and club sponsor.

On Saturday, Oct. 18, the team worked with professionals overnight at Shaw Nature Reserve. They went electrofishing, an activity in which one uses electric probes to shock fish, causing them to surface. Members are then able to identify the fish and study the species’ makeup and structure.

The team also worked with foresters and studied forest health.

“We try to sharpen our skills either for identification or ecosystem analysis. We’ll go outside and do tree identification and talk about how trees fit into the ecosystem and how you tell if animals are using them, what

Photo by Sarah Butterfield

Sarah Butterfield

Seniors Ellen Wang and Abby Lammers measure the area of trees while on a nature walk. This will help them determine how much of the tree is good and how much wood is usable.

the animals do to use them, all of that kind of stuff,” said Barton. “In some cases, we do labs, and in other ones, we do projects.

What I like about it is it’s more inductive in thinking.”

In addition to studying for the written tests, teams brainstorm and plan for their response to the pre-planned prompt.

“Usually what ends up happening with the oral presentation is about a week before the competition we’re like, ‘oh, we haven’t done anything for this, let’s make an

amazing presentation in three nights with caffeine and no sleep,’” said Camie.

Team members quickly become accustomed to the tests since the tests are often written by the same people. This makes it easier to determine the type and difficulty of the questions.

“Even though each person majors in a different topic, you still have to answer questions related to other people’s topic,” said Wang. “Being a team is a huge part of it.”

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October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

opinions

YouTuber receives criticism for his prank videos Lauren Sparks

What should be the result of Sam Pepper’s prank video?

Centerspread Editor On Sept. 20, 2014, Sam Pepper, YouTuber and former Big Brother UK contestant, uploaded a video to YouTube of himself touching women without their consent. Pepper has since uploaded two more videos: one of which he is touching men in the same way; the other explaining his actions.

Pepper has stated that this was his way of shedding light on the wrongfulness of sexual harassment, especially harassment that happens to men and may go unnoticed.

He also has stated that the participants in the video were actors and actresses.

However, even if the participants in these videos were actors and actresses, the prank video is harmful because it may be interpreted as promoting sexual harassment to the viewers who look up to Pepper.

Junior Katie Landsbaum said, “I thought [the video] was absolutely horrible.

He shouldn’t be going around sexually assaulting [both men and women] and hang it off as a prank.”

According to a study done by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, 237,868 people are sexually harassed or raped every year in the United States alone. That means that every two minutes, one American is sexually assaulted. To put that in perspective, by the time this article is done being read, someone in this country has been sexually assaulted.

English teacher Mark Bannecker said that “any unwanted touching...any kind of conversation that is of a nature that is not

Legal action against Sam Pepper YouTube profile should be deleted

Nothing should happen I don’t know

322 students were interviewed at all three lunches on Oct. 13, 2014.

appropriate and unwanted by the recipient” could be considered sexual harassment.

Since the videos aired, Pepper has been dropped by his management and was banned from attending any future YouTube conventions, also known as VidCon(s). The video has also been removed from YouTube.

“I’m really glad that people are stepping forward, and his management has dropped him. It’s just a really good thing that people are finally taking a stand against this,” said Landsbaum.

Pepper continues to receive criticism

for the video, even though he stated that the prank was staged, and everybody in the video had consented to the prank.

At first, when it was unclear if the video was fake or not, people were outraged.

However, after learning it was a prank, some people believe that since the video was staged, it is not a big deal.

“It was fake and now everybody is still freaking out about it. I can understand why [there is controversy], but at the same time, it was fake,” said senior Jimmy Kallaos.

The reason for the outrage related to

the initial video was due to fact that no one knew the girls were a part of the prank, and it was first, so it was shocking. The second video was less shocking since the prank had already been done once. It was not because men were the victims.

“Guys can be sexually assaulted too; it’s just more common in girls,” said Landsbaum.

This is not the only prank video that Pepper has posted on YouTube and not the only prank video on YouTube that could encourage inappropriate actions by viewers.

These videos are too influential on viewers and should not be allowed.

“I think that it is absolutely horrible that someone who is in the YouTube community and is seen as a celebrity is doing all these things and is taking advantage of these people for his fame and he is getting away with it,” said Landsbaum.

Even though video was staged, it was still inappropriate for viewers and was not the proper way to shed light on sexual harassment.

“I think that [prank videos] are funny as long as they aren’t causing any physical or emotional harm. There should not be anything that is done to someone that can scar them or that encourages people to do things that could result in emotional or physical harm,” said Landsbaum.

Sexual harassment is not a laughing matter and should be taking seriously. Prank videos related to the subject do nothing but promote the idea and cause people to view the topic as less important. Therefore, prank videos related to serious topics should not be allowed online because it makes viewers think that the topic is not serious and could promote the action to unaware viewers.

Administration Makes Positive Changes to Lab Discussions Copy Editor On Sept. 23, Parkway North held the first of four student-led lab discussions.

Although a variety of lab discussions are held every year, these ones differ in format and goal and are an overall improvement to previous lab discussion.

