April 2018 Print Edition

Ec ho

Rolla High School - 900 Bulldog Run Rolla, Missouri 65401- Volume 69 - Issue 9 April 27, 2018 - www.rhsecho.com

8 12 20

Students prepare for “A Night of Madness” at this year’s prom

Rolla Youth Group students explore the culture of Kenya on mission trip

Ozark Actor’s Theater and its everlasting success in the Rolla area

In this issue...

No Schoolwide ACT.........................................................5 How to Change a Tire.....................................................10 Mr. RHS...........................................................................18 End of Course Testing.....................................................25 Senior Column.................................................................27

Letter from the Editor I have been a dancer for most of my life, but let me tell you, there is nothing that could have prepared me for trying to teach thirteen guys a dance for Mr. RHS. They’ve been working hard, and we’ve been preparing for the “pageant” for a couple weeks now. It’s been quite the journey though, with lots of laughs and “shhh” sounds. I don’t think I had ever realized how loud thirteen guys could be when they’re all talking at the same time. It has definitely been an experience, but a fun one at that.

On April 27th, these guys will take the stage and show off their dance moves. As they act like housewives, hopefully, people in the audience will share a laugh or two. There’s nothing like seeing high school guys lip-sync Meghan Trainor. Personally, I think it’s pretty amusing. Plus, there are other parts of the show that will be just as enjoyable. If you feel like having some fun, come see them in action at Rolla Middle School!

I want to give some shoutouts because I’m just one piece of the puzzle that is working to put together Mr. RHS. Special thanks to Elizabeth Kemp, who is the woman in charge of basically everything.

I also want to thank Brenna Heavin, Julia Leventis, and Helen Leventis because without them the guys might not be dancing as well as they are right now. Most importantly, I want to thank all the contestants for their willingness to embrace the housewife attitude. There’s no show without the entertainment.

2017-2018 Rolla High ECHO Magazine Staff Editor In Chief - Sophia Gesualdi Copy Editor - Adrienne Pyeatt Managing Editor - Lydia Giesey Photo Editor - Bailey Allison Webmaster- Blaize Klossner Section Editors: Abbee Hilgers (Opinion), Maia Bond (Arts & Entertainment), Kayla Copeland (News), Brandon Kirchner (Sports), Jessa Swearingen (Feature) Staff Writers - Nalani Massaro, Lorren Black, Brett Gonzalez, Tutu Hardwick, Abbee Hilgers, Elizabeth Kaelin, Sam Kimball, Taylor Miller, Josh Pritchett, Isaac Stormes, Nicole Van Horn, Adviser - Mary Gillis ECHO is an open forum for student expression. All letters to the editor must include the writer’s name, signature and class or position. Anonymous letters will not be published.

ECHO reserves the right to reject any letters. Letters should be sent to ECHO, Rolla High School, 900 Bulldog Run, Rolla, MO 65401.

ECHO is a member of Missouri Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, and Quill & Scroll Honor Society

2

Table of Contents

ECHO’s Take on Preventing Underage drinking at RHS b y

It is a well-known fact that car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and a large portion of those accidents involve alcohol. Due to this, Rolla High School, as well as many high schools throughout the nation, hold an annual mock car crash. The 2018 event is scheduled for May 4th, the day before prom.

While studies have shown that the shock of a mock car crash does, in fact, deter students from driving while intoxicated, this effect is only temporary. All shock wears off due to the nature of human beings to overcome trauma. This would explain why our 2018 mock car crash is so close to prom. However, this type of fake blood fueled passion play does not have any long-term effect on drunk driving in teens.

There is nothing wrong with the mock car crash, and it is a tradition we shouldn’t get rid of anytime soon. If something can save the life of only one person, then it is worth all of the time, effort, and money. However, we need to be doing even more to instill good habits that will follow Rolla High School students through their lives.

Students who attended Rolla High School for their ninth grade year have taken a health class where they received education about the dangers of driving while intoxicated. This type of education is essential for the prevention of teen drinking, but it needs to continue throughout the entirety of high school, not just one semester in freshman year. At the minimum, there should be a video presentation given in advisory once a year. Link Crew should give information about it. Teen drinking prevention should be included in every major assembly of the school year, at least homecoming.

Ab

b e e

H

i l g e r s

Opinion Editor

(Of course, having individualized counseling available would be ideal.)

If students were properly educated, and if good behaviors were constantly instilled in students throughout all of high school, then “safe and sober prom” wouldn’t even be an issue.

Until that happens, everyone should make an individual effort to educate themselves and others. Counselors need to make students aware they are willing to talk with them about alcohol issues.

Teachers need to report to the administration if they hear students talking about alcohol so that parents can become involved. Students need to report it to teachers if they hear their peers talking about alcohol and partying.

Getting in trouble for a few days or weeks is a lot better than dying. Being cool doesn’t matter if you’re dead. Don’t be afraid to call someone if you are in a dangerous situation. The police won’t arrest you for saving someone from an overdose. The counselors won’t get mad at you for being concerned about a fellow student.

If you go to a party, don’t drink. Do not get into a vehicle if the driver is intoxicated. If you are driving a vehicle with drunk people in it, make sure they do not do anything to distract your driving and make sure they get into their homes safely.

If you see someone driving while intoxicated, call the police. It’s better for someone to be annoyed than dead. If you see someone passed out from drinking, turn them on their side or they will choke on their own vomit.

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol abuse, please call 1-800-662-4357 or text Text HELLO to 741741.

“Everyone should make an individual effort to educate themselves and others.”

Staff Editorial

3

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE

DIVERSE

b y

Je

s s a

Swe

a r i n g e n

Feature Editor

Nearly a century ago, the first African American movie star, movie in 2017 and was the biggest live-action film to have been directed by a woman. Gal Gadot killed it in the first Lincoln Perry, got his break as the character Stepin Fetchitsolo female superhero movie in a decade and will stay that a mumbling, lazy fool. Though far from his best work, this is way until 2019 Captain Marvel. what became his claim to fame; this character was wellknown for its place in In Old Kentucky as the stereotypical More recently, as current as this past March, Love Simon dense African American man. It was met with controversy came out of the closet and into theaters- the first majorfrom all sides, with most angered that he was aired in the studio release of a film centered on a gay teenager. This film first place, and many African Americans furious at the poor was unexpectedly successful due to its budget being low -$17 representation. million- when compared to most popular movies that are Today, Black Panther, the superhero movie now famous often seven times that or more and typically horror and acfor the stunning vastness of African American roles, has just tion movies. This is also true due to it being released in the passed ‘Titanic’ for the position of third-highest grossing same time span as Black Panther. The coming-of-age film film of all time. It surpassed Star Wars: The Last Jedi in stars Nick Robinson as a closeted gay teen as he navigates opening weekend sales to secure the second-biggest debut an otherwise typical high school life, a reality known well ever. It remained the number one movie in “Diversity sells, today; Generation Z has been found to have America for five weeks, the first movie to first and foremost, only 48% of them identifying as completely meet the streak left by Avatar in 2009. heterosexual. because today’s Between these two films, much has And yet, even with these success stories, changed in America, particularly its ideals audiences are them- diversity isn’t the new norm. Well, at least, of liberty, respect, and representation. and selves diverse and not yet. As popular as it is proving to be to nothing shows this more than the success of have such enrichment, the numbers don’t in search of sto- lie. Only 26.9% of on-screen characters are the more diverse recent movies.

In the past two years, many movies have ries and characters people of color, the rest, of course, being hit the headlines thanks, in part, to their di- with whom they can white. And even though 2017 saw Wonder verse casting. In 2017, Get Out hit theaters Woman shaking things up, the number of identify.” in February and quickly dominated theaters female leads actually dropped to 24%. And -2017 Hollywood Diversity again, Love Simon was the first of its kind. thanks to Jordan Peele, the first black director to debut with $100 million budget.

Which is why these movies are so imReport It became wildly popular instantly partly portant. For most people or at least this due to its unique way of toeing the line between horror and generation, these are trailblazers. This country has a dark comedy, but also because of African American actor Daniel history when it comes to diversity, but these movies prove our capability for change. In just a few short decades, our Kaluuya who impressed everyone in the lead role. Just a short while ago, it won Academy Awards for Best Picture, population will have more members of minority groups than of the majority. So representation in the form of more Actor, and Director.

