September Pirate Press

Page 1

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enough sleep?

pg. 4

Get the inside scoop on “Gooey Louie� pg. 6

Boys’ soccer heats up

pg. 8

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A new year sometimes brings new policies, but technically, those being implemented in 2010-2011 are not new policies. They are old policies with a positive approach, dubbed “The Pirate Code.� “It is the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (P.B.I.S),� Dr. Sara Keene said. “That is the information the school received. We researched ideas and ways to have positive approaches to the school, so we formed teams called the Pirate Code. Groups of teachers, staff and students formulated the new plan, so they’re not exactly policies, they are more of an approach.� Students no longer need to wear IDs at school. “This is the best new policy of all time,� Will Lapidus, 10, said. Aaron Landgraf, 10, agrees with Lapidus. “It’s great,� he said with two thumbs up, “because teachers leave us alone.� Students appreciate this part of the Pirate Code, and the administration sees the benefits of not requiring students to wear IDs. “It was led by the students and staff,� said Keene. “We talked to the students and the results show that students don’t need them. This also helps with personal connections between the students and teachers.� While some changes have met a positive reception within the student body, some changes are bringing negative feedback. When teachers spot students with electronic devices, they are to use a plastic bag and place the device in it. These are then taken to the students’ principals. Dannielle Hasty, 11, said the

Pattonville Briefs

new “Bag and Tag� policy is the “stupidest thing I ever heard. It’s going to the extreme.� A lot of people agree with Hasty. “I don’t like that they take our phones and iPods in the hallway,� Kaleb Pope, 10, said. The students feel that the “Bag and Tag� policy is unjust and that it should be removed. “We’ve had cell phone issues for a while,� Keene said. “We wanted to come up with an easier way to get rid of cell phones. I feel like I don’t see as many cell phones.� The high school has decided to focus on hallway behavior for 2010-2011 with the new policy of “Walk and Talk� and “Stay to the Right� because 1,752 referrals written last year were related to tardies. There are mixed opinions about this policy. “The hallways are more clear,� Pope said. “I no longer trip or run into people.� It is nice to know that this policy helps Pope, but there are some students that disagree such as Kiersten Bush, 12. “There is no change,� she said. “The teachers just yell and no one listens.� Although the students have mixed opinions, there are times that the “Walk and Talk� and “Stay to the Right� policy are decidedly helpful. “It’s a proactive approach,� Keene said. “It makes the most sense and the idea behind it is to make sure the students can get through the halls. I’ve noticed some difference in the halls from experience.� With the focus on hallway behavior, Keene expects the number of referrals for tardies to be lower this school year. Y

Compiled by Jessica Brunts

1990 Pattonville High School graduate and owner of St. Louis bakery Gooey Louie, Debbie Stieferman will be featured on the Food Network in September. Her company will be featured on the Food Network with a coffeehouse in Lafayette Square as they compete to determine who makes the best gooey butter cake in St. Louis.

Laura Hartsock, a Pattonville Heights science teacher, was invited to speak at the recent national Challenger Convention in St. Louis about the impact the Challenger Learning Center program has on students. She earned the National Teacher of the Year Award from the Challenger Center for Space Education in 2005.

The Dodgeball tournament will be at 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 20. Each team consists of five boys and five girls and costs $100 ($10 per player).

The 2010 Homecoming theme is “Bringing Pirate Spirit to the Big Cities.� Homecoming is on Saturday, Oct. 2. Seniors - New Orleans Juniors - New York City Sophomores - Los Angeles Freshman - Honolulu

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Many students at Pattonville take the transportation system for granted, and have since elementary school. Yet over the years, the system has grown to the forefront of transportation programs in the St. Louis area. “We used to run the entire system, all the routes, repairs, everything, out of a trailer,� Steve Gerke, director of transportation at Pattonville, said. Gerke has worked with the district’s transportation department for 20 years and has seen the changes the department has gone through. He’s seen the student population, which was much larger when he began working, shrink over the years, and watched its recent steady rise. Before working at Pattonville, Gerke worked for a private school bus contractor. “I really prefer to work with a district-owned department.� Gerke said. “I have more control over things like the routes and the personnel we recruit. It allows for better teamwork to provide a better service for the students. It’s really a great place to work. I love the camaraderie at Pattonville.� Twenty years ago, the buses were stick shifts, and were using simple videotaping for security. Over the years however, the safety and efficiency of the buses improved drastically. New emissions systems make bus pollution practically non-existent, and the buses have switched to all diesel fuel system, which bettered the mileage to

eight miles per gallon. “It may seem miniscule, but for the amount of straight weight, weight that doesn’t assist movement of the bus at all, that is loaded on to the bus, it’s rather high.� Gerke explained. The bus depot, located directly behind Holman Middle School, has inground oil tanks, so they can buy in bulk, and has gas pumps on site so the buses can pump gas right on location. Gerke was the first at Pattonville to use digital recording cameras. “It got to a point where parents were less inclined to believe the bus driver regarding disciplinary issues, so we have to rely on cameras to convince parents because some would rather believe their son or daughter than the bus driver.� Various safety upgrades have also become widespread. White roofs and tinted windows, not implemented years ago, have helped to keep the students on the bus cool and save on air conditioning costs. Body bows across the bus keep it together during a crash, and are designed to protect against roll over damage. Multiple new safety exits have been added over

the years as well. The flame retardant seats that are so commonly vandalized are made from Kevlar and chopped foam, and are revolutionary in absorbing energy and preventing injury, working based on a system of compartmentalization. “Buses are the number one safest way to travel in America,� Gerke said. “Our drivers strive to keep the buses as safe as possible, that’s why they always remind the students to sit straight and keep the aisle clear and so on. It’s to maximize the safety features of the bus, not just to nag.� Many students have noticed the influx of kids on certain buses. “We have noticed the overloads on particular buses, and we are working with the administration to add a route and relieve some of the pressure. We’ve had 450 new enrollees this year, and we’re working hard to spread them evenly across the system, trying not to stress one route too much.� Gerke says that they’ve had some trouble with out-of-district students trying to come to Pattonville. If a driver believes someone 6HH 3DWWRQYLOOH WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ SJ

