February 2017 U-Times by Utimes

U-Times U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave University City, MO 63130

U-Times Feb. 2017 Volume 27, Issue 3

NEWSMAGAZINE

Audio production class takes root in library By Linsey Sparks Staff Writer Music plays a monumental role in the lives of students today, so it is no surprise that there is a group of seven students who are taking their passion for music to the next level. One student, Alex Cunningham, junior, took the idea and ran with it. Thus was the birth of the Audio Production independent study. “All of us want to do audio production or some form of audio production and make it a career,” said Cunningham. Cunningham originally pitched the idea to principal Susan Hill and she was all for it. Hill and Cunningham came together and decided that the students would play their beats at assemblies/pep rallies and would base their grades on successful completion of requirements. “There is no time for error and no time for slacking,” said Cunningham. Although the class is only offered second semester this year, Hill would love for the independent study to become a class next school year. Not only is Hill in full support, but so is the technology department. The software, FruityLoops 12, could not be downloaded onto the Chromebooks because they don’t have enough storage, which means students needed completely new and different laptops. Now they have them, thanks to the technology department. Hill has a multitude of ideas for this class and wishes for it to branch out to other forms of audio production. There is a closet next to the makerspace in the library (where the independent study is held) that she envisions as being turned into a recording space. Hill wants to soundproof the walls and even get a light so it is apparent when people are recording and when they’re not. Hill is excited about the independent study because she wants students to be as creative as possible--in and out of school. “There is no reason why school can’t be a place where you do things that you love and you enjoy and get credit for it,” said Hill. The students in the class aren’t just anybody. Cunningham actually hand-picked them because they all have a passion for audio production. One of the class’ main goals is to get someone to pay attention to the students so their careers can go to the next level. They have started putting themselves out there and will have their own websites in the near future where people can listen to their beats. The students in the class also have a YouTube channel where they upload daily vlogs. Cunningham said, “We are having fun, but at the same time know when to get down to business.”

2-3

Opinion/News •The new Jim Crow •Alternative facts

•Latin convention •Military ball

While recording and making a beat at the same time, Amoray Cunningham, Khyler Cross, Alex Cunninghham, Mason Lewis, and Makini Morrison play back the track. “We were able to take elements of the beat and use them to enhance Mason’s audio recording,” said Moorison. PHOTO BY SYDNEY LUCAS

Listening carefully to make sure sounds flow smoothly, Alex Cunningham, junior, focuses on a new beat. “If you don’t feel it, it is not going to come out right,” said Cunningham. PHOTO BY DIASIA HOWARD

IN THIS ISSUE

4-5

Valentine’s •What singles

and couples do on Valentines Day

Melodies come naturally for Darrion johnson, junior. “For me it takes about 10 or 15 minutes to make a beat,” said Johnson. PHOTO BY RHYAN HAYNES

•Modern dating •He said/She said

Reviews • ‘Twin Peaks’ • J. Cole

• ‘Fences’

7-8

Sports/Features •Winter sports wrap up

•Tattoos • Struggles of student athletes

February 2017

opinion

STAFF EDITORIAL

Alternative facts define new reality

he Browns are the best football team ever. LeBron James sucks at basketball. Everybody in the country is extremely excited for the Trump administration. You may be shaking your head right now, but don’t worry, these aren’t lies, they’re “alternative facts.” In a recent press conference, Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, went after members of the media who disputed the crowd size at the inauguration. First of all, this doesn’t really matter to anyone or anything but Trump’s ego. Second, Spicer just flat out lied. “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration. Period.” Spicer said. Many different sources, including a good pair of eyes, debunked his statement, along with other lies in the same press conference. We know that Trump has dodged the truth and outright lied during the campaign and certainly throughout his life, why would it surprise anyone that this trait would follow him to the Oval Office? But this is when things get interesting. In an interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd, Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s senior advisor, defended Spicer’s statement with

this wondrous phrase. one of the main reasons he originally ran “Sean Spicer, our press secretary for president was because of the jokes gave... alternative facts...” Conway Obama made about him during the White explained. House Correspondents Dinner in 2011. Naturally, Todd grilled her about that An entire book could be filled idea, but these events do not bode well with worrisome things about our new for our government. We knew Trump was president, but there’s no space here. definitely not going to be a great, or even Rather, we can work to make a difference good president. But he surrounds himself in our country. No, the citizens can’t do with people who are just as bad, and much legally aside from vote or run for deceptive, as he is. office ourselves, but we can still make a With Trump’s history of lies and difference. deceit, many people across the country First, we can make sure everyone have every right to be skeptical of the is aware when they are being fed future. If he keeps it “alternative facts,” or up, the people will news. We are told Finally, we must hold onto fake lose whatever trust not to believe everything our beliefs throughout the we hear on the internet, they had in him, including many of his next four years. No matter but still there are former supporters. out there who what they are, we should stay people Low approval rates honestly believe some true to ourselves.” have been linked to really crazy things. an inability to get For example, an entire things done in Washington. Not only scandal started because of a fake news that, but presidents can be impeached for story about Hillary Clinton. People on lying. Reddit began to believe that Clinton, Another worrisome thing is how along with officials in the DNC were self-conscious our president is. Just running a child-sex ring in the basement because reporters thought that the crowd of a pizza parlor. Even though it was was small, he, or his administration, debunked, many people believed it, decided to have their press secretary go including one man who entered the store, out there and lie to the people. Not to armed, with intentions to kill. This is just mention, many people speculate that one example of fake news getting out

