September 2013 by Pirate Press

PIRATE PRESS

Pattonville High School 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road Maryland Heights, MO 63043 PattonvilleTODAY.com Twitter: @phsTODAY

September 2013

Vol. 78 Issue 1

NEWS

Social media use by Pattonville

SPORTS

New ziplining course opens in area

SPORTS

Football opens new season

ENTERTAINMENT

Homecoming plans announced

2 NEWS College

CHAT

Kampschroeder answers questions about college By Ben Rutledge

BRutledge@PattonvilleTODAY.com

For many upperclassmen, life outside of Pattonville is right around the corner, and the time to start preparing for college is now. Figuring out what to do after high school isn’t as easy as it sounds, and it can be very stressful. Pattonville’s college counselor, Ms. Julie Kampschroeder, was able to give some instructions. - Where should students begin their college search? “The first place a student should start is by picking a major. Once they have a major, they can narrow down their college choice within minutes by searching for schools on the College Board website.” - What advice do you have for students about college fairs? “You can sign Ms. Julie up online and Kampschroeder print out a barcode that you can show colleges at the fair. This allows them to pull up your information.” The North County College Fair is Thursday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. in the Pattonville gym. About 80 colleges will be there. - How do students sign up for the ACT or ACT Prep classes? “You can sign up for the ACT on their website. The evening classes at PHS are free and start four weeks prior to every test date.” The review sessions meet twice a week from 6-8 p.m. Pattonville also offers an ACT Prep course. - How do students find out about scholarships for college? “Merit scholarships are based on GPA and ACT scores and the college will tell you how much money you can receive. I would check the College Center scholarship drawer. I would also go to all the links on my webpage.” v Use this QR Code to visit the PHS Guidance Office website or go to bit.ly/1eytCy8 Use this QR Code to visit the college page on PattonvilleTODAY.com that includes all the links Kampshroeder talked about or go to bit.ly/1924o4f

PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

Second year for MacBook Airs brings changes All student laptops were updated to the newest version of the operating system over the summer by Jordan Colquitt

JColquitt@PattonvilleTODAY.com

As last year came to a close, the MacBook Air became a part of a student’s daily life at Pattonville. This year, many new changes have been made to the laptops to make them more helpful and useful for students. “The biggest change was the next version of OSX was updated on every computer,” Pattonville High School’s IT Specialist Jamie Richter said. “Teachers can now use AirPlay mirroring to connect to a projector with an Apple TV hooked up to it in their room.” With the updates done to all student computers, the MacBook Airs can also utilize AirPlay Mirroring in all teacher classrooms equipped with an Apple TV. AirPlay Mirroring lets students show exactly what’s on their computer to everyone in the classroom without having to connect their computer to a wire.

“Apple is always building in more things to help students learn,” Richter said. “For instance, iBooks opens up digital textbooks on a tablet or phone.” In the first year of using Moodle, almost 305 courses were posting some sort of content on the teaching website making that about 90 percent of teacher participation. Principal Jon Fitzgerald said he would like all teachers to use Moodle to the best of their ability. “It can be an excellent tool for teachers and students when used correctly,” Fitzgerald said. Richter, who trains teachers to use the Moodle, has plans in place to help them take full advantage of the website. “My dream would be for the teachers to have calendars, handouts and activities on the Moodle,” Richter said. “I understand no one’s going to use it every second of every day, but I’d like for them to use it so students know

how to use it and just to get things out there.” Sophomore Cassie Callahan has many teachers who utilize Moodle and said she likes the learning tool. “I find it useful because everything is in one spot,” Callahan said. But even in a world that is full of technology, Callahan hopes the tradional ways of learning do not go away. “When it comes to online textbooks, I hate online ones,” Callahan said. “I like having the paper in front of me. “ The big question at the end of the year for seniors is will they be able to take their computers with them. The answer is not yet. “Pattonville has been under a policy for the past 12-15 years that says technology will be replaced every 5 years,” Richter said. Since last year was the first with the MacBook Airs, the laptops will continue to get reused by freshmen for the next 3 years. v

MacBookAir

Various social media sites impact teenagers daily Students use sites like Facebook, Twitter for many reasons; teachers are using the sites for education By Mariah Lindsey

MLindsey@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Within the past decade, the global usage of social media has exploded. People everywhere have found new, creative ways to connect with others, share valuable information, and become known socialites in general. However, despite the large, diverse amount of people who use social media, one of the main targets and influence of social media is the teenage population. Teenagers have had a large impact on social media sites, mostly through the enforcement of privacy settings and age guidelines, but many have also distanced themselves from users of the older community, choosing sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Vine, over sites like Facebook

and Google+. Many teenagers spend a great deal of time on these sites, causing many to get slightly off track of their daily routine. Junior Diego Pina primarily uses Twitter and Instagram on a daily basis. “I usually use them after school when I’m bored and procrastinating on my homework,” Pina said. “Although I use Twitter a lot, it’s not so much to where I’m failing classes.” Pina notes that he primarily uses his iPhone for social networking, as it’s more convenient, despite the laptops that were provided for all students at Pattonville. He also notes that most of the individuals that he contacts are “about 80 percent of people [I] know, and about 20 percent of people that just follow [me].”