Also in 2017, June had Wonder Woman bring a breath of diverse casting and storytelling simply makes sense. By alfresh air to the male-dominated superhero genre. It quickly lowing diverse movies to more than succeed, directors and rocketed past all its D.C. counterparts and besting many casters are getting one clear message: Diversity sells. By seeing and supporting these movies, people are making the of Marvel movies too, thanks to its empowering message to women of all ages. It became the third-highest grossing long-needed changes in our movies today.

4

News

A C T

Since 2015, the state of Missouri has been paying for high school juniors to take the ACT. However, as of this year, that has changed. There have been many questions regarding this situation, one being “What was the reason that this funding stopped and how will this affect RHS students?” Our very own administrator, Josh Smith, was able to answer these questions.

“The state, when they developed the budget last year, was $4 million and they happened to be $4 million short, this just happened to be what the ACT cost. That’s what the cost was, so the state cut it from the budget because they are the ones that funded it,” Smith said.

The state received soaring statistics from their students once they began to fund the ACT for high school juniors. The percentage of graduating seniors who had taken the test rose 30%. Due to the increase in students taking the ACT, there was a 1% drop in the national average for test scores; the scores went from 21 to 20. However, there was an increase in students who tested above the national average. These statistics were included in the list of pros and cons that were discussed when deciding if the ACT should have been cut. Smith explained how these pros and cons would affect the students here at RHS. “Although it was a state discussion, the pros here would be that kids could take it who would have not been able to take it before. Some of them wouldn’t think that they would score very well and then they would surprise themselves. They would then want to go to college, because they scored higher on the ACT than they thought they would. To me, there’s no pro to not taking the test, but it was kind of out of our hands,” Smith said.

With the price of the ACT being $46 or $62.50 with the writing portion, it would be reassuring to know if there was some sort of financial aid that can be offered. Smith was able to confirm these inquisitions.

“The big deal was if we still offered it during the day, we asked if there would be reduced costs for free or reduced lunch students, and there was but, only if they take the test on the weekends. It’s really better for the students that have a hard time affording it to take the test on the weekends. So that was the other decision that we had here,” Smith said.

For more information on the subject, be sure to talk to your administrators or view the websites that were used to find most of the information

Does it stand for “Assessment we Can’t Take?” b y

Tu

t u

H

for this article:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/missouri-will-no-longer-offerthe-act-for-free-to/article_78c14bd85d45-5af1-8458-9b7b5597a034.html http://www.komu.com/news/ missouri-will-no-longer-pay-foract-testing http://www.joplinglobe. com/news/local_news/ missouri-to-no-longeroffer-free-act-tests/article_dfa55d32-2431-5223b033-33b9f004b77c. html

a r d w i c k

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

News

5

The Success Of

As the school year enters its last few weeks and seniors finalize their choice of college, younger students are left with their own decisions looming in the nearing future. One alum was not even sure her career even existed when she was a student at Rolla High School.

Linda Goldman graduated with the class of 1980 and now spends her time as the executive producer for mission critical programming at the Smithsonian Channel, a joint venture between Showtime and the Smithsonian Institution. She works on programs closely aligned with the Smithsonian, and credits Rolla High School with aiding her in her exploration of different topics and creating an atmosphere of high standards while she was in high school.

“In Rolla, we had excellent teachers, we were held to a high standard,” Goldman said.

Goldman did not always appreciate the high standards when she was in school, recounting a disappointing grade.

“I remember an English teacher not giving me a very good grade on a project. I went to her and I said ‘well I did better

b y

i a

Bo

n d

than Bill and Suzie and I do not understand why you gave me this grade’ and she said ‘because you could have done better than what you did,’’’ Goldman Said.

In conjunction with high academic standards, Goldman goes on to praise how well the science and art programs are, which allowed her to pursue what she was interested in.

“You had the chance to try a lot of things and you were supported in doing so,” Goldman said.

Some of her support came from influential teachers that have since retired, including drama teacher Mr. Woodfin and Latin teacher Mrs. Beverage. Goldman admits to not being too artistically inclined, so she turned to drama and found a creative outlet there. Along with these teachers, she also cites history teachers that taught her in a meaningful way.

“They did not just open a textbook and tell you to read a chapter, they were really teaching and you could tell that they cared. This more than anything was the most important thing; they were invested in helping you become the best person you can be,” Goldman said.

She finished her career at Rolla High School where she played tennis and was active in drama, journalism, and photography.

She knew she wanted to tell stories and journalism seemed like the career where she could achieve this, so she set out to attend Mizzou to study just that. However, after a few years, she decided against journalism school.

a d n n i L dma l o G

6 Feature

Ma

Arts & Entertainment Editor

RHS Alumni

“(...) I discovered the documentary film group, which was a little bit different than journalism school. I ended up getting a radio television film degree. I love documentaries I wanted to work in documentaries,” Goldman said.

Through upperclassmen friends that worked in television news and being exposed to several influential documentaries, Goldman took a risk.

“I had no idea if it was feasible, no idea if it was workable. I thought maybe I should study marketing or go to law school. I had a lot of ‘just in cases’,” Goldman said.

Despite being unsure of her choice, Goldman graduated and moved to the Washington D.C area where her dad lived. She landed a job as a production assistant and soon got recommended for a job at National Geographic. As Senior Producer for Specials at National Geographic Television, Goldman managed over 20 programs.

These featured a drama on Charles Darwin and an ocean exploration series.

Now she has been working as an Executive Producer for Smithsonian Channel for about eight years.

Her job description includes working to evaluate and develop television proposals in collaboration with curators and scientists around the Smithsonian Institution. Once an idea is greenlit, she selects the filmmakers and supervises production from shaping the story for television through to completing and publicizing the programs.

Some of the projects this Rolla High School graduate has led have been about flying cars, jetpacks, the Civil War. She also took on leading all 130 videos for the National African American History and Culture Museum, and she is currently working on a two hour special about volcanoes around the world.

Early next month “Smithsonian Time Capsule: 1968” will premiere. It tells the story of the year through objects from collections around the museums and interviews with Smithsonian curators.

All of these projects have allowed her to meet people that inspire her.

“I love meeting people who are passionate about what they do or are interesting and have a story to tell. I love finding a way to translate that to the screen,” Goldman said.

Throughout Goldman’s success, she has remained loyal to her hometown values.

“I am forever grateful for my education in Rolla. (...) The things that I bring with me are that sense of connectedness to community, and it is something I look for,” Goldman said.

She stayed in the Washington D.C area but lives in a small town right outside of the city. Goldman lives across the country from Rolla’s midwestern community, but she is sentimental about the time she spent here.

“Education was something to be valued, and as a community people were invested in educating all the kids. That is something that is so essential for a functioning community and democracy,” Goldman said.

With all of her accomplishments, Goldman has appreciated her time in Rolla and admires the school. She advises students that are currently in her previous position to take chances, and they are able to at Rolla High School.

“The important thing is to try. Do not psych yourself out. The people that show up and are willing to contribute and learn are the ones that I want to have on my team,” Goldman said.

Feature 7

A Night of Madness b y

Ka

y l a

C

o p e l a n d

News Editor

As April draws to a close and May begins, one of the biggest events of the year has finally come: Prom 2018. For those who don’t know, this year’s theme is A Night of Madness, which is a play on Alice in Wonderland. To shed light on this popular dance is junior Jesse Crump, who has been one of five people planning the Prom.

“We started meeting the second week of school. We met one day a week at pride, but now we are meeting everyday until prom.”

Crump said. She is especially excited about the theme after a long process of deciding what is should be, “We tossed around a lot of ideas and after many heated discussions we settled on Alice in Wonderland,” Crump said.

Crump isn’t the only one behind the big event, working alongside juniors Kayla Copeland, Renee Wang, Pranal Madria, and Ashley Barth. They have been working hard to make this Prom the best one yet, listening to past planners and improving what they can.

“There will be a photo booth, bigger dance floor, snacks, and a croquet set outside,” Crump said.

Barth is excited to see all of the group’s hard work come to a close, claiming that the dance, “is going to be ‘wonderful.’”

Renee Wang has also enjoyed being on the Prom Committee, and loved talking about the work that has gone into it.

“My favorite part was probably the decorations and creative side of it. Since the theme is A Night of Madness, we get to have a lot of fun with the interesting decorations. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing it all come together at the actual dance and so we can see how months of planning have payed off,” said Wang.

