October 25, 2018 Print Issue by RHS ECHO

When RHS Speaks, We

Echo

Rolla High School - 900 Bulldog Run - Rolla, Missouri 65401- Volume 70 - Issue 3 October 25, 2018 - www.rhsecho.com @rhsechonews

Homecoming has changed, grown with Rolla High School

Photo courtesy of Bonnie Hall

The homecoming football game against Camdenton, precursor to Saturday’s dance, took place on the 12th. At the dance the following evening, Kelly Brown was crowned Rolla’s 2018 Homecoming King.

In addition to the obvious dancing aspect, a dress-up photo booth, staged backdrops for pictures, and a refreshment station were offered.

Photo courtesy of Rolla High School Growler yearbook

Photo courtesy of @rhsstuco on Instagram

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Photo courtesy of @rhsstuco on Instagram

A historical look at Missouri State Penitentiary’s ghosts

Photo courtesy of Margaret Wells

Athlete of the month

Margaret Wells and a guest on her tour shined their flashlights across the century old walls of the Missouri State Penitentiary, illuminating a seven foot tall solid black shadow figure moving across the hall, heading into a solitary confinement cell. Both women turned to each other and exclaimed “Did you just see that?” in unison. Once they realized what they both saw, the two strangers held hands and advanced down the hallway in search of the figure, to no avail. The shadow figure was gone. Wells, a tour guide at the Missouri State Penitentiary, was the first to see the shadow figure, who was consequently awarded the name of ‘Maggie’s Boyfriend’ by the other employees. Margaret Wells and her husband, Tom Wells, are tour guides at the Missouri State Penitentiary, Margaret being one of the last of the first group of ghost tour guides. “The city and the mayor at the time really wanted to get the ghost tours started. They had already been working with the history tours, but the mayor wanted ghost tours. They argued back and forth for a while,

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Hidden nature trails in, around Rolla

Missouri is nationally recognised for its natural realm and contains numerous opportunities to enjoy nature, from kayaking and hiking to birdwatching and biking.The Rolla area itself contains a large amount of outdoor trails, lakes, rivers, and parks, many of which remain unknown to high school students. Senior Veronica Isik is one such student

Photo courtesy of Trey Quick

Rolla Bulldogs Football has had a lot of success in these past few years. With a new head coach, Mr. Jon Franks, these players have really only known success. Trey Quick, senior varsity team captain, has known a considerable amount of this success ever since the gain of Franks. Quick got an early start to the game, seeing as his family has a long history of sports and competitiveness. “My family has always been competitive. So, I have always grown up around sports. I started most of my sports around kindergarten or first grade,” Quick said.

and finally, it became a reality,” Margaret Wells said. Margaret and another woman visited two inmates and a guard at the current prison in Jefferson City to hear their ghost stories. “Tom, my husband, was the guard that we interviewed. All the stories came together and we wrote the script and compiled all the information that we had gathered. Here we are eight years later,” Margaret Wells said. The ghost story that started it all began with Tom Wells working in a place called the Clothing Factory, an old building in the back of the Penitentiary. He had just counted everyone and was settling into the last two hours of his day. “I was walking back to my desk and one of the inmate workers walked over to me to tell me what he wanted to do the next day. As I was talking to him, I was looking at the front door, and all of a sudden, an inmate with long blonde hair and a white tshirt walked right out the front door,” Tom Wells said.

who has taken advantage of the benefits of the outdoors. “I think people stay inside too frequently. Outside is where we’re supposed to be. I like the air and the sunlight and the vitamin D and all the endorphins you get from being outside. Nothing really negative comes from being outside, so I like it,” Isik said.

Photo courtesy of Margaret Wells

Artistof the month

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Photo courtesy of RJ Alfred

Photo courtesy of Kat Conaway

RJ Alfred, senior, is not only a part of the varsity football team, but enjoys art too. He has been described by his art teacher, Mrs. Engelbrecht, as a rising star. Currently, he is in beginning 2D art, but Alfred has been involved with art for quite a long time. “I have been drawing since I was in first grade. One day I just picked up a pen and started drawing,” said Alfred. Although he is also involved in 3D art, drawing is his favorite. There are also different things he is interested in.

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The Social Norm Ge

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We have been raised in a society that invalidates teen love, doubts the sincerity of young romance, and automatically dismisses the idea that we possess the same capacity to give and receive love in its purest form. Teenage love is written off by many adults as “puppy love,” solely because we lack the wisdom in years to defend it. Some adults view it as an excuse to have sex that relieves us of the burden that is our conscience. Others argue we have “our whole lives” to partake in committed romantic relationships, and getting started too early inherently requires sacrificing our childhoods. Society portrays a failed teen relationship as a childish mistake, but views a successful one as even more preposterous. Teens who have built healthy, supportive relationships for themselves are ridiculed for being overcommitted and too serious.

Those who have experienced a failed relationship are criticized for not anticipating the inevitable outcome. Their failure is attributed, once again, to their young age, and therefore they are incapable of having a successful relationship. Several studies, including one by ABC News titled, “Study: Teen Love Hurts,” have shown that findings regarding adolescent love contradict many adults’ observations. For instance, one experiment included a group of teens between the ages of 12 and 17, who were encouraged to write down their feelings at random intervals. The study compared teens who considered themselves to be in a relationship versus those who did not. The conclusion was that while a teen relationship can hold several dangers and pose many risks, as ABC states “[provokes in teens] a fusillade of strong feelings,” they also have the power to make teens feel loved, wanted, and supported in one of the most vulnerable stages of their lives. On the contrary, I would argue that

