The Rock - February 2019

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The Student Voice of Rock Bridge High School Since 1973 • 4303 S. Providence Rd. Columbia Mo. 65203 • Vol. 44 Issue 4 • February 22, 2019

ALLIE PIGG / THE ROCK

FANNED OUT: Sophomore Genney Zheng smiles joyfully while participating in a traditional Chinese dance that took place during the eighth grade visit to RBHS Friday, Jan. 25. The group consists of students in various levels of Chinese classes. Students often practiced in the east atrium during class time in anticipation for their performance for Global Village happening today.

Global Village celebrates RBHS cultures Ben Kimchi and Anna Xu

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SARAH KUHLMANN / THE ROCK

CPS redistricts attendance areas Anna Xu

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lthough still nearly two years in advance, with the addition of a new middle school to take place in the 2020-21 school year, redistricting attendance areas is top priority for the school board, according to RBHS principal Dr. Jennifer Rukstad.

The school board voted Feb. 11, 6-1, in confirmation of the slightly modified Option 2 plan after comments from the public in both strong affirmation and negation toward it.

Another implementation plan regarding the transferring procedures and transportation passed, as well.

Chief Operations Officer Randall Gooch estimates the cost of the transfer policy will be $200,000.

“We have given the community time to be involved in the process, to adjust and be prepared for implementation,” Gooch said.

“Throughout the process, the work and the method and the cooperative strategies have been praised by the many stakeholders through the different events. This is a process that they’ve used throughout the nation.

It has proved to be solid.”

REDISTRICTING, P3

olumbia Public Schools ranks fifth in diversity out of all Missouri school districts, according to niche. com. In celebration of the district’s cultures, RBHS hosts an annual Global Village week.

Starting first block today, students will showcase booths to display culture and bring international food to students. This year marks the 27th Global Village, assistant principal Dr. Lisa Nieuwenhuizen, who oversees the festivities, said.

“Diversity is the spice of life, and I think valuing diversity and celebrating it is always a positive, and I think it lets kids know that we care,” Dr. Nieuwenhuizen said. “It’s something the whole school can get involved in, and it gives people the opportunity to experience stuff they might not ever get to do.”

The Global Village week began with International Art Day featuring henna, Japanese

origami and Ojo de Dios. Yesterday, the Global Village fashion show brought bright colors from around the world during both lunches.

Today, students will perform different global dances. Originally arranged for Wednesday, the dances got rescheduled for today due to the snow day on Wednesday. The India dance group, Khali Beats, will bring upbeat music, traditional clothing and Indian dances to RBHS, senior Kavin Anand said.

“For me, it’s a great, memorable way to finish my high school journey, getting an opportunity to dance with my close friends on stage,” Anand said. “Considering the rest [of our group] are seniors as well, it’s likely a fun way to blow off steam and enjoy ourselves before the next chapter of our lives."

Incorporating cultures from around the world is a focus for senior Shawn Yeh. Yeh is the president of International Cultural Organization (ICO). The ICO helped Dr. Nieuwenhuizen make Global Village possible.

GLOBAL VILLAGE, P3

2019-20 class schedule revisions due March 1 Katie Whaley

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riday, March 1 marks the last day for students to change their schedules for the 2019-20 school year, Director of Counseling Betsy Jones said.

Course request forms were due Jan. 25 for rising seniors and Feb. 1 for rising sophomores and juniors, but the March 1 deadline allows students to make alterations to their original forms. “[The March 1 deadline is in place] because we have to decide how many teachers we need, request [full-time-employees] and hire teachers,” Jones said. “So, if students make changes after all those decisions are made, then we can’t offer the courses that the students want.”

For the upcoming school year, Jones said an increase in student population will affect the flexibility of scheduling. Currently, there are 1,933 students matched with 112 full-time teachers (FTE) and 11 part-time faculty members. Jones

said student enrollment will increase 100 students, which equates to one FTE; however, RBHS does not plan to hire any additional teachers. Because of that increase, Jones said the counseling department must hold kids tight to their initial choices.

As a rising senior, junior Anya Kumar worried more than in the past about picking classes this school year. Though she understands why the counselors need a deadline, she felt the time frame was too constraining.

“Being able to change classes whenever would be helpful because you don’t really know what a class is going to be like until after the first unit test,” Kumar said.

“Having to have a finalized schedule by March 1 means you just kind of have to hope that you made the right choices.”

While Jones sympathizes with students stressed by scheduling, to ensure there is enough time to complete the master schedule, she said a strict and early deadline is necessary.

“We are frantically trying to get everything entered and correct,” Jones said. “Then we give Dr. Rukstad numbers and then they start making decisions.”

These decisions, which are made from March 1 to the end of the year, involve the department chairs and RBHS principal Dr. Jennifer Rukstad. After obtaining the number of course requests, it is the responsibility of each department

COMMENTARIES . . .P6

IN-DEPTHS. . . . . . .P9-12

SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . .P17

Sincerely, Me: Sophomore Saly Seye and seniors Ann Fitzmaurice and Katie Whaley pen letters to themselves.

A bitter pill to swallow: Students speak on pursuing careers in medical fields, the impact of HPV vaccinations and prescription culture.

Splitting up: Girls' and boys' wrestling will use the 201819 and 2019-20 school years to split into two separate, gendered wrestling teams.

head to determine the number of classes offered, class sizes and caps, classrooms and which blocks these classes take place. Dr. Rukstad provides parameters for the department heads. For example, one parameter Dr. Rukstad sets is common planning time where teachers must align a block to collaborate with other teachers of the same subject.

SCHEDULING P3

JARED GEYER / THE ROCK

BEARINGNEWS For fast, fresh, daily coverage of RBHS news, sports, and more,

visit www.bearingnews.org .

INDEX . . . NEWS. . . . 1 EDITORIALS. . . . 5 FEATURES . . . 7 COMMENTARIES . . . . 8 IN-DEPTH. . . . . 11 SPORTS . . . . . 16 A&E. . . . . 18

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NEWS | 3 Overpopulation at RBHS limits schedule choices SCHEDULING P1

[SOURCE: FEB. 11 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING]

ANNA XU AND SARAH KUHLMANN / THE ROCK

Future redistricting affects CPS students REDISTRICTING P1

High school lines changed slightly, with 90 students directly impacted in the gradual implementation process.

The transferring procedures aim to grant students a four-year high school education all at the same school.

Current high schoolers are free to remain at their school for the remainder of their four years. Affected rising freshmen, however, must make a choice. They can either go to one school for their freshman year and transfer their sophomore year or go to their new high school a year early.

Freshman Braeden Songer lives closer to RBHS, but his neighborhood will redistrict to Hickman.

Songer has a brother in eighth grade who will eventually transfer to Hickman, something he feels would be extremely inconvenient.

“We would have to have both [of] my parents go in different ways,” Songer said, “and they work at the same place so they will have to travel a lot more.”

Because the decision passed, Songer said his family plans to move to avoid the impending change.

“We will probably move and find a place that is still in the RBHS district, so my brother can still be with his friends and stuff,” Songer said.

“We were kind of going to move anyway, but this made it faster.”

Dr. Jennifer Rukstad, RBHS principal, said redistricting is always a contentious time for the community; however, it is necessary. Currently, RBHS is overpopulated and next year the projection shows the addition of 100 students.

“The process is a really emotional process for the community because people have identities with their high schools,” Dr. Rukstad said. “Our buildings have a capacity. Numbers alone, we have to redistrict because the city doesn’t always grow in a nice, distributed fashion.”

Besides separating siblings between schools, there are other controversies related to the redistricting plan. While Option 2 received a 64 percent positive feedback overall, there was still a 27 percent disapproval rate and more than half of those said they “strongly disapproved.”

The least approval came from Battle High School. Before the vote, some Battle administrators, teachers and students expressed concerns to the free and reduced lunch rate.

According to Option 2, Battle High School’s free and reduced lunch population would raise from 54 percent to 55 percent whereas in RBHS, this rate would drop from 24 percent to 18 percent.

Former Battle High School counselor Amelia Howser called it “structural oppression.”

The socio-economic imbalance disturbs RBHS sophomore Shruti Gautam; she said the disparity among high schools is unfair and disagrees with the redistricting plan.

“If you have too many of the high status in one school, that school is going to get most of the funds and see most of the changes,” Gautam said.

“The entire purpose of redistricting is to have some sort of equity, and if you get rid of that, then what’s the point?”

Redistricting called for other changes to RBHS, Rukstad said.

One of the most dramatic changes involves Jefferson Middle School as students will filter to Hickman, not RBHS, and it will abandon its traditional school structure.

“Jeff[erson Middle School] is going to be a magnet or what they call a lottery school,” Dr. Rukstad said.

“There will be a portion of Jeff that is a neighborhood school.”

Jefferson Middle School will also transition to a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) school and complement the three lottery elementary schools, Benton STEM, Lee Expressive Arts and Ridgeway, Community Relations Officer Michelle Baumstark said.

Students who live in the Jefferson Middle School district will fill the school to around a 48 percent capacity, but to fully utilize the middle

school, the plan projects 238 students elsewhere in the district will opt to Jefferson Middle School, according to the board meeting presentation.

Although Gautam does not support some aspects of the plan, she said it’s impossible to please everyone, and families should still play along even if it means switching schools.

“My sisters are going to have to go to [the new] middle school instead of Gentry even though my parents want them to go to Gentry,” Gautam said.

“But you have to respect the district’s decisions because they can’t just look out for one individual. They are trying to do the best for the whole.”

Redistricting has and will continue to take place, Dr. Rukstad said.

She remembers in 2000 when RBHS added floor space to alleviate then overcrowded Hickman. In 2013, with the addition of Battle High School came another round of redistricting as junior high schools and middle schools restructured to six middle schools that would feed into three high schools. Now, with a new middle school for 2020, redistricting is once again inevitable.

“Our city keeps growing and changing,” Dr. Rukstad said. “You have to react and predict what the growth will be in order to keep your buildings from being underutilized or overutilized. That’s the main reason we redistrict.”

“So the department chairs work together on their singletons and doubletons to try and spread them out and not schedule them [overlapping],” Jones said.

After the department chairs complete an excel spreadsheet including the scheduling information, Jones converts it into another more detailed master schedule that considers each student in preparation of the fall.

“Typically, I have a completed excel master schedule by the time everyone leaves for the end of the school year, and then it gives me the end of the school year to the end of summer to get it built,” Jones said. “We run students through the scheduler, [and then] we go back and clean up conflicts.”

Because the process to plan for the next school year involves so many moving parts, Jones said they cannot deal with the added variable of students switching classes. Additionally, next year’s projected increase in student population brings the concern of teacher shortage.

“Next year we’re going to be bigger than ever, so I do have sophomores who are very upset because we’re mandating that they have an [Alternate Unassigned Time (AUT)],” Jones said.

“They cannot have eight courses because we have to guarantee seven courses for every student, and we just can’t guarantee that [if] kids are going to be able to take eight full blocks.”

Senior Jessica Krekeler did not have an AUT her sophomore year and, instead, opted to fill her schedule with science classes like Honors Biology and Honors Chemistry to take AP Biology her junior year. Being able to load all eight blocks with classes let Krekeler take advantage of as many classes she could.

“It should be the students’ choice whether they want to take on the heavier load or have an AUT,” Krekeler said.

While Kumar sees the need for staff to plan for the next school year, she still believes students need more time to make selections. This year students received their class request forms Jan. 15.

Rising seniors had fewer than three weeks to complete them.

“One thing that would make choosing classes a little easier is having teachers talk to students about their classes,” Kumar said.

“Two of my science teachers did that, and it was really helpful because they were able to describe the content of classes and the difficulty of each one.”

RBHS volunteers show diversity through food, dance GLOBAL VILLAGE P1

Yeh has worked to bring charity to RBHS. “This year, we added more things like charity donations [to Global Village],” Yeh said. “We focus on charity water. We’ll have a donation for places that don’t have clean water. [The booths allow for] people to know different cultures and [what] it’s like for them.”

