Peter Baugh Journalism Portfolio

GROWTH, PERSISTANCE,

WORK

Peter Baugh’s high school journalism portfolio

In action photos

>>Writing A Part of History May 2013 Globe

Awards: Second place, National

Scholastic Press Association Sports Story of the Year

Reasoning: In writing this story, I

had to track down one of the coolest interviews I’ve conducted. I used the phone book and called Carl Erskine, a former MLB player. I really worked on making sure my writing was concise in this story and I was happy with the final product.

SPORTS

A PART OF HISTORY

In 1953, two Brooklyn Dodger stars visited Clayton High School. In more than half a century of CHS history, the visit has mostly been forgotten. Through a mix of primary sources, the Globe looks back on the historic day.

by PETER BAUGH

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T THE VISIT

Though he only visited one time and though it was 59 years ago, Carl Erskine still remembers Clayton High School. Erskine visited CHS in mid September, 1953 with his Dodger teammate Jackie Robinson, who broke the baseball color barrier in 1947.

Erskine and Robinson presented for around 40 minutes to a CHS audience about various subjects, including race, the major social issue of the time. Following the presentation, the two Dodger stars mingled with the crowd of students for another half an hour.

“I do remember being around a lot of students and answering a lot of questions,” Erskine said. “We were playing a night game that night with the Cardinals and so during the daytime we visited Clayton High School.”

At the time of the Dodgers’ visit St. Louis was still a segregated city. CHS would not become integrated until the summer of 1954, Forest Park still had separate drinking fountains for each race and black baseball players had to stay at different hotels than their white teammates.

Harriet Spilker, a CHS alumna from the graduating class of 1954, and two other CHS students were selected to moderate the panel that organized Robinson’s visit. They also trav-

eled to the African American hotel during the Dodger’s road trip to introduce themselves to Robinson and ask him questions. Spilker remembers the main message that Robinson gave at both the hotel and the high school.

“I said, ‘Why are you willing to come to Clayton High?’ … and he said, ‘Well I want them to see that we are all alike,’” Spilker said. “And I thought that was interesting, and that was really what he stressed when he saw us.”

In a 1953 article published in the St. Louis Argus, Robinson said he appreciated the three seniors coming to see him at the segregated hotel.

While in St. Louis, Robinson commented about Spilker and the two other students, saying, “You’re the ones to take our places … You’ll be the leaders tomorrow …”

Spilker went on to coordinate the OASIS program, a tutoring system, and has chaired the Clayton Connections Committee - which connects elderly citizens and CHS students - up until this year.

As Robinson predicted, she became a leader in the St. Louis area.

Spilker felt that visiting the hotel may have calmed some of the nerves Robinson could have felt before presenting to an allwhite school.

“I think us going down and meeting him … made him comfortable, and … when we were with him, I had no reason down there [at the hotel] and at Clayton High to feel that he was not comfortable where he was,” she said.

“It was a part of history and I kind of like to be involved in things like that.”

Harriet Spilker Class of 1954

When he was at CHS, which was then located on Maryland Avenue, Robinson talked in depth about the segregation that he experienced throughout his life, continuing to pass on the message that he gave Spilker at the hotel.

Spilker remembers Robinson talking about the separation he felt.

“He did say how hurtful it was,” Spilker said.

“He thought it was harmful for the … club as a whole that he was so ostracized in some of these cities.”

While at the school, Erskine remembers appreciating how nicely he and Robinson were welcomed.

“I was pleased that at the high school in Clayton we were warmly received and [it was] a fun time and exciting time to be there with the students,” Erskine said.

Spilker agrees, and feels that the students

Robinson and Erskine holding pictures of themselves. Courtesy of Carl Erskine.

were well prepared with their questions.

“The kids were very receptive, there was no animosity,” she said. “He made an excellent presentation and the kids’ questions, you know Clayton High, they were good.”

The visit at CHS left a lasting impact on Spilker, and she feels it was one of many steps in the Civil Rights Movement.

“I thought that it was a step toward change, an important step … we wrote papers about it, we studied it, we talked about the injustice of him being separated,” she said. “It was a part of history and I like to be involved in things like that.”

IMPORTANT PEOPLE Because of the impact that Robinson left on her, Spilker still collects newspaper clippings and books about the Dodger Hall of Famer. She

remembers both the lessons of acceptance he taught her and his warm personality from when she met with him at the hotel and at CHS. “He would greet people and he would be very gracious, but he wasn’t an in-your-face type of person … he was a real gentleman,” Spilker said.

The visit was made possible by Margaret Dagen, a CHS history teacher and Human Relations Club director. Dagen, who passed away in 2002, was a civil rights activist and a friend of Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodger’s general manager. Dagen contacted Rickey to set up the event, and the two Dodgers players visited during a road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals.

AP World History teacher Donna Rogers-Beard feels that, along with Robinson and other influential African Americans, white civil rights activists should be recognized.

“It’s so important to look at Branch Rickey and a Maggie Dagen … these are white people who saw their humanity,” Rogers-Beard said. “[T]hey didn’t see themselves in terms of race … and they have got to be celebrated.”

ROBINSON’S LEGACY As an African-American growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, Rogers-Beard remembers how Robinson was looked at as an exemplary person for her and her peers to emulate. “[T]here was nothing that anyone could criticize about Jackie Robinson … at school, Jackie Robinson was the model for how we were to behave. At home, Jackie Robinson was a model of how we were to behave,” Rogers-Beard said. “Jackie Robinson was a very important person.”

Spilker agrees about his importance and has passed on lessons he taught her to younger generations. She feels Robinson’s calm demeanor and his ability to withhold from resorting to insults are examples that many young people can learn from.

“I have five grandchildren, and I talk to them about it frequently … it’s not always easy to get where you want to, but you’ve got to persevere and you’ve got to work at it, you’ve got to be willing to follow the guidelines,” she said.

Along with her grandchildren, Spilker has also talked to elementary school children about the lessons that can be learned from Robinson.

Erskine feels Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier led the country to become a more accepting place.

Erskine and his wife gave birth to a son, Jimmy, in 1960 who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Seeing his son grow up led Erskine to write the book “The Parallel” about Jimmy and Jackie Robinson. Erskine wrote the book to fundraise for the Indiana Special Olympics program, which Jimmy participates in.

“I believe in my heart, that when my son Jimmy gets a gold medal in Special Olympics for swimming or track and field, when he gets a medal, that Jackie, my teammate, had something to do with it because of the momentum he started in breaking the color barrier,” Erskine said. “That caused people to become more sensitive, more inclusive, a whole society began to see people who are different in a different light.” 

(Cover Photo) Michael Hogue color illustration of Jackie Robinson. The Dallas Morning News 2004/ MCT Campus. Erskine and Robinson (bottom) talking with students after the presentation at Clayton High School. Courtesy of the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Robinson celebrating with Erskine on the mound after a Dodger victory. Courtesy of Carl Erskine. Brooklyn Dodger logo from Wikimedia Commons.

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>>Leadership and Team Building

Reasoning: The summer after my sophomore year, part of the

Globe staff and I traveled to Ball State University to improve our design skills. However, the most important thing that happened on the trip was that we became closer as a staff. It turned out to be a great team-building trip.

>>Leadership and Team Building A Season to Remember November 2014 Globe

Reasoning: I

wrote this story with a very experienced Globe writer. However, she did not know a ton about sports writing. I was able to lead the way with sports knowledge, but it took the team of both of us to make the story as good as it was.

State Championship 2004

A SEASON TO REMEMBER Ten years have passed since Clayton’s journey to become football state champions. The Globe looks back at that season and the team’s accomplishments.

I.

by PETER BAUGH and GWYNETH HENKE

Jeff Waldman knew that this would be the last play in his high school football career.

Overhead, the fluorescent lights of the Edward Jones Dome glared down on an audience packed with screaming fans. It was the 2004 state championship game, and Clayton was clinging to a one point overtime lead against football powerhouse Webb City High School.

Clayton had taken a seven point lead during overtime after quarterback Jairus Byrd found wide receiver Torrey Tate on fourth down for the go ahead touchdown. In response, Webb City also scored on fourth down, but to Clayton’s shock elected to go for a two point conversion rather than kick the game-tying extra point.

“They could tell that we were still playing at 100 percent and they were pretty tired, so they wanted that to be the last play,” Michael Goldsticker, a senior running back and lineman at the time, said.

Waldman, who was a senior lineman, remembers his thoughts the moment Webb City lined up for the play. “[It was] the realization that it was going to end no matter what,” Waldman said.

The Greyhounds, however, were ready. Throughout their dominant season, the Webb City Cardinals had relied on a short yardage running play called the Counter. In the defensive huddle, Clayton planned for the play. Sure enough, Webb City handed the ball off to their all-state running back Andrew Stanley who was stopped just short of the goal line by sophomore Ben Williams.

When Stanley realized he was not going to score, he tried to fumble the ball forward in hopes that a fellow Cardinal would pick it up in the endzone. The ball was loose until Goldsticker rushed forward and fell on it, ending the game.

Final score: Clayton 27, Webb City 26.

“Helmets went flying and the fun began,” Sam Horrell, offensive coordinator at the time, said.

II. For the 2004 team, the victory was even sweeter because of the previous year’s turmoil. “[In] the prior season ... we definitely had a state championship game caliber team and we had a fantastic season,” chemistry teacher Nathan Peck, whose son was on the 2003 and 2004 team, said.

The Greyhound season, however, came to an abrupt end when Clayton was forced to forfeit all nine of their varsity wins after star player Jairus Byrd, a junior at the time, was ruled ineligible due to a residency conflict.

Ladue High School questioned Byrd’s eligibility after losing to Clayton for the second time in that season. Clayton’s victory over Ladue would have given the Greyhounds a state playoff berth had they not had to give up their wins.

The forfeiture was a major disappointment for the team, especially the graduating seniors.

However, the remaining players quickly looked towards the next year for a chance at redemption.

“We had a goal our freshman year of getting Clayton the first state championship by our senior year,” Waldman said. “So when our junior year occurred when we had to forfeit nine games and were not going to go to the playoffs, we knew our senior year was going to have to be the year we got it done.”

III. After the 2003 season, longtime head coach Larry Frost took the head coaching job at Kirkwood High School. Assistant principal Mike Musick was named interim head coach.

“There was a lot of turmoil in the program, there was a lot of frustration. Then obviously Coach Frost left and it was quite a challenging time for our program,” Musick said. “But we had wonderful, wonderful, wonderful seniors and a great junior class as well. We went into the season with high expectations but a lot of frustration from the previous year.”

The team responded to this frustration with an overwhelming mentality of hard work, determination and dedication. A number of the seniors worked out at P.E. teacher Barry Ford’s summer strength and conditioning class.

“We pushed each other, and we went to those [classes] religiously. It was a group that did not want to see each other fail,” Waldman said.

Led by senior captains Waldman, Byrd and Goldsticker, they came into the season ready to win.

“It was a great bunch of kids to work with; they were outstanding. I’d have to say they were one of the best groups I’ve ever worked around as far as a football team,” assistant coach Mick Picataggio said.

Picataggio is the only coach from the 2004 squad still with the Greyhounds.

Jairus Byrd, a senior at the time, celebrates after the win. Byrd now plays for the New Orleans Saints (Photo by Karen Elshout). sports

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State Championship 2004 “He was the stabilizing factor in our program, and he was a great support for me during the whole season,” Musick said.

Byrd also remembers the strength of the entire coaching staff that year.

“I really believed that while we had a great and talented team, we had an equally talented coaching staff,” he said.

Clayton started the season with three straight wins, outscoring their opponents 110-21. Then, the Greyhounds took on the MICDS team that would go on to win the state championship in class three, the class below Clayton.

Clayton lost to MICDS in a heartbreaking 24-21 game. Horrell believes, however, that this was an essential moment in the team’s development.

“I think that really hit the guys in the heart and gave them a wake up call to say, ‘You know what, we are beatable.’ I think they thought they were invincible because we were coming off the 2003 season where nobody had scored more points than us and we had won a lot of games in a row,” Horrell said. “They didn’t think that they could be beat, and them getting beat ... is what helped us win that state championship. It was a growing pain, so to speak.”

Clayton did not lose for the rest of the season. Their team was led by Byrd, who is now playing in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. For the Greyhounds, Byrd played quarterback, special teams, safety and punter.

Horrell even implemented a set of plays called the Carter Package in which they brought backup quarterback Carter Sapp into the game and used Byrd either as a receiver or blocker.