“I think these lab discussions are just a different format [compared to the freshman project]. It’s just another method for us to talk about creating a positive climate,” said athletics director Kris Kellams.

North has held the freshman project, a lab discussion aimed at discussing specific ideas related to school climate and bullying, since 2011. These have included discussions about inclusion and equality along with activities such as “If you really knew me…” and “Stand if you can.” However, this year, assistant principals Dr. Rhonda Page, Dr. Tori Cain, and counselor Chandra Brown have worked together to change the way these discussions are led.

“We had the opportunity to hear the man in the video [John O’Leary] speak live, and when we heard his message, we thought ‘how can we help other people hear what he has to say,’” said Dr. Page.

This year, rather than covering separate topics, the lab discussions all revolve around a video of Parkway graduate and motivational

speaker John O’Leary. The overall goal of the discussions is to create a positive school climate; however, the approach is different and more effective. This year, students are challenged to lead the change themselves, which provides students with a clearer idea of actions that they can take.

“It wasn’t just about themselves,” said junior Aly Zuhler, who will be leading a lab discussion.

Additionally, instead of each grade level participating in a different activity, all students, regardless of age, engage in the same presentation and discussion. Overall, this helps students to connect with others.

“The video [of motivational speaker John O’Leary] is broken down into four parts.

The student leaders will lead the discussions for three of the four parts,” said Kellams.

The Sept. 23 lab discussion revolved around getting “fired up.” Students watched John O’Leary speak about love and empowerment. Students then discussed how they could get fired up and use the power of love to make a difference in their community.

The Oct. 29 lab discussion revolved around “The Power of Why.” Students discussed why they are in high school and why they want a high school diploma.

“All four [lab discussions] are related to each other, and they build on each other rather than being independent lessons,” said Dr. Page.

With the new format, student leaders

Photo by Gianna Sparks

Gianna Sparks

Student leaders participated in training for discussions on Oct. 23 during academic lab. They watched the video The Power of One, which will be used in all four student-led discussions.

agreed that students responded more positively. “They seemed more engaged,” said Zuhler.

The new lab discussions come on the heel of a successful rendition of Challenge Day, a program designed to inspire students to “be the change.” Challenge Day took place on Sept. 9 for the whole school day.

Many of the students who participated in Challenge Day serve as leaders for the new

lab discussions.

Although some students have expressed dislike for the new lab discussions, the new format is a beneficial change. The discussions are more focused and more specific.

“The overall goal is to help people understand the value of helping other people and kind of putting it in both perspectives: from the person who is being helped [and] how important it is for people to allow others

OCTOBER 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

Fall recipes make mouths water Zoe Schuver Community Editor It’s that time of year again. The weather is turning colder, the leaves are changing, and pumpkins are being used in drinks, snacks, and decorations. The new season brings new foods and new recipes. Parkway North High School students and staff cook their way through fall with various recipes.

Many students and staff think of pumpkins when considering fall foods. This is a classic choice for this time of year. Junior Lucy Edele’s favorite fall recipe is “Pumpkin bread because my family and I always make [it] during the fall.”

FACS teacher Kara Sussman said, “Everything pumpkin [is popular].” Edele adds that fall is the time for “pumpkin spice everything.” “[Pumpkin] has become a popular falltime trend, and I think it’s great,” said senior Darien Lee. In Sussman’s classes, students incorporate pumpkin by making “baked pumpkin doughnuts. They are delicious, simple and very popular,” said Sussman.

Pumpkin is not the only option for fall cooking.

To incorporate other seasonal foods, Lee recommends to “experiment with the different seasonal fruits by adding them to base recipes. We should all have fun with what we eat! Adding new flavors and textures into our menu is a great and exhilarating thing! Pears, Cranberries, Apples, Passion fruits, Sweet potatoes and Plums are all some of my favorite seasonal fruits/vegetables.”

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Entertainment

“It’s important to experiment with fruits in season,” said Lee. For example, Lee suggests to “try to make a simple apple, pear, and cranberry compote for your morning pancakes or some twice baked sweet potatoes.”

As for seasonal trends, Edele said that “salted caramel is a big trend now” and that “the most looked-up fall ingredient is pork chops” Foods associated with the holidays are also growing in popularity. Lee lists fall foods such as “a good turkey stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce are super popular” especially since the holidays are approaching.

“Because the holidays are near” Sussman suggests “cookies and sweets.”

Students can also make modifications to traditional recipes to incorporate more fall flavors.

Lee is a “big fan of cookies and often uses a modified chocolate-chip cookie recipe in the fall.” He “changes a vanilla, chocolate cookie dough into a pumpkin spice, cinnamon chip cookie dough.” Lee adds that the modified recipe “is great and everyone loves it.”

As the weather gets colder, students and staff also begin to shift their tastes from cold favorites to warm, hearty soups and stews, Sussman said that “chili is popular. It’s warm and spicy [and] just what you want when its cold out.”

Another popular food item in the fall is s’mores. “Adding a caramel/toffee flavored candy [is a] substitute for plain chocolate” on s’mores said Lee. Edele recommends making s’mores with “samoa girl scout cookies to create samoa s’mores.”

