December 2019 Pepper Box by Ritenour High School Pepper Box

BLUE STAR MOTHERS

WINTER SPORTS CAPSULES

BEST HOLIDAY COFFEE Ranking the Starbucks holiday drink menu

Staff member Jennifer Wilson is a member of a program that helps soldiers

SPOTLIGHT Pg. 6

Four new teams have begun play for their season

SPORTS Page 8

A&E Page 7

THE PEPPER BOX RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL

ISSUE 4, VOLUME 97

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

DECEMBER 2019

Diversity in student body leads to holiday diversity Students throughout Ritenour share their experiences celebrating their winter holidays CHRIS CAMPOS Pepper Box Staff The Ritenour School District is especially known for its diversity, and that diversity leads to a new twist during the holiday season. While holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa generally get the most attention, Ritenour students partake in other traditions, holidays, and festivities around this time of the year. Junior Kasurla Hougbedji’s religion actually allows her to abstain from holiday activities. “I am proud to say that I am a Jehovah’s Witness. I love my religion and everything that comes along with it, even all the practices that come along with it. We do not have a holiday season, and as a matter of fact, we do not celebrate anything,” Hougbedji said. The New World

Translation of the Holy Scriptures has no documentation of any kind of celebrations that were attended. Due to the practices described in the Bible used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, there is no reason for any holiday season. On the other hand, the Lunar New Year celebrations are unique in their very own way due to the flexible time period it falls on each year. The celebration revolves around the Chinese calendar and lasts from six to seven days in a row. No clear depiction of the actual origination of the Lunar New Year holiday has been confirmed, but many seem to believe it has been passed down from the Shang Dynasty. Junior Annie Le celebrates this holiday with her family every year. “It’s the time of the year where my family and I all come together to attend the

many festivities thrown for the holiday at the temple, casino, and our homes,” Le said. “Many of the middleaged people hand out envelopes filled with dollars to the younger children and older adults, as it is part of our tradition.” Not only is it a time for people deep clean their home; but it is also a time to slow down, reflect on their life, and take time to heal. It is recognized as a very uplifting and positive week. Diwali is another winter holiday celebrated by Ritenour students. Diwali celebrants come together with Diyas (oil lamps), to light and place them around their homes. Diwali is one of the holidays that has no set time of the year, it all depends on the cycle of the moon and falls in either October or November. Sophomore Pearljit Dayal celebrates Diwali as a Sikh. “Our day is pretty normal

Photo courtesy: Pearljit Dayal From left to right, sophomore Pearljit Dayal,senior Mehakjit Dayal and middle school student Sumanjit Dayal celebrate Diwali. The Dayal family celebrates this holiday every winter.

until the evening, where we then get ready in our new flashy clothes to attend the festivities at Gurdwara, my temple. Every family then lights two Diyas until the whole area is filled,” Dayal

said. As a Sikh, Dayal celebrates Diwali to commemorate when the sixth Guru was released from captivity from The Mughal Empire.

Blockaded bridge in Breckenridge Hills affects families Residents have voiced their concerns with an unresolved blockade on a widely used bridge KAYLYN RIGGS Pepper Box Staff Reporters are calling it a war and the residents are calling it obnoxious. The Breckenridge Hills bridge just off of the Rock Road and Isolda, torn and destroyed for years, sitting unfixed, finally closed back in 2017. That is a total of three years with a street being closed, not including the rough 2015 and 2016 where the road was randomly closed without communication between residents and city officials.

Photo by: Kaylyn Riggs A resident of Breckenridge Hills placed this sign near the blockaded bridge.

IN THIS ISSUE

Many things have contributed to the destruction of the bridge that used to stand. Floods and countless vehicles traveling over the continuously deteriorating bridge eventually led to the end of it. It did not help that the thought of fixing it was constantly ignored and pushed to the back of the mayor’s desk. The conflict started in 2015 when countless, disastrous floods building off the creek running under the bridge finally tore the small holes in the concrete into large potholes the size of tires, leaving them virtually unavoidable. The concrete that cars had to drive over was basically gone. Cars drove less than five miles per hour over the bridge to avoid any kind of damage, and this added minutes to the users’ routes, angering many of the tense residents and causing them to complain. “I never get to see my friends during school, so breakfast is the only time I ever get to see them. Avoiding the bridge added minutes onto the commute, so now I only get a few minutes before class,” sophomore Jamie Sadler said. The mayor of Breckenridge Hills at the time, Jack DEALING WITH PROBLEMS AT THE HOLIDAYS PAGE 2

