SPRING RESET
YOUNG LEADERS
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
The arrival of spring has pushed students towards self improvement
The cast of the spring musical has been preparing for the performance
SPOTLIGHT Pg. 4-5
SPOTLIGHT PG. 6
A group of six juniors begin their third season of varsity soccer
SPORTS Page 8
THE PEPPER BOX RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL
ISSUE 6, VOLUME 97
9100 ST. CHARLES ROCK ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63114
MARCH 2020
Four staff members return to work after maternity leave Three teachers and one principal are adjusting to their new work and life balance after having babies AUSTYN ELLIOTT Pepper Box Staff
principal position on March 2, said she has had a wonderful time just focusing At Ritenour, three teachers on her family. and one assistant principal “I thought a lot about were on maternity leave this school frequently in the school year. Each one of beginning, and often towards them had their own unique the end of leave. I am experience. happy to come back, though Maternity leave is when spending time with my an expecting mother stops newborn, Loralei, has been working because she is fantastic, and I wish I had about to have a child. A even more time with her,” study conducted by Society Schulte said. for Human Resource In addition to spending Management found that 60% time with her daughter, of employees were given up to Schulte also has been 12 weeks for maternity leave communicating with another and 33% of employers have teacher who was on leave. allowed more than twelve “I have been weeks. Some mothers on communicating with other maternity leave do not get staff members, especially paid for the time missed at (Christina) Melly who had a work. In the United States, baby the same week as I had only 58% of mothers on Loralei,” Schulte said. leave actually still receive a For Melly, most of paycheck while they are out. December and January have Dr. Lindsay Schulte, who been a blur. came back to her assistant “I was so busy trying to figure out how to keep this tiny human alive; whether he is getting enough to eat, how to help him sleep. There were a lot of days at the start when all I ate were granola bars because I was learning how to manage this new person,” Melly said. Melly had plenty of 2 a.m. wakeups where she often thought of school. While she did have some concerns about coming back, she was also very optimistic. “There was some worrying Photo courtesy: Lindsay Schulte about how I would shift back Assistant Principal Dr. Lindsay into school full-time. Every Schulte poses with her once in a while, someone daughter Loralei. would email me and need
information or a favor (like a letter of recommendation or something), so I tried to help with that as I was able,” Melly said. While Melly was out, Reading Specialist Elizabeth Kelly helped her out by giving her advice, keeping her in the loop of school, and giving Melly onesies for her son, Oliver. Kelly had twins in May, giving her more time to connect with both of her sons over the summer. “Maternity leave allowed me to bond with my newborns and let my body heal. The first few months home with the twins were very busy. I only got to sleep for 45 minutes at a time, about three times a day for the first three weeks or so,” Kelly said. “When I got a little more sleep, it was not much. It would have been impossible to work, so I was thankful for the time off.” At two months old, one of the twins had open heart surgery because he had been born with a CHD (congenital heart defect). A congenital heart defect is when there are problems with the structure of the heart. It was a difficult situation for Kelly and her husband because of the pain their son had gone through. “It was extremely hard for my husband and I to watch our little baby go through this, but we had an excellent surgery team at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. I had to stay home with him until he was completely
Photo courtesy: Christina Melly English teacher Christina Melly had her first child, Oliver, in November of last year. She and Dr. Schulte both returned to school on March 2, and communicated with each other during their leave.
recovered and was able to attend daycare,” Kelly said. “Today, he is doing extremely well, and was actually the first of the twins to start crawling.” Orchestra teacher Julianna Campbell also experienced some health issues, which affected both her baby and herself. “During the pregnancy, I was really sick. After that, the baby had health issues. Everyone was saying ‘oh it’s your third baby, third babies are always harder on your body,’” Campbell said. After coming back to school, Campbell said she was able to pick up from where she left off. “I tried to make sure all assignments were put on Google Classroom before I left. I had a really awesome sub who was able to do all the music stuff, all the concerts, she did a really great job,”
Campbell said. “Coming back was easy, I did not have to catch them up to where they should be. I just stepped in and took over from where they should have been.” All of these new moms have returned to school and are now managing their new life situation. Schulte and Melly leaned on each other during their time outside of school and plan on continuing the relationship. “Dr. Schulte and I text each other when we aree up at night with Loralei and Oliver. Since the babies are almost exactly the same age, we have had some struggles and bright moments in common,” Melly said. “It makes an incredible difference to share the experience with someone else. We can celebrate together, and also know we are not on our own in the tough times.”
