The Rock - March 2019

THE ROCK

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The Student Voice of Rock Bridge High School Since 1 973 • 4303 S. Providence Rd. Columbia, Mo. 6 5203 • Vol. 44 Issue 5 • March 2 1, 2019

Snow days affect CPS calendar

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New Bills on Education in the Missouri Legislature

Jared Geyer

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his winter has been crueler than most to Columbia, which received 16 inches of snow in January and a polar vortex of -40 degree temperatures in February.

Columbia Public Schools (CPS) had five snow days this year so far, mostly due to the aforementioned conditions. Since CPS inhabits the fifth largest school district in Missouri, making decisions on if snow days, early releases or late starts occur can be a challenging one with a juggling list of variables.

Superintendent Dr. Peter Stiepleman makes certain various schools across the Columbia area he communicates with are well aware of the rationality behind each snow day decision.

Every time Dr. Stiepleman announces a snow day, he delivers an email to school faculty members encouraging them to share the message with whoever they please.

Dr. Stiepleman explains the reasoning behind calling snow days in these messages. This includes weather advisories, wind chill advisories, slippery roads and snow forecasts. Dr. Stiepleman and his “Snow Team,” consisting of nine other faculty members, including Community Relations Director Michelle Baumstark, make careful considerations when investigating and deciding the action they will take toward inclement weather.

“We look at temperatures current, predicted and past, wind chill, wind speed, previous precipitation and preexisting conditions among other elements. We actually have a team of employees that get up in the middle of the night and drive some of our more challenging routes to help determine exact conditions,” Baumstark said.

“All of this culminates into a deliberation and discussion among the snow team members and district administration.”

Because snow days are called based off of the next day’s forecasts, they can look unwarranted in hindsight.

Below is a list of Senate Bills (SB) awaiting hearing: [SOURCE: MO. GENERAL ASSEMBLY]

Limiting tenure SB 80 - Teachers hired on or after Aug. 28 shall not receive tenure and will not be eligible to participate in the current Teacher Choice Compensation Package.

Modifying A+ SB 205 - This act would add an A+ requirement that students must earn credits toward any type of college degree while in high school. The Department of Higher Education would reimburse the cost of tuition and fees for any dual-credit or dual-enrollment course in association with a public community, vocational or technical school.

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Regarding sports injury

2 ALLIE PIGG / THE ROCK

GREETINGS: (1) Jacob Sirna, who will be principal here next year, visits RBHS after school March 14. (2) Junior Audrey Snyder greets him in the hall on her way out from working on art. (3) When he entered the school, he hugs former teacher Lisa Boyer.

New principal Sirna visits

Bailey Stover

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SNOW DAYS P3

uring a staff meeting March 11, Principal Dr. Jennifer Rukstad showed a video to the faculty announcing Jacob Sirna, current principal of Marshall High School in Marshall, Mo., as RBHS’ new principal for the 2019-20 school year.

After six years as the principal of RBHS, Dr. Rukstad will assume the role of assistant superintendent for secondary education starting next school year. Sirna has previously worked in the Columbia Public Schools (CPS) district at Oakland Junior High and Battle High School (BHS).

Acknowledging his prior administrative experience, Dr. Rukstad said the main challenge Sirna will face is understanding the life and culture of the school more so than acclimating to the new position. She said she will help educate him on when events such as Global Village happen and figuring out the master calendar.

“He has exhibited a healthy under-

standing, and I use the term loosely, pref- you hear consistently is it's a great place erence for the culture here, for a person to be a student because you are treated who has never worked here,” Dr. Rukstad like the young adults that you are.”

Dr. Rukstad said freedom with responsaid. “So that's a good thing.”

The school’s reputation for excellence sibility, a core cultural component of the appealed to Sirna. He said RBHS has a school, stems from communication and respect throughout RBHS. high levAs the “last stop before el of academic ac- Having lived in Columbia, Missouri adulthood,” she said RBHS tivity and since 2010, I'm still relatively new, but prepares students for life through a successive proathletic success, you just rarely hear anything negative gression of increasing freedoms, such as advisory to which he [about RBHS]." attributes — Jacob Sirna, supervised Alternating Unto an “inassigned Time (AUT). Dr. incoming principal Rukstad said such struccredible mix of tures allow students the opportunity to make their own decisions. people and a wonderful culture.”

Sirna said he plans to continue to upSirna said he values the school’s “incredibly collaborative” dynamic where hold a tone of decency and respect toward the opinions of faculty and administrators students. For him, the concept of freedom combine to improve education. with responsibility allows students to do “Having lived in Columbia, Missouri their best without allowing age to influsince 2010, I’m still relatively new, but ence how administrators handle situayou just rarely hear anything negative tions.

PRINCIPAL P3 [about RBHS],” Sirna said. “And what

House Bill 606 proposes city bus use in CPS Ji-Sung Lee

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ponsored by Rep. Chuck Basye of Rocheport,Mo., House Bill 606

would allow high school students in Columbia Public Schools (CPS) to ride public buses in place of standard school buses.

ANNA XU / THE ROCK

DRIVING DOWNTOWN: The black line of the Como Connect City Bus stops to pickup passengers along Grindstone March 18.

“Transportation is especially expensive in our community as the fifth largest school district in the state and one that is geographically 300 square miles,” Community Relations Director Michelle Baumstark said. “We have hundreds and hundreds of bus routes that we must operate.

This is not a new concept . . . other cities across the United States use city transportation to get students to school.”

Currently, CPS spends more than $12 million and receives reimbursement for roughly $2 million on transportation, Baumstark said.

The shortfall requires the dis-

trict to pay for transportation from the operating fund.

“Our local taxpayers end up making up the difference between what the state gives us and what it actually costs to fund transportation for CPS,” Baumstark said. “Transportation is required by state law, so we don’t have any option but to foot the bill for what the state does not provide.”

The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch of Hallsville, who said the bill passed out of Committee and is awaiting to be assigned in the Missouri House floor debate. If it passes out of the House, it will then go to the

COMMENTARIES. . . P6

IN-DEPTH. . . . . . P9-12

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

Women at war: Atiyah Lane advocates for an end to girl-on-girl hate, criticizing the feud between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj.

Online identity: Students reflect on influence of social media on adolescent culture, professional accountability and self-esteem.

Running bases: Boys' baseball kicks off season with opening games against Smith-Cotton and Bartlett High Schools this week.

Missouri Senate.

For the city of Columbia, Toalson Reisch said CPS students could partially fix low city bus ridership.

“This will not only save the school district, thus taxpayers, money, [but] it will also increase revenue to the city also, thus, helping taxpayers,” Toalson Reisch said.

“This also encourages collaboration between governmental entities. The city, CPS and Columbia Chamber of Commerce support this. Also, there is no fiscal impact to the State of Missouri as it is a local issue only.”

BUSES P3

SB 247 - Under this act, an athletic trainer is required to refer any individual whose medical condition is beyond the scope of their education, training and competence to a licensed physician.

Allowing a fresh start SB 251 - Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, no person shall be disqualified from pursuing or practicing in any occupation because of a prior conviction of a crime unless the crime is directly related to the duties for the licensed occupation.

Screening volunteers SB 295 - School districts would be required to conduct a criminal background check on screened volunteers.

Unscreened volunteers shall not be alone with a student or have access to student records.

Petitioning boundaries SB 461 - Petitions to change the boundaries between seven-director school districts require signatures from 10 percent of the voters who voted for school board members in the last annual school election.

Making up snow days SB 478 - Under this act, school districts would only be required to make up six days lost due to inclement weather, rather than six days plus half the number of days lost in excess of six days.

WILL NAPIER / THE ROCK

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

visit www.bearingnews.org.

INDEX . . . NEWS. . . . 1 EDITORIALS. . . . 5 COMMENTARIES . . . 6 IN-DEPTH. . . . . 9 FEATURES. . . . 13 SPORTS . . . . 16 A&E . . . . . 18

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NEWS | 3

New principal seeks student conversation PRINCIPAL P1

[SOURCE: FEB. 11 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING]

MOY ZHONG / THE ROCK

Curriculum pushed back by snow days SNOW DAYS P1

Freshman Rohan Rao doesn’t mind snow days but is annoyed at the setbacks they cause to school schedules.

“My AP [Advanced Placement] Physics class is quite a few units behind, and while the end of school can be moved back, the AP test isn’t, and I’m worried about us not getting to cover all the information in class before the AP test,” Rao said. “This has affected my workload because I’ve had to study quite a bit for the AP test on my own at home. I’m not sure if I will be able to learn enough to do well with such a

squashed schedule.”

Not all students put emphasis on the downside of snow days. Junior Tony Jones sees snow days not just as a positive occurrence but as a necessity because he lives in an area that experiences harsher conditions from the winter weather.

“Snow greatly affects my ability to get to school because I have three miles of gravel to drive every morning that does not get cleared if it snows,” Jones said.

The two dynamics Jones and Rao present are both sides of a multifaceted dichotomy that Dr. Stiepleman and his

board have to dissect in order to make the right decisions. While the board intends to call only the necessary snow days, predictions aren’t always accurate, and parents and faculty desire early notice.

“We’ve made a huge effort to try to make our decisions as early as possible in order to give families time to make alternate arrangements should cancellation or a delayed start be necessary,” Baumstark said.

“All of our announcements have come the night before this year and prior to 9 p.m.”

Baumstark said she and the rest of the “Snow Team” al-

ways make sure the safety of students is their top priority.

She acknowledges that some decisions can look wrong in hindsight, but weather is always changing.

“We hear from both sides of the community when we call and when we don’t call a snow day. It often intensifies the more snow days we’ve had, but we stay true to our constant of safety first, always,” Baumstark said. “There are some good ones that give us a laugh, and there are some not so good ones. It’s the nature of any public decision. It’s open for criticism and praise.”

“[Freedom with responsibility] goes along with trusting students to make decisions for themselves in their best interest and trusting that those are the right decisions for them,” Sirna said. “Now sometimes for safety purposes in school. . . there are things that you ultimately have to do that maybe they are blanket rules for everybody, but I think you avoid that at all costs, and you allow everybody to be themselves, and you allow them to be that free spirit and assume they’re going to be responsible with it.”

Sirna said he has no plans to change anything regarding AUT or the school’s open lunch policy; however, as important as preserving the sanctity of the school’s “very open” and “very free” culture is to him, students’ safety remains Sirna’s priority. If the district is ever denied insurance because of these policies, then he and other administrators will have to “deal with that situation.”

“I don’t ever want to have to stand in front of a camera or speak to a reporter and say, ‘Well, we knew that we could do some things to make things a little more safe, and we didn’t do them,’” Sirna said. “I don’t ever want to do that.”

Sirna said transparency, honesty and effective communication are important when any major changes occur at a school, especially ones that could affect the school’s culture, such as the district’s hardening of RBHS. Next year, students will enter the building through the North entrance while faculty and staff will enter using the South entrance. He said people deserve to know why the school will undergo this change, and he imagines the press and social media will be part of communicating information.

“I think the number one thing is to find the truth and print it and make sure everyone’s accountable for [their actions],” Sirna said. “[Journalists should] find the things that matter to their publication and find the truth and give [their audience] what they need so they can make educated, informed decisions in their own lives.”

In the next five months, starting as soon as he can, Sirna plans to speak with students and every faculty member that is willing to meet with him. Sirna said he will ask every faculty members the same questions in an effort to educate himself on a teacher’s perspective of the school.

He also plans to meet with the Executive Council, a group of elected faculty members who advise the principal on general school improvement, along with the Central Office, Dr. Rukstad and the “entire administrative team.” To connect with students, Sirna hopes to attend RBHS functions and introduce himself to people.

“I think you need to know that everybody who goes to school at Rock Bridge High School sees themselves as Rock Bridge High School,” Sirna said. “Everyone needs to see themselves here. And it’s in pictures that are up; it’s in things that are honored, things that are recognized.

Everybody here needs to feel valued, and everybody here needs to feel like ‘This is my home.’”

College Board moves AP registration to the fall Anna Xu

A [THE ROCK SURVEYED APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE STUDENT BODY]

REECE FURKIN / THE ROCK

Possible city bus use sparks debate BUSES P1

Baumstark said CPS and the Board of Education continue to have conversations with local legislators about various needs regarding transportation.

“Specifically, the requirement that all students must ride a school bus versus a city bus or some other mass transit mode of transportation,” Baumstark said.

“Without looking at current requirements and continued reductions, it places districts in a very difficult position to meet the requirements and the high costs of providing transportation for students.”

At this time, Toalson Reisch said she does not see this bill expanding to other areas of Missouri.

“The urban areas of Kansas City and St. Louis seem to be opposed to this,” Toalson Reisch said. “Also, unions and union bus drivers and union lobbyists, such as the current mayor of Columbia, seem to be against it.”

Given the rising cost of transportation in the district and a continued shortfall in state funding to support mandated school transportation, Baumstark said the district would to be flexible and use an existing resource in the community.

Baumstark said many communities utilize public transportation as a supplement to regular school transportation.

“There would be no way that it would 100 percent replace providing school bus transportation, but it could be a means to help ease some of our financial strain in this area and utilize an existing public resource,” Baumstark said. “We at least want the ability to have some serious conversation about it.”

dvanced Placement (AP) registration for tests passed March 8 at RBHS. For the 2019-20 school year, however, College Board pushed the registration deadline forward to Nov. 15.

While no payment is due until June of 2020, if students sign up or cancel after this deadline, additional fees may apply, according to AP Central.

Specifically, canceled or unused tests, while subtracting the original exam fee of $94, incur a fee of $40 per exam. Additionally, exams ordered past Nov. 15 but before March 13 require a late order fee of $134 rather than the usual $94. The College Board explained the change as beneficial for two main reasons: efficiency and performance.

