March 2013

the

ROCK

Competitive cheerleaders dedicate time outside of school to excel in their sport. p. 21

Rock Bridge High School » 4303 S. Providence Rd. - Columbia MO, 65203 » Vol. 40, Issue 6 » March 7, 2013 » bearingnews.org

Nation

the

The pilot of an Alitalia passenger jet reported he saw a drone aircraft Monday while landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The Federal Aviation Association is investigating the claim further.

The Coahoma County Sheriff’s Department in Jackson, Miss. is investigating the murder of gay mayoral candidate Marco McMillian, found dead Sunday after being beaten, dragged and set on fire. the

State

Missouri House Rep. Tim Remole introduced legislation which would require registered sex offenders to vote at their local county clerk’s office.

Remole said this would protect voting rights while protecting children in schools designated as registered voting places.

Tim Keefe, interim dean of the St. Louis University Law School, resigned Tuesday, March 5. Keefe only held office for 7 months.

City

the

Saturday, March 9 the Memorial Student Union will host a $1 movie showing of the film Skyfall in Wrench Auditorium.

The Mizzou Dance Marathon begins at 12:00 p.m. March 9. Proceeds go to the University of Missouri Children’s Hospital. The main event will take place at MizzouRec.

School

the

Global Village is at 9:00 a.m. this Friday, March 8. Students will provide booths, food and activities to represent different countries.

The winter play, Midsummer/ Jersey will debut at 7:00 p.m.

Friday in the PAC. Tickets cost $4 for students. the

Rock

Community 6 Features 7 Profiles 9 In-Depths 11 Commentary 14 Editorials 16 Sports 19 A&E 22

photo by Patrick Smith

Catch a ride: First Student buses transport many students before and after school. However, the contract with the busing company ends after next year, so the district is looking at the benefits of running the bus system on its own. They may also incorporate Columbia Transit city buses into the daily routine.

District looks to new transportation models alyssa » Sykuta

F

irst Student, the largest busing contractor in the U.S., provides six million students with transportation solutions daily, maintains 60,000 buses and employs more than 68,000 drivers, according to their website, firststudentinc.com.

However, the contract with CPS will end after the 201314 school year, so now a new question has risen regarding how to provide transportation through busing in the future.

Superintendent Dr. Chris Belcher said next fall will be a critical time in potentially picking a transportation alternative to First Student, and the three-tiered start time system will play a big role in it.

With the way the start times are now, all within a handful of minutes from each other, Belcher said CPS requires 20 to 25 percent more drivers than a three-tiered system.

“Next year, sometime in the fall, we will issue a request

for proposals which basically allows companies to bid on proposals for us. Depending on how they come in, we either pick one of those or we talk about ‘should we take it on ourselves?’ which is a big proposition,” Belcher said.

“The other thing we know is if we’re not in a three-tiered model, we would lose money, and two, we would have less people bid on our program, because it’s really hard for them to staff buses with drivers. … So one of the things we want to do is to have our system the way we want it next year so that we get good bids on potential new contractors or, if we decide to go on our own, that we have a way that is most efficient and effective for us.”

Though having the district run its own bus system sounds potentially expensive, Belcher thinks the idea is plausible. CPS already owns the bus building and parking lot which they lease to First Student now, but they could uti-

lize leasing programs to lease buses rather than buying new ones, which “would take huge amounts of money,” Belcher said.

The district could then hireand supervise the drivers and routes on their own. The biggest obstacle, Belcher believes, is to accept that busing companies run transportation systems professionally and have more experience.

“The reason so many schools contract bus service is because the belief is if you use a national organization that has expertise and resources to manage buses, they’re going to do a better job than if each school district tries to do it themselves. And there’s a lot of truth to that,” Belcher said.

“The benefit will be that you have more control over your drivers, you have more control to respond to the market if you need to pay more to get drivers … and it also, I think, makes you take more ownership in what you do in order to provide services to the

schools.”

CPS will make the decision whether or not to run their own bus system next fall. However, the district is currently looking at using public transportation for students as an alternative method. Because the college student population in Columbia is growing quickly, Belcher said the city is rerouting their public buses anyway, so now is a good time to ask for help.

“We’ve been working with the city to say, ‘We would like to have more routes run past our high schools at times when our high school kids might be willing to use them,” Belcher said. “We’ve asked to have routes for all three high schools with drop-offs every 15 to 20 minutes during the busy parts of the mornings and afternoons, and we plan to launch something in April where we’ll give a bunch of bus passes out to students and challenge them to ride the bus so they can give us feedback on what they like and don’t like about it.”

FAFSA opens education opportunities sam » Mitchell

A

s high school seniors get ready to take their next steps, financial considerations become more apparent.

According to the RBHS guidance profile, 87 percent of RBHS seniors plan on attending some form of college after graduation.

All students applying for loans, grants and scholarships must fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, in order to qualify for any benefits.

Senior counselor Rachel Reed said the FAFSA is a requirement for the A+ program and many non-federal scholarships.

“From community scholarships, individual scholarships and scholarships through their institution,” Reed said, “a lot of our students actually apply for the FAFSA for scholarship reasons, even if not for loans or financial aid.”

Because of the difficult nature of the form and the large amount of students that need to apply, the Columbia Area Career Center hosted a “FAFSA Frenzy” Feb. 16. Parents came with their students to watch a video about the financial aid and how to fill out the FAFSA. Then administrators took the parents to computer labs where they filled out the form.

There, financial aid experts from

higher education facilities and institutions and the Department of Higher Education had a representative come answer any more difficult questions. “[The FAFSA Frenzy] makes it a lot easier to complete,” Reed said. “Sometimes parents come and just stay for the video, ask a few questions and leave and fill it out on their own because it’s that easy to do at home.”

Senior counselor Jane Piester said this year’s Frenzy was more important than in years past because of the enhanced burden of college costs. Along with tuition increasing, prices for books and room and board have risen as well over the last few years.

“The cost of education is going up. Some schools are more economical than others,” Piester said. “Parents are a big motivating factor for students to complete the FAFSA, probably nine times out of 10 parents are the ones to complete the FAFSA because they have the numbers it’s based off.”

As the number of household college attendees goes up, so does the amount of financial help offered by FAFSA. Keeping college tuition low is a priority for senior Blake Ward, who wants to attend Michigan University next year.

“I will be applying for FAFSA because it would help lower costs

inside this

Follow this code to Bearing News

photo provided by Matt Bush

for college and open possibilities to the colleges I can go to,” Ward said. “My mom is going back to college and my brother is going to college for the first time, so its a lot of college bills, and financial aid would help a ton.”

The Missouri Department of Higher Education responded to the plea of students to help lower the costs. They hosted 55 locations around the state to help with completing the FAFSA. According to the FAFSA website, the federal government offers more than $150 billion each year to help millions of students pay for higher education, in federal grants, loans and work-study funds. It’s not too late to fill out a FAFSA form either; the University of Missouri-Columbia’s deadline for the form is April 1.

“It definitely doesn’t hurt to complete the FAFSA,” Reed said.

“A lot of students think there’s no point and that they’re not going to get grants or free money from their institution, but they don’t realize that you have to fill out the FAFSA for scholarships sometimes and if they want to apply for loans they have to ... also. It’s more than just the grant. It’s more than just what the school is going to give you as far as free money. It’s part of the whole financial aid package that comes with your school.”

6

story continued on page 5

CACC FAFSA Frenzy

What You Need? copies of your 2012 tax forms student PIN and parent PIN 2012 W-2 forms

140 billion

dollars in federal aid

March 1

st

Missouri Department of Higher Education and finacialaid.missouri.edu FinAid.org

Mizzou FAFSA deadline

January 1st

first day to file your FAFSA

2-3 weeks

to process a corrected application art by Jennifer Stanley

A meal worth remembering

Issue

Facial hair makes a comeback

trends go in and out of style. But one that has sprung back into the limelight since the whether in elementary or 1980s is that of beards. Whether for monthhigh school, city basketball long challenges or “the look,” teachers and teams provide entertainment. students both enjoy their facial hair.

Local teams play ball

The city bus could provide additional transportation and flexibility for those kids. Principal Mark Maus said this is a great idea and would afford students more opportunities to get back and forth from campus.

“We do have a lot of kids that work in the afternoon.

We do have a lot of kids take care of siblings in the morning, possibly take care of siblings in the afternoon, as well,” Maus said. “Any type of flexibility we can provide our students so they can meet their family’s needs, personal needs and still be able to come to school without disruption to their life ... is what we’d like to do.”

Columbia Transit marketing specialist Christa Holtzclaw said public transportation could assist students with various activities to attend after school. She believes it could provide the flexibility assiduous high school students require.

8

Everyone gets hungry, and a good sandwich can make for a perfect bite photo by Paige Kiehl to eat. From Flat Branch to Uprise Bakery to Main despite the high risk for Squeeze, Columbia offers severe injuries, students enjoy many options for hungry participating in rodeos. customers.

Rodeos excite as sport

19

22

2

« Ads

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

www.BobMcCosh.com

Get Ready for Spring Break in a 2013 Malibu

See dealership for more details

www.BobMcCosh.com

News »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

3

art by Jennifer Stanley

Boy Scouts of America to reevaluate gay ban trisha » Chaudhary

M

embers of the Boy Scouts of America organization will know in May whether or not BSA volunteers will vote to lift the ban restricting gay members. The proposal is for a new policy to replace the current ban in which the local charter organizations that sponsor Boy Scout troops make the decision of whether or not to allow gay members and leaders. The charter organizations are local churches, Parent Teacher Associations, service clubs, alliances, rotary clubs and other groups that sponsor Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops.

Charter organizations “own those troops,” Scout Executive Doug Callahan of the Great Rivers Boy Scouts of America Council, which includes Columbia, said. “And what the proposed policy change would allow is for each charter organization to set their own membership or leadership standards in relation to sexual orientation, in accordance with their own principles and their own beliefs.”

Though approximately 1,400 volunteer voting members of the national council of BSA will vote on the issue May 24, profession-

als such as Callahan will not. One of the arguments against lifting the ban centered on the religious affiliation of the BSA organization.

Three days after BSA introduced the proposal, the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission sent Chief Scout Executive Wayne Brock and BSA President Wayne Perry a letter expressing “strident opposition to this proposed move.” The ERLC is a large BSA sponsor and the letter stated, “Southern Baptists do not believe homosexual behavior is an acceptable, biblical lifestyle ...

Ultimately, this decision, if adopted, would lead to a mass exodus of traditional faith congregations from the Boy Scouts, including Southern Baptists, who often sponsor Scouts.”

Some believe the policy would counteract the views of organizations similar to the ERLC and would cause the BSA to lose financial support. Though Callahan said most of the BSA charter members are religious organizations, he does not think lifting the ban would lessen the value of BSA’s religious affiliation.

“I would like to think if this ban is lifted … it shouldn’t affect our relationship with [religious organizations] at all because right now, we do have some churches that sponsor Boy

Scout troops that aren’t allowed to follow their own beliefs because right now, we have that restriction, which that church doesn’t,” Callahan said. “So, hopefully something like this would strengthen the relationship between us and our charter partners because we’re allowing them to make the choice.”

Senior Isaac James, a member of the Gay Straight Alliance club at RBHS, used to be a member of BSA but quit for a number of reasons, one being the BSA’s stance on homosexuality. During his time in the BSA, James experienced firsthand what he believed to be intolerance from some of the troops’ leaders toward gay troop members and believes that lifting the ban would be beneficial for the organization, regardless of its religious affiliation.

“I feel like I can see why it would be banned because of a religious aspect,” James said, “but churches can go through a program to become … a safe space [where they] accept gay members to the congregation and they help them out.”

James believes the benefits that no matter what arguments the opposition presents against lifting the ban, “eventually, it’s going to happen.”

School, home routines complicated by snow days

photo used with permission from Associated Press

North Korea may break treaty

T

his Tuesday, March 5, North Korea threatened to end the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953. North Korea cites international movement to impose new sanctions over their recent nuclear test as one of the reasons behind the statement.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice proposed the new sanctions to the U.N. Security Council Tuesday. According to CNN, China and the United States have reached a tentative agreement on the resolution’s wording.

Military exercises set to take place this week by joint U.S. and South Korean forces have added to the tension, the official Korean Central News Agency said Monday.

The exercises “touched off the pent-up resentment of the service personnel and people of [North Korea],” the news agency said, “and compelled them to harden their pledge to take thousand-fold retaliation against the enemies.”

If North Korea breaks the armistice, Sophomore Suryanshi Rawat said the ensuing conflict would mean more war for the United States.

“No, I had not [heard about this],” Rawat said. “It’s definitely not good for the world [because] countries would have to get involved, and war’s not good.”

ing Dance yet, but the Court-

maria » Kalaitzandonakes warming assembly is scheduled by RBHS for the March manal » Salim 15.

M

ore than a foot of snow fell last week in Columbia as storms Rocky and Q stopped all motion throughout the city. Roads were shut down after dozens of wrecks occurred.

Walmart, Sam’s Club and other stores closed due to heavy snow accumulations on their roofs and Columbia Public Schools canceled classes for four days total.

Missouri Department of Transportation called the conditions “hazardous” and encouraged all motorists to stay off the roads.

“For at least the first few days, the driving conditions weren’t the best. They cleaned up the main roads pretty quickly, so after the first day, they weren’t too bad,” sophomore Humera Lodhi said.

“But inside the neighborhoods was not good at all, especially my subdivision. Actually my own car got stuck in our driveway, and we had to shovel snow out of the way. But a person from my neighborhood was really nice and went around clearing roads with his own miniature snow plow.”

Activities Director David Bones said the school is having to cram a lot of events into less time because of the snow days. He said RBHS doesn’t know when they are having the Courtwarm-

“For me the bigger challenge is to find a way to continue to celebrate all the things we wanted to celebrate because we’ve got so much great stuff going on,” Bones said. “The goal of the assembly is just to show off all the great stuff that is going on at Rock Bridge, and we’ve missed that opportunity.”

More than the assembly and dance time changing, classes are feeling the snow day strain. Advanced Placement U.S. Studies teacher Debbie McDonough said because the AP test is at a specific date teachers and students don’t have a lot of room to lose days, as every day is necessary to prepare for the test, but she found ways to contact her students.

“With [David] Egan and I, we do a lot of texting, and then he is better at the Twitter-business, so he takes care of that … and I put the information on Angel,” McDonough said. “One of the things I’ve learned is because we have Angel available, I can use that so that students know what they should be doing at home even though they aren’t in class.”

Creative Writing teacher Jennifer Cone said the difficulties were a lot less for her as she doesn’t have a partner teacher.

“I’m not partnered with any-

photo used with permission from Associated Press photo provided by Annette Schulte

Digging deep: Members of RBHS track team shovel the blanket of snow that covered the track outside the school. body, so it’s easier for me to adjust. However in the past, when I taught [U.S.] Studies, it was horrible,” Cone said. “Not only do you have to go back and look through the schedule, but you also have to have to work it out with your partner. … You have to reschedule essays and all of that. So, for me, no problem.”

Students, too, had to rearrange their schedules. Senior Noor Khreis struggled to catch up with her photography and astronomy homework, because they both required in-school programs or facilities.

“In photography we’re behind because we can’t develop the film,” Khreis said. “Because unless you have a dark room in your own house, [you can’t do it yourself.]”

Some, however, didn’t find the snow days to be a nuisance, enjoying their days off. Senior Matthew Schulte said he didn’t feel

behind in classes and really liked having the days off.

“I was pretty excited about it,” Schulte said. ”I slept in, caught up on sleep and homework … I hung out with friends.”

And while most Columbians gathered by their fireplaces, some found themselves without power.

According to Boone Electric, more than 8,000 customers were without power.

But despite all the complications associated with all the snow that came down, junior Inas Syed believes the biggest issue was the fact that she wasn’t able to attend the courtwarming events including the game, king crowning and dance that were all supposed to occur.

“I am upset about the rescheduling of the courtwarming,” Syed said. “I’m super upset the game was cancelled. I was very hyped and I wanted to attend and support my team.”

Researchers cure child with HIV

R

esearchers announced Sunday, March 3 that they had cured a child with HIV. Within 30 hours of the child’s birth, doctors gave her high doses of three antiretroviral drugs. Two years later, there is no evidence of HIV in the child’s blood. She is the first child to be “functionally cured” of HIV. Researchers cite the early action as pivotal to the outcome.

“We are hoping that future studies will show that very early institution of effective therapy will result in this same outcome consistently,” Dr. Hannah Gay, pediatric HIV specialist at the University of Mississippi said.

Routine testing continues on the toddler, and results continue to show no evidence of the virus, which is present at undetectable levels. On ultra-sensitive settings however, doctors are occasionally seeing signals. Senior Muhamed Khenissi believes people need to be a little bit more patient with the cure while doctors and researchers work to perfect it.

“You know, [her recovery] was less of something universal, [not as if] everyone was going to be cured by what they discovered,” Khenissi said, “so I think everybody just needs to keep a level head [and] be patient, as hard as that sounds.”

art by Richard Sapp source: cnn.com stories by Atreyo Ghosh

4

« Ads

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

*

Ready for the weekend?

Weekends are FREE all month long!

No obligations. Just come ready to dance.

Weekend Schedule: Sat: 7:00, 8:00, 9:05, 10:10 Sun: 9:05, 1:00 (Body Sculpting) 4:30

S

*

For more information and for weekday class times visit jazzercise.com New customers only.

Exp. 3/31/13.

not Photo ched! retou ercise Jazz .

ReaCl ustomers

jazzercise.com/sale |

573.823.7600 120 E Nifong (Peach Tree Plaza)

real Results

News »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

5

Bill may alter Thanksgiving Day store hours atreyo » Ghosh

T

photo by Aniqa Rahman

Snack time: The Columbia Public Schools Title I preschool, located in the RBHS basement, serves snacks to its students. The United States Department of Agriculture recently released a new proposal which may change the influence school districts have over snack foods, possibly resulting in healthier snacks next year, including trail mix, diet soda, baked chips and iced tea.

Lunch proposal expected to establish limits Department of Agriculture aims to replace vending machines, à la carte alyssa » Sykuta

S

ix months ago, Columbia Public Schools joined thousands of school districts nationwide in implementing the United States Department of Agriculture’s new school lunch guidelines. These prescriptions include stricter provisions on whole grains, fruit and vegetable servings and calorie minimums and maximums.

One semester later, the changes are still playing a part in everyday student life in the cafeteria, as well as burdening the district nutrition department.

The prescriptions “have been a challenge. Just when we feel we have found a sound menu product, students show signs of fatigue with it after eating it a few times,” Laina Fullum, CPS Director of Nutritional Services, said. “We do feel we are on the right track, though, because even failures tell us something about what we are able and unable to do. We believe that the new regulations are good for students but desire more flexibility in how to fulfill them.”

In addition to the prescriptions, CPS is also aiming to teach younger kids about the benefits of eating healthy, which led them to obtain a USDA fresh fruit and vegetable grant for five elementary schools.

According to the USDA Food and Nutrition and Service website, the fruit and vegetable grant “teaches students about the importance of good nutrition and promotes the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.”

“In five of our elementary [schools], they have a fresh food and vegetable grant from USDA that we applied for and they all get,

every student in those schools gets than they already are if these new a fruit or vegetable snack that … proposed regulations take effect.” nutrition services provides,” CPS Whether it be the 50 cent cookies Nutrition Educator Janie Garrett at the front of the cafeteria or the $1 said. Other than that, “we don’t Pop Tarts in the vending machines, control snacks in the schools at all. the many students who take adSo either parents provide them or vantage of the snack opportunities teachers provide them or kids bring at school may have to do without their own snack in.” them.

However, a recently released According to the USDA, schools proposal from the USDA could served 229,887,314 “snacks,” or à la change the influence school dis- carte items, in 2012. For students tricts have over snack items. Next like junior Hannah Krogman, who year, if the suggestion passes, buys school lunch every other day, “baked chips, trail mix, diet sodas, the choice to eat those snack items, lower-calorie sports drinks and healthy or unhealthy, is important. low-fat hamBy limitburgers” may ing the extra replace many food options Even if you don’t à la carte and available, she gain a lot of weight, vending mabelieves stuchine items, dents would your body just feels including be worsereally bad after eating “fatty chips, off in the unhealthy food.” snack cakes, “real world” nachos and where no mozzarella one controls Kristen Tarr every decisticks.” » sophomore sion students The USDA would limit make regarddrinks in ing food. high schools to low-calorie sports “Having all those options out drinks, diet sodas and iced teas, there teaches people self-control,” and elementary and middle schools Krogman said. “So if they’re just could only sell water, low-fat milk going to baby people up until the and 100 percent fruit or vegetable point where they get to college juice as drink options. While the and then throw them out, what are district does not have control over they going to do when they get to the vending machines in schools, college?”

