The Rock May 2014 by SouthSide Media

The Rock

Students utilize grant money to create gardens Christal Carcedo

achel Victor’s students have been getting their hands dirty throughout the month of May, planting vegetables and plants native to MO for RBHS to enjoy. Victor, a special education teacher at RBHS, applied for a $600 grant, sponsored by the Hawthorn Chapter of the Missouri Native Plant Society Oct. 28, 2013, with hopes of creating a vegetable garden. “I started getting the idea last year because every day I walk into the side doors and I would see weeds and I was like, ‘Something needs to happen to this,’ so I talked to Jen Mast [the principal of RBHS] last year, and she said I could do something with them,” Victor said. “I was just going to do a flower garden and then [Science department chair] Melissa Wessel emailed me back in August and told me, ‘Hey, there’s this grant. Apply for it to see if you can get help with the garden’ and I did,

and that’s how I got the grant.” Dr. Glenn Pickett, a biology teacher who retired from RBHS, aided in providing the grant. “I am a member of that club and help with awarding the grants. As a part of her project, which is to utilize the planter boxes on the northeast corner of RBHS, [Victor] will plant some native plant species, mostly flower plants that are perennials and should grow back each year in the future,” Pickett said. “Central to her project is to help her Community Skills students learn about gardens, growing flowers and vegetables.” The vegetable garden will be across from the rain garden, which is in the Northeast parking lot of RBHS. The garden will have tomatoes, snow peas, brussels sprouts, cucumbers and more. Victor plans to grow native Missourian plants so students who look at the garden will learn about Missouri’s primitive flora, she said. Victor’s class teamed up with science teacher Gregory Kirchhofer’s class to plant the

vegetables throughout the month of May. “I picked Kirchhofer’s class since it’s an environmental science class and they’re already doing this kind of stuff in their classroom,” Victor said. “I thought it would help expand their learning outside the classroom.” Pickett said the planting of the vegetable garden is a fun, unique way to help the students learn skills they wouldn’t learn if they just read out of a textbook. “Ms. Victor’s project, which is including the handicapped students in the Community Skills class, is to help her students’ plant vegetable seeds, or small vegetable plants, care for them, raise them up, harvest them and ultimately eat them. This activity will be a very good experience for her students,” Pickett said. “There is a lot of learning about gardening that can happen. There is a lot of learning about botany that could happen, depending on the skill or ability of the students. As a class project, it gives these exceptional

students an opportunity to do something different, something that is a little unusual, and that no other students in the school get to participate in. That makes it special. And that is important for the students in the Community Skills classroom.” Victor also said she believes her classes will benefit from working with the vegetable garden by taking care of the plants alongside the members of Kirchhofer’s class. “I felt like it would be very beneficial to that class and for my class because we’re learning different types of skills,” Victor said. “Using the garden, like following multi-step instructions, will benefit my class. So it does benefit both classes.” Continued on page A3 Growing gardens: Freshman Dan Nemec and junior Taylor Dolezal work in the plant garden created by RBHS teachers Rachel Victor and Gregory Kirchhofer.

photo by Gregory Kirchhofer

FPS to explore interstellar concerns at conference Alice Yu

or the first time in the 40 year history of the Future Problem Solving International Conference, RBHS students will attend as a team along with Hickman High School and Battle High School students. The founder of FPSIC, Dr. E. Paul Torrance, created this organization in 1972 with the vision of stimulating “critical and creative thinking skills and encouraging students to develop a vision for the future,” according to its literature. The three components of the conference are team and individual Global Issues and Community Problem Solving competitions along with Scenario Writing. Sophomore Stephanie Kang and freshman Dzung Nguyen along with HHS sophomores Sherry Xie and Amanda Sun were part of the team that placed first in Global Issues Problem Solving and first in Community Problem Solving, qualifying them for the international conference, hosted by Iowa State University from June 12-15. Kang said in the Global Issues Problem Solving Team event, groups of four receive a scenario that the world might experience in the future. From there on, students must come up with an underlying problem and 16 possible solutions. Then, they develop one of their 16 solutions into a policy that provides a plan of action to combat the underlying problem. For the Community Problem Solving Team event, the process is the same, but the prompt is for groups to find a problem in their own community, rather than a problem in a scenario provided. Last year, students from West and Oakland Junior High Schools decided to find a way to increase creativity in Columbia for the Community Problem Solving Team event at FPSIC. The third event, scenario writing, involves writing a scene about

photo by Devesh Kumar

Profitable pizzas: Art teacher Shannon Blakey purchases a pizza from debate team member sophomore Matthew Vincent. The team, which is $1,300 in debt, sold pizzas last week that will be delivered May 27.

Deep in debt, debate team sells pizzas Devesh Kumar

fter attending nine tournaments as far flung as Springfield, Mo., the debate team is $1,300 in debt, with the majority of the money indebted to the cost of transportation. “The debate team is in debt to the Rock Bridge [Extracurricular Activity] fund primarily due to the high cost of bus transportation by First Student,” RBHS debate coach Jennifer Cone said. Freshman Becca Wells said the cause of this debt is from attending debate tournaments. In each tournament, there is a cost associated with transportation for the students and hotel stays. The total cost of a bus is approximately $1,000 for each tournament and since the school board only provides the RBHS debate team with $5,000, the $1,000 bus cost adds up. “Every tournament, every person

has to pay $40 for room and board,” Wells said. “They also need to bring extra [money] for food and stuff. The debate tournaments usually are for two days overnight so the cost which the debate team has to pay is the cost of the bus transportation for those two days plus overnight and the price for the driver [and] their room and food.” Because of the $1,300 debt, students also had to donate extra money. “Families of the debate team had to pay $200-300 to help sustain the debate team,” sophomore Matthew Vincent said. “Lately, we have been trying to organize a few fundraisers and support the debate team.” Initially, team members came up with the idea of finding a business to sponsor the team as a way to earn money to pay off the debt, freshman Max Schaefer said, but this idea never took off. A majority of the debate team de-

cided against finding a sponsor, naming the idea as an exercise in futility. Turning to fundraisers, the debate team ran through multiple ideas, from selling candy to kitchen supplies to Avon products. Cone offered another fundraiser idea, which could potentially make a difference. Last week, team members sold frozen Shakespeare’s pizzas. According to the Shakespeare’s Pizza Fundraiser, Shakespeare’s sold pizzas to the debate team at $7 per pizza for the first 20 pizzas. After the first 20, Shakespeare’s sold the pizzas to the debate team at $6 per pizza. The debate team is free to sell pizzas for any price, though Shakespeare’s suggested selling at a price of $12 per pizza. “The delivery date will be May 27,” Cone said. “We have potential to make an amazing profit if we all get busy and sell.”

the future related to a given topic. “It can be however you want it,” Kang, a second-year FPSIC participant, said. “You just write about it.” With the 2014 Conference topic as space, situations regarding funding for space exploration, and possible outer-world settlements are questions for consideration for the three competitions. This four-day conference not only establishes a creative atmosphere, but also brings students from all across the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Turkey and the United Kingdom together to generate collaboration between students from different cultures. “You’re meeting international people, and it’s so cool to meet people from around the world,” Kang said. “It’s kind of like the Olympics for problem solving.” In charge of raising funds for the international conference, sophomore Katherine Matteson was more involved in the business aspect of FPS which still helped provide a chance for life skills to develop. “I learned communication skills and how to present ideas to businesses and really promote asking for funds,” Matteson said. “It was really, really good to work on those communication skills because they’re really important in the world that we live in.” But the focus of the competition isn’t solely on getting first place or polishing life skills; rather, it’s the valuable experiences it offers. “The beauty of this event is that the competition actually takes a back seat to the camaraderie and collaboration that occurs when you put like-minded creative problem solvers together in the same environment,” FPS sponsor, BHS engineering teacher Matt Leuchtmann said. “They’ll establish a social network that will last a lifetime.”

SPORTS

A&E

How will sports cope with the loss of seniors?

Musical Theatrical Showcase, Tony Awards Themed

After a stellar run in sports this year, many seniors are signing to play with collegiate teams after graduation, leaving teams and coaches wondering how their athletes will perform in the coming years. B1

This weekend’s Theatrical Showcase led audiences through scenes of plays and musicals previously nominated for Tony Awards, showcasing the work of students from Musical Theatre and Advanced Acting. C1

Issue inside this

News • • • • • • • • A1 Features• • • • • A5 Sports • • • • • • B1 A&E • • • • • • • • C1

photo by Abby Kempf

Editorials• • • • • C2 Commentary • C3 In-Depths• • • • C4 H&W • • • • • • • • C6

BEARING NEWS For more constant, enlightening coverage of Rock Bridge High School news, sports and other content, visit BearingNews.org

News

Sophomores not allowed to park in parking lots Rachel Forrest

omorrow as seniors leave the school for the start of their traditional “senior week” before graduation, more places than the hallways will be empty. Even though their spots in the lot will stand vacant, sophomore drivers still won’t be welcome. Assistant principal Brian Gaub, who is in charge of building operations, said the district does not allow open parking in its high school lots. “Although it's true there will be more student parking spaces open once the seniors leave, the rules for parking won't really change,” Gaub said. “Since we are required by board policy to maintain a parking permit system, we will still have to monitor the lots for valid permits.” This decision is disappointing to sophomore Kate Lenz, who said she was looking forward to having a safer place to park other than her usual spot in sophomore alley. "I got into a car accident on sophomore alley and multiple people wrote on my car in paint during school," Lenz said. “I hate not being able to park in the lots and feel like there is room for others to park in them, not just the upperclassmen.” Gaub said sophomores were allowed to buy parking permits in the Northwest lot back in January. “We have lots of parking spaces, but many of them aren't very close,” said Gaub, who noted that administrators will re-examine the parking policy in June. “Most days there are about 100 empty spots by the baseball field.” Lenz said it’s frustrating to be an underclassmen who has to drive to school at eight in the morning to get a relatively close spot whereas upperclassmen don’t have to stress about getting there an hour early. "I absolutely hate sophomore alley. I’ve gotten 11 tickets. I get to school around eight a.m. every morning to park in the north lot,” she said. “And when I parked on Sophomore Alley I had to get here earlier than that to get a good spot. I feel like you shouldn’t be discriminated upon because you are a sophomore or freshman.” Sophomore Maddi Albrecht also said she is frustrated when she hunts for a parking spot at school. “I don’t enjoy parking on Sophomore Alley anyway,” Albrecht said. “I feel like the lots, except for faculty, should be first come first serve to make things more fair between the grades.” Lenz agrees seniority shouldn’t matter when it comes to parking. She feels each student should have an equal opportunity to park on school grounds. "If you have a car and are willing to pay for a parking pass then you should be able to park in the lot,” Lenz said. “They also shouldn't assign [you] to the back of a parking lot because you are a certain grade. I feel like everyone should be able to park in the lot, not just juniors and seniors because they have been here longer."

photo by Alice Yu

Test Takers: From left, senior Audrey Clark, junior Mallory Bolerjack and junior Robert Schimdt take the two-and-a-half hour AP Pyschology final exam in May.

Students discuss types of final exams Jenna Liu

hile students count down the last few weeks of school in anticipation of the blissful freedom of summer vacation, the looming presence of the end-of-theyear tests that kick off in early June is already making its mark. The ten or 15 percent weight of these exams on semester grades can be pivotal opportunities to raise a borderline percentage or to maintain a high GPA. With so much riding on achieving a good test score, some students, such as freshman Becca Wells, are wondering if a change needs to occur. “I think [finals] should be more of project based assignments that require knowledge of material learned all year,” Wells said. While Wells supports the concept of a final assessment, she disagrees with how most courses conduct them. She said the current configuration of finals is not the most appropriate method of evaluating what students have learned and hopes the format can shift from standard exams to more creative projects. “Tests don’t really test your knowledge, just your ability to memorize things for a short period of time,” Wells said. “An assignment worth the percentage of our grade our final is worth can better reflect our knowledge.” Wells’ belief in alternative finals may be spreading through the classrooms of RBHS. This year, the AP World and Honors Biology classes are collaborating on a joint final project for students in both classes. This

project relies heavily on creativity and at-home research, eschewing the standard pencil and paper exams of past years. Honors Biology teacher Kaitlin Rulon said she is in support of a final assessment, and pointed to the joint AP WorldHonors Biology project as an example of how finals do not have to be paper tests. “A lot of times in biology that is not how we feel is the best way to assess our students on their knowledge and how they’re able to apply that knowledge to the real world,” Rulon said, “which is why we have the final assessments that we do this year.” Though Rulon said she cannot speak for other teachers, it is her personal belief that final exams or projects should be a significant part of a student’s overall grade. “I think in a lot of classes, yeah, your grade is heavy on assessments because that’s kind of really the mark that you’ve been practicing this whole time, you’ve been working, and then this where we’re going to formally evaluate you,” Rulon said. “I don’t know if I would say I’m in support of it being any certain percentage specifically, but in general, yeah, you’ve been studying and working all year, and I’m going to assess you on that product of your work from the semester.” Senior Maaz Muhammad does not have a preference for any specific type of final, but is nonetheless a strong proponent of a final assessment in general, no matter the format. “Finals, whether it be a test, essay, a project, should test that you learned the material and