Some of the unique factors of popular sites are the recurring trends that many teenagers enjoy. Senior Anna Lindsay-Hilario uses Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram on a daily basis, and she finds herself engaging in many of these trends. “I usually scroll down my newsfeed on Facebook, but on Twitter and Instagram I participate in trends like MCM (Man Crush Monday) and Transformation Tuesday,” LindsayHilario said. As the use of technology and social media increases, many teachers and administrators find educational ways to communicate with students. Modern language teacher Mr. Steven Shaw connects with students through Twitter and

gives them a contact number that forwards calls and text messages to his cell phone. “I use Twitter to connect with students and remind them of homework assignments, and I post pictures of activities from both inside and outside class,” Shaw said. Having done this for about a year, Shaw feels these small tools are very effective “as students are more engaged since they like using them.” With the distribution of laptops last year and introduction of the Moodle, Shaw also notes the pros and cons of both. “I prefer Twitter over the Moodle in some ways, as it’s faster with notifications, and Moodle isn’t as fast despite the convenience of everyone being on it.” v

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PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

BUD G

NEWS

Proposition P: Get the Facts What is it?

E T

By Alyssa Potter

APotter@PattonvilleTODAY.com

It is no secret that school districts have faced major reductions in their budgets over the past couple of years. Unfortunately, Pattonville is no different. Although the budget has been, and is being cut back, Pattonville makes sure education is not compromised. The district is able to discover alternative methods to provide top of the line eduction tools for students. Bonds are issued to provide students opportunities. For example, Proposition K was passed in November 2010 allowing for a new stadium and pool facility at Pattonville High School. On Aug. 6, a community forum was held at the high school to decide the best way to address the operating budget in the future. Many residents, staff and students attended and came to a common conclusion: The budget cuts need to stop and it is time to find solutions to stabilize it. In the past couple of years, the Pattonville School District has taken an effective step to stabilize the budget. Operating costs have been decreased by $8.1 million since 2007. Not only has the school district had to fight through a suffering economy, but also unsuspecting drops in property value around the district, effective

Prop P is a total tax rate increase of $0.9972, but Pattonville is electively taking $0.64 off of the tax increase and limiting it to $0.35 for homeowners in the Pattonville community. Its goal is to lessen the burden on residents and is designed to be put in place for as many years as possible.

CUTS

tax appeals by commercial businesses and the state’s failure to meet full funding in the operating budget. This operating budget is what funds things such as teacher and staff salaries and transportation. But as promised, education is still not impacted. On Aug. 26, the Board had another session to vote if a tax rate increase, called Proposition P, should be on the November ballot. Upon speaking with building principal Dr. Joe Dobrinic, he said he supports Superintendent Dr. Mike Fulton’s statement of how increasing and maintaining a wellrounded education is the number one priority for Pattonville students, even through the budget reductions. According to Dobrinic, the district is currently in the same position as many of the other school districts in the Suburban North Conference when comparing budget cuts. “Though we are facing these cuts, we are still able to do more with them [monies we actually have],” Dobrinic said. “For example, transportation. Students are still able to get picked up [by the bus] pretty close to their houses.” Despite the fact that Pattonville is facing cuts, the district is still able to handle money effectively, allowing students to still be able to receive the educational tools they

Why is it needed?

Prop P is designed to relieve the tax strain on homeowners in the Pattonville community. The Pattonville School District has had to battle through almost $35 million in financial difficulties over the past 15 years. With the demolition of Northwest Plaza and the airport buyout, Pattonville has effectively battled through economic strain. In addition to financial struggle only in the Pattonville district, the economic recession made matters worse. There has been no increase in revenue since 2007 due to the lack of declining property values and reductions in state funding and continued tax appeals by large commercial property owners. Due to these tax appeals, Pattonville has had to reimburse over $13 million in taxes to commercial property owners while already in an economic recession nationally and locally. Over the past six years, Pattonville has been forced to cut $8.1 million from the operating budget. The operating budget cuts caused teachers, support and administrative staff to be let go and the

“

closing of Briar Crest Elementary School. If more cuts were to be made, existing programs and services for students would be negatively affected causing the recent achievement of the district, both locally and nationally, to be impaired.

What will it do?

If Prop P passes, Pattonville will be able to preserve the standard programs and staffing in the district. The passing of Prop P will also allow Pattonville to compensate for a $10 million deficit, obstruct other budget cuts, and preserve programs for students and staff. However, if Prop P were to fail and the district is unable to receive more revenue, Pattonville would have to make an additional $10 million budget cut. These cuts include: reducing 80 to 100 staff positions resulting in fewer teachers, support staff, and administrators and higher class sizes; unspecified salary freezes; eliminated transportation for anywhere less than three miles from schools; termination of all textbook purchases; and charging fees for students who are involved in sports and afterschool activities.

