VOLUME 28
SETTING
/
ISSUE 4
/
FEBRUARY 2019
Scene THE
PAGE 06
Stagecraft students design, create sets for productions
/
PLATTE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
ISSUE 04 FEBRUARY 2019
Created by:
Inside FEATURE
03 04 06
feeling the beat
COVER Evaluating her work, senior Elizabeth Brown completes her chair for her class on Jan 31. Brown is the president of the Art Club and is also in stagecraft. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
dishin’ nutrition
reeling in new programs
Keep Tabs on Your Account with Card Valet Turn your card on or off, set controls and alerts, view balances and more! DOWNLOAD FREE TODAY!
virtually engaged FUNDRAISING THE ROOF
Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Pay and Touch ID are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android and the Android Logo are trademarks of Google Inc.
OPINION 12 14
Staff Writers Torie Bazer Henry Lange Kiersten Robbins Photographers Jency Bell Jessenia Orellana Adviser Kari Johnson
setting the scene
SPORTS 08 10 11
Editor-in-Chief Ashley Tohm Feature Editor Tatianna Tafolla Opinion Editor Charisma Root
9:41
Wednesday, June 6 Earlier today
love sick CARDVALET
foam hits home
Posted charge for $6.25 on 03/21 14:55 EST at Bob’s Trade Shop, Parsippany, NJ.
now
February 2019 / 03
Hands in the air, junior Aveion Maxwell dances to the music in the South Gym on Feb. 8, 2018. Last year’s Courtwarming was Kansas City-themed. Photo by Brooke Tramel
FEELING THE BEAT
Laughing with friends, senior Reid Sutter dances the the rest of Courtwarming away on Feb. 8, 2018. Photo by Brooke Tramel
A look into the process of StuCo’s Courtwarming preparations
I
Written by Charisma Root and Henry Lange court nominations, voting and crowning,” Sinclair said. “And then we’ve got the decorating committee, and they meet and go over ideas and plan out what it’s going to look like.” When planning, StuCo takes into account student feedback from previous dances. Supervised by StuCo adviser Kyle Perkins, they make the changes they can to appease as much of the student body as possible. “I think we have pretty much figured out that we can’t please everyone,” Perkins said. “But I feel like our members do a good job of maybe putting their own personal desires aside and thinking, ‘Hey what’s the rest of the school going to want?’” With all there is to accomplish in preparation for Courtwarming, it can be
difficult for StuCo members to find the time they need to balance committee meetings and other responsibilities such as extracurriculars and work. “I think we do a whole lot because everything comes
“
fort, Homecoming tends to remain significantly more populate than Courtwarming. StuCo members work each year on putting together a dance that will gain a higher attendance. “The majority of our
“
n celebration of winter sports and activities, StuCo organizes annual Courtwarming festivities. Members such as senior president Keji Jale aimed to make major improvements to this year’s dance, as it was their last. “I think we just want it to be a really fun experience,” Jale said. “There’s a lot of seniors in StuCo, and we’ve been here a while so we kind of want to make this year the best. We want go out with a bang.” Because StuCo is a group with many members, the students have a process to make decision-making more efficient. Senior Harper Sinclair said members separate into smaller groups and focus on individual aspects of the dance. “We’ve got a crowning committee who heads all the
I am pumped; I think it’s going to be so fun. KEJI JALE | SENIOR
from StuCo,” Jale said. “We have to call out of work sometimes just in order to come to school, and like putting up decorations, getting music, getting the drinks and all the food is us too. So it does really take a lot out of our personal lives.” Even with all this ef-
student body doesn’t go to Courtwarming which is a real shame because a lot of work goes into it, and it actually ends up being a really fun event,” Sinclair said. “It’s a lot more casual, and there’s less stress than Homecoming so the entire environment is different.
