Pepper Box - October 2017

TWIRLING STAR Senior Jodie Wagster gained experience this summer from a twirling competition SPOTLIGHT, Page 3

HALLOWEEN FAVORITES Ritenour students told us their favorite things about Halloween SPOTLIGHT, Pages 4-5

GLOBAL SOCCER Players from the soccer team

compare US soccer to that in their former country SPORTS, Page 6

THE PEPPER BOX RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL

ISSUE 2, VOLUME 44

9100 ST. CHARLES ROCK ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63114

Little to no gray area The way people get news and share their opinions has become a battleground of extremes

By HANNAH CORNISH The Pepper Box Staff In many different facets, today’s society tends to cling to extreme terms, often referred to as black and white.

In arguments, people believe that they are right

and others are wrong. There are those who are seen as righteous, and those who are seen as evil. There is often little to no gray area in discussions.

This generation is often defined by social media. All people’s stories, all people’s

news can come straight from the screens of phone. This can be both a blessing and a curse; the world is at everyone’s fingertips, however, most do not take the time to consider any other side, or even take the time confirm facts.

How do people acquire their news?

Facebook and Twitter are popular apps that also double as a news platform.

Unfortunately, some of this news can be false. Ritenour High School debate teacher Christina Melly believes that people’s reluctance to examine facts and insistence to stay rooted in their beliefs is often the cause of misinformation.

“Social media can kind of act as an echo chamber, you only see what people who

think the same things as you see. In some ways it can be helpful to get people started on getting into the news or current events, but it ends up being dangerous if all the news that they see is in their Facebook feed,” Melly said.

Melly also believes the school and its staff can aid in fixing the social media crisis amongst students.

“I think that if we model what it’s like to be responsible adults and good consumers of news, that would show students that once you see something you have to go and investigate it and see is that the whole story, or is there something else to it,” Melly said. “You have to get your news from multiple sources, you have to do some fact checking.”

Government teacher

OCTOBER, 2017 Michael Murray agrees with Melly, and says that the lack of fact checking is the major problem for the spread of misinformation and conflict in our student body.

“The way words spread so quick, my issue with that would be that nowadays people are saying things or going off what they have heard, and they are not facts,” Murray said.

How do students react?

Students in Ritenour have a variety of reactions towards news. Stories in the news have the possibility to affect certain groups of students more than others. However, some do manage to stay in the gray area of arguments.

SEE NO GRAY-3

Portrait conceived by: Coralis Bobe, Lila Irby, and Victoria Taylor

The way that people receive and understand news has changed over time. Today, more people are finding messages catered just to them, and are refusing to even acknowledge other sides of an argument.

This has led to more vocal opposition in the classroom, and a pattern of people taking extreme sides to difficult topics.

Hurricanes damage US

By PIERRE BROWN The Pepper Box Staff Three hurricanes have torn through the United States in the last few months and have left devastation in their path.

The hurricanes that have happened recently have left trees on highways and blown

down signs in Florida and left entire cities 10 to 12 feet underwater in Texas.

Hurricane Harvey was the first to strike in Texas on Aug. 26. Houston took a lot of the damage, as one third of the city was underwater at one point. The hurricane has caused about $180 billion in damage and left 82 people

dead.

Melanie Gruber, a friend of Ritenour community members who lives in Texas, says that the hurricane did not just destroy, but it brought people together. She explained that before any agencies could get there to help she noticed Texans coming together and SEE HURRICANES -3

INDEX

OPINION....................Page 2 NEWS......................... Page 3 SPOTLIGHT................Page 4 SPOTLIGHT................Page 5 SPOTLIGHT................Page 6 SPORTS...................... Page 7 SPORTS...................... Page 8

Check out information from this issue, as well as additional content from the Pepper Box and KRHS on ritenourlive.org

Opinion

PEPPER BOX STAFF Adviser: Ron Steinschriber Content Editor In Chief: Jenna Hutson Production Editor In Chief: Bailey Stock News Editor: Martin Trujillo Opinion Editor: Jordyn Barber Online Editor: Shelby Langhorst Sports Editor: Coralis Bobe Spotlight Editor: Victoria Taylor Staff Members: Trystan Bell, Allison Both, Pierre Brown, Hannah Cornish, Alexandria Eyster-Cool, Marquis Gladden, Grace Humphres, Lila Irby, Tabitha Peebles, Dori Sloan, Madison Waldrup

Editorial Policy: The Pepper Box is designed and created by members of the newspaper staff of Ritenour High School. The purpose of the newspaper is to provide a forum for the students to focus on issues, give opinions, and share information with the Ritenour High School community. The opinions expressed in this paper do not reflect opinions of our faculty or administration.