teenagers are too young to make extreme, defining sacrifices for the sake of their relationships. Compromise makes up part of the foundation of a strong relationship, but there is a thin line between necessary compromise and overcompensation. This being said, try to refrain from making out in crowded hallways or blocking doorways with intimate sessions of prolonged eye contact. Most people are supportive of your love, but that is not to say everyone wants to see it. Many of us are just trying to get to our math class. Additionally, do not underestimate the importance of healthy platonic relationships either. Romantic is not the only type of relationship that should be valued and cherished. In conclusion, teenage relationships should be focused around finding someone who makes you feel happy and supported. Like all relationships, it demands effort from both parties, but it should never require sacrificing strong personal morals or ideas. Deriving overall satisfaction and

personal fulfillment from a single person or relationship does set one up for failure. If you choose to be in a relationship at this fragile age, find someone who accepts that you are on a journey and have not yet reached the final destination. After all, we are young. Adults’ concerns, however emotionally inept or insensitively they are expressed, come from a good place. Parents are protective of their children, friends are protective of one another, and you should be protective of yourself. Teendom is a delicate era. Relationships put us in a compromising and vulnerable position that many people are not used to at this age. Perhaps the active pursuit of romantic relationships is a part of growing up that is central in some teens and others not. This makes them not good nor bad; it is far more important to know how to value and prioritize yourself. Still, break the social norm--for there are worse things than an overabundance of love.

Suicide Awareness should be a bigger deal across the nation b y

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Recent discussions of teen suicide have been prompted by both the hit Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” airing last year, and a recent tragedy that united our community in grief. While there has not been a school-wide assembly addressing suicide, unofficial steps have been taken by organizations not directly affiliated with the school. Recently, members of the Rolla High School marching band were provided with a symbolic locket along with a list of

suicide prevention resources. At first glance, with suicide ranking as the second leading cause of teen mortality, it seems people would be treating it as the epidemic it is. However, the fact of the matter is that addressing suicide is not as simple as implementing more technologically advanced airbags in vehicles, or an finding alternate treatment to a bloodborne disease. It is deeper than an automobile accident or bacteria, so it must be treated differently. Suicide is an epidemic certainly, but it is not the kind we are used to. This accounts for part of the reason it is terrifying and tragic. Society, schools, and

families are being viewed as incompetent because of their inability to make any sort of notable difference in the statistics. Perhaps one of the flaws in addressing suicide is our tendency to look at the statistics, rather than humanizing them. People are not numbers. A parent’s child is more than a dot on a chart. We need to make the topic feel human, because it is real. To start with, we stop normalizing it. “Kill yourself” is far too powerful a phrase to be incorporated into conversations between fragile teenagers. Social media has adopted suicide as some sort of sick

punchline. Stop adapting and start taking initiative. We need to talk about suicide in a way that is both thoughtful and compassionate. We need to stop hiding behind excuses that it is “too sensitive a subject” or “not a fixable problem.” In the meantime, our hearts go out to the families and friends of suicide victims. We owe it to those families and friends to make a change, even if it is a small one. Progress is progress, and it is an issue that is worth fighting.

ECHO Staff

Letter from the Editor Senior Maia Bond Fall is a favorite season of probably half the population, but for seniors, it could possibly be the worst time of year. Most likely not because of the weather or the changing leaves, but the college applications. I could never imagine applying to more than three colleges. I can only write so many mediocre essays! I have no concept of how taxes work but I’m expected to fill out my FAFSA? Pick a major? I can’t even do the dishes without accidentally smashing a plate. When I was younger, moving out and being independent seemed like a dream, and apparently still seems great to some seniors. Unfortunately, I am not like that. If I could pack up my family and move them to Columbia with me, I definitely would. The

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thought of living in a small space with a stranger seems like I’ll be having a mental breakdown daily. But, there are some good things about this process, I guess. I’m learning more about how the adult world works and maybe I’ll pick up some tips on what taxes are along the way. Moving out will force me to hang out with people that aren’t my parents and actually do my homework because I have no one to watch Law and Order with. While I’m not exactly excited about applications and scholarship essays and moving out, I am ready to be done with high school. The senioritis hasn’t set in yet, but we’ll see how I feel next semester.

Adviser: Mary Gillis Editor In Chief: Maia Bond Managing Editor: Kayla Copeland Copy Editor: Jace Swearingen Arts and Entertainment: Nalani Massaro Webmaster: Blaize Klossner Photography: Bailey Allison News: Taylor Miller

Opinion: Courtney Kelley Sports: Brandon Kirchner Feature: Lorren Black Staff Writers: Cameron Cummins, Julia Leventis, Lauren Ulrich, Rosalia Bolyard, Genevieve Huber, Emma Starns, Kate Brand

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

Pro, cons of student jobs b y

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These days, everything costs money. College, food, even a trip to a state park can be costly once gas and possible tickets are factored in. Birthdays and Christmas lists can only go so far once money is put away for college or a future car. Naturally, as a student, the want for money is going to grow, so a job may be a possibility, or even a necessity as graduation comes around the corner. Some kids do not have a choice when it comes to getting a job or not, even once loads of homework are piling on, and inflexible schedules get in the way. Certain jobs are known for helping their employees work around their schooling and sports schedule, and vice versa for companies and franchises who are known for being firm and unwilling to change work hours. Parents can have many different beliefs and understandings when it comes to jobs. Some support for saving for college, a car, or even earning spending money can come from having a stable flexible job. It can provide a sense of responsibility and independence even before leaving home or graduating. Others oppose their kids having jobs because homework and sports can be too much already. Pressure can build up and emotions can get the best of what free time is left. By the time finals come around, being ready can be better than having an extra hundred bucks in a college account, as knowledge and education can further increase chances of getting in to a certain college, thanks to scholarships and recognition. For all of these reasons, having a job can ease young adults into the real world as an adult, and show that responsibility doesn’t always come easy. Some flexible jobs that would be good for beginning workers could include, but not limited to, babysitting, house cleaning and/or lifeguarding. Just having money in pocket can be a reason for wanting a job. “I work because having money, even if I don’t want to buy anything, is so stressful,” said Sophomore Faith Toothaker, “It’s better to have money saved and immediately get what I want

According to a recent

@rhsechonews Twitter Poll:

65 % Of those who responded to the @rhsechonews twitter poll voted that “yes, collegiate athletes should be payed for their work.”