Shewsbury, decided to allow cars to continue driving over the bridge, as there were no signs of industrial damage confirmed after a thorough investigation took place. However, with the bridge rapidly disintegrated, it left a screaming demand to fix it that did not fall on deaf ears. Shewsbury proposed the county get help from its neighbor, Woodson Terrace, because the residents that lived there more commonly used the bridge, as it was on the very edge of the Breckenridge Hills border that led into the residential area of Woodson Terrace. The Mayor of Woodson Terrace, Lawerence Besmer, declined the idea, as it was outside of his responsibility and he said the city just simply did not have enough money to help cover the repairs. The bridge was closed as neither counties had enough money to fix the bridge, with an estimate of $400,000 needed. Temporarily, a sign reading “no through” and concrete blockers popped up stopping people from traveling down the street. The counties fought, and the residents, who were angered by the lack of response from the mayors, just began to move

the blockades for quicker travel. New Breckenridge Hills Mayor Mary Aman even told KMOX4 that they [Breckenridge Hills] needed help footing the bill because their residents barely utilize it and it was just too expensive to spend money on something their residents do not even use. Citizens of the surrounding counties sharing the bridge were excited and thankful when construction workers drove towards the bridge early 2017, two years into the bridge being closed, because they assumed someone would finally be fixing it. However, that did not happen. The workers spent a whole day laying down thick layers of gravel to temporarily “fix” the problem. No one predicted the complete annihilation of the bridge as drivers ground the gravel into the already dying street. “I really hate it. I just want to get home at the end of a long day, but now I have to take a huge detour when my house is right in front of the bridge,” Woodson Terrace resident Laura Wells said. The annoyance of the broken bridge led to one resident planting a sign

ADMITTING WHEN YOU ARE WRONG

THE START OF A NEW ‘20S

BLUE STAR MOTHERS

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reading “Broken Bridge Hills” giving the other annoyed residents a quick laugh as they slowly crawled over the bridge’s rough gravel and potholes. The complete lack of a proposal to fix the bridge led to all emergency services, such as firefighters, police officers and ambulances to discontinue using the bridge as a mode of transport because of the potential danger. Even Ritenour District buses from the elementary schools, middle schools and high schools have stopped using the bridge, leading to huge changes in multiple routes. “There are two buses in the district that used to cross the Isolda bridge during their AM and PM runs. Four runs were negatively impacted by the closing of the Isolda bridge. This adds about four minutes to each of the routes, but does not make the buses late for school,” Ritenour Director of Transportation Bryan Sanker said. One day in the future, Mayors Aman and Besmer may sit down and discuss the repair of the bridge so that they complete their duty of listening to their residents. Until that day, the residents wait.

HOLIDAY COFFEE WINTER SPORTS AND SONG CAPSULES REVIEWS PAGE 7

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Opinion

December 2019

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PEPPER BOX STAFF Visual EIC: Abigail Richardson Content EIC: Caroline Ramos-Herrera Production EIC: Catalina Mundin Spotlight Editor: Amelia Norman Opinion Editor: Chloe Pagan Sports Editor: Alberto Linares-Cervantes News Editor: Daniela Saenz Online Editor: Caroline Wong Business Manager: Quynh Trinh Photography Editor: Mackenzie Davis Special Editions Editor: Andrea Rojo Social Media Manager: Faith Boyd A&E EIT: Jordan Fritzsche A&E EIT: Darleen Garcia Adviser: Ron Steinschriber Staff Members: Kayla Baker, Maxine Bee, Kristyn Bills, Torin Blevans, Kaitlyn Broomfield, Chris Campos, Jersie Cox, Samia Fouche, Tyrell Gilwater, Brianna Graham, Lizbeth Hernandez, Samantha Lewis, Miranda Martin, Elena Martin, Jessica Murillo, Kayley Norman, Kaylyn Riggs, Madison Secrease, Veronica Susovica, Toni Taylor, Kimberly Teoli, Peter Tran, Samantha Wagner 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.

The importance of change

Editorial Change is inevitable. Culture changes, art changes, society changes; we change. Change happens for a reason. National Geographic describes a case of a sea creature- the sea dragon fish- adapting to blend in to

its surroundings. In even the simplest cases, such as a bird’s beak changing its shape over time, there is a change, and that change happens for a reason. Change protects us. It shapes us, and helps us continue to live safely. Even from our infancy, we are growing and changing. Our bodies adapt and evolve to protect us to the best

of its ability, based on the current environment we are in. Our bodies produce sweat in unusually warm environments, in order to keep us cool. Our bodies shake in unusually cold environments, to warm us back up. No matter the environment, we are constantly adapting to it. Even our ideals change. Forty years ago, the thought

of gay marriage in America was a laugh to the majority of the population, but today, it is legal in all fifty states. The 1920’s were a huge period of growth and change in American ideals. Women were granted the right to vote. They began wearing short dresses and dancing and fighting for their rights. Why should the 2020’s be any different?

We should honor the change of the 1920’s by welcoming more changes in the 2020’s. As our society shifts into the new decade, it is important to remember that change happens for a reason, and to open our minds and hearts to anything new.