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News

%3 *XOI RLO VSLOO Ă RZV LQWR 3DWWRQYLOOH GHWHUV VWXGHQWV VWDII SODQV 3DWWRQYLOOH VWXGHQWV WHDFKHUV WHOO DERXW KRZ WKH VSLOO DIIHFWHG WKHLU VXPPHU SODQV By Andrew Tyahla The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is approaching resolution. As of Aug. 30, 2010, BP hoped to have a relief well drilled within one week. While the drama of this environmental disaster unfolds in the Gulf, the population of Pirate Nation has had their own plans derailed by the oil spill. Several students and staff had plans to go down to the Gulf over the summer. “I planned to get married down in the Gulf this June,â€? said Jessica Hauser, English Department. “But I had to plan the wedding here once the oil made landfall.â€? “I was planning on staying in a beach house at Fort Meyers during the summer,â€? said Heather Sprengal, 12. “Once the spill occurred, I had to go to Florida instead.â€? As plans have been altered, the people’s opinions of BP and off shore oil drilling have soured. “I already knew that we needed to drill,â€? said Beth Moritz, English department, “but now I am much more aware of how harmful it is to the environment.â€? Personal reasons aside, it is agreed that one of the biggest

problems caused by the spill is the impact it has on the sea life in the Gulf. “It affects lots of different parts of life,� said Sprengal. The effect on the wildlife goes on to affect other aspects of life. When the oil kills fish and other aquatic life, fishermen suffer because they are unable to catch and sell seafood. In turn, restaurants are unable to sell the entirety of their menu since they are unable to buy the seafood. This also hurts tourism because no one wants to go where they might see oil on the beach or visible on the horizon. Finally, the Gulf Shores’ economy is hurt, as is the national economy as a whole. Hauser has developed a pretty low opinion of BP as a company, believing that they put their business before ecology and human needs. “I even have a bumper sticker to show it,� said Hauser. “I went to college in New Orleans,� said Moritz, an alumna of Tulane University. “It is like a second home to me, so I hope that the fishermen will be able to work again.� Y

BP Oil Spill By the Numbers

205.8 million gallons of oil leaked into the Gulf of Mexico Over

665 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico have been affected by the spill.

53.5 million gallons of oil remain on shorelines along the Gulf of Mexico. A Hummer H3 could drive around the earth The oil spilled from the leak could fill

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&RQWLQXHG IURP SJ money to purchase six replacement buses, each running about $70,000, but this year, they are restricted from it by budget cuts. “It’s not as bad as it has been in other districts, but we’ve had to put more money toward parts because we’ve had to keep our buses longer. Luckily, we have Chief Financial Officer Ron Orr and he does an amazing job at keeping the budget balanced,� Gerke said. “We haven’t had to cut any buses or routes this year.� This is unlike the district in Troy, Mo., which after a failed tax

331 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Statistics Courtesy of www.popularmechanics.com

3DWWRQYLOOH WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ shouldn’t be coming to the school, they’ll bring it up with the administration, and an investigation will ensue. “It’s very important that we make sure that the people that go to our district actually go to our district, or our actual students are getting short-changed because out-of-district students don’t contribute taxes.� And it’s important that money is put where it’s needed, as state budget cuts are rampant. Normally, the department gets

69,068 times with the oil from the oil spill.

levy has had to cut back ridership. Students within a one or two mile radius of the school have no buses. “We’re not worried about that situation [in Troy] happening to us. Ron has planned the budget with forethought and anticipation. I don’t think we’ll have any bus cuts in the near future. But you never know, we can’t forecast the future. Pattonville has it good, it’s great to work here. The district really puts the students first, and that’s why we’re one of the top schools in the county.� Y

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%XVHV KDYH EHHQ UHFHQWO\ XSJUDGHG ZLWK WLQWHG ZLQGRZV ZKLWH URRIV DQG LQFUHDVHG VDIHW\ IHDWXUHV $OO SKRWRV E\ -DFRE 6KDUS

3DWWRQYLOOH IDLOV WR PHHW 0LVVRXUL $<3 VWDQGDUGV (QG RI &RXUVH H[DP VFRUHV GR QRW PHHW SURĂ€FLHQF\ SHUFHQWDJH By Jessica Brunts The End of Course exams are state-wide tests that all Algebra and English II students are required to take. The goal for every district is to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards that the E.O.C. results determine. In spring of 2010, Pattonville did not meet the state required AYP standards. Every year, the state sets standards on the E.O.C.s that schools are required to meet. These standards are a set proficiency percentage that the schools must achieve in each area. In order for a district to meet AYP standards, all of the target proficiency rates must be met in every area by every school in the district. The failure to meet AYP standards can result in loss of accreditation by the state. The state standard for English II for 2010 was a proficiency rating of 67.4 percent. Pattonville High School exceeded that standard with a proficiency rating of 82.6 percent. The state standard for Algebra for 2010 was a proficiency rating of 63.3 percent. Pattonville High School combined with the 8th grade Algebra students did not meet the AYP standard with a proficiency rating of 62.9 percent. Not meeting the AYP standard in Algebra at the high school, along with other schools in the district not meeting their standards, means that the entire district was unable to meet the AYP standards. Dr. Sara Keene did not express concern with any possibility of Pattonville losing its accreditation

for not meeting the 2010 AYP standards, especially since only one school district in the St. Louis county area met all of the AYP standards. “I don’t see Pattonville going down the road to being a state-run school,� Keene said. “How could the state run all of the St. Louis County school districts?� However, Pattonville scored higher than the state averages in both subject areas. The state average for English was a proficiency rating of 73.1 percent and the state average for Algebra was 57.3 percent. “Our score is going up next year,� Keene said, confidently. “Our summer school 2010 E.O.C. scores will count toward the spring 2011 E.O.C. scores and our 2010 summer school scores improved 20 points from 2009.� Every year, the state standards are raised. In 2011, the state standard for English will be 75.5 percent and the state standard for Algebra will be 72.5percent. By 2014, all of Missouri schools will be required to have a proficiency rating of 100 percent in both subject areas. “Our tough piece is meeting the national standard,� Keene said, “But we know we can do it because we offer so many teaching methods.� Tutoring and instruction differentiation are among the two biggest methods. Instruction differentiation is when teachers use different techniques to help all of the students that learn differently to be able to learn the same material. Y

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Bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s degree in the natural science of math from Southeast Missouri State University Received a bachelor’s degree in education from University of Missouri.