Yesterday was the fashion show, organized by English Language Learners (ELL) teacher Lilia Ben Ayed.

“Each year we get more countries, more models,” Ben Ayed said. “I remember probably ten years ago we used to have about 30 models; now we have over 50 models each year.”

Global Village holds special importance to Ben Ayed as she immigrated to the United States for college from Tunisia, a country in Northern Africa.

Traveling the world and exploring unique cultures is a passion of hers; each year she is excited to share some of that experience during Global Village.

“I think it’s important for the body of students to discover the diversity because a lot of students do not know that we have students from over 30

countries around the world,” Ben Ayed said.

Junior Lina Kim transferred from South Korea during her sophomore year.

She participated in the South Korea booth last year and plans to do the same this year. Not only is she excited to share the culture of her country, but she also loves the teamwork aspect. “[When I did the] Korean booth, I got to know more Korean people here,” Kim said. “Like, I didn’t even know they spoke Korean. I got to make friends [through] teamwork.”

Global Village also helps Kim remember life in Korea. While she loves RBHS, Kim said she misses certain aspects of her home country.

“I miss the food there, and I miss the special lunar new year,” Kim said. “Over [in Korea], everyone would celebrate it, but here they never have it.”

Sophomore Jeanne Sobiek, although not involved in Global Village, is equally excited to visit each of the booths and participate in the numerous activities like she did last year.

“I love all the food there, and I like how diverse it is,” Sobiek said. “We get to know about the different cul-

SOPHIE EATON / THE ROCK

TO THE BEAT: Senior Daniel Schroeder, junior Kanchan Hans and senior Drew Thomas perform at the Courtwarming assembly Feb. 14 after many practice sessions. Hans also choreographed a song in the dance Marjaani. tures from them instead of being just taught it like, I love that.”

Alongside students, district administration, community members and parents work to make Global Vil-

lage a reality.

Dr. Nieuwenhuizen said their involvement makes the festival even more sensational.

“It’s always sort of hectic getting

it all pulled together because there are a lot of moving parts,” Dr. Nieuwenhuizen said. “But then when it does, and it’s good, then everybody is just like, ‘Oh, wow,’ this is so cool.”

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EDITORIALS | 5

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Send out schedule information earlier

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ith schedule deadlines sory teachers and senior mentors were still in the rear-view mir- not given optimal time to spend with ror and the online change freshmen to advise them in the decision request deadline quick- making process. Additionally, assuming ly approaching, students are becoming that students are supported in schedmore and more frustrated with the state ule making at home by their parents or of our guidance department. While the guardians is wrong. As much help stuoverwhelming nature of this busy season dents can get while in school, the better.

Columbia Public Schools should be for school counselors seems daunting, a solution seems outlandish; however, all hiring more guidance staff, especially we must do is give scheduling informa- at the high school level, to better this process.

It’s tion to students unfair to expect and their famiShould schedule materischool counsellies before winals be handed out before ors to manage ter break.

Christmas break? writing letters It’s unreaof recommensonable to asTHE ROCK STAFF VOTED dation for their sume students seniors, orgawill not benefit YES — 21 nizing their stufrom more time dent’s next two to make their NO — 7 or three years schedule.

Alof high school, lowing students, and setting stuespecially underclassmen, ample time to plan out their dents up for success in the post graduate next year’s schedule is key to their long world, all the while fulfilling the needs term success. If a student wants time over of any student who walks through their winter break to best outline the necessary doors in need of help. Our guidance staff courses he or she need to set themselves is required to wear too many hats and a up well for college, why aren’t we allow- seven hour school day is not enough time to balance all of those tasks. ing that extra time?

For this reason, we do not propose Beginning the scheduling process before break also ensures the guidance that the deadline is extended further into department can allot time for snow the spring because it’s understood that days. Between late starts, ice days and course requests make decisions regardan unpredictable Missouri winter, guar- ing hiring and firing. Starting earlier may anteeing freshmen have enough time help to ease the bombardment of work in advisories to navigate their first real on the counselors in such a short period scheduling experience is just unrealistic. of time. The deadline should remain the Because of the number of missed and same, the opening date should just move shortened A and B days this year, Advi- up.

Red, white, flu: dangerous vaccines are ruining America Katie Whaley

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merica, please stop hurting children.

As a nation that proudly stands for freedom — that fights for it — you sure do brutalize kids and jeopardize the future of life itself so much. Children receive the punishment of America’s immoral choices because politicians continuously ignore nationwide acts of hate. Despite your nation’s protests this past year, you continue to recklessly endanger children. Please, end this cruelty now before the next generation perishes as well and also blindly succumbs to your tyrannical beliefs. Please, quit vaccinating children.

It is unethical to require immunization of every child born into this country. Just because a few policymakers voted vaccinations were essential to the prevention of diseases does not make it legitimate. Political figures are versed in law, not medicine; the saying is “Doctor’s orders,” not “Senate’s orders.” Lawmakers do not know what is best for the health of all American people — they don’t even have PhDs. What’s best for the country is removing the regulation of immunizations. Vaccinating a child should be a lifestyle choice, not a requirement for living itself. For years, a myriad of powerless families has only watched as doctors pricked their newborn babies with an endless array of needles. Denying those families of their right to choose their children’s future

is cruel and unsympathetic. It’s un-American.

As a heterogeneous nation preaching the ideals of individualism, America, you should understand the moral and significance of personal preference and free will. The Founding Fathers forged you from these values. Have you forgotten? Stealing newborns from their mothers upon birth and forcing unwanted medicine into their bodies to instill irreversible effects does not mirror your ideology. Renouncing individuality in an attempt to solve a problem the wrong way is plain stupid.

There is no harm in allowing parents to determine their child’s immunity. Most of the diseases barely exist anymore anyway. Like the dinosaurs and civil wars, polio, yellow fever and tetanus have pretty much gone extinct; there have been no epidemics of these illnesses for decades. And it’s no secret that the 2014 “measles outbreak” at Disneyland, California was a marketing ploy by DreamWorks in order to get more park-goers to Universal Studios.

Even if the illnesses had a sudden comeback, they’ll be isolated cases and won’t affect many people thanks to the process of herd immunity.

When at least one person has been vaccinated for a specific disease in a community, the vaccine will also act and protect everyone around that person. Children do not need immunization if their parents have already received them; immune parents, by living with their kids, create an invisible bubble that surrounds the child and wards off all harmful bacteria in

the air. The bubbles expand from person to person as people walk past each other on the street or sit by each other at a restaurant.

As long as one person in a city has gotten an antibody for each disease, as their bubble will extend from person to person, everyone is safe.

Besides, even if an individual contracted a disease, treatment for any illness is excruciatingly simple. For instance, acupuncture with porcupine quills can cure the common cold, a person can regrow severed limbs by concentrating really hard and drinking herbal teas at 3:00 a.m. outside of a Taco Bell reverses the symptoms of every STD. There is no disease that can’t be stopped with a little hot yoga, a kale diet and an unwavering, JoJo Siwa positive attitude. The government is up in arms about the significance of vaccinations, yet no illness reaps horrible consequences because every disease is

Letter to Editor: Offer advanced math opportunity for sixth grade students

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he opportunity for young, asNow, why would CPS try and repiring middle schoolers to take move this wonderful program? Well, math that is three years more the reason is apparently that it is more advanced than their grade is an in- important to engage in social activicredible one. It allows them to ties rather than do higher math, and dip their feet in higher math kids who do higher math tend when the math for their to be socially awkward. So grade might be too easy basically, the district is for them. But there is saying that “nerds are soa teeny problem with cially awkward, so why this problem. The not remove them of good problem is that it’s math.”

ON C I going to be removed.

This is both hypocritical D UN SO E / RO URC

The Rock

Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd. Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 46, Issue 4 February 22 2019 Population: 1,934 Students, 190 Faculty Circulation: 1,600 Contact information: Phone: (573) 214-3141

Website: bearingnews.org Advertising: $50 — 1/4 Page $100 — 1/2 Page $150 — Full Page $200 — Back Page The Journalism Newspaper and Honors Seminar classes produce The Rock, Bearing News and Southpaw. The paper’s purpose is to accurately inform, educate and

Editor’s Note: The math coordinator for Columbia Public Schools, Dana Hibbard, stated in recently published article on Bearing News that Algebra 1 would not be available to sixth graders because of decreasing enrollment numbers in the course.

and ridiculous. Hypocritical because the school actively tries to eliminate stereotyping. They try to advocate to eliminate of racism, discrimination, sexism, and all of the other stereotypes one could make. And this is great, don’t get me wrong, but then why do they make outrageous stereotypes like students who take higher math are awkward.

And this brings me to my next point— the socially awkward thing is absolutely outrageous. For one, the

enlighten readers in an open forum. The Rock is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Quill & Scroll.The Rock accepts letters to the editors from its readers regarding any possible issues of concern in the publication. If you have a letter to send, email it to contact@bearingnews.org.

Limit entries to 400 words.

The Rock reserves the right

so easily defeated. It’s not like getting tuberculosis or smallpox has ever killed anybody.

The biggest worry now is not contracting these diseases, but citizens exercising their innate right to manifest destiny. America, release your totalitarian grip on society and allow them to have a say in their own lives.

Everyone, please stand up against vaccines.

Uncle Sam is corrupt for enforcing unnecessary medication onto innocent infants. Take your children to Antarctica where no government exists and live peacefully until America makes amendments. That’s the only way to survive.

children who do wish to seek higher math who are “socially awkward” will do the same higher level classes later on. So by removing the option for Algebra as a 6th grader you’re just prolonging the “social awkwardness.”

And not all kids who do high level math are socially awkward. In fact, it might be better for the kids to do to this higher math. Being in math that the student already has a mastery of might open opportunities for arro-

to reject material based on standards set by the staff.

Editors-In-Chief: Ann Fitzmaurice Ji-Sung Lee Emily Oba Katie Whaley Business Manager: Ethan Hayes A&E Editor: Ben Kimchi Commentaries Editor: Saly Seye Editorials Editor: Ethan Hayes

Features Editor: Maddie Murphy In-Depth Editor: Bailey Stover News Editor: Anna Xu Sports Editors: Ann Fitzmaurice Ji-Sung Lee Emily Oba Katie Whaley Art & Design Editor: Moy Zhong Multimedia Editor: Kai Ford

gance, and might allow the student to “flex” or show off to their peers their superior math ability, which would make something even worse than “social awkwardness.”

So all in all, the opportunity for sixth grader to do Algebra is a wonderful one, and definitely should not be removed. And while the program itself has problems (i.e.) the infamous test), none are bad enough to kill the program.

— Anthony Wu, freshman Staff Writers: George Frey, Jared Geyer, Atiyah Lane, Isaac Parrish, Will Napier, Jordyn Thompson Artists: Reece Furkin, Sarah Kuhlmann, Isabel Thoroughman, Valeria Velasquez Photographers: Camryn DeVore, Sophie Eaton, George Frey, Allie Pigg Multimedia: Matthew Burns, Isaac Parrish, Jack Speake, Alyvia Swearingen Adviser: Robin Stover

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FEATURES | 7

Childhood tales affect adult morality

R

Bailey Stover

aised by parents from South Sudan, freshman Mabior Akuiem grew up in Kenya before moving to the U.S. in 2015. From folk tales about how a mustache became stuck on a person’s face to his father’s life story, Akuiem absorbed the world around him and processed it in his own way, allowing the experiences and morals he heard to shape him.

“Most of [the tales I grew up with] were talking about the future, like how growing up is hard and everything,” Akuiem said.

“And how life can be hard when family is not there and how you should always rely on the family and people you love.”

Megan McKinstry, an Associate Teaching Professor of German at the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC), believes in the psychological power of stories.

While she said the narratives children hear growing up have tremendous influence on their moral compass, the continuous evolution of tales can lead to a chicken and egg dilemma regarding how hearing narratives during youth affect one’s morality.

“Do the stories reflect the zeitgeist of a certain cultural moment, or do they create that cultural moment?”

