Parkway North High School
N rsestar 12860 Fee Fee Rd. St. Louis, MO 63146
Volume 52, Issue 1, September 30, 2013
Parkway North Girls Softball Team Looks to Win Districts After Placing Second Last Year See more on page 11
Also Featured:
Students Speak Out About New Acedemic Lab Changes See more on page 4
Two New Outlet Malls Open in St. Louis See more on page 5
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NEWS
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
The Parkway School District Becomes a Leader in Solar Energy Photo by Zack Becker
Zack Becker Online Editor Over the summer, Parkway installed thirty solar panel arrays across the district, with three more on the way. “We made it clear to the board that solar was valued by the community,” said science teacher Russell Barton, sponsor of the Environthon team. North’s Environthon team started the idea of going solar four years ago with the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. The Refresh Challenge was a way for communities to propose service projects that needed funding. The public would vote on which project deserved Pepsi’s funding. The team promoted the project across the district and with other groups that were also trying to receive funding. When that failed, the team put their efforts into doing research and presenting a compelling argument to the district. “Once the district knew [about solar], it became an attractive thing for education, money, and the environment,” said Erik Lueders, Parkway’s Sustainability Manager. The solar panels have put the district at a huge advantage when considering the fact that electricity prices keep on rising. Having the solar panels also offset a ton of energy use that would have been wasted. “[It] saves us $1.5 million over 20 years,” said Barton. The solar panels that were supposed to be installed at North were postponed due to concerns of placing them on the roof as it could cause leaks in the roof. Now, they are going to be installed in the grass next to the art rooms facing the south parking lot. “It could be a maintenance issue,” said Building Manager Jon Metheny talking about the location of the solar panels. The solar panels are also raising slight concern on how effective they are going to be. “I am a firm believer in solar panels if they work. I hope it doesn’t cost more tax payer money than it saves. If the life cycle cost is more than not using [the panels], then it is not worth the effort,” said Metheny. “I’m not 100 percent sold on them coming from an architectural point of view.” Despite the concerns, there is a
Parkway North will be receiving a solar panel installation outside the art department, similar to one on top of the districts facilities building. The solar panel installations are aimed at saving energy across the district and at lowering the districts dependence on electricity from Ameren.
guarantee to save money with the panels. “There has been zero up-front costs to Parkway for all 30 of the existing installations. Our lease is lower than we would otherwise be paying Ameren for the same amount of electricity. In Parkway’s contract, we are actually guaranteed to save money. If the panels don’t produce enough electricity to save money, then the solar company cuts Parkway a check for the difference of the guaranteed amount,” said Lueders. The solar panels are making Parkway School District a current role model for other districts and how they can reduce their impact on the environment. “Lots of schools are giving it a good hard look,” said Lueders. “The panels create a lot of topics of discussion. It allows us to be more cognitive with being green.” Parkway is also an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Energy Star Leader for
its efforts in being energy efficient. Parkway received the award both in 2012 and 2013. “The district has reduced its energy use by 20 percent compared to [the energy use in] 2000. We are a leader regionally and nationally in being green,” said Lueders who has been helping Parkway achieve these goals ever since he was hired four years ago. On Sept. 17, Parkway received an award in Jefferson City from the Missouri Recycling Association. Lueders was accompanied by Barton and select students from the district, including North High junior Abby Lammers. “Mr. Barton accompanied me along with North High student Abby Lammers, Central High student Julia Goldman, and Superintendent Dr. Keith Marty to Jefferson City, MO to receive the Outstanding Small Organics Diversion Program Award presented by the Missouri Recycling Association,” said Lueders.
Norsestar Staff Aurora Wrancher ...Editor in Chief
Molly Thal
...Editor in Chief
Zack Becker
...Online Editor
Nadia Ahmed
...News Editor
Kori Clay
...Community Editor
Gianna Sparks ...Centerspread Editor Jamie Powell ...Features Editor
Chaney Cooper ...Sports Editor Emma Mitchell ...Opinions Editor Sophie Wennemann ...Entertainment Editor Brianne Lewis ...Ad Manager Staff
Writers and Photographers ...Carly Steffen ...Ryan Lutker ...Monyelle Asher
Tracy Silvagnoli...Sponsor
Along with getting the new solar panels, Parkway is also trying to upgrade its transportation fleet. All of the current buses run off of diesel, which is more efficient than gasoline, but there is room to improve, so Parkway is looking at natural gas. “The transportation buses are trying to go to compressed natural gas. When it burns, it is much cleaner,” said Lueders. Even though natural gas is a limited resource, when comparing prices and pollution output, going to natural gas is a much brighter idea. With all of these changes in the district and the new solar panels already at work, the district can hope to see Parkway make history with green energy policies. The solar panels are already saving the district around 2.2 percent on its electricity usage. “They are producing more than estimated,” said Lueders.
Norsestar Policy Norsestar encourages students, teachers, parents, administrators and other readers to publish their opinion in the form of 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. Letters 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.
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
3
Community
Lights.Camera.Conflict:
Th ea tr e D ep art men t Per for ms Controver sial Pla y : The Laramie Proje c t Photo by Monyelle Asher
Monyelle Asher Staff Writer
Photo by Monyelle Asher
The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufmann, a play about the murder of Matthew Shepard, a homosexual man who was beaten and left for dead in Laramie, Wyoming, will open at Parkway North on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. Shepard died on Oct. 12 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado due to the injuries he sustained in the beating. “This script was chosen by a reading committee of students,” said drama teacher Chad Little. “They wanted to do something that had some social meaning - some meat to it that the community could rally around.” Some people may see Shepard’s death as a hate crime and The Laramie Project as a tribute to him; others, such as members of Westboro Baptist Church, protest against The Laramie Project and gay rights. “Any time a school or group decides to do this show, they [Westboro Baptist Church] boycott them,” Little said. According to Little, Westboro’s possible protest makes him think about how North can peacefully show them that this is a positive, embracing community. “I think it will promote ticket sales because people will think it’s controversial and wonder why [Westboro] came to protest the play,” said junior Khaila Jones, an actress in the play. Little also expects a positive reaction from Parkway North. “It tends to bring the community closer together. They all have to
Junior Emma Mitchell and sophomore Alex Galindo prepare for the Fall play as Mitchell watches Galindo practice his lines from a scene in The Laramie Project in the theatre.
work towards a common goal because they don’t like the language and the rhetoric that Westboro tends to put out there,” said Little. “I really feel that it’s best to not give [Westboro Baptist Church] any satisfaction of disrupting our program and what we’re trying to do because our group, and this school, represent love and acceptance and respect for diversity,” said English teacher Heather Fleming, co-leader of the Student Social Justice Group. The message behind The Laramie Proj-
ect is an important one that can teach people many lessons. “I want everybody who sees the play to just think twice about how we treat people, not just people that are gay, but all different types of people,” Jones said. “I think that everyone needs to look at themselves in the mirror.” Fleming also said that she wanted people to walk away from the play knowing that respect, admiration, and acceptance will always be better than hate.