that you can apply it in a real their grades a boost before the world setting, which is why it semester ends, he has a policy should be worth the majority of replacing any student’s lowof your grade,” Muhammad est chapter exam grade with said. “That way, your grade their grade on the final, if the reflects what you learned, not student’s final is higher. how hard you tried or whether “I don’t like to drop a whole you participated in class or not, exam grade, but if they have and if you turned s--- in or one that didn’t go so well, they not.” can still salvage that grade by As a senior, Muhammad doing well on the final,” Mcsaid he does not expect to put Cray said. “This has helped sevtoo much eral stus t u d y dents in I agree with the the past.” time into finals for Betsy concept of finals. I non-AP Jones, dithink sometimes rector of classes, some teachers take guidance, of which he has said there it a little too far.” only two. is relative Scott McAfee “ I n freedom senior AP classregarding es, finals the strucare usuture and ally AP exams,” Muhammad format of finals--but within said, “which is really good to reason. help study for the AP exam.” “There really isn’t a comBurke McCray, the AP Cal- prehensive guideline [about culus teacher at RBHS, is plan- finals], it’s really based on the ning on doing just that. The content area,” Jones said. “But final in his calculus class will the assumption is that most be a practice AP test given on content areas lend themselves a Saturday morning at the same to summative assessments, and time of day as the actual exam, that summative assessment is a in order to replicate the AP portion of the final grade.” exam as closely as possible and Jones said while there are no make his students more com- creative restrictions on teachers fortable with the experience. designing finals for their classMcCray said he supports the es, they do need to abide by the concept of a final and prefers set curriculum and final assessassessments that cover a large ment standards. range of material. “It’s really up to the profes“I like having a compre- sional learning team to make hensive final to assess what the those decisions, so those decistudents have learned for the sions are made by curriculum year,” McCray said. “I don’t coordinators who work with want them to just learn it for the department chairs who the chapter exam then forget work with the teachers,” Jones it.” said. “So it’s not up to the indiAs McCray does like to give vidual teacher, but collectively his students chances to give all the students who take any

course district-wide would have the same experience.” While what the material subject finals consist of may be uniform across the district, students such as senior Scott McAfee disagree with the assertion that corresponding courses mean identical experiences with final assessments. McAfee said varying teaching styles often result in highly disparate finals, even with those of the same subject. “Every class is going to be taught in a different way,” McAfee said. “So no matter what the assessments are, they’re always going to be different, no matter how they’re tested.” McAfee said he understands the purpose and need for finals but hopes such assessments can be re-examined in the interest of lessening the amount of stress students are under at the end of the year. “I agree with the concept of finals; I just don’t agree with how they’re carried out some of the time.” McAfee said. “I think sometimes some teachers take it a little too far.” Jones said she does not maintain a personal position on how finals should be carried out, given the uniqueness of every course and its curriculum. “I really don’t [have an opinion on finals], as each content area lends itself to something different,” Jones said. “But I think we need to remember that we are preparing students for postsecondary, and in postsecondary, there are semester assessments. They vary, but they are out there, and I think we need to be keeping that in mind.”

News

Brief

National

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photo from www.freedigitalphotos.net

Breakthrough: two babies cured of HIV Caylea Erickson

ust three years ago in Mississippi, a baby born with HIV received three high doses of antiretroviral drugs and was announced cured. The girl now has no trace of this life-threatening disease in her blood and is the first case to be cured of HIV. Both the child in Mississippi and the child in California inherited the disease from their mothers. Because of how quickly they received the antiretroviral drugs for the disease, doctors cured them. Most adults don’t know they have

the disease for months, sometimes They’ll give a preventive treatment, years. So even if an adult receives these maybe two drugs at lower doses to test drugs, the virus can persist in the body to see if the baby is actually infected, because of those reservoirs. and if the baby is indeed infected, Doctors then doctors gave these baswitch to a It’s amazing that more aggresbies three doses of drugs -they are now able sive treatAZT, 3TC and to cure HIV in new- ment. Nevirapine a But in borns, but you have this case, the few hours after they were born. to wonder what will doctors who According to were there at happen” CNN.com, ofthe time of Tammy Atkins ten when bathe birth deRBHS nurse bies are born cided to treat to mothers that both of the have not been children with treated for the disease, there’s a high a trio of drugs. risk the baby is also infected. While the treatments are workDoctors don’t treat these high-risk ing for both of the babies, according babies immediately with all three drugs to nationalgeographic.com, only the child at regular levels. from Missisipi has been declared cured

of HIV. The California baby is on drug treatments but also seems free of the virus. The moment of truth will come when the California infant goes off the drugs. If she still tests negative for the HIV, then she would officially be considered cured. “It’s amazing that they are now able to cure HIV in newborns, but you have to wonder what will happen with things such as breast feeding and the antibiotics in general,” RBHS Nurse Tammy Adkins, RN, said. “Of course they work for a while, but they won’t work forever, especially once the babies are taken off the drugs.” A clinical trial in May of babies that have HIV will see if the results of the drugs are reproducible in a number of babies over a series of years as opposed to just one or two.

source: www.cdc.gov infographic by Hanna Flanagan

Local Columbia traffic lights cause pile-ups at certain intersections

roken sensors at Columbia intersections, especially those at the intersection of Bernadette Drive and Stadium Boulevard, have prompted significant complaints to Columbia Public Works and the Missouri Department of Transportation. The sensors, which alter the lights, are programmed to let only one or two cars through due to technical problems. Construction on Stadium, as well as the broken lights that change every five seconds led to a severe road traffic in the area at all times, especially during rush hour. Traffic caused by the problem frustrates drivers and causes wrecks. Spokesman Steve Sapp, told the Columbia Daily Tribune although the city does not currently have a list of the broken signals, a summer project will get the list up-to-date. stories written by Kate Byars

State

International

State Senate overrides veto of Missouri tax cut

Terrorist group Boka Haram plagues Nigeria

truggling to respond to mass abductions of schoolgirls within the country, the Nigerian government is under attack for its lack of action in the matter. Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group in Nigeria whose beliefs condemn the education of females, has taken hundreds of young girls with the intention of selling them as wives and slaves to other extremists. Since the initial abduction of 300 girls on April 15, 276 are still missing and at least two have been confirmed to be dead. A month later, and their whereabouts are still disputed. The kidnappings have not ceased, with 11 more girls taken May 6. Threats of slavery and more abductions have not halted either. Although government officials in Nigeria claim they have taken action kept secret from foreign powers, the media coverage of the abductions

Nigerian flag photo from www.openclipart.org

has prompted criticisms of the country’s competency. To combat the kidnappings and negative publicity, Nigeria has accepted military aid from the United States. This joint coordination will help to provide the investigative support that Nigeria’s government needs to find the missing girls and combat the organization. “So what we’ve done is — we have offered, and it’s been accepted — help from our military and our law enforcement officials,” President Barack Obama said in an NBC interview.

sources: NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, and ABC

epublicans in the Missouri State legislature were victorious over Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a Mo. tax cut bill. Despite Nixon’s vehement opposition, the override that would decrease the maximum individual tax rate from 6 to 5.5 percent as well as lessen state tax rates passed through the Senate May 4. This legislation will begin to reduce taxes in 2017. The bill, a response to a tax cut that Kansas’ state government enacted in 2012, is aimed at assuring Missouri remain competitive. Advocates of the bill claim the rnew taxes will benefit small businesses. Opponents, however, say the decrease will defund government projects. “They are cutting taxes, and that’s going to harm schools,” Jennifer Black-Cone, Debate teacher here, said. “That’s going to harm other infrastructures within your community.”

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Students help ‘What If’ final leads to build garden subject integration Continued from A1

Alice Yu

ickett said he believes it not only benefits the students involved, but also RBHS as a whole. “Does the project benefit every kid in the school? Obviously not. Does it make the culture of RBHS just a little richer because these students are doing an exemplary project that no one else gets to do and that the rest of the school population sees that happening? Yes, and that is good,” Pickett said. “Therefore, the whole school benefits.” Victor will not only use the vegetables inside of her classroom, but will also sell them to students and teachers. “My plan is after [the vegetables grow], I would like to sell some of the produce. We’re going to use them in my class to teach them how to harvest, how to clean and how to cook with it,” Victor said. “But I’m hoping there will be enough leftover so that I could sell to other teachers and then that money that we raise goes right back into buying more plants for the garden, so it just kind of replenishes itself.” I’m hoping there will be enough leftover so that I could sell to other teachers and then that money that we raise goes right back into buying more plants for the garden, so it just kind of replenishes itself.” When school is finished Victor will care for the garden to make sure it will be ready for the next school year. “When there’s no school I’ll be here keeping it up, so the vegetables will stay nice,” Victor said.

he AP World teachers warned their students at the beginning of the year that their course was not a class students could skate through and still maintain an easy A. Sophomore Neil Cathro listened to their description of the year’s curriculum: the templates and essays they had to write in just the next eight weeks, the week of testing they were required to go through and the weekly reading assignments. Never-ending work was becoming the norm associated with AP World. Even during the week of snow days, the teachers expected their students to complete a 70-question multiple choice test, not to mention the nearly four hour practice test students had to take during the weekends to prepare for their AP World exam. “The teachers said at the beginning of the year that it was a lot of work,” Cathro said. “But they also said that they would help us and provide us with tools to succeed.” Now, as the school year comes to a close, their last and final project is a What if…? Presentation, merging multiple school subjects. Social studies and English are already components merged in AP World finals, but this spring, Biology will be added into the mix. Although AP World teachers have always avoided a paper and pen final, this is the first year the final will be a What if…? presentation. With the prompt individualized to each student’s own What if…? question,

students will give a talk about the effects of the alternative world they present through their What if…? question. Along with a different final format, AP World classes are collaborating with Honors Biology classes, extending the What if…? presentation as the final for both classes. Students will record their What if…? presentation and turn it in twice, creating one final that counts for AP World and Honors Biology. “Over the last few years, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about integration, about integrating different classes because the world that we live in isn’t boxed off by arbitrary courses,” AP World Studies teacher Katherine Sasser said. “The world that we live in is completely complex and skills that we think students need transcend classrooms, things like being able to think critically and problem solve and collaborate with each other.” Packaging the semester final is a welcome idea for students in AP World and Honors Biology classes. “There’s more time to prepare, and it’s not just black and white,” AP World student Quin Miller said. “It’s more about creativity and we get to do our own thing.” For teachers, not only can they emphasize life skills, they can also provide students with experiences that can lead to success in the world. “If we can show students that there are these relevant skills that they need in the world of work and if we can use both the Social Studies, the Language Arts, and the Bio classroom to kind of help facilitate development in those skills,

photo by Alice Yu

What if schools didn’t have fine arts projects: Abby Kempf delivers a What If…? presentation at the What If…? Conference March 17, 2014 in the Performing Arts Center. The conference provided an example for the joint project between AP World Studies and Honors Biology classes. we think that its really valuable for students,” Sasser said. “On top of that, finals are a really stressful, intense time for students, so if we can combine a final from three courses into one and make that a more fluid process for students as opposed to having five different finals for five different courses, we feel like that would be helpful, too.” But students who are only in one class, either in AP World but not in Honors Biology or vice versa, are caught between two projects. Cathro, who is in AP World but not in Honors Biology has to complete a What if…? Presentation for AP World, but a TED talk for regular Biology. “It hasn’t really affected me as much as I expected. Sasser is still helping me with my regular Bio

project, but we’re just using the What if…? process to do...the TED Talk,” Cathro said. “They’re really similar, and the AP research process has actually helped me a lot with my TED talk because its forced me to use more reliable sources.” Even with minor setbacks in this collaborative effort, Sasser has high hopes for the results. “The ‘What if…?’ question is really open, so a student could really ask anything, and hopefully it would trigger something in them that interests them, so something in their potentially future field or just something they’re passionate about,” Sasser said. “When students can invest in something they care about in school, they create products and they create projects that are phenomenal.”

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Features

Females take over steering wheel Grace Vance

t was 8:30 a.m. when senior Jackie Gajia left from a hooping festival in Belle, Mo. with a friend. From the flow arts festival where she watched hoop dancing and yoga workshops, Gajia drove down unkempt roads to get back to Columbia. As she navigated through sharp turns of the winding road, Gajia turned a corner into a pothole. Driving on U.S Route 89, her 1997 Saturn flipped twice over the median and rolled into a ditch by a nearby church. “It came out of nowhere,” Gajia said in an e-mail interview. “I didn’t see the pothole at all. [I] only felt it.” Gajia said she expected the drive back to Columbia to take about an hour and 15 minutes; however, the day of the crash it took much longer. After the accident Gajia said her friend helped keep her calm by being rational about the situation and knowing they had to get away from the car quickly. Gajia called the ambulance, and both she and her friend, also 17, were taken to a Jefferson City hospital. Neither suffered severe injuries she said, only bruises and whiplash. “I was terrified and shaken,” she said, “[and] my car was totaled.” The 17-year-old had inherited the 1997 Saturn from her grandmother, who has since passed away. She had only driven the car for six months before the crash happened and was towed away and sold for scrap. Now, she said, she and her dad share a 2002 Toyota. At the time, Gajia said she felt overwhelmed and guilty about the situation. “[The Saturn] was my grandma’s car, and I just felt bad. It was what I had left of her y’know?” said Gajia. “I can’t really tell you why I felt guilty. I know it’s illogical.” Despite getting into an accident after her first visit to the festival, Gajia said she would be going back again this September. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, causes of PTSD include getting into a car accident. The estimated risk of developing PTSD for people who experienced a car accident is 16.8 percent, statistics from myptsd.com state. Gajia is part of the 83.2 percent of drivers who didn’t develop PTSD, and weren’t afraid to drive again after an accident. When comparing how men and women differ while driving, Gajia said it depends on the age group. Boys her age tend to drive more aggressively than girls she said. For example, Gajia said she sees males driving in the Rock Bridge parking lot without seatbelts everyday and taking turns before checking to see if there are any cars near. According to research released by esurance.com, males, especially young men, tend to drive more aggressively than women. The research also concluded that young men display their aggressive driving in a direct manner, rather than indirectly. Male drivers also have a greater likelihood than females to take more risks and break the law most often while driving. Because they drive at the speed limit more often than not, Gajia said female drivers in her age group tend to drive safer than males.