The new system would “eliminate the need for preadministration sessions,” the College Board said. RBHS Head of Counseling Betsy Jones confirms this as registration would finish earlier rather than be spread across the school year.

“So the changes will make test administration GEORGE FREY / THE ROCK easier because by doing it in the fall we won’t STUDYING UP: Students of third hour Advanced Placement (AP) US History and Language have the student packs [or the small booklet and Composition prepare for the AP test by taking notes regarding World War II March 12. which contains one’s test number and some additional information],” Jones said, “[and] we Sophomore Kellen Sapp said while the change Jones said currently few students cancel out wouldn’t have the preadministration sessions.” may help administration, he doesn’t see the cor- of AP tests. She estimates “less than five percent, Additionally, data from the 2017-18 school relation to student performance. In fact, he be- for sure, probably more like two percent.” year across 40,000 students suggests the students lieves the new system will only introduce fees.

With the new system, however, she foresees who signed up earlier found greater success.

“I think it’s smart by them in a money mak- more students backing out whether it be seniors “We saw an increase in scores of 3 or higher ing standpoint. I think they will make lots more who realize the AP credit won’t benefit them for across multiple groups,” the College Board said money because people might be hesitant to sign colleges or student burnout. on the AP Central website. “Moving the time of up during that period but end up taking the test “I think kids will be gung-ho at the beginning registration made a difference across the board, anyway and paying [extra] money,” Sapp said. of the year,” Jones said. “They will sign up and but it had the strongest effect for students who are “So it’s smart from a business standpoint, but I then realize that they are not feeling like they traditionally underrepresented in AP.” don’t think it would help students.” should take the test.”

Do you think early registration helps student performance?

I feel like the policy change will do both. Because if you have it earlier, people have time to wait and pay the deposit. If they are taking multiple AP classes, it might take a little bit longer to save up the money.

On the other hand, if you wanted to drop out of the class, or if you felt like you didn’t want to take the test, you’d have to go through extra effort to get your money back.”

GEORGE FREY/ THE ROCK

— Bet Menen, 10

I feel like like it would kind of hurt students because in my AP Psych class, for example, a lot of students were planning on taking the test at the beginning of the year, but the school that they got into didn’t take AP credit for psych, and they no longer wanted to take the test, which will cost them.”

In my experience both this year and last year, I was a couple days late to sign up. An early sign up date might have helped with that, but the good thing about having a March sign up date is that I’ve taken a semester and a half of the class, and I know whether it will be worth it to take the test for not.”

GEORGE FREY / THE ROCK

— Kyler Froman, 12

GEORGE FREY / THE ROCK

▬— Zain Syed, 11

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EDITORIALS | 5

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Be prudent

With change in principal comes worries, advice Katie Whaley

when postin

E

very time a change happens there is cause for concern.

The principal in many ways is the face of a school.

In the many decades RBHS has existed, continuity in principals has been standard, with only seven principals s homey and serving in the school’s history as of this year. To have that co feels to teen mfortable as social med leader change can bring uneasiness. We angst over annual ia agers, adole when apply scen aware of the elections, moving to new cities and initiating new relationimplications ts should be take thei ing for any employers th r conduct o of their futu posts. ships. nline into co at might re Better In 2018, 70 y n et si , d er te at en io The same is true now, as the 2018-19 school year will be p agers should ercent of n. media to sc media posts evaluate soci reen candidat employers used social an d the last for Principal Dr. Jennifer Rukstad at RBHS. Ever since al comments so es during th cess, accord and consider mewhat often e hiring pro ing to a surv th e im Dr. Rukstad announced she would be filling an assistant superey b things emplo It’s understan plications of such conte yers are look y CareerBuilder. A few n d t. intendent position at Aslin, students have wondered what the ab le som ing the accounts about the id ea that emp e would feel wary include info at when they research next year will bring with a regime change. loyers or co rmation that candidate’s q determine th lleges can eir opinions supports a ualifications When she told us her successor would be Jacob Sirna, brows of for the job, if on their onli has a profess ne profiles; h an individual based the person ional online furrowed.

What did it mean? He was a principal at Marshall o persona and wever, those should not b to hire the ca a reason not worries e an issue. P ndidate.

High School and before that at Oakland Middle School and eo ple, along w opinions, bel From a busi ith their ie (gasp!) at Battle High School, our rival, as well. throughout th fs and characteristics, tial workers ness perspective, screen ch ing potenbefore hirin ei What would it mean? Did he value our beloved “freedom with g them mak old posts w r lifetimes and some wo ange organization es sense; an ill misinform rry that wants to hir responsibility?”

Would he take away open campus lunch? e individual le em good reputati g es p loyers and of people’s cu s that on colrrent behavio Or worse, would he require hall passes? the business. , as that person will also have a In d rs and virtues ividuals can represent In 2019, . delete or ap It would seem our worries may be for naught. post they do it’s okay if o lo gize for any not like or teenagAlready he has made a special trip to our school to meet with a agree with ers receive anymore, si which is wh journalism student for an interview for this issue of The Rock. He ilar screen my teens shou ing ld monitor th could have requested the student conduct the interview via phone procedures eir acas or email, yet he instead took time out of his day to personally meet adults. counts befo re apwith the student. plying for Adolesjobs cence used Afterward, at 5 p.m., he walked into the classroom, with a smile or to colleg e; to be a grace on his face, and asked students for advice and recommendations as a business or period, to what they value about the school and how best he can serve them. admission a s time where He reminisced about participating in yearbook and debate while o ffi cer will Should em ployers and teenagers in his Kansas City high school and spoke with each student in the v ie w an incolleges screen peo could blame ple’s social room to see what he or she was producing for the paper and Bearing d i v i d u a l ’s media posts their misbethey made News. so ci al media as a minor? haviors as a This didn’t seem to be idle chatter. He noted he would come back presence as “young and to meet with teachers, which he did yesterday, but an equal concern to authentic to THE ROCK STAFF VO stupid mistheir real-lif him was how he could connect with students and start getting to know TED e take,” and se them. lf because YES — 22 excuse all that is th When he met a student in the hallway who asked about his feelings e their errors. m et on freedom with responsibility, he praised faculty who had interviewed h od in NO — 7 But which they now, him for the position, saying the RBHS a d o le sc e n ts research can philosophy whittle thei didates. forer He is already going to was way into ad It’s not a most in their ultsuch lengths to reach minds and hood sooner big deal th , as at shown in e m p out and touch base that philosoloyers Oregon where the sc re en minors; voting age with many groups on phy is one he may drop to however, 16, in the Dak agrees with, b u si nesses and ota get a restrict campus. colleges ed license bef s where teens can did which seems REECE FURKIN / THE ROCK sh ould ore 16 and in at states that al the six hav es before the screenin tell potential canlow minors promising. to receive ab g so that te e a warning without paren to clean thei enagers ortions th tal notificati Through r ey so o n or consent. cial medias o do not agree Teenagers w w f p it o h an his many visits and his affable manner, he already feels like a familiar face st an t society to s ymore or see resentation adults. This treat them as a great rep of themselv is not to say as and friend.

He has gone to lengths to reach out and touch base with many es. Employer not look for ad sponsibility s should also char for their acti ults hold more re- su groups on campus. ch as sex, re acteristics that are discr ons online, b one is apply iminatory ligion, natio ut when ti ing for a job This is not an instance, however, where we wear rose-colored glasses and nal origin an es, or college, h consents to th d disabilie or she to but for skills and abilit e expectation take generosity as a token of absolute greatness. We, as journalists, believe ie s the place of s of an adult sence, if one work and the that actually pertain . In esmakes adult what Walter Cronkite said, “In seeking truth you have to get both sides of p er While it wo dec son’s potenti should expec uld be nice al job. t adult conse isions he or she that the story.” to h we’re youn quence ide behind th Teenagers in e fact 2019 should s.

We take the quote as a message and mantra for our journalistic practices: ago. Unfortu g, youth in 2019 is not li of evaluating m ak ke a decade n e at ely, we’re al a habit p their presence that we have to remain unbiased, curious and open-minded about every story o l st aw o n ar lin on social med e ia to take e can be spread everywh that what we we publish. As our new principal steps into his role, he will be there to cover ere, and we h responsibilit y for our acti ave the issues that affect our school. Next year will have big changes with the shift ons. from teacher assistants and the handling of the single student entrance. Our job is to accurately and fairly portray significant events that happen in our commuREECE FURK nity.

Our new principal should hold us accountable, and, in turn, we promise to IN / THE RO CK hold our school, community and him accountable, too.

A

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Public transit legislation problematic for student transportation

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issouri House Bill 606, introduced by Rep. Chuck Basye, would modify existing student transportation systems by having some Columbia Public School (CPS) students ride city buses rather than traditional ones to school.

The proposed legislation would not phase out the school bus system currently in use, but would work in tandem with Student Transportation of America (STA) to create a more cost effective transportation route plan for the school district.

This bill is well intentioned and has the potential to save the district money if implemented correctly; however, it would overextend the school district’s ability, posing significant logistical and safety issues.

The bill would make it so the city bus system, with adult monitors present at all times, would take over certain bus routes currently covered by STA. However, this doesn’t take into consideration the impact students will have on routine adult riders.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that teenagers are messy, and city buses will reflect that as many school buses currently do. Student use of city buses may also interfere with the regular public transit schedule on days when there are early releases or late starts.

In addition to inconveniencing other riders,

The Rock

Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd. Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 46, Issue 5 March 21 2019 Population: 1,934 Students, 190 Faculty Circulation: 1,600 Contact information: Phone: (573) 214-3141

student use of city buses could prove problematic for the students themselves. It is important to take into account the possible scenario of a student forgetting the approved travel pass that would allow them to utilize the public bus.

An incident of this sort occurred in Pennsylvania when junior Musa Sakala, a student of the Pittsburgh Public School (PPS) district, was denied entry on a bus, according to National

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

Public Radio. Sakala was nonplussed when his ID failed to work, and he was forced to get off the bus. The problem was actually an error made by the school when it failed to issue the correct ID card to students. Sakala was one of many students whose cards did not scan.

Some operators allowed children to ride anyway, but other students had to exit the bus if they did not have money to pay for their

Should CPS use public transit to supplement high school student transportation?

THE ROCK STAFF VOTED

YES — 12 NO — 17

REECE FURKIN / THE ROCK

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

Limit entries to 400 words.

The Rock reserves the right

to reject material based on standards set by the staff.

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

transportation. They could not convince bus drivers that they were not just trying to get a free ride and often had to find their way home in freezing temperatures. In a few extreme instances, students allegedly had the police called on them after refusing to exit the bus because of faulty IDs. Issues with IDs, however, are just one of the many concerns regarding the bill. The main conflict for parents would be allowing students out of the school environment and putting them in a situation where their safety could be at risk.

Drivers can only pick students up and drop them off at designated bus routes, according to gocomotransit.com. As existing bus stops were not put in place with students in mind, pupils may have long walks to bus stops. This leaves unaccompanied teenagers vulnerable to violence.

There have been several instances of children being attacked when walking to bus stops, such as when a man assaulted a Fort Worth 13-yearold, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

She walked onto the bus bruised and bleeding before going to the Cook Children’s Medical Center in serious condition.

Parents and students of CPS have legitimate reasons for concern. The district is trying to cut spending; however, this bill’s lack of concern for student safety and vulnerability to extreme error outweigh the possible savings for CPS.

Features Editor: Maddie Murphy In-Depth Editor: Bailey Stover News Editor: Anna Xu Sports Editors: Ji-Sung Lee Katie Whaley Art & Design Editor: Moy Zhong Multimedia Editor: Kai Ford Staff Writers: George Frey,

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

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

6 | COMMENTARIES

Supporting Sisterhood

Women should strive to empower other women Atiyah Lane

ISABE

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t is about time women started lifting each other up and stopped trying to compete against each other. Girls argue about the silliest things: boys, looks, makeup brands; they will hold a grudge for so long that they miss out on having great friendships, working together or just having fun.

With the increase of social media, we have people from all around the world judging each other. The most current example of women tearing each other down because of made up beef from social media is Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. These are two popular chart topping female rappers who could be making so much money and great music together.

But, the rappers easily turn against each other when the public compares and picks them apart.

And that just causes the expectation of people to pick sides, which leads to more conflict and division.

I’m more of a neutral person in groups. I don’t have problems with many people, but I often find myself associating with different groups who don’t like each other.

I understand that some

things people do to hurt others are unforgivable, and rekindling old friendships doesn’t always have to happen. But sometimes I think girls who are against each other deep down want to be friends but are so worried about people seeing them as acting “fake” or they don’t want to seem like a flip flop.

If I have an issue with someone and we talk it out, I have no problem with being friends again. We don’t even have to be friends, but I can be cordial. I have people who were my closest friends, and now we barely speak. But when we are around each other, we say our hellos, might say a few words to each other and keep walking.

Boys will get over a problem in a heartbeat, and nobody pays any attention. They have a problem, realize it was dumb, and they move on.

Another example that’s related to the Nicki Minaj and Cardi B situation is Drake and Meek Mill, two popular rappers who had beef, made diss songs toward one another, and now they are making music together again like nothing ever happened.

More people, especially women, should be encouraged to get over their disagreements. It doesn’t have to be quick, and it shouldn’t be forced. I shouldn’t be expected to get over an argument the next day, but after a while I have to realize the problem isn’t worth losing a friendship over.

A common problem I see girls have with each other is boys. I’d just like to say that should be the last thing women should be arguing over yet, so many will bring each other down. Most of the time it’s over a man who obviously couldn’t care less about the girls fighting over him. I find it mind blowing how men can easily have an “I don’t care” attitude, but women will not let it go. This isn’t all women; there are strong women who have tough skin and the capability to not let everything get to them. But there are some who will continue being angry over a situation that just isn’t that serious.

