March 2013 Pirate Press by Pirate Press

PIRATE PRESS PattonvilleTODAY.com

@phsTODAY

Child Development, pg. 2

Baseball, pg. 6

Pattonville High School 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road Maryland Heights MO 63043 l Vol. 77 Issue: 5 March 2013

Students elect new Student Council leaders By Joey Schneider

Including Samples, the rest of the executive board will consist of Vice President Kirby McClain, Secretary Hareen Patel, Treasurer Canaan Kerr, and Historian Hannah Saputo. The winners of this election will take over their new positions in the upcoming school year. Additionally, these five will gain more input into making decisions for the good of the student body at Pattonville. v

Kirby McClain

Hareen Patel

Canaan Kerr

Historian

Secretary

Vice President

President Nathan Samples

Hannah Saputo

Pirate Connections extends to three times a month for freshmen With addtional meeting time, transition to high school should be easier; other grades remain split with Contact Time By Taylor Holmstrom

eginning next school year, Pattonville High School will implement three Pirate Connections lessons a month on Thursdays for the freshman class, while keeping lessons at twice a month for the sophomore, junior and senior classes. Pirate Connections, which began at the start of the 2011-2012 school year, was designed for the purpose of helping Pattonville students with college and career planning, while also giving students a chance to consult teachers about grades. The decision to extend Pirate Connections was made following a School Improvement Team (SIT) meeting that included feedback from students and parents. According to administrator Tiffany Besse, the main purpose of extending Pirate Connections classes for freshmen is “to help 8th

graders transition better, giving them additional time with teachers for more academic and career planning.” Besse also said the common consensus from students at the SIT meeting was that many students wish they had Pirate Connections as a freshman, and also wish they had it more. The plan, according to Besse, is to implement extra Pirate Connections classes for the next 3 to 5 years, while making any needed adjustments each semester. “Based on feedback, the students feel it has been a meaningful experience, and the parents have felt that way over the past two years,” Besse said. However, Besse and Stacey Leonard, Pattonville counselor and part of the planning committee for Pirate Connections, admit the plan is not foolproof; according to Leonard, when the freshman class has their own Pirate Connections

Vinyard brings experience to SRO position By Allison Leventhal

Treasurer

very March, Student Council members are allowed to run for five different executive board positions. On March 14, students were able to vote for these new leaders during all lunch sessions. “It’s hard to put words to [the excitement],” said newly-elected STUCO president Nathan Samples. “I’m happy to be the one to take over.”

Mr. PHS, pg. 8

lesson, the sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Contact Time will not be able to speak with or seek academic assistance from a teacher with a freshman Pirate Connections class. In addition, extra Pirate Connections classes will result in freshmen only being able to attend club meetings (which are typically held during Contact Time) once a month. Opposed to Pirate Connections, Pattonville senior Laura CleaverHorn, while admitting Pirate Connections could be helpful to incoming freshmen, prefers the additional free period offered to students in Contact Time, which alternates Thursdays with Pirate Connections after 2nd hour. “It hasn’t really helped much,” Cleaver-Horn said, “I think it could be really helpful to incoming freshmen, but it doesn’t do much for you if you start it as a junior. It could help freshmen adjust to high school,

and get to know one teacher really well who’ll stay with them for their entire high school career. [But] I don’t wish I had Pirate Connections as a freshman, I really liked Contact Time.” In the first two years of Pirate Connections, Pirate TV, which airs its student-made show “Pirate Aye” during Contact Time, has had to make adjustments to production of episodes with Pirate Connections now taking place every other week. “The major change was that [Pirate Connections] limited the number of episodes we could produce for broadcast,” said Karolyn Florence, TV and video production teacher and adviser for Pirate TV. “But what it allowed us to do was produce brand-new commercial material and limit the amount of reruns in our commercials. With the extra class time, we’ve been able

>>See CONNECTIONS, pg. 2

ith the departure of Officer Chris Silliman, a school resource officer who had been with Pattonville High School for three years, a new SRO will be seen around school. Officer Jim Vinyard, who has been working with the Maryland Heights Police Department for 16 years, will be taking over Silliman’s position. Officer Mike Mooney, a current student resource officer at Pattonville, said Vinyard is “a good guy. He’s worked security at school for a number of years. He understands what we need and what we exOfficer Jim Vinyard pect here.” Vinyard’s first day as an SRO was March 1, and already he is feeling confident in his new position. Vinyard said getting used to this job isn’t that difficult because he’s been doing police work for 29 years. He admits the most difficult part is remembering the students’ names. Before becoming an SRO, Vinyard spent time working as a motorcycle officer in traffic safety. He said working as an SRO is different than any police job he has had in the past because “it’s a whole different world. It’s dealing more with juvenile law and crimes.” Working with students and younger people, though, is what Vinyard is enjoying most about being an SRO. By taking on this new position, Vinyard hopes “to establish a lot of communication between myself and the students at Pattonville.” v

Students, businesses to work Class of 2013 scheduled to re-take senior photo together with $500,000 grant By Jessica Vargas Grant allows students to get involved in the work force with internships and work study opportunities

By Joey Schneider

s an attempt to invest in future education in the workforce, the school district has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Given to Pattonville on Feb. 7, the program titled “Pattonville’s Pathway to Success” program, will begin next year. “[The grant] increases opportunity for students that we are all excited about,” said head principal Dr. Joe Dobrinic. “We think it will give them direction after high school they might not have regularly otherwise.” Pattonville was one of only three school districts in St. Louis County to receive the grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This is one of several grants the school has been awarded since Dobrinic took over as principal in 2011, but he believes none have ever been this big or have provided

as large of an amount of opportunity as this grant. “There will be a lot of accountability with the grant,” Dobrinic said. “We’ll have to use our money with a purpose because there is a much higher accountability with the state to meet our goals.” Through the conditions of the grant, the school is allowed to work with St. Louis Community College and other local businesses to help students develop skills within three different career paths. Students that are selected next year to participate in this program will build up educational plans for a developed career path of manufacturing, health/medical professions and information technology. “The whole purpose of the grant is to give students work study and internship opportunities [in these areas] while they are still in high school,” Dobrinic stated. The grant was funded by the Community Development Block Grants organization, which is