“I student taught at Fort Zumwalt North High School and Eureka High School. I also taught 2½ years at Southeast Missouri State University.” Taught 5½ years at Forth Zumwalt South High and coached freshman softball for one year and sponsored the Future Medical Club for three years. “I previously taught four years in St. Louis Public School as well as student teaching in Riverview Gardens School District and Francis Howell School District.” “I student taught at Marquette High School and I also coached the swim team.”

“I have enjoyed it very much. I love being able to work with the students daily. Also the staff here is very nice.”

“I have been a district sub for two years and now a permanent sub at Pattonville. I have coached the JV Drill Team for three years and plan to student teach this summer.” “I taught nine years at Riverview Gardens Central Middle School and three years at Hazelwood Southeast Middle School.”

“I’ve really enjoyed my first few weeks here at Pattonville. It has been nice to be back at my alma mater. Also it’s been wonderful getting to know the students and the staff.” “I love teaching at Pattonville. Everyone has been so wonderful to work with, both the students and the wonderful staff.”

“I taught social studies for 3 years at University City High School and taught world history and American history for 2 years at Francis Howell Central. Last year I was Dean of Students at Francis Howell Central as well as a summer school principal at both the middle and high school levels.” “I taught for six years at Central High School in Springfield, Mo.”

“It’s been great so far. There was a reason I applied to work at Pattonville and the students, staff and community show me every day I made a good choice by coming here. I have been continually impressed with the way students pick up after themselves in the cafeteria after breakfast and lunch.” “I’ve had a blast. Both the students and the staff have made it an enjoyable experience as well as getting to know a new group of friendly people.” “I have loved the school. The students are wonderful. Everyone has a great attitude about the school and their futures.”

Bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in educational administration from Lindenwood University. Bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University in secondary math education

Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Missouri, master’s in Media and Marketing from Webster University, and a masters’s in teaching from Lindwood University. Bachelor of Science in secondary education from University of Missouri - Columbia and earned Master’s of Administration from Lindenwood University Attended Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for his undergraduate degree and has a master’s degree from Lindenwood University. Has also taken 18 credit hours of coursework at the University of Iowa. Graduated with a degree in education of the unified sciences with an emphasis on biology from Missouri State University. Bachelor’s degree in music and theatre from Indiana University and a master’s degree in TESOL from Hunter College.

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Pattonville Briefs

Bachelor of Science in math at Western Illinois University and a Master’s of Arts in teaching at Arizona State University. Undergraduate degree from Bradley University in communication advertising and master’s degree in educational history from Maryville University

Compiled by Jessica Brunts

Pattonville High School’s football team hosted its first ever mother/ son practice and barbeque on Saturday, Aug. 14. Moms participated in the team’s morning practice.

Khalil Griffin, 12, attended a summer program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his team finished first with a study of point mutation TP53 found in pateient (HCC38) with breast cancer phenotype.

“This is my 11th year teaching. I have taught in New York City, Florida, Kansas City and Kansas. I also taught English as a foreign language in Poland for the U.S. Peace Corps.” “I taught in South Carolina for a year before teaching here.” “I student taught at Parkway South and was a personal trainer at Gold’s Gym.”

“I have enjoyed it extremely. Pattonville is a great place to teach. I feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful learning environment.” “There are great students, great staff, excellent resources and a great school culture here at Pattonville.” “I have loved my first weeks at Pattonville. I really like the people at this school, the students and the other teachers.”

“I really like it here. I have enjoyed in thoroughly.” “It’s been a good experience so far. I am glad to be back for a second year and expect a good year.”

T H A NK S TO S T. C H A R L E S COM M UN IT Y COLLE G E, YOUR S E A RCH F O R T H E R I GH T S C HOOL J US T G OT A LOT E A S IE R.

20th Annual The Varsity Drill Team placed 2nd in home routine, won a superior trophy and won the leadership award at a camp at Saint Louis University. The Junior Varsity Drill Team earned 2nd place in home routine and received a Superior Trophy.

Dan Wright, a Pattonville 2009 graduate, has been diagnosed with testicular cancer and a fundraiser is being held at Lion’s Choice on Olive Street during business hours on Sept. 18-19. Learn more at pattonvillepiratepress.wordpress.com

Kelly Gould, 12, won the Webster Groves Golf Invitational on Sept. 3 and has medaled at tournaments against Hazelwood Central and Hazelwood West. The varsity girl’s soccer team completed its 2010 season with a second place finish in the Missouri State Championships.

ST. CHARLES COUNTY REGIONAL

College Fair 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 College Center SCC Campus www.stchas.edu/collegefair

Representatives from nearly 80 colleges will be on hand! For more information, call 636-922-8226 or e-mail mgrimm@stchas.edu

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ave you ever wondered what it would be like to audition for the play or musical? Pirate Press got the inside scoop from real auditioners and some tips and tricks from Lara Corvera, theatre teacher and director of the play. Madison Sportsman, 12, said she doesn’t really get nervous about auditions. “I only get nervous if I don’t know the material.� David Robinson, 11, also auditioned, and prepared by rehearsing at home and having his family review him. 'DYLG 5RELQVRQ ULJKW DIWHU KLV DXGLWLRQ During her audition, Sportsman tried to think like the character and concentrated on her projection. Robinson’s audition was a bit different. “I thought about not messing up or forgetting a line, which I did.� Corvera runs the play, and has a cheat sheet for auditions, saying what to do and what not to do. “Most important, the auditioner should think ‘I believed that,’ then that kid has a spark.� Corvera also has the job of casting. “It’s difficult. I’m looking for the right person for the role, but also the right grouping for all the roles. Casting is 95 percent of the job. If it works well and you have the right characterization, you got it made.� Corvera hopes that everyone who was not cast will come back for future productions. Unfortunately, auditions for the play are over, but auditions for the spring musical “Bye Bye Birdie� will be at the beginning of November.Y

