October 2011 Pirate Press

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Red Ribbon Week pg. 3

Cardinals pg. 6

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n Sept. 27 the Pattonville Board of Education approved increasing its tax rate to the voter-approved maximum in all classes of property. Residents will now pay $4.42 per $100 of assessed value, an increase of 35 cents. The Board of Education approved this because it is the third straight year of declining revenues and budget cuts for Pattonville. Reduced property values, decreased state funding and continued tax appeals by large commercial taxpayers have all affected the spending of the district. In May, Harrah’s Casino in Maryland Heights, and residing in the Pattonville School District, was valued at $502 million. But the Board of Equalization valued it at only $215 million.

“St. Louis County changed the way they were valuing the casino, Ron Orr, Pattonville’s chief financial officer, said. “They needed to base it off of so much revenue per year.� Ultimately, the casino is not worth as much as people thought. “The Board of Equalization had decreased the value of the casino because the property owner said it was too high and needed to be lowered.� The sudden decrease of value has affected school districts, including Pattonville. “We haven’t been able to figure out how much money Pattonville has lost,� Orr said. “It just dropped significantly.� Pattonville has at least lost several million dollars. In order to make sure that Pattonville has enough money to sustain costs, Pattonville has

raised its taxes and made budget cuts. “The budget is where it is suppose to be,� Orr said. “It is exactly where we thought it would be because we weren’t depending on the casino.� Hancock Place however relies heavily on the tax revenue given each year by River City Casino. “The casino is around 4 percent of Pattonville’s entire revenue,� Orr said, compared to Hancock Place which uses almost 60 percent of the casino. Although raising taxes may cause complaints, the tax rate increase doesn’t affect everyone the same way. “Property values go down, taxes go up. It is consistent,� Orr said. “Every year there are people concerned when they see a decrease [in value]. It depends on where you live and the value of the property.� Y

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Pattonville Briefs Compiled by Gabby Pirrie Senior Emily Lindsay’s poem, “The War of War,� was selected by The American Library of Poetry to be published in a book of student work called “Acclaimed.�

Arsenic and Old Lace pg. 8

Board received damaged from the dripping water coming from the second floor. Math teacher Barb Stavely said when she saw her room, “Everything was stacked up. You couldn’t find anything. My computer was disconnected. The place was dirty and things were blowing off the walls. It gave you a headache just being in there with all the fans going.� While rooms were drying and being repaired, classes in the H-wing, primarily consisting of math and foreign language, were not able to be held in their usual rooms. On Sept. 26, first period classes reported to the cafeteria and the library. Second through seventh periods reported to different classrooms for the rest of the day. A schedule was created for the rest of the week by assistant principals Luke Lammers and Tiffany Besse.

On Saturday Oct. 15, the girl’s cross country team won the Suburban North Conference championship. Senior Elise Amo was the top runner finishing first, freshman Sarah Mohrmann earned 5th place, sophomore Kirby McClain completed the race in 6th place, sophomore Laura Fulton finished in 8th place, sophomore Katie Breakfield was No. 11 and senior Gabby Pirrie finished in 15th place.

“We knew what rooms were not used every hour of the day and were able to move teachers into those rooms,� Besse said. Each teacher was in a different classroom almost every period. Teachers were not able to be in their rooms during planning periods and H-wing teachers had to carry all of their materials with them from classroom to classroom. When classes were able to resume in the H-wing on Sept. 30, ceiling tiles and baseboards were still missing. “When we are quiet up here, we can hear the teacher downstairs or the movie or whatever they are doing,� Stavely said. A reconfguration of the H-wing is planned for Summer 2012 as part of the New Facilities Plan in conjunction of the Prop K bond issue. Construction to replace destroyed items began immediately and will continue to make the hallway safe for all students and staff. Y

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ach student in grades 9-11 received some type of academic test while seniors attended a college-prep meeting and field trip on Oct. 11. The three tests given by grade level included the EXPLORE, PLAN, and Practice ACT. Each one is viewed with similar perspectives and is meant to help the student prepare for the real ACT. Regular classes did not take place on what was called Testing Day, and students were released at 11:15 a.m. Students took the tests in their Pirate Connection groups with their teacher administrating the test. Rules similar to those of the ACT test were applied during this time. The EXPLORE test was designed for freshmen. It is the 9th grade version of the ACT. The results of this test do not affect the individual’s GPA and are meant to only give an idea for career interest. This specific test is meant to provide an example range of what their future ACT may look like. “The test helps you plan for your future and understand how the ACT works,� freshman Vixen Rectin said. All sophomores received the PLAN test. This test is similar to the EXPLORE with the fact that it shows possible career inventory. The PLAN is composed of material that will help the student learn where their weak areas are academically. College counselor Julie Kampschroeder considers this test as a “practice tool that will help one prepare for the ACT.� Juniors took a practice ACT test as a form of college preparation. The exam was a retired ACT test that does not count as an official score and can not be used when applying for colleges in the future. According to Kampschroeder, the juniors should take this test like it’s the real deal and sign up for the ACT in February immediately if they plan on attending a four-year college. While freshmen, sophomores, and juniors took these assessments, this day was planned differently for seniors. Their day started by first taking their class photo. From there, seniors were assigned with one of multiple options based on choices previously given for their benefit. Seniors either stayed on campus to listen to speakers about college life, took a bus to visit colleges and universities around the area, took the ASVAB (military) test or visited

Sophomore Nicole Callahan finished 43rd in the Missouri Class 2 Girl’s Golf Championship. She shot a 93 at Sedalia Golf Course. Rob Lamb’s science class created detailed infographic posters to represent what they have learned. Four of these posters were chosen to be published in the August issue of SciJourner. The studentsselected were by Lauren Trembley, Ciara Glenn, Margaret Njenga and Mary Mbugua, and Kevin Murillo.