of hand. Also, many claim that Donald Trump was elected because of fake news, which certainly played a large part of the election. Second, we can hold politicians responsible for lying. Though this will mainly focus on journalists, ordinary citizens can still help. Not only can we protest and vote, but we can also contribute to those in the government who we do like. By not taking their statements at face-value, and staying educated about what they are doing, we can do our best to understand their actions. Finally, we must hold onto our beliefs throughout the next four years. No matter what they are, we should stay true to ourselves. Even though we have a president who lies, cheats, and seizes whatever he wants it seems, there is no excuse for us to reciprocate his bad behavior. He technically represents us as a country, but he certainly does not represent us as individuals. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson states that the power of the government is in the hands of the people. After all, this country is called America, not Trumpland. Even though we may feel hopeless, this is still our country. Find more news and photos online @ utimesonline.com

Jim Crow is alive and well in 2017 By Kaya Blount Staff Writer After many viewers sat down and watched the documentary “13th” directed by Ava DuVernay, it became clear how much the history of race relations in this country really affected the present. Obviously, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and all of the other activists who fought to end Jim Crow were successful in their fight to end the blatant racism of the laws, but Jim Crow hasn’t disappeared at all. He’s just adopted a new face, and he’s called the criminal justice system. Slavery hasn’t left either, it’s now called incarceration. According to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Prison’s December 2016 data, African Americans make up roughly 13% of the U.S.’s population. Despite this, around 37.9% of the prison population is black, according to the Federal Bureau of Prison’s data from December 2016. White people make up about 77% of the population in the U.S., and they make up around 58.6% of the prison population. Many people read this and think “Oh, there are more white people in prison; therefore the criminal justice system is actually more unfair

2016-2017 U-Times Staff Co-Editor: Lucy Wurst Co-Editor: Kathryn Fuller Sports Editor: Julian Albright Web Editor: Julian Albright Staff Writers/Photographers: Linsey Sparks Daniel Pomerantz Jake Giles Kaya Blount Nicole Holahan Adviser: Mrs. Mary Williams

The country’s incarceration rates have toward white people.” gone up exponentially since 1970 in state The fact of the matter is, there are prisons, and that can be attributed to the more white people in America than War on Drugs, initiated by ex-President there are black people, so the reality of Richard Nixon. there being more whites than blacks in Information gathered from the prison is proportionally correct. What Atlantic and Factcheck.org found that isn’t proportionally correct is the amount while Nixon did introduce the Drug of black people living in this country Enforcement Administration, mandatory versus how many are in prison. Black sentencing and no-knock warrants, it people should only make up around wasn’t until 1996, when the Clinton 7% of the prison population, not nearly administration altered section 1208 of 38%. After doing the math using these the National Defense Authorization statistics, I found that black people are Act, were the police 5.1% more likely than white people to be All in all, our criminal justice allowed easier access arrested and taken to system doesn’t have much to to military-grade jail. While this data is equipment. Obviously, alarming, the history do with justice at all. It never we’ve seen this behind it is worse. has, and it never will unless misused many times This issue stems in recent history-- from we make some changes. back a very long time, Ferguson to other way back to “The Birth of a Nation” (1915, peaceful protests across the country. originally entitled The Clansman), in While marching from the Loop to which a “black” man (who was actually a Washington University during a protest white guy in blackface) was depicted as a on Oct. 19, 2016, there were some rapist and a criminal while the KKK were police officers dressed in full riot gear. depicted as heroes who would save the Most were wearing their normal blue white race from the Negroes. uniforms, and others looked like they The narrative of black men being seen came back from Iraq. It was truly a jarring experience. The march started off as rapists is in the media a lot, from the peacefully and ended that way as well; book “Native Son” by Richard Wright to the memorable trial of the Central Park there was no need for such an excessive Five, and this narrative has proven to show of force. But police militarization is be extremely harmful in this country. often much more than just a show.