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By Hannah Johnson

86

% ofgetsPattonville less than the

recommended nine hours of sleep per night. To varying degrees, this sleep deprivation is affecting students’ performance. Other than to promote learning, why should we be sleeping more? According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep can provide a number of physiological benefits. A lack of sleep can contribute to acne, overeating, and illness. The correct amount of sleep can also help to regulate mood. Besides, it simply feels good to be well rested. Scientists believe that the brain

uses sleep to organize the information that we learn during the day. Connections between new and old information are formed as well. This means that lessons learned at school are more likely to stick and might even stick more effectively. Since sleep is so important to learning, it follows that schools should be concerned with the sleeping habits of students. However, Pattonville is among many schools that simply start too early to accommodate the sleep schedule of a teenager. Our bodies are hardwired to go to sleep late and wake up late as well. Studies have shown that when

schools start later, students go to bed at the same time and end up getting more sleep. It is unlikely that the high school will be parting from 7:23 a.m. starting time and it is also unlikely that nap time will be built into the school schedule, although short naps can be exceedingly energizing. So the ball is in the students’ court. If they wish to perform at their full potential, then students will have to take some initiative and go to bed earlier. More sleep increases performance level in the classroom, at sports, and as a general member of society. Students owe it to themselves to try sleeping

more. In the Pattonville sleep study, a number of students commented that they like sleep and/or wish they got more. Some of these same students, as well as a few others, stated that they were kept up late doing homework. This is a valid concern, especially for students in challenging courses and who are involved in afterschool activities. Some students even feel that stress makes it difficult to fall asleep. This vicious cycle poses no easy solutions that fail to endanger the students’ precious right to learn. For the rest of the world, it wouldn’t hurt to log off Facebook

6 or Fewer Hours of Sleep

12%

49%

7-8 Hours of Sleep

38%

9 or More Hours of Sleep Students Who Feel Tired During the Day

86% 77% 78%

Students too Tired to Concentrate in Class

62%

46% 46%

a little sooner, stop watching that fascinating show, or leave that friend’s house and just go to bed. Learning is absolutely essential to quality of life, so some students may need to sacrifice less important activities to ensure that they are getting enough sleep to completely absorb the information presented in class. In other words, sleep is important. Get some. Participants were surveyed during contact time in randomly selected classrooms. For tips on falling asleep and maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, check out www.pattonvillepiratepress.wordpress.com. Y

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7KH )UHVKPDQ ([SHULHQFH )UHVKPDQ 7DUD /RZU\ UHÁHFWV RQ KHU ÀUVW IHZ ZHHNV DV D KLJK VFKRRO VWXGHQW friends eager to find familiar territory. In other words, we were on a scavenger hunt to find fellow freshman lockers and more specifically freshmen. With all these older kids who looked like they knew far more about what they were doing than we did, it was going to be comforting to find faces of people who didn’t have the slightest idea as to what was expected. Thankfully, we found quite a few with the same idea as us. Not even in middle school had it been so nerve-wracking, seeing as Heights wasn’t nearly as big, nor were the seniors going to our middle school. Not to mention the fact that we were about to get a lot more homework and a lot more difficult work. Friendly faces now checked off on the list of things to accomplish on the first day of school, I headed to Honors Biology. As the day progressed and we read through the handbook in each class, my backpack stuffed with papers to get signed and new textbooks, I found myself more excited about school. The impossible had happened. It must be something magical about Pattonville High School, or maybe I’m just really optimistic

and I’ll eventually become like other freshmen who despise school after a couple more weeks of quizzes and carrying a 50-pound backpack. With the only real flaw being the idea of waking up before it even grows light outside on a dayto-day basis, I find myself heading into an adventure. Having now experienced all three types of daily schedules I’m more excited than ever for what these classes and people hold in store for me. People say these are the four best years of your life, and though I’m not willing to admit it’s that amazing just yet, having only been in for a couple weeks now, I will admit it beats middle school and elementary school. I think what really makes me happy about the school, no matter how mushy it sounds, is that its promised a lot of fun and laughs, complaints and groans, and plenty of stuff to do, be it homework or club activities. It’s kind of like a second house, minus allowance and a bed. I’m not sure whether it’ll turn out to be the kind of house that I’ll always want to go to, or the kind where I can’t wait to move out. Only time will tell on that one. Y

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Future Educators Association (FEA) members and student teachers at Pattonville pursue their ambitions of becoming educators. Mallory Arens, 12, is the current president of the Pattonville and Missouri chapters of FEA. FEA is an organization where students aspiring to be teachers can learn more about the field of education. Members get the opportunity to travel to state conferences and listen to guest speakers. Arens commented that she has wanted to become a teacher since she began elementary school. “I just looked up to my teachers and wanted to be one,” Arens said. Arens has always enjoyed working with children and hopes to go into the field of special education. “I want to be a special education teacher because I believe that all children deserve a chance at succeeding,” Arens said. In addition to being the president of FEA, Arens is enrolled in Child Development II where she gets the chance to interact with young students daily. “I have an internship at Bridgeway, so I go everyday at seventh hour where I can actually work with kids,” she said. While Arens claims that all of her teachers have inspired her, she specifically mentioned Maureen Weissler, her Gifted Honors English teacher as someone who has

encouraged her to pursue education as a career. “[Weissler] has given me her input and kind of made me want to go into special education and elementary education,” Arens said. Christian Johnson, 11, also aspires to be a teacher. Johnson is the vice president of FEA at Pattonville. She hopes to go into secondary education. “I want to be a high school freshman or sophomore math teacher because that was the hardest class I had through high school and I want to help freshmen and sophomores get to know what to do,” Johnson said. Johnson plans to come back to Pattonville High School to teach after she earns her degree. “I like the atmosphere of Pattonville and I also would like to be a coach. I like the fact that you can be a coach and a teacher. You can have a connection with your players and they can come to you for help when they need it,” Johnson said. She commented that she would like to coach volleyball and basketball at Pattonville. Johnson also said that her math teacher, Emily Werner, has inspired her to go into education. “She is a great teacher and she’s a teacher that I look up to. With the style that she teaches, she makes sure everyone understands before she moves along,” Johnson said.

