Staff Editorial From giving to charity, to a simple hello in the hallway, spreading kindness throughout our school and community can vastly improve a person’s day or outlook. We believe that random acts of kindness or just kindness in general, can make a larger impact than you might think. Putting someone above yourself for just one moment can very easily go a really long way. You never know what a person might be going through on the inside or what they are dealing with. You could improve their mood or get a bad thought out of their mind by doing something as simple as holding a door open. Who knows, if you decide to give an act of kindness to someone, one may eventually be returned to you. When someone does a simple act like this for you, you should feel grateful and show gratitude that they took time out of their day to be kind to someone and think of someone other than themselves in that particular moment. Planned or not, these gestures help improve the life of everyone involved. Most people strive to achieve happiness and studies have been done to show that kindness can directly relate to one’s happiness. Kindness can actually make you happy, and happiness makes you healthy. We encourage you to do something kind out of the goodness of your heart simply to help create a friendlier and more positive environment for this school and community. Mark Twain once said, “kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” We should spread this kindness and generosity because it has no limitations on who it can affect. Let’s start a chain reaction of kindness. If we spread it around as much as possible, we can slowly make a huge positive difference.
PEPPER BOX STAFF Advisor: Ron Steinschriber Content Manager: Aeriel Morrow Design Manager: Kristen Teoli Production Manager: Missy Griffith Business Manager:Saydee Esparza News Editor: Brittany Mixon Opinion Editor: Kaylee Houston Online Editor: Ariella Smith Sports Editor: Daedra Wallace Spotlight Editor: Ashley Meyer Staff Members: Allison Baker, Kaylee Barks, Carcea Carr, Charles Daniels, Sara Declue, Erin Dennison, Morgan Diamond, Deidre Dinkins, Morgan Sweeney, Ryan Tiefenbruch 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 innappropriate to school. They may be e-mailed to Ron Steinschriber at steinschriberr@ritenour.k12.mo.us, or dropped off in room 240. The staff reserves the right to edit these letters.
Front and back cover created by Kristen Teoli.
Opinion
Do not take your education for granted Many students take for granted the educational opportunities
Mixon it up Written by: Brittany Mixon News Editor Many things in life are taken for granted every day. The more people are given, especially simple gifts, the more they take for granted. Little things are just as important as the big things in life. Not many times do people in the world look around and realize that choice that gives them shortterm happiness will turn out much worse than a choice that would hurt in the present, but clear a path for the future. The more you take for granted the more you miss. I can admit that I have taken many things in life for granted, such as my education. I forget amongst the stress of school that not everybody in the world gets thirteen years of free education like I do. This is something many people should be grateful for because in other countries they either have to pay for school, or not get it at all. The number of student
Opinion
dropouts in the United States is way too high, especially when you look around and see that most students around the world do not have the benefit of free education like Americans. Education does not become important to some students until it is too late, usually right around senior year. It seems to only become relevant to those students because something is put at risk. I have taken education for granted very often. I sometimes just go for the least amount of work that can get me to pass. I have taken advantage of things such as turning in late work whenever I wanted to, and not doing certain assignments. I know that my study habits make me out to be nothing more than the average lazy American, but I’m hoping to change that. I know and believe that I could do so much more than what I do in school, and now I am slowly trying to break that habit in each class I have. I know that I can have all A’s or a high B’s in each class because I’ve done it before, but I just have trouble managing my family, friends, sports and work. In my family I can say that we take education seriously, especially in my generation of
cousins. Our family expects us to go above and beyond because they want us to be better than they were in high school. They want us to get our degrees when we are young, so we can have an easier older life. I am thankful for the extra little push they give me. If it was not for the push I would not be challenging myself with all the classes I’m taking. I also have coaches who see so much in me, especially my volleyball coaches, who can be like another family member by pushing the importance of grades. I am not trying to say that an education is the simplest thing in life to get, but it is the deciding factor for what you are going to do in life. It is like the saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” When something is given to you, make the most of it. Do not just throw away something special. Put what matters first and make the most of it because after high school you are going to be on your own. The world doesn’t wait for you, it keeps going, so work hard in the time you have. And enjoy your four years because they go by fast. You can choose to make the most of them or have to go back and redo them all, when you could have had it all for free.