McKinstry said. “I suspect the answer is ‘both.’”

During his time in Kenya, Akuiem noticed everyone in his neighborhood worked together, and parents would treat every child equally. The lack of favoritism he experienced in his community taught him to treat others with respect and kindness, regardless of how well he knew them. Akuiem said the lessons his community taught him and the variety of information he absorbed improved the person he is today.

He believes the lessons he learned made him more thoughtful and conscious than he would have otherwise been. Rather than jumping headfirst into a decision, he carefully considers the pros and cons, weighing his options and reflecting on how his choices will impact himself and others. While he believes some people are “just born nice to help each other,” Akuiem also said others “were not born nice and then they create themselves” by paying attention to the world and to the people around them.

“Those stories really made a difference ‘cause … every story that [I was] told always ends about being nice to each other and helping each other out,” Akuiem said. “And after you hear those over and over and over you feel like if you help each other, maybe their life will be better every time and they’ll help you next time if you have a problem.”

Communities also exist not only at a local scale, but on a global one, as well. Political, religious and social beliefs can influence the course of nations and drastically impact the world in which parents raise their children.

For better or for worse, the culture one is exposed to during youth can impact the person he or she becomes later in life.

Growing up in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s, Dr. Monika Fischer, a professor of German & Russian Studies at the UMC, was raised in a time of social upheaval. Unlike those before her who the Catholic church greatly influenced, Dr. Fischer said her generation “turned away from the authoritarian, patriarchal church structures.” In German and

Russian folklore, fairy tales and childrens’ stories, Dr. Fischer said “genderized messages” are a common theme, especially in more antiquated and traditional tellings of a tale.

“Girls stay home and take care of men and children and are chaste and obedient to men; men go out and have adventures,” Dr. Fischer said. “You can see a good example of a feminist retelling of a fairytale by Angela Carter [in] The Donkey Prince or Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince. These are tales reflecting and questioning societal norms. Oral tales have no known author and are much older thus reflecting older societies.”

As German society changes, McKinstry said parents now are less worried about “sparing the rod and spoiling the child” than those in earlier generations. One difference between German and American society, McKinstry notes, is German parents tend to hover less than American parents and focus more on guiding their children toward independence.

With today’s global market, traditional tales can be translated from language to language and adapted to fit another culture, allowing children from around the world to share the same favorite books.

“In general, I would say that German parents do tend to be less worried about prettifying stories for children than Americans,” McKinstry said. “This becomes most apparent when you compare their Grimm’s fairy tales with our Disney-fied, princess-ified versions.

They are more likely to believe that their children can handle it. But the days of using stories to frighten children are long gone, and German parents are really quite gentle these days.”

An avid reader from an early age, junior Faith Koo grew up experiencing the world through the combined lens of American and Korean culture.

Still, some of the narratives she heard as a child were similar no matter what language they were told in, like the tale of Cinderella where the heroine must perform three seemingly impossible tasks before she is able to attend the ball.

“We have a set of Korean books at home.

I’d ask my parents to read because I am not fluent in reading Korean,” Koo said. “But as in for English since they’re both Korean, my dad speaks English and he’s a professor at MU so he has to read and stuff like that, but my mom doesn’t speak any English or read any English at all, so I read a lot of English books on my own time.”

Mischievous animals in Korean literature, like a disobedient frog who would not listen to his mother’s wishes, helped teach children the ways of the world by explaining why frogs croak in the rain or why sparrows hop, much like author Rudyard Kipling’s array of explanatory children’s stories.

Regardless of a narrative’s language or culture of origin, tales oftentimes seek to explain the world in a way children can easily comprehend. Koo also recalled recognizing the repetition of characters in both English and Korean culture. Evil authority figures, like a king or a sato, “clever little people,” both children and “shortie” adults, as well as virtuous, hard working people filled the pages of storybooks throughout her youth.

“I never paid attention to the morals. Like, Grimm’s fairy tales, it’s very obvious. Don’t eat stuff that people give you if you don’t know them. Like Snow White, she eats an apple and then—bam, she’s in a coma because she trusted this one old lady that she thought was nice.

I guess [there are] virtues in the stories,” Koo said. “[So in the frog story], more than just Why Frogs Croak in the Rain, it’s more telling you to pay attention to your parents and follow what they say because if they die you’re going to be forever burying their bodies. It’s like the same morals: don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal, don’t murder or else you’re going to die.”

Childrens’ tales teach the youth of a generation. A country’s own history acts as a tale in its own right and can shape a child’s ideologies and understanding of right and wrong based on the model of the world he or she grows up around. Nationalism and patriotism, Dr. Fischer said, as well as the tales of heroes, politicians and military feats help to influence one’s

allegiance to a place. Germany’s past taught how balanced governments with a multi-party system and an independent media are necessary to maintain a balance of power.

“In the case of patriotism, it is positive and inclusory and simply pride in one’s homeland. Nationalism excludes, creates enemies and hierarchies and feeds on fear and negative views of the ‘other,’” Dr. Fischer said. “Folktales focusing on regions and ways of life can create a feeling of belonging that does not create hierarchies of which culture is better but celebrates what is.”

The stories a nation consumes have the power to shape that region’s future. The former East in Germany, McKinstry said, represents an “interesting cultural experiment” since a goal of the socialist government was to control the narratives children and adults heard. The government did this under the belief it could influence future generations and make them “naturally be better socialists.” McKinstry said these tales taught discipline and generosity and encouraged community-minded values. Stories can also take the form of stereotypes, which are often difficult to dismantle once they solidify, by depicting something or someone as inhuman or playing into pre-existing assumptions about a certain group of people, McKinstry and Dr. Fischer said.

“We’re always trying to make sense of the world as we experience it, and we wish [that] consistent rules would apply,” McKinstry said. “When they don’t exist, we make them up.”

By experiencing a combination of American and Korean culture, Koo said she, and others in similar situations, are potentially more open-minded and accepting of ambiguity in the world than others who may have only been exposed to one culture during their youth. At the same time, Koo said she feels like a person raised in multiple cultures is not accepted fully by either.

Reared on a combination of morals from collections CK RO E such as Aesop’s Fables, H /T AN Hans Christian Andersen’s M H UG ISABEL THORO books and the Grimm’s Fairy Tales as well as traditional Korean legends, Koo improved her understanding of the differences in behaviors and cultural politenesses present in American and Korean society.

“Plato had this idea of there’s a bunch of horses on the earth, [so he philosophized that] outside of this earth there must be the perfect creature horse, like this perfect horse, from which all horses are derived from,” Koo said. “So I guess like if you think about it, there’s like this one central, perfect story and then different cultures interpret that story. And I think that I just learned more than one side of it.”

Through Akuiem’s experience in Kenya and America and his exposure to such diverse arrays of cultures, traditions and languages, he recognizes that while people may appear to act the same, they are unique and different in their own idiosyncrasies.

Akuiem sees people on a wide spectrum of “nice” and “mean,” and he accepts that no two people can ever be exactly the same. “[Reading and hearing stories] makes me understand how the world works. . . understand other cultures. . . understand the other part of people, like to understand when someone’s saying something [it helps me] to understand, try to understand it on her or his perspective,” Akuiem said. “And it made me kind of nice and kind to everyone, try to treat everyone the same, like how I would like to be treated.”

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

8 | COMMENTARIES

Sincerely, Me

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

To a s pirit at unr est

Saly Seye

Y

REECE FURKIN /

THE ROCK

To my naive, insecure freshman self life than you thought. Every decision you made he decisions you made in the brought you the conyear leading up to ninth grade sequences. You didn’t will throw you for a curve ball practice hard enough to you never could've predicted. You earn a good place in band. You were thought that just because you had a aggressive and dominating with your bunch of friends that you were safe friends, and they recoiled. You were and secure, but that seemed to be the one that forced them together, your ultimate and you predownfall, tended you didn’t it? You Listen, happiness is not having lots of were the sole let yourself friends. Happiness is not always havleader of evbecome vul- ing something to do, and happiness erything. nerable, and is not allowing yourself to be used so E v e r y your insecu- you feel like you’re doing something move you rities fed into to prove your worth. made and your everyevery word day life. You you said was let yourself fall for a dumb boy (okay, for attention. The classic tale of kids two dumb boys) and you were wrong needing attention because they didn’t for it. get enough at home was your reality.

You had more control over your You knew your flaws, and you pretended to be an incurable extro-

Ann Fitzmaurice

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40

vert to try and hide them. You acted like a ruler when you should have acted like a friend. After a year or so, you will accept your mistakes and move on.

The two dumb boys, however, will be harder to move on from. They were not your fault. Both left their marks on you with their unknowing abuse. You accepted it because you thought it was what you deserved.

It wasn’t what you deserved. It will take you three-plus years to overcome this, but I don’t know if you will ever truly be over it.

Those nights you spent sobbing in your bed wondering why

you weren’t good enough were real.

To him, you weren’t good enough, but that’s not your fault. It was never your fault. It was him.

Your feelings were valid. You weren’t in the wrong to feel worthless. You buried your insecurities in seeking attention from dumb boys and none of your friends were there for you to help you because they didn’t know you. They only knew the person you put out. Only two friends have ever been consistently there for you. Please never let them go and thank them more often.

Listen, happiness is not having lots of friends. Happiness is not always having something to do, and happiness is not allowing yourself to be used so you feel like you’re doing something to prove your worth. You were not happy; you were deeply depressed and scarred. You thought you peaked, but the best was yet

to come.

You struggled for a couple of months. You relied on a friend who always kept to herself, and she allowed you to take her to the school dance when all your “friends” went without you. You never thanked her enough for that. Without her, I don’t quite know where you’d be right now.

The entirety of freshman year you had a clouded vision of what was real. No, your friends were not real and yes, that was partly your fault.

No, the “love” one dumb boy had for you was not real and yes, he was using you.

You never know what’s going to happen until you get there. You can only take days hour by hour. Stop looking towards the future and worrying about what is to come. Things have a funny way of working themselves out.

percent of our happiness

is under our control

66

[SOURCE: HAPPIFY.COM]

33 reported being happy in 2017 percent of Americans

[SOURCE: TIME.COM]

percent of teens are

afraid of the future [SOURCE: STAGEOFLIFE.COM] ISABEL THOROUGHMAN / THE ROCK

our life is a messed up, outrageous, unhinged TV show. You experience comical moments matched with devastating events. For every minute you spend in euphoria, another minute of despair awaits.

It’s mystifying how passive of a role you play in your own story. If this were Glee, you wouldn’t be a Rachel Berry or even a Quinn Fabray. You’d play a supporting role like Lauren Zizes or Brody or one of the new kids from season six whose names no one remembers: Present, but not laying a foundation to the plot.

There are people you would do just about anything for. Your friends are, without a doubt, some of the most important people to you. Everything you think about seems to focus on making someone happy.

But, honestly, how many of those people love you just as much as you love them?

You do your best to offer support to your friends when they’re sad. You think hard about what you say and carefully do what you can to help them when they come to you for advice.

You’d balance your computer on piles of unfinished homework to brainstorm solutions for someone else’s assignment.

You try your absolute hardest to go above and beyond for your friends.

Yet not all of them do the

same for you. Half your friends send you something like ‘that sucks’ or ‘I’m sorry’ when you come to them hoping to find a good listener. Too many people whose hardships you’ve tasked yourself with carrying treat you like you’re nothing. You keep so much to yourself because you don’t think people care anymore.

This isn’t a ‘woe is me’ type of deal, either. I’m not saying that no one cares about you or that you’re being intentionally used by malicious people. But I do think you’ve been taken advantage of by people who were never willing to return the kindness and effort you put your life on hold in order to give them.

You do not have the emotional capacity to pour yourself into other people the way you do. You’re consciously aware of that.

Maybe that’s why you feel perpetually incomplete, like something’s missing. You must stop ignoring it; it’s nagging at you for a reason.

The past 12 months of your life have been excessively traumatic. You spent last February through May in a bitter, soul-crushing depression. Your weight plummeted as your outlook became increasingly bleak.