Need to register to vote? Scan the QR Code or go to bit.ly/QYE69V *Information from Pattonville School District. To read more about Prop P, visit bit.ly/194isJ6

Like in most cases with budget cuts, the last thing that gets affected is learning.” Principal Joe Dobrinic that are not required to graduate, Pattonville students are still able to take a wide-variety of classes, such as Child Development and Driver’s Education. In addition to still being able to keep as many classes as possible, the Pattonville School District is still able to receive technological advances though the budget is cut. The major new advance in technology: Apple TVs in every classroom to complement the

are used to getting. If changes have to be made, the district is making fair substitutions to these tools. On the surface, it is not obvious that Pattonville School District is struggling financially because students are still able to receive top-of-the-line technologies and advances due to previously passed bond issues. While many schools in the Suburban North Conference have had to remove certain classes

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MacBook Airs that are distributed to every student. Dobrinic said the district is still able to have these special tools because Pattonville administrators and board members believe that they are vital for a great education. “Like in most cases with budget cuts, the last thing that gets affected is learning,” Dobrinic said. The budget was reduced $2.4 million from the 2012-2013 school year to this year. The school board looked at what students and residents tend to use the least and then decided what should be cut. For example, since many students were not using the planners, and it cost nearly $10,000 to print them, it was decided that they would be put only on the laptops. Digital copies of planners were installed on every student’s laptop. Dobrinic said that a main goal of the school district is to cut back the paper usage. The Moodle is very helpful for this. It allows students to receive their work but keeps many worksheets, PowerPoints, and notes online. “We [the School Board] chip away at the little things,” Dobrinic said. “What is cut is stuff we [students and residents of Pattonville] can live with.” v

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PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

NEWS

Pattonville breakfast and lunch standards: New and old

Students are provided with a free breakfast because of a grant program, students can qualify for free and reduced lunch By Ben Rutledge

BRutledge@PattonvilleTODAY.com

By Jordan Colquitt

JColquitt@PattonvilleTODAY.com

By Alyssa Potter

APotter@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Pattonville is able to provide free breakfast in the morning because of a grant the Pattonville Food Service applied for and received allowing all students to participate in the breakfast program at no charge to them. “This has increased the breakfast program greatly,” Teree Davis, director of food and nutrition services, said. “Students that participate in school meal programs tend to have improved attendance, less tardiness and increased test scores. The quality of their diets also improve.” That is because there have been many changes in the food service department over the past few years that have directly affected students and faculty. These changes have directly stemmed from the National School

Lunch Program’s (NSLP) new meal pattern requirements that were made due to mandatory USDA requirements. While breakfast is free to all students, not all students are treated to lunch every day. Many students have complained about the pricing of food, but Davis said, “The pricing of each item will depend on the purchased case amount.” For example, a la carte pricing is naturally going to be higher than plate lunch because the government is able to reimburse the district each school lunch sold. While Pattonville attempts to price meals reasonably, they must still be able to make a substantial profit margin. The food service department has a budget that is held accountable to the district and to the state, according to Davis. “Pattonville Food Service aims to be financially self-supporting,” Davis said. “Revenues received by the nonprofit school food service are to be used only for the

College Fair

operation or improvement of the school food service.” Unlike other departments in the school district, “the food service program is substantially self-contained, generated its own revenue through federal and state reimbursements and cash sales. Prices of various food items will vary throughout the year due to the changes in the costs of goods and how many people buy the specific food item. Some students receive free and reduced price meals if the student’s household qualifies for the program under federal standards. School Food Services are reimbursed by the federal government on a monthly basis based upon the records of lunches served the previous month. The amount of money reimbursed is dependent upon a formula that multiplies number of school lunches served by the federally set reimbursement rates. The obvious effect of the free/reduced lunch program are

Students have a chance to study in the cafeteria while taking advantage of the free breakfast program offered at Pattonville High School. Photo by Bionca Maldonado. allowing students who are from lower income houses to be able to enjoy a healthy lunch just like their peers. According to Davis, 515,925 lunches were served in Pattonville last year, and 321,105 were eligible for free and reduced. “I would say this is a win-win effect here at Pattonville,” Davis said. v

Check out more on this article and learn about the previous and current nutritional standards for school lunches. Scan the QR Code or go to goo.gl/wb2LZR

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The auditorium hosts many entertainment events at Pattonville, such as orchestra, band, and choir concerts, award events, and school plays.

A F

uditorium

The fitness center is open to any student Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.

itness center

Julie Kampschroeder is the college counselor for Pattonville High School. She helps to prepare students for life outside of high school.

The Pirate Code

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photography, and the theme is “Fears, Phobias, and Nightmares.”

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“The laptops are very convenient. It’s easier to work on your homework, and teachers can put PowerPoints on the Moodle which makes studying easier,” said freshman Madison Duello.

M O Q

ommunity

Gallery G is a student-run art gallery at Pattonville. The next exhibition is open to students and staff. The medium is digital

The community serv where you can turn nity service forms a community service o

acBook Air

Pattonville offers a variety of clubs, classes, sports, and military recruiters to help students prepare for their futures.

pportunities

“My phone went off during a test when my mom called me. My teacher didn’t take it away, she just laughed and gave me an evil glare,” said freshman La’Dell Cook.

Renaissance is a club at PHS, led by English teacher Beth Moritz. Renaissance is responsible for many events, including the Taste of Pattonville, MVP awards, and the Dessert Bar.

“We decided on a new CO Store that would s spirit and better reso The new name is The C Nathan Samples, STU

“I like that chips in the vending machines are cheap, but I don’t like that they’re baked. The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos don’t taste the same,” said freshman Alexis Smith.

“The best water fountains in the entire school are at the very end of the E-wing and in the commons right outside of the main gym. They are both ice cold,” said senior Kirby McClain.

“X-fit is kind of like a catc out anybody can benefit fr because you can get a grea amount of time,” said spon

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ending Machines

enaissance

ater Fountains

TUCO St

- Fit

vice office is in your commuand find out about opportunities.