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By Tara Lowry, Guest Writer Never before in my life had I been grateful that my siblings were so much older than me. But, as I watched my friends flip out about getting lunch, upperclassmen, homework, navigating the school, participating in clubs, and so on and so forth, I found myself being the cool-headed character amongst my friends. Already expecting the boatload of homework, already deciding that I’d just have to wander and hope I found my class, and already set on ignoring the rumors of evil upperclassmen, I entered high school eager to explore and, for once, learn. Though registration had momentarily dampened my excitement with the long lines for the stations, forms and pictures for my ID, freshman orientation day came and I found myself itching to get there and run through my schedule. Too bad that was only a third of what the activities were, while everything else was filled with assemblies. Leaving the bus behind and entering the large school that had once intimidated me when I came to see my siblings perform in band and plays as a child, I unfolded my schedule and started the trek that will hopefully become an easy route for me to use the rest of the school year. With all the free time on Day 1, I was dragged through the hallways by

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Chris Stanfield is a student teacher at Pattonville this year, Stanfield is finishing his masters degree at Lindenwood University and aspires to become a communications and speech teacher. “I like to work with kids and I enjoy the field of communications a lot,” Stanfield said. Stanfield graduated from the University of Eastern Illinois with a corporate communications degree before he decided he wanted to become a teacher. “I worked for Pepsi for a year and it made me miss school and it made me realize I wanted to work with kids and eventually become a coach,” Stanfield said. Throughout high school, Stanfield said that his Speech teacher motivated him to pursue a degree in communications and speech. “My speech teacher helped me get into other activities like an internship at a radio station and encouraged me to pursue speech in college,” Stanfield said. So far, Stanfield said the hardest aspect of becoming a teacher is meeting the course requirements. He must complete a portfolio, various coursework and student teaching requirements in order to achieve his degree. However, Stanfield is eager to start his teaching career. “I am excited to work with students and get the opportunity to help people become better speakers,” Stanfield said. Y

Last April, junior Mikala McGhee was filmed for six weeks by MTV’s MADE. McGhee was transformed from All-Star Athlete to Ballroom Dancer. She plays three sports throughout the year: softball, baseball, and soccer. Her friends notoriously know her as “Mankala.” McGhee wanted to be MADE because everyone saw her as one of the school’s top jocks. She chose dancing because people do not view it as a masculine sport. Ballroom dancing was also a cardio workout she has not mastered. McGhee was not afraid to show her boyish habits. Her masculine manners actually dominate her personality. This is the side that McGhee is known for and the side that is most expressed. “I just wanted to show a different side of me that no one allowed me to express,” said McGhee. There may have been a few doubts, but her family and close friends supported her through out her experience. Don’t let this ‘tomboy’ fool you into thinking she can’t walk in heels. McGhee first met her coach at the batting cages. She was hitting baseballs then turned around for a quick break when she saw her MADE coach stroll in dancing. “I was urged to fight with my dad because all I wanted to do was practice,” McGhee said. Her first impression of her coach was that she was a diva because her attire seemed so perfect. McGhee’s first of many tasks was to dance as best as she could in heels. Then her coach made an attempt to play fair and hit a baseball in her dress and heels. “I honestly thought she was a lunatic when she picked up the bat. You don’t play ball in heels, that’s how you get hurt,” McGhee said. This hard-worker never gave up and always succeeded. Normal life did not seem so normal when a camera was following her around constantly. Every time she had to go somewhere, she had to make room and transportation for the camerawoman. Not only was transportation a problem, she also had to take time to put on a microphone. This

process was not long, but it was hindering to McGhee every time she moved. McGhee may have given her 110 percent but that does not mean it was easy. Balancing the life of a scholar athlete and a ballroom dancer was quite difficult. McGhee had no time for socializing, “I was coming home late at night from dance lessons and I stayed up until 2 in the morning because it distracted me from school so much. She clearly had a strong desire to prove herself to her peers. At the end of McGhee’s six weeks, she had lost the school talent show to Montel Moore who graduated in 2010. After being MADE, life for her did not return to normal. She traveled coast-tocoast this summer. In cities like New York City and San Francisco, McGhee teamed up with Neutrogena: Wave for Change Campaign and did service in her community. McGhee got the chance of a life time to be on MTV, but MADE was not what she expected. “I can’t watch MTV the same anymore. Once I experienced producers telling me to act a certain way to intensify their show, I have a different outlook,” said McGhee. For the most part, McGhee enjoyed the transformation. She learned how to express herself more openly and now her peers are seeing the lady in McGhee. Like many other Pattonville students, McGhee’s clothing choice was “Scrubbing.” Scrubbing is essentially soccer shorts, a T-shirt, and some comfortable shoes, most likely adidas flip-flops. Her bad habits consisted of spitballs and horse play. Best friends, Kailey Utley, 11, and Kristen Hanna, 11, said she wears jeans and sandals more and there is no more spitting. Now, Mikala is not afraid to show her lady qualities. “I’m really glad Mikala had this experience. She has received many opportunities for her to promote herself and enhance her life,” Dr. Keene said. After witnessing McGhee’s MADE experience, Pattonville now has a better perception of Mikala McGhee. Y

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The girls’ tennis team is preparing to keep its Suburban North Conference Championship title in the 2010 season. In 2009, the team finished first in the Conference tournament, placed in the top four in Districts and advanced to Sectionals, where they were defeated by Marquette High School. This season, the team is led by many veterans. The top four players are seniors Theresa Ford, Savannah Sneed, Hope Benefield and Melissa Bradford. All four girls play Varsity singles. Theresa Ford is ranked No. 1 on the team this season. “It feels good because you know you worked hard to get to that spot,� she said about being ranked first. Coach Jeff Grass expects a lot out of Ford and the other top players. “I expect them to be our leaders and to kind of set the tone for our team and make sure everyone is working hard and giving 100 percent,� he said. For 2010, Grass hopes to win the Conference title again. “It would be great to send a doubles team to State,� he added. In order to play hard during their matches, the girls must work hard in practice. The team warms up by running a few laps around

the courts, stretching and doing some arm circles. After that, the girls work on technical exercises, including “mini-tennis,� in which the girls play using the services boxes inside the courts, ground strokes from the baseline and practicing serves. Besides working hard at practice, many girls work on their skills during the off-season. “I make sure I work on my serve over the summer and make sure I’m hitting [balls],� Ford said. Savannah Sneed also stays in shape during the off-season. “I exercise. I run a lot. I hit [balls] over the summer,� she said. Benefield has played tennis recreationally with her family since she was young. “When I was little, me, my dad and my brother would play at the park. There were times that I really hated [my dad] for it, because when you’re first learning the sport, you really suck at it. I had balls going over the walls,� she said. Benefield became interested in the sport because of her father, but Sneed almost did not consider playing. “In middle school, [Coach Grass] would always tell me to try out [for tennis] and I was going to volleyball tryouts as a freshman but I didn’t have my physical,� she said. Sneed then went to catch up with her old gym teacher, Grass, who convinced her to watch the

sport but we still have a team feeling,� she said. Sneed’s favorite part of tennis is her love for the sport. “I like it how I actually enjoy going to practice. I love going to practice and I think tennis is fun to play,� she said. ™