>>See GRANT, pg. 2

he class of 2013 is getting together one more time to capture every Pattonville senior planning to graduate this year. “The reason why the senior picture is going to be re-taken again is because a kid from DeSmet thought it would be cute to jump in the picture when obviously he does not go here,” said building principal Dr. Joe Dobrinic. On Oct. 2, Pattonville seniors took their class photo in the main gym. As all of the seniors were walking into the gym, the student from DeSmet, who has to remain anonymous, chose to put a Pattonville senior hoodie on and join the picture. “As Class President, I think that it wasn’t very smart or respectful for the student who doesn’t even go here to jump in our senior picture when he had no reason being there. I understand that it was funny and all, but it was still not OK for someone to do that,” said senior president Isaac Caverly. According to Dobrinic, there had been phone calls to Pattonville from parents that did not like the fact

that someone who did not belong there jumped in the picture. Parents requested the picture should be taken again because of this The senior class gathers in the gym for the origiincident. nal class photo on Oct. 2. Photo by Tim Vleisides “I think the student lives in safety of the students and staff. the district and is well-known, but “If somebody from Pattonville that still does not make it OK for would have gone and snuck in to him to do that,” said Dobrinic. another school you would expect Whether the student was rethere to be consequences,” said ported to the police for trespassing Dobrinic. “That’s our answer to remains unknown. what happened. To just do it again. “The day of the picture I never Let’s take another picture and hope realized or noticed someone that did nobody from another school makes not go to our school was there. There the same mistake again.” are so many students in the Class of Students who did not get a 2013 that either way, there were a chance to order the first time will few people who I don’t think I have get a chance to this second time ever seen,” said senior Abigail Vanaround and for those who did order Noy. “When I got the picture, howthe picture will have the chance to ever, and heard that there was a guy trade the old one in for the new one who did not belong there, I laughed. I if they would like. thought it was pretty funny, but in a The picture will be re-taken on serious matter, it wasn’t really OK.” April 25 and Dobrinic hopes for the The policy for any visitor who picture to be taken on the football doesn’t go to Pattonville is to go to field this time. v the front desk and sign in for the

News

MARCH 2013 l

PIRATE PRESS l

Child Development and Parenting classes work with preschoolers for class credit By Mariah Lindsey

hild Development and Parenting classes have been offered as credit for practical arts as well as an elective. Thus, many students’ initial reasons for taking the classes would be to receive said credit or for an “easy-A”. Upon first thought, however, those students may not see the overall importance of taking either or both classes. Ms. Twila Harris, who has been at the high school for 12 years, teaches both Child Development 1 and Parenting. She said the classes provide instruction on how to keep a child safe, costs of raising a child, family concerns, effective parenting strategies, childcare options, and helping children develop self-character and control. “One of the biggest differences to me is that the Parenting students work with their child in playschool as if they were their own. They also take home a real “baby”, or write

a paper as an alternative.” Harris added these are classes that everyone should take because “all of us will be involved in the life of a child, as parents, step-parents, etc. It is important for everyone to take either class.” Besides the basic curriculum both Child Development and Parenting offer, high school students are required to engage in playschool sessions with preschoolers in order to receive full credit to pass the class. “We’re licensed for 15 preschoolers, and they are here from 8:20 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. If we have a cancellation on either day, we make it up on Friday,” Harris said. The duration of the playschool sessions per semester are for 24 days, and preschoolers have been coming to playschool for over 20 years. According to Harris, the sessions started because officials realized how important it is for this

generation to do better as parents and people who care for children than the last, because they felt like they are making a difference in the kids’ education. The two classes that are involved in this are also expected to help those who plan to take Child Development 2 which is taught by Ms. Julia Weingart and is for students who plan to go into teaching or other careers that involve children. With the previous knowledge of what is learned in Child Development 1, students learn about the areas of development of a child and what to expect, as well as disciplining and putting their learning to practice through hands-on activities. “I have seen many people who’ve discovered that they are really good with children, even after originally not knowing what they wanted to do in life,” Harris said, after stating that many go on to Child Development 2 after realizing this.

Parents of preschoolers have seen the benefits of the playschool sessions as well. Melissa Skillen is the mother of Mackenzie Skillen, age 4. Mackenzie is currently in her third semester of playschool, and along with feeling secure while her daughter is in playschool, her mother notes its impact on her development. “It’s definitely had a large impact on her development, and I think socially more than anything, dealing with things that we can’t really teach her at home. This has been a great opportunity for her,” said Skillen. “I think it’s a great thing for high school students to take when you’re getting that kind of exposure. It also makes you think twice about having a child early.” Students have noticed the benefits from taking these classes. “The classes have helped me to be patient with kids and their different personalities, and it gave me a

different view on how I look at kids,” said sophomore Clandria White. “It was fun, sometimes, although a few of the preschoolers were a little uncooperative.” Others have learned how to take care of kids responsibly and work with them in a positive matter. “I found that if you treat the preschoolers as equals, they listen to you and respect you more, rather than you treating them as just little kids. I think I’ll be more responsible when watching little kids when I’m done with the class,” said sophomore Trish Parsons. With classes like Child Development and Parenting, students have very valuable resources that can be used later in life. “I really love using my experience as a preschool director, and I think it’s going to make a difference in how the high school students, both male and female, parent their children,” Harris said. v

Pirates well-represented at music competitions

>>CONNECTIONS, from pg. 1 Orchestra, band and choir students all earn high rankings in Solo/Small Ensemble Festivals held on March 1 to produce new material and other kinds of projects.” Besse added that the school administrators plan to schedule Pirate Connections around Pirate TV, in hopes of allowing the freshmen to see as many episodes as possible. “There will still be one Contact Time a month, and we’ll try not to step on any toes and be intentional when lessons are scheduled. We’ll try our best to expose our freshman to as many episodes as possible, since Pirate Aye typically airs once a month, sometimes more.” Florence also said Pirate TV plans to continue airing as many episodes as possible, even with Pirate Connections being extended for freshmen in the coming years. “We still intend to produce as much great Pirate TV as possible, and if we happen to reach fewer freshmen as a result of them being involved in more Pirate Connections, we’ll still be able to reach viewers of the sophomore through senior class, which the freshmen will be a part of the following year.” Cleaver-Horn agrees that Pirate TV should continue, believing it to be a tradition for all Pattonville students. “A lot of people would be upset if it didn’t continue. Especially the TV classes.” Cleaver-Horn said." v