On April 2, you celebrated your 15th birthday. On April 3, you almost got admitted to the hospital because of how little you wanted to continue your 15th year.

Just three weeks later, a family member spent an entire weekend letting you know exactly how insignificant he thinks you are. He dedicated days to doing everything he could to make you feel minuscule, everything he could to make you feel worthless. You hung by a fraying thread, and he knew exactly that.

He sharpened his words and withered that thread to just about nothing.

It hasn’t even been a full year. The trauma this person subjected you to for years hasn’t fully stopped. He’s attempted to steal everything from you: your friends, your happiness, your

COMMENTARIES | 9

pride, your passions and most of all, your freedom. When you told him he couldn’t have any of it, any of you, a grueling chapter of your life ended.

Still, he forced his way into your novel and since then has concocted a story you want no part of. Yet here we are. Here you are. You’re hurting. You’re actively breaking down, and if you neglect to pick up the pieces, no one else will.

The truth is, you are not a complete person anymore. I can’t remember the last time you were. Just because things aren’t as bad as they were last year doesn’t mean you’ve healed.

You feel better because you’re training yourself to feel less.

You’ve taken your sadness and your fear and everything else and banished it. All you really know how to express is variants of anger.

Maybe that’s fair, but the anger doesn’t fill you. The anger guards everything else from surfacing; it’s a cardboard dam constructed against all the rushing, screaming, violent currents in the world. And you hate being angry, so you throw yourself into making sure other people don’t feel the way you do. You pretend you haven’t harbored rage from your past by making sure everyone around you is doing well; after all, you can’t deal with your own emotions if you’re keeping everyone else’s in check.

In shorter terms: They ask you how you are, and you just have to say that you’re fine, when you’re not really fine, but you just can’t get into it because they would never understand.

Right now, you’re on a bullet train making its way into the unknown. You’re on a fast track to forever, a place you’ll never know because it’s always in the future. All you have is you. Or me, because you and me are the same person.

Right now, you’re doing major disservices to yourself. You’ve taken on others’ pain by neglecting your own, very pressing matters. Don’t become callous or self-absorbed, but stop ignoring the healing you so badly need. Take care of yourself.

To the me I have yet to meet Katie Whaley

I

do not know how to tranquilize this continuous anxiety of worrying about how you are.

That is the most difficult hardship when it comes to you. Unlike past me, who I know has persisted through the toughest of times and looks up to me now with doe-eyed revere, I do not know anything about you. I would like to believe you are wiser than I am, that you have mastered the art of surviving college and that you think I am foolish to worry about you. But because you don’t even exist yet, it’s hard for me to take comfort in hope.

It’s different this year than it was any of the past years.

U s u a l l y, when I

think of me one year in the future, I still live in the freezing basement of my parent’s house, maybe I have gotten tanner, and I certainly am more mature and confident. Now, however, I am scared.

A year from now, I will be room-

mates with someone I do not know at a university I have not chosen and be majoring in a subject I have not figured out. It’s stressful.

This time last year, I thought I would have it all arranged because I would be a senior and surely as a 17-year-old, nearing 18, I would have a solid plan. But I don’t. And that makes me feel like I am failing you.

When I look at my peers, they all seem to have it figured out, or, at least, they know more than I. They have been posing with their colorful college banners on Instagram for weeks, boasting about how excited they are to attend #UniversityofMissouri. They have roommates already and a theme for their rooms’ aesthetics, and most of them already have a plan for what they want to do after college graduation.

It’s not like I don’t have the capability to organize my future. If anything, organization is my strongest ability. I just feel immense internal pressure to make the right decision as I fear thrusting you into a world that drives you into a corner of regret and misery. There’s no path laid out for me, no hashtag that calls my name, and I don’t know where to start looking for that road.

As if they think it would me make the right choice, my older relatives and parents’ friends keep splattering advice on me like I am a Jackson Pollock painting, hoping to fill in the blank canvas with a fruitful future. But their words are a paradox of contradictions, half-truths and obsolete memoirs. The image they create is intangible and impossible to interpret, and it only

raises my blood pressure whenever a new relative asks, “Hey Katie, what are you doing for college?”

I wish their input would drip right off the picture, so I could paint my own. Instead, they cling onto the portrait in a clash of unrecognizable shapes and empty meanings, and I have to tediously draw around them. The weight of their coating, of their opinions, weighs me down further and clouds my vision from seeing you.

It’s difficult to visualize what you want when everyone treats you more like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel than an autobiography.

There are external burdens, too. You are the oldest child and, consequently, the first to attend college. My parents will use you as an example to your younger brother, and your aunts and uncles will do the same with your cousins.

You have to shine brightly so that they feel encouraged, too.

Even worse, I know you’re still a shy, little introvert. We’ve always been timider and reserved. I ponder a lot about whether or not to have a close-knit group of friends as I have now, someone to walk you to class, to eat dinner together and someone to share your kindness and horrible jokes with. It would be reassuring to imagine you as braver than I am. That you could walk up to anyone and just instantly hit it off. But it seems impossible that I could change so drastically for you, even though you would benefit greatly from it.

Though I worry for you, I am also envious of you. I have all the hard choices to make. It’s me who’s facing a mountain and being forced to climb without any experience, while you have already made that venture. I know I will eventually end up where you are, but I am jealous that you have already surpassed all the challenges.

You know I have never moved before, and I cannot imagine what it will feel like. I hate change and I find amenity in routine. You are probably the same, but any changes for the next three years for you will not be as strenuous as come August for me.

At the end of the day, I just want to make you happy in any and every way possible. That is why this time is so stressful because I know everything I decide now will impact your contentment, and I just don’t know the right answer.

How can I make you happy? How can I make me happy? These are the questions I will be contemplating for hours on end, hoping desperately to find an answer I feel confident in.

My last words to you should be ones of resiliency and aspiration, but I am unsure that any optimism that comes from me now is genuine.

Forgive me as I spend time trying to decipher my emotions and thoughts and translate them into adult decisions about college and our future. I probably seem like I am dragging my feet to you, procrastinating, if you will, but I promise you I am doing my very best.

10 | FEATURES

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

Students flourish with support Bailey Stover

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rowing up about 20 miles south of St. Louis, Civic Studies and Debate teacher Ben Niewoehner spent his high school years deeply involved in extracurriculars and academics. Motivated and supported by his family, he pushed himself to excel as a way to make both himself and his parents proud.

Niewoehner said he knows his family supports him. Even when he has not made the greatest choices, their help and guidance remained a consistent part of his life.

His transition from high school to college meant not only moving to the University of Missouri—Columbia, but it also required him to reevaluate his ability to succeed in an academic setting. At least in the beginning, Niewoehner struggled through some of his general education classes.

Because of his theater minor, however, he found a supportive group of friends through his theater group, many of whom were upperclassmen.

As a freshman taking advanced theater coursework, Niewoehner said he and his classmates created groups with designated times to study for tests, to pull all-nighters and to write papers, all of which reinforced their understanding of complex material.

“I never really had to study for anything in high school,” Niewoehner said. “I quickly learned if I don’t study and apply myself in a different way in college, I wasn’t going to be successful.”

While Niewoehner had to learn those lessons on his own at college, RBHS offers support in the form of the Success Center. After serving as a guidance counselor at RBHS for 10 years, Melissa Coil began working in the Success Center as the Counselor for Student Support. In this position, she monitors students’ grades, their progress in classes and helps with any of their academic needs.

Regardless of a student’s race, gender or grade, Coil and the other teachers working in the room are ready to help him or her however they can. She said the male to female student ratio in the Success Center is even, and although the majority of students are freshmen or sophomores, upperclassmen sometimes choose to work in the Success Center as a way to hold themselves account-

GEORGE FREY / THE ROCK

PREPPED FOR SUCCESS: Counselor for Student Support, Melissa Coil, works with junior Sanaa’ St. Andre in the Success Center Feb. 14. able.

“Everybody that’s in here needs extra support, and for whatever reason in their life hasn’t been able to maintain school to the best of their abilities in the past,” Coil said. “And so this is kind of the place where they can get this extra support and start to gain some confidence in their ability to do their school work.”

A student’s home environment, Coil said, can have a significant impact on his or her ability to thrive academically. She dedicates each class period to help her students master homework and balance school work with other commitments. If she can accomplish this, then her students can focus on other aspects of their lives once they leave school each day.

Coil said she has never spoken with parents who would say they do not want their child to be successful, even if they do need extra help from them around the house. She and the rest of the staff in the Success Center try to “fill in the gaps” at school

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and act as a consistent support system for students who may otherwise lack dependability and stability in their lives.

“If you can’t go home and do homework because you’ve got to go work to help make an income for your household, or you have to go home and watch your little brother and sister because your parents work the third shift and you’re the only daycare provider, and that, you know, all of those things mean that school gets pushed to the side,” Coil said. “… for a lot of my kids, it just makes it hard to really do anything at home because of all the other extras.”

A 2012 paper from the Stand for Children Leadership Center, a nonprofit leadership development and training organization, showed how students with strong support systems are more able to excel academically without the added pressure of familial and monetary responsibilities than those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or who lack a positive

school environment.

With his passion for science and math, junior James Glaser had few reservations about taking on an Advanced Placement and dual credit course load, as well as an internship at a lab in the UMC physics department. Since his freshman year, Glaser has selected courses with the potential to open up new opportunities in the future to ensure his success.

Students who take a challenging course in one subject, Glaser noticed, are more likely to continue to take difficult classes in that subject and across the board than those who do not.

“I think also part of [taking rigorous classes] is to be surrounded with other people who are willing to take the hard classes because dedicating yourself to trying in the more difficult classes is a good trait.” Glaser said, “I think being around that’s good.”

In Coil’s experience, success is often a subjective term. For high achieving students, she said an A-

could not feel successful, while for other people that grade could be a point of pride. Meeting students where they are and working upward from their personal starting point can be difficult, Coil said, especially with students who have not had positive experiences in school in the past.

She believes students must first be able to come to a place of trust and vulnerability where they can openly and honestly ask for help before they can move forward to achieve their goals.

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Seniors struggle with applying to college, receive teacher assistance Emily Oba

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he frenzy of applying to college can become overwhelming for students who give themselves many options of schools. With financial aid, scholarships, applications and essays to complete, the list of things needed to finish can be long.

For senior Sejoon Jun, this was especially true as he applied to 24 colleges. Jun submitted early applications to four schools: three for early action and one for early decision. Therefore he started the application process in late July and early August.

“I definitely knew which [schools] I was applying to at the end of junior year,” Jun said. “Like a normal human being, I was overwhelmed even with applying to one school, and I definitely didn’t think that I was going to end up applying to 24.”

To stay on top of things, Jun said his parents were a crucial factor. They helped him with his essays and brainstorming ideas as well as filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

“Although my parents went to college in South Korea, they knew about the college application process here in the [United] States, which was how they were able to push me to stay on top of my game,” Jun said. “Also, my mother is good friends with other mothers who have sons that went to prestigious colleges.

She took in advice through their experiences.”

Jun had a lot to complete with 24 college applications but does not know where he is going yet. For senior Daniel Schroeder, however, he only had one school on his mind.

When Schroeder was starting his application process, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) was his top and only choice. His eye had been on it since middle school, as he knew he wanted to major in architecture. After learning he had been rejected, Schroeder lost track of where he wanted to go.

“I wouldn’t say I was on top of [college

applications], but I wasn’t a mess. I’d say I was controlled chaos in terms of the process,” Schroeder said. “I guess I didn’t really start [applying] until September, and I mean holistically. I really didn’t do anything to set me up for success last year, which I regret, but hindsight is 20/20, so I’m trying not to sweat it. I did early decision to CMU, and then went [to CMU] for an on-campus portfolio review, but after I got rejected I decided to apply [early decision] II to Washington University.”

Schroeder put in a lot of hard work to apply to CMU. He was required to complete an architecture portfolio of around 10 pieces, and had to sit down for a portfolio review to defend his submission. While the creation process was his own, Schroeder relied on teachers like Bob Allee, Brad Mann and Gwen Struchtemeyer, as well as mentor Nick Peckman and friends for advice on his portfolio and essays.