Philosophy The newspaper’s primary obligation is to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of the issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. While establishing U-Times as a public

forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision-making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper. Inasmuch as the student staff encourages constructive criticism of any part of the newspaper, authority for content rests in the hands of the student members of the newspaper staff. Students will not publish material considered to be legally unprotected speech, or libel, obscenity, material disruption

In 1980, before the Clinton administration lessened the paperwork police had to go through to get military equipment, there were only around 3,000 raids by the Special Weapons and Tactics (or SWAT) team per year in the U.S. Now, there are around 50,000 per year (or 137 a day), and roughly 50% of the homes invaded are occupied by black or Latino people. All in all, our criminal justice system doesn’t have much to do with justice at all. It never has, and it never will unless we make some serious changes. The first thing we as citizens need to do is to stop and watch police encounters. Most are peaceful and quick, but the fact of the matter is, police officers are less likely to even think about using excessive force if they have an audience. Another thing is talk to our representatives and legislators. There’s no reason the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act should’ve passed in 1994, but it did. There doesn’t have to be another one-stay active in the political process. Don’t talk about change, make change. At the end of the day, the government works for the people, not vice versa. We don’t have to let them run amok, they serve us. Many Americans tend to forget that fact, and in our current political climate, it’s an important thing to remember.

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Policies Opinions expressed on the editorial page do not reflect the viewpoints of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Signed editorials, columns, editorial cartoons, and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the U-Times Editorial Board. The U-Times

reserves the right to reject, edit, or shorten letters. Submit letters to Mrs. Mary Williams in Room 346, or to any U-Times staff member, or to marywilliams@ucityschools.org.

Contact Us We are located in Room 346 at University City High School, 7401 Balson Ave., University City, MO 63130. Our email address is marywilliams@ucityschools.org. Tweet us or follow us on Instagram @utimesonline.

news 3 ‘Royal Ball’ crowns court for first time

February 2017

Junior and senior AF-ROTC cadets take leadership role in planning military ball By Nicole Holahan Staff Writer After attending Gateway STEM High School’s military ball earlier this year, the AF-JROTC cadets were inspired to add some new activities to their event held at Clayton Plaza Hotel on February 4. The event was organized by the junior and senior cadets, who chose the food, theme, decorations and games. One of the new activities included the crowning of a court. Dominic Bryant and Angela Smith won as the sophomore prince and princess, Tyreese Smith-Spearman and Jordan McNeil were named the junior king and queen, and Tyreese Wynn and LaQuanda Anderson were the senior king and queen. “I was pretty happy to be crowned and the fact that they said it was a close call for the sophomores and seniors but not the juniors,” said McNeal. “I was relieved that I was called but I wasn’t really worried because I had so many supporters.”

Another event added was a new version of a scavenger hunt where 10 people brought their chairs out onto the floor and were then told to go find an object, like a brush, driver’s license or a sexy black heel. While the competitors were finding the objects, one chair would be removed and whoever was left standing was out. The last person sitting received $25 for winning the game. During the first round, the last two people remaining were Dominic Bryant, sophomore, and Allecya Boulia, senior, and the object was a U. City school ID. Bryant and Boulia ended up wrestling for the only ID in the room and Boulia won in the end after knocking the chair down. “Most people don’t bring their ID but one girl threw hers to Bryant and he dropped it,” said Boulia. “I just really wanted that $25.” Col. Thomas Henson, AF-JROTC teacher, was impressed by the work the cadets put into the preparation of the event. “I hope that the cadets feel well,” Henson said. “They did a great job and it worked out very well.

At the beginning of the ball, Tailor Peoples, senior, gave a speech. “I told the teachers how much I appreciate them,” said Peoples. PHOTO BY SIERRA TYLER

Starting the party, Angela Smith, sophomore, dances to the Cupid Shuffle. “We were enjoying ourselves instead of being boring and sitting,” said Smith. PHOTO BY NICOLE HOLAHAN

Dancing with the guests, Deasia Watson, junior, enjoys her third military ball. “Out of the three years I’ve been, this was the best,” said Watson. PHOTO BY NICOLE HOLAHAN

Latin Club hosts new convention to build community By Lucy Wurst Co-Editor

Rowan Hoel, Ben Shostak and Leah Zukosky, sophmores, made Shostak into a Hydra, which is a creature in Greek mythology. “During the costume contest Rowan and I decided to join in on the decorating,” said Zukosky. PHOTO BY LUCY WURST

U. City experienced another first this year when the Latin Club hosted a convention, called the Gateway Classics Convention, on Sat., Feb. 4. High school Latin students from Clayton and John Burroughs came to compete in a variety of activities in hopes of developing a stronger sense of community amongst area students studying Latin. The event was planned by the Latin Club with co-presidents Leah Zukosky and Rowan Hoel, sophomores, taking the lead. They determined the schedule, planned the activities and listed the necessary supplies. “It was really stressful, Rowan and I spent a ton of time planning and trying to make the festival perfect.” said Zukosky. “Whenever anything didn’t go the way I thought or the plan changed, I freaked out.” Activities included a costume contest where students picked a historical figure or mythological creature and used given supplies to mimic that person.