6HH 7(67,1* SDJH Junior Roger Netherton took 3rd place in the 2011 Old Time Fiddle Championship, a national fiddling contest. He won a $2,000 Heinrich Gill Fiddle as well as a trophy.

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!!!7(67,1* )UHH $&7 FODVVHV DUH DYDLODEOH WR VWXGHQWV GXULQJ GD\ QLJKW the Missouri Career Center to help them seek job options after school. “I was in the auditorium for a four-year college meeting,� senior Christian Johnson said. “It was very helpful because it helped me learn a lot about room and board, activities, and financial aid. I think it is a good thing for seniors to do and we should keep it going in the future.� The Practice ACT and PLAN test results will come back Nov. 17, while the EXPLORE test will be given back on Dec. 9. The student’s Pirate Connections teacher will notify students of their scores. If students are not satisfied with their scores from these tests, the school offers various options for studying. These include the Math Help Cen-

ter, Writing Center, after-school tutoring in the library and ACT Prep Classes. “There are free evening ACT Classes for juniors and seniors,� Kampschroeder said. “Students recently saw a video on ACT review, and have the option of taking an ACT semester course during the day. A small percentage may also hire tutors.� Overall, the purpose of testing day was to help make aware to students which academic areas they need to focus on and how to prepare for the real ACT when they take it. “I thought Testing Day went really well,� guidance counselor Stacey Leonard said. “The better testing environment for students will hopefully provide better results.� Y

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The Pattonville Marching Band decided to call its 2011 theme “Hope.� “Hope� to the band members means never giving up; uniting. “It’s what keeps people going. It’s the things that help people never give up,� senior Dillon Ciampoli said. The theme came from the idea of the Pattonville community hurting from the tornado that hit April 22. Not only was the community suffering but members of the band as well. Senior Brittni Cambron said, “We thought that we wanted to do a show that would be meaningful, so we got the idea for “Hope� from the fact that people got hurt from the tornado that had affected a lot of families in the community and the bad economy. Also, we wanted something that would have a big impact on the people at Pattonville.� Not only can Pattonville students relate to this theme, but the community as well. While ‘hope’ has a very vague definition in the

dictionary, fans watching the halftime show get to determine the meaning of the word for themselves. “When you hear it, you get these images in your mind of things that are important to you,� Cambron said. “Maybe like, family and your friends and people who are close to you.� Over the course of the year, the band has competed in four competitions at local schools such as Francis Howell and St. Charles West, and also got the chance to play at the Edward Jones Dome in Greater St. Louis on Oct. 22 where they placed 7th in the Silver Division. Ciampoli said, “We haven’t necessarily placed highly, but we’ve always felt confident in our show and we felt that we performed to the best of our ability.� This year, the music that the marching band is performing to is by John Meehan, who is from the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps; a multiple-world championship winner. Although some outcomes were not as great as expected to be, band members stayed positive and remembered to never give up hope. “We have definitely improved throughout this season,� Cambron said. Y

6XUYH\ FRQGXFWHG WR VWXG\ VXPPHU VFKRRO JUDGXDWLRQ UHTXLUHPHQWV modern language classes to the middle schools, how much additional high school credit these students can earn and which type of students should be allowed to enroll into summer school classes. “Over the years, I know there have been many music By Joey Schneider students who have counted on taking these kinds of classes attonville has recently brought up the possibility of during summer school,â€? said band teacher Dennis McFarland. removing Child Development/Parenting and Oral “Each student in Pattonville’s music program is encouraged Communications/Debate courses as graduation to make a four-year commitment. Having the flexibility to requirements. Since these classes were removed from $OXPQL 6WXGHQWV take required classes in summer school has made it possible 3DUHQWV 6WDII summer school for budget reasons, this creates conflict UHVSRQGHHV UHVSRQGHHV for more students to stay in our performing arts classes UHVSRQGHHV UHVSRQGHHV for students who use summer school to get ahead in throughout their high school careers.â€? these specific credits. According to McFarland, students planning to major Parenting/Child Dev. in music in college have also been able to create room in This possibility was proposed mainly in an effort to remain requirement open up schedules for students who want to take electheir schedules to take important music classes like Jazz tives beneficial for their future since the course require- Oral Comm/Debate Ensemble, Piano Lab and Music Theory in addition to their remain requirement ments are not mandatory by the state. primary performance classes. The school, however, is also under the impression “Through the upcoming restructuring of summer school, Summer school only that removing these classes as graduation requirements for credit recovery I am hopeful that realistic options will be available for our could deprive students of knowledge they could apply in 1RWH 3HUFHQWDJHV UHSUHVHQW ´<HVÂľ YRWHV students to continue with the quality of musical experithe future. ence we’ve provided them to date while also supporting the The decision needed input from a majority of the needs of other departments at PHS.â€? school population, so a survey was given to Pattonville stuStudent input alone wouldn’t provide the most accurate Approximately 23 percent of the adult voters graduated dents, staff, alumni and parents on Oct. 10. feedback, so opinions were also collected from Pattonville from Pattonville High School. Over 60 percent of the alumni Students completed the survey during 3rd hour, while othalumni, staff and parents. voters responded that they would not have taken Parenting/ ers in the Pattonville community took it later that day. Some percentages show that their opinions are similar to Child Development or Oral Communications/Debate if it was A total of 1,352 students took part of this survey and 51.41 those of students, while others are slightly different. just an elective, rather than a requirement. percent of the student participants voted to keep Parenting/ “I think they [electives] are an important piece of sumThe results won’t fully determine the decision with these Child Development as a required credit, while 46.06 percent mer school, and I hope to see them continue,â€? said history electives and summer school, but the final decision could be chose to just make it a course offering. teacher and last year’s assistant summer school principal Jon influenced by these survey results. Oral Communications/Debate was voted with 44.63 perFitzgerald. “Ideally we should provide elective credit and credit “It’s my understanding that they won’t get rid of the class, cent of the respondees selecting it to remain as a graduation recovery going forward.â€? just the required part, for the incoming freshmen next year,â€? requirement, while 52.85 percent preferred it as just a course Staff voted on a few more decisions applying to electives guidance counselor Stacey Leonard said. offering. and summer school. The high school will be notified of the decision by the Board Over 67 percent of the student voters believed these classes Some of these included offering high school credit in by Nov. 22. Y should be offered in summer school along with credit recovery