For any future juniors who would like to get involved in planning the next prom, the

8 Feature 8 Feature

b y

N

a l a n i

Ma

s s a r o

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

event is run through Student Council, so only select members can be on the committee.

Wang described how she became involved.

“I’m one of the junior class officers, so that’s part of my position. It was also really cool since I helped with planning homecoming too,” Wang said.

Advising these students is the Junior Class Chairman and Librarian Jessie Kirkbride.

This will be her 5th year as head of the dance, and she has been the one helping the students prepare for the occasion. Even before she was in charge of the dance, she provided a helping hand for past events.

“From my very first year teaching I helped with prom because I was one of the teachers on the committee. It just naturally progressed, Mrs. Carol retired and I came in,” Kirkbride said.

To clear up any confusion, the Prom Committee has shared some reminders about tickets for those planning to attend the dance. The tickets are being sold during all lunch shifts in the cafeteria during the week leading up to Prom.

“The seniors sometimes mistake their invitation for their ticket. It’s an invitation only, not their ticket in the door. The tickets are free for the Seniors, they just have to pay all of their fees. Even if it’s from a class first semester they still need payed. Also, books need to be renewed or turned in. For juniors the tickets are thirty dollars,” Kirkbride said.

The Committee would also like everyone to know that they can request music for the dance. An email has been sent to everyone’s gmail account, and students can request as many songs as they want as long as they are school appropriate. A Night of Madness is on May 5, 2018 from 8 to 11:30pm at the Hasselmann Alumni House.

Meet the Candidates Thuraia Ibrahim

Jared Beard

Ami Ikuenobe

Reid Hoss

Emma Weinbaum

Landon Adams

Courtney Colench

Josh Prichett

Laura McCutcheon

Nick Janke Questions: -What is the most important part of high school?

-Who has been influential in your life and what would you say to them -If you could swap lives with someone who would it be?

Thuraia Ibrahim -Bonding with classmates and teachers and getting to know them on a more personal level.

-My mom, because she always taught me that even though she didn’t have that big of an education, that education was number one. It’s the weapon you use to go through life and to fight everything.

-I would have to say Morgan Freeman. I think he’s super cool.

-No.

Ami Ikuenobe -The social aspect of high school is most important.

-My mom has been influential in my life.

I would say I love her to the moon and back, and she’s amazing and she is so strong.

-I would swap lives with Beyonce for obvious reasons.

-Yes.

Reid Hoss -Definitely the connections you make with friends, peers, teachers.

-My mom has been so Jared beard influential in my life.

-Always enjoy what She’s taught me how you’re doing, never do to live life to the fullest anything that makes while having a good you unhappy. time!

-Mrs. McNeven, she -I’d switch lives with always wants everyone Ryleigh Grommet! I’d tobe themselves and like to be good at a just have a good time, sport.

I would probably swap -A hotdog is NOT a lives with a jaguar. sandwich! A sandwich I want to see if I can is two pieces of bread, survive in the wild, and and a hotdog is conI heard that they kill nected. crocodiles..

Yeah, it’s more like a wrap.

-Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Emma Weinbaum -Keep your circle small, not everyone is your friend.

-My dad, I would tell him thank you for pushing me to be my best.

-Spongebob, so I could live in a pineapple under the sea.

-Yes.

Courtney Colench -To enjoy yourself and surround yourself with people who will raise your spirits.

-My parents. I would say thanks, I love you.

-I think it would be cool to be in Jennifer Aniston’s shoes. She was on Friends and she is just cool.

-Yes.

Landon Adams -Is enjoying it while it lasts.

-I’d say to Coach Franks thanks for making football fun.

-I would swap lives with Donald Trump so I could be rich and be the president.

-A sandwich is two seperate pieces of bread so a hotdog could be. If the bun is split at the bottom then it is a sandwich if it isn’t split is just a hotdog.

Josh Pritchett -The most important part of high school is being involved in everything that you do, get out there meet new people.

-I’d say thank you to my parents for trying to push me to be my best and for always supporting me, and that I love them.

-I would swap lives with LeBron James, because he is the greatest basketball player of all time.

-No a hotdog is not a sandwich because it’s not.

Laura McCutcheon -Part of me wants to say education but really it’s people and connections.

-My parents. I want them to know that I do appreciate them and what they do so much.

Also, I’m sorry I carved my name into our kitchen cabinet.

-I’d switch lives with Beyoncé. You know why.

-Technically a hotdog bun is one piece and sandwiches have two pieces of bread right?

So, no I don’t think so.

Nick Janke -Learning a lot is the most important part of high school, but also having fun and worrying less.

-I would say Mr. Rinehart has been an influential teacher and I would say thanks for making history enjoyable.

-I like my life so I wouldn’t switch my life with anyone.

-No, I don’t think so.

Changing a Tire b y

Tu

t u

H

a r d w i c k

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

a n d

Ad

r i e n n e

Py

e att

Copy Editor

Although changing a tire is an important skill to have for any driver, many (especially young drivers) have never learned this particular skill, assuming that they won’t ever need the knowledge.

Preparing for the unexpected can save you time and money if and when something happens to you.

Being stranded on the side of the road without a clue is no joke, so here are some tips and tricks when it comes to changing a tire!

These are the tools necessary for changing a tire.

They should be in your car, but it can be difficult to locate them, so make sure you know where these tools are before an emergency occurs. These tools include a scissor jack, a spare tire, a lug wrench, and a jack hook extension kit.

1. Put your emergency brake on.

2. Check your owner’s manual for info on your car.

5. Find the correct placement under your car for the jack.

8. Remove flat tire and replace with spare.

10 Feature

6. Jack your car up about 6 inches off the ground.

9. Put lug nuts on and tighten by hand.

4. Loosen, but do not remove lug nuts.

3. Take hubcap off, if it isn’t already.

7. Remove the lug nuts with wrench.

10. Lower the car and remove the jack.

11. Tighten the lug nuts with a wrench, in a star pattern.

Extra tips -Take your car to a technician after you change your tire and don’t drive on the spare for a very long time or at high speeds.

-Never get under a vehicle being supported by a jack.

-Get your tires rotated every once in a while to prevent unequal wear.

The Anatomy of a Hands-on Learning experience b y

Ly

d i a

Gi

e s e y

Managing Editor

Field trips are a rite of passage in any American school. Celebrated by teachers and students alike, they are a tried-and-true method of supplementary education. Rolla High School’s very own take on Mrs. Frizzle, Dr. Keith Peterson, recently took a group of students from his respective anatomy and physiology and cell biology classes to a Cadaver lab at Logan University in St. Louis, on April 5th.

“We had two presenters, and they had a dissected cadaver, which is called a demonstration or prosection bodies. Basically they’re dissected to show a lot of the muscular system, the internal organs and a lot of the digestive system, abdominal cavity, the respiratory system with the lungs and the heart, and also--which not every student takes part in--the cranial dissection that they have where you can see the brain and certain things. So we start with the two bodies, they do a general overview of the muscular system and other organs, and then when they get into the organ systems they have what we call ‘buckets’ of different organs; they have a big tub of brains, they have a big tub of other kinds of organs, like hearts and lungs. Some of them are normal and some of them have diseases, so they go through and talk about those and processes, things of that nature,” Dr. Peterson said Senior Lindsey McEachern went on the trip as well, with her favorite part being the learning experience that came from it.

“There would be different, little scars on someone’s body and you could infer educated guesses about what it was or how they died, just from the markings on their body. You could tell what a person could’ve been, because some people had tattoos or some people had scars, and from that you could tell if they had a c-section or their appendix removed, so that was really cool,” McEachern said.

The educational value of the trip, like most school functions, is the reasoning for going.

“The best way to learn anatomy is to actually see it on a real cadaver. We do cat dissections here in class, which is as close to a human anatomy as you can get. But [the trip] also helps tie everything we’ve learned towards the end of the year, and it gives a better relationship as to where the structures are on a human,” Dr. Peterson said.

For Dr. Peterson, seeing how far the students have come from the beginning of the year is the highlight of the trip.

“I think, for me, just watching the students and listening to them make connections. Going through the lab things that we’ve learned in the past, watching them recall information that we’ve learned even way back at the beginning of the year. Because the presentations cover a wide variety of systems, seeing the students understand things a little bit better, and also remember and recall the information that they’ve learned,” Dr. Peterson said.