You do not need to succumb to negative situations The holidays can bring out uncomfortable situations and there are ways to avoid them Sweet Caroline

Caroline RamosHerrera With the holidays approaching, not everyone has the opportunity to come home to a warm, positive family. Many people actually do not even come home to a family or participate in huge family gatherings. While many are blessed to have a real family to celebrate the holidays with, many do not consider their family, their

family. Throughout my life, I’ve experienced some difficult times and during the holidays it was even harder to cope with. Which cousin is going to start a fight? Who was going to say something about me? Which of my parents was I going to celebrate with? What is the next family scandal? Those are some of the many of the thoughts that pass through my mind. According to, “6 Tips For Handling The Holidays When You Have A Toxic Family,” ask yourself if showing up is even worth the pain. Growing up, I felt guilty about not wanting to show up to my family gatherings only to feel even worse after arriving. I felt like I was obligated to

go to my family gatherings. Nothing or nobody is worth negatively affecting your mental and emotional health. Always have a friend or loved one on standby. It is okay to step back, isolate yourself, and call someone who could comfort you and make you feel better. Build a support system with your friends because some may not understand what it is like to deal with toxic families during the holidays. Not everyone has the option to not go to a family gathering because I did not have that option for many years. What can be done is taking the time to catch your breath. Usually I can sense when conflict is building, and instead of staying to see how the pot is stirred, I take a

moment to back off and catch my breath. Boundaries can also be put in place because most of the time, family members target who they believe to be weak. If there are clear, set boundaries with family members, it is less likely to have issues arise. When people think of “family,” they typically think of their relatives, the people who are their own blood. That is not always necessary. Your family should be the people who support and love you no matter what, even if they are not related to you by blood. It is sad that we are conditioned to believe that we should make huge sacrifices to our mental health by showing up to family gatherings where 80% of the people in attendance do not

actually care about us. Personally, my family knows me as “La prima con los tatuajes que nunca va a la iglesia” (The cousin with the tattoos who never goes to church). Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it is important to build that sense of family from your own support system when you may not be getting everything that you need. Spend your holidays with the people who actually love and care about you. Spend them with the people who ask about your well being, the people who took the time to know you instead of looking at you and judging you. The holidays are meant to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” so find a way to make that saying come true.

Comics Sinister Seals

Tales of a High School Something

Illustration by Kayla Baker

Illustration by Abby Richardson

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Opinion

December 2019

There is no need for people to get on their high horse Admitting fault is one of the hardest things for people to do, and it is causing problems CLOpinions

Chloe Pagan The main issue I think everybody faces with themselves is not being able to admit when they are wrong. I have yet to meet one person in my life who is able to be one hundred percent humble, open, and true enough to let themselves down enough and admit when they might be wrong. No matter how humble you believe yourself to be, we all ride a high horse in

some way, shape, or form. I do it, your mom does it, your favorite person does it, even your grandma does it, and that is okay because we are all human. It is what we do and it is unchanging. What you might not know is that sometimes it is essential to get off that high horse and feel at fault. As Kacey Musgraves sang, “Oh, I bet you think you’re John Wayne, showin’ up, shootin’ down everybody.” This quote is for the worst of the worst, that one person who does not

seem to have it in them to admit their wrongness. The person who even if everyone knows they are wrong will not ever admit it, hence “shootin’ down everybody.” “Now, why on earth could it be so hard to just take the rightful blame and admit fault?” One might ask.

Well, according to Merriam Webster a high horse is “an arrogant and unyielding mood or attitude,” with unyielding meaning “the lack of softness or flexibility.” There you have it, the lack of flexibility is a big deal. This leads to people being so set and believing in their own truth that it is close to impossible for them to open their minds to an opinion other than what they have created all by themselves. Now you could say “oh, that’s just plain confidence,” and Illustration by Miranda Martin to that I laugh

in your face. Once again, let’s note Merriam Webster’s definition of confidence; “a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances.” Let me repeat that, “one’s circumstances.” In the circumstance of a social situation you are not the only one involved, so you must be able to take into consideration the feelings of others. Also in riding a high horse we are able to recognize the difference between cockiness and confidence. This is where the difference needs to come in. If people could be confident without being cocky, and learn to admit their mistakes, the world would be a better place.

Impeachment trial is just a political ploy There is not enough evidence to prove quid pro quo, so the process seems to be for show Always Right