35% Of those who responded to the @rhsechonews twitter poll voted that “no, the collegiate athletes should not be payed.”

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Picture this, it is a chilly Saturday night football game. The crowd is roaring, everyone is excited, but it all goes quiet in an instant. The team’s star quarterback lies on the field in pain, suffering from some form of horrific injury. This is the case for many of the different collegiate athletes, they put their bodies on the line for the sport they play and receive little in return. With college institutions and the NCAA making hundreds of millions off of them, there is no reason why these athletes should not receive some form of compensation. But that is not the only reason why these athletes need to be paid. The main argument against paying college athletes is that they are given a scholarship to play for their school. However, that does not account for their other basic needs such as good nutrition or even basic spending money. An athlete can not live off of their scholarship and even than only two percent of athletes receive a scholarship. So for all the walk-on players on the team they have to train and practice just like a scholarship athlete, but also have to pay for their schooling. That is why 13 percent of all college athletes end up dropping out of school before they graduate, with another 16 percent not finishing their degree. These athletes are placed under a huge amount of stress, and are not properly treated for the work they do. That is why it is crucial for college athletes to get some form of compensation for how much money they bring to the school.

It is also not because the schools do not have the money to pay these athletes. Many athletic programs at universities bring the school millions of dollars in revenue. Just last season the football program at the University of Texas at Austin brought in right around one hundred and seventy million dollars, and their rival Texas A&M was reported to have brought in just under the two hundred million dollar mark. However, football is not the only sport to bring in millions of dollars for their university. Basketball is another prevalent sport to bring the school millions. Last season, the University of Louisville men’s basketball made right around fifty million dollars for the school with many other basketball teams close behind. With successful programs bringing in so much money for their reputable schools, the athletes deserve some portion of the profit they worked for. While it seems playing sports in college is a dream come true, the underlying nature is that college athletes primarily on the basketball court and football field as well as other collegiate sports are mistreated. These athletes are placed underneath large amounts of pressure to be successful both on and off the field. As most athletes live in poverty the colleges and the NCAA make millions off of their hard work. Therefore there is no logical reason as to why these athletes are not paid other than the greed of the NCAA. At the end of the day, while the life of a college athlete is glamorized the truth behind it is filled with many dark secrets starting with the practice of college institutions robbing their athletes of a just wage.

then having to wait. I’m impatient”.

Teacher Feature: Aaron Loker b y

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Aaron Loker teaches World History and AP European History. This is his fifth year teaching, after he attended Missouri State University. He thinks that history is a really beneficial class. “I really like history and I think that teaching and learning history is one of the most important things you can do with your life. I think that a lot of lessons can be

learned by studying history,” said Loker. Loker thought being a teacher could be the job for him, so he chose to pursue history after high school. “My favorite history teacher I ever had in high school told me after I had just graduated that he thought I would be a pretty good history teacher. I think that sort of shaped what I was going for in my life,” said Loker. Loker has also explored many European countries.

“After my first year teaching, me and a friend I went to college with decided we should go off and do something while we still could, so we went to Europe. We went to Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Italy. We toured around for about a month. I really liked Scotland, England and Italy. There is just so much to see,” said Loker. History is not all Loker does. He is sponsoring a new club this next semester and wanted to let people know about it.

“I am sponsoring a new group called the Unity Club starting next semester. It is a safe place for anyone to come to. It is a judgement free space to make some friends, or to hangout where you are welcome to talk about issues or anything that is going on in your life. I want my students to know that I will always be there for them if they need anything. Even if they are not in my class, they can come talk to me about anything,” said Loker.

Photos courtesy of Aaron Loker

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Missouri State Penitentiary Shares historical stories of ghosts b y

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This angered Tom Wells, as all the inmates knew they could not leave, especially at that time. He rushed outside, and the man was not there. He checked either side of the building before spotting an old van that the inmate must have snuck into. Tom Wells realized that he had an escape attempt on his hands, but as he searched the van, another inmate came outside. “The inmate then told me that I wasn’t going to find that guy. I turned and said ‘What are you talking about?’ He said that he saw him too, but no one in the building fit that description. It felt like I got punched in the chest. I had just seen a ghost in broad daylight,” Tom Wells said. Similar apparitions have been sighted in the Penitentiary, including a man named Jack Kahl. Kahl was a runner, meaning he walked inmates to and from the hospital for any appointments. “Jack was always on a mission, always very quick. He liked jewelry stores a little too much. Several years ago, one of the ladies that is now retired was helping the history guys get closed down for the day. She saw this gentleman that had on a white lab coat, jet black hair parted in the middle, walking as fast as he could,” Margaret Wells said. The woman reported to the men that they could not close, someone was still there. They reassured her that everyone had been accounted for and no one could still be there. The woman described who she saw, and her colleagues thought it sounded eerily similar to Kuhl. However, they simply wrote it off and left. A few days later, the same thing happened. The hauntings are obviously so frequent that ghost tours are a successful aspect of the penitentiary’s new business, but it’s