I know I can have a problem with holding grudges for an extended amount of time. If I’m mad, I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to discuss who was right and who was wrong because I’m obviously going to say I was right even if I’m wrong. A lot of girls are that way; I’m not saying that’s the best way to live, but I encourage girls who are like me to learn to move forward.

I had a friend who didn’t like another girl, and although I didn’t even know the girl I forced myself not to like her because my friend didn’t. Time passed, and when I finally got to know the other girl, she was nice, and a fun person to be around. I had more things in common with her than I did with my other friends.

Instead of trying so hard to categorize who is better than whom or working hard to be better than everyone, women should guide others toward their path of greatness. Being at the top can get a little lonely. The world would be a better place if we took time out to help each other instead of knocking each other down to boost ourselves up.

Prose, poetry, storytelling help develop inner voice Bailey Stover

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ed rabbits run really rapidly.

Small snakes slither swiftly.

Tired turtles talk to tall trees.

When I was in first and second grade, I had to see a speech therapist because I couldn’t say my R’s, S’s and T’s correctly. While these sentences may not have been exactly what I practiced, they resemble what my instructor had me say.

I sat in a small white room and stared disinterestedly at fading pictures while drilling articulation several times a week. Such phrases seemed more comical than useful, but I repeated them until each word became a meaningless combination of sound, barely distinguishable as English to my disimpassioned ear. All my voice left was the echo of hollow noise vibrating until it disappeared back into silence. How many times could I say run before all I wanted to do was race from the room?

My writing was no better. Try as I might, my words remained jumbled messes of vowels and consonants as I put pencil to parchment. In fourth and fifth grade, I began learning to type.

A couple times each week, my class journeyed to the library where we sat two to a table, each with a small machine created to teach people how to use a computer keyboard. In the quiet, surrounded by shelves of books and the watchful eyes of teachers, I dutifully hacked away at the mechanical instrument until my fingers learned to glide from key to key in a perfectly choreographed ballet. I copied sentences from the Wizard of Oz, Aesop's Fables and The Enchanted Typewriter. They were not my words. I was merely a messenger delivering the characters to their rightful position on the screen. How

easy it was to fill time and space with letters basis, I could exchange the voice of a dead poet that were not my own, with sentences I hadn’t for one of a novel’s heroine. Regardless of the needed to create and sounds I would never have chaos in my mind and my life, their wise words kept me calm, cool and collected. to say.

Behind my protective shield of syllables, In middle school I got an iPod Touch. This gift first exposed me to the wonderful world of I carefully constructed the perfect persona: a quotes. Sure, I had seen the motivational cat straight-A student, dutiful daughter and faithful posters hanging from classroom walls and the friend who had her entire life figured out.

With every breath I became the human emonslaught of idioms in doctors’ offices, but now I had access to a seemingly endless stream of bodiment of this quotation. Three simple sentences steadied my soul and changed my false language.

From the very first quote I saved during my smile into one of true serenity.

Song lyrics, poetry, prose; authors, anonSherlock phase, “Keep calm and think,” I was hooked to a drug from which there was no es- ymous, art. Each line of text and image presented a chronological catalogue of caping. my life, preciously Through quotes I saved snippreserved in picpets of my favorite characters. tures. Some days, Each image preserved a moment, I was triumphant, a phrase, a sarcastic interaction How much did it matter the queen of the that brought humor to my otherworld because I wise mundane existence. How what I said when there read somewhere much did it matter what I said were people across the that someone when there were people across world speaking such once had a good the world speaking such beaubeautiful phrases?” day. So why tiful phrases? couldn’t their Some were motivational: good day be “It’s just a bad day. Not a bad my good day? life.” Others whimsical, “I will Why couldn’t their stop loving you when an apple words become my words, fruit grows on a mango tree on the 30th their wisdom and experience day of February.” sleeping in my subconscious?

Some I kept in my breast pocket, I learned morals and manners, close to my heart. Those were constant comedy and compassion, suffering reminders of who I wanted and success. No one, not even I, to be, “I’m going to smile and make you think was obscure or obsolete. If their I’m happy. I’m going to laugh so you don’t words could resonate across time see me cry. I’m going to let you go in style. and space until they reached me, then And even if if it kills me, I’m going to smile.” perhaps I could have such a profound I became a master of mimicry. On a daily

effect one day, too. Two words or 200, every character conveyed to my fragile heart that perhaps I was not as unbearably alone as I once believed.

For every emotion, experience and enigma I encountered, I could find a quote to guide me, to cause me to question my preconceived prejudice and to show me that what I am going through others have gone through before and survived.

The quotes I have consumed with such a feverous ferocity for the past five years now have instilled in me the importance of bravery, courage and empathy. I may not be able to pronounce every word with surgical precision or spell each sentence without errors, but my unsteady voice can still cut through silence like a scalpel. Through others’ words, I have found my voice.

No longer do I believe my words do not have an impact. From long strains of texts shared late at night with friends to sentimental cards I collect from birthdays and celebrations, the messages I send out into the world stay with me. From sending a friend a paragraph long message of all the things I love about her on her birthday to being a listening ear for people in distress, for better or for worse what I say affects others.

I am still an observer, content to listen before speaking and understand before judging. With quiet conversations I compile pages of information on people from different backgrounds than my own. It is hard to remain ignorant when I hear brave people speaking their truth to an often unkind world. I hope that through my own writings I can echo and contribute to the declarations of truth I hear around me every day.

VALERIA VELASQUEZ / THE ROCK

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COMMENTARIES | 7

I choose pride not arbitrary labels George Frey

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hoose one.”

This is the phrase that dominates the minds of many bisexuals.

Growing up, I never felt this pressure because I had never really thought about my sexuality. It wasn’t like I didn’t have feelings; I had crushes, of course, but they never dominated my psyche the way they seemed to with my classmates. All of the crushes I had in elementary school were on girls, but something felt missing.

It felt as if a piece of my consciousness was absent. The worst thing was that it felt like everyone around me had everything together. They understood how they felt, and they never had second thoughts about who they liked or why they liked something, which made me feel isolated.

Fast forward to the beginning of puberty, and I had just moved across the country from Oregon to Columbia. I was trying to adapt to Midwestern culture but found it difficult. The school I had transferred to was pretty homogeneous: white, conservative, upper-class. Compared to my past, this was a massive change. It felt as if I had descended into some parallel universe where Escalades were the main form of transportation and being a brunette was abnormal. At this school, I made some great friends, whom I still have to this day, but I also witnessed something I had never seen before; the word gay wasn’t meant as a mere way of describing one’s sexuality. It was an insult.

“That’s so gay.”

In the past I had friends whose parents were same-sex couples, but it wasn’t really something that was seen as deviant from the norm. It wasn’t any different than having a different eye color; it was just a benign part in the makeup of one’s own individual identity.

Moving also presented another challenge: it was the first time I was bullied on a regular basis. I was called gay and didn’t fully understand why being this was seen as negative in the eyes of some of my peers.

I wasn’t an incredibly athletic kid, so I didn’t follow sports and was occasionally sort of effeminate since most of my friends and family growing up were girls.

This latter part of my upbringing was used against me. People would make fun of the way I walked, talked and just about every trivial thing I did in my day-to-day life. It was all considered “girly,” which, of course, there is nothing wrong with that because femininity and masculinity are social constructs. As an 11-year-old boy, however, this was the worst thing I could’ve been called. The other facet of this whole thing that drove me crazy especially was that I exclusively liked girls.

Finally, in the summer of 2014, I began to put the pieces together. I realized I was attracted to men and women; however, this wasn’t the time I began to come out to anyone. My family and close friends were all supporters of the LGBTQ + community, so they were not a deterrent. Instead, the stereotyping and the bullying that I had experienced left me with fear.

People assumed I was gay for much of my life, and I didn’t want to validate their preconceptions. I didn’t want to let the bullies win. I thought that if I came out, I would be doing a disservice to the LGBTQ + community, not only because I liked fashion, art, music and had effeminate characteristics, but also because I still am attracted to girls.

In my journey to discovering and accepting my sexuality, I came across the idea of bisexuality being a cover-up for being in the closet. As much as the community tries to be inclusive, there is an obsession with putting members into the boxes: you are either gay, or you are straight.

“You can’t be both.”

In my efforts to learn more, I began to educate myself on the bi community and researched the point of view a minority of gay men and lesbians have: that bisexuality doesn’t exist, or that bisexuals are not a relevant part of the LGBTQ + community. These actions are part of a larger issue known as bi-erasure, which is the act of deliberately or subconsciously dismissing bisexuals and bisexuality as a whole. In other words, bi-phobia.

Unlike my gay counterparts, I didn’t have resources which were specifically dedicated to my sexuality and helping others like me find their place in the community.

While being gay on its own comes with societal drawbacks, the privilege that homosexuals possess in comparison to bisexuals is that no one feels the need to question their authenticity in or outside the community. The irony of a gay man or lesbian persecuting a bisexual is, in my opinion, incomprehensible. Yet some homosexuals turn around and inflict that same sort of hate upon bisexuals because they don’t fit into their arbitrary categories.

Sexuality is a journey that one goes through in understanding oneself and not allowing others’ critiques. My journey, however, is not yet over; in fact, it is far from it. What I realized is, that if my future partner is not willing to accept or understand my sexuality, then he or she isn’t someone I want to be with.

No one should have to feel the need to put themselves into a box. Labels aren’t for others’ convenience. Labels are meant to be a reflection of one’s own unique identity.

[SOURCES: POWEROFPOSITIVITY.COM, MINDBODYGREEN.COM] INFOGRAPHIC BY JI-SUNG LEE / THE ROCK

Learning to live after trying to die Amanda Kurukulasuriya Warning: Contains sensitive subjects

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hen I mention my experiences in the psych ward, I try to keep it light. I tell people about the snow globes we made out of urine sample jars or a pleasant girl I met who would have conversations with the voices in her head.

Aside from these intermittent anecdotes, though, I have all but stopped talking about my experiences because I can sense people’s discomfort. I never thought there was anything to be embarrassed about until others made me feel like I should be ashamed.

My first time in the psych ward, during November of my sophomore year, I was terrified. After being deemed a danger to myself by a psychiatrist, I was sentenced to a week in the pediatric unit of the University of Missouri’s psychiatric center (MUPC). I didn’t know what it would be like, and I didn’t want to spend even one night in a strange place where someone would surely shank me in my sleep.

What I found instead were three kids about my age lead by a peppy girl named Cybil who asked me if I wanted to come down to the game room. Bewildered but willing to try

anything that might leave the dam holding back my tears intact, I followed them to a room where we sat and made bracelets.

Huh, no freaks, I thought to myself. Just kids hard at work finding the perfect combination of zoo animal shaped beads before racing back upstairs for snack time.

I soon realized the psych ward was basically kindergarten summer camp, except with more talking about our feelings and learning coping skills. Also, to get through a door a staff member would have to scan his or her key card, and the facility was built like a maze so that even if you did somehow manage to slip through a door, you would never find your way out.

I always said I wanted to change the world, to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I couldn’t do that if I was dead.”

PHOTOS BY CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

But other than that, it was basically summer camp.

In a way, being surrounded by people as depressed as I, was freeing.

I could tell them about how every day felt like a struggle to keep my head above water, how most of the time I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

They understood that not wanting to get out of bed didn’t mean wanting to sleep later; it meant waking up with my heart pounding, terrified to face the day.

My second visit, almost exactly a month later, was not scary but humiliating. I saw the staff members who had been so kind to me before and thought of how much I must be disappointing them.

Yet, no one was upset with me.

They just wanted me to be all right, and I wanted that, too.

So after my week-long stay, I came out fully committed to my recovery. I saw numerous psychiatrists, therapists and caseworkers and did my best to be an active participant in my treatment. Even when I got frustrated with seemingly incompetent psychiatrists or an exasperated therapist who told me I was too stubborn to get better, I persisted.

For a

long time I felt stuck. I tried more than a dozen medications and cycled through a rotating team of mental health professionals, and I didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere. But for the most part I wasn’t getting worse, and at some point I realized that, in itself, was an accomplishment.

Then junior year came. I floated through the first two and a half months of school in a dark fog. I tried to pretend to be at least somewhat normal, but at some point, I gave up.

I would openly cry in class, simultaneously hoping not to be noticed and that someone might try to help.

I felt half alive, if even that much.

Then one day I decided I couldn’t do it anymore. I thought I made everyone’s lives worse, and I would be doing them a favor by just disappearing. I was sure no one would care, that they would forget I existed because I had never seemed to matter.

So I took the pills and went to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later with my heart racing, and what I had done was suddenly real. I had made a horrible mistake.

The next few hours were a blur. I remember being dragged into an ambulance, hardly able to walk. Then I was in the emergency room and later the pediatric intensive care unit being pumped with drugs that would save my liver. After that, I was back in the ward that held a melancholy familiarity.

I spent almost three weeks at MUPC and then at a residential

treatment facility. My medical team decided it would be best if I stayed home for the rest of the semester.

During that time I felt lonely and isolated; I just wanted to be normal. But I also gained a new resolve. I always said I wanted to change the world, to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. I couldn’t do that if I was dead.

While writing this, I pulled out the things I brought with me from the psych ward. I looked back at the artwork and sweet notes friends from the ward gave me. I looked at the things I created, seeing the artist I might have been had all my time not been consumed with advanced placement classes and extracurriculars. I looked at the poster of encouraging quotes I made during one of my therapy groups.