04 / Feature
SETTING THE SCENE
Carefully detailing her chair, freshman Minna Arthurs sands down a set piece on Jan. 31. In stagecraft, Arthurs said she is able to express her creativity more than any other class. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
Stagecraft students design, create sets for productions
O
Written by Tatianna Tafolla n stage, theatre is often seen as just musicals and plays, yet behind the actors and actresses, the stage must be set. Stagecraft and Design is in charge of the construction of the setting, props, costumes and makeup for productions. Both Stagecraft and Design I and II have the responsibility of designing and building the sets for the musicals and plays performed at school. These classes are supervised by theatre teacher Erica Glidewell. “I love it when students are able to work together as a group with different people they don’t normally work with and when they are able to take ownership of their project,” Glidewell said. The students design and build the
entire set including costumes, props, lighting and sound. For competitions in the theatre department such as Blue Star and Cappies, a portion judged is how much independence is taken on for building and what the percentage of student building versus teacher building is. Usually, stagecraft can say that around 95 to 100 percent of the effort is made by themselves. “We’re lucky that this show is a minimal show so we can pull from what we have or buy cheaply,” Glidewell said. When designing the sets and props of upcoming productions, materials are recycled and or reused before it is decided to purchase new materials. Senior Lauryn Klein is currently taking her third year of Stagecraft and Design and is a head set designer.
“I joined Stagecraft because I’ve been doing theatre for a very long time,” Klein said. “When I used to be in theatre, my family would build the set for it so when I came up into high school I decided I wanted to do that building side of it.” A usual work day of Stagecraft and Design before a show involves a lot participation by every student. For Stagecraft I, general safety and the process of design is taught, whereas in Stagecraft II leadership-type roles are given, allowing students to be in charge of projects. Klein and senior Mekenzie Dalton previously designed the set for the last musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and are currently helping with designing the set for the upcoming play, “Our Town”.
February 2019 / 05
In preparation for the winter play, junior Braden Medley assesses his project on Jan 28. Stagecraft has been working on the set for the upcoming play “Our Town.” Photo by Jessenia Orellana
A usual work day of Stagecraft and Design before a show involves a lot participation by every student. Glidewell will have a spreadsheet displaying what is to be done daily, and there are typically three to four different groups working on different projects at a time. For Stagecraft I, general safety and the process of design is taught, whereas in Stagecraft II leadership-type roles are given, allowing students to be in charge of projects. Klein and senior Mekenzie Dalton previously designed the set for the last musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and are currently helping with designing the set for the upcoming play, “Our Town.” “This is my first time taking Stagecraft as a class, but I’ve been doing stagecraft just from extracurricular theatre for the past three years,” Dal-
ton said. The theatre is shared with other schools and the community so the theatre department cannot build and leave what is made on stage. There is a week dedicated to putting up and bringing together the set on stage called Tech Week, and any student involved in the show will lend a hand and help make sure the show is ready. “The hardest part is making sure everything is structurally sound,” Klein said. “It’s really difficult when you’re not a professional builder.” When making sure everything is structurally sound, it is important to make sure nothing is off where something could fall and potentially endanger performers. The students go in, level every piece to make sure everything is in the display correctly and the
In the Wilson Auditorium, sophomore Jack Giese paints a wooden chair with black paint on Feb. 1. Giese normally built things at his house and said building for the school would be better. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
screws are properly tightened. “In Stagecraft, everyone’s pretty much equal, but if I do have any leadership it’s because I’ve been doing it for so long, and for this show specifically I designed the set so I know what is happening,” Dalton said. Stagecraft introduces students to different variations of crafting that can go from costumes to makeup and from designing and building the sets to the props. This training in stagecraft and design gives students a creative career option to look into after high school. “I came into high school not really knowing what I wanted to do,” Klein said. “After going through stagecraft I realized I liked to create and design things which lead me in the path of engineering which is what I’m going to major in now.”