Heroes not one size fits all You cannot be a fan of all comics
Miss understood Written by: Missy Griffith Production Manager It blows my mind that people could mix up Marvel and DC, although I was born a superhero fan. Still it is simple to identify the two if you actually pay attention. Saying Marvel and DC are the same because they are types of comics, is like saying the Red Sox and the Yankees are the same because they are both baseball teams. Or for all you Cardinal fans, the Cardinals and Cubs. Saying that craziness to a baseball fan is the same as saying Marvel and DC are the same to a comic book junkie like myself. Stan Lee created Marvel, and Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson created DC. These were two totally different people, with totally different minds. It kills a part of my soul when I see people wearing SpiderMan and Batman items together. If I wore Red Sox and Yankees stuff together people would look at me like I had nine heads. Some kids are born into
Opinion
what superheroes their parents want them to like. That is how I became a Batman fan. My dad has been a Batman fan for his whole life, so over 54 years. Other people become fans by reading the comics by themselves, and deciding that they like the plot of the stories and that they what to know what kind of adventures they can come to. For people who really like certain superheroes, they do not like when people mix them up. To them it is like mixing up Rock ‘N Roll and Jazz, they are somewhat similar, yet totally different. In my opinion, DC has better covers for their comics than Marvel does. They have more detail and they draw you in more than Marvel does. People may mix up superhero’s because of all the the movies that have been made recentley, and if you do not know your superhero’s, then you would not know what type of heros it is unless you catch the very
Illustration courtesy of Zach Pheiffer
beginning of the movie. Or you watch through the credits for a preview for the next movie. Meaning that would be a Marvel movie. Or if you know who Stan Lee is and you can point him out in Marvel movies. If you have a certain preference, do not try to shove it down someone’s throat. People all have their own opinion, leave them be and keep your thoughts to yourself. I do not go up to people and tell them that Batman is better than Superman, they need to change their thoughts and opinion. Marvel and DC comics and superheroes are different; they have different creators, different superheroes, and different symbols. So do not even try to compare them, because that would be like trying to compare the Cardinals to the Blues. It does not work that way, you cannot just try to compare two things that are opposites.
These students are TUF enough A group of students meets monthly to discuss antibullying techniques and teach the younger generation Written by: Deidre Dinkins Staff Writer The Transform Your Future (TUF) program at Ritenour High School gives a variety of students in the district a chance to learn about bullying, how to prevent it, and how to build healthy relationships with the people around them. Administrator Jennifer Nilges is in charge of the TUF program at Ritenour. “The TUF program’s activities are bi-monthly meetings. We also go into the elementary schools and teach them lessons on anger, conflict resolutions, peer mediation, and healthy relationships,” Nilges said. She believes that the work of students in the TUF program will allow leadership opportunities for the younger students as they can become peer leaders. She also says that it offers kids a chance to learn how to handle their anger, as well as the anger of other students. “Meetings are on late start mornings at 8:15 and the fourth Wednesday of the month after school at 3:00,” Nilges said. Junior Isabella Stone, who has been a member of the TUF program for two years, says that this program should expand the number of schools they teach. “I would like to branch out to other schools. I see that the TUF program is working with the
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Buder kids,” Stone said. She believes the program is also helpful for the members, not only the elementary students at Buder. The TUF members can even help their peers at the high school. “We are trained to talk with kids about bullying. We also learn life skills including Illustration by Kristen Teoli applying for jobs and doing interviews,” Stone said. is good to see that they are taking Senior Sarah in what we are teaching them,” Mason is also a member of the Mason said. TUF program. She believes that Mason believes that more the program is very effective on people should be aware of TUF not only the younger children, and get involved in the program. but the students at RHS too. She “I think we should visit says that she enjoys getting to and teach other schools, not just teach the younger students in the Buder Elementary. This would district about bullying. help