This reliance on others for help was also a huge factor in senior Zainab Ibitoye’s application. She applied to Washington University (WashU) and was accepted early decision I. “At first I was so overwhelmed with everything I didn’t know where to start,” Ibitoye said. “I didn’t know where I wanted to go; I didn’t know what I wanted to major in; I didn’t know anything. I would say that I was confused the first month of school, but after that I really just did anything and everything I could regarding colleges.”

Ibitoye had to write about 10 different college essays, and asked for recommendation letters in advance. She suggests students write the common application essay first, as it was a good starting point for her and is required by most schools.

As with Schroeder, Struchtemeyer was also an essential part of Ibitoye’s college application process. Struchtemeyer wrote a letter of recommendation, gave tips for Ibitoye’s essay and enlightened her on what worked for students in the past.

“Mrs. Struchtemeyer [was] 110 percent [es-

sential]. I don’t think I would’ve gotten as far as I did if it wasn’t for her,” Ibitoye said. “She helped me so much I don’t know how to stress it. She seems to know everything about college and college app[lications] and what admission officers look for. She is amazing; she was so open to helping.”

While Struchtemeyer was helpful to both Ibitoye and Schroeder, she is not able or required to help every student. Though she cannot help all students, she writes roughly 60 recommendation letters each year. The guidance counseling staff, on the other hand, writes a recommendation letter for every student and helps with sending transcripts, and other essential tasks.

RBHS counselor Dr. Jordan Alexander said most students need procedural assistance with college applications, and therefore the counselors help students recognize the general process involved: completing applications, sending official transcripts, completing the FAFSA and applying for scholarships.

“Some students need information about early action, early decision and related issues,” Dr. Alexander said. “Others need help determining a good fit in terms of academic standards and likelihood of acceptance. When we have specific knowledge or experience with a particular school, we share that as well.”

With only eight counselors specifically assigned to around 100 plus students, it can be hard for the staff to complete what is needed.

“Counselors are certainly busy during the weeks preceding the big application deadlines, Oct. 1 and 15, Nov. 1 and Dec. 1,” Dr. Alexander said. “We request that students give us two weeks notice prior to their deadlines to write the best letter possible. When students do this, we are usually able to meet these deadlines and write solid letters for them. It’s certainly a challenge, but we realize that this function is an important part of our job and we are happy to assist students in their college application process.”

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

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Waiting to change the world Bailey Stover

rom Leonardo da Vinci’s dissection of corpses in the late 1480s to the research and medical breakthroughs regarding 3D printing for organ transplants in the 21st Century, humanity has time and again shown its fascination with the future of medicine.

Technology has long generated scientific discovery, innovation and exploration, yet the true purpose of medicine stems from humanity’s innate desire to help others and alleviate suffering.

British clinical psychologist Paul Gilbert reasoned in his 1989 book, “Human Nature and Suffering,” that people desire to both compete and work with one another as well as to care for and receive care from each other, as is the case for medical professionals in hospital environments.

Although she comes from a family of doctors, senior Eleanor Fay never felt pressured to follow in the footsteps of her father and two of her older brothers. Fay said her family’s conversations during the holidays tend to involve a topic related to medicine, which exposed her to a potential future in the medical world from an early age. She has a passion for helping others and possesses the important ability to work well in stress inducing and pressure filled situations.

Fay decided to pursue a path aligned with the medical sciences by taking the RBHS human anatomy and physiology class and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class, which is offered through the Columbia Area Career Center.

While she was unaware the EMT course existed until last year, following a friend’s recommendation she signed up to take it.

“I thought that since I’m interested in pursuing a career in medicine it might look good if I was able to get my EMT license,” Fay said. “It would also give me a good job during college, and I’m just generally interested in all kinds of medicine, and being an EMT is a really good way to get started and to kind of put yourself out there in the world of medicine to just learn the basics and learn how to take care of people.”

The path to becoming a doctor is far from linear, and rarely easy, something Matt Schuver, a second-year medical student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, can attest to. Schuver said working in the field of medicine allows him to practice his critical thinking skills and presents him with new challenges daily.

Spending time around his personal physicians, especially his “intelligent and charismatic” pediatrician, made earning a medical degree appeal to him.

“Growing up I pretty much just had my pediatrician who was my main doctor,” Schuver said. “He’s just always been a very caring person, and I just really enjoyed — I think that he was just a very good role model for me, just being an intelligent person and always wanting to help me and other people. And I had the opportunity to shadow him while I was an undergrad, actually, and just watching him work with other people and seeing how caring he is and how he can help other people really inspired me to follow in his footsteps.”

Schuver’s journey to medical school was long and arduous, but with the support of his wife he persevered. As an undergraduate, Schuver pursued a degree in biochemistry. During his junior year of college, he said he followed the “normal path” of applying to medical school, including taking the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and sending in his application. This is typically a year-long process, and students learn by the time they get to their senior year whether or not they have been accepted. Schuver was not accepted into medical school the first time he applied, forcing

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him to reconsider if becoming a doctor was still the road he wanted to follow or if continuing his education was his best course of action. At the time, two years outside of school seemed like a small eternity to him, but Schuver was tenacious and adopted a “future-thinking” mindset that allowed him to put his time and his goals into perspective.

“I was considering potentially going to graduate school and working on either a master’s or PhD in biochemistry, but there was just something that kept telling me that I really wanted to continue on with medicine,” Schuver said. “So that’s when I went back to St. Louis for a couple years, and I worked at WashU in research as well as the scribe in the emergency room.

And just that experience there really reaffirmed that, yes, I do want to continue on in medicine. So that kind of pushed me to keep going, and luckily get to where I am now.”

In Fay’s EMT class, students go over skill sheets as a way to practice how to respond in a variety of situations during the first semester. The class teaches them how to work as EMTs and conduct emergency medicine in a prehospital setting. Because the medicine they learn would be applied outside of a hospital, Fay said it can be “a little unethical sometimes” since, in her experience, the job of an EMT is to first and foremost save a person’s life and transport patients to a medical facility for better care.

“In the hospital setting, it’s pretty controlled. You have a pretty calm, stable environment, but whenever you’re going out on a call for EMT you don’t know what you’re getting into. It could be a college party; it could be a car accident.

It could be a really bad situation, and you just gotta know what you’re prepared for,” Fay said. “So it’s unethical ‘cause you gotta quick think and kind of do whatever the situation requires. There’s no definite, solid way to do things. You can’t memorize just a set list of ways how to do things, but you do need to just have common sense to go out there and have quick thinking skills to be able to conduct yourself well in emergency situations.”

Fay found it easy to adapt to the unpredictability of EMT work and devised creative ways to help patients during in-class scenarios. In these mock-emergencies, students must come up with effective solutions to difficult situations in order to save lives. When she is under stress, Fay’s heart rate speeds up, and she feels a sense of urgency driving her to take action. It increases her focus and makes her work faster through a sharpening of her senses. During scenarios where a patient is “under trauma,” Fay said she works best under pressure when she has a partner handling the situation by her side who can help her remain calm.

“Especially if you’re doing EMT work [for trauma care], you’re trained to always tell your partner what they’re doing well and then kind of help them along if they’re doing something not so well,” Fay said. “But then they also kind of keep you accountable.”

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Worth a shot

HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer Ben Kimchi ancer claimed 9.6 million lives worldwide in 2018; the disease was responsible for one in every six deaths globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Around 54 percent of all families in America have dealt with cancer, according to Columbia Broadcasting Sys-

tem, making a cure to cancer the veritable holy grail of modern medicine.

In 2012, 270,000 women died from cervical cancer, caused nearly exclusively by the spread of the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) according to the WHO. The organization additionally reports most sexually active people will come into contact with the virus at some point in their lifetime. While 90 percent of people overcome the HPV infection within two years, some cases persist and progress to cancers.

Two HPV types, 16 and 18, are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancers and precancerous lesions, but both have vaccines available in the U.S., according to the WHO. Despite the availability of inoculation, Dr. Mark Hunter, Director of Gyneco-

logic Oncology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, said only one in four males and one in three females receive vaccinations in Missouri.

“In a subset of people, [HPV] goes on to become real cancer. It can become a real cervical cancer as early as their 20s. The thing is, we ask that people be immunized against HPV as a child and as a young adult,” Dr. Hunter said. “What we’re going to do is prevent cancers that may occur at a later age, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s. We’re asking people to look ahead and to anticipate trying to prevent a cancer that can occur decades [later].”

A lack of awareness and social stigma surrounding HPV and vaccinations has made the inoculation of teenagers a struggle, Dr. Hunter said.

RBHS physical education and health teacher Mitchell Pittman said the school’s health teachers cover HPV as a common viral sexually transmitted infection. Fewer than half of students at RBHS have reported vaccination records for HPV, nurse Tammy Adkins said.

“About 47 percent of RBHS students have started the three-vaccine series with about 18 percent having completed the series,” Adkins said. “I think there is [a] definite benefit to

vaccinations, including HPV. I think it is more the physician who would encourage patients getting the HPV vaccine rather than the schools. I am not sure I would push for it to be a required vaccine for school enrollment, but somewhere down the line that might be decided by the state.”

State legislation is difficult to consider when the topic appears to be taboo. Reasons for the avoidance of the HPV and other STDs can be complex, Dr. Hunter said. The issue is multifaceted, ranging from cultural beliefs to fears of science.

“I have seen that people have a preconceived notion about HPV vaccination. There are some populations of people that think that because this is a sexually transmitted disease, they don’t want to encourage promiscuity by condoning that behavior and vaccinating against one of those infections,” Dr. Hunter said. “I have a problem with that line of thinking.

We don’t seem to have a problem in vaccinating against hepatitis, which is also a sexually transmitted disease.

Most of our data has shown that this concept that the HPV vaccination may promote promiscuity in younger populations has not been valid.”

Sophomore Samaranjay Goyal sees the problem as a larger flaw with public health education in America.

Goyal said the health class he took at RBHS his freshman year did not resolve some of the common stigmas he has noticed against vaccinations.

“I sincerely believe that public awareness for vaccinations is inadequate,” Goyal said. “Take our health class for example, it mainly focused on drunk driving, healthy habits and STDs. All of these are important things, but vaccines [weren’t] even mentioned in the curriculum.”

Goyal, who has been vaccinated, finds his problem with vaccine awareness aligning with the stigma against the HPV vaccination.

Incorrect

[SOURCES: WWW.GUTTMACHER.ORG; WWW.KIDSHEALTH.ORG]

[SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION]

[SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION]

[SOURCE: WWW.SCIENCEALERT.COM]

assumptions by doctors worsen the culture surrounding vaccines, Dr. Hunter said. He added doctors may shy away from presenting certain vaccinations because of incorrect beliefs of the willingness of parents to vaccinate their children.

“The other bit of data that we have is that parents actually are not as adverse as traditions think they are,” Dr. Hunter said. “So practitioners have the presumption that parents are going to have a hard time with the concept of vaccinating their children against sexually transmitted diseases, but they don’t; parents are actually quite interested in preventing cervical cancer in their children.”

But what parents want may be far from what legislation has passed.

There have been no successful attempts at mandating the vaccination of HPV in Missouri, Dr. Hunter said, because of the stigma legislators hold toward both the disease and vaccination despite several attempts. This problem has presented itself nationwide, with a failure at a mandate attempt from Ohio in 2006.

The fight against HPV, however, still has hope in the future. Future mandates for required vaccinations are possible, Dr. Hunter said, as well as other solutions like after-school vaccinations for high schoolers, incentive programs, mammogram-van-like vaccination centers and spreading awareness of the disease by bringing it to public conversation.

Simply talking about HPV can get that information into the public, which would help increase vaccination rates and “may prevent a tremendous amount of suffering,” Dr. Hunter said.

He believes the solution to the disease and its subsequent cancers ultimately comes down to the adolescents.