06 / Feature
Dishin’ Nutrition School lunches specially made for average dietary intake of teens
WHAT’S ON THE MENU? Pears
Serving Size: 1/2 Cup Calories: 76 Total Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 10 mg Total Carbs: 18 g Dietary Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 15 g Protein: 0 g Vitamin A: 76 IU Calcium: 0 mg Iron: 0 mg Vitamin C: 0 mg
Milk
Serving Size: 1 container Calories: 130 Total Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 5 mg Sodium: 140 mg Total Carbs: 24 g Dietary Fiber: 0 g Sugars: 22 g Protein: 8 g Vitamin A: 10% Vitamin C: 0% Calcium: 30% Iron: 0%
Nacho/Taco Bar
Serving Size: 3 Chips/ 4 oz. Ground Beef Calories: 398 Total Fat: 17 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 64 mg Sodium: 775 mg Total Carbs: 39 g Dietary Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 6 g Protein: 22 g Vitamin A: 479 IU Calcium: 208 mg Iron: 1.4 mg Vitamin C: 1.7 mg
Spanish Rice
Serving Size: 1/4 Cup Calories: 98 Total Fat: 1.2 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 204 mg Total Carbs: 19 g Dietary Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 1 g Protein: 2 g Vitamin A: 424 IU Calcium 22.5 mg Iron: 0.7 mg Vitamin C: 8.2 mg
February 2019 / 07
Discover your possibilities at missouriwestern.edu!
everything is possible
T
Written by Kiersten Robbins
he school lunches are specifically designed with a certain amount of nutrients for teen students. Director of Nutritional Services Megan Thompson works with district food provider Opaa, and is in charge every food and kitchen team. “Our online menus will provide you with all the nutritional labels and a picture of what the food item will look like as well as ingredients and a list of possible food allergens,” Thompson said. Opaa is required to follow guidelines outlined by the USDA in the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act for the amount of nutrients in every meal. These guidelines were designed to combat childhood obesity and hunger. While boys need five servings of vegetables and four servings of fruit per day, girls only need four serving of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day. Iron, calcium, folic acid and protein are just a few of the many nutrients teens need to include in their
daily meals. You can find these nutrients labeled on your fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy foods. “We have a registered dietitian on staff at Opaa that works with the USDA to make sure our menus are in compliance with the USDA and Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act,” Thompson said. According to livestrong.com teen boys should be eating around 2,800 calories per day and girls should be eating around 2,200 calories per day. The state requires Opaa to fulfill a portion of those daily calories while also taking into consideration the calories students will eat at dinner. According to plattecountysd.nutrislice.com high school lunches are $2.35 and middle school lunches are $2.25. Senior Elizabeth Daggett said these prices are not acceptable. “I’ve gone to the younger schools before, and we’re eating the same amount of food as 5 year olds, and I don’t think that’s enough for kids in high school, especially if they are in sports,
because they don’t get the full nutrition they need,” Daggett said. The à la carte menu also offers more food options besides the traditional meal, though freshman Maria Molinari said some changes should be made to the lunch options. “I feel that they should have some healthier à la carte choices like organic chips instead of just the regular unhealthy chips,” Molinari said. “It’d be more nutritional and also there would be more options because there are some kids that prefer the healthier option.” All of Opaa’s ingredients for food are bought from Kohl’s Wholesale in Quincy, Ill. All meals are made under the rules of “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” which can be found at health.gov, to make sure all meals are healthy and nutritious. “They need to get more options out for our school and not charge so much for higher portions because we need it,” Daggett said.
08 / Sports
Reeling in New Programs MSHSAA’s recent addition, bass fishing, faces hardships of being emerging activity
B
Written by Charisma Root
ass fishing is one of the emerging activities offered by MSHSAA. Coached by Derek Yost, this year is the second year the activity has been offered at PCHS. “Technically we are, by the state of Missouri, an emerging activity, so that means there are less than 50 schools in the state with the program,” Yost said. “We are kind of in the same boat as archery. It’s an activity listed by the state, but we’re not technically a sport.” Unlike most of MSHSAA’s programs, bass fishing focuses less on the sports side of organized activity and more on experience and skill. Most of the members, such as junior Garrett Watson,
have been fishing for many years in their free time and participate in the activity for the enjoyment rather than the competition. “I’ve been fishing all my life with my dad,” Watson said. “It’s just something I grew up doing, and it became something I love. It’s a sport that’s not really athletic, but it takes a lot of effort and technique, so you have to really put in time to know how to fish.” Being a less official and funded sport, bass fishing has to fundraise to earn money and attend tournaments. These fundraisers help cover the cost of travel for the members such as freshman Logan Stackhouse, when they compete away from home.