Fullum said the proposed regulaWhile Garrett speculates the tions would still have a large im- USDA will not make a decision pact. on the proposal until this summer, “Nutrition Services does not run CPS continues to struggle with any of the district’s vending ma- the current prescriptions. One of chines. The schools themselves do,” the biggest challenges the district Fullum said. “On that front we will continues to face is the produce not be impacted, but the à la carte requirements at each meal. The items we sell at lunch and breakfast USDA stipulates students must will be affected. À la carte offerings have one half cup of fruits or vegeat meals will be limited even more tables with every meal, but Fullum

“

said many students “do not seem to like being forced to take a fruit or vegetable with their meals.” She is disappointed in this, knowing that healthier foods help to fight off chronic diseases like obesity and heart disease.

Though some students choose to toss their fruit into the “share basket” after leaving the lunch line, others, such as sophomore Kristen Tarr, make sure to get an apple every day, even when she doesn’t buy a full meal from the school. For her, the opportunity to make healthy food decisions at school is inexpensive and helps her feel better about herself.

“I like having an apple with my meal every day,” Tarr said. “I get my fruit every day from the cafeteria, even when I’m not buying lunch because it’s there and it’s inexpensive. … I think that eating healthy is good because even if you don’t gain a lot of weight, your body just feels really bad after eating unhealthy food. Like every time I eat McDonald’s, my body feels really horrible, and I don’t like that feeling. So I like to make sure my body feels good.”

Whether figuring out how to adapt to the current situation or proposing more health guidelines, the USDA and school districts both aim to find a way to balance keeping students satisfied while providing meals with nutritional value.

Though Krogman supports the healthier food options at school, she hopes the USDA will not control the system too tightly in the future and will allow students the freedom to choose what they eat.

“It’s a good idea to have healthier options,” Krogman said, “but I don’t think it’s a good idea to just strictly limit you to those healthy options only.”

Public transit option offers variety, flexibility to schedules alyssa » Sykuta Continued from page 1

photo by Adam Schoelz

Busing the town: As part of transportation considerations for the future, the district may incorporate service from city buses for students.

Not only could city transportation help in this way, but Holtzclaw said the experiences could teach life lessons to those willing to take advantage of the opportunity.

“Some of the great benefits that could come out of it would be flexibility for schedules — after-school activities, things like that — but also the independence that getting to know your public transit system could offer to students,” Holtzclaw said. “It can mean that you can get anywhere around town safely and quickly, reliably, without having to necessarily have a car or your parents or friends or whoever to take you where you need to go. I think that learning how to navigate public transit is definitely a life skill.”

A Board of Education presentation Feb. 11 noted that 50 percent of CPS students grades 10 through 12 use private trans-

portation, utilizing the parking lots on the north and south sides of the building as well as “Sophomore Alley” on Executive Drive. Though public transit could open possibilities, the question of how many students would make use of the city buses is unanswered.

Sophomore Anthony Reichert used the public system last summer to get downtown but said the culture creates a somewhat uncomfortable situation. Also, because he has a driver’s license, he knows he, as well as other students, would not use the city bus service.

“I used the bus system a few times over the summer to get from Rock Bridge to the downtown area,” Reichert said. “Just through my experiences, not the nicest people in the world tend to ride the bus, like with vulgar language and being just rude.

But to clarify, not everyone is like that.”

Belcher understands the environment on public buses can come as a bit of a shock because

they cater to people all over town, not only students. However, Belcher believes by marketing the idea toward students to “say that it’s cool to ride the bus,” students would learn its usefulness and taking the bus could become commonplace.

Holtzclaw acknowledges the new system could be difficult for students to adapt to, but she firmly believes the adjustment is doable.

“There are always challenges when you do something new.

There’s definitely going to be challenges with perception; the school bus and a city bus are very different in some good ways, for example, heating and air conditioning, but also stopping right at someone’s house or right at the corner, that’s not going to necessarily be the same,” Holtzclaw said. “But I think that there are challenges in any new thing that you endeavor. I definitely think it’s something that we could do. It would just take a lot of collaboration and open communication.”

he “Black Friday Creep,” the moving up of opening times for Black Friday, grows every year, but a bill proposed by Rep. Jeff Roorda in the Missouri House of Representatives may force some businesses to keep their doors shut until the second after Thanksgiving Day. The Thanksgiving Family Protection Act would delay businesses from beginning retail sales until 12:01 a.m. on Friday after Thanksgiving. The bill specifies that pharmacies, gas stations and restaurants would be exempt.

Roorda introduced the bill on the heels of an online petition on change.org, asking Target to not open on Thanksgiving. Walmart already planned to open at 8 p.m. Thanksgiving night.

“Thanksgiving is an American holiday,” Jaime Ordway, legislative assistant to Rep. Roorda, said in an email interview, “a day to be thankful for everything we have, i.e. family, friends, health, etc. as in Norman Rockwell’s famous Thanksgiving painting … ’Freedom From Want’.”

Target did open on Thanksgiving day, and junior Adriane Replogle, a Target employee, started working at 10:30 p.m. and continued her shift until 5 a.m. Friday. By having to work Thursday, Replogle could not spend as much time with her family as she could have otherwise.

“There [are] people that want to go visit their families that can’t because they have to be back that night. And I know from my experience — my dad lives in Mexico, Mo.,” Replogle said. “It’s only 30 minutes away, but that’s less time spent at his house that I could’ve been because I had to go back to Columbia to go back to work.”

In 2012, according to huffingtonpost.com, a record 247 million shoppers went to stores or visited websites over the four days spanning Thanksgiving day to Sunday.

This is up 9.2 percent from 2011. The average shopper also spent more in 2012 than in 2011, with an average total of $423, instead of $398. Sales on Black Friday itself, however, dropped 1.8 percent from 2011.

According to Replogle, there were significantly more people on Friday than on Thanksgiving day.

While “it was actually a lot more dead” on Thursday than Black Friday morning, the shoppers were still “crazy.”

“There were people banging on the doors ahead of time, and when they let me in, the people that were waiting outside were like, ‘Oh, not fair!’ Like, ‘Hey, I work here, I’m allowed to be let in,’” Replogle said.

“We just prepared as much as we could and then let people in. And it was kind of actually like a wave.

People came in a lot, and then it would die down, and we’d be doing nothing for 45 minutes.”

Senior Clark Gribble believes only the owner of a store should be able to decide when a store opens and when it doesn’t. The government, Gribble said, should not regulate when a store can be open for business.

“It’s the owner of the store’s right to be open whenever they want to,” Gribble said. “If they pay their employees to be there, then it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Gribble acknowledges the importance of Thanksgiving and enjoys seeing family during that weekend. While he would personally not enjoy working in a store instead of being with family, Gribble believes accepting the possibility of working on holidays is part of taking such a job.

“I would ... know going into the job that I might have to work holidays. Also, often times, people get paid extra to work on holidays,” Gribble said. “The employee is employed there, they know they might have to work on holidays when they sign up, so it should be the store’s right to be open whenever they want to be open. It’s not like we should prevent the store from being open, ‘Oh, no, you can’t be open on this day.’ That’s stupid.”

The bill is awaiting a public hearing and has been referred to the House Committee on General Laws.

If it passes, employees such as Replogle might have fewer hours, but would be able to spend more time with family.

“It would probably give me less hours, honestly,” Replogle said, “because there’d be less hours to give to all of our employees. But honestly, it’s probably … family time over working.“

6

« Community

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

JLC provides opportunities brittany » Cornelison

W

photo by Aniqa Rahman

Booche-burger: Inside Booches lies a nostalgic atmosphere of a bygone time unaffected by the contemporary style of modern day restauraunts.

The sound of billiards echoes in the background while silent sports games are played out across the bar’s TVs.

Booches preserves local identity blake » Becker

N

estled in the middle of 9th Street Columbia lies a burger joint-pool hall acclaimed by locals and magazines as one of the best restaurants in the United States.

Booches’ first owner, Paul Blucher Venable, started the business in 1884; since then, it has gone through many owners but consistently upheld its quality of burgers. USA Today even listed Booches’ cheeseburger as one of the top 10 burgers in the United States in 2000.

Booches is a popular restaurant for long-time Columbia residents of all ages and provides a unique, homey atmosphere. Entering through the small entrance, a pair of classic flat-top grills sit alongside a large, well-crafted backbar. Across the backbar the restaurant is furnished with assorted tables and seats of quality woodwork. Following the walls filled with comic panels, posters referencing Booches, witticisms and Cardinal baseball photographs lead down the single room to a line of pool tables and snooker tables accompanied by lines of pool cues. This sets the stage for Booches’ pool hall/burger joint appearance.

The atmosphere, added with the old-fashioned burgers, makes Booches the first choice for senior Brandon Erbschloe. Erbschloe first went to Booches around the age of eight and said it has become one of his favorite places in Columbia.

“A lot of other pool bars, they actually just have pool and beer and stuff. And if they serve food, it’s not really [good.] ... But what Booches is about is its held this essence about it for so long.

Like, I know in society right now, we’re all watching these things change all the time, but Booches has been this chunk of our history in Columbia that’s always been here. I hope it stays here forever, and that’s probably the most appealing thing about Columbia.”

Booches’ history is sometimes influenced by serendipity. Current Booches owner, Charlie Kurre, first walked into Booches by coincidence.

“It was about 1979, and I was walking to class, and I lived over by Stephens College. I preferred to walk 9th Street as to Hitt and Main Street, so I was walking to class with about three inches of snow on the ground, and this fella in an old ‘64 Chevy Impala was stuck out in front [of Booches], so I got another student to help me push him out.

The fella stopped, and I said, ‘Don’t stop; you’re

out now,’ and [he] waved a five-dollar bill and is now, they took out two pool tables and got a said, ‘Why don’t you guys have a couple beers on bigger grill and bought these dining tables, so the me?’ and he pointed here [at Booches].”

Booches we know now is due to Mick, Bob and Kurre graduated with his Bachelor of Fine Jerry.”

Arts in 1981 and his Master of Fine Arts in 1989, Many see Booches as a link to a style of oldproceeding to teach Arts and Ideas at Columbia fashioned, casual dining scarcely seen today. This College for 13 years. However, Kurre had diffi- appeals to patrons like Erbschloe, who said he culty furthering his career as he had few offers of relishes the opportunity to eat there. little promise and high risk, leading him to pur“What makes the hamburgers themselves is chase Booches in a business partnership, he said. that you just see them right there. They just put “Most positions I applied for were one year the meat on the grill and put cheese on it, and it’s positions with possible renewal, and that would probably the simplicity of them just giving you a be in Detroit, Chicago, Louisiana, in one year, hamburger on wax paper. That’s probably what and if they did not hire makes it the best thing.” me back, well there I’d be For World Studies without a job. It wasn’t teacher David Graham, Booches has been this paying much more than I Booches holds further sigchunk of our history in was making here, and then nificance than just its food.

I would have to move and For Graham, Booches was Columbia that’s always relocate, so I just started a place that was more been here.” saying, ‘Well, I’ll wait it than somewhere to hang out and see if something out with bar buddies; it comes up.’ Jerry [previous was where Graham could Brandon Erbschloe find mutual friends of his Booches’ owner] finally retired in ‘04, so Rick, my » senior father’s that he could conpartner, and I bought it nect to on a more familiar from Jerry in ‘04.” basis.

Though purchasing Booches was a large in“When [my father] passed away in 2006 and vestment and a major shift in Kurre’s profession, then Kerri, my wife … went into the hospital with he said he was confident in his decision and knew pregnancy complications in the fall of 2007 and well enough how to manage it. that was around two years after Dad had died, so “I’ve been working here since 1985, 28 years I started going down there on Fridays when she now,” Kurre said, “so at that time we bought the was in the hospital for three months,” Graham place, it would have been 19 years, so I had a pret- said. “So every Friday during that time when ty good idea of what I was getting into.” she was doing some tests, I would leave and go While Booches maintained their style of burg- down to Booches and hung out with those guys, ers, Kurre said the restaurant has experienced and they all remembered me from a couple years some dramatic changes. It made a shift to focus prior, and I hadn’t been there in a bit, and so they more on being a resturatnt rather than a pool hall. kind of took me under their wing. That was kind Booches also started a literary magazine, ‘Review of a trying time for me with both Dad’s death and La Booche,’ that featured pieces by high-profile Kerri’s pregnancy.” writers such as Frank Stack and Richard EberFor Graham, Booches brings to the table not hart. The magazine was started in 1976 by owners just a quality burger, but a quality of people who Mick Jabbour, Jerry Dethrow and Bob Rappold, give Booches a permanence in Columbia, separatall of whom were English majors. ing it from other bars.

“Jerry was in poetry. Mick was in short stories, “It’s much more of an emotional attachment and I’m not sure what Bob was doing, but they for me because of the time and support they gave were all writers,” Kurre said, “so before, they me during Dad’s death and then during Kerri’s bought Booches, there were two more pool tables stay in the hospital,” Graham said. “Those guys in, here and it was pretty much a men’s club, were just fantastic about that and really supportnot a lot on food; they didn’t have a big dining ive of me during that time and still are wonderful area. Mick, Bob and Jerry changed it into what it folks.”

“

CYBA supports local basketball julia » Schaller

T

he score is 4-0, and although Team Teal is losing, the girls haven’t given up hope. The coach calls a timeout. Team Teal forms a tight circle and plans their strategy. Before going back to the game, the huddled team, pumped with motivation, puts their hands in together and scream, “DIPPED CONES!” Team Teal is a group of RBHS senior girls who play basketball for the Columbia Youth Basketball Association, or CYBA. Since it was founded in 1992, more than 1,000 students of all ages join in teams for weekly basketball games in a CYBA league. Columbia Parks and Recreation provides CYBA games for anyone seeking to play, coach or watch, and the league consists of boys and girls ranging from grades 2-12.

Senior Sydney Strong took advantage of the opportunity Columbia gives to participate on a CYBA team this year. Strong plays on Team Teal and said her team cheers “dipped cones” at every game because the team’s coaches, Andrea Martin and Amanda Wiele, promised them that if they won a game, she would give them all dipped ice cream cones.

Strong said Team Teal has never

defeated another team but that her team never gives up hope for future sweet victories.

“We don’t usually play basketball,” Strong said. “Our team is not very good. We are un-undefeated, as we like to say, because we have not won a game. But we have a lot of fun. We have one girl on our team that’s experienced with basketball, Sydney Ringdahl, who used to play RBHS basketball last year. She is our go-to player.”

Strong said the reasons most people choose to be involved in CYBA are because the participants don’t have to be good basketball players to participate. She said students can just be themselves and enjoy the game.

CYBA also allows students to coach younger players. This year, senior Bret Weise co-coaches with 2012 alumnus Connor Gundy for a fourth grade boys team.

For Weise, the best thing about coaching basketball is the joy of teaching the kids the game. Weise has been playing basketball for 12 years, and he said he takes for granted all the skills he learned and developed along the way.

Weise said most of the kids on his team never played basketball before.

He said teaching them the basics is gratifying and also a struggle that doesn’t always go the way he plans.

Photo used with permission from Matt Bush

A casual game: Columbia Youth Basketball Association team the Ocean Gang poses in uniform for a trophy photo after a big win.

“The worst thing about coaching is the fact that you’re completely helpless in what you do,” Weise said. “You can yell at the kids all you want and tell them what to do, but in the end, they don’t do it most of the time. You’re just kind of helpless sitting on the bench.”

Similar to Weise, senior Dylan Linneman has enjoyed being involved in basketball from a young age. Linneman played basketball on school teams for a couple of years but decided he wanted to go back to exercising his basketball skills for fun with his friends in a CYBA league.

Linneman’s team has played in five games so far and, like Strong, his team includes players who do not regularly play basketball. Linneman said it’s a terrible and slightly em-

barrassing feeling when one’s team gets destroyed by another.

“The worse part is probably getting beat really badly,” Linneman said. “There’s a point where it’s OK, and then there’s a point where it’s just like, ‘Oh, crap, we just got destroyed.’”

Even though Linneman’s team doesn’t win all their games, in the end it’s convivial no matter what the score is. He said it’s always entertaining to try and see if his team can win a few games.

“CYBA is just fun,” Linneman said. “It’s something you can do with a bunch of guys and you don’t necessarily have to be the greatest out there; you can just go out and try to have fun. It’s just something fun to do on Saturdays that you do with all your friends.”

hen students graduating from high school or college look for jobs, employers evaluate the applicant’s character. Six of the top 10 qualities that help with a job are character based, according to Kent University.

In some circumstances, applicants are tested on their leadership by examining their proficiency in directing others. For any teen, improving this skill is imperative; Columbia has a program specified to enhancing this trait in teens.

The program, called Junior Leadership Columbia, selects 25 high school juniors each year to be a part of this Columbia-oriented club. Sedel Marino, director of communication services at the Columbia Missouri Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber founded JLC in hopes of motivating the community’s next generation of leaders to embrace their potential and stay in the city.

“Junior Leadership Columbia is designed to motivate emerging leaders and develop the potential for community leadership by acquainting participants with the opportunities, realities and challenges of the Columbia community,” Marino said in an email interview. “The JLC program teaches the students about many of the different aspects of the Columbia community. They get to meet many business leaders and see how they work behind the scenes.

This allows for career exploration as well as networking and growth.”

This year’s leadership-based activities included a trip to the Shanthi Mandir, the Columbia Hindu temple and community center of Mid-Missouri, a walkthrough of the Chamber of Commerce and a chance to act as newscasters at KOMU. The club runs from August to March, leaving few meetings left during the 2012-2013 school year.

The group has one trip remaining to the capitol in Jefferson City. Junior Katie Hurdle, a current member of JLC, said the club helped her explore local opportunities.

“We have a meeting once a month, and we go to a different place each time,” Hurdle said. “My favorite one so far was going to a fire station and they taught us all about public service, whether that be EMT [Emergency Medical Technician or firefighting], that type of thing … and we got to put out a fire.”

Senior Joe Pratt was a member of JLC his junior year and enjoyed meeting and interacting with leaders of Columbia. Pratt said being a part of JLC was also a beneficial networking experience.

“Something that was really special is now that I have established a relationship with the Chamber of Commerce, so if I ever want to, I can always contact someone there and use that and maybe find a reference there,” Pratt said. “I think I did pick up some different leadership skills there and it was just a really good experience to go and see all these different things that I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to see had I not been in the club.”

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce selects incoming juniors for the club based on their interests and leadership potential in their community. The Chamber requires students who want to be part of JLC to write an essay about a time in their life where they portrayed leadership. The club is very competitive when it comes to acceptance, as only 25 applicants are allowed to be in the club each year.

“Applications are given to [all] sophomores in all of the Columbia high schools. Once they are turned in there is a selection committee and judged on a blind basis,” Marino said. “The applications consist of a list of current school and community involvement, an essay and a referral letter. Applicants are scored based on those categories and then the top 25 applicants are invited to be a part of the program.”

The Chamber will distribute applications for the upcoming 2013-2014 program to sophomores in late March, Pratt said one of his favorite aspects of JLC was interacting with students from schools other than RBHS. “It was really cool getting to know some of the people there from Hickman and CIS that I wouldn’t have gotten a chance to know otherwise,” Pratt said.

Club Leaders “really try and teach leadership skills to those people who they think are going to end up being future leaders.”

Columbia is a diverse town, and members get to experience this through interaction with different schools and local leaders, according to Sedel. Hurdle said participating in this club was a great decision for her and opened her eyes to how varied her community is.

“It’s a really good thing to put on college applications, so that was one of the reasons I did it,” Hurdle said. “It’s been pretty interesting to get to know all the different aspects of Columbia. There’s a lot more opportunities in Columbia than I thought there were going to be.”

Features »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

7

Weapons still prevalent in high school maria » Kalaitzandonakes

I

t was late one night and junior Savannah Johnson was with her friend at a gas station, filling up the tank, when they noticed two men in another car staring at them. Johnson, feeling nervous, told her friend — the driver — to get in the car and they locked the doors.

After a few minutes, the two “burly” men opened their window and began shouting things like, “Get in

the car! Get in the car!” Then Johnson and her friend watched helplessly as the large black SUV with the two men in it inched towards their car, making a T shape and effectively blocking them from leaving.

Johnson looked away and clutched her phone, hoping the two men would leave them alone. Her friend, without moving her mouth for fear they would read her lips said, “Call your mom.” The men kept telling the girls to get in the car. After a tense few minutes, the men got into

IN 2009

WEAPONS IN SCHOOL

27%

OF MALES IN GRADES 9-12 CARRIED A WEAPON ON THEM EVERYWHERE

ONLY 8% OF MALES CARRIED A WEAPON

on school property

White: 19% Black: 14% Pacific Islander: 10% Hispanic: 6% Asian: 4%

reported carrying a weapon everywhere over span of the past 30 days

only

7% of females carried a weapon everywhere

Top 5 Worst School Massacres

1.

Bath School Bombing (1927)

2.

Virginia Tech (2007)

3.

Sandy Hook Elementary (2012)

4.

University of Texas (1966)

5.

Columbine High School (1999)

3% OF FEMALES

REPORTED CARRYING A WEAPON ON SCHOOL PROPERTY

sources: nces.ed.gov, infoplease.com

infographic by Trisha Chaudhary

their car, rolled up the windows and drove away.