history as the oldest prison west of the Mississippi River is what first drew attention. In 1828, construction began on the Missouri State Penitentiary. 1836 was the year it was completed, though those buildings are now gone. Throughout the 175 years it was open, it housed infamous criminals such as Bonnie and Clyde and James Earl Ray, just to name a few. “We accepted women until the 1920’s. We had a lot of female political activists, several were incarcerated for speaking out against the government. It was a federal crime to speak out against the country at that time and they didn’t want their sons to go to war, so they were sent to prison,” Margaret Wells said. One of her favorite inmates happened to be the great great great grandmother of Cynthia Nixon, a Sex and The City actress, who was incarcerated for murdering her husband. “Her husband was abusive and a bad man. He woke up one morning and told her she would die that day, then the dummy fell back asleep. She took an axe and hit him in the head and killed him,” Margaret Wells said. The gruesome history of the Penitentiary does not stop at individual incidents, as the riot in 1954 proves. At about 6:30 in the evening, two prisoners claimed illness to entice two guards to enter their hall. The guards were quickly rushed and the inmates stole their keys and beat them severely. They let out mass amounts of other prisoners that continued to rampage throughout the night, setting fires and smashing windows. The damage was an estimated five million dollars, and resulted in four inmate deaths. “We just had the 64th anniversary of the riot on September 22nd. It was extremely active that night. A lot of people had expe-

riences of noises, bangs, shadows everywhere, or being touched,” Tom Wells said. After years of working at the Penitentiary, Tom distinguishes between the different types of hauntings they encounter. “There are residual hauntings, intelligent hauntings, shadow people, and poltergeists. We don’t talk about poltergeists or demons. We try to keep it family friendly. There is nobody in there, we don’t try to scare anybody. There’s nobody shaking doors or faking anything. It isn’t a haunted house attraction, it is the real deal,” Tom Wells said. An example of a residual haunting is when they were sitting on the steps of a housing unit, they heard loud, clear footsteps hitting the steel floor as it came down the steps and out the door, though no one was there. It is old energy that they have just happened to stumble upon. They also often smell oranges or cigarettes from when the prison was open. Margaret has been whistled at, yelled at, grabbed, and even has recordings of her name being called. “It is more than what you would think, and isn’t always what you think it would be. It’s not a ‘boo’ or rattling chains, it is coughs and smoking cigarettes,” Tom Wells said. Though both agree that it is scary, they say it is a “good scare” and laugh about it. “The greatest thing we’ve learned from this whole experience is that there is no logical explanation for it. There is no reason on Earth that you should be seeing a seven foot tall shadow standing a hundred feet from you and walking towards you or into a cell. There is no reason why in a completely empty building, somebody is yelling my name,” Margaret Wells said. Between the two of them, their ghost stories could take hours, but they admit that the building has a mind of it’s own.

“If you are there on the right night, this place is amazing. But you can’t make it do anything, it does what it wants to do. We see people come through the door with $30,000 worth of equipment and get nothing. You can feel it when it’s turned off,” Tom Wells said. He believes that people with positive energy attract the ghosts more, because of how much more powerful positive energy is than negative. It is so powerful in fact, that another group accused their’s of making stories up, because they had never experienced what Tom and Margaret’s group had. One night, a woman went with them, and had an unforgettable experience of being chased clear down a hallway by what she believes was a ghost. “She was fearless, and this thing was absolutely chasing her. She went back and told those people that we are not lying,” Tom Wells said. They are accused of faking stories, but believe that there is no need. “In all the times that we have done this, I’ve never had to make up a story or exaggerate something, it is just there. It wants to be seen,” Tom Wells said. The couple take their jobs extremely seriously, and have immense pride in the Missouri State Penitentiary. “That is a big reason why we still do it. We care so much about those old buildings. It is absolutely beautiful. The oldest building has been here since 1868. It’s not every day that you can drive through town and see something that old. The last thing we want is for there to be a marker on the ground that says ‘Here used to stand the Missouri State Penitentiary.’ We want it to stay there, not even necessarily for the ghost tours, but for the history. We can’t lose that piece of American history,” Margaret Wells said.

A reflection on Homecoming over time b y

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All the homecoming preparations and festivities prompted the question: Has it always been like this? Bonnie Hall, an English teacher here at RHS, graduated from Rolla High School in 2003. She attended the homecoming dance in 1999-her sophomore year. “My date was a guy I’d known all my life. Our families were close friends, and just to ensure that [our] friendship didn’t teeter

to ideas of romance, I looped in my best friend,” Hall said. The theme of the 1999 homecoming dance (when Hall attended) was tropical. The only other memory I have is that a girl in our group wore Converse shoes with a knee-length dress. I thought that was bold and hip,” Hall said. The purpose of the dance has remained unchanged: to celebrate the near-end of football season and to provide the students of Rolla High School a fun, safe, and memorable experience. Mason Harrison, a co-chairman of the

Photo courtesy of Rolla High School yearbook

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homecoming committee, shared his aspirations prior to the dance. “I want it to be successful and for everyone to have a nice time. And since it’s a fairy tale theme, I hope everyone feels like they’re in their own wonderland,” Harrison said. David Meusch, senior and head chairman of the homecoming committee, reiterated Harrison’s aspirations. “Well I hope everyone makes it and has fun. We have some some exciting things planned, especially the decorations,” Meusch said.

After the dance, Meusch reflected on the undeniable success of Homecoming 2018. “It was an awesome turnout, For the most part, things went smoothly and people enjoyed it,” Meusch said. Hall, after witnessing her current students partake in the festivities last weekend, summarized what homecoming is all about. “It’s a sweet time when good friends trump just about anything else,” Hall said.