“We have a thing called ‘Snap! Raise’ that we basically send to as many people as we can, and they just give donations, and then we have the sponsors and they pay for gas, hotel and food,” Stackhouse said. Along with Snap! Raise, the bass fishing team also collects money through Go Fund Me as well as by selling ad space on their jerseys to local businesses. “We get sponsors to get our jerseys and pay for the gas it takes to go compete,” Watson said. [With Go Fund Me people] just go on the app and donate however much money, and last year I think we raised a couple thousand dollars off of that,” Watson said.
February 2019 / 09
WORLD RECORD-SETTING CATCH The largest recorded largemouth bass fish ever caught was in 1932, weighing in at 22 pounds, 4 ounces.
AVERAGE BASS WEIGHT A largemouth bass weighs, on average, about 12 pounds.
EFFECTIVE LURES
According to Wide Open Spaces, the best lures for bass fish are crankbaits and buzzbaits.
From Game & Fish magazine
bad things that could happen. So we take a lot to make sure our guys know what they are doing and they’re really safe out there.” The final distinction between bass fishing and the more athletic-oriented
“
such as football. “Being a part of an official sport, it’s like an everyday grind that you have to be there, but with an after school activity you might meet like once a week to go over stuff,” Watson said. “This year
“
Aside from being required to raise all of their own money, another aspect of bass fishing compared to the average high school sport is the safety guidelines. All boaters must wear a personal flotation device and stay seated while boating. Because it is an activity involving deep lakes and the operation of a motor vehicle, there are several other specific rules the bass fishers must also follow while on the water related to the age and insurance status of the driver. “It has to be a 19 year old or older driving the boats, so we have boat captains, and each boat captain has to have up to $100,000 liability insurance,” Yost said. “That just means they have to have their boat insured in case any accidents happen so there is a lot of stuff in place to make sure we don’t have any issues on the water. Fishing is actually a dangerous sport; there’s some
The pressure doesn’t really come at all because you’re just out there to have fun. GARRET WATSON | JUNIOR
sports MSHSAA has to offer is the environment. Due to the spread of practices and competitions, as well as the lighthearted nature of the activity, for many members bass fishing provides a fun and relaxing outlet, as opposed to the more serious and competitive energy that surrounds large team sports
we have a couple more tournaments. Last year we had four we could go to, but this year we have eight possible tournaments. The pressure doesn’t really come at all because you are just out there to have fun. You can go to win the tournaments, but we just go out and have fun.”
10 / Sports
VIRTUALLY ENGAGED
Do you play Esports?
Video games established as legitimate competitive pastime
E
Written by Tatianna Tafolla sports are multiplayer video games often played by professional gamers based in competition against other players that have the same interest and participation in competing as sports. English teacher James Miscavish sponsors the school’s gaming team that is used for casual gaming and primarily played on consoles. “If you want to get good at something, you can’t dabble; you have to choose a game like League of Legends to get good at or something like that,” Miscavish said. While esports can be commonly identified with sports games such as the popular FIFA series, there are also many other categories including fighting games, first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, racing and multiplayer online battle arena games. “[Esports] take as much dedication as any other pro athlete has, except it’s being spent on Rocket League instead of football,” Miscavish said. To participate in different esports, different gaming systems are needed. Esports can be played via computer or on consoles such as Playstation or Xbox. Money is also needed to participate in different varieties of events. Senior Reid Sutter has been
playing video games with his family for a long time, and has been offered esports scholarships from the University of St. Mary’s. “I kind of compete with my cousins, where it’s pretty much wagering between which of your teams are better,” Sutter said. For some games, in order to participate, players must pay a fee, and if won a large reward can be received. “Your personality will have to be as good as your ability because you’re going to want to have people watch you,” Miscavish said. The scene in esports is less popular in the Midwest, so it’s harder to setup a steady career with it. Deciding to go professional for esports is about as hard as regular sports. The more popular regions are the East Coast, Chicago and Dallas. Sophomore Justin Muzingo’s favorite part about esports is the community that comes with it. “A game that I’ve been playing is Rainbow Six,” Muzingo said. “I’ve been playing that competitively since 2017.” Rainbow Six Siege is a common shooter game within the esports community, where people can either choose to play casually or competitively and compete within different tourna-
Yes
No
Do you believe Esports are real sports?