Students also participated in Latin pictionary where groups drew pictures and team members guessed the Latin word that went along with the drawing. Along with impromptu face painting where students depicted a latin related figure on their partners face. Lastly, certamen ran throughout the whole event. Certamen is a Latin quiz bowl, where students are divided into two teams and asked a variety of Latin and mythology questions. “ I strongly believe that students get the most out of school when they get the opportunity to do things for themselves,” said Matthew Tuths, Latin teacher. “It was awesome that I could step back and count on them to put together this convention.” Tuths hopes to expand the convention each year by getting more students involved. “I had such a fun time from start to finish, and I think I can safely say that this was true for all attendees, both students and teachers,” said Tuths. “It was just a great group of people and our students planned engaging activities that made everyone

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All you need is

LOVE

Dating takes turn due to increased use of technology By Lucy Wurst and Kathryn Fuller Co-Editors Valentine’s Day is an opportunity for individuals to share their affection for the people they love. For many people, love is shown through chocolate, teddy bears and flowers, but for some, love is displayed through text messages, Snapchats and Facetiming with their significant other. With the rise of technology use, time spent face to face with your boyfriend or girlfriend has decreased and dating has become more electronic. For Maleak Johnson, junior, saying “I love you” to someone over text is an effortless way to express his feelings. “I’ve said ‘I love you’ over text because everyone does,” Johnson said. “It’s easier.” However, Johnson feels as though technology and relationships don’t mix well when it comes to other people’s lives. “I feel like technology in relationships is negative,” Johnson said. “People abuse it. They want you to Snapchat and text them 24/7 and people lurk on other people’s Instagram.” For Johnson, the amount of time he texts or spends time with his significant other depends on whether or not they go to the same school. “If the girl I’m talking to doesn’t go to our school, I will see her every weekend,” Johnson said. “Seeing them at school affects the amount of time I text them. If I get tired of seeing them at school, I need a break and won’t text them after [school].” Some high schoolers go farther than just talking to somebody online, they try to meet people online using dating apps. Destiny Martin, junior, used the dating app “Hot or Not” her freshman year. “I wanted to know if somebody was interested in me,” said Martin. “It worked for a little bit. I never actually met anyone in person because I was too young.” Looking back on the way she tried to meet people online, Martin said, “Dating apps are popular but not

good, It’s better to meet someone in person.” Maintaining a long distance relationship in high school can make you feel like the only way to communicate with each other is online. Adrianna Patrick, senior, and her girlfriend Amber King, who graduated from Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, only saw each other every other week in the beginning of their relationship. “Early in our relationship we’d Facetime and text more than we saw each other,” said Patrick. “It sucked not to see her as much, but now that she has a car it helps, and Facetime seals the gap.” Even though Patrick uses technology in her relationship, she still believes it has a negative effect on relationships. “People take things others post too seriously,” said Patrick. “It’s not that deep. The second people break up with somebody, they post that they’re single or stuff about the other person. They should know it’s okay to have a private life.” For Kelsi Bryant, junior, and boyfriend Darrion Smith, senior, they use technology to an advantage in their relationship. Their main form of communication is Facetiming and texting. “We Facetime a lot and I see her, but I’m not actually with her a lot, said Smith. “Before, we texted a lot so I decided to ask her out over text because I thought it would be easier.” Bryant feels technology has allowed her to stay a lot more in touch with her boyfriend. “By using technology, you can stay connected with them all the time but it’s easy for people to be in your business online,” said Bryant. Although technology can impact a relationship both positively and negatively, Patrick feels that technology has caused people to become out of touch with reality. “Technology has a negative impact, everything is taken too seriously and people can’t even date like normal,” said Patrick. “When you go out on a date, put your phone down and enjoy their company.”

Dating Apps With the rise of technology, the use of dating apps has become an accepted way to meet people. Check out some of the more interesting ones.

Bumble: The woman always makes the first move and if interested, both parties need to swipe right. With 3.5 million users, Bumble is becoming a more popular dating app.

Tinder: This app is the equivalent of speed dating. You

are presented with a quick profile of a person and a few pictures; you swipe right if you like what you see and left if you don’t. Each day there are 1.4 billion swipes. If two people swipe right that makes a match, and 26 million matches are made daily.