Ritenour School District proposes Proposition S on the April 7 ballot The new proposition would allow the district to update site and safety features to all of its buildings KAITLYN BROOMFIELD Pepper Box Staff Coming to the voting ballot on April 7 is Proposition S. Proposition S plans to bring in money that the district can use for maintenance and safety in every school. “Proposition S is a $19.5 million bond issue that is being placed on the April 7 ballot. Money from bond issues can only be used for capital expenses, such as major maintenance, repairs, renovations, and equipment. Voter approval would allow Ritenour to address pressing facility needs at all elementary and middle schools and Ritenour High School,”
IN THIS ISSUE
Director of Operations Michael Smith said. If the vote passes, the district plans to borrow $19.5 million in a bond issue. The money will go toward repairing and maintaining schools within the Ritenour district as well as helping secure them. With this change, the tax rate would not increase, but the bond will be repaid using already set taxes. “We need to keep our learning environment safe for teachers, students, and staff. A bond issue provides money without raising the tax rate,” board member Dr. Stacy Albin-Wilson said. What brought about this proposition was the
maintenance of the Ritenour district buildings, especially due to the average age of most schools. “The average age of Ritenour schools is 50 years. Our buildings are safe and well constructed, but require extensive ongoing maintenance, repair, and renovation just like our homes,” Smith said. Not only would this bond issue improve the schools within the Ritenour district, but the community along with it. “By properly reinvesting in the buildings, it stabilizes and improves the property value of the homes and business property that are within the boundaries of the Ritenour
WORD ON THE R
VOTING AGE
THE THEMES OF SPRING
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School District,” AlbinWilson said. Many of the proposed plans will affect areas of the high school, as well as other buildings throughout the district. “With voter approval, we will be able to complete important maintenance projects that are currently outside of our budget,” Smith said. “The scope of work includes adding a weight room and wellness center at RHS, safety and security upgrades, heating/cooling system repair/replacement, playground pad replacement, cafeteria upgrades, asphalt repair, and other projects.” In order for this
proposition to be passed the approval vote will have to be over half. “Passage of Proposition S requires a 57.14% yes vote. Students that are 18 are encouraged to register to vote.” Smith said. The goal of this bond issue is to ensure that the Ritenour district is a safe place for everyone in it and the board believes that this bond issue will help that goal. “In the Ritenour School District, we have many buildings that require expensive maintenance, replacement, or repairs. In the long run, we need to have safe buildings that are ready for students to learn,” AlbinWilson said.
PHANTOM OF MARCH MADNESS SPRING SPORTS THE OPERA NETFLIX PROFILES ORAL HISTORY TOURNAMENT PAGE 6
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Opinion
March 2020
Page 2
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, Isabella Crawford-Greer, Edward Dueker, Austyn Elliott, Michelle Everett, Samia Fouche, Tyrell Gilwater, Brianna Graham, Lizbeth Hernandez, Nikya Hourd, Samantha Lewis, Miranda Martin, Elena Martin, Jessica Murillo, Kayley Norman, Kaylyn Riggs, Cam’ron Spratt, Veronica Susovica, Toni Taylor, Kennedi Terri, Peter Tran, Samantha Wagner, Heaven Watson 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.
Finding ways to stay motivated at the end of the year
Editorial Though finding motivation during the second semester of high school may be difficult, there are ways to improve work ethic and finish the school year strong. According to, “Staying Motivated in Second Semester,” organization is a big key to staying on top of your academics. Without organization in one’s school
work, structure is lacking and finding where to start is a struggle. Use binders and folders to keep it all together. Make check lists to go through. No matter how long the checklist may be, there will be set structure. Though many believe that work ethic may just have to do with laziness, work ethic is impacted by many things. It is also important to keep up with self care. Self care may be a bubble bath and face mask to one person, but
The word on the What are your plans for Spring Break?
for someone else it could be going outside and relaxing. Regardless of what you define as self care, make sure it falls somewhere in your schedule. Another way to get on track and stay on track is by setting goals. Whether they are broad goals or small goals, goals are meant to keep your eyes on the prize. Being reminded of what you want out of the semester and out of life helps with going through those steps to succeed in the second semester of school.
Although pulling all nighters may seem ideal to catch up on school work, it is proven that after a certain time being up, the mind will not be able to retain the information that it tried to learn the night before. It is better to just get a good night’s sleep and try to get the rest of the work done the next day with time management. Time management is crucial. Turn off phones and avoid all distractions until all tasks are complete. The best way
“My plans over the break are to play softball with my new select team to the best of my ability Layla Fouche~ and do as much as I Charles Farris~ Freshman can with my friends.” Sophomore
“I plan on participating in softball tournaments.” Tyler Wooten~ Senior
Comics Sinister Seals
Illustration by Kayley Norman
“I am planning on having baseball tournaments and games.”
“I am going to fly out to Hawaii for a week with some friends.”
Mallory WallerJunior
The Cowboy Chronicles
to manage time is to create a schedule of your day and avoid distractions. Some say it helps to give someone their phone so their phone does not distract them while trying to get things done. Second semester may seem dreadful and hard to get through, but with many self inflicted pushes and drive, anyone can finish the year even stronger than first semester.
Waffles
Illustration by Veronica Susovica
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Opinion
March 2020
The voting age needs to be lowered to 16 The younger generation is more politically active and aware, and should get to vote earlier toward whichever political side they align with. Many 16 year olds have already expressed very strong opinions when it comes to politics and many of the things that voting impacts, impacts them. In other countries, such as Austria, the voting age is 16. This indicates that 16 year olds are responsible enough to have an opinion and vote. Since voting impacts the younger generation more than the older generation, the younger generation should be able to vote. Voting should be made a habit from a younger age because it is shown in past elections that the majority of people who are voting are older people and people from the ages 18 to 24 are not voting as much. Voting should become a normality for younger people so they are motivated and inspired to vote as well. At the age of 16, I had the
Sweet Caroline
Caroline RamosHerrera Voting is one of the most progressive things we can do as American citizens to try and make an impact on our government. It gives us the freedom to take a stand against things that we feel passionately about. I believe that the voting age of 18 should be reduced to the age of 16. I feel that there is not much change from the age of 16 to the age of 18. At the age of 16, teenagers usually already have strong opinions
same political opinions that I now have at the age of 18. In school, we are required to take a government class, which keeps us informed about what is going on in the government and makes us more aware of current
political events. Many students can justify that they have learned a lot about the government by the age of 16 and 17 because of all the educational classes offered in their schools. With the education we are receiving
in school, we are more than qualified to vote and have an opinion on the policies of this country. The youth is affected by political decisions just as much as anybody else. At the age of 16, many teenagers have a job, so they are required to pay taxes. At the age of 17, many states allow you to be tried as an adult in courts. Along with the fact that many states also have a consent age of 17. It does not make sense for states to allow all of these things at the age of 16 and 17 but you have to be 18 to vote. Everything should either be allowed at 18 or the voting age should be lowered. If 17 year olds are paying taxes and being put in jail after being tried as an adult, they should be able to vote and have a say in what laws are passed and governmental dilemmas.