PNH ITS Troupe Sponsors Annual Tots Eat Can Drive Emma Mitchell Staff Writer Every school year, students and teachers rally together to aid several causes. This year, the ITS (International Thespian Society) Troupe will be sponsoring Tots Eat, a fundraiser in which students and teachers donate canned goods throughout the month of October. These cans go to families in St. Louis who don’t have enough to get daily meals. Drama director, Chad Little, enjoys seeing everyone come together to help with Tots Eat. “The ability to help others and the teamwork of getting everything organized are my favorite things about Tots Eat,” said Little. Cans are donated weekly in academic lab, along with students who will go doorto-door to ask the community to help out. If each student brought in one can, that would be close to 1500 cans to go to families in need. Each year, the troupe tries to bring in around 3000 lbs. in cans. Little said he enjoys seeing the “fun little competition” between academic labs on who can collect the most cans. Junior David Thal has actively participated in Tots Eat in the past. “It’s so fun to hang out with friends. There are so many awesome people and you’re just around
Little agrees and feels the important message of this play is tolerance and acceptance and that students can learn about themselves and others. Shepard, who was very supportive of diversity among all groups, has a legacy that still lives on, in the performances of Parkway North and other organizations perform in The Laramie Project.
them,” said Thal. Throughout October, students sign up for weeks to go door-to-door asking for cans. It is led by the students in charge of sign-up, and either after school or on the weekend students will adventure around neighborhoods asking people to give a can or two. Not only would these families benefit from the kind gesture, students can benefit by knowing they helped out those less fortunate than themselves. On top of helping a good cause, students build new relationships with their peers and strengthen ties with old ones. At the end of the month, all the participants in Tots Eat gather at the school for one final collection night. On Halloween evening, students will go out trick-or-treating, but instead of asking for candy, they ask that adults donate cans instead. Senior Nicole Hunt has participated in this volunteer program since she was a freshman. She enjoys the Halloween collection evening because students still dress up and have a good time. “I like seeing people’s reactions when I show up in costume and say I don’t want candy, I want cans,” said Hunt. Halloween evening has previously brought in a large amount of cans that boosts the collection total higher. Last year, the ITS
Troupe brought in 1800 lbs. worth of cans. Tots Eat is an opportunity to help the community, forge new relationships, build off of old ones, and contribute to a cause. Students can sign up for Tots Eat on the drama bulletin board. More information about Tots Eat will be posted on the theatre bulletin board.
Sophomore Evan Meier rehearses his monologue before school in the theatre for the upcoming Fall play.
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opinions
september 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
Students, Teachers Speak Out About Lab Changes Aurora Wrancher Editor in Chief
What do you think of the new Academic Lab changes? I don’t like them because I don’t get to see every teacher that I need to see I like them because they help lab teachers give their students more one-on-one time
I like them because they help keep me organized I don’t like them because they make it difficult for me to get everything done
The poll, posted on the Library Home page, received over 3000 responses. *This does not mean 3000 people; many people responded multiple times.
plished with your lab kids before they leave, it doesn’t really allow for that,” said Bannecker. Another change that was made to Academic Lab was that students no longer have it on late arrival and early release days. This means that they will go to all classes for an hour and a half instead of having to take have a shortened class period. While removing Academic Lab from late arrival and early dismissal days might stop things from being chaotic, it could cause problems for people who miss school or need to take tests on days that there is no lab time. “When we had those days, and it was only 50 minute classes, it was very chaotic. It was because we really felt like we needed to preserve the class time and make the class time longer instead of having it be chaotic during lab time,” said Marquart. While freshmen won’t really affected by the changes to lab, upperclassmen will probably have a rough time adjusting to this lab, because it is much different from what they are used to. “If I could change [lab], I would make it the way it was our freshman year. You stayed in your lab for 15 minutes and then when the bell rang, you traveled and came back the last 15 minutes,” said Carson.
Phot by Renee Allozi
When students leave school for the summer, they expect to come back to things being a little different. Changes in school structure are common. However, this year Parkway North changed the Academic Lab procedures. While the intentions behind these changes were good, the realization of them are not. “We had a lot of teachers saying it was hard to help everyone [following the old procedures],” said principal Dr. Jenny Marquart. The idea behind the new structure is to allow teachers time to focus on students who come to see them and not have to deal with interruptions from their own lab students to get signed in and out. Also, requiring students to stay for a half hour means that they aren’t trying to get attention and then leave. It is supposed to make academic lab less hectic. These new procedures were meant to keep things moving smoothly in labs. “I like that it gives me an easier time to help kids because I’m not dealing with kids coming in and out during travel time. I can make sure that the kids that need help are here for 30 minutes so I can talk to each one of them [and] I can spend more quality time with them, rather than just doing a really quick check in here,” said English teacher Jennifer Bannecker. “I think students will see the benefit of it. It’s a better opportunity to get help,” said Marquart. However, not everyone likes the new system. If a person just has one question to ask a teacher, forcing them to stay for the entire half hour causes them to not get everything done. Students are even signing a petition to get the Academic Lab travel times changed back to what it was last year. Now, students are rushing to get to where they need to go and do not have the same bonding experiences with their lab. “With the lab structure that we used to have, I used to do some more lab bonding activities like birthday parties, and we’d check in and have some time to have conversations
about how things are going. I don’t have as much of that,” said Bannecker. Also, the way Academic Lab was set up before enabled students to go where they needed to go in the hour that they were allowed to be out of the room. They still had to have planners signed and were accountable for where they went but were not limited to two places. This can be especially problematic during finals time, when people need to use their last lab days to study and prepare for their finals. “Lets just say, during finals, [I just need] teachers to check this and answer a question, and I’m moving on to my next class. By that time [the hour provided before the changes], I’ve gone through all of my classes, instead of just having to go to two,” said senior K’Myah Carson. Many students feel that these lab changes are not helping them to be productive. If a student misses a day or two of school because they are sick, they will not be able to get to all of their teachers in that Academic Lab period. They would have to find other time to go and see their teachers or they would have to just stretch their visits out over a long period of time, which could cause some students to begin failing. “It’s hard going from having freewill to being told what time to leave and what time to go when I could be doing other things and its slowing me down,” said Carson. The ten minutes of lab that students have from 9:20 to 9:30 a.m. were designed so that students would have time to get to the first priority location, while still having time to check in with other teachers if they need to. However, it really doesn’t leave much time to do anything except get to the first priority class. Before students are able to leave, they are in lab for ten minutes. During this time, they are expected to listen to announcements, write goals, fill out their planners, and take surveys if needed. “The first ten minutes of lab is really stressful because there is a lot of business that needs to get done. The announcements take up five minutes of that time and then you have another five minutes where if there is something that you need to get accom-
A student signs a petition to change academic lab procedures.