Yes
No *Out of 70 responses
ments. Rainbow Six Siege is just one of the many common popular games that people choose to play. “I started gaming because I just enjoyed it, but I play Rainbow Six the most,” Muzingo said. There are different types of events that take place in the esports community. For example, there is an annual Overwatch World Cup which is a first-person shooter tournament held by Blizzard Entertainment. “A coach from St. Mary’s found my gaming profile and emailed me,” Sutter said. Sutter has been given a scholarship opportunity by the University of St. Mary’s, where he could make the decision to pursue esports as
a career similar to the Overwatch World Cup. “I’m thinking about pursuing [esports]; it’s definitely an option, but I’m not sure yet,” Sutter said. To pursue esports into a career, the player would have to be willing to practice for the majority of their time, be willing to travel, and a team would need to be formed with a coach. Competing can also be done casually, such as the small $10 tournaments. “I’d say patience is big for gaming because the learning curve on some of the games will be quite high, and it will take awhile to get good so you’ll need to have patience,” Miscavish said.
February 2019 / 11
FUNDRAISING THE ROOF
Dance team hosts annual father-daughter dance
Tassel in hand, senior Harper Sinclair decorates a door frame with tulle for the father-daughter dance. Sinclair participated in taking pictures of fathers and their daughters before they went off to dance. Photo by Jency Bell
F
Written by Torie Bazer
or the fourth year the Treasures dance team hosted the annual father-daughter dance on Feb. 2. Sophomore Claire Randolph has been part of the dance team for two years. “The theme of the dance is always Valentine’s day,” Randolph said. Father and daughter dances are always fun. The little girls are excited and fun. Having the time to be around all the little girls makes the team feel special. Hosting the father-daughter dance can have complications when things do not go as planned. Junior Xaire Keith said she was excited to watch all the little girls dance. “The hardest part about
putting the dance together is making sure there is enough room for the kids,” Keith said. It gets crowded really fast, and we also have to do a performance so sometimes we run out of room.” The dance team performs for the girls before the end of the dance. Snacks and decorations are provided by the team families and Price Chopper. The money earned goes towards uniforms, the DJ and food. “The hardest part about hosting the dance is going on the ladders, putting up all the decorations on the ceilings so they can hang down,” Randolph said. Since the parking lot is small at the elementary school most parents have to park at the high school and
Ready to set up for the dance, junior Xaire Keith untagles heart decorations to string along tables. On Feb. 2 the father-daughter dance was held at Compass Elementary school. Photo by Jency Bell
a shuttle takes them over to the school. The dance team arrived at 2 p.m to start decorating in order to be done by 6 p.m. ”The most exciting part about the dance is dancing with the little girls,” Keith said. “I like how they treat us like famous people all the time. They get so excited when we hand them a pom pom or when we spin them around in a circle. It is so great and makes us happy.” Keith said. The dance team’s favorite part was all the little girls’ energy. Keith talks about her highlighting moments. ”I would like to see all dads dancing,” Keith said. ”The dads try to get out of it to watch the daughters
dance, but when they try it is really great.” Hosting the father-daughter dance is the dance team’s main fundraising event of the year. The money made pays for the competitions and other events. Dance coach Nikki Boekhout has coached the team for seven years. Boekhout says she has enjoyed having all the girls be a part of the team because it feels like another family. “I would say that the team’s favorite part about hosting the dance would be interacting with young girls, seeing them all fancied up and enjoying themselves with their dads or escorts and sharing favorite dance moves on the dance floor,” Boekhout said.