“I was shaking so bad. I was like, ‘I don’t know what they’re going to do.’

If they would have come up to the car though there was nothing we could have done except just sit there,” Johnson said. “It was really scary.”

After the incident, Johnson told her mother, who “freaked out” and bought Johnson her first weapon — a small bottle of pepper spray, or Oleoresin Capsicum. It causes immediate closing of the eyes, difficulty breathing, runny nose and coughing. The effects can last from 30 to 45 minutes. It made her mother more comfortable, and made her a little less nervous when she rented Redbox movies outside of Gerbes at night.

And she’s right to be nervous, other than parking garages and public restrooms the third most common place for rape and/or abduction of women is a grocery store parking lot, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Department. The FBI reports that only 37 percent of all rapes are reported to the authorities, and even less for attempted rapes.

High schoolers “don’t think that they really think about [assault] happening,” Johnson said. “They just think, ‘Oh, that happened in a movie or on the news or something.’

They don’t think it would actually happen to them.”

Unfortunately, the truth is just the opposite. According to the Pepper Spray Center 44 percent of all rape, attempted rape or sexual assault happens to kids under the age of 18. Although Johnson has a heightened awareness outside of school, she thinks little of her protection while she’s at RBHS. She carries mace, but never takes it out of her purse.

“I always feel safer knowing I have my mace with me, but when I’m at school I don’t really think about it,” Johnson said. “I guess that’s because when I come to school I feel like I am safe and that it is a controlled environment and the staff is looking out for my safety. But when I’m outside of school I feel like I’m the only one looking out for my safety.”

Similarly, senior Jacob Wilburt* doesn’t have much to fear at RBHS, saying he doesn’t feel “threatened,” but Wilburt believes having the right to protect oneself is vital. Wilburt carries a knife and has since he was six years old when he first passed his Boy Scouts’ certification test. But he doesn’t carry it in preparation for self-defense, just as a useful tool and worst case scenario - a back up plan. “[My knife] stays in my pocket.

If I’ve got [to] open something, it’s there. Last year when I was in weld-

ing I kept getting pieces of metal in my hand, and I’d have to cut them out. If I’ve got dirty hands, I can clean out my fingernails with it. S--like that,” Wilburt said. “It’s not like I’m going to stab somebody with it.

It’s just here if I need it.”

Wilburt said carrying a weapon is partially cultural. His grandfather has carried a knife every day for the last 67 years, and “he’s never had any trouble.” And it’s not just knives. Last year Wilburt kept a shotgun for trap shooting locked up in his truck for when he went hunting after school.

Wilburt isn’t new to guns, either. He said he first received a gun when he was four years old - a .22 cal.

“When my dad went to school they had their gun racks and their guns in their trucks. Everybody knew they weren’t going to shoot nobody,” Wilburt said. “Now [my friend] got kicked out of school for just having a BB gun in his car.”

Principal Mark Maus grew up in a rural town and said when another student was deer hunting all weekend and accidentally left his shotgun in his rack on his truck, and when he came to school the administration suspended him. Similar rules apply at Rock Bridge.

All weapons are banned on RBHS campus, this includes the parking lots. Rock Bridge, and all the Columbia Public Schools, have a “zero tolerance policy.” Since the 1980s, when zero-tolerance was popularized, it started a philosophy toward illegal conduct with little wiggle room, especially drugs and weapons. But Columbia Public Schools are understanding about it, Maus said.

If students accidentally wear jeans they wore during the weekend with a knife clipped on it from work they can come to the office and let them know so there won’t be an issue. But the rules they adhere to are strict.

“We follow the same guidelines as the rest of Columbia Public Schools.

Basically, if you’re found with a weapon or anything concealed or anything that could hurt someone, there are consequences,” Maus said.

“We look at being stringent. No weapons are allowed to be carried, but we also understand that a student may accidentally do something.”

Maus said the administration preaches a policy of caution, and he encourages any students with worries about a possible weapon to talk to him just to be safe.

Wilburt disagrees with the measures as he believes people who have been trained how to properly handle a weapon and are responsible shouldn’t be punished. If someone doesn’t present any aggressive behavior with the weapon and keeps it inside his pocket as he does, Wilburt

said he just doesn’t understand all the fuss.

“I’ve had a couple people come up to me and start freaking out, saying like, ‘Oh, my God, you have a knife in your pocket,’” Wilburt said. “If I was going to stab you, I would’ve done it already because you’re annoying me. ... But I wouldn’t. So, you know, they freak out, but there’s no reason to.”

Wilburt doesn’t see the idea of fear as one that should always go with weapons. As for example, junior Mikayla Bessey, who carries a different kind of weapon on her keychain.

It swings around with her Wilson’s Fitness card and a token from Disney World. She has a small pink bottle of potent pepper spray that her father gave her when she started driving.

And although Bessey hasn’t used it yet, except to practice harmlessly on grass, she said she feels safer with it on her person.

“I feel like if someone were to rape me or something, I could pull it out and run away,” Bessey said. “I’m pretty small for my age, and so most people are bigger than me, and it helps me to spray it in their eyes and run away.”

Wilburt believes mace isn’t strong enough to take someone down, and only allows students a feeling of protection. According to Gallup’s annual crime poll 23 percent say they purchased a gun to protect themselves and their homes. But relatively few say they personally carry mace or pepper spray (14 percent), a knife (12 percent) or a gun (12 percent) on their person for defense. “[Girls] feel like they have a sense of protection [when they carry mace] but they don’t actually. I’ve been sprayed with mace, because I wanted to try it out. It’s not that bad,” Wilburt said. “And they have this sense of protection because they think, ‘I’m carrying mace; nobody can hurt me.’ Bulls--- because I can take mace straight to the face and keep going. …

Not that I would. But there’s a lot of guys that would, that are a lot tougher than I am. … Same with a taser. It takes two of them to take me down.”

Outside of school, Bessey thinks of her mace as protection, but at school she rarely notices it. But because she drives to school, her bottle is with her the whole day. Maus said although he doesn’t consider mace on the level of a knife or a gun, it can still be dangerous and should be dealt with with precaution. Some students, like Wilburt, disagree.

“I don’t even keep it hidden. It’s clipped [in my front pocket]. They can see the clip. … I don’t pull it out to be aggressive,” Wilburt said. “But it’s not like I’m going to stop carrying it just because some people gotta whine. I don’t go a day without it.”

Budgeting fosters money management skills in teens manal » Salim

A

families at our school, and I’m not saying that is a bad thing,” Kelly said.

“It’s just that some kids haven’t really had to deal with what it’s like to save money and not have it always readily available.”

According to www.foxbusiness.com, 87 percent of teens admit they don’t know much about personal finance in a study by ING Direct. In order to assist students who haven’t had exposure to proper budgeting, personal

s author Rita Davenport once said, “money isn’t everything ... but it ranks right up there with oxygen,” according to www.goodreads.com. And indeed, consumers from age 12-18 have become a spending force, shelling out on average $96 a week, according to TNS’ Tru Study, a market research company. Going out to lunch or catching a movie requires students to spend money when they want to have a College is in two years, little fun. but I’m hungry now.”

To keep themselves grounded in how much they Claire Herndon spend, students may » junior resort to saving their earnings for the future. Junior Claire Herndon regularly follows a detailed finance instructor Stacy Elsbury said budget plan to help her in managing the course follows the practices of fiher income. nancial gurus to teach students quick “When I get paid, I try to put tips to save their money. at least 20 percent of what I make “Students work through a budgetinto savings. I give 10 percent to my ing simulation where they are given church, and I put the rest in my debit a specific career and salary and then account,” Herndon said. “I do this have to determine how to divide up because realistically, if I don’t have a their money accordingly. We share savings plan, I’ll never save, ever.” basic guidelines such as allocating Junior Megan Kelly believes roughly 10 percent for saving, 25 to there’s a variety of students at RBHS 35 percent for housing, 10 to 15 perwho have differing abilities in man- cent for transportation and 15 to 20 aging money. To Kelly, the charac- percent on food,” Elsbury said. “If teristics and habits depend on the you don’t have a plan, then you are person. She believes there are people more likely to go with whatever feels who are good with money and those best at the moment or impulse spendwho are not, depending on the envi- ing, and that can leave you experiencronment and situations they are ac- ing buyer’s remorse. Living with a customed to. budget is to live with intentionality.”

“I think a lot of it comes from the Herndon admits even she is an imfact that there are a lot of well-off pulsive shopper, along with 23 per-

“

cent of American teens according to www.aboutschwab.com. But Herndon agrees with Elsbury’s advice, and believes students without a savings plan can easily fall into a compulsive mindset. With restaurants so nearby, RBHS students are often persuaded by their peers to go out for lunch, according to Herndon. “[Students] have no idea what to expect in the future. We don’t think about it,” Herndon said. “We live in the now. We make decisions to go out to lunch daily when we could be saving for college. We look at it like, ‘College is in two years, but I’m hungry now.’”

Sometimes it can be difficult to look so far into the future when it seems as though the money can be better spent now, Kelly said. Rather than frequently spending the majority of her personal cash on food, Kelly pays for her own clothing items when she shops from time to time.

“I spend most of my money on clothes because it’s one of my outlets and it’s what’s important to me,” Kelly said. “I feel better and more confident when I like what I am wearing. I don’t spend a fortune by any means because I try to find deals and still find cute stuff that I can wear a lot.”

Even though Kelly watches how much she spends, Elsbury still suggests that students set money aside for their future, regardless of how tempting shopping now may be.

According to www.foxbusiness. com 83 percent of teens don’t know the basics of managing money, and Elsbury has seen students struggle

with saving money because of the absence of a goal to save for, or even not having a measurable income to budget, which negatively impacted their future.

“Money management is like any other good decision we must make for ourselves,” Elsbury said. “Even though we know we need to do it, we sometimes have a hard time controlling ourselves.”

Because of encouragement from her parents to pay for her own purchases, Kelly believes she has mastered the art of self control and is smarter when shopping. Part of the reason Kelly believes she is able to control herself when spending money because all of her money is from savings and earnings from work and has never received an allowance. Students will never learn to budget and manage their money properly by just receiving cash from their parents, Kelly said.

“I think it’s a good idea to not

5

TOP TEEN EXPENDITURES

have an allowance and learn what it’s like to make and save your money,” Kelly said. “You wouldn’t necessarily be completely on your own, but [you would] at least be getting an idea of what the future will be like [managing your own money].”

Based on a research study at Ohio State University, 50 percent of teens get a median of $50 a week straight to their pockets. Having an allowance and not being independent with finances in high school is something Herndon believes will cause students to struggle when budgeting their money now and even in their future.

“If your parents pay for all your gas and give you money every time you ask to go shopping, you don’t learn the value of money. I was raised knowing I’m supposed to save and give, so that’s what I do,” Herndon said. “You spend your money differently if it’s yours, so if your parents just hand you money, you’re never going to learn to be wise with it.”

8

« Features

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

Like father, like son Parents pass on psychological traits to children,

art by Richard Sapp

parents still have their individual personalities and opinions about certain topics and do not agree on everything.

“We’re pretty different on our views, but enior Sarah Dweik said kids often hear phrases such as, “You have your moth- there are some [similar] things that we are kind er’s eyes and your father’s nose.” While of nitpicky about,” Dweik said. “Or we’re both Dweik has her father’s unruly brown kind of paranoid about the same things. I think hair, she has her mother’s pale eyes. But some- I’ve inherited different aspects from both of my times it’s not always clear which physical trait parents. Me and my mom really, really like the comes from which parent. The same goes for same kind of music, but me and my dad are psychological traits, but only to a certain extent. more academically the same. ... It’s just a meltAlthough most teenagers don’t want to be- ing pot. ” Senior Clara Phillips notices that she only lieve it, they will turn out at least partly like their parents. According to a long-term study has a few similarities to her mother while her younger sister, junior Breta conducted at the UniverPhillips, has more similarisity of Minnesota in the to both of her parents.

1980s, humans inherit There’s no trait with one ties Here Clara Phillips believes their psychological traits to one correspondence genetics play a role in sibfrom both of their parling differences. ents, mother and father.

100 percent “I think Breta’s more Not only do children determining value. ” like both of my parents belook like their parents, cause she spaces out and but they act similar, too. doesn’t know what’s going However, Dr. Charles Dr. Charles Borduin on sometimes like my mom Borduin, professor of psychology at the Uni» professor does,” Phillips said. “But then she’s really literal and versity of MissouriColumbia, said “the word ‘environment’ gets wants to know exactly what you’re saying, and downplayed” when talking about hereditary she doesn’t want any of the, ‘Sometimes, maybe, I don’t know,’ like my dad. So she’s more psychological traits.

While children inherit many traits from their like both of them than I am like either of them.”

Borduin said, to some extent, psychologiparents, Borduin said, it is impossible for children to turn out exactly like them. Dweik said cal traits have some genetic component. But she shares some of the same habits as her par- he thinks the similarity between parents and ents. But although she has acquired a blend of children varies from trait to trait. Where a child traits from her parents, Dweik said she and her might have a similar temperament as one par-

ipsa » Chaudhary

S

“

ent, they might have different stress levels than both parents because of environmental factors.

“There’s no trait with a one to one correspondence 100 percent determining value. All traits take the environment to be expressed,” Borduin said. “It varies on the genetic and environmental contributions. When you come into the world your parents give you a set of genes, and after that the environment takes over.”

Dweik said she doesn’t want to be like her parents, especially when their mannerisms irritate her. However, she often catches herself behaving like them, by saying something her mother would or copying her father’s behavior.

“I think sometimes I’ll just, like, randomly say something like, ’Oh my gosh, that’s something my mom would say,’ and be like, ‘I’m so sorry,’ and apologize about it,” Dweik said.

“But I think if [what I say is] not a big deal, or it’s not something I know would bother me personally, I wouldn’t think of it twice. Only if it’s something [my parents] do to me that really bothers me or I don’t think should happen. If I accidentally do do it, I think about it. And I’m like, ‘I probably shouldn’t do that.’”

But Borduin said when he meets teenagers that are worried about turning out like their parents, he reassures them that the environment contributes to how they grow up also, and they are not genetically predisposed to turn out one way or another. He assures them that they have a choice in the matter, and the way they live their life truly impacts the person they become as an adult.

“There are multiple influences in your life, and parents are, if not the most, then one of the

most important influences. And for some people family is absolutely crucial,” Borduin said.

“I think some young people worry because they see some traits [in their parents] they don’t like.

And as they get older they find themselves saying the same expressions and worry, ‘I’m turning into my parents.”

Borduin said some people are more outgoing, and some people are less outgoing. Much of that has to do with how children are raised.

Borduin said all the people that become a part of a child’s life from family to peers influence how an individual will turn out.

“A child that’s maybe excitable can be different depending on how they’re raised. The parents respond differently,” Borduin said. “Some parents might tramp down on them, and some parents might let them run free. It would easily be true with someone who’s more introverted.

They can be moved a little to be extroverted if their family encourages them to express themselves and their peers are outgoing. If you live in a family of introverted people and your peers are too, then you will be more introverted.”

Phillips also believes the environment plays a role in how similar children are to their parents, particularly proximity. She believes children are similar to their parents because often they live under the same roof.

“I think that [kids turn out like their parents] more often than not because [a parent is] kind of their role model,” Phillips said. “And that’s the person they learn from, and that’s the person that they spend the most time with. So they’re more likely to do things like their parents than are their uncle that lives two hours away.”

Personal and cultural perceptions shape men’s beards jake » Alden

H

ead Cross Country coach Neal Blackburn is well known for his distinctive facial hair, a goatee and a soul patch. The hair dates back to when Blackburn and his family moved to Columbia 12 years ago and Blackburn first began coaching cross country at RBHS. “I thought I would grow some facial hair after I tried to pick up the coaches’ packet at a high school cross country meet, and they told me to get my coach,” Blackburn said.

“So I grew facial hair in an attempt to look more my age.”

Beards have been around since Homo sapiens first ceased to have fur, according to evolutionary scholars like biologist Alistair Wilson. Since the dawn of human civilization, a man’s facial hair has alternately served as a symbol of strength or an unruly rebellion against authority. The soldiers of ancient Sparta were required to grow facial hair and would punish defeated enemies by shaving them.

Most modern militaries, like those of the U.S. and U.K., require their soldiers to be clean-shaven.

In modern day America, beards have seen a return to the fashion limelight ever since the eighties, according to a July 2011 study conducted by The New Yorker. With the rising popularity of the American beard has come the rampant popularity of the beard-oriented event “No Shave November,” when men and adolescent males throughout the country stop shaving their face for an entire month. This trendy event originally led to the growth of the short circle beard RBHS senior Tanner Cooper sports.

“Last year, during ‘No Shave No-

vember,’ it was the only part of my face where hair fully grew in,” Cooper said. “The beauty of it is that I don’t groom it. Shaving only takes about five minutes.”

Not all beards are grown out for a trendy and fashionable cause; many religions throughout the world require their male disciples to sport some form of facial hair, including Hasidic Judaism, Sikhism, Rastafari, Islam, Sadhu Hinduism and certain sects of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

“A part of Islam is following what Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, did in his life, and so growing a beard is part of that,” senior Rasheeq Nizam said. “It’s encouraged to grow a beard because this follows his example. We believe that men were given the ability to grow beards as a way to look physically attractive.”

Many male Muslims first grow permanent facial hair during midpuberty; Nizam first procured a beard his freshman year after missing his opportunity during November as an event he dubbed Do-Over December.

“I grew the beard over break and showed up at school in January looking four years older. I kept a chin strap back then, but I didn’t know I needed to trim it short,” Nizam said. “Some time around second semester of sophomore year I realized I’m not supposed to be able to comb my beard out like a mountain goat, so I got a mini electric trimmer and changed the chin strap to a goatee.”

Facial hair, whatever its purpose, has seen a mixed popularity throughout human history. Starting with archaeological records indicating a universal popularity of Greek facial fuzz in ancient times,

beard growth gave way to a clean shaven fashion introduced by the Roman razor. Throughout time, no one has been more vocal about the matter than beard-growers opposite number, the women of the world.

For some who sport facial hair, the beard has become popular with the opposite gender.

“I shaved all of it last spring break, but all three of my daughters told me to grow it back. When I give my girls good night kisses, they complain about it being a little prickly,” Blackburn said. “Otherwise, my daughters think that I am a little bit more cool with it rather than without it. So I will trust their judgement.”

Not all females are enamored by a Grizzly Adams-esque appearance, and in Cooper’s experience, most women his own age are less endeared with beards than Blackburn’s girls. “[Girls] hate it,” Cooper said. “I obviously have a very small amount of facial hair and they still give me disgusted looks.”

For most men, facial hair is a form of personal identity, and most, like Blackburn, Cooper and Nizam, have a custom style they choose to grow.

Men often experiment with the result of their shaving habits, but some beard-growers would say that they aren’t always successful.

“I have never grown a full beard. It wasn’t always the soul patch goatee combo; I once had the soul patch fully connected to my chin, but it looked goofy,” Blackburn said. “I tried the mustache connection to the chin beard, but I looked like a person of a different nationality; think balding, not-nearly-ashandsome Orlando Bloom from the first Pirates movie. It just didn’t look right.”

A ClosE Shave The Rock staff surveyed 180 students:

Who has the best beard?

Royal Vizier Jafar

Albus Dumbledore

16.6%

15.5%

10.5% Captain Jack Sparrow

33.3% 23.8% Obi-Wan Kenobi art by Richard Sapp

Abraham Lincoln

Personality Profiles »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

‘Twitter-famous’ teen harnesses personal humor

9

anna » Wright

I

n the online world, socialization takes on a whole new form. Interaction comes instantly, contact with virtually anyone is possible and getting certain thoughts out through Internet posts often proves much easier than speaking the words aloud.

Junior Mariah Brady utilized these perks of the web to make herself known throughout the school community and reflect her fiery personality by socially networking through a Twitter account.

With 450 followers and an average of 47.3 tweets per day, according to tweetstats.com, Brady’s peers have deemed her “Twitter famous.” Although she prefers to avoid using the phrase in reference to herself, Brady said the fun and comical nature of her tweets may be what has brought in such a sizable online following.

“I think other people label me as ‘Twitter famous,’” Brady said. “It’s just because I’m just so out there and so crazy, and I just don’t have a filter. I think that’s a big thing for people to see that I have this crazy, just sporadic mindset.”

Junior Cooper Smith said Brady possesses some degree of Internet stardom and has earned this title among her peers.

He attributes this to her friendly demeanor and likeable personality.

“I feel like Mariah is pretty Twitter famous,” Smith said. “I think that she tweets what’s on her mind, and she’s friends with everyone and she doesn’t really have beef with anybody. No one’s really mad at her, and everyone thinks she has a funny sense of humor, which attracts popularity in her tweets.”

Brady confirms and embraces her daring personality and the way it manifests in her tweets.