By Eleanor Gershman

he Solo/Small Ensemble Festival for orchestra, choir, and band was on March 1. Those who went played or sang music for a judge who gave them a rating of 1-5, with 1 being the highest. Those who got a 1 will go to the MSHSAA State Solo/Small Ensemble Festival on April 27 at the University of Missouri. “I’ve been doing Solo/Ensemble since my freshman year. This year I got three ones for state and considering you can only do three events, it was pretty cool,” said Adam Kaminsky, a senior in band. Judges may have their own plan for

>>GRANT, from pg. 1

administered by the Department of Economic Development. “Since most of the grant money will go for tuition of associate’s degrees at a community college, there’s hope that local businesses and companies will give the students chances to work while [students are] enrolled,” Dobrinic added. A press release sent by the school the day after Pattonville got the grant states the grant program “is focused on helping schools create pathways that combine rigorous academics with strong technical education and lead to

what they are looking for in a performance, which can make it difficult for a student to prepare. “Some judges may give you visual encouragement and you feel good but they may end up scoring you really difficult, and you may have another judge that may just look down and scowl the whole time and you think they don’t like you but they may actually give you a high score, it’s just really difficult and you never really know what to expect,” said choir director Ms. Melynda Lamb. For these groups, there is also solo/ small ensemble for the middle schools, albeit much smaller than the high school festival and acts more as an in-

troduction to the experience than the real event. Many students agree that going to festival in high school isn’t the same as what they first encountered in middle school. “In my experience, the judging at the high school level has been tougher and it’s harder to get a 1. Also, there is no state competition at the middle school level,” said senior Eric Bateman. But for the students that received a 1, the state competition is something they will continue to practice for. “Some of our students that are going to state will be working hard in their private lessons with their accompanist and the others will work

success after high school.” “It is important to shift our thinking to see what [students] are doing long-term since almost everyone will end up being employed at somepoint,” said assistant principal Cara Hiripitiyage. Several local business plan to help out Pattonville with funding and opportunities in order to collaborate work-study and internships for high school students. Partners for this project include DePaul Health Center, Fred Weber Inc., and Ameren UE. “There are so many businesses in St. Louis and Maryland Heights that give the students options to work,” Hiripitiyage said. “This should help build strong partnerships that will

give them an edge in the future.” The grant has more significance than just helping students earn work experience. The same press release explained Pattonville has set standard goals in order to “increase the graduation rate and success of students…enable students/trainees to earn certificates…and improve the preparation of students/trainees for employment in high-growth business and industries.” Students seem to realize the importance of this grant. Senior Class President Isaac Caverly recognizes how students are able to embrace unique opportunities under this grant. “I know the grant is designed to create new career readiness and get

with me to prepare and we will look at the sheets from District and look specifically at all the areas that we still need to make better to be as prepared as possible,” Lamb said. v students on their feet with a job in the work force,” Caverly said. “It is absolutely important for students who typically have not had a lot of opportunity [in the past] to look into what exactly the grant offers.” While students and staff are optimistic about the grant for the future, students will not be identified to participate in the grant’s work force opportunity until the 2013-14 school year based on their needs of work experience. “What’s exciting is the possibility,” Hiripitiyage said. “There are a lot of directions to move in, and having this money available will give students more opportunities in the near future.” v

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Features

MARCH 2013

Where are you going for spring break? By Maggie Vitale

I’m going to Branson with my family and a friend. -Jordan Milligan, 10 I’m helping one of my friends with a service project for confirmation -Tom Haake 10

I’m going to Florida to see the Cardinals play in their final week of Spring Training. -Joey Schneider, 11

I’m just hanging out with my friends and my family, nothing exciting. -Carrie Mills, 9

I’m going on a bunch of college tours in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. -Lauren McAdon, 11

College Talk: Kampschroeder discusses process of how to reduce costs, apply for scholarships By Sierra Peerman

College counselor Julie Kampschroeder helps a student in the College Center look for ways to help her reduce the costs of a postsecondary education. Photo by Sierra Peerman.

ollege is a big decision in a student’s life. Money is a main factor in where someone will choose to go. Scholarships are an important part of getting prepared for college. They help students save money and lower the amount of student loans they have to take out. The process can begin as early as junior year by simply starting to look for scholarships and organizing them. College counselor Ms. Julie Kampschroeder suggests using a calendar to map out when scholarships are due and when you will work on them. Some of Kampschroeder’s favorite search engines are “stlouisgraduates.org where there is 208 scholarships on there and they are for St. Louis people and the other one I like is scholarships4school.com.” Another step juniors need to take is start writing their college resumes so that it is ready to use. This includes a list of the student’s work experience, school activities, community service and basic information. Students also need to look at their schools and see what merit scholarships they have available. Merit

scholarships are based on GPA and ACT scores and are offered directly from the school.These scholarships can sometimes be as much as full tuition, especially at private schools. But Kampschroeder suggests to those students who don’t necessarily have a high GPA to still look at private schools. “Private schools like William Woods, Rockhurst, Columbia College, and Quincy University have some pretty decent scholarships for a ‘B’ student so you have to do your research on it,” Kampschroeder said. A great source for scholarships is the file cabinet in the College Center, which Kampschroeder updates often. Students should check this weekly for new scholarships that they might

not have found on their own. When senior year comes and students need to start filling out applications, they need to be sure not to wait until the last minute. Kampschroeder describes the three major mistakes students make when it comes to scholarships as: 1. Not filling out the application completely, 2. Not answering the essay question correctly, and 3. Not even looking for scholarships or filling them out at all. For those who think that scholarships of little value are not worth it, Kampschroeder points out that a “$500 scholarships are 64 hours of work at minimum wage so if you look at it that way, why would you not apply?” v

Drivers adjust to icy roads By Deanna Moyer

n Feb. 21 and 22, Pattonville made the announcement that school would be canceled because of bad weather conditions. School districts make these cancellations because they want to ensure the safety of all staff and students to and from class by car or bus. Winter can be a tough time to drive because of the dangers of snow and ice. Mr. Mark Hahn, driver’s education teacher at Pattonville High School, said, “We teach students what to do and how to drive in these kind of conditions. I would suggest to slow down, have distance between cars, maintain your speed, don’t break hard, and keep a snow shovel, sand or cat litter in your trunk in case you get stuck in the snow. Just be prepared.”