Letters to the editor are welcome and accepted, but they may not contain profanity, obscenity, or anything inappropriate to school. They may be e-mailed to Ron Steinschriber at steinschriberr@ritenourschools.org, or dropped off in room 240. The staff reserves the right to edit these letters.

Why I stand for those who kneel The Barber Shop

By Jordyn Barber Well, after my trainwreck of a first column, I’ve gathered my thoughts. Now I’m coming to you with a more urgent topic.

Is it disrespectful to kneel during the national anthem?

This is not a simple question to answer for some.

For others, they know without a doubt their stance on the situation without even having to think twice about it.

For me, the answer is simple. It is not disrespectful at all to kneel.

People kneel for those who did not have a choice, but still ended up enlisting in a battle. They kneel for those minority groups who didn’t choose to join the military, but are still fighting in a war with no battlegrounds. They kneel for those who are dying every day, not because of oil or ideology, but because of the color of their skin.

Traditionally, the flag has been seen by Americans as

The movement by sports stars to kneel during the national anthem can be a protest while still showing respect a symbol of all the ideals within a perfect American society. The problem is that America has not yet reached perfection. There are still problems in the world and kneeling is a non-violent way to highlight issues that need to be changed.

There is the opinion that people, no matter the state of the country, should respect the flag. It is seen as practically blasphemous to not hold some patriotism within one’s self. However, I believe that by kneeling, these athletes are showing a deeper level of patriotism. They are still acknowledging the flag, but they actually want to make the true idealism of America a reality.

Connections between the flag and patriotism date back to the first American flag, but in recent history they were actually put into code.

In 1923, a group of agencies working with the American

Page 2 October 2017 Spotlight Editor: Jordyn Barber: barberj801@ritenourschools.org

Staff Editorial Pencil marred desks, paucity of subject books, and budget cuts; peering into the public school system is a somewhat grueling task. The quality of a school directly correlates with the amount of money it receives, and student learning and attitude are tethered to a school’s socio-economic state. While some schools are left with the scraps, others are a mecca for students, abundant with resources and knowledge.

Horror stories of public schools with barred windows, barren lesson plans, and abounding drop-out rates routinely strike.

This raises a remarkably prevalent question. What is being done to reform public school budgeting, and to equalize the gap between district spending?

The divide between school spending is extensive, and school funding per state is a staggering breach. The majority of money that provides for county and city schools is local government, at 44.8%, with significant revenue in state government, encompassing 45.1% of school funding. Federal government dwindles to a dreary 10.1%, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

These averages are all relative to the amount of money that is allocated to public education in a state, sometimes leaving a stark contrast between neighboring states. Utah, the state with the least amount of per student spending at a meager $6,500, is $4,500 behind the national average of about $11,000.

Wyoming, a bordering state of Utah averages at about $14,644.

For Missouri, the disparate

gap is inter-state. A study conducted by NPR estimated that there was a $15,000 gap in per-student spending throughout the state, inclusive to all schools statewide. This means that the consistency of the quality of education has a lack of continuity, which in the long run, translates to a disadvantage amongst children in Missouri school districts.

When one searches for the top public school in the Missouri area, the result is the Clayton School District.

Clayton spends on average, about $18,020 per pupil.

However, neighboring school district, University City, only spends about $13,903 per student. While this might not be perceived as a significant difference, one school district is spending about $4,000 more per attendee. This seemingly inconsequential number could buy about 13 textbooks to aid in studying, 9 student laptops, and innumerable school supplies for those who cannot afford to buy their own.

Poverty stricken areas require more money to provide resources for their students, but often do not receive as much as they need.

Rather than allocating more money to every school, we need to give more money to the schools that make less and need more. Often, this does not happen.

This is because, at the root of it all, schools receive the money that reflects the socioeconomic average of their residency. Schools in poor areas are poorly funded by default, owing this to the neighborhood the school is based in. For the same reason, other schools in wealthier areas receive

more money, which they can utilize to better prepare their students, with academic resources and programs that are not provided for in less prosperous districts.

As a solution, there are many things that can be done.