At the time, I thought it was stupid, but some of the quotes really resonate. There is one I keep coming back to, a wise mantra uttered by a great philosopher of our time: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.”

A year and a half ago I could never have told you that I would be a recurring character in the bizarre world that is MUPC. Things may not always be all right, but I try not to take them so seriously now. School is still stressful. Relationships are still hard, and being a teenager will always be tumultuous, but I’m not ready to give up. I want to keep learning, growing and doing. I want to be alive.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GEORGE FREY, ISABEL THOROUGHMAN

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Trending: Online identity Unpopular opinion: It’s okay to love your own looks. Half the people on Instagram are big cap. Sis, I’ve seen you sneak dissing me on your Snapchat, @ me next time. Smh, kids in this generation will never know what it’s like to have to wait to see their friends at school the next day to tell them the new tea.

The good, the bad and the ugly Social media use affects adolescent happiness, self-esteem mons area with their heads down on lthough today’s adolescents their phones,” Thalhuber said. “And grew up in the age of the I know in classrooms I hear teachers internet, the era of social struggle with it, and I just really wormedia is more recent than ry that we have unleashed this beast teenagers may realize. Social me- on our youth without knowing how dia cannot exist without widespread to restrict the use [or] encourage othonline communication, making the er types of social interaction.”

For students such as sophomore platform a late-20th and early-21st Claire Swindle and junior Bailey century phenomenon.

Stelzer, the primary social media sites One of the first social media platthey use are Instagram and Snapchat, forms, Six Degrees, launched in though Swindle also said she has 1997. Friendster followed soon after Pinterest and YouTube.

Stelzer said in 2002, as historycooperative.org he has Instagram and Snapchat bereported. Shortly thereafter, the procause everyone else he knows does. fessional networking site LinkedIn made its appearance in late 2002. In He uses his phone to communicate fall of 2003, MySpace came on the with other people and play games. scene, though with Mark Zucker- 54 percent of teens and 36 percent of berg’s Facebook, the site’s populari- parents reported they spend too much time on their ty declined. With cellphones, acits 140 character limit, Twitter I know I try to get the perfect cording to a 2018 came about in photo for Instagram, and I’m sure study by Pew Research Center. early 2006. everyone does that, so it’s not like Stelzer estimates While these sites influenced everyone’s life is super glamor- he spends an avthousands of ous all the time. It’s just Instagram erage of about four hours a day Millennials and shows the perfect parts of it.” on his phone and those of Gener- Bailey Stelzer, checks it about ation Z, today’s junior once every one 18 to 24 year to five minutes. olds and adolesStelzer said cents are significantly more familiar he first got a phone while in sixth with platforms such as the 2010 cregrade after he told his parents he ation, Instagram and the 2011 mul“needed one to be able to text them,” timedia messaging app, Snapchat, according to a 2018 study by Pew but his mother said they gave him one to share with his twin brother in Research Center.

Crisis counselor Lesley Thalhuber either seventh or eighth grade. In rehas experience helping mediate con- ality, however, he said he just wantversations among students, which ed a phone “because everyone else are sometimes the result of miscom- had one.” While he tries to be off his munications caused over social me- phone by 10 p.m., Stelzer said most dia. In her experience she has found nights he usually stops using it closer students often turn to their devices to to midnight.

“Like a month ago, my dad, he’s “fill in bored times.” She said when a like, ‘You’re always on your phone.’ group of people is more comfortable So he’s like, ‘You have to put it up texting than talking, it can be difficult at,’—I forget the time—‘You have for one person to “go against norms” to put it up at 10 at night so you’re and initiate a face-to-face conversanot on it when you’re supposed to go tion. to sleep,’ and he made me put it “The research that I’ve been readin the other room,” Stelzer ing says that, as the social media use increases, so do the symptoms of de- said. “So that’s how pression and anxiety, which gives me he did it.”

Bailey Stover

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great concern because I walk in the building every morning, and I see all students in the North Com-

Stelzer said his father’s method of monitoring his phone time “didn’t really work ‘cause I just took my phone back. I mean, I use it as an alarm, so that’s my excuse for taking it.”

On average, children get their first smart phones when they are 10.3 years old, and most attain their first social media accounts when they are, on average, 11.4 years old, according to Influence Central’s 2016 Digital Trends Study. For Christmas of her seventh grade year, Swindle’s parents gave her a phone, making her one of the last people in her friend group to have one. She said her parents were sick of her being unable to communicate with them since all she had was an iPod Touch.

“It was a surprise when I got it, but I was kind of expecting one soon, but my parents always held off on it because they didn’t want me to, like they didn’t think I needed social media and technology at such a young age,” Swindle said. “And I’m glad that they made me wait, I guess, because then I was more excited to get my phone when I got it.”

Both Stelzer and Swindle said they keep their phones out of reach while doing homework so their devices do not distract them. Even when not in use, the presence of one’s smartphone reduces his or her available cognitive capacity, according to an article in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. Unless she is listening to music, Swindle will keep her phone face down or in her backpack during class so incoming notifications do not interrupt her learning.

Of teens, 44 percent often check their phones as soon as they wake up, according to a 2018 study by Pew Research Center.

Swindle does her best to not be on her phone late at

night and makes a conscious effort to not check it as soon as she wakes up. Instead, she chooses to enjoy her morning and start her day without technology.

“I’m really good about not being on my phone a lot during the school day, but after school, like if I don’t have a lot of homework, I’m honestly on my phone for probably, like, I’d probably say I’m on it for at least three hours a day,” Swindle said. “It adds up at night, like if I’m constantly going on it in 30 minute increments or whatever, it adds up really quickly.”

The more he is on his phone, the more anxious and lonely Stelzer feels. While he said he can not speak for everyone, when he talks to people over text or Snapchat, he almost feels like it is not enough and should be spending time with them in person.

Of teens, 42 percent in the United States said they feel anxious and 25 percent feel lonely when they do not have their cell phone, while only 17 percent said they feel happy or relieved without their cell phone, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center study. In boring or potentially emotionally uncomfortable situations, Stelzer said he often turns to his phone for entertainment rather than engaging in conversation with the people around him, especially if they are strangers.

For hard conversations, social me-

dia and electronic communication allow him to not have to speak to someone face to face. This allows him to mask his emotions and put on a “fake face.” Stelzer said it is hard to navigate breakups, but it is better to “pull up your big boy pants and take the heat” with an in-person dialogue rather than end a relationship over text.

“I ended things with someone over Snapchat once, and I wish I did it face-to-face to talk it out better, but I don’t really know why I didn’t,” Stelzer said. “I just didn’t want to go say it face-to-face because it’s a lot easier to say it whenever you aren’t talking face-to-face.”

Because social media and texting allow people to avoid in-person interactions, Thalhuber said it is easy to misconstrue the meaning of a message. Without a tone of voice, facial expressions or body language, she said someone can easily read a message in an unintended way.

SOCIAL MEDIA P11

er, v o St ton y aile ie Ea n B g, oph lman g i P S uh llie re & h K e A n a by eVo Sar h La s D oto ryn d by Atiya h P am ate by C ustr io B Ill

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Social media increase accountability, responsibility Latinos or women seeking abortions, according to the Washington Post. Jan. 11, the Republican n the past six months, Americans have seen Steering Committee voted unanimously to strip public figures come to terms with inappropriRep. King of all his House committee assignate statements and behaviors they displayed ments, but it did not remove him from his poback in high school. sition.

Through old yearbooks, Americans found Nunamaker has been keeping up with Rep. documentation of Supreme Court Justice Brett King’s case. When at RBHS, Nunamaker was Kavanaugh’s questionable actions in high an active member of Young Republicans. His school and authentication of Virginia’s current experience in the club and as Student Coungovernor and state attorney general’s inapprocil president taught him about politics and the priate costuming, the Washington Post reports. importance of remaining professional when in The politicians’ conduct in high school more leadership roles. than two decades ago has come back to haunt W h e n their adult selves and it comes damage their reputations. to holding In the age of the inter- Whether it’s explaining what I believe, telling politicians net, however, instances all sides of the story to reach the truth, making accountof inappropriate behavfor people laugh or just wishing my friend a happy able iors hindering reputations their tweets, birthday, I try to always inform and encourage.” are almost instantaneous.

NunamakJust hours after the Oscars er said it is crowned “Green Book” — Dalton Nunamaker, unreasonas Best Picture winner 2018 alumnus able if they last month, individuals refuse to stormed to Twitter to slam apologize the movie’s writer for a for their misdemeanor or continue to act in simfour-year-old tweet of his that contained a Isilar ways. lamaphobic statement.

If people have apologized and changed their For regulating what he put online, 2018 actions, Nunamaker said, people should forgive alumnus Dalton Nunamaker had to be especially them, as people grow and learn throughout time. cautious about what he sent out to the world. As He believes posts can be useful information Student Council president last year, Nunamakabout someone’s character, but new evidence er not only represented himself but the whole about who the person is now should outweigh school as well when he went online. any old information.

“When I post on social media, I try to either “If [politicians] actively post inappropriate be informative or encouraging. Whether it’s exthings. then all measures of institutional authorplaining what I believe, telling all sides of the ity ought to be on the table. If what they said is story to reach the truth, making people laugh or so egregious that the bodies responsible for their just wishing my friend a happy birthday, I try dismissal act in the proper way, then, yes, they to always inform and encourage,” Nunamaker can be stripped of their power, as happened with said. “For example, if a funny video was going Rep. Steve King,” Nunamaker said; “however, I viral on Twitter but was not appropriate and don’t believe that people should be able to mob wouldn’t reflect well on our school, I would be and demand actions in their rage that don’t go sure not to participate.” through the proper means.”

In an era where the U.S. president tweeted an Politicians are not the only figures in the spotaverage of eight times per day in 2018, accordlight that must be accountable for their behavior ing to Politico, and 100 percent of U.S. Senators online. Athletes hold the same responsibility for and 90 percent of the House of Representatives their actions as well. post via official Twitter accounts, according to Though not representing the whole school Statistica, Twitter has become a place of raging as did Nunamaker, senior Mojuba Shonekan’s political discussions and fervent rants. social media presence has an impact on his Politicians face similar public scrutiny when teammates. As an upperclassman on the cross they post discriminatory messages online. They, country and track teams, Shonekan tries to set however, do not always receive punishment an example for his younger teammates. from their superiors.

In addition to being a role modThere have only been two instances where el, Shonekan considers members of Congress have been expelled in future implicamodern history, according to HistoryHouse.gov. tions In January, many representatives nationwide called for greater action against Iowa Rep. Steve King, the New York Times reported. For years, King has said or tweeted messages that people view as racist, anti-Semitic, white nationalist, or insulting to immigrants, African-Americans,

Katie Whaley

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when he posts, as he thinks about college recruitment.

“When I post on social media, I think [about] if it’ll impact anyone in a bad way or make me look a way I didn’t mean to,” Shonekan said.

“I’ve thought about [college admissions officers seeing my posts] quite a lot. I think what you post should affect whether you’re getting a scholarship or not because you get recruited based off your character. As an athlete, you should be responsible to post the right things when you know you’re getting recruited.”

Social media now play a huge role in recruitment for high school athletes like Shonekan.

Eighty-five percent of college coaches said their staff conducted online research of recruits, Cornerstone Reputation reported. Of that 85 percent, 87 percent use Facebook, 79 percent use Twitter and 65 percent use Instagram to evaluate a recruit’s character.

Athletes who exhibit inappropriate behavior or bad character can face consequences with college recruitment, CBS News reported. In 2017, Old Dominion University, a Division I school, revoked an offer to Shedrick McCall III, a star running back at Lloyd C. Bird High School in Chesterfield, Va. McCall had posted a video to YouTube describing an incident in which he had illegally trespassed. The video went viral, and soon after he posted it, he received a call from Old Dominion University breaking his six-month commitment with the school.

There are psychological implications as to why individuals may exhibit inappropriate behavior online. A study by psychology professor John Suler at Rider University analyzed the characteristics of internet interactions.

He found people experience the online disinhibition effect, where individuals loosen their regular social restrictions and inhibitions that are normally present in face-to-face interactions.

This lack of restraint allows people to feel less pressured by usual social standards such as authority and timely responses in conversation, and lose themselves in imagination and the feelings of anonymity and invisibility.

RBHS wrestler and sophomore Garrett Roach has grappled with those feelings before. There have been times where he decided not to post a funny picture or a risqué caption even though he and his friends would find it amusing because he worried about pre-

senting himself poorly.

Accountability for athletes’ posts should differ by the situation, Roach said, depending on the timing of the message, content of the message and whether or not the athlete is already on a team. He said accountability can become absurd at times, especially since most of the issues that arise from inappropriate posts are over humorous jokes that people shouldn’t perceive as serious.

“I don’t like how people are bashed in media about something they posted five years ago,” Roach said. “If they really meant offense by what they said, then they wouldn’t apologize.

But the vast majority of times it’s just a joke, and athletes shouldn’t get in serious trouble over small matters that happened years ago. Anyone for that matter, not just athletes.”

Dr. Brett Johnson at the University of Missouri—Columbia sees athletics as a more difficult area to tackle. He said politicians are not protected by the First Amendment from consequences of what they say online, and athletes receive different treatment depending on the situation.

“The athlete question gets tricky when we’re talking about students at public high schools or colleges. One way to look at it is these institutions are essentially government actors, and if they punish students for their speech, they could be violating the students’ rights,” Dr. Johnson said. “On the other hand, most schools would probably argue that being able to participate in a sport is a privilege, not a right — and you can lose that privilege if you violate team rules.”

Johnson also said getting kicked off a school team for inappropriate behavior online is not very different than getting kicked off the team for failing a class or getting in a fight, as all are forms of misconduct.