Both genders are equally prone to distraction she said, and run the same risk of causing an accident because everyone is attached to their cell phones. According to the American Automobile Association, 46 percent of teenage drivers admit to texting while driving. Statistics from textinganddrivingsafety.com said five seconds is the minimal amount of time someone’s attention is taken from the road while texting and driving. If driving at 55 mph, this is the same as driving the length of a football field without looking at the road. According to esurance.com, one of many factors an insurer takes into account when determining a premium is gender. Accident and DUI statistics reflect that male drivers, for the most part, take more driving risks than females, though women drive less than men. In part, insurance companies price policies by predicting risk. Gajia believes personality also comes into play when people drive. People with a tendency toward type A personalities are more impatient and hostile in situations, according to About.com. Other characteristics also include time urgency, which could contribute to offensive driving. “I bet type A personalities are more aggressive drivers,” Gajia said. “[They] are just more competitive and aggressive in general.” Human error accounts for over 90 percent of accidents on the road, according to the International Organization for Road Accident Prevention. Some of the accidents caused by human error are speeding under the influence, changing lanes without signalling, and passing red lights. When junior Jilly Dos Santos first got her license at 16 years old, she said she was terrified of crashing her car. Since then, she has not been in an accident. Research from dosomething.org reports that, out of drivers any other age, 16 year olds have a higher crash rate. Also, one in five 16-year-old drivers has an accident in their first year on the road. Whether they are male or female, the 17-year-old said a lot of students seem overconfident in their skills behind the wheel. Dos Santos, who drives a silver 2012 Ford Focus, said she feels like guys are not as mindful as girls when driving and are riskier as part of their nature. Males her age who drive recklessly don’t usually look before they turn she said. “I think that men tend to be more reckless, but women tend to be more careless, if that makes any sense,” Dos Santos said. “I see guys speed and pull sharp turns and run stop lights just for kicks, but at the same time I see a lot of girls who text and drive or focus too much on the radio and talking to friends.” The main cause of recklessness on the road, Dos Santos said, is people being distracted and overconfident. Male drivers are more than twice as likely to suffer an accident due to distraction behind the wheel than female drivers, research from an insurer in the UK has found. Men are more likely than women to get into a car accident, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, meaning insurers are not as likely to have to pay claims for female drivers. Because men are

about 10 percent less likely to wear a seatbelt, they face a greater risk of serious injury, resulting in higher medical expenses, according to esurance.com. Driving records are a big factor when it comes to pricing; a history of driving safely usually translates into lower rates for both males and females. She said she thinks both genders are equally prone to distraction, “but girls typically use their phones more, which can cause problems.” Paying attention to other drivers, Dos Santos said, and coming to a full stop at a stop sign are characteristics good drivers have. She said she knows people who get nervous, and when they drive, their anxiety is reflected. They will go too slow she said, wait longer than necessary to make a turn or refuse to turn right on a red light. However, she also knows people who are very confident, Dos Santos said, and speed or barely make it through a traffic light. “I think that if someone has trouble focusing or is too cocky that either characteristic can hinder their driving ability,” Dos Santos said. “So if I can’t concentrate, I may accidentally merge into a lane and hit another car I wasn’t paying attention to. If I am very self-assured, I may assume that while there is a car coming in the next lane, I’ll be able to make it, but then end up causing an accident because I overestimated my ability to get over in time.” A study released by Quality Planning compared the number of times men were cited verses women when analyzing various kinds of traffic violations. The result was that men tend to break more traffic laws than women. Because of their tendency to drive dangerously and violate laws made to make roads safer like wearing seat belts, men cause more accidents and costly damage. While driving down Providence Road, senior Staton Zaner said he sees a variety of drivers, from slow to aggressive. He said he is not usually a risk-taker on the road, and the majority of people try to stay safe behind the wheel. Women are typically safer drivers, the 18-year-old said, because they tend to be less aggressive. According to psychcentral.com, the most aggressive drivers are young men between 17 to 35 years of age. However, Zaner also said women are probably more prone to distraction when driving. “I like to think that I’m a pretty safe driver,” Zaner said. “I’m a defensive driver, I don’t speed too much [and] I haven’t been in any car accidents.” Statistics from cdc.gov have found that, of males drivers in 2010 aged between 15 to 20 years old who were involved in fatal crashes, 39 percent were speeding at the time of the crash. Zaner said texting is one of the dangers that people of both gender face when driving, another being intoxication. Texting while driving is equivalent to driving after four beers, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. It also makes a driver 23 times more likely to crash. “I think the main cause [for recklessness behind the wheel] is like between texting and drunk driving.” Zaner said. “People are just irresponsible on the road.”

art by Riley Martin

A6 ‘Pure determination, Features

blood, sweat and tears’ Stricker journeys to Juilliard for dance

Karina Kitchen

“T

hank you.” The friendly yet intimidating ballet teacher tapped the shoulder of yet another young Juilliard hopeful who now quickly scrambled to collect her belongings and maneuver around numerous dancers and bars to leave the crowded class. RBHS senior Stephanie Stricker, one of as many as 500 hopefuls worldwide and 60 at the audition center, endeavored to keep her attention on the ballet instructor and her technique but couldn’t help noticing each time a dancer was politely asked to leave the studio. After an hour of ballet, the dark-haired assistant director of admissions read off a list of roughly 30 numbers. The list included Stricker. “After I made it past ballet,” Stricker said, “I was…really shocked so I was freaking out.” When Pam Stricker, Stephanie Stricker’s mother, started her daughter in a ballet class at Columbia Performing Arts Center, she had no idea that some day, her blonde blue-eyed child would become not only a dancer, but one auditioning for one of the world’s top fine-art schools, Juilliard, located in New York City. “I put Stephanie in dance at age three because she loved music, and she was always dancing to music everywhere she went,” Pam Stricker, said in an email interview, but “I didn’t really have high expectations for her. I just wanted her to have fun and do what she loved to do. I did not expect her to become one of the world’s best dancers; however she was very passionate about dancing and she was determined to be the best she could be.” Stricker was in competition dance by fourth grade at age 10. Now she rehearses 16 hours each week. That practice time consists of ballet, tap and hip-hop classes, as well as competition rehearsals. Though some grow up dreaming of leaping across a stage as a ballerina, Stricker simply saw all of the time she spent dancing as a hobby. However, when a friend started considering dance as a career, her interest was sparked. “Last year I decided [to pursue dance] after my friend...decided to do all these college auditions,” Stricker said, “and so I was like, ‘Oh, OK, that sounds interesting,’ because I looked into it and then from then on I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.’” Stricker went on to apply to multiple schools, including Marymount Manhattan College, New York University, Southern Methodist University, the University of California-Santa Barbara, the University of Arizona and Juilliard. “Everyone [said]...‘You should just try out Juilliard, like audition for it, see what happens,’” Stricker said. “I didn’t like expect to get in or anything...I was planning on going to Marymount Manhattan...I just decided to try out for it.” Juillard holds auditions in five cities, so Stricker and her parents decided she would audition in Chicago. The morning of the audition, she and her parents flew to Chicago to be on site by 9 a.m. At 10 a.m., the first step of the audition process began —the ballet technique class. Those who demonstrated strong enough technique were called back and attended a modern technique class. “Modern was easier for me than ballet was [because] I have more training in contemporary, and that’s kind of like modern,” Stricker said, “so I was pretty confident about that.” Following the modern technique class, the remaining dancers performed a solo. After the solo performances and a cut, the applicants learned a challenging combination in the repertoire portion of the audition. “After learning [repertoire], there [were] only three girls left and four boys,” Stricker said. “It got, like, really tense.” The final seven dancers each had an interview with the director of dance and other Juilliard dance faculty. The interviewers took notes as Stricker answered a variety of questions. The questions included, “Who’s your biggest inspiration? What’s your biggest failure in life? What’s the last book you read and how has it affected your

life?” “At the end of the interview, you get this piece of paper saying, ‘Congratulations, you made it past the interview in the Juilliard audition process,’” Stricker said, “and then you have to wait for a month” to find out the results. For Stricker, the answer came in the middle of math class. “It’s like a rumor, I guess, that they call you before you get an actual email saying you made it in, and so I didn’t know if that was going to happen or not,” Stricker said. “So in math class...it was like an unknown number, and it said like, ‘NY’ underneath because [of] the area code, and so I picked up, and it was Katie Friis, the director [of admissions], and she was like, ‘I just thought I’d tell you [that] you made it into the Juilliard program. You’ll be [in] the graduating class of 2018.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ and I started freaking out.” Stricker, her parents and her instructors were astounded. Columbia Performing Arts Center’s competition director, Jen Lee, was amazed as Stricker is the second dancer ever from CPAC to be admitted into the Juilliard program. “My reaction to Stephanie’s acceptance into Juilliard was total shock,” Lee said in an email interview. “Not shock because I was surprised that she got in, but shock because it is so amazing that she is one in 12 women in the world who got into the school. I was so elated that I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t, and I cry a lot. It was such an amazing day, and I will never forget it.” Lee, who has worked with Stricker for 15 years, believes the senior’s demanding and intriguing stage presence set her apart from other applicants. “I think what set Stephanie apart from other Juilliard applicants is that she is a beast, plain and simple,” Lee said. “She commands your attention when she is dancing. So in a room full of dance hopefuls, your eye is usually drawn to her.” That quality served her well as she danced before the Juilliard faculty, and her determination to be the best dancer she could be has landed her in a rare and exciting place in her life—that of a tremendously talented and successful young dancer on the verge of living a dream. Her dance teacher accurately summed up the reason for her success. “What makes Stephanie the successful dancer she has become is drive,” Lee said. “She decided that this was what she was going to achieve and she made it happen. Pure determination, blood, sweat and tears.”

1: Stricker performs her solo at the CPAC Spring Recital. This is her 15th year at CPAC. 2: One of Stricker’s first dance recitals at age five. Her mother started her in dance at age three. 3: Stricker poses before a dance recital at age eight. She began competing at age 10. 4: Stricker performed her solo for the Juilliard dance faculty as part of competition. Photos courtesty of Stephanie Stricker

• • • • •

Facts about Juilliard

Founded in 1905 The school mascot is a penguin Acceptance rate: 7.3 percent 853 students from 40 countries Dance Division accepts only 12 men and 12 women every year Source: juilliard.edu, wikipedia.org

Features Freshman fight back strong: On December 11, 2013, RBHS first freshman basketball teamw players, Reese Leitao and Logan Reuter (left to right) defend against Jefferson City’s High School freshman team as they take the lead to later win the game with a whopping score of 54-40 over the Jays on their home court.

photo by Bailey Washer

RBHS reflects upon first freshmen class Sarah Kinney

undreds of soon-to-be freshmen in Columbia were preparing to begin a feat never before attempted as August of 2013 approached. Up until the 2013-2014 school year, this band of students would have been much more at ease, bracing for just another year at their junior high school before moving on to the halls of RBHS. But starting in the fall of 2013, RBHS, Hickman High School and Battle High School ushered freshmen into its doors for the first time. Consequently, for this past school year, these three public high schools have housed not only seniors, juniors and sophomores but also freshmen in their hallways. Not only were the 2013-2014 freshmen getting ready to enter a new school, but they were also preparing to be the very first of their kind ever welcomed at public high schools in Columbia. For most, a major concern was the welcome they would receive. Freshman Kathleen John said she was worried about how older students would treat her and her class being the first freshman group to occupy RBHS. She had visions of walking up at football games and getting kicked out of the student section, or worse, being ignored altogether. Even though John has an older brother, junior Julian John, she feared her older peers might ostracize her. “I was worried that the upperclassmen wouldn’t talk to me,” John said, “that we’d be ignored and treated like we were lesser of them. I thought that there

would be an unwritten rule that you had provided her the perfect opportunity to to stick with your grade.” embrace the relaxed RBHS school culHer fears were not born out of ture. Her worries of being mistreated naught. According to hazingprevention. by the older student body flew out the org, 1.5 million high school students are window. hazed each year in the United States. “I’ve found that Rock Bridge is a Hazing, or purposeful humiliation of a place of freedom,” John said. “We can group of people as a form of initiation, do what we want and mind our own is an act often perbusiness. I feel formed on freshman like at this point, I’ve found that students. most of the school Rock Bridge Hazing may be thinks freshmen is a place of a strong word, but just crowd the hallfreedom. We many upperclassmen ways and can be can do what had an overall general annoying, which we want and feeling of reluctance isn’t that bad. But mind our own toward the integramost of the time, if business.” tion of an additional you talk to [an upgrade to the already perclassman], they Kathleen John well-oiled machine of just want to get to freshman RBHS. Junior Ricky know you better.” White was not lookJohn isn’t the ing forward to the changes the freshmen only freshman who has reached out to would bring with them. upperclassmen in hopes of forming “I wasn’t very happy about it,” White strong bonds. Freshman Brian Baker said. “It was introducing too many new has spent the past year as a representakids—and even teachers—from the ju- tive in student council for his class and nior highs who weren’t used to the Rock getting to know older students here. He Bridge motto of freedom with responsi- thinks everybody in the 2013-2014 stubility. Too many things had to change.” dent council collective worked together White said when he first came to to integrate freshmen not only into the RBHS as a sophomore, he didn’t worry process of each meeting but the RBHS about the upperclassmen treating him student body as a whole. poorly because his class was not disrupt“As freshmen we’re given even more ing any cycle or causing any changes. He opportunities to make our opinions thinks it was easier when RBHS was just heard,” Baker said. “We get into smallsophomores, juniors and seniors; the er committees and discuss details of all expectations were what they had always events. We’re very much a part of the been, and everybody understood the decision making process.” RBHS lifestyle. For RBHS senior student council However, for John, this past year has member Ali Kreklow, actively involving

freshmen into those decisions has only made interacting with that new class more enjoyable. She likes making sure their voices are well received and bringing them into the conversation. She said the class of 2017 are going to make for an incredible class throughout, having had student council experience from the beginning. “At first, we really focused on getting [the freshmen] involved and teaching them the ropes,” Kreklow said, “so that by the time my senior class leaves, they’ll already be leaders. They bring a great younger vibe and enthusiasm.” Along with student council, there are plenty of other opportunities where students of all grades collaborate in small settings. Classes, such as AP Human Geography, are open to freshmen through seniors. AP Human Geography teacher Katherine Sasser came away with the same perspective of freshmen mingling with older students as Kreklow did from student council. “Freshmen bring a very cool energy to the class,” Sasser said. “It may have taken more time for the class to really bond in a communal way since there was a large range of ages, but now it’s a really cool experience with freshman and seniors all interacting. [The freshmen] keep up very well and are able to come up with a product that’s just as good—if not better—than the upperclassmen.” Delaney Catlettstout, a senior in Sasser’s AP Human Geography class, said being in a course with freshman has definitely changed the feel of the classroom; however, she doesn’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing.