“Teenagers are brilliant. They’re the smartest generation we’ve got,” Dr. Hunter said. “By definition, they’re smarter than the generation before, which was smarter than the generation before them. They have to take this into their own hands. As the smartest generation in humanity, we have to encourage teens at this point to take this matter into their own hands and demand they receive vaccination so that they don’t have to face this horrible disease that I have to treat every day.”

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A pill-popping pandemic Prescription culture affects adolescent health, happiness Anna Xu lthough people might not be able to fully verbalize the pain they are in, the physical signs are clear. They could writhe in their beds, moan in agony. Even the stoic cannot help the occasional grimace.

All of these actions are symptoms that can clue one person in to another’s suffering, according to verywellhealth.com.

Everyone has a different threshold for pain, but the one similarity is that once they reach it, they will seek a way to tame it.

Dating back to 3,400 B.C., humans searched for ways to soothe discomfort. Mesopotamians found the milk sap of a bright red poppy could subdue pain, i n -

duce, sleep and even “calm crying children,” according to history.com.

Later, the flower that the Mesopotamians nicknamed “the joy plant” was discovered to be the source of the addictive drug, opium.

After two Opium Wars involving the British Empire and China, the U.S. Congress urged the ban of opium in 1905, and the dangers of the substance became evident. Since then, scientists continue to work to formulate less fatal and addictive painkillers.

While eventually producing the generally safe, over-the-counter prescriptions people take today, past attempts left scars in history. From a morphine hooked population after the American Civil War to the extremely fatal drug, heroin, research suffered many setbacks, according to history.com.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) is the typical painkiller: including common types such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Naproxen. This category of drugs is the most widely used in America, with sales of more than 70 million prescriptions and, likewise, 30 billion over-thecounter tablets sold annually, the American Nutrition Association said.

In Columbia Public Schools, nurses are only allowed to provide painkillers to students with a doctor’s permission; however, students themselves are able to bring medicine from home, RBHS nurse Tammy Adkins said.

Junior Harold Johnson said most students do not go through the formality of asking the nurse for common pain relievers but rather bring them from home or acquire them from a classmate. Because of this, Johnson said the choice to take painkillers as well as the dosage is largely up to the individuals.

“I’d say I take painkillers once a month or so. I have gone over the recommendation before, quite a few times actually,” Johnson said. “I’m not worried. I know it takes quite a lot to do serious damage.”

Johnson’s experience of ignoring recommended labels is not unique.

In the United States, one in five users said they exceeded the suggested daily maximum on over-the-counter prescription drugs, such as Advil or Aleve, in a one week period, according to a 2018 a study conducted by the Boston University School of Health.

Dr. Robert Borsheski works at the Uni-

versity of Missouri-Columbia as an anesthesi- from acids meant to break down food.

“Because of the amount of painkillers I took ologist. Myplan.com, a career planning website, described anesthesiologists as “physicians who on an empty stomach, my stomach lining beadminister anesthetics prior to, during or after came inflamed, and so for about six months I surgery or other medical procedures.” The job couldn’t really eat a real meal without feeling is especially important for patients as deficiency pain,” Erickson said. “Because of the fact that or overdose in prescription carry severe risks to eating caused pain, I lost quite a bit of weight, an unhealthy amount.” their health and recovery.

Erickson While opioids, drugs prelearned the scribed by the Drug EnforceThose who overtake painkillers regular- dangers and ment Administration, are more commonly associated as taboo ly, rather than in a specific instance like I pain of overand devastating to health than did, are definitely influenced by a culture taking painNSAIDs, Dr. Borsheski said of medication being seen as the cure for killers from her experinon-opioids should also be everything, rather than more holistic ap- ence, and taken with reserve. proaches.” since then, “The toxicities of non-opi- Rachael Erickson, she makes oid drugs include problems such as liver or kidney failure. junior sure to only take them in These can be mild cases or can moderation. be severe enough to be fatal,” Dr. Borsheski said. “Most cases of unintended When used correctly, the pills soothed Erickson’s discomfort and made everyday activities overdose occur slowly over time.”

Additionally, according to drugabuse.com, if easier.

From her first-hand experience of the conone overtakes NSAIDs, the consequence could be tolerance, when one regularly takes medicine sequences of overuse, Erickson said there is a and eventually must take more to achieve the lack of education regarding pain killer use. With same effect. More seriously, users could expe- many Americans passing the daily amount regrience addiction, where they are conditioned to ularly, Erickson worries they may not know the take pain relievers regularly or experience irri- long-term health risks.

“Those who overtake painkillers regularly, tating withdrawals.

Other long term health concerns include de- rather than in a specific instance like I did, are clines of organ health such as cardiovascular definitely influenced by a culture of medication being seen as the cure for everything, rather conditions, kidney and liver failure and ulcers.

During her freshman year, pain was familiar than more holistic approaches,” Erickson said.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse said, to junior Rachael Erickson. She suffered from a ruptured cyst, and to cope Erickson turned to while Americans made up only five percent of Ibuprofen in excess. Before her surgery, Erick- the world population, in 2011, they consumed son said she rarely went above the recommen- roughly 75 percent of prescription drugs in the world. Dr. Borsheski believes the imbalance in dation label. “[The ruptured cyst] was by far the worst this statistic brings to light problems in the Unitpain I’ve ever felt. It literally felt like I was ed States as well as in other parts of the world. “[The imbalance] speaks to [the] lack of acbeing stabbed,” Erickson said. “I absolutely couldn’t do anything but sit in my bed for about cess to healthcare in other parts of the world. a week, and I didn’t go to school for that time It also tells me that Americans and the American health system [are] over-prescribing drugs. because it was so bad.”

Erickson said she doesn’t remember the ex- There could be a number of reasons for this, but act number of pills she took but remembers it in my opinion, people in our culture feel entibeing “way too much,” and eventually caused tled to perfect health,” Dr. Borsheski said. “We her even more pain as it damaged her stom- want to be fixed by taking a pill. We don’t want ach lining. According to verywellhealth.com, to take responsibility for our own health in the NSAIDs can erode stomach lining by sedating form of choosing a healthy lifestyle. So it really the production of protective mucus. Without says a lot about our culture and how we view protection, the stomach is unable to shield itself what it means to be healthy.”

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Waiting to change the world

MEDICINE P9 room in St. Louis for a year. Along with this, he spent some time volunteering at St. Outside of a Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis where he was on a cardiac intensive care unit. Because he did classroom setting, not have any medical credentials, Schuver said he assisted the nurses however he could by [ losing a patient is the answering the phones and working with doctors. During his time at Washington University in reality of what professional St. Louis, he helped with clinical research in clinic at the cancer center.

EMTs face on the job. While “I basically worked with the doctors and the patients as well for patients that were put the idea of losing a patient is un- onto clinical trials. So these were research studies where they were either testing a new type pleasant, Fay’s teacher taught her she of medication or looking for new uses for it, medications for specifically cancer patients,” can learn something from every death that Schuver said. “So I would work with them and make sure that we were following the study will make her more prepared to save another per- protocols appropriately. I would make sure everything would be documented appropriately. son’s life in the future. Although Fay said her instruc- And I was spending plenty of time with the patients, teaching them about the study and how to tor talked to the class about how to handle death and how follow the study appropriately.” to talk to a patient’s family if that is to occur, she must still Schuver said real life situations and practice, as well as years of study and hard work, are prepare herself mentally to face death first-hand in the field. the best ways to prepare for a career in medicine. Although she is still in high school, Mahto “I’m going to do everything in my ability to help the person has worked actively to increase her understanding of how people in medical fields practice survive. I think that every decision I make is either going to affect a medicine on a day-to-day basis. In whatever career she decides to pursue, Mahto looks forward patient positively or negatively, but in the situation, the fact that I’m to having a positive influence on someone’s life every day. After shadowing a doctor for a few trying to save a life and I’m trying with everything that I have, I know days, she learned about the ins and outs of working in a hospital and treating patients. Witnessthat if they die that’s very sad but I did everything that I could,” Fay said. ing doctors in action showed her that becoming a medical professional is a viable career for “And I just hope that by doing evher future. erything that I can, that person’s death “Just based off of checkups that I go to, I didn’t necessarily realize that may be [not] as significant in my mind I worked with a doctor who also had a can- that’s not all there is to a doctor’s life. They don’t just go from patient to because I did everything that I could to cer patient, so you got to see them work patient like checking up on people. There’s a lot of you [having] to collabhelp them live.” closer with radiologists and surgical oncol- orate with a lot of different other departments in the hospital itself, which Working in a profession where she is again the whole closeness with everybody was something I got to see,” Mahto ogists and see how they all work together said. “They had to work with laboratory [technicians], people who work in fully present appeals to Fay. Becoming an to make this one person’s life easier.” emergency room physician is an attractive the labs, to get their results and work with other people to [help patients]. I option for her because of the job’s fast-paced - Sarvika Mahto, worked with a doctor who also had a cancer patient, so you got to see them atmosphere and the role collaboration plays in work closer with radiologists and surgical oncologists and see how they all junior work together to make this one person’s life easier.” saving lives.

“The best part [of class] is definitely the Schuver’s experience working one-on-one with patients is limited to his team atmosphere that we have. Whenever you’re running an EMT call, you have your time in the cancer center at Washington University in St. Louis. His interactions there inspired partner with you, and it’s really cool to do medicine and save lives with other people him to continue pursuing a medical degree. The first time Schuver saw a patient happy about who are also your friends,” Fay said. “And just kind of coming together to be able to his work was after he helped a woman who was apprehensive about how her condition was have that kind of community where we’re all interested in medicine, we’re all interest- being handled through the enrollment process into a clinical trial. ed in going out and just helping people in general.”

“When I was able to go over to her and let her know that she was eligible for the trial and While junior Sarvika Mahto did not come from a family of doctors, her passion for we could start this new treatment for her very, very soon, she was extremely grateful for volunteering and her desire to find a community of people who share her interest in help- what I did for her, even though in my mind it was mostly paperwork and getting everything ing others drew her to the realm of medicine. During a biomedical class she took, Mahto’s together for her,” Schuver said, “but she actually stood up and gave me a big hug and was teacher brought up the idea of joining HOSA-Future Health Professionals (HOSA) to her crying and was so happy that I was able to help her get to this next step. And that was cerclass as a way to further their understanding of medical topics. Through HOSA, students tainly very gratifying for me.” are able to compete on a state and potentially an international level. Students in the orgaThough cancer has not directly affected Mahto, she said she knows people it has imnization spend their time studying for biomedical based competitions or participating in pacted. After one of her close friend’s aunt was diagnosed with cancer, Mahto said her fund-raisers. friend became highly motivated to become an oncologist. Her friend’s newfound pasBoth during a competition and at a regular hospital check-up, Mahto works to surround sion inspired Mahto to more closely examine potential career paths enabling her to herself with people who encourage collaboration and teamwork. Growing up, Mahto said improve the quality of other’s lives. She has already taken Principles of Biomedical she could see herself in practically every potential career, but she ultimately decided to pur- Sciences as a class and is currently enrolled in Human Body Systems and Adsue a path to becoming a doctor. Depending on how she deals with the “gore” of medicine, vanced Placement Biology at school. specifically surgery, Mahto said she is interested in either working in the surgical room or Mahto is also considering taking the EMT course next year. Along helping children with mental health problems. with these courses, she wants to further her involvement in the medi“Obviously if someone is suffering from an illness, it’s going to have some sort of impact, cal world and plans on working as a volunteer at Boone Hospital but I never realized how much the person itself can have an impact,” Mahto said. “I was able Center during the summer so she can learn more about what to work with a doctor for just a couple days, but just seeing how much of this person could her future could look like and how she can better help influence someone’s day or how they took certain news really opened my eyes as to how much others. of an impact this one person can have on someone’s life.”