Seniors Want More Privileges Than Given Kori Clay Community Editor Senior privileges are an aspect of the final year of high school that most underclassmen look forward to; however, while the current privileges are appreciated, the administration should keep current privileges while introducing new ideas for improving current senior privileges. “Based on my experience, the Viking Pass privileges are a good program,” said senior principal Dr. Tori Cain. Currently, the senior privilege looked forward to by most seniors is the Viking Pass. The Viking Pass allows seniors to go off-campus during academic lab if they meet certain criteria. “I would probably go home, or go get
something [locally] to eat,” said senior Katelyn Williams. However, some seniors believe the requirements set for the Viking Pass need to be changed. To use a Viking Pass, a student must have no more than seven tardies, no unexcused absences, no I’s or U’s in citizenship grades, and no D’s or F’s in any classes. “Seven tardies is not a good requirement, [because] sometimes I’m late to school,” said senior Brianna Daggs. “There shouldn’t be requirements to leave,” said senior Brianne Holt. Cain believes the current requirements are good but an addition to the list of requirements for Viking pass should include students being “involved in more clubs [or] at least one activity.” Viking passes are not the only feature that seniors would like to see changed. “Se-
niors should get to leave during lunch,” said senior Julia Snow. This is one of the main complaints among seniors when asked what privileges they think they should have. Currently no students are allowed to leave school during lunch. “We can leave to eat food for lunch. We’re old enough to make our own decisions without getting in trouble,” said senior Edin Bracic. If a senior is able to meet the requirements currently in place for the Viking Pass and prove that they are mature enough to handle leaving school during lab, then they should be allowed other privileges as well. Leaving for lunch would give students time to relax without being confined in the commons where things can get loud and very hectic.
Senior Elizabeth Tran thinks the food offered at school is not very nutritious. She said, “We can get a better lunch” at restaurants near school or go home for food. Seniors could visit different restaurants and have a wider variety of food to choose from. Even though not all of the food nearby is healthy, seniors should be able to make the choice on where and what they want to eat. Soon, they will be going off to college and have to make that choice on their own. Now would be a good time to practice that decision making and break into good habits. In the near future, changes may be made to enhance the seniors’ privileges. Dr. Cain said that she is “still open to new ideas; there is some improvement [that could be done].” However, she also believes that if a person is “new somewhere, you don’t change things right away. It takes time.”
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
Entertainment
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Second of Two Outlet Malls Opens in Chesterfield Entertainment Editor Thousands of St. Louis shoppers were eager and excited on Thursday, Aug. 22 at the opening of the St. Louis Premium Outlet Mall in Chesterfield, MO. After nearly a year of planning and months of construction, Simon Property Group, one of the top companies in retail real estate worldwide, opened their new development. Currently, 89 of the 90 stores in the new mall are finished and open for business. These shops include many bigname brands that are new to St. Louis such as Kate Spade New York, DKNY, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, and Armani, as well as some old favorites including J. Crew, Converse, Fossil, and Bath and Body Works. Other popular stores include Elie Tahari, Under Armour, Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers Factory, Tommy Hilfiger, Sperry Topsider, Ugg Australia, Coach, and Vera Bradley. “[The mall] was really pretty and new. I liked the American Eagle,” said sophomore Erin Armstrong. Premium Outlets is located on the south side of I64/Highway 40, east of the Daniel Boone Bridge and offers everyday sales anywhere from 25 to 65 percent off at select stores. Enthusiastic shoppers began to arrive at the mall as early as 2 a.m. on Thursday. Lines began to form outside of stores around 5 a.m. as people hoped to take part in the savings. “I went to a 25 percent off sale at one
store. My wife went to the Vera Bradley 50 percent off sale and bought a bunch of stuff. It was super busy,” said Parkway North math teacher Patrick Troy. In addition to the sales, the mall also held many entertaining events that weekend including a ribbon cutting, autographs from St. Louis Cardinals players Matt Carpenter, Trevor Rosenthal, and manager Mike Matheny, as well as fireworks. Many St. Louis shoppers are comparing this mall to its rival, the Taubman Prestige Outlet mall that opened Aug. 2 within a few miles from Premium at Highway 40 just west of Baxter. Even though this mall is easier to find and has some of the same shops as Premium, it lacks a large selection of bigname brands. Because of this, many people would choose Premium over Taubman, while some would still disagree. “I went to [Taubman] on its opening day and the day Premium opened. What I liked about Taubman is it had Gap and Banana Republic and Premium didn’t have Gap open yet or a Banana Republic at all,” said Troy. On the other hand, senior Jordan Stack said, “It’s a lot bigger and has more stores and a bigger selection. I liked Premium better than Taubman.” Also, the set-up of the stores are different. While Taubman is similar to a straight line, Premium outlet has more of a circular layout. The $100 million, 350,000 square foot development is 100 percent leased and currently features almost twice as many stores as Taubman, which is 80 percent
Photo by Sophie Wennemann
Sophie Wennemann
St. Louis Premium Outlets was filled with ecstatic, sale-seeking shoppers on opening weekend.
leased. The new outlet mall benefits not only shoppers but also employees. The development has created hundreds of new jobs for people especially in St. Louis County. Parkway North junior Melissa McDowell works at the Easy Spirit store in the new outlet. McDowell said, “It’s pretty fun, not as busy during weekdays, but fun.” She also said that working at Premium Outlets is convenient because “it’s right after school
Netflix Takes Over
and it’s not far” from where she lives. “It’s a great experience; you meet a lot of people. And [as an employee] you get 40 percent off!” McDowell said. As a result of the mall’s success and high retail demand, Simon is already planning and developing phase two of the shopping center. This expansion will add a variety of new stores to the development, bringing in more jobs and brands to the St. Louis area. “I’d like to see a Forever 21 and a Victoria’s Secret in phase two,” said Stack.