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located in the main schow and Heidi available for assis-

Dr. Joe Dobrinic has been the principal at PHS for three years. Although he was previously a principal at Hazelwood West High School, he graduated from Pattonville. Some other Pattonville graduates include Erin Mulanax, and Melissa Sparkman.

obrinic

“When the laptops inevitably break, the iLearn Center can fix it. Sometimes the universe aligns and decides to work against technology, and sometimes it decides to work for technology,” said senior Jed Menard.

Learn Center

BCs of nville

w name for the STUshow more school onate with students. Cove,” said senior UCO president.

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ch-all; the kind of workrom. X-fit is great at workout in a short nsor Justin Smiley.

This lab is new to Pattonville, used for online education for students behind on credits.

dgenuity Lab

“Joining clubs is important because it helps you get involved and it also helps you meet people. Making friends in high school is really important,” said senior Andrea Aragon.

oin clubs

The library is open to staff, students and the public and thousands of books, videos and resources are available for use and checkout.

ibrary

PHS received a handful of new teachers this year. Michael Dougan and Steve Edler are new to the math department, Anna LeBlanc is new to PE, and Emily McDaniel is new to the English department.

N By Allison Leventhal

ALeventhal@PattonvilleTODAY.com

By Bionca Maldonado

BMaldonado@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Tutoring is offered in the library Mon.-Thurs. 2-4pm. There are also math and foreign language centers open to students before, after, and during school.

utoring

ew Teachers

Pirate Press is the best source for all Pirate news. Keep up with Pirate Press via Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Pinterest, Instagram, and PattonvilleTODAY.com.

irate Press

“What I like most about being an upperclassman is that I feel like I’m looked up to by the underclassmen. I like being a role model,” said senior Mariah Kirby.

pperclassmen

Education is the key to open- Sometimes students just aren’t getting an adequate amout of ing many doors in life, so sleep, and before they know it... take it seriously.

ou only learn once

zzzzz...

8 SPORTS

PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

Take a dive with boys’ swimming

After competing at the Bridgeton Community Center last year, Pirates finally host home swim meets fielding a very young roster By Kayla Wacker

KWacker@PattonvilleTODAY.com

The Pattonville Aquatics Center had its ribbon cutting last year, but the members of the boys’ swimming and diving team are having their inaugural season in the on-campus pool. The Bridgeton Community Center was used as the home pool last year because the high school facility was not yet completed. “It benefits us now because there is more time for practice, the air quality is better and there is much more pool space,” head coach Anna LeBlanc said. Sophomore Cole Mansell said since the pool is brand-new, the Pirates have one of the best high school facilities in the area. “The pool has newer diving boards which help us because they have more bounce and everything

in the pool is top-notch,” Mansell said. “We have a lot more available to us than any other school team.” Traveling from school to practice has been cut-out for all athletes. This problem was also resolved for the head coach. LeBlanc, who taught at Briar Crest last year, is now a high school P.E. teacher. Not having to travel to the Bridgeton Community Center is a much-needed benefit to the young team because many of the swimmers and divers don’t even have a driver’s license. Senior Kyle Masek and junior Evan Collins are the only upperclassmen on the team of about 20 athletes. With what Masek has seen from the freshmen, he said they bring a lot of skill to the team. Two of those athletes are divers Mansell and Colin Parker who

Junior Evan Collins reaches for the edge of the pool, as he makes his turn in a swim meet at Pattonville. Photos by Bionca Maldonado have participated in the Bridgeton Diving Club and Clayton Diving Alliance. By being a part of these programs, Mansell said it has prepared him to be part of the

high school team. “Having experience of diving and information on how competitions work, we both know what to do and we enjoy it,” Mansell said. By participating year-round in the sport, he has learned new

dives by using training tools, like spotting equipment, which is installed at the new pool. “Using those has built our comfort level doing new dives because it’s never fun to smack the water on a dive you haven’t practiced before and it comforts you to try more competitive dives in the future,” Mansell said. With the confidence the team has, it’s no wonder they have high expectations for the season. “We’re hoping and trying to accomplish second place if not first place in conference this year,” Masek said. With just one senior on the team, only one thing is certain at the end of the season. “I kind of wish there were more people in my age group,” Masek said. “But senior night will be nice. It will be short and sweet.” v

Go Ape! or Go Home!

New ziplining course is built in Creve Coeur Park, consists of 39 crossings throughout the 2- to 3-hour treetop adventure By Joseph Schneider

JSchneider@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Seniors are granted legal privileges as they turn 18, such as being allowed to vote and purchase lottery tickets. In addition to these benefits, they can experience the new Go Ape ziplining course without the supervision of an adult. Newly added to the outskirts of Creve Coeur Park, Go Ape is a ziplining company that challenges people’s sense of adventure with nature-based obstacle courses. “Our goal is to bring adventure back into people and challenge them to stay active in a recreational way,” said Go Ape site manager Anthony Giovino. “We provide a gateway into other adventures of things that people normally wouldn’t do, and allow people to make their own connections.” After approval from the board of St. Louis County Parks and Recreation in February 2013, architects started building the 10-

