September 29, 2017 Print Edition

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Rolla High School - 900 Bulldog Run Rolla, Missouri 65401- Volume 69 - Issue - 2 September 29, 2017 - www.rhsecho.com

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Meet a Rolla graduate turned activist who spent years as a Missouri Representative: Kaye Steinmetz

Students anticipate a night on the red carpet

A behind the scenes look at Rolla’s Friday Night Lights

In this issue...

This Month in History................................................................5 Gender Roles..............................................................................8 Artist/Athlete of the Month......................................................16 Celebation of Nations...............................................................20

Letter from the Editor

If you’re a student at Rolla High, chances are you know that Homecoming is right around the corner (if you’re reading this on the 29th). At least from my perspective, it seems that Homecoming has been a hot topic for the last couple of weeks.

I’ve seen Instagram posts, heard announcements, and listened to conversations about it almost every day since September started.

My point is, we all know it’s happening.

I absolutely love Homecoming. I love every aspect of the whole weekend from the pep rally to the dance. If I had to choose though, I’d say my favorite part about Homecoming is that it brings so many of us together. I know that sounds incredibly cliché, but it’s true. When else do we stand in ticket lines that are almost the whole distance of the cafeteria? When else do we all consistently share the same topic of discussion? If you say Prom then I can’t argue with you, but it’s the same idea.

Homecoming brings us together, whether we realize it or not.

We might not all be best friends at the dance, but we’ll be there together. I’ll be there dancing; you’ll be there dancing; your brother’s girlfriend will be there dancing. Maybe not literally, but you get my point. Some students will choose not to dance, but they’re there too. Many of us will be at the same place on a Saturday night, and if you ask me, that’s pretty special.

Like I said, it may be cliché, but this is what high school is about. I’m going to be making some great, safe memories with my friends this weekend, and I don’t think I’m the only one. Let’s all embrace the fact that homecoming is inclusive; it’s a dance for everybody. We all may not have everything in common, but we have homecoming.

2017-2018 Rolla High ECHO Magazine Staff Editor In Chief - Sophia Gesualdi Copy Editor - Adrienne Pyeatt Managing Editor - Lydia Giesey Photo Editor - Bailey Allison Section Editors: Caroline Adams (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, 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

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Human beings have moral responsibility to change behavior to help stop climate change Our habits are the center cause for recent catestrophic natural events

Myth: “Hurricanes aren’t linked to global warming”

There are many who disagree that climate change is a result of manmade causes -- including some members of staff. Wherever a person falls on the opinion scale, it’s important to look at what we do know through Science.

Explanation: Recent research has shown that we are experiencing more storms with higher wind speeds, and these storms will be more destructive, last longer and make landfall more frequently than in the past.

Myth: “Scientists can’t even predict weather” Explanation: Weather and climate are different; climate predictions do not need weather detail.

skeptical

SCIENCE

Myth: “They changed the name from ‘global warming’ to ‘climate change’”

Explanation: ‘Global warming’ and ‘climate change’ mean different things and have both been used for decades.

Staff Editorial

The recent tragedies of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma have shaken the world. Many people are taking this time as an opportunity to discuss climate change. Some people say it’s insensitive to discuss such matters in the wake of tragedy. Others are certain the world is going to end.

Everyone seems to be asking, “What can we do about climate

Information on the left was obtained through the skepticalscience.com website and it repesents their views. If you are interested in the topic, spend some time researching the issue.

.com

ECHO Staff Editorial Vote: Is Climate Change a result of man’s habits?

13 Yes votes 3 No votes 2 Unavailable for Vote Tell us your vote on our Twitter Poll or at www.rhsecho.com

change?” “Is it even real?”

“Is all of this part of some big cycle?”

So, climate change: real or not real?

Most people seem to believe climate change is real and it's happening. The levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had never been above a certain level until the 1900s. This is largely due to industrialization. If

there's more carbon dioxide in the air, it's much easier for heat to get trapped instead of being released into space.

This is called “The Greenhouse Effect”. As a result of the increased temperature of Earth, the oceans are warming, the glaciers are melting, and we're being faced with horrible events, such as super hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Yet, climate change is still met with apprehension.

“Climate has changed before,” skeptics say. “It's a 1500 year cycle,” skeptics say. Yes, the climate does cycle. It only gets this extreme when it has to.

Earth's climate will only change when it's forced to change.

Right now, it's we, as humans, who are forcing it to change.

Staff Editorial

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ECHO Awareness

Our series continues this month with an interview with a Doctor who discusses the importance of pain medicines for some people b y

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Despite the opioid crisis in America, there are many legitimate uses of prescription opioids. They can help people who, without them, would be in an incredible amount of pain. They can make surgeries bearable and injuries less of a burden.

Dr. Alan Heincker deals with these people every day. As an orthopedic surgeon at Phelps County Regional Medical Center, he prescribes opioids to help his patients deal with their pain.

“I usually tell people that I do not prescribe long term opioids, so I will usually give you opioids for a short time for an acute pain that you experience either from a surgery that I have done or performed or an acute fracture that you have. So, little old lady falls and breaks her arm, doesn’t need surgery, but has a bad injury, sometimes you need something a little bit more than an anti-inflammatory or Tylenol, and so they’ll get a opioid or narcotic pain medicine from me. If I do surgery, sometimes you get an opioid for that as well,” Dr. Heincker said.

Dr. Heincker rarely prescribes opioids for more than three months.

“We’re hoping that the cause of whatever pain you had is gone by then. For a fracture, it takes 6 to 8 weeks for it to heal, so most of the time, after a week or two, the worst of the pain is usually over. It still hurts, but most of the time you can control that with other means. Ice, things like that,” Dr. Heincker said.

There are cases when Dr. Heincker prescribes opioids for an extended period of time, like when there is a complication with surgery, but he has reservations about it.

“Very rarely is long term narcotic use the answer because what happens is you develop a tolerance to it, and you need more and more and more to treat the same amount of pain. And then we have more and more studies that show people that are on long term narcotics, if and when they need surgery or procedures, they have worse outcomes, so you’re gonna do worse automatically if you’re on chronic narcotics or opioids,” Dr. Heincker said.

While Dr. Heincker does see many patients that abuse opioids, he does not see many that are addicted to the high.

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“I think it’s people who have pain and become dependent on it [opioids]. They think they need that to get through their day, otherwise they have more pain than their body can help fight off.

I don’t think, at least in my practice, that many people are coming in because they’re just addicted to that high, that medication. Do I believe those people are out there? Absolutely. But, they’re not coming to our office and getting their medicines, they’re getting them from other people just like they would other illicit or illegal street drugs. They’re buying them from friends and things like that to get that feeling, that high,” Dr. Heincker said.

Dr. Heincker finds patients who have legitimate pain, but abuse opioids, very difficult to deal with.