For example, state funding from schools can match the needs of the schools that receive their money accordingly. Schools that are well-off could receive less money from the state, which could be allocated to areas in need. This would help to resolve the issue of an inequality in the allowance of public schools. Schools with more money that neighbor disadvantaged districts could absorb the districts that have less money.

Of course, there will always be the argument that the amount of money allotted to a school to spend on their students does not affect academic achievement.

However, this holds little truth in some situations. Less fortunate ones.

Some students rely on school lunches for their basic nutrition. Some girls do not have families that can provide them with sanitary materials.

The truth is that for some students, the educational resources that the school supplies are the only that they have access to.

When schools do not have enough money to provide such basic necessities, they are failing their pupils. In most cases, it is not the school’s fault, but rather, the way that their funding is dictated. This system fails those who rely on their school to give them anything from a meal, to a balanced education.

Legion created the flag code.

It was introduced on Flag Day of that year, and in 1942 it became public law. The code consists of the way the flag should be treated in America and sets laws that are expected to be followed by all citizens.

However, while those vocally against kneeling believe it is either the law or the country’s rules to stand for the National Anthem, the code states that “all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart.” The key word in this statement is “should,” which is different than the word “must” or “shall.”

This wording makes it incorrect to consider kneeling breaking the law, as “should” implies a suggestion, rather than an obligation. Although this seems like a trivial phrase to cling to in a matter that has made many people upset, it is an important distinction.

It is a recommendation, and nobody can be arrested for the action of kneeling.

I stand for those who kneel. By saying this I do not mean I support those who completely kneel for the trend of it, or for the people who are doing it just because something to do. I mean that I stand for the people who are trying to cause awareness

for the systematic killing of certain people in this country.

I support their method of using their first amendment rights.

It wouldn’t matter the country or location. If this was taking place in Israel or Guatemala and the same events were occurring, the people I represent would still silently protest, no matter the location. This movement is about the protesting of an idea, and not of a flag.

I stand for those who kneel because they are the vision of what America wishes to be; humble.

News

Page 3 October 2017 News Editor: Martin Trujillo: trujillocarrazcom164@ritenourschools.org

NO GRAY Continued from the front page

Senior Brianne Walker is someone who feels comfortable living in the gray area. She can see both sides of the argument about NFL players kneeling during games, which has been a controversial subject as of late.

“I believe that if you want to kneel, that is fine, and if you want to stand that is also okay. It is your right to do either,” Walker said.

Students have seen friendships end due to contrasting opinions and lack of respect for each other’s opinions. Senior Kailee Tabers had a real incident of losing a friend over an argument.

“I’ve seen people just stop years of friendship over their certain beliefs and I think social media is the cause of that. We see all the time people expressing their opinions and we believe them without question and if someone has a different view we automatically believe they are wrong,” Tabers said.

Social media has been an element that is often cited as causing a great divide between Americans. It is making it harder for people to relate to one another and to coexist with people with contrasting opinions.

While there have always been people who disagree, social media makes deliberately hurting someone with a different opinion much more accessible, while also ASED BY IF PURCH being encouraged by certain BER 30 M E T P E S online communities.

Education vs.

Indoctrination The St. Louis community has recently been at the center of an American conflict. After a not guilty verdict for a police officer who shot and killed a St. Louis citizen, there have been protests being held for the last four weeks.

There have been peaceful protests happening during daylight hours, with protesters congregating in well visited areas, blocking traffic, and protesting city officials.

Senior Gabi Anderson believes that while some of the tactics are seen as provocative, they are important to the cause.

“If protesters are not able to block roads, they will never be seen,” Anderson said.

There have also been people engaged in more destructive behavior after the organized protesters have left for the day. This has caused a vocal outcry from people who are skewed into believing that all protesters are rioters.

The protest issue in Saint Louis represents how easily people’s opinion are swayed by not knowing all the facts of a story. There are people posting contrasting narratives on both sides of the issue, and it leads to uneducated arguments.

“We jump to conclusions, we don’t get full stories, it just kind of trickles out and before you know it, it’s like oh, that’s not exactly the way it was said,” Murray said.

Courtesy Urban Houstonian - flickr Much of Hoston was under water after Hurricane Harvey hit the city on August 26. This photo was taken three days later, on August 29.

HURRICANES DAMAGE US

Continued from the front page helping other Texans.

“We saw businesses open their doors for people to take shelter during the storm. The people coming together and helping each other during a tragedy is really amazing,” Gruber said.