Generally, Nunamaker sees online behavior as becoming less genuine and more manufactured. Though, this doesn’t mean individuals are less inappropriate online, they are more cautious before posting.

“I believe people used to be more true to themselves, but now after seeing some of the negatives ramifications of even minor infractions, people are very careful,” Nunamaker said.

“They hesitate to post things that may not even be bad, just for fear of outrage. Politicians are especially prone to this.”

F

How does social media impact authenticity?

Morgan Boussad, junior

“I think on social media a lot of people portray someone who is not really them. They just portray the best parts of themselves, so you don’t see who someone really is.”

Hope Schust, sophomore

Jalen Logan-Redding, junior

“People mainly care about how they look on social media, Especially today with people creating spams and their main pages. Spam for like, obviously, they can do whatever they want. Mainly people judge people by their social media nowadays. Mainly I use social media for recruiting, of course.”

“People will look at these famous Instagrammers, and they’ll want to be like them and they’ll lose who they really are. Like, these Air Force Ones that Kim Kardashian is wearing, and now everyone is wearing Air Force Ones, and it’s like, ‘Do you even like them?’”

The good, the bad and the ugly

Kelly Barnes

Student reflects on social media use, impact on adolescents Ann Fitzmaurice

IN-DEPTH | 11

or six or more hours a day, sophomore Kelly Barnes’ life becomes engulfed in an array of memes, television shows and pictures of friends.

Despite her choice to spend her time connected online, Barnes said being on social media for long periods of time leaves her feeling drained. Though, she said she likes connecting with her brothers who live outof-state and her grandparents.

“Pros [of social media are] obviously getting in contact w i t h peo-

ple quicker, but cons are, for girls especially, what they put in your mind, like what you have to be like, especially with Instagram and things that you can look through and you’re like, ‘Oh, everyone’s life is perfect,’” Barnes said. “But it’s just like a highlight reel of everyone’s best moments, so you think life has to be like that, or you have to look like that or something.

Just like false images.”

Instagram came in last in the worst social media sites for mental health, following YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, according to a study by the Royal Society for Public Health and Young Health Movement.

Some negative aspects associated with these sites include poor sleep quality, bullying, body image and the fear of being left out. The Instagram models and users who think they need to look a certain way demonstrate to Barnes why individuals may have poor self-esteem because of social media.

“I’ve had a good experience [on social media,] but that’s ‘cause, I mean, I follow who I want to follow, see what I want to see,” Barnes said. “I’m not comparing myself to others, but there’s times where I

catch myself doing that, and that’s when it’s more negative than positive, but I’ve had a good experience on it. I like having Snapchat to contact my friends and see what they’re doing and stuff like that.”

Keeping up with friends on social media often comes along with the fear of missing out, where a user perceives themselves as being in a lower social rank, The Washington Post reported. This negative reaction stems from people seeing their friends attending an event without them.

Barnes said the reaction to seeing other people’s lives put out on social media can cause individuals to think others’ lives are perfect;.

She realizes, however, social media are simply superficial snapshots.

“There’s this whole new generation of influencers and Youtubers and stuff like that, so it’s given a lot more opportunity on social media, but it’s also people are more jealous or they compare themselves more,” Barnes said. “Like I said earlier, I think that’s a big problem with social media, everyone [looking] at [and] trying to be like that person, but they don’t realize that’s just their best moments.”

Percent of U.S. social media users who say it would be ____ to give up social media

[SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER]

SOCIAL MEDIA P9 Along with transportation barriers for some students, she said many people are used to being in the habit of relying on their devices and conversation methods on there, rather than their faces, to communicate.

“It seems people have a lot more courage to say cruel things when it’s not face to face but with a screen,” Thalhuber said.

Even though Swindle has never had to deal with drama or breakups because of social media, she is no stranger to the variety of accounts that promote self-destructive or emotionally damaging behaviors. Sometimes she said she does not think she takes enough photos for her Instagram account, but at the same time, she does not feel a “constant pressure” to have the “perfect feed” or post photos daily or weekly. Aware of how social media can be used to spread negativity, Swindle said she would not post anything she thinks would bring herself or other people down. She is also careful to avoid following accounts that promote such behavior. “[Social media are] a great opportunity to express your thoughts and yourself and stuff, but also it is an opportunity to compare yourself, so I think that there are certainly pros and cons of having social media just because a lot of things that are put on social media are the perfect picture or the perfect vacation, and you just see all that, and you’re like, ‘What?

I don’t have this or this or this,’” Swindle said. “. . .But also on the upside of things, I think you can definitely see a lot of positive things on social media and just positive boards, and you can certainly learn from a lot of people’s stories that they put on there.”

In this day and age, Stelzer echoed Swindle’s sentiment and said a lot of people use social media to compare themselves to what they see on Instagram and Snapchat, and he is no

exception. He said if he sees something exciting on Instagram, such as someone else’s “cool vacation,” he can become jealous.

“I know I try to get the perfect photo for Instagram, and I’m sure everyone does that, so it’s not like everyone’s life is super glamorous all the time,” Stelzer said. “It’s just Instagram shows the perfect parts of it.”

A strong proponent of the “technology break,” Thalhuber is concerned with the addictive nature of phone and social media use, especially in adolescents. She said social media allows people to see pictures of their friends hanging out without them, causing them to feel excluded.

Thalhuber said if people are left out of an experience they can feel a sense of rejection and isolation.

“Life is full of the good and the bad and the ugly, not all smiles and happy and good times,” Thalhuber said. “So I think we end up having unrealistic expectations of what our lives are supposed to be if we compare ourselves to a life that’s not real.

I just feel like, again, a lot is misunderstood with this. A lot is left out.”

While she has seen “a lot of scandalous things on social media,” Swindle said what someone chooses to post is his or her choice. For her, the problem comes from the comments other people make about another person’s post. While she may not personally agree with what people choose to post on social media, Swindle said it is not her place to put a hate comment on someone else’s post and judge them.

“Sometimes I try to treat people nicer because I have them on social media or something. Let’s say, for example, on Snapchat I’ll be nice to them and say, ‘Oh, how’s your day?’ or something, and most of the time I wouldn’t do that, but just because I have them on Snapchat I would say that,” Stelzer said. “If I didn’t have them on social media, I probably wouldn’t talk to them.”

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

12 | IN-DEPTH

Among 10 year olds, more than 80 percent fear becoming fat.

Over half of teenage females and three out of 10 teenage males use unhealthy means to control their weight.

‘Liked,’

not loved

Students struggle with self-confidence, body image en society, Carbone said, is the public’s admiration of celebrities who have teams of people orty-one percent of girls ages 17-21 to make them look both flawless and effortless. are not happy with their appearance, She said she feels as if the glamor of reality stars and 29 percent ages 11-21 have con- misleads some adolescents and makes them besidered surgically altering their face, lieve they must look a certain way, which is poaccording to a 2018 Girls’ Attitude tentially harmful to their mental health.

Survey by girlguiding.org, a leading charity for “As a society, we 100 percent value looks. It girls in the United Kingdom. is sad because it’s almost as if your personality From photoshopping pictures to surgically doesn’t matter anymore,” Carbone said. “We changing have people like Kim Kardashian appearwho has had surgeries on top of ance, adsurgeries to make herself look the Nothing that has to do with social way she does, yet we portray her as olescents media is ever to make me consider a beautiful woman. Our society disspend both time and changing my appearance because I plays her as a role model; therefore, money in everyone begins to do everything am who I am.” an attempt they can to get that image.” to mask RBHS counselor Jackie Collins - Quinncee Carbone, their physsaid she sees students overly using senior social media, which may provide ical insecurities, adverse consequences to their conwhether it is to have clear skin, full lips or a fidence and mental health. She hopes for stusmall nose. With the cosmetic industry valued dents to post in order to uplift other, but said at $532 billion in 2017, reported by globenews- in most cases, teenagers and adults alike post wire.com, and 17.5 million surgical cosmetic to brag. procedures underwent in 2017 in the United Collins feels it is important to remember States alone, according to the American Society what is portrayed is only a profile, not nearly of Plastic Surgeons, the pressure to look “per- someone’s full life, and, therefore, cannot be fect” is no doubt a high burden. used to judge one’s personal life against their Freshman Olivia Hayes said her self-confi- own. dence really depends on her mindset or attitude “If [social media is] affecting you, and you during a specific time, which can fluctuate of- look at it and think, ‘Oh, why can’t my hair be ten. long? Why can’t I be prettier?’ or ‘Why can’t “I don’t think anyone is really happy with my eyes be that blue?’ then you need to scale their appearance these days,” Hayes said. “I back a lot,” Collins said. “Because all that stuff definitely am not at some moments, and that’s is not real per se.” just [the truth].”

Not only do celebrities present an unatHayes said most physical insecurities are tainable body image to the ordinary teenager, born from comparing oneself to others, where but social media filters and beauty apps also social media play a heavy role. The number open a Pandora’s box of envy and insecurities. of social media users worldwide in 2018 was Common Snapchat filters such as the dog face, 3.196 billion, up 13 percent from the previous flower crown or heart accessories slim down year, smartinsights.com, a digital marketing the nose and face while enlarging the eyes and website, found. With 1 billion monthly active pupils to show teenagers a more stereotypically users, Instagram is the sixth largest social me- attractive version of themselves. dia site, which allows individuals to provide These types of filtrations have caused a new a snapshot of their lives and used prevalently wave of plastic surgery frenzy called “Snapchat among younger generations. dysmorphia.” In fact, in 2017, the American Senior Quinncee Carbone has over 1000 fol- Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive lowers on Instagram and has dabbled in model- Surgery released a survey that found 55 percent ing, even appearing on the cover of Senior Style of surgeons reported patients requested surgery Guide magazine. She said the goal of Instagram in order to take better selfies, which was a 13 and other social media is for users to provide percent increase from the year before. only the most flattering highlights of their lives.

“There have been filters where I might look “In my Instagram, I want to be able to share more tan or things that can make my hair look with my followers some of the things I am do- a different color, and I do admit there is some ing in my life and show good moments,” Car- curiosity when it comes to thinking how differbone said. “I post some of the best moments in ent I would look if I changed my appearance,” my life or times when I’m doing something that Hayes said, “and I think the people who change shows the kind of person I am and the life I am their appearance are just the people who want living.” to be portrayed in a different way in real life The main instigator for this appearance driv- such as how someone may put a version of

Anna Xu

F

Men experience a 34 percent dissatisfaction rate with their body.

More than half of Americans are not content with their current body weight.

[SOURCE: PARK NICOLLET MELROSE CENTER]

themselves out on social media.”

While Collins believes in embracing one’s natural physical traits, she understands if someone wishes to refine his or her appearance in order to feel more confident and happy. Sometimes, however, no amount of changing can fix a low self-esteem, Collins said.

“If you’re doing [plastic surgery] to please people, then after I get that tummy tuck, it’s going to be, ‘My hair is too short,’ then it’s going to be, ‘I’m too dark; my nose is too big, and my eyes’—you know,” Collins said. “It’s just going to go on and on.”

Collins worries for her daughter who is occasionally envious of some her friends’ physical traits. When this happens, Collins reminds her daughter that true beauty lives within a person rather than what decorates the outside.

“Building that self-esteem from a young age is going to be helpful, and part of that comes from parents and adults around you making you feel good about yourself,” Collins said. “I have a 10-yearold daughter, and I’m constantly telling her, ‘You’re so pretty; you’re beautiful.’ She has very long hair, and I’m emphasizing to her that, ‘Hair doesn’t make a great personality. You are fine the way you are, and you are beautiful.’ What I’m trying to do is to [help her] build that self-esteem so that she can always feel good about who she is inside, and that comes outward.”

Carbone said there was a period

in her young teenage years where she would compare herself to her friends and see herself as “not good enough.” But like Collins, she realized her life has more value than just appearance. Now, even with the influx of celebrity feeds, filters and more, Carbone said nothing can prevent her from loving herself. For others who may be struggling with their appearance, she hopes they can learn to accept themselves and their insecurities.

“Nothing that has to do with social media is ever going to make me consider changing my appearance because I am who I am,” Carbone said. “It makes me kind of sad to think that there are people who are willing to change their whole look that they have created for themselves just to maybe fit in or make people like them more.”

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

FEATURES | 13

Working for two Maternity leave standards to change, impact RBHS mothers Amanda Kurukulasuriya

D

[S OU R ORG] RESS. OG PR INK TH

the time off guaranteed by the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Her transition back to work was especially difficult because she was experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression and felt she did not get the most out of her time spent at home.

“I feel like, looking back, I didn’t have as much bonding time where I felt like myself, when I felt connected to my baby, and then it was time for me to go back to work,” Gorsage said.

“I am thankful that I am in a career that I do get leave time. . . and so I had an easier time with transitioning to motherhood.

But I feel for the mothers who have to work, who have to have an income to support themselves and their newborn, and they don’t have a choice to stay home and bond with their baby and recover physically and emotionally from labor.”

Indeed, the effects of a lack of paid family leave hit low-income parents especially hard. The FAMILY Act, reintroduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, would guarantee up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 66 percent of monthly income. In addition, it would be more inclusive than FMLA, covering lower-wage, parttime, self-employed and contingent workers. To be eligible for FMLA, an individual has to have worked for a company with more than 50 employees for at least 1,250 hours per year for at least one year.

These requirements make it less likely that low-wage workers will be covered as they are more likely to change jobs or work part-time. For example, if one works several parttime jobs that amount to full-time hours, they still may not be eligible for FMLA. Under the FAMILY Act, small employer and employee payroll contributions of 0.2 percent would fund paid family leave.