“There’s usually only a handful of players that you can say are the very best players you’ve ever seen. But Jairus was even better than those players. Every time he either touched the ball or he was around the ball, something great happened,” Musick said. “And he caused all the other players on the team to be even better.”

Several other players also had impressive post-high school careers.

Waldman joined the University of Missouri’s team, Goldsticker played at Amherst College and senior lineman Chidi Oteh played at both Tennessee-Martin and Lindenwood University. A number of other players also continued their careers after high school.

“We knew that we had futures in football, some of us, and we wanted

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to make sure that high school was the stamp,” Waldman said.

The combination of this talent and coaching with the extra motivation from the 2003 disappointment meant that, from the start, the Greyhounds knew the year would be special.

“We had a lot of depth and a lot of talent, and we knew we were going to be good--we just didn’t know how good,” Musick said.

IV. When Goldsticker came up with the ball, he was faced with a rush of bodies swarming the field.

“At that point I had the ball and I wasn’t really sure what to do ... It definitely took a good ten seconds of looking around to realize that we had just won and that it was over,” Goldsticker said.

Social studies teacher David Aiello was at the game and remembers the reaction of the Clayton players.

“I remember watching a couple of the guys … just running around trying to figure out, ‘What am I supposed to do? Who am I supposed to hug?

Who am I supposed to high five?’” Aiello said.

Waldman remembers the mix of joy and exhaustion that overwhelmed the team immediately after their victory. Waldman and Goldsticker both still have scars from the astroturf of the field, and Waldman almost had to go the hospital to get an IV after the game. Several players were also dehydrated by the end of the day.

“It was an exhausting night, it was a battle,” Waldman said. “But we ended up winning, so it was worth it.”

Byrd also remembers the effort that it took to pull out the victory.

“I had left everything out there,” Byrd said. “I spent all my energy, but I was so happy to work that hard for something.”

The experience of winning the state championship has stayed with the members of the 2004 CHS football team. A close group of friends at the time, the emotional bonds formed by the grueling journey to victory have persisted, and many of the players have remained important people in each other’s lives to this day.

“It doesn’t seem like ten years have gone by,” Goldsticker said. “It’s fresh in my mind, it’s one of the highlights of my life. I’m sure it’s something I will remember forever.” 

Left: Jeff Waldman sacks the Ladue quarterback. Right: Torrey Tate celebrates with Cameron Hicks after Tate scored the game-winning touchdown (All photos by Karen Elshout).

>>Leadership and Team Building Nickel and Dimed April 2014 Globe

Reasoning: This

story really improved my leadership skills. I worked with two other people and headed the story. One of the people working on the story was a younger reporter, so I worked hard to get him involved. We worked well as a team and produced a quality story.

Nickel Dimed and

As the Clayton School District faces another year of budget reductions, the Globe asks: is the District’s shrinking budget impacting the quality of the “Clayton” education?

by Peter Baugh, Peter Schmidt and Kevin Rosenthal

UPFRONT photos by katherine ren, zach bayly and jeffrey friedman

It was very elite. It was ‘what did you want to try?’

They only wanted the best of the best.

Health teacher Heath Kent is not happy. When he heard that the District was beginning a new branding and identity strategy for an estimated cost of $94,000 to $100,000, the first thing he felt was a sense of disrespect.

In the midst of the District’s budget cuts, Kent, a CHS health teacher and head girls’ basketball coach, has witnessed the painful consequences of the District’s financial transformation from a variety of vantage points.

He has watched health class sizes swell to 30 plus students and born the brunt of the District’s insufficient assessment of the basketball season.

According to the District, the basketball season lasted only 65 days, meaning that it ended officially on Feb. 10. However, the team still had 12 practices and seven games after that date.

The team continued to play. The District, however, did not continue to pay.

In other words, Kent was paid for significantly fewer days than he actually spent coaching. And in light of his funding being cut and his class sizes growing, Kent feels frustrated that the District is spending large sums of money on marketing projects instead of items that would have a direct impact on kids.

Of course, it’s not the lack of payment that bothers him. “None of the coaches are in this to make money ... you’re an idiot if you’re coaching at a high school and your goal is to make money,” he said. “But we put in a lot of time … you would expect a little bit of respect from the people above you.”

Kent is not alone in his sentiments. Teachers and staff around the building have expressed doubts concerning the District’s new financial procedures - including a new budgeting protocol called “zero-based budgeting”.

The District is hoping to implement this system in order to increase economic transparency and accountability, as well as maximize the impact of every dollar spent in Clayton’s classrooms.

However, organization requires centralization, and so a great deal of the District’s spending power has moved from the teachers to the schools’ principals. While this allows the District to keep better track of its funds, it also takes some of the classroom spending decisions out of the classroom.

This is just another step in the District’s mission to maintain a fiscally

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responsible budget while ensuring the educational excellency that is Clayton’s trademark. However, bearing in mind Kent’s predicament and the numerous stories shared by teachers around the school, we must consider the delicacy of this financial balancing act.

At what point does fiscal responsibility interfere with the responsibility to maintain an excellent education? How can the District know when they have crossed the line between accountability and parsimony?

Some think we already have.

Approaching the Levy In 2003, the City of Clayton passed a tax levy for the District that was intended to last only three years. Now, after 10 years of careful spending and monitoring finances, Clayton has still not approached the community for another tax levy.

The question now is not whether the District will go for a tax levy: the question is when.

“The District will need an increase in the tax levy at some point in the next few years … that’s the nature of school funding,” School Board Vice President Susan Buse said. “Our work as a district has been good … the economy, of course, is not always cooperative and expenses do continue to rise, so a tax levy is inevitable and it probably will happen in the foreseeable future. It’s hard to predict quite when.”

The District’s Chief Financial Officer, Mary Jo Gruber, projects that the District will go out for its next tax levy in the 2016-17 school year. In the meantime, however, the District is implementing the new zero-based budgeting system to add yet another degree of economic accountability.

“The big difference is that we’re deciding how to allocate money based on how it will be specifically spent instead of deciding how to spend the money after it’s been allocated,” Gruber said.

Longtime AP chemistry teacher Nathan Peck believes that this public accountability is also intended to strengthen Clayton voters’ conviction that the District truly needs a tax levy when they eventually ask for one.

“I guess there are rules of engagement for doing tax levies,” he said.

“You’ve got to show first that we need more money and where we’re spending everything now.”

As a Clayton resident, Peck would be in favor of paying more to maintain the high educational standard the District has set.

“I would rather pass the tax increase and keep our programs at a stellar level than become mediocre,” Peck said. “I think the vast majority will agree with me on that.”

CHS history teacher Sam Harned believes that the recent bond issues passed by the District to renovate CHS and Wydown have impacted public opinion.

“In the voter’s mind, they’re saying ‘You built the Versailles of schools, yet now you’re asking for more money?’ There’s going to be a linkage in the voter’s mind,” Harned said. “Nonetheless, what they might want to keep in mind is the separation of capital improvements from operating budgets in the District’s finances.”

Peck believes that educational excellence is directly correlated to the amount of funding the District receives from the city.

“In terms of the tax levy, if people are copacetic with having an average school, then we’ll have an average tax levy and pay average teacher salaries. We will then attract average teachers,” Peck said.

Ultimately, the administration and teachers are working towards the same objective: maintaining Clayton’s reputation of excellence with a responsible and sustainable budget.

Buse said that no matter when a tax levy comes, she wants to see Clayton use their tax revenues in a responsible fashion.

“Whatever our tax levy, we all want the District to use tax dollars as effectively and efficiently as possible,” Buse said, “to support our small classes, rich opportunities and overall District Mission, and to keep the District responsive and strong well into the future.”

The Administrative Process Gruber’s responsibilities focus on the numbers. Her job is to look at the overall picture of the District’s budget. She does not create budgets for each department, and she is not involved in the educational process.

Specifics of those allocations fall on the shoulders of the school principals.

“The principal is the person in charge of their entire building. This increases their opportunity to better understand what’s going on in their building,” Gruber said.

Assistant Principal Marci Pieper has been in the District on and off for 20 years - first as a long-time teacher and then as an administrator.

Pieper currently plays a major role in managing the high school’s budget.

She feels that before people begin demanding a tax levy, the District must see how effective the zero-based budgeting procedures are.

These new procedures require teachers to make decisions in March about what their classroom needs will be the coming school year, create a list of those items and submit the list to their building administration.

During the following school year, if the teacher needs something they did not allocate for during the budgeting phase, they will either have to go without it or make a special request and get approval to purchase that item.

Zero-based budgeting is taking the place of the previous system where each department received a pool of money from which they could make purchases during the course of the school year as their needs arose.

Pieper feels that, for the first time, zero-based budgeting is allowing everyone to see how each department is spending their money.

“It’s a very open and transparent process,” she said.

Buse feels that the new process and reductions will help Clayton.

She feels educators will still have the same opportunities to provide the unique Clayton experience as before.

“We continue to evolve educationally. The flip side of moving forward is the need to scale back where feasible and appropriate,” Buse said.

“We’ve got amazing people in all our different departments, and with that comes a lot of passion, a lot of great ideas and opportunities and, not only are things being cut … but people are using energies in different ways and they’re being allowed to still do that.”

Gruber explained that zero-based budgeting is being implemented for the entire District.

“It’s not anything specific to any department or any building, it’s just District-wide,” she said. “We’re just trying to tighten down our purchasing procedures to ensure that all purchases are approved prior to being made. It helps with budgeting as well as overall fiscal responsibility.”

Buse ultimately sees the new systems as a positive for the District. If anything, she says, they will make for a stronger educational experience.

She feels that the steps Clayton is taking are essential for a sturdy school district.

“We are financially healthy,” Buse said. “We are making cuts, we are realigning some of our expenditures as we care how the District is going to look today, as well as five to 10 years from now. And that’s what any healthy entity needs to do.”

Teacher Reactions “It’s generally a tough pill for teachers to swallow when outside people

The CHS theater department has been hit with a 57 percent budget reduction (Jeffrey Friedman).

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Like many other programs, Clayton DECA, has turned to fundraising to provide educational opportunities for students (Jeffrey Friedman). are telling them what they can or can’t teach in their classroom. I believe that teachers, as the professionals, should be making most of those decisions on behalf of their students,” Peck said.

Indeed, the District’s zero-based budgeting system has already begun to elicit reactions from CHS teachers of various disciplines. At this preliminary stage, the fine details of the system are still somewhat ambiguous.

“If it’s a matter of ‘I need to list the identity and amount of chemicals I’ll use seven to 14 months before I’ll use them’ ... that would significantly limit the innovation and flexibility that I think I’ve grown accustomed to in my 30 years of teaching,” Peck said.

According to Peck, the District plans to “dry-run” the system next year. Currently, it is unclear whether this rigid method of ordering necessary supplies will become a reality.

The consequences of the new budget plan (as well as recent budget cuts) have tangibly impacted decisions made across the school - from the chemistry wing to the theater department.

Theater director Kelley Weber has been in the Clayton School District for 15 years as a director of the theater program as well as a drama teacher. Weber is currently having to rethink how her department will plan and execute their future productions.

“There’s one show I’d really, really like to do next year as the fall play, but I don’t know if we can afford it just because the production value ... you need to have certain costumes which make it more expensive,” Weber said.

This year only two of the five theater productions were funded. The three remaining productions required the department to fundraise to afford their execution.

In addition to limiting the scope of Clayton’s artistic endeavours, budget issues, such as last year’s layoff of two building departmental assistants, have also shifted different responsibilities to the teachers’ shoulders.

“We’re spending a lot more time that we could have been doing lesson planning and prepping class and helping students, doing clerical work,”

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Peck said. “We saved money cutting departmental assistants, but since that work has to be done, we teachers are doing it. Teacher salaries comprise the bulk of our District budget, and I think we’re at a point where any further budgetary contraction will impact the work of teachers in the District.”

In the face of this economic makeover, Weber and other teachers are increasingly motivated and inspired by the elements of Clayton that haven’t been downsized or rearranged: the students themselves.

“The fact that the quality of the work that we do is as high as it is I think is a testament to the quality of the talent that we have in the kids,” Weber said.

The Show Must Go On “When I first came here 15 years ago this was a district that if you dreamt it you could do it,” Weber said. “It used to be, ‘this is the Clayton way. Period.’ And that seems to be changing.”

The theater program is one of many departments that has been affected by recent budget reductions - suffering a cut of around 70 percent. “I don’t think there are as many opportunities professionally for the teachers as there used to be,” Weber said. “And I’d say it has affected morale.”