acre course over summer break, in the woods of Creve Coeur Park. Go Ape officially opened for business July 26, making Missouri the sixth state rewarded with a partnership from the company. “We travel to different city and state parks across the country and try to open up a course by setting up a partenership,” said Giovino. “St. Louis county had a major interest in building here, so we got everything together and decided to come here for mutually beneficial opportunity.” Since ziplining well above ground could cause serious or fatal injury without special precautions, Go Ape instructors heavily enforce safety rules before people are allowed to experience the course. Participants must sign waivers, go through a brief safety lesson with instructors, and remember the company’s golden rule of “Always Stay Attached.” In addition, participants must be at least 4 feet 7 inches and 10 years old to complete the course with the supervision of an adult,

or above 18 to complete it without adult supervision. One constant that sets Go Ape apart from other ziplining courses is the treetop architecture. This feature provides a forest-based feel in the shade without the expense of destroying the habitat around Creve Coeur Park. “Being up in the trees is a big thing for us,” claimed Giovino. “We aren’t using poles like a lot of places do, which allows us to preserve the natural environment and take everything apart if needed.” The trees present different interactive challenges with Tarzan swings, trapeze, rope ladders and balance-related activities before one slides along the zipline at the end of all five stations. The whole course takes about two hours to complete and provides a unique form of exercise. “The Tarzan swing is the greatest thrill because it’s a quick drop straight down into a web,” said senior Khoa Trieu. “It’s a pretty extreme and rigorous workout, but

Senior Khoa Trieu navigates his way through one of the several wooden walkways at the new Go Ape! zipling course in Creve Coeur Park. Photo by Joseph Schneider most people would have a blast here.” Go Ape expects to stay open until temperatures significantly drop in December, but hours will vary based on weather conditions and the amount of people showing up. “Go Ape is an awesome experience and a great way for people to stay active,” Trieu said. “The fact that it’s close to Pattonville makes it better.” v

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9 football plays Under the Friday Night Lights PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

By Brady Bell

BBell@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Week 1 - Kirkwood 49, Pirates 31 Pattonville opened the season at home on Aug. 30 against Kirkwood. Tyrone Eastern had 3 touchdowns and 120 yards rushing but after a slow start, the Pioneers played like the defending state championship team and took the victory decisively.

Week 2 - Lafayette 35, Pirates 21 The Pirates visited Lafayette on Sept. 6. The star of the game was Lamar Wilkes. He completed 31 of 39 passes for a total of 406 yards with 3 touchdowns but it was not enough to overcome the Lancers.

Week 3 - Hazelwood East 23, Pirates 14 The Pirates got a 7-yard touchdown run from Lamar Wilkes to take a quick 7-0 lead and Tyrone Eastern jumped into the endzone from 2 yards out in the 3rd quarter, but Hazelwood East controlled the game on Friday the 13th. The Spartans got it done through the air and on the ground.

The Pirates in 2013 so far have not been able to close out a game. Junior Tyrone Eastern said, “We need to stay focused for all four quarters for us to win.” Special teams have allowed too many points to score and the Pirates have not been able to answer. Photos by Brady Bell

Varsity roster by position

Make up of the positions on the roster (all players have two positions)

Team lacks in scoring, been shutout in four games including home opener JSchneider@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Occasionally, athletic teams become stronger by taking on adversity and learning to overcome challenges by playing with the resources available. This case could not be any truer for the varsity boys’ soccer team this fall. Coming off a year in which the squad finished 9-10 and saw 10 experienced seniors graduate, the team has compiled a record of 1-5 through Sept. 12. “We’re at a rocky point right now because we haven’t put a whole game together yet,” said head coach Ray Stahl. “We haven’t had the kind of success we’d like to see.” Heading into the season with several gaps to fill, the team of 18 boys had to address a wider range of issues in August and September than in recent years. “We’ve [worked on] more technical stuff this year such as kicking, serving, passing and receiving the ball than we had in the past few years when we had more of a veteran team,” Stahl said. The team squared off against several tough opponents recently including Francis Howell North, Windsor, Parkway West and Ladue. These match-ups have challenged the team to sustain effort while

persevering through adversity. “We haven’t played a complete 80 minutes with the best effort we can,” Stahl admitted. “We gave a pretty good first half against Francis Howell North, but they showed us the back of their uniforms in the second half. [Contrastingly] we were a step and a thought slow against Ladue, [but] showed a little character in the second half.” Similar to other fall teams, boys’ soccer adapted to a long heat wave. When temperatures were around 100 degrees, practices were condensed and carried with less intensity. “The biggest surprise is the weather we picked up after the first week,” Stahl said. “It’s been hard to get a handle on guys who are seasonal players when you’re constantly dealing with the heat.” On the field, players have noticed general difficulties finding balance and unity within the team. “We’re trying to figure out our team chemistry,” said senior centerback Jared Hunsaker. “We don’t have as many players with varsity experience as last year so have to work harder to overcome our problems.” Even though the coaching staff expects the best effort from every player, some members have carried a different type of responsibility to help the team improve. “As the last line of defense, I have

Records over the years *2013: 0-3 2012: 1-10 2011: 4-7 2010: 7-4 2009: 2-8 2008: 4-6 2007: 7-5 2006: 7-3 2005: 7-3 *Through 3 games