“Pain medicines aren’t the long term answer, because you’re just going to need more and more and more in the future to deal with the same pain, and that’s not a good option. So, from my standpoint, I’ll usually say, ‘hey, you can either do a surgery, whether it’s with me or someone else, but the medicines aren’t the answer’.

But sometimes you have someone that does have a legitimate pain. Back pain’s a big one. Sometimes people’s backs are too bad, they can’t do anything else with it. Or cancer pain, there’s nothing to do, it is what it is. Surgery is not an option, chemotherapy has already been done, and they have pain. Those people legitimately have a reason to get narcotic pain medicines, either from their cancer doctors, their oncologist, or there’s a pain management clinic that’s run by anesthesia doctors that usually deal with long term pain patients who give them pain meds,” Dr. Heincker said.

Heincker believes that eliminating the cause of pain is more important than simply eliminating the pain. “[An opioid prescription] doesn’t do anything to fix the problem or do anything. It’s just letting you heal, whereas an antiinflammatory like ibuprofen, aleve, something like that, that goes to decrease the inflammation which is the whole cause of the pain, and so hopefully that’ll help them out in the long run,” Dr. Heincker said.

7th and Pine Street Downtown Rolla www.reddoorgiftsrolla.com

Unrelenting hurricanes cause havoc for many b y

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Photo available through creative commons Hurricane Harvey formed in the Atlantic Ocean on August 17, 2017. Eight days later, it

made landfall in Southeast Texas, causing massive destruction. Harvey spanned a

Are we contributing to these events? Read the Staff Editorial on page three and voice your vote on @rhsechonews Twitter poll

width of 473 miles, from about Beaumont to Brownsville.

This storm reached Category 4 hurricane The first since 2005 with winds up to 135 mph, Hurricane Harvey ripped through neighborhoods and office buildings with ease. Storm surges reached a high of twelve feet above sea level. Homes were flooded with a total rainfall of 50 inches throughout Harvey’s reign over Texas, which is about nineteen trillion gallons of water. This storm caused 180 million dollars worth of damage, not including the damage to human life.

So far, about 70 people have lost their lives due to this unfortunate natural disaster.

That toll is the second high-

est of a hurricane to hit Texas.

These grueling nine days were a horror to Texas residents as they watched the cities they call home fall captive to a hurricane’s wrath. Many families are unable to contact loved ones due to the lack of electricity in the areas. People across the nation are wondering if their families have been harmed by Harvey. Thirty-nine thousand citizens are left with damaged or completely destroyed homes. If you are looking for a way to help those affected by the storm, you can donate to Houston and help those afflicted by this natural disaster at: https://ghcf.org/hurricanerelief/ . Many families throughout Houston would benefit.

This Month in History: September has historical signifance

Each month in this column I will feature exciting events that happened in the past. Anything from iconic historical moments, influential movements, or just silly random events. I have always enjoyed learning about history, and I hope you will too! flight from Iceland to Greenb y L o r r e n B l a c k ogy and to showcase American as they explored further into aeronautical industry. They Asia. land, they encountered heavy The rivers and harbors of fog, forcing them to fly very S t a f f R e p o r t e r also wanted to gain support for the Army Air Service to China and Burma proved to be low and close to the waves.

On Sept. 28, 1924, the first expand its role in the U.S. crowded, chaotic havens for They flew at 90 miles per hour circumnavigation of the world military. the world flight. The jungles of with little visibility, where they by air was completed by eight Embarking on their journey, French Indochina tested the barely avoided hitting towerU.S. Army Air Service pilots the flyers flew up the coast flyers as they hurried to make ing icebergs. and mechanics. Their journey of Canada to Alaska, where repairs on the Chicago to stay When the pilots finally began on April 6, 1924, where they encountered freezing on schedule. They traveled on reached the United States, they left Seattle, Washingtemperatures, thick fog, and into the Middle East in June they were faced with adorton, in four airplanes. The violent storms. They passed and July, spanning the tropiing crowds in each city they airplanes were named after the Aleutian islands into the cal jungles of India and the stopped in. They flew down American cities and carried Komandorski islands on May blowing sands of modern day the East Coast to Washington a flight number: Seattle (1), 15, where they encountered Iraq and Jordan. The journey D.C., west across the AlleghChicago (2), Boston (3), and williwaws or “woolies”, winds continued on into Europe, eny mountains to Dayton and New Orleans (4). Only the up to 75 miles per hour that where the flyers were greeted Chicago, south to Dallas, then Chicago, flown by Lts. Lowell came down from the mounwith large enthusiastic crowds southwest to San Diego. After Smith and Leslie Arnold, and tains on the island. In May eager to witness the flyers. The making 74 stops and covering the New Orleans, flown by Lts. and June, extreme heat and crew faced their longest overabout 27,550 miles total on Erik Nelson and John Harding humidity and the occasional water flights while crossing the their trip, their triumphant Jr., completed the entire jourguarded hospitality of their North Atlantic in Aug., where journey came to a close on ney. Their goal was to evaluate foreign hosts stressed both dense fog and storms were a Sept. 28, 1924 in Seattle, airplanes as a global technolthe fliers and their airplanes continual problem. During the Washington.

Legend of RHS: Kaye Steinmetz b y

In May of 1954, students of Rolla High School left their morning classes and walked out of the school in a protest against the firing of their favorite teachers. According to the Rolla Daily News, the students shouted “We want our teachers!” and “Down with the school board!” as they continued their walk into the downtown area. Leading these passionate students was sophomore Kaye (Herrman) Steinmetz who helped to coordinate the event.

“The school board had planned to not rehire some of our teachers, and for me personally, one of those teachers was the best teacher I [had ever known].

She wrote the Rolla High School song. She was in charge of the choir, and she helped with the band.

She was absolutely a wonderful woman. Many of us got together and decided that we wanted to show our support for our teachers. I was president of the sophomore class that year, so I said I would organize my class, and that’s pretty much what I did. We spread the plans by word of mouth because we wanted it to be a surprise,” Steinmetz said.

During the walkout, Rolla High teachers did not know what to do as Steinmetz and an estimated one hundred other students simply got up from their seats and walked out of the building.

“None of the teachers knew what was going to happen. It had to be done in a quiet way in order to have any impact. I think there were many of the teachers who agreed with us. They didn’t get loud or ugly; many of them were confused as to what was happening, but they didn’t say ‘Stop what you’re doing. You have to stay in class.’ It was a very peaceful walkout,“ Steinmetz said.

Steinmetz and the other class leaders planned their protest out of respect. Each student was committed to the same goal: saving their favorite teachers.

“I think students had something to say. These were all teachers that we liked and respected; we wanted them to continue to be in our school lives. It was an act of love for teachers we loved. Demonstrations today are sometimes too rowdy, abusive, or lawbreaking. Our biggest comment is that you can achieve success in peaceful ways too,” Steinmetz said.

With the help of Steinmetz, Rolla High students were able to stop the school board from firing the teachers in question. Their peaceful protest caught the attention of many across the country.