The business program at CHS has also felt the strain of the tightening budget.

Over the course of the past few years, the DECA program, which operates as co-curricular to the business courses at the high school, has experienced an 80 percent reduction in funding. As a result, the organization, like many others at CHS, has turned to fundraising efforts to allow students the opportunity to compete at the state, national and international levels.

DECA sponsor and business teacher Marci Boland has been in the District for 26 years. When she arrived at Clayton, she says the Clayton Schools were “cutting edge” and “elite.” Though she feels Clayton is still certainly the top public district in the area, she also believes other neighboring schools are becoming more competitive with Clayton.

“The pack is closer to us than they’ve ever been, I would say,” Boland said.

As a former Clayton educator, CHS Assistant Principal Pieper had a similar view of CHS during her time as a teacher.

“It was very elite, it was ‘what did you want to try? Think outside the box,’” Pieper said. “They didn’t want me to come in here or other teachers to just do what everybody else was doing, what other schools were doing, they wanted you to think outside the box, do something different … they only wanted the best of the best.”

Despite some financial changes since her time as a CHS teacher, Pieper also believes that Clayton is still at the forefront of learning and providing a top-notch education.

“I still think that we have the reputation that we’re really good. For example, I think that our speech and debate team is still as good as they’ve ever been. Is it because of money or because of technology? No, I think it’s because of passion of teachers,” Pieper said. “Come in here on Saturday and the robotics club is working non-stop, but I think that at other schools the same thing is happening.”

On a different front, Peck has seen clear changes in the District’s approach towards teacher development.

“In the past, I think the District really encouraged teachers to be innovative and to try new things and be pioneers in their discipline,” he said.

“Clayton would have a lot of people here who would go to conferences and present the cutting edge stuff that they were doing ... it’s harder to get professional development now than it used to be.”

Pieper feels that Clayton teachers are as good as ever, but admits that the budget cuts have had a tangible effect on Clayton’s educational experience.

“Could we afford some of the cutting edge stuff that some of the other schools are? Probably not right now. So, in that aspect, we’d love to have more money,” Pieper said. “But can we do what we need to do with the money we have in place? Yeah.”

Though she anticipates struggles, Pieper feels as though Clayton can still maintain a strong educational system.

WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE 15 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS A DISTRICT THAT IF YOU DREAMT IT YOU COULD DO IT...

AND THAT SEEMS TO BE CHANGING. “It was always nice to be able to just say, ‘I want to try this,’ so I don’t know in that aspect that tightening budgets is ever a good thing,” Pieper said. “The one good thing that’s come out of it is that we really have more of a very solid idea of how we spend our money and I think it causes people to stop and say, ‘how can I do this differently?’”

As the District moves forward, Weber hopes that Clayton will become more economically comfortable. Ideally, she would like the changes to lead to programs being supported financially, as they have in the past.

“My hope is that as the District does become more solvent and more comfortable financially, my hope is that the curve starts moving upward and that we can start supporting more of the programs,” Weber said. “I know theater is not the only program that has gone through this ... but teachers at Clayton are so committed that we’re going to do things even if we have to scrape by, but hopefully as things get better a lot of the programming will get more support.”

In Conclusion Careful spending and budget reductions are healthy until they interfere with the fundamental mission of the Clayton School District. The issue of the budget revolves around one idea - will financial changes have an impact on the quality of education that Clayton prides itself on?

Currently, the District’s tagline is, “The School District of Clayton ...

Setting the standard for a world-class education.” With not only the rebranding strategy, but also the District’s new budget transformations, that could be changing. 

cover

27

FAK

KE

I. Introduction

She approached the clerk of the corner liquor store, a fifth of raspberry vodka in hand. She placed her ID on the counter, and waited for the clerk to accept her purchase.

“This is fake.”

There was a long pause until the clerk simply returned Jane’s* 22 year-old Illinois fake ID. Jane placed the fifth back on the counter and walked out of the store with her ID and no consequences whatsoever.

II. Clayton Students

Jane, a Clayton student, wanted a way to purchase alcohol independently. So, a friend gave her the phone number of a stranger who could manufacture and provide her with a fake ID. “The guy responded a month later [and] sent me … a form for my info,” Jane said. Jane’s friend met the provider outside of a South County bar and got both of their ID’s. The two ID’s cost a total of $120.

Along with the ability to buy alcohol for herself, Jane now can supply alcohol to those of her friends that don’t have fake ID’s. Frank* is a Clayton student who benefits from his friends’ fake ID’s, though he does not own one himself. He says that prior to or during parties, those with fake ID’s are the first ones asked for alcohol.

“Whenever people want alcohol, or at parties if they have no alcohol or run out of alcohol, they will go to the people with the fake ID’s and they’ll say, ‘will you make a run for us?’” Frank said.

Despite the appeal of buying alcohol, at this point Frank does not feel comfortable purchasing a fake ID. Although his friends’ ID’s tempt him, he does admit that the owners look young.

“I think it could be kind of dangerous because you could get in a lot of trouble if they figure out it’s not legit or real, so, I mean, it’s too risky for me,” he said.

Although Frank is afraid to purchase alcohol, Jane now feels comfortable buying from a store that she has previously visited.

“I don’t get scared at places I’ve already been before, but if I was going to walk into a random place, I’d be nervous,” she said.

Frank is worried about the potential consequences for his friends, but realizes that Clayton students have figured out a way to avoid trouble.

“It’s risky and it does worry me sometimes, but the place that they go to get alcohol … it’s a guarantee,” Frank said. “As long as you don’t look 12 … and you have a fake ID [you will be okay].”

Although Jane and Frank spoke mostly about using ID’s for the purchase of alcohol, Student Resource Officer John Zlatic said that most of the ID’s that he gets are from kids going to bars or other establishments for people over the age of 21. Often times, an officer will find an underaged CHS student at an establishment and refer them to Zlatic who will talk to them at school.

According to Becky Biermann, a detective in the Washington University Detective Bureau, the ease with which under-

by PETER BAUGH and REBECCA POLINSKY

*All names with an asterisk have been changed

I think it could be ... dangerous because you could get in a lot of trouble if they

aged people manage to get into places that sell alcohol is what worries officers about fake ID’s the most.

“I think what concerns police officers in general is that these kid’s have the fake ID’s and sometimes they get themselves ... into places that are 21 and over. They can be served too much to drink or end up talking to people they don’t know and they just get themselves into situations that they wouldn’t normally get into if they weren’t in a setting like that,” Biermann said.

III. The Stores Working for Washington University, Biermann has witnessed firsthand the presence of fake ID’s on a college campus. She says that some ID’s, especially those that list states other than Missouri, can be difficult to identify as fake.

“I think in the recent years they’ve really become sophisticated and they’re really hard to tell sometimes,” Biermann said.

This makes it challenging for store clerks to differentiate between a real or fake ID. Starrs is a liquor store that, according to management, appeals mostly to older audiences by selling fine wines and liquors. Management said that although fake ID’s are not a serious issue for their store because of the audience to which they appeal, they believe that fake ID’s are a growing problem in the community. They said that the convincingness of ID’s make them hard to identify unless the buyer looks very young.

According to some Clayton studdents, certain stores and clerks in the St. Louis area are more relaxed with their policies regarding the sale of alcohol.

Joe*, a Clayton graduate, remembers an experience he had while purchasing alcohol without possession of a fake ID. He was checking out at a shop notorious for not requiring identification. However, a new clerk asked Joe to show his ID. Joe, in a panic, handed the clerk his real, underaged ID. The clerk briefly looked at the ID before returning it to him and allowing him to finalize his purchase. Joe left the store with a six-pack of beer.

Zlatic feels that if alcohol is sold to minors, it is not the store ownership but the clerks’ decision.

“Likely what you’re going to have is somebody that works at that establishment that either sympathizes with those individuals [buying alcohol], maybe they know them or maybe they feel a little bit of sensitivity … so they’ll make a mistake in judgement without the owners or somebody more responsible knowing,” Zlatic said.

With the harsh consequences of being caught, he feels that owners would not want to risk losing their business by selling alcohol to people with ID’s that are potentially fake.

“If he [an owner] owns one or two liquor stores and does that, he could lose everything that he has,” Zlatic said.

fraud IV. Washington University

Fake ID’s have a presence at every college and university. Washington University in St. Louis is no different.

“We are presented with the problem pretty frequently,” Biermann said.

Often times, Biermann finds multiple ID’s in a lost wallet when she tries to identify the owner.

“Most of the time, when we catch students … they lost their wallet and

f they figure out it’s not legit or real, so, I mean, it’s too risky for me.” (Frank*)

d

photo by photo grapher Photo by Noah Engel.

then somebody turns it in, and we have looked through the wallet to figure out whose it is and discover [that] they have two ID’s or maybe even three. Then we start checking … and discover that one or two of them are obviously fake,” she said.

Sometimes, the students that are caught will tell Biermann the details about how they got their ID. “[T]here’s a lot of internet sites that are pretty good where they can just give them their information … I think a lot of what is happening now is online ordering,” Biermann said. “Back when the internet wasn’t as popular and they didn’t have as many sites, I think it was more [common to] use somebody else’s ID that you knew. I think a lot of the ID’s we’re seeing are actually their picture and their information but just with a different year or different state, and so they’re really hard to tell that they’re fake sometimes.”

V. Penalties To get caught with a fake ID is not just a slap on the wrist. The consequence is a misdemeanor - the same as a speeding ticket or a minor in possession of marijuana.

The individual would have to go to municipal court to receive his or her punishment. And in addition to a fine or whatever the penalty may be, if the owner is above 17-years-old, it can result in long term consequences.

“If you were 17 or older, you’re an adult,” Zlatic said.

“So yes, that would be on your permanent record.”

So, every time a fake ID is used by a student, they risk the long term consequence of it being kept on their record.

Washington University has their own system of handling the problem of fake ID’s. If a student is caught, Biermann said that a judicial board reviews the case.

Usually, it results in a fine and potential community service, but the University’s punishments have not had the desired impact on the student body.

“It obviously hasn’t deterred a lot of the students from doing it because over the past two years - I don’t think we’ve seen a decrease in the number of fake ID’s that we see,” she said.

While Biermann said that punishments do not influence Washington University students, Zlatic does feel that strict consequences keep liquor stores in line.

“The punishment is very severe for them. Not only do they have to pay a severe fine, then they’re under scrutiny. Their liquor license is jeopardized and for these places, selling liquor is how they make their business.”

cover

15

Photo by Noah Engel.

If you were 17 or older, you’re an adult. So yes,

VI. Conclusion If Clayton students want a fake ID, they can find a way to get one relatively cheaply. Students are making connections through mutual friends and peers that can organize large groups to receive ID’s. The

issue at hand is that the fake ID’s are becoming more realistic, increasing in effectiveness in terms of purchasing alcohol. It remains unclear how much store clerks know in reality.

As students become more familiar with the process of purchasing fake ID’s, minors are taking initiative to buy alcohol independently.

And so, if security measures do not improve, the probability that a given Clayton student will get a fake ID increases, and students like Jane can continue to walk out of liquor stores without consequences. 

that would be on your permanent record. (John Zlatic) 16

cover

>>Writing Fake

August 2014 Globe

Reasoning: This

story was challenging to write because it was difficult to find people willing to talk to us. My partner and I really had to do some digging to find people who would give us information. We worked hard and ended up having really strong sources.

>>News Gathering Clean Up After The Storm February 2014 Globe

Reasoning: Following the devastat-

ing typhoon in the Philippines in late 2013, a student at my school volunteered with the clean up. For a high school paper, one struggle is finding local angles to international news stories. I felt that I did a good job finding a source that made this possible.

Save the Strings?

January 2013 Globe

Awards: Superior Award (News),

Missouri Interscholastic Press Association

Reasoning: After budget changes were announced our school district, there were a myriad of misconceptions around cuts to the Elementary School Strings Program. The news broke late in our deadline process.

A fellow editor and I had to quickly gather sources and write a balanced story, which was a fun challenge.

Clean up after the storm

MEGAN Mccormick, a clayton high school junior, takes time out of her break to help the victims of typhoon haiyan

by PETER BAUGH

S

Megan McCormick bags food for those in need.

(Photos by Danica Cervantes)

ix kilos of rice. Four cans of corned beef. Four cans of sardines.

Eight packages of noodles. Eight cups of coffee.