Pumpk

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Pumpkin Bread

sugar,” said junior Jared Shiftan, and “m&m’s” said junior Clark Vetor.

Food this fall does not always have to stay with tradition. Try incorporating new foods regularly everyday this fall. Spend time outside by making s’mores. With the holidays coming up these seasonal cooking suggestions can be put to use with family and friends.

mpkin Bread

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar 3. Blend in Pudding mix 4. Mix in Egg and Vanilla extract 5. Add Flour and Baking soda 6. Fold in Cinnamon Chips 7. Bake 10-12 minutes

New TV shows premiere on Fox, ABC, NBC Natalie Blue Feature Editor “There are so many good TV shows on right now, it can be hard to choose. I really like watching shows on my DVR and on demand." said freshman Steven Fatzinger.

There are various genres that are coming out this fall for everyone regardless of their preference.

Speech and debate teacher Mike Hazelton said, “I like the genre sitcoms, comedies, and dramas.”

Fatzinger said, “I like comedy, drama, competition shows [game shows] and detective themed shows.”

With the changes in the season comes new fall TV shows, from murder to drama to comedy. The drama-filled show Red Band Society premiered on Sept. 17, 2014.

It is about a group of teenagers who live in a hospital, each with a different story. They are working out their medical struggles and trying their best to live as normally as possible. The Red Band Society has a rating of 8.3 out of 10 according to IMDb and is on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox. “Red Band Society is one of my favorite new shows this year. It kind of reminds me

of The Fault in Our Stars in the way that it teaches us that just because people are sick doesn't mean that we should treat them totally different,” said Fatzinger.

The suspense-filled television show How to Get Away with Murder has a current rating of 8.3 out of 10 according to IMDb. The show premiered on Sept. 25, 2014. The star of the show is Viola Davis, who is also known for playing Aibileen Clark in The Help. Davis plays Annalise Keating who teaches her students the perfect crime. How to Get Away with Murder is on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. “I haven't seen How to Get Away with Murder, mostly because it didn't really look that interesting to me. But after reading great reviews and hearing people talk about the show, I may have to check it out sooner or later,” said Fatzinger.

For those who enjoy comic books and superheroes, the TV show Gotham has all of that. This show is about Batman before he was Batman, how Gotham became what it is, and how the villains came to be. This show is on Mondays at 7 p.m. on CBS, with a rating of 8.2 out of 10 according to IMDb. Freshman Lucy Garlich said, "Gotham is an action-packed TV show that gives insight on what Gotham was like before

Batman and how 13-year-old Bruce Wayne becomes the batman and also includes how the villains developed from normal citizens to the villainous monstrosities they become over time. It also portrays Gotham perfectlyas a corrupt, crime-filled city that even the cops have to bend the laws in order to keep civilized chaos which is caused by the brilliant villain masterminds. Overall, Gotham is a perfect blend of the stories from the comics and the movies.”

The show Marry Me is a romantic comedy about a couple who got engaged after being together for six years. The character Annie, played by Casey Wilson, has a larger-

3 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs, lightly bean 16 ounces canned unsweetened pumpkin 3 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves 2/3 cup water

than-life personality and Jake, played by Ken Marino, has a laid back personality. This will test the theory of “opposites attract.”

Freshman Megan Rubenstein watched the first episode and said she would watch another episode.

Marry Me has a rating of 6.7 out of 10 according to IMDb. This show is on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. September through October is the ideal time span when most television shows start up again or premiere for the first time. No matter what type of shows are on, with so many TV shows on this fall season, everyone is sure to find one they enjoy watching.

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Norse Star

October 31, 2014

North welcomes exchange students from around the world Photo by Gabrielle Redfield

Gabrielle Redfield Staff Writer This school year, Parkway North welcomed three foreign exchange students from Germany, Denmark, and Finland as part of their participation in the foreign exchange program.

Each year, foreign exchange students come to the United States to study a new language, as well as learn about different cultures. One such student is senior AnneSophie Koehl who is from Germany. She wanted to come to the United States because her friend, now in Michigan, wanted to study in the United States, and she wanted to do it too. “[The United States] is different, but a good different,” said Koehl.

Senior Maja Struis, who is from Denmark, said that schools are different here. That can be seen in both the classes and the attitude of students and teachers.

“Teachers are more friendly, open. There are more options for classes. Also, teachers in Denmark rotate and the students in class stay the same. Whereas here, students rotate and mix with different students. [Also] there are a lot more tests and quizzes here,” said Struis.

Struis said that participating in the foreign exchange program runs in her family and was part of the reason she decided to try it. Her dad was a foreign exchange student to the United States 35 years ago, and her brother came over as a foreign exchange student to the United States about five years ago.

One difference Struis has noticed is the way people treat each other.

“People are nice and helpful [here],” Struis said. “People are more reserved in Denmark.”

Another big difference that foreign exchange students noticed was in the cuisine.

Food in Denmark is very traditional and specific to the country, while American food is a mixture of many different cultures’ tastes.

Centerspread How do you keep in touch with your heritage?