“Most of my tweets are pretty upbeat and pretty funny,” Brady said. “I have no filter. I love making people laugh. It’s something I’ve always been good at.”

Examples of Brady’s online humor include her most recent spree of tweets, “Google search” tweets, where she continuously tweeted things one may type into an Internet search engine. These included “Google search: how to get pregnant without having sex so the baby looks just like you,” “Google search: how to make a guy that doesn’t even like you ‘like you like you,’” and “Google search: does God like freshmen?”

Brady said Twitter has served as a positive outlet for some of the thoughts she may never have spoken out loud or in person.

Despite this, she feels her tweets accurately reflect her unique and sometimes risky sense of humor.

“There’s been a lot of times where I’ve held things in just because I didn’t know how people would view them, or if they would laugh with me or at me,” Brady said. “There’s such a wide range of things that I joke about and [on Twitter] there’s so many other people that can enjoy them.”

Comparing his interactions with Brady in person to her online presence, Smith said he thinks the two are similar. They both contain her universally appealing persona. He said her tendency to be very direct is what makes Brady’s personality so noticeable.

“Based off of her tweets and me talking to her in class, [her personality is similar online and in person] because of just how chill she is with everything and straightforward,” Smith said. “She will literally be blunt with everything.”

Brady said, overall, Twitter has acted as a positive aspect of her life. She said that the ability to express her vibrant and humorous charisma to hundreds of online followers has labeled her as a fun and comical person, which she feels is an accurate statement in terms of her personality as a whole.

“People know that when they’re around me, they can laugh,” Brady said. “And that’s probably what I’m going to be doing, too.”

feature photo by Aniqa Rahman

Take notes: Junior Esther Liu uses the grand piano in the RBHS choir room to perform a song from memory in the quiet atmosphere of the area, when the bustle of show choir rehearsal has ended. An avid musician, Liu dedicates 45 minutes of her time to practice piano every day.

Hitting the right notes Pianist balances musicality with academics nomin-erdene » Jagdagdorj

J

unior Esther Liu has a lot to boast about — her memory, which produced the first 100 digits of pi last year at the EEE Pi Day contest; her course load, which included Calculus III at the University of Missouri-Columbia last semester, in addition to five advanced placement classes; and her musical abilities, which last year allowed for her to self-learn guitar, her third instrument, and perform in front of the entire Capers audience.

Liu, despite her accomplishments and accolades, is humble, arguing that she “got OK” at the guitar last year and calling her Mandarin “not horrible.”

Others, though, recognize her skill. This year is Liu’s first playing for the show choir combo, but she has already become the liaison between choir director Mike Pierson and the rest of the combo, he said. As the pianist, Liu is the only member of the combo who has the full musical score, as well as the lyrics that the show choir members sing.

“If I’m directing the choir from the front, I can say, ‘Esther, I want to start at “Happiness is in a...”’ or whatever, and she can say, ‘All right, combo, measure 39’ or whatever,” Pierson said.

“She’s providing the foundational harmonic structure for the rest of the combo as well.”

The Missouri Fine Arts Academy has also taken note of the gifted junior and offered her a spot at the three-week experience this summer. Liu was originally disappointed when she discovered MOFAA, she said. She thought she’d missed the deadline, but once she found out she had a week left, she filled out her application and sent off an essay.

“I just really like that atmosphere where people are all musicians or are all into the arts, and they really like being creative,” Esther said.

MOFAA is comprised of a “whole bunch of fine arts people; they spend those three weeks to learn more about their own discipline and then

to connect with other people.” science class to really investigate songs, and Liu has been playing piano, her main instru- her memorization of math differentials help her ment, for over a decade. Optimally, she aims record musical pieces in her memory. Music alfor 45 minutes of practice a day, but lately has lows the “real world problems” and “science … been reaching that goal “less than I should,” just and math applications” to come through. People two or three days each week. Though she used often complain that they’ll never use “in real to take lessons for violin, she found piano really life” the equations and theorems they learn in suited her musical desires, so she eventually class, Liu said, but their applications are obvidropped violin to focus on piano. ous and invaluable in music.

“You can play so many different types of “Through Science Olympiad I learned about music, and there’s just so many options you can sound harmonics and different physics applicaexplore,” Liu said. “With violin I was mostly do- tions with waves and sound traveling through ing classical stuff, so really that technical side. air,” Liu said, “And that really made a lot of But about piano, I really like how you can im- sense because on a guitar or any string instruprovise or can play different ment, ... you can genres.” play harmonics by Liu is skilled and dedipressing your finger cated, coming to all combo on a certain part of She’s a very calm person rehearsals with her parts the string, and that is and a lot of fun to be fully prepared, Pierson directly because the around, so I think the rest said, even to her very first sound wave, when practice. But her passion for you cut it in half, of the combo has just all types of music has been then it becomes an kind of gravitated to her especially important. The octave higher.” in one way or another. show choirs need her to play This year, Liu genres from “jazz to rock to plans to return to Broadway,” Pierson said, Mike Pierson Capers again, this and she does them all well. time with a dancer » Show Choir director in tow. Senior Kate “She’s just open to taking risks and just loves to Harline will be choplay. It doesn’t matter what reographing and style. She just loves to play. And I think that’s dancing, Liu said, though the two are undecidreally what’s given her that ability to fit in re- ed on the specifics of their act. Harline wanted ally quickly,” Pierson said. “And she’s just a nice to “make something really cool” for her senior person; she’s a very calm person and a lot of fun year Capers performance, she said, so Liu’s muto be around, so I think the rest of the combo sicianship makes her a good partner for the talhas just kind of gravitated to her in one way or ent show. another.”

Harline said Liu’s personality, however, is But improvisation and creativity, crucial for what will make the preparations and performusicality, are not avenues that scientific minds mance memorable. typically pursue. On diagrams of the brain’s left “Esther is so talented,” Harline said, “but and right hemispheres, logical thinking and cre- still super approachable. She can play any inativity are usually pitted as opposites. For Liu, strument and knit. Whether it was sharing puns though, math and science fit in perfectly with or knowing glances, she is the reason I survived the arts. She can use her analytic abilities from AP U.S.”

“

LOP teacher moonlights as clothing designer, business manager video for Q Mitchell Clothing Supply’s website.

“I think it’s great when anyone pursues their dreams and goes out and does their own thing, it is a big deal and something that you should support.” Coil said. “He’s got great quality stuff — and it is all on point with being ‘in’.”

Mitchell’s company has come a long way.

His business was just an idea for a long time, and he learned the steps it takes to take a vision to a success.

He researched, created prototypes and started mi-

l ige Kieh

with students, they took notice of his brand.

“I just kind of found out about his company because I was always seeing his stuff in LOP,” senior Lorenzo Williams said. “I was hyped on it.

I’m actually trying to buy one of his shirts.”

Students are not Mitchell’s only supporters.

Many faculty members assisted Mitchell in getting his business started. Both Success Center Counselor Melissa Coil and Physical Education teacher Justin Conyers aided Mitchell in promoting his company by modeling his clothes in a promotional

Pa by to

R

BHS basketball Coach Quentin Mitchell types away at his computer in the Loss of Privilege room, furrowing his brow as accidental keystrokes slowed the progress of finishing his desired email.

His large build is covered by a short-sleeved collared shirt, orange in its entirety. All except a small area upon his lower left pectoral decorated with a small blue logo, a capital Q with Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man in the center.

For the better half of a decade, Mitchell has run Quentin Mitchell Clothing Designs by himself, originally inspired by his peers’ compliments on his clothing.

“People always commented on the clothes that I wore,” Mitchell said.

“So I figured, if people like what I

wear maybe I should just make my own [clothes].”

The company began as merely an idea first, but several years later it was a reality. Starting small, Mitchell was able to grow with time and financial research.

“It came into real life in about 2004, and it’s grown increasingly since then,” Mitchell said. “I did it the smart way, I did my research. I got to know my area, and I worked hard.”

Having been raised with the motto to ‘never give up,’ Mitchell strives to create clothing that embodies the ideals he wishes to send out to the world, motivating him again and again.

“My clothes represent individuality, expression and style,” Mitchell said. “These are what make me, me.

And it’s what keeps me going.

Unintentionally, Mitchell has begun to network at RBHS through supportive students. As he spent time

o ph

george » Sarafianos

nuscule, using the funds available to him. Mitchell uses his personal experience to encourage his students in LOP to dream big and fight for that dream.

“It helps the kids in here realize that a lot’s doable,” Mitchell said.

“They see me, an average person, owning a clothing company. It gives them encouragement that they can do all they want.”

Mitchell plans to keep his company going as long as possible, with no dependency on how large its success rate could probably increase or decrease in future years. He’s considering possibly going off into other business ventures as well.

“Once I start something, I stick with it. It’s just who I am.” Mitchell said. “I am always going to try new things in the world of entrepeneuring. It’s what I like to do, and I’ll still try [to] express myself in the process.”

10

« Ads

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

Columbia

BIG MAC

®

taste what

started it all © 2013 McDonald’s Corporation.

In-Depths »

C

olumbia’s refugee population wants what is best for their families, often fleeing violence hoping to find a better life in America. Once here, they struggle to find food, jobs and education. But they persevere.

Many of their stories are surreal, but they’re mostly concerned with freedom.

T

he smaller battles for independence rage in every household, between parents and rowdy teens looking to find a new life. But is being cast out better than being coddled? The debate continues through high school, but as the clock ticks down to adulthood students are forced to accept freedom whether they want it or not. Some are chomping at the bit.

tin

B

ut like many ideals, independence is a concept that can be muddied, repurposed and lost in the sounding hall of rhetoric. Often times it is necessary remember the meaning of independence — those who come here to find it.

art by Pa ig e ar

F

reedom. Perhaps the most stirring of ideals, it has powered wars and revolutions, invention and migration. Our country is founded on the ideal of independence, of freedom; a whole day of the year is dedicated to its celebration.

11

M

Independence

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

12

« In-Depths March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

Adolescents gain independence from paren manal » Salim afsah » Khan

S

enior year is a time when many students want to take easy classes and enjoy their last year of high school as much as they can. But for senior Kreagan Carbone, every day is a busy one. She attends classes at RBHS, takes college-level courses and juggles having a job at Claire’s, being a hostess at Jazz and having a side job at her mother’s company.

Her fast-paced life is relatively new to her, though, and she only recently gained the independence allowing her to take on such responsibilities after becoming financially selfsufficient and getting her own car.

Throughout her high school career, Carbone virtually stopped relying on her parents.

Her freshman year, though, was like most of her classmates’, spent with little-to-no liberty.

She couldn’t drive, and she didn’t have a job. But after obtaining these privileges, and in turn gaining freedom from her parents, Carbone reflects on why freedom is necessary for her and for her peers.

“I think independence is important because ... being able to rely on yourself, and not having to rely on others, is something that a lot of people strive for, because a lot of people don’t want to ask other people for help or for favors,” Carbone said. “So I think that independence is important mostly because we are able to do things on our own and have that accomplish-

Hamed said. “So if it’s my own money, I’m alment of being self-sufficient and not having to most afraid to buy it, because I think to myself, rely on everybody else.”

‘Is it really worth it?’”

Marcy Kielczynski, a therapist in Cranford, Similar to how Hamed is more open to usNew Jersey, said it is normal for teenagers to ing her mother’s money, according to a Teens feel a need for freedom around the time they & Money survey conducted by Koski Research come into high school, usually because of presin 2011, on average, 28 percent of teens owe sure from their peers. their parents $252. The totals rack up from “Between 15-17 years, youth enter a deteens borrowing and carelessly spending monvelopmental stage called middle adolescence. ey that isn’t necessarily their own.

Achieving independence from their parents Indeed, the majority of the money Hamed is particularly important to a middle adolesspends comes right out cent,” Kielczynski said. of her parents’ pocket, “While they still need and Hamed’s finanlove and acceptance by I see [independence] as a cial dependency is not their parents, they want completely positive thing, something she foresees to mature and therejust because I feel like as being short-lived. fore hide such needs. it ... prepares me for the Hamed stated that … They often conform world. ” her parents will pay for to ‘peer pressure’ as a her car, insurance, gas way of gaining indepenand even tuition all the dence.”

However, not all stuKreagan Carbone way through college in dents are as self-reliant » senior the near future.

Hamed is not the as Carbone. According only one expecting to the National Center such dependency. According to the Mail Onfor Education Statistics, only 16 percent of high line, at dailymail.co.uk, on average, parents find school students were employed in 2010. In themselves spending almost $10,000 per child other words, many students, including sophover the course of their lifetimes to pay for edomore Maha Hamed, still feel financially deucation, weddings, holidays and also housing. pendent on their parents, and this hinders their But such reliance is usually expected by overall freedom. parents, as a survey conducted by the Daily “If it’s like with my own money, then I Mail revealed that. On average, parents did think ‘Oh, that’s a little too expensive.’ But if not expect their children to become financially I’m with my mom, then I want everything in independent until they reached the age of 38, the store, and I don’t even look at the price,”

“

In 2008 businesses employed only 32.6 percent of teenagers ages 16 to 19. It was a historic low, down from 45.2 percent in 2000.

According to the Higher Education Research Institute, an estimated 1.2 percent of first-time college freshmen in the United States deferred admission to take a gap year in 2011.

In 2012 the average students paid for roughly 30 percent of his or her college education.

and more than a quarter of parents said they believed their children would always need financial support from them. On the other hand, Hamed believes the prospect of a potential job, like Carbone, might alter this reliance on her parents to provide for her in every means.

“I think the only time I’ll really be financially independent is when I have a job, because if I have no source of income, I’m just going to rely on my parents,” Hamed said. “And if you really think about it, with the economy now, it’s hard for even adults to get jobs. So I might be relying on parents for longer than I think.”

Kielczynski recognized the importance of being financially self-sufficient for teenagers, mostly since there is a feeling of accomplishment that comes with being able to pay for one’s own needs.

“Financial independence will allow the youth to become aware of the cost of living and realize what decisions they will have to make in order to be able to become financially successful,” Kielczynski said. “It also may improve their self-esteem because they are not relying on their parents as much.”

In fact, reliance on their parents may be a recurring theme for teens. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of high school students who held jobs declined from 32 percent in 1990 to 16 percent today.

The study states the availability of jobs has decreased, while the focus on school and college has increased for teens. This in turn will cause the amount of teens relying on their par

In 2005 7.5 million used cars were sold for use by teenagers. In 2010 the market shrank to 4.2 million.

Youth (18-29) voter turnout rose to 51 percent in 2008, an increase of two percentage points from the 2004 presidential election.

The ove juvenile rate was percent in 2010 1980.

In-Depths »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

13

nts as they transition through high school ents for money to escalate.

Although Carbone does not rely on her parents for leisure money, having three different jobs doesn’t prevent her from focusing on her education and preparing for her future.

She took four online classes and is a parttime student this year at RBHS so she can take dual-enrollment classes to prepare for classes in college.

Carbone thinks her independent lifestyle also helps her brace for life during and after college. She thinks she will be better off because of her self-sufficiency in high school and the experiences she has gained from her jobs and college-level classes. “[If] you’re allowed to be dependent and you choose, instead, to be independent and try to grow out of that, then in the long run, later in life, when you don’t have that choice of dependency, it’s easier for you to stand on your own two feet,” Carbone said. “So you’re more able to accommodate every aspect of being independent, so it’s more gradual than a big shock right away. [If] you spend your whole life being dependent and ... you’re thrown out one day, it’s kind of a bigger shock.”

Carbone’s belief of balancing self-reliance during high school while paying special attention to planning for her future is a belief shared by several of her peers, including sophomore Saja Necibi.

Necibi thinks that students gradually gain freedom as they progress through high school.

She already notices her parents granting her more liberties, such as letting her spend more

time with her friends after her first year of high school.

“Compared to freshman year ... I think my parents trust me more,” Necibi said. “If I say I want to go hang out with somebody, they trust that I won’t take too long. I won’t do anything crazy or stuff like that.”

Howevr, although Necibi faces the same problems as Carbone did in her early years of high school, Necibi plans on waiting until senior year to get a car. She doesn’t anticipate getting a job until after graduation, although many students, including Carbone, consider having a job a big step to independence.

Students such as Carbone and Necibi consider a car to be a symbol of independence, even if the student does not buy the car with his or her own money, a notion that is reflected by the fact that several teenagers do not have a job.

According to a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 73 percent of teenage drivers own their own cars.

Necibi also looks forward to getting a car and obtaining a degree of freedom from her parents.

“I think for me, honestly, getting a car would be a really big thing ‘cause I feel really dependent on my parents now. [I have to tell them], ‘Oh, can you pick me up at four today,’ or some of my club meetings ... meet at seven at night, and my mom is tired and can’t take me,” Necibi said. “I feel like once I get a car ... I’ll feel that big jump [to independence].”

Kielczynski said getting a car is a big step

in the road to freedom for teenagers because of the independence that comes with it.

“When an individual is able to drive [or] own a car and … get a job, this allows them to feel more independent because they do not have to rely on their parents or others for financial assistance or transportation,” Kielczynski said. “During this stage of development, teenagers seek out ways of fitting in. If they have a job, they may be able to partake in more social experiences or buy more materialistic items [such as] clothes, jewelry [and] technology, which will make them feel more independent.”

Overall, Carbone sees her independent lifestyle as beneficial to her and her family. She feels as though being self-reliant at an earlier age allows students to get a taste of life after high school and ultimately prepares them for being successful without their parents’ support.

“I see [independence] as a completely positive thing, just because I feel like it ... prepares me for the world,” Carbone said. “Kids who have everything handed to them ... and everything paid for, when they’re ... in the real world, they don’t have their parents, and they’re just lost.”

She also thinks gaining freedom in high school comes with big responsibilities and expectations. While many of her high school peers want freedom from their parents and the ability to live on their own, Carbone does not think anyone could handle the self-sufficient lifestyle she has.

“A lot of people struggle with transition-

ing into having your own life and having your own responsibilities, and a lot of people can’t handle those responsibilities ... and that’s why I think a lot of people, when they move out, they move back in,” Carbone said. “They weren’t able to handle the shock of having to be on your own and having to do your own thing and providing for yourself.”

Kielczynski agreed that the high school years are an important time for personal growth for teenagers, and it is part of the natural process to learn from mistakes and gain responsibility along with the freedom they obtain.

“Gaining independence from parents during adolescence is important in order to gain autonomy,” Kielczynski said. “One of the most important skills of a teenager is learning the skills that will allow them to make healthy and positive choices.”

Along with preparing her for a future where she will make certain decisions without her parents, this freedom allows Carbone to manage her time more wisely than she was able to before. She feels as though her liberty can be credited for her well-rounded lifestyle. “[I like] having the liberty to do a little more of what you want instead of having to work on other people’s schedules, because [before], I couldn’t go anywhere until my mom got off work,” Carbone said. “No one was able to come home and get me, but now I kind of have that freedom ... and I feel like a lot of kids just want that little bit of time to be able to be themselves.”

Culture transition brings independence adam » Schoelz

S

89 percent of teens 13 to 18 years old reported being in a relationship.

art by Paige Martin

erall e arrest s 24 lower than in

enior Tar Nar came to the United States two years ago, and it’s easy to tell. He’s got that strange mixture of confidence and quietude that comes with knowing English just well enough to be proud.

He’s one of the Karen people, an ethnic group originating in Myanmar that has been oppressed by the brutal military regime there for the last century and has sought freedom from them without much success.

Several hundred thousand Karenni worldwide have been burned out of ancestral villages and scattered, and Nar is part of the diaspora that has reached the United States.

At RBHS, Nar is part of a group of almost three dozen recent immigrants in English Language Learner teacher Lilia Ben-Ayed’s absolute beginners class. It’s made up of an ethnically diverse group of students – refugees from Iraq and Burma sit side by side with the son of a successful Jordanian businessman. Nar’s story begins in Thailand.

“I was born in Thailand … in a city,” Nar said. He is “from a refugee camp because of the problem with the Karenni in Thailand. I stayed maybe 16 years in the camp. Every day I ate rice.”

Nar lives with his aunt, whom he came with two years ago. His five brothers and sisters, along with his parents, are still refugees in Thailand. He said the hardest part of going to the United States was leaving them behind.

“They did not [go with] the U.N. I still talk to them on the phone sometimes. The last time I saw them was when I left,” said Nar, who always reminds his family he still thinks about them. “When I am on the phone I say, ‘me and you, me and you.’”

Freshman Hamzah Quedh is from Jordan; he’s the son of that Jordanian Businessman. He and Nar are a far cry from each other, coming from different locations geographically, socioeconomically and culturally, but they have one thing in common: they came to the United States seeking independence. Quedh said for him it was a chance to escape a stale Arabic background.

“In all [the] Arab world, if they see you have a lot of money– your T-shirt is Polo, your watch is Rolex – they will love you. But here, they don’t care. They don’t look to that; they don’t care what you’re wearing. They just look to your inside. I like that. In Jordan, if you don’t have money, no one will love you, no one will talk

to you. This is a problem in the jobs. So if they have friends, Arab world.” they’ll come here to Columbia, Quedh and Nar may come to and they’ll stay if they can find the United States to find a better jobs.” Ben-Ayed said. “It’s very life. Refugees and travelers still difficult for the parents of my face many challenges among students to find a job. It’s hard moving to the States, but chief to get a job with zero English among them is language. skills, so it’s a big struggle.”

