Staff Editorial Individual perspective is what distinguishes us as human beings. We see ourselves as the center of the universe, what occurs around us we believe to be the central core of the human mentality. What we perceive is what we believe to be concrete and absolute; our daily struggle is the only struggle that we concern ourselves with. The thought that we can see into someone else’s perspective is foolhardy. Everyone has a different outlook on life depending on their own personal experience and beliefs. Due to this fact, the phrase “walking in someone else’s shoes” is easier said than done. Only when you travel onto another person’s road can you truly understand their daily plight. We cannot stare into another person’s mind and gain their perspective. We are limited to learning a person’s beliefs through their actions and words. Only when we experience what they have gone through can we truly understand where another person is coming from. With the acceptance of individual human flaws we are able to invite within ourselves a broader scope of humanity, opening ourselves to incredible new roads of perspective. Roads that take us into the many different lives of the people around us. Diverse backgrounds and personal experiences divide us constantly. Only when we make an attempt at understanding one another can we achieve true respect for individuality. Accepting our limitations on understanding another person’s perspective allows us to find new ways to walk in their shoes. Realizing that there is a broader world out there, not limited to your own perspective, allows for access into a newly discovered mixture of interconnected webs. These interconnected webs then lead into new opportunities for both community and universal growth. After all, the road taken is unique to the individual and the pitfalls of life are varied depending on how you handle them. Walking along another person’s road for even a second allows us to dwell on a mindset different from our own, giving us a broad view of all walks of life. A broader view of walks of life sends us into new frontiers of interconnection.
Opinion
PEPPER BOX STAFF Advisor: Ron Steinschriber Content Manager: Aeriel Morrow Design Manager: Kristen Teoli Production Manager: Missy Griffith Business Manager:Morgan Sweeney News Editor: Brittany Mixon Opinion Editor: Kaylee Houston Online Editor: Ariella Smith Sports Editor: Daedra Wallace Spotlight Editor: Ashley Meyer Staff Members: Allison Baker, Sean Baker, Leia Boyd, Shaquan Brown, Carcea Carr, Charles Daniels, Sara Declue, Kelsey Degardin, Morgan Diamond, Deidre Dinkins, David Fitzgerald, Sidney Lee, Dornae Moore, 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 cover designed by Kristen Teoli, back cover designed by Morgan Diamond
Amateur sports should not be considered a job College athletes have tried to make the case that they should be paid a salary, but they do not realize how great of a situation they have
Mixon it up Written by: Brittany Mixon News Editor There is a constant argument about whether college athletes should get paid because of all the money that they bring into their schools, but I think that would be ridiculous, and force a lot of other athletes to get money that they do not really deserve. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes make up a majority of athletes in all college sports who are on a scholarship. Paying those athletes for doing a vocation is not equal to other college students playing sports. If Division 1 athletes get paid, then would we also have to pay all Division 2 and 3 players, as well as all high school student athletes? College athletes are already paid with their tuition, university fees, room and board, free meals, tutors, plane tickets, bus rides, trainer, uniforms, shoes and most importantly, an education that half of them do not finish. According to NCAA.com, 59% of NCAA athletes are African American. 64% of African Americans, as of 2013, do not finish their four years of college because they try to move to the pro leagues. Schools should not be paying those
Opinion
athletes who take school like it is a part-time job for them. NCAA athletes are already being paid with all the perks and do not deserve anything else. Also, if college athletes were paid, how would the rest of the campus feel? Some of the students have better transcripts than athletes. They also experience more fees than athletes. They actually have to worry about car fees to get around to a job, and pay for tutor because it was not included in their plan. If college athletes got paid, high school students could also advocate that they should be paid. Most high school students struggle with a job because it is hard to balance that along with their grades. Potential college athletes stay at school for longer hours and more days out the year than anyone else. They have to try to balance grades, along with family, along with a job. Their sleeping hours are scarce, because they are up all night trying to finish an essay on time. They might even fall asleep in