Torin Blevans The impeachment hearings were started all because a hearsay witness made a complaint saying that President Trump and President Zelensky (president of Ukraine) had a quid pro quo agreement going on. The witness said that President Trump had told President Zelensky that if he investigated the Bidens for corruption, President Trump would release $250 million for Ukraine’s military. Rep. Adam Schiff claimed that the impeachment inquiry was to see if “President Trump sought to condition official acts, such as a White House meeting or U.S. military assistance, on Ukraine’s willingness to assist with two political investigations that would

help his reelection campaign.” That was Schiff ’s opening statement on the first day of impeachment hearings. In short terms, what Schiff is saying is that they believe President Trump used Ukraine’s military assistance from the US to pressure him into opening an investigation into the Bidens and they want to prove it to the American people. Now that the impeachment hearings are over, the Democrats have officially filed two Articles of Impeachment and have charged Trump with Obstruction of Congress and Abuse of Power. The charges do not mean he is guilty of them, it just means that the House will send it to the Senate and the Senate will do their hearings and vote on if President Trump should be impeached. To start, quid pro quo defined by Black Law Dictionary is “used in law for the giving one valuable thing for another.” Knowing the definition of quid pro quo, what went on during that phone call in the Oval Office could not remotely be

described as quid pro quo. First of all President Zelensky, since the beginning, has claimed that President Trump never pressured him into investigating Hunter Biden and Joseph Biden Jr. If the person who everyone is claiming was pressured into investigating the Bidens says he was not, why is no one believing him? Second, during the impeachment hearing on Nov. 19, American Republican Political Advisor Tim Morrison and American Diplomat Kurt Volker both were questioned by US Representative Elise Stefanik about the phone call. Stefanik asked Volker and Morrison about whether there was quid pro quo during the phone call, bribery of any sort, or if Ukraine actually ever opened an investigation into the Bidens. Morrison and Volker both said no to all three. Third, the “whistleblower” is a hearsay witness and possibly a double hearsay witness, meaning they do not know the information for themselves, they only know what people have

told them. The problem is America has what is called a “hearsay rule” meaning most hearsay testimonies are not allowed in court but the hearsay rule does not apply to political hearings, such as an impeachment hearing. But even if it is allowed in a political hearing, should it be allowed? In the official complaint, even the complainant said “I was not a direct witness to most of the events described.” So, if the complainant did not receive the information first hand, then I believe it should not be allowed because we cannot prove how credible it is if they heard it from one to two parties. Fourth, if Schiff, who is “running” the hearings, will not allow anyone to identify the whistleblower, then how are we supposed to believe them? He could be completely lying and since the Democrats want to hide their identity nobody can question their story. Multiple times the GOP has asked that the identity of the whistleblower be identified so they can question them

and Chairman Adam Schiff denied it. They could be lying and nobody knows except for the Democrats. Fifth, if no investigation was started into the Bidens by Ukraine, and the money was released to Ukraine, then no quid pro quo was achieved. From all of this evidence that was brought up, I believe that the impeachment hearings were a way that the Democrats could get the spotlight on them so they can say all the bad things that they think of President Trump and it will be broadcast on television and radio. Why else is this happening so close to election time, unless the Democrats wants everyone to think poorly of President Trump? When it comes to the average American who does not know much about politics to vote they will think back to the impeachment inquiries and think about all the stuff that was said, proven or unproven, and vote for someone else.

Political Cartoons

Illustration by Abby Richardson

Illustration by Kayla Baker

Spotlight

December 2019

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Ushering in a new roaring 20s

JESSICA MURILLO & KAYLEY NORMAN Pepper Box Staff

It is the turn of the decade, folks. Ritenour High School is now face to face with the job of bracing itself for 2020. It is time to make it go full circle and get the Roaring 20s back in swing. Even if the average person is not planning on squeezing into a flapper dress on Jan. 1, 2020, it is fair to say that the reviews on the new decade have been mixed. Some people might express excitement for the start of all new trends. Others will express distress over just how fast the 2010s seemed to fly by. Not everyone is enthralled by the idea of meeting a beautiful dame, putting on the jazz records, and doing the mashed potato all night long. Whether it is celebrating the new year or scratching out the wrong date for the next six months, everybody is busy thinking about the past. Why should Ritenour be any different? Established in 1846, Ritenour School District has stood for almost 174 years. With nearly two centuries tucked underneath its belt, Ritenour has lots of history to flaunt and has seen many things change since the beginning, however, these are some offbeat facts from the history of the school that may not always be discussed.

Pepper Box Name Change

Following the trends of changing names, the Pepper Box was no stranger to changing their look. Although the Pepper Box was established in September of 1923, the staff decided to change its name over 60 years later. Some people might be familiar with the “Husky Headlines” as the name of the morning announcements. While they currently hold this title, the Pepper Box went through a bit of an identity crisis from 1987 to 1990 and was renamed to “The Husky Headlines” within this time. After 1990 the newspaper went back to its original name. The newspaper was originally named after a box that was placed in the library by the pep squad, known as the Peppers. The group placed the box as a method of finding story ideas for the school. Husky Headlines gets ten points for alliteration, but it does not sound as professional as The Pepper Box.

The remains of a dark room now sit in a back area of Rick Rodgers’ classroom. The photo shows a revolving darkroom door. In addition, there used to be a sink in the room, and negatives were hung across the room with wires.

Huskies or Bumblebees?

