“If nothing else, value the truth” ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011
VOL. LXXV, ISSUE 28
PHOTO BY MR. MATT SCIUTO
SURVEY
WHERE WE STAND: A SCREEN FOR EVERY STUDENT?
Juniors elect STUCO executives for next year by Matt Cooley core staff
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85% of freshmen say yes, compared to 25% of seniors by Patrick O’Leary web editor
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n a survey conducted last week, the Prep News revisited the issue of technology at St. Louis U. High and the possibility of introducing one device to one student technology. We asked questions about whether the device would help or hurt in classes, whether or not one-to-one technology should be implemented, and about the technological devices students currently own. When evaluating the possibility of one-to-one technology at SLUH, there was a significant decline in interest from freshmen to senior year: 85 percent of freshmen agreed that SLUH should add this type of program, 70 percent of sophomores agreed, 55 percent of juniors agreed, and only 25 percent of seniors agreed. The survey asked students first what they owned in terms of technology and to identify how many of each device they and their family owned. Next, the survey asked when families were planning to purchase new technology. Students were also asked what they thought of current technology and could circle any applicable answer. The back of the survey, the future technology section, asked students if they thought SLUH should implement technology on a one-to-one basis, what form that technology should take, and further, what they would be willing to pay for such a device. Finally, survey responders evaluated which classes they thought personal technology would help in. Students’ responses to these prompts varied, and they are compiled below. Perhaps the most important question was whether SLUH should implement one-to-one technology. Students responded to the prompt “I think SLUH should implement technology on a one device to one student basis” with “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Neutral/Disagree,” or “Strongly Disagree.” The results showed a much stronger tendency to strongly continued on page 4
sluh.org/prepnews
The newly-elected STUCO executive officers. Top row, from left: Social Officer Christopher Lynas, School Spirit Officer Tommy Behr, Vice President James Griffard, Secretary/ Treasurer Michael Henry. Bottom row, from left: President Bryan Mathews, Pastoral Officer Adam Hunn.
he junior class chose six officers to serve as Student Council (STUCO) executives next year in elections this week. The new officers hope to bolster STUCO’s ability to listen to student voices and encourage students to participate in school activities. Current junior class president Bryan Mathews was chosen to lead next year’s Executive Board as student body president. Current pastoral officer James Griffard won the race for vice president. The other four winners were students with no previous STUCO experience: Secretary/Treasurer Michael Henry, Social Officer Christopher Lynas, Pastoral Officer Adam Hunn (who ran unopposed) and School Spirit Officer Tommy Behr. One hundred eighty-five juniors voted in primary elections on Monday to narrow the four candidates for president, four for secretary/treasurer, and four for social officer to two candidates per position. The final two candidates
for each contested position addressed their classmates in an activity period assembly on Wednesday, and 207 students voted that day at lunch to determine the winners. Wednesday’s assembly was unusually colorful. Seemingly undeterred by the Gadfly members dressed in white jumpsuits staging a gag anti-STUCO protest from their seats, two candidates led the theater full of students in slow-clap “Who’s high? Who’s High” cheers, one spoke quietly for dramatic effect, and another showed a video trailer in which he asked strangers for votes. STUCO co-moderator Lauren Dickens was especially impressed with the candidates’ speeches. “Everyone’s speeches were outstanding,” said Dickens. “It’s always fun to see the creativity and the different ways people express their leadership abilities to their classmates.” Having never worked with most of them before, Dickens and co-moderator Brock Kesterson weren’t sure what to expect from continued on page 5
Of Mice and Men summer Sisyphus showcases reading paired with play student literature and art by John staff
Webb
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f Mice and Men will be St. Louis U. High’s summer reading book this year. In addition to reading the novel, which was chosen by the fine arts department, the entire school will see a stage adaptation of the book put on by the Dauphin Players in October. Of Mice and Men is the story of two migrant workers who come to work at a ranch in California during the Great Depression. Partly based on Steinbeck’s own experiences as a migrant worker, the book follows the pair in their quest to eventually settle down on their own piece of land. According to fine arts teacher Kathryn Whitaker, the book also presents several moral dilemmas. Three years ago, the selection of a summer reading book was turned over to a paired department committee. Last year, however, the fine arts and physical education departments, the two departments who were supposed to choose a book, reached an agreement where the physical education department would pick the 2010-11 summer
The weekly student newspaper of St. Louis U. High 4970 Oakland Ave. - St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 531-0330 ext. 2241 online at sluh.org/prepnews prepnews@sluh.org Copyright ©2011 St. Louis University High School Prep News. No material may be reprinted without the permission of the editors and moderator.