Just over two weeks after Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, Hurricane Irma hit the Florida coast on September 10. It caused panic in cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. 82 people have been killed as a result of the hurricane.

Alexis Brackett, another friend of a Ritenour community member, lives in Florida and says that she was surprised that her area didn’t get much damage because she was considered to be in the eye of the category 5 hurricane.

Capture Your Memories in this Year's Ritenour High School

Yearbook!

“I honestly felt really scared because I didn’t know what would happen, Brackett said.

“I was worried most about what was going to happen to my house and friends in the area.”

Brackett also talked about the low lying houses that were flooded through, and lack of electricity. Brackett said that when she was trying to leave Florida to avoid the hurricane she was caught in tornadoes and waterspouts.

Some students have also been effected by Hurricane Irma. Junior Nature Frost says that she feels affected by the storm because she’s worried for her father who is in Florida for his job. He is helping people and writing checks for people who have had damage done to their property due to the storm.

Frost, who might be soon

moving to Florida, says that she is a little nervous to make the move because her father, who is an insurance adjuster in Florida, told her that even though the hurricane is gone there are still small storms that keep coming through.

After all of this damage, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on September 20. Flood waters rose six feet in 30 minutes, and 83% of the people in Puerto Rico were left without power. So far the death toll is at 45.

The hurricanes have destroyed property, ripped trees out of the ground, flooded houses and caused other tragedies, but they have also brought people together.

“In the world we live in that really gives you hope for the future,” Gruber said.

Capture Your Memories in this Year's Ritenour High School

Yearbook!

Capture Your Memories in this Year's

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Ritenour High School

Yearbook!

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Add memories & photos from throughout the year. Share them with your classmates to include in their personal pages.

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Spotlight

Page 4 October 2017 Spotlight Editor: Victoria Taylor: taylorv512@ritenourschools.org

Friday the 13th and its history Friday the 13th falls in October this year, and the origins of the date help explain why it is seen as so scary to many people

By TABITHA PEEBLES The Pepper Box Staff Friday the 13th, deemed the unluckiest day of the year by many, just passed us by in this month of October. Where did this fear come from and why are superstitions still high?

This date and number, arguably the most vilified, has countless origins. This date has been associated with Satan, witchcraft and death.

One of these can be seen through an old wives tale that states that one person seated at a table of 13 will die within that year. This tale and many others, date all the way back to Norse Mythology.

This unlucky date is also associated with the Bible.

It is said to be the date that Adam and Eve partake in the forbidden fruit, as well as it being the day that Jesus was crucified. Despite these events, the 13th took on it’s negative connotation at the Last Supper. Judas, the 13th apostle to arrive, later betrayed Jesus. Judas’ actions led to his crucifixion on that Friday.

This number also has a history of being unlucky because people believe that the number 12 traditionally signifies completeness; 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 months of the year, 12 hours on the clock and 12 tribes of Israel, among other famous dozens.

Anywhere outside a bakery, 13 is considered a transgression of this rule.

The transition to more popular culture started as early as the 1900s, further besmirching the afflicted date and raised more theories.

Thomas Lawson’s 1907 novel, “Friday the 13th”, is about a broker who attempts to panic all of Wall Street on that day.

However, the most quintessential American connection to the date came from the movies. Ever since “Friday the 13th” horror film franchise debuted in 1980, this date has been affiliated with a serial killing maniac,

displayed in a hockey mask along with many other symbols of terror.

At Ritenour, there are still those who are fond of this date and season, despite its unsettling history. Senior Kaitlyn Buresh considers the date formidable for many, but regardless, still enjoys the date and everything uncanny that comes with it.

“While many people find it terrifying and are extremely wary of any Friday the 13th, I absolutely love them. The fact that one is happening in October, a month that has enough creepiness to last, well, a whole month, makes it even better,” Buresh said.

“I love to scare people and having a Friday the 13th is just the time to be a little extra scary towards people because they’re extra wary and sensitive to scary events.

We will also be at the end of a full moon cycle meaning that the moon was almost full on Friday the 13th, just adding to the fun of it.”

Others see Friday the 13th as a seemingly undaunting date for them, celebrating it nonetheless. Freshman Jordan Fritzsche feels fairly indifferent towards the illfated date, presuming it to be neither necessarily bad nor good.