This issue is important to Crites because she plans to have children when she’s older. She worries about how a lack of financial support affects lower-income families and their

E: C

developing a personality and accomplishing some huge milestones: uring President Donald giggling, cooing, rolling over. Right Trump’s State of the Union when those started I had to return to speech, few sections re- work and felt like I was missing the ceived bipartisan applause. best moments of my baby’s life. [It One notable exception, however, was] extremely hard emotionally to was his announcement that his bud- feel like a good mom or a good teachget would include nationwide paid er at those moments.” maternity leave.

Though Jacquin worried about In recent years, this issue has how her leave would affect her stugained more attention with advocates dents, her diligent preparation prespanning the political spectrum, in- vented problems. Junior Jaime Crites cluding Hillary Clinton and the Pres- did not find the transition from the ident’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. A substitute to Jacquin to be difficult. report from the International Labor To her, any small inconveniences Union, a branch of the United Na- seemed far less important than Jactions, found that among 185 coun- quin spending time with her child. tries and territories, the United States “It was easy for me because the is one of only two that provide no way the other teacher taught was alcash benefits for women during ma- most how Mrs. Jacquin taught. The ternity leave. transition of her coming back was Legislators have tried to address not very rough at all,” Crites said. the problem, introducing bills such “I think there should be more bondas the Economic Security for New ing time between the mother and the Parents Act and the Family and Med- kid. The students are able to adapt ical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY to these things whereas [for] babies, Act), but Congress has yet to reach a it’s a little bit different because this is consensus meaning many American [their] first part of life.” women must forego pay in order to Early childhood bonding is essenspend time with their newborns. tial for a child’s emotional, social and In the months leading up to August cognitive development, according to 2018, as she waited in anticipation the National Center for Biotechnolofor the birth of her son, math teach- gy Information. Loving interactions er Angel and comJacquin municagrappled tion conwith how I am thankful that I am in a career that I do tribute to she would get leave time. . . and so I had an easier the develp r e p a r e time with transitioning to motherhood” opment for her of neural - Abbey Gorsage, pathways maternity leave. art teacher that help She spent the formonths mation of working on detailed lesson plans and memories and relationships as well finding a suitable substitute teach- as logic and learning. These interacer. Jacquin teaches Pre-Calculus, tions have a myriad of other benefits, Preparation for College Algebra and according to Zero to Three: NationACT Preparation, and, as she would al Center for Infants, Toddlers and be gone for 12 weeks, she knew she Families, such as reduced infant morneeded to find someone who could tality, longer periods of breastfeeding competently teach the material. and decreased risk of postpartum After experiencing serious med- depression for mothers. Parents and ical complications during her preg- children having enough time to form nancy, Jacquin needed time for phys- a close bond is crucial for optimal ical and mental recovery as well as growth potential. When a lack of medical exams. When her 12 weeks leave deprives children of this time, of leave were up, she was conflicted they are put at a disadvantage from about returning to school. Jacquin the very start of their lives. wanted to be available for her stuArt teacher Abbey Gorsage, one of dents but also felt sad about missing the eight teachers who took parental major aspects of her child’s develop- leave this school year, gave birth to ment, and she felt overwhelmed by her second child in August and knew trying to balance the two. the importance of forming a connec“Even coming back when I did tion with her baby. Full time staff was tough. I feel sorry for my stu- members receive 10 days of paid sick dents because I was not ‘with it’ and leave per year, so Gorsage started was very overwhelmed trying to stay saving these days up when she found caught up on work and home life,” out she was pregnant. Despite planJacquin said. “Also, right when ma- ning ahead, she only had eight weeks ternity leave is up, your child starts of paid leave, which is two thirds of

ALLIE PIGG / THE ROCK ISABEL THOROUGHMAN / THE ROCK

ability to have children but is optimistic about the future.

“I feel like in Congress [paid family leave is something] that they don’t necessarily think about right now. It’s not their first priority. . . but I do think they’ll come to a compromise,” Crites said. “We’re talking a matter of whether the future people of America are going to be healthy, going to be successful.”

The FAMILY Act would cut down on the number of families who are in poverty after taking unpaid leave by 75 percent, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families. Having time off while still receiving wages would allow low-income parents to spend time with their newborns and contribute to closing

the achievement gap between low-income students and their wealthy peers. Parents would have time to establish a loving environment for their children and to form bonds that will impact their children’s development for years to come.

“I think every woman should have the option to have children and become [a mother] if that’s something that they see for [themself],” Gorsage said. “It’s disheartening that we’re in a society where some women are making that choice based on their income instead of being able to know that they’ll be able to support themselves or receive the time off to support their newborn while they’re also figuring out the rest of their life and motherhood.”

Q&A: Leave length must change Maternity leave is a trending topic in the United States generating bipartisan conversation. The Rock spoke with senior Young Republicans President Drew Morris and senior Young Democrats member Kiren MacLeod about the issue.*

ISABEL THOROUGHMAN / THE ROCK

Do you believe maternity leave should be longer? Why? What is your reasoning?

[SOURCE: WWW.PEWRESEARCH.ORG]

* THE ROCK SPOKE TO STUDENTS FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM FOR THE START OF A NEW SERIES ON FINDING COMMON GROUND. TO HEAR MORE OF THE INTERVIEW, SCAN THE QR CODE.

Drew Morris: I believe maternity leave for most businesses right now is around six months. I believe that it’s going to depend on the type of business that the women are working to determine their maternity leave time period. A lot of businesses differ on the requirements of hours within their employees and the production of their businesses comes into play, especially when they lose employees, through these times. They will have to hire employees so I think it’s going to depend on what kind of business it is and whether it’s a small or large corporation, and it’s really kind of up in the air of where these women are working.

Kiren MacLeod: I definitely think, at a federal level, it should be guaranteed for at least a certain amount of time. I think it’s one of those things where it’s just a basic human right to guarantee the ability to look after and care for a child. There are so many studies that have been done that indicate that when you actually have a parental figure who is able to take a lot of time to spend with their child that it promotes the healthy development of the child’s emotional and physical states. I think that when we prioritize business over that, it’s going for short term benefits over helping to future-proof our society. It’s one of those cases of borrowing from the future to benefit now, which is absolutely unsustainable. I definitely think maternity leave should be guaranteed at the federal level for at least a certain amount of time.

I don’t think there should be a huge one-size fits all model. I do think there should be exceptions and areas that will be workable depending on what different businesses need. We shouldn’t be looking to damage these businesses, but I think when there is a choice between future healthy development of children and businesses, children should come first.

Do you believe this should be a state or federal government issue? Why? DM: I believe there should be a minimum requirement required by the federal government. There’s going to be a lot of different factors that play into what kind of businesses are offering maternity leave, so I think the state has to have some say as they are the ones working closer with these businesses that are taking place and growing within the state.

KM: I think there should be some sort of federal minimum time to guarantee maternity leave. I do believe individual states should be able to set that time as high as they want. I think states should have meters on them to collect their data to conduct these studies and how it impacts the states and then the federal government can make alterations to their guidelines and policies based off of that, just to ensure that this is provoking as few people as possible while still maximizing to the days we can get to allowing this maternity leave.

Do you believe that a woman should have the right after having a baby to not return to work based on emotions?

DM: In the case of a woman returning to work, I don’t think it is in discretion of the boss. It’s the woman’s choice to determine if she wants to discontinue her employment [from] the business.

Specifically, the woman has gone through maternity leave and realizes she’s no longer suitable to be in the workforce because she needs to spend more time with her child, that’s up to her.

KM: It’s one of those cases when it’s on the boss when they know their employee is pregnant, hopefully, it’s not going to be a “Wait, what?” when they hear a child is born. They should be on top of that. If they aren’t prepared to plan around that and plan around the fact that a mother might need to spend more time with their newborn child, then that is kind of them. I’m not terribly sympathetic if they are surprised when a woman plans to not return back to work after giving birth. I think that’s one of those situations when the boss needs to consider that this is always a possibility.

14 | FEATURES

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

Students adapt mindfulness techniques Ji-Sung Lee

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ore than 200 courses populate the Columbia Public School’s High School Student Registration Guide, yet a class on mindfulness doesn’t make the cut.

In England, however, up to 370 schools will start practicing the subject, expanding the traditional curriculum beyond math, science and history, a New York Times article said. Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been around for 40 years, and the push toward mental health improvement is certainly not slowing down.

Jessica Tappana is the clinical director of Aspire Counseling, a local counseling center.

She uses mindfulness daily in her work with clients and has heard the approach defined several different ways. The definition she uses focuses on paying attention to the present moment in a purposeful, non-judgmental way.

“From a mental health and emotional well-being standpoint, the benefits [of mindfulness] are too numerous to name,” Tappana said.

“A few of the benefits include reduced depression, more managed anxiety, increased feeling of joy, better self-esteem and improved social relationships. Overall, you are just able to be a better version of yourself.”

Like Tappana, Dr. Rosalie Metro also incorporates mindfulness in her work. Dr. Metro is a teacher at Show Me Dharma (SMD), an organization making the study and practice of Insight Meditation available to Mid-Missouri, according to the SMD website.

GEORGE FREY / THE ROCK Meditation is mindfulness practiced in a speTAKE IT EASY: Junior Nora Hollister meditates in the basic ‘tree pose’ from Tai Chi which consists of calculated movements Thursday, March 14. cific position, such as sitting, walking, standing or lying down for a period of time. In con“[Yoga] helps me focus on my mind and tice mindfulness in relation to other people gland that are expanding the traditional curtrast, mindfulness can be part of daily life and body to relieve any built-up tension,” Hollister by paying attention to how they are doing and riculum with the subject of mindfulness, seedoesn’t have to be an activity though it can be. said. “When school starts I get stressed with cultivating goodwill toward them. Her daugh- ing these practices integrated into even more Individuals can bring this focused awareness school work and I’ve noticed that when I can ter is in first grade at Grant Elementary, where schools may not be out of the ordinary. while having a conversation, playing sports or make it to a yoga class, I feel less worried and students participate in mindfulness exercises Hollister, too, said incorporating some doing homework, Dr. Metro said. the stress isn’t overwhelming anymore.” daily. kind of meditation in school could be bene“Mindfulness Besides typical “Young people at any age can benefit from ficial. Having a space to meditate and calm means noticing mindfulness prac- well-designed and executed mindfulness activ- down would help relieve some stress, Hollister what is filling your Navigating high school is really tough. You tices, Hollister said ities,” Dr. Metro said. “I think in high schools, said. mind right here and she has been read- individual teachers could incorporate short “A way to do this could be to have two guys face a unique set of challenges that right now,” Dr. Meting devotionals, or breaks for mindfulness into their class time. Or days a week for A and B days that for every ro said. “In other mindfulness and other emotion regulation books on faith, for a club could offer more sustained opportunities block there is a peaceful place where students words, it means be- skills can really help with. more than a month for practice.” can meditate during their AUT,” Hollister said. ing aware of what and can already see When mindfulness is integrated into schools, “This could definitely improve school life be- Jessica Tappana, a difference in her Tappana said it can look like a whole school do- cause allowing a safe space for students to reis going on in your Clinical Director of Aspire Counseling life. Specifically, she ing a short, simple breathing exercise together. lieve stress will help them to focus on what they body and mind in the present moment said her devotionals At the high school level, it might look like hav- need to do without feeling overwhelmed.” without trying to make her feel less ing a meditation room or having a class devoted Tappana said she worked with one school change it, and also noticing how you relate to worried. to teaching mindfulness, Tappana said. where teachers implemented three minutes of what is going on — is it pleasant, unpleasant “Another way that I get centered and calm “I think if schools are able to offer an op- mindfulness three times a day. In the future, she or neutral?” is by listening to music and reading devotions. tion like that, they are ahead of the curve right believes the attitude toward mindfulness will There are multiple ways one can achieve These help strengthen my faith and remind me now, but I hope in the future all high schools be similar to exercise. fulfillment of the mind with present thoughts. that God is in control, and I just have to trust will offer something similar,” Tappana said.

“In fact, your doctor will probably ask about These may include focusing on breathing, Him to work everything out,” Hollister said. “Navigating high school is really tough. [High your mindfulness practice at your checkup just walking meditations or living in the moment, “Life gets very busy and stressful, and these schoolers] face a unique set of challenges that like they ask about your exercise routine,” Tapaccording to mayoclinic.org. During the sum- things get me through the tough times by help- mindfulness and other emotion regulation skills pana said. “We will all understand that mindmer, junior Nora Hollister said she takes a yoga ing me to calm down and focus my attention on can really help with. So why isn’t it offered to fulness is really important for general health, class once a week. After the classes, she said the positives around me.” [them]?” but it will still take effort, time [and] motivation she always feels more calm and centered.

Dr. Metro said an individual can also pracConsidering the hundreds of schools in En- to use it regularly.”

Sitting leads to detrimental health effects Maddie Murphy

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n the same way that Netflix claims Orange is the New Black, sitting is undoubtedly the new smoking regarding negative health effects.

When thinking of something that could threaten a person’s life, one will not likely think of a chair as dangerous. But researchers are collectively agreeing that sitting, if not broken up by periods of standing and moving, is the biggest potential health threat of the 21st century.

Being sedentary has shown links to obesity and Type 2 diabetes for years, but recent stud-

ISABEL THOROUGHMAN / THE ROCK

ies have revealed connections to cardiovascular disease. Professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic James Levine described the risks of sitting the best in an interview with the New York Times.

“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting,” Levine said. “We are sitting ourselves to death. The chair is out to kill us.”

The scientific community coins the term “sitting disease” as a way to describe metabolic syndrome and the harmful nature of an overly sedentary lifestyle. Doctor of Physical Therapy Lindsay Bell sees many patients with life-altering back issues and understands the “sitting disease” well.