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classes within budget constraints. The other options would be to add a 0 or 8th period class so that these electives can be completed. Over 30 percent of the student voters would be fine with this change, if transportation was provided. “Honestly I think summer school should be for making up classes, not getting ahead,� sophomore DJ Hess said. “Also I think Child Development should not be a required class.�

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ave you started to prepare for college? Preparation can begin as early as freshman year. Once students enter high school it is vital that they get involved in extracurricular activities and understand what “cumulative GPA� means. “One bad semester can kill you,� college counselor Julie Kampschroeder said. “It can take the rest of your [high school] career to bring that up.� Freshmen and sophomores also need to be taking the hardest classes possible. “You want to challenge yourself as much as you can, but don’t over do it,� Kampschroeder said. “The biggest thing colleges are going to look at are the classes [students] chose to take, how competitive they were and how well they did in those classes.� During junior year, students should be searching for and visiting colleges. “By getting on campus you can really get a different feel of the school,� Kampschroeder said. “Visiting the colleges they are interested in allows students to determine what they want and do not want in their college experience.� By their junior year, students should have an idea about what their interests are and what they want to major in. “It’s at that time you want to start doing some soul searching...but if you don’t spend time looking inward

on this process, it’s going to be really hard to make any steps forward,� Kampschroeder said. Taking the ACT is another step taken during junior year. Students who want to go to a four-year school should take the February ACT. The final step occurs senior year when students start applying for colleges and scholarships. Scholarships are extremely important and the applications must be turned in on time. The average debt in the United States is $23,000. That is about $240 a month for 10 years. Fortunately, Kampschroeder is available to help students along their way to college. “I help them pick schools based on their interests, and try to make it financially feasible without huge amounts of debt when they graduate.� It is also Kampschroeder’s job to help train students on the strategy of how to line themselves up for the college of their choice, especially if they are highly competitive. For example, Harvard University only has a 6 percent acceptance rate. Students have to be able to put themselves in a good light and the college counselor is there to assist them. The Class of 2011, consisting of 392 graduates, proved that college preparation can lead to a successful acceptance into college. Forty-seven percent of students went to a four-year college, 34 percent to a two-year college and 1 percent went to a technological school. Students can be successful by starting to prepare for college early and doing the three most important things: get involved, do well in difficult classes and pick a major that matches one’s interests. Y

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attonville High School will be participating in the annual Red Ribbon Week Oct. 24-28. Instead of just talking about it, Student Council is attempting to create awareness by hosting a spirit week. “We chose to do spirit days for this year’s Red Ribbon Week because Homecoming’s spirit week went so well, and we thought that it would be a fun way to support a good cause,� Jessica Muckermann-Presson, STUCO adviser, said. This campaign was first administered by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in 1985. The program encourages the wearing of red ribbons or other red articles of clothing to raise consciousness about the dangers of illegal druges. “Red Ribbon Week is the largest and oldest drug campaign in the country,� MuckermannPresson said. The NCADA adopted the theme “It’s Up To

Me To Be Drug Free� for the 2011 Red Ribbon Week. An anonymous survey on smoking was conducted between 57 students at Pattonville. Students were randomly chosen to take the survey from a list of Pirate Connection classes and one randomly selected POS class. Based on the results, 11 students, or 19.3 percent, responded that they actively smoke. Many students responded that smoking for them is a stress reliever. Although students understand this addiction is not beneficial to their health, quitting is difficult. One respondent said, “I’m trying to stop because I know it’s not good for me.� Forty-six out of the 57 high school students answered that they did not smoke. Non-smoking students who took the survey said they do not smoke because “It is gross� and “It causes lung cancer� or simply that “My parents would kill me.� “We want to raise awareness of drug abuse among teens since many teens undergo peer pressure during high school,� Maysa Daoud, STUCO spirit chairperson, said. Y

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hen high school students are being scouted for collegiate sports, aside from their athletic abilities, colleges consider core-course grade point averages of the athletes. In November, when winter sports begin, Pattonville High School will be piloting CoreCourseGPA. The web-based program provides a tool for tracking progress toward meeting NCAA eligibility requirements. The software allows users to see where they are academically. The software, which will be accessible to Pattonville athletes, parents, coaches and counselors, generates a detailed report that provides what core course GPA and required SAT or ACT scores are needed by the student to be eligible for NCAA sports. “I think it’s great,� Doug McGhee,

freshman boy’s basketball coach, said. “Any time a tool is used to keep kids on track is beneficial because athletes get lost and aren’t fully concentrated on grades so it’s good to make sure they are eligible.� Pattonville requires its athletes to have a minimum 1.5 GPA to participate in sports. This program will work to help increase academic achievement for students. “Being an athlete is a privilege and you should get that attention [academically] in the classroom,� Activities Director Bob Hebrank said. Pattonville coaches are known for their academic success in sports.