“I’m Puerto Rican and Black. I don’t really know my father, which is my Puerto Rican side. My brother and I read African-American authors. I’ve always just grown up around African-American influence around my home,” said freshman RhonniRose Mantilla.

“My Grandma is from Portugal. I talk to family from there. My grandma really helps me stay in my [Portuguese] ways,” said sophomore Jack Faron.

“I go to Bulgarian festivals and parties. I also dance with a Bulgarian group of dancers. I keep in touch with people I know in Bulgaria,” said junior George Leshkpv.

German senior Anne-Sophie Koehl prepares to work on her English assignment. Foreign Exchange students are often placed in an English I class to help them be more familiar with the language.

“[It’s] interesting to try foods I haven’t had,” Struis said.

Senior Leo Vanska, who is from Finland, said that he came over to the United States because he wanted to “try new things.” He’s been learning and speaking English since he was in fourth grade, so he wanted to learn more about the American culture.

“I want to start off in a totally new place,” said Vanska.

In Finland, the classes are different.

Students change classes five times a year and can leave campus whenever they want. “The way of life [in Finland] is laid-back,” said

Vanska.

Vanska also thinks Americans have “really big goals and school spirit” and “people are friendly and really cheerful.”

The foreign exchange student program is an opportunity for students to come to the United States and learn about the culture here.

It’s also an opportunity for people in the United States to learn about the foreign exchange students’ cultures.

Foreign exchange students can practice the English language so that they can have a wider range of job opportunities and increase their knowledge about the world.

“In brief, my family doesn’t have a strong sense of ethnic identity, so when you say heritage, I think more of relationships as opposed to race or culture. My father likes to tell stories, I like to listen. We also have seen objects left over like a revolver from world war one,” said Latin teacher Adam Stiller.

7 North students keep in touch with culture October 31, 2014

“Back when my grandpa was alive, he told us stories about how life was in Germany. My mom also told me stories about Germany,” said senior Barrett Nichols.

Parkway North High School

Photo courtesy of Brianna Barrera

All Aboard!

Parkway North High School

Emma Petrofsky Opinions Editor The Parkway North community includes many different cultures from around the globe. Students at Parkway North High School celebrate their various backgrounds through food, activities, and celebrations.

People keep their culture alive in many ways. “I keep my culture alive basically just by functioning,” said sophomore Maaria Chaudhry. She said that her culture is everywhere, “It’s in the food that I eat, the clothes that I wear. It’s a part of me. It’s my identity.”

Many students celebrate their culture through the cuisine they consume.

Sophomore Migs Villareal said she often eats different Filipino foods including different soups and rice.

Sophomore Himaja Yerragunta said that her family connects with their religion by giving up meat on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Additionally, holidays and celebrations are two other ways that people stay connected with their culture.

“Diwali is my favorite celebration,” said Yerragunta. “During Diwali, we set off firecrackers and fireworks and pray to Goddess Lakshmi for good health and wealth.” She also said two of her other favorites are “Udadi, which is the Hindu new year” and “Sankranthi, which is a fun festival.”

Different celebrations, such as weddings can also be a way that students celebrate their culture through lots of traditions.

Freshman Avah Fouz said, “A couple of days before a wedding, there’s a celebration every night. The first party is called Khutba, the second one is called Henna, and the third one is called Sahra, which is an all-girls party, and then there’s the wedding.”

People also participate in traditions to stay connected with their culture. Freshman Brianna Barrera said that having a Quinceanera is a tradition that helped keep her connected with her Hispanic culture.

A Quinceanera is a Hispanic tradition where a huge party is thrown when a girl turns 15, which celebrates her “transformation from a little girl to a woman” as Barrera described it.

She had hers not too long ago.

Brianna Barrera dances with her dad at her Quinceanera, which celebrates her 15th birthday representing her passage from childhood into adulthood.

Some rituals that are done at Quinceaneras are “The changing of the shoes, where you change from flat shoes, which symbolize childhood, into high heels, which symbolize adulthood,” Barrera said.

Some other things that Barrera said are done are “The girl changes into a tiara. Also, she receives a necklace, a bracelet, a ring, and earrings. [The celebration] has a lot to do with religion; it’s similar to a Bat Mitzvah,” Barrera said. “[My Quinceanera was] a great way for

me to stay connected to my culture.”

Another way people practice their culture is with dancing. Fouz said a dance that she does is called “Dabke.” Fouz said, “It’s done at weddings and events, or even when you’re just hanging out. Girls and guys dance separate from each other while holding hands. There’s music that goes with it.”

Freshman Brianna Barrera said that she does traditional Mexican dances, “One of the dances I do is Folklorico.”

Dylan Farmer Staff Writer Calling all students, a flight of learning is about to take off! The International Club is ready to start off their new school year by introducing students to different cultures and what their lives look like in the world of today. In the club, students teach others about a specific cultures through food, games, and presentations of what life is like in other countries.

Foreign Language teachers Jennifer Giovannoni and Maureen Ruiz del Arbol, who sponsor the club, explained that the mission of the club is not just to teach students about

other cultures that they may be interested in, but also to provide a place for students to gather, share, and socialize. “[We want] to make international exchange students feel welcome at North and to benefit from their cultural knowledge; to provide a place for North students who are interested in learning about other cultures a place to gather and socialize,” said Ruiz del Arbol.