Field trips are great at shaking up the subject during school year, and prove that education goes far beyond the classroom. McEachern went on the trip to be reminded of this fact.

“I went because we learned so much over this [subject] during this entire school year, and I wanted to go so I could see how it’s applied on a real human being. You can get stuck in the rut of school, and memorization with learning stuff, and you forget why you’re learning what you’re learning or doing what you’re doing.

Going on this trip helped me remember why I’m going through this effort to remember all of this stuff, as well as how it can be applied to real life,” McEachern said.

The cadaver lab trip has become an essential aspect of Dr. Peterson’s biology classes, and continues to benefit students.

“I think they are, I really do. I know the anatomy students coming in next year have already asked me if we’re going to be continuing the cadaver lab trips. I think field trips are very important when they help add to the education, as well as when they bring in the education that we can’t get inside the classroom. What’s really cool about the anatomy trip is that it really pushes people’s boundaries, because most people find the idea of going to a cadaver lab bothersome. But we work up to that and push past those issues.

My goal is to take one every year,” Dr. Peterson said.

Focus 11

ROLLA YOUTH GROUP LENDS A HAND WORLD WIDE

b y

So

Over this past spring break, students from Rolla High involved at Greentree Christian Church volunteered their time in Kenya in order to help the local people. They spent most of their time working and learning in Nakor, Kenya. The cultures in Kenya and America are very different, and senior Reid Hoss saw this on his trip.

“We are so blessed to have all we have in America. In Kenya, they are very limited on resources. It was eye-opening,” Hoss said.

Each student had their own reason for going on the journey, and senior Joel Simmons is glad that he decided to go on the trip.

“I decided to go on the mission trip because I had been so involved already with the missionaries because of my family. I also just kept feeling like God was calling me to get involved and go see it for myself,” Simmons said.

For senior Alex Deblasi, traveling across the world was a way to experience God’s work in other countries and learn about how Kenyans live their life.

“I felt that God wanted me to serve and expand my view in another country. I was so focused on me and what was happening here that I never really understood or cared about the situation in other countries,” Deblasi said.

While they were there, the students worked in any way they could. One way that they made an impact is by working in gardens of the local people.

“The Turkana people are working toward becoming self-sufficient so the success of the gardens is very important,” Deblasi said.

This process took a lot of time and motivation, but the students truly did make a difference.

“We got a couple weeks worth of work done for the local people in their garden. We helped them by planting seeds, bringing fertilizer, and gathering palm leaves as a covering for their garden spots,” Simmons said.

Hoss explained that the garden helped feed and provide comfort to many families.

“We helped plant crop gardens that will help feed twenty families and help them make money,” Hoss said.

The students on the mission trip also spent their time digging a well, which came with a very demanding amount of work.

“We also built a well. The well was a lot of hard work but was really rewarding to see the results of your effort immediately. We dug twenty-five feet of the forty feet needed in one day, which is unheard of. It was really awesome to be able to provide a lasting

“

p h i a

Ge

Editor

s u a l d i in

C h i ef

A

n d

B

a i l e y

All

i s o n

Photography Editor

impact on the people,” Deblasi said.

After their work was done, the students got to see the rewards of their hard work as the well started to function.

“My favorite memory was seeing the water come out of the well.

When it first came out it was brown and nasty, but after running for a little while, it was perfectly clear and we got to drink it. Seeing the fruits of our labor was really awesome,” Deblasi said.

After their days doing manual work, the students visited schools in the area. They got to hear the stories of the students there, and this was senior Julia Giesey’s favorite part of the trip.

“We also went to the school nearby afterward and we hung out with the kids. We played volleyball and soccer. They asked us questions, and that was cool. They asked what America was like and what our school was like. They also asked us why American families were so small. They told us that they thought that America was like heaven and everything was available there,” Giesey said Our students and the students in Kenya shared pieces of their culture with each other, and they were surprised to find similarities in one of the songs that they sing.

“We were singing at the school and teaching [the kids] songs and stuff. We taught them the hokey pokey. So, they were singing this one song for us and I was like ‘that sounds familiar,’ and then the translator explained that it was a song about how Jesus loves his little children. We actually knew that song, so we sang it for them in English. That was really cute,” Giesey said.

While Giesey noticed similarities in the cultures between America and Kenya, she also noticed some differences. They way that Kenyans live their day to day life is much different than Americans in certain areas.

“One of the things that I thought was interesting was how they had goats everywhere. One day when we were there, there was a goat in our compound, and they told us that the goat was what we were going to be eating tonight, so we were like ‘okay cool.’ We thought that they were going to kill it when we were gone. At one point, it was Lydia, Morgan, Brooke, and I sitting on a porch area and we heard this really awful noise. We turned around, and they were murdering the goat right behind us and slitting its throat right behind us. Morgan and Brooke started crying and stuff.

[The Kenyans] were all like laughing at us the entire time. It was interesting to see how we are so attached to things in America, but in Kenya, they just kill goats for food; that’s just their culture,” Giesey said.

Giesey also experienced the Kenyan’s different style of life as

It was interesting to see how they had barely anything but they were still thankful for what they did have.

”

Focus 13

she worked in the garden with the other students who were on the mission trip.

“At one point when we were in the gardens, it was mostly like moms and their babies. There were a lot of times where if a baby needed to breastfeed they would just go to different women to do it. It was interesting to see. Other times they would be working in the garden and planting seeds while at the same time breastfeeding their baby. They were really hard workers; they did not let anything stop them,” Giesey said.

Life in America is quite different from what the students on the mission trip saw and experienced in Kenya. Giesey explains that Americans might even be able to learn something from the way that people keep a positive attitude in Kenya.

“It was interesting to see how they had barely anything, but they were still thankful for what they did have. They still praised Him and that was really cool to see. [I learned] to be more willing

“

to work with people and to not be so self-centered. I feel like in Kenya everyone connected with each other even though there was a language barrier. I think in America there are so many internal strifes that people don’t want to get over, and it makes them not want to work with others,” Giesey said.

Deblasi was also touched by what he experienced in Kenya, and he will remember what he learned there as he goes back to living his everyday life.

“I learned to be grateful for what I have and be joyful even if things seem bad. Simple things such as running water and transportation are huge things that we take for granted, and are not as easily accessible to them. Even at school, we have a great opportunity to get a good education that the people there don’t have. The people in Kenya have nothing but they are still joyful. It made me realize how small the things are that upset me,” Deblasi said.

I feel like in Kenya everyone connected with each other even though there was a language barrier. I think in America there are so many internal strifes that people don’t want to get over, and it makes them not want to work with others.

14 Focus

”

Focus 15

Pick of the Pack b y

Eli

z a b e th

Ka

e l i n

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

b y

Ta

y l o r

Mi

l l e r

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Hello! Welcome to Pick of the Pack, ECHO’s monthly column all about the lovable pets waiting down at the Rolla Animal Shelter! The Rolla shelter always has many dogs and cats hoping for someone to come adopt them into a loving home. If you are interested in adopting any of these animals, go to our local shelter located at 1915 Sharpe Rd in Rolla, where the animals are adorable, and you can get them for a good cause.

Name: Chico Gender: Male Age: Adult (2+ years old) Breed: Siberian Husky Description: Chico is a big dog that will require a lot of attention and time. He was surrendered to the shelter by his previous owners because they couldn’t handle his aggression. Lots of potential dog owners are thrown off by dogs hostility, but if you have the correct training, it can be corrected.If you’re willing to spend a bit of time and money, he can be a great addition to your home.

Name: N/A Gender: Female Age: Adult (2 years old) Breed: Domestic American Medium-hair Description: This lively kitty is full of love! She was found in a raccoon trap and brought to the shelter on March 29, 2018. This cat is very affectionate and loves to roll around. She’s all up to date on her vaccines and isn’t spayed. This kitty doesn’t like to be held too much, but she makes a great lap cat. If you think this is the cat for you, be sure to visit her at the Rolla Animal Shelter today!

16

Feature

AR T I S Junior Shelby Ply’s interest in art began as a child when she started drawing, but her ability to appreciate art has developed more recently.

“I have always enjoyed actually doing art, but looking at art was a different story. I have always struggled to appreciate things like art museums, but getting more involved has helped me appreciate them,” said Ply. Crafting ceramics was a new medium to Ply just this year, and it is now something she enjoys perfecting during art classes.