“As a coach, I try to keep up with their grades,� McGhee said. “I like to keep tabs on my athletes and see where they are [academically] and how they’re doing.� For years, Pattonville has been using another webbased software to track grades and citizenship, Powerschool. Introducing CoreCourseGPA to athletes allows the focus on qualifying for collegiate sports more accessible. “It sounds easier to me because it’ll encourage me to focus on those grades and I’ll already know if my grades are good,� freshman Michael Jacobson, who hopes to play a Division I sport, said.

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he Peer Assistant Leadership (PALs) club will be host- Compiled by Hope Benton ing the annual Wheelchair Basketball Game in the Âł,WÂśV IXQ WR ZDWFK 7KH NLGVÂś gymnasium on Thursday Nov. 3. The annual activity OHYHO RI VNLOO LV DPD]LQJ DQG has been a Pattonville event for 16 years. WKH KDOIWLPH URXWLQH LV IXQ ´ “It’s the only event where I’ve seen everyone in the school truly come together for a good cause,â€? senior Jacob Masek said. Multiple clubs at Pattonville, local organizations and indi&DUULH %URZQ vidual sponsors contribute by offering donations for the silent Âł,WÂśV JUHDW WR VHH VR PDQ\ auction and raffle held during the event. VWXGHQWV FRPH RXW WR VXS The game is a battle between the Pattonville High School SRUW WKH 5ROOLQJ 5DPV 7KLV staff and the St. Louis Junior Rolling Rams, a handicapped JDPH KDV EHHQ P\ IDYRULWH travel basketball team. The Rolling Rams travel across America VLQFH , ZHQW WR VFKRRO KHUH ´ to compete for titles and dozens of fundraisers are created to 6KDQQRQ +LFNV help provide financial assistance to the team. “It’s an event where 100 percent of the funds raised help pay Âł-XVW VHHLQJ DOO RI WKH VSLULW for the team’s national expenses,â€? Janet Kuhn, PALs director VTXDGV EDQG DQG RWKHU and event coordinator, said. VSRUWV FRPLQJ WRJHWKHU WR Admission is $4 and features many mini-events. The Pirates’ VXSSRUW D FDXVH LV JUHDW ´ Best Dance Crew will be showcased during halftime along with .DWLH )XQGHUEXUN routines from the varsity cheerleaders and drill team. Y

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The software is customized for the specific core course offerings only at Pattonville. The students who benefit the most are freshmen athletes. Because freshmen are very new to high school and unaware of how the activities and athletic system operates, they are not focused on the academic affect. “Freshmen don’t really pay attention to this stuff,� Hebrank said. “We want this to bring interest to them so that they can start considering this option. What happens is by the time they are playing at a varsity level, they figure out what they want to do in the future and they’re stuck playing catch up to get on the right track.� CoreCourseGPA can help set freshmen hoping to play collegiate sports down the right path for their future by giving them a wake up call for their grades. “I didn’t realize until the end of

my season how important grades are,� freshman Nikki Kerns said. After verbally committing to Missouri State University to play basketball, senior Mikala McGhee said being scouted can be a long process. “I’ve always known I wanted to play a DI sport so I’ve been training ever since I’ve started playing,� Mikala McGhee said. “I realized scouts don‘t just look at you as an athlete, they look at you as a student and as a person.� The CoreCourseGPA will help create an invisible bar for athletes. It will help utilize the academic aspect of playing sports. “I’m hoping it’ll create more awareness and let our athletes know that they have the option of playing sports in college,� Hebrank said. “Our essential goal is to send as many athletes off to college without struggle� Y

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he annual blood drive, hosted by Pattonville’s National Honor Society (NHS), took place on Thursday Oct. 20 in the Multipurpose room. The blood drive began in the morning and had many student and staff donors and NHS volunteers. While students donated blood, they left with high self-esteem. “My favorite thing is definitley getting a free T-shirt and knowing I saved three lives,� senior Kimberly Hulse said. But being a part of the event is not for the queasy. “It’s a sickening feeling to stand in the room surrounded by blood,� senior Kacie Hulse said. Senior Rachel Lindsay is part of NHS and volunteered for the event. “Our role is to make sure the donors are in good care and we assist them in any way possible,� Lindsay said. The blood drive lasted throughout the entire school day. NHS members signed up during previous meetings to work the blood drive for assistance. ™

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alloween is on a Monday night this year which doesn’t allow much time for a high school student to be out for long. So skip the trick-or-treating and host your own fright fest. Invite a few of your bravest friends over and enjoy some of these scary movies. To help set the mood, make some popcorn, bake up one or two pumpkin recipes and grab some of your favorite Halloween treats.