Students, Teachers Confess Their Netflix Addictions Chaney Cooper Sports Editor Netflix boasts over 38 million subscribers throughout 40 countries, and users who stream more than one billion hours of TV and movies a month through it. “I watch Netflix for at least two hours
after school every day,” said sophomore Evan Pierce. This is not an uncommon occurrence for Netflix users. Many will admit to what English teacher Mark Bannecker calls “binge watching.” This is when users watch multiple episodes or even seasons of a show in one sitting or day. “I think my record was two seasons of Arrested Development in a day, so about 30 episodes,” said Pierce on his Netflix binge watching. Senior Brie Curland said, “When I was grounded, I watched the whole first season of Vampire Diaries in a weekend. This freedom might be what makes Netflix so popular. While other streaming sites have limitations on viewing time, “Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere,” according to its online Investor’s Relationships Overview. “There are thousands
of appropriate kids shows that my wife and I will show our son that go over letters and sounds of them and things that all one-year -olds are interested in; and for teaching, it’s really nice because it provides such a wide variety of films that they have clips from… or film adaptations of the literature we’re reading,” said Bannecker. Curland said her favorite thing about the site is that “it’s always there when I’m bored.” Netflix even provides suggestions for what one might find interesting to watch based on what they’ve previously viewed. Some suggestions are less helpful than others, but are still good for a laugh. Curland told us Hansel and Gretel Get Baked was by far the funniest inappropriate suggestion for her. “It always suggests things like My Little Pony, even before I had my son. Funny they thought I’d be interested in it, but that’s definitely the weirdest one,” said Bannecker. The site also features its own original shows and movies, which have attracted quite the audience. Some of the most popular Netflix originals are House of Cards, the most recent season of Arrested Development, Bad Samaritans and Shotgun Wedding, all of which vary in genre. “My wife and I watch a lot of Netflix original series; this summer we watched House of Cards and the new season of Arrested Development,” said Bannecker.
Arrested Development is a comedy which revolves around a dysfunctional family dealing with financial woes and each other. Its first three seasons aired on the Fox network but its fourth was released only on Netflix, to the excitement of its fans. But Netflix does have some drawbacks. “It doesn’t have everything I want to watch. There are some things it’s missing,” said Pierce. Furthermore, students especially are acquainted with the dangers of getting drawn into watching. It’s effortless to click the ‘next episode’ button, especially when users should be doing something else. “I get sucked into [watching], and I can’t stop,” said Curland. Nevertheless, many find that Netflix is useful for relaxing after a day of school or work. They note the ability to sit down with a laptop and be able to let go of worries and free the mind with a couple episodes of How I Met Your Mother. “Regardless of my mood, [it is] a quick source for something that will keep my interest for a relatively short amount of time,” said Bannecker. For $7.99 a month, Netflix users have thousands of ad-free hours of viewing available on their computer screens. The sites growing presence in the lives of many is a perfect example of how entertainment, along with everything is becoming more convenient and highly technologically centered.
6 New Administrators, Counselors Join
Norsestar
September 30, 2013
Parkway North High School
Centerspread
7
September 30, 2013
Parkway North High School
If there was one song to Construction Brings Changes to Music Department describe going back to Parkway North Faculty in 2013 Year school, what would it be?
This school year, Parkway North High School welcomes two new counselors, Annie Kraus and Christy Wills, as well as two new principals, Dr. Tori Cain and Mike Rizzo. The new faculty members have come to North with their new ideas and methods in order to help the students at North.
Freshman principal Mike Rizzo has come from Hazelwood West Middle School where he was an administrative intern. He decided to come to North because the school has a good reputation and there is a lot of diversity. Rizzo wants to make sure that there is more structure and order in assessments. He also wants to provide more professional development to the teachers. Rizzo enjoys being around students whether the situation is good or bad. “He [Mike Rizzo] seems very professional and really formal,” said freshman Olivia Dudenhoffer.
Dr. Tori Cain collaborates with Amanda Roth.
Senior principal Dr. Tori Cain has come from Parkhill School in Kansas City where she was an assistant principal. She wanted to come to Parkway North because she likes the community’s support. Cain also majored in biology then went on to get her masters in general science education and a doctorate in educational administration. “Dr. Cain goes out of her way to help people,” senior Amy Shih said. Dr. Cain is hoping to make an impact on other people in the building in order to help them succeed. She also has several new ideas she is currently working on in order help make Parkway North an even better place.
Freshman principal Mike Rizzo talks to senior Phillip Stokes during lunch.
Seniors Elissa Leise, Megan Ghassemi, and Anna Burch sport athletic wear, a popular trend at North, inside or outside of sports.
“Freshman year, people were wearing Aeropostale, but now if you’re a senior, you can wear polo,” said senior Jerrod Allen. Shoes have always been a fashion statement. Some of the latest trends, especially among Parkway North faculty and students, include Jordans, Nikes, Toms, and New Balance. “I love sweet tennis shoes. The colors are pretty interesting, and I love neon colors. Any shoes with funky colors, I love,” said history teacher Amy Grich Though there are many new trends, there are also trends that seem to never go away such as leggings, Uggs, and cut-out t-shirts. “Uggs probably won’t go out of style because they’re comfy, perfect for the Fall or Winter season, and they can be stylish if you
“U.O.E.N.O. - ROCKO” said freshman Raven Davis
“Smells Like Team Spirit - Nirvana,” said sophomore Niyah Fitch
Aurora Wrancher Co-Editor-in-Chief
“There’s going to be one area that will house all the sheet music for the department, all the uniforms for the department, and all the sound equipment for the department. Another area will store all of the instruments for the band. It’s right behind the band room, so the kids can walk into the band room and they can go in, get their instruments, and come back to the band room. Then there’s the larger space where we can have risers, percussion equipment, and orchestra equipment,” said Reeves.
“It’s six weeks in and right now that’s kind of hurting us a bit because since the exit’s not open yet, it makes it harder to get on the field. We have to go all the way around to an open door. We’re not allowed to use door there anymore and that’s the easiest way to get in,” said Keeney. Once the exit is open, the construction will benefit students and faculty. “It’s very exciting. We’re really thankful. Progress takes a long time. There have been bumps in the road, but it’s exciting that it’s getting done and it’s exciting that we’re seeing progress we’re just very thankful. We’re just thankful we were able to make this happen,” said Reeves. The additional storage space will make transitions like putting away instruments before and after class more efficient.