class because they had three games in a row that week and it has taking a lot out of them. At some point, I reached the moment where I just wanted to quit everything because I became so overwhelmed. What could make it worse for some athletes is the fact that they may have challenged themselves with advanced placement classes, but they gave loads of homework every night as if life was not tough enough already. I appreciate that college athletes work hard and bring in a lot of money to their schools, but they are not doing anything more than collegiate athletes at lower levels, or even high school athletes. It seems like an easy answer to me. We should not pay college athletes any more than they already get. Comic courtesy of Guadalupe Gaona
Commonly confused chaos People need to start being more careful when choosing their written words
Miss understood Written by: Missy Griffith Production Manager
It flabbergasts me that many people do not know how to use words correctly. It is not just children either. There are grown adults who speak as if they were five years old. People really need to learn the differences between “to, two, and too”, “there, their, they’re”, and “than and then” and how to talk about someone else and yourself. ‘To’ is used before a verb, or as a preposition. ‘Two’
is a number, when one thing and another are put together, making two. ‘Too’ is an adverb meaning also, as well, and very. I wince when I see people online who use “to” for everything, and use it incorrectly. You are not to tired, you are too tired. You do not have to pets, you have two pets. ‘There’ is a place, ‘Their’ is a possessive term, meaning “belonging to them”. “They’re” is a contraction for they are. People usually know how you use “there” correctly, however, I see people writing “there going to the store.” It is they are, therefore, they’re, not there. ‘Than’ is making a comparison and ‘then’ is all other occasions. People say they would rather “do one thing then the other.” That could be a correct statement with a properly placed comma, but that is not the form people are intending ‘Your’ is possessive,
‘You’re’ is a contraction for you are. Seeing people say things like “your the best” Is the most aggravating thing I can imagine. You are saying someone is something, not talking about something they possess, therefore, they are, or you are. People also need to learn that it is “my friend and I,” not “me and my friend.” Every time I hear someone say it incorrectly, or read or written incorrectly, I cringe. You put yourself last, and you refer to yourself as ‘I’, not ‘me”. Why do people misuse their right to have an education? It is not so much the fact that people do not want an education, they just do not seem to care. The problem is that people do need to care. Being able to speak and write correctly makes people seem like they actually know what they are talking about, not just like children who are trying to sound intelligent, while really sounding ignorant.
Ritenour’s monthly secret message
One of the staff members has a secret message for you. Every letter in the message stands for another letter in the alphabet. HINT: The letter Y on the right is really I, and the letter B is really the letter D.
Can you decode it and find out what Ms. Gleckler loves most about March? If you think you have the answer, visit Mr.Steinschriber in room 240. If you are right, you will win a chocolatey prize!
Opinion
“QWLYUS GLUOP, QR. WORLYDP’Q BOA, OUB MOLV MUORNUL.”
“Grease” was the word The cast and crew of the Winter Musical, “Grease,” made for a successful show
The female cast members run out for the opening number of “Grease,” in which they parodied the Alma Mater. Photo by: Missy Griffith
Written By: Kaylee Houston Opinion Editor I was recently an audience member of the musical “Grease,” and I had the pleasure of seeing the first cast, who were all very enthusiastic. I had never seen the stage performance, so my only other reference to “Grease” was the movie version with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. While watching the movie and thinking about what I saw in the musical, some people portrayed the roles very well. Sophomore Marissa Vroman, a newcomer to musicals, played the role of Sandy, who is one of the main characters of the story. Sandy is a very peppy girl but at times can get angry and throw a fit. Vroman is great singer and I never knew that she
Opinion
could sing like that. The actors playing the T-birds were also a great aspect of the musical. They stayed completely in character, and seemed to be very excited to be playing those roles. Senior Alec Dishaw definitely fit the part as Danny. As I watched the musical, Dishaw conveyed the character the way the he should be seen. Dishaw played the role with great enthusiasm and was the cool, but caring person that I expected to see in the musical. The “Pink Ladies” also did a fantastic job throughout the
musical. Senior Ashley Meyer, who played the role as Frenchy, was great. While I watched her play her role and thought about the character in the movie, she did an excellent job conveying the role and showed that she cared about her character. The role of Rizzo, which was played by senior Millie Volpitto, was interesting to watch. Comparing the two different points of view of the role from the movie and the musical showed that Volpitto put her personal stamp on the role. In the musical, Volpitto portrayed the role of Rizzo as a lazy young woman without a lot of emotion towards other characters. In the movie Rizzo acted very cool, but had an emotional side as well. In all, the musical was very good in the group performances and had some standout individual perfomers as well.