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attonville’s varsity swim and dive team has done exceptionally well in the past and this year is no different. The Bridgeton Community Center closes their indoor pool to allow Pattonville swim teams to practice. The swim team conditions throughout its season for the conference tournament. Senior Jacob Masek said, “ We are going to give it our all and see what happens.� The conference tournament is held the first week of November. The team stays hopeful while competing in conference. “Hopefully I can medal in all of my events,� senior

Mike Holm said, The best chance of being successful in conference is by improving its team relay races. Currently the Pirates are ranked in the top 40 relay times in the St. Louis area in three races. The team ranks 28th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:47.70; only 17 seconds behind the No. 1 team, Lafayette. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the boys rank 34th with a time of 4:19.19 which is 1 minute under Lafayette in the first place spot. Parkway Central leads the area in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:40.27 and Pattonville trails by 20 seconds and ranks 34th. Freshman Evan Collins said, “I love being on the swim team. Everyone is nice and accepting.� ™

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the game.� Stahl still has a couple of goals for the team as the season comes to an end. One of these goals is that they By Gabby Pirrie grow even closer as a team. ith only six returning players, this season It seems to be that getting to know each other has has definitely been a “getting to know you� definitely differentiated them from last year’s team as season for the varsity boy’s soccer team. well as benefited them. “We lost 16 players from last year,� senior Tyler Yarnell “Last year we finished the season under .500 but this said. “The majority of them were our starters.� year we will probably finish over .500,� O’Keefe said. Not only did the team lose many key players, but they According to Yarnell, there is not just one or two key also lost their coach. Tom Iffrig left players helping the team win more the team for personal reasons. Ray games this year, “it’s a full team effort.� Stahl joins the team for the 2011 This full team effort was definitely campaign. needed as they played their two big“I resigned from my position as gest competitors this year in confercoach at St. Charles West because ence, Ritenour and Hazelwood West. of the limited number of students Both games were a challenge for the who were interested in playing,� team as they dropped both contests, Stahl said. “When I heard about but they are still tied for second place this opportunity last May I thought with Ritenour in the Suburban North it was too good of an opportunity Conference. to pass up.� These games were definitely a good His team seems to think as highly -XQLRU .DOLGRX 6DUU EDWWOHV IRU SRVLWLRQ DQG learning experience for the boys. WXUQV WKH EDOO DURXQG D (XUHND :LOGFDWV of him as he does of them. “We need to find our offense again “Coach Stahl is a very good coach,� GHIHQGHU 3KRWR E\ *DEE\ 3LUULH and not just kick long balls the whole senior Robert O’Keefe said. “His game,� senior Bryan Lopez said. ™ knowledge of the game and strict rules has helped the team develop a higher work rate as well as respect for

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fter the trade of Eric Brewer last year at the trade deadline, the St. Louis Blues went many games without a captain. While there were rumblings that David Backes would take over the role, nothing was set in stone. Following a career year (31 goals, 31 assists) and a mid-season contract extension, Backes was named the 20th captain in Blues history. “It’s a huge honor and I’m really excited to get the season started,� Backes said. Even though he is in the very early stages of his captaincy, Backes already knows what to expect. “My scheduled time at the rink has increased by probably an hour a day,� Backes said. “Once the season starts there should be more on ice issues and things to do as far as personnel and dealing with adversity.� Backes is known throughout the league as a power forward and has the intent of keeping it that way. “I think a main component of being captain is not changing the way I’ve played,� Backes said. “We’ve had great success as a team to have more of a blue collartype of game, that’s what I strive to continue to do.� The Blues have noticed that success and made an effort in the offseason to sign players that have the same playing style.

Veterans Jaime Langenbrunner (17 NHL seasons) and Jason Arnott (21) are two of those players. Langenbrunner was captain of the New Jersey Devils from 2007-2011 and also captained the 2010 U.S. Men’s Olympic team to a silver medal. Jason Arnott was named captain of the Nashville Predators in 2007 and lead the team for three years before being traded. Even though they are nearing the end of their careers, they add depth and are still capable of putting up good numbers. After a season filled with injuries, Backes and the Blues know the value of depth. “This year I think we’ve got depth and we’ve got skill and we’ve got enough players around that [making the] playoffs is the first goal,� Backes said. Although the Blues haven’t made the playoffs in two years, Backes is confident that they can make it happen. “We definitely think we’re a top-half team in the Western Conference.� Senior Alex Buerck was named co-captain of this year’s Pattonville hockey team with senio Tyler Kuhn. “The team this year is really something special. We have a chance to go all the way this year.� Buerck has a lot of confidence and rightly so. The team hasn’t lost since Feb. 14 of last year. That includes summer league and this year’s preseason games. Buerck leads the team, as does Backes, by examples and hopes his vocality and physical play can lead the charge for the Pirates to the Wickenheiser Cup. ™

fter starting 1-5, the Pattonville Pirates varsity football team has secured a spot in the postseason. Over the past two weeks Pattonville has defeated Francis Howell North 52-6, followed by a 21-7 victory over Francis Howell Central. Both games were Class 6, District 5 match-ups. After these victories, the Pirates overall record improved to 4-5. Making the playoffs is based solely on District play and not by season win-loss totals. The Pirates play at Francis Howell Friday at 7 p.m. for a shot at going 3-0 in Districts. Should the Pirates complete an undefeated run, it would cap an amazing end to a season that looked to be over after the first three games.