to get the word out about “My favorite part of the the seriousness of bullying and TUF program is going to see the all of the ways we can stop it,” elementary school students,” Mason said. Mason said. “Every time we go She also says that to Buder, they get really excited. having TUF meetings during the They love to tell us stories about school day should be taken into what they have done that we consideration. She believes that have taught them.” it is a good way to get more high Mason says that the TUF program is helping young students school students involved. “A lot of people cannot in the district with anti-bullying come to all of the TUF meetings and that the kids are listening before and after school. If we had well and participating in their our meetings during the day, I attempt at prevention when they think more people would come to see bullying happening. them,” Mason said. “The kids take all of the positive things that we are teaching them and they use it. It
Definition of perserverance Freshman Danielle Davis has changed her outlook on life after a life changing incident very against it, but my father insisted because he did not want me to get H1N1. So, I went to go get it, but you know there are always possible side effects with any shot you get, and I got an immune problem,” Davis said. At just nine years old, Davis learned that she would Freshman Danielle Davis poses in front of never again Ritenour High School. Photo courtesy Danielle Davis grow hair. “When I first Written by; Aeriel Morrow went to the dermatologist I was Content Manager just in tears because I wanted to have hair, I was just a little girl,” Danielle Davis Davis said. “Hair is everything to demonstrates the meaning of girls.” perseverance to her fellow peers Davis says doctors did as she tackles everyday life with everything they could to grow her alopecia areata. hair back, but nothing seemed to Alopecia areata is a work. condition that occurs when “They started giving me the immune system mistakenly oils to put on my head to see if attacks the hair follicles, which I could grow my hair back, and results in the loss of hair. that did not work at all. Next Although there can be we moved to shots many reasons for the oncoming of where they would alopecia areata, Davis says hers actually inject the was brought on as a side effect of shots into my head,” the H1N1 shot. Davis said. “I have “When I went to go get never really been it [the H1N1 shot] my mom was afraid of needles, it
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has always been decent, but I was very afraid. In the beginning, Davis found that not everyone would be so easily accepting of her differences. “At the time, everyone was making fun of me. It was a really tough time because I was different and we were only little kids, so no one knew any better,” Davis said. It was not even her peers at school who gave her the toughest time. Sometimes dealing with strangers could have shocking results. “One time at the pool, this guy was laughing at me. I asked him why he was laughing and he said it was because he thought I had cancer. I was shocked because he thought it was funny to make fun of someone that may have cancer and die,” Davis said. “Also because that is not even my condition.” From these negative encounters, Davis found a way to take the good out of her circumstances and build better character for herself. “Just to see how rude people can be about it, it showed me that I had to be a stronger person about it, and that I had to
She has it set in her mind that she can do anything. - freshman Jodie Wagster
I think that everyone is beautiful in their own way and that you need to find yourself. - freshman Danielle Davis be a diva,” Davis said. “Not ever a rude person, but have a strong relationship around it.” Davis also says that her condition changed her perspective on many aspects of life. “It is a wonderful gift that I would never regret because I think that if I did have hair, I would be a really rude person. I think I would hate myself. I think that it made me more blunt with people, so I could stand up for people who get made fun of just because they look different, or they believe in something different than others,” Davis said. “We are all different and you cannot judge someone because they do not seem the same way as you. I think that everyone is beautiful in their own way and that you need to find yourself.” Although having alopecia areata could have been an insurmountable obstacle for a young woman, Davis says her condition has given her much hope for humanity. “I feel that some people just cannot understand why I am like this and they make fun of me. Obviously they have insecurities and I will not let myself be upset by it because they just do not understand,” Davis said. “I could say that there is hope for humanity but there will always be a couple people that will try to bring you down and you have to step over that.”