Construction for the storage addition to the fine arts departments started early this summer.
dress them up. You can be comfy and cute at the same time,” said senior Christina Han. Colorful socks and Nike brand socks have also become a new trend that many students of North like. From tie-dye colors to silly cartoons, bright, colorful, high socks have been worn on the daily basis. “I like neon socks because they draw attention to my feet and what kind of shoes I’m wearing,” said junior Anna Chisolm. Even though multiple trends come out during the year, buying into every fashionable trends can get a little pricey. “Trends change a lot, so people really shouldn’t spend too much money on them,” said sophomore Allison Hagge. While there are many trends that North student’s like and want to participate in, there
are also some that they don’t like. One of North students least favorite trends was wearing pajama pants at school. Some students may do this because they are late getting up and do not have time to choose other clothes, or they might consider it a comfortable way to make getting up early a bit more pleasant. Other students, however, see it another way. “I don’t like when people wear pajamas to school; except for when it’s pajama day,” said freshman Destiny McCallister. Some people wear pajama pants to school because they are comfortable; however, many students don’t really like this trend because it is not appropriate. Another trend that some students don’t find appropriate for school is short shorts, which students feel are too
“Radioactive - Imagine Dragons,” said ESOL teacher Jill Morey
“Some Nights - Fun” said junior Alex Fenlon revealing. “Trends I didn’t like would have to be extremely short shorts. I don’t want to see that,” said Clay As trends come and go, there are also trends from the past that resurface. Many students at North have predicted that a few trends from the past that will come back. “I think light up sneakers will come back, gaucho pants, and someone told me that body suites will probably come back, but I’m not too sure about those. I think that people are slowly falling back into the ‘Avril Lavigne’. I want to call it Hobo chic,” said senior Ashley Hanson. If there’s a new trend, then North students will sure enough rock it. Whether it’s hats, shorts, shoes, or jewelry, it can be found at Parkway North.
“Summer Nights - Rascal Flatts” said senior Taylor Coffey Photo by Jamie Powell
Jamie Powell Feature Editor
Photo by Jamie Powell
Parkway North Students Display New Popular Trends
Throughout the past few years, there have been multiple trends that appeared at Parkway North. From silly bands to high waist shorts, North students have represented new trends with every new year. “High waist shorts or pants and converse are some pretty popular trends that I like, “said senior Tatyana Hill. Whether students are wearing it to practice or to workout, athletic wear has also become a trend among Parkway North students this year as well. “Trends I like are Nike running shoes, yoga pants, and leggings - which is pretty much all year round,” said senior Kara Clay. Although not as popular as other trends, polos are a trend that many North students find fashionable.
This summer marked the beginning of the construction on a new addition to the fine arts department near the junior parking lot. The added space will be used as storage for music classes. “[The addition is] going to be helpful because we’re going to essentially have one storage area and two practice areas. That’s how the band room is being laid out,” said band member senior Kevin Wilking. “[Not having enough storage] means that, while all the instruments and the percussion equipment were in the back, we would have to set up chairs in the same room that we store all the instruments and all the equipment. The band room wasn’t that big to begin with, so we would barely be able to fit everyone in symphonic and concert band.” Previously, the color guard equipment was stored in a closet in the band room, and the percussion equipment was stored in the back of the room, which made the rehearsal space cramped. “In our preliminary discussions that we had, our number one priority was instructional space. We also felt that in our department, we wanted to stockpile our money and use it to the greatest affect in one area. In other Parkway schools, they’re giving a little bit of money to each area to get new lights and new doors, move a wall here, move a wall there,” said choir teacher and head of the fine arts department Brian Reeves. This addition was funded through a bond issue that passed in (2007). Instead of spreading out money throughout the fine arts department, the faculty decided that it would be most beneficial to funnel the funding into one big project. While this addition will benefit the music department, the construction delay has created some difficulty and changes for the marching band. “The only downside right now is it’s running really far behind. It was supposed to be done before school even started,” said senior band member senior Jennifer Keeney. Construction is due to be complete in late October. That will give teachers and students full access to the storage areas including the instrument storage, sheet music storage, and large equipment storage.
Photo by Gianna Sparks
Photo by Nadia Ahmed
Counselor Annie Kraus gets to know sophomore principal Greg Wagener. Both Kraus and Wagener work closely with the sophomore class.
Photo by Nadia Ahmed
College and career counselor Christy Wills came from Lafayette High School. She decided to come to North because of the community and diversity. Wills wants to help make school easier for students because she knows how difficult high school can be. Additionally, she has knowledge about post-high school education and life after high school. “[Wills] seems to have a good outlook on life after high school and I think she will be able to help all students,” health teacher Jody Chambers said, after meeting Wills.
Molly Thal Co-Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Gianna Sparks
Photo by Nadia Ahmed College and career counselor Christy Wills enjoys a break during lunch time.
Sophomore counselor Annie Kraus has come from Marquette High School where she was a college and career counselor. She wanted to come to North because of the diversity and community. Kraus brings a one on one, personal approach so that students don’t feel neglected or left behind. She also brings a lot of energy in order to help the sophomore students. “I take on a very person student centered approach. It is not new, but one of the things I bring is lots of energy and passion for students and education,” said sophomore counselor Annie Kraus.
Photo by Nadia Ahmed
Nadia Ahmed News Editor
Senior Kevin Sagakhaneh shows off his colorful Nike shoes during lunch.