Illustration by Veronica Susovica
YouTubers pranks have gone too far Although they are funny to a certain audience, the pranks that YouTubers create for views can turn into horrible experiences for their victims Guest Columnist ‘ ‘
Alberto LinaresCervantes YouTube launched in 2005 and quickly grew popular with many quirky YouTubers. It was not until years later, in 2017 and 2018, that public pranking arose on YouTube. The platform contained a swarm of YouTubers sparking fame from the focus on public pranks, such as fouseyTUBE, RomanAtWood, and DmPranksProductions. Several adore a well-
planned prank, but these pranks are regularly taken too far for the unknowing victims. For example, the trend of clown pranks got blown out of proportion on YouTube. This trend had many dressed up as creepy clowns, roaming the streets at night and going far enough to fake deaths in public. Visualize strolling down your already edgy street and seeing a stranger dressed in red and white, smiling from cheek to cheek with a weapon in their hand and considering that event a prank. Another trend alongside clowns on Youtube is the act of vandalizing someone’s property. Many Youtube pranksters pretend they are urinating on someone’s car, siphoning one’s gas, and
even stealing someone’s tires. They post these videos online with titles such as “Prank gone WRONG!!” or “SOCIAL EXPERIMENT GONE WRONG” and gain thousands, if not millions of views of them frightening or ruining someone’s day. When prankers get caught by the authorities or in a fight with the victim, which is found on YouTube more than you would think, they often use the excuse that it is a prank, which they assume exempts them from any consequences from their actions. YouTubers are considered celebrities in this day of age. They are regularly freed from their actions, notably if they can prove that their actions provides entertainment.
When I was growing up, I enjoyed these pranking videos and how insane they got. But over the years, pranking videos have become a dying trend that should be forgotten. Now that I am almost 18 and heading off to college, public pranks seem suddenly so wrong. The act of someone disrespecting my car would immediately set me off in a rage. Many do not realize how meaningful their possessions are. Pranks should never grow into anything besides a contained gag, but have evolved into huge societal disturbances that should not occur. There are already numerous people who live with enough difficulty in their lives. Adding pranks that
can harm them or set them off can endanger anyone in the vicinity. Many are fearful of a crime happening to them at night while walking. The creation of fake deaths, suicides, or murders not only frightens the victim but can scar them for their life. A single incident can accompany someone for the remainder of their life, causing them to be paranoid. These pranks also interrupt enforcement to believe an incident has happened to lead to less enforcement for real incidents. Hopefully, the trend of pranks gone wrong vanishes along with the YouTubers’ channels that started it, and we will not have to deal with the drama they create for their victims.
Political Cartoons
Illustration by Kayley Norman
Illustration by Veronica Susovica
Spotlight
Marh 2020
Page 4
Springtime comes to Ritenour
Cleaning out the metaphorical clutter As spring arrives, staff and students start to clear out the things that negatively affect their lives EDWARD DUEKER Pepper Box Staff Keeping clean is more than just keeping personal items from being unorganized and dirty; it also gives people control of their lives. Everyone knows the “emotional clutter” that can pile up, and it leads to physical clutter. It may not be bothersome for a while, but eventually it could lead to anxiety. Cleaning increases appreciation for what people already have. Because people live very busy lives, it can be hard to find time to keep items such as houses and cars clean. Former Ritenour foreign exchange student Alejandro Trenor says that cleanliness is essential to his everyday life. “It is hard for me to get focused if things are not tidy and clean,” Trenor said. Being in a cluttered environment can distract people from the things on which they would like to focus. It also sets an unsettling mood for the room that is cluttered or unclean. When a work environment is cluttered, it causes distraction, which can lead to anxiety. It can lead to anxiety because when someone loses focus on something important and is unable to get things done, it just adds to the list of things to worry about. Math teacher Ellen Kim believes that a clean environment is more delightful and allows for better productivity. “Our school could be cleaner, and that would probably help people be a bit more productive,” Kim said. “I think when the atmosphere is pleasant people are in a better mood and are more productive.” On the other hand, cleaning can be a calming activity to help reduce anxiety. Not only can the act
of cleaning be calming, but being in a clean environment can help with anxiety. Sophomore Azariah Estes said that even when cleaning is not self-started it can still be soothing. “Cleaning is definitely a calming activity. Even when you are forced to do it, after a while you feel like cleaning more than you were originally supposed to do,” Estes said. Beyond physical clutter, there is metaphorical clutter. Metaphorical clutter can be anything in people’s lives that is of no use to them and just makes everything more complicated. Many people do not realize the amount of metaphorical clutter in their lives. Worrying about things that will not matter five years from now is normal, however, it is distracting them from seeing a bigger picture. To really zoom out and see the bigger picture, one must strive for simplicity. Simplicity allows one to take their focus off of insignificant worries and focus more on their long term goals. Science teacher Sara Roznos struggled in college. However, she simplified her situation by keeping focus on how important her goals are as she continued to push through. “Simplifying situations can make a huge difference. For example; I went away to college and had two work two jobs while taking seven college classes (in one semester) to finish in four years,” Roznos said. “I could dwell on every single day that made me exhausted or continue to realize this is what I have to do to survive and thrive to reach my goal. I took it day by day and here I am.” Another example of someone who keeps their lives free of clutter is Marie Kondo. She made a 10 million dollar career out of it. On