The T-Birds listen to Danny (senior Alec Dishaw) as he describes his summer with a girl he met through the song “Summer Nights.” Photo by: Missy Griffith
Students step in other’s shoes
As part of an initiative to talk about racial issues, two RHS students spent a day at Maplewood-Richmond Heights HS to gain a better understanding of other communities Velasquez switched schools and shadowed students from MaplewoodRichmond Heights High School (MRHHS) for a day, in order to get a feel for what the daily life for others is like. For this swap, students started by meeting the school’s principals and shadowing Student leaders from Parkway North, Hazelwood their first student of the Central and Confluence Academy join junior Daryl day. They followed the Burkes as speakers at the second Race Summit Con- student’s schedules and ference in Ritenour’s Auditorium on Feb. 25. Photo did the same class work as by: Missy Griffith the other students. They also brought laptops so Written By: Ashley Meyer that they could have the same Spotlight Editor resources as other students. MRHHS has a population of In January, 14 area schools just over 300 students and is very gathered for a summit on race, technology based. Each student which ultimately led to a swap between students at area schools. has their own laptop, and they also only have one teacher, per After the students subject, per grade. In addition swapped, they discussed their to this, honors students are put experiences at a second summit. in the same classroom but given Leadership students from separate homework. area schools participated in the After shadowing their first first Student Summit on Race student, they then had lunch and that was held on Jan.15. Among discussed an article about race these student leaders at Ritenour at a meeting, similar to what the were junior Darryl Burkes and Social Justice Club, led by social sophomore Janet Velasquez. studies teacher Isaiah Melendez, These student leaders will be like. Following that, they met to discuss the topic of race, shadowed another student and and by the end of their day they continued with their schedule for decided on one theme and idea the rest of the day. they would enact right away and “The people there made take back to their schools. The the experience so good. They theme on which the students were so nice and welcoming and agreed was to create sister wanted to get to know you,” schools and exchange programs. Velasquez said. On Feb 18, Burkes and Velazquez and Burkes noticed that students and teachers at Maplewood have a
Spotlight
more personal relationship than their Ritenour counterparts. Part of this is due to the small class size, with the average size being only 14, compared to 18 at Ritenour, but both Velasquez and Burkes noted that students seemed a lot more friendly and respectful to each other than at Ritenour. “They had good teacher and student relationships. There was not as much of a barrier between them,” Burkes said. A week after their swap, the student leaders came back together to discuss how their swaps with the other schools went on Feb. 25. During this second summit, there was a panel where superintendents and politicians from Jefferson City asked students questions regarding their experiences with their swaps, and about how they can improve schools. The group had grown from the initial 14 schools. “We started out with 14 schools, and this time around we actually got 14 more schools, so we have 28 schools now and we still have more schools learning about it, hearing about it, and wanting to join,” student leader, senior Alexis Murphy said. The next step for Ritenour student leaders involves reaching out to some elementary students and doing volunteer projects to present to the Board. Students from the summit plan to meet together more and continue in the direction they are headed towards the changes they wanted to see.