“We just walked out of school at a certain time and stood in protest. As I understand, we were one of the first [groups of students] in the United States

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to do that. It made national news; there were lots of newspapers across the country talking about it,” Steinmetz said.

Steinmetz’s devoted, passionate work did not end in high school. After her graduation, Steinmetz attended Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, which is now known as Columbia College. After marrying and having children, Steinmetz finished her college degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis while she served as a representative for St. Louis County in the Missouri House of Representatives.

“When I was first elected, there weren’t many women. I always felt like I was on trial with my colleagues. You had to be very well prepared when you were debating bills. I devoted a lot of time to my work, and I really enjoyed that time. I did have people that resented my work, but I had a very supportive husband and kids,” Steinmetz said.

During her eighteen years as a representative, Steinmetz focused on helping children and families in Missouri.

“I was president of the National Organization of Women Legislators while I chaired the first standing committee in the United States that dealt with only children and family issues. In the eighteen years that I was there, almost all of the legislation that I passed into law dealt with children and family. I worked really hard, and I was even called into another state or two to do some counseling and help them get a committee established. Before this, bills that related to children were scattered around a variety of committees, so they didn’t get the attention that they really needed,” Steinmetz said.

After her time as a representative, Steinmetz and her husband moved back to Rolla. They now spend their winters in Florida, but Steinmetz is still active in the Rolla community.

“Two years after I retired, we moved back to Rolla to help take care of our parents. It was one of the best things we did; Rolla is home,” Steinmetz said.

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I’m sorry, the old Julia Giesey can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Because she’s dead! Julia Giesey, senior at Rolla High School, was asked to completely change her appearance for an entire week and document all of the reactions she got while in school and outside of school. Julia was asked to dress in all black attire and later add a nose ring to her outfit. Reactions to her outfit varied from shock to falling in love with the new dark and mysterious Julia Giesey.

One reaction from senior Hanna Stubbs was, “Woah, I just turned my head and I saw that Julia looked super goth! I mean… (hesitation) she looks great, but she also looks like she’s gonna eat my soul!”

After a day of just wearing black, Julia decided to spice up her outfit with a cute hip nose ring. Reactions were again shocked and full of praise for such a bold new look.

“I see you’re still going goth, Julia! Is that a nose piercing? Oh my god, Julia!

I love it though, it’s so whimsical, even though it doesn’t match your personality

at all,” Sam Kimball said.

While at home, Julia documented her parents reactions to her new change in style. Her parents were surprised and not very happy with the new change.

“That particular (nose piercing) that you have on brings to my mind what bulls wear in Bugs Bunny cartoons,” Glenn Giesey (Julia’s father) said.

After this new, but temporary change Julia felt very confident about herself after the experiment.

“I really like psychology and sociology, so getting to do this social switch experiment was actually pretty fun! Before the first day, I was expecting a lot of weird looks, and I did get some, but I got a ton compliments. Then that was the same trend throughout the next two days. A lot of people, however, told me I didn’t look very goth but like a poet or artsy, so I guess the experiment had some errors. Overall, I thought it was really cool that people were supportive of me stepping out of my comfort zone; you’d think that people would judge me or make fun of me for completely switching up my look, but that wasn’t the case at all,” Julia Giesey said.

small clubs: DEBATE

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Rolla High School is home to many small clubs which people might not know about or think about joining, such as Writing Club, Eco Club, Tabletop Gaming Club, and Debate Club. Debate Club is sponsored by Mr. Ellis, and meets biweekly in room 246 to discuss important issues. Renee Reisner, the club manager, gave some insight on the comings and goings of Debate Club.

Q: A: Q: A: Q: A:

Can you tell me a little about debate club?

“We meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:00. We do practice arguments.

They set it up like an actual debate. There will be judges, and you’ll have a timekeeper.

You’ll have a week or two, maybe three, to prepare. You prepare both sides [of the argument] and then you debate it with one of your peers. We record it so you can watch it to know how you did. We’re going to go to debate competitions later on in the year,” Reisner said.

What do you think of debate club?

“I think it’s great. It gives you a sense of confidence. You learn how to speak in front of others in a well-poised manner. You learn how to prove a point, which most people can’t do. It’s really fun for me,” Reisner said.

Why should people join debate club?

“Honestly, because it’s fun. It doesn’t cost any money to join. It’s free arguing, basically.

Most, if not all, people like to argue. We usually have food, so we have that incentive.

Otherwise, you actually learn something, which I think is a really good thing for a club to have,” Reisner said.

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What are Gender Roles?

54%

of men and women are sexually assaulted between the age of 18-34

19%

of company CEOs are women

38%

of rape victims in the U.S. are male

65%

of Americans believe that women are discriminated in workplace salaries

19.3%

of elementary school teachers are male

77%

of one U.S. dollar is how much women make compared to men 8 Feature

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Gender roles are defined as “the role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms.” The most common example would be the era of the 1950s. Women were destined to be mothers and men were expected to be the sole providers for the family. As a society, we have taken many steps to ensure freedom to every person. In the past 100 years, women have gained to freedom to vote, attend college, get jobs, and become CEOs of massive companies. Similarly men are able to stay at home with their children and become teachers or nurses, but there is still the issue of double standardization. Women are immensely encouraged to go out and get an education, as every person should be, therefore this is an easy situation to support. However, if a man has the desire to take on the “homemaker” position, he may be criticized for his lack of masculinity or inability to provide for his family. Today there are many people trying to ensure that there is equality among all genders and races.

In order to shed some more light on the situation, Gwendolyn Fleming, the Rolla High School Psychology teacher, explains how gender roles affect our society.

“Gender roles affect many aspects of our society. Gender roles, the expectations of female and male behaviors, are heavily influenced by one’s culture. They affect education, family life, and the workforce,” Fleming said.

Fleming also mentioned how the education system is affected by gender roles.

“Gender roles affect the educational system in many ways. For example, gender roles affect teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of how male and female students should behave,” Fleming said.

At last, she explained how one gender may have or still do suffer more than the other.

“Historically speaking, women have endured stricter cultural norms and ‘rules’ than men. When my grandmother was born in 1917, women did not have the right to vote.

Currently, women are experiencing greater freedoms. Thus, in America, things are much better. However, there is still a gender disparity in certain areas, such as pay and leadership positions,” Fleming said.

Although Fleming has strong experiences and feelings about the ways in which women have been affected by gender expectations, she made sure to include men in her explanations.

“Males, however, can also suffer from traditional gender roles. We often think of it as being a female problem, but gender roles can hinder and/or punish men who want to take on roles or occupations that are not traditionally considered “masculine”. For example, men who chose to be stay at home dads,” Fleming said.