Giovannoni said, “We ask students to pick countries” and present facts about their countries to others in the club. This openended policy results in a variety of countries being discussed.

For example, during the 2013-14 academic year, members presented and learned about

the cultures, cuisine, and games of countries including Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Russia, the Dominican Republic, Finland, and France.

Giovannoni said that she enjoys “learning about cultures and teaching students other cultures; participating with students and watching their interactions.”

Each club meeting allows students to learn from others and find similarities between their lives and others’, allowing the students to become more accustomed to the globalized world of today.

Students who have been in the club appear to share the viewpoints of the sponsors on the club’s benefits and have learned from their experience.

Senior Durga Kullakanda, a past participant in the club, said that he believes the purpose of the club is “to bring us all together.”

For him, the most satisfying part of the club is learning about cultures, especially European ones, that he didn’t know that much about before.

Kullakanda also enjoyed that “it’s not just one culture” that the club discusses every year, but multiple cultures, although he did state that most of the cultures the students discuss are European.

Ryan Stockton, a past participant, agreed that the cultures discussed are mainly European but enjoyed “getting to learn about different cultures and the similarities and differences and how diverse our school is.”

Club meetings often include snacks specific to the culture that is being presented and discussed that day as well as games related to that culture.

Ryan Stockton said, “Cuisine is a big factor. We often have food brought in that is unique to the countries and cultures we are talking about.”

In addition, students learn about the culture through games usually brought by the student or taught to others that are popular in the culture and discussions of contemporary life there.

Students who want to learn about different cultures, play games, and share cuisine from around the world meet after school during International Club.

Flags from different nations representing the diverse students at Parkway North hang outside of sophomore principal Mike Rizzo’s offiice.

Photo by Dylan Farmer

Learning About the World: Parkway North’s International Club invites students to share their culture

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Features

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

Hacker, Ruzicka recognized for their poppin’ idea Sarah Noble Features Editor

On Sept. 18, Parkway North seniors Marisa Hacker and Annalise Ruzicka won a $500 grant for their Pop Corn Straw idea in the Parkway Spark! Program.

“Spark! is an experiential learning program unlike traditional schools. It’s off campus and matches kids up with professionals to help them with their

businesses. Students also receive coaching along the way,” said marketing teacher Holly Weber.

“Kids learn to think on their feet and problem solve. They also learn real world situations and how to network with their peers. The biggest thing they learn is how to function when there isn't a road map to follow,” said Weber.

Ruzicka and Hacker were “both extremely reluctant at first [about Spark!].

Starting a real business at the ages of 17 and 18 had never crossed our minds and it seemed crazy to us,” said Hacker.

“However, after many weeks of Mrs. Weber asking if we had sent in our one minute pitch video [to apply to Spark!], we finally gave in and applied. Next thing we knew, we were attending pitch competitions over summer break to prepare for the year ahead. We started off running with our idea and haven't looked back since,” said Hacker.

Hacker and Ruzicka’s idea, the Popcorn Straw, is a device that can be used to ensure the even spread of butter on popcorn. Both girls were eager to try out their idea in the Spark! program, but were unsure about what

the program would be like.

“I remember walking into Spark! and thinking, ‘Wow, this place is going to actually make me want to get out of bed in the morning...’ and it does. Spark! is an incubator of creativity and learning. It's not like school. I thought Spark! was going to be testing at times, and it is. But, it is the best experience and a major asset to my career as a Parkway student,” said Ruzicka.

“Going into Spark!, I had zero idea what I was getting myself into. On day one, we were shoved into the deep end and told to swim. I was beyond nervous. As 17- and 18-year-olds, we were expected to have intelligent conversations with successful business professionals, which none of us had ever really done before. Spark! has been all about getting out of our comfort zone and learning as much as we possibly can even if that means looking dumb from time to time.

Over the past two months, I have become comfortable thinking on my feet and talking to anyone at any given moment about any topic thrown my way,” said Hacker.

Since the Spark! program has connections to mentors and people who can invest and help a business like the Popcorn Straw grow, they have noticed their business reach new levels and heights.

“The most exciting thing Annalise and I have done with our business so far is landing our first business meeting with Wehrenberg Theatres to pitch and get feedback on our business,” said Hacker.

Spark! provides students with the opportunity to meet with business professionals that would otherwise be hard to contact without the help of the program.

Additionally, the program gives students the opportunity to get their businesses started.

On Sept. 18, Ruzicka and Hacker won the Maryville $500 grant which helped their business even more.

The competition they were in was called the Spark! Showcase Showdown. Nineteen students from all Parkway schools got the chance to present their businesses in front of professional judges for a chance to win $500 donated by Maryville University. Out of all the businesses, the Popcorn Straw won.

“After winning the $500, I felt overwhelmed and ecstatic.

Never in a million years did I think I would have the opportunity I was given. I was, and still am, extremely thankful for winning the $500, but also there is a responsibility brought along with [winning]. After winning the pitch competition, we had to prove to the judges they made the right decision in picking the Popcorn Straw,” said Hacker.