Pondering Love - A teacher swap story After attending a program at St. Louis Art Museum, English teacher Colette Love-Hilliard and art teacher Kristi Ponder swapped classes for a day to merge art and writing encouraged to write from the perspective of a secondary figure or inanimate object in the paintings to offer unique and varied writing. “We enjoyed it so much that we thought we should continue the practice when we English teacher Colette Love-Hilliard shows off the mategot back—switching rials for her teacher swap. Photo by: Ashley Meyer classes, using our Written by: Kelsey Degardin own art gallery to Staff Writer help students get inspired to write,” Love-Hilliard said. Since the workshop, To illustrate how different Ponder and Love had talked academic disciplines lend about either combining their themselves to each other, English classes or switching them. This teacher Colette Love-Hilliard and semester, the opportunity to swap art teacher Kristi Ponder taught presented itself. Both teachers each other’s classes for two decided that switching would not hours. only be a good break for their Love-Hilliard and Ponder students, but allow them an swapped their first and seventh opportunity to see their subject hours on Monday, Feb. 9. The two from someone else’s perspective. had been a part of a program In Love-Hilliard’s creative through the Saint Louis Art writing class, Ponder’s activity Museum (SLAM) that merged art was well-received. As they and writing, specifically through entered the classroom, students the use of poetry. were given a playing card. The On Oct. 23, the two number or value on the card teachers and a group of 20 corresponded with different students went to the SLAM to genres. For example, the attend a workshop about poetry and art. While there, the teachers Queen was horror and the Jack symbolized comedy. Ponder laid and students were encouraged out copies of paintings on a table, to write poems about the art and instructed the students to they viewed. In another exercise, choose one. Once their painting students grouped around one was chosen, the students had to painting and wrote a group poem write a story about their painting, about the piece. In all exercises but it had to be in the genre that of this nature, students were
Spotlight
corresponded with their card. In Ponder’s painting class, Love-Hilliard handed out copies of poems and instructed the students to incorporate the poem into a drawing. The results resembled concrete poems with creative twists on the poems. “I knew it would be amazing, but seeing students bring language to light in an entirely new way was inspiring,” Love-Hilliard said. “It felt like the first day of school. I got to know some new students, and now I see them in the halls and we’re like, ‘Hey! I know you!’ I was surprised at how receptive they were to doing a random assignment created by a random teacher. Many of the students were new to me.” Love-Hilliard and Ponder planned ahead of time for this switch, but still did not know what to expect when they walked into an unfamiliar classroom. Both teachers have expressed an interest in repeating the experiment, and are excited to see the myriad of art that their students will create. “Honestly, I had no expectations and wanted to see where the class would lead me. It was a spur of the moment thing. We trusted each other enough to hand over the class and teach a lesson that incorporated visual art and writing,” Ponder said
One cheerleader, one basketball player, two mixed up games
Seniors Daedra Wallace and McKinzy Lewis swapped sports for a practice and a game to find out who really has it tougher Written by: Daedra Wallace Sports Editor Playing varsity sports at Ritenour High School can be challenging in all areas, however, it seemed impossible to participate in a sport that felt like the exact opposite of mine. On Feb. 5, 2014 a fellow classmate and I switched varsity sports for a practice and a game. I became a varsity cheerleader and senior McKinzy Lewis became a varsity basketball player. That Thursday afternoon, Lewis and I attended each other’s practices. I headed to the balcony of the gym for cheerleading practice and Lewis headed to Ritenour Middle School for basketball practice. Once at the practices, we began to realize how similar, yet different each of the sports are. Lewis felt out of place, but surprisingly enjoyed practice, while I was very uncomfortable with both the attire and environment of cheerleading. I had not worn shorts that short since middle school. As soon as I showed up to cheer practice I was handed a uniform and a bow for the game, and was told that I had to wear it along with the rest of the squad to school. While stretching, I could not understand how these girls could be so flexible. After warming up, I was taught the cheers for the varsity boys basketball game the next day. I was getting so irritated with
Sports
memorizing the cheers; they all sounded the same to me. When to snap, clap, and punch was so confusing that I was ready to give up, but Coach Danielle Swallow still had faith in putting me into action the next night. “She put a lot of hard work in at practice and learned more material than I thought she would,” Swallow said. Meanwhile Lewis was at practice having the time of her life. Even though she was not used to the long basketball shorts and Nike basketball shoes that she borrowed from her older brother, she blended right in with the rest of the team during the conditioning drills at the beginning of practice. “Kinzie did better than I had expected,” girls varsity Seniors Daedra Wallace and McKinzy Lewis pose in coach Ron Steinschriber their swapped warm-up suits. Photo courtesy: Kaylee Houston said. “I figured she would be athletic since made a clean block on her ball. she was a cheerleader, but she That is when Lewis realized that picked up fundamentals quickly she did not belong there and and seemed really excited about basketball was not for her. the opportunity.” The following day She was doing well in was game day. I had to cheer practice until she went for the alongside of Lewis during the layup and a post player on the boys game and she had to play team, freshman Dannie Millett, alongside of me during my game.