Ben-Ayed said it can be Nar is one of the lucky ones. overwhelming for many His stable job cleaning rooms students to move to an at a Comfort Inn at 2904 Clark environment where a language Lane provides him with enough barrier separates them from income to pay for the essentials, jobs, information and simple and he’s aware of it. Though interactions with peers. the refugee camp in Thailand One of the largest issues for allowed more freedom and had students is being on time; in admittedly better weather, he other countries, time is flexible, said, his life in America was still and Ben-Ayed said students improved. often learn the United State’s “I had a best friend that was rigidity the hard way. a boy in the camp. We walked “They get overwhelmed in together; we played games hallways. That’s huge … being together; we walked through in the hallways, not speaking the forest together. … In the the language is overwhelming United States, I don’t have time. for them. The first day we visit I go to school, I have [a] job,” the cafeteria, so everything is said Nar, who likes his work. new. That’s a big culture shock, His parents said, “‘Come to the and they start to try things,” United States and learn.’ … I Ben-Ayed said. “It’s scary if come to the United States, and I you don’t know what’s going can learn. I have a job here and on. Even the schedules, the first every night in the Comfort Inn, week is intense on just routines.

[I’m] cleaning.”

Teaching the culture.”

Quedh said his largest After the initial culture shock, struggle was to find friends who students settle into learning the could listen past the language language of the land. Quedh barrier. In America, he said, believes that learning new there is much to be gained languages is paramount in his -knowledge, technology own education. and jobs– but troubles with He and his father may move communication made the fluid again, he said. So to learn as speech of close friendship much of English as he can is difficult. important on a personal level.

However, the community in “I am excited to learn every Ben-Ayed’s classroom, he said, language. Maybe we will move helped him and others, slowly to another overcome country; t h a t maybe I will Here ... They don’t l a n g u a g e see someone gap. care what you’re who doesn’t “ M r s . wearing. They speak my B e n language,” Ayed did just look to your Quedh said. something inside. I like that. ’” not anyone “I should speak to can do. She’s him in his the Hamzah Quedh [tells] language. students that » freshman you are safe, Arabic is a very hard that you are language. good person, But English, if you know the that you can speak,” Quedh letters and the meanings, you said. “Never ‘You can’t;’ always will speak.”

‘You can. You can. You can.’

Quedh has the ability to And I study.” learn at his leisure, though he Immigrant students in Benwants a job. Ben-Ayed said this Ayed’s beginning ELL class is not the case for most. Once off have to learn quite a few things the six months of government beyond the language, culture, aid allotted to refugees, many, jobs and etiquette. especially adults without access They come to the United to English classes, struggle to States to gain control and get enough food to eat and pay independence, but there is one rent. thing they bring from their place Families come to Columbia of origin, Quedh said: a strong because of its sizable refugee sense of brotherhood. population. Nar, for instance, “I don’t care if I’m Jordanian came to Missouri because or if I come from Iraq or if I several Burmese refugees were come from Syria, because all already here. of us, we have blood. We have “Last year we had a Burmese meat. We have eyes,” Quedh family. They came to Columbia, said. “Why do I care this person but after six months here they is American, this person is moved out. They could not find Jordan?... I don’t care. “

“

14

«Commentary March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

source: huffingtonpost.com

infographic by Michelle Zhuang and Maria Kalaitzandonakes

Neighborly relationships prove to be long lasting adam » Schoelz

O

ur world has changed. When I was a kid, I had three brothers who put substantial time towards torturing me. My brother Jack and his friend Thomas, whom I cleverly dubbed “Evil Jack and Evil Thomas,” took great pleasure in teasing me; they were quite successful in causing misery, as we were close enough in age that I spent a great deal of time with them playing Roller Coaster Tycoon and Legos.

Oftentimes, however, their impertinence would grow too great, and I would run off with either a red face or a tear-streaked face or both.

Granted, I was six, so I wasn’t exactly emotionally stable.

During these times of trial when my parents were absent for whatever reason — shopping or dining out or what have you — I would turn to my neighbors for emotional support.

I remember one in particular. She was a wonderful old woman, a grandmother by any other name, and her name was Liz. Liz lived in a little

white house with a dog that wasn’t quite a pug.

Age had granted her grace and patience and a certain amount of sympathy for the little boy across the street — she was a youngest sibling, as well.

When I came knocking, which was not often, she would invite me in and show me collections of music boxes. Once she showed me her brother’s old lead soldiers from her childhood.

I would often come red-faced and tear streaked from the teasing of my brothers and brothers’ friends but would leave smiling.

Then, like most of you and very suddenly, I grew up. Time had a large hand in it, and I began to have less and less contact with my neighbors. Some died, and some moved away and I just stopped talking. I got to know other people, school friends and church friends and friends who lived pretty far away, and the house across the street no longer held the mysteries it did when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

Liz had a heart attack on one of the first cold nights of this new year, and that night, I stood behind the window and thought long about

who she was to me and how little I knew, watching the lights from the fire truck play off the windows on the houses. I was sad, but mostly I was in awe, wondering how things changed in such a short time.

It’s been a while since I actually held a conversation with my neighbors — unless the brief delivery of Girl Scouts cookies from a man and his daughter I don’t know counts — and I begin to wonder what place they have in my life.

If I could drop a relationship with a neighbor so easily, what overall relevance did they have?

The geographic or inexperienced necessity — that is, the “trial run” of kids getting to know their neighbors — has waned in the face of a tighter planet.

Liz is still around. The cat music box she gave me years ago still rests on my bookshelf.

I’ve realized something, looking at it and thinking about how brief a contact it was for her to give that music box to me versus what stories surrounded it. Our neighbors lead wholly separate lives that we punctuate occasionally, not the other way around. They are relationships art by Michelle Zhuang

driven by ease of access, geographical closeness, “neighborly conduct.” In all probability, I’m leaving this town in half a year or so — my neighbors are set to change completely, for the first time in my life.

Our neighbors, like everything in life, are temporary, and they change more often than most things. Simply realizing this is valuable — a value judgement, I think, is better left to a case-by-case basis.

According to an article I read one night on NPR’s website, the human brain only has room for 150 true “friendships,” not acquaintances or in-laws, but true friends whose birthdays we would remember. In the past, it would be hard to reach this limit but, thank the Lord, we live in an age where you could realistically meet 150 people in half an hour. This is a good thing. Relationships, like neighbors, are temporary and tangential, but they, like many things in early life, teach us a lesson: how to let go. In real life friendships fade; they don’t flame out — at least in my experience — and that first contact is with neighbors.

Facebook Gifts concept reduces personality within friendships urmila » Kutikkad

O

Medication creates new meanings blake » Becker The sun rises, and I crawl out of bed, into the bathroom; I follow the typical morning routine of showering, dressing, breakfast. Then the time comes to take my medicine for the day, and my mood sours as I reluctantly take pills for my Attention Deficit Disorder.

I wonder if a day will come where I can live without being shackled to a bottle of pills.

My ADD became clear to my teachers and parents while I was in elementary school, however, I stayed in the dark. I would daydream, become unfocused, forget homework and lose track of conversations with people, but for me, it was normal. It took the adults in my life little time to notice that something was wrong.

Soon after, I went into my doctor’s office for a diagnosis and left with a prescription that would alter the rest of my life. I was bothered by the fact that I had a tough time concentrating and remembering things like homework, so going along with the plan wasn’t a big deal.

Immediately, after starting the medication, I could read, complete assignments, follow instructions and remember things with ease. Starting middle school, I was impressed with how efficiently I worked but was unaware of the side effects of my condition that would follow.

As time went on, though, I gradually became less carefree and energetic, and far more serious. The consequential social conflicts caused difficulty relating to others, making me panic and question the effectiveness of the medicine — was it really worth the major change in my personality?

Going off the medicine, however, wasn’t viable, as I easily lost track of what was going on in class. The days without my medicine dragged on; my head felt like it was in a viscous mud as I walked the hall in a drunken state, only to fall asleep in the next class.

Treatment plans changed, modifying the doses or type of medicine, but no matter the changes, there were no comfortable solutions. Sometimes an increase in medicine made my mind swarm like it was filled with a million miniscule bugs. I was in a constant state of anxiety. It drove me crazy not knowing what to do, whether it was better to drop the meds completely or to continue taking the medicine.

After so many adjustments, I had forgotten the person I was before the medicine. Until I started high school, I was terrified that the medicine would erase my perception of who I truly was. It was intensely frustrating to come to a dead end when dealing with my ADD and medication, but I was more fed up with how this was consuming me with anxiety and

strife. It was time to take a different approach.

I’ve come to accept my ADD as a part of me and as a different way of looking at things. The reason the medicine isn’t fixing everything is because my attention problems are part of the flaws of who I am. ADD is often mislabeled as a disease when it’s really a different mindset, one that doesn’t simply work with current society.

The medication became less effective and is now a hardly-working, temporary solution, making it very hard for me to focus on homework and projects away from school. It’s a serious problem that could hurt college life, but even with the hindrances, it’s just something I have to work around because no medication can solve my life for me — that’s my own responsibility.

Everyone has faults, and even though ADD is troubling, it’s part of my personality and allows me to see in a different light from others’ perspectives.

It hurts my pride to take the medicine, and I berate myself for being unable to work to my full potential without some medication acting as a crutch.

Regardless, I am proud of who I am and am confident in my ability to one day live free of my medication; trusting myself and my own power is the only way I can live right and without a pill bottle.

ne of my favorite parts of birthday parties has always been when other people open their presents.

It’s weird that opening presents myself isn’t what I love, but there’s just something about the way their fingers grapple at the tissue paper, the way a smile swings across their face as they scan the card, the way happiness lights their face when they finally get to the present.

It’s the relief and excitement that comes with knowing the thought put into picking “that perfect something” out for him or her paid off.

Being with people when they open well-given gifts is one of life’s little joys. It brings with it the happiest of nostalgias, remembering those birthday parties when you were little and ecstatic at the prospect of so many presents waiting to be opened.

Thanks to Facebook, though, one can now skip all of those silly sentimentalities and go straight to the gift-giving. Just clicks away and one can be done with the whole business. There never has to be an exchange between people or a single word said. The gift giving process doesn’t even have to be done in person.

The Facebook Help Center describes Facebook Gifts as the ability to “buy real gifts for friends to celebrate birthdays, new jobs and other big moments.” These are the sorts of things you celebrate in-person. In fact, it only becomes a “celebration” because one has plenty of other people to cherish the moment with.

I love my birthday because I get to laugh until my cheeks hurt and be happy, surrounded by my friends and family. The part that makes the presents wonderful is having the people giving them near me. If ever I had to spend a birthday by myself, but with tons of gifts via Facebook, I would be heartbroken. It’s upsetting that we feel like we no longer have the time to celebrate these things with the actual “friends” themselves, or if that’s not possible, to give them a call, at least.

To make it worse, Facebook, in all its thoughtlessness, has provided us with this: “Once you send a gift, we’ll notify your friend. ...

They won’t see the price of the gift, but they can choose a different size, color or style. They can even swap it for another similarly priced gift before it ships.”

At this point, Facebook has

thrown gift-giving to the floor and spit on it. I don’t care if it’s a truly horrible gift; I don’t ever want the option to change someone’s gift before I get it. That’s just giving yourself a gift. What makes me happy about getting gifts is that someone cared enough to take the time to think about my interests and quirks and get me something based on that, not that they were physically capable of giving me money.

In fact, because Facebook provides the option to publicly display when one gives gifts to other people, it would seem that gift-giving, like so many other things, is going to lose its intimacy, its sentimentality, its meaning.

And it’s not just Facebook. It would seem that everything social media touches turns not to gold, but to a shallow, impersonal version of what it was before.

Relationships, for example, used to be beautifully intimate things.

The laughter and memories shared were reserved for the couple and those close to them. Now, it seems like the greatest step of a relationship is making it FBO, or Facebook Official. Everything is about making the relationship look wonderful all the time, which means taking every part of the relationship and eagerly sacrificing it to social media for the whole world to see.

Sure, we’re living in the information revolution. Life is centered around the internet and the sharing of information. But living in a revolution means that the old way of life is phasing out, and a new way of life is beginning to take over. This means our generation is the last one that’s going to remember and truly understand the happiness and importance of the little things in life, like a scrawling, hand-written letter or a well-given gift.

It took seeing the concept of “Facebook gifts” to make me realize it, but I don’t know what I’d do without the little things in life to cheer me up. They’ve taught me the importance of a little privacy, intimacy and sentimentality every now and again, and that’s too important a lesson to lose.

Call me old-fashioned, but I maintain that letting the happy, nostalgic bits of life slip away in the intimidating face of social media would be a tragic mistake. I’m going to strengthen my resolve to stop social media from infringing upon my life and to hold steadfast to those little things that make me so happy; it’s an effort I believe wholeheartedly in, and I urge everyone to do the same.

Commentary »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

15

Grandmother’s frail health brings revelation kaitlyn » Marsh

W

The Map to Discovery

feature photo by Paige Kiehl

New experience in writing offers insights of storytelling nomin-erdene » Jagdagdorj

video and the podcast recorder for the audio, and I learned to smile or nod rather than laugh or ‘mhm’ in agreement. I exchanged emails n day six, in the middle of an interview, I watched a tear with the journalist at the Missourian who wrote the story the day slip out of my teacher’s eye, rolling off his face before he after the accident, and I spoke on the phone with the Highway Pacould reach to wipe it away, before he really knew to do trol trooper who was at the scene. Through weeks of investment, I so because of his skin’s numbness. Just weeks before, he learned about the timeline of the crash, shaped from the clear memhad bounced into 7 p.m. Global Issues meetings, Great Dane in tow, ories of strangers and those who know him best and the foggy recolwith more energy than was fitting for an otherwise vacant building. lections of the man in the driver’s seat himself.

On day two, using his tray-on-wheels as a desk, he reviewed stoiIn collecting the details of the accident, I also learned how to find chiometry with me between sips of protein-milk and scoopfuls of his dad’s house in Switzerland using Google Earth. I now know his pureed green beans, pausing to rest every few lines and grumbling stance on gun control in schools. I’ve learned how to ask Zeus, his about the new messiness of his scrawl. dog, if he needs to go out and how to velcro Mr. Kirchhofer’s boot On the fourth day, I’d met Gregory Kirchhofer’s mom and aunt back onto his left leg. and helped his youngest daughter put away groceries while former I have about 20 GB of information about Mr. Kirchhofer’s life, the co-workers visited. greatest compilation, we agreed, of photos, video, audio and text On the 16th day, I had a dozen hours of about his accident, even more than hospital video footage and a score of audio already records and his personal collection. In terms When we interviewed, I compiled. I felt the hardest interviews were of time commitment and sheer volume of complete, but my questions made another material, this story was the biggest undertakasked an initial question chemistry teacher’s voice crack and her ing I’ve had in all three years of journalism at and let him respond fully, tears fall at nine in the morning, in front of RBHS. a class of students and under the buzz of In telling this story, I have realized that the without interruption, so fluorescent lighting. It felt uncomfortably journalistic checklist –– getting the necessary that his answer twisted inappropriate to witness — and record — quote or finding facts to provide meaningful and morphed in whichever transitions between those quotes or angling that emotion.

For three weeks and one day, from my the camera just so –– those items are meant directions he chose. first visit to the publish date, I learned to be checked off after the fact, not in the act. about every detail of Mr. Kirchhofer’s car When the red light of a recorder blinks in accident and recovery. front of you or you hide behind the camera, In the beginning, it was awkward. Even though I’d visited pa- it’s easy to think of all the story’s components you still need to get, tients as a volunteer at Boone Hospital, I’d always been better at to reshape the article’s angle, to start composing eloquent ledes. But conversing with the families or giving directions to visitors or chat- really, the best stories have hours of untold footage and unheard ting with the old ladies who worked in the gift shop. At the rehab audio, unrecorded facts and afternoons spent just watching. center, Mr. Kirchhofer didn’t learn of his daily schedule until the It has taken two and a half years to understand the point of chasmorning of, so it was difficult to coordinate times to visit. At home, ing down interviewees and staying at school late into the evening, Mr. Kirchhofer had groups of friends, colleagues or students com- but now the lesson seems blatantly obvious: journalism provides an ing as others left, so there was never really time to sit quietly and excuse, a premise, to learn about people’s lives, to build relationanswer questions. ships and to tell their stories.

I arranged my schedule with set times for set classes and after I believed everyone has a story, but this experience has reinschool or weekend activities, and his was ambiguous, vacillating be- forced the value of listening to and sharing those tales. From each tween predetermined doctors appointments and surprise visitors. anecdote, I gain perspective about the individual, but I also learn Past the struggle to coordinate times, though, there was the question about the world and about myself. of boundaries. Even as my familiarity grew with him and his friends Through interviewing, I learn that an ELL kid, whose phone and family members, I wondered what was appropriate to ask and is in Spanish, misses his grandma and younger sister back home whether I should offer to help or just stand aside, cautious of over- but wants to work here and provide for them; that my substitute stepping or asking too much. teacher in chemistry has a new fondness for Babies R Us; that As time passed, I realized the issue of boundaries was entirely my chemistry teacher and my own, that any discomfort was my own creation, that any awk- Global Issues sponsor has wardness was essentially imagined. an incredible spirit; and that So when he was busy, I sat and watched, observing the way he I have been astoundingly interacted with his nurses and hearing halves of phone conversa- privileged for the opportutions, taking pictures of his wall decorations and moving furniture nity to hear these stories and, with his daughters. When we interviewed, I asked an initial ques- even better, to share them. tion and let him respond fully, without interruption, so that his answer twisted and morphed in whichever directions he chose; then, Read Nomin’s story, A Long even when the response felt complete, I’d stay quiet until eventually Journey Home, on bearinghe’d break the silence and ask for another question. news.org by scanning the QR I learned the best positions in which to set up the Nikon for the code.

O

e commemorated her 75th birthday two weeks ago, a so-called monument and celebration of another year. We sang and opened presents, yet there is nothing I want to remember about this year. Addressing her card with a personal message, I scribbled out “blessed to have another healthy year...”

But it wasn’t accurate. Just “another year” stood above my signature. I hoped the smudge didn’t stand out too much.

Compared to the vibrant, exuberant woman I once knew, she has withered. The legs below her baggy sweatshirt resemble that of a newborn, weak and fragile, and she tries to hide her gasps as she mounts the single step into the foyer and shuffles to the patterned rocking chair in the living room. She drops into its arms as if she is struggling to carry her own weight, because she is.

Always interested in my life and my well-being, she questions and smiles, displaying the empty space past her right canine. Another thing she can never get back, I think. Yet, her eyes show the incandescent beauty of her smile in its sincerity. Of course I gush in the welcoming aura and share recent stories, and she laughs and comments here and there. But her laugh is restrained, almost lost.

I remember her real laugh, when she would squint her eyes so hard, bend over and howl. Remember that laughter; do not forget, I have to remind myself. I feel it is my responsibility to make sure that healthy person I used to know lives on, even if she’s only a memory. I must not forget this happiness.

She asks for a blanket. Retrieving it quickly, I tuck my favorite quilted throw under her legs, careful not to bump her for a fear of something snapping. She grasps at the top of it with her hands. I force myself to focus on something else, watching her claw with those hands.

They are mangled, slowly morphing into unrecognizable formations. The left knuckles protrude an inch above the back of her hand, swollen and bruised in color, and her fingers stick permanently straight and useless. Her right hand hangs lifeless, her fingers waving as if they contain no feeling, the bottom of these digits purple in color. At dinner that night, she joked about them.

“I wish I had hooks,” she said. “I wonder if I could just get these things removed and have hooks installed. I’d be having a good old time with them, waving them around and hooking things. They’d work better than what I’ve got now.”

My grandmother, the mother of my mother, contracted rheumatoid arthritis approximately six years ago. She has aged far beyond that of a woman in her mid-70s. She loves to talk, to laugh, to be outdoors, but her mobility has been basically halted and her energy depleted. Her body is literally deteriorating on the inside. First joints and bone, now muscle. Every day she loses a little more ability to move, a little more of herself. Since the diagnosis, she has lost nearly 80 pounds.

Visiting her is almost too much to bear anymore.

Her tiny house reeks odors of urine and stagnant water, the results from soiled clothing and dishes that have been soaking in the sink since Mom visited last month. She sits in the same spot on the couch. Every day, she sits on that couch. Alone.

How selfish am I to duck into the other room as she cries out in pain when she lifts herself from her chair. I know nothing near the pain she lives through every morning when she wakes up on her couch, only not to be able to lift a glass of water to her lips with her own two hands to drink.