Junior Megan McCormick would put these food rations in a trash bag, where they would then be given to people from across the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

McCormick has a special connection to the area, as her mother was born in the Philippines and lived there until her mid 20s. McCormick’s still has relatives there, who live in Manila, the nation’s capital.

Typhoon Haiyan, a category five super typhoon, hit the Philippines in early November and has killed over 6,000 people. The storm devastated Tacloban, a city of over 200,000 people with a population density around the size of Phoenix, Arizona. Tacloban is about 360 miles southeast of Manila, which took away some of the McCormick’s worry when they learned of the disaster.

“We knew that they [their family] weren’t majorly hit because of where they were located,” she said.

McCormick said it did not take as long as she thought for her to get in touch with her family.

The McCormick family had already planned on visiting Manila over Thanksgiving break. Since the disaster had just struck, they decided to join in the relief effort. The family did not go to Tacloban, but helped pack food in Villamor Air Base in Manila.

“There was a lot of packaging … a huge truck of rice came in, like so much rice, and the military people who were there would help carry it in,” she said.

As the rice was carried in, the volunteers were given a list of what went into a family pack. McCormick spent time packing and bagging the food.

Refugees from Tacloban were flown into Villamore by C-130 aircrafts.

Though the language barrier prevented McCormick from talking to the people, McCormick’s cousin was able to talk to the refugees.

“I’m sure they might have left family or friends back there who weren’t as lucky to come to the base,” McCormick said.

People from around the city also gathered in the base to volunteer. So many people offered their services that the McCormicks had difficulties finding an available time to help. They ended up spending about six to eight hours one day packaging food.

A few days before McCormick’s visit, American pop star Alicia Keys visited the same base and sang to and interacted with the refugees.

McCormick took a lot away from her experiences as a volunteer. The most satisfaction she got came from knowing that she directly helped families in need.

“Knowing that someone’s going to open one of the bags that I tied or the rice that I packaged and it will help them in a way that they’ll get food, they’ll be happy and they won’t have to worry about their meal,” she said.

“Just knowing that I actually directly helped someone.” 

UPFRONT

9

SAVE THE STRINGS? Should the Elementary String program be one of the needed budget cuts?

Hava Polinsky (above) went through the strings program that Clayton currently offers to elementary school students.

(Becca Polinsky)

S

omething is going to be cut. With all the confusion surrounding the District’s recent budget situation, where 1.7 million dollars of spending will be eliminated, this is one thing that is clear. So what will stay and what will go?

One recommendation Clayton Superintendent Sharmon Wilkinson provided the Board of Education is the idea of cutting the position in charge of the Elementary Strings Program.

According to the report created by Wilkinson with recommendations from the District buildings, the program currently offers a beginning strings program in 4th and 5th grade, which includes instruction twice a week in a pull-out program.

In the proposed changes, the program could be offered before or after school through a costneutral, fee based program.

In response to this possibility, there has been an outcry from some of the Clayton community. Through a large Facebook group of around 700 members, the students, with the help of Orchestra Director Julie Hoffman, who is also a member, have made their voices heard.

Hoffman and music teacher Ann Geiler have been running the strings program for over a decade. And Hoffman, who was just named Missouri’s Strings Teacher of the Year, is upset by this matter, and is against the proposed changes to the program.

“Our strong orchestra comes from a strong foundation, and that is our elementary program,” Hoffman said. “String players need to begin younger to be competitive and better musicians by high school.”

CHS students who participated in the program in elementary school have been standing up for the program.

“The Elementary Strings Program offered me so many opportunities in life that I would

by ARYA YADAMA and PETER BAUGH have never been able to enjoy had I not decided to join because it was available for me,” sophomore Adam Garrett posted in the Facebook group. “I can’t think of anything that has become such an important part of my life. This program enriches too many lives and is special to so many people.”

Meramec Elementary School violinist Belle Gage also has positive feelings about the program. “I’ve learned that violin is one of my passions,” she said. “I would have never tried it without this program.”

Aside from students and teachers directly impacted by the program, Clayton parents also feel strongly about its importance.

Belle’s mother, Amy Gage, is one such parent.

“She really has taken this on independently,” Amy Gage said. “She practices without my encouragement because she knows her teacher expects it of her, and because she wants to keep up with her classmates.”

Despite strong feelings the community has for the program, the issue of keeping the program is not as clear as it may seem. The brutal truth facing the District is that budget cuts must be made. Something will have to go.

“Our District is healthy financially, and we want it to stay that way,” Susan Buse, Vice President of the Board of Education said. “But over the last few years our expenses have started exceeding our revenues.”

Buse clarified the real implications of the recommendation being considered.

“The administration has recommended we stop the Elementary Strings program as it is currently constructed,” she explained. “Strings could . . . possibly be fee based, or it could be discontinued. Nothing has been decided, and this was not a recommendation to stop elementary music.”

She also said that the goal of the Board was to protect the District’s core values. Thus, they will deeply consider what parents, students and teachers have to say on this issue, as well as other budget recommendations coming before the Board.

Another issue is that of time allotment for the program.

“Elementary strings is a program students ‘opt into’ and the students are ‘pulled out’ of regularly scheduled class time to participate in Elementary Strings,” Board of Education President Jane Klamer said. “The time set aside for instruction at each elementary school may, for some students, cause them to miss instruction in core classes like math or science. This interruption of core learning is a problem.”

Everyone involved in this decision is interested in protecting the core values of the School District.

“Clayton is known for their support of the arts as well as an academic educational environment,” Hoffman said. “I am leaning on the students and parents to share their concern and value in keeping this program a part of our District.”

Klamer did not state her personal opinion on the matter, but has explained the reasoning behind the possible cut.

“This change would result in cost savings to the District and will result in less disruption in elementary school classes,” Klamer said.

These opinions and the future of the strings program are going to be considered at the Board meeting on Jan. 23, where the budget will continue to be addressed.

Both sides of the issue believe that community involvement is most important, as it is the students of Clayton that are being directly affected by this decision. 

>>News Gathering Buckeye with a ‘Backup Plan’ June 2013 St. Louis American

This Story can also be seen online at:

http://m.stlamerican.com/news/local_ news/article_d44e0a74-d946-11e2-8a8f0019bb2963f4.html?mode=jqm

Reasoning: After my sophomore year, I interned for the St. Louis American, the African American newspaper of St. Louis.

For this story, I was covering one of the top athletes in the area: Ezekiel Elliott. I was able to gather three good sources and put together a solid news story.

>>Design Reasoning: This

spread was the first longer story that I ever designed. At first, I was very lost and confused. However, I began to pull elements together and created a sixpage spread that I was very proud of.

“The artist in me cries out for design.�

Robert Frost

>

>>Design

Reasoning: I thought that I did a good job of making this spread cohesive. The challenge was mixing the newer pictures with the pictures from many years ago. With some adjusting, though, I was able to tie them together nicely.

The Globe has also served as my community throughout high school.

>>Photojournalism

Reasoning: One of the things that has helped me as a journalist is my ability to cover subjects in a variety of ways, one of which is through pictures. After the Ferguson riots, I drove out to the burned QuickTrip and took this photo that was published in the Globe.

Reasoning: A few

years ago, I was writing a story on a swimmer. No one signed up to take photos, so I was able to use my skills to get a quality picture that we were able to use for the story.

Reasoning: Last

year, both the newsmagazine and the Yearbook needed basketball photos.

So, I borrowed a camera and photographed a scrimmage. I had trouble at first getting used to the speed of the game, but ended up taking a few pictures that were used in both the Globe and the Yearbook.

Reasoning:

This picture was taken for my first published story.

I did not have a great camera to shoot with, which was a challenge.

Despite this, I did take a lot of solid pictures that were used in the magazine.

>>Writing Taylor Swift

December 2012 Globe

Reasoning: I

think it is important for a journalist to be able to write different types of stories. It can be a challenge. I do not usually write reviews, especially not music reviews.

In this piece I tried to do something different and I had a good time writing this story.

>>Writing Hitting Close To Home May 2014 Globe

Awards: Fourth place, National

Scholastic Press Association Sports Story of the Year

Reasoning: My junior year, I

learned about a graduate named Natalie Mehlman who had managed the baseball team in the late 1990s.

Mehlman passed away in college, but still impacts the baseball program.

Though it can be challenging to do emotional interviews, I think that it resulted in a very strong story.

(Peter Baugh)

Hitting close to home Remembering Natalie Mehlman

by Peter Baugh

T

he Ladue Rams baseball team had Clayton’s number on a night game in the spring of 1999. The Rams’ pitching ace, future Arizona Diamondbacks draft pick Todd Stein, was shutting down Greyhound hitters and the Ladue offense had built a multi-run lead.

Clayton simply was not on their game. Then, suddenly, the familiar hum of electricity stopped. The field went dark as the lights went out.

Natalie “Natalie loved Clayton High School and Clayton loved Natalie. And it was just obvious,” Varsity Baseball Coach Craig Sucher said.

Natalie Gayle Mehlman was born on May 6, 1978. The first of five children, she graduated from CHS in the class of 1996.

In her time at Clayton, Mehlman played tennis and was an honors student. In addition, she managed the baseball team, which was one of her favorite activities at CHS. When Mehlman was at Clayton, Sucher was the assistant to the varsity baseball coach.

“She loved to play sports as an athlete and was a very good athlete,” Sucher said. “She was a very good student, not just because she was smart but because she made her learning a priority and she loved to serve too.

She loved to help people and just embraced her role as a manager.”

After graduating high school, Mehlman enrolled at Emory University in Atlanta. With a positive attitude and bright personality, she seemed to have her whole life in front of her.

28

Sports

(Courtesy of the Mehlman family)

Death On March 2, 1999, Mehlman was in her junior year of college and appeared to be a healthy girl. No one had any inclination that her body was on the verge of shutting down.

In fact, Mehlman was suffering from mitral valve prolapse, the displacement of a thickened mitral heart valve leaflet. The disorder caused her to go into cardiac arrest. She died as soon as it happened.

“It was instant. Just a heart attack,” Scott Mehlman, Natalie’s brother, said.

Family When Natalie passed away, Scott was a senior in high school finishing out his four year varsity baseball career. Their other siblings - Blair, Leigh and Chad Mehlman - were all in the Clayton District at the time of her death.

Scott Mehlman feels that, as difficult as Natalie’s death was, she would want the family to persevere and continue on with their lives.

“It was hard for everybody in my family, but she wouldn’t want us to not move past it,” he said. “I’ll never move over it, but I will move on with my life.”

The Mehlman parents divorced when the children were younger, but Scott is thankful that both of his parents and his step-mother have been there for him throughout his life. He says that he is lucky to have grown up with three parents that care for him.

Scott does not consider his parents to be a normal separated couple.

He says that Natalie’s death led to both of his parents accepting their differences and building a positive friendship.

“It’s the exact opposite of how most divorces end,” he said. “We’re one family and she has everything to do with that.”

Sucher sees the Mehlmans as an example of what a family should embody.

“Their parents, their step-parents are just a testament to what family is all about, their closeness is awesome,” Sucher said. “I feel real lucky that I am able to have the relationship with the family that I do because of that. They’re wonderful people.”

Baseball Being a team manager combined two of Natalie Mehlman’s loves: baseball and helping others.

Bob Hebrank is currently the activities and athletics director at Pattonville High School. But when Mehlman was manager of the CHS baseball team, he was Clayton’s head varsity coach.

“She was there everyday, she never missed, she was enthusiastic about being around the guys and it was a genuine passion for baseball,” Hebrank said. “She was a part of the team and really enjoyed being around the team.”

Scott Mehlman, who was a freshman when Natalie was a senior, agrees that she had a passion for the game.

“She took it seriously, she probably wishes she could have played baseball growing up and she just loved everything about Clayton High School and being a part of sports,” he said.

Sucher also remembers how serious she was about the sport. Sometimes, he said, she took losses harder than the coaches themselves.

Naturally, when Mehlman passed away, it was hard for the team. Scott was a senior at the time, and many of the players had gotten to know Natalie when they were underclassmen.

Sucher has trouble putting the sadness of her death into words.

“I think anything I would say would … understate the impact, but I’ll never forget it,” he said.

Current CHS Assistant Athletic Director Lee Laskowski was a junior on the baseball team when Mehlman passed away and though he did not know Natalie particularly well, he grew close with Scott through high school and Natalie’s death was very difficult for him.

“It was very traumatizing,” he said. “When you lose somebody who was that close to the program, that near and dear and had given so much, it is hard to cope with.”