Ritnor vs Ritenour Starting at the very beginning, few people know that Ritenour was actually originally written as Ritnor. The name “Ritenour” was chosen to honor J.S. Ritenour. J.S. Ritenour was a very prominent landowner in the area in the 1800s, and his name has always been spelled Ritenour. However, when the first ever Ritenour building was erected, the front sign of the school read “Ritnor.” This spelling was preferred by the painter of the sign, Oscar P. Baldwin, who was also a board member. Baldwin felt that Ritnor looked better on the sign and this sign can be seen in old photographs taken in front of the school.

Photo by: Ron Steinschriber

Photo courtesy: Pepper Box Archives A copy of an issue of the Husky Headlines from 1988. The name of the newspaper was changed for three years before going back to the familiar “Pepper Box.”

The cheerleading team also once had a makeover. If current students are used to seeing Ritenour’s cheer squad donning orange and black, they may be surprised to find that they used to be dressed in yellow and black instead. According to an issue of the Pepper Box from 1923, the cheerleaders used to be referred to as “The Wreckers”, and they had a very different look, wearing yellow and black outfits at sporting events. ”I would feel like a bumblebee and it would contrast with my skin color. Orange is bad enough, yellow would be worse,” senior cheerleader Emma Bange said. While there is no indication that these were the school colors, another historical aspect of Ritenour might suggest that they were. The name Melaureus (the school yearbook) is derived from Greek and Latin, and is a combination of the words black and gold.

The Darkroom

Photo courtesy: Ritenour School District The first known visual of the school district shows an intentional misspelling of the name “Ritenour.” The painter who made the sign preferred the shorter version of the name and made the decision to paint it.

Before students had access to flash drives and SD cards, those who did photography at the school had their very own dark room originally located in the back of the classroom currently occupied by science teacher Rick Rodgers. Darkrooms are rooms used to process photographic film. They are designed to be made completely dark in order to process light-sensitive film and photographs. “I think it would take more time to produce the images,” former Pepper Box staff member Coralis Bobe said. “That would leave us with less time to do other productive things.” Rodgers was a teacher in the building when the dark room was still in existence, and now uses the room for storage and as a coffee station for teachers in the building. Some of the equipment still remains in the room. The processes used within dark rooms were very long and tedious, and digital photography has replaced this process.

Photo courtesy: Pepper Box Archives A newspaper clipping from the 1923 edition of the Pepper Box shows a group called the Wreckers, who walked around in “yellow and black overseas caps with yellow ‘R’s’ on them.” This, along with the fact that Melaureus means black and gold might mean that Ritenour’s original school colors were black and yellow.

Most popular songs of the 2010s

Spotlight

December 2019

Science class starts new recycling program BRIANNA GRAHAM Pepper Box Staff Science teacher Julie Burnside has teamed up with students in her Environmental Science class and PepsiCo to create a new recycling system to benefit the school. Before the new bins, there were recycling bins in each classroom, but there was not a concerted effort throughout the school to recycle. The new bins are labeled as recycling with the typical three chasing arrows symbol. The three arrows represent a three-step process that forms a closed loop. The new bins are blue barrels with the traditional symbol and the Ritenour “R” logo so that it attracts the attention of staff and students. A regular trash bin is for garbage and the blue barrel bins are for plastic and cardboard materials that do not have residue on them from the usage of the material. Junior Elissa Stone agreed that this new program will help the school. “It helps our environment

to be cleaner so we get “I think more students affected in a good way are involved with the new because there are not as many recycling bins because some pollutants in the environment of the kids helped to create we are learning in every single the system. It gives everyone day,” Stone said. another reason to care more Students believe this is a about the environment we are great investment, and junior learning in instead of putting Andre Davis is excited to see your trash in the desks, we the many outcomes of the are given more of a positive new recycling bins. choice to make with our “The new system will help trash,” Stone said. there be fewer bugs and other sorts of pests in our school, which I will not complain about at all,” Davis said. Sophomore Trynitee Cantu has been beneficially using the blue bins. “I use the bins a few times a week to 15 times a month. I always eat breakfast in my first hour class then throw my juice box away. Sometimes at lunch, I have leftovers, so when I am done my recyclables go in the bin. I have used the new system many times and will continue to use it until I graduate,” Cantu said. The program has been an Photo by: Mackenzie Davis early success, and the students Junior Ryan Dieboll uses the believe that part of the reason recycling bin outside of science it has been so successful is teacher Rob Weissler’s room. that other students helped create it.

December Club of the Month - FCCLA

DANIELA SAENZ News Editor

The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) club has created packaged sheet sets and blankets along with toothpaste and toothbrushes, for children who are struggling with cancer treatments. “Angel Cervantes-Pina helped create the logo and worked the idea to have it become reality,” FCCLA

sponsor Janet Knese said. The tagline reads, “Helping Kids Feel at Home.” The sheet sets are kid friendly cartoon sheets which will help them feel more at home, comfortable and cozy with their blanket keeping their bedtime routine. They are getting ready to launch their delivery, but are waiting for Friends with Cancer to give Photo courtesy: Janet Knese them a date, so they can Juniors Lizbeth Hernandez, deliver these packages as a Kimberly Barerra, Monserrat project team. Delgado, Ashley Morales show off their care packages.