“It’s an interesting environment,” Catlettstout said, “because the underclassmen do seem to need a little more structure. Sometimes it’s more relaxed. Other times it’s more strict. However, I think we’ve all been able to create strong bonds.” John’s apparel merchandising class falls into the same category as AP Human Geography, since it allows RBHS students of every grade. She said that she had a positive experience working in a class with other students as old as seniors and that it’s given her a chance to branch out into the school. “Everybody was really open,” John said. “I didn’t even feel intimidated. Since it was an elective, we all wanted to be there, so it was easier to bond.” Sasser said the 2013-2014 freshmen seem to have proved themselves to be a group of individuals who are just as much a part of the RBHS student body as the retiring seniors. They take advanced courses, participate in student council and hold their own in the hallways. As May draws to an end and August looms near, John said one thing she’s excited about for next year is challenging herself even more in the classroom as a sophomore. “I’m looking forward to an even wider range of classes to choose from,” John said. “Being a sophomore will be really nice in that regard.” John looks forward to her future at RBHS, especially getting new freedoms such as driving and parking in the lot. New classes and club opportunities will come with age as well, which John plans to take advantage of.

Former rivals become teammates for new year Sarah Kinney

eventeen-year-old junior Kole Hinton was among the select group of students whose expectations of their high school years changed alongside the redrawn school district lines in 2013. Hinton spent his sophomore year at RBHS playing football and track, expecting to keep participating these sports as a Bruin until he graduated. However, that changed when he found out he was about to become a Spartan. Hinton had to alter his plans for the next two years as he prepared to join Battle High School as a part of their first graduating class. Hinton accompanied BHS in its inaugural year term, joining the ranks of other Columbia public high schools, Hickman High School and RBHS. With a brand new school comes the development of brand new traditions, and developing that sense of community was BHS’s main goal throughout their first year. That sense of togetherness and trust can all arise from a variety of situations in a school, but Hinton, a member of the BHS football team, thinks one aspect of high school that really defines these components is sports. That’s why it was so essential for BHS to foster superb sports teams during their first year. “As a football team,” Hinton said, “we like to try to show our support for everything in the school and build school spirit that way.” Hinton said he and other juniors on the football team attend as many other BHS sporting events and join as many clubs as they can. He thinks this sets a valuable example for the rest of the school. The two other Columbia public high schools have already garnered their reputations, having had a long-standing rivalry for as long as the two schools have existed. Events such as the Providence Bowl– the annual RBHS-HHS football game usually held at Faurot Field–highlight the rivalry between Columbia’s north and south sides. But now, Columbia’s west side is home to BHS. Between developing new traditions, such as weekly football team dinners and pregame rituals–ones that are too top-secret for Hinton to share–and breaking out into the high school rivalry scene, BHS sports

teams have had their work cut out for them. And, from the views of teachers and coaches, it looks like that work was done and done well; BHS head football coach Justin Conyers, who had spent 10 years at RBHS as their football defensive coordinator, said most BHS sports teams did better than expected in terms of both camaraderie and performance. Conyers said he knew having to develop a brand new team out of a conglomerate of kids would be difficult, so he focused most of his coaching energy on turning the team into a family. “The No. 1 thing that I was expecting from my team was F.A.M.I.L.Y.,” Conyers said. “This stands for Forget About Me I Love You. I want a family atmosphere both in my locker room and off the field.” That communal trust and hopefulness initiated by Conyers travelled not only into the football team, but also continued to circulate throughout the whole school. BHS sophomore football player Jerrion Nelson said the high school would not have been the same without Conyer’s spirit. “The Battle football team brought the whole school together,” Nelson said, “like a family. We weren’t thinking about anybody else or whether we had been Bruins or Kewpies last year. That feeling spread. Everybody on the Battle football team just wanted to play football.” While those family members at BHS work on strengthening new teams, classes and a student body as a whole, student athletes at RBHS were grinding away at practice. As the year progressed, RBHS athletes begin to prepare for big-time rivalry games against HHS, the pioneering Providence neighbor. But even though BHS, RBHS and HHS all have the same literal relationship–the three public high schools in Columbia–RBHS student attitudes toward BHS differ from those they have against HHS, particularly in terms of a sports rivalry. RBHS senior football players said they find BHS of as much of a rival because the school is so new. “This year, I didn’t see Battle as much of a rival,” said RBHS senior football wide-receiver and safety Zach Reuter. “The history between Rock Bridge and Hickman always makes [games between those two schools] a much bigger ordeal.” That relationship between the two schools has been around more than 30 years; HHS’s building

photo by Wynter Bresaw

The Annual Jamboree: RBHS football players started off their season in a three-way competition with Hickman High School and Battle High School on Aug. 23, 2013. was constructed in 1927, while RBHS was established in 1973. RBHS fellows mentor David Graham remembers attending RBHS from 1983-1986 and attended the first RBHS-HHS football game Nov. 11, 1981. “Hickman had always wanted to play Rock Bridge [in football],” Graham said, “but Rock Bridge had always said no because we were so much smaller and were afraid we were going to lose. But, then we won, seven to nothing. It was raining, cold, and Hickman was much better athletically, but we found a way to win.” Even though the two schools didn’t play each other in football again for another 15 years—the difference in the size of the schools put them in different divisions—it was the spirit of this monumental football game that fostered a rivalry for years to come. Current RBHS students think the introduction of a new public high school in 2013 was just so sudden that an authentic relationship between the three has yet to be established. “As of now, I don’t necessarily think Battle is as big of a rival as Hickman,” RBHS senior football safety and tailback Eli Stout said. “But, that is just because rivalries take time to develop. Since they’re so new, it will be a couple of years before a real rivalry is developed.” As those years go on, Conley is undoubtedly going to work on preparing his team to be even better

than they were this year. In fact, he even sees having this past year as a distinct advantage for years to come; since the team was only freshmen through juniors, he’s not losing a class of players. “This is the only time as a coach that I will be able to say that I return all of my players from the previous year,” Conyers said. “I expect great things in 2014.” Even coaches from RBHS expect milestones from BHS teams next year. For the 2013-2014 year, RBHS coaches said the rate at which BHS teams matured impressed them. The Bruins’ girls basketball coach Jill Nagel said Battle student athletes exceeded her already high expectations. “Even though this was Battle’s first year,” Nagel said, “the players were not new to Columbia. I feel this helped to expedite the process [of developing a team]. From what I have seen, all of their coaches have laid a strong foundation for each of their teams and taught the fundamentals of the sport.” Nagel is eager to see how the influential and progressive coaches and players at BHS grow throughout the next few years. She has noticed that ideals that BHS coaches such as Conyers are promoting among their teams family, teamwork and respect– are helping to build an even better student body. “The coaches understand [that] high school sports teach life lessons,” Nagel said. “Their programs only stand to become stronger.”

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Sports

RBHS coaches prepare for next year without aid of senior athletes

ALSO INSIDE Spring Sports District Previews

source: Bruinathletics.com and RBHS Flashback

“We’re going to go back to state,” said Leitao. “This time we’re not going to leave empty handax Preps Sports, a sports site for ed.” Leitao might get his confidence from the inCBS, has ranked RBHS at 11th in Missouri with an overall record of fluence of his coach A.J. Ofodile. After a terrific 8-6. The football team made it all the season making it to state and producing a handway to the state championship with a Cinderella ful of new, energetic players, he’s still hungry for run in the playoffs after barely even making it to more. “We have a strong team this year,” Ofodile the game. The girls basketball team squashed every team said. “I think we will do just as well as last year... Maybe even better.” in the playoffs after an Other RBHS athimpressive regular sealetic coaches have their son record of 27-3. In We have a strong own views on how their the final match for the team this year, and teams will do this upstate championship coming year without I think we will do they routed Lee Sumthis past year’s batch of mit North by a score of just as well as last seniors. Austin Reed, 62-45. year... Maybe even who is a civics teacher Even though RBHS better.” at RBHS, is an assishad a great year in athtant coach of the girls letics, now the senior A. J. Ofodile golf team. After an acstudent athletes are gohead football coach complished year on the ing off to college. That course, they have lost leaves RBHS a little bit less confident about being the best of the best some important seniors on the team. Reed said this upcoming year. Many of the seniors who are that even though these students will be gone, the graduating will continue to play their sport at a rest of the team can hold up, and he definitely sees a winning future for the athletes of next secollegiate level. The student athletes left behind that populate mester. Reed is confident for this year’s girls golf team, the teams have mixed views on the upcoming success of them and their teammates. Freshman but other sports also have concerns of their own. Reese Leitao experienced his first year on the Freshman Brian Baker, who is on the RBHS varRBHS football team this past year, playing for sity boys tennis team, talked about how the team both JV and varsity on the side. He went with the will do next year after a few seniors leave. Baker team to state, and even though they lost in a hard- holds a more apprehensive perspective; since he fought battle, he said he enjoyed spending time has played varsity, he knows this past year’s sewith the upperclassmen. Leitao said what he’s niors very well. “Three of our top six players are seniors and learned from this past year’s seniors has made leaving,” Baker said. “So I don’t really know how him both more excited and more prepared for we will do next year.” the years to come.

infographic by Rentata Williams

Michael Schauwecker

Closer

Look BASEBALL

The Bruins baseball team has won the district championship for the past five years. This year’s team, led by upperclassmen, hopes to make it six.

photo by R. Obermiller

TENNIS

The boys tennis team, having won the past 13 district titles, is on track to win the next district tournament with the help of key freshmen players Brian Baker and John Swift. photo by R. Obermiller

infographic by Tess Lovig, Sarah Kinney, and Alice Yu source: bruinathletics.com

SOCCER

The Lady Bruins soccer team is headed for the district tournament in Kansas City, hoping to beat out their top three rivals and bring home the district title. photo by R. Obermiller