reading book and fine arts would pick the 2011-12 summer reading book. Fine arts teacher Joan Bugnitz said that the arrangement was “a good choice.” “To have the departments each pick a book, what you’re saying is that department brings something to the process,” said Bugnitz. In what Whitaker calls “a different approach to summer reading,” the entire school will watch a performance of the play over the course of four days in October. SLUH’s performance of Of Mice and Men will not depart too far from the book, since it was adapted for the stage by Steinbeck himself. “We thought how exciting it would be to let every student have the experience of seeing that piece of material brought to life,” said Whitaker. “It’s a fascinating process—from page to stage.” The book discussions led by members of the National Honor Society (NHS) that normally take place in the first few weeks of school will now be held after continued on page 5
by Adam reporter
Thorp
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fter 29 years of publishing the best of St. Louis U. High students’ work in art and literature, Sisyphus, SLUH’s literary magazine, will release its longest issue ever next Tuesday–72 pages. Sisyphus editor and contributor junior Greg Fister was excited about the release of the Spring issue of the biannual magazine, calling it “something every student can be proud of. It’s a good representation of all the hard work ... that we’ve done, writing and drawing and painting all year.” Appreciators of the magazine willing to fork over the 25 cents to obtain a copy will be introduced to the issue by the cover art, a watercolor by senior Raymund Foronda. Fister described it as a combination of “using two-dimensional painting on the paper and raising certain squares of the paper using matboard. The effect that has on the cover that is two-dimensional is really cool.” Moderator Frank Kovarik noted that “the spring issue is
remarkable for the amount of fiction it includes.” In this issue, the number of short fiction pieces well exceeds the number of poems. This issue also includes one of the longest stories the magazine has ever featured, a piece by senior Tim Wilhelm. Moderator Rich Moran described the short story as a “remarkable drama in the story of a high school senior working at a French cafe.” The story illustrates a young man torn between a co-worker and what Moran calls “the charming and mysterious French woman who owns the place.” Moran remarked that the level of development invested in the decisions of the main character justified the unusual length. Senior Daniel L’Ecuyer, a prolific poet for Sisyphus, has five poems in this issue. Senior literary editor Conor Fellin was enthused by the works, saying, “I think Daniel has really reached his peak as a writer at SLUH. His poems are very complex and intense, without being hard to navigate.” continued on page 2
News
Opinion
Sports
Next year’s STUCO shapes up Freshmen and sophomores elected their class representatives this week. Read about the results on page 4.
Notebook: Seeing past the flaws At this age, our minds are finely tuned to pick out weak spots. Can we look past flaws or do we obsess over them? Page 3
Water polo suffers first loss Water polo won a handful more games, but they also suffered their first loss to Fenwick (Ill.) in the DeSmet Invitational. Page 6
Russian Essayists win big Three seniors earn gold in National Russian Essay Contest, two advance to earn double gold in this year’s competition. Page 2
Commentary: Learn, don’t invest When we see our education as a “daily deposit” in our future to cash in on later, we miss the point of learning. Page 3
Spring sports go inside for the week Rainy weather has forced many spring sports to cancel practices, reschedule games, and adopt alternate workouts. Page 7