cheerleading and we get yelled at,” varsity shoes at home. cheerleader Asia Jones said. I was rushed Once I had gotten onto the out of the floor, the nervousness that once restroom and took over me was gone and I just given shoes made the best of the opportunity. that were two The first few cheers I was way off sizes too little and you could tell that I did not to cheer in at belong, but after I warmed up a the game. little, I got in rhythm with the When I got rest of the squad. The stunt we down to the had practiced went well and I was foyer where feeling really good about myself. Left - Senior Daedra Wallace (far right) cheers in the game against the squad was “She did well, she was Rockwood Summit. She was allowed to cheer in the first half of the game against Rockwood Summit. Right - McKinzy Lewis and going over the loud, and she learned the cheers Daedra Wallace in their cheer uniforms. Photos courtesy: Danstunts for the quickly,” varsity cheerleader Ariel ielle Swallow game, I was Hayes said. repeatedly After, the first half was I woke up that morning yelled at and over and we were released and squeezed into the skimpy placed in different spots because for halftime, I was so happy cheer uniform and made my mom we were behind time and the to be able to take off the tiny fix my hair up into the cheer game was about to start at any cheerleading outfit and even bow. When I showed up to school second. It did not help any that tinier shoes. My whole body felt everybody that I came in contact the visiting school had brought relieved once I was able to get with asked, “Daedra what are you their cheerleaders, so the girls back in my sweats and T-shirt, wearing?” I had not felt so out of had competition on the floor. and I was sitting in the bleachers place until that moment. Nervousness started to with the rest of the basketball “I was in complete shock. flood my body as they placed girls. I did not know who she was,” me as a base and I helped lift The whole swap was a fun varsity boys basketball player cheerleader Lakeya Stevens in the opportunity, but I can honestly Antonio Lewis said. air during a cheer. say that I would not do it again. McKinzy Lewis was able to “I was not really scared. There is definitely more to run out and go through warm ups I was just excited, and I knew cheerleading than I may have with the rest of the team, but she would not drop me,” Stevens assumed, and I learned that I am because she was technically not said. perfectly happy and comfortable on the roster, she was not able to As I continued to be rushed in my own sport. play during the actual game. and yelled at, I “I was nervous while we Left - Seniors Daedra Wallace and McKinzy Lewis stand in suddenly became were warming up because I was their basketball warmups. Right - Senior McKinzy Lewis overwhelmed and not a basketball player and I works on her shooting form after basketball practice. Photos wanted to quit thought everybody was going to right there on the courtesy: Danielle Swallow and Brittany Mixon laugh at me,” McKinzy Lewis said. spot. The team ended up pulling “She was off a win against Rockwood taking too long Summit 54-49, avenging a loss and we had things to the same team the previous to do. Little do week, and it was then my turn to people know it do my best not to make a fool of takes a lot for myself as a cheerleader. us to get ready I rushed to the restroom for games. When alongside McKinzy Lewis and people talk and proceeded to change into interrupt us it my cheerleading uniform. is hard for us to That is when I realized that I get things done had absentmindedly left my
Final Winter sports capsules The four Winter sports teams all completed their seasons as February came to an end Boys Basketball
•Head Coach – David Watkins •Final Record - 16-10 •Standout athletes- Jhanyle Hamiliton, Fermin Jeff, Carlton Blanton •Key Newcomers –Darrell Griffin •Coach’s thoughts- “The team had good leadership due to good team captains. They believed in themselves, and I am proud of the season. They did everything they could.”