12 / Opinion
Have you or anyone you know been in an unhealthy relationship?
Yes
No
Are you aware of the signs of an UNHEALHTHY RELATIONSHIP?
Out of 96 student responses
Yes
Somewhat
No
LOVESICK
Unhealthy relationships can have horrific, long-lasting effects on adolescence
R
Written by Charisma Root and Tatianna Tafolla elationships can play an important role in many teenagers’ daily lives, but we need to be sure we are not putting ourselves or others at risk, especially at such a crucial time in our adolescence. Often times many teens find themselves surrounded with the wrong kind of people or somehow involved in a relationship with an uncomfortable or unfair dynamic. According to Love Is Respect, 1 in 3 teens experience some sort of physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse from a relationship. While some teens may inform a loved one about this abuse, according to a study from First Things First, a relationship resource site, an alarming rate of parents remain unaware of the level of dating violence their child is experiencing. Unhealthy relationships in adoles-
cence can cause lasting trauma that stays with teens throughout adulthood. While it goes less recognized than physical or sexual violence, emotional abuse can have severe short and long-term effects on its victim’s social, emotional and physical health. According to a study by Children’s Safety Network, students abused by a partner are more likely to report being bullied on school grounds and missing school because they felt unsafe. These victims are also more likely to become depressed or anxious, use drugs or alcohol, become suicidal, or be abused in future relationships. Additionally, according to Love Is Respect, unhealthy relationships in adolescence can put victims at a higher risk of substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence. This is why we need to make chil-
dren aware of the way they treat others and allow themselves to be treated, as well as the consequences that can come from manipulation, dishonesty and verbal abuse. A common misconception around unhealthy relationships is that they only occur romantically. Teens have a variety of different relationships, all of which can lead to abusive tendencies. Emotional abuse and manipulation can also occur in family relationships as well as friendships. Being able to prevent entering and becoming a victim to a toxic relationship of any sort is an important trait to have especially for impressionable youth. Although, if one finds themselves trapped in a situation like this, it is important to be aware of the red flags and to know how to safely escape the abusive relationship.
CANDYGRAMS - your messages to your dearest friends and loved ones!
TO AUSTIN DAVIS
“Oh Austin, My love! You are my knight in shining armor; the wind beneath my wings!. Many sad, lonely nights are desperate for your beautiful flannel shirts and monumental forehead.” FROM MICHAEL McKEAGUE
TO ASHLEIGH SCHLORHOLTZ
“You have helped me so much after a major event happened in my life. You made sure I was on track with school.” “You have always been there for me thank you! “ FROM KATIE HOGUE
TO KARSON SUITER
“Thanks for being my bestfriend. I love you almost more than I love my scrunchies!” FROM PAIGE CHASE
February 2019 / 13
The Bad
- Possessiveness - Constant put-downs - Isolation from loved ones - Physical Violence - Controlling Behavior
What’s the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy relationship?
The Good
- Mutual respect - Compromise - Good communication - Anger control - Trust
There is a distinct line between control and advice, between arguing and fighting and between a healthy and unhealthy relationship. According to professionals at youth.gov, toxic relationships are rooted in disrespect and control instead of mutual respect and communication. Professionals at youth.gov also warn that some of the most distinct signs of an emotionally abusive relationship are hostility, manipulation, dishonesty, intimidation and dependence. In a healthy romantic relationship, neither partner should feel as though they cannot live without the other, think that they have to threaten drastic behavior to get their way/keep their significant other, or feel as if they must change aspects of their personality, behavior or relationships with others to prevent their partner from becoming hostile. Reaching out and asking for help from a trusted adult or friend, for one’s self or a loved one, is important.