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Hello! Welcome to Pick of the Pack, ECHO’s monthly column all about the lovable pets waiting down at the Rolla Animal Shelter! 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: N/A Gender: Male Age: Adult (Professional guess: 2+ years old) Breed: Labrador Retriever Mix Description: This dog is truly fantastic! He is full of energy, so will need daily time to run and play. This pup takes so much delight in dinner, he was bouncing off the walls! However, he does not yet have a name. When you take him home, you’ll be able to pick out a brand new name for him. This stray has not been neutered, but is waiting for his vaccines as of the 5th of September. If you take a liking to this dog, please go to the Rolla Animal Shelter as soon as possible to take him home!

Name: N/A Gender: Female Age: Young Adult (Professional guess: 1-2 years old) Breed: American Shorthair Mix

Description: This cat is a bundle of charm. She doesn’t have a name yet, so you can give her one when you bring her home! She was taken in as a stray by the Rolla Shelter on August 29, 2017. This kitty is very energetic, and loves running around.

She also adores belly rubs and getting her chin scratched. She isn’t declawed or spayed, but she is litter-box trained and good with other animals. Overall, this cat is very sweet and she would be a great addition to any home. If you are interested in adopting this kitty, head over to the Rolla Animal Shelter soon!

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Throughout the halls of Rolla High School a distinguishable scent wafts from the vents and into the noses of unsuspecting students: pumpkin spice. It’s that time of the year again.

“My favorite fall drink is the pumpkin spice latte from McDonald’s or a gas station because I’m too cheap to go to Starbucks,” senior Samantha DeBlasi said.

The season of spices and bonfires has arrived and the leaves are changing to warm autumn tones. Cinnamon and clove become the go-to spices as we transition from the sunburns of summer to the frostbite of winter and retire our bathing suits to bring out winter coats and spiced beverages.

“I love pumpkin spice lattes and I know some people hate on the flavor, but I think it’s so cool that you can make anything tase like pumpkin spice,” senior Elizabeth Kemp said.

Unlike rainy spring, scorching summer, and icy winter, the most extreme weather we see in fall is a chilly breeze every now and

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then. The most comfortable season of the year is upon us, so sit back, relax, and take it all in.

“I really love the fall weather. It’s nice because it’s cool but not too cold. I also love bonfires and the outfits you can wear in the fall, it’s easy to dress nice,” Kemp said.

Colorful orange sweaters and haunted houses are soon to come, so take in this space between the end of summer break and the plunge into Halloween while you still can!

“I love how pretty the trees get when they change colors. I also love the sweater and boot weather and carving pumpkins! When I was younger, my family always went to Pete’s Pumpkin Patch. We would pick a pumpkin, go through the corn maze, and jump in the hay. When we were picking out our pumpkins, my brothers and I would always have a competition on who could pick the biggest and best,” DeBlasi said.

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Rolling Out the Red Carpet b y

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utumn has finally rolled around, which means Homecoming has arrived. Homecoming is a time to celebrate Rolla High School and invite RHS alumni to reflect on their days as students. Homecoming focuses around the home football game and the dance. The football game contains more energy than usual, due to the alumni attending, along with the current students of the school. There is a larger amount of pressure for the home team to win the game.

Before homecoming night, different events are held throughout the week to raise excitement. With a motivational pep rally, students can cheer our team on and psych them up so they can crush the competition. Along with the pep rally, a spirit week is held on the days leading up to homecoming night. RHS school counselor and advisor for Student Council, Mr. Bridgeman, is well-versed on spirit weeks.

“We always do a spirit week before homecoming for the fact of trying to get everyone excited, pumped up, ready to go and make that kind of lead up to that excitement. I really would like to see more kids get involved with that because I think it is a lot of fun and people can really let their hair down and have a good time,” Bridgeman said.

This years spirit week was full of interesting themes and events. To start off the week, Monday’s theme was brains vs. brawns, or academics vs. athletics.

Tuesday’s theme was tip-top tuesday where students wore classy clothing.

For hump day, students doubled up on denim in an extreme fashion faux pas.

Thursday’s theme was back to the future, also known as decade day. Freshman and sophomores dressed from the 70’s while juniors and seniors dressed from the 80’s. To finish the week off, Friday’s theme was maroon maniacs where students dressed out and showed their bulldog spirit!

This year’s theme for the homecoming dance is “A Night on the Red Carpet”. The theme was chosen by the school council and officers of the school after multiple themes were created. There will be movie themed food, such as popcorn, to fit with the topic. The school is carrying extra dresses and suits for anyone who would like to attend but can not afford to buy dresses or tuxedos.

The candidates for Homecoming Queen are Jessica Qiu, Sophia Gesualdi, Peyton Dent, Courtney Colemen, and Riley Maynard. The candidates for Homecoming King are Coleman Brainard, Rivu Daas, Josh Pritchett, Isaac Stormes, and Nick Janke.

Whether you are going with your significant other, crush, or even your friends, this dance is an excellent time to come together and party. Multiple homecoming proposals have taken place, full of creativity with rhyming lines, decorations, and gifts. Students like Gus Gremp with Maddy Brown and Olivia Watt with Devon Green have shared and celebrated their excitement for homecoming with proposals to the dance.

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Football games are considered one of the most exciting and socially important aspects of most people’s high school career. Face paint, spirit days, and cool october nights bring fond memories to most alumni. Though the football team is the main event, many other factors and people contribute to the overall experience the crowd knows and loves.

The half time performance from the band starts preparing their half time performance months before they ever set foot on the field. Late july sets the date for marching bands first practices. Later in the season, football games serve as good practice for the band to perform in front of a crowd before they start competing in early October. The Rolla Marching Bulldog Brigade band director, John Slowensky shares some insight on the kind of things they do to ready the band.

“We have rehearsal every morning from 7 a.m through the end of first hour. We have one evening rehearsal every week and some of the sections have extra sectionals. We always prepare the band for what we are going to be doing at that next football game, depending on how many movements we have done and what we’ve got prepared to perform in front of an audience,” Slowensky said.

Closer to the game date, Activities Director, Mark Caballero, organizes and coordinates with a variety of people to bring the game together. Behind the scenes of the crowds and the game, there are a lot of officials to be contacted and meetings set up to help everything run smoothly.

“We coordinate with the police about having security and correspond with the ambulances to get an ambulance here Friday night. I am in contact with our trainers make sure that they’re here and also with the other school that we’re playing to give them a breakdown of when they are going to arrive. I make sure once they arrive, we have someone to greet them and take him to the locker room. We make sure the other team has a timeline schedule of events, which is sent to them the week of the game,” Caballero said.

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Along with contacting officials and setting up the game, Caballero is also responsible for the safety and comfort of the officials there to work.

“We have a person who’s a supervisor who’s directly responsible for security of the officials and takes them to the field and back where they were before halftime or after the game. I also order food for the press box for the people working in the box because we love taking care of the official so they have a meal after the game,” Caballero said.

Food isn’t just a priority for officials though, the concession stand is known to be a source of the best junk food money can buy. Nachos, hot dogs, a variety of candy, and greasy popcorn sell quickly and are an important part of Friday nights.