“I’m not a superstitious person, and I’ve never really been. I know a lot of people see Friday the 13th as an omen of bad luck, but I was born on Friday the 13th, making it more of a positive attribute for me. Watching older horror movies, especially Friday the 13th, has become more or less a Halloween tradition that my mom started with me when I was relatively young,” Fritzsche said.

The overall fear instilled by this date and month will more than likely continue on for many years to come.

Knowing the history of it may help to understand where those fears are derived from, as well as dwindle some of the superstitions associated with it.

Q: What do witches get at hotels?

A: Broom Service -Desja Beach, Junior

Spotlight

Page 5 October 2017 Spotlight Editor: Victoria Taylor: taylorv512@ritenourschools.org

What Ritenour students love about Halloween

By JENNA HUTON Content Editor-in-Chief

Q: Why are ghosts so bad at lying?

A: You can see right through them -Hillary Fadojutimi, Junior

Art by SHELBY LANGHORST Online Editor

Q: What’s a ghost’s favorite street?

A: A dead end - Brandon Martin, Senior

Q: Why did the cyclops stop teaching?

A: It only had one pupil -Michael Duda, Freshman

Spotlight

Page 6 October 2017 Spotlight Editor: Victoria Taylor: taylorv512@ritenourschools.org

Senior twirler shines after summer success Senior Jodie Wagster began her fourth year as the featured twirler for Ritenour after competing at the America’s Youth on Parade Contest this summer in Indiana

By TRYSTAN BELL The Pepper Box Staff Senior Jodie Wagster, the Ritenour High School featured baton twirler, recently competed and placed well in a national baton twirling contest.

The America’s Youth on Parade Contest occurred on July 25, and was held at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. Wagster participated in The Grand National Contest category along with hundreds of girls and boys from across the nation. Wagster participated in the three baton, two baton, and x-strut competitions, and also performed a solo.

“In three baton, I got 11th place out of 76 girls and boys in the advanced division. In two baton, I received 16th place out of 58 girls. In my solo, I received 20th place out of 48 girls, and in my x-strut, I received 21st place out of 52 girls,” Wagster said.

Baton twirling is classified as an “artistic

and aerobic sport that promotes physical fitness and helps fight childhood obesity” by the United States Twirling Association. It is a combination of gymnastics and dancing while controlling one, two, or three metal batons.

Baton twirling, starting at a young age, develops spatial awareness, motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.

Twirling also fine-tunes flexibility, strength, stamina, while giving a positive selfimage and poise.

The America’s Youth on Parade Contest started in 1970 with 44 titles to be won. Prior to the consistent location, there were 25 separate national contests all over the United States. The first competition ever held for AYOP was in Wichita, Kansas, with a low budget and used old “The Wizard of Oz” sets.

Costumes were borrowed from marching bands and figure skaters, and the music was of a wide variety.

Although the contest was not in top condition,

almost 750 twirlers arrived to compete. The competition got so much attention, they started annual contests, and they have continued ever since.

Wagster personally started baton at just four years old at a former dance studio and started competitions at ten.

Amanda Wagster, Jodie’s mother and coach, recalls her audition for the school.

“Jodie started twirling for high school her freshman year. She talked to the band director Mr. Haux, and he asked when she could audition to be Ritenour’s Feature Twirler. They set up a date and Jodie auditioned. Once the audition was over, she was accepted to be Ritenour’s featured twirler,” Amanda Wagster said.

Jodie’s success has not come without challenges. She has faced health issues that have challenged her in this physically exhausting activity.

“The challenges Jodie and I have faced include her having to have heart surgery almost two years ago, along with

Jodie having to push through

believes in her daughter and

Olivia Hilliard Senior Jodie Wagster performs at the game against Webster Groves. Wagster competed well in a national competition this summer.

other medical problems that she still faces today. The challenges of her getting physically exhausted are harder than normal,” Amanda Wagster said.

Even though there are troubles, Amanda Wagster

her abilities.

“Jodie does not allow these to stop her or bring her down.

No matter the challenges Jodie faces, the same passion and love for the Baton Twirling sport continues,” Amanda Wagster said.

Where are they now - Class of 1987 Bill Chott Actor Bill Chott is the second Ritenour Hall of Fame member to be highlighted by the Pepper Box this year. The Ritenour alum is known to many for his role in “Wizards of Waverly Place” ByVICTORIA TAYLOR Spotlight Editor Many students at Ritenour may remember Disney’s hit television show “Wizards of Waverly Place.” This show consists of a teenage girl, played by Selena Gomez, who is a modern day wizard attempting to find a balance between the normal and supernatural world. At times throughout the show, she finds herself in her high school principal’s office and a friendship is soon created between the two characters.