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Features
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
Parkway North Students, Staff Share Ways to Prepare for PSAT Gianna Sparks
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Centerspread Editor
n Oct. 16, 2013, juniors and sophomores throughout the United States will take the Practice SAT known as the PSAT. While their reasons for taking the test may vary, one thing is for sure, preparation for the test is the key to success. “There are several reasons [to take the PSAT]. One reason is because it provides general practice of standardized test format, which can help to decrease student’s anxiety about [standardized tests]” said junior principal Dr. Rhonda Page. The PSAT is very similar to the SAT in both style and material covered. While there are some differences between the two tests, such as absence of a written essay on the PSAT and a difference in the number of sections, taking the practice test is one of the best ways to prepare for the SAT. College counselor Christy Wills added that some students take the PSAT to earn money for college. “Students who score well can get National Merit [scholarships], so that can mean a full ride,” said Wills. The PSAT is also known as the NMSQT or National Merit Scholarship qualification test. Of the approximately 1.5 million students, 50,000 with the highest scores go on to be commended or become semifinalists. Of the 16,000 semifinalists, 15,000 become finalists with 8,300 going on to become
Merit Scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation also has special scholarships and recognition for high scoring African-American and Hispanic students. Even if a student doesn’t receive financial aid directly from the National Merit Scholarship foundation, earning a high score could earn a student financial aid through the college of their choice. “The curriculum in the Midwest doesn’t teach to the [SAT] test, but there are many way to study…there are books for about $18, [and] for students who’ve tested in the 85 percentile or higher, [many] choose private tutoring,” said Wills. Additionally, some students prefer classes, in which strategies for the test are taught, rather than studying on their own. These are offered both online and in person, are taught by certified instructors, and range from fundamental to intensive courses. A variety of companies offer courses, including the Princeton Review, Kaplan, and others. While these classes can cost hundreds of dollars, there are other ways that students can use to prepare for the test that won’t cost as much money. “In preparation for the SAT and PSAT, I’m taking Princeton Review Classes where I learn how to attack the questions,” said junior Olukemisola Ola. Many companies, such as the Princeton Review, Kaplan, and Barron have books designed specifically for students preparing for the SAT or PSAT, as well as many
other standardized tests. These books are relatively cheap and offer different strategies that students can utilize when taking the test, as well as practice questions to help students become familiar with the structure of the test. “[Students can also use] the College Board website and the practice booklet. They are both good resources,” said Wills. Although there are plenty of options that cost money, there are also a variety of ways to prepare for free. The College Board website has one free practice SAT exam, as well as different sample questions, and even a question of the day that students can use in preparation for the test. When signing up for the exam, students are also given a booklet with sample questions and an additional sample test that they can use to study. By utilizing these resources, students are bound to become better prepared and score higher. Finally, even if students choose to take the test cold and not study, following a few simple tips the night and morning of the test can help them to be in tip top shape for test day. “Get a good night sleep and eat a good breakfast,” said Page, “and remember anything that you have done academically prepares you [for the test].” Students can sign up for the PSAT in the bookstore. The cost is 18 dollars; juniors can sign up now and sophomores can sign up beginning on Oct. 2. See Babitz in guidance with any questions.
Study Tips 1) Get to know the test. Practice answering the types of questions asked on the test. 2) Read. Reading good literature is one of the best ways to prep for the critical reading section on the test. 3) Work on vocabulary. Having a good vocabulary can help boost your critical reading score. 4) Take a practice test. Taking a full-length practice test will not only make you familiar with the test format in general, but also highlight the areas in which you need to improve. 5) Study strategically. Concentrate especially on the subject that your doing the worst on, but don’t neglect studying everything else.
Stress, Money, Academics
Parkway North Students Balance Work, School
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Staff Writer
Junior Darien Lee putting the finishing touches on his customer’s turtle sundae.
it teaches responsibility and life lessons. Students say that they learn how to be much more social with other people that they normally wouldn’t have to talk to and have to handle situations they may not be used to.
Junior Rebecca Howard said, “I learned a lot of social skills and more manners.” Lee said, “I learn to use a very professional attitude; it teaches me a lot of leadership skills.” Parkway North students also like the people who they are surrounded with at their job making their work more enjoyable. Lee said, “I like working where I work because we have a lot of nice people working there.” Griffin said, “I like interacting with the residents.” Applying for jobs during the summer can be quite difficult, due to the fact that the number of applications increase. This means other high school students are competing to get the same job, while college students come home and then get re-hired from their previous job. Being able to work during the school year and applying for a job before school is out for the summer can help one get and maintain a job at a place that is fun with flexible hours. Howard, who works at California Pizza Kitchen, said, “It wasn’t hard to get the job; it took about a weekend.” Counselors were given the permission to give out workers permits for those students who have a job but are under 16 years old. The purpose of a workers permit is to allow students to drive to school if they have a job to get to afterwards. Authur said, “I am generally against it because most 15-year-olds do not ‘need’ an income.” While a job may affect a students schedule, they learn time management and valuable life lessons from being in a work
environment. Authur said, “Students learn time management, money management, and learn to take instructions from others.” Balancing a job and school can be done if students are willing to prioritize their time and goals. Photo by Carly Steffen
s high school students become more independent, they take on more responsibility and need money for the things they want and need. Parkway North students balance school and work to save up for college and other expenses they encounter along the way, while carrying other responsibilities at home. Counselor Paul Authur said, “Most of the time, it’s a good idea for high schoolers to have jobs, as long as they put academics first.” Senior Damonté Griffin, who works at St. Charles Nursing Home, said, “I earn money from my job, so then I can buy the items I want.” According to the U.S. Census, 1 in 4 high school students have jobs. However, this may cause issues with school work. “I don’t have a lot of time to do my homework,” said Griffin. He also said a job puts on a lot more pressure since he has to prioritize his time at work and school with his time with friends and family. Time management is key to maintaining a job as a student. Students at North appreciate a boss who is flexible when it comes to giving their workers enough time to get homework done after school; however, it is different at every workplace. Junior Darien Lee said he worked every day during the summer but changed his schedule to working weekends only so he could focus on school during the week. Although having a job can be stressful,
Photo by Carly Steffen
Carly Steffen
Junior Darien Lee and Senior Clare McAuley prepare delicious desserts for customers.
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
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Features
Brianne Lewis
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Ad Manager
chool. Cheerleading. Student Government. Social Justice. Social life. This is the everyday life of junior Jamie David. Like most juniors and seniors, clubs and grades are the main focus of their lives. But in order to stay balanced, organization is a huge factor to keep a schedule in check. “I feel like I am still learning how to manage my time. I procrastinate a lot, but now I know if I have a big project, I have to do it right away,” said David. To be junior class president there are high levels of commitment and dedication on top of being organized. “[The junior class president] is in charge of a lot of planning for Homecoming for their class. They have to organize a service project and a liaison between the junior class and Dr. Page [junior class principal],” said student government sponsor Bob Mckitrick. The junior class president is also in charge of their grade level Homecoming activities such as a float that is the parade. School can be very stressful for most students. Most students are preparing for ACT Test, College Prep Courses and also volunteer. Some try to escape the madness by hanging out with friends or listening to music.