However, getting all that food and creating a schedule for students to run the stand can be tricky and take more time and one might think.

“We plan ahead and get people signed up to work concessions a week beforehand. Varsity football games are always the most packed, so ensuring we have all the help we need is our main priority. On game day itself we start getting ready about an hour and a half before the game starts. It takes awhile to get all the food prepared and we want to have a steady flow of production,” Senior Student Council President Jessica Qui said.

Not only does Student Council play a role in keeping the food sales up, it also boosts school spirit.

However, getting all that food and creating a schedule for students to run the stand can be tricky and take more time and one might think.

“We plan ahead and get people signed up to work concessions a week beforehand. Varsity football games are always the most packed, so ensuring we have all the help we need is our main priority. On game day itself we start getting ready about an hour and a half before the game starts. It takes awhile to get all the food prepared and we want to have a steady flow of production,” Senior Student Council President Jessica Qui said.

Not only does Student Council play a role in keeping the food sales up, it also boosts school spirit.

“As Student Council President, my main role is making sure we are prepared to run the concession stand if we are signed up to run it for that particular game. I also encourage students to go out and attend the game and to participate in any themes or spirit days,” Qui said.

Despite the atmosphere, food, and preparation, the main event is the football game. Hundreds gather to watch the high schoolers play, and that inevitably puts pressure on kids. Preparation is absolutely necessary for the team.

“Everyone has their own zone and mood they get in before games but I think the most important thing is to stay together as a team and stay positive. During home games I try to just stay settled down and focus on the game. I think that it does put a little more pressure on me because I want to impress the town,” Senior Football Captain, Joshua Pritchett said.

Staying calm can be a difficult task in front of the entire town, but Senior football player, Caleb Turner, echoes Pritchett’s advice.

“I always want to do well but in front of a home crowd you always want to do better. Just stay calm and do what you know what to do,” Turner said.

The pressure, performance, and intense game is exciting for everyone, but the aftermath can be messy when people throw their trash on the ground and create more work for custodians. After all, they are the ones picking up after the game.

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“Chris Headrick sweeps the field and brooms it to make it look nice. He also picks up the junk. He’s the head of custodians so he makes sure the field is set up and makes sure the custodians come in after the game for cleanup,” Caballero said.

The crowd can be a lot to deal with, from the cleaning to concentrating on what players and band member are supposed to be doing on the field instead of the crowd. At band competitions, crowds are quiet and attentive, but louder and attention grabbing at home games. As a result, it can distract and deter performers.

“We just have to tell them that a normal home crowd tends to not pay attention to everything that’s going on, so we tell them use your eyes and your drum major and ignore whats going on around you. They’re getting pretty good at that,” Slowensky said.

Players can often experience quite the opposite from the crowd. They are there for the game and therefore more attentive and cheer when need be.

“I just focus on my job and let the crowd do their job. I do enjoy the crowd and it’s a great atmosphere to play in. I love just having the entire fan base and all of the school out supporting us. It’s amazing,” Pritchett said.

Football games usually end in happy cheering and rushing the field, but not every night can go exactly as planned.

Marching band can have off nights and the team can play a rough game, but no matter what they keep practicing and improving.

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“Knock on wood, we’re to the point that we never have bad performances anymore. We just go back and hit them in practice, that’s why you practice. You work on the spots that the kids are having trouble with, not quite understanding, or they’re just not very comfortable with. I’ve gotten to the point that I don’t have any big worries anymore, it’s just the devil’s in the details. Is every individual going to perform up to their ability? If I had a worry, that’s my biggest. How are the individuals going to do to make us successful,” Slowensky said.

Disappointing a home crowd can crush player, and discourage them from staying motivated. With help from the coach and support from Rolla, they manage to pull through and improve after every game, even the losses.

“I try to be the best leader I can be during tough times, the main thing is just staying positive and moving on the the next game. During practice after a loss we just need to zone in and focus more than anything,” Pritchett said.

Friday nights provide something to be proud of in Rolla.

They bring the town together to cheer for the team and it results in countless memories made and some of the proudest moments in anyone’s high school or professional career.

“My favorite moment was making it to the district championship last year and proving a lot of people wrong,” Pritchett said.

Marching band also achieves great things on the football field. Without a halftime show, the friday night lights experience isn’t complete. Slowensky shares his proudest moment as director.

“Seeing the kids achieve fantastic things that they never thought they could do. Especially our freshman.”

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Athletes of the Month by

Davis Buhr

Isaac Stormes & Brett Gonzalez S t a f f R e p o r t e rs

All high school sports have to rely on strong senior leadership in order to have a successful program. Rolla High School’s football program is not any different. Senior Davis Buhr is doing his best to help the cause by providing leadership and a hard work ethic.

“It’s nice to be looked up to, I don’t know if I am the greatest role model, but I do pride myself on leaving everything on the field” Buhr said.

Being such an athletic player, Buhr is required to carry a heavy load playing on both sides of the ball.

“I play Defensive Back, Corner and Safety, they guard the Receivers. I sometimes play outside linebacker too. On offense I play wide receiver and sometimes I get motioned to the backfield and take handoffs from Josh,” Buhr said.

Although he carries such a heavy load on the field, he still focuses on the team’s chemistry.

“This is our best year. Everyone is older, more experienced, stronger and healthy, and we care about football more than ever. We are a big family and we care about each other,” Buhr said.

From playing since 5th grade, Buhr sums up his experiences with football.

“A lot of injury, a lot of pain, and a lot of touchdowns,” Buhr said.

One of Buhr’s favorite parts about playing is running out of the tunnel before the game.

“It’s amazing, it’s a big shot of adrenaline whenever you run out of that tunnel and the smoke is going everywhere,” Buhr said.

Buhr has said he has thought of coaching after high school.

“I am a good Madden player because I can read the defenses, so I feel I could be a legit good coach” Buhr said.

Buhr has his eyes set high on this season and plans to end his senior year with plenty of wins.

“I’d like to win in districts and the Ozark Conference, and win out. We have a good shot at winning out” Buhr said.

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Emma Puetz

Many students would dread even the thought of running, let alone long distance, but for sophomore Emma Puetz it’s the complete opposite.

Puetz is dominating the Cross Country competitions this year already placing first in the first two meets of the year at both the SWCCCA meet and Lebanon Invitational. Her relatively new found talents is compelling her to the top of the Ozark Conference running circuit.

“I started running Cross Country when I was in 8th Grade. I was a dancer since I was 5, so that helped me with my endurance and everything, but I never really ran long distance previously. I thought that I would be okay at it and I haven’t ran anything previously and just saw Cross Country and was interested in it.” Puetz said.

Emma doesn’t just compete in cross country. Like all athletes, she is constantly perfecting her craft. She is a fierce competitor.

“I like competing with other runners, I’m a very competitive person”, Puetz said.

Being such a talented runner, Puetz has to set expectations for herself and her season.