The Pirates were outscored 123-7 and struggled to find any kind of success. The team lost most of their starters from last year’s team that also reached the playoffs. Even so, the team pulled together and had many strong performers. Junior quarterback Darren Davidson has completed 45.04 percent of his passing so far, throwing for almost 850 yards. Davidson is also the team’s leading rusher, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Jeremiah Wilkins is leading the team with 105 tackles and 30 assists. He also has 2 sacks and 1 fumble recovery. Junior Nick Coffey currently leads the team in sacks with 6. ™

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he Cardinals were able to clinch the Wild Card playoff spot on the last day of the season. And they haven’t stopped winning since. It took a whole team effort to help the Cards make the playoffs for the third time since Busch Stadium II opened in 2006. The surging Redbirds were able to clinch the Wild Card spot on the last day of the season with a September record of 18-8, which marked a historic collapse for the Atlanta Braves, who had a 10½ game lead for the final spot heading into the month. The Braves, ironically enough, ended their season being swept by the Phillies. The Cardinals took on Philadelphia with its 102 wins in the N.L. Divisional Series and the rival Brewers in the NLCS. The Cardinals won their 18th NL Pennant with a collective team effort and some luck over the Brewers. While the team has played to its fullest potential all season, it can also be concluded that the collapses of the Braves, Phillies, and Brewers helped the Cards advance this far. But a look back on the season shows that the team had its successes and problems. Pitchers were demoted, released, and traded from the organization to strengthen the staff that blew 26 regular season games. These transactions paved the way for a whole new outlook in the bullpen, which included new additions Octavio Dotel, Marc Rzepzcynski, and Arthur Rhodes. The season struggles go beyond just the bullpen though. The Cardinals showed inconsistency with their defense, offense and starting pitching. Their defense was ranked 29th in the MLB as they had a total of 116 errors in the season. However, Lance Berkman won the National League Comeback Player of the Year 7KH 6W /RXLV &DUGLQDOV FHOHEUDWH WKHLU with a .301 batting aver1DWLRQDO /HDJXH &KDPSLRQVKLS WLWOH age, 31 home runs, and 94 DIWHU GHIHDWLQJ WKH %UHZHUV LQ *DPH RBIs. Rookie infielder Daniel 3KRWR FRXUWHV\ RI $3 ,PDJHV 3KR Descalso provided clutch late-inning offense along with versatility in the infield. Allen Craig and Nick Punto were primarily used as bench players during the season, with both hitting the disabled list multiple times. Like Descalso, however, Punto and Craig were versatile defensively and clutch offensively. These weren’t the only players providing the offensive load for the Cards. The team had the best offense of the National League as they hit .273 collectively during the season. Yadier Molina, who had a career best offensive year, lead the team with a .305 batting average. Albert Pujols, despite struggling, lead the team in home runs, RBIs, and runs scored (37, 99, 105). David Freese and Jon Jay received more opportunities to display their offensive skills, as both hit over .290 with at least 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. ™

Opinion

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he days of flip-flops and sunglasses are over and now it’s time for boots and gloves; winter is here. No more swimsuits because now the wonderful 90 degree weather days have been reduced to 50 and below. This new change in weather has not just affected the outside environment; the inside of Pattonville High School is just as cold. Standing outside for the bus in freezing weather is an extremely difficult wait, but the idea of coming to a warm school helps students make it through. But once you walk inside, you don’t want to put your coat away. Where’s the heat? It’s not in the school.

Students come to school in sweatpants and sweatshirts just to feel some warmth, which sometimes really doesn’t work. Sitting in the cold air does not help the learning process at all; in fact, it slows it. Being in the cold doesn’t do anything but make you want to sleep. That’s why many students have to put up a fight to stay awake in class. Bears hibernate when it gets cold. Students do too. People move a lot slower when they are cold. Walking in the crowded hallways is a hassle, but now you must deal with hundreds of cold kids which makes the traffic even slower. I know when I’m cold, the only thing on my mind is my pillow and cover, but at school, I guess a desk and shirt will have to substitute for that. You can’t concentrate in class when you spend the whole time shivering from the cold air blowing down on you. Who’s thinking about World War II when it’s a war going on inside the classroom and the cold is winning? Winter is the season for many sicknesses. Usually the doctors advise us to stay warm but that task is going to be a little harder when you have to come and sit in a cold school. I think until the temperature problem is solved at the school all classrooms should have a heated debate to resolve the situation. At least the talking will keep us warm. Y

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cademic dishonesty, otherwise known as cheating, is a struggle among students. Some might consider it “taking the easy way out� when it’s actually the opposite. Whether it is copying answers for a homework assignment or getting answers for a test, nothing is really being learned. Homework is designed for practicing problems to prepare for what will be on an upcoming test. If you cheat on homework, your tests will reflect that. Cheating prohibits students from learning and obtaining knowledge or information needed later on. English teachers have posters in their classroom’s informing students of consequences they could receive if caught cheating, such as a referral, a call home or a zero on the assignment. The school will give students consequences if serious enough, but if kept inside classrooms, the consequences vary by teacher. Spanish teacher Rachelle Ewig handles cheating by having a conference with students. “Normally what happens is I give them the ‘evil eye’ at first, and then I tell them I want to talk to them after class,� Ewig said. Cheating is not only a problem in high school and Ewig advises students to not get in the habit. “If this were to happen at a university or college, it could be grounds for getting kicked out and then they’ll lose their credits.� As easy and convenient as it may seem to be, Ewig feels that students “need to know that it’s a bigger deal than people think it is.� Ewig buckles down in more serious situations when she finally hands out the actual consequences. “I let them know they will receive a zero on the assignment and that they need not to be cheating in my class anymore.� Some teachers might take cheating more lightly than others, but for those students, they’ll just have to learn from their mistakes the hard way. Y