“Sitting increases compression through the posterior part of the intervertebral disc,” Bell said. “It is best to have a sit/stand routine to change positions and reduce prolonged sitting.”

The average student will wake up in the morning and immediately sit up, according to the Mayo Clinic. After sitting up, he or she will briefly stand to prepare his or her body for the day ahead and then likely sit at a desk chair for the remainder.

At RBHS, students are expected to sit for 90 minutes with a seven minute passing period between each class for seven hours a day, five days a week, including senior Eric Van Delden.

“In a typical school day, the only time we get out of our chairs is when we are walking to class,” Van Delden said. “That only happens a maximum of four times a day. Occasionally in science classes, we will move between lab tables and be standing then, but that is rare. In the majority of classes, we are stuck in small desks for the whole block, which is not only bad for our health but even worse for our focus in class.”

Kinesiology teacher Adrian Harris believes the school system must keep exercise in the routine. She believes that passing time alone does not give students enough time on their feet.

“Students need many breaks. In my opinion, recess should not stop after elementary school,” Harris said. “Our country faces very real obesity obstacles and encouraging phys-

ical activity should happen at all stages of life.

School and work environments should be focused on healthy, happy individuals, not just productivity.

While standing more in class seems like a simple solution to a very complex issue, it truly is that simple. Juststand.org recommends a standing-to-sitting ratio of 70 to 30 and believes it starts at a young age by developing healthy habits. Bell echoes the importance of standing and believes though technology may be to blame, it could also help fix the problem.

“The use of Fit Bits and scheduling time for physical activity is very important,” Bell said.

“Standing and moving around increases lymphatic flow and reduces the stress on your spine. It improves your overall posture and muscle activity as well as the bone density of weight-bearing long bones.”

By nature, humans are walking entities, created to walk and that is how the species evolved over time. Levine questions the innate desire of humans to stand and move being contradicted by the social norm of sitting and remaining sedentary. He also questions the decision humans make to “physically entrap” themselves in a crunched position that their body hates to be in, leading to long-term spinal issues. Van Delden experiences back pain for most of the year and has experienced this pain for most of his life. He traces this pain back to the source, realizing his school desk chairs and his time spent sitting are to blame.

“Even though I rarely think about it, I would say my back feels significantly better in the summer,” Van Delden said. “That might just be a result of spending less time in an uncomfortable desk. Standing and moving around is much better for posture and summer definitely encourages and allows that.”

Though Harris allows her students to take walking breaks during class, she views this issue as one that is nationwide. Though she believes it starts in the classroom, it extends to greater lengths as a country.

“I would love to see our country embrace the idea of moving more,” Harris said. “I would also love to see a shortened work day. Five to six hours should be long enough for anyone to accomplish learning and/or working. Then, there would be more time for activity.”

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Boys’ golf plays today Ethan Hayes

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oming off a previous season with a record-breaking score of 582 at the Class 4 boys’ golf state championship, the Bruins will compete against Hickman High School (HHS) today, marking their first week of matches for the season.

The team experienced difficulties with practicing due to the recent intense and volatile weather patterns but made use of the circumstances by improving their mental toughness and strategy for the season ahead.

Sophomore Sean Minor said the team’s main focus for the year is growth with his personal goal for today’s match to post a good number, but more importantly, to get a team win.

“I definitely think getting the team in competition is great,” Minor said. “I’d love to see our guys go out and play well and win the match.”

The team has a lot of new recruits this year, many of whom have prior experience in the sport. Freshman Chase Knorr said he hopes he and the team make it to state and that today’s match helps work toward that objective.

“I see this match as a place to get my feet wet since I’m only a freshman,” Knorr said. “I’ll be able to practice over spring break and bounce back on April 1 at [the] Columbia Classic.”

The team started off its season this week with matches Tuesday against Battle High School and Wednesday against Helias Catholic High School.

Results of these were not known at press time. With such an extreme competitive starting week, Head Coach Austin Reed is hopeful to claim the early season match today as a win for his team; however, Reed said he is more excited to get his younger players more match experience.

“We got a lot of good golfers,” Reed said. “We got a lot of guys who play consistent golf which translates into good golf.”

Minor agreed with Reed, saying the biggest strength the team has is its raw talent and great leadership from upperclassmen.

“For the season, I want to be as consistent as possible and do my best as leader of the team,” Minor said. “I’d love to take medalist honors at state this year and for the team to retain our title.”

For the season ahead, Reed hopes to have success and push the Bruins to another state title, and said he doesn’t see any rival teams currently threatening the trajectory to champion status.

“I want the guys to enjoy each other, to get along and to enjoy golf,” Reed said. “I wanna have some postseason success, so I think we need to get to state, and it will just be a matter of how hard the guys wanna work if they wanna go beyond that.”

ALLIE PIGG / THE ROCK

BREAK AWAY: Senior defender Lily Abraham takes off during the jamboree game against Hickman High School (HHS) Friday, March 8.

The Bruins ended the scrimmage with a (1-1) draw. The jamboree was the first time the team played under new head coach Scott Wittenborn.

Girls’ soccer kicks off season

Bruins face spring with new coach, optimistic mindset Emily Oba

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ith two games already under the belt of the girls’ soccer team’s season, the Bruins will play against Nixa High School on home turf, tomorrow.

With the season just beginning, the team has been working on its cohesiveness, making sure the Bruins are able to effectively work as a whole.

“Right now we are just trying to find our chemistry and become a team. We’ve been learning a lot of new ways to attack and defending methods, but it hasn’t really been specifically catered to playing one team,” junior Louisa Frey said.

“Team chemistry is very important. Without it, passes wouldn’t be completed, and runs couldn’t be made. No one would be talking on the field.”

Frey believes teams would be a mess without a good bond, and RBHS’ is developing positively.

With a new season and players after the loss of seven seniors, she said team chemistry has solidified after a player knows another’s next move in a game.

While every year there are new teammates, the team is adjusting to the addition of a different head coach, too. Scott Wittenborn, head coach for boys’ soccer, replaced the old girls’ soccer head coach Gary Drewing; this will be Wittenborn’s first year coaching the girls’ program.

“Our goals are to grow together as a team, work hard each day and have fun. We have a

very talented group of girls, and I’m hoping that the season.

Put in numbers, the Bruins have an aspiration we can play hard and compete in each game,” Wittenborn said. “We have some dynamic play- to score two goals or more per game, win 12 or makers, as well as speed spread out all around the more games and win a game after a loss. “[The team’s goal is to have] five seconds of field. Once we can get our shape and game plan crazy determination to get sorted out, we hope the ball back if you lose it, to be able to move never let the field be silent the ball quickly [The team’s goal is to have] five secand always give your best,” and attack teams at onds of crazy determination to get the Klimek said. “We decided a high pace.” ball back if you lose it, never let the field to make some measurable Junior Sydney be silent and always give your best.” goals and some non-meaKlimek is confisurable goals this year.” dent in the abilities With the team’s goals of the new coach - Sydney Klimek, listed out, the players are and sees players junior working together toward staying focused the same ambitions. As the and creating a connection with Wittenborn, which she believes team’s practice time continues, the bond grows stronger. strengthens the team.

The determination and hard work the Bruins The Bruins, Klimek said, have been team building with activities, such as volunteering at are willing to put in the season will be the trait the food bank, but have mainly been trying to that helps brings the girls’ team a successful season. make the most out of the practices they have.

Frey believes this essential trait of a cohesive “Last year we had an extremely talented senior class, so losing them has had a really big impact team will allow it to have a great season. She is on our team,” Klimek said. “We’ve been working excited to see what the newly formed team will hard to fill those holes and so far we’ve been do- bring to the table.

“We have a drive to win and effort to put in the ing a great job picking up where we left off last work to get better,” Frey said. “Our overall conyear.”

With the loss of senior players, Klimek said nectedness for sure can still grow and also overall the team has created goals to strive for throughout intensity.”

Tennis prepares for match against Belleville today FULL SWING: Senior

Luke Bouchard practices his swing at the Bethel Park tennis court, RBHS’ home court, Friday, March 8. He and other varsity members competed in a tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn. Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16.

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At home April 5 at 3 p.m.

Mid-MO Invitational April 6 at 9 a.m.

Mid-MO Invitational April 10 at 4:30 p.m. v. Battle April 12 at 9:30 a.m.

Columbia Duals

Ethan Hayes

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fter three consecutive state championship titles, the boys’ tennis team begins yet another season in hopes of winning the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 2 title.

Today the Bruins will compete at Westminster Christian Academy against Belleville High SchoolE a s t (BHSE) and Belleville H i g h

School-West (BHSW).

For senior Kavin Anand, this match will set the pace for his performance the rest of season. As an experienced player, having been on the team for his whole high school career, he knows the importance of hitting the ground running.

“I feel I’ve got the experience to really trust myself and help other newer teammates out,” Anand said. “I hope to make my last season my best season.”

Senior Zach Grueber shares Anand’s vision and hopes the attitude of his fellow team members will be more focused and intense than usual since it is their last chance to achieve their high school goal.

“We [try] to approach it like any other match so we could all play calm, cool and focused,” Grueber said. “This [allows] us to compete at our highest level.”

The boys began practicing for the upcoming season Feb. 25 with the hopes of claiming a fourth state championship. Head Coach Ben Loeb wants his players at the match to communicate and serve at a high rate in the doubles category and play aggressively when it comes to singles matches.

“Our varsity team has a lot of tennis experience and a strong desire to compete and to win,” Loeb said. “We also have a lot of guys that can force the play during the rally.”

Grueber agreed with Loeb on the Bruins’ biggest strength leading up to today’s match. He said they excel in doubles and have many top single players which adds to the group’s overall performance.

“I think the matches leading up to this one has already ensured that we’re one of the best teams in the nation,” Grueber said.

“But this match against the Illinois state champions will only help confirm that belief.”

The players started off their season March 15, at the Deco Turf National Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., placing third overall. Anand said the group’s competitive spirit and willingness to fight for every point is what makes this lineup of athletes so strong.

“I hope to perform at my best regardless of my opponent’s skill level,” Anand said.

“Although it’s just a normal duel, I want to still compete at my best and hopefully get a solid double.”

Senior Kam Farid said since six people on the team are seniors, the drive to finish the season strong is a vibrant energy present in the players. Above all else, Farid wants to have fun and enjoy helping his fellow teammates through each match the best he can.

“I want to finish the strongest I can as a player, and I want the team to be the best they can be,” Farid said. “I think [today’s match] is a good opportunity to face adversity and play tennis against tough opponents.”

Boys’ tennis will begin more competition after spring break with matches scheduled all the way to the end of May ending with the MSHSAA state tournament May 23 to 25.

“With spring break coming, we will need to re-assert ourselves after the break to get ready for the Mid-MO Invitational on April 5 [to] 6,” Loeb said.

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THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

Track season begins

Girls, boys start spring with aspirations Emily Oba

VALERIA VELASQUEZ / THE ROCK

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n its first meet of the season, the track and field team will compete in the Fort Zumwalt West Invitational this Saturday.

A pre-season event occurred March 16 as the Bruins participated in the COMO Kickoff.

“We hope to have a very memorable season in a positive way [with] our boys coming so close to winning the state championship last year. Our goal is to get back there and be in a position to do the same thing as we did a year ago,” Head Coach Neal Blackburn said. “For our girls, it is to get back on the podium as we were a year ago and try and have a top four finish in the championship as well.”

For freshman Gillian Barrett, she said the kickoff went well for the team as there

were personal bests set. For Barrett this is a ficult because of the weather, but other than great accomplishment to start off the season. that we like to put our best efforts into our “I’d say pre-season was very consistent training,” Drayton said. “Every workout with what runs we were counts, and it makes doing and how they were us into a better athexecuted,” Barrett said.

Pre-season training has been lete.”

“The team has been preThis drive has a little difficult because of the paring all winter for this manifested into set weather, but other than that we accomplishments the up-and-coming season like to put our best efforts into team strives for this with runs that can be from 40 to 60 minutes long.” season. With group our training.”

Junior Mya Drayton — Mya Drayton, goals and great trainsaid the workouts are esing to back her up, junior Barrett believes the sential as they lead up to a process that can bring season will go well. success. While the practices during pre-sea“I think the girls’ team can get some pretson were not too intense, the team members ty high scores with where we are at,” Barrett who showed up exhibited commitment to said. “Some goals we have [are] to send as the team and an ambitious drive to improve. many people [as] we can to state. I think we “Pre-season training has been a little dif- just want to get as far as we can and to win.”

Basketball wins state championship Ji-Sung Lee

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eating Christian Brothers College (CBC) High School (63-59), the boys’ basketball team won the first boys’ basketball state championship for the school. Saturday, March 16, the Bruins made history.

In a press conference after the game, head coach Jim Scanlon and seniors Noah Patrick and Dajuan Harris spoke with the media.

“It just kind of happens. You just never know if you’re going to be on the good side or the bad side, but we were down eight going into the last quarter,” Scanlon said. “We changed up, put a little pressure on; it helped us. I think once we tied it, the momentum and the feeling with emotion really energized our team.”

Trailing CBC by eight going into the fourth quarter, the final minutes of the game proved crucial.

“Every free throw they shot was under pressure situation, but we work on that in practice, and we’ve been really good at it all year,” Scanlon said. “I think if you hit free throws, you have a pretty good chance of winning.”

Patrick had two big steals during the fourth quarter. In the first, Patrick jumped the passing lane by the sideline and made a layup in the transition.

“Then the second one, [the player] was driving left, and I just had a knack that he was going to go back right because he’s a right handed player,” Patrick said. “So I just jumped his right side and fortunately got the ball out.”

As for winning the first boys’ basketball state title in RBHS history, Scanlon simply said it was a “great feeling.”