“I like ceramics because I can make things that can be used and incorporated into everyday life and it makes me much prouder of my piece,” said Ply. Although Ply feels most comfortable creating 2D art with chalk pastels and watercolors, she is grateful for of the push her art teacher gave her to create outside of her comfort zone.

“My favorite piece of art I have ever made is my octopus pot. I just recently finished glazing him and he still needs to get fired, but I put several hours into that project and I am extremely excited to see what he looks like in the end. I feel like I definitely went outside the box on that project,” said Ply. Ply’s main artistic influence is not from the average blank canvas painter, but it stems from her personal collection of model horses.

T

“I collect model horses and have since I was really young. Every horse is different from the other and I take a lot of inspiration from the people who sculpted and painted each one to make it look so realistic,” said Ply. Through her artwork, Ply aims to capture the natural beauty she is exposed to in the world.

“My inspiration has come from the outdoors, especially the woods and animals. I have tried to get creative and venture more into aquatic life and I have enjoyed it a lot,” said Ply. Her artistic abilities have grown through years of practice and patience in her art classes.

“My favorite kind of art is painting with watercolor on any medium because I love the way the colors move and flow,” said Ply. Even though art is simply a hobby in Ply’s eyes, her friends and family never fail to support her through encouragement and praise.

“My art teachers have always been some of my biggest supporters because they always help me see my ideas through. My mom is also always in my corner, even when something does not turn out well. She always says it does, which means a lot,” said Ply.

b y

Ma

i a

Bo

n d

Arts & Entertainment Editor

b y

N

a l a n i

Ma

s s a r o

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Arts and Entertainment

17

The

Real Houseguys b y

Lo

r r e n

Bl

a c k

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

OF ROLLA HIGH SCHOOL

Mr. RHS... April 27 Rolla High School Student Council is hosting a beauty pageant, but there’s a catch; it’s an all-male beauty pageant. These male contestants represent their selected clubs or organizations in RHS, such as Mr. Drama, Mr. DECA, etc. The contestants compete in the different categories, which are judged to win the title of Mr. RHS. Dan King, a sophomore and a co-chairman on the STUCO committee gives us insight on the theme of the pageant and how it is picked “This year is ‘The Real Houseguys of RHS’. It’s mocking ‘The Real Housewives’. The committee chairmen, Elizabeth Kemp, myself, and Celeste Lietz, all came together with Mr. Bridgeman and decided what we wanted to do.

Once we did that, we presented our ideas to the council and they voted on what they’d like to do, and we went from there,” King said.

Counselor and the Student Council adviser, Roger Bridgeman, informs us on the competitions in the pageant.

“With the theme this year, we’ve kind of changed everything up a little bit. There’s a group dance that all thirteen of the contestants do, then they have a take-away scene because it’s ‘The Real Houseguys of RHS’, there’s a talent scene, a formal wear, a Q&A session, and over-all stage

18

Arts and Entertainment

presence. The judges will vote on a Mr. Congeniality, and the high school will be voting on Mr. Sexy Legs,” Bridgeman said.

The contestants are judged on over-all stage presence, the group dance, talent, formal wear, and the Q&A session.

“Our judges are internal and external to RHS. There are some people that work for the district, and then there are others that I bring in who are not. So the others who do not work for the district do not know the students, and judge strictly based off what they see, “ Bridgeman said.

With the many categories, the audience is in for an entertaining show.

“It’s going to be a little crazy, we started doing rehearsals with the guys and so far there is a lot of comedy. We’re trying to make it as funny and entertaining as we can, so it’s very enjoyable for everyone. We’ve been preparing for this since about January, it’s one of STUCO’S biggest events,” King said.

Mr. RHS will be held on April 27th, at 7:00 p.m at the middle school auditorium. Admission is $3.

New Music In April b y

Lord Huron is an American indie folk band based in Los Angeles. Founding member Ben Schneider began writing music in his hometown of Okemos, Michigan. Schneider went on to study visual art at the University of Michigan and finished his degree in France, before moving to New York City where he worked for an artist. In 2005, Schneider moved to Los Angeles, and in 2010, created Lord Huron as a solo project where he recorded his first few EPs entirely on his own. He steadily started adding members to help play in live shows, most of whom he had known since childhood. Lord Huron, now a band, is made up of Ben Schneider, Mark Barry, Miquel Briseño, and Tom Renaud.

Schneider and Renaud both play guitar and sing the vocals, Barry plays drums and percussion, and Briseño is on the keyboard and theremin. The band’s name was inspired by Lake Huron, the lake that Ben Schneider grew up visiting, where he would spend evenings playing music around the campfire. The group’s debut album, Lonesome

April Movies Arrival

b y

E.T.

E.T, or extraterrestrial, is an alien who was discovered by a young boy named Elliot (Henry Thomas). After Elliot brings him home and his siblings find out, the family decides to keep him a secret. However, all of this changes when the alien falls ill. This movie is considered a classic, and if you have not seen it yet, you are missing out.

r r e n

Bl

a c k

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Dreams, was released in 2012 on ‘Iamsound Records’ in the US, and ‘Play It Again Sam Records’ in UK and Ireland in January 2013. The band released their second album, Strange Trails, on April 6, 2015, in the United Kingdom and April 7, 2015, in the United States. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 23, and Folk Albums at No. 1, and No. 10 on the Top Album Sales chart, with 18,000 copies sold.

The band’s third album, Vide Noir, was released on April 20, 2018. With this announcement, they released the two-part song “Ancient Names,” a creepy, unresolved tale of a crystal ball vision that magnifies the band’s characteristic thematic darkness into distorted garage rock.

Ka

y l a

Spring has finally come in the month of April, and I had a hard time deciding what movies I wanted to recommend for the new season. After a binge watching session, I decided to share my favorite science fiction movies.

Taking place in modern day, this movie depicts the lives of linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and other scientists as they gather to attempt to communicate with the twelve alien ships that have just touched down across the Earth. With the fate of the world resting on their different abilities, this movie is often suspenseful and enlightening.

Lo

Life

A group of scientists have traveled to Mars to collect the first form of extraterrestrial life on another planet. At first, everything is going smoothly, but they soon discover that this life form is more dangerous than they could have imagined.

This movie kept me on the edge of my seat and is a great one to watch with friends.

C

o p e l a n d

News Editor

Star Wars

Probably one of the most popular movie series of all time, Star Wars, follows the lives of Luke Skywalker and all of those who know him. The series goes through different back stories and wars, and it is very important that you watch the movies in the order they were released.

This is a great movie series and they are still making more to this day.

Arts and Entertainment 19

Ozark A ctors T heatre Thirty Years As The Pinnacle Of Drama In Rolla b y

Ma

i a

Bo

n d

Arts & Entertainment Editor Most students have never known a Rolla that did not have the Ozark Actors Theatre across the street from the high school. Opportunities to be exposed to drama are open to the community now, but it has not always been so readily available. Just over 30 years ago, this culturally vacant town gained its local theater, at the hands of F. Reed Brown and Gail Andrews-Hintz.

Brown did not always know he wanted to act, much less start a theater. He spent the majority of his youth in New Jersey before attending college where he discovered his love of theater. He took a chance and landed his first role in a play; he laughs at how quickly he fell for drama.

“I got bit by the bug. I did that one play and realized that that was what I was going to do,” Brown said.

He refers to himself as “one of the rare lucky ones” because of his speedy success, landing a national tour on his fourth audition.

It was there that he met Andrews-Hintz, and became close enough friends to fly to Rolla to see her play a concert at the Cedar Street Center.

“Heading back to New York, I asked Gail what she thought about the idea of starting a theater there. I had been wanting to start my own theater for some time and I was actually looking for some place that had no theater. Rolla certainly fit that bill,” Brown said.

Soon enough they were knocking on Pine Street doors introducing themselves and their cause. Brown credits their naive youth and energy for a lot of their determination, opening a theater in a small engineering college town.

“There were a lot of people in town who thought we were a little crazy. They thought we were a little more than nuts for coming to Rolla and saying ‘We’re going to start an equity theater here,’” Brown said.

Despite odds against them, they officially founded the Ozark Actors Theatre in 1987. Brown proudly recalls the event and his debt to community supporters.

“The Baptist Church did not want the building anymore, so with a lot of hard work from people in Rolla and supporters, we were able to purchase the building,” Brown said.