Freshmen
a Netflix series, she helps people declutter, organize, and teaches cleaning habits that help her consultants keep a clean and decluttered life. In her series, she helps people declutter their lives in a way that they never even thought was possible. On top of that, she introduces ways to embrace decluttering techniques. For example, when going through one of her clients garages, she encouraged them to take
out wedding photos and place them in the common areas of their house. She also introduced a unique style of folding clothes that allows for more appreciation and gratitude for their clothes. Cleaning is an important task that can help with anxiety and help people focus as well. Just like normal cleaning, metaphorical cleaning is needed to keep clutter from getting out of hand. Cleaning can help
Photo by: Mackenzie Davis Math teacher Ellen Kim is a big believer in organization, and has everything in her room in the proper place. She believes that a cleaner, more organized space creates a more productive environment where everyone can be in a better mood.
Sophomores
Juniors
Get ready for the EOCs
As spring arrives, the school year is turning to the home stretch. Here are a few things that students in each grade can do to move positively towards the end of the school year.
Get ready for the EOCs Get ready for Finals Start making your summer plans Apply for summer programs Make sure your schedule for next year is correct Finish inputting Missouri Connections
Seniors Commit to one of the 3Es
Get ready for Finals
HOW TO MOVE FROM SPRING TO SUMMER
people appreciate what they already have, and it can also help people understand what things are extraneous and are not needed in their lives. “A better atmosphere leads to greater productivity. Being organized helps things run more efficiently and teachers (and students) have a lot to do,” Kim said. “Why not get things done in an efficient way?”
Start looking for summer jobs
Start thinking about graduation (items and invitations)
Prepare for taking the ACT
Do not give in to senioritis
Take the ACT
Start thinking about your post high school plans
Start doing college research
Mentally prepare for junior year
Meet with Ms. Kampschroeder Start looking for internships Start applying to scholarships Take time to destress
Make sure to keep your attendance up to attend prom Register to vote
Spotlight
Page 5 March 2020
Spring symbolizes rebirth, renewal, hope, and joy and the staff and students exemplify those traits
Seeing the metamorphosis of Spring
MIRANDA MARTIN Pepper Box Staff Spring is often connected with a multitude of different symbols, and one of those symbols is the idea of starting
over. Students at Ritenour go through a long path as they start school as eager kindergartners until their graduation as seniors. Along the way, all students
Junior Evynn Scherretz
“I honestly just started caring about my life and what happens in it. When I was younger, I just did not care about how life turned out, but now I want to live a successful life. I felt I needed to change my approach in life because going through life just doing the minimum does not give fulfillment. It turns out that flipping burgers is not my favorite thing.”
take different routes to get from the beginnng of their academic career to the end, and those paths are often winding. Three students, senior Jada Freeman, junior
Evynn Scherretz, and junior Malcolm McClain, shared their experiences on how they have changed over the course of their lives, and how they are continuing to grow and change even today.
“From freshman year to now I believe I have become more mature and empathetic. I also have a different view on my choices and how they will affect me in the future. In middle school, my parents separated and it really started guiding new life lessons. Freshman year I got into a relationship that was not accepted by many people. Because of that I have lost friends and a lot of people I have cared about. It’s normal, for some reason, for people to lose friends in high school, but it still hurts. Sometimes it can hurt more to lose a friend than going through a breakup, and I have realized that, but I also know now that everything happens for a reason, good or bad. I felt the need to change my approach to life and school because I now know it is okay to fail or do bad. It is okay to not get what you want or what you expected to happen. Things are going to happen the way they want to happen and we cannot always do something about what happens.”
Junior Malcolm McClain
These three students have started as metaphorical caterpillars and blossomed into butterflies as they have made positive choices that have affected them and the people around them.
Senior Jada Freeman
“I have become more independent since freshman year. Transitioning from middle to high school was really hard for me because I did not have good study habits or a social life. After gaining more independence, I have better time management and social skills. I felt like I needed this change in approach in school and life because I knew I would be alone on a daily basis soon. I am going to a college that is halfway across the country, so I wanted to get rid of my crutch before it was too late. My mother was in and out of the hospital for months and I was usually alone in our home. This experience taught me a lot about relying on oneself for even the smallest of things. It showed me how much I relied on others.”