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Family and friends of this,’ Wagster said. “She has it Davis are very supportive, but set in her mind that she can do sometimes seem to struggle with anything.” her condition more than she does. Davis’ advice for other “I think that my mom girls who struggle with the struggles with it because she is same condition as hers, or a hair dresser and I am her only with insecurity in general, is to daughter. She worries about me a continue to be themselves. lot. She does not know how I go “I cannot say you can just through it every day,” Davis said. get over it because it takes time, Despite this, those around but you really have to just be her say that her struggle has yourself. You cannot let anyone touched their lives in a positive tell you different,” Davis said. manner, and has inspired them “People may not like the way you to be strong throughout everyday are, but it does not matter, it life. only matters what you think about “It was obvious she was yourself. If you are not happy different, but I became friends with yourself, you will be at a with her anyway. I felt like she standstill. You cannot do anything would influence me in a positive if you do not love yourself first.” way, and be a good friend either way,” long time friend of Davis’, freshman Jodie Wagner said. “I admire most about her how strong she is. She is always there for other people, she is there for herself, and she does not let what other people say get to her.” Friends also describe her as the very definition of perserverance. “She just does what she needs to do, and is just like, ‘I got Freshman Danielle Davis and her best friend Monica Jara pose together before the 2014 homecoming dance. Photo courtesy Danielle Davis
Unsung Heroes Ritenour students share their secrets to becoming everyday heroes
Written by; Aeriel Morrow Content Manager There are some unsung heroes roaming the hallways and working their forces of kindness throughout the student body anonymously. Many have been taught that every action has a reaction, but there are those who truly do their very best to live by this motto. “[Being kind] has a positive influence on everyone around me. I think the best type of leadership is to lead by example, instead of just trying to tell people what to do, so if you go down the right path other people will eventually follow you,” junior Aleynika Taylor said. These students believe that being kind to everyone can often be rewarding. “It is nothing tangible. Sometimes you have those moments where it is tangible, but it should not be anything you accept. Ultimately it is good karma,” Taylor said. “My reason has always been just about having empathy, thinking about if you were in that situation, what would you want from the other person?” Although some students believe that the basis of doing the right thing comes naturally as early as childhood, others say it can become difficult, but is worth pushing through. “Trying not to lie to people is the hardest thing. I think I should be honest with everybody, but sometimes it
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is very hard for me,” senior Phrametta Proyaseng said. “Honesty is important because if you are not honest, to me it feels like that guilt eats you up if you are not being honest. Students also say that striving to do the right thing can make life a little more hassle free and can make not only the other person feel better, but themselves as well. “Doing the right thing makes me feel happy and is more hassle free. When you are just doing bad stuff Junior Aleynika Taylor helps junior Angel Glover open her locker. Taylor believes that small acts of you just cause more kindness can be rewarding for everyone. Photo by problems for yourself Aeriel Morrow than other people, so support me and my parents why do you need to [helps me stay strong]. I put yourself in that position,” always go to other people for Proyaseng said advice to make sure I am doing Even when doing the the right thing. It is kind of right thing is necessary, it the fact that I am not the only is not always accepted and person behind me so I do not appreciated by people. feel as alone,” Taylor said. “If you do the right Also, many agree that thing a lot of people can turn selflessness plays a role in against you, or even just remembering to be kind. stop talking to you. I have “Selflessness means to had that recently; it is kind me that it’s unconditional, of like you still have to do it it is unconditional love. It is anyway,” Taylor said. “Usually more that you do everything they end up coming back and from your heart,” Proyaseng they understand what your said. “You do not do it for reasoning was.” other people to showcase or Taylor also mentioned anything, you actually do it that having the support of from your heart. It is about others helps her stay strong in being sincere and genuine.” difficult moments. “Having friends that
Random Acts of Kindness at Ritenour As part of this month’s focus on unsung heroes, the Pepper Box has highlighted random acts of kindness that can be displayed on a daily basis at Ritenour High School. These are small things that could go a long way towards helping a fellow student in need. Students who are displaying these acts in the photos on this page are sophomores Austin Kaiser, Marissa Vroman, and Savannah Nolting, senior Sunny Dinh and freshman Jasmine Schnieder. Holding the door open for someone. “It feels good because then I don’t have to push it open with all my books in my hand,” freshman Cassidy Schatz said.
Photos and design by Ashley Meyer
Comforting someone when they are upset. “It makes me feel that someone is paying attention, and I’m not just any other student,” senior Alyssa Noble said.