Photo courtesy of @rhsstuco on Instagram

Photo courtesy of Rolla High School yearbook

Photo courtesy of @rhsstuco on Instagram

Transferring homes is a reality for many students b y

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Of the many struggles that students can face during their childhood, divorce remains one of the most influential situations to undergo. It is a common living situation, but between parents fighting, travelling between houses, and losing familiar family structure, the results of a divorce can seem overwhelming for many students. “Right now, I am living with my mom and my step dad and my parents divorced when I was five years old. I ended up moving to Rolla when I was about eight with my mom and my step dad, and my dad and my step mom are in Columbia currently,” one student said. Missouri custody law states that the court is required to determine what is in the best interest of the child or children at hand. The court will decide which parent will have or how the parents will share legal custody. This refers to the right to make decisions and authorize education, health, and wellbeing. The court must also determine how to split physical custody of the child. These decisions can typically come with much conflict and animosity within

family life, which can cause difficulties for children. “When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone with divorced parents, so I felt kind of alone in that. But as you get older, it happens to more people, so I know a few now. But I still think the majority of my friends have parents that are not separated. I feel like it is kind of hard, because not a lot of people understand what the struggles of that actually are,” the student shared. Despite feelings of isolation, having divorced parents is not actually all that rare. Half of all American children will witness the breakup of a parent’s marriage in their lifetime, and 1.5 million children every year will see their parents divorce. “It did have an effect on me, and I think people kind of underestimated that. I’m pretty sure they just thought that I wouldn’t remember any of it because I was so young, but it was actually really hard because the first relationship I was ever exposed to was my parents and they were just fighting all the time, so that was difficult,” the student said. The adversity and conflict that comes with a divorce can leave a lasting effect. A case study published by the Journal of Divorce & Remarriage compared the

rates of depression, antisocial behavior, and hyperactivity between children whose parents had divorced and children whose parents remained together. It was found that the rates of such mental health issues were significantly higher among children with divorced parents, which was mostly attributed to greater socioeconomic disadvantages and more dysfunctional family processes among divorcing households. “It’s gonna be hard, and there’s no way to get around that but trying to focus on the positives instead of the negatives has really helped me. You’re gonna feel a lot of pressure from maybe your dad or your mom to do what they want, even if its not intentional, it just kind of happens. But you need to figure out what’s best for you and not what’s best for other people because you’re important too,” the student said. Another student who has undergone parental struggles shared their story. “I threatened to be emancipated if my mom didn’t divorce my dad, so she did divorce him and then my dad moved out,” the student said. It has been a year and a half since this student’s parents divorced. They now live with their mom full time and their dad has lost all custodial rights. “Know that it’s not your fault and you play

no role in whether or not they still want to be together. Your parents are human too, and they have emotions, and they just lost someone they loved for a long time and that hurts. They will be irrational with you and you just have to remember that it’s not your fault,” the student said. Another student, whose parents are currently going through a divorce had similar advice for students with issues at home. This particular student reported feelings of hurt and frustration with their situation and has had to step up at home as an older sibling during the process of their parents divorce. Due to these events, they stressed the importance of sharing your emotions and finding support from friends and family. “It’s really important to know that it’s not your fault that your parents are going through a tough time and that it’s okay to feel however you are feeling, but it’s important to share your feelings and your emotions and your thoughts so that everything doesn’t get bottled up inside, and so you don’t take out your emotions on your parents or the people that you love. It’s important to express how you feel so you can still be happy and have healthy relationships with everybody,” the student said.

Lesser known outdoor Blood drive gains more activities in Rolla area popularity at RHS outdoor spots with ECHO. “I go kayaking sometimes at Little Prairie Lake and it’s really, really beautiful. It’s Staff Writer not hard to go kayaking there. Sometimes I’ll see sail boats As fall finally hits, and that’s really going outside is cool. I really like viewed as even Lane Springs, more desirable it’s the one out due to the droppast Lions Club. ping temperatures Blossom Rock is and changing really, really good colors. Even with too, it’s in Lane busy schedules, Springs. It’s a students are still little bit of a hike able to find ways to get there, but I to enjoy enjoy the go rock climbing fall season. there. Lions Club “I’m pretty busy, also has a bunch so I don’t go as of hiking trails much as I’d like and my favorite to, I probably place in that trail go like twice a is the pine tree month. I really forest,” Conaway like the Audubon Photo courtesy of Veronica Isik said. Trail, because The benefits of that’s the best hike spending you can get. There’s time outside can more uphill stuff be easily apprecithat you can do out ated, both physithere and in the cally and mentally. summer and the “It’s a really spring there’s just great way to stay a field of wildflowin shape. It’s a lot ers so it’s really better than runpretty. If I were to ning and you get in go hiking or outside a better headin general I would space... everything go to Acorn Trail out there is a or Audubon Trails, whole lot slower or Bray Conservaso you get the tion area, or Little chance to catch up Prairie Lake,” Isik Photo courtesy of Kat Conaway with what you’re said. thinking about. It’s Senior Kat Conaway is another RHS stua time when you can look around and end dent who has found solace in the outdoors. up appreciating everything around you so Conaway shared some of her favorite much more,” said Conaway. b y

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Scan this QR code to see a map of parks and conservation areas to visit in Rolla.