FarmersOnly.com: This dating site is for singles who live in the country and the slogan is “City folks just don’t get it!” The site claims they offer “cowboy dating” or “traditional dating.”

Christian Mingle: With 10 million members, Christian Mingle is the recipient of the 2016 Dating Sites Reviews Editor’s Top Pick Christian Award.

Language of love “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

“We love because it’s the only true adventure.” -Langston Hughes

“We accept the love we think we deserve.” -The Perks of Being a Wallflower

“When you fall for someone’s personality, everything about them becomes beautiful.” -Tupac “Vote Love means vote equality. It means vote change. It means vote what’s right for humanity.” -Macklemore

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” -Dr. Seuss

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” -The Fault in Our Stars

What do couples do on Valentines Day ? Kelsi Bryant, junior, and Darrion Smith, senior

Givion Crawford and Precious Jamerson, sophomores

“We have a basketball game and then we are going out to eat at Hooters.”

“We are planning to go on a date to Olive Garden and the movies.”

Cree Caston, senior, and Devon Perry, junior

Kaylyn Little and Daivion Crawford, freshmen

“We’re going to the movies and then out to eat at Red Lobster. I don’t know what he’s going to get me, it’s always a surprise.”

“We will probably go to the movies, to my house and chill, or go out to eat or bowling.”

HE SAID / SHE SAID How do you know when you’re in love?

How do you know when you’re in love?

What is your ideal date?

“A picnic in the park.”

“Going to see a horror movie.”

What is the most attractive quality in a person?

“There’s a special feeling you get about somebody that makes you only want to spend time with them and nobody else.”

“You get a feeling that’s like butterflies in your stomach. Something in your mind tells you that this is the one.”

“Their personality is important and how they treat others.”

Gage McGinnis, sophomore

Valentine’s Day top 5 playlist 1. “Crazy in Love”Beyonce 2. “All of Me”- John Legend 3. “Stay With Me”- Sam Smith 4. “That’s Love”- Chance The Rapper 5. “Love Song”- Sara Bareilles

“Their heart and their personality defines them.”

Whitney Huling, junior

What do singles do on Valentines Day ? Authority Childs, sophomore

Selena Lewis, junior

“I will be sitting at home playing video games to help deal with the fact that I’m still single on Valentines Day. Just something to do to pass the time so I won’t be bored.”

Da’sha Bland, junior

“I’m probably going to go on a date with my friends to the Peacock Diner.”

“I’m going to see the “50 Shades Darker” movie with my cousins. Then I’m going home to relax.”

Cory Barber, freshman “First I’m going to the store to buy chocolate and then cake mix. Then I’m going to put it all together and give it to my friends. And then go home and think about life.”

February 2017

entertainment

REVIEWS

‘Twin Peaks’ original TV series By Kaya Blount Staff Writer

The mystery of “Who killed Laura Palmer?” is alive and well as David Lynch reboots the 1990’s TV series,“Twin Peaks,” due to premiere in May on Showtime. Watching the original, now available on Netflix, will keep you hooked. Like most Netflix shows, the best way to get caught up on the original is to binge watch. However, this isn’t a show to binge watch-- the episodes administer a lot of information at once, and in order to get the full experience, it’s best to sit back and digest it a bit. That, and entering the trippy universe David Lynch created in this cult series can be a little much. Lynch is known for his exhaustive scripts, meticulous camera shots and immersive plots which often leave people on the edge of their seats in a state of visceral reaction, whether positive or negative. “Twin Peaks” is no different. Taking place in the made up small town of Twin Peaks, WA where FBI agent Dale Cooper investigates the death of homecoming

queen and town sweetheart Laura Palmer. Every character is three dimensional, His investigations lead him to uncover even if they’ve only got four lines in the Twin Peak’s deepest, darkest secrets. The entire show. However, this can be an plot arouses a sense of curiosity within issue. Lynch has a habit of telling the the viewer as well-- especially since the story behind every tree branch, and the very first episode, entitled “Pilot,” begins lore of the series becomes so convoluted with Laura Palmer being found dead it’s hard to follow at some point. The wrapped in plastic on an open beach. first episode, “Pilot,” is an hour and a “Pilot” is so overrun with raw emotion and half long, and that was a long hour and a sense of urgency as a half. I often had to the town rushes to the show and The cast of characters goes stop find Laura’s killer. rewind, since it’s on and on from there, and they such an experimental Enter Dale Cooper, FBI. Cooper show with a very each have their own story is an eccentric agent in-depth plot. There to tell, which is a part of the whose unorthodox were points where I reason the show feels methods of was watching “Twin investigation actually Peaks” and I was so realistic. get him pretty far hopelessly lost-- as in in terms of finding I couldn’t even take a a killer. Then there’s Sheriff Truman, an guess as to what was happening. honorable man who wants the best for On top of the complicated and his town (and he’s taken the position of mystifying plot, the acting wasn’t my sheriff following in the footsteps of his favorite, either. Maybe actors had a father and brother). There’s Josie Packard, different criteria to live up to in the 1990s, a Chinese-American woman who gained but here in the 2000s, they definitely authority of her late husband’s logging wouldn’t cut it. business after he died, and Bobby, Laura’s One of the cringiest scenes in “Pilot” former lover, who’s comparable to Bender was when Sarah Palmer, Laura’s mother, from “The Breakfast Club.” The cast of received the news that Laura was characters goes on and on from there, murdered. The scene itself was likely only and they each have their own story to tell, thirty seconds to a minute, but it felt like which is a part of the reason the show an eternity. Sarah was in her kitchen, feels so realistic. screaming “My baby!” at the top of her