A few students experienced first-hand the dangers of driving in winter conditions. “I was scared the first time I started driving in snow. I felt like I didn’t have control because I slid a couple times,” said Raj Patel. “Drive slowly, and don’t ever slam on the breaks because you’ll slide.” Chase Davis, on the other hand, said his first experience with driving in winter weather was pretty easy. “Drive slow, and if your car slides, don’t freak out and don’t try to over correct it because you could just cause more problems,” Davis said. When school is canceled, it is important to understand that there is a reason. “If you have a choice, don’t drive at all,” Paula Lucido said. “Or at least drive slow and watch out for other cars.” v

Pinterested in Dating?

By Abby Kieffer and Kyleigh Ambrosecchia

Fifty males at Pattonville High School were given surveys with the following five topics about first dates. The following answers were some of the best given.

Where to?... “Movies then FroYo... ladies love FroYo.”

Asking her out ... “They come to me” “I would say, ‘I think you’re cute and I want to get to know you. Would you like to go out to eat with me?’” “Would you like to rule the world with me?”

What to wear?... “Jeans and a hoodie.” “Dress shirt and nice pants.” “Jeans and a nice shirt.” “Nice jeans, sweater, matching shoes.” “Something presentable.”

“I would send her roses and a card with a poem asking her.”

“A jacket, Polo shirt and jeans.”

“Would you like to go on a date?”

“A Polo shirt, a Polo vest, and some Levi’s.”

“McDonald’s.” “Biking, or some sort of physical activity.”

How would you feel?...

“Home-cooked dinner.”

“I would be curious to find out things about her, and if she would hold up in a zombie apocalypse.”

“Mall and movie.”

“Great of course.”

“City Museum.”

“Nervous, but not show it.”

“Downtown while it’s lightly snowing in the park.”

“Different.”

“Chuck E. Cheese.” “Japan.”

“Nervous, but happy.”

Who’s payin’?.. “Not me.” “At first I believe both should pay.” “I would pay if I had the money.”

Gatorade Soda 7-Eleven Tony’s Donuts

Soda (Robert Zimmerman)

Tony’s Donuts (Luke Moriarty)

Soda “Soda’s cheaper and easier to get.” -Hareen Patel

Basketball

By Tim Vleisides and Brady Bell

Soda “Opening a soda is like opening happiness!” -Austin Ratanasitee

National Honors Society (NHS) Spanish National Honors Society (SNHS)

Pirate M

NHS (Alex Rauscher) NHS Basketball (Lindsey Purviance)

Football

“Without NHS we wouldn’t have Mr. PHS or the blood drive.” -Selam Mulugeta

Guys & Dolls “[The cast] was all one big happy family!” -Olivia Barrett

Track Cross Country

Track (Kirby McClain)

Math Science Uggs Sperries You Can’t Take It With You

Science (Darlene Baquette)

Track “Track has a finish line. With science you keep finding stuff out.” -Will Chaney

Guys and Dolls

Guys & Dolls “Aaron Landgraf doesn’t shake his butt in track.” -Adam Kaminsky

Uggs (Kayla Strasser Champ)

Guys and Dolls (Hannah Molloy)

With the arrival of March, college baske ing over the ensuing weeks of drama th ment. A lot is at stake during the March loses, its season officially ends. Howeve sweeter for the last team standing. The different--all of the best aspects of Patto each other until one final club, sport or The Rules: Students and teachers were match-up based on their knowledge of until there was only one champion.

Guys & Dolls “Guys & Dolls because Tom Brady wears Uggs.” -Zack Balzer

Guys & Dolls

“The live entertainment and music is a lot better.” -Candice Kopecky

Band Orchestra Varsity Drill Team (VDT)

Band (Matthew Mellring) Band VDT (Nathan Samples)

Cheerleading Yoga Pants

“[Band] deserves more love; I feel like they’re underappreciated!” -Kyle Masek

Sweat Pants (Nicole Hildebrand)

Sweat Pants New Pool

New Pool (Madison Yancey)

New Stadium

New Pool “I wouldn’t wear sweat pants again if it meant still having the pool.” -Rachel Murphy

New Pool “It’s a great place for a team that works hard and dedicates themselves.” -Michaela Whaley

Hockey “The crowd is a lot more involved [in hockey games], it’s a lot more fun.” -Olivea Randall

Hockey Hockey (Zach Hayes) Swimming Baseball

Soccer (Brandon Van Buren)

Hockey “Hockey’s more exciting.” -Abby Kushina

Soccer Wrestling

Hockey “[Hockey] is more intense. I like watching it more.” -Jordan Edmonds

Volleyball (Danielle Siegel)

Volleyball Chess Robotics

Robotics (Rebecca Patterson)

Volleyball “I prefer being active over sitting down and working.” -Shane Harris

Guys &

“A name b compare to a fa -Ms. Cara H

Madness

etball fans around the nation are ravhat accompanies the annual tournah Madness every year; once a team er this only makes victory that much concept of Pirate Madness is no onville High School are pitted against r item remains. asked to determine a winner for each both subjects. The winner advanced

ACT ACT (Erin Leventhal) AP Tests Cash Line “I would rather eat than take the ACT.” -Marcus Triplett

Cash Line (Matthew Ridings)

Cash Line Normal Line

Cars Spring Break (Katie Brownlow)

“Cars [are better] because I can drive and get food.” -Micah Evans

Winter Break

Cars “Because I don’t have a car.” -Destiny McKinney

Nike “Clothes are a higher priority than cars.” -Blake Stricker

Cars (Mr. Ken Smith)

Peer Assistance Leadership (PALs) PALS (Camille Hernandez) Students as Mentors

Nike Dodgeball (Marcus Thorton) Nike “Nike because I have a lot of Nike products.” -Brendan Schaefer

Student Council (STUCO) Renaissance

PALS

“I like Nike.” -Justin McGee

Trucks Cars

Renaissance (Mariah Lindsey)

“PALS because they were very welcoming.” -Arionna Lunceford

Spring Break

Nike (Adam Frank)

Dodgeball Tournament Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Adidas Nike

Nike

“Nike because I’m not old enough to go to Prom.” -Michael Jacobson

Debate Choir (Sarah Vik) German Club “The German language interests me.” -Noah Cwiklowski Subway “I want to eat healthy.” -BriElle Ragland

French Club German Club (C.J. Brown) German Club

Foez (Kyle Baldwin)

Subway Subway (Connor Klenke) St. Louis Bread Co.