3 11 21 2 23 22 14 22 2 QB RB WR TE OL DL LB DB K

Soccer persists through early struggles By Joseph Schneider

SPORTS

Senior Samir Alvi sets up an offensive rush in the team’s home opener against Parkway North on Sept. 12. The Pirates fell to the Vikings 2-0. Photo by Joseph Schneider to play well to keep my team in the game,” said senior goalie Luke Cwiklowski. “We need to make sure that everybody has good work ethics and discipline moving forward.” Despite the present struggles, the team has more than a dozen games left to play, including five against Suburban North teams. “We’re hopeful that we can sort out some of our concerns and present ourselves well in the Suburban North competition,” Stahl said. “We’re focusing on our league games heavily.” Putting all excuses aside, the team does not want to let these setbacks control their destiny. “Because it’s the last season for most of us, we have a lot of motivation to make this year count,” Hunsaker said. “We just need to play to our strengths.” v

10 ENTERTAINMENT

PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

iPhone beats Android, others in school-wide survey Students have personal preferances for phones, but smartphones give the ability to have the world in their hands at all times TVleisides@pattonvilleTODAY.com

The two most commonly used phones at the high school are part of Apple’s iPhone or Google’s Android series according to a survey of 100 Pattonville students. The survey, distributed to 25 freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, revealed that 46 percent of those surveyed were iPhone users, while Android users followed with 38 percent; the other 16 percent of students had a different type of phone entirely. This comes as no surprise, however, considering that iPhone and Android powered devices are also the most commonly sold in the United States, according to the New York Times’ website. “iPhone and Android have perfected what other companies have tried for years,” said Mr. Jamie Richter, Pattonville’s IT specialist. “Both devices look and behave similarly, which makes them very accessible to all age groups and changes

communication.” Though they are similar in function, the numerous iPhone and Android models each offer a unique set of benefits to its users. The iPhone users surveyed claimed they were most content with their phone’s speed, simplicity, and iMessage capabilities—a feature that enables iPhone users to text one another through Wi-Fi or 3G connections. Richter said the convenience of having an iPhone and a Mac computer is another benefit iPhone users should love. “There are a lot of similarities [between iPhones and Mac computers],” Richter said while noting that every student is given the MacBook Air for school use. “It makes the experience very transparent since the devices are always synced.” As for Android users, storage space, customization, and free music and app downloads are among the favorite qualities of their phones. Richter sees the Android market

as a huge convenience for its customers. “Since Androids run on a Google operating system, they have access to a larger market to purchase applications, whereas Apple’s market is more tightly controlled,” Richter said. While both iPhone and Android users take pride in their phones for these reasons, a unique form of animosity has developed between users of opposing devices. “I’ve noticed that people usually prefer [the phone] they’ve grown up with,” Richter said. “Though price and personal experience may be a factor as well.” Richter’s notion about personal experience does appear to have some validity to it, as 6 percent of iPhone and 15 percent of Android users expressed discontentment in their phones. “When I had an Android, it crashed all the time,” senior Mariah Freeman said of her experience with her previous phone. “Now that I have an iPhone, it’s never crashed.”

Distribution of Phones in Pattonville 18 16 14

Number of Users

By Tim Vleisides

12 10

iPhone

Android

Other

4 2 0

Freshmen

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Grade Level Freeman also proposed her own theory that the source of hostility is the result of Android users fighting for recognition. “iPhone users think their phone is better, and people with Androids are just trying to gain respect,” Freeman said. Despite a few isolated incidents from the survey, Pattonville students seemed to be overall satisfied with their phones. With the iPhone 5s and 5c to be released on Sept. 20, and iOS 7 for

Salon

iPads and iPhones to be released on Sept. 18, Apple and Google are continuing to transform the traditional cell phone into a handheld computer. “If Pattonville didn’t have a 1:1 [student-to laptop ratio], but everyone was given an iPhone or Android instead, we could still accomplish a lot,” Richter believes. “The ability to have the world at our fingertips is a great resource.” v

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September 2013

Conner’s Corner

The Sound of Music By Conner Delles

CDelles@PattonvilleTODAY.com

One of the rules I like about being a student at Pattonville is that the students are able to listen to music and use their phone during passing period. Sometimes school gets very stressful but being able to listen to music helps the school day move along. Most teachers don’t really mind seeing students listening to their music in the hallways as long as they cannot hear the music through the headphones. And some teachers even give permission to allow students to listen to their music during class while working on certain assignments or projects. The privilege of getting to use phones and mp3 players during passing time and lunch was given to students when I was a freshman at Pattonville. As soon as they announced the rule, I was so relieved that I could use my phone and listen to music in the hallway without getting in trouble. When the teachers let me listen to music at school, it helps me stay focused on the work I am assigned and it just helps me get through my school day because sometimes music can help me focus on work and stay productive. The only bad thing about this privilege is that some students listen to their music way too loud and you can hear it across the entire hallway. Some of the rules in this school don’t make sense but I love that they gave students the privilege to use their phones and mp3 players during passing time and during lunch and I hope this rule never leaves the high school. v

PIRATE PRESS

2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road Maryland Heights, MO 63043 www.PattonvilleTODAY.com

STAFF EDITORIAL

PIRATE PRESS

OPINION

Kyleigh’s Kick A lot can happen in 4 years By Kyleigh Ambrosecchia

KAmbrosecchia@PattonvilleTODAY.com

It is the opinion of the Pirate Press that driving in the parking lot is unsafe and measures should be taken to improve the traffic conditions before something bad happens.