The girls plan to spend the money to pay for expenses associated with starting a business, such as the patenting process, which can cost upwards of $500.

“With the Popcorn Straw, Marisa and I hope to generate profit and sell, sell, sell. We never knew what we were getting ourselves into when we applied to Spark! in May, but we love the wild ride. We will go wherever our product takes us,” said Ruzicka.

Ruzicka and Hacker say they have learned and grown into better, smarter people.

“From Spark! I have learned that some things take a lot of work, but there is a great reward for those who endure. Spark! is not always easy, but it's not meant to be, “ said Ruzicka “Spark! will push you in ways you never knew you could bend and if you're dedicated- you will love every single minute of it.”

Photo by Molly Thal

Annalise Ruzicka and Marisa Hacker won the $500 Maryville University Business Plan Competition on Friday Sept. 18, 2014 to help further their Popcorn Straw business.

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

9

Features

Ricker discusses LGBTQIA+ absence in literature

for people to read books that they can relate to because it helps make sense of the world.

“The act of telling our stories is the act of helping people realize that we exist. By telling stories, that’s how I make sense of the world and I hope that helps others make sense of the world as well,” said Ricker.

It is uncommon for mainstream

matching pink socks for the month of October like the boys soccer team did. Many fans came to show their support for the girls and they also participated in showing awareness by wearing the color pink as well.

“To me its like any other game, but at this game, you’re giving your all, especially since its Play for Pink,” said senior Jazzlyn Harris. “I feel honored to help raise breast cancer awareness.”

The girls came out with a victory score of 2-0.

Many of the fans and players made their way to the stadium following the volleyball game to watch the football players take on Fox. Not only was this the last home game as well as senior night, it was also the game where the players gave more than just their usual so that they could team up against breast cancer and show awareness.

“It’s a chance for us to really show awareness,” said senior Taylor JonesMorgan. With the support from fans and cheerleaders all dressed in pink, the football players didn’t fail to give more than just their all out there on the field. The varsity football players came out with a victory of 16-7.

Not only did the sports teams give their all in efforts to show support and raise awareness, students helped to raise money for the breast cancer foundation by selling pink T-shirts and bracelets. These items

were worn throughout the month and to the games to allow students the opportunity to show that they support the cure for breast cancer and allow them to be an active part in

showing awareness. The shirts sold for $10 at the games and during school through the bookstore. Shirts are still available until they are gone.

Photo by Ryan Lutker

the arts, we can express everything we've ever wanted and needed to make people hear,” said senior Megan Videmschek, who was at the event.

This was Ricker’s intention behind his books: to create characters that teenagers who identify as LGBTQIA+ could see themselves in and relate to. It is important

culture–such as music, films, and literature– to accurately represent minorities, like the LGBTQIA+ community. When he spoke, Ricker talked about a time when a person interviewing him asked if he would ever write a book with a straight person as the main character. “[That] made me laugh,” said Videmschek. “There's already enough representation of heterosexuality and hetero romance— you can walk anywhere and see that, put on any movie and see that.”

Ricker said that literature has a profound influence on the way people understand and comprehend their surroundings. It has a way of changing the way people think, and the associations people make.

Junior Leila Mohammed, who also attended the event, agreed. “If a book is good enough, people will recommend that book, and other people will want to read that book, and the next thing you know it’s a best-seller...Literature has a big impact on people.”

Ricker said he hopes that students took away the importance of reading and writing more from his speech.

“I hope they read more. It was really encouraging to see how many people do read and do write. I think that’s important, and I hope that it’s important to them too,” said Ricker.

Ricker’s second book, The Unwanted, will be available in North’s library by January.

Ryan Lutker Sports Editor Pen hits the paper. The ink bleeds through, and suddenly, a piece is being written, drawn, created. A story is told, and a voice is heard.

Jeffrey Ricker, author of Detours, a contemporary fiction novel featuring a main character who is gay, and The Unwanted, a young adult fantasy, spoke to a group of students in the theater on Friday, Oct. 17.

The topic was the absence of LGBTQIA+ characters in literature. LGBTQIA+ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and/or Queer, Intersex, Asexual, plus.

“I think that, hopefully, the act of getting stories out in the world that include characters who are across the spectrum of sexual orientation helps alleviate the sense of stigma,” said Ricker. “I think that’s happening, but I think that also it’s one of those things that helps make it less threatening. People usually feel threatened by things they don’t understand or that they haven’t experienced themselves.”

Often, the LGBTQIA+ voice is silenced.

Art and literature is a way for those voices to break the silence and relay a message.

“LGBTQIA+ individuals are already silenced vocally and physically, but through

Ricker speaks about his experience growing up without having characters he could relate to in literature. “As a teen, not only did I not see myself in books, there wasn’t anyone I could talk to about it,” said Ricker.

Parkway North plays for Pink to end cancer Sharrell Evans

Photo by Sharrell Evans

Staff Photographer While many people just view the month of October as the month of Halloween, it is also the month designed to raise awareness about breast cancer. During this month, people campaign to help raise awareness of this disease.