Prom “You can wear dresses and dance with friends.” -Lauren Frazier

brand can’t antastic show.” Hiripitiyage

Chunk’d Foez (4)

Subway “[Subway] is good and healthy.” -Lennis Wilson

& Dolls

Choir

Crazy Bread (Norby Stausebach)

Bosco Sticks

Crazy Bread “What kind of question is that?” -Kalen Riley

Notebook (Max Bodde)

MacBook Notebook

Prom “I can get better food at Prom.” -Shane McAtee

Crazy Bread

English (Jasmine Webber)

History English

Prom “I don’t like English.” -Edwin Dizon

Prom (Brianna Mooney)

Homecoming Prom

Sports

MARCH 2013 l

PIRATE PRESS l

Spring sports forced to alter tryouts Baseball team forced to adjust practice due to late winter weather By Phillip Scherer

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History teacher challenges students’ athletic skills By Jessica Vargas

istory teacher Justin Smiley has come up with a way to challenge students at Pattonville High School to their highest, athletic ability. “Students all over the school regardless of sport claim to be stronger, faster, and in better shape than others. This event will be the ultimate throw down. If you think you are the fittest Pattonville athlete, then quit running your mouth and let the numbers do the talking,” Smiley said. The inaugural Pattonville X-fit Games is a competition designed to test students strength, speed, flexibility, and endurance. This event is for both male and female students. It will determine the “fittest” Pattonville athletes by combining many exercises into an all-out raid on body and mind. “I’m so excited, and want to show that I’m at least one of the fittest girls here at Pattonville,” said junior Lindsay Purviance. Along with Smiley, Steven Shaw and other teacher volunteers will be running the competition. “I recently started training for CrossFit and found that the combination of strength, speed, endurance, and agility movements we do in our workouts would be a huge benefit for Pattonville athletes and for students who may simply want to lose weight, increase strength, or be more active,” Smiley said. “Our workouts are short and sweet, but highly effective. Our workouts will target every muscle in the body, and athletes will receive far greater cardiovascular training than running laps on a track or treadmill.” This event will take place in the spring of 2013, sometime in May with the date not yet determined. Smiley invites any student to see how they compare with the rest of the Pattonville student community. Pattonville X-fit Games is open to anyone who qualifies. “I’m in Coach Smiley’s Ac Lab and after cross country, I was looking for off-season training. Smiley recommended his workouts and I fell in love with them. I think girls should go to Mr. Smiley and try to complete the qualifications,” said junior Kirby McClain.

The qualifications include:

Men: • < 8 minute - 1 mile • < 1 minute - 30 hand release pushups • < 1 minute - 10 pull ups • < 1 minute - 10 bodyweight squats • < 1 minute - 20 burpees Women: • < 9 minute - 1 mile • < 1 minute - 15 hand release pushups • < 1 minute - 20 modified pull ups • < 1 minute - 15 50% bodyweight squats • < 1 minute - 15 burpees Students who are participating must register with Coach Smiley and submit their $10 shirt fee before April 12 upon completing all of the qualifications. Smiley will release the list of competition events at noon on the Monday before the event, which will take place on a Friday. Each registered athlete will have to complete the published events that Friday by 5 p.m. There will be first through third place medalists in both the men and women divisions, and the first place male and female will receive a plaque identifying their accomplishments that will be hung in the weight room for all to see. Judges will check for the correct completion of each movement with proper form and range of motion. The judges will track times, weights and distances. “The judges are going to need to be on their “A” game to insure the competition is fair and void of human error,” said Smiley. Smiley hopes that even students who don’t attend daily workouts Monday through Friday at 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the weight room sign up for the competition. However, the students who do attend daily workouts will have an advantage over those that do not because of their familiarity with the exercises. “The training is intense, and sucks while you’re doing the exercises, but it feels good to know you can do them, and push yourself that hard,” said senior Danny Carter. “I am so pumped up for the competition and am going to try my best to win this competition.” v

uch like every other spring sport this year, baseball is being affected greatly by the abnormally late winter weather that has been relentless throughout the beginning stages of the season. Although this did not take any practice time away from the teams, it did change the way that practices are being run. “Instead of working on grounders and hitting in the cage, we are doing more running and conditioning, which is definitely kind of disappointing,” senior Steven Barry said. All levels of baseball have been forced to do more running inside the school, a space they are being forced to temporarily share with every other sport that is normally played outside. This set of circumstances affects not only their physical skills, but it is also having other effects, mainly on the way the players are approaching their practices. “Being inside is definitely harder on the guys because it forces them to prepare different mentally,” varsity coach Mark Hahn said. “It’s harder to keep [players] engaged throughout practice because we aren’t doing what we normally do during the season.” Coaches believe these practices have been especially difficult on them as well, especially as they attempt to form their younger teams, seeing as they are not able to fully notice the skills of the freshmen and sophomores as they usually do with outdoor practices. “We are having to evaluate the players based on what we have seen, and making cuts accordingly. We always have more freshmen try out than older grade levels, so having limited time to see their true abilities makes this a little bit different than in years past,” Hahn said. Hahn is also worried that this lack of outside exposure will lead to the team not being as game-ready as in years past, especially in the cases of the freshmen and JV teams. “By this time last year, we had already had several inter-squad games that helped us to prepare for our early games,” Hahn said. “We may not be as prepared as we start the season, but it’s something we’ll have to adjust to as we go along.” However, the players believe their prior

Batting practice took place indoors during the first week of baseball tryouts. Photo by Phillip Scherer baseball experiences will aid them in this upcoming season. “We definitely believe we’ll be well prepared when the season really gets going,” Barry said. “A lot of us play together year-round, whether it be legion teams, select teams, or various levels here at Pattonville. Knowing [teammates] so well will definitely be to our advantage.” The team’s ability to adapt to the adverse practice conditions will be put to the test as the Varsity team begins their regular season against Ritenour High School on March 20. Another factor to consider is that every other team is the Suburban North Conference is under the same set of circumstances as the Pirates. “It’s not like Ritenour or Hazelwood West are playing outside right now. We are all under the same restrictions, so we hope it won’t have that big of an affect,” Hahn said. With every team battling on even ground, one thing to consider is the raw talent level that will be taking the field. “There is a lot of great players on both the Varsity and JV teams,” junior Connor Klenke said. “We have good pitching depth on varsity and a lot of juniors on JV that will be available when they are needed. I believe we’re getting ready for a great season.” Hahn shares this belief and knows that this team will need to realize its’ potential if they hope to live up to expectations. “We are the two-time defending conference champions, so we go into the year with a huge target on our chests,” Hahn said. “Everyone’s going to be trying to knock us down knowing that we are a great squad, which can only help us as we aim to become great and continue our recent history.” v