Sports

Track preps for long trek through districts Jenna Liu

ith districts for track only two days away, the Bruins are gearing up for the first hurdle in the race toward the MSHSAA state competition, the conclusion of their 2014

season. At last year’s district meet, the girls’ team clinched their first district title in school history, and Neal Blackburn, the coach for track and field, has high hopes his team can repeat this feat once more, with the goal of bringing back district championships for both the girls’ and boys’ teams. “We’re really excited about the prospects of what we think we can do for the district meet,” Blackburn said. “We expect to vie for district championships [on] both the boys’ and the girls’ side.” Blackburn said the track team has done well this past season and he hopes they can continue this pattern of success into districts. In particular, he singled out the girls’ team for their range across the board with regard to the various events track and field consists of. “From jumpers to throwers, sprinters and distance, we do believe that we’re extremely well-rounded,” Blackburn said. Of this versatile team, senior Madison Wipfler is currently ranked first across Missouri in the triple jump, according to mo.milesplit.com, after she broke the season record with a jump of 38 feet 7.5 inches at the Joe Falcon Invitational in early May. “As a jumper it’s very hard to improve your distance drastically, so when I jumped 38 feet, it was very rewarding,” Wipfler said. “I’m trying to break the school record of 39 feet 1 inch, and I’m hoping to improve from that going into districts.” Wipfler’s teammate, sophomore Ana Ramirez, has participated in RBHS track and field since freshman year, and is already making strides despite her relatively short time with the team. Ramirez, who runs the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter dash in addition to two relays, hopes to continue improving in time for districts. “Every meet I’ve been getting better, even if just by a few seconds,” Ramirez said. “I’ve been working hard and all my training has been showing through my competition.” The girls’ high caliber is imperative as they prepare to face off against Jefferson City High School, which Blackburn named as the Bruins’ main rival at the district competition. With the girls looking strong, attention turns toward the boys’ team, who Blackburn said will rely heavily on seniors Evan Schulte, Zach Cook and Luke Darrough to contribute the weight of the points and push the boys to a district title. Cook and Schulte competed in cross country together last fall and have both signed on to run for the University

of Missouri as freshmen next year. As this will be their last high school district track competition, Schulte said the intensity of practice has increased with the opportunity to take home their third district championship. “Times are faster in workouts, and practices are a lot more serious because it’s a win or lose situation,” Schulte said. “If you don’t get top four, then you don’t go on [to sectionals].” Cook echoed Schulte’s words and said the team’s preparation for districts began with them shaking up the way they run during practice. “We are beginning phase four in training where we are running faster practices on the track as opposed to the longer bulk mileage and training we have been doing,” Cook said. “Our times should start to drop as the season progresses, and I think our team is really set up for a strong post-season.” With the demanding presence of track and field practice at the forefront of these athletes’ minds, the seniors must also prepare to bid farewell to RBHS and the man they have called “Coach” for the past four years. “It’s kind of weird to think about it being my last year,” Schulte said. “It’s gonna be hard to leave because there are very few, if any, coaches like Blackburn, and I couldn’t ask for better teammates.” Wipfler repeated these sentiments and named her coaches and teammates as the foundation of her love and commitment to the RBHS track and field program. “I can truly say I have never met more dedicated athletes and coaches before, and I’m honored to be a part of a team so inspiring,” Wipfler said. For Cook’s last run at districts, he said he is hoping to close out his high school career by competing at state with Schulte, Connor Crabtree, and Luke Walters, the four of whom made school history by all hitting a district qualifying time during the regular season. “We have four of the top eight two mile times in the state,” Cook said. “We are all seniors, and as we prepare for these next five weeks, I know each of us couldn’t see a better ending to high school than representing Rock Bridge at the state championships.” Blackburn said while the team is focused on preparing for districts, the reality of saying goodbye to the seniors he has mentored for years continues to weigh on his mind. “I think it always just hits us after their final events at the state championships, and kind of those last embraces, and you realize that everything we’ve worked for over the last four years, that’s the culminating moment, and we always kind of get hit with all the emotions, and it definitely is pretty tough,” Blackburn said. “I just hope that we rise to the occasion, have one of our better performances of the season, and just kind of fight, claw our way to the title, and just really relying on one another and encouraging one another throughout that day.”

To the finish: Sop

Boys’ tennis aims to continue winning streak at upcoming district championships John Flanegin

he “Loeb Dynasty,” a nickname synonymous with the RBHS boys’ tennis team, is a lasting title for the Bruins, who have won the past 13 district titles and a state championship four out of the past six years. Much of the Bruins success has come under the direction of head coach Ben Loeb for the past 10 years. “Last year a baseball player [Jansen Smith] used the moniker as a hashtag on Twitter,” senior Nate Horvit said, “it took off from there.” But Loeb would rather the nickname refer to the team. “I have never heard anyone refer to it as that. My preference is for them to refer to it as the Bruin Dynasty,” Loeb said. “It’s a ‘we’ thing for our team or any team to be successful.” The Bruins, 14-1, have lived up to their title

and haven’t disappointed, their only loss com- part of our success this season. Brian Baker ing from Edwardsville, IL. After a dominating has come into his own. He is not only a stuvictory over the Hickman Kewpies April 24, dent council rep but also a beast on the court,” the Bruins remain hungry for success. Loeb said. “He has grown a lot in what he has The team has been helped by freshmen delivered for our team during the season espeBrian Baker and John Swift. Swift was keen cially in doubles. Johnny Boy [John Swift] has made our team better. on playing a large role There’s always a little He has been willing to in the team this year after watching his brother, something extra when make some adjustments Billy Swift play the past have provided diviwe play our rivals so that four years for the Bruins. dends for himself and we’re excited for the the team. Now it’s their “We [Swift and Baker] have not viewed it as turn to be part of it, and challenge.” we’re freshmen, and it’s they are both totally into Nate Horvit it. I love that and more harder for us because we Senior are younger and not as about them.” The dynasty has experienced,” Swift said. “We try to go out there and just play hard, and earned the number one overall seed and will we expect to have a chance to win.” take on Camdenton, Smith-Cotton, Helias, Loeb thinks highly of both players and is Hickman and Jefferson City in the District 9 excited about their future. district tournament beginning May 12. After “I think they have both been a valuable 14 years of success, the team is determined

not to settle for anything less than another championship. “We’re undefeated in district play, so we’re confident going in to the tournament,” Horvit said. “There’s always a little something extra when we play our rivals so we’re excited for the challenge and ready to take care of business.” Swift has been aided by the help of his older teammates. “Having three seniors on the team has helped a lot,” Swift said. “They bring experience with them you just don’t have as a freshman.” Loeb knows the field of teams will be gunning for the Bruins just as he has in years past. “I think Hickman will be our toughest opponent,” Loeb said, “though Jefferson City can’t be dismissed.” Should the “Loeb Dynasty” 14-peat, they will move on to sectionals where a win would allow them to participate in the state tournament beginning May 29.

photo by Catherine Howser

Swift stroke: RBHS freshman tennis player John Swift displays an impressive backhand shot. The Bruins played at home against Park Hill at Bethel Park May 1.

For the fences: Junio

photo by Randi Obermiller

Sports

photo by Randi Obermiller

Senior Haleigh Fancher (16) and junior Katie Cook (20) attempt to intercept the ball from opposing Smith-Cotton. The Bruins defeated the Tigers May 6 with a final score of 4-2.

After defeat in 2013, girls’ soccer looks to reclaim district title in 2014 John Flanegin

phomore Ana Ramirez runs the open 400 meters. Ramirez runs in the Missouri Relays at Walton Stadium. photo by Randi Obermiller

or Eric Kuse swings at a pitch against Kirksville. The Bruins played at Kirksville High School on May 5.

fter taking home the district championship for three straight years, the RBHS girls’ soccer team faced disappointment and heartbreak in 2013 when the girls failed to make it to the state tournament. The 2014 Bruins have one goal this year, reclaim the district title, and make a run at hoisting the Class 3 state championship trophy. “We want it more than anything this year,” senior mid fielder Alexus Carson said. “Our team has been doubted all season, and we are going to prove ourselves once district play starts.” The Bruins (9-11), coached by Gary Drewing II, are ranked 13th out of 74 in their class by maxpreps.com. The team is confident in its chances and hope to knock off District 9 opponents, SmithCotton, Blue Springs South and crosstown rival Hickman High School. The Bruins have secured key victories over all three teams and also beat the Kewpies 2-0 on April 16. “Regardless of the matchup, they will all be very good, competitive games. But, if I had to choose one, I would most likely choose Hickman,”

Carson said. “There is always a lot of emotion in the rivalry, and anything can happen.” The Lady Bruins are an experienced team with 14 out of 20 of the varsity players being upperclassmen. “Most of the upperclassmen have been through a few playoff runs now,” Drewing said, ‘They know what to expect and can assist the less experienced players with dealing with the differences of playoff soccer.” Many of the younger players look up to the veterans and seek guidance and advice. “The upperclassmen generally have more experience than me because of age,” sophomore defender Ronni Farid said. “I respect their intuition. They have helped me be much more confident.” The players are keeping an eye on their prize and look to return the district trophy back to the hallways of RBHS beginning May 19 on the road to Blue Springs. “By playing the way we have been, and playing a full game to our maximum potential, we should be able to do very well,” Carson said. If the Bruins retain their crown as the queens of the district, they will move on to compete in the state sectionals beginning May 27.

Experience will be key for baseball team heading into districts John Flanegin

xperience is a factor of success on the baseball diamond, and has helped the Bruins baseball team continue to be the kings of District 9. More than 90 percent of players on the Bruins’ varsity roster are upperclassmen, and already tasted success in the district tournament, having taken home the championship since 2009 every year except 2011. The second seeded Bruins will begin the first round of the tournament May 16th against seventh seed Camdenton on the Rock Bridge field. Much of the team believes experience will play a key role in winning it all. “It helps the whole team out knowing you have players that have been in this position before,” junior pitcher Adam Lafferty said. “It’s nice knowing we are going into the tournament with such great leaders.” The Bruins (16-12) coached by Justin Towe are ranked 40th in the Class 5 state rankings by maxpreps.com, and played some of the best teams in the State the past couple weeks, including district rival and powerhouse Jefferson City. The team has attained vast contributions from juniors Joe Barbee and Chandler Wyatt. Barbee, who is currently benched with a foot injury, is a speedster who plays right field. Barbee amassed 20 stolen bases for a school record in 2013, and the Bruins hope he can make a swift recovery before the tournament in order to make catchers and pitchers alike wary of his speed. Wyatt, a pitcher, proved to be a valuable asset in 2013 posting an 8-2 record as a sophomore. Wyatt possesses a good commanding changeup and curveball and often confuses batters with these off-speed pitches. The Bruins are comfortable and feel no pressure to repeat as champions. “I don’t know if there’s any added pressure,” Towe said, “I think it’s more the fear of losing since winning is almost an expectation now.” The Bruins will take on six teams in the district tournament, including Helias and Jefferson City and fellow Columbia high schools, Battle and Hickman. “Every team is tough in the district, but Jeff City has been really good and earned the one seed,” Towe said. “They will be a hard team to beat.” If they win their sixth straight district title, the Bruins will take on the District 10 champions on May 27 in the Class 5 state tournament.

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ALSO INSIDE Commentary: Perpetuation of gender roles

Showcase ends year

RBHS theater career over for seniors Karina Kitchen

usical theatre and advanced acting students entertained audiences with their annual Theatrical Showcase on Friday and Saturday night. Based on the Tony Awards, the showcase included scenes from eight different plays and musicals, all of which won or were nominated for a Tony Award. Seniors Tateonna Thompson and Piper Stretz emceed the event to complete the vibe of an awards show. Thompson, an active theatre participant since her eighth grade year at West Junior High School, thought that having emcees helped the audience better connect with the performances. “My role as an emcee was to introduce the numbers as they came along and provide comic relief to the more serious numbers,” Thompson said. “I think it helps the audience to...have a more laidback experience, like they don’t have to take so much into account themselves. We’re handing it to them a little bit more.” The audience needed the direction of emcees, as no scene was alike. Scenes ranged anywhere from serious dramas to cutesy dance numbers to an 80’s rock number that concluded the event. “We just kind of went back and forth from fun, to funny, to serious. It was all over the map,” Thompson said. “I think we had something for everyone.” Shows included Kinky Boots, Crimes of the Heart,

A Chorus Line, Avenue Q, Guys and Dolls, Next to Normal, The Odd Couple and Rock of Ages.

For seniors, the showcase marked their last theatrical performance on the Rock Bridge stage. It was senior Maddie Phillips’ third and final Theatrical Showcase at RBHS. “It was really fun and sad at the same time,” Phillips said. “It was a good ending ... because the show was really fun to do and ... a lot of my good friends were in it, so it was fun to go out with them, too. I have loved every minute I’ve spent on that stage.” And not only was it the seniors’ last big hurrah, but it was also acting teacher Mary Margaret Coffield’s last show. After serving at Rock Bridge for 11 years, she retires at the end of this school year. “I can honestly say I have enjoyed every play I have done at RBHS,” Coffield said in an email interview. “I know some have been more successful than others, but I think in each case, students learned skills and developed significant relationships, and I hope, positive memories. Our job is to help students develop their skills in theater and, I also think, their skills in living life with confidence, creativity and generosity. The Showcase we just completed is a fine example of what I am talking about. I imagine every student involved can describe positive learning for herself or himself. I witnessed each piece in the showcase grow in its performance value during our days of preparation, and even during performance nights. Ending with this Showcase was a great experience for me because I love the collaboration it represents, and I loved the preparation of the non-musical scenes with my advanced acting students.”