wait at each section,” Cantrell said. But of course, the success of the C o p y E d i t o r blood drive relies on the generosity of the students and teachers themselves. Last year, they were scrambling to get as many donations as possible, asking people in the hallways to come donate. “This year we had 78 people sign up, and we got 57 donors, and we finished at 2:30. We had plenty of people that wanted to give blood. But out of all those people that sign up, some people can’t give because their iron is too low and that kind of thing,” Cantrell said. High schooler’s desire to be involved is more important than people realize. “If you don’t have enough blood on hand at a hospital, and you have a child in a car accident, that can be the difference between life and death. You maybe Photo courtesy of RHS Leadership have to fly that child to St. Louis, if they’re losing blood you’ve got to get them blood right then. It can’t wait. So if people don’t donate blood, and you don’t have a family member that can donate. What if that family member’s in the same crash? Or people are out of state? You can’t always have somebody there, close to them, that can donate. So you have to have enough people willing to do that to be able to save lives,” Cantrell said. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. It is something that cannot be artificially made, it has to come from donors. Which is why it is so inspiring to see students, even those terrified of needles, even those Photo courtesy of RHS Leadership who do not feel very well after* donating, come out and give blood. “I think it’s awesome. People talk This past October 2nd, Rolla High School about your generation being very selfish had their most successful blood drive yet. and self-centered, wanting things easy, With both students and teachers donating, wanting everything quick. They call your the community has the potential to save generation the WIIFM generation: what’s over a hundred lives. Thanks to teacher in it for me? But when we do things like of family and consumer sciences, Jamie this - blood drives, when we see kids all Cantrell, and her Leadership team, the rallying together around a cause...it’s high school has the opportunity to make amazing. It makes me very proud to see a difference a few times a year. By teamkids coming up wanting to donate. Kids ing up with Community Blood Center of were asking me the day of, ‘hey, I forgot the Ozarks, the preparation is quick and to sign up, can I still donate blood?’ And simple. I don’t think they’re doing it to get out of “Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, school, because who wants to get stuck they bring all their equipment in, they set with a needle? But they know that it’s an everything up, all we have to do is put out important cause. And so I’m proud of our a few tables and Rolla High School students, I think they’re chairs in designated spots for people to amazing for doing it,” Cantrell said. b y

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For more school news visit www.rhsecho.com 5 Feature

Artist of the month b y

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“I like drawing different things, and I like how art looks after it’s done. Different things fascinate me; I like graffiti and murals that have a meaning or purpose,” said Alfred. For Alfred and his family, art is difficult to stay away from. “I have been to different art museums in

Missouri and Alabama. It’s hard to avoid art,” said Alfred. Mrs. Engelbrecht is truly helpful to all of her students. She is encouraging and supportive. “Mrs. Engelbrecht gives great expert advice that really helps,” said Alfred. Art also runs in Alfred’s family. He has two sisters, Taylor, who is fourteen, and Hav, who is ten. One of them even wants to be an artist when she grows up. They both love making friendship bracelets. Al-

fred spends time with his sisters by joining them in the bracelet making. “I enjoy making bracelets with my sister. We made an armful of bracelets this summer. Some of them were for my parents, some for friends, but most of them were for ourselves. We’re bonding. Making bracelets is something we all enjoy doing, so why not spend time with each other making bracelets, ” said Alfred.

Photos courtesy of RJ Alfred

Fashion trends resurface after decades b y

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There’s a sort of freedom that wearing what you want can bring you. Wearing what you want can show people who you are and your personality. It can make you happy about being yourself and happy about how others see you. A year ago, white Converse were on the rise. According to Sidney Brown, they are cute but with a statement. “I think they can be cute, but you have to have a fashion statement, like a shirt that has a design. If you’re gonna wear white, make sure the shirt isn’t white, that it just has some bits of white in it,” Brown said. Along with scrunchies, iconic 90’s sunglasses, color blocked sweaters, and mom jeans are becoming just as popular as they were a few decades ago. “I love them, 100 percent approval of them I’m really into that whole aesthetic,” sophomore Lexi Lugo said about the recent trend ‘mom jeans’. Mom jeans are baggy, high waisted, cuffed jeans that were big in the 90s and are now making a comeback. Trends come and go, so there’s no need to feel pressured to wear anything. Just be you, and most importantly be happy.

Photos courtesy of RJ Alfred Photos courtesy of RJ Alfred

Athlete of the b y

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Quick is a very multifaceted athlete. “I play football, basketball, baseball, and I’m also in track”, Quick said. He also plays many different positions in each of these individual sports. As a captain and running back in football, “in-the-paint” player in basketball, pitcher and center fielder in baseball, and as a 4x400 runner in track, and a very skilled athlete, at that. Of all these sports, Quick would have to pick football as his favorite part about being involved in sports here at Rolla High School, and the “family dynamic” he and

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his fellow team members share. Quick has a love for his fellow teammates that really no one else has, and he shows it well. “Just spending time after school with friends, and getting to be around them and getting to know them,” Quick said about his favorite memories of being with his teammates. Rolla High School will definitely see so much more from Quick, and the rest of his fellow RHS athletes at the games. Take a look at the Rolla High School Fall sports schedule for all the games!

Photo courtesy of Trey Quick

6 Arts and Entertainment

Photos courtesy of RJ Alfred

The NBA Season is Underway With fall officially here, the start of a NBA season is underway. Last season was filled with intrigue and drama only to end with another Cavaliers vs. Warriors championship game. However with Lebron James now on the Lakers and many other changes, this season should be one to remember. The Lakers are a historic franchise, with many superstars playing for the yellow and purple over the decades. Now with Lebron James arguably the greatest player of all time a new era for Lakers basketball begins. Senior Treveon Luster is excited to see “The King” try to take over the Lebron James west. “The Warriors are a team that, year after year, instead of declining, they get better. Now everyone knows that the east ran through Lebron, and with him in the west, I doubt he will settle losing to the Warriors and not making it to the finals. It’s a very young team with great players and leaders. It should be a great season,” Luster said. With Lebron now in the West, there is now a vacuum of power in the East and many superstars looking to fill that role. Junior Jack Hounsom has an idea of who will take over as the best player in the East. “Giannis is just a freak and with an elite head coach in Budenholzer I think he’ll be unleashed to a whole new level, it’ll be interesting to see if outside of Khris Middleton his supporting cast can help him,” Hounsom said. Another top team in the west besides the

