December 20

WHEN RHS SPEAKS WE

Spring INtO

2021

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spring Play

Grades are in: how did this semester stack up?

Coming to RHS: A live performance of “The Little Mermaid” on March 4-7.

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SPRING EVENTS

Leadership’s “Jurassic Park” drive-in in April.

3V3 Basketball and Soccer, dates TBD.

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SPRING To GRADUATION

Mark May 14-16! Seniors, order your caps and gowns. Join the scholarship Google Classroom.

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he first semester of Rolla High School’s 2020-2021 school year is coming to a close. As students and teachers battle not only the normal drudgery of a school day, they take arms against the horrors of mascne, competitive procrastination, and unimaginable excess solitude.

Senior online student Serra Ward, in person learner junior Trevor Cox, and in person learner sophomore Dace Murray all rated this semester on a 1-10 scale, one being the worst and 10 the best.

“All honestly, six,” Ward said, “Online school is nice because I get a lot more free time. But it’s not really learning, it’s kind of just passing until you get to the next assignment. And I honestly, it’s hard to remember everything because you’re just reading it like no one’s teaching it to you.

You’re kind of on your own.”

Ward describes online learning.

“It’s slideshows with questions,” Ward said. “Basically you’re just kind of clicking through and reading, and then it will give you either an essay answer, which I never do. I don’t think they really grade that portion because it’s on a slideshow, and then there’s multiple choice. It’s pretty

Follow us on social media @rhsecho or visit our website at rhsecho.com.

Photo by Quinn Guffey. much on my own.”

“I just kind of went day by day,” Ward said. “Some days it was really tough and some days it was actually really nice because school can be very, very stressful.”

Ward was troubled by some subjects more than others.

“Math is definitely harder because I have to teach that to myself, and I can’t do that.

It’s just been a lot of searching things and doing my best,” said Ward.

Ward’s also been without very much guidance from administration.

“They’re kind of just doing their job.

They’re just kind of guiding and telling me, but not really through every lesson or anything. It’s tricky without having a teacher.”

Ward is graduating early and will be taking East Central Community College courses next semester instead.

“I don’t really want to do another semester of online school, but I think overall it’s pretty nice.”

Cox, however, has had a great semester.

“I would say the semester [was] 10,” Cox said. “It was a good one. It’s very easy and relaxed. A lot more work, but I have a lot more time to do it. It’s been easier.”

Cox enjoys the hybrid schedule.

“I prefer hybrid cause I get to see people I like. I can wake up at 7:55 or whatever and turn on my computer and on actual school days I have to get up an hour earlier, and then go to school, and then be a zombie for the rest of the day. But as for online, if I’m tired I can just take a two hour nap, and a break period or something like that.”

“I think the teachers are doing a good job because they’re not used to this. And they are doing a good job navigating it, but the administration, I can’t really comment on that because I don’t know.”

Murray is on the other side of the spectrum.

“I would rate the semester a two,” Murray said. “I feel like the students aren’t getting the things they need by the online portion of it and by the teachers, too.”

“Our school, as a whole, can definitely be better,” Murray said. “It’s very disappointing to see how many kids are failing and seeing how frustrating teachers are and parents and just everything around us. Rolla is better [than this]. There could have been a better setup.”

Murray thinks a hybrid schedule slows the spread, but at what cost to the students?

“I think it’s good separating people for sure due to the spreading of [Covid-19], but at the same time it’s really hard for your students to want to learn in an environment with like three to five people everyday. Not seeing the people they want to see does actually affect a lot of teenagers,” Murray said.

“I go home and I’m sitting on my bed doing homework for four hours without a break because like I want to get to bed at a decent time to be able to get up in the morning,” Murray said. “Teachers will be saying how they know how it’s a hard time and how they know we’re struggling, but then they don’t change what they do for the students. They assign more work.”

“It’s just so unorganized, not just on the faculty, but on the students too,” Murray said.

History teacher Aaron Loker also had a tough semester. He gave this semester a total score of three.

“I like the hybrid part of the semester.

I didn’t like the full class. That made me pretty anxious,” said Loker.

Loker sympathizes with the administra-

tion, though.