Take What You Need keeps spirits high The posters placed strategically around school allow students to pick up what they need
good work!¨ Every once in a while, students take a postit-note and read it to their For the last few months, advantage, and it can help get a little bit of help has been them through a particularly offered to staff and students day, week, or even month. around the school. Junior Kaila Anderson The ¨Take What You was the person who created Need¨ posters around school the “Take What You Need” posters. She would help write down words on the post-itnotes and walk around the school putting them on every poster throughout RHS. “I used the Take What You Need posters because everybody is going through some type of struggle and I cannot personally tell everyone a positive affirmation, so creating the post-its was my way of giving off that motivational and positive energy,” Anderson said. “Small, kind deeds go a long way for people because everyone’s presence or actions have an effect no matter how minor or major they are. That is honestly why I created the post-its because I wanted people to take what they needed in order for them to have the strength to get through the day, or whatever Photo by: Mackenzie Davis struggle they were going through.” Junior Eva Gleckler grabs a post-it off of the Take What You Need Anderson was happy to poster in the hallway on the second floor. The posters were started start the process, but could by junior Kaila Anderson and have been maintained and updated by the counseling department since Anderson created them. There not keep it up over the course are many different items listed on each of the post-its and students of the school year with her can grab them any time they pass by. other responsibilities. Since MIRANDA MARTIN Pepper Box Staff
are big sheets of paper around school that are labelled with, ¨Take What You Need!¨. All of these have brightly colored post-it-notes that give encouraging words to the people who read them. Some examples of this can be ¨You got this!¨ or, ¨Keep up the
Illustration by Abby Richardson
the counseling department did not want to see the project come to an end, the counselors started taking over the Take What You Need Posters for Awareness Week during the month of November. Counselor Dina Durnin says that little things like this that are effective can make a big difference in people’s days, even if it is only a small piece of joy in an otherwise
frustrating day. ¨I feel that the posters make a difference in a small and simple way to boost someone’s day,¨ Durnin said. ¨The way to measure the effectiveness is to see that the posters are frequently empty, that tells us our school community needs to have kind reminders to bring positive energy into their day.¨
Spotlight
March2020
Page 6
The Phantom of the Opera - An oral history Although the musical is more than a month away, the cast has done a lot of work KAYLYN RIGGS Pepper Box Staff As their fateful opening night struts towards Ritenour in April, the soon to be famous actors and actresses, Nikya Hourd, Maracalo Townsend, Miranda Martin and Howard Slaven tell the intense effort they have put into creating a play with choir teacher and play director, Dr. Richard Bell. Bursting off their career here, the actors and actresses prepare, ruthlessly, for their time in the limelight.
Auditions Maracalo Townsend (Playing Andre): Speaking for me, auditions went pretty smoothly. I was nervous, however, because most of the people at the auditions I had never seen before. Nikya Hourd (Playing Ms. Carlotta Giudicelli): Honestly, auditions for me were just plain fun. Everyone was very supportive of each other there, even if they were aiming for the exact same part. Unfortunately, I did not get the part I wanted. However, I believe I got an even better one instead. When I got my part my first reaction was just pure excitement, I am really excited for everyone to see it. Miranda Martin (Playing Christine): I did not take auditions seriously to be honest. I sang “Think of Me” Christine’s major song; Dr. Bell nodded to me and said I did good. He invited me to the reading too- he did not even start the reading until I got there which made me feel proud. After that he called me back and I got the part. This is the first time I have ever starred in a play, I did not expect it at all because I was a chorus member in the last play. Howard Slaven (Playing The Phantom): I felt pretty confident at auditions and I was prepared and everything, but when I
went on stage to perform I began to choke up. I gathered my thoughts back together, though, and began to sing. The rest of the auditions played out exactly as I wanted them to. When I saw that I got the part I was so, so, so excited. I could not believe I had actually pulled it off. This is indeed the first time I have played the lead in any musical, but I have previous experience in musical pit. I am honestly really nervous with this being such a popular musical. I have a lot to live up to and I am being held to a standard so I have to give 110% every second I am on stage.
First Rehearsal Maracalo Townsend: The first official rehearsal played out really slow and it was my first time meeting the majority of the cast so I ended up acting really quiet, I stayed to myself, but as more rehearsals came and went I felt myself come out of my shell. My favorite part of rehearsal is getting to see everyone and practice as a group. Nikya Hourd: I think the first rehearsal was pretty low-key. Basically, my friend Eva, Dr. Bell and I sat in the choir room and listened to my songs. I was definitely scared by the first rehearsal because I had no idea what my part was, so it was wild and difficult. Miranda Martin: During the first rehearsal we all sang our big numbers together. It was extremely nerve wracking because I did not really know my co-stars very well, but I was excited to get to know them and work with them. Howard Slaven: During our first rehearsal, I was overly prepared. I had waited all winter break and I was so ready to get started. During the first rehearsal we mainly just looked over our parts and got to know our fellow lead members and it was just an overall great
experience.
Practice at Home Maracalo Townsend: To practice at home I read the script a lot, over and over, besides that, I’m usually just listening to the audio we act along to. Nikya Hourd: Dr. Bell instructed that each of us playing the principals were to listen to our individual played parts everyday (regardless of if we had rehearsal or not) and so that is what I have been doing at home.
Costume Miranda Martin: I tried on a lot of bridal gowns and other dresses similar to the one Christine wears in the movie. There was a particular gown I tried that looked gorgeous and I love it. I am very grateful because the music department is going to pay for the costumes and everything else we need. I think we are going to look really good and put together for the official performance.