Photo taken by Maia Bond

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Warriors and now Lakers is the Houston Rockets. Lead by James Harden, Paul George and new acquired weapon Carmelo Anthony the Rockets are a strong contender to beat the Warriors this season. However Senior Mohammed Elshiekh does not see the Rockets upsetting the Warriors. “As much as I love the Rockets, I can’t say the Rockets will upset the Warriors because the Rockets lost their two best three and defensive players and the Warriors signed Demarcus Cousins who was the best center last season before he tore his Achilles,” Elshiekh said. The Warriors have been the league’s best team for the past few seasons, this offseason they only got better. Adding superstar center Demarcus Cousins to their already star riddled lineup the Warriors have been getting a lot of media attention calling them the “best team ever assembled”. Luster, however, does not believe so. “The Warriors team is one of the best but not the best team ever assembled. When I think of the Warriors, I think of making a franchise in 2k and they are on my team. It’s unbelievable the talent they have on their team. If they keep adding players this way they are, they will be a powerhouse in the league for a while,” Luster said. The Cavaliers have been to the Finals for the past few years straight, however, now that Lebron has left, a new team will arise as the perennial contender in the East. Junior Jack Hounsom has an “unbiased” opinion on who he thinks it will be. “Celtics, they made the Eastern Conference Finals last year without their two best players. And with the development of their young players, they’re easily the most complete and talented team,” Hounsom said.

Girls wrestling team begins, more schools start adding the sport b y

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This year, some things have changed regarding our wrestling team. In the past, we have had a very successful wrestling program, and starting this November, girl’s who wish to be apart of the wrestling team can now accomplish that. Hannah O’Connor, a sophomore, is getting excited for tryouts. “I think this wrestling season will be very exciting. I am glad that this new team is forming, because I feel like a lot of us have been waiting for there to be an all girls team. This year will be very different for me because in my past nine seasons of wrestling I have been wrestling mainly guys and hardly any girls,” O’Connor said. She feels as if this new team will create more opportunities for girl’s everywhere, not just at our high school. “Maybe the girls wrestling team will bring about other sports such as a girls football team or more colleges that have an option for girls wrestling,” O’Connor said.

Junior Celeste Lietz also plans on wrestling on the team. She is excited for the opportunity and cannot wait for November. Her brother, Tristan Lietz, wrestles on the team and her one goal is to beat him. “I have never wrestled, but I am excited to learn. Going into the wrestling program as a junior makes me a little nervous. I’m definitely more willing to do it because it’s going to be just girls. My main goal is to get really good just so I can beat my brother,” Lietz said. Both girls are getting very excited about the new team. Not just because they get to tackle people to the ground, but also because it creates chances for girls everywhere to get involved in sports. “I believe that this will give other girls an opportunity to step up and join the program as well. I can’t wait for this season and to start bonding with the other girl wrestlers,” Lietz said. “I am looking forward to the bonds that will be made and the memories that will last forever,” O’Connor said.

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Ghost stories from RHS students, staff b y

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As September took its close, the traditions of exploring haunted houses and carving jack-o-lanterns never disappoint. Not only does the high school offer the Haunted High, but ghost stories are a necessary custom to this holiday. While some think ghosts are not real, junior Joseph Yelton, believes otherwise. “One time I was sitting in my basement, on the computer. It was two in the morning, and I was playing the Sims and sitting in my rolling chair. (Then) the lever in the back that lets you adjust the height, just went down and I tried to get up out of my chair, but it wouldn’t move. I pushed it back and shot up right out of there, the chair rolled about a foot and then stopped. I pushed it and it just stopped. I was so scared. I stood there for a minute and then I shut down my game and went upstairs,” Yelton said. Hearing ghost stories compared to experiencing them can sometimes be the determining factor to believing or not believing in ghosts. Though there are varied beliefs about the origin of ghosts, one can not deny the rumors that some horror movies are based on real life scenarios. History teacher, Jamie Rinehart, recounts stories that happened on a Vicksburg trip. “We have for many years taken some freshman kids to Vicksburg on a Mississippi Civil War trip, and we used to go and visit the McRaven home, which is the most haunted house in Mississippi. We actually have a picture of three Rolla students on the porch of the McRaven

house. You see one of our kids sitting on the bench behind them, but over one girls shoulder, I will just say ghostly image of a Civil War era girl wearing a dress. You can tell she’s wearing a locket around her neck and appears to have dark lips. It’s kind of a grayish image. Also during that trip, we would always have kids passing out, could be from ghosts, could be from the fact that it was really hot, no air movement, and we had hiked maybe 15-20 miles before that day,” Reinhart siad. Other ghost rumours can be heard involving the McRaven house. “Mrs. Lamar, a wonderful secretary who has since retired, used to go with us. She swears in the upstairs bedroom of the McRaven house -where a fourteen year old girl died- she swears as the guide was telling the story, in front of the bed where Mary Elizabeth died, she will say that she did not see a ghost, but that she saw the bed spread move as if someone was sitting down there. So we always ask,’did you see a ghost?’ ‘No,’ and then we’d say, ‘did you see the butt print of a ghost?’ ‘Yes!’,” Rinehart said. This history of the McRaven home has been the setting for many historical deaths of the past. Of those deaths, the history of Mary Elizabeth may settle what is seen in the Vicksburg picture. According to a website dedicated to the the McRaven home, Mary Elizabeth’s ghost often greets guests and plays pranks. A few of her personal belongings are still in the house. Seen in situations like these, ghosts often stick around the house they lived in. Sometimes they are indifferent towards the people they live with, and other times