Three accidents have occurred since the start of the school year, one very severe involving a trip to the emergency room. When it becomes unsafe to simply walk from the parking lot into the school, that should be an indication that there’s a problem. So what exactly is the cause of the problem? Is the design of the parking lot itself dangerous and impractical? Are students in too much of a hurry to leave school grounds? Or is it something as simple as Pattonville students having poor driving skills? Whatever the cause, a solution needs to arise sooner rather than later. There are technically two exits from the school, but with one being used by the buses, only one exit is used by students trying to leave the parking lot in the afternoon. This creates a huge amount of traffic and congestion. With more

Mariah’s Mind

Despite how much a team may lose, support from their fans is what matters the most By Mariah Lindsey

MLindsey@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Optimism is a sense that many of us have never gone wrong with. With motivation and encouragement, positive feelings from somebody one cares about is enough to push them over the edge and to their destination. This is why it is good to support

Editor-in-chief Joseph Schneider Managing Editor Allison Leventhal Multimedia Editor Bionca Maldonado

Seniors are entering their final year at Pattonville High School. A lot has happened since they were freshmen and more memories are left to be made before they graduate in May 2014.

Cartoon by Cooper Schneider than 100 vehicles all heading simultaneously toward one exit to leave does not make for a pretty picture. Not to mention that some drivers still do not understand the unwritten concept of every-other. While two new parking lots where old athletic fields used to be have been opened for additional student and staff use, all of these cars have to exit from the same place. Obviously all student drivers with a parking pass have their driver’s license, but how well they can actually drive is always questionable. For years, Pattonville has offered Driver’s Education as an optional elective, a great resource for teenagers first learning to drive. With the increase of accidents in the parking lot, perhaps it is time

to re-think Driver’s Education as being an optional course. For the purpose of increasing safety in the school parking lot, Driver’s Education should become a mandatory course to any student applying for a parking pass. Maybe it wouldn’t be a semesterlong class, maybe just a couple of hours, but it would be nice to have a tutorial on driving safety. It is common knowledge that teenage drivers are inexperienced and somewhat reckless, so it is inevitable that accidents will happen. However, by taking certain precautions and setting higher standards for parking pass applicants, the accident rate can decrease and as a result, the safety rate would increase. v

all of our sports teams no matter how they rank in the standings. It’s very easy for people to negatively react to numerous losses from a team, which in turn gives the team as a whole a bad reputation. Despite whatever happens, no one likes a “fair weather” fan, but instead one who will support them in all circumstances. Coming from someone who doesn’t know much about sports, it still doesn’t hurt to occasionally go out to a game in my free time and show some support. Student Council is making this easy this year by hosting tailgating

parties before every football game in the parking lot close to the stadium. With themes picked out for every week, it makes going to the games and supporting the team easier and actually a lot of fun. No matter how much training any team can have, it can still fail without a cushion of support from their fans, and the knowing sense that they are being counted on by someone. In anything, it is sometimes the binding spirits of motivation and passion that surpass any amount of training. So make sure you get out to some sports games this year. A full schedule of all games can be found on Pattonville’s athletic website at pirates.psdr3.org. v

Web Editor Alyssa Potter Staff Writers Kyleigh Ambrosecchia Brady Bell

Jordan Colquitt Conner Delles Abby Kieffer Mariah Lindsey Patricia Parsons Benjamin Rutledge

Margaret Vitale Timothy Vleisides Kayla Wacker Adviser Brian Heyman

The Pirate Press is the open forum newspaper of Pattonville High School. The opinions published are of the publication and are open to criticism. As the members of the 2013-2014 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 separate from those of our administration, faculty, peers and adviser.

Nov. 2010 - Prop K passes paving the way for the new stadium and aquatics center. April 2011 - Tornado hits Maryland Heights. “I had to get a new roof, a whole new fence and I had hail damage on all of my cars,” Kirstin Ebershol said. Aug. 2011 - Joe Dobrinic replaces Sara Keene as building principal of the high school. Aug. 2011 - Parenting and Child Development courses are no longer required for graduation. Aug. 2011 - Pirate Connections replaces Contact Time. Instead of meeting with 2nd hour teachers, students are separated by grades. Sept. 2011 - The H-wing floods after a pipe burst in the upstairs faculty bathroom, forcing classes to be relocated for about a week. Jan. 2012 - High school accepts Rachel’s Challenge and encouraged to start a “Chain of Reaction.” May 2012 - Debate teacher Randy Pierce retires from teaching. June 2012 - Band travels to Hawaii to march in King Kamehameha parade. Aug. 2012 - Jon Fitzgerald and Gene Grimshaw move from the history department to the principal office. Aug. 2012 - Field hockey is formed as a new sport. Aug. 2012 - New football stadium opens against Lafayette High School in a heavy rainstorm. Sept. 2012 - Bomb threat forces everyone to evacuate the school and go to the stadium. Sept. 2012 - MacBook Airs are distributed to every student in the school. The laptops were chosen over the iPad. Jan. 2013 - Students are required to wear IDs on lanyards. Feb. 2013 - Lacrosse and water polo are debuted as new sports. Feb. 2013 - Varsity Drill Team places 5th in the nation in large varsty hip hop at the UDA National Championship. The team later won the state title. April 2013 - Pattonville named on U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools Ranking List. v

12 FEATURE

Bionca’s How-to... bake

Cotton Candy Cake Cookies

By Bionca Maldonado

BMaldonado@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Ingredients

v 1 box vanilla cake mix (I used Duncan Hines) v 1 tsp. baking powder v 1 packet Cotton Candy Flavored Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Flavor Mix v 2 eggs v 1/2 cup vegetable oil v 1/2 cup water v 1/2 tsp. Cotton Candy Liquid Flavor v Pink sanding sugar

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, stir together all of your dry ingredients. Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix eggs,

vegetable oil, and water. Stir until well-blended.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, add eggs, vegetable oil, water, and the liquid flavoring. Mix until well-blended.