Natalie Mehlman’s impact on the baseball program was so strong, that Hebrank wanted to ensure that her legacy remained. When he left Clayton, he gave only one request to Sucher: keep Natalie’s spirit alive in the baseball program.

“My goal was to keep her memory going as long as possible, and I am very happy that Clayton High School and the baseball program and the coaches have done that,” Hebrank said. “It’s just awesome that that legacy has lived on and I’m happy that I was a part of it and that I got to know her and her family, and it’s just a neat situation that came out of a tragedy.”

(CLAMO Yearbook Archives)

Keeping the Memory Alive The Mehlman family, the baseball program and Clayton High School have worked to continue Natalie’s legacy.

The Mehlmans wanted a symbol to represent who Natalie was as a person. They wanted something simple, something that could serve as a reminder without being a distraction.

“We didn’t want something that just was an eye sore, but we wanted something to remember who she was and what she did,” Scott Mehlman

(CLAMO Yearbook Archives)

Sports

29

said.

And so, the ‘Nat’ logo was created. The logo is simply her nickname with a halo above it. It has been placed on the baseball field’s scoreboard, which the Mehlmans helped donate, along with much of the Clayton baseball gear.

This year, the Mehlmans donated warm up shirts to the baseball team with the symbol on the back of the shirt.

Hebrank felt that the logo also helped Scott get through the tragedy of his sister’s death.

“I think that really helped Scott get through a lot because she was always there with us,” Hebrank said. “Every day when he put the hat on with the ‘Nat’ symbol on it he could remember her.”

Laskowski feels very strongly about the logo. He feels it is important for people to remember who Natalie was as a person and learn from her example.

“I want everybody associated with the baseball program, in the school and in the community to understand what her logo symbolizes. I want them to know what she did for the baseball program, who she was and how much she cared,” he said, “because when you have people like that within your program, you’re going to do nothing but succeed.”

Additionally, the Natalie Mehlman Memorial Award is given every year at the CHS awards ceremony. The award is given to a female athlete and manager that embodies Mehlman’s attitude and dedication to CHS. Scott Mehlman and Sucher present the award every year.

“We intentionally try to select individuals who keep her memory and her spirit alive because I think it’s so vital to what we are,” Sucher said.

In Hebrank’s opinion, the family’s involvement with the program helps them remember that her legacy still remains.

“I think everytime … they are able to help out the baseball program, that brings up happy memories about Natalie and how much she meant to the baseball program,” he said. “Every time they go to a game or every time they see her symbol on your guys shirts or the hats that we had, I think that just hopefully puts a smile on their face that she’s still a part of things.”

(CLAMO Yearbook Archives)

Conclusion The Clayton-Ladue baseball contest was continued a few weeks after light troubles caused the game to be suspended.

With a newfound sense of hope, the Greyhounds mounted a giant comeback. The climax of the game occurred in the seventh inning with Laskowski at the plate and a runner on first base.

Sucher remembers what happened next.

“He hit a ball forever into right center field,” he said. “And when the ball came off the bat, I was coaching third base, I said ‘there’s no way that I’m even thinking about stopping this runner, he’s going to be safe or out at the plate.’”

The runner was safe by a half step and the Greyhounds ended up winning the game. But what made the victory even more special was the fact that, on that very night, the drinking fountain by the varsity field was being dedicated in Natalie’s memory.

A senior at the time, Scott Mehlman was just a few months removed from his sister’s death. He cannot help but wonder if Natalie’s spirit was watching over the Greyhounds as they took on Ladue. Perhaps she had something to do with the lights going off during the original game.

“The joke that we could make being serious is that my sister had something to do with the power outage. She didn’t want that game to continue, she didn’t like the way that we were playing in the field or at the plate that night,” he said. “She turned off the lights.”

Going forward, Scott Mehlman hopes that his sister stays part of Clayton High School. He is also grateful that he and his family members have been able to maintain such close ties with the baseball program.

“I think it’s really important to continue this tradition and continue this legacy,” he said. “I think that is the most important thing, and we are so thankful as a family to have this opportunity to continue to be a part of Clayton High School baseball.” 

30

Sports

(Peter Baugh)

>>Writing Editor’s Letter October 2013 Globe

Awards: Excellent Award, SSP Conference

Reasoning: I

wrote this piece back when I was my paper’s sports editor. It was very exciting for me to write this story. I was able to bring up what I felt was an important topic and convey my opinions on a potential winter pep rally to the whole school.

>>Web Reasoning: I was new to

journalistic writing when I published this story. However, I understood one key concept: distribution. I shared the story on forums and got 1,000 hits to the Globe’s website. Additionally, I captured the pain of many St. Louis citizens felt after Pujols left the Cardinals.

The text of the story:

The average working American makes about $31,111 in a calendar year. As a Los Angeles Angel, Albert Pujols will make five times that amount in a game.

A few months ago, if you went down to Busch Stadium around 7:00 p.m. there would be a sea of red Cardinals jerseys.

Many would read “PUJOLS” on the back, showing our city’s support for their baseball legend. Now, $254 million later, those jerseys will be put in a basement cellar, where they will stay, collecting dust, until Pujols somehow makes amends to hurt and disappointed Cardinal fans.

Pujols played 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

He ripped 445 home runs, won three MVP awards, and brought his team two World Championships. This, Pujols said, was his ultimate goal. Well, if it truly was his goal, then wouldn’t he want good players around him? Wouldn’t he want the Cardinals to sign free agents like Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman, to make the dream of winning a championship possible? Apparently not.

Buster Olney, a well noted ESPN baseball analyst, has said that he thinks Pujols’ pride was hurt because the Cardinals didn’t make more of an effort to sign him and instead pursued free agent Matt Holliday two winters ago.

Pujols obviously wasn’t making his choice to win cham-

pionships, he was doing it to make the most money as possible.

Or maybe not. Maybe Albert’s ego just wanted the world to know, “I am the best. Look at my contract.”

Once someone gets $200 million, how much extra money really matters? It’s enough money to last him, his children, and his grandchildren for a lifetime. That is not even taking into account all the money he made as a Cardinal or through ad contracts.

As a lifelong Cardinal fan I am hurt by the situation.

Baseball is one of the biggest parts of my life and always has been.

Some of my first memories are of Pujols rounding the bases after a homer.

Now, those memories are tainted. All I can think about is Pujols leaving the city of St. Louis, leaving the Cardinals, and leaving me, over pride and a higher contract.

That said, I do not know how I would have reacted in the situation. It is a lot of money and its hard to blame a guy for taking it.

The truth is, we will never really know what was going through our once beloved first baseman’s head on that fateful Thursday morning he decided to leave. What we do know is that it hurts, it’s sad, and we lost one of our city’s legends.

>>Writing Not a Normal Summer Job August 2012 Globe

Awards: Best in Show, Sports Feature, 2013 SSP Conference Reasoning: This story was my first sports feature. It was defi-

nitely an adjustment from the one-page sports stories that I was used to. I had to conduct more in depth interviews. What helped with this story was that I found a unique story idea, which led to an interesting piece.

SPORTS

NOT A NORMAL SUMMER JOB While some people work as lifeguards or at restaurants over the summer, Greg Ginos has a baseball fan’s dream job: a bat boy for a Major League team.

by Peter Baugh Every other home game, Greg Ginos walks into the St. Louis Cardinal clubhouse. He greets familiar faces, smiles and jokes around with fellow workers. Then he begins his routine at a job that many young boys and girls can only dream of having: working as a bat boy of a Major League Baseball team.

Ginos, a CHS senior, applied for the job of St. Louis Cardinal bat boy, and made the list of finalists for the position. However, initially he was not selected. When another bat boy quit, the Cardinals chose Ginos to replace him.

The first two games Ginos worked, he trained with the other bat boy, who showed him how things were done. The clubhouse was daunting for him the first few days. “The first time I was in the clubhouse it was really intimidating, because you are around some

2.75

Largest legal diameter of a bat in inches

7

Average number of pitches a baseball is used

of the biggest stars in baseball. You just don’t his hardest to make sure he does his job well. want to mess up or make a mistake,” Ginos “He always displays a positive attitude and said. puts forth his best effort, even when the weathHowever, after the first few games, Ginos er is unsatisfactory and the team is struggling,” realized that the clubhouse had a “loose atmoCendroski said. “Most importantly, Greg loves sphere.” his job and the game.”

As the Cardinals’ bat boy, Ginos has many Ginos also plays baseball, and is an outfieldresponsibilities, including memorizing every er for the varsity team at Clayton. By watching player’s number. He does this to keep players Major Leaguers play, Ginos says he has been materials straight, since most players supplies inspired by their high level of performance and are marked with only their number. motivated to play at a higher level than ever Each game he arrives four hours early. Bebefore. Though he has had the opportunity, Gifore the Cardinals take the field, Ginos puts nos does not ask players or coaches for advice, water jugs in both the bullpen and the dugout, because he feels they already have enough on along with their minds sunflower preparing for seeds, bubble the game. gum and One story sweat towels.

Ginos will When the always re“He always displays a positive ball players member is an attitude and puts forth his best take batting embarrassing practice, Gione. effort, even when the weather nos stays in As he was is unsatisfactory and the team the dugout, racing into making sure the dugout, is struggling.” all the playhe tripped in ers have what front of manthey need, ager Mike Matthew Cendroski and that Matheny and Third Base field usher people tourAll Star third ing don’t play baseman Dawith equipvid Freese. ment.

Freese During and Matheny the game, Gijokingly nos supplies made fun of the home him about plate umpire with balls. He picks up broken the fall. bats and makes sure every player has an extra During his time as bat boy, his favorite bat handy. memory was when the Cardinals scored 12 After the last out, Ginos is charged with runs in one inning against the rival Cubs. Overcleaning the dugout and bullpen. He rinses all though, Ginos simply cherishes the time he out coolers, hangs laundry and even cleans the gets to spend around some of baseball’s biggest coaches shoes. For a 7:15 game, Ginos is usustars. ally at the stadium until 12:45.

Ginos said he talks to Yadier Molina the However hectic the job gets, Ginos is havmost out of all the players and loves being able ing the time of his life. “Being a bat boy for the to converse with them as “real people.”

Cardinals outweighs all the stress that comes “I get paid to hang out with the Cardinals with it,” he said. and love the game,” Ginos said. “How many Matthew Cendroski, the Cardinals’ Third people have can say they have had a job like Base field usher, said that Ginos always tries this?” 

.5

Average number of bats broken per game (2011)

42

Largest legal length of bat in inches

18

Largest legal amount of substance from the end of the bat in inches

Ginos is responsible for carrying bats to the dugout (left, bottom). He has to make sure the on deck circle is ready for when the team bats (top). Photos by Peter Baugh.

Ginos also plays baseball for Clayton (middle). Photo courtesy of Greg Ginos.

486

Longest baseball game in history in minutes

17

>>Writing The Big Man Up Front October 2013 Globe

Reasoning: I have written over a dozen one-page athlete pro-

files for the Globe. Generally, linemen do not get as much credit as major offensive players in football. This story did a good job of featuring one of the best athletes in our school, even though he is not a point scorer.

AT H L

PROF

ETE

ILE

Mike Gant celebrates after a Clayton win. (Alessandra Silva)

THE BIG MAN UP FRONT Junior Michael Gant Jr. leads the team on and off the field with his motivational and physical talents.

by Peter Baugh The whole weight room stopped to watch junior Mike Gant as he prepared to squat. It was max out day, where everyone on the football team tried to squat as many pounds as they could.

As the amount Gant lifted went higher and higher, more heads turned.

He ended up squatting 505 pounds, an almost unheard of amount for a high school junior.

“I don’t think I have ever seen a junior do that,” head coach Scott Weissman said. “I’ve seen seniors and some college people do it, but I’ve never seen a junior.”

As a starting offensive guard and defensive tackle, strength is one of Gant’s biggest assets.

“My strengths on the field, for my position, is I’m quick off the line, I have good hands and I am strong, so that helps me out a lot,” he said.

Gant has excelled on both sides of the ball, earning Second Team AllConference defensive, First Team All-Conference offensive and All-Dis-

30

SPORTS

trict offensive honors. Over the summer, he went to a National Underclassmen Combine where he was ranked the third best defensive lineman at the camp.

He also serves as a leader both on and off the field.

“Big Mike is always full of personality,” Max Villaire, Gant’s teammate, said. “He’s always there encouraging and just pushing everyone to be the best they can be.”

Weissman feels that Gant also leads by example.

“Michael leads by example; he’s trying to be a little more vocal but he’s more of a leader by what he does,” he said.