J. Cole

By Daniel Pomerantz Staff Writer

Most “fire” rap albums don’t have songs about folding clothes. On J. Cole’s new album, “Foldin’ Clothes” is not the only song that sets it apart. This new piece of musical artwork,“4 Your Eyez Only” uses double narratives to tell Cole’s friend’s life story through his own personal lyrics. This 10-song masterpiece highlights Cole’s social awareness and street smarts. He opens up by speaking honestly about him and his friend’s mistakes with relationships, drugs and gangs. Showing his vulnerability, Cole has a way of making adolescents contemplate their life choices, and what they may need to change. He speaks about hanging out with the wrong crowd, and how rap music saved him from jail, mentioning the people in his life who weren’t as fortunate as him. He also confronts the topics of police, drug dealers and race relations in America. One of my personal favorite songs from the album is called “Foldin’ Clothes.” The song is an ode to his wife, Melissa Heholt, and the

couple’s shared love for their newborn daughter. Cole essentially tells the love of his life how much she means to him and how he wants to do anything, such as folding clothes, to make her happy. And in a world where doing the “wrong thing” is common, Cole would rather do the “right thing” because it feels so much better. “It’s the simple things,” he sings. That’s what Cole wants. A simple life, after a fairly complicated life in his past. The album comes to an end with a nine-minute long “4 Your Eyez Only.” Cole raps with raw emotion and remorse as he speaks to a newly deceased friend’s daughter after her father’s death due to his criminal lifestyle. The song shows the protagonist’s determination to provide for his family no matter what the cost. Throughout his career, Cole has stressed the importance of loving those around him, which continues into this great song. He explains that his friend was a real man only because of his unrestrained love for his daughter. This album is Cole’s most unique musical breakthrough, and will go down as one of his best works. Cole’s demonstration of humility gives strength to whoever chooses to listen, allowing them to witness the power artistic honesty, and some sick beats.

lungs. It sounds heart wrenching, but it was poorly executed. It was obvious that Grace Zabriskie, the actress who played Sarah, was acting. It didn’t feel real at all. The same goes for Dale Cooper, the main FBI agent in the first season. His character was a good idea, but Kyle MacLachlan’s acting falls short. It does get better later in the series, but it’s hard to stomach for the first few episodes. Overall, “Twin Peaks” is an amazing show with an extremely mesmerizing plot and fascinating characters, but too much of a good thing can do harm. The plotlines can be engrossing, but with so many details and trivialities flying at the viewer so quickly, it can be hard to keep up with the show. The acting isn’t top-notch, either-- at some points it’s painstakingly obvious that the actors have memorized a script and are regurgitating their lines for the camera. Season 3, the reboot, is set to come out May 21, 2017, and from what I’m hearing, it’s worth watching. David Lynch and Mark Frost are both coming back to direct the reimagination of the series, and it’ll be 18 episodes on Showtime. Hopefully, the show can make the necessary changes to keep younger audiences involved, but not lose the spark of originality that drew audiences in 27 years ago.

‘Fences’ By Jakob Giles Staff Writer Adapted for the big screen from a Pulitzerprize winning play, “Fences” is sure to win some awards of its own. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis both give stunning performances as they bring to life the August Wilson play. The movie tells the story of an African American man, father, brother, and friend, Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington), as he weathers the ups and (mostly) the downs of life. Set in the 1950s, Maxson finds that racism, poverty and family values, among other things, stand in his way. His wife, Rose (Viola Davis), stands alongside him and helps him along his way. Though his relationship with his sons are strained, he cares deeply for them, along with his good friend Jim Bono (Stephen Henderson). The actual plot is not as important as the thought-provoking dialogue peppered throughout the film. From lines such as “some people build fences to keep people out, some people build fences to keep people in,” to “death ain’t nothing but a fastball on the outside corner,” the movie’s dialogue is rich with philosophical thought. The movie tackles large social issues such