How indolent I am as I sit on my own couch and play with my superficial gadgets with an unwillingness to help with dinner or do my own laundry, while my grandmother has done nothing but serve others her entire life, as she struggles with every move, even to place her last few dollars in the offering plate at church.

I wish I could give her some of my abilities I never take advantage of. How is it God has blessed me immensely, but I feel as if I am wasting it, like she is wasting away? I detest running. She prays for a chance to run again. I gorge myself at Thanksgiving with turkey and stuffing while she sits alone in her house, lacking energy to even chew and swallow.

Yet, she thanks God every day for what she has, more than I do by a great margin. In the position of having absolutely nothing, she is more humble and grateful than I would ever be. She doesn’t complain. She doesn’t resent God or anyone for what has happened to her. She only looks for ways to overcome, embrace change one cannot control and view the glass half-full, values I hope to learn and pass down to my own children even after she retires to a home of no suffering, no pain.

“I am so blessed,” she said. “Whenever I look around at everyone else in the world, I feel so blessed to be me.”

Encounters with homeless provide reflective questions anna » Wright

B

eggars stand hunched and shivering at various intersections throughout Columbia in the winter, their tattered clothes and tangled facial hair evoking empathy in passersby. Black marker scrawled on scraps of cardboard reads “Anything helps,” “Have a family to feed” or, in an appeal to the more religious inhabitants of Columbia, “God Bless.”

They offer smiles and waves toward those who pass, in hopes that someone might be kind enough to offer up some spare bills.

One particular afternoon in February, as I sat at a red light at the intersection of Providence and Nifong, I noticed a frail looking man leaning against the metal pole of the traffic light. His skin appeared pale and rough, and his trembling, cracked hands grasped one of the aforementioned signs that I had seen so many

times before. As I peered at him through my frosted window, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy. I couldn’t avoid the thought that it was my responsibility as a human to help him out.

Now, I’m not completely ignorant. I am fully aware of the long pitch of reasons why one should never give their money to a beggar on the side of the road. Perhaps the money will only go to support their drug addiction or alcohol dependence. Perhaps they aren’t even homeless and have their car parked three blocks away, so that they may drive home at the end of the day with their dishonestly obtained earnings.

All of these thoughts raced through my head as I watched him out the window of my suddenly comfortable Ford SUV. I pictured him waking up in the mornings and putting on the ripped and fraying clothes which adorned

his thin frame, skipping his morning shave to achieve the “homeless” look and setting out to spend the day deceiving the generous few willing to spare a few dollars. I imagined him trading the money for liquor or hard drugs and retreating to his home to enjoy the sinful fruits of his labor.

I knew there was a good chance that this man was not being honest in regards to his circumstances or to the way in which he would spend his money. I knew that it was very likely he was standing there in front of me, shamelessly lying his way towards the next dollar bill he could scam out of some generous driver with a soft heart. He wasn’t being honest. He was a liar. A scammer.

But carefully and without hesitation, I rolled down my window and handed him a $5 bill.

Maybe he is lying, I thought to myself, watching his eyes light up in surprise and grati-

tude. It was a likely possibility. But regardless of the honesty in their actions, if someone is desperate enough for money to abandon their pride and stand, begging, at an intersection, I think that person is entitled to the helping hand of another.

And if he is simply scamming the city’s generous inhabitants, perhaps a simple, honest gesture of humanity will be enough to open his eyes to the corruption in what he is doing. Maybe if I show him my own trust, he will realize the merit in honesty and choose to abandon his tricks of the trade.

I know that this entire thought process might be silly and naive. Trusting the untrustworthy might not be the best idea and rolling down a window at a stoplight to give away money to someone who is most likely a desperate and manipulative liar might not change the world.

But then again, maybe it will.

16

« Editorials March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

I pledge myself to be

art by Jennifer Stanley

morally straight

Charter organizations should have decision-making power

B

oy Scouts of America is an organization that prides itself in its strong morals, instilling in their troops individuality, courage, leadership and honor — all qualities that are supposed to embody the core values of being an American.

These are qualities which are supposed to lead members to a righteous path and a morally successful future.

As of January 2013, the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board announced its deliberation on a potential policy (decision to be announced in May 2013). The policy would change its national membership standards, leaving all membership restrictions based on a potential Scout’s sexual orientation to be reviewed by regional partners that sponsor the program.

Not only is this policy plausible, but it is also applaudable in the fact that it addresses a volatile issue that the organization faces. Even if some charter organizations decline the policy, the matter deserves an adequate amount of attention. However, constitutionally, the BSA National Executive Board doesn’t have to make an absolute decision at all. In fact, the total denial of members based on sexual orientation into BSA is completely permissible by law.

A major concern that accompanies the proposed policy is the high chance that most, if not all, of the charter partners will uphold the existing ban on gay individuals because 70 percent of the charter establishments are backed by religious foundations. Because the ban was created to protect religious ideals to begin with, passing this policy would prove confounding in that most of the individual BSA associations are religious and would presumably vote against allowing any gays into the organization with or without the proposal.

Our nation is currently in a social transitionary period. Things like the legislation around the country promoting pro-gay ideals, or the fact that gay individuals can now enjoy the small triumphs that will eventually lead to a nation sans bigotry has not happened overnight. Antisegregation legislation, for example, took nearly 20 years to become effective in the United States. With every change that has swept the nation, there have been milestones. And these transition periods have ultimately proved worth it in the end.

»the ROCK Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 40, Issue 5 The Journalistic Production and Honors Seminar class produces The Rock, Bearing News and Southpaw. Call us with comments at 573-214-3141 or

BSA proposal not helpful in addressing equal rights

M

aryland rung in the New Though a blanket stateYear with the legalizament would rush the inevition of gay marriage, the table, it would be unnatural ninth state to do so in the United for this point in time. Those States. It’s following the trend pushing for the proposal to be started by Massachusetts nine overturned in order to force years ago, in 2004. an overall acceptance of Boy Seeing the news segments Scouts of the LGBTQ (lesbian, and photo galleries on some gay, bisexual, transgendered of the first gay marriages in or questioning) community the United States, it was hard should be encouraged to mainto understand why anybody tain their patience. This bill wouldn’t want the legalization should serve as an encouraging of gay marriage; whether the step in the path to acceptance. couples were tearily sharing On the spectrum of possible vows, or finally, finally, getting reactions, this policy provides to kiss the bride/ a happy medium groom or raising between two extheir proud fists in tremes.

While Should the Boy the air as the crowd it doesn’t completely eradicate Scouts of America’s of strangers that had to support the idea of allowrecent policy be put gathered them cheered, gay ing gay troops and leaders into into place, and if so, marriage has been nothing but filled to the Boy Scouts is it enough? bursting with happiorganization, it ness and love. also acknowlWith every new edges the fact The Rock Staff Voted: state legalization that BSA is a reliThe proposal is correct - 12 of gay marriage, giously affiliated organization. By The proposal is not enough- 13 it’s been clear that The proposal is too far - 2 change is coming to giving the charour nation. ter associations The largest recent the opportunity The vote was evenly split, so step toward change to decide on the two editorials were written. we’ve seen is the matter on an indiBoy Scouts of Amervidual basis, the Have an opinion? Let us ica’s proposed poliproblem at hand can be addressed know at www.bearing- cy that would allow in the least bithe charter organinews.org ased of fashions. zation (a civic, faithParties who deal based or educational with the monorganization that etary side of the owns and operates BSA make the most rational an individual Scouting unit) of advocates to make this morally individual troops to determine controversial decision. Even if whether to allow open gays to a minority of the organizations join that troop or not. vote to allow gay members into This means that the many the BSA, this is still a milestone, religiously-sponsored troops and it should be embraced by around the nation will be able opposing viewpoints. to stay consistent with their reEven proposing this policy ligious beliefs and continue the to begin with is slowly but exclusion of gay members, and surely paving the road to rethat discrimination will contindemption. Those opposed to ue in the BSA. the policy are only objecting While the proposed policy of to the type of concrete. Instead relaxing the ban on gay memof looking at every single minbers is a step in the right direcute detail, the nation should tion, it’s not enough. be urged to look at the broad The BSA needs a blanket scheme of the issue at hand. statement at the national level This policy, though it isn’t prothat repeals the ban on gay gay, isn’t anti-gay either. members once and for all. As Allowing gays into Boy our nation has begun to prove Scouts shouldn’t bring up any with the gradual allowance of questions of safety, of morals gay marriage, gay rights are no or even of religion. It brings longer an issue of, “oh, it’s cool into question the integrity of if you believe in it.” It’s an issue the very core ideals of a naof morality, of equality, of love tional organization that was and compassion toward evestablished with the explicit eryone, with the word everyone purpose of preserving young finally holding its all-inclusive men’s honor, leadership and definition. individuality.

In a recent speech to hunUpon entering the Boy dreds of Scouts, Texas GovScouts of America, every upernor Rick Perry said that “to coming scout must take an have popular culture impact oath which binds him by the 100 years of [BSA’s] standards laws and values of the Boy is inappropriate.” This is the Scouts organization, promising problem with the American “to keep [himself] physically mentality against allowing gay strong, mentally awake and members into the BSA. Being morally straight.” gay is not “pop culture.” It is a The policy proposed by fundamental way of being and the Boy Scout organization is to call it “pop culture” is the maintaining all Scouts’ mental most degrading of insults. strength by not backing down If the BSA were to exclude from a challenge and keeping black members on a religious its core values mentally awake basis, there would be an uproar. by challenging the morality of Forbidding gays on a religious their continuous discriminabasis is no different, no less aption. palling. Sure, forcing the repeal As for allowing gays into on the ban on gay members Boy Scouts as an overall contromight cause several sponsors versy, nowhere does it say that to pull out, putting the BSA in being morally straight entails a shaky financial situation, but being sexually straight too. the history of abuses toward the

email us at contactus@bearingnews.org The paper’s purpose is to educate and enlighten readers fairly and accurately in an open forum. The Rock is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Quill and Scroll. Advertising is $55 for a quarter page, $95 for a half page and $135 for a whole page.

Editors-in-Chief: Nomin-Erdene Jagdagdorj, Maria Kalaitzandonakes,

Adam Schoelz, Daphne Yu Production Manager: Maddie Magruder Arts and Entertainment Editors: Lauren Puckett, Ashleigh Atasoy Commentary Editors: Anna Wright, Jacqueline LeBlanc Community Editor: Blake Becker Copy Editor: Atreyo Ghosh Design Editor: Afsah Khan News Editors: Alyssa Sykuta, Features Editors: Manal Salim,

nation’s LGBTQ community is a long and dirty one, and it’s time we put morality over money for once.

Furthermore, banning gay members on a “religious basis” is questionable. Part of being a Boy Scout is being “reverent toward [the Christian] God,” marking BSA as a religiouslyaffiliated organization.

In spite of this, however, BSA still allows, even strives to include, multicultural members who inevitably have beliefs other than Christianity, such as Islam, Judaism and Hinduism.

If beliefs as different as other religions are accepted in the BSA, why not the belief in homosexuality? Many Christians even embrace homosexuals, with a recent gallup.com poll showing that 41 percent of Christians believe same-sex relations are morally acceptable.

The issue of homosexuality is only mentioned in a few Bible passages, many of them in the Old Testament (which also approves polygamy and condemns eating pork), while acceptance is preached throughout the Bible.

The fundamental belief of Christianity is the message to love and accept everyone, not the incredibly divisive belief of condemning homosexuality. The principle of love and compassion is the one the BSA should be adopting, not the one of hate and intolerance.

When BSA was founded in 1910, it held a policy similar to the one being proposed now, one that let troops decide individually whether or not to allow black members into the troop. It wasn’t until 1974 that the last segregated troop, Old Hickory Council, desegregated.

It took 64 years — 64 years of discrimination — to fix racial inequality in the BSA; 64 years is a long time, and now we’re set on the same path when it comes to the equality of sexuality: the path of repeating familiar mistakes. They say history repeats itself, but we don’t have to be a part of that devastating cycle.

There’s honor in being a Boy Scout, but the honor is being tarnished as the organization denies members their pride, as it continues to build its infrastructure on hate and intolerance rather than love and acceptance. We, as a nation, need to use the hindsight we have to avoid past mistakes and fully repeal — at a national level — the ban on gay members in the BSA as soon as possible.

The best way we can do this is from within. Boy Scouts of RBHS, of Columbia, I urge you to do the honorable thing and lobby from within. Make a change wherever you can and treat the gay members of your proud organization — current or prospective — with the respect and compassion they deserve.

Trisha Chaudhary Editorials Editor: Jake Alden In-Depths Editor: Ipsa Chaudhary Multimedia Editor: Urmila Kutikkad Photography Editor: Asa Lory Personality Profiles Editor: Luke Wyrick Sports Editor: Kaitlyn Marsh Webmaster: John Gillis Staff Writers: Alyssa Piecko, Brittany Cornelison, Carleigh Thrower, John Gillis, Hagar Gov-Ari, Rajesh Satpathy, Julia Schaller,

Tyler Dunlap, Sam Mitchell, George Sarafianos Artists: Richard Sapp, Jennifer Stanley, Hyelee Won, Yasmeen El-Jayyousi, Michelle Zhuang, Paige Martin Photographers: Aniqa Rahman, Paige Kiehl, Patrick Smith, Maddy Jones Advisers: Robin Stover, Abigail Trescott

17 Sick to the stomach Editorials »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

Buying and selling of organs proves immoral hagar » Gov-Ari

U

art by Jennifer Stanley

pon applying for a learner’s permit at 15 or a driver’s license at 16, every individual is faced with the unnerving question, the split second yes or no answer that determines whether or not you will be putting your body’s fate in the hands of medicine: allowing for the donation of your organs upon the time of your death.

It happens to every driver in the United States. As for what this stamp of fate signifies, it all depends on the country someone lives in. The time it takes to answer the question, to print the donation symbol on a card, to sign a consent form. The time it takes for money to exchange hands, and the time it takes for the incredible concept of literally giving from yourself to save someone else. It can either remain a pure and life-saving practice, or can turn into a cynical, defiled practice used to economically benefit the greedy and amoral. This subtle change — the buying and selling of organs — is the difference.

Through the past several years international scholars have been researching ways to better trade organs, which brought to question the general public’s stance on monetary compensation for the donation of organs, essentially legalizing the black market.

Recently, a poll conducted by Dr. Braden Manns of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta and Institute for Public Health showed that public health workers and people affected with kidney disease seem to think it’s okay to buy and sell organs using a legal market. Although they discovered a general consensus that the current organ distribution system is generally fair and ethical, their surveying also revealed the public’s growing belief that the system doesn’t provide enough, and therefore deserves a review for some form of change.

The National Organ Transplant Act passed by Congress in 1984 strongly condemns and made illegal the buying and selling of human tissues and organs in the United States, and for good reason. This would give the wealthy an unfair advantage for “obtaining donated organs and tissues.” By creating a “rich survive, poor perish” situation, what should be life saving becomes an unbalanced and dirty practice that could potentially overthrow the whole medi-

people! And sure, it may save them in cal system.

As if this isn’t enough of a reason to the clinical sense. But instead of looking maintain a firm, deliberate stance on the for the quick and easy way to solve such banning of monetary trade for organs, a detrimental lack of resources, the pubthere are a multitude of additonal rea- lic should consider saving modern and sons that this practice would not only future society in the moral sense.

Scientists shouldn’t encouraging the be immoral, but also widely impractical. public to aucThis seneseless tion off their trading could body parts, but potentially lead It can either remain a pure they should to the selling and life-saving practice, focus as much of organs from or can turn into a cynical, time and enthose individudefiled practice used to ergy as possible als who need economically benefit the searching for an the money, but alternate soludon’t necessargreedy and amoral.” tion which does ily want to give not involve a diup their organs. minished sense Giving the desHagar Gov-Ari of one’s conseperate the opcrated organs. portunity to sell » junior Investing a vital organ for time and enercold cash not gy in enforcing only puts their own health and wellbeing at risk, but this system as a safe and legal practice, also opens the doors to many potential which would doubtlessly fail, is a colossal mistake and a tremendous waste lawsuits and danger for the patient.

This also brings up the questions of resources. It would be far more ben— who will pay for the organs of the eficial to invest this time in bio-genetic seller? Will there be unfair advantages research for the advancement of all for those with means? How could this manner of progressive scientific innovapotentially affect “murder for money” tions, as opposed to investing in the deterioration of one of the only practices death rates?

Because every one of these questions in the United States which has an obivihas potentially detrimental answers, it ous and clear moral compass.

The plethora of amazing research would ultimately be morally reprehensible to condone the legalization of the that could save lives and the practice of trade of organs and tissues for monetary organ donation has been heavily reliant compensation. Putting this generation on those procedures using xenografts in a further state of competitiion is not and xenotransplantation. These involve only dangerous, but foolish. Today’s the transplantation of organs and tissociety revolves around competition sues from different species, such as porand getting ahead. If we put this kind of cine heart valve transplants and studies label on a practice meant to uphold the on piscine-primate (fish to non-human ethics and morals that this country was primate) transplants. These incredible founded on, then we go about corrupt- findings have made way to an endless ing the very institution of ethics that the amount of genetic research to better the practice of medicine. donation practice.

Trying to solve a problem with an The many reasons behind condoning the market of organs to be monetarily ultimately dirty and faulty solution of based are not without justification. Ac- buying and selling only gives rise to recording to www.donatelifeny.org, more ligious and moral protests that would than 114,000 men, women and children result in a cheap solution to a clean pracare waiting for organs for transplanta- tice. By improving studies and shifting tion in the United States. Every 10 min- focus from these faults to a better and utes, a new name is added to the nation- more medically rich future, society can al waiting list for organs. On average, avoid having to look this potential mis18 people die every day because of the take in the eye, and avoid the ultimate lack of donated organs. That’s simply downfall which would come with makan unacceptable statistic. However, the ing this endlessly immoral decision. Indetrimements of such statistics must be stead of giving more advantages to the taken proportionally. Of course many upper class, we need to level the playwant the process sped up; it will save ing field.

“

Courtwarming dance’s brief delay doesn’t merit its cancellation lauren » Puckett

T

his year’s Mauscars were rather anticlimactic. In fact, the actual “Night at the Mauscars” didn’t happen at all.

Due to the number of snow days witnessed over the last two weeks, jokingly coined “Snowpocalypse 2.0” by some students, the Courtwarming assembly was rescheduled to March 15, and the dance was permanently cancelled.

This means that seniors are left with one fewer dance, Courtwarming candidates are left without a proper celebration, and weeks of planning by a work-loaded Student Council are wasted. Expensive dresses hang unworn in the closet. Students planning dates out on the town and a night of music and friends are disappointed.

Beyond that, King candidates don’t receive the thorough recognition they deserve. They don’t get their own party. They knew they wouldn’t get the bright lights and astroturf of the football field, where the Homecoming

crowning takes place; they should have reined over the girls’ basketball game, but now they don’t even have a king until the middle of March, three weeks after the winner was originally supposed to be announced.

Seniors will never again have a high school Courtwarming dance. They were already cheated out of witnessing a proper Homecoming parade. On top of that, Prom this year is on a Friday evening, instead of the usual Saturday, meaning students will have less time to get made up and prepared for the dance. Courtwarming might have made up for some of these problems, allowing seniors one long, relatively stress-free night of flashing lights and good company. This was one of their last “hurrahs” of the year. Now it’s been whisked away.

All of this could be fixed with a bit of careful planning. The Student Council administration doesn’t need to obliterate the Courtwarming dance, just because the snow days made arrangements a challenge. There are plenty of free Saturdays throughout the month of March

and even April. There’s no reason why students wouldn’t be willing to wait a few weeks to attend the dance they’ve been waiting for all year.

The ideal solution would be to create a poll on the main Rock Bridge website or via Bearing News, allowing students to pick which date they would prefer for the rescheduled Courtwarming dance. Student Council could select poll options by checking event schedules and attempting to avoid conflicts with sports games or other extracurriculars. Students who choose not to participate in the poll therefore choose not to have a say in the reschedule date.

If a poll is too much of a hassle, then Student Council administrators can assign the date according to what best accommodates the needs of teachers and parent volunteers. That way, everyone’s conflicts are addressed and RBHS can still have its famed Courtwarming dance.

The school needs its proper Courtwarming.

Just as Homecoming honors involved senior ladies with outstanding academics, Courtwarming serves the same purpose for the senior men.

It would be wrong for these men to not get the same treatment as the girls, just because their timing coincided with a snowpocalypse.

Plus, Courtwarming is plain and simply fun. Teenagers enjoy dancing. They enjoy an evening away from textbooks and coffee, when they can pin their hair and curl their eyelashes.

They enjoy buying fancy dresses and ties that they’ll only wear once. They deserve a party dedicated to them and the youth they’ll soon be leaving behind.

Yes, Snowpocalypse 2.0 hit the Midwest hard. It made walking difficult and driving impossible. But it doesn’t change the hard work King candidates put into their costumes.

It doesn’t change the arrangements Student Council spent weeks planning. It doesn’t change the academic excellence and freedom that should be celebrated at RBHS every day, not just on Courtwarming, and not just when the weather permits.