“I feel like although I might not be able to The accumulation of knowledge and the ability to help those in need appealed to Fay, just personally have a huge effect on the medical as it did to Mahto and countless other current and aspiring medical professionals. The hours world as an individual, I would hope that I of study required to receive a medical degree, the years in residency and every other task, both could be a part of a mass of people who minuscule and major, required of people in medical professions test their abilities and their have some sort of big influence on [the commitment to their chosen field. future], whether it be technology Prior to his acceptance into medical school, or some sort of new innovation,” Schuver shadowed extensively, worked Mahto said. “Although I’d love in clinical settings for a couple to personally be recognized for years and was a medi- something, I think even being cal scribe in an part of a movement or some emergen- sort of mass that had a large c y impact on the medical sphere as a whole would be fun.”

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Bruin Girls to take on national competition Dance team travels to Florida to participate Emily Oba

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n recent years the RBHS Bruin Girls have seen success in their competitions. In 2017, the team placed second in the Mix and Jazz categories in the National Dance Alliance (NDA) Nationals competition, and in 2018 they placed fourth in Pom, second in Jazz and third in Mix. Last year they won the Mix category at the State competition.

“We’ve got a good amount of experience. The majority of our team are seniors and have been there and competed for four years,” head coach Lyria Bartlett said. “[Our goal] is to win it.”

This year the team will travel to Orlando, Fl. to compete in a national event at Hard Rock Live Orlando from Feb. 20 to 25. Senior Kennedy Grieman has competed in four national competitions, and she said every year the team hopes to bring back a national title.

“We feel that this year in particular we have great potential with all of our routines. We have all worked so hard this year as it is the last time performing at NDA Nationals for half of our team with seven seniors this year,” Grieman said. “We are so excited to compete again and

show them what we have to bring. It truly rely on their training regimen. The dance team practices five times a week: Sunday is the best experience.”

The Orlando competition is the fourth and Monday evenings, as well as Tuesday, and final trip for senior Paityn Alexander Wednesday and Thursday mornings before as well. Although she still gets nervous, Al- school.

To prepare for competition, they work exander said performing on stage feels less on cleaning up motions and running nerve racking each year.

“Overall our team has great determina- through the dance, as well as perfecting tion and experience,” Alexander said. “We technical skills.

“Our dances are in a great place right are all working together to achieve one common goal. We have come so close to now, and we feel confident in them,” Alexwinning many times, and so we all work ander said. “We will just continue to clean and perfect difthat much ferent small deharder tails.” knowing We are all working together to achieve one comBefore gothat in mon goal. We have come so close to winning the end many times, and so we all work that much harder ing on to nationals, the the work will be knowing that in the end the work will be worth it.” team competed in three reworth it.”

T h e - Paityn Alexander, gional compenationsenior titions. They occurred Dec. al com1, Dec. 15 and petition consists of preliminary rounds; teams who Feb. 9. These dance competitions served as qualify into the final round are the top rank- practice for the big stage in Florida.

“We continue to work on stamina and ings in those rounds. The Bruin Girls will compete in three categories: Pom, Jazz and cleaning at every practice leading up to nationals to ensure that we all look the same Mix. “We have amazing choreographers that and we keep our energy up throughout the come in from New York and California to whole routine,” Grieman said. “This team choreograph our routines,” Grieman said. has a strength in our togetherness. We have “We love seeing their creative outlook and all danced together for years and have a how that plays into the routines each year.” special bond. We all share the same comNot only does the team rely on the right mitment to each other, and we find success choreographer to succeed, but the girls also in working together to reach our goals.”

Jazz Pom Mix

FEATURED PHOTOS OF UNIFORMS AND SOPHOMORE BRUIN GIRL ELLA SIMMONS BY CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

Dressed for success Bruin Girl competition uniforms

The Bruin Girls have three competition uniforms, one for each of their competition dances: Pom, Mix and Jazz.

Track offseason conditions runners Jared Geyer

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etween the cross country and track seasons, there is a winter “off-season” from November to February. During these months, Neal Blackburn, the head cross country and track coach, tries to keep student athletes invested in fine tuning their capabilities before the next season approaches.

“I provide a specific plan for our track and field athletes to follow to best prepare them for their respective seasons,” Blackburn said. “The distance runners have extremely specific workout plans to follow to best prepare them for the type of training and racing they will experience in season. The sprinters do workouts that are full body in nature to help them adapt for the types of workouts they will have.”

Long and short distance runners are not the only athletes participating in offseason activities. Pole vaulters such as junior Max Gortmaker travel two hours away to Kansas City every Monday to visit experienced pole vault coach

[SOURCE: SFTRACKANDFIELD.COM]

Todd Cooper. is willing to adjust the workouts based on our “We vault for about an hour and a half and responses.” work on our technique in Kansas City,” GortSome of the adjustments made to the athletes’ maker said. “I have been going there for four schedules are more out of necessity than anyoff-seasons now, and I really love the chance it thing else. For example, pre-season conditiongives me to better mying was self at pole vault.” canceled Traveling almost The distance runners have extremely specific Jan. 14 two hours to Kansas due to the City every week can be workout plans to follow to best prepare them for excessive a challenging time con- the type of training and racing they will experi- amount of straint, but the dedicatence in season. The sprinters do workouts that snowfall. ed pole vaulters make are full body in nature to help them adapt for the Blizzards it happen. Despite the and sheets types of workouts they will have.” explosive training and of ice - Neal Blackburn, p l a g u e d strengthening workouts, Gortmaker acCoach Columbia knowledges the more with more laid back nature that than 16 comes with out-of-season track. inches of snow in just one January weekend, “Off-season is a lot more forgiving than making both short and long distance runners regular season,” Gortmaker said. “Blackburn feel the numbing, blistering conditions. During

the week, runners dress according to the weather by wearing coats, gloves, headbands and even scarves. Runners also practice awareness of the terrain they run on, as the ground can be icy or wet from melted snow. Long distance runners such as freshman Tate Fletcher experience the consequences of cold weather the most.

“The cold weather and snow has made it to where we have to watch where we run since it can block trails that we would usually go on, and what we have to wear since it’s cold,” Fletcher said.

Running in cold conditions can greatly affect a runner’s speed and coordination. Despite the freezing Columbia climate, athletes are still putting forward their best effort in order to stay in shape for track season, something that Blackburn is very appreciative of.

“My favorite aspect of off-season is seeing the athletes doing work together with the intention of spending time together as well as making themselves better,” Blackburn said.

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Getcha’ a head ead in the game Students, administration clarify definitions of sports, arts, activities Ann Fitzmaurice

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or two weeks straight in the July heat, sophomore marching band member Ian Hendrickson woke up just in time for band camp, which began at 7:45 a.m. and went until 4 p.m. with an additional three hour rehearsal every night during the second week of camp.

Each week in the summer, sophomore cheerleader Ellie Barnett spent Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings practicing with cheer beginning at 7 a.m.. In July, Barnett had cheer camp for 10 hours a day.

When the school year began, the cheerleaders practiced three to four times a week. At semester, the team cut its practices back to Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours.

The preseason for RBHS soccer began in January and continued until the end of February. During this time, sophomore soccer player Ana Manzano practiced every Monday and Wednesday, and when season began practices picked up to every day after school for an hour and a half to two hours.

On the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA)

website, out of marching band, cheer ed to do medium intensity workouts and soccer, only soccer is defined as a for extended periods of time, leading sport. MSHSAA also covers sideline to soreness and exhaustion. Though cheer as an activity and not a sport, Manzano does not participate in but does not have jurisdiction over marching band, from observation she competitive cheer, making it a “club said marching band is a sport because activity.” Fishing, bowling and target of its physical demands. She also, shooting are also MSHSAA defined however, classified marching band as a fine art. activities.

“I think anything that’s both physDespite its classification, Hendrickson believes marching band is ically demanding and competitive is a sport. But sometimes things like a sport. dance or show “We do low choir are fine arts impact physical activity for If something is neither com- when they’re not a long amount petitive nor physically de- at a competition since they’re of time, practice manding, I don’t think it’s a still physically every day that sport.” demanding, but involve[s] physical activity, and - Ana Manzano, they’re not comwe participate sophomore peting, they’re performing,” [in] competiManzano said. tions,” Hendrick“If something is son said. “Some don’t consider marching band a sport neither competitive nor physically because they don’t take band serious- demanding, I don’t think it’s a sport.”

RBHS athletic director and assisly and relate it with an ‘easy A’ class that doesn’t require much effort. tant principal David Egan said there They also see band as a performance is a blurred line of what is and is not that isn’t held on the same level as a considered a sport; however, there are some commonalities to help decompetitive sport.”

With the intense daily practic- fine different activities. Egan said es and grueling summer rehearsals, sports often have a competitive and Hendrickson said the band is expect- physical component.

“The first thing I think about is maybe in a sport you’re competing against an opponent, but that’s also true in things like marching band.

They go to competitions and they’re competing against other schools, so that’s not sort of the differentiating factor,” Egan said. “Your score is based on the outcome of the performance of your skill, and it’s not based on arbitrary judgments. But then that’s not true either because you look at sports like gymnastics or cheerleading [or diving] and dance.

Those are performed in front of judges.”

Because of the overlap in traditional sports versus other activities, Egan said he does not quite know what the distinguishing factor that differentiates the labels is. In regards to what sports and activities “get the most attention,” Egan said it comes down to safety and security and individual versus team sports.

“From time to time, I’ve sort of heard, there’s kind of this feeling of, well, football and basketball get all the attention and these other sports don’t get as much attention, those sorts of things,” Egan said. “I get it.

I am also really kind of hurt by that.

I do try hard to make sure all of our athletic programs are supported and

recognized.”

As for the competition part of sports and activities, Egan said performing in front of judges, as in marching band, is unlike football where teams are competing directly against an opponent.

Another quality of a sport is its physical toll. For Barnett, the physical aspect of cheer is the hardest on her wrist. As a secondary base, Barnett endures a lot of weight on her right wrist when she stunts, forcing her to wear a wrist brace constantly.

For other cheerleaders, the effects could be on their back, legs or feet, depending on the person and their role.

This physical aspect follows Manzano’s personal definition of a sport being anything that requires physical exertion.

“I think anything that’s both physically demanding and competitive is definitely a sport, [things] like soccer or football,” Manzano said. “Activities that are purely for entertainment like dance or cheer blur the line a bit because if they’re not competing the sole purpose is to entertain. However, I still think that these kind of activities are challenging and valid. Just because something doesn’t qualify as a sport [doesn’t make] it easier.”

Wrestling transitions into male and female split teams Emily Oba

T

itle IX was passed in 1972 by Congress with the intent to provide equal opportunities to both sexes in educational programs receiving federal financial assistance. Today, RBHS athletics has continued to improve their equity by adding girls’ wrestling, separate from boys’.

For athletics, several women-exclusive sports have been made to keep up with the number of men in big teams like those for football and wrestling or else said mens’ sports could face their roster limit being cut down.

In 2018, Missouri State Activities Association (MSHSAA) member wrestling schools voted to separate boys’ and girls’ wrestling into different entities in an effort to keep up with the large number of male participants in sports.

As a newly inducted sport, girls’ wrestling will have a two-year transition period. This plan includes girls’ participation in the boys’ and girls’ wrestling lineup during regular season matches. The 2018-19 school year is also the first year girls’ wrestling competed as a separate sport at state.

Principal Dr. Jennifer Rukstad is aware Title IX mandates opportunities should be equal for both boys and girls. In faith to the law, MSHSAA keeps track of the gender ratio for students participating in sports in the state of Missouri.

“There is one big factor that changes things, which is football, because football rosters are relatively large compared to others sports,” Dr. Rukstad said. “That’s why most colleges and universities have more girl sports than boy

sports. [RBHS and] MSHSAA [have] more girl sports than boy sports because we are constantly monitoring where are we to get closer to being equitable. There has already been girls’ wrestling. Girls have been wrestling with boys or other girls, depending on who is on the other team for many years.”

This school year, RBHS welcomed two new female wrestlers, making it junior Paige Hensley’s first year wrestling. She always wanted to join but only jumped at the chance when the girls’ team began.