Senior Carlton Blanton brings the ball up the court against visiting team Pattonville. Photo by: Brittanyu Mixon
Girls Basketball
•Head Coach – Ron Steinschriber •Final Record – 7-17 •Standout athletes: Jordyne Frost, Brittany Mixon •Key newcomers: Alexis Ramey •Coachs thoughts: “This was not exactly the season that we had envisioned, but a lot of really positive things came out of it. We basically started over with players and strategy, so hopefully we built a solid foundation that will bring success in the future.”
Wrestling
Senior Daedra Wallace looks for an open teammate while dribbling up half court. Photo by: Missy Griffith
Head Coach: Conye Ausar Final record: 5-11-1 Stand out athletes: Tyler Hearns, Daniel Carroll, Alex Peterson Key newcomers: Ryan Howerton, Austin Cornell, E’myzra McGruder Coach’s thoughts: “The season was not what I expected or planned. We regressed when we were supposed to progress. But the future is bright and the fire has been lit.”
Girls swim Freshman Ryan Howerton engages with a wrestler during a home meet. Photo courtesy: Jacquie Parker
•Head Coach – Andrea Rivera •Final Record – 5-12 •Stand out athletes – Kelsey Inman and Hannah Baker •Key newcomers– Emma Stiebel, Samantha Pullen, Izzy Clark •Coach’s thoughts– “I am happy with the overall performance of the team this year.” - Assistant coach Jennifer Wakefield
Senior Kelsey Inman dives in to begin a race. Photo by Melissa Griffith
“Are we there yet”club creates a healthier future for Ritenour A new club emerges on camps focusing on building student leaders to speak with middle school students a couple of interns got a grant for this project, and they had to do this project to pass graduate school. As a result, this is the project they came up with,” Little said. Freshman Tiffany Dinh is a member of the new club, and has been excited to use technology to help get the message out to middle school This photo of the new healthy vendng machines was students. taken by the club to show the healthy strides the district “We are using is making. It was sent as the example of what Ritenour is a program called doing to promote something good happening at RitenPhotovoice, the our. Photo courtesy: Brittney Baker Are We There Yet leaders want us to Written By: Sean Baker use pictures to tell a story about Staff Writer something good in our community, or something bad and shine a The Are We There Yet Club good light on it,” Dinh said. is a new club that meets every Photovoice is used to week to bring different students build skills within disadvantaged together to better the community and marginalized communities. around the school. To achieve this, they utilize “It is directed to high photography and digital story school students who are going telling methods. to help to be a voice for middle The group took photos school students,” physical of positive and healthy aspects education teacher Mandi Little of Ritenour, and ultimately said. submitted a photo of the new The meaning of the name healthy vending machines that comes from the question of were installed last school year. whether middle school students The college interns are there yet with what they who thought of this club saw should know about drugs and communities dividing through alcohol. some of the problems that “It was a project through existed, and they wanted change. the St. Louis health department, “It is an organization
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where we all try to come together, just to make a better community, to stop substance abuse, racial issues, and just community problems altogether,” sophomore Grecia Ramirez said. The way Are We There Yet is going about these problems makes their club so much different than any other club. They want to be more involved in the community and connect through technology. They want to mix up and bring together the community. Going out into the community is something that many high school clubs have not done in the past. Are We There Yet is stepping outside of the box to change the community. Most of those who attended Are We There Yet saw an opportunity of change for the better and took the chance. Currently there are 15 people in the club, and Little would like the club to have around 20 in the future. The more they have the further they can reach into the community. Little has gotten recommendations from principals for people to talk to who might be interested in joining, but they are still looking for interested students. “We need more groups like this to bring our community together, we are all starting to become divided, why be like that if we are a community,” junior Darryl Burkes said.