Gender equality not a major issue with Pattonville sports Athletes of both genders presented with balanced opportunities By Joey Schneider

ith three sports seasons and over 20 athletic clubs around the high school, athletic administrators and coaches at Pattonville strive to create equal opportunities in the field of athletics for boys and girls. However, the concept of high school sports and gender is an undermining study that has been kept in tact with the efforts of the high school. Athletics director Bob Hebrank claims he has “never really looked at girls and guys sports as different since both provide the same amount of preparation, skill, learning and improvement.” Hebrank suggested that athletes of both genders at Missouri high schools are required to have identical chances to be involved in athletics as a result of the Title IX standards for high school sports. “I feel that [Title IX] is necessary to keep the range of opportunity even for girls and boys, and our school does a great job of providing all students of their athletic needs,” Hebrank admitted. Originally, Title IX took effect in sports and academics when the Educational Amendment of 1972 was passed. The main principle behind it is “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” “I firmly believe in giving every athlete the same amount of opportunity,” Hebrank stated. “I want to do anything in my power to do what’s best for all of our teams to compete.” One of the ways that Pattonville creates equal opportunity is by providing co-ed and dual- and single-gender sporting opportunities for both males and females. Water Polo is the only co-ed sport at the school, but one of six dual-gender sports students can participate in throughout the

school year. According to Hebrank, rules and records suggest that girls are allowed to try out for football and wrestling, and boys can try out for cheerleading. The two other primary dualgender sports are cross-country and track. “I think it depends on the sport,” said senior Brandon Van Buren toward separate season rulings. “Certain contact sports should be separated because the levels of competition usually differ between genders.” Van Buren currently participates on the water polo team, and feels it is necessary for the sport to be co-ed in order for the team to be successful. “It is ideal for water polo to be co-ed because of the availability of the pool and it helps promote interest in a growing sport,” Van Buren claimed. Dual-gender sports are those considered having both boys and girls participate during the same season but in different competitions. “It’s easier for [guys and girls] to be together for both sports since we are all training for events that are at the same place,” said crosscountry and track coach Jeremiah Simmons. While cross-country and track thrive under the arrangements of being dual-gender, several other teams around the school would not be able to manage this, mainly because of the availability of the school’s facilities. “Personally, I don’t think we would have enough court space to accommodate 60 kids if tennis was a co-ed sport,” said head boys’ and girls’ tennis coach Jeff Grass. While sports such as tennis are separated for room and scheduling, other sports hold more reason as to why they are separated by gender. “I like [gender] separated sports better because it can be annoying taking turns with the guys,” said junior Rachel McAllister, who participates in softball and soccer. “I think it helps to play with girls that you share similar interests and can bond with.” v

07 l

PIRATE PRESS l

Opinion

MARCH 2013

Tim’s Talk

Sam’s Side

By Tim Vleisides

By Sam Madden

NFL Draft Spotlight: St. Louis Rams

n his first season with the previously abysmal St. Louis Rams, Coach Jeff Fisher accomplished many feats that brought hope back to the city’s desperate football fans. Fisher restored confidence in QB Sam Bradford after his horrible 2011 season, built up a strong defense around linebacker James Laurinaitis, and finished with a 7-8-1 record that included only one loss to an NFC West opponent. What impressed me the most, however, was Fisher’s first draft with the team last April. As a coach with only 18 years of experience could pull off, Fisher managed to do everything a GM or an avid fan could ask of him. He filled holes in the Rams’ roster (i.e. defensive tackle Michael Brockers), took risks where they needed to be taken (i.e. cornerback Janoris Jenkins), acquired good players with late round picks (i.e. kicker Greg Zuerlein), and drafted solid players for the future (i.e. running backs Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson). It should also be noted that he accomplished all of this and still received two first-round picks from the Washington Redskins over the next two years in return for a pick ultimately used on QB Robert Griffin III. So with this plethora of young talent in the Rams’ organization, Fisher may have just set the table for success in the near future. But before his team can become a Super Bowl contender, he must make this offseason as bountiful as his previous one; this includes tapping into last year’s draft success come April 25. In the first round of this year’s draft, the Rams possess the 17th and 22nd overall picks (the 22nd courtesy of the Redskins), which they could use in a variety of ways. In a draft overflowing with offensive and defensive linemen,

the Rams could take advantage of a good talent trickling down to them at either of their first round picks. And though it would be nice having another big body help the Rams’ up-andcoming defense, Coach Fisher has been vocal about making it a top priority to protect Bradford, hence the reason I believe Fisher will go toward the offensive line with the first of his two picks. If the Rams are lucky on draft day, they’ll find an offensive lineman for the future in someone like D.J. Fluker (tackle, Alabama) or Jonathan Cooper (guard, North Carolina) with the 17th selection. As for the 22nd overall pick, I think Fisher shouldn’t set his heart on one specific player here. It’s a somewhat rare occurrence that a team should possess two first-round picks, so I believe it’d be in the organization’s best interest to keep an open mind and draft the best player available. With the offensive line already addressed, the Rams could entertain the options of incorporating a deep-threat receiver like Cordarrelle Patterson (Tennessee) into their offense or adding the dynamic Kenny Vaccarro (safety, Texas) to their defensive backfield. The options seem endless for the St. Louis Rams right now, but not even Mel Kiper Jr. or Todd McShay can predict how the first-round of next month’s NFL draft will turn out. Whoever Coach Fisher inevitably decides to bring into the Rams’ organization next season may be a mystery now, but I’m confident that no one will question his judgment when it’s all said and done. v

Staff Editorial

Pirate Connections was developed a year ago to help prepare students for their future. Many different lessons and activities are planned to encourage students to think about what they want to do after graduating high school. Students most likely prefer Contact Time over Pirate Connections because it is a much more laid-back period of time. Contact Time gives students a break from the repetition of a regular school day. Contact Time offers so many opportunities for students to branch out and get involved in clubs, which is great because the Pirate Code constantly encourages us to do so. So if the Pirate Code encourages students over and over to “Be involved!”, why is valuable time that is normally used to get involved being taken away from us? Having Pirate Connections takes away from free time that would normally be used to join a new club and meet new people with the same interests. Countless clubs depend on Contact Time to be able to hold a meeting. Contact Time is really the only time during the week that