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Ready, set, goat

A surprise visitor interrupted the morning routines last month KRISTYN BILLS Pepper Box Staff On Nov. 19 there were reported sightings of a neighborhood goat chasing down residents near elementary and middle schools. The story originated from a Ritenour student recognizing that a goat was chasing his cousin, but there are more witnesses and sides to this story that many have yet to see. One Ritenour High School student claimed she saw the goat in the morning, not knowing exactly what she was looking at. “I saw the goat in the middle of Midland, right on the side road near a neighborhood. [As soon as] I saw him, I told my dad, ‘Oh my god, that is a goat!’ My dad did not believe me and said, ‘No it is not,’ but it was there,” sophomore Jamie Sadler said. Sophomore Kristian Knox also saw the goat on his way to school. “I was walking to school because I missed the bus that morning. Then I saw someone running in their front yard and heard a scream. It looked like a girl that was getting chased in circles. Then, a guy came and grabbed the goat,” Knox said. A local Ritenour Middle School student also saw the goat that morning when he woke up to see a goat chasing his cousin in Bristow, and tried to scare him off. Then after seeing the goat eating grass in another neighbor’s yard, they assumed he returned home Though that was not the case, as the goat just stopped for breakfast. The Ritenour Middle School student saw that the goat was at a bus stop near a Wyland Elementary

student on his way to school. He seemed to be alert to see that the goat was scaring both the student and the mother, and was determined to stop him. The student then boldly grabbed the goat by its leash and tied it to a fence post in order to alert the St. Ann police. The goat was then taken in custody of the St. Ann Police Animal Control, but ultimately found its way back to its owner. Senior Angelo Casas’ older sister was the owner of the goat. Casas identified the goat as Krackers, and says it is usually kept at his sister’s house and its main purpose is to eat the grass. “My sister has her dad’s goat, and the goat’s leash broke off and the fence was open. We saw that it was on the news and they got pet control or something and my sister went to get him,” Casas said. While this story just seems like a moment in the game Goat Simulator, it was a memorable moment for many district families. However, Krackers is now back home safely and away from Ritenour families.

Photo courtesy: RSD Krackers the goat walks down the street in the Ritenour School District. Krackers was finally returned to its owner after engaging with some students one morning.

Blue Star Mother helps out the English department Long term sub Jennifer Wilson is a military mother who helps veterans and those still in service VERONICA SUSOVICA Pepper Box Staff Every year, a group of women called the Blue Star Mothers collects money to buy wreaths for the tombstones of veterans, and long-term English substitute Jennifer Wilson is a member of this non-profit organization. The women in this organization are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard, reserves, or children who are veterans. “We support other moms whose children are also serving and we support veterans of all types. We also help support the Gold Star Mothers, a small group of mothers whose children have died while serving,” Wilson said. “The purpose is really to support other moms whose kids are serving; it is a difficult thing when your child leaves and you do not know where they are, and sometimes they can not tell you. My son is in Saudi Arabia right now. I have no idea where he is or what he is doing. But this is also to support the veterans at the

same time with certain things they need,” Wilson said. The local organization is formally referred to as the Gateway Blue Star Mothers. The Blue Star Mothers are a nation wide organization“Blue Star Mothers of America” that was founded in 1942. The Gateway Blue Star Mothers came along much later, being chartered in May of 2014. “We are from all over. We have some ladies that are as far as Illinois that drive over for our meetings. Many of them are in St. Charles, but we have them in South County, Maryland Heights, Florissant, Hazelwood, and all over. But that is just St. Louis. It is a national chapter. So, we are coast to coast,” Wilson said. The organization also includes Missouri Counties of Franklin, Jefferson, St. Louis City, Warren & Washington and the Metro East Illinois Counties of Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair as well. “We do several things. We do a lot of things for fun. For instance, we always meet at a restaurant once a month for the birthdays of that month; so we might go to a restaurant

in Kimmswick, or in October, we went to a restaurant that was in a haunted house. We also do fundraising, like trivia nights or selling things in order to support veterans groups. But our big thing is the ‘Race Across America’, which we fundraise for all year. On Christmas, we go out and place wreaths on the graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. We do fun things, but we also do things to help support either other groups,” Wilson said. The Blue Star Mothers also send gift packages to their kids who are serving. “We send birthday boxes to each of our kids, some of whom are overseas. To get a box from home that is just jam-packed with a bunch of cookies and snacks and chips means a lot to them. We are also doing 130 cookie boxes this coming December. Each of us are making home-made cookies, and we each bring at least a bag with two or three cookies. We package them all up and we send them to whoever: our kids, other people’s kids. We also have a form where people can fill out the name of someone they know who is in the service, and we send them (the person in the service) cookies,”