“I think it was a really hard task,” Loker said. “They [administration] were all trying to deal with something that was pretty unprecedented so I think that it was pretty hard work for everybody that had to do it.”

“I’d say I kind of wish we would have had a little bit more of a heads up,” Loker said. “I wish we would have went to hybrid sooner. I wish we would have just started hybrid, but I don’t think that there was any way of really predicting these things in a way that would make everybody happy.”

Loker also sympathizes with his students.

“I was trying to be a little more forgiving on late work, and just trying to be a little bit more forgiving on everything that I did,” Loker said.

He thinks students have done well this semester.

Loker, a student himself, has had a little bit of a tougher time.

“I’m not motivated at all. I was also finishing my master’s degree this semester too,” Loker said.

French teacher Emily Mullen’s semester went a little better.

“I’m gonna say six out of 10,” Mullen said. “I like being with students and doing French work and actually spending time together and having fun - 10 out of 10. All the extra circumstances, 0 out of 10. With the addition of wearing masks, and changing schedules, and people not wearing masks, and reminding people to put masks on or back on their nose, people getting quarantined, and those sorts of things it’s just been really a lot to juggle. So that aspect has not been great, but the student aspect has been awesome.”

Mullen also feels for the administration.

See GRADES, page 4

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LEtter from the editor

ith Christmas wish lists nearly finalized and the online shopping scene in full swing, you might be surprised to learn that my biggest Christmas wish this year has already been granted. It doesn’t come in a blue box from Tiffany’s nor in a bag from a shopping mall. In fact, it shows almost no signs of the conspicuous consumerism we’re all guilty of feeding into around the holidays.

Yet, by some mysterious Christmas force (reindeer magic maybe?) my only wish has been granted just in time for the holiday season. And it’s $3.69 and comes wrapped in waxy paper.

The McRib-- back at McDonald’s for a limited time. You might be wondering, dear reader, why my eloquent personal narrative suddenly turned into a corporate endorsement! It’s so unlike me! You’re right about that.

The McRib, however, is plainly an exception. And it’s not just the tenderized pork patty molded into a rib shape and slathered in barbecue sauce that makes you wonder ‘How could this possibly be real food?’ Is it real food? I can’t say. McDonald’s has claimed the McRib is mostly composed of shoulder meat, but The Chicago Magazine broke the story that it actually

RHS ECHO

“consists of restructured meat products like heart, tripe, and scalded stomach.” A little less than appetizing, but also not the point.

I have fond childhood memories of enjoying a McRib with my wonderful grandmother, who sparked my initial passion for the sandwich. And though she has since passed away, I think of her every time the aroma of barbecue sauce wafts its way into my car at the drive-through.

See, not only is the McRib bringing disproportionate joy to my holiday season, but it’s also highly reflective of a problem many of us are facing. I mean McDonald’s spends much of the year taunting the McRib fan cult with the knowledge that the

McRib does indeed exist--and might even be in production somewhere-- yet dangling it just out of reach. This is why, when it does come back around once or twice a year, the delayed gratification of craving it for so long seems to make the wait worth it. I think we’re all crossing our fingers that missing the sharing of the holidays with friends and family will soon be a distant memory. Like the McRib, it requires a sacrifice now for gratification later on.

As I wait in line at the McDonald’s drivethrough for my third McRib of the week, I am again reminded of what the holiday season is all about. And it’s surprisingly not the McRib. This holiday season, as many of us are unfortunately distanced from loved ones, it’s especially vital to bask in the small joys. So while I encourage everyone to have a McRib before McDonald’s goes back to teasing us, I also encourage you to find your “McRib” this holiday.

Look for something that can make you feel in touch with your family and loved ones.

There’s no way it can match the delectable texture of a fake rib sandwich… but I guess one can try.

COMIC

nk ? th i ou s hard y Do ge i n cha

ve you do! Ha a I sure d to bend rie t r e v ? e er quart

Photo Left: [From left to right] Mallory Moats, Jillian Launius, Helen Weiss, Kyle McCutcheon, Emma Starns, Meghan Williams, Belle Staley Left: Quinn Guffey, Nathaniel Jackson, Genevieve Huber, JJ Giesey, Mandy James Missing: Kristina Gresty

Crossword

Dec. 16, 2020

Sports

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RHS ECHO

Keeping score in 2020: Team spirit triumphs over season snag T he soccer team ended their season with a 7-11-2 record, but Coach Michael Armstrong doesn’t believe their record tells the whole story.