Once the theater was purchased, shows started as soon as possible. Brown chuckles, in awe of the success, with shows starting only a year later.

“We were lucky enough when we first purchased the building to have the support of people like the late Governor Mel Carnahan.

He came out and did a fundraiser for us the very first year we owned the building. Little by little we were able to begin to at least have a statewide presence,” Brown said.

Years later, the growth has not stopped. Current Artistic Director of the Ozark Actors Theatre A.S Freeman ensures the expansion of shows on the professional level.

“There is a lot of rapid expansion plans. Our season tickets have nearly doubled what we did last year already, and I anticipate that we will break through that number,” Freeman said.

20

Arts & Entertainment

Ozark Actors Theatre may be reaching a more professional level, but Brown remembers the beginning days of relying on donations.

They designed sets out of donated lumber and attempt to piece something together, and Brown reminisces on a story of hiring a local contractor to build a set.

“I don’t think they realized that in two weeks we were going to tear it back down. We came in one day and the walls were solid like they had built a house on our stage,” Brown said.

Brown spent 14 years as Artistic Director at Ozark Actors Theatre, working out kinks of set building and helping to run the theater before deciding he wanted to tour. He pursued a tour performing a one man show about Vincent Van Gogh before attending graduate school in order to become a professor.

However, Brown leaving did not mean the theater was left unattended. It grew for years before Michigan-born Freeman got the job out of graduate school after years of freelancing around the country as an actor. Despite dabbling in film, he assures that “Theater is my first love and will continue to be my first love.”

Freeman is now working to advance the relationship with the St. Louis theater community. He explains that many people make the commute down I-44 to see shows at The Fabulous Fox and other theaters in the city, and he wants to “reverse that flow.”

As the local theater gains popularity, opportunities continue to arise for students and community members alike. Anything from ushers to the seamstresses and sound engineers are welcome and necessary for any production.

Students are welcome to find out more and pursue any opening at Ozark Actors Theatre, and this access to local theater makes Brown proud to this day.

“It is much more than I ever imagined. There are so many arts organizations that have opened and closed. I can’t count the number of theaters that have closed their doors in the time that this has happened. The fact that this is still going and still thriving is something that I am infinitely proud of,” Brown said.

Freeman credits so much of the lasting effects of Ozark Actors Theatre to its eager beginnings and determined community members.

“It is about being passionate for what you are doing, passionate for what you are creating, and passionate about the place in which you are creating it. If the founders of O.A.T and everyone who has come after did not love this community with a deep passion, the theater would have fallen apart a long time ago. We continue to grow and be stronger as time has gone on,” Freeman said.

QB Sam Darnold, USC

The

r

d a o FL draft e h t o t b y

N

Br

a n d o n

Ki

r c h n e r

Sports Editor

This year’s NFL Draft features many intriguing prospects. One of the many top prospects is running back Saquon Barkley from Penn State, coming in at five foot eleven inches and two hundred and thirty pounds.Saquon is arguably the top prospect in this draft with many experts predicting him coming off the board as one of the top five picks. In his three year career at Penn State, he averaged six and a half yards per carry with three thousand eight hundred and fourty three yards and a total of fourty three touchdowns just from rushing. His receiving game is excellent as well, with another one thousand one hundred and ninety fiveyards and eight touchdowns from receptions. He had quite the ecstatic career at the collegiate level and is expected to transfer well to the professional level.

Another top prospect in this draft is the six foot four inches two hundred and twenty pound Quarterback from the University of Southern California named Sam Darnold. He is widely predicted to go number one overall to the Cleveland Browns to be the future franchise quarterback. In his two year career he threw for seven thousand two hundred and twenty nine yards and fifty seven touchdowns with only twenty two interceptions. Sam Darnold has the NFL size, arm strength, accuracy, pocket mobility, poise, and field reading capability. All together it makes him one of the most pro-ready prospects in this draft and many analysts predict him transitioning well into the professional level.

Heisman winner Baker Mayfield also shouldn’t be forgotten about. The six foot one inch two hundred and twenty pound Quarterback from Oklahoma lit up the competition on the collegiate level posting four thousand six hundred and twenty seven yards passing with forty three touchdowns and only six interceptions. Going against tough competition such as Ohio State, Texas Christian University and Georgia, Baker competed well leading to a College Football Playoff appearance and a 12-2 record. Mayfield has been praised for being a great leader as well has his ability to process, extend plays, and throw with accuracy down the field.

Being a spread system Quarterback as well as under size for the position puts Mayfield at a disadvantage heading into the NFL. However, he has quite the high ceiling and many experts believe he can grow to become a future franchise quarterback.

The top defensive prospect in this draft is Defensive End Brad-

DE, Bradley Chubb, NC State

QB, Sam Darnold, Oklahoma ley Chubb. Coming out of NC State weighing two hundred and seventy five pounds at six foot four inches this behemoth of a man ravaged offensive lines for the past three seasons. Totaling twenty five sacks and one hundred tackles, he was a playmaker for the Wolfpack going against top programs such as Clemson and Florida State. Dominating the ACC, he lead the conference with sacks with a total of ten during last season. He also ranks sixth in the total sacks during career with a total of twenty five. Chubb possesses high-end physical traits, years of production and the ability to play in a variety of positions in both odd and even fronts.

His play attributes and production should translate quickly as a pro. Whoever drafts Bradley Chubb will pick up a future Hall of Famer.

Overall, the 2018 NFL Draft Class features plenty of pro ready recruits and has plenty of depth through all the positions. With five QBs who could arguably start instantly, this draft class should stack well against the other previous draft classes of recent date.

With plenty of teams desperate for a new Quarterback, many teams looking to draft up, and players falling down the draft board, this Draft should be interesting.

Sports 21

Fans everywhere welcome season of crazy ballpark food With the MLB season in full swing, fans are flocking to the ballpark and cheer on their favorite team. In my opinion, ballparks are only as good as their food is. While most places have your traditional hot dog and french fries, many teams have branched out and experimented with bizarre foods.

Leading off for the main entrees is the Pork Patty Melt, found at the home of the Royals, Kauffman Stadium, in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals make what seems like a normal sandwich, and then it takes an unexpected twist. The sandwich contains pulled pork, fried onions, cheese, and bacon, sounds pretty good right? Now, this is where things get crazy, the Royals decide to put all of this food, in between two pieces of funnel cake making the sandwich seem like a three-course meal. Next up for the main entrees is the Killer Kilbane Dog, located at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians. This food is a roller coaster for your taste buds. It starts out as a normal hot dog, but then the Indians add relish, peanut butter, and sriracha sauce. Finally for the main entrees is the Burgerizza, found at Suntrust Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. While the name is pretty self-explanatory, the Braves combine two of the most famous concession stand foods to create a meal that will have to be split with a friend. The Braves take a 20-ounce beef patty, topped with cheese and bacon, and place it in between two pieces of pepperoni pizza.

First up for the side dishes is the Chesapeake Fries, located at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles. There aren’t many ingredients to this side dish but what one of the ingredients include is unordinary. The Orioles take their famous waffle fries and throw a mid-Atlantic twist on the dish by adding fresh crab on top.On deck for the sides is the Sausage Poutine, found at Rogers Centre in Canada, home of the Toronto Blue Jays. Poutine is a must if you ever travel to Canada, and the Blue Jays take it to a whole new level. First, the Blue Jays start off with a french fry base and then layer the fries with sausage, bacon, onions, cheese curds, and gravy. Last for the side dishes is probably the most bizarre of any dish listed so far. Located at Safeco Field, home of the Seattle Mariners are grasshoppers. This famous Mexican dish includes the obvious grasshoppers and then covered in a chili lime spice. While this may sound disgusting, it is very high in protein.

Leading off for the desserts is the Dinger’s Donuts, found in St. Louis, at Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals.The donuts come in three different flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and maple, including chopped nuts, sprinkles, or cinnamon sugar. You can get 50 of these for only $15, which is relatively cheap for an MLB stadium.On deck for the desserts are the Apple Pie Nachos, found at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies take one of America’s pastimes and mix it with some Mexican heritage. The base is filled with cinnamon flavored chips, then topped with apple pie filling, whipped cream, caramel, and cheese, making this dish a very sweet treat. Finally for the desserts, is the Frozen Rope ice cream sandwich, found in Seattle. To start this snack, ice cream is freshly shipped in from local creameries.