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A team of familiar faces will be returning to the soccer field. The boys finished under .500 in 2009 with a record of 9-13. Pattonville’s varsity boys’ soccer team hopes to win the Suburban North Conference and be District champions this season. One of the team’s strength is experience. Senior leadership dominates the team roster with a few underclassmen. Andy Simpkins, 12, is a powerful player who will be helping out on defense. Seniors Josh Gross and Brian Bauer will be seen stepping up in the midfield. “I am excited for senior leadership,� Coach Tom Iffrig said. Rob O’Keefe, 11, wants to help

the team out and lead in goals or against Hazelwood Central on assists. Sept. 8 resulting in a 3-2 loss. Right now, the team’s weakness The team has prepared for the are injuries. The team started the season with hard work over the season without some key players resulting in a 2-0 loss against the Lafayette Lancers. Arsy Alvi, 12, broke his ankle in the beginning of the season. Jimmy Benoist, 12, and Calvin Capstick, 12, had to sit out the first game due to ankle sprains. %ULDQ /RSH] VOLGH WDFNOHV WR NHHS Max Browne, 12, is WKH EDOO DZD\ IURP KLV RSSRQHQW unable to play due to personal reasons and underclassman Aim Dedkhad, 10, summer and Iffrig hopes that i could not also return to the field. pays off. “Since there are injuries, all we “The team worked hard over the have to do is stay unified and will summer playing in a league college hopefully get 16 wins by the end shoe tournament, we have a very of the season,� O’Keefe said. strong team and I hope we make it Their first conference game was to final four,� Iffrig said. ™

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practice. Sneed eventually was persuaded to join the team. The Varsity leaders love the sport and are always looking for ways to challenge themselves. “It’s difficult to improve quickly,� she said. “You can always get better [at tennis.] Melissa Bradford enjoys the team aspect of the sport. “I like how it’s an individual

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By Zach Bailey

For many student athletes, their senior year is their final year to make an athletic impression on the high school. For example, there are currently 157,000 seniors playing some form of college basketball. That means that only about 3 percent of high school seniors in this country will go on to play college basketball. Not to discourage anyone from chasing their dreams, but any potential college athlete needs to have more than talent. There are a few steps each athlete has to follow in order to begin to even think about playing a college sport. The first thing an athlete needs to do is to begin contacting the school they want to go to and talk to their respective sports’ coach. For instance, an e-mail to the basketball coach just to introduce yourself and to express your interest in their program would suffice. Coaches, much like admissions counselors, receive hundreds or even thousands of e-mails about athletes wanting to join their team because they feel they can make the team better. That leads into the next step. Make yourself noticeable and unique. Do not try to sound like the Average Joe athlete. Every kid thinks they can be the next Joe Montana or Michael Jordan. Statistics are not all that is important. If the coach at a college decides to invest some time into your career, their next step is to check your grades and call your coaches to learn more about you as a person, not just an athlete. It has been said in athletics that it is best to learn from someone who has already been to the big dance. Well it does not get much bigger than going to a Division I school and playing college basketball. Teacher and coach Kelly Thames, has a bit of advice for some hopeful college athletes. “Do not just play for your school. It will be easier to get noticed playing for an AAU team,� Thames said.

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AAU is a circuit of select basketball teams that play over the summer and this is where Thames says that a lot of colleges get their recruiting done. Thames also credits his basketball fortune to his hard work and constant practice. However, practice is not the only thing that you need. Thames remained in close contact with his high school counselors and obviously his parents, who, he says really helped him through the complex process of college athletics. Another huge decision for future athletes is whether to play NCAA or NAIA sports. There is not a huge difference between the two other than the competition you may face and the amount of money you can receive. NCAA schools have the ability to pay a full ride for their college athletes. On the other hand it is much tougher to earn a spot and is usually saved for the “cream of the crop� athletes. NAIA schools hand out many more scholarships but usually do not give away full rides like their sister association. Also, many of their scholarships are academic based while NCAA offers both athletic and academic. Thirdly, there are Division III schools which do not tend to give any money away as those are the much smaller, more local schools. A possible requirement for potential athletes is to fill out a college athletic resume. This resume contains every detail about your high school sports career from how many shots you made to how many minutes you played. Thames mentioned that he never had to fill out a resume but he did have to fill out questionnaires from the colleges which listed his GPA and class rank. No one is guaranteed a spot on a college roster just because you may have been an all-star at your high school. Completing these relatively easy steps does not necessarily ensure you a spot on a college roster either however, your chances increase the more a college recruiter gets to see of you. So a final word of advice is to continue to practice hard, work hard in school and find the best athletic home for you if that is your plan for your future. ™

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Opinion

*HUL¡V -RXUQH\ :DONLQJ WDONLQJ DQG VWD\LQJ WR WKH ULJKW By Geri Farrell The administration at Pattonville introduced the policy of “Walk and Talkâ€? and “Stay to the Rightâ€? this year to help the congestion in the hallways during “passing time.â€? Unfortunately, this new policy has been greeted with mockery from Pattonville’s student body. While I realize that the motto is pretty juvenile and the specially made T-shirts take the program a step too far, I think that overall, the program has been a beneficial addition to the school. I remember in previous years, students would arrive late to class, claiming that it was the tremendous crowds in the halls that had stalled them. In fact, one common complaint most students seemed to have about “passing timeâ€? was the extreme congestion in the hallways. This year, I have noticed a definite difference in the crowding. There is still the occasional “traffic jam,â€? but getting rid of all blockages is unrealistic when over 1,200 students stream into the hallways during “passing time.â€?