1. The cast of Avenue Q sings “It Sucks to be Me” at the end of the first act. The musical Avenue Q is performed with hand puppets alongside human actors. 2. Adelaide, played by freshman Sarah Merrifield, and the Hot Box dancers sing and dance to the song “Bushel and a Peck” from the musical Guys and Dolls. 3. Senior Gabby Galarza, playing Lenny, chases senior Crystalyn Wyatt, playing Chick, with a broom in a scene from the play, Crimes of the Heart.

photo by Newell Kitchen

photo by Morgan Berk

photo by Abby Kempf

4. Senior Jon Crader and choir director Mike Pierson perform a variation of “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Kiss Me Kate to honor acting teacher Mary Margaret Coffield at her last show at photo by Morgan Berk RBHS. 5. Junior Raychel Mooney and senior Casie Levy react to junior Leslie Walker’s performance in an all-female version of The Odd Couple. In the show, a recently divorced woman moves in with Olive and turns her life upside down with her crazy and obsessive tendencies. 6. Senior Megan Kelly and the other musical theatre students start the show by performing an upbeat number, “Raise You Up/Just Be,” from the musical Kinky Boots.

photo by Abby Kempf

Editorials

A life for a life: unacceptable judicial policy Jenna Liu

layton Lockett lay restrained on a steel gurney as a lethal, threedrug cocktail made its way through his system, two weeks ago. This was supposed to be Lockett’s execution, the sentence he received for his role in the rape and murder of a 19-year-old girl. Instead, his body writhed and convulsed as he fought against the straps holding him down. Those watching in the viewing area realized there was a problem, and the Oklahoma corrections officers quickly drew the curtain down, shielding Lockett’s thrashing torso. Clayton Lockett did eventually die that day but of a massive heart attack 43 minutes after the lethal injection first entered his body. Lockett’s death reignited debate about the death penalty and brought the social spotlight back onto an issue that has worked its harm with the protection of indifference. Many people such as Fox News anchor Eric Bolling expressed support for the death penalty, with Bolling saying he had “no sympathy” for Lockett. Bolling and other death penalty supporters are entitled to their opinion. It is just not acceptable for the United States to allow this desire for retribution to drive judicial policy. The purpose of the U.S. justice system is to reduce the amount of crime. The death penalty accomplishes this goal like alcohol extinguishes a raging fire. In other words, it doesn’t. There is even evidence of an opposite effect, with statistics showing that non-death penalty states consistently produce lower murder rates than states that utilize the death penalty, according to Amnesty International. What this archaic practice does is continue a vicious cycle of crime and punishment much too extreme for a country that proudly celebrates a yearly holiday dedicated to freedom and democracy. Retribution has no place in our justice system, which is supposedly grounded in principles of impartiality and objectivity. The subjectiveness of the death penalty is especially concerning, as there are no comprehensive guidelines regarding its use. The Supreme Court has simply ruled that the death penalty must only

be used when the punishment fits the crime, but how can we as a society determine what crimes are worthy of death? The answer is we cannot, and therein lies the innate flaw of the death penalty. Yes, there are individuals on death row who have committed horrible, stomach-wrenching crimes that make us wonder about how humanity can become so poisoned. From parents murdering their own children, to massacres in schools and places of worship, we are constantly exposed to instances of cruelty and violence. The real issue is how we respond, and in the last few decades, we have responded with irresponsible revenge. Are these horrific crimes committed by evil people with no hope for redemption? Maybe. Do they deserve to die? Perhaps. Does the United States govern-

ment have the ability to make that decision? Never. The death penalty presents a multitude of issues for the United States, beginning with its excessive financial cost. As the United States still has some modicum of judicial responsibility, there is an appeals process that must occur before we can legally kill a person. On average, this process takes upward of a decade, which results in countless dollars being thrown around as the United States goes above and beyond in their quest to take a human life. In Texas alone, the cost of a single death penalty case is $2.3 million, which is three times the amount it would cost to lock a prisoner up for 40 years in a maximum security cell. As well, Kansas death penalty trials run up totals over four times more

than cases where the death penalty is not involved. These cases run up such exorbitant expenses because of the complex procedures the state must follow. The Supreme Court has decreed that all cases involving the death penalty require a minimum of two defense attorneys who have previous experience with death penalty cases to represent the defendant. In situations where the accused can only afford a public defender, pre-trial proceedings drag on as the state tries to find lawyers who can meet these stringent requirements, which ultimately runs up the total cost of the case. The appeals process also takes up to twice as long as other murder cases because of the increased scrutiny these cases necessitate. All of this is supposed to keep the system honest and save inno-

cents from a government that is meant to be the ultimate arbitrator of what constitutes justice. Yet 140 people on death row have been exonerated in the last 40 years alone, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Ten more have been executed despite strong evidence pointing to their innocence, including Ruben Cantu, who was only 17 when he was charged with killing a man during a robbery attempt. The only eyewitness against him later recanted his testimony, but not in time to prevent Cantu’s execution in 1993. A conviction that never should have occurred resulted in a punishment that never should have existed. We Americans hold ourselves up as beacons of freedom and democracy, yet we are the only G7 nation to still impose the death penalty and are in the

Sexual double standards stifle women Kate Byars

hether through subtle signals sent through media or outright lecturing from parents, women learn from early ages that expressing sexuality makes them unwanted or impure. Regardless of how progressive and empowered many women are, females are often still seen as lesser than men. This causes inequalities that are so common they are normalized in society. Mary Crawford, a professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut said the idea of differences based on gender alone are ingrained so that many people play into the stereotypes of gender roles without even realizing what they are doing. This negative connotation leads women to believe they have less sexual freedom than men because of how others will treat them. When a woman is promiscuous, she is harshly criticized. When a man is promiscuous, he is praised for being desirable. Crawford claims this is because society inherently gives male impulses more value, so they do not receive the same level of criticism as women do. Margaret Gentry of the Hamilton College Women’s studies department asserts that societal-based standards of morality, such as the presumption that a woman is less desirable if she doesn’t remain a virgin, presents

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a strain on women to resist in order to fit the mold presented by society. This causes women to feel disconnected from their own desires, making it hard for them to know what they want and need. Disconnection can create an inability in women to comprehend their sexuality. When women’s own desires clash with the internalized stigma associated with female sexuality, many women learn to feel like desire equates to immorality. In Milhausen and Herold’s 1999 study for the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 95 percent of participants said it is definitely or probably more acceptable for men to have premarital sex than it is for females, and 93 percent agreed women with many sexual partners are more harshly judged than their male counterparts. In the Praeger Guide to the Psychology of Gender, Michele Paludi asserts the impact of sexual double standards is the struggle of women to confine ourselves to the role of virginal piety when we do not always fit. Ignoring and denying the validity of natural desires can set women up to be taken advantage of or to feel as if their bodies do not belong to them. This need to fit into an inflexible mold of how a woman should act warps ideals into an unnecessarily strict viewpoint. Paludi says understanding female bodies and how they truly feel about their own

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The Rock

Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 41, Issue 6 Publication: The Journalism Newspaper class produces The Rock at Rock Bridge High School, located at 4303 South

company of countries such as China and Iran with regards to the number of people we put to death per year. According to Simon Rogers and Mona Chalabi of The Guardian, from 2007 to 2012, the United States executed more people than North Korea. As a supposedly “progressive” nation, we have carried out more state sanctioned killings than a country that has been condemned yearly by Amnesty International for “continuing systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights.” We are so quick to point fingers at other nations without first examining ourselves. Since 1976, the death penalty has taken the lives of 1,373 individuals in the United States. These killings were under the guise of “justice,” a word that has become increasingly confused with “revenge.” Let us look at the problems we have at home and take some sort of action attempting to fix them before we rush off to join this year’s equivalent of Kony 2012. From volunteering at organizations such as Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP), to simply writing a letter to a local congressman, there is always something that can be done to minimize resulting injustices and work towards eliminating the death penalty. Perhaps the most important aspect of this battle is education. For the past three decades, the death penalty has continued to work under the radar, only occasionally raising substantial protest that took hold. Simply exposing the inherent damage it causes to our justice system with its excessive financial costs and irreparable wrongful executions is a step towards its eventually public censure and abolishment. High schoolers are often portrayed as selfish, ignorant children by books, the media and perhaps even ourselves. Here is a chance to change that, a chance to show society that teenagers do care and can be vehicles for change. Collectively, we have the opportunity to transform from a society that condemns murder with murder to one that fulfills those principles of democracy we hold so dear. Let us live up to those words inscribed on the Seal of the United States: E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.

art by Riley Martin

sexuality is an important facet of growing as a person. Without this personal discovery, women can age with skewed ideals, causing important decisions about themselves to be extremely difficult to make. To create a world where the values and sexual decisions of every single girl is appreciated and respected as own her choice, changes must be made in the essential feelings of contempt that many people in society have toward women and their sexualities. Schools, media and social pressure must erase the negative connotation to sexual freedom. Women must be viewed in whole as who they are, not as the personal choices they make. Without a conscious effort to remember that sexuality belongs to each individual, their own socially ingrained perceptions of what girls can and cannot be in the world harms everyone. The path to equality starts with the individual and spreads to encompass the whole of society. With parents teaching children from an early age that women’s bodies belong to no one but themselves and that the choices we make regarding sexuality do not affect their worth as a person, the problem can be overcome. Each individual must realize his or her own shortcomings when it comes to equality and work to understand and combat the double standards plaguing society.

Providence Road, Columbia, Mo. 65203 The Journalism: Newspaper and Honors Seminar classes produce The Rock, Bearing News and Southpaw. Call us with comments at 573-214-3141, or email us at contactus@ bearingnews.org The paper’s purpose is to accurately inform, edu-

cate and enlighten readers in an open forum. The Rock is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Quill & Scroll. Advertising is $50 for a quarter page, $100 for a half page and $150 for a whole page. Editors: Abdul-Rahman

Abdul-Kafi, Luke Chval, Emily Franke, Madi Mertz, Sam Mitten, Graham Ratermann, Josh Ripley, Harsh Singh, Brett Stover, Derek Wang, Renata Williams, Sophie Whyte Artists: Alex Carranza, Maddy Mueller, Hannah Flannigan, Riley Martin Photographer: Mikaela Acton, Caylea Erickson,

art by Caylea Erickson

Randi Obermiller, Rachel Forrest, Devesh Kumar, Tylee Schnake Staff writers: Rachel Brooke, Kate Byars, Christal Carcedo, Samuel Clubb, Dajannae Coleman, Caylea Erickson, John Flanegin, Sean Garfias, Ronel Ghidey, Melina Griner, Abigail Kempf, Sarah Kinney, Karina Kitchen,

Devesh Kumar, Jimin Lee, Jane Little, Jenna Liu, Tess Lovig, Riley Martin, Alexis Mejias, Paige Rapisarda, Jasmine Richardson, Michael Schauwecker, Nicole Schroeder, Molly Sparkes, Logan Stichter, Ashley Tanner, Emily Unterschutz, Grace Vance, Tylee Williams-Schnake, Breana Williamson, Alice Yu

Commentary

Boys can play with Barbies, too Abby Kempf

ver since I was a little kid, tottering around in pink overalls and my favorite purple baseball cap, I have hated my mother’s comments about what boys and girls should do differently. She enrolled me in dance classes at Columbia Performing Arts Center, better known as CPAC. While I loved the experience and enjoyed getting all dolled up in swishy ballet skirts and putting on red lipstick at the ripe age of four, I wanted to do other things, too. My mother allowed me to play sports; she wasn’t that old-fashioned. I played tee-ball, softball, soccer and basketball. I loved playing sports, even though my limited athletic abilities rendered me one of the worst players on every team. My parents enrolled my little brother in baseball. When he was young, he had fun competing with his classmates, but as he got older he wanted to do other things. Like me, sports were not his knack. However, my parents, specifically my mom, wanted him to continue participating in sports “because boys should be athletic.” My brother has always been highly intelligent. He aces every test without studying. He has the ability to debate his way out of any situation with superior logic and without getting worked up. He can solve a math problem before most people understand how to begin to work it. But what mattered to my mom was his involvement in sports, something that did not play to his strengths. In American culture we are

progressive. Women are permitted to work any job men can, wear what they want, and hold public office. But that is not to say we are completely equal yet. Men make more money working at the same job as women. Women are called derogatory names for wearing the clothes they may want to wear. Women are still less prevalent in government than men. Women are expected to do one thing, and men another. A man who doesn’t assert himself as powerful is feminine and a woman who desires to manage others is bossy and rude. We divide boys and girls into two separate categories as soon as they begin to crawl. Girls play with Barbie dolls, glitter and baby dolls. Boys play with army men, trucks and toy cars. There has been a surge of parents lately who believe their children will grow up to be homosexual if they desire to play with toys that are most often associated with the opposite gender. These worried parents forbid their children to play with dolls, confining them to the rugged toys that society deems normal for males to enjoy. Some parents even go to doctors and physiotherapists, begging them to keep their children from becoming gay. This notion is completely ridiculous. I know plenty of boys who, as children, preferred Barbie dolls to tanks. They didn’t all grow up to be gay. When a child reaches for a toy, it has nothing to do with his/her future sexual orientation or their manliness or femininity. Biologically, of course women and men are different. But why does that have to mean that we act as if we come from different

Art by Riley Martin

species? We can still connect as human beings, and we can participate in the same activities without this being a source of worry for parents or friends. Whenever I talk about gender roles with some of my male friends, they dismiss my comments as silly feminism. They say

feminists have been retaliating against men for years of unfairness that were in the past and irrelevant to modern society. I don’t want to “get back” at men. I’m not even saying men are the root of this problem, because just as many women perpetuate the problem of gender roles

as men; take my mother for example. Just a couple nights ago my dad told me he would teach me how to change a tire on my car, and my mom dismissed him saying, “You’re a girl; you don’t need to learn how to do that. That is a man’s job.”

It’s sad that daily chores are socially limited to one gender or the other. We all live on the same planet and, even if we do not realize it, many of us have the same goals. It would be a lot easier to reach these goals if we worked as a unit, not two completely separate entities.