Gant was called up to play on the varsity team his freshman year after a few injuries, and was a starter his sophomore year, helping the team to a District Championship.

After his high school career, he is determined to play college football. Though there have been no serious offers or communications from schools, he has gotten some interest from a number of universities, including Missouri, Tulsa, Illinois and Minnesota.

Playing on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball can be grueling, and Gant feels that mental preparation is essential for his success.

“If I’m in a game and I’m tired, I can’t tell myself that I’m tired,” Gant said. “I have to beat the guy across from me every time and make sure that I am well prepared, more than he is.”

Through hard work and dedication, Gant has great potential at Clayton and beyond. Weissman is excited for Gant’s future.

“Obviously he is still learning, but the thing is getting and having the opportunity to play against some of the people that we play, I think he’s going to open some eyes,” Weissman said. “And along those lines, once they see him play and they get to know Mike, there is no limit for what he is going to be able to accomplish.” 

A run

legac Freeman with a Distinguished Service Award at the MSHSAA Championship tournament. (Photo from the Freeman family) He set down his chair in his usual spot, with a heart full of pride and a focused presence. His applause for his granddaughter never lacks as she plays in her tennis matches for Clayton’s varsity team.

Marion Freeman is the patriarch of a Clayton family whose athletic legacy will forever be remembered. Through the lives he touched and the people he has helped, Freeman has been a consistent member of the Clayton community for over five decades.

Growing Up

During the long, hot, Missouri days of his childhood, Freeman had two choices: stay in the fields or find his own way home.

“I grew up on a farm and I’d go out with my dad in the fields and I’d get bored, I’d run home,” Freeman said.

Running home from the fields translated into a successful high school sports career. Freeman grew up in Northwest Missouri and participated in football, basketball and track in both high school and college.

During his high school years, World War II was raging in Europe. Many of his high school teachers were serving overseas, making class choices

32

sports

limited. The situation led to a unique opportunity for Freeman and and some of his classmates. He was able to take classes at a local university, allowing him to get ahead for college.

“By the time I got out of high school I had a few credit hours built up,” Freeman said. “When I started a four year program, I already was midway through my freshman year.”

For college, Freeman attended Northwest Missouri State. For track, Northwest was in the MIAA conference, which featured Cape Girardeau, Maryville and other Missouri schools.

When Freeman got to college, Cape Girardeau had won the conference for over 20 straight seasons. However, his junior year, tragedy struck and motivated the team to stop Cape Girardeau’s streak.

“Our coach lost his five-year-old son in the fall of my junior year,” he said. “The boy was run over by an automobile in a freak accident and that night we decided we better win the conference.”

Freeman and the team succeeded, wanted a bright end to an extremely painful year for their coach.

Freeman was a middle distance runner. Some would expect his small

unning

acy

by BECCA POLINSKY and PETER BAUGH

stature to prevent him from having the chance to run with the sprinters, but Freeman was able to excel leading off many relay teams. He said it always shocked the coach that he was able to do so well.

“He couldn’t figure out why I could beat his sprinters for 30 meters, but I could,” Freeman said. “So I was the lead man on the mile relay team.”

Freeman’s junior track season turned out to be his last in a memorable career. He accepted a position in the Chillicothe School District, opening up the next chapter in his life: coaching.

Coaching Career

Freeman feels that the positive experiences he had during his high school and college playing days led to excitement about coaching.

“I was very fortunate to compete in football, basketball and track in both high school and college and came out with a lot of curiosity and a lot of interest and enthusiasm about coaching and it’s carried over,” he said.

Freeman remembers his success with track, especially at the state level.

“For the first ten years I was out of college, I had somebody in the state

880 yard dash final for ten consecutive years, so I was a little partial to middle distance running,” Freeman said.

When he took the job at Clayton, Freeman coached cross country, basketball and track. He loves to talk about his former athletes and who they played against.

Freeman has memories of coaching against Bill Bradley, a future NBA Hall of Famer, when Bradley played against Clayton for Crystal City High School.

“First night we tried to triple team him and he got 35 [points], the next time we played him we fronted and backed him and he got 35, the next time we just played him, gave him his 35 and we tried to beat the rest of them … unbelievable athlete, unbelievable scorer,” Freeman said.

Overall, Freeman is proud of the impacts he made on his athlete’s lives and the lessons he was able to teach.

“Competition is wonderful to observe,” he said, “and so I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed that and I love to see kids improve.”

A Running Icon

Charlie Carr was one of the starting students during the racial integration of Clayton High School. He was an outstanding athlete and Freeman describes Carr as having a personality “just like a jewel.”

Carr considered playing baseball instead of sticking with track in the spring, but Freeman’s persuasive coaching convinced Carr to run for the first meet of the season prior to quitting.

Freeman placed Carr in an assortment of challenging events. After the meet, Freeman asked if Carr still planned on turning in his uniform to which Carr replied, “‘After today, I thought it had to get better than this,’” Freeman said. Carr became the star of the track team and was one of the many runners that Freeman touched throughout his coaching career.

In the early 1960s, Freeman started the cross-country team through extreme recruiting of other athletes within the high school. The track team was lacking middle to long distance runners, and Freeman desired to have a better-rounded team with a variety of runners.

“I was recruiting, daily, every day, everywhere. No matter where it was or when, I was recruiting. And it paid off,” Freeman said.

“I doubt I was the favorite coach in the school in those days,” Freeman said. “If they had air under them that look like they could run, I had them with an arm.”

His goal was to not only improve one sport, but to ultimately enhance the entire athletic body of CHS. “When I first got to the high school, there were about 18 or 20 boys out for track in the spring,” Freeman said, “And to me, that was a terrible situation.”

By Freeman’s fourth year of coaching track, he had 75 boys try out for the track team. “The last year of my coaching of track, the Clayton team won the Clayton Invitational for the first time in the 81 year history that I know of,” Freeman said.

His legacy lingers, as he continues to invite runners from across the state to participate in the Clayton Invitational track meet, which now bears his name, to break records. State champions return annually to run in this event.

Freeman’s constant support continues to drive the Clayton crosscountry and track teams to success with his inspirational advice. His athletic success is remembered on and off the track as his passion for victory lives on.

Freeman’s coaching can influence all aspects of an individual’s life, runner or not. The words he said to senior Parker Schultz before a cross country meet hold true to what he believes and passes on to those he helps: “When you go, go hard.” 

sports

33

>>Writing

A Running Legacy November 2013 Globe

Awards: Best in Show, Sports Feature, 2014 SSP Conference;

Certificate of Merit, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Sports Feature

Reasoning: This sports feature told the story of an important

person in the Clayton community: Marion Freeman. We conducted a very long interview with him. The strength of the interview was what made the story as good as it was. The interview gave us all of the information that we needed.

>>Writing

Social Drinking to Social Media May 2013 Globe

Reasoning: Like the fake ID piece, I struggled getting sources

for this story. I ended up finding my anonymous sources by talking to some seniors in my art class. I learned that I always need to be prepared to do an interview, especially when I am struggling to find sources.

Artwork by Rachel Han

SOCIAL DRINKING TO

SOCIAL MEDIA In today’s age where people post pictures of everything from the burger they had for lunch to hourly updates of their spring break vacation, it has become socially acceptable to post pictures online of teens drinking alcohol. For students at Clayton and at other high schools, it is not uncommon to see images of underage drinking appear on Facebook or Twitter.

by PETER BAUGH AND EUDORA OLSEN

M

i ke*, a CHS student, is showing off a bottle of whiskey in his Twitter profile picture. The photo is on a public setting for anyone to see.

On a Sunday morning, if a CHS student were to scroll through his/her Facebook or Twitter news feed, he or she would most likely find photos of their classmates clearly intoxicated or holding alcoholic beverages: photos just like Mike’s.

Though the world of the Internet is open to his future educators and employers, Mike is not concerned about his profile picture.

“It doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “If I

18

were applying for a job, I might change it, but I don’t see any serious reason to.”

Though he allows some of the photos to remain on his social media pages, Mike says he does take precautions, such as taking away his tag on an image.

“I usually don’t really do anything because I don’t think any colleges are going to see it or anything like that, but if [the picture is] someone chugging a beer then I might remove myself from the image,” Mike said.

On the contrary, Joe*, another CHS student, does not feel comfortable with any of these types of pictures on the Internet, despite the

fact that they have become socially acceptable for many students.

“It’s cool to just have a good time and then live it in the moment, [but] I personally don’t like how you have to capture that forever,” Joe said. “I think it’s better to just have it be a moment in your life and then it fades and it’s gone.”

Joe, who does go to parties and does drink, feels he has the right attitude towards situations in which people may be taking and posting pictures of people holding drinks or drinking.

“There are definitely friends who do it [post photos of drinking], but, personally, I know a lot of people who do it this way: they just really

FEATURES

try not to get into any of the pictures … I usually am not at parties when people are trying to take a bunch of pictures … that’s not what I want to do,” Joe said.

Student Resource Officer John Zlatic also feels that photos of underage drinking should not be posted on the Internet. Zlatic feels that minors need to remember that it is illegal to drink under the age of 21, also saying that photos could serve as a bad influence on fellow classmates.

“What you tend to get is underage people drinking in what they believe is a justified manner, and I kind of see it as, in colleges people [are] putting it on Myspace [and other sites], and that only reinforces the same behavior,” Zlatic said.

“It concerns me because you are actually engaging in a criminal activity and there’s consequences to that.”

Joe feels that in today’s world, a person’s online image is looked at as a representative of who that person is.

“Your Facebook page almost is like a resume.

You need to watch what you post,” Joe said. “And it’s not just a resume for school, it’s a resume for people you want to know, somebody you’re trying to be friends with. They look at that, [so] you want to put your best foot forward at all times.”

An admissions officer at a local university, who preferred to remain anonymous, echoed Joe’s concern about how prospective students display themselves via social media websites.

But if the activities seen online are not interfering with a candidate’s school work or academic achievement, this admissions officer said online posts will not necessarily count against them.

“As long as the partying and drinking is not interfering with their work, it does not directly affect the admissions process in my book,” the admissions officer said.

But the officer did confirm that some admissions officers will look up a prospective student on Google to make sure he or she is not over exaggerating academic achievement.

“We Google some candidates mainly because we are excited about their accomplishments,” he said. “But if they have lied about receiving an award or some other accolade, that is grounds for rejection.”

However, the “resume” that Joe describes may work to the advantage of some, depending on their goals. Certain groups and people want to see photos of drinking, which will incline them to be that person’s friend.

“A lot of fraternities, when you rush, they check your Facebook and it gives you an edge if

you have a lot of pictures of alcohol and partying stuff, because then they want you in their frat,” Mike said.

Mike, who hopes to join a fraternity in college, feels he would be more inclined to post photos if it would give him a better chance of getting into the group.

A University of Arizona fraternity recruitment chairman agrees in some respects. Though he says his fraternity focuses on leadership qualities, he does think that some chapters on the Arizona campus do like finding members who enjoy partying, but photos on Facebook or other social media accounts are not the deciding factor.

Joe says that what the issue comes down to is how people want others to view them.

“My thing is, why would you want to put it [a picture] on unless you want people to see that you are this type of person?” Joe said. “Like, if you are a person that puts a bunch of their sports photos up, they are trying to show people what they are interested in and who they are. And if you are someone that likes to party, that is what you put up.” 

*This person’s name has been changed to preserve his or her anonymity.

Photo By Erin Castellano

19

>>Writing Ferguson September 2014 Globe

Reasoning: As a journalist, one of the most challenging things

is writing about controversial topics. I was able to voice my opinion in this piece, and I did so in a firm and respectful way. Since it was a staff editorial, I had to voice the opinion of the staff, a new challenge for me.

Ferguson protesters stand outside of the Quick Trip that was damaged on the first night of rioting (Justin Seiwell).

Staff Editorial

E

ight miles is not very far. It just feels that way to most people in Clayton.

With such close physical proximity and connections to the Ferguson situation, Clayton citizens have a responsibility to know what is going on. People involved in the CHS community live in Ferguson. Our teams play sporting events there. We drive by it on the highways fairly regularly.

It’s safe to say that we don’t lack exposure.

In the Globe’s cover story, we explore different people’s perspectives on the Ferguson situation. For the article, we speak to those who have been directly impacted by what has happened in recent weeks. In various commentary pieces, we discuss what limitations the police should have.

We look at social media’s role in what has become a national topic for discussion.