Helping someone pick up something they dropped. “They were great, they didn’t have to help me, and it helped me get to my next class faster,” senior Mark Fleming said. Giving someone a hug when you know they are in need of one. “It helped me feel better because it let me know that someone cares,” senior Alexus Griffin said. Picking up other people’s lunch trays to help keep the cafeteria and foyer clean. “I felt appreciated that someone took their time to help me in a time of need,” senior Kaylee Houston said.
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Giving a simple wave or smile to someone in the hallway. “Seeing one of my friends wave or smile in the hallway is great because it makes me feel special,” freshman Gabe Yahan said.
Throwback Thursday in Costilow The staff team dominates the students in the first annual staff versus student basketball game Written by: Carcea Carr Staff Writer On Thursday, November 20, Ritenour held the Ritenour Classic, the first annual staff versus students basketball game. Principal Gary Spiller and Assistant Principal Bilal Ewing said that they were attempting to put on a community-building event to raise money for the PTO and the RHS Booster Club. “We decided to create this game because we were looking to create a positive and fun event for the Ritenour school community that united staff and students. Basketball seemed like a fit, because it is a universal game that many people love,” Spiller said. Ewing started planning the game in September, and received help from Athletic Director Drew Lohnes and Media teacher Jane Bannester. Lohnes helped organize the staff team, and Bannester helped emcee the event with KRHS staff members. “The game was exciting, there was a huge buzz about it all week throughout the school,” Ewing said. The staff took the victory with a final score of 47 to 21. “I feel really good about the win even though we only had a day or two of practice,” assistant boys basketball coach George Lee said. “Intelligence throughout the game was our strength.” Senior basketball players Carlton Stevenson and Jasmin Woods were tabbed to coach the
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staff team. They believed they had enough motivation to win, and that they weren’t too harsh on the staff. Most of the staff had experience in basketball throughout their lives, which gave the coaches confidence. “At the end of the day, I knew that we were going to win,” Woods said. The event also featured clubs from both the high school and the middle schools. “I enjoyed the entire event, from the staff’s victory on the basketball court, to the middle school cheer performances, and the mascots dancing at halftime. We had a lot of fun. I look forward to next Principal Gary Spiller drives to the hoop against junior Jason Kaye. Photo By: year’s game when we give the Kristen Teoli students another shot at the did what they could to mold the title,” Spiller said. student team into shape before The students who played the game, but knew that they in the game were disappointed were up against a tough matchup. in the final result. Current “I knew my team was basketball players were not not going to win because of the allowed to compete in the game lack of experience in playing because of Missouri State High basketball, but we played to the School Activities Association best of our ability,” Wallace said. (MSHSAA) rules, and the students Some students in the who did play only had two nights audience predicted from the of practice before the game. beginning that the staff team was “The loss was terrible, we going to win. lost to old people! I feel like they “After I found out (Varsity cheated us because they have boys basketball coach David) experience and they are tall,” Watkins and the other Ritenour freshman Montriece Bolden said. coaches were participating in the “Our weakness was that we did game, I automatically assumed not know how to play basketball, they were going to defeat the so our set positions were not like students,” sophomore Tiffany they were supposed to be.” Hess said. “I was not surprised The student team was because of the unfair advantage, coached by senior basketball but the game was well worth my players Antonio Lewis and Daedra time.” Wallace. They believe that they
Gymnast flips under the radar Senior Morgan Porter signs a Letter of Intent to attend the University of Missouri as a student-athlete next school year Written by: Morgan Diamond Staff Writter Ritenour senior Morgan Porter recently received a full athletic scholarship to the University of Missouri, even though most Ritenour students have never seen her participate in her sport. Porter has been involved in gymnastics for 12 years. She started because as a kid she had a lot of energy. “Whenever I was a child I was very energetic, and my mom had to do something with me. I always set personal goals for myself which always kept me motivated to keep working harder; everyone’s top goal is to get to go to nationals at the end of the year,” Porter said. Porter normally practices five days a week, for roughly 23 hours every week. She sticks to a specific schedule every week. On Mondays she practices from 3:30-8:15 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays she practices from 3:30-8:30 p.m., on Fridays she practices from 3:30-6:30 p.m., and on Saturdays she practices from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Porter started to train for the Olympics in middle school, but was forced to stop due to back injury. She has also put those goals on hold since she found out that she got accepted to Mizzou. She has found a key to