Two new clubs join the campus Students and staff start the Agriculture Club and RHSinstapoetry Club Written By: Deidre Dinkins Staff Writer Ritenour High School has recently started two new clubs in which students can get involved. Sophomore Xena Ball started a new agriculture club in which they will be creating a community garden on campus to grow organic foods. “I started this club to give students the opportunity to take part in something where they are able to give back to the community,” Ball said. She believes that this club is a great way to earn community service hours, and give back to the community. She also says Agriculture Club is a great way to meet and interact with new people. “We are deciding what to plant and figuring out what we need to complete to get this garden started,” Ball said. English Language Learner (ELL) teacher Nancy Gamble is the sponsor of this new club. “I know that growing food locally is a big trend right now. It is a great learning experience,” Gamble said. A few months ago, Gamble went to a meeting and talked to an organization called Ritenour Cares. They run a food pantry for needy families in the district. “I said, ‘Hey! We are trying to start a community garden, is there any need for freshly grown produce for the food pantry?’ and
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of course they said that would be awesome,” Gamble said. She says growing food for the pantry is the main goal for Agriculture Club. “It is going to go into the ground sometime after spring break and anybody who wants to help can join us,” Gamble says. English teacher Collette Love also began a new club called RHSinstapoetry on The symbol for the RHSinstapoetry club is posted on Instagram. Instagram. “The RHSinstapoetry club is what I like to think of as She says that students a writing revolution. I wanted to who want to get involved should make something that was more search and follow RHSinstapoetry global that could reach a wide on Instagram. To submit their audience,” Love said. own, students should hashtag She says that she used RHSinstapoetry on the post. to do post-it note poetry on her “I feature the most classroom door, but it never went creative ones every day and I beyond the students in her class. typically do a collage of four “If we could just get a people who are chosen and give few people who have a lot of them a shout out,” Love said. followers that think it is cool, She says it is cool that RHS maybe other people will think it has the power and capacity to do is too,” Love said. something this big, powerful, and She believes that this is an moving. important way to fuse writing and “I feel really passionate art together, and get more people about writing and I feel like interested for a better purpose everyone can be a writer. This is than just classwork. just a small way to start,” Love “I like the idea of not just said. writing words on a page, but also making it aesthetically beautiful as well,” Love said.
The origins of Mardi Gras
St. Louis celebrates the holiday in grandeur, but many people do not know what is actually being celebrated Written By: Dornae Moore Staff Writer Temperatures have been cold as of late and most people have been staying inside. However, last month it was time to brave the weather for Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is a time where everyone in the city gathers together for a celebration filled with different traditions. Beads are thrown, a diverse selection of food is served and people use the time to get out and enjoy themselves, and their family and friends. “Mardi Gras is a great time of the year. One of my favorite holidays to be honest,” senior Mark Wright said. Although people now associate Mardi Gras with a large
party atmosphere, the holiday actually has a religious basis. A Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon, Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival, it is celebrated in many countries around the world, mainly in places with large Roman Catholic populations, on the day before the religious season of Lent begins. Brazil, Venice and New Orleans play host to some of the holiday’s most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of tourists and revelers every year. Saint Louis hosts another of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States. It takes place in Soulard and completely takes over the streets. “I love going downtown and just enjoying myself. It is not
every day that the people in St. Louis come together and just have fun. So when holidays like this come around it is just a beautiful thing,” Wright said Children watch the parade pass by, people catch beads, and most of all get out of the house and spend time with one another. Taking place in Soulard this year, there are many different events and things to do and participate in. For example, there are activities such as karaoke, dancing outside with different people, and tasting foods from all around the state. “If only something like Mardi Gras came around more than once a year, St Louis would be such a fun place to be at and go to. Too bad it is only once,” Wright said.