It is the opinion of the Pirate Press that Pirate Connections has good intentions, but the benefits are not clearly seen.

very student at Pattonville is familiar with the 36-minute time slot on C-Days, filled either with Pirate Connections or Contact Time. Since the addition of Pirate Connections a year ago, Contact Time has become more sporadic. Scheduling tries to make it possible that each week rotates between Pirate Connections and Contact Time, with a Pirate Code lesson thrown in here and there. While each student has his or her reasons for liking one class over the other, the consensus is clear: The majority of PHS students prefer Contact Time over Pirate Connections. Contact Time is a 36-minute period that can be used in various ways such as meeting with a teacher to catch up on missed assignments, holding club meetings, and holding class meetings.

PIRATE PRESS

PDA needs to go away

hen you’re young and in a relationship, you want everyone to know about it, so you walk with your significant other around the halls to every class. But one thing that I notice is all of the public displays of affection that goes on in the hallways at Pattonville High School. We can all understand that you’re a couple if you’re holding hands; that should be enough. Even giving your boyfriend or girlfriend a hug isn’t a big deal. We all go to school for one reason, and that is to learn. It’s all that should be on our mind, but we

all know that some people are more focused on interactions with their friends or significant other. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to think about seeing your friends, but the main thing you should be focused on is your education. While walking through the halls, I see so many couples holding hands, which doesn’t bother me. The only thing that bothers me is when they stand together, blocking an entrance to a hallway or just stand in the stairwell and make-out. That shouldn’t happen at school. We already know that you’re in a relationship because of how you hold hands in the hallway. Save the making-out for your alone time. Just think of it this way, there

Eleanor’s Edge

are several teachers at our school that are in a relationship, or that are married, but you don’t see them waiting in the doorway or in the stairwell for each other, meeting up and making-out. That is probably the last thing most students want to see. So, in the classroom, you should take advice from teachers when you need help, but right now you should take advice from me: Don’t makeout in the hallway! v

Raising a debate to switch the high school starting time By Eleanor Gershman

o many students walk into the halls of PHS and complain about how tired and run down they are. Griping about having to get up early in the morning to go to school, while younger kids who have less going on in their day get to sleep in. Many have debated whether or not to change the school times to where we would go to school later and the younger students would go earlier. This would mean that we would have more time to sleep or get ready in the morning, but it would also mean that it would be later in the day when after-school activities start. Despite that, school

hours shouldn’t be changed. There would be too many complications with the scheduling of our afterschool activities and other schoolrelated events. Many of us here at PHS do afterschool activities, which usually start right after school. Those activities also usually go pretty late, of course, depending on what they are, so having them start later would mean that we would have less time at home to do homework and other things we may need to do. Despite the fact that getting up really early in the morning is absolutely awful, school hours need to remain the same. Little kids don’t do as much as high school students

when it comes to involvement in school, so they don’t need as much time in the afternoon for activities as we do. Waking up early in the morning may suck, but the people who complain about having to get up early in the morning should just go to sleep earlier the night before. Anyone can wake up feeling good at anytime just as long as they’ve gotten enough sleep. v

FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS, VISIT PATTONVILLETODAY.COM and FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @PHSTODAY all students are available to attend a meeting at the same time. Because of Pirate Connections, clubs cannot meet as often and less people are able to join them. Of course the intention of Pirate Connections is great. It is extremely important for students to have a plan for their years after high school. However, most students, and even teachers, do not use this section of time as intended. When the time is supposed to be devoted to searching for colleges, students are playing games on their laptops.

PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL 2497 CREVE COEUR MILL ROAD MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO 63043 The Pirate Press is the public forum newspaper of Pattonville High School. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists, is part of the school curriculum and recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Student editors make all decisions regarding content. As the members of the 2012-2013 staff, we dedicate ourselves to the accurate and objective dissemination of information to all readers. The viewpoints of all staff members are to be regarded as being separate from those of our administration, faculty, peers and adviser.

This could be because they do not plan on going to college and the activity would not benefit them. For those students who do wish to plan their future and explore college options, they can meet with the college counselor or take higher-level classes that will preCo-Editors-in-Chief Joey Schneider Jessica Vargas Managing Editor Sierra Peerman Copy Editor Allison Leventhal Multimedia Editor Bionca Maldonado

pare them for college. In any case, the time spent in Pirate Connections is not as beneficial as it was intended to be. The fact is, students enjoy Contact Time more than Pirate Connections, which motivates them to be more productive. v

Staff Writers Kyleigh Ambrosecchia Katherine Bahr Brady Bell Elizabeth Ferguson Eleanor Gershman Taylor Holmstrom Abby Kieffer Erin Leventhal

Mariah Lindsey Samantha Madden Deanna Moyer Phillip Scherer Maggie Vitale Timothy Vleisides Adviser Brian Heyman

MARCH 2013 l PIRATE PRESS l 08 Entertainment Solorio wins Mr. PHS title in annual event hosted by NHS Clubs nominate participants, trio of seniors perform a tribute to the Class of 2013 during talent portion of the male fashion show By Elizabeth Ferguson

or seniors, this year is filled with “lasts.” Last year of school, last season for sports, last dances and last time to really be a part of high school activities. Each year, Pattonville High School holds a male pageant called Mr. PHS. Held Feb. 28 because it was postponed due to a snow day on Feb. 22, 17 junior and senior guys came to the stage to show off their looks, talents and intelligence. Each contestant performed a talent put together by themselves. Seniors Erik Solorio, Brandon Van Buren and John Collins joined together for one of the memorable moments of the night. “The best part about doing the skit was doing it with my friends,” Solorio said. The boys’ skit consisted of “little people dancing” which started out with laughs, but then ended on a serious note as they really brought out the realization of senior year to many of the students in the audience. With “Time of Your Life” by Green