As shown in this issue of the Globe, there are plenty of chances to learn about what is happening. These chances to learn are unique to the St. Louis area. Our access and exposure to the situation is unrivaled by any other city in the country.

So we must take advantage of it. We must use our proximity to learn from these tragic events. We can advocate for political action. We can hold signs and protest peacefully. We are right in the thick of things, and we must take full advantage of our situation.

Ferguson

In late August, the City of Clayton was mentioned in the New York Times. Our small town of 16,000 people was discussed in one of the nation’s most influential publications. This does not happen every day.

When protests came to the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in downtown Clayton, students were told to stay away. A brief intercom announcement recommended that we avoid the protest, but glossed over the exact purpose of the demonstrations.

It is understandable that kids were discouraged from going to the protest site, but there should have been more discussion. Students should have been given the chance to share their different perspectives.

Keeping quiet is not the approach that we should be taking. This situation is far from over. When the Grand Jury makes their decision, this story will likely make national headlines again. All perspectives on the issue should be brought up in classes and discussed, even if that means taking a break from scheduled curriculum.

The Ferguson case struck a nerve for many people. Years of racial tension and police distrust came forward in the form of protesting and rioting. Social media exploded. St. Louis made headlines in places across the entire country.

It would be ridiculous if we did not take full advantage of the events unravelling within a few miles of where we live as a chance both to learn and to grow. 

commentary

45

THE STATE OF CLAYTON

The Issues Social Issues Foreign Policy Education Healthcare The Economy Missouri Senate Looking Ahead

It is hard to escape from the election this time of year. Turn on the television? Political ads clutter everything you watch. Go for a walk? Yard signs stare at you from every angle. Curl up on the couch to read a book? The phone rings and opinions are forced upon you in the place you call home.

Though politics often make people want to crouch down in a hole and hide, the future of America lies in the hands of the voters, the people who cannot escape.

How can you get an unbiased viewpoint?

What changes need to be made for our nation to pros-

per? In a country of 310 million, how can one voice make a difference?

The date is approaching when the nation needs to decide where the country will go. What should happen with the economy? What about Israel?

The Affordable Care Act? Unemployment? Social issues? Education?

Only the American people can decide what lies ahead. With millions of citizens who do not know how they feel, or worse, do not care, it is time for us to learn, be open and decide the direction our nation is headed.

Story By Peter Baugh, Design by Parker Schultz and Peter Baugh

F

our years ago, Democrat Barack Obama won over the country and the general election against the Republican nominee John McCain. After Obama took office the next January, Americans were optimistic about the promise of hope and the first African American president in the history of the United States.

However, after the honeymoon, the nation found out just how bad the problems facing us were.

After four years of ups and downs, how do Clayton students, community members and teachers feel about this upcoming election?

Who should get the blame for the government’s shortcomings? The praise for the accomplishments?

Four years ago hope filled the air around the nation. Now we have a mix of confusion, excitement and worry for the future of America.

OPINIONS Christine Stricker, a personal finance teacher and yearbook advisor at CHS, feels Obama has done a good job as president, considering how the nation was after George W. Bush left office.

“I think that [Obama] walked into the job at the worst possible time a person could walk into the presidency,” Stricker said.

Stricker feels Obama has done all he could in his four year term. “[We] are back down to the unemployment rate from when he took office,” she said. “He saved the auto industry, he saved millions of jobs through the auto industry and through the bailout.”

Contrary to Stricker’s opinion, Jack Klamer, a senior, feels Obama has struggled economically and was wrong in his handling of the auto industry, feeling the president should have let the failure of the auto companies play out.

“I would definitely have said, ‘let them go bankrupt, let them restructure and let them come back all on their own,’” Klamer said. “[Obama] likes to tout his numbers, but in the

end it was a lot of government spending and I’m just against that amount of spending for an industry that just needs to restructure.”

Mo Mills, a junior, does not feel the same way as Klamer about the economy.

“I recognize that the right wing feels there should be less government control, and more trickle down methods,” Mills said. “I support, for today, a more progressive [tax system] and [I think] more government intervention like social welfare and things would benefit the current situations.”

Rock Erekson, local precinct captain for the Missouri River Republican Township, has met Romney several times as a conservative advocate. Erekson feels Obama has expanded the role of government, exceeding its constitutional limits.

“Go back and read the federalist papers, read the Constitution and Bill of Rights, read the founding documents and supporting documents about how the country was formed,” Erekson said. “One of the reasons it was structured the way it was to prevent the growth of any one section of government. The government emanates from the people and their divinely endowed inalienable rights, not the reverse.”

51% 12% 37% Of students identified themselves as Democrats

Of students identified themselves as Republicans

Of students identified themselves as non-partisan, other or undecided

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney listens as President Barack Obama makes a point during the final presidential debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida on Monday, October 22, 2012. Bob Schieffer was the moderator. (Robert Duyos/Sun Sentinel/MCT)

What Liberals are saying: ----------------------------

What Conservatives Liberal Quote about are saying: Social Issues

-------------------------------

“One reason I like Obama is because he is working to legalize gay marriage.”

“I was disappointed in Obama’s handling of everything, especially energy (I’m usually liberal).”

“Romney is completely out of touch with the average American.”

“Romney’s views on Israel are the tiebreaker, Obama has supported dictators and terrorists while ignoring Israel.”

“From what I’ve heard it sounds like Romney can’t really make up his mind about what he stands for. His 47% comment didn’t really help much either.”

“Obama has been very disappointing ...

I expected much more of him.” *All comments from survey.

SOCIAL ISSUES Legitimate rape. These words, spoken by Todd Akin, the Republican adversary of Democrat Claire McCaskill running for a Missouri seat in the U.S. senate, sent shock waves through the country. In an interview with Charles Jaco of KTVI, Akin stated that he felt if a woman was raped legitimately, their body could prevent pregnancy, meaning an abortion should not be necessary.

Akin has apologized for and recanted his comments, but the remarks have spurred discussion about many social issues, including abortion.

Noah Engel, a sophomore at CHS, feels Akin’s comments were incorrect, both in a factual and moral sense. That said, Engel does agree with Akin that abortion is wrong, just not to the same extent. Akin feels abortion is wrong under any circumstance, which Engel disagrees with. “[There should be] no abortion except in the case of rape, life of the mother or incest,” Engel said.

This is the same stance Mitt Romney, the Re-

publican nominee, has taken.

Disagreeing with Romney in many respects, Stricker feels strongly against the Republican stance on social issues.

“I get frustrated that the Republican viewpoint is, ‘keep your hands off my money, but we will get involved in your personal life,’” Stricker said.

What worries CHS senior Kat Miller, copresident of politics club, about the Republican social platform is the future of Planned Parenthood, a research center that gives advice on issues such as contraception and reproduction, and also provides safe abortions.

Miller cites the fact that only three percent of what Planned Parenthood does is give abortions, and feels it is necessary to keep the research center intact.

Another social issue that is widely discussed is gay marriage.

Romney does not support gay marriage or civil unions, a recognized union of a same-sex couple. Obama, on the other hand, is the first president in history to go on record in favor of gay marriage.

Though Klamer is conservative fiscally, he does feel Obama’s stance on gay marriage and

other social issues has helped him gain a following of younger people.

“I think Obama has done all the social things that he has needed to do to really keep his youth party base, such as ... come out in support of gay marriage,” Klamer said.

Engel, who, like Klamer, still supports Romney, also aligns himself more with Obama in terms of gay marriage.

While Klamer based his decisions of who to support on economics, Emily Widder, a CHS senior, feels social issues are a deciding factor in who she supports this presidential election. “[Even] though I may disagree with some of [Obama’s] economic policies, I think social policies are probably the most important for me and I definitely align more with Obama rather than Mr. Romney,” Widder said.

In terms of the future, Jean Carnahan, former senator and Missouri first lady, wonders what the next four years will bring.

“Are we going to really do something about women’s rights and human rights and civil rights? Are we going to continue to support those things?” Carnahan said. “We just have to decide which way we are going to go with as a nation.”

Foreign Policy Since Obama took office in 2009, United States troops have left Iraq, Osama Bin Laden has been killed, tensions between Iran and Israel have grown, Hosni Mubarak, longtime president of Egypt, was overthrown and a U.S. Ambassador was killed in Libya.

On Sept. 11 of this year, it was reported that massive protests broke out in the middle east over an offensive video on the Muslim faith.

Protesters attacked the U.S. embassy in Libya, killing the U.S. Ambassador. It was soon discovered that the attack was a planned act of terror rather than spontaneous protests.

Erekson feels Obama has done a poor job in handling the current situations in Libya.

“I am still saddened and shocked that an ambassador of the United States of America would be [as] unprotected as they were,” Erekson said.

Since the attacks, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said she is responsible for the protection of the embassy.

Current Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (daughter of Jean Carnahan), who has decided not to run for re-election this November, is also interested in the situation in China.

Romney has talked about how China has manipulated their currency, taking advantage of manufacturers in the United States. Obama

feels he has helped reduce the manipulation of currency in China.

“Some dynamics of world affairs are changing,” Carnahan said. “To be able to lead a new approach to that is going to be important, and engaging the Chinese and not fighting with them is going to be an important part of that.”

A defining moment of Obama’s presidency was the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda. Bin Laden was responsible for the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001.

Obama ordered the attack, which was carried out by an elite group of Navy seals.

However, there is a general Republican sentiment that overall Romney will be “tougher” in terms of foreign policy, similar to Ronald Reagan.

Education Perhaps the issue that will most affect students at CHS over the next four years is education policies.

Student loans have been a looming question this coming election, with many Americans wondering whether or not they are the proper way to deal with the financial cost of attending college.

Obama is in favor of the loans. Mitt Romney has also stated his support, but the Paul Ryan

budget plan would drastically cut the loans.

Romney selected Ryan as his vice presidential nominee.

Matthew Berrios, a CHS sophomore, feels that loans are an important and necessary measure for the United States.

“I believe student loans are really effective for the continuity of a good nation,” Berrios said. “That’s because I think a nation is based on how educated their people are and if they have good educated people they have good jobs ... It really helps everyone socially, politically and economically.”

Emily Longman, a senior, is not as sure about student loans as Berrios is.

“I think they are generally not the best choice for most people, depending on their situation, because they have fairly high interest rates and leave a lot of students struggling just to catch up with their payments when they are just starting a job,” Longman said. “It certainly can be a good investment, but should only be used as a last resort.”

Another issue causing controversy is the future of No Child Left Behind, a government program deciding the future of schools by using standardized test scores.

Established by Bush, the program has stayed intact throughout the Obama presidency.

With students at CHS only a few years away from beginning their own college experiences, educational changes may drastically affect their lives in a direct way.

Who is best looking?

Of students who would volunteer would do so for Obama.

82% 91% Of students would vote for Barack Obama.

Roughly 1/5

(20.1%) of students would vote for Romney

Do you approve of the Affordable Care Act?

Healthcare Some hate it, some love it, many have no clue. Coined “Obamacare,” the Affordable Care Act has evoked many strong opinions from Republicans and Democrats alike.

The Affordable Care Act requires every American to buy health insurance and provides financial help for those who cannot afford it.

The controversial part of the bill is the tax penalty given to a person who does not buy insurance.

Over the summer, Republicans brought the Affordable Care Act to the Supreme Court to decide whether or not it was constitutional. The conservative leaning court suprisingly voted in favor of the bill’s constitutionality with five justices supporting it, including Chief Justice John Roberts, a Bush appointee.

Washington University Associate Professor of Political Science Andrew Rehfeld feels the Supreme Court was correct in saying the Affordable Care Act was constitutional.

Rehfeld said how the bill is posed may

change how people view whether or not it is constitutional.

“If you frame it as ‘you are making us purchase x’, whatever x is, it does look less constitutional than if you frame it as ‘we are going to tax everyone in order to provide everyone with a service,’” Rehfeld said.

When the Affordable Care Act was deemed constitutional, tensions ran high from both parties.

The Affordable Care Act is certainly seen as one of Obama’s major achievements as president. And Romney has stated that he hopes to repeal ‘Obamacare.’

Alex Hawkenberry, a sophomore who has neutral views on politics, agrees with the intent of the Affordable Care Act, but is unsure of whether the timing was right.

“I think that America needs health care, but it may cause unnecessary spending,” Hawkenberry said. “Now may not be the time, but in the long run it is necessary.”

Jean Carnahan agrees with the Affordable Care Act. “Healthcare certainly is one of the most im-

portant things, and we have a chance now to provide healthcare for people,” Carnahan said.