“I like to hang out with my friends and my boyfriend, and just chill and watch a movie. Also, I like to vent to whomever I am with. I tell them what’s annoying me at the time or just bothering me. Friends and family help,” said David. Jamie David also volunteers at Lincoln Jordan Hospital for a service called PHRS which stands for Pediatric Health related services. She plays with toddlers and also does physical therapy with children. “I play with infants and toddlers to make kids feel like normal kids,” said Jamie David. For most high school students, the every day routine is to get up, go to school, participate in after school activities, check social media, eat, and sleep. Most students stay up hours doing homework. “I have to wake up a 5:30 a.m., get ready got to Giant steps at 6:30, a.m. and go to school. I have cheer after that until 5:30 p.m. (which I’m tired), by then. I get home, have dinner, and I stay up until 11:00 p.m. doing homework,” said David. To succeed in all of these activities, students have to be organized. “Jamie is very organized. She is involved with 8,000 different clubs and activities in and out school. She is very good at it because she has figured out the proper way to have all the those balances and to use her time wisely in and out of
school so homework gets completed, practice gets completed, and her volunteered gets completed,” said varsity cheerleading coach Don Thomas. Cheerleading takes up a lot of a students time between practices and football and soccer games to attend. Many students have a lot of activities they participate in such as sports, honor societies, and musical groups in their daily lives, but everyone has a favorite that makes their high school experience more meaningful for them just as David does. “Even though after Homecoming we don’t do as much Student Government, we get the most out of high school. Even though it is stressful, you see all these people working together striving for that one thing at the end of the week. It’s kind of cool to be that person that leads them. It’s a good feeling,” said David. Jamie David has been in student government since middle school. She has been the grade level president since freshman year. In everyone’s daily life, there is one thing that is the most stressful out all the things that they participate in. For most high school students, it is not the extracurricular activities, it is homework. “Once I get home, I hate having to do more work. I am never motivated to do it. I want that break from homework and school;
Photo by Brianne Lewis
A Day in the Life of Jamie David
Junior Jamie David practices cheer routine for homecoming pep rally.
it’s just a never ending cycle,” said David. David’s life, like other students, is hectic. She is a cheerleader, junior class president, and soccer player, among other things. Over the past three years, she has figured out how to organize her everyday life to make things a little bit easier and hopes to apply this knowledge in the future.
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Sports
Senior Reem Kiflemariam intercepts a pass from a U-City player at the varsity game on Sept. 6.
Volleyball The girls’ team is off to a good start with a record of 10-0. “I think we have a chance at conferences, and maybe at least a chance for 2nd place,” said volleyball coach Chris Frankenfield. The volleyball team is preparing for tournaments and games through practices. The team practices every day after school until 5 p.m.; practices consist of ball handling, strategy, conditioning, and 6 on 6 scrimmaging. “We’re a small team [in height] so we have to work extra hard because we don’t have the height some other teams do,” said junior Carly Coughlin. One of the challenges that the team faces is their own physical stature. Volleyball is a game where height provides an advantage; however, the team has overcome this challenge so far, winning five of their five games. “[One of our goals is to get] 20 or more wins. We’re also trying to win a tournament,” said Frankenfield. So far, the team has been winning, but continues to focus their attention to the future and concentrate on winning even more. “We want to win districts, and we’re undefeated and want to keep it that way,” said Coughlin. Winning districts is often a goal of many different sports, but in order to achieve this, teams need to work hard and keep practicing, while also focusing on improvement.
“We’re hoping to get better every day; we want today to be better than yesterday,” said Frankenfield. Their next game will be on Oct. 2 at Parkway North. Photo by Gianna Sparks
Boys’ soccer, with a record of 5-4, has some new goals regarding the Fall season. “We want to take the season one game at a time; we want incoming players to remember us for our perseverance,” said senior Aaron Neifert. While one of the big goals for the team is to win conference, they also want to focus on the way the play the game and be able to persevere through their games, even when the team is struggling. “[Another one of our goals is] to transition more younger players [to our team because] we’re losing a lot of seniors,” said soccer coach Jeff Church. As well as facing the challenge of recruiting underclassmen to take the place of departing seniors, the soccer team is also shooting for a goal regarding their record. “We’re one game under 500,” said Church. One of the goals that the team has for this season is to win its 500th game. In order to achieve this goal, the soccer team has been practicing strategically. The team practices after school until 5 p.m. every day. While a lot of practices focus on core workouts, they also revolve around what the team needs to work on most, and the skills that they need to develop. This way, the skills they are lacking on get focus, promoting improvement. The next game will be held on Oct. 1 at Parkway North.
Photo by Emma Mitchell
Soccer
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
The volleyball team practices communication and ball handling skills during practice in the lower gym on Sept. 18.
Gianna Sparks Centerspread Editor
As the weather turns colder and the leaves start to change colors, many Fall sports begin to practice and compete in matches, tournaments, and games.
Field Hockey Girls’ field hockey has also faced a lot of changes and challenges this year regarding their 1-7 record so far, and the addition of two new coaches. “We’re a little rusty, but for the beginning of the season we’re doing fairly well,” said junior Hayley Hartsock. Although the beginning of the field hockey season has been full of challenges, including intense heat, and a losing record, the team and coaches continue to persevere and work hard in the hopes that they will succeed. “We stick with it and haven’t given up. I have seen improvement from day one,” said coach Lori Sinclair. The field hockey team continues to get better and is turning its focus to what skills need improvement most. These skills can help the team become more resilient and aggressive on the field. “[One skill] we can improve [on] is our physical fitness. It can make [a] big improvement on our play,” said Sinclair. Field hockey is a physically demanding sport, requiring players to do a lot of running. Because of this, endurance and strength are both essential skills needed to succeed in the sport. While endurance and physical fitness are all helpful in playing field hockey, “one of the most important thing is to be aggressive,” said Sinclair. The next game will be on Oct. 2 at Clayton High School.