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slightly clichÊ, but it is always true. It is the opinion of the Pirate Press that cutting Parenting/ Child Development and Oral Communication/Debate classes We have all seen or heard of a girl who gets pregnant in high school. The fact is that it happens. Even if a will hinder the ability for students to succeed in the future. couple has a planned child, they still need to have at arenting/Child Development and Oral Comleast some idea of what to expect and how to handle it. munication/Debate may get removed from Learning these necessary life skills in high school can summer school and there is also a possibility of get students more prepared and will allow them to be the classes being removed as graduation requirements. ready for life. Life happens and there is nothing anyone English, math, science and history classes are all can do except be ready for anything. requirements by the state of Missouri but Parenting/ A possibility being discussed to fit all of these courses Child Development and Oral Communication/Debate into a high school schedule is adding a 0 or 8th hour. classes are not considered graduation requirements by This would be a period for students the state of Missouri. to build up their credits. But they should be. For example, if a student needed a If the decision is made to relot of credits to graduate and didn’t move these classes, they might have time to build them up in a regustill be available as electives lar seven period schedule, they would although it would be likely that attend a class during 0 or 8th hour to fewer people would enroll in build up their credits. them. Should that happen, it would be All students have to learn how extremely unpopular with students. to verbally present themselves There are always complaints of how if they want to get a decent, tired students are in the mornings. well-paying job. People canStudents would despise having to come to school even not just walk into the real world using inappropriate earlier than they already do. language and think they will become successful. It just As far as staying after school, students that play a will not happen. sport wouldn’t be able to enroll in an 8th hour because High school students need to be required to take a it would cut into practice time. class that will prepare them for skills they will need The problem with this proposal is that some people throughout the rest of their lives. play a winter sport but not a fall sport, or vice versa. While everyone needs to learn how to communicate, not everyone needs to learn how to take care of a child. They would be able to attend an 8th hour class for part of the semester and would not be able to complete it. A lot of students will eventually have children, but If the 0 and 8th hour plan is implemented, it would there are people who simply don’t want kids or despise have to be flexible. the thought of working with children completely. It should be based on trimesters instead of semesters Unfortunately, the human world is not perfect and and model the seasons of sports. Y accidents do happen. It is a famous saying that may be

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The Pirate Press is the open forum newspaper of the Pattonville High School. The opinions published are of the publication and are open to criticism. As the members of the 2010-2011 staff, we dedicate ourselves to the accurate and objective dissemination of information to all readers. We will protect and exercise our First Amendment rights. The viewpoints of all staff members are to be regarded as being separate from those of our administration, faculty, peers and adviser.

or people who go home after school and lie around on their couch, nap, eat, and do absolutely nothing productive—what are you doing with your life? Do you not see any importance in being involved in something? I know hearing the Pirate Code’s “Be Involved� can get redundant but being involved is important. Get involved in something. If you enjoy sports, try out for the team, or get a group of people together to play in a league outside of school. If you like playing chess, join the chess club. I bet you didn’t even know we had one because you are not trying to do anything with your life. Just so you know, getting involved doesn’t mean going home after school just to tweet for hours on end or stalk someone’s Facebook. After high school, more than half of the people around here will be irrelevant in your life anyway. When going to fill out a college application, do you want to spend an hour of your time looking at blank lines thinking, “Golly gee, I guess I should have done something.� All of the hours spent watching Dr. Phil and Oprah aren’t going to help you out. They are where they want to be. Where are you? Oh yea, on your couch napping for 3 hours. Although you may not think it is important, colleges look at involvement just as much as they look at your grades. They want to find out if you contribute to the school and if you plan to improve their college. I assure you they are not interested in how fast you can text, how many people follow you on Twitter or how many hours you sleep. So what if you don’t like sports? The fall play and spring musical are options. Become well-rounded and start exploring your interests. It is essential to life. So put your potato chips down (I promise they will be there when you return home) and do something to better your school and community. Y

Entertainment

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By Jacqueline Neil Comedians Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen lead 50/50 playing best friends Adam (Levitt) and Kyle (Rogen). Will Reiser based his screenplay of the film on his own real-life battle with cancer. Adam is diagnosed with a rare cancer and battles through chemotherapy after doctors have given him a 50/50 chance of living. Adam finds himself lying around feeling lonely and hopeless after his girlfriend leaves him. Adam has a hard time accepting these struggles during his therapy sessions. His relationship with his therapist, Katie (Anna Kendrick), later transforms into something more personal. Although no one likes to joke about cancer, 50/50 highlights the power of friendship with a mixture of laughter and tears. Y

Every October, Pattonville High School presents its Fall Play, directed by drama teacher Lara Corvera. This year, Pattonville brought the community the dark comical classic, “Arsenic and Old Lace,� originally directed by Bretaigne Windust and written by Joseph Kesselring. The plot follows Mortimer Brewster (senior Sam Decker), a hotshot play critic living in Brooklyn, New York. Shortly after professing his love for Elaine Harper (sophomore Anna Pirrie) with a marriage proposal, Brewster discovers that his quirky, lovable old aunts, Martha (senior Meagan Galluzzo) and Abby Brewster (Devin Coch) are actually murderers. When Mortimer’s long-lost disturbed brother, Jonathan Brewster (senior Harry Kolmer), returns home with malicious intentions, it further strains Mortimer and Elaine’s relationship and puts the marriage proposal on ice. Horrifying as it sounds, “Arsenic and Old Lace� presents itself lightheartedly. With comic reliefs such as Teddy Brewster (junior Aaron Landgraf), Mortimer’s insane brother who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt, it is difficult not to let a few good laughs slip. Jonathon Brewster, in addition, gives the audience an uneasy, yet hilarious atmosphere as he enters the stage with an eerie conduct and his drunken accomplice, Dr. Einstein (senior David Robinson). Behind the scenes and before all the makeup, the “Arsenic� actors had some insight on what they expected for this year’s production.