Photo by Mackenzie Davis The cast of “Phantom of the Opera” has gone from audition to rehearsal as they prepare to perform the musical. The group got to get into character even more on February 25 as they received their costumes.
Howard Slaven: I am so happy with what I will get to wear. I get to have a cape and a dope mask and some nice looking clothes.
Feelings on the play getting closer Maracalo Townsend: Coming up soon we get to officially act out the play in front of an audience, I am really psyched because I love the part I have and I loved this whole experience. Nikya Hourd: I am super excited for the play coming up. I know every cast member will push through any problems we have had in rehearsal and the finished product will be great. I am just excited to have fun on stage. Miranda Martin: As a group I feel like we have come very far, everyone
Photo by Mackenzie Davis Dr. Richard Bell shows junior Miranda Martin the appropriate choreography as the rest of the cast watches on and prepares for the scene.
has gotten their parts down pretty well and we are already working on blocking. I am excited for the audience to see the masquerade because everyone shows up in it, big outfits, masks, a lot of fans it is going to be big and dramatic and I am very excited about it. Howard Slaven: The performance is coming up and I am terrified! I am being 100% honest because I am scared. I have never performed in front of this
many people where I am the center of attention and I am scared to mess up and embarrass myself. I want my performance to be the best it can be every single night. I am most excited for the audience to see the chandelier! It is going to be bright and beautiful and it will rise above the audience before it crashes to the stage to signal the end of Act 1. I am beyond excited about this musical and I hope you all choose to attend. You will not be disappointed! Left: Senior Alissa Smith participates in pit rehearsal under the supervision of Band Director Hadley Haux. The pit has been preparing to perform with the actors in “Phantom of the Opera.”
Photo by Mackenzie Davis
Photo by Mackenzie Davis
Right: The cast members of the musical Phantom of the Opera admire themselves on the first day that the costumes arrived for rehearsal.
March Club of the Month - GSA DANIELA SAENZ News Editor From March 16-19, GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) will be holding its annual Ally Week. Math teacher Kevin Daniels has been the sponsor of GSA for 13 of the 14 years that the club has been in existence. “Ally Week is like the GSA
Spirit Week. It’s a national thing, but the week we do it is not the same as the national one. We do it every year, usually right before Spring Break,” Daniels said. The members of GSA decide what to do each day, and the whole school can participate. The group members decided on the following days: Monday, March 16 is Statistics Day, where fliers will be placed
around the building with stats on things affecting the LGBTQ+ community; Tuesday, March 17 is Icons Day, where fliers showing famous people in the community will be placed around school; Wednesday, March 18 is Pride Day, and spirit wear will be encouraged; Thursday March 19 will be the Day of Silence. Photo by Daniela Saenz
GSA sponsor Kevin Daniels leads a meeting of the club as they play Ally Week. Sophomore Rachel Robertson takes notes on what is being discussed at the meeting.
Page 7
A&E
March 2020
March Madness - Best Netflix original series 1
Queer Eye
Umbrella Academy
Queer Eye
JORDAN FRITZSCHE A&E Co-Editor March has become synonymous with college basketball and March Madness, so the Pepper Box is going to run a bracket of its own. From the time this issue is released until Spring Break, the Pepper Box Instagram page (@RHSpepperbox) will be putting up polls for readers to vote on their favorite Netflix original seres. The bracket was seeded by the Pepper Box staff members. Follow our Instagram page for updates and the ultimate winner of the tournament. The tournament will begin on Monday, March 9.
16 Team Single Elimination
16
Cheer
8
Dear White People
9
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Dear White People
Umbrella Academy
Dear White People
5
You
12
Daredevil
Stranger Things AJ and the Queen
Living with Yourself
15
Unbreakable Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt 7 Kimmy Schmidt
On My Block
On My Block Stranger Things
Stranger Things
10
On My Block
You 13
2
Fuller House Stranger Things
4
Umbrella Academy
On My Block
Stranger Things
Winner
PrintYourBrackets.com
Series of Unfortunate Events
3
The Witcher
14
Series of Unfortunate Events
6
Locke and Key
11
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Finding an activity during Spring Break Many places near Ritenour can provide positive Spring Break experiences for little money DARLEEN GARCIA A&E Co-Editor With Spring Break only two weeks away, there are plenty of activities that can be done around the St. Louis area for free or for minimal cost. The following is a list of some of the places that students can visit for entertainment over Spring Break.
Zoo The St. Louis Zoo is located at Government Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110. The zoo consists of 90 acres of land full with a variety of animal exhibits, attractions, gift shops, and dining. The zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The only fee a visitor would have to pay would be if they want to
watch an animal show, park in the main parking lots, or buy something in the zoo. Other than that, entrance to the park is free of charge. “The zoo is a good place if you are into being in a vivid environment and having fun just going around looking at animals. My experience at the zoo is 10/10. I have always been intrigued with going to the zoo since I was little. I would really recommend going to the attraction where you are able to touch the stingrays and sharks,” sophomore Angeles Perez said.
Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch located in downtown St. Louis is a good place to go with your friends and family to walk around the area or ride to the top of the arch.