Teens need to make themselves aware of the way they treat others and how they allow themselves to be treated, as well as the consequences that can come from manipulation, dishonesty and verbal/emotional abuse. While verbal disagreements are hard to avoid in any close relationship, healthy communication skills are the key to solving these conflicts before they can spiral into dangerous altercations. According to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, these healthy communication skills begin with setting boundaries, getting to the root of issues, compromising when possible and considering both sides of an argument. In the event that a friend or loved one’s relationship ventures into toxic or abusive territory, it may be difficult to intervene without upsetting the victim or putting them in further danger of abuse. Educated professionals with The National Domestic Violence Hotline have compiled a list of the best ways to
TO RILEY STEHLIK TO HALEY SNODGRASS
“I love you my Starlight Falconheart” FROM NATHAN LOWRY
“Hey girl, just wanna let you know I love you and I am forever grateful to have a friend like you! Thanks for always being there for me! Will you be my valentine?” FROM MISHELL SIMMS
be there for someone trapped in an unhealthy relationship. Without overstepping boundaries, it is best to acknowledge the situation and encourage the individual to get involved in activities outside of the relationship as well as develop a safety plan. It is also important to remember that you may not be able to “rescue” a person involved in an abusive situation. It is ultimately their decision how they handle the matter, and it is vital to support them regardless of their decision and help them, as best you can, find safety and peace. Teens can call 1-866-331-9474 (or for Deaf/hearing impaired individuals: 1-866-331-8453 TTY), video phone 1-855812-1001, chat live at loveisrespect.org or text “loveis” to 22522 to speak with a trained peer advocate about healthy, unhealthy or abusive dating relationships. For more information and resources visit thehotline.org (The National Domestic Violence Hotline).
TO TARGET CARTS “Oh Target carts, thank you for everything you have done for me. I am so thankful for your thunderous roll when I push a row of you into the store.” “Target carts, you complete me. <3” FROM JOSHUA McKEAGUE
14 / Opinion
FOAM HITS HOME PCHS needs to find better solutions for its lunch trays It takes at least 500 years for Styrofoam to biodegrade.
25 to 30%
of landfill space around the world is filled with Styrofoam.
1,369 tons
of Styrofoam are buried in U.S. landfills everyday. Info gathered from the Missouri Solid Waste Management Program
A
Written by Kiersten Robbins
ir pollution is a major global problem, with plastic foam being the fifth most hazardous waste in the United States. PCHS is only adding to this issue by using plastic foam, sometimes referred to as Styrofoam, for its disposable lunch trays. We need to be using washable trays instead of these plastic foam trays that harm not only our bodies but also cause damage to the planet and the atmosphere. According to Diane MacEachern, an award-winning entrepreneur and author of “Styrofoam Bans are Sweeping Across the Nation,” expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) is polystyrene expanded by 95 percent air.
Typically this is used in takeout food containers, packing material and dishware. Plastic foam consists of styrene, a possible carcinogen according to the Environmental Protection Agency. An estimated 90,000 workers come in contact with styrene every day, a level of exposure that can lead to damage of the central and peripheral nervous systems. According to a 2014 National Toxicological Program report styrene is also believed to cause leukemia and lymphoma cancer. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, plastic foam is ranked as the second most-costly material in the U.S. for environmental production. The production of plastic foam is energy
intensive therefore releasing large amounts of greenhouse gasses into the ozone layer, damaging it and causing air pollution. According to “The Environmental Impacts of Styrofoam,” written by the The Green Events Commission (GEC) Student Union, plastic foam is the main pollutant in most bodies of water. Due to its lightweight nature, the wind can easily pick it up and deposit it into oceans where sealife may ingest it and suffer injuries, or even death. According to WOWT in 2017, more than 11 tons of debris and trash was extracted from the Missouri River by a group of 150 volunteers. Of the four miles they cleaned out there was 28
cubic yards of plastic foam chunks. Both the middle schools use plastic washable trays that are much more affordable than the accumulated cost of refilling Styrofoam plates. According to Megan Thompson, the director of nutritional services, the dishwashers at the high school are old and inefficient, making them unable to keep up with the demands of washing trays. PCHS needs to step up to the plate and use our budget to purchase more efficient and durable dishwashers. This solution will benefit the students and planet. We rely on the natural resources that plastic foam is killing, and PCHS needs to do its part to solve this problem.