Then, the ice cream is placed in between two pieces of either: chocolate chip cookies, red velvet cookies, or brownies. Finally, you can toppings ranging from candy to cereal.

b y

Bl

a i z e

Klo

s s n e r

Webmaster

Collegiate Bulldogs share their stories b y

Bl

a i z e

Klo

s s n e r

Webmaster

b y

I

s aa c

St

o r m e s

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Over the years Rolla has produced several high quality collegiate student athletes. Twenty seven in fact have moved on and are playing at the next level. Over fifteen more are planning to join them after graduation this year. We sat down with a few of Rolla’s past stars and asked them about their experience as a college student-athlete.

Our first interview was with former Bulldog running back Andy Satulla. Satulla now plays for Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri and will be entering his senior season this fall.

While his mascot is still a Bulldog he has seen that there is a big difference between high school and college sports.

“I think the difference between high school and college sports is how much you have to put into to maintain success. Not just in the weight room or the field, but in the film room as well” Satulla said.

The next big obstacle to overcome is the heavier workload in class along with on the field.

“To me the balance isn’t that hard. Sure, schoolwork is more difficult in college but you basically feel it out and you’ll know when you’re gonna have harder weeks compared to easier weeks. Socially, I save it for the weekends and stay in and don’t really do anything during the week. And for me everything else revolves around football,” Satulla said.

The game and the atmosphere changes, but the fans are always supportive and we asked Satulla the difference between high school and college.

“The fan base is different because all of your friends in high school grew up in the same town, so of course there is gonna be more pride to an extent. In college, there’s more people and there’s more events that keep the fan base involved. The difference is the relationship you have with your fan base in high school is much stronger, because they all watched you play growing up,” explains Satulla.

Our next athlete is former RHS basketball standout Sam

b y

Jo

s h

Pr

i t c h e tt

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Marshall, is currently enrolled at Drury University and competes on the men’s basketball team. The Panthers have gone 39-18 since his arrival and they won the GLVC West in the 2017-2018 season.

While Marshall has competed on very successful teams, Marshall states that the transfer from high school basketball to collegiate is extremely different.

“The speed is so much faster. Not just physically but mentally also.

You have to think about several things at once every second of every play,” Marshall explains.

Like in high school, student-athletes must find a balance between athletics, schoolwork, and social life, and Marshall has experienced the difficulty of finding an equal balance.

“There are days where I will have a workout in the morning, then class, then another workout and then I’ll have to study. There are some 12+ hour days,” Marshall says.

Sam hopes to continue improving the already successful Drury Panthers in his Junior season.

Meredith Sowers graduated from Rolla in 2016. While at Rolla she participated in many sports and excelled in them. Even while competing at a different school she will always be a Bulldog at heart.

“I played softball, basketball, and ran track and XC in high school so coming back to see everyone and how the teams have grown is a really cool thing to see. I love watching the all the sports at the high school and go any opportunity I get especially if they’re near St. Louis,” said Sowers.

At Rolla the fan base is known for being one of the best in the state no matter what sport it is in. Stepping up into the college atmosphere can be in many ways the same but no matter what school you go to it will drive you to be the best.

“A lot of kids at the school are fans and even kids from other schools that have watched you compete are fans as well. Sometimes even kids that were underclassmen in high school show support which is super fun and a cool experience,” said Sowers.

Athletes of the Month b y

Br

e tt

Go

n z a l e z

b y

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Jonathan Reese is a senior at Rolla High School that is a 3 year varsity starter for the Rolla Bulldogs baseball squad. Currently ranked sixth in the state the Bulldogs are relying heavily on their Lindenwood commit. With all of the experience that Reese has had over the years he hopes to have a successful season this year.

Reese has been playing baseball for over a decade now and he enjoys it every time he touches the field. “I started playing at 5 years old. It means a lot to me, I’ve played a lot I enjoy playing. I’ve always played it and it’s a good means to go to college” Reese said.

He has certain ways to prepare for a game both mentally and physically. “On the ride up, if it’s an away game, I get ready by talking to the guys and listening to music. I throw, stretch and have to get mentally focused before every game I play in” Reese said.

Reese has had his share of memorable moments. Some come at highs in the game and others are in everyday routines that go with being a baseball player. His favorite moment came against Willard in last year’s district semifinal when the bulldogs were down in a do or die moment.

“My favorite moment was when I scored the game tying run against Willard, even though we lost it was a good time. Being with the guys is also something I enjoy a lot, being in a competitive atmosphere around your teammates, I love every moment with them ” Reese said.

As a senior Reese has advice for the upcoming seniors and incoming freshman.

“Play for a good summer team it’s a lot of exposure and to get good grades, as you’re going through high school don’t slack” Reese said.

Going into college with a plan is always a smart move and Reese has had his eyes set ahead earlier than most.

“I’m going to try and be a biology major and pre-chiropractic at Lindenwood” Reese said.

s aa c

St

o r m e s

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

Carlle McCormack is a varsity soccer player for the Lady Bulldogs.

She has been playing since she was very little and all of the time playing has made her into the defender she is today.

“I’ve been playing soccer since I was 6 years old. I used to play in Union on a little red league team.

Then I played for the knights, and then the high school team; so I have had a lot of exposure and been able to improve my game with different people around me.”

The relationships she has formed in high school soccer has been some of the strongest and she values them more than any others.

“I’ve been playing with my teammates for about 5 years.

They are the best part about soccer. We get along really well.”

Coach Howard has helped to make Carlee the player she is. She appreciates him and thinks his coaching is second to none.

“He’s a good coach, and we have formed a good relationship working together all the time. Without him we wouldn’t be the team we are and he pushes us to get better everyday.”

All in all Carlee has set herself apart from the rest in soccer and hopes to finish her last two seasons strong as a Bulldog.

Pine Street in Downtown Rolla 24 Feature

I

A teacher’s take on End of Course exams b y

S am

Ki

m b a l l

S t a ff W r i t t e r

Students at Rolla High School have begun taking their End-ofCourse exams, colloquially known as EOCs. Teachers stress about this moment all year, yet it seems like students very seldom care.

Mrs. Lisa McCarthy, the math department chair, gives a teacher’s perspective on EOCs, what is changing about them, and students perception of them.

“I am excited about EOCs. This is the first year that we will have fully implemented the Missouri Learning Standards, in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. I’m very curious to see what our results will be,” McCarthy said.

Few people have probably heard of the Missouri Learning Standards, but many will be familiar with the national equivalent, the Common Core Learning Standards.

“The national level set up the Common Core Standards, but Missouri decided to come up with their own standards. They’re very similar to Common Core at the highschool level, but there are a few differences,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy has found the new Missouri Learning Standards easy to implement in her curriculum.

“I went this past summer to the Missouri Learning Standards to see what all the objectives were and made sure that I had each of those objectives in my curriculum. So I did not find them hard to implement, and quite honestly it’s pretty much the same objec-

tives that we have always had in Algebra I, except that we have added exponential functions,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy is more worried about the changes in test format than she is about new content in the curriculum.

“We are going to try to have our students take the [EOC] tests on Chromebooks because we have so many Chromebooks in the building. My fear is that the Chromebook screens are fairly small and that the students won’t be able to see the entire problem in one picture. My fear is that they are going to have to scroll or zoom in-and-out to be able to see all of the tools and the actual problem. Also, they are using Chromebooks to sketch graphs, to shade those graphs, to write equations. While teachers have a lot of experience using computers to type equations, students don’t,” McCarthy said.

Many students do not see the importance of the EOC exams, yet they can have a major impact on their futures.

“It’s important for students to remember that, in order to qualify for A+ funding [a type of scholarship], they need to score in the top two levels of the Algebra I EOC. So if they don’t take it seriously, there won’t be any A+ money available to them. I hope that our students all take the test very seriously and do their best on every single problem,” McCarthy said.

Feature 25

ECHO Arena

Is summer school beneficial?

YES

b y

Eli

z a b e th

Ka

e l i n

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

High School has a plethora of different paths to explore. Students can focus on choir, math, foreign language, and band, among many others. Choosing one path to take is difficult for many because there are only 7 hours in a day. What if kids want focus on choir, band, and foreign language? How can they get all their required classes in while still taking classes that they want to take?

What if a student needs to recover credits from previous semesters?