PIRATE PRESS

September 2013

STUCO set to take Pirates around the world Homecoming is scheduled to start the week of Oct. 7 with the parade, game and dance on Saturday By Maggie Vitale

MVitale@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Whether it is dressing up for Spirit Week, working on the parade floats or dancing in the school gym, Pattonville students are eagerly awaiting homecoming. Student Council members are working to make sure the week of Oct. 7 is memorable for everyone. “We are getting the reps more involved, so they will have more of a say on the decorations and the T-shirt designs,” Hannah Saputo, Student Council historian, said. In order to be able to attend the dance on Saturday, Oct. 12, students must meet the requirements of a new rule to purchase tickets. “You must have a 90 percent attendance rate to purchase a ticket,” STUCO sponsor Heather Lopez-Johnston said. According to Lopez-Johnston,

tickets will cost $10 and will only be on sale from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in the gym lobby during all lunch sessions. If students plan on bringing a guest from another school, a 2013 Homecoming Parade Map guest form must be turned in and “Generally we don’t have to force no late purchases will be allowed. people to get people involved,” With new STUCO sponsors Samples said. “They know it’s fun.” Lopez-Johnston and Sarah But STUCO will be trying to get Guilfoyle, plans for homecoming the word out about the activities are changing a little. this year through social media. Lopez-Johnston said that they “I’m going to be tweeting out are hoping to have more studentwhat the Spirit Day is, dressing driven activities this year. up crazy and getting people hyped STUCO President Nathan about the week,” Saputo said. Samples said he is excited about The STUCO Twitter account can the theme days for the Spirit be found @PvilleSTUCO. v Week.

THEME DAYS monday

tuesday

Pajama Day

Disney Day

wednesday Duck Dynasty Day

Need ideas for Theme Days? Scan the QR Code using your smartphone or visit us at www.Pinterest.com/phsTODAY

thursday

Crazy Sock/Sweater Day

friday Class Color Day

The theme for 2013 is Sailing Around the World. Here is the breakdown of information by grade level:

FRESHMEN Class Color: Yellow Class Country: China

sophomores Class Color: Blue Class Country: Mexico

juniors Class Color: Red Class Country: Egypt

seniors Class Color: Green Class Country: England

Students must learn about the dangers of distracted driving Requirements must be met for students to obtain a parking lot pass, all Missouri driving laws enforced By Abby Kieffer

AKieffer@PattonvilleTODAY.com

Step 4: Drop by spoonfuls onto pre-

greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with the pink sanding sugar.

Step 5: Bake for 11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are brown.

Optional: Use a round cookie cutter to make these little guys extra cute.

The last place students want to think about after summer is the parking lot of the high school, but it’s also an important place to think about for those who want to drive to school. To be able to drive to school, students need to meet certain requirements. Students must have at least 35 hours of community service, have a valid driver’s license, provide proof of insurance, and maintain a 90 percent attendance rate. Parking permits are $20, and all fines must be paid in full at time of purchase. “We have these requirements because students begin to be here on time and there’s an increase in attendance,” Assistant Principal Gene Grimshaw said. “Students also show a greater effort and have better grades.” Although students have to meet certain expectations to be able

to drive to school, there is no guarantee that the parking lot is a safe place. According to School Resource Officer Mike Mooney, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, there was an accident near Pattonville High School. Mooney said the student was walking across Creve Coeur Mill Road without using the cross walk. A car came down the road and accidently hit the student. “The student went to the hospital with minor injuries and was treated and released.” Mooney said. The dangers of driving to school do not stop once students pull into the parking lot. “The type of precautions you should take are no different than the precautions in a busy neighborhood,” Grimshaw said. “Speed is a problem and so is failing to yield at intersections.” When leaving the school parking lot, there is always a Maryland Heights police officer standing in the front. According to the

Common student driving distractions Q: What distractions do you see on the road? A: People reading books

Q: What distractions do you see on the road? A: People talking on their phones, eating and smoking.

Jacob Knox

Q: What distractions do you have while driving? A: I tend to text sometimes.

Matthew Cody

Q: What distractions do you see on the road? A: Reading and on their phones.

Q: What distractions do you see on the road? A: People putting on make-up, reading, texting and eating.

Shaheen Pachangi

Q: What distractions do you have while driving? A: Looking at other nice cars.

parking pass sheet distributed to students, all Missouri state laws should be followed which includes the wearing of seat belts. Any driving violation may result in the driver being issued a ticket. To learn how to drive, students have a choice to take Driver’s Education. This class helps teach students the rules of the road

Q: What distractions do you have while driving? A: The radio and texting.

Shaquan Whitaker

Q: What distractions do you have while driving? A: On my phone and listening to music.

and precautions they should take driving on a daily basis. Driver’s Education teacher Pete Barrett said students should use the IPDE process while driving which stands for Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute. “Students need to keep their eyes up and looking ahead, and follow the 3-second distance rule.” v