“The players were very positive this season even with dealing with a new coach, covid, hybrid schedule and injuries,” said Armstrong. “The players worked hard, and we saw a lot of growth from the beginning of the season till the end. With it being my

first season as the head coach in Rolla, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of players.”

Finishing 2nd in Districts and with many players being recognized as All-District and All-Conference, the soccer team ended their season on a positive note and with a bright outlook to future seasons.

Photo by Madison Brown.

Hard work pays off in the diamond

T Photo by Camryn Falkenhein.

he softball team had a successful campaign this fall season. They finished with a 16-10 record, and had two girls, McKenzie McCarter and Keira Chriso, chosen for the Missouri Class 4 All State Team.

“Two highlights that really stand out for us this season was finishing 2nd in the Union Tournament at the beginning of the season, and finishing 2nd in the

Tennis player lobs her way to state

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he tennis team, despite their last week of matches being cancelled, still managed to make it to the District semi finals and send Junior Faith Taylor to state. “[Making it to state] was pretty shocking at first because I just started playing tennis my freshman year,” said Taylor. “When I

Rolla Tournament to end the season,” said Coach Kenneth Hohe. “We defeated several quality opponents on our way to the championship games.”

The softball team ended their season in the District semifinals after losing to the number one seed in their district, Bolivar.

But with many talented players returning along with the All-State duo, the Lady Bulldogs are looking forward to a competitive 2021 season.

first got there [the state tournament], it was kind of nerve wracking and intimidating, but then whenever I started playing it felt like home.”

The tennis team finished their season with a 5-5 record and with lots of hope for the future.

RHS golfer tees Football prevails off at State T

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he golf team had a good season this year placing 2nd in conference and ending their season with a fifth place finish at Districts. Abby Hobbs, a junior, placed 5th individually. Her excellent results qualified her for State.

“I was really excited I got to have the opportunity to go [to State],” said Hobbs.

“I hope the whole team can go [next year].

That’d be really fun.”

With the main five varsity team members returning next year, the golf team is looking to come out on the green strong.

he football team made big strides in making the program better this season.

“We felt with the current environment with COVID, we got a lot more games in than we anticipated, so that was a plus.” said head coach Jon Franks. “We felt that we continued to move the program in the right direction. I know this group of seniors had a really good year. [We are] really happy and proud for them, and what they have accomplished for this school. We played a lot of young guys and definitely have a lot to look forward to in the 2021 campaign.”

The Bulldogs made it to the district semifinal game where they fell to Battle, ending their season with a 5-4 record.

Photo by Zoe Sparks

Photo by Ivory Rackham

Five longdistance runners race at State

Quarantine doesn’t stop progress for volleyball

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he cross country team had a phenomenal year sending 5 runners to state, Nate Pohlsander (11), Orion Parker (12), Izzy Frost (10), Kathryn Hirtz (9), and Bridget Regan (9). Pohlsander was the District champion and placed 16th, the highest state finish for a boy in school history. Frost, who barely missed out on being All-State, placed 26th, yet she reflects positively on the season.

“I had a really good experience [at State] with my team.” said Frost, who also qualified for state last year. “I think our team did better this season than last year. I’m excited to see what [we] can do next year.”

Both the girl’s and boy’s teams finished 3rd at Districts, and with many of the runners returning, next season looks promising.

he volleyball team’s season was characterized by adversity, but Coach Tammy Miller believes the girls handled it well and had a good season.

“Overall it [the season] went well!” said Miller. “Our progress since summer was awesome. However, being quarantined was a big disadvantage as we were starting to put things into motion. After quarantine, I felt our kids handled the adversity well and never quit which is half the battle.”

The volleyball team finished their season with a 11-16-1 record after losing to Camdenton in the District semifinals. Nonetheless, the young team is looking for more improvement next year.

Dec. 16, 2020

FEATURES RHS ECHO

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Grades are in (cont.) Tartakowsky’s Primal P

From GRADES, page 1

“They didn’t study in school how to be a school administrator in a pandemic, so I think that it’s been extra hard for them because we’re all looking to them for the answers and they don’t usually have many more answers than we do,” Mullen said.