“Because I told them in the locker room nobody’s going to remember who scores 30 and 20 if we didn’t win the game,” Scanlon said. “It’s the guy next to you. It’s your teammate; they are going to know who won the game. I don’t care who scores. It doesn’t make any difference to me.

I probably won’t even look at the scorebook, but I know the team won the game. And they carried out a plan, and they held together.”

CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

FACE OFF: Senior guard Isiaih Mosley confronts a defender from the opposing team, Christian Brothers College High School, during the final state championship game Saturday, March 16.

CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

HANGING ON THE RIM: Senior point guard Dajuan Harris dunks on the opposing team, Lee’s Summit North High School during the semifinal game FriCAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK day, March 15. The Bruins made history by being the EMOTIONAL WIN: Senior Ja’Monta Black cries tears of joy as first RBHS boys’ basketball team to make it to the the Bruins wins the state championship Saturday, March 16. state final game by defeating the Broncos (72-59).

Baseball plans for out-of-state travel and we talked about dreams. Our goal is to win the district championaseball season is in full swing ship, our dream is to win the state for the Bruins, with games championship, but you can’t dream scheduled in Tennessee, Ar- unless you reach that goal.” kansas and as far south as Florida.

In terms of goals, the Bruins The team will also hopefully partic- have some competition ahead when ipate in the National Classic Tourna- it comes to reaching their goal and ment outside of Tampa. eventually pursuing their dreams.

For Head Coach Justin Towe, the Junior Sean Hamilton has played new season presents challenges as baseball since he was five years old. well as opportunities for his team to Currently, Hamilton believes in his showcase their skills to some of the teammates, as they are great hitters best high school baseball programs and a cohesive group. Since they all in the country. have the same end goals and dreams, First, however, the Bruins must they know what’s ahead. achieve “I’d say their prithe generm a r y al gist of We have one goal every year, and goal: winwhat we are ning the it hasn’t changed since 2007, since I trying to district achieve this became the head coach: to win the champiyear is that district championship. We talk about onship. we’re trying goals, and we talked about dreams.” “ T o to get back have the to where we - Justin Towe, success used to be head coach that we and comwant to pete for a have this year, we have to be a ma- state championship since we have ture team. In other words, we need been in a drought the past few to know when to focus and get our years,” Hamilton said. “I think we’ll work done and when we can have have a decent season, and I’m excitfun with it,” Towe said. “We have ed to play big games, such as Battle one goal every year, and it hasn’t and Hickman.” changed since 2007, since I became With a new season bringing new the head coach: to win the district challenges, freshman players such championship. We talk about goals, as Carson Dinwiddie are looking

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forward to the opportunities that come with participating and representing Bruins’ baseball. Since Dinwiddie was eight years old, he has participated in the sport, and, despite the challenges that lay ahead this season, Dinwiddie hopes the season will be one that makes history in the first year of his high school baseball career.

“I have played baseball for eight years. My grandparents, and my parents always wanted me to play baseball,” Dinwiddie said. “I’m just happy to go up and get that good record and do the best I can for my team. I am most excited to play Hickman and Jefferson City, given that they are our rivals.”

In the end, however, what matters most to the Bruins and Towe is that the team is able to form a closeknit community in which they can bond and create lasting friendships.

And while winning games can be satisfying, there is something to be said about finishing off the season with new confidants and tight bonds among the Bruins.

“What makes us unique is that we [as coaches] are around our players a lot, not just during the spring season, whether it be during the fall, winter or summer workouts,” Towe said. “We have created a family atmosphere and do a really good job of getting to know our kids and taking an interest in their lives.”

TO THE PLATE: Sophomore Braeden Morris races to first base while sophomore Tucker Frost runs to make a catch Thursday, March 14. The team has a tournament, Best of the West, today at Barlett, Tenn.

CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

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THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

RBHS performing arts to compete in Mexico

CAMRYN DEVORE / THE ROCK

ON THE BEAT: From left to right, sophomore Jarett Ren, junior Meredith Farmer and sophomore Brent Brightwell, practice ‘Shades of Glass’ the morning of Thursday, March 15. Band members will perform the piece March 21 in Mexico, Mo. for the large ensemble festival. Besides the large ensemble, small ensemble and solo performers will also play to qualify for the state festival.

Orchestra students prepare for competition Ben Kimchi

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rchestra students are preparing to express a more individual side of their instruments at the solo and small ensemble music festival at Mexico High School this Saturday. Students will compete to qualify to the state music festival, orchestra director Alison Schmidt said.

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Band students play for self-improvement

“There’s a lot of independence with preparing for it. All the work is on their own. A lot of them have private teachers, and for a few of them it’s completely after school,” Schmidt said.

“We don’t spend class time preparing, but I have helped some of them, and others just work with each other after school.”

The amount of independent practice was a challenge freshman Ben Xu was more than ready to face. Xu will compete in both violin and piano solos. He will play Rachmaninoff’s “Etude Tableau Op. 33 No. 8” in G minor on the piano and “Sonata” in A Major on the violin.

“I’ve been preparing through lots and lots of practice,” Xu said. “When you get there, you only get one shot, so you don’t want to feel like you could’ve done better. I chose to [perform in both violin and piano] because I wanted to make the most out of my experience in Mexico.”

Xu hopes to make it to the state festival in April. To qualify, students will have to earn a score of one from judges, Schmidt said. The grading scale goes from a one being the highest score down to a five.

“I applaud the fact they have chosen this extra opportunity,” Schmidt said. “It’s not a requirement, but it’s really neat that they have chosen to do this extra step on their own.”

Jared Geyer

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and competitions give students an opportunity to perform and compete in front of a panel of judges. The talent of band students will be on full display when they perform in Mexico, Mo. at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) band festival Saturday.

At the event, band students will perform solo or with an ensemble. Students such as freshman Anthony Wu do both solo and ensemble.

“Solo is when you [are] alone playing a classical piece with one piano player called the accompanist. He or she provides you with harmony, but you alone are the star,” Wu said. “In [a] small ensemble, you only have a group of five or less instrumentalists, and you all play a piece together.”

Students do not practice for MSHSAA competitions alone. Assistant Band Director Josh Myers helps students in both solo and ensemble to improve their performing skills. He gives students guidance and offers his expertise when students ask for help with things, such as tempo or changing octaves.

“The solo and ensemble experience is important and allows students to have another opportunity to perform,” Myers said.

“I just enjoy helping them in that process of learning and performing.”

Wu couldn’t decide whether he likes solo or ensemble performances better.

For both types of performers, the pieces students play must come together perfectly in order for the individual or group to score well.

Senior trumpet player Jackson Dampier acknowledges the importance of practice and repetition when perfecting a solo performance.

“The most difficult part about solos is that you must prepare a lot more; it becomes a lot harder to sound good because you can’t just stop in the middle,” Dampier said. “The only way to improve your performance skills is by experience.”

Also a solo performer, junior Jordan Kuhnert echoes the sentiments of her peers by practicing at least an hour each day.

“I start off by playing [the piece] really slowly to make sure I can get all the

How many students are competing?

Orchestra: 6 s olos,

6 small en semb les

Band: 4 1 solos, 33 sma ll ens e

Cho ir:

24 s olos, 22 s ma ll e nse mb les

mble s

rhythms and notes down,” Kuhnert said. “Then I start speeding up tempo, adding dynamics, musicality and nuance to make it more interesting and unique.”

Despite the heavy time commitment of practicing, students still find appreciation in the experiences that MSHSAA ensembles and solos bring.

“I love everything about these competitions,” Wu said. “It’s so much fun to prepare for them, play and perform. It gives me infinite satisfaction doing it.”

Choir singers to perform in solo, small ensemble festival Amanda Kurukulasuriya

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n the first Saturday of spring break, while most students will be enjoying their new-found freedom, RBHS choir students will perform at the annual district solo and small ensemble festival at Mexico High School (MHS) Saturday.

Director Mike Pierson is excited to take 22 ensembles and 24 solos during his 27th year of going to the festival.

Small ensembles began preparing for the festival at the beginning of February, and many students have worked on solos with private vocal teachers for months. The small ensembles are usually comprised of three to eight students and the groups can be unisex or mixed.

Sophomore Jacob Jennings will go to the festival for his second time this year, where he

will perform in a small ensemble as well as a solo. “[Being in an ensemble is] fun because you’re with people who are your age,” Jennings said. “Pierson pairs you with people that, like, go with your voice and are compatible with each other and work well, so that’s easier.”

Likewise, sophomore Natalie Robuck, is going to the festival for a second time this year having done a vocal solo, violin solo and small ensemble last year. Robuck has sung in choirs since she was in elementary school, so she is no stranger to performing in front of audiences.

Even so, there was a certain level of apprehension she felt before her first time going to district competition.

“The hardest part. . . was probably [the] nerves right before,” Robuck said. “I hadn’t really experienced anything like it before my vo-

cal solo. I got a little nervous right before it, and it kind of threw off my performance a little bit.”

Senior Alex Schust has left his nerves far behind as a veteran performer. He said he enjoys the choral music he gets to sing for districts and spending the day at MHS with his friends. For his last year, he will perform as part of a quartet and a double quartet. The first time he went, he found performing in a small ensemble intimidating, but after three years he highly recommends the experience.

“It’s really easy to be put off by the idea of performance because it’s a pretty scary thing, especially for people who have never done it before,” Schust said. “Performing when there’s 40 other people on stage is not such a big deal for most people I think, but performing when there’s only seven or eight other people in the room is a very different beast.”

THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

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THE ROCK | WWW.BEARINGNEWS.ORG | MARCH 21, 2019

20 | COMIC

My mentor, my friend

Students share their appreciation for various teachers in the school.

Moy Zhong, story and art

“In the morning on B days, I usually go [into her classroom] really early so I can hang out with her. I can say that I’m friends with my teacher because we talk about stuff. She’s super fun to be around.”

“[Being friends with Janet Thompson] also makes me want to try harder [in her class] because I don’t want to disappoint her. She knows I can do more, so I always want to make sure I’m doing what I can.”

“I moved to Columbia this summer, so I had never been to [Columbia Public Schools] or anything.

So coming into the [new] school district with a teacher like her also being my first hour helped me get friends in that class and helped me get friends outside of the class, and she helps me get used to how the school district runs and how the grading systems work.”

“I was terrified [when] I took AP Physics [1] as a freshman and [because I] was the only freshman in my class. I needed help—obviously—right away, and so I went to him before and after school throughout the year. . . and I kinda just hung out with him before school and hung out with him after, asking for help on physics, math or just chilling out until my dad came and picked me up.”

“[Malcolm Smith has improved my confidence] because whenever I’m feeling dumb about some math problem, he talks about how ‘It’s a tough problem from a tough class. You’re going to get stuck, but you’re good at math, and you’re smart.’ That really helps.”

“He’s there for every mood you have. . . he’s not just science. He has other interests, too. If you know him more from [hanging out with him] before school or after school, you also learn about his wife, Peggy.

You learn lots about her or his other family members or that he speaks French. He’s a person, not just a person who sits around and studies science all the time. He’s just as weird as all of us.”

“Most teachers [value] passion over pay, and Mrs. [Krisleen] Arthur really lives that through. Not just [with] me [specifically, but with] everyone in the class. [She] tries to crack jokes to get them engaged [with learning.]”

“Because I’m not a native Spanish speaker and just to know that I can be a freshman and to know that there’s a specific class every other day that I have with a teacher who honestly cares about me and wants the best for me [it makes going to a new, intimidating high school easier. It also makes me slow to assume all teachers are bad.] She takes the extra step, and that’s why I consider myself being so ‘buddy-buddy’ with her, and when you don’t understand something, she doesn’t just [tell you], ‘It’s my way or the highway.’ She gives you three or more different ways to learn, [and] she gives you links to [helpful] websites. You can come in [to her room] during lunch. You can come after school. She’s that resource for you.”

“I remember taking this test [over] conjugating [Spanish] verbs. . . I [got] an F, the worst grade [that] I’ve ever had in my school experience. Some teachers I’ve had in the past, like in elementary [school,] have told me to ‘Shake it off. You should have studied’ or something like that. No, [Arthur] tried to make me feel [better saying], ‘See, it was probably because you were gone for [the test]. You still did good on these parts [of the test],’ and she tried to help me through that [after I was sick.]”

“I started eating lunch in [her classroom], and she had a couch—which makes life better—and we first started talking about schoolwork and stuff that I was struggling [with]. She offered to help me, and I had never had a teacher genuinely care and talk to me outside of class about something, so that really had an impact on me. I started going [to her classroom during] my [Alternating Unassigned Time or] whenever she would have her planning period. She helps me out with pretty much anything I need.”

“She talks all the time about how she feels like she ‘can’t adult right.’

Just getting an adult’s perspective on ‘adulting’ has given me more confidence in leaving Rock Bridge.”

“I’ve lived in Columbia my whole life, and I’m going to Kansas for [college], and seeing her side of the story—knowing that not everything is going to be perfect all of the time—has really helped me understand that going away is not going to be horrible.”

“It’s so nice to have somebody at school that, if I’m having a horrible day, I [can] just be like, ‘Clemens, I gotta talk. I need to rant,’ or if I just need a ‘mom-hug.’ My mom calls [Nicole Clemens] my ‘in-school mom’ just in case I need anything. Deodorant? [Clemens’] got it. Lotion, [perfume]? She’s got it. If you need anything—candy? Like a little pick-me-up during the day? She has everything. Whenever I’m feeling down, she’ll talk to me, or whenever I don’t want to talk she’ll just be there for me. She has honestly made a huge difference [in] my high school career. High school would have sucked a lot more if she wasn’t in my life.”

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