Decker, who has been a part of the Pattonville theater family since his freshman year, said, “We are definitely prepared. We’re innovating the things the we do; we’re coming up with new things everyday.� Pirrie said her main objective was “to portray my character believably and [to] put on the best show possible.� Kolmer, who has acted in Pattonville’s plays since his sophomore year, said his goal was “to entertain the masses.� Landgraf set out to make the audience laugh a lot. “I really wanted to make the experience enjoyable and worth it for them.� Landgraf said. “I’m personally nervous, but I know we’ll do great. We’re going to do our best to make it fantastic.� Judging by the unhesitant laughter that erupted several times during Kolmer and Landgraf’s performances, it is safe to say the boys delivered exactly what they intended to. Corvera herself was very pleased with how the production turned out. “The kids were fully committed, they were enjoyed by the audience; they were proud of themselves, and I’m proud of them,� Corvera said. When a student gets involved in theater at Pattonville, it becomes a part of their normal routine of high school; it becomes something to look forward to. “I love everything; from auditions to strike and everything in between,� Robinson said. As years pass, the cast and crew create an inevitable bond. Galluzzo said her favorite part of theater is “being with the rest of the cast.� Landgraf states in agreeance, “You kind of form a family.� Overall, I absolutely enjoyed Pat-

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tonville’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.� It made me burst with laughter, and I was totally engaged in the characters’ stories. It left me wanting more. Clearly, talent runs in the theater department. It practically gallops. Y

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The chicken bacon ranch grinder is a well-known grinder. This sandwich has a generous amount of chicken and bacon along with the ranch, lettuce and tomatoes. Bellacino’s sells two different sizes of By Kristen Dehner grinder sandwiches which include a half ellacino’s Pizza and Grinders is a (9-inch) or a whole (18-inch). family-friendly restaurant that Bellacino’s gives its customers fast, serves a variety of appetizers, friendly service with reasonable prices. For sandwiches, piztaste, the cooks zas, pastas and nail it. salads. The food is flavorOne of its ful and cooked to signature dishes is perfection. the BBQ chicken For two people pizza. It contains the total price of sweet BBQ sauce, a meal is about grilled chicken and $20 for an appemozzarella cheese. tizer, soda and two The crust of each grinders. pizza is a thin Bellacino’s offers crust and comes every day specials either in 8-inch, 12-inch or 16-inch %HOODFLQR¡V LV ORFDWHG LQ 6W 3HWHUV DQG LQ WKH that help save money. sizes. %DVV 3UR 6KRSSLQJ &HQWHU LQ 6W &KDUOHV Bellacino’s is open Bellacino’s is Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to widely known for its sandwiches called 10 p.m. and Sunday until 8 p.m. Y grinders. These sandwiches are made from scratch every day.

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5 Questions By Brady Bell

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How was the switch between Pattonville Heights Middle School and high school? It was very different, but fun. What sports are you going to play this year? I’m going to play soccer in the spring. What is the best thing about high school? Getting out of school early on Thursdays.

What is the worst thing about high school? There is a lot more homework. What is your favorite class? Why? My favorite class is Biology because all my other classes are boring.

'UDNH¡V VRSKRPRUH DOEXP GHOD\HG WR DGG QHZ WUDFNV WR UHFRUG By Kristen Hanna

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hether you know him as one of the most talented artists in music today or Jimmy Brooks who played on the popular television show, Degrassi, you know his ability to perform and entertain. Starting his career off as an actor in 2001, Aubrey Drake Graham continued to play Brooks until his “graduation� from Degrassi High School in 2009. Although the show contributed to his fame, he began to step out on his own as a musician. In February 2006, Drake released his first mixtape, “Room for Improvement.� After refining his style, he produced his next mixtape, “Comeback Season.� His third official mixtape, entitled “So Far Gone,� was made public on Feb. 13, 2009. After proving his abilities to the hip-hop world, Young Money Entertainment signed him to a record deal. On June 15, 2010, Drake debuted his first true album, “Thank Me Later.� On this album, he collaborated with big name artists in the music industry, such as Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Swizz Beats, TI, The Dream, Young Jeezy, Timbaland and Lil Wayne. Anticipation is high for his sophomore album, “Take Care.� Drake decided to postpone his previously scheduled release date of Oct. 24 to Nov. 15. Initially, the album would have debuted on his 25th birthday. The delay of “Take Care� will give Drake an opportunity to finish several songs he would not have otherwise been able to add. In an MTV interview, Drake said, “My options were to take the songs off and make the birthday release happen, or to take an extra couple weeks to get the paperwork right and give you the album the way I NEED you to hear it.� Although there is some disappointment among fans, the 22-day delay will be well worth the wait. Some of the leaked tracks from “Take Care� include “Dreams Money Can Buy,� “Free Spirit,� “Make Me Proud� and “Club Paradise.� After listening to these songs, it is easy to see

the improvement from his early rapping days. One aspect of his music that stays consistent is his theme throughout every song. He brings a relaxed yet sophisticated swagger onto each of his tracks. In a world full of want-to-be rappers, he has proven himself over and over again as a respected musician that has not only mastered his skills as a hip-hop star, but also presents himself as a well-rounded, versatile entertainer. Drake seems to understand the importance of different sounds, beats and styles while making music that appeals to a wide variety of people of all ages. Although there are not any set dates for his next tour, “Club Paradise,� his audiences are sure to be visited shortly after the beginning of 2012. One of the most appealing aspects about Drake is his outstanding stage presence and his ability to reach out to every single person in a crowd of thousands. After showing his incredible stage presence at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis on Oct. 12, 2010 during his first tour, “Light Dreams and

Nightmares,� many fans expect the same style of performance. He truly feels that every fan counts, but over that, every fan feels like he or she counts as well. Y

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