“I definitely want to make it into state again, I made it last year but I was injured so I didn’t do so good. I want to try to make All-State, which is top 25 for Cross Country, but at least settle on state,” Puetz said.

The American Taco Company has generously agreed to award each Athlete and Artist of the Month featured in ECHO a $10 ATC Gift Card.

Fantasy Football teams spark fun competition among students b y

With September finally here comes another season of the National Football League, and with another season comes Fantasy Football. There are new players coming into the league and veterans returning.

Stars such as Antonio Brown and David Johnson are projected to produce astonishing numbers this season but there are other stars up for the taking such as Julio Jones or Le’veon Bell. Fantasy Guru Blaize Klossner has been competing in fantasy football for the past 6 years now and he knows who to choose in the right rounds.

“With my first pick in the fantasy draft, I chose Antonio Brown,” Klossner said.

Many participate in fantasy football, with some participate in leagues with a jackpot for the winner at the end of the season. However, each season is different. There are people that who not have a good season one year, and there are some who will have great success one year after another. With years on his belt, Blaize Klossner has had some success and failures in his time.

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“Last season, my team made the playoffs, but lost a heartbreaker in the semifinals. Ironically, my brother, who never sets his lineup, caught fire and made the championship game last year,” Klossner said.

For people just getting into fantasy football the process can be truly challenging. Building the best team possible with the draft picks you have is difficult. Analysts do their best at predicting who will have good seasons but they are not always perfect.

There are some things people will learn with experience of fantasy football. Having so much experience, Blaize Klossner has some advice for people wanting to get into fantasy football.

“My advice to anyone who is starting fantasy, is know what kind of scoring your league is. If your league is a PPR league (points-per-reception), draft running backs and wide receivers early. Do not go for a QB early. If you are in a non-PPR league, draft a QB within the first 3 rounds. Also, no matter the league or team, do not pick a kicker until the very last round,” Klossner said.

Antonio Brown

David Johnson

Julio Jones Leveon Bell

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ARTIST of the

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Junior Kristina Happel has always been mesmerized by the melodies of a flute. Happle first realized she wanted to learn the instrument when she was a child; her inspiration came from watching tv programs.

“Music is a way for me to express myself easier than with words, the flute is just a conduit that allows me to do so.

If I had started on a different instrument like bassoon or piano, I feel like I’d be largely the same musician,” Happel said.

Happle’s favorite music to play is anything written in

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minor key, “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” by Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of her favorite pieces.

“My inspiration is largely just hearing a piece I enjoy, no matter the level of difficulty and doing whatever it takes to be able to play it,” Happel said, with a smile.

Consistent practice and determination has landed Happle first chair flute in the high school symphonic band for the past two years, as well as section leader throughout marching band season. Happle also participates in the orches-

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Staff Reporter tra band at Missouri S&T. “I aim to get at least four hours of practice in, five days a week. I practice an hour before morning band rehearsal and 3 hours after school, and on Fridays I can usually manage five hours instead of the usual one.

Throughout the the weekend I take orchestra lessons, practice individually, and play for a church which keeps me pretty busy,” Happel said. Happel’s preferred performance style is with large ensembles. She enjoys the sound of unity of all the various instruments.

Happel graciously offers her

assistance to any newcomers to the instrument or simply any person who has always wanted to play a woodwind instrument.

Her unique talents have been recognized on and off the field.

“An old lady once came up to me and asked me to play at her funeral,” Happel said.

Happel plans to continue to play the flute professionally.

She hopes to join a symphony orchestra eventually and compose and play music for movie soundtracks.

Kristina Happel

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I am most definitely one to go onto Netflix, browse through the trending category, watch the first episode of literally everything, and most likely never continue the series. So for this column I’m going to watch the first episode of a recommend-for-me series on Netflix and give my first impressions and whether I would continue the series or not.This month I decided to give the highlyrated Stranger Things a watch.

To start off, I have absolutely no clue why it took me this long to give this show a shot. From what I’ve heard, the show sounds super interesting and right down my alley, but for some reason it never crossed my mind to check it out. With the long-awaited season two premiering soon, I finally decided to watch it; that being

said, here is my opinion on Stranger Things.

Halfway through the episode I was already hooked. This show is amazing and I really regret not watching sooner. I am guaranteed to continue watching. Stranger Things is so original; I’ve never seen anything like it. I love the sci-fi feel of this show; that makes it stand out from anything else on TV and I think that’s what made audiences praise it the way they did. I absolutely love that the show includes secret government experiments and a character that is as obsessed with waffles as I am.

I give Stranger Things a solid 8/10. I’m definitely going to continue watching and hopefully finish the first season before season two airs.

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For many, September is the start of football season. There have been many great movies about this sport, but these four are some of my favorites.

The Blind Side (2009) Based off of a true story, The Blind Side is about homeless teen Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) who has been passed from home to home. When he was finally taken in by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her husband Sean (Tim McGraw), he starts to show an amazing talent for football.

Dealing with struggles from his past and trying to deal with his life now, the story of Michael Oher is inspiring.

We are Marshall (2006) This movie is about a tragic plane crash that killed 75 players and staff of Marshall University and its struggle to recover. After the crash, head coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) tries to rebuild the football program through the many struggles that they face. A story of grief and community, this movie is definitely a must see.

The Waterboy (1998) Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) hadn’t experienced much of life thanks to his protective mother Mama Boucher (Kathy Bates). Once the waterboy for a winning college team, Bobby was fired and turned to a losing rival team. Thanks to an episode of anger, Bobby was recruited as the team’s linebacker and is able to give the team one of its most successful seasons. This is an incredibly funny movie and is definitely something you should watch if you’re looking for a laugh.

Rudy (1993) Rudy Ruettiger’s (Sean Astin) only dream was to be a football player at the college of Notre Dame. Based off of a true story, this movie follows Rudy’s struggles that he faces to complete his dream.

At first Rudy didn’t have the grades or money to make it into college, but after his best friend dies in an accident, he pours everything he has into completing his goal. This is one of my favorite movies and I definitely believe everyone should watch it.

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Missouri University of Science and Technology is known for two things: St. Pat’s festivities, and Celebration of Nations. That anecdote makes itself at home in Rolla, Missouri, a town with about an 87% white population. Rolla may not seem like the diversity capital of the country, but that’s where Celebration of Nations comes in. This particular event goes to great lengths to create a space for inclusion of cultures, all in the name of family friendly fun. Starting with a parade and splitting off into more of a festival, Celebration of Nations is happening tomorrow, September 30th from 11 to 4, and is guaranteed to be a fun-filled experience.

I had the opportunity to interview two of the event’s influencers: Roberta Morgan, the director of programs in S&T’s office of international and cultural affairs, and Rahul Menon, a grad student and officer for the Indian Association.