Snowpocalypse 2.0 didn’t cancel the Oscars.

It shouldn’t cancel the Mauscars either.

Cultural, societal disgust with menstruation unfair, unnatural julia » Schaller

T

he other day in math class, I watched as my friend rummaged through her purse, grabbed what she had been searching for, glanced around to make sure no one was looking and slyly slid it up the sleeve of her jacket.

As she headed for the bathroom, still cautious of potential watchers, one question consumed my mind. Why? I thought about what I would do, and I realized that I probably would have done the same. But it’s not right. My friend shouldn’t have to be stealthy about bringing a tampon with her to the bathroom. And she really shouldn’t have to hide the fact that she’s going to use a tampon or even that she’s on her menstrual cycle. This shouldn’t be a big deal.

Once puberty hits, women learn what it’s like to have to use tampons; men, though, will never know the feeling. Women using tampons is similar to asking for toilet paper, a stressor fitting for both sexes: they go to the bathroom, look down and, in total distress, find a distinct lack of wiping parchment.

At this point, no one would want to ask a total stranger or even an acquaintance for the toilet paper, but it’s either that or nothing. In that terrible awkward situation, one would have to crouch over and ask passerby if he or she might go into the next stall and fetch a roll for them.

Asking for a tampon should be a breeze, though, because most of the time it’s a request one can make before going to the bathroom.

But even if someone discovers they need one

once they’re in the stall, it shouldn’t have to be uncomfortable. The needs for toilet paper and tampons alike are necessary materials for dealing with natural bodily functions.

A girl’s first period can be a traumatic event.

I first got mine when I was in middle school and freaked out. I thought my world was collapsing around me because I’d have to deal with the hassle of using pads and tampons, and I’d been raised getting the idea that menstruation was a unfathomably gross and horrid thing.

Instead of making it easy on young girls who are menstruating for the first time by showing them that it’s a normal part of every woman’s life, the media goes around disturbing the mass-

es of people, especially men, causing girls to feel ashamed of their bodily functions. According to huffingtonpost.com, a researcher from the University of Melbourne found more than 200 scenes from movies since the 1970s having to do with menstruation. These television shows and films ranged from “Mad Men” to “Annie Hall.” The researcher found that all the scenes put menstruation in a negative light.

I see the media taking hold of people — men especially — in my everyday life, and it gives periods a bad reputation. A few days ago, at lunch I started talking about my period openly, as usual, and I got the same response from my guy friends that I always do. Their cheeks

flushed as they took turns telling me I was disgusting, gross and awkward and that they didn’t want to hear about “that... stuff.”

I don’t understand why it was such a big deal to them. A girl has a period about 10 percent of her life. We have to wear tampons or pads monthly. The fact that women are socially hushed for talking about the use of tampons or the heaviness of their menstrual flow isn’t right. That’s how women were made. It’s not like most women can change the fact that they will get their period, not to mention the fact that at some point in those boys’ lives, they’re inevitably going to deal with said woman and her menstrual cycle.

Periods, tampons, cramps and anything else associated with a woman’s menstruation shouldn’t be looked down upon in society.

Any bodily function that happens to all people should be a topic in everyday life because it’s all a beautiful part of human biology.

Let’s be confident. I will no longer sneak tampons into my sleeve, and if you’re a woman, neither should you.

Men shouldn’t care if a girl is on her period because probably at least one woman they come in contact with throughout their day is. Open up the topic of menstruation if need be and make women feel comfortable with publicly discussing their cramping pains. Women should be proud of their bodies and embrace what goes on inside them, without being ashamed or discouraged.

Menstruation is a natural process. Period.

18

« Ads

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

Sports »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

Athletes look for academic success

19

brittany » Cornelison

T

hough school is a place of learning, it is also a place for students to figure out their unique interests and talents. Some students focus on athletics in addition to their classes during the day. For junior Brayden Parker, this is definitely the case.

Parker realized during his years in high school that managing a schedule including both a rigorous class load and intense athletic pursuit is challenging. Between early-morning band rehearsal, Advanced Placement U.S. History homework and the heat of football and track practice, he has little room to breathe.

“Obviously the course load and the workload in these upper-level classes is a lot more rigorous and a lot more demanding,” Parker said. “I mean we do enough in class that the work isn’t that hard when we get home. ... It’s just planning out the time. By the time I finish an eight-hour day at school, I come home after a three-hour football practice or track practice; I mean I have to go to bed at some point, so trying to fit all the homework and all the extra work required can be a challenge.”

For some athletes, athletics and academics photo by Paige Kiehl hold equal importance, and they wish to chal- These boots are made for walkin’: Clockwise from top, junior Joshua Baumer, freshman Sam Baumer, HHS junior Callie Basset and freshman lenge themselves in both areas. Despite school Brooke Basset grab a seat to watch the roping portion of a rodeo, Saturday, Feb. 9. RBHS students attend rodeos as well as participate for sport. being the typical place where students would say they go to use their brains, athletics also require a great deal of brain activity. Anatomy and Physiology and Exercise Science teacher Amy McKenzie said the brain is used during athletics; however, different parts of this organ are used for different aspects of athletics.

“The occipital part of the brain is going to be come after feeding and other responsibilities.

“You can’t do rodeo and not expect to get used for things like visual acuity, but in terms tyler » Dunlap “I’ve been living on a farm my entire life,” hurt,” Clark said. “If you do it long enough it’s of planning and strategy and things like that, resh hay, livestock, sweat and manure. Clark said. “Work always comes first. That’s the going to happen. I was in a wheelchair for three that’s going to be a whole different part of the The sound of roaring fans in blue jeans kind of mentality my dad placed on me, and his weeks last year because of my back. Bull and brain,” McKenzie said. “Your cerebellum is goand cowboy hats echoed through the father on him. We just always loved to have the bronco riding is so hard on your back and neck, ing to be in charge of balance and coordination arena while the riders and wrestlers ad- sport as something fun to do and to look for- just because there’s so much thrashing around. of movements, and so you can’t really isolate dressed fierce tons of flesh in an attempt to gain ward to the rodeos. It’s fun to be able to ride the You can get whiplash in an instant.” it to one part of the brain. It’s really the interrecognition, guts and glory, all in the act of a animals that you raise.”

Knowing the dangers and potential injuries relationship between lots of different parts of near-death experience.

Rodeo is a competitive sport that has been every time one steps into the arena is always in the brain that make you successful in an athSeniors Jack Clark and Jordan Fannin sit around since the early 1820s. Along with the the back of the mind of the athletes that particiletic pursuit.” as they wait to get into the bucking chute or knowledge these athletes have to know of the pate in rodeo, some even life-threatening and Time management for athletes also is critistrapped onto an angry bull. Both prepare for animals, it consists of events that involve horses possibly involving some censoring in Fannin’s cal, McKenzie said. Athletes don’t necessarily this event the best they can, trying to calm their and other livestock, designed to test the skill, case. have a different brain in terms of shape, but nerves, all with the question of survival and a speed and ability of the cowboy and cowgirl “My last injury, which was in the beginthey are more accustomed to dealing with a high score both in the same thought sequence. athletes that participate in it. ning of this year, I got hung up on a bareback hectic schedule because of their commitments.

Clark and Fannin have participated in rodeos These events are divided into two basic cat- horse and drug around the entire arena,” Fan“I think that a lot of it is kind of neural pathsince they were kids. Having grown up loving egories: the rough stock events and the timed nin said. “I dislocated both of my shoulders and ways that get formed in terms of being able to the sport, their ambitions started early and have events. Cowboys and cowgirls can compete in got stepped on bad enough on the back of my be good time managers, the responsibility asbeen passed down through generations in the as many events as they want, such as tie-down legs that the force from the horse’s hooves that pect. We do see that athletes, people that are acfamily, Fannin said. roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle it completely ripped my pants off.” tive in general, do tend to have higher levels of “I was really young when I started getting bronc riding, bareback-bronco riding, bull ridEven though the sport attracts the dare-devacademic performance,” McKenzie said. “But into it, about five years old,” Fannin said. “It’s ing and barrel racing. However, being involved ils, these athletes are addicted to it. Along with some of it is related to the skills that you learn kind of a family tradition for me. Everybody in in rodeo, there is great risk for injury, but Fan- the thrill of the crowd, Clark said, the pumping because of doing double-duty, being a student my family has done it. My brothers rode in com- nin is too passionate about the sport to let that adrenaline and the uncertainty of what bones and an athlete.” petition, and my grandpa rode, so I was kind of stop him. may be broken after tonight, these guys simply These time management skills are critical to born into the sport.”

“I’ve had quite a few hospital trips over the can’t get enough of what they love. sophomore Samantha Farmer who finds herHowever, the life of an avid bull rider or steer years,” Fannin said. “Four concussions, dislo“The adrenaline rush of being in a rodeo is so self in the same category as Parker: a commitwrestler usually isn’t the top priority of the ath- cated shoulders, broken bones.” great,” Clark said. “Hearing the crowd cheering ted student and active athlete. Farmer chose lete. A genuine care for the animals is at heart However, Clark confirms injury is common, for you while you’re doing your best to stay on last fall to take on two sports at once, both cross for these two and riding and wrestling only if not assumed, for it’s participants. a bucking bull is pretty exhilarating.” country and golf. During this time, she was also enrolled in AP World History, Honors Algebra II and Honors Chemistry. “[It’s hard] just trying to balance your time when trying to find time to do homework and with all your workouts and stuff,” Farmer said.

Does JV deserve appreciation?

What is the best thing about JV? “I just try to get as much homework done as possible during school, like during my advisory or whenever we’re not doing stuff in class, so that way I don’t have to stay up really late or get up early to do it.”

It is important for student athletes to have the drive and motivation to put themselves through the intensity of a full class load as well as a heavy sports schedule. But in order to stay eligible, they must do well in the classroom as well as on the field. Parker said he considers his athletic talent as well as his academic ability to “The best part of being on the “I don’t think that JV should be a gift.

“It’s nice being on JV because team was being with everyone “I do think JV teams need more have as much recognition “You have to be gifted enough in sports to you still get to practice and every day. I got to know all recognition and credit for their because it’s not about that. It’s do sports, and you have to be gifted enough in compete but don’t have the the girls this year which I had abilities because I know a lot about learning the game and academics to do academics.” Parker said. “I see pressure that varsity does.

Lots never met before and make of JV members on Rock Bridge having fun playing it. There isn’t a correlation, like when I go to football practice of people say track [is an] indistrong friendships with them. If sports teams could easily make the competitive atmosphere I challenge myself to become better that day so vidual sport but ... I wouldn’t be it wasn’t for basketball, I would the varsity level at almost any than varsity has, so people I can be better that week for that game. And it’s the same for school; I could take a bunch of as good as I am today without have never met them and made other school in the state but just aren’t pushed to their max.” easy classes, but that doesn’t challenge me, that the support of my team.” those friendships.” are on such a competitive team.” doesn’t make me better, it’s just kind of staying even. You’ll never become better by just doing –Michelle King, junior –Kelsey Knorr, sophomore –Alex Jones, senior –Will Sandvos, sophomore what you [always] do.”

Rodeo attracts attention, threatens injury Participants share experiences in actions, family history in livestock

F

»

JV SPOTLIGHT

Q:

Q:

Basketball

Tennis

Lacrosse

photos by Kaitlyn Marsh

Track

«

20

« Ads March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

.net

Experienced in Residential Family Homes, Relocation, Investment Properties and Farms and Horse Properties

DBRLTeen -----------------

Free Neighborhood Market Reports e-mailed by request

March Madness

Teen Book Tournament

Visit teens.dbrl.org for book reviews, events, homework help, college test prep and more.

Vote today online at teens.dbrl.org or at your library

Which book will earn the title of teen book champion?

Support your favorite book, have fun in the tournament and enter to win prizes!

Daniel Boone Regional Library teens.dbrl.org

DBRLTeen invited two Rock Bridge High School students, Issac James and Jerome Simar, to meet with young adult author Brian Katcher to discuss his books “Playing With Matches” and “Almost Perfect.”

Check out the full video interview at teens.dbrl.org.

Sports »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

1

21

1. Jumping for gym: Freshman Bethany Ducharme, center, leads in the jump formation for the team’s routine.

2. Calming the nerves: Before running onto the mat to compete, the girls gather to pep-talk one another.

3. Going steady: Hickman senior Catherine Gorges, left, and RBHS junior Madison Reasoner practice hand stands.

2

3

All-Star cheer exhibits dedication alyssa » Piecko

A

s sophomore Mara Herman entered the America Center in St. Louis Mo., all she could think about was her foot.

Having to walk from the parking garage to the building was already giving her an issue; she didn’t want to think about the pain that would ensue when she hit the blue mat.

But performing on a chipped bone in her foot instead of sitting out was the choice she made for her team.

Competing on her foot “was difficult. But I knew I couldn’t just not go out there,” Herman said. “I had to give it my all and not let my team down.”

The competitive, a k a “All-Star” cheerleading, world has been around for more than 20 years and encases a wide range of skills performed throughout five different levels of competition. As the level increases, the more difficult routines become.

The score sheets include categories such as choreography, body positions, overall impressions and difficulty, which add up to a team score.

“It is a sport that is practiced in similarity with gymnastics but is de-

voted to a routine that is two minutes and 30 seconds long,” senior Carly Souder said. A routine is “packed with jumps, motions, dancing, tumbling and stunting. ... A competitive team’s sole purpose is to compete for the No. 1 spot.”

All-Star cheerleading is extremely different from the typical pom pom sideline cheering. The competition aspect means athletes need enhanced endurance, enthusiasm and commitment. The team practices for hours on end, junior Delaney Catlettstout said.

“Our high school normally has one competition, but the rest of the year it’s more sideline and cheering on the sports teams and performing small skills in front of our peers. And competitive is a constant long term commitment to go and put your heart on the mat,” Catlettstout said. “You make goals for yourself and have a lot more rush because you are performing [in] an arena full of hundreds of girls with the same passion as you.“ As for the preparation for competitions, a lot goes into the routine that the athletes learn, Catlettstout said.

Several months prior to competition season, the team prepares skills such as back-handsprings, fulls, layouts

and stunt sequences.

“We have tryouts in May and do a lot of work on everyone’s individual skill throughout the summer, and around August, we start practicing our routine, putting together the dynamics and tweaking,” Catlettstout said. “We also do showcases in front of our family and friends, so we get used to that rush. We also do a lot of conditioning work through the year to build up stamina and strength.”

This “rush” is the unexplainable feeling that the athletes get before they step on the mat, Catlettstout said. This feeling is brought on by the setting the cheerleaders compete in.

The bright lights shine as the crowd screams, and the announcer shouts the gym’s name as the squad runs onto the mat.

“Your nerves are going crazy, and you just wanna go crazy,” Herman said. “But once that music starts, your body knows what to do, and you just have a blast and start doing facials and just giving it your all.”

In addition to the pure adrenaline that comes with the sport, athletes have improved through the years, as well as participation in competitive cheerleading itself. Policies changed

and limitations were adopted, such as illegal stunts and anything too difficult for the level. Since she started cheering at age eight, Souder says much is different.

“It’s become recognized as a sport and has become popular throughout the world. The cheerleading Worlds [competition] has teams from Hawaii, Asia and England,” Souder said.

“And more restrictions have been put on certain levels because of injury risk.”

Injuries are common in competitive cheerleading because of the rigorous work each athlete goes through in the sport. Injuries in competitive cheerleading are not uncommon. According to usatoday.com, 26,000 injuries occur annually since 2007. Yet, many work through their injuries.

Herman has had a broken arm, sprained ankles and some chipped teeth through her cheerleading years, in addition to her foot injury.

Cattletstout has also endured injuries such as a dislocated knee, a broken foot, sprained ankles and elbows and busted lips. Injuries, though common, are greatly decreased through precautions taken in the gym. Though some suffer these injuries, they push

photos courtesy of Authority Gym

through.

“It’s a passion,” Catlettstout said.

“I could fall off a curb and hurt myself, but I would rather take the chance and just put everything I have on that mat because it’s my passion.”

The devotion for the sport is a common trend in most competitive cheerleaders, Catlettstout said.

Athletes continue the sport through injuries, drama and busy schedules because of their dedication.

Passion is “something that makes everything in your life irrelevant,” Catlettstout said. “While I do cheer, nothing else matters. It’s something I think about 24/7. I eat, sleep and live cheer.”

All-Star cheerleading, though challenging, has changed the perception of the term cheerleader. The sport means different things to each member involved and connects each person through their passion for the sport, Catlettstout said.

“It means family. It’s a community of girls with one passion, and we always have each others’ backs in good times and bad,” Catlettstout said.

“We go through a lot of stuff together, so it bonds us together as a family and community.”

Athlete spreads talent through multiple sports kaitlyn » Marsh

S Run up:

A typical high school student maintains a 16 step “run up” before jumping, asserting the most momentum in the second to last step.

Take off:

A 20 cm take off board is where the last, short step of the runup ceases. A jumper has to be careful not to cross a sensor at the end of the board, otherwise the jump is declared a “scratch” and does not count for a score. Instructors say an athlete should strive to move upwards instead of out as to achieve the longest flight time possible.

Flight:

Landing:

Although the body’s natural tendency is to flip in the air, jumpers have to fight forward rotation and lengthen the body, block arms and keep hips raised. source: trackandfield.about.com

Necessary for distance, a jumper strives to tuck head.

Hitting the sand, the athlete extends heels and attempts to pull to one side so the backside clears the mark. infographic by Hyelee Won

Long, triple jump pursue technique for new lengths maria » Kalaitzandonakes

J

umping is technical. It takes skill, precision and timing.

Senior Earl Salmons had to learn the perfect amount of steps before a long jump: seven. And his coach, Patrick Sasser, spent time with the long jumpers to perfect their second to last step where they have to drop their hips and take the board aggressively.

He also helps them learn the proper mechanics for the short run down the runway. Salmons, who has been on the long jumping team since his freshman year, said when he was just learning the techniques he didn’t do so well.

“Freshman year in districts I did pretty terrible. I might have scratched out in districts,” Salmons said. “When you’re jumping if you step over the line, you scratch and your score doesn’t count. … It takes time to get the moves right.”

After practice and help from Sasser, he got better. Junior Madison Wipfler said that’s exactly why she likes jumps — because no matter where you start you can grow by leaps and bounds.

“I’m more into the mental sports,” Wipfler said. “With sprints and long distance, it’s more like [an] ability you have, and you are kind of born with speed. But with long jump, you can work on so much.”

Sasser spends more than half an hour

after track practice with just pole vault, long jump and triple jump. He spends that time one-on-one with the jumpers to even out the “three phases” of a triple jump and to improve cadence. Sasser stressed that a jumper doesn’t have to be a certain type of build, just be willing to work and be open to coaching.

“They’re pretty technical events,” Sasser said. “As a coach, I have lots of perspectives about what sports can teach you. …

They are two of the most technical — if you can learn how to do that, it really transfers over into life. If you can learn how to do that, then you can learn how to do other things, too. … Triple jump and long jump are really tough. It’s hard to find the balance of too much and too little.

They have to work on it a lot.”

Wipfler said the motivation for the sport really has to come from the individual, pushing herself to understand the mechanics of the jump, doing workouts outside of the practices and developing the right mental state for a good jump.

“Before I jump, I have to focus on every little thing, but as I’m jumping I can only think of one thing at a time. That’s how it is for me when I’m up in the air,” Wipfler said. “[I learned to] always keep a positive attitude, [because jumping] is so mental. If you get down about one jump, you’re not going to do well in the next, so you just kind of have to say, ‘It’s OK. It’s

going to get better. You just have to fix one thing.’”

Wipfler made it to sectionals in triple jump last year and jumped further than any other RBHS girl jumped, at an impressive 37.9 feet. F-e-e-t. Sasser’s goal for Wipfler this year is a 38.6.

But a great score isn’t the only thing that motivates the jumpers. Salmons said the track community is so large that sometimes it’s nice to separate each other into a dedicated smaller group.

“I guess there’s just a ton of people in sprints, and a lot of them are at the same skill level — and I’m kind of in the middle of the pack. I guess jumps are a nice way to distinguish myself,” Salmons said.

“There’s just a bunch of people that are about the same speed, and they’re all pretty interchangeable in the meets. … Jumps are something that not a lot of people do.”

The technique, dedication and precision it takes to become a successful triple jumper or long jumper helped Salmons learn about “dedication and hard work.”

Wipfler, in addition to Salmons, said working with Sasser to improve her jumps has made her a harder worker and more positive person.

“Even though it’s something that you do by yourself, it’s one of the most selfless things,” Wipfler said. “You just listen to your coaches and are there for your team. … And then, you jump.”

enior Lauren Livesay wondered where she would be now if she had stuck with Tee-Ball at age five. She could be a star on the RBHS softball team or a college scholarship prospect, but for Livesay, this idea wasn’t appealing.

While some athletes might start a single sport at a young age and pursue it up through high school, Livesay has involved herself in eight different sports through her childhood since her first experience with Tee-Ball.