Discrimination against different races affects students Tylee Schnake

remarked dryly to my friend as we walked past the bench filled with dark skinned teens. “Lo and behold Africa.” Seeing anyone who is a different race than black in that spot is an uncommon sight. I had already passed Asia, where a group of Asians sat, and I couldn’t help but glance at the bench where all the preppy white people sat. RBHS seems to be color coded; I never really thought much about it until one day in Physics, two boys, I will call them John and Jacob, continued to remind me. We had new assigned seats that day so I sat with someone different. Jacob could be nice, but he had this rude edge that annoyed people. He had absolutely no filter and said what was on his mind. I sat at my desk and got out my binder to start working on my warm up. I scribbled away the simplest answers on the topic of forces when my new seat partner came in. “Sup, Tylee.” He grumbled as he reached into his bag and got out his binder. I muttered a greeting and waited for class to start. Jacob and I had shared a couple jokes and we became comfortable with throwing more extreme taunts at each other. It was when I ridiculed him for measuring something incorrectly he said, “N-----!” He then let out a laugh. Mortified I stared at him. I had never been called the N word in my entire life. I am mixed: black father, white mother. I don’t consider myself black or white. I had heard black people joke around and call each other that but never had I been called such a word. N----- had to be the one of the worst words ever. Knowing he was probably kidding, I decided to laugh it off as well as I could. “I’m mixed.” I had to force the laugh out as I controlled my temper. I never minded that word before but being called that wounded my pride. I was proud to be mixed and being called a N----- bothered me. Jacob didn’t seem to take the hint that I disliked the word whatsoever as he merely shrugged. I decided to ignore that he used the N word and continued to work. I threw out a taunt at the boy about his writing abilities. Suddenly a ruler slapped down on my arm, and I jumped at the sudden stinging sensation. “Don’t make me send you back to the fields, slave!” He said in a deep voice, trying to sound intimidating. “Careful, she might mess up her weave!” My friend John chimed in. I scowled at both of them. “Cut it out!” I snapped. Jacob smirked and brought the ruler down on

my arm again. I attempted to smack his arm away but missed and hit the ruler, making it snap in half. There was silence, and my eyes widened as I looked at the broken ruler. Jacob burst out laughing and I could only laugh quietly along. But the laugh was only in relief because the broken ruler seemed to distract the boy from my skin color. The next time in class, I walked in with numerous things I had thought of to say to Jacob if he wanted to bring up my color again. White trash, cracker, etc. I sat down with my head held high, ready to fight fire with fire. But as more people filed into the room my resolve began to break. How could I possibly stoop to the level of using racial slurs as Jacob had? That would make me no better than he was. Not to mention I was half white. What would my mother think of me being so disrespectful when she was white as well? I felt ashamed. In the midst of my anger I had not thought of anything else but defending myself and proving I was mixed. I was not black, and I did not think the word was appropriate to call anyone. That day, I suffered in silence as he continued making racial slurs about me going to the fields and working as a slave. Even going so far as to threaten to sell me. After another hour of the mental abuse, the bell rang. I was, however, proud that I didn’t try to verbally fight back with the choice words I had thought of using. After the class I went to tell my friends about it. Many laughed it off. “Oh he’s kidding! He calls a lot of people N-----!” As they explained, I only looked

at them in disbelief. When I told one of my closest friends about the ordeal, she laughed, as well. “He’s Jacob! You get used to it!” She obviously didn’t see how upset I was, which irritated me further. I never looked at her the same after that. Maybe I took my bitterness with her a bit far as I could only muster a glare before stalking away. I would not have ever let someone talk to her like that. I wouldn’t have laughed at all if someone made fun of her for her skin color. When I told my friend, Ojurere about it, I was relieved that she was bothered as well, “That’s not OK! That’s so racist!” She ranted before consoling me about it. I felt better; it was nice to know one of my friends did not think that the entire situation was hilarious. As the problem escalated in Physics my self-confidence decreased to the point where I despised being mixed. I wanted to be white so they would leave me alone, no longer proud of being the way God had made me. Every time I had Physics, I came home in a bad mood. I was angry all the time and would start to argue back with Jacob and John telling them to leave me alone. They never listened. I then began to close myself off. The name calling went on for weeks, calling me N-----, slave, d---, stupid and so many more names. My mom continued to ask me what was wrong when I came home from school but I waved her off so as not to worry her about personal problems. She kept asking me what was wrong and got to the point of begging. I finally cracked. I spilled everything, about the racial slurs, being bullied about my skin color,

and even partaking in the racism. I was not innocent either, I saw my name calling as self-defense at the time but it was wrong and I knew it. I watched as my mother’s facial expressions drastically changed from worried, to shocked, to sad, to angry. Her blue eyes filled with indignation, and her jaw clenched as she listened. After I let everything out, I felt drained. My mom wrapped me in a hug, and I rested my head on her shoulder as I fought tears. My shoulders slumped, my head was lowered, and I no longer held the confidence I used to always walk around with. My constant enthusiasm and optimism had dwindled. I hated school, I hated everything about it, and I would snap at people more frequently and was soon convinced I was on my own. I tried remaining perky. Even taunt-less days were not joyful for me anymore. I became depressed and vividly daydreamed of those two finally leaving me alone or falling off a cliff. The thought of them treating me nicely seemed so unbelievably farfetched that I had a better chance of making the boys basketball team. My mother rubbed my back saying, “It’ll be OK Tylee. Let me pray for you.” She murmured before closing her eyes and began to pray. I looked at my mother in admiration. I had turned my back on everyone and been rude to her yet here she was trying to help me get over this. I loved my mom so much, and I knew that she loved me too. I did not know how she could possibly put up with me for this, but I loved her even more for doing so. My mom prayed to God so that I could get through. I felt renewed hope. Why should I care what Jacob and

Feature photo by Tylee Schnake

John thought? My mom prayed I would realize how beautiful I was and that so many people loved me. It brought even more tears to my eyes but they were tears of happiness. She pulled away, and I smiled up at her. “Thanks, Mom,” I said gratefully. When I went home with her that day it was my father who brought up my selfesteem. He first told me that fighting by using racial slurs was wrong, and I agreed, but he talked to me about what to do about it. Without my mom and dad, I would have kept being soaked in self-loathing. I was so happy to have them that night. I thanked God for them and felt excited about the next day of school. At school , Mr. Gabel moved the assigned seats. Jacob still sat relatively close but this time when I walked in I felt confident again. “What’s up, slave?” John asked as he passed my desk, a smug smile on his lips. I managed to ignore him and Jacob the entire day. It was easier since I no longer sat too close to them. Jacob taunted me about being “black,” but I remained quiet. Throughout the class I focused on my mother’s words and felt a surge of even more confidence. They were probably just jealous they were not mixed, I thought. I felt happier than I had in a long time. I was no longer ashamed to be mixed. Things after that day got better; John apologized. I forgave him and we resumed our friendship. Jacob never did apologize. I don’t know if it was stubbornness or ignorance, but I ignore him to this day as he makes racial comments. I was happy being mixed, and if he wanted to call me a N----- he could. Ojurere reminded me we all bleed blood and that we all originated from Africa. I’m thankful for my supportive friends and family members who continued to pick me up when I would get down about my color. Underneath black, white, yellow and brown is blood and bones. We’re humans, and we are silly for thinking differently. Any person of any color put under an X-ray will look the same underneath as a different colored person. RBHS is indeed color coded and their cliques mostly consist of people of the same race. Maybe if we came to the conclusion that race is literally skin deep then our school could mix more. If we mixed more then we’d be able to get over our stereotypical thoughts that we have about others. We would be stronger as a school if different races combined and if we got to know each other better, we could understand different cultures and different religions better.

In-Depths

Seniors reminisce

Graduating students celebrate high school memories Abby Kempf

s events stand out from the millions of other events people have experienced, their brains record the moment as their neurons code the sights and feelings they take in, allowing them to recall the event in the future. Later they might desire to re-experience these stored memories. Their brain kicks into gear, relaying the long strings of neural patterns. Scientists call this phenomenon the act of recalling, but laymen commonly refer to it as remembering. When senior Whitney Cravens reaches into the crevices of her brain’s memory center to retrieve the senior prank pulled at RBHS, her brain replays some of her favorite neural patterns. “During my sophomore year there was a senior prank that was pulled. It was the bike, walk and wheel week, and they made it bike, walk and ride day. They brought a bunch of scooters and bikes and wheeled vehicles, and they were all just riding around the school,” Cravens said. “There was even a car, and none of the administration cared, and everyone was just having fun at Rock Bridge.” Cravens said she loves the laid-back nature of RBHS and the faculty’s desire for all the students to have a fun, meaningful high school experience. This lifestyle has allowed Cravens to relish her time in high school and share boisterous moments with her classmates. “For Golden Cow when we did try-outs and the people that ended up winning, the Milk-men, when they tried out we were very apprehensive of their performance because it was kind of ‘dirty’ and all that,” Cravens said. “But they ended up just killing the competition. It was so much fun to see them perform, and they got to do it in the assembly, too. It was just kind of cool that Rock Bridge let them do that at the assembly.” RBHS is known for the talented and outgoing students who are not afraid to get up on stage, like the Milk-men. Senior Hannah Sage, who is one such student, has been a member of the Satin n’ Lace Show Choir for the past two years and was a tech her sophomore year. Sage said she will always remember show choir competitions filled with makeup, frilly costumes and, in the end, tears. “One of the memories I think I am always going to have with me is my last Show Choir performance. Right after my show, before City Lights went on, we had some time between the shows,” Sage said. “My best friend Jon and I just kind of stood back stage while everybody else was talking and discussing the performance. He sang one of my favorite songs and just held my hand while I cried for a while, and it was really great because I don’t know what I would have done if I had never met him through Show Choir.” Not only are the performing arts at RBHS distinguished, but the sports’ programs also have legacies to uphold. One team that continually competes well is the cross country team. Senior Evan Schulte, a varsity long distance runner, watched his team stomach losses and revel in astounding wins. “With about 1k left, someone said Caleb was winning, and at that point I knew we could win. And after the race hearing Blackburn tell us we won was an indescribable feeling for all of us. We were ranked number one the whole season and many people thought we were the best team the state had,” Schulte said. “The pressure was on us the whole season, so it was a huge weight off of our shoulders knowing that we had accomplished a goal that we’ve had for a long time. All seven of us [varsity cross country boys] were really close, and it’s a memory that we will share for the rest of our lives.” Friends are what truly make the high school experience unforgettable. Whether students met their best friends on the field, singing, or at a schoolwide event, each student connected with someone who made their high school experience a little sweeter. Leaving friends and family and venturing into a world full of uncertainties is hard for everyone, some more than others. While Cravens treasures her memories of RBHS, she is eager to make new memories at the University of Alabama. “The hardest part is going to be not knowing anybody when I get there, and I can’t just drive home anytime I want. The University of Alabama is 11 hours away, so it’s going to be impossible to just make weekend trips,” Cravens said. “I am going to miss the funniness and culture that makes up Rock Bridge.”

After the final bell: making big dec Abby Kempf

aking the choice to leave or stay home is, for many high school seniors, the biggest decision they will encounter. Big colleges bursting with opportunities are found a few feet from home; others are 1,000 miles away. A UCLA study reveals colleges’ academic reputations, percentage of graduates who get good jobs after graduation, financial aid, campus visits and tuition costs greatly influence students when they plan the next four (or more) years of their lives. “I basically knew from really early on that I didn’t want to stay in Columbia for college just because I’ve lived here all my life and there are other places to be,” senior Katy Shi said. “So when it came down to if I got into schools elsewhere and it didn’t cost that much money, I was going to choose other schools.” Counselor Rachel Reed sees the complication of the decision and the multiple facets of choosing a college when students come to her for guidance. “There is not one [deciding factor] that is overall, it’s really sort of an individualized process. A lot of students are worried about getting scholarships and affording the places that they go. Most of our students are applying to MU either because they have family who work there, so they get a discount, or just because it’s in our own backyard,” Reed said. “It just depends on what a student is looking for in a school. Do they want something more selective? Do they definitely want to go somewhere out of town? Do they want ... something bigger? Do they want something smaller? Do they want to go into a certain career area so they are trying to find a school that fits with their major and what they want to study? It just depends.” Senior Advanced Placement student Jo-

anna Zhang has always strived for good grades in hard classes. Her mentality to succeed under pressure, her GPA and her desire for a rigorous and substantial education influenced her decision to mostly look at selective colleges. She applied to seven different, high stakes schools. The process was exhausting, she said, but her preparedness helped her. Her endeavor was not cheap, either. College applications fees are normally around $35, but there are prestigious colleges that have fees that are up to $85. “It’s time-consuming and stressful. But it was a lot better than it could have been because I started working on [applications] before school started so that kind of alleviated a lot of stress,” Zhang said. “During the fall it was cross country season, so it was really busy, so starting a little bit before was better.” Zhang was not just ready for the battle beforehand, but she also made sure her work was the best it possibly could be before she sent it away to be read by the harshest graders, college admission officers. “It was a lot of essay writing. I let my friends read my essays and then asked Mrs. Weaver, the EEE teacher, to read them,” Zhang said. “I sent her copies of the essays, and she would edit them and give them back to me.” After the process was finished, all that was left to do was wait. The results reflected Zhang’s supreme planning skills; she was accepted to two of her top colleges, Princeton and Duke. She struggled deciding between the two; both were excellent universities that offered her exciting possibilities. “I talked to a lot of students, three or four students, currently at Princeton who are some of my sister’s friends,” Zhang said. “Then I went to the preview weekend this last weekend and that really solidified my decision because I really enjoyed it.” While Zhang is

In-Depths

cisions about life past high school traveling to the East Coast, senior Joshua Baumer is attending Missouri University of Science and Technology in nearby Rolla, Mo. “I didn’t want to be at home, so my parents won’t be there to tell me what to do,” Baumer said. “But I love my family, so it will be nice to be able to come home, but I am excited to be on my own.” Instead of making his college decision based on academics, senior Jason Keihne made his choice from an athletic standpoint. His experience was far from stressful because of his laid back and open-minded nature, along with his clear desire to wrestle at a collegiate level. “I mean I was pretty open to different places,” Keihne said. “One school I really wanted to go to didn’t have wrestling. I just decided I’d rather wrestle than that.” Keihne finished this season ranked 8th in state, so finding a college with a wrestling program that wanted him was not hard to come by. “I applied to five, six different colleges. First I called the coaches and told them I was planning on wrestling, and they said, ‘O.K., we want you.’ So I went online and ap-

plied to their college and waited,” Keihne said. “It was about a month, and then I got accepted. Then I went and visited the college, talked with the wrestling coach, talked with all the admissions, figured out my financial aid offer and then decided which college I wanted to go to based on that.” Distance was also a key factor in his decision. “I wanted to go somewhere far from home, so I won’t have my parents yelling at me the whole time, but I didn’t want to go too far away so that I can’t get their help,” Keihne said. “Four, five, six hours away was around the time period I wanted to be.” After the entire process was finished, Keihne had made his choice, Simpson College in Iowa. The distance was right. Their wrestling program was awaiting his entry. Keihne had found his “perfect match.”