What those fans of the show growing up probably did not realize was that the principal starring in the show was a graduate from Ritenour High School.

Bill Chott, who played as “Mr. Laritate”, graduated from Ritenour High School in 1987 and was inducted into the Ritenour Hall of Fame in 2010 for his work in the show business.

Chott said that the events he participated in during high school helped mold him into his future career. He was involved in school events, clubs, and academic programs during his high school years.

“Some of the most fun social times I had were in German Club with Herr Boswell. I also learned a lot about German language and culture, but he made it fun to gather and have fun social times with other German students,” Chott said. “I gained a great appreciation for the world around me. Getting to understand other point of views really prepared me as a citizen and as an actor.”

Aside from the insight he gained from the German club, Chott had one subject that stood out during his time as a Husky, and it directly relates to his future in entertainment.

“The classes I always enjoyed were English classes.

Whether it was writing or reading, I enjoyed learning more, escaping to fictional worlds, and becoming or

creating new characters,” Chott said.

Chott also shared some additional elective classes and experiences from high school that prepared him for his career.

“The classes that prepared me most for my career and life were A Capella choir and KRHS radio. Expert voice training with Mr. Alan Byers and working on the musicals prepared me for my work live on stage and elsewhere.

It was my first regular performance experience.

Working with an ensemble was an invaluable experience,” Chott said. “I really enjoyed working on the radio staff and assembling the newscasts in the morning as well as my after school radio shows. I got experience running a sound engineering board, talking on a microphone, reading copy, ad libbing when necessary, and programming.”

After graduation, Chott attended college at Central Methodist University, and then studied improvisation at

The Second City in Chicago, Ill. Second City is known to be a starting place for many of the most successful comedians.

“Some of the people I toured the country with in Second City included Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, and many others,” Chott said. “I was then hired to work as a writer and performer for the Dana Carvey Show where I performed with Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Louis CK and some of the best writers in the business.”

Chott then began to work in movies and television by providing voices on Saturday Night Luve for the “Ambiguously Gay Duo” and “The X-Presidents” sketches.

He played Thomas in the Johnny Knoxville film, “The Ringer”, and worked for five years on Wizards of Waverly Place.

One of his more recent roles was the mailman on This Is Us, a television show which has won ten Emmy

COURTESY RITENOUR SD 1987 graduate Bill Chott was inducted into the Ritenour Hall of Fame in 2010. He is an actor and comedian. nominations in 2017.

Not only is Chott an actor, but also an improvisation teacher at his school, “The Improv Trick”.

“The Improv Trick has trained hundreds of actors as well as people who use the skill of improv in public speaking, sales, and more,” Chott said.

Sports

Page 7 October 2017 Sports Editor: Coralis Bobe: bobec863@ritenourschools.org

Football players having a big season

Seniors Nick Williams and E’myzra McGruder have had standout seasons and are starting to attract the attention of college scouts

By BAILEY STOCK Production Editor-in-Chief Ritenour football has always been a highly attended sport throughout the school, but this year seniors Nick Williams and E’Myzra McGruder have made a name for the Ritenour Huskies throughout the state of Missouri and in the college football recruitment world.

6’7” senior offensive linemen Williams is currently ranked tenth in Missouri for offensive tackle and has been offered scholarships by eleven schools. On June 22, 2017, Williams accepted an offer from the Kansas University Jayhawks to play football.

Williams plays on the defensive line as well as the offensive line for Ritenour. So far this season he has 4 sacks, 31 tackles, and 1 fumble recovery on defense, and has helped the offense get time and space to run their plays.

Varsity coach Hoyt Gregory has recognized Williams’ progress this season, compared to his first year on varsity last year.

“Nick is making steady progress,” Gregory said. “He has attended the weight room and has been viewing a lot of video of his performance during game with coaches notes to better himself as a player.”

This year, Williams said that he has felt the true pressure of being a varsity player.

“I feel like I have a way bigger role than I did last year.

Last year, it was my first year on varsity, so I had no idea what to expect. But this year with me being ranked and our team rolling, there are high expectations not only on me, but other players. We are all being held accountable,” Williams said.