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focusing within her competitions, and that involved setting goals and keeping negativity away. “I can get really frustrated, really fast, so I just try to stay positive and keep positive thoughts,” Porter said. “You need to keep your goals in your mind so you always know what you want,” Junior Maya Biesterfeld used to work out at the same gym as Porter, and has seen her Morgan Porter signs her Letter of Intent to attend perform at high levels. the University of Missouri next year as a gymnast. “Morgan has a Photo courtesy of Morgan Porter very good work ethic, she is a very hard worker who always puts 100% in Regionals she was 2nd in all everything she does,” Biesterfeld around, 2nd in Bars, 4th in said Vault,and 4th in Beam. Biesterfeld also noted that In the 2012 State she sees a very different person Tournament she was 1st in All in the gym than she does in the Around and 2nd in Vault, 3rd in classroom. Bars and 3rd in Beam. “She is a lot more outgoing In 2011 she was in the in the gym and is hyper. The National Invitation Tournament people at the gym are her family (NIT) and was a National Qualifier and she is more outgoing,” 7th in Vault and 6th in Beam. Biesterfeld said. “At school she Porter is very excited just keeps to herself.” about attending Mizzou, and Porter has risen to become competing for their gymnastics a level 10 gymnast, which is the team. highest level that can be achieved “I am excited; I’m ready in the USA Gymnastics Junior to compete for Mizzou in a new Olympic Program. atmosphere and to meet new As a level 10 gymnast, people,” Porter said. she was a 2012 Junior Olympic National Qualifier. In the 2012
Collecting cans for those in need Ritenour almost doubles the intended donation goal in their canned food drive Written By: Kaylee Barks Staff Writer From November 5 through November 21, the Ritenour Leadership class ran a canned food drive with a goal of raising 2000 cans. Instead of just meeting that goal, they almost doubled it. The students and teachers at the school ended up collecting 3862 cans during the two week canned food drive. The food drive is an annual event at Ritenour, and this year it was led in part by Sophomore Leadership student Grecia Ramirez, who was the chair of the canned food committee group. She was in charge of a group of Leadership students who set the goal of 2000 cans to be collected by the school. “I feel very accomplished because we went more than 1000 (cans) over our goal,” Ramirez said. As a method of getting more donations, the school offered a competition between 4th hour classes to see which class could donate the most cans. Social Studies teacher Lauren Siebenaller’s class ended up winning the competition and received a Papa Johns pizza party on Friday, December 5. For the competition, Siebenaller told her class that if they brought in cans, they could earn extra credit. If the students
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did not have any cans to bring, they could also bring in money so that Siebenaller could go out and purchase cans for the competition. “It was fantastic,” Siebenaller said. “Everything I could have ever dreamed it would be.” The drive also resulted in Leadership naming a Most Valuable Giver (MVG), English teacher Michael Wheeler was named the MVG, after he and his class The canned food collected during the drive was went out of their way held in the lower lobby of the auditorium. Photo to donate to the drive. courtesy of Leadership Wheeler said that he many cans we got to help people, helped contribute the but it was also very stressful. cans as well, but he gives all We had to count all of the cans, the credit to the students in his classes. Like Siebenaller, Wheeler and then we had to go from class to class to pick up the cans, also collected money and bought by hand,” Ramirez said. “But cans to bring in. overall, I am so glad that I was “I have been engaged in helping raise cans in years before, able to be a part of it.” With the help of the school but this year was my first year in raising more than 1000 cans being engaged so much in the over the goal, Leadership teacher competition,” Wheeler said. “It Tavonda Palmer expressed thanks was the right thing to do and I to everyone who participated. really wanted to be able to help “We came together as a the less fortunate.” school and helped those in need, Besides the positive and Leadership appreciates you reaction by Ramirez to the final all,” Palmer said. results of the canned food drive, she also added that there were some tough times during the drive as well. “It was cool to see how
Early Hibernation