“It was started--and this will be our eighth year--with the recommendation of Dr. Kent Ray, who was the provost [at the time], and there was a similar program at Michigan Tech. He had been working there and he wanted to see if he could do something similar. We looked at what they were doing and thought, ‘yeah, we could do it,’ and I think we’ve really come together as a campus and a community to come up with something even better. We really want to make sure there was a clear connection between the campus and the community, so the parade starts on campus, and we invite so many people to be a part of it--people from all over, not just the world but also the state of Missouri and the US. We want to see all of the rich culture that’s here because our students want to see what Rolla people are like and what’s going on. We

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want the students to know that they’re welcome in the community, so the parade ends up downtown, in the city of Rolla bandshell, everybody can try the different foods, the talent’s really good. It’s just a great way for us to come together and have a family-friendly fall event,” Morgan said.

From an international student’s perspective, Menon adds that the event is an example of how diversity is important to S&T. “I think it’s a coming together of cultures. And I think it’s a way for us to give back to the community as well. I mean, I’ve felt welcome here. The community has been gracious enough, and it’s not just me; there’s a lot of international students here, and not once have we felt out of place or unwelcome. I think it’s just a way of showing our gratitude to the community--that’s one of the ways I look at it--and to show them a part our lives, because they’ve been so gracious enough to show us their’s. We’ve given them a glimpse of our lives back home, of the food and the culture,” Menon said.

Specific events include: Parade of flags, face painting, terrific food, camel rides, talent shows oh my!

“This year we don’t have a specific, international theme, but we’re encouraging the Chinese students to start practicing the Dragon Dance, so that they’ll do a good job with that, and the Saudi team is pulling together a good theme to figure out who’s setting up the tent and what they’re going to decorate it. We have tons of different activities for the family area, where we have the kids corner, the Chancellor’s Leadership Academy does face painting, and there’s international crafts--and they could have as many crafts and be the most amazing ever, and the

kids are still lined up for the face painting! Face painting is just fun, and we want everybody to enjoy themselves,” Morgan said.

“The camel rides are pretty popular with the kids, as well.

Sometime around the midday the cultural events start,” Menon said.

As for how many cultures are present, there isn’t an exact amount--ranging from around sixty to ninety. Although the numbers are indefinite, the event still guarantees to celebrate diversity in our town.

“Well, I know we have about eighty flags-you know, around eighty-eight or eighty-nine flags-and so, since we’re now seeking out the flag bearers, there’s probably about sixty-seven, sixty-eight flags represented. Like at the international students club, we have people representing the Philippines, India, Saudi Arabia, because the international students club is a mix of cultures. We have the Indian association, we’re hoping the Kuwaiti students will have a booth, the Iraqi students’ food is delicious. And you only get to know about the cultural differences within different countries when you have students from there participate in stuff like this,” Morgan said.

That’s just from the university. More people come in from all over, eager to show pride for their country.

“I have friends around the different states that know about this, so they’ll actually make the trip down just to come see it. We have people coming in from St. Louis, as well. We have different states in India, so there’s people from a state called Tamil Nadu who came in from St. Louis and had their performance during the parade. With India itself, we have different states and different cultures, so they’re coming

in from different parts around town because [Celebration of Nations] is something they all look forward to and they usually put up their own shows,” Menon said.

Celebration of Nations is a popular event for S&T because of the statement it makes; It provides an inclusive space for students to share their cultures and differences.

“It shows us as a more tolerant university. With recent political trends and everything, I’ve had friends from different universities feel a little unwelcome there. I think this is a massive undertaking for S&T to show that every and every culture is welcome here, that they’re just as important as everyone else, and this is an opportunity for them to show their culture and everything. I think it’s something that’s great that S&T is doing, and we’re pretty grateful--on the international side, at least,” Menon said.

It doesn’t just benefit the university, however; Celebration of Nations betters the community of Rolla, as well.

“From my perspective as a Rolla native, it really lets us show off our city--our little town, I could say. It brings the campus and the community really close together, the schools, the children; we do so much educational outreach so that our international students are going into the community.

It improves the education, you know, in terms of having contact with someone from a different country, in the classrooms, K through 12. The day itself has just really been a great event because of the sponsorship of the community.

The community comes behind it, the campus is there, it’s one of those events where you’re really proud of both sides,” Morgan said.

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The second Monday in October is notoriously known as Columbus Day. Yes, the man who sailed the ocean blue in 1492, the hero who discovered the New World, and also the man who committed mass genocide. We don’t usually teach that in elementary school.

It is kind of a tough concept for kids. However, Columbus being portrayed as the hero of the story is definitely not the way to go about teaching his history.

As it turns out, he couldn’t get the funds from his country so he went to Spain. On a whim, Isabella and Ferdinand gave him some cash to roam around the atlantic until he found India. Surprise, he found the “New World”! Except, several million people were already inhabiting this new world and it wasn’t exactly new at all.

Long story short, he wrote in his diary about how nice and strong the natives were and what good slaves they would make. Ever heard of the Arawaks? Yeah neither has anyone else. They were the first native peoples to encounter Columbus, and boy were they unlucky. Decimated virtually completely by European diseases they had never been exposed to, this was the start to Columbus’s reign of terror. He raped, murdered, and enslaved pretty much every native he could get his hands on. He was arrested at one point because Spain realized what he was doing. Before anyone knew it, he was back out and suffered little to no consequences for murdering and ruining the lives of millions.

Why is there a holiday celebrating his fake discovery of the not so new world? Okay, maybe it wasn’t a fake discovery, but there were already plenty of people inhabiting that land. It would have been great if he had discovered these new people and befriended them to learn about each other’s cultures.

That literally never happens though. It is argued that the United States wouldn’t be where it is today without him, but maybe several cultures would be thriving and more present, or maybe Europeans could have discovered North and Central America in a more peaceful manner if it hadn’t been for him.

Over the years, many people have spoken out. History books have made corrections and eventually most people learned the truth of our “hero” Columbus. Some states have even made the decision not to recognize the federal holiday. California even celebrates Indigenous People’s Day in replacement. Instead of celebrating the man who killed thousands of people, they celebrate the indigenous people who were slaughtered and forced out of their home lands. They were the original people that lived in the Americas, before it was rediscovered by the Europeans and they should be celebrated because they are the ones who need awareness spread about the struggles their people suffered through at the cost of Europeans.

Columbus Day serves as a reminder every year that Columbus is still widely celebrated, and shows a nation whom hasn’t fully confronted the wrongdoings of who was considered a hero. The federal holiday needs to be replaced because it’s the 21st century and Columbus was doing some pretty extreme conquering even for 1500. Indigenous people have continuously been beaten down, left out, and discriminated against for hundreds of years. One step in mending the nations relations would be to make Indigenous People Day a federal holiday and do away with celebrating Columbus.

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Many people choose not to stand for or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. There are multiple excuses these individuals make to sit during the Pledge, which I disagree with.