However, I find that I am no longer hurtling over mounds of stopped people on my way to class. The administration has been using positive reinforcement, awarding students when they are following the new rules for the hallway. This positive system is much better than the alternative, which would be penalizing students for ignoring the hall rules. The fact that the program is so publicized throughout the school makes me take into account where I am walking almost every “passing time.� I find that even though I consider the slogans somewhat inane, I still make it a point to “walk on the right.� Although the hallways have improved greatly since the introduction of this program, Pattonville still has room for improvement Hopefully, the student body will improve hallway etiquette before more drastic measures are taken. At Holman Middle School, a red line separates the right and left sides of the hall. I hope that hallway conduct at the high school improves so that “passing time� is never reduced to that. Y

*URZLQJ 3DLQV 6HQLRU \HDU LV DQ\WKLQJ EXW UHOD[LQJ By Jessica Brunts

Senior year is finally upon me. After three long, hard years of busting my brain and stressing over all of the work that goes with taking four honors classes, I have finally made it to my last year of high school. Many people believe that senior year is the year to slack off, to take easy classes that are guaranteed to get you an A. That may have been true decades ago, but that is no longer the case. In today’s society, college might as well be required by law because for the majority

of people, if you want to get anywhere in life, you have to have a college education. Colleges want high school students to take rigorous and challenging courses throughout all four years of high school. Senior year is supposed to be very fun, but it is also very serious. There is a lot of work to be done when planning for college. Your senior year is the time to start applying to colleges, applying for scholarships, and working on getting ACT and SAT scores higher.

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stress over visits is beginning to ease. The biggest part of college that stresses me out is trying to find the right one. There are thousands of colleges out there. There is no way that anyone could know every single one, visit every single one. I worry that my college search won’t take me to the school that is exactly right for me. I’ve looked at many schools, and I have a list of schools I still want to visit. All of them are still in the Midwest. I’ve looked at a mix of private and public schools. Ideally, I would want to attend a private school, but public schools are substantially cheaper. The anxiety and worry of the cost of private and out-of-state schools freaks me out. I have the

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At a glance, it is obvious that the first issue of the 2010-2011 Pirate Press is very different from the Pirate Press in previous years. The most obvious change is the format of the paper itself. The Pirate Press has transitioned from a magazine-style format printed within the Pattonville School District to a tabloid newspaper, much like the Saturday St. Louis Post-Dispatch, with the Missourian Publishing Company. The tabloid format is a smaller version of a newspaper format such as the daily edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This new style of the Pirate Press allows for more stories to be placed on one page. It also allows for jumping stories. This means that a story will start on one page and will end on a different page. This

draws the reader further into the newspaper and allows him or her to see more of the newspaper while locating the rest of the first story. The new Pirate Press is now more like a newspaper than a 8LI 4MVEXI magazine. The 4VIWW RS[ design was LEW E ;IF created WMXI XLEX [MPP by Jacob Sharp GSRWXERXP] FI and Elise WXVIEQMRK RI[ Moser while atGSRXIRX tending a journalism camp at the University of Missouri-Columbia and earned first place in design, making the Pirate Press an award-

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winning newspaper. The Pirate Press has switched to printing with the Missourian Publishing Company to increase the turn-around time of our newspaper. With the Pattonville School District Print Shop, it took 10 business days to get the paper back to pass out to the students. The Missourian Publishing Company guarantees to return the paper in only two business days. This increases the efficiency of the newspaper and allows the Pirate Press to cover stories that are more timely and more relevant. In addition to the new format, the Pirate Press now has a blog that will constantly be streaming new content related to the current issues covered in the newspaper. The blog will also have

option of A+ because I will be A+ certified, but I really don’t want to go to community college. I want to go away to college. Not all of my parents are so keen on the idea. Scholarship searching is overwhelming. Googling the word “scholarships� brings up millions of results. There is so much information that it is almost impossible to know where to begin. While everything is so overwhelming and my time for college planning has come, I know that if I take a deep breath and proceed in a calm manner, everything will turn out all right. Wherever I end up next year, I trust that I’ll be happy with my decision. Planning and making decisions that will change my life are scary, but they’re all growing pains. ™

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many polls about the Pirate Press or articles in the Pirate Press. The Web address to the Pirate Press blog is www.pattonvillepiratepress.wordpress.com. In addition to these changes to the format of the newspaper and the blog, the Pirate Press has many new staff members. Last year, the Pirate Press had only six staff members and two of them graduated. The four returning staff members this year are Elise Moser, Editor in Chief; Jessica Brunts, Managing Editor; Jacob Sharp, Design Editor; and Geri Farrell, Copy Editor. The new staff members are Hannah Johnson, Courtney McNeese, Zach Bailey, Armand Hayes, Jeremiah Williams, Jackie Neil, Ben Trochtenberg, Lexi Kendall, Chris Babb and Andrew Tyahla. ™

6WDII :ULWHUV (GLWRU LQ &KULV %DEE &KLHI =DFK %DLOH\ (OLVH 0RVHU +DQQDK -RKQVRQ 0DQDJLQJ /H[L .HQGDOO (GLWRU -DFNLH 1HLO -HVVLFD %UXQWV &RXUWQH\ 0F1HHVH &RS\ (GLWRU $QGUHZ 7\DKOD *HUL )DUUHOO %HQ 7URFKWHQEHUJ 'HVLJQ (GLWRU -HUHPLDK :LOOLDPV -DFRE 6KDUS $GYLVHU %ULDQ +H\PDQ The Pirate Press is the open forum news magazine 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 seperate from those of our administration, faculty, peers and adviser.

Entertainment Âą+SSI] 0SYMI² HIPMZIVW W[IIX XVIEXW EX E W[IIX TVMGI By Jeremiah Williams and Andrew Tyahla I recall a certain someone who always says, “I’m getting a rumbly in my tumbly.â€? Well, of course Winnie the Pooh is always right, however if you find yourself with that famous “Rumbly in your Tumbly,â€? what better way to relinquish those hunger pains than to head out to Gooey Louie’s, the Place for Gooey Butter Cake When it comes down to St. Louis traditions, one sweet treat is gooey butter cake. Despite this, it is a hard-to-find delicacy. One of the best places to find it is Gooey Louie. Gooey Louie is located at 6483 Chippewa, a half-mile east of Ted Drewes, in the city of St. Louis. It is a small bakery with a colorful interior that evokes a whimsical and loving atmosphere. But keep in mind that it is intended for pick-ups and take-outs, so there is nowhere to sit. Debbie Stieferman, a 1990 Pattonville High School graduate is the owner and founder of Gooey Louie, and alongside her husband, Kirk, has been dishing out gooey butter cakes since the fall of 2006. To their surprise, they would be making gooey butter cakes as a full-time job with a recipe that dates back four generations and competing in a television show on