Photo by Gianna Sparks
Girls’ tennis, which has a record of 6-4, is coming off of a winning season last year and is hoping to do even better this year. “Our goal always is to win our district and to advance the team or individuals to state; we want to show improvement and have fun,” said tennis coach Ron Lefcourt. Last year, tennis had a successful season, with several individuals going to the state competition. This year, the tennis team is hoping to continue to succeed, especially by focusing on skill and strategy. “We do a lot of conditioning especially the first few weeks. We [also] practice drills and strategies. Eventually, we start matches and practice a little less,” said Lefcourt. Practices for the team vary as the season progresses. At the beginning of the season, the team focuses their practices on conditioning. As the season continues, the team shifts their focus to strategy and skills, even decreasing the amount of practices per week in order to accommodate the increase of matches. “We’ve been doing pretty well. [Our] first few games were hard, but we’re bringing our game up,” said senior Cristina Han. While the team has been doing well so far, they are still facing some challenges, particularly with the heat. The temperature has impacted many sports and has even caused the tennis team to change around their practice schedule. “The heat makes people more tired and
fatigued,” said Han. The tennis team practices outside on the cement tennis courts, which absorb heat throughout the day, and can make an already hot day seem extra intense. However, the team has been taking these challenges in stride and keeps focusing on doing their best. The next game is on Oct. 1 at Parkway
Photo by Molly Thal
Tennis
Junior Mina Kim practices her forehand while practicing for an upcoming match.
Players senior Laura Rojas, junior Annalise Ruzika, and senior Elllen Lundstrom react to the opposing team, Parkway South, almost scoring a goal in their game on Sept. 11.
September 30, 2013 Parkway North High School
Sports
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Ryan Lutker Staff Writer The Parkway North varsity softball team is looking to win the district championships this year after placing second last year to St. Joseph’s Academy 7-12. “After making it to the district championship game last year, [the players] saw what it’s going to be like, what it feels like to be playing at that level,” said coach Amy Doyle. After a promising start of the season, winning the district championship isn’t a far reach for the team. If the team does win the district championship, they will move onto sectionals. “Everyone felt really happy to beat Summit; and it was also our first conference win so it put us in a good position,” said outfielder and junior Emily Evans, who has been on the team for three years. The first conference game against Rockwood Summit set high expectations for the team, and demonstrated that the team was really in it to win it. The score was tied when sophomore Ria Smith hit in junior Anna Chisolm in the 7th inning, ending the game and resulting in a 5-4 win. “Every game we play is in preparation for that district championship game and to win every pitch, win every out, win every inning, that will get us there,” said Doyle. With a current record of 11-4, Doyle has high expectations for the season. “It looks good. We’ve got a number of juniors that are now on their third year on the varsity program,” said Doyle. Junior Sara Stevens, the team’s first baseman, said that she has learned “I can’t play for myself; I have to play for my team. Even if I’m having a bad day, I have to forget about it because it is more important to win and play with the team.” Stevens has been on the team for three years. “I’ve learned that attitude is really important in life and in softball: it’s not just a
Photo by Ryan Lutker
Softball Team Strives for Win at Districts
Junior Emily Evans bats for Parkway North in their game against Rockwood Summit on Sept. 3. North took the lead in the 7th inning, winning 5-4.
physical game but a really mental game, and you can’t get too down on yourself, or else you will feel really bad,” said Evans. Senior Courtney Norris, the team’s pitcher and captain, credits the team’s success to their closeness, their devotion to the sport, and their ability to work together. “We depend on each other, as a team, we can’t just do it by ourselves. We all contribute, but it’s really a team effort from everybody ... We have a strong family connec-
tion; everybody is working together,” said Norris. “It’s really important because if people don’t do their job, it’s on them, and it affects the team because you don’t have anybody to back you up. But we all have each other’s backs,” said junior Cassidy Taggart. The team practices after school from 3:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the field at ISC. First on the agenda is hitting practice; then the team heads to the field for drills planned
by their coaches. The team is preparing for their two final games before Districts: St. Charles West on Sept. 30 and McCluer North on Oct. 10. Many parents, students, and staff think that the odds are in favor of the team. “I played for and coached Parkway North softball and this is the best team that I’ve seen so far at Parkway North. They have the potential to go far,” said Parkway North athletic director Kris Kellams.
Molly Thal Co-Editor in Chief Race. Dart. Dash. Zoom. Jog. All of these words describe what members of the girls cross country teams at Parkway North do. The girls Cross Country team practices every day after school. A typical practice starts off with a warm-up lap around the athletic fields and down Fee Fee. After that, the team does dynamic stretching to prepare for the main run. Then the team finishes with stretches. “We’re getting rid of all the static stretches, which don’t actually help you get stronger, and we’ve replaced them with more stretches that will strengthen them each day so that they will have a smaller chance of injuring themselves,” said girls cross country coach Scott Kreher. “This summer, I spent a lot of my time looking at an injury prevention book because girls cross country has one of the highest rates of injury, so we’re being more proactive than reactive. Instead of having a lot of stretches to fix your [muscle fatigue], we’re working
on stretches to prevent [muscle fatigue].” Just as with any sport, there are injuries more common to have as a cross country runner. In cross country, shin splints, a swelling of the shins when overworked, and knee injuries are common. “They find other ways to injure themselves from time to time. Ankles, arch of the feet, just whatever can break will probably break at some point if you don’t work right,” said Kreher. Cross country is very unique in its structure: there is no ball, no substitutes, and no points. “I would say it’s the purest of pure sports, because it’s a team sport and an individual sport. You’re only accountable for yourself. You can have a team goal and also an individual goal,” said Kreher. “There are no breaks, there are no time outs, you can’t rotate a person for another person, it’s just five kilometers just on you. So [it’s about] how you mentally and physically play through that game of working around other people.” It is important to set goals for each practice and every season. Runners are encouraged to set goals for both themselves as
individuals and for their team. “My goal every year for each girl is for them to get their personal record and personal best. In girls cross country, you can’t really compare previous years because for a lot of them, we run different courses, so they just have to do their best each year and hopefully each year they achieve their personal best as the year goes on. That’s always my biggest goal,” said Kreher. “And then secondly, I want them to see what we do as a lifestyle activity and not just a sport you do for 11 weeks then move on and do something else.” Cross country meets are usually over the weekends, each typically hosting between 15 to 20 school teams. A typical meet is five kilometers (3.1 miles). “[Meets] are so hectic. So many people in one line; you have to sprint up just to get a spot to be comfortable with. It’s hard,” said junior Celina Fajardo. The team’s first meet was the Lafayette Invitational at Castlewood State Park. Their last was the Parkway Central Invitational on Thurs, Sept. 19. Their next meet is this Thursday at Arnold Park, where they hope to repeat their success from last year.
Photo by Molly Thal
Girls Cross Country Trains, Competes
Cross country runners, seniors Mary-Kate Mudd and Kristina Minard line up with fellow team members for four 100 sprints.
September 30 Parkway North High School
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Parkway North Celebrates Homecoming with Spirit Week!
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Aurora Wrancher Co-Editor in Chief
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