Wilson said. One Saturday in August, an Elk’s Lodge let the organization use their facility and had gathered homeless veterans from the St. Charles area to attend. Showers, hairdressers, and doctors were provided for the veterans. The Blue Star Mothers also bought backpacks which they packed with socks, underwear, sweatpants, T-shirts, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and deodorant. Those backpacks were then given to the veterans. “We had people there from the Veteran’s Administration that would help them apply for benefits or apply for jobs. We had one man that came in and there was a business owner from the St. Charles area. He said, ‘I need workers and I need help right now,’ and this man came in and he got a job on the spot. He filled out all his paperwork and he walked out of there just smiling from ear to ear because he had a job to go to on Monday morning,” Wilson said. According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold

War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states that approximately 40,056 veterans are homeless every night. “That is something that is very near and dear to our hearts because as someone who was serving the country, you would hate to think of them sleeping out under a bridge or in a park and not having the basic necessities that we all have,” Wilson said. College counselor Cabrina Noonan is s a veteran who served in the Army for three years from March 2000 through March 2003. “I know my mom had a rough time when I joined the Army. There was not a day that went by while I served that she did not worry for my safety. Now that I am a mother, I can understand the constant worry better than I could back then. I think it is especially honorable that this organization recognizes fallen service members during the holidays,” Noonan said.

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A&E

December 2019

Her holiday highness What’s trending? - Holiday coffee FACS teacher Beth Siebold has viewed 51 Hallmark Christmas movies SAMANTHA WAGNER Pepper Box Staff Those upbeat Hallmark Christmas movies that are on every day during December have become a Ritenour teacher’s favorite holiday pastime. FACS teacher Beth Seibold has a tradition of playing those movies all through the holidays. “This year I started early, before Halloween. I do not normally start that early,” Seibold said. “Thanksgiving is usually my starting point and then some in July when they do Christmas in July specials.” Hallmark has included Christmas movies in its original programming since it started airing in 2001, but recently they have added more new Christmas movies than before. The plots often revolve around a high powered woman who needs to go to a small town for some reason. She bumps into some guy who is a salt of the earth type and she falls in love with him within the whole of three seconds. Then she takes twothirds of the movies getting him to fall in love with her. Throw in some romantic tension, maybe a problem or two keeping them apart. Then by the end of the movie she stays in the town to be in love forever and marry the guy so they can live happily ever after. “In the beginning, I did not see the “they were all the same,” but now I do and always know that 15-20 minutes before they end, the plot twist will happen,”

Reviewing the Starbucks 2019 holiday drink selection JORDAN FRITZSCHE A&E EIT

Seibold said. “I think it is just mindless entertainment that leaves you smiling.” After watching 51 of these simple movies it is safe to say Siebold is an expert about them by now. The movies are also a big holiday tradition for Seibold and her family. “During Thanksgiving, Hallmark is something that my family will watch and the same at Christmas,” Seibold said. “It is nice watching something that you are not embarrassed to watch with your parents.” Seibold has tried to share her love of these movies with her coworkers with little success. FACS teacher Nina Ballmann joked about her response every time Seibold brings up the movies. “I make fun of her for it all the time,” Ballmann said. One thing that can make or break it for a Hallmark movie is the characters and how they are portrayed; in addition, the elements they include in the storylines that are more than just a simple girl meets boy with a happy ending. “It can be a cheesy storyline or one that they have done before, but if the characters are charismatic then I am drawn in. If they have no chemistry or it seems fake, then I skip the movie,” Seibold said. Seibold said that the straightforward nature of these movies is the perfect thing to distract herself from the stress she can feel because of the holiday season. “They are light-hearted and simple. It takes my mind off of things going on and actually helps me relax.” Seibold said.

TOASTED WHITE CHOCOLATE MOCHA It kind of smells like cookie when you first inhale the scent. It has got some moist stuff in it, which is off-putting at first, but it works. It is not super strong, but a light coffee. It has what may be chunks of white chocolate that brings it all together. And the aftertaste? Yes sir!

Pepper Box Ranking: 8/10 EGGNOG LATTE If it smells like eggnog, looks like eggnog, and tastes like eggnog, it’s probably eggnog. This is definitely a lot spicier than your average coffee drink; you can really taste the nutmeg. It has smooth, but waxy texture, and all in all is not bad. It tastes like the holiday spirit. 8/10

Pepper Box Ranking: 8/10 CARAMEL BRULEE LATTE This is the strongest of all of the coffee, it is definitely darker than the other drinks, but it is still sugary enough. The caramel brulee latte is by far the most bitter out of all the holiday drinks. It will slap you, but you will like it.

Pepper Box Ranking: 7.5/10

CHESTNUT PRALINE LATTE This is very similar to the toasted white chocolate, and it is actually almost hard to tell the difference. This smells more of warm spice, has more of an after taste, and is stronger than the white chocolate, but they are very similar.