“They have done their best to do what they thought was right based on what was happening at the time and what they felt was best for the students and school to maintain some normalcy.”

Mullen has been helping her students as much as she can.

“The first thing that I came into this semester planning to do was to really give everybody a lot of space, and really just accept that. What was most important was for us to be able to learn French together and have the time to feel safe,” Mullen said.

“I think the biggest struggle for everybody has been staying on track and keeping up with work, especially when students have been quarantined or when we switched to hybrid,” Mullen said. “It was, I think, just a learning curve figuring out that it’s hard to stay motivated when you’re at home, but that the expectation is that you’re doing the work. I think for the most part, my students have gotten past that and recognize, they need to figure out how to keep themselves on track at home, how they can come and get extra help, and to really reach out and ask for help if they need it before they get too far behind.”

“All of us are constantly learning some-

thing,” Mullen said. “So, honestly, for a lot of us (adults and students included) a big lesson that I think we’ve learned and a big point of growth for a lot of us has been learning perseverance. You know that things are going to sometimes get hard, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t do it, that we sometimes adjust and be flexible and figure out how to make it work. It’s something that we can overcome. I think that’s a really positive thing for students to learn now.”

“It’s more important to me that we stay safe and that we, you know, consider our students physical health but mental well-being as well,” Mullen said. “Even though sometimes it’s easy to forget, we’re still all going through a pandemic. And all of that stresses is always there, even when we’re not actively thinking about it. I think it’s important to cut ourselves some slack and realize that we’ve been thrown a lot of curveballs in the last eight months. And so far, we have a 100% success rate of dealing with them. So we’re doing okay. We’re learning how to adapt.”

Everyone had the same general consensus for how they wish next semester to play out.

“My hopes for next semester… Hopefully we can just get back into a routine that makes us all feel safe but also provides us the opportunity to learn equally which I think would probably be a hybrid schedule,” Mullen said.

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you for the week.

Psychology teacher Amanda Engelke confirms that change activates stress.

“2020 has been a uniquely challenging year in many ways,” said Engelke. “We are all learning to adapt [and] just when it seems you’ve got your feet under you, things change and you have to adjust again. Psychological research indicates that people process life changes (both positive & negative) as stressful.”

However, Engelke has advice with how to deal with the stress.

“It’s important to realize that you’re not alone right now.” said Engelke. “Everyone is facing these challenges and feeling the pressure to adapt. Frustration and anxiety are an inevitable part of the process; it’s how you choose to respond to the stressors that’s important. Take care of your physical health by maintaining a consistent (and adequate) sleep schedule, eat well, and engage in moderate physical activity regularly. Protect your mental health by being selective in your commitments, alternating work and break times on at-home learning days, and dividing big projects into smaller components. Avoid multi-tasking and doing your schoolwork in front of the TV or with your phone nearby. Find a sublimation activity (like journaling, drawing, or listening to music) that helps you relieve stress. And most importantly, if you’re overwhelmed to the point that it’s impacting your ability to function, reach out and ask for help.”

Regulus confirms that she has benefited from some personal measures to manage the workload.

“My advice: if you’re struggling with online courses, set up a day in the week where you can get a decent chunk of work out of the way. This lessens the stress of having to juggle assignments throughout the week and gives you more time for notes, games and free time, or studying.

Times like this call for a good schedule that works for you,” said Regulus.

rimal is the newest animated series created by Genndy Tartakovsky who has also made Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Sym-Bionic Titan, and many other pieces of media.

Genndy Tartakovsky is also well known for his works containing minimal dialogue, particularly in Samurai Jack, but this approach is taken to an extreme with Primal.

Primal takes place in a prehistoric setting that is layered with fantasy, with man and Tyrannosaur united through their own similar tragedies. They have to work together to survive an incredibly brutal and harsh world where just finding food and staying alive is a daunting task.

An important disclaimer if squeamish or in for something lighthearted, Primal probably won’t be the best fit. The show’s most interesting premise is the complete lack of legible dialogue; characters don’t communicate with words and most scenes of the show are silent with only surrounding ambience.