Are you Pulphead material? Like to read? Like books? Like someone who likes reading books? Want to warn others of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to choosing books? Want to write about books, reading, and/or Pulphead activity at RHS? Want to create a bulletin board for the library? Want to help with the Scholastic Book Fair? Want to help build the library collection? Want to sponsor author visits? Want to be more literate? Want to spread literacy? Want to help with service projects based around literacy? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, you are a Pulphead! Make it official and join the club. Take this survey to get started: http://tinyurl.com/pulpheadsurvey If you need assistance or need a print survey, see Mrs. Thompson or Mr. Bowen in the library.
PLTW hits the road to enhance program Engineering teachers and students attended the statewide PLTW conference in Columbia, Mo. have the program ‘’They are showcasing in their district.” their best work they have made Teachers in PLTW this year, ’’ Strathman went to different said. workshops and In addition to Strathman got ideas about and Gregory, PLTW teacher how to help the Tabitha Milam also accompanied classroom, as the students to the conference. well as ideas from The group learned new strategies other schools to implement at Ritenour, and and how they are Strathman was particularly implementing excited about some of the ideas PLTW in their she will be bringing back. school. ‘’I went to the Learning There were Management System and learned many different about how I could make it better. engineering tables I can create quizzes and give and booths set them to the kids electronically up to present the and then they can send it back Senior Jack O’Leary speaks at the Project Lead the Way Condifferent aspects to me electronically. And I can ference on Feb. 12 at the University of Missouri. Photo by: of PLTW. create rubrics, so when they pull Kristen Teoli ‘’We had up there assignment, the rubric a booth on is right there to help them,’’ our Aerospace Strathman said. Written by: Sidney Lee engineering class. We displayed Staff Writer information about our Senior Kristen Teoli presents at the Project Lead the girls engineering day and Way conference. Photo courtesy: Josh Davis Teachers, students, our engineering week administrators, organizations and that we do in March,” counselors from all around this region met up at the Project Lead PLTW teacher Ashley Gregory said. “We also the Way (PLTW) State Conference give them ideas about in Columbia, Mo. on Feb. 12 and how we have replicated 13. and made the program Ritenour took three High successful in our school.” School teachers and ten students The students who with them to the conference. went to the conference ‘’We heard from Governor were on hand to go and Nixon and the CEO of PLTW, as talk to other schools well as the director of Missouri and get ideas, and let S&T,” PLTW teacher Jennifer them know the ways that Strathman said. “The conference Ritenour teachers are explains what PLTW is and what teaching PLTW. it is about for schools that do not
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DECA walks for Muscular Dystrophy Ritenour club holds a Walk-A-Thon to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association Written by: Leia Boyd Staff Writer Ritenour’s Distribution Education Clubs of America (DECA) club held its first Walk-A-Thon on February 18. The Walk-A-Thon was an after school event, where DECA was raising money for The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). This is an association that raises money in effort to help people with this disease receive proper treatment. Every walker’s goal was to raise $20 of donations prior to the event, and an overall group
donations goal of least $200. Ritenour business teacher and DECA teacher Kelly Holloway was in charge of the Walk-A-Thon and was the person who came up with this fundraising idea. She was happy to raise money for this cause. “People who have Muscular Dystrophy have symptoms such as falling a lot, trouble getting up, trouble running and jumping, waddling when walking, walking on their tiptoes, having large calves, and having muscle pains,” Holloway said. The Muscular Dystrophy Association has been around
for more than 60 years. They have helped many kids and their families have hope in living with a neuromuscular disease. “There is no cure, it’s a genetic disorder. It’s caused by incorrect or missing genetic information that prevents the body from making proteins it needs to maintain healthy muscles,” Holloway said. People can also donate to the Muscular Dystrophy Association on their own time through the Internet, phone, or by mail.
Ritenour is finding ways to stay healthy
and Mix it up