Pepper Box Ranking: 7/10 PEPPERMINT MOCHA Peppermint? Chocolate? No, this just tastes like a weak version of the York peppermint patty. It wants to be a York peppermint patty, but just doesn’t have the strength to do so. It’s like hot chocolate got slapped with peppermint. It may smell like the holiday spirit, but that flavor is not fooling anyone. Photo by: Mackenzie Davis and Wikimedia Commons Photo manipulation by: Ron Steinschriber

Pepper Box Ranking:5/10

FACS teacher Beth Siebold has watched 51 Hallmark Christmas movies already this year and started watching them with her family in October.

Ritenour’s top ranked holiday songs

e Ha k th

46.6%

Dec

50.3%

Let

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ne, nO Mea ea You ’r

54.5%

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Mr.

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62%

Jing

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The Pepper Box polled the school on some of their favorite holiday songs

Grin

DARLEEN GARCIA A&E EIT

35.9%

Sports

December 2019

Page 8

2019 - 2020 Winter Sports Capsules SAMIA FOUCHE Pepper Box Staff

Wrestling • • • • • • •

•

Coach: Dean Cochran Last Year Record: 7-7 Current Record: 2-3 Captain(s): none Key Returners: Anthony Chrun, Cordan Hampton, Justin Teoli, Sajith Gonzalez, Hudson Delacruz Key Newcomers: Tyler Davies, Alex Wanta, Ronnie Moore Expectations: To go .500 and qualify at least two wrestlers for state.

•

Eriyanni Smith, Jasmine Johnson, Brook Madison, Nyla Adams, Angela Brown, Ashlee Frazier Key Newcomers: Makayah French, Janiyah Taylor, Monica Robinson Expectations: We expect to stay healthy and continue to learn the game of basketball. To make sure not only as individuals, but as a team, we get better each and every day on and off the court including in the classroom.

•

Dorien Mack, O’Ryeon Curtis Expectations: We expect to compete in every game we are in. We are battling injuries at the moment and are looking forward to getting everyone healthy. We are excited to compete against our very difficult schedule.

•

Shauna Truzaek Expectations: We will be a big contender in our conference this year. Last year, we finished in second place at the conference meet, but I am excited that we have about seven more swimmers this year to help fill events. I am disappointed that we currently only have four home meets, but I am hopeful that we can change one or two. The biggest push every year is to better yourself, better your time, each and every meet. That is the true measure of how much progress is made from the beginning of the season until the end of the season.

Photo by: Jeremy Housewright Senior Jakobi Flynn goes up for a layup in a game last season. Flynn is a key returner for the team.

Girls Swim

Photo courtesy: RHS Athletics Senior Cordan Hampton competes at Districts last season. Hampton is a key returner for the wrestling team.

Girls Basketball • • • • •

Coach: Robert Kennedy Last Year Record: 3-20 Current Record: 0-4 Captain(s): none Key Returners: Niya Spann,

Photo courtesy: RHS Athletics Junior Brook Madison has been a leading scorer for the team this year.

• • • • •

Boys Basketball • • • • • •

Coach: Michael Nelke Last Year Record: 3-22 Current Record: 0-5 Captain(s): Kenneth Ellis Key Returners: Kenneth Ellis, Brandon Clark, Jakobi Flynn, Johnny Mayberry Key Newcomers: Tre’von Moore,

•

Coach: Andrea Rivera Last Year Record: 6-7 Current Record: 2-1 Captain(s): none Key Returners: Alyssa Lane, Grace Lewis, Amiya Clark, Jayden Frost, Emma Finnegan, Isabella House, Morgan Van Meter, Addy Watts, Kenya Gomez, Lizbeth Hernandez, Isabel Barragan, Rukiyah Smith, Bree Stock Key Newcomers: Aniah Cosby, Kali Smith, Isabella Whitener, Jazmine Brevik, Skyler Collett, Addisyn Field, Bella Garcia, Savannah Jaycox, Lailah Lotz, Mary Jo Ruiz, Teresa Thomas,

Photo courtesy: RHS Athletics Junior Amiya Clark swims in the District meet last season. Clark is one of the top returning swimmers for the team this season on their path to a conference championship.

Inside the Huddle - Family on the field

Question: How is your team going to improve starting off in the new year?

Junior Ashlee Frazier Girls Basketball

Senior Coby Nathaniel Boys Basketball

“When we come back from break our New Year’s resolution is to communicate better on the court. So we make it to round one of districts, if not more.”

“The team’s New Year’s resolution is to win, we want to win and we’ll do anything to achieve that. Plain and simple.”

Senior Juzaya Scott Wrestling

Junior Jayden Frost Girls Swimming

“Our New Year’s resolution “After New Years we’re just is to take our practices one going to put all our effort into step at a time; to see what we our meets against Pattonville. did wrong so when we get to We know we may not win but districts we can dominate”. it does not mean we will not put up a fight”.

Finals schedule - December 17 - 19