Williams has also had to learn how to accommodate to the attention he has been getting from the media, college coaches, and college football fans hoping he would sign to their beloved school.

“It was all very strange to me. I am not that big of a fan of a lot of attention and when there are four to five coaches a day trying to get a hold of you, it is a change of pace. However, I think it has made me better in the long run because now I know how to handle being sort of in the spotlight and I learned how to talk to coaches,” Williams said.

Senior quarterback Mann McGruder is currently ranked seventh in St. Louis for scoring with 18 touchdowns and four 2-point conversions.

He is also a leader in Saint Louis for passing a total of 929 yards so far this season.

He is even ranked fourth in St. Louis for rushing a total of 1104 yards.

Not only does Gregory notice McGruder’s profound skill this year, but he has witnessed Mann become a

true leader of his varsity team.

“He is a leader by example,” Gregory said. “He does not want to let his brothers or his coaches down.”

McGruder has been on the varsity roster for the past three years. While he was a part of the team’s success in the past, he has taken it as a personal responsibility to help his team shine for his senior year.

“I wanted to lead us to places where we have never been and I knew it would take extra effort to do so,” McGruder said.

McGruder currently has received an offer from Lindenwood University. He has also been recognized and featured in stories written by STL Today.

“It is pretty cool to see myself getting positive attention from the media, but it also pushes me to keep doing better because it puts pressure on me,” McGruder said.

Throughout the entire season, Mann and Nick have worked together to bring the team to the success they have experienced so far. With William’s skill on the offensive line, McGruder has been able to take more time when getting ready to pass the ball.

Outside of football, they have been focusing on what their life is going to look like after they graduate.

As of right now, Williams has a good idea of how he

Olivia Hilliard Seniors Nick Williams and Mann McGruder have had seasons that have gotten them noticed by college coaches.

Williams will attend Kansas and McGruder is undecided. wants his future to go.

“I plan on going to a university for 4 years and getting my degree in business management,” Williams said.

McGruder plans on trying to decide what college is the right fit for him and what exactly he desires to major in.

“I plan on continuing my career in football at an undecided university and possibly becoming a counselor of some sort,” McGruder said.

With the team currently being 6-3, Coach Gregory has loved watching his players succeed and grow on the field and as well as off the field.

“This is an amazing group of kids. They make it fun to come to practice and watch them grow from kids to young men,” Gregory said.

Over the past couple of years, Ritenour has had many players further their career in football, such as Ricky McCoy, Adewale Adeoye, Carl Garmon, TJ Ball, Rashad Hughes, Tyrel Slack, and JC Biayi. Adding the names Mann McGruder and Nick Williams to that list will soon occur before they know it due to their excellence on and off the field.

eSports team set to compete next year

Juniors Dori Sloan-Ule and Ethan Diepenbrock have formed a gaming team which will compete next year

By MARTIN TRUJILLO News Editor Juniors Dori Sloan-Ule and Ethan Diepenbrock are currently planning on starting Ritenour High School’s first electronic sports club.

The club is being formed due to the sudden worldwide rise in electronic sports, or eSports as it is more commonly known. A study done by Superdata Research, a digital games market intelligence company, claims that over 71 million people are watching competitive eSports worldwide, with half of these views coming from within the United States.

For comparison, 40 million people watched the

2016 World Series and 43 million watched the League of Legends, a popular eSports game, 2016 World Championship.

Co-President Sloan-Ule acknowledges the fact that some refuse to view eSports as a sport; she explains the similarities between the two types. “eSports is similar to traditional sports in the sense that each game has two teams that need to work together for a common goal,” Sloan-Ule said.

Despite eSports’ professional reach worldwide, it is new to high schools.

Yet, High School eSports League (HSEL) have already registered over 170 schools in

the United States.

Co-President Diepenbrock believes that eSports will spread more to high schools. “eSports have been a growing form of competition throughout the world with thousands of people showing up to events and competitions.

Anyone who owns a computer will know what an eSport is very soon,” Diepenbrock said.

Ritenour’s eSports club has already met once, with 30 students attending the first meeting. Students who wish to join should attend meetings after school on Tuesday in the media room.

“This eSports team will compete with other schools by housing competitions and entering HSEL competitions.

Ritenour eSports is the perfect club for those who don’t fit into the athletics department,” Diepenbrock said.

The goal this year is to finish developing the team, practice, and fundraise.