as race, family values and mental health. One of the biggest conflicts between Troy and his son is football. His son was recruited by a college team and is eager to play. However, Troy was a baseball star in his prime but denied a shot at the MLB because of his race, refused to let his son play. Rather he wanted his son to find himself a profession he could use throughout his life, which would be untouched by racism. Also, his wife of 18 years, Rose, expresses her concern about having children with different mothers, which Troy had done. “And you know, I never wanted no half-nothing in my family.” Rose explained here that she didn’t want to see her children have half-brothers, sisters, or mothers. The play also hits on the problem of mental disorders. Troy’s brother, Gabriel, had been injured in a war causing a permanent mental disorder. Afterwards, Troy had to take care of him. There was thoughtful conversation about taking care of him and how they should go about that. The movie itself doesn’t have much original content, but nonetheless, these topics are still important in our country. Denzel Washington, the lead, also directed the film, though the work behind the camera was short of exceptional. In 2010, both Washington and Davis did “Fences” on Broadway, only to win Tony awards for it. Why not do the same play on the big screen and win an Oscar?

February 2017 7 sports High school sports creates academic stress By Julian Albright Sports Editor It’s 6:20 a.m. and varsity basketball player Chanel Rice, junior, wakes up for school. Rice understands that school is crucial, which is why she makes sure everything is ready to go the night before. “I already have my school stuff together, with my basketball stuff and my outfit,” said Price. At school, Rice tries to get as much work done as possible. That means homework during class, before practce, and on the way to games. “I usually don’t have a lot of homework when I get home,” Rice said. Keeping up with her classes makes it easier for her to relax, take her time on the small amount of homework she might have and getting everything ready for the next day. Probably the overall biggest challenges of playing high school sports are balancing all the different aspects of teenage life.

“Time management and my social life are the hardest,” said junior wrestler Jonathan York. Other athletes agree with him such as junior track runner, Caleb Perkins. “I don’t have time to do other things in my outside life,” said Perkins. It takes up so much time.” When athletes are too busy to hang out with their friends after school, they have to find alternate ways to see them. “I make my friends come to my volleyball games and I work out with my friends who also play sports,” said Rowan Hoel, a sophomore volleyball player. School work also plays a big role in this balance. After all, the term is “student athlete,” and knowing that most high school athletes don’t continue on to play Division I sports, it is crucial that school comes first. “Keeping your grades up is huge,” said York. “Especially when you’re taking harder courses.” However, balancing sports with

social life and school is not the only complication of high school sports. The majority of high school athletes also need to obtain a good mental toughness. A good number of high school sports, even though there is a team, tend to be a lot more individual. Track, cross country, tennis, and wrestling are just a few. “With individual sports, you get in what you put out,” said York. Athletes can feel a lot more accomplished when they are performing better because of their personal effort. That being said, students who are performing well in their sports cannot let it go to their heads. “When you’re doing good, it’s harder to concentrate on other things,” said York. When an athlete is doing well, it would be natural for sports to consume their thoughts, and for them to focus on how well they execute next time. On top of that, student athletes have to deal with celebrating and publicity because lots of attention is drawn to them and it

is easy for that to go to their heads. They can become cocky, or overconfident, and focus solely on their sport, instead of balancing it with school. Celebrating their successes also plays a role as a possible distraction. “Whenever I win, my parents usually take me out for dinner,” said York. Celebrating can take an athlete’s mind off school and sports, and too much celebrating can lead to inadequate performance in both. Neverthless, there are many benefits to being a high school athlete and a great deal of reasons students stick with it. “High school sports are cool because you meet new people, stay in shape and learn new things,” said Maleak Johnson, junior, who plays soccer and runs track. Staying in shape is a huge part of it, as well as keeping kids out of things they shouldn’t be doing. “It’s a good way to keep people out of trouble,” said Josh Randle, sophomore.

WINTER SPORTS WRAP UP Wrestling

Boys Basketball

The wrestling teams current record is over .500, standing at 9-6. Led by captains Jonathan York, junior, and Tramel Harrell, senior, the Lions competed in several tournaments across the state. One of the most noted events was their second place spot at the Priory Tournament. York and Harrell, including teammate Gabriel Sekou, are predicted to qualify for state this year. The state championships are only for the best of the best, so the Lions will have to keep muscling through to give their best to state. Harrell said, “We don’t want to just go to state, we want our guys to go out and win state.”