Day playing in the background and a prerecorded message, they reminded seniors about how they are limited on their time as classmates and friends before going off in the real world and starting new. Emphasizing their friendship and having to leave Pattonville soon is what these three boys wanted to bring out in their performance. “We chose to do this skit as sort of a special way of us three guys saying goodbye and good luck in life,” Van Buren said. At the end of the event, Solorio was selected by a panel of judges as the winner. “Winning was great and I can’t say I didn’t like the free prom tickets, but the best part was creating memories of a lifetime,” Solorio said. Although the seniors are facing many “lasts,” underclassmen are taking note to enjoy the years they have left in high school. “It made me realize I need to cherish all the good times I’m having before I’m a senior,” sophomore Jacob Knox said. v

Think before you ink

By Bionca Maldonado

“P

ersonally, I think visible tattoos set off a bad first impression. In the work field you want to look as professional as possible,” says Barry Nelson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. Nelson is responsible for hiring staff in the Pattonville School District. “But if I have to choose a new employee I don’t go based off of looks, I go with who has the best credentials and the most qualified for the job though it’s never really come up.” According to the Smithsonian History Magazine, tattoos have been dated back to mummies in 2000 B.C. Although back then they were a status symbol for wealth, today they are typically frowned upon in the workplace. Before students go to get their ink, there are some things they have to take into account like safety and laws. “We have eight tattoo artists at our shop and only two will work on minors, for personal reasons,” said Jen March, from Allstar Tattoos located at 8601 Olive Blvd. “The criteria for a minor to get a tattoo vary from county to county, but here we require a waiver consent form, photo IDs from both the parent and child, copy of birth certificate, and a completed form that has to be notarized.” Health is often a concern when considering a tattoo. “We use an Autoclave sterilizer, the same used in hospitals and we only use needles once, and they’re opened in front of our customers,” March said. Science teacher Ms. Erin Mulanax got tattoos because she considered it cool and when she was younger,

it was rebellious for girls to have tattooos. “It’s not that way so much today,” Mulanax said. “If I had to give any advice I’d say make sure you know what you want and don’t go get tattoos on a whim, because getting them removed hurts like a mother bear.” Senior Jessica Boxx got tattoos, like Mulanax, to be rebellious. “I have a bat on my leg and two big roses on my chest. I just got them to make my mom mad.” But it’s important to get tattoos that are not just spontaneous. “All seven of my tattoos have a lot of meaning behind them and I’ve only gotten one removed, it was a bunch of skulls on my leg,” Mulanax said. Putting a lot of thought into a tattoo is what Wes Lore did before getting his ink done. “I have the nails from Jesus’ hands in a cross with a breast cancer ribbon over them,” Lore said. “I got it because my mom has breast cancer.” And for some students, it’s never too early to start thinking about what they want to get. “I don’t have any tattoos but I want a Cerebral Palsy ribbon on my rib cage because I have it,” Mackenzie Rogers said. “Tattoos are cool looking and an outlet of telling who someone is.” When one is looking to get a tattoo, they must consider a lot of options and think about the future. They must also make sure that the chosen tattoo parlor is credible and clean before it costs the customer the arm they are getting tattooed. v

Above: From left to right, Isaac Caverly, Erik Solorio, Brandon Van Buren, John Collins, Evan Collins and Bobby Breneman spell out that they have had “The Time of Our Lives” during the talent portion of Mr. PHS. Right: Solorio is crowned Pattonville’s 2013 Mr. PHS at the end of the event on Feb. 28. Photos by Erica Riggs

Outbreak Alert: Failing grades, loss of motivation likely to occur The infectious disease spreads to countless seniors at Pattonville By Erin Leventhal

ach year at Pattonville, a new group of seniors experience the same symptoms: coming to school at the last minute, turning in assignments late, sleeping in class and failing tests. These symptoms make up a very severe illness called senioritis. Senioritis is not a rare disease for seniors, and the effects can be serious. John Collins is suffering from senioritis, which is causing him many problems. “Senioritis is definitely affecting me,” Collins said. “My grades are the worst they have ever been. And I’m not talking just B’s. I’m working on getting my grades back up now.” Like many other seniors, Collins has been accepted to the university he plans to attend in the fall. For most seniors, this means less stress but also less motivation to finish second semester strong. Senioritis comes in many forms, and for some it just makes coming to school harder. Dustin Davis said due to senioritis, it’s much harder to wake up in the morning. He also says while he doesn’t have much homework this semester, the homework he is assigned is put off until the last minute. English teacher Ms. Leslie Anderson, who teaches College Prep English, said, “My seniors have very little motivation and some

Seniors all over Pattonville are losing motivation to finish second semester strong after already being accepted to their college of choice. Photo illustration by Erin Leventhal of them are not concerned about their grade anymore because they have already gotten into college. They are completely over school rules and policies.” Once senioritis starts to infect the mind of students, it can easily take over. Nicky Spencer has been experiencing how dangerous this disease is. “I don’t want to wake up and come to school ever,” Spencer said. “Once I have been in class for 15 minutes, I start thinking of excuses to leave school.” Like many seniors, Spencer said, “Basically I’m physically here, but my mind could not be farther away.” Some teachers change the curriculum of their classes in order to accommodate seniors who have checked out and are ready to leave high school.

Ms. Gay Lacy, English teacher, is one of the teachers who accommodates for senioritis while these students are studying for AP exams. Lacy teaches College Credit English to seniors and begins second semester with the hardest projects. As the semester continues, the work lightens. Lacy makes sure that after Spring Break there is less homework assigned because the motivation of her seniors is so low. “[Senioritis] is just the nature of the beast,” Lacy said. The only motivation that Davis, and many other seniors, can hold on to is the fact that senior year is almost over. As Davis said, “We’ve come this far, we might as well finish.” v

Steps to finding the perfect prom dress

Shopping for a prom dress can be stressful, but many tips can be taken into consideration to make the experience more enjoyable By Sam Madden

“Start shopping early. Start looking for dresses in January and February so you can get a head start and find a good dress,” said senior Emily Bartram.

“Do some research online. Ask your friends for help or look up some websites for dresses and ideas,” said senior Mallory Bruno.

“Determine your budget before shopping. Also, look for coupons in the newspaper, magazines and online,” said senior Hayley Wojciechowski.

“Contact friends that already had prom and don’t want their dress. It will most likely be cheaper, and look just as good,” junior Lizzie Fincher said.

“Bring people with you. Go shopping with your mom or a group of friends to get someone else’s opinion,” senior Rachel Croney said.

“Buy the dress first, then focus on accessories such as shoes, bracelets, a necklace, and earrings,” senior Andrea Gunn said.

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