Ritenour eSports plans to sponsor Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League and Hearthstone.

Sophomore Nathan Rowland plans on joining this club and shared his experience with eSports.

“I thought that the idea of a Ritenour eSports club sounded like a great idea, and I wanted to be a part of it. I plan on playing Overwatch.

I have a decent amount of experience, but I do have

competitive experience from other games,” Rowald said.

Media teacher Jane Bannester, the Ritenour eSports sponsor, explained that this club might determine what is at stake for her and her son.

“My motivation is rooted in my son, Brian. Next year he will be a freshman, and we have been brainstorming how he can involved in high school. Like many kids, he’s really interested in gaming.

As it has become a more legitimate activity, complete with major money making stars and scholarships being given to college programs, I wanted to support him, and students who are like him,” Bannester said.

Sports

Page 8 October 2017 Sports Editor: Coralis Bobe: bobec863@ritenourschools.org

An international team

The soccer team is filled with players from different countries and they compare their experiences in each country

Yemen

By MARQUIS GLADDEN The Pepper Box Staff

Hungary Freshman Attila Kiss moved to the United States four years ago from Hungary.

“Playing in the US is a different feeling. In Hungary, we do have more practices, and they take it more seriously. Here they take it seriously, don’t get me wrong,but in Hungary, it’s the main sport. Soccer’s not the main attention here.”

“If I could choose, I would play in Hungary because that’s

Attila Kiss FRESHMAN where I’m from, people speak my language, and it feels more comfortable.”

“I’m getting used to getting to know the players, the chemistry, and basically having good connections with the players.”

Togo Sophomore Harry Zossoungbo moved to the United States when he was eight years old. He spent the first part of his life in Togo.

“Playing soccer in the US is really fun. You get to meet a bunch of people, and the way that everyone plays is unique.”

“I would rather play in the United States because I know more people here and plus I just prefer here. People here respect one another

all the love, it’s just a big family and a big program.”

“There is not so much diversity there, but here in America there is. You learn the languages, and you learn how to respect other people’s cultures, it’s a big part of my life here, and it’s something to look forward to.”

Hassan Haimed FRESHMAN whether they have a bad game or not and they’ll respect everybody’s skill, and they believe in you even if you’re bad,”

Harry Zossoungbo SOPHOMORE

Mexico Senior Angel Villanueva moved to the United States five years ago from Mexico.

“Soccer here is pretty much the same, because we can communicate in our own language, Spanish, and make different moves. It is kind of difficult to get noticed here because in Mexico it’s way easier to make it pro when you’re 18 or 17.”

Freshman Aaron Magana moved to the United States seven years ago from Mexico.

“I have learned more stuff than when I was little and it helps me prepare for my future. You can earn scholarships here, and they

teach you what to do and what not to do here.”

“In the US, I can play with more people who are better than me, and learn from their skills. I consider it helping me out, but fun at the same time.”

Daniel in Mexico we would probably Rojo be playing in the streets. I love playing soccer in the SENIOR United States, it’s a good opportunity for me.”

Freshman Hassan Haimed moved to the United States from Yemen when he was two years old.

“The practices and games are fun, and we can learn a lot and get better.

The people inside the team are really nice, they help you get better and you learn more about soccer.”

Guatemala

Freshman Edmilson Yaxcal moved to the United States from Guatemala when he was 12 years old.

“In Guatemala, soccer is more competitive, in the U.S. it’s lower.”

“I love friends, the games away, and the experience of playing the games here.”

Angel Villanueva SENIOR

Aaron Magana FRESHMAN

Senior Daniel Rojo moved to the United States when he was three years old from Mexico.

“We have a nice field here,

Abdulmalik Haimed SENIOR

Senior Abdulmalik Haimed moved to the United States from Yemen when he was two years old.

“Back in my country, of course there’s a war, so I don’t really see it as a professional game there. Growing up as a kid, I played there in the streets, that’s how I got my skills up. Here in America, it’s way better for sure. The family and friends here, I’ll never change up on any school.”

“What I’ve been through,

Edmilson Yaxcal FRESHMAN

El Salvador

Junior Robert Gomez was born in the US, but lived in El Salvador and played soccer there before moving back.

“It’s a lot more competitive in El Salvador. More people show up and actually try to play the sport.”

“They play a lot different here, it is faster playing over

Robert Gomez JUNIOR there and there is more of an emphasis on passing and teamwork.”