Throughout the month of October, the fall sports teams of Parkway North have been showing support and raising awareness by having their annual Play for Pink games.

The boys varsity soccer team kicked off the school's Play for Pink tradition this year with their game against Lindbergh High School on Oct. 10.

Junior Connor Chrusciel said that Play for Pink “means that we are spreading awareness and us going out there playing is supporting and showing awareness as a team.”

The team, all wearing pink socks, which is the color of the ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness, lost 0 -1.

Following the soccer team, the girls’ varsity volleyball team and varsity football team participated in their Play for Pink game on Oct. 17, which was also senior night for both teams.

The girls’ volleyball team took on Hazelwood East for their game, all wearing

The Parkway North varsity cheerleaders cheer on the senior football players at the Play for Pink game on Oct.17.

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October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

Sports

Fall Sports Review: Girls’ Volleyball

The Parkway North girls’ varsity volleyball season came to a close with a record of 8-16-3. The team went on to the second round of the district tournament, where they lost 0-2 to Incarnate Word.

“It was like a rollercoaster ride. It was a lot of up and down. We had a lot of talent, a little bit inexperience. It seemed to be that we would lose because of things you can’t measure. It’s hard to measure leadership, it’s hard to measure communication. We came on very strong at the end. We grew a lot,” said varsity coach Chris Frankenfield.

Football

The varsity football team went on to finish the regular season with a record of 4-4, winning their last game at home against Fox 16-7. The Vikings defeated Ft. Zumwalt South by a score of 48-27 in the first round of districts on Oct. 24.

Photo by Zoe Schuver

Boys’ Swimming

The Parkway North boys’ swim team won four of their nine meets.

“It was a really good season. Everybody worked really hard. We had a few unfortunate injuries, but everybody pulled together for a great season,” said senior swimmer Hank Warren.

One swimmer, senior Jared Dachroeden, will be competing at the State Meet on Nov. 7 at the St. Peters Rec-Plex.

Softball

The varsity softball team took their season all the way to the second round of the state championship, finishing their season 15-11. Despite not advancing through state, a few of the senior players have received offers for scholarships.

Photo by Zoe Schuver

Boys’ Soccer

After a difficult season, the boys’ varsity soccer team ended their season with a record of 5-12-2.

“We struggled at the beginning to work as a team, but once things started clicking, our performance improved dramatically,” said senior Lucas Migneco.

The team played Christian Brothers College High School (CBC) on Oct. 28 in the first round of districts. Despite their losing record, all schools play in districts, so the team still had an opportunity to advance.

Varsity Sports 10/31-12/11 Boy’s Basketball Dec. 1 at G. Linneman Memorial Tip−Off TBA Dec. 10 Fort Zumwalt East 6:00 p.m.

Wrestling Dec. 3 Summit/Warrenton 5:00 p.m.

Dec. 6 at Affton Tournament 9:00 a.m.

Girl’s Basketball Dec. 1 at G. Linneman Memorial Tip−Off TBA

Boy’s Swimming Nov. 7 State Meet at Rec-Plex TBA

Girl’s Swimming Dec. 9 at Parkway Central 4:00 p.m.

Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country Nov. 1 MSHSAA Sectional TBA 10 a.m.

Photo courtesy of Robyn Mitchell

Photo by Molly Thal

Trever Toll Staff Photographer

Girls’ golf team sends three golfers to compete at sectionals Molly Thal Editor-in-Chief On Monday, Oct. 6, three members of the girls’ golf team competed in sectionals after being in the top 15 players at districts.

The players who moved on from districts were senior Emma Mitchell, senior Stephanie Kim, and junior Erin Armstrong. Team head coach Jennifer Mueller joined them for this overnight trip to Troy, MO. “We had an awesome experience, and it was their first time heading to sectionals. I think Emma was there last year, but [for] the other two, it was their first time. Hopefully, Erin will be able to go to state next year,” said Mueller.

Golf is typically seen as a quiet, focusoriented sport, but Mitchell’s expectations about the tone of the competition did not match with her experience.

“I was expecting it to be really nervewracking, but it wasn’t as serious as I thought it would be. They were really fun and lighthearted. I thought it would be really strict, like our marker would be there scrutinizing our every move. But he was really chill and really nice,” said Mitchell. “It was a lot nicer than I thought it would be, so that helped me play a little bit better.”

The lightheartedness of sectionals was a pleasant surprise, but another part of the competition did not live up to expectations.

A rm s t ro n g showed promise of making it past sectionals to state, but she narrowly missed the cutoff.

“Erin shot a 99 at sectionals…

Erin ended up missing the cut off for state by one stroke, we found out,” said Mueller.

That was disappointing for both the players and the coaches, but Armstrong still has another year to try to make it to state. She still placed 18th overall.

Mitchell’s advice to Armstrong was, “Definitely keep your cool. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing with, once you get into your match, just keep a calm breath. If you have one bad hole, that’s one out of 18. You’re a great golfer. You’ll be great.”

The match was a significant distance from St. Louis, so they stayed in Troy, MO the night before. While there, they had an experience Mitchell said they will not forget.