The boys’ varsity basketball team started off their season with a 5-game losing streak. In addition, the season presented many obstacles, such as minor suspensions and injuries, but the biggest was when senior captain Tarontate (T.J.) Crockett suffered a leg injury and was out for a few games. “It hurt us as a team, but we were able to win without him,” Darrion Smith, senior co-caption, said. However the Lions continued to work hard and push through another demanding season. “We having been coming together more as a team farther on down the road,” said Smith. One of the highlights of the season was a 3-point loss to Parkway West, who knocked the team out of districts last year. “Now we know we can beat them,” Wallace Simmons, senior, said.

Varsity basketball player Wallace Simmons, senior, shoots a free throw in the home game against Confluence Prep. “I knew from the time the ball left my hand that it was going in,” said Simmons. Simmons is averaging 7 points per game. PHOTO BY The main goal of sophomore, Peter Zhang’s wrestling season is to go to state. But, that’s not the only reason he wrestles. Zhang said, “I like the idea of defeating someone not physically, but mentally.” PHOTO BY JERMARCUS PERKINS

Girls basketball

Pivoting away from the opponent, Michelle Shores, junior, gets ready to score. “The most exciting thing about this season is being one of the leading scorers,” said Shores. Shores is averaging 9.1 points per game. PHOTO BY TANEYA PARKER

In a difficult conference with a powerhouse teams like Parkway Central and Clayton, the Lady Lions have to give 110% to compete. Two juniors, Michelle Shores and Chanel Rice have stepped up, along with Sharee Herrod, senior, to lead the Lions in scoring. Rice is shooting almost 60% from the 3-pt. line. “Every time we need it, Chanel makes a quick three to get us back in the game,” JaTori McIntosh, senior, said. On the defensive end, Diasia Howard, junior, leads the team with 5.3 rebounds per game and 2.5 steals. Although their record is 5-13, the girls have had many close games and are ready for districts.

JERMARCUS PERKINS

Girls Swimming

Girls swimming may be one of the most unrecognized sports at U. City, but after coming off last year with six swimmers, the girls were ready to take on this season with a new team of 13. The swim team did not have the season they hoped to have with a majority of losses, but swimmers like Emma McMahon aren’t only there to win. “It’s great exercise,” said McMahon. Swimming gives you good cardio work outs, and is a prime way to burn calories. Swimming is also easy on your joints so your knees, wrists, and and ankles stay healthy.

Finishing her first year on swim team, Emma McMahon, freshman, thinks of how she wants to improve in future seasons. “I want to shave off more time and get faster,” said McMahon. PHOTO BY KATHRYN FULLER

February 2017

features

Tattoos at the U Students get inked to remind themselves of things they love

U-Times U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave University City, MO 63130

U-Times Feb. 2017 Volume 27, Issue 3

NEWSMAGAZINE

Angela Smith, sophomore On New Year’s Day, Smith celebrated by adding two new tattoos to the one she already had. The birds on her right forearm is a matching tattoo with her best friend. The other tattoo on her left wrist is a volleyball. “I love volleyball,” said Smith. “It is my life.” These are just the beginning of Smith’s tattoos. She plans on getting more, including her grandparents’ and siblings’ names.

Jayiera McBride, junior Alex Portnoy, senior A few months ago, Alex Portnoy, senior, proclaimed his love for water polo by getting a water polo ball tattooed on his upper arm. “Water polo is important to me,” said Portnoy. “I’m going to become a water polo coach.”

In July, junior Jayeira McBride acquired her very first tattoo. A rose sits on her forearm awaiting others to join. “Each year I plan on adding a rose to create a sleeve,” said McBride. Besides the roses, McBride plans on getting her favorite quote as well.

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Kaleb Loggins, sophomore Sophomore Kaleb Loggins shows off his first and only tattoo. The tattoo takes up most of his forearm. Loggins, being a promising young archer, decided on an arrow for his first tattoo. “I figured my archery career was exploding,” said Loggins. “So I decided to commit.” This is the first of many future tattoos for Loggins. PHOTOS BY LINSEY SPARKS AND KATHRYN FULLER

Just Dance

At the Military Ball, Denise Washington and Aliyah Mitchell dance to the Wobble. Military Ball coverage on page 3. PHOTO BY NICOLE HOLAHAN

Roneya Fortune, senior

The reason behind Fortune’s tattoo was to remember her brother who passed away. “I wanted to have something to remember him by that’s going to live with me forever,” Fortune said. PHOTO BY LINSEY SPARKS

February 2017

features

Tattoos at the U Students get inked to remind themselves of things they love

U-Times U. City High School 7401 Balson Ave University City, MO 63130

U-Times Feb. 2017 Volume 27, Issue 3

NEWSMAGAZINE

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Just Dance

At the Military Ball, Denise Washington and Aliyah Mitchell dance to the Wobble. Military Ball coverage on page 3. PHOTO BY NICOLE HOLAHAN

Roneya Fortune, senior