Riding to the top of the arch costs $12-$16 for adults and $8-$12 for children (315). Their operating hours are from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and their park grounds are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. year round. The entire experience takes about 45-60 minutes, as visitors get to go up 63 stories high and view the city. “The arch is a nice place to view because you can really learn about the history of St. Louis and looking at the city at such a high point is a good view to see. I would rate my experience a 9/10 because you can go see a bunch of things and have a fun time, but the lines can also get long. I would recommend going inside the Arch and going up to see the view of the whole city,” junior Pearljit Dayal said.
Castlewood State Park
Creve Coeur Lake
Castlewood State Park is a public park that is 1,818 acres on the Meramec River in St. Louis County. The park’s hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and sometimes until sunset. There are about five trails around the park that range from 1.7 to 4.7 miles each. “My experiences are always memorable here because we always go as a family and there is always something new we get from our trip. I rate my experience an 8/10. I enjoy going to spend time with my family there but it would be better if they added more smaller attractions to it like playgrounds. I would recommend going during the weekend with family to go into the river and have a barbeque,” junior Monserrat Delgado-Rico said.
Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park has a Sailboat Cove located at 13725 Marine St. Louis, MO 63146. They also have an upper park located at 13236 Streetcar Drive Maryland Heights, MO 63043. The attractions include four playgrounds, spray fountain play area, trails, water trails, and boat and bike rentals. “I like going to the Creve Coeur Park to run, and most of the time I go running with my sister. I rate my experience a 9/10 because although it is a big place to go running, I kind of wish they had other exercising equipment. I would recommend renting the boat or bike rentals. They are a really good experience,” junior Jessica Medina said.
New menu and new system unveiled at lunch The cafeteria has listened to student feedback and changed the way they offer lunch JERSIE COX News Editor
and Fridays the self serve will offer a chicken fillet sandwich. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the lunch will The lunch staff has listened showcase spicy chicken or a to many students’ complaints thin crust pepperoni pizza and requests and decided that slice. However, this does not it is time for a change. override the main course Starting on February 18, entrees; there will still be the Ritenour has begun providing other food options that used a self serve cafeteria. to exist on regular days. “Our top requested food is hamburgers, so we have decided to implement more hamburgers for our students. It’s all about what the kids want, like students prefer french fries and not tater tots so that’s what we are going to do, we are going to serve what the majority likes to eat. Whatever the kids want they get,” Ridenhour said. “I love it, I love it, I love it!” shouted one of the lunch ladies as she watched students trying out the new self serve. In the speed lunch line Photo by Ron Steinschriber there will be a sandwich and Sophomore Leniyah Robinson goes through the new salad and sub a salad bar, On Mondays, line in the cafeteria. This is just one of the new options that have Wednesdays and Fridays the been enacted since the staff took feedback from the students about sandwich line will showcase how to make lunch more appealing. a turkey and cheese sub and “We decided to implement a self serve cafeteria to help the students out it is quicker, more efficient and will help out kids who are not willing to speak to us,” Child Nutrition Manager Tina Ridenhour said. On Mondays, Wednesdays,
on other days there will be a turkey, ham and cheese sandwich. Every day the same choose your own salad will be present featuring romaine lettuce and other toppings. “We have the salad station for our students who want to be healthy and/or are vegan. If the student is vegan we have many food options for the vegans and vegetarians such as salads, grilled cheese, pop tarts, and cereal,” Ridenhour said. The students have had two weeks to get used to the roll out of the new cafeteria, and have started to get used to the new choices that they have available to them. “It’s alright, I can’t wait for more options to come out. It’s gonna be something that I have to get used to,” junior Patricio Mendez said. Along with the self serve, the lunch staff has decided to become more eco-friendly and will no longer use styrofoam trays. The plastic and ceramic lunch trays are making a return, and
although this will require an extra effort for our lunch staff, they believe it will help improve the trash waste that comes in and out of our school. “I think the self serve is really cool, I like how it is easier for us to quickly go in and out of the lunchline, Since I don’t like talking to new people, this new self serve is nice,” junior Skyler Stevens said. The child nutrition staff believes that with these changes it will allow more students to eat in the cafeteria more regularly. Every decision that they have made has been in the best interest of the students. “Lunch should be one of the [most enjoyable] times in your day. You eat good food, and you hang out with friends. Lunch is the only 20 or so minutes where you can be let free, so if self serve will make our students happier, then self serve will be available for a long time,” Ridenhour said.
Sports
March 2020
Page 8
Boys volleyball season begins with Rowald leading the way Sophomore Adam Rowald returns as a leader on the team after a productive summer JESSICA MURILLO Pepper Box Staff The Ritenour boys volleyball program lost a group of eight seniors on the 12-man varsity team last year, and this loss has left many of the remaining players with big shoes to fill. One athlete in particular, sophomore Adam Rowald, is ready to take on the big
Photo courtesy Coralis Bobe Sophomore Adam Rowald serves during a match last season. Rowald, along with three teammates, played on the same club team last summer and hope that work pays off this year.