“I think it’s so important to balance the sports with gender because no matter what, if a girl really wants to do something, she will,” Hensley said. “It makes school 10 times more difficult if girls are worried about what a guy thinks about her, but before high school I never even thought about wrestling but now looking at it I have a second family behind me, people I never thought I would talk to on an everyday basis, and I’ve enjoyed every second of it.”

Since there are only two girls on the team, both male and female wrestlers train together under the same coaching staff. During practice, gender does not matter, and instead it is the weight class that defines who is paired with which athlete. Freshman Anna Stephens would love if more girls joined the Bruins but ultimately believes gender doesn’t define her place on the team.

“If we get [more] girls, I want them to practice with the boys so they can learn how to be aggressive and build up muscle so our team can kick some butt out on the mat,” Stephens said.

“Even if we had more girls, I would have the

CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

ON THE MAT: In the tri-tournament against both HHS and BHS, junior Aydin Rodriguez takes on his opponent. This annual event has spawned bragging rights for the three teams. coach train us like how he or she would train the guys.”

Head coach Robin Watkins encourages all women wishing to begin a sport to consider wrestling.

Watkins said the first step one can take is go to a wrestling practice, introduce themselves to the coach and watch a full practice to see if there’s any interest.

“We have four coaches. All of us will be involved with our girls’ development. They are wrestlers, [and] gender doesn’t matter in our room,” Watkins said. “They run, lift, drill, practice and compete the same as the boys.”

In the future if more girls join the team, Hensley sees benefits, such as the shot of winning in the Tri Dual against Battle High School and Hickman High School, but also a change in dynamics.

“If we had more [girls], it would be a whole new environment. I got close with all of the guys on the team because there were only two of us,” Hensley said. “If there were a lot of us, I feel the teams would separate, and we would be looked on differently.”

As one of the first female wrestlers at RBHS, Stephens encourages more to try out. She said to come in and learn the moves and, most importantly, have fun. While she knows not everyone will enjoy it, it can’t hurt to try.

“Be yourself [and] don’t listen to people saying provocative names about [girls doing wrestling],” Stephens said. “Just try it out and if you don’t like it, it’s ok, but if you do, then go through the season and don’t quit just cause it may be hard at first or your first year may suck; just push through it and keep telling yourself you can do it.”

18 | A&E

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

MAC Scholars perform poems Ann Fitzmaurice

D

uring the Feb. 14 courtwarming assembly, five students spoke in honor of Black History Month (BHM). To begin the tribute, assistant principal Deborah Greene sang the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” After Greene’s introduction, each speaker paid their respects to BHM through speech.

While some students celebrated black history by reading published work from several different famous authors, including Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou, junior Jessica Payne performed a poem she wrote.

“To me, a spoken word is not complete until you own it,” Payne said. “Although I write my own poetry, I don’t feel as if I own it until I know it inside out, feel it, and I love it.”

In order to perform her poem, Payne volunteered during a Multicultural Achievement Committee (MAC) Scholars program meeting. Payne said there are no auditions because in MAC Scholars there is no “good enough” or “not good enough.” Her decision to participate in the BHM part of the assembly came from her belief that her voice is not without purpose.

“Black history is a part of American history,” Payne said. “It should be known just as well as any other American history, so every opportunity I get to educate and express on this topic, I take it personally and seriously, too.”

SPEAKING OUT: Junior Jessica Payne reads aloud a self-written poem in honor of Black History Month. Payne presented her poem on stage at the RBHS Courtwarming assembly Thursday, Feb. 14. She was one of five speakers chosen to share prose at the event.

AFNAN HUSSAIN / FLASHBACK

Inside look: Questions with True/False staff

Newspaper staff member Ji-Sung Lee spoke to True/False employees to get a behind the scenes look on how the festival is run. Read below to get information on volunteering, history, goals of the event and more. True/ False will take place Feb. 28-March 3.

Allison Coffelt, Education Director & True Life Fund Coordinator

CAMRYN DEVORE, MOY ZHONG / THE ROCK

JL: How many students are involved in Camp True/False?

AC: We are expecting approximately 80 students this year.

JL: What is DIY Day and Camp True/False?

AC: They are both geared toward high school students. They are two different programs we put on; however, all of our Camp True/False attendees go to DIY Day. DIY Day is a oneday opportunity for high school students to sign up for workshops with filmmakers, artists and musicians and all kinds of different people who have something to share in a workshop, and that is kind of a one-day event. Camp True/False, however, happens over the course of several months leading up to the fest, and then students participate fully in the festival including going to DIY Day as well as singing songs throughout the fest and having their own schedule during the fest.

JL: Who participates in Camp True/False?

AC: The students in Camp True/False are from all four Columbia Public Schools and also eight different schools from around the country, most of which are in Missouri, who come in for the fest. And so those schools who are coming in from outside of Columbia meet and work through a Camp True/False curriculum leading up to the fest, and our local students meet and have camp meetings and pre-fest to get ready for the festival.

JL: What are the True/False class visits?

AC: So the class visits are an outreach service that we provide if students or teachers were to have someone from the fest come in and explain how the fest works, how you can access the fest, how the ticketing works. We do class visits where we’ll come in and talk about how to fest because we do know ticketing can be kind of challenging to navigate.

JL: Why is True/False a great opportunity to get involved?

AC: In general I would say that we, at True/ False, are a world-class film festival that is right in your backyard, and we provide a number of completely free and super fun ways to get involved with True/False. It’s a resource and also a community space where we can learn from each other and practice storytelling and make stuff and have fun.

JL: What does DIY Day look like?

AC: So students will arrive in the morning for DIY Day, and on the sign up sheet they’ve selected which workshops they want to go to, so there will be a kick off, and we’ll all go to our first workshop, and then we’ll come back to Rose Music Hall. So we’ll arrive at Rose Music Hall to kickoff the day and get checked in, and then we’ll break into the groups of the workshops you’ve signed up to do, and then you’ll go to that workshop, and then you’ll come back to Rose Music Hall, and you’ll eat lunch, and there will be pizza and hanging out, and then you’ll get into your groups for the second workshop, and you’ll go to your second workshop, and you’ll come back to Rose Music Hall where we’ll have some kind of treat, like cookies or something like that, and we’ll close out the day and reflect on the day and then we all march together in the parade at the end of the day.

JL: Is DIY Day based on a first come, first served process?

AC: Kind of, so there are [a] limited number of slots in each workshop. We try to keep the workshops sizes pretty small. There is about a 15 person cap on most workshops, so workshops are first come, first serve in terms of how they fill up on the sign up sheet, but we do try to allow a certain number of slots for each school and then, after a little while, if for instance, if not all of the Rock Bridge slots have been filled we’ll open those slots up to students at Battle, Douglass and Hickman. So we start out with a certain number per school that’s pretty much equal, and then, depending on interest level, we might release some of those slots, if they aren’t filling, to other schools.

JL: What are the goals for DIY Day? AC: I’m thinking of it as three goals this year for each workshop. First, we want the students to have a hands-on learning experience. Second, we want the students to practice some kind of skill or craft that they are practicing in that workshop and that they leave with that, so they can practice it more on their own. And then the third goal that we have is for students to learn a little bit from the presenting artist about their life and how they’ve made a career in order to kind of demystify how to be a working artist.

JL: What is the reason for catering these specific events toward high school students?

AC: We started working with high school students almost 10 years ago, and in part because we wanted to do more work. We wanted to make sure the school was reaching a wide swath of people in the community, and also many of our films are—it’s not that all of our films are inappropriate for younger students, but it is easier for us to find some that are ap-

propriate for high school audiences than for any kind of younger student, so that’s just one aspect of [it,] programming-wise. It is just easier for us to find films that would be suitable for high school audiences versus middle school or elementary school.

JL: How do students apply to be a part of DIY Day? AC: [We distributed] a sign up sheet, and there [were] 200 slots, and we [were] hoping to fill them through the sign up sheet.

say that they look forward to this fest more than most holidays.

Patricia Weisenfelder, Sustainability Coordinator

Cathy Gunther, Volunteer Co-Coordinator

GEORGE FREY, MOY ZHONG / THE ROCK

CAMRYN DEVORE, MOY ZHONG / THE ROCK

JL: How much of True/False depends on volunteers to run smoothly?

CG: There are over 900 people who work for the festival, and only about 100 of them receive compensation, so we totally depend on volunteers. True/False is a unique film festival in that it uses so many volunteers, and also that more than 80 percent of volunteers are local, [for instance from Columbia and surrounding towns such as Boonville.]

JL: What kinds of jobs do volunteers have?

CG: Volunteers are placed on teams depending on their time availability, their skills and their preferences. For the general public that [applies], there are about 20 teams to choose from, but some teams are very small (ie. lighting or photo), and other teams are very large (SetUp/BreakDown and Theater Operations).

Our greatest needs are for volunteers on the largest teams, in particular working in theaters during the days of the festival.

JL: In the past, how many volunteers do you generally have?

CG: When I started as volunteer coordinator six years ago, we employed similar numbers.

I’m really not sure about earlier festivals, but as the scale of the programming has increased over the years, so has our need for more volunteers.

JL: Why is volunteering a good way to get involved with the festival and the community?

CG: Volunteering for local organizations is always a valuable experience. Volunteering with True/False is unique in that it activates hundreds of community-oriented people to work together and transform downtown into a one-weekend cultural wonderland for thousands of guests. Some long-term volunteers

JL: When did the Green Mission at True/ False begin?

CG: Beginning in 2014, [True/False] created a position for the Sustainability Coordinator.

We knew that in order to be successful in the sustainability efforts it’s important to develop a mission to encompass multiple facets of the fest.

JL: What inspired the Green Mission?

PW: True/False has been around for many years now and is a huge draw for Columbia. Often times, with hosting a large event comes a large amount of waste and an even larger footprint.

For this, we knew it was important for us to find ways to reduce our impact on Columbia and the global environment wherever possible.

JL: What does True/False hope to accomplish by promoting the Green Mission?

PW: Since [True/False] brings together people from all over the world, we feel that sharing and promoting our Green Mission and efforts is a good way to inspire others to take action in their own lives. For Columbians who attend, hopefully we can educate them on proper recycling practices here locally. For others, we want to empower them to take sustainable attitudes and practices away with them.

JL: At the festival, what can visitors do to do their part and help the environment?

PW: The fest offers several ways for attendees to contribute to our efforts. We offer recycling at every film venue as well as a full threestream waste station, including compost in our Art Yard. Additionally, guests can bring their own water bottles to use at our refill stations and take advantage of our extra bike parking or bus routes. We also encourage our guests to take time to sit down and enjoy their food at the establishment instead of ordering to-go.

Columbia restaurants have an awesome atmosphere, so why miss out when it could require unnecessary packaging?

For full coverage of the True/False film festival, see www.bearingnews.org starting Feb. 28.

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

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THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | FEBRUARY 22, 2019

If memory serves. . .

Students reminisce on global experiences

Valeria Velasquez, story, art

Jasmine Guo, senior

CHINA

"My favorite memory from China is going to the night markets. It's a whole street set up with vendors where people sell fresh groceries and food. The vendors sell different types of food from all over China. You go to buy your groceries and find something to eat at the market. It's always a social outing."

"If you have eaten already, it doesn't matter because your stomach can find the space for tasty food. These street markets have existed for as long as we have existed. It's a micro society of its own, filled with people who speak different dialects and come from different backgrounds."

Soizic Ambos, senior

FRANCE

"I first visited Omaha beach two years ago with my American friend. I know it's weird to say this, but because of the history tied to the location, it was very incredible to be able to visit the location and see the setting the soldiers experienced."

"We went swimming in an area near the sea and thought about how strange it was to be there many years after the war."

“We also went to visit the D-DAY cemetery, which has a beautiful view of the ocean. I saw that my friend was very emotional."

Bienvenu Mugabo, sophomore

RWANDA

"In my village we went to bed at 6 p.m. and woke up at 10 a.m. There's a lot of hunger in my village. We eat a food called fufu, which is made out of cassava root. There are no jobs [available]. People just wait around until the end of the month when the United Nations arrives to help our village."