they are the opposite. As reported by Yelstories, it understandable when people do ton, one of them did not like his sister. not believe or want to believe in ghosts. “I had three sisters living with me in my “I am not a believer in any of the parahouse. Most of the time it would be fine, normal, even ghosts. It’s just I’m not going if something scary happened it wouldn’t to go anywhere haunted after 10 a.m. I be violent or anything, but with one of my have toured many ghost places, I went to sisters, they just didn’t like her and they the myrtles plantation, which is the most would do a lot of scary stuff to her. She haunted house in America. It didn’t scare had this glass ornament hanging off a light me at all. I thought ‘this is just like touring in her room, and one night while she was sleeping, it flew across the room and shattered above her head. It was late at night, and we woke up because she was screaming, cause it just happened, and she spent the night on the couch in the living room. Photo courtesy of Amanda Jarrett and Jamie Rinehart It didn’t cut her or anything, but there was glass on an old house at 9:30am,’ so I was okay. the bed and on her a little bit cause her I don’t want to go back there though,” bed was right next to where it shattered,” Rinehart said. Yelton said. As unsettling as it is, the paranormal can be scary. From Ouija boards to horror movies that are supposedly based on true

7 Sports

Leadership class to haunt the high school October 27, if you dare b y

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Every year in October, the halls of the school are transformed into a dark and terrifying Haunted High. This program is planned and designed by Mrs. Cantrell and her leadership class. They put in a lot of work in order for the high school students to participate in something that everyone can get involved in, not just one club or sport. The Haunted High is something that most everyone enjoys, including Mrs. Cantrell. “One of my favorite things is when the students who come through really get into it. Some kids, whether they are scared or not, try to act like they are too cool to be scared. But it’s the ones who come out screaming who make it fun for us,” Cantrell said. The best part about the Haunted High is that everyone can get involved in this activity. Anyone from grades 9-12 can get involved with acting, setting up, or even doing other people’s makeup. Senior Elsa Wise is in leadership, and she is in charge

of planning it. “The kids going through will experience a long route of fright through the high school. Be ready to scream and jump at our Haunted High,” Wise said. Not only does the Haunted High allow for everyone get involved, but half of the proceeds go to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital for research. Wise and junior Lauren Moersch share how this affects them because of the recent loss of student Dylan Vanomer to cancer. “The proceeds going to the hospital that Dylan was at effects both Lauren and I because we both saw firsthand how cancer can affect the community as well as the person that had the disease. So we felt that following his long battle his fight had to be honored,” Wise said. The haunted high will take place on October 27th from 7-10 pm at the RHS. Tickets are available for purchase at the door for $5, or during all 3 lunch shifts for $3 from October 22nd through the 26th. “Everyone come have a good time, let your guard down, scream like a little girl, and have a good time with it!” Cantrell said.

Photo taken by Cameron Cummins

Photo courtesy of RHS Leadership

Local haunted houses, attractions begin to reopen for the season b y

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It’s almost Halloween! Which means; Candy, costumes, parties, and movies. Halloween has always been a time that people come together to have fun being scary and terrified. Although, it is not a scary Halloween without a trip to an eerie haunted house. Of course, anyone can take custody of a building for a day, decorate it

Photo Courtesy of Rolla Delta Tau Delta

in a fashion deemable of spooky and call it a haunted whatever. It takes some finding for the much more frightening haunted attractions, the ones that scare the living daylights out of people. The first is the Delta Tau Delta haunted maze. Every year they hold this, and this year is their 24th anniversary of creating the frightful runaround. Even the toughest people will become frail when they enter the maze. It is better to experience it yourself.

Another terrifying area is the haunted house over by Lions Club. This one is not too particularly known, but it can definitely scare people. It involves being watched and followed the entire time. It is kind of thrilling, in the sense that people could potentially be running. That, of course, depends on the kind of person one is when it comes to fear. If you have the time, there is another attraction over in Licking called the Carnival of Freaks Haunted House. This is one of

Photo Courtesy of Carnival of Freaks

the more rare kinds. Reason being is that they will scare you, and not with talking about the unoriginal “Boo” that ghosts do, but with scary clowns that will chase and grab guests. Pretty worthwhile, and pretty terrifying, If you have little siblings. Honestly, any place is scary based on the opinion of the person wanting to be terrified. So, if looking for a good place to be scared keep these places in mind, because they are spooky!

Photo Courtesy of Missouri S&T

Follow tips to know that your candy is safe b y

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Each year, as the aisles in the stores turn orange and black and Halloween draws closer, parents begin to worry about the risk that their child’s innocent bag of treats will be the subject of malevolent tricks instead. Many recall hearing horror stories of razor blades hidden in chocolate bars,

needles hidden in caramel apples, or crystal meth disguised as rock candies. These risks may seem ridiculous, but as trick-ortreat season gets nearer, it is important to know how real this fear is. The paranoia of tampered candy started to rise after the proclaimed “Candyman murder” in 1974 in which Texas resident Ronald O’Bryan gave cyanide-laced Pixy Sticks to five children. Most of the sticks were never opened.But one was,

by O’Bryan’s eight year old son, who died shortly after consumption. O’Bryan was executed in 1984, but for many parents, the Candyman is still a looming threat to their children on Halloween. Along with the Candyman murder, the infamous Tylenol poisonings in the early 1980s, in which cyanide-laced acetaminophen was sold in stores, also aided in the anxiety of candy tampering. Even with such terrifying threats, the

likelihood of a child’s candy being contaminated is very slim, with under 40 reported cases of suspicious treats in 2017. However small, there is still a probability that drugging could happen, and it is important to keep kids, which include students in the Rolla area, safe when enjoying their candies.

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