challenges ahead of him and the team this season. Rowald knew towards the end of the season last year that he wanted to participate in playing club volleyball to get himself prepared for the 2020 season. After several try outs and was recruited by Power Volleyball Club. “Club volleyball was a world changing experience for me,” Rowald said. Club volleyball not only gets the athletes physically prepared for their high school season, but helps with the mental aspect. “Playing for Power, I learned when you can trust your team to get the ball up after a receive, there is much more that you can do in volleyball than just the few basic hits that we ran last year [when many of our players were new],” Rowald said. Along with Rowald, senior Ethan Hahn, junior Joshua McClelland, and sophomore Caleb Deckard played on Power. Getting more reps than ever, the boys had a successful club season, and the more the teammates played together in the off-season, the closer and compatible they got. ”I went from hardly playing any backrow, to playing as a fulltime Libero. This got me and the boys used to our passes and the way our system works. This was
beneficial for me, Josh, and Adam because it helped us compete and improved our insane ability on the court,” Hahn said. As Rowald and the team grow their skills together, their bonds are also developing stronger than ever. In a lot of team’s cases, the younger and tinier teammates are picked on or looked down on, but, in Rowald’s case, he feels an equal amount of respect than ever. Being the youngest on the varsity team since his freshman year to now, he feels comfortable and just like one of the guys. “Being the youngest on the varsity team has been a Photo courtesy Coralis Bobe really great feeling, knowing Sophomore Adam Rowald returns a ball during a match last year. that I am keeping up with Rowald is the leading returner in many statistical categories. the older guys and I can do great things despite my age,” passing and showing me are expecting to continue Rowald said. where I need to be on the improving and see positive Although Rowald was a court, and when I got a big results on the court this year. freshman playing on varsity kill she would always be my “Fans should expect to last year, he is the leader biggest supporter. She still see a lot more out of the in many of the statistical helps me out to this day, ” team this year, there will categories amongst the Rowald said. “As for Dakota, be plenty of huge kills, a lot returners, including serves, he was ranked number one in of great passes, and rallies attacks, kills, and serves the state for his passing and that nobody would ever received. He credits that success last year to graduated he would try to teach me how think could ever come from to pass and receive. He always a Ritenour boys volleyball seniors on both the boys and told me that I would be a team. With four of our guys girls team. great player and a great leader playing club this season we “I have had people that one day and I would take his have all come such a long way I have looked up to here spot on the court as captain. and I really feel that we have a at Ritenour when playing This always meant a lot to me chance to be something great, volleyball and that would and I hope that this is a reality fans have something really be Coco Bobe and Dakota in the upcoming season.” great coming this year from Wagster. Coco was always Rowald and his teammates the boys team,” Rowald said. helping me out with my
Inside the Huddle - Staying motivated Question: What keeps you motivated Senior to play your Devon Prater sport through the long winter Boys Basketball “I want to play in college season? and eventually I want to play
Sophomore Justin Teoli Wrestling
Junior Amiya Clark Girls Swimming
Sophomore Niya Spann Girls Basketball
“Wrestling keeps me healthy.”
“My teammates and my coaches help to push me.”
“I love it, so I will never quit.”
overseas and then play in the NBA.”
Young veterans lead the way Six juniors begin their third season on varsity soccer MICHELLE EVERETT Pepper Box Staff Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, and the soccer fields at Ritenour High school are awaiting the blood, sweat, and tears of the girls varsity soccer team The junior class, many of whom have been playing varsity since their freshman year, are ecstatic for the upcoming season, this being the second to last year these girls will step on the field, they have a lot to say. “I have had a pretty good bond with all the girls that have played with me since freshman year,” junior Crystal Berri said. It is important that they form a bond, as six juniors have been playing together on the varsity team since they were freshmen; Mallory Waller, Crystal Berri, Londyn Jones, Ya’Hiness Knight, Kaitlyn Lacavich, and Kim Teoli. Starting the sport together brought them all very close. Joining the varsity team as a freshman can be exciting and nerve-racking all at once.
Having other people who can share the experience always brings some comfort. High expectations were set from the day they stepped on the field. Throughout the last two years, they adapted to this competitive environment and made the best of every situation. “Last year was better than the year before, but there is still room for a lot of improvement. I think that we will struggle as always with the loss of our seniors and some returning players. I still believe, though, that if we work hard we can improve from where we were next year,” junior Kim Teoli said. With the seniors from last year graduated, the class of 2021 has to fill their spots of leadership for the team. This isn’t always an easy transition for most teams but a vital one at that. This will set up the 2020 season as well as 2021. Underclassman will follow in the footsteps of these juniors. Sophomore Kailey Covert joined the team during her freshman year as the juniors at the time were sophomores.
She looks up to two players, in particular, Teoli and Jones. “When I first joined the team as a freshman I already knew most of the sophomores that were on the team, so I wasn’t nervous besides the fact I was the only freshman. As the season went on I started to get closer with some of the upperclassmen,” Covert said Determination, attitude and improvement are important factors in winning. On and off the field, every teammate should give 100% to be the best player they can be. The key to winning isn’t some password to be decoded, it’s pretty plain and simple. “The key to winning is effort. Nobody is going to be successful without putting forth some kind of effort. The strongest players aren’t always the ones with the most natural ability, but the ones that work the hardest and take advantage of the time we have to practice. Coach (Jim) Coletta always reminds us of this with one of his favorite quotes,” Teoli said. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Photo courtesy RHS Athletics Juniors Londyn Jones (above) and Crystal Berri (below) compete against Hazelwood East last season. Jones and Berri are amongst five juniors who have all been contributors to the varsity team since they were freshman. They have seen the composition of the team change around them, and begin this season as upperclassmen and veterans.