This country was founded on Christian values, and you cannot argue with that. The Pilgrims were Christian, as were most of the Founding Fathers. Regardless, they still believed in freedom of religion. Secondly, pledging to the flag is not just pledging allegiance to a piece of fabric; the American flag is symbolic. White signifies purity and innocence; red signifies hardiness and valor; blue signifies vigilance and justice. The stripes symbolize the original 13 colonies, while the stars symbolize the 50 states.

We recite the pledge to show respect for the flag, the country, and the freedom they both stand for. Saying the pledge is a way to show loyalty toward your country, The Constitution, and The Declaration of Independence, not to a political party or any religious institution.

Finally, by reciting the pledge, it honors the men and women who have died defending our country so that Americans can live free and peacefully. When one says the pledge, they are pledging to honor the freedom of others and to uphold their rights. The Pledge is relevant to all and does not promote or belittle any party or religion. It is a declaration of support for the ideals of freedom and individual liberty. In conclusion, while standing for the pledge is encouraged, it is not compulsory. It symbolizes one’s loyalty to America and shows that one is proud to be a part of the country.

Patriotism cannot legally be forced, but in my opinion, every American has a duty to stand and show respect to the United States.

Sam’s Soapbox Parrallel parking spots take up too much space It is no secret that finding a parking spot in downtown Rolla is difficult. Often, the only spot available is a long distance from the place someone intends to go. Spaces are filled quickly by employees and students, making it difficult for people to access downtown businesses.

The idea to convert parallel spaces along Pine Street into angle parking to alleviate this problem was proposed to the city of Rolla in June. There was significant interest in the idea, so the city council pursued it further. The city Engineering department prepared a layout to show what the new spaces would look like. A survey was also sent out to owners of businesses and property along Pine Street asking their opinions on the subject.

City Engineering found the new layout would add 47 parking spots to the current 87, for a total of 134, a clear improvement. The survey was less clear. Only 19 of the 65 business and property owners responded, with very little consensus. Some responses were overwhelmingly positive, saying it would add more spots and they would support it wholeheartedly. Others were surprisingly hostile, calling it an “unacceptable option” and even “B.S.”

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“...with liberty, and justice for all” These are words we’ve known since we were young. Except, for the last three years, I have neither recited nor stood for the daily pledge. It’s resulted in a lot of awkwardness, especially when I’m hurrying down a hallway of students standing in doorways.

When I stopped standing, I’ll admit it was with underdeveloped liberal thoughts I couldn’t put into words. As famous quarterback Colin Kaepernick explained, “We’re never taught what the Pledge of Allegiance actually means... We’ve been saying it for so long, I think we’re saying it without knowing why.” I feel he’s quite right.

It feels to me as if the pledge is taught to be taught, because older generations push for it out of their own patriotism, but now it’s recited for habit.

Another reason is the ever-controversial line, “One nation, under God.” It does make sense as a nation founded on Puritan views, but today it excludes to people who don’t believe in Christianity; which, according to the Pew Research Center, accounts for 29.4% of the US adult population. This percent, while small, is still 9.5 million people. Including this phrase excludes those who don’t follow Christianity.

To me, there is nothing inherently wrong with the pledge of allegiance. Other than the two words, “Under God,” I don’t even think that the pledge needs to be changed. I just think people should think harder about what they’re saying every day and why, and perhaps consider their own patriotism instead of being concerned with mine.

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Their hesitance is justified because, while angled parking would add much needed parking space to Pine Street, it would come at a cost. Pine Street would become a one lane street, causing traffic to increase and businesses to stop receiving deliveries along pine street. Vehicles would have to back out blindly into traffic, and bumpers would extend into the sidewalk, impeding pedestrians.

Given all the potential problems with angled parking, it is clearly not an ideal solution. However, there is still the issue of parking in downtown Rolla which should not be ignored. Maybe a new lot should be built, or the current spaces should get smaller. Bike racks could even be implemented, to alleviate some of the campus traffic. Even simply enforcing the existing parking regulations would be somewhat effective. There is certainly a better solution than what is in place, there just has to be an effort to find it.

Rather than giving up and accepting the current parking situation as good enough, the City should actively seek out ways to improve parking in downtown Rolla. Otherwise, businesses, and the community as a whole, will suffer.

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Who, What, Wear b y

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Arts & Entertainment Editor It’s no secret that gym clothes can be a little over the top and impractical at times. Going to the gym or working out in general can require some serious equipment.

Heavy duty layered sports bras, thick leggings, a dri fit tank, and a particularly unflattering ponytail. Those cute sports bras that take a minimum of 10 minutes to figure out all the straps and give less support than a bralette? Maybe not the best bet for intense workouts.

However, it’s cute and even if it is advertised as gym wear, who makes these rules anyway?

Welcome to the world of athleisure, athletic wear

made for leisure. Less practical gym clothes worn for everyday outfits. Some say it’s killing fashion, but that’s a reach. It’s actually advancing fashion.

Think about it, the age old complaints about wanting to wear leggings and be comfortable, but still be stylish and trendy have been solved. Athleisure is the perfect balance of comfort and chic fashion. Bonus points for also looking like you work out because of the athletic appearance. Comfort, style, and people thinking you just came from the gym instead of Taco Bell? That’s a triple win.

September Sweets

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Staff Reporter

It’s September, and the 21nd marks the first day of fall. Which immediately makes me think of all of the changes that are to come: leaves transforming, cold weather coming, and the fashion shift from shorts and tees to flannels and boots. Most importantly, however, now that fall is here that means we can finally go full out pumpkin! September is precisely perfect pumpkin picnic weather so this month I decided to find the perfect pumpkin recipe.

Filling Ingredients:

1 (8 oz. package) cream cheese, softened 1 large egg 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1 cup powdered sugar To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese, egg, flour and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.

Set aside.

Cake 1 cup Pumpkin Puree 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Instructions:

To make the cakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees & line small muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda and blend well. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full (about a tablespoon or so) with batter and then add about a teaspoon or so of cheesecake filling on top.

Topping Ingredients and Instructions: 1/4 cup sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons flour 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.

Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle each cake with with topping and bake at 350 degrees for about 12-14 minutes.

Opinion

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Students of RHS

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Photography Editor

1270 students. 75 staff members. 31 clubs. 18 sports teams. These seven students share how they participate in what Rolla High School has to offer.

Olivia Watt, junior, is a mellophone section leader in the band, and is in Octagon Club.

Kassi Hayes, junior, is a percussionist in band, in Latin club, STUCO, is in track, Science Olympiad, and plays basketball.

Adalia Valentine, freshman is member of TSA, STUCO, Debate Club, DECA, and PAC.

Kyle McCutcheon, freshman, plays cymbols in the marching band’s drumline and plays tennis in the spring.

Celeste Lietz, sophomore, is a saxophone player in band and a member of STUCO.

Chloe Wood, junior, is an active DECA member, participates in STUCO, and is a first and second baseman for the softball team.

Follow Us on Socal Media @rhsechonews Rolla High School ECHO @rhsechonews

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