The answer is summer school. It allows you to use the break as a time to catch up, or get ahead. High school students need summer school to get in the mandatory classes. Nobody takes personal finance for fun. Students take personal finance because they have to have it to graduate. Taking personal finance in the summer can free up students schedules so they can take more classes that pertain to the job they want.

People may argue that summer is a break from school and we should use it as a rest from the stress it puts on us. The purpose of a long summer break is that we can go to summer school for a few weeks, get it done, and go have a relaxing break. I do agree that students need a break from school, it can be a large weight on your shoulders. But students also get time during the school year to take a break. We get spring break, winter break, professional development days, and all of the national holidays.

If summer vacation is one hundred and four days long, and there are five weeks of summer school, that leaves about eighty days to enjoy a long summer. In the end, summer school is worth the time. Taking the classes that students want is worth the price of twenty-five days out of a long summer break.

NO

b y

y l o r

Mi

l l e r

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

This time of year, students start to excitedly anticipate summer, a time of relaxation and fun after the stress of the past year. But after a few weeks of freedom, many students are going back to school. Summer school provides the opportunity for students to retake required classes they’ve failed, but most students attending are only there to get their required credits out of the way.

Summer is the one time a year that students are truly able to relax, and summer school takes that away. Taking time off from stressing your brain is crucial to good mental health. If a student is too mentally stressed, it not only wears on their emotions but also can cause headaches, low energy, stomach pains, insomnia, etc. Without a full summer break to relax, a student can feel utterly overwhelmed, leading to unhappiness.

Aside from mental health, students taking summer school to get their mandatory credits out of the way aren’t learning the subject at all. Personal finance and government are two of the most attended classes during summer school in Rolla, which are both necessary to graduate. While students don’t consider these courses fun, they provide important information that students will need in their adult lives like financing or knowledge of their rights and amendments. These courses, if taken during the school year, last a semester. That’s about five months of class time, giving students the time to take topics slow and actually learn them. When students take these classes during the summer, they get only four weeks of class time, three hours a day, five days a week. Not only is this not enough time to learn a subject, but teenagers typically have trouble staying focused on one topic for more than just a couple minutes, so the duration of the class is so long students aren’t paying attention either way.

For some students summer school may have its perks, but for most it’s unnecessary and not beneficial.

Learning new languages: Is the effort worth it?

b y

While everyone has the ability understand a person’s actions or idea through their expressions, it is always easier to hear someone’s words in communication. There are currently 7,097 languages in our world with more being discovered as time goes by. Tons of cultures and lifestyles are held together with different forms of communication. Rolla High School even offers all of the main selections in languages as it has become a large subject of interest and importance. As the interest in learning a new language continues to grow, however, there are still many who question why anyone should put true dedication into the process. People tend to avoid learning a new language due to the time and memorization it takes, but there are multiple benefits to knowing more than just your native language.

By putting in the work to learn a new language, you receive benefits for job openings, social interactions, and cultural opportunities. You can find more options for work if you are bilingual

Ta

N

i c o l e

Va

n

H

o r n

S t a ff R e p o r t e r

or multilingual. This allows someone the ability to travel and live in that country while working and experiencing the culture and society first hand. Understanding other lifestyles from different countries can establish a person’s connection with cross-cultural friendships and allow for a better social life.

Our country is a melting pot and contains about 350 different languages. The ability to understand others languages can create a better connection with people and their cultures versus ours.

Musicians in other countries are also learning new languages to connect with their fans and broaden their performances. Their fan base grows and the people love not just their music but also their characteristics and personalities because of the understanding of communication.

Although it takes a lot of time and dedication, learning different languages has no downsides. There are multiple benefits and uses for becoming bilingual or multilingual.

Sam’s Soapbox What if Trump is impeached?

Students at Rolla High School will be forging their political beliefs in a tumultuous time. Donald Trump’s presidency has been filled with scandals and, more locally, Eric Greitens has admitted to having an extramarital affair and was indicted in a felony invasion-of-privacy charge for a compromising photo he took of the woman he was having the affair with. Despite this, some people are still defending Greitens and Trump, the same people who defend “family values.”

As of March 15, 2018, 78% of white protestant evangelicals approve of Donald Trump, according to the Pew Research Center. Of course, one can argue that it is a single issue that is driving this, and that is the matter of abortion. But that does not take into account the fact that there are many other politicians that are solidly pro-life and do not commit all seven deadly sins on a weekly basis, not

b y

S am

Ki

m b a l l

S t a ff W r i t t e r

to mention his alleged affair with a porn actress.

The survey does not ask respondents to pick their favorite politician, it just asks how strongly they approve. The high approval rating of Trump among evangelicals shows that, despite their attempts to the contrary, they cannot claim the moral high ground.

So, if all the scandals surrounding Trump and Greitens aren’t enough to shake the support of this base, then what is? It is clearly not the failure to meet campaign promises, as Mexico has still not paid for a border wall. It is clearly not the failure to maintain supposed “family values,” because I don’t think paying off a porn actress or taking a nude photo of the woman you had an affair with classifies as “family values.” I even doubt that an impeachment will make this base take a critical view of them.

What are the issues you’d like to hear about? PM us @rhsechonews on Twitter

Memoirs of a Second Semester Senior Senioritis Senioritis hit me hard. As soon as I made my college decision (which is Mizzou by the way, Go Tigers!), a lack of motivation washed over me. It’s a wave of relief, but also a wave of laziness.

It has affected every facet of my life, from procrastinating math homework to wearing yoga pants and a sweatshirt to school way more than is socially acceptable. I looked forward to the perks of being a senior when I was younger, but at this point there aren’t any until our Senior Day and graduation. I simply feel ready for my life to proceed, but it’s going by so slowly.

I try to stay busy; I joined track, knowing from my intense experience in eighth grade that I wouldn’t have to be good at anything to participate. Lo and behold, I am pretty terrible at running, jumping, and throwing, but it’s fun and it’s simply something to do. The perks also include toned calves. Finding an activity to fill some of the time is nice, but this last month still feels like purgatory.

Senioritis is an unavoidable disease. The only cure is graduation, which seems like it will never happen. My advice is to simply pre-

b y

Ad

r i e n n e

Py

e att

Copy Editor

pare before it’s too late. Everyone experiences senioritis at some level; after making post-graduation plans, final grades just don’t seem to matter anymore. Realistically, Mizzou isn’t going to kick me out if I get a B in AP Calculus. Perhaps a drastic change would be cause for concern, but although I have felt a drastic change, it won’t be too obvious to Mizzou, because I prepared for this stage. By working hard in my classes until I was completely sure about my post-grad plans, I’m able to slack off without too many consequences at this point in the school year. It likely isn’t the best or smartest plan, but it’s how I personally chose to prepare for the lack of motivation I now feel.

I am thankful for senioritis. And not just because it makes it more socially acceptable to ignore deadlines and due dates. It means that I am secure in my future endeavors. My ducks are all in a row, so it’s frustrating to feel stuck in this last month. I want to value and appreciate the time spent with my high school friends, but isn’t that what summer is for? I’m a believer in school spirit, but it’s time for this Bulldog to get going.

Prom is one week away! Clear your fines, make your appointments, get your tickets, and, most importanly, have a great time with your friends.

Thank you to the Junior Class and Mrs. Kirkbride for making a special night possible.

Opinion 27

Want to learn some interesting facts about the staff of 1 RHS? 2 Use the clues down below to find out! Use the last name of the teacher you think it might be to fill in the spaces. (Hint: if it’s a name that multiple teachers in the building have, use the first letter of their first name and their last name with no spaces in between).

8

3

4

10 5

6

Across

Down

1. I worked as a Fisheries Biologist in Wyoming before becoming a teacher.

3. I visited the tallest mountain in Venezuala, the Pico Bolivar.

4. I’ve sang with Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts.

6. I named one of my kids after a rock and the other kid after a mountain.

8. I was born in England.

2. I took four dates to prom.

5. I started college as a business major and then switched to English.

7. I was a girl on the BOYS soccer team in 1990 and 1991.

9. I attended 7th-9th grade in Italy.

10. I am the youngest of 7 siblings.

9

7

Stuck? Find the answers on www.rhsecho.com!

More to come in May’s issue

Contact Us Follow Us on Social Media @rhsechonews

Rolla High School ECHO @rhsechonews

Contact RHS ECHO Magazine Mary Gillis, Adviser mgillis@rolla.k12.mo.us (573)-458-0101 ext. 14302 Room 302