Winter weather has already affected Ritenour this school year, and it is supposed to get worse with a sudden shift in weather. From November 1218, St. Louis had temperatures in the upper 20s and low 30s. After a brief warm up on November 18, it cooled backed down on the day before Thanksgiving, forcing Thanksgiving celebrations inside for the day. “The cold has already made me late to school at least three times because my car had to start and would not warm up,” junior Isabella Stone said. Senior Hannah Baker shovels snow in her driveway. While the winter The snow caused a lot of problems in late November. weather has already Photo courtesy of Sean Baker begun, the winter of 2013-2014 went down in the history books in Written By: Ryan Tiefenbruch the Midwest as one of the top-ten Staff Writer coldest winters on record. Last year, the St. Louis The fall of 2014 - 2015 region had record breaking cold. closed with a flourish in the Statewide temperature data St. Louis area, with snow and showed Missouri finished the wintery cold happening in early December 2013 to February 2014 November. period 4.6°F below normal, which According to Dave Murray is the tenth coldest average of Fox 2, the record cold and on record. In addition to this, snow across the northern plains frequent cold and storms led to and northeast in early November above normal snowfall in the St. means the 2014-2015 winter is Louis metro area. looking to be a powerhouse with a “I hate the precipitation colder and snowier winter than in but I can survive the cold previous years. weather,” English teacher Louise While enjoying the Haar-Chapman said nice weather in early to mid Last year’s record cold November, St. Louis was hit temperatures and above average
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snowfall caused 10 snow days for the Ritenour School District, forcing the schools to make days up on previously scheduled nonstudent days. It also pushed the last day of school back into June. This year the district has used two snow days out of the six allowed by the state. School cancellations not due to weather still count as snow days. According to the Ritenour student handbook, the Ritenour policy for snow days states: “The academic calendar must include six make-up days for possible loss of attendance due to inclement weather, which state law defines as “ice, snow, extreme cold, flooding or tornado, but not excessive heat.” If days lost due to inclement weather exceed six make-up days and would result in not meeting the minimum student attendance requirements, the District would be required to make up no more than half the number of days canceled in excess of six days.” With winter coming winter coats and hats are starting to come into the building more, but according to district policies they are not to be worn in the classroom. Students are expected to store these items in designated areas or in their assigned lockers. Some students just choose to follow the rules by ignoring the cold and wearing whatever they want. “My leg hair keeps my legs warm; as long as my upper body is warm I don’t care how cold it is,” senior Dane Markley said.
Huskies respect their elders Ritenour Leadership students host a winter social for seniour citizens throughout the community. Written By: Kaylee Houston Opinion Editor On December 6, 2014, Ritenour’s Leadership class hosted a winter social for senior citizens within the surrounding community. The winter social was new this year, as the group usually hosts a senior citizens’ dinner in the spring. It was added because of the positive results of the spring event in the past. The community members who attended the event said that they look forward to this event every year. The Leadership students were also excited about the turnout. The chair of the committee for the event, junior Dianne Lam, was excited about hosting the event, as well as excited about bringing the senior citizens together for a fun time. “It is always a good time and the senior citizens get a
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positive view of Ritenour and want to continue to come back to our school,” Lam said. “Having people from the community come to Ritenour and see a positive side of our school will show how great of a school we have.” The senior citizens indicated that they enjoyed the event. The Leadership students provided assorted desserts, and drinks such as punch and hot chocolate. The group also played bingo, and won prizes that were purchased for the event. Ritenour community members Jack and Dee Folkerts enjoyed their time at the winter social. They liked being acknowledged by the Ritenour students, and could not wait to return to the next event. “We appreciate you guys taking your Saturday and entertaining us and showing us a great time,” Dee Folkerts said.
Junior Desiree Chrun was one of the Leadership students who helped at the event. Chrun said that she loves volunteering, and that she had a great time at the event. “I did enjoy my time at the winter social. I’ve never seen such an intense bingo game before,” Chrun said. “The people were great.” Another interesting note that students gave about the event was their ability to interact with people from different generations and find similarities. Junior Isabella Stone liked talking with them, and eventually found common conversation topics. “Talking with people from a different generation made for an interesting experience,” Stone said. “They made a lot of funny jokes, many of which took me a while to understand.”