She feels that though Republicans have been fighting the bill “tooth and claw,” and Obama’s healthcare plan is one of the things that has stood out most in his term as president.

People have often compared the Affordable Care Act to Romney’s healthcare plan in Massachusetts. David Stokes, the Clayton township committeeman for the Republican Party, feels the difference was with the level of government the act was carried out on.

“I believe that states have rights to do things within their own states that the federal government has no right doing,” Stokes said. “I would not support something like Romneycare for Missouri, but the people of Massachusetts voted it and that’s up to the people of Massachusetts.”

Erekson agrees, feeling states should do what is best for each individual state.

Like so many issues of the past four years, Obama’s healthcare plan comes down to one thing: how much of a role the government should have.

The economy Overall, the economy, particularly the deficit, is the biggest issue of this election season.

There is a general consensus that who wins the election will do so because of their economic policies.

Romney believes his past business experience will help him if he reaches office and that he can balance the budget.

Currently, the United States is around 16 trillion dollars in debt. In November of 2008, the debt was around 10 trillion dollars.

Romney has a five-point plan for what he feels will solve the nation’s economic troubles.

The plan states that North American energy

independence, more trade with Latin America, maintaining a balanced budget, training programs for workers and, finally, help for small business are the things that need to happen for the nation’s economy to be turned around.

Romney feels that an overall reduction of taxes would help the economy.

Obama hopes to strengthen the middle class, focusing on a progressive tax system to ensure that middle to lower class people are not paying more in taxes than higher class people.

Robin Carnahan agrees with Obama.

“I agree with that philosophy. I studied economics in college. I understand that the differ-

ence in those economic philosophies and I think his priorities are right,” said Robin Carnahan.

Stokes, on the other hand, feels Obama has done a very poor job at handling the nation’s deficit.

“I think he has just put us more and more in debt and expanded regulations to control our life right and left,” Stokes said.

Ultimately, the economy is what will decide the election. With our debt rising, both candidates feel they have a solution. It is up to the American people to decide whose policy they agree with.

Far Right: President Barack Obama greets supporters with a wave in Delray Beach, Florida, Tuesday, October 23, 2012. (Mark Randall/ Sun Sentinel/MCT) Right: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney takes the stage for a rally in Apopka, Florida, Saturday night, October 6, 2012. Romney is on a three-day tour of Florida. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

Missouri senate At a local level, senator Claire McCaskill has served Missouri for the past six years as one of Missouri’s two senators. She is being challenged

by Republican Congressman Todd Akin. The other seat, occupied by Republican Roy Blunt, is not up for re-election. Erekson has been unhappy with McCaskill’s term as senator.

“I think she is fairly straightforward speaking but I disagree with the policies she has endorsed and voted for,” he said. “I think she has been very, very closely aligned with Obama and I disagree in many ways and fundamentally with Obama and his policies.”

Kat Miller, co-president of Politics Club at

CHS, disagrees, feeling McCaskill, a Democrat, has been a good fit as senator for Missouri, a moderate state.

“I feel throughout her term she has done a very good job of crossing party lines to be good at dealing with issues. So in terms of being like, ‘Oh I am going to vote along democratic lines so I can keep the party happy’ she has not done that,” Miller said. “She knows that Missourians are really moderate and reasonable in most cases.”

One issue that has come up in McCaskill’s term is that of gun control. McCaskill remembers when she was younger, explaining how her

father would hunt for food. She says she strongly believes in the second amendment, the right to bear arms. She feels certain rules and policies may need to be examined, but good protection from our police department is most necessary, and the right to bear arms must come first.

“At the end of the day we need strong law enforcement and we need to protect people’s second amendment rights,” McCaskill said.

Akin was not available for comment, electing to leave before going to the media room after the debate at CHS. Both candidates had previously agreed to meet with the media after the debate.

Akin (right) and McCaskill (left) during the debate at CHS. The two candidates are running for one of Missouri’s two senate seats, the other of which is occupied by Roy Blunt, a Republican.(Photos by William Wysession)

Akin v. McCaskill: The CHS Vote

Looking ahead The next terms in both the Senate and presidency are sure to be challenging. Romney and Obama are deadlocked in the final stretch of a heated campaign. Polls have been inconsistent, some showing Obama ahead, some Romney, and some suggesting they are in a dead heat.

Although people have a hard time escaping this time of year, Americans must recognize that it is their own future they are deciding. We must not only accept the politically centered world we live in, but embrace it. 

Survey responses based on a random sample of 227 from approximately 400 surveys collected from CHS students during third hour classes.

>>News Gathering The State of Clayton November 2012 Globe

Reasoning: Gath-

ering information was essential for this story.

There were many angles that I needed to cover.

One way I collected data was by conducting a school-wide survey. I did numerous interviews and reported on a Congressional debate. This gathering of information was needed to put together a complete piece.

>>Writing Little Journalist, Big Impact December 2011 Globe

Awards: 2012 Missouri Interscholastic Press Association Superior Award

Reasoning: This was my first published story. I talked to a lot

of people and learned interview skills. I had never written a longer newspaper story, so this was challenging for me. I had to adjust to a new style of writing, and I felt I did a good job.

LITTLE JOURNALIST, Flynn Park fourth grader Gabe Fleisher has achieved with his influential newspaper, The Daily

G

PETER BAUGH

abe Fleisher wakes up at 6 a.m. every morning. Although most kids his age would think this to be absurd, he has his reasons. Fleisher likes having time to work before going to school. He uses this time to write a daily newspaper, The Daily Rundown. Impressive as it is for any student to do this, the truly amazing thing is that Fleisher is only 10-yearsold and a fourth grader at Flynn Park Elementary School in University City.

Fleisher’s paper gives readers small bursts of political information, which he sends out every weekday as an attachment via email. His subscribers use his paper to find out what’s going on in the world. But the Daily Rundown, or the DR as his readers call it, especially focuses on U.S. politics.

One Daily Rundown subscriber, who relies on Gabe to keep her up to date, is Kaitlin Kremer. “Instead of trying to read the newspaper or look at CNN, I could check the DR and it would condense all the important information for

20

FEATURES

me,” Kremer said.

One of his subscribers, or Rundowners, is Gabe’s introduction into the world of jour- Ronnie Cho, an Associate Director to the White nalism began with his mother, Amy Fleisher. House Office of Public Engagement. On Nov. She would listen to Gabe as he told her what 6 Cho requested to speak with Gabe over the was going on in politics. phone.

“I would try very patiently to listen, but, as I “He talked about how I think President like to get to work early, it was increasingly diffi- Obama is doing, specifically outreaching to cult. So I said, ‘Why don’t you send me an email kids,” Gabe said. Besides Cho, two other White at work and then we can correspond that way?’” House aids are subscribers to his paper.

Amy said. “So he started In his early poI’ve never seen anything like this. litical career, Gabe sending notes about what was happening and points My most high ability students has already attendof interest. Then it slowly have gone and maybe wrote a ed an inauguration, expanded into the DR.” talked to famous blog, but I’ve never seen this. historians such as Gabe’s efforts are grown out of a desire to Doris Kearns Goodhelp Americans become Kurtis Werner win, and, most immore knowledgeable CHS History Teacher pressively, shaken about politics. hands with Presi“I think it’s important that the American dent Barack Obama. Meeting Obama was probpeople know their history, and their politics, ably Gabe’s most inspirational moment. “It just and what’s happening and who their leaders are brought everything together for me,” he said. and what they’re doing,” he said. Gabe loves hisKurtis Werner, CHS history teacher and tory, and wants to make sure people, young and leader of Politics Club, was blown away by old, stay informed. His work has also garnered Gabe’s work. some national attention.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Werner

BIG IMPACT national recognition Rundown said. “My most high ability students have gone and maybe wrote a blog, but I’ve never seen this.”

Gabe, who used to dress up as Ben Franklin when going to pre-school, has always had a passion for history and politics. He wants to be a historian, and Werner thinks he is well on his way.

“I could definitely see him taking up aspects of political science, local state or national government, history,” Werner said. “Any of the themes of humanity really are running large through his paper.”

Gabe’s paper, impressive as it is, still needs some work. Both Gabe’s mom and Kremer think Gabe should write more editorials. His editorials, such as his thoughts on the killing of terrorists and gay marriage, are always big hits, but are also more time consuming.

The most exciting thing about The Daily Rundown is what is left to come said Amy Fleisher.

“I’ve slowly watched him evolve, and what he does with his interests. It will be interesting to see in a year or two years, where this will take him.” 

Peter Baugh

Gabe Fleisher goofs off in his office. The fourthgrader wakes up at 6:00 a.m. every morning to write his newspaper, The Daily Rundown.

(Photos by Peter Baugh) FEATURES UPFRONT

21

FALL

sports preview

by PETER BAUGH and NOAH BROWN

Photo by Bebe Engel

Photo by Katie Spear

Soccer

Tennis

2013 Record 10-13

2013 Record 14-3

Players to watch Zach Bayly Malik Hadjri Peyton Ross

Players to watch Connor Cassity Cameron Freeman Hadley Alter

Goals To develop underclassmen into players capable of filling the shoes of the graduating seniors. Beating Ladue is also on the team’s mind as the season begins to unfold.

Goals To improve on last year’s second place state finish by becoming state champions. The team is optimistic about their chances as they have a lot of experienced players on their roster.

Boys’ Cross Country

Girls’ Cross Country

2013 Record District Champs, 13th at State

2013 Record District Champs, 11th at State

Players to watch Noah Engel Ben Tamsky Tom Cormier

Players to watch Gabby Boeger Bridget Boeger Gracie Morris

Goals To win the District championship for the fourth year in a row and to make it to the State Championship.

Goals To qualify for state as a team and to place higher than last year. The team also hopes to have success by placing well in meets.

Swimming and Diving

Football

2013 Record 12-6 Players to watch Tiger Chen (swimming) Andrew Litteken (swimming) Taylor Edlin (diving)

28

sports

Photo by Ashley Chung

Goals To qualify swimmers for state, to have a near-perfect record and to place highly at invitationals.

2013 Record 5-6 Players to watch Mike Gant Tyler Melvin Jake Brown Goals To beat Ladue in the Homecoming game, to win a District Championship and to work hard enough to make it to the State Championship.

Photo by Katherine Sleckman

Volleyball

Softball

2013 Record 14-7

2013 Record 7-10

Players to watch Ryan Fletcher Sydney Swinton Anna Thompson

Players to watch Emma Chereskin Micaela Stoner Katie Howard

Goals To make up for graduating size by relying on the strength of returning varsity players of all ages.

Goals To adjust well to the new coach, to become more competitive than in previous years, to develop the underclassmen and to enjoy the sport.

Girls’ Golf

Field Hockey

2013 Record 3-4

2013 Record 3-15-5

Players to watch Molly Droege Leah Peipert Olivia Reuter

Players to watch Pauli Tapia Marina Henke Emily Braverman

Goals To get multiple state qualifiers and to utilize the large number of girls golfing this season.

Goals To build a strong team community, to work on cohesiveness and to find the back of the net more often.

Rivalry Record

by PETER BAUGH

The Globe introduces its new monthly sidebar, the “Rivalry Record.” This column will keep track of the cumulative record between Clayton and Ladue’s varsity sports teams.

Swimming (win) - Clayton swimmers finished ahead of Ladue’s team at the Ladue Early Season Invitational. Of the teams present, Clayton finished third and Ladue finished seventh.

Field Hockey (loss, 7-0) - Clayton fell behind early to Ladue.

The Rams took a 4-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Leading the Ladue offense, Fiona Vetter scored two goals and assisted two more for the Rams.

Tennis (win) - In a match shortened due to weather conditions, the Greyhounds handily defeated the Rams. Clayton used their victory over Ladue as a catapult into their next match in which they defeated Visitation, one of the state’s top teams.

Softball (loss, 6-0) - Despite playing well, the girls’ softball team came up short in a full seven inning contest against Ladue. The Greyhounds collected five hits in the loss.

Upcoming rivalry matches: Sept. 27 - football Oct. 7 - volleyball Oct. 14 - boys’ soccer Oct. 20 - boys’ swimming Record (as of Sept. 19)

Photo by Dawn Weber

2-2

sports

29

>>Writing News Gathering September 2014 Globe

Reasoning: In this story, I had to gather a lot of facts about

Clayton athletics. It was challenging to collect so much information, but I was able to talk to a lot of players and coaches and get the facts that I needed.

More photos from my time as a journalist

Photos of Globe editors

Standing with a fellow editor and a photographer after an interview