“We got there at maybe 5:00, and we were pretty hungry, so we went to dinner. We went out to a very mom and pop restaurant, so there were a lot of elderly people there,” said Mitchell. “We were very concerned that we were being too loud because it was

Senior Emma Mitchell swings her driver after she tees up at sectionals on Monday, Oct. 6.

a table of three girls and our coaches, and we’re all really close so we’re making jokes and we’re cracking up. But we look around and we’re like ‘everyone else is super quiet, so we shouldn’t be this loud. We’re probably disturbing them.’”

When the waiter came to their table at the end of the meal, the team asked for their check.

Mitchell said, “We had been joking around with [the waiter] throughout the night. So we asked for the check and he was like ‘No.’ We thought he was joking and we said, ‘Okay, but we actually want to leave now. Can we have the check?’ He said ‘No I literally can’t do that. Because it’s already paid for. But I was able to give you this note.’

And the note said, ‘Never worry about others when you’re enjoying time with family. Enjoy it while it lasts. Pay it forward.’”

The act of random kindness lightened the mood for the rest of the competition and the players were treated to an act of human kindness they won’t forget.

“It just tickled all of us. We had no clue it was coming, and it just put us all in a good mood,” said Mitchell. “I think it definitely made us more thankful for the time we were spending in Troy. It also made us realize that whatever happens, happens. We’re just gonna enjoy having a fun time.”

”I was expecting it to be really nerve-wracking, but it wasn’t as serious as I thought it would be... so that helped me play a little bit better,”said senior Emma Mitchell.

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

Sports

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Gabrielle Redfield Staff Writer Even though the basketball season is still weeks away, varsity players at Parkway North are playing basketball early in the fall leagues.

The league lasts throughout all of October. During the fall leagues, players work out, practice in open gyms, and then play games on Sundays against other schools. The boys fall league plays home games, and the girls play at Parkway South. The games start at 12 p.m. and end at 2 p.m. “[It’s] getting us in shape, and getting us ready for the season,” said senior Carl Jones.

Jones has been playing since he was in the 3rd grade. He’s now participating in the league this fall.

“I just love playing the game,” said Jones.

The fall league gives players an opportunity to get extra practice in before the winter season starts this November.

Coach Jason Breeland said that the fall league also gives the team “a chance to compete with other varsity schools and work on re-defining fundamentals.”

Not only does it give an opportunity for players to develop and refine their skills, but it also lets the players get to know each other so they can build up a stronger team.

“It’s a chance for our players to build camaraderie,” said Breeland.

Sophomore Aliyah Belcher has also been playing since third grade. She first played at the YMCA in a recreation league,

but now she intensely practices for six days a week. “It’s a great opportunity to play for school,” said Belcher.

The fall leagues, and also the sport itself “let’s out emotions and gets rid of stress,” said Belcher, “[And it’s] a good way to get in shape.” Players use the sport not only for their emotional health, but also for their physical health as well.

Players on varsity are already looking for scholarships from different colleges.

Belcher wants to go to the University of Connecticut (also known as UConn), which is, according to the NCAA, the top Division One school for women’s basketball.

“It [would be] a great honor,” said Belcher.

For varsity players who are serious about basketball, the fall leagues are a great opportunity to practice skills and prepare for the season. “[It] gives them a chance to kind of play together before the season,” said Breeland.

Both teams hope that the fall leagues will give them an upper hand against other teams in the state and will help them to get to nationals.

“Eventually, hopefully down the line we [will be] able to play a national schedule.

Maybe get out [and] play around the country,” said Breeland.

The actual basketball season starts on Nov. 3. The boy’s first game is Dec. 10 against Fort Zumwalt East. Last year, the boy’s varsity team had a record of 5-15. The girl’s varsity team’s first game is Dec. 12 against Eureka. The girl’s finished their season last year with a record of 20-7.

North’s varsity boys’ basketball team plays against the MICDS team at home on Sept. 19.

Photo by Gabrielle Redfield

Varsity basketball players prepare for the upcoming season

October 31, 2014 Parkway North High School

JV cheer coach Lindsay Melnick prepares bags for popcorn. The juniior varsity cheerleaders sold concessions on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Back page

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Senior Marissa Voelker and Miriam Goldstein encourage a trick-or-treater as he plays a bean bag at their trunk.

Senior Andrea Brothers gives candy to a trick-or-treater dressed as Elsa at the Steppers trunk. When the trunk wasn’t busy, the steppers would perform part of their step routine.

Safe and Drug Free holds second annual Trunk or Treat Sharrell Evans Staff Writer Parkway North soccer teams joined together to decorate a trunk. The players dressed as injured soccer players.

Two trick-or-treaters visit a family’s trunk. “I enjoy getting to see kids dressed up and seeing the smiles on their faces when we give them candy,” said junior Erika O’Donohue.

Senior Kiah Sullivan and senior Erik Muschinske entertain a trick-or-treater at the marching band’s Wizard of Oz trunk.

Two students from Girl Scout Troop 3839 hand out candy at their zombie graveyard-themed trunk.