the Food Network to determine the best gooey butter cake in St. Louis. Family-run and operated, they are most famous for their homemade crust and offer their cakes with special packaging and can cater for any celebration. The cake itself comes in 10 different flavors, including original, Chocolate Chippewa, Hwy 40: Driving Me Nuts, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Key Lime, and Let’s Go Blueberries. I recommend the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. It is as gooey as the name gooey butter cake suggests, but it is not too much that it sticks to the roof of your mouth. It is sweet due to it being topped with powdered sugar. In addition, the cake is actually made with real peanut butter cups. The cake is sold in 8 inch by 8 inch cakes and cost $10.32 plus tax. Fair warning: the cake is really rich, so you might not want to have too much cake in one day. Gooey Louie actually has a second location at 14628 Manchester Road in Ballwin, one mile west of Highway 141. This helps to make its cakes more accessible. Overall, Gooey Louie serves delicious gooey butter cakes and is well worth the price. ™

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¹:EQTMVIW 7YGO² 0MXIVEPP] By Courtney McNeese

As a hater of the “Twilight� movies, I thought “Vampires Suck� was going to be awesome. What’s better than a spoof of a movie that completely ruined your love for “Twilight�? I can never re-read the series now because of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. My hatred for those movies is as big and fiery as the sun, and I thought “Vampires Suck� was stupid. The only funny parts are shown in the trailers, and the cheesiness is way too much. I nearly died from dairy overload, it was that bad. My friend and I ended up laughing because if we didn’t, we’d start to cry. The movie should also have

dedicated warning labels stating that you will not leave the theater without hearing the actors cuss about 150 times. The only parts of the movie I liked was the soundtrack and the actor (Chris Riggi) who played Jacob, but not until after he turned into a Chihuahua. So if you’re completely determined to see and like any and all movies that make fun of “Twilight�, have fun. For the rest of the people, don’t see it, you’ll only get a stomachache and a migraine. ™

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By Chris Babb

St. Louis’ very own rock group Ludo dropped its album “Prepare the Preparations� on Sept. 7, followed by an acoustic show at Vintage Vinyl Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. Tim Convy, Ludo’s very own keyboard player, decided to drop a few lines to Pattonville about the new album. Such past releases such as “You’re Awful, I Love You� generated thousands of fans, and led to the single “Love Me Dead.� This time around, Ludo will have to top greatness to meet and excel the success of their last album. Convy is confident that Ludo’s fan base will welcome the new album to their CD collection. “We’re confident that fans are going to love it,� Convy said.� We think it’s a better record. It’s even more Ludo to us, if that makes any sense.� St. Louis will get a taste of the real deal Oct. 18 at the Pageant when they dish out the new album to the masses. Convy also stated how the band as a whole was much more confident this time around since the release of the band’s previous album “You’re Awful, I Love You� and the band has never been more ready to seduce the listeners’ ears with some poprock action. Convy explained that fans should attend the show, not

only for Ludo, but also for There for Tomorrow, The Graduate, and Tommy & the High Pilots. Convy said that Matt Palermo, Ludo’s drummer, also plays in Tommy & the High Pilots, and that it would

add an interesting twist to the live show. With a lot of support by 105.7 The Point, Ludo’s new single “Whipped Cream� has been receiving airtime in preparation for the album. Convy said the single reflected the new album, “I’d say it reflects the album in that it’s pretty overthe-top and a little strange which most the album is, but I don’t think anything else on the album sounds like “Whipped Cream� at all.� He also said he wanted the listeners to just take a deep breath and relax, as the new album has

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/ER]I ;IWX´W RI[ EPFYQ MW FIXXIV XLER Âą+ 3 3 ( ² GSRXEMRW QYPXMTPI EVXMWXW By Armand Hayes A word that comes to mind when the name Kanye West is said could be “G.O.O.D.â€? G.O.O.D. stands for Getting Out Our Dreams. This is the acronym for West’s newest album of music produced by him, which is also known as G.O.O.D. Mixtape. The CD consists of 30 tracks, some are live performances from recent concerts. Also, there are 15 other artists on the label along side West, such as Kid Cudi, Common, Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Charlie Wilson and John Legend. The album has songs like “See Me Nowâ€? featuring Beyonce and Charlie Wilson, “So G.O.O.Dâ€? by Big Sean, and “Got Me Goneâ€? by GLC. A song that became a quick favorite is “Live Fast, Die Youngâ€?

with Rick Ross featuring West, GLC and Tony Williams. Ross’ smooth, blunt and raw rapping style along with West’s jubilant and fresh beats, make for the perfect blend of new-age rap music that can be enjoyed by almost anyone. The song is truly nothing different than West has done before, but it really does offer a great sound of what rap should be, disregarding auto-tune and trying to find new subjects to rap about, which West does well. West is only featured on a few tracks on the entire CD, which could be a large let down for West fans who are expecting him to be all over the album. However, the CD unleashes more of West’s creative side and shows that he can be taken seri-

ously as a producer and a rapper. The CD also consists of his normal “good life� standards and living it up with the rapper life style. However, I believe that West has gone too commercial. The music still sounds like almost everything else that is out at the moment that deals with rap music, but it still is good enough to listen to and enough collaborations in it to invite anyone into a different genre of rap music, even if you don’t enjoy this brash rapper. It is truly an album to at least sample, even if you aren’t the biggest Kanye West fan. The album is available on several Web sites and is schedule for a full release in the fall. ™

“something for everyone.� Convy said that there are many stories, messages and tales in the new album and it has a lot of character. “The new album has some of our best stories yet. I’m excited to see how people react and pumped to be playing this stuff live.� The high expectations must surpass such stories as “Broken Bride�, Ludo’s rock-opera that covers everything from prehistoric danger, a man trying to save his wife with a time machine, and an apocalyptic future where zombies reign and dragons destroy. But, Convy assures fans that this is so far the best Ludo has to offer. This will be the first album without former bassist Marshall Fanciullo in the team’s line-up. Convy said a search for a permanent bassist is not currently on the agenda. “We’ve had a great time having different friends play bass with us and it brings a new energy to what we do. I think we’ll keep that up.� With the album here and the glory exposed, fans can find themselves “preparing the preparations� by going to the Pageant’s box office and picking up a ticket for the show on Oct. 18. ™

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