Alfred Hitchcock was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. His fame is undeniable as one of the most important people in the history of cinema and its artform. One thing that definitely separates him from modern filmmakers is how he often used the idea of pure cinema - to approach the artform as “film.”

Movies began as silent productions with only the pictures and no recorded sound or dialogue. This led to creative workarounds for directors who had to emphasize body language and ways to communicate without direct talking. Hitchcock expressed this with having scenes of minimal dialogue and letting the film’s cinematog-

raphy and ambience run on their own. So many current shows and movies are made up entirely of snappy conversations and humor for the audience to enjoy; when you take that away from them, suddenly it has lost all meaning.

Primal’s animation allows for much more unrealistic expression which effectively utilizes music, sound, and the shapes of characters to its advantage. I think there is something to be said of “actions speak louder than words” being both figuratively and literally where expression of the body catches attention much more than pure words alone.

The show is currently available on HBO Max.

Students need support as change disrupts motivation MO Covid-19 policies evolve ow more than ever, the motivation amongst students and teachers is short. For some, school feels more like a chore than it does an effective education model. When we thought of our year of high school, this is not anywhere near how we pictured it. We went from school dances and well put-together classes, to strict mask regulations and half our friends gone from classes. Our workload becomes less pressing when we are so lost in other things. Hangouts with friends become more complicated, social media begins to rule our lives, and we lose the motivation to even move out from under the toasty covers.

Every student copes differently, but there is a collective need for support.

“To stay motivated, something I do includes setting timers on my phone-- usually for 11 on Wednesdays. It’s a day I know I won’t be busy and a time I can be productive. Typically, I work a week ahead so that I have time to relax,” said Alex Regulus, a virtual senior at RHS. Some students are doing better than others, but that’s to be expected when the learning system is so different. Some students are reaching out and seeking more effort and information from their teachers, especially the fully-virtual students.

“Having two other sisters going through fully online courses, I think I have been blessed to have Mrs. Kaysinger as my backbone. When it comes to a teacher I can always look to her for answers. However, my sisters haven’t once been emailed by advisors and have no clue who to contact for class troubles. I think there is definitely room for improvement because frankly, this is new to all of us. Having some extra help and knowing you have someone on your team to help you is important, whether that’s online or in person,” said Regulus.

It’s important to stay motivated on schoolwork, but it’s also important to take care of ourselves too. Getting overwhelmed and feeling like you are in an endless loop of inconsistency is not going to motivate

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tate elections rarely get the buzz that nation-wide elections do, especially in our high-school atmosphere. Most Rolla citizens stay well-informed about the statistics and candidates in the main presidential election, but what about the state election or in Rolla and Phelps County?

Missouri’s Governor Michael Parson was recently reelected to his previous position.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic increasing in severity, as well as the election of a new president, there have been some extremely time-sensitive decisions and issues to be voted on. Many of them are predicted to have a large impact on day-today life not only for of-age voters, but also students and minors.

It’s nearly impossible to predict the time period in which this worldwide pandemic will cease, but it is important to stay informed on the changes in government that will, hopefully, protect more of our citizens from the serious harm this virus has caused thus far. Parson’s executive order extending Missouri’s state of emergency will allow the continued flexibility in the deployment of resources needed around Missouri regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we do not slow the spread of the virus, our health care system will quickly become overwhelmed. This creates a major risk not only for COVID-19 patients but anyone requiring health care support, from emergency situations such as car accidents to the treatment of serious health conditions such as cancer.” Parson stated.

“Missouri is at a turning point, and if we are going to change the outcome, we must change our behavior” Since the virus’ initial birth in March, over 266,000 Missouri citizens have tested positive for COVID-19, and far too many have resulted in death. While masks are simply a proactive measure taken by many in order to protect themselves and others, some argue that being forced to wear a mask is against their rights. Parson takes an authoritative stance in argument to this issue, stating that “It’s our responsibility as citizens of this great state to take it upon ourselves to do the right thing, and, I’m calling on every citizen, no matter where they’re from rural Missouri or an urban area to do just that.”

This is especially important to remember in the current holiday season, where many family and friends gather to celebrate. With the local government’s current precautionary mandates, make sure to stay safe and protect your loved ones.