“I actually don’t wish I had grown up playing the same sport, because when you grow up playing the same sport your whole life, and you get really good at it, and you just stick with the same thing ... then you’re so good, that’s all you do,” Livesay said. “And by the time you get to college and graduate college, there’s no more of the sport left.”

Along with positives, such as not experiencing burn-out, Livesay looks at it as a way to keep busy and stay fit. After jumping from tee-ball to soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball, tennis, triathlons, track and then to swimming, Livesay said she learned much from the process of tryouts and trying new things.

“You get that mind set that you constantly need to improve,” Livesay said. “I can start with no knowledge of something and then improve to get really good, but if I start good at something and continue to be really good at something, I never really learn that hard work or that lesson that I may not be good at things right now, but I can get better.”

Sophomore year, Livesay competed in club soccer and volleyball, track, swimming, tennis lessons, the occasional triathlon, a musical production and tried out for the RBHS soccer and volleyball teams. Even though she made neither the volleyball nor soccer teams, the pain of rejection wasn’t as great as the pride in knowing she attempted, she said.

“Honestly, it’s one of those things that I don’t want to wake up one day and wish I did,” Livesay said. “What if I could have made the volleyball team? Like, if I wouldn’t have tried out my sophomore year, [I would] say, ‘What if?’”

Jefferson Junior High School volleyball coach Jodi Rowe commended Livesay’s abilities in multiple activities as well as the talent it takes to pursue these engagements.

“Being a multi-sport athlete growing up is a great opportunity to really learn the fundamentals of teamwork and how to persevere through the ups and down of competition.”

Rowe said. “It takes tremendous dedication to play multiple sports and become good at each of them.”

Livesay said her encounters can only help her in the future. As well as participating in multiple sports to answer those “what if’s,” she has also learned time management and a betterment of self-confidence in the long run.

“I think it’s a good thing that kids do sports and school because it’s a good thing to do early when it doesn’t matter as much as when you have a job, like to learn to juggle activities,” Livesay said. “Jumping from sport to sport, I was basically starting over and being terrible at a sport from the beginning, ... like that feeling of, ‘You aren’t very good,’ but if I keep trying and learn from others, then I will get better.”

March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

22 « Arts & Entertainment

Story by Maddie Magruder Photos by Maria Kalaitzandonakes

from garbanzo beans, olive oil and sesame oil, is popular with vegans, so it made sense to have a hummus wrap on the menu.

“It’s not really a meat alternative, but it’s real high in protein and has a good kind of a fatty texture, so a lot of vegan folks like that,” Lotkhart said. “They’ll substitute, actually, the hummus on that white cheddar sandwich.”

One of the best things about the hummus wrap is its portability, she said. It can easily move with someone on the go.

“If somebody has to get back to their office or try to eat between classes or something like that, it’s cold and holds up well,” Lotkhart said. “All the vegetables inside are organic, which matters to a lot of our customers.”

Hummus wrap

Main Squeeze O wner Leigh Lotkhart opened Main Squeeze in 1997 on 9th Street. The vegetarian cafe is home to an array of menu items, the most popular of which is the white cheddar & avocado sandwich.

Senior Rachel Volmert said she first went to Main Squeeze as a little kid, and now she goes on her own. She loves the variety of options on the menu.

“I appreciate that they get a lot of ingredients locally and that they offer vegetarian and gluten free options,” Volmert said. “I personally love the Curious George smoothie.”

Another popular item is the hummus wrap (shown), a vegan-friendly item made of hummus, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, carrot and onion. Lotkhart said hummus, made

B&B Bagel enjoys the breakfast sandwich as well.

“I mean, there’s eggs in it, so there’s your protein,” Benand said. “B&B is simply amazing.”

The basic sandwich is a staple at most breakfast restaurants, but Newkirk said the bagel makes the simple bacon, egg and cheese sandwich special.

Even though none of the sandwiches boast any particularly abstract ingredients, Newkirk said what makes the sandwiches good is in the restaurant’s name.

“In the business we call [the bagel] the carrier,” Newkirk said. “Since we make all our bagels from scratch, and we’re the only place that makes real bagels, I think it makes a huge difference. I think what makes the sandwich is the bagel.”

Bacon egg-wich nly a couple minutes from RBHS, B&B Bagels, located on 124 E Nifong Blvd, is a household name at RBHS. From their popular lunch time pepperoni pizza bagel to leafy bagel sandwiches, the simple menu at B&B brings a sort of basic comfort.

While B&B offers lunch selections, including club sandwiches, Baja chicken wraps and cheese steak sandwiches, one can’t forget their breakfast sandwiches as well. Owner and manager Brad Newkirk said the most popular is the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with an original bagel (shown).

Senior Robert Benand said he loves to go to B&B. His personal favorites are the chicken noodle soup and cookies, but he said he

O

The BLT, or bacon, lettuce and tomato, is made with only the ingredients in the name, but Uprise makes the ingredients as fresh as possible. They use Pepperidge bacon and local vegetables, season permitting, and utilize as many local products as they can for their menu, espeically during the farmer’s market.

Employee Anna Wilson said the owner of Uprise “wanted to expand what he could offer to Columbia” and “combine forces with Ragtag.”

“They bought this building a few years ago and now it’s a venue for [the] True/False [Film Festival],” Wilson said, “and we get a lot of really neat customers in here. We just continue to try to see what Columbia wants and try to stay local.”

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato

Upr ise Bakery U

prise Bakery, located on 10 Hitt St., is a quaint restaurant adjacent to Ragtag Cinema. Open for over a decade, the bakery offers many selections, including sandwiches, freshly-baked bread and homemade cookies and pastries.

Senior Marie Fulcher said she loves the atmosphere of Uprise, as the people and layout of the restaurant give the customers a homey feel.

“I always try to go out to a local place, like Uprise, because there is quality food that tastes better,” Fulcher said. “It’s a perfect place to have the Ragtag ... because you can grab a bite to eat before you see a film.”

Uprise’s most popular sandwiches include the Cuban pulled-pork, the Reuben and the BLT (shown).

Flat Branch

key topped with Swiss cheese and sauteed onions and mushrooms, has been on Flat Branch’s menu since nearly the beginning.

Flat Branch has “an onsite bakery that we make all the bread everyday, so we always have fresh baguettes,” Huesgen said.

“Then we slice the turkey here and do everything else pretty much from scratch.”

He said the restaurant tried to replace the sandwich a few years ago by making a “create your own” sandwich option, which was met with an outcry from customers.

“People thought we took it off because we had deli sandwiches that were [with meat and] with your choice of cheese, so you could build a Hobgobbler yourself,” Huesgen said, “but people thought we got rid of it so we brought it back the next year.”

Hobgobbler

ince finding its home in downtown Columbia in April 1994, Flat Branch Pub and Brewing, 115 S 5th St., has become a local stand-by. From their house-brewed drinks to juicy burgers, the restaurant has something for everyone.

Paul Huesgen, manager of Flat Branch for five years, said the bacon chicken wrap is their most popular sandwich. Their burgers follow the wrap, the Reuben and finally the Hobgobbler (shown).

Junior Hallie Galvan said she personally likes Flat Branch’s burgers the best.

“They have so many different types of burgers that are all really unique,” Galvan said. “They give you a lot of food.”

Huesgen said the Hobgobbler, a sandwich consisting of a generous pile of tur-

S

Flipping lunch on its

si de

Arts & Entertainment »

www.bearingnews.org » The ROCK » March 7, 2013

‘Game of Thrones’ returns for enthralling third season

2.

1.

23

jake » Alden

I

3.

4.

5.

6.

photos by Paige Kiehl

Spring brings DIY opportunities alyssa » Piecko

S

un, sand and salt water. These are the three words that race through my mind when I think of spring break. And when packing for spring break, I always go shopping for new clothes to bring.

However, fashion trends can get expensive, and there’s only so much money a high school student is willing to spend. So I searched for a style item I wouldn’t have to go shopping for and stumbled upon a project: do-it-yourself lace shorts. These are trendy and make for an awesome do-it-yourself project that is both cheap and easy.

And so my mission was selected. I would make my own bottoms.

The first step was to take account of all my materials. All I needed was white lace, white shorts, fabric glue and scissors, all of which can be purchased from WalMart, though smaller fabric stores will definitely have them in stock.

The pantaloons can be either white cotton trunks or white denim trousers, whichever takes your fancy. The lace should be designed with little flowers instead of the big, weddinglike ones, so that it’s easier to stick together and adheres to the shorts better. The fabric

glue and scissors are easily attainable. I laid them out and got set for the task ahead.

My next decision was to cut the lace into strips to go around the shorts. My suggestion is to cut them two and a half inches wide. If the strip is cut badly, don’t worry. There’s no way to see the mistakes on the finished product, so no will notice any jagged edges.

And now came the tough part: gluing the lace strips to the shorts. Start with the first strip at the bottom of the shorts. Make sure its length fits around the leg of the shorts. Then, once it fits the way you want, apply glue to the top of the strip and stick it down. Continue this process up the shorts, until the whole product is covered with lace. Warning: hands will also be covered in glue by the end of the project.

Once the process is finished, hang them from a line and let them dry overnight. After they dry, I promise the shorts are going to look absolutely adorable. However, be sure to take precaution, as the shorts can be fragile and the lace can get caught.

An extra step available is to sew the lace on to allow it to stay on and the shorts to last longer. Take a needle and white thread and sew the top of each lace strip to the denim or cotton shorts. This will keep your shorts durable and lovely, while maintaining the frill of the lace.

Do-it-yourself lace shorts, although difficult, provide a cute look easily paired with any outfit. They are perfect to pack for your upcoming spring break trip. Don’t worry about the future either, these lace shorts make the cutest addition to any wardrobe, especially in the summer.

Don’t waste your money at the store before break. There are plenty of other do-it-yourself projects to do to spice up your wardrobe this spring. Check bearingnews.org weekly for new do-it-yourself tutorials, for everything from jewelry make-overs and party decorations to wall art and jean shorts. Use the QR code below to explore the site!

n the game of thrones, you win or you die. This weekend, HBO finally announced the March 31 air date for the third season premiere of its hit fantasy TV series, Game of Thrones, in a stunning, minute long trailer.

Based on the wildly popular and critically acclaimed book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, the show for the most part has proved a well-acted and faithful adaptation of Martin’s literary masterpiece.

For those already caught up with the show, the upcoming episodes are a cause for celebration; for those still in the dark about GoT, it’s a wake-up call.

So far, the first two seasons of the show have lined up exactly with Martin’s first two novels, telling an emotional story of civil war raging across the fictional continent of Westeros. Unlike most fantasy worlds, however, GoT is set in an imaginary world rife with realism.

The series’ enormous cast of characters is all flesh-and-blood humans, with no elves, dwarves or trolls to be found. Occasionally something mysteriously supernatural will crop up in an episode, but these are most often attributed to spiritual miracles instead of magic spells flung around by British teens every five minutes.

All this has helped contribute to the show’s well-deserved grim and gritty reputation. GoT is an unquestionably brutal tale whose tone has much in common with mature television classics like Deadwood and The Wire, and it’s becoming infamous for its graphically gory violence and explicit sex scenes.

It’s a not a show for everyone, to be sure; while the plot and characters are approachable and intriguing for all manner of viewers, the extremely mature content of many episodes makes family viewings impossible. Even those acquainted with the show’s source material may not be prepared for HBO’s adaptation.

While it’s true that Martin’s novels are certainly geared towards a strong-stomached adult audience, the show takes many of the book’s sex scenes that were merely implied and puts them on the screen in full frontal detail. In one notable example, the books occasionally hint that a certain king has affairs behind his homely wife’s back, while the show details the monarch’s graphic liaisons with his mistress throughout multiple episodes.

Despite its often over-the-top nudity, the show remains a tightly-plotted and smartlywritten tale of Shakespearean intrigue, religious passion, romantic struggle and ancient warfare.

For the most part, the characters all look and sound very much like the novels implied, and the entire cast does a phenomenal job bringing the vivid players in the show’s great game of intrigue to life.

The show’s story is populated by a wide range of deeply flawed antiheroes who still manage to keep the audience’s attention and affection throughout all the show’s twists and turns. Much like the show’s source material, GoT’s character arcs are wildly dynamic, and the series cast are constantly developing from episode to episode.

If the third novel that season three is being based on is any indication, that development will reach an all-time high in the episodes to come.

The loyal and honorable-to-a-fault soldier Jon Snow will be leaving his isolated post behind and beginning to question his commands, while the antagonistic and arrogant royal bodyguard Jaime Lannister finally steps into the show’s limelight and gets to give the audience his own perspective on villainy.

Now is the time to get engaged in GoT. The series is widely considered to be Martin’s best work so far, and the scant tidbits revealed by HBO’s press releases and trailers showcase an intriguing array of cinematography, acting, and visual effects.

If you haven’t watched the first two seasons, or you want to catch up on the plot before March 31, head on down to Best Buy and pick up a copy of a masterpiece on par with Breaking Bad and Deadwood.

‘Winter Jam’ impresses with collaborative Christian music brittany Cornelison

F

amilies and youth groups lined the streets outside the Scottstrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Sunday, Feb. 24, waiting to rush inside and get their seats for the largest annual Christian Music Tour in the United States, Winter Jam. Ten of the most popular Christian artists performed for their devoted fans, several of whom waited hours outside in the frigid cold weather in anticipation for this memorable event.

Concert doors opened at 5 p.m. and the excited crowd of 20,000 cheered as they rushed inside the building. Because there were so many performers, three of the artists jumpstarted the show in the pre-show party. Jason Castro, “American Idol” finalist, was one of these performers.

He came to stage with several songs off his new album, including the most well-known, “Only a Mountain.”

From this pre-show to the finale, Winter Jam was upbeat, attention grabbing and affordable. A unique characteristic of this concert was that no tickets were sold in advance — concert-goers just paid $10 at the door.

According to jamtour.com, “the heart of Winter Jam is ministry,” and it is their goal to make the event “affordable for families, individuals and groups of all sizes.”

Though the low price makes the concert more accessible, it also makes the event rely more on the generous donations of the fans. $10 from each fan cannot cover the costs of such a huge event. Because of this, the bands took up an offering toward the end of the concert where extra money was donated in order to allow the concert series to continue on to the next city.

The group responsible for putting on this concert since 1995 is NewSong. This band performed and took the crowd by storm with their popular hits, “Arise, My Love” and “Swallow the Ocean.”

Another hit artist was Jamie Grace, a 21-year-old contemporary Christian artist from Atlanta, Ga. She was able to fill the hearts of the young girls in the arena with her message of hope and restoration which seems our generation seems to desire so badly.

During the concert, Grace said even though her work may all sound like just a series of love songs, she is just trying to covey and express her

love for her God. The message that Grace was portraying matched that of the night; the message of healing.

Other standout artists of the night included Sidewalk Prophets (“Love Me Anyways”), Red (“Not Alone”) and Royal Tailor (“Hold Me Together”). Aside from the acts, another unique part of this concert was when speaker Nick Hall shared a message about three hours into the night. This wasn’t a bland, meaningless sermon.

It tugged on the heartstrings of the audience and expressed just how beneficial it can be to fill hearts and minds with positive music that points them in the correct direction, toward God. After the message, Matthew West took the stage. This contemporary Christian artist from Nashville, Tenn. was definitely one of the highlight artists of the night. His show wasn’t quite as flashy as some of the others, but it was definitely heartfelt.

West showed inspirational videos that explained the stories behind the songs on his most recent album Into the Light. Each one of these shared stories correlated with a song on the album, allowing listeners to connect on a whole new level. With guitar

in hand, West portrayed great stage presence and sung each song with clarity and conviction.

One of the songs that West played was titled “Forgiveness.” This song was inspired by a mother, Renee Napier, whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. The lyrics portray her journey as she tried to forgive the man that caused the death of her daughter. Powerful messages such as these are the motivators behind each one of West’s songs.

Immediately after West’s performance, a hush came over the crowd in anticipation for the upcoming artist. The lights dimmed, conversations diminished and as the first note was sung the arena went wild.

Because he is one of the first and most well-known Christian rappers, a former member of the vocal trio DC Talk and the third Christian artist to have a No. 1 debut on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, the one and only TobyMac holds quite the standing in modern Christian music.

Strutting onto the stage dressed in a suit and tie, along with his famous stocking cap, TobyMac gave off an amazing presence, which is understandable since he’s been perform-

ing on stages across the country since 1988.

His unique, hipster style is one that makes him well-liked by hip-hop listeners everywhere, even outside of the Christian realm. Toby definitely closed out the show with a bang, he had the entire crowd up on their feet praising God. He performed several of his most popular songs from his new award-winning record Eye on It, such as “Me Without You” and “Steal My Show.” He also brought back some of his older tunes, including “Gone,” “Tonight” and “Lose My Soul.”

Overall this concert was an amazing deal. Aside from the low admission cost, getting 10 of the most wellknown Christian artists under one roof is almost a miracle.

Without a doubt this is a show you don’t want to miss. The feel of standing in a room with 20,000 people who are all there singing with the same purpose is an indescribable feeling.

Winter Jam is simply worship at it’s best.

Make sure to keep the date clear for the next Winter Jam during this tour for their Springfield show March 28.

24

« Backpage March 7, 2013 « The Rock « www.bearingnews.org

Jersey meets Shakespeare Actors overcome missed rehearsals, prepare for debut maddie » Magruder

T

1

photos by Aniqa Rahman

he snow days were a relaxing break for many students, but for the cast of Midsummer/Jersey, it was a time to perfect lines and continue character work.

The play, written in 2011 by Ken Ludwig, is a loose combination of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the hit MTV show Jersey Shore. Certain characters are taken from the television show and combined with characters from the classic play, including senior Daniel Duerto’s character Lyle “The Understatement” Fagoili.

“He is a guido spinoff of a character on the MTV show Jersey Shore,” Duerto said. “I never really watched that show until now. I [watched it] to get an idea of the accent and the attitude. And basically they are beach life bros that like to party, though my character in the play also plays into the Shakespeare play Midsummer Night’s Dream, which makes him romantic at times and very in love with [the character] Mia. But the Jersey Shore parody part makes him a lovable dummy that thinks he knows what he’s talking about, but he doesn’t.”

The setting of the play is in New Jersey. It focuses on several different groups of people and their relationships with one another: the lovers, the grown-ups, the hairdressers and the fairies. Senior Carmel Shaka plays Patti Quince, a takeoff of the character Peter Quince from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shaka’s character is the owner of a hair sa-

lon; her character directs the play for the governor’s wedding day, which she puts on with her employees.

“The hairdressers just add so much energy, humor and fun to the show,” Shaka said. “You really can’t help but love them.”

Director Mary Margaret Coffield said the character development really started when the cast memorized their lines and didn’t need their scripts on stage.

“We always tell actors, ‘Your character isn’t going to flourish until you get off the script,’” Coffield said. Since “the lines were memorized … we’ve really seen a change in the way they interpret their characters and they interact with each other.”

Even with four snow days that disrupted the rehearsals, Coffield said she is not worried about the lost time because the cast knows the show and what they need to do to make their characters strong.

“For actors, it’s always frustrating to have interruptions in the rehearsal process and to not have as much time as we want to detail things,” Coffield said, “but this is a very creative cast, and I’m confident they are going to get the feel for it. They understand the script and they’re playing their characters really well, so I think we’re going to get it all back together.”

Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m, Sunday in the RBHS Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $4 for students and $6 for the general public, and student activity passes are good for free admission.

2 4

3

5 1. Love-in-Idleness Flower: Fairy King Oberon, played by sophomore Seth Comara, holds up a magical flower. When rubbed into the eyes of a sleeping person, it makes the sleeper fall in love with the first thing they see when they awake. He plots to use the flower on his wife, the fairy queen, as a practical joke.

2. Between scenes: Director Mary Margaret Coffield, center, talks to a group of cast members about the details of the show. Upstage, intricately-made props set the mood of the play and place it in the lush Mediterranean.

3. Unrequited love: Helene, played by senior Courtney Nowlin, kneels at the feet of her love, Denis, played by sophomore Brady Butcher, who does not return her love, to her mounting distress.

4. Recipe for success: Director Mary Margaret Coffield moves to the foot of the stage to offer some artistic direction to junior Andrew Pierce and sophomore Madeline Kuligowski.

5. A single prayer: A trio of actors, played by sophomore Maddie Collier, senior Isaac James and senior Carmel Shaka, pray to have their production selected to be featured at an upcoming wedding.

6. Sparks fly: Titania, played by junior Elizabeth Burch-Hudson, cradles the transformed head of Nikki Bottom, played by junior Gabby Galazara, as she sleeps soundly in the fairy queen’s bower.

7. Pretty in ribbons: Puck, played by senior Cameron Grahl, hovers over the sleeping Lyle, played by senior Daniel Duerto, poised and ready to put juice from the magical flower into his eye.

6

7

7

Photo by Aniqa Rahman

87

Photo by Aniqa Rahman