Looking beyond college

Classes provide insight on adult careers Abby Kempf

fter students spend months applying, making the grueling decision of which college to attend and mentally preparing themselves to go to a place where everyone will be a stranger, students also have to choose what to major in. While some students simply don’t know and might choose to be undecided, others know exactly what career path they would like to chase because they took a specialized class at RBHS. With a plethora of Advanced Placement classes and Columbia Area Career Center classes offering real-world experiences, students often find a topic that ignites their interest. Senior Subah Mohua has wanted to be a teacher ever since she was little, but her experiences at RBHS sparked her passion in a specific subject area. “I’m going to Mizzou, and I am going to major in secondary education,” Mohua said. “I knew that I wanted to be a teacher and just the classes that I did take through Rock Bridge helped me narrow what subject I wanted to teach. I decided English.” Mohua took advanced English classes, and encountered rich literature that captivated her attention. She found her knack in crafting the different essays she learned to write in AP. “Honestly, I really liked AP World and the honors English part of it,” Mohua said. “I just thought it was really fun and then I guess AP U.S. was also really similar to it.” Mohua is also a member of the Intersection core group of Rock Bridge Reaches Out. Members of the club travel to the Intersection building across from Hickman High School to work with children after school and teach them life lessons they may not be getting at home. “It was more of teaching younger kids what to do and what not to do,” Mohua said. “It still kind of sparked that teaching aspect of it.” In addition to participating in the club, Mohua was also Neal Blackburn and Katherine Sasser’s teacher’s assistant for AP World this year. Mohua picked to work with this class specifically because she enjoyed her experiences with Sasser, loved English and appreciated the advanced nature of AP World. While the class was a lot of work, helping was eye opening for Mohua. “It has been a lot of grading papers but I guess I should get used to that,” Mohua said.

art by Maddy Mueller

While Mohua plans to pursue teaching, senior Charlie Gan intends to major in environmental engineering at Georgia Tech to study the challenges that must be overcome to promote a clean and functional environment for everyone. Gan found inspiration for his major in AP Environmental Science. The class taught Gan about the Earth and all the issues humans create for the planet, along with solutions to these problems. “It was one of my favorite classes. We learned a lot [about] how to use different resources and how potential waste could be very harmful to humans and ways to conserve energy,” Gan said. “We learned how to build more efficient housing and buildings and such, and it was really interesting.” This class has not only gifted Gan with his college major, but a clear future plan. Gan knows exactly what career he would like and what the next ten years of his life will entail. “I was interested in going to volunteer with the Peace Corps after college. So I was going to help with resource management and bringing fresh clean water to certain places, third world countries that don’t have a clean supply of water,” Gan said. “I felt like that is a basic need that everyone deserves.” Senior Sarah Ashbaugh also fell in love with the sciences while attending RBHS. Next year she will attend Grinnell College and major in biology with a concentration in neuroscience. “AP Biology was one [class] that definitely sparked my interest in majoring in biology. It was an amazing course. I think what attracted me to it is I like examining the microorganisms in your body and in plants,” Ashbaugh said. “It kind of helps to explain why things happen the way they do, and I think that is why I was personally very interested in that class.” Ashbaugh discovered what the world of biology was really like with hands-on experiments. Her favorite experiments included one with brine shrimp and another with gel electrophoresis. It taught her more than how to mindlessly memorize facts. CACC and the AP classes offered at the school introduce students to fields of knowledge that allow students to have extensive background information in college and helps students make hard decisions between subject areas. AP Biology teacher Kerri Graham sees how pertinent information in her class is to students pursuing science careers. “I love teaching AP Biology. Honestly, I would say there is still memorizing facts; however, I feel like the students who take it plan on going into science or will be able to use the information in some way so it becomes relevant to them because it is a stepping stone to ‘I need to know this information so I can do this next step in biochemistry’,” Graham said. “So the information becomes relevant because of where it is going to get them past the class.” Graham said her job is so fun because she gets to watch students become excited about learning and begin to use memorized information while going deeper in the subject, rather than just spurting out facts. This active use of knowledge helps students realize what they want to pursue. “We have a lot of fun learning it because you get to this point where you’ve been learning generalities and finally it’s like ‘Oh, that’s why that works that way,’” Graham said. “Sometimes a lot of connections happen and you see a lot of bulbs go off as to why we do certain things. I think that is where the relevance truly is.”

Health & Wellness

210 RBHS students were asked which they preferred: school, sleep or social life. Infographic by Sean Garfias

School, sleep, or social life: a student’s dilemma Nicole Schroeder

o one quite knows where the phrase, “school, sleep, or social life: pick two,” was created when talking about college, but many believe it applies to high school as well as higher education. According to Greatschools.org, the amount of schoolwork students face is higher than ever, and balancing grades, other activities and getting the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep for an adolescent seems nearly impossible. This problem with balancing responsibilities in high school is not exclusive to any one area, affecting cities across the United States. A recent poll of 210 RBHS students found that approximately 33 percent of students prioritize school activities, including homework or athletic activities, compared to 43 percent who prioritize sleep and about 23 percent who prioritize their social life. Sophomore Kayla Glaser said while she believes social life, sleep and dance are all important in her life, school is always placed first in her mind. “[School] is just the thing that I spend the most time on,” Glaser said, “and it’s

also the thing that you’ve kind of been doing... your whole life.” A poll conducted by ExamAid and the Association of Colleges in 2003 found that Glaser is one of the minority; two-thirds of students said that spending time with their friends was as important or more important than getting good grades. Sharing similar opinions to Glaser, freshman Jim Hormann said he views his grades as more important than sleep or recreational activities. “At the end of the day for me… school is going to be the most important thing,” Hormann said, “because… the friends... that you make in high school aren’t going to last that long.” The amount of sleep he gets, Hormann said, simply depends on the amount of caffeine in his system. “I can do without sleep––it’s called coffee.” Glaser said she believes not getting enough sleep can hurt someone’s energy levels the next day, but doing poorly on an assignment will undoubtedly have long term effects. “I think that school and dance are more important because they... will affect me more in the long term,” Glaser said. “If I don’t write a paper well, then that

will… affect me when I’m trying to get into colleges, whereas if I miss a night of sleep, I’m not [going to] die.” Glaser said she believes films portray high school very unrealistically because the students in these films seem to spend no time worrying about their grades. Following these Hollywood interpretations of teenagers, however, there are those who view life outside of school to be more important than fretting over their grades or getting enough sleep. Senior Scott McAfee said because he was able to get such good grades earlier in his school career, he no longer worries about schoolwork and can spend more time socializing or working at the lab at MU, which is his passion. “[I prioritize] the lab because I’m an insomniac… and I’m tired all the time,” McAfee said. “I average... three hours [of sleep a night].” According to a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, McAfee isn’t alone, with about two-thirds of high school students getting fewer than seven hours of sleep a night. Dr. Holly Bondurant, a pediatrician at Tiger Pediatrics, said this isn’t a surprise. “If students do not get enough sleep,

they face lethargy, decreased concentration, [and] physical aspects like headaches,” Bondurant said. “My advice is just [to] cut out what is not necessary– which is usually everything but school work, eating well, and [the student’s] favorite extracurricular.” Biology teacher Kaitlin Rulon agrees with Bondurant and said she believes there should be a balance between these categories, though keeping this balance is difficult. “Learning to balance [school, sleep, and social life] takes a while. So in high school, when you’re really starting to juggle those things, it [becomes] hard to actually... do all three,” Rulon said. “I think we put a lot of emphasis on what’s going to make you successful as just being what you know, but... being able to work with others... you learn through social life.” She also said most students put their schoolwork or friends above sleep when managing their time, though without sleep, “you’re not going to be able to do the other things very well.” Even though Rulon recommends a balance among the three categories, sophomore Lindsay Morrison said she prioritizes sleep and can’t function

without it. However, when faced with the choice, Morrison admits she would choose her social life over other options. “I know...my parents and teachers would want me to prioritize school,” Morrison said, “but I forget... there is a life outside of school and that [it’s] not the only thing I should be focusing on.” Overall, Rulon said every choice a student makes when it comes to these categories helps to shape how he or she will ultimately live their life. While teachers would prefer that students choose academics, she said maintaining a balance is more important than any one category. “The one thing that I don’t think students do well... is planning ahead,” Rulon said. “I think when you’re looking ahead, then it’s really easy for those [responsibilities] to fall into place.” Bondurant agrees and said she thinks students who take advantage of their spare time will maintain symmetry between the categories much easier. “If one balances their time well, they can easily do well in school, enjoy an active social life and sleep a little,” she said. “[Students should] concentrate on the matters that will build [them] into brilliant adults.”

Merrill Lynch Bank of America Corporation Michael S. Flanagan

First Vice President-Wealth Management Senior Financial Advisor

2804 Forum Blvd, Suite 2 Columbia, MO 65203 T 573-446-7163 T 573-446-7023 F 563-234-4442

michael_flanagan@ml.com

Features

Eating Disorders affect high school students Caylea Erickson

ooking for an answer found in physical beauty, wanting to have the “perfect body,” striving for an unobtainable physicality. Anorexia and bulimia destroy the lives of 24 million people in America. Sydney Hemwall, a sophomore at RBHS, has been suffering from an eating disorder for a year. “I got to the point where I only ate maybe twice a week, but only small meals, and I often threw them up. I used to cover the mirror with a blanket because I hated myself even more after eating. I wanted to die. It became even less and less of a body image and self hatred took over and my need to die,” Hemwall said. “A lot of issues caused it, a mix of anxiety, depression and my panic disorder. My eating disorder was something to escape it all. I finally told my therapist and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I had meal plans and managed to eat one meal every couple of days. I grew to understand that things weren’t my fault and there were people who loved me and wanted me to stick around. I still have issues with eating but I’m not making myself throw up anymore and I eat at least once a day.” Sharon Brush, a therapist in Columbia, has patients dealing with anorexia and bulimia. “It begins as a diet. The normal amount of calories a person should consume daily is around 2,000 to 2,500. Anorexia and bulimia are ways people try to decrease the amount of calories they eat just to help themselves lose weight. But then this starts to becomes a potential danger, it also becomes an addiction. Soon those with the disorder, start to eat less than 1000 calories per day. Over time the calories become less and less. “And then one day, they just stop eating, going days without eating but the mind of someone with an eating disorder is still saying ‘you’re fat. You can’t eat. You don’t deserve to,’ So people with the disorder don’t eat. Or maybe they do eat, but their mind is telling them, ‘You just ate that whole cookie! You’re already fat enough, you can’t get fatter. Go throw it up.’ So they go to the bathroom, and put their fingers down their throat or a toothbrush, anything to make them gag, and throw up. They get all the food out of their body before it can be digested because their mind is telling them that they can’t gain weight.” These mind consuming disorders are known as anorexia and bulimia. “Many people with eating disorders are aware of the side effects of their disorder like death and heart diseases, but continue to do it anyway because they cannot stop, which is something most people do not understand,” Brush said. “It isn’t a choice; it’s a mind alternating illness. There is no ‘end’ to an eating disorder, it doesn’t just stop once an anorexic or bulimic reaches their goal

weight, they have to get smaller and smaller.” Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. Millions of people suffer every day from eating disorders, including students from RBHS. “We have some kids that we know have eating disorders, usually that is something we don’t know about.” RBHS nurse Tammy Adkins, RN, said. “That’s usually something a student will keep private. It’s definitely a lot more than we know about.” Students at RBHS aren’t the only students suffering from eating disorders. Students at Battle High School have them as well. Taj Butter, a junior at BHS, has struggled with anorexia for years with binging tendencies. “Sometimes I’ll eat everything in sight and then I’ll stop and not eat for three days,” Butter said. “It’s a never ending cycle.” While anorexia, bulimia and binge eating do take over the mind and greatly affect the body, all of these diseases are treatable. The first step is to get help. “When I find out a student has an eating disorder, I would refer them for help, to see a therapist and people in the community who specialize in that, such as a doctor who specializes in eating disorders,” Kelly Anderson, outreach counselor at RBHS, said. In some cases, there are people who are so deep into their eating disorder that they may have to go into in-patient treatment. Sarah Johnson*, a 24-year-old woman has been in recovery from anorexia for almost two years. On July 10, 2012 she attempted suicide, and soon found herself in rehab. It was there that she met a 14 year old girl. “She was so hopeless and she needed a role model,” Johnson said. “She needed someone to show her that you could come back from an eating disorder and move on with your life and be happy. I wanted to be that person for her. That’s how I started to really recover.” Johnson had a difficult time adjusting to the recovery life. She had to go to therapy, nine hours a day, five days a week. Along with that she had to go to group and individual therapy, exposure therapy and yoga. Days and weeks of non-stop crying from reliving some of her most traumatic memories in therapy. Two more suicide attempts and lots of hospitalizations and lots of medicine. “I relapse a couple of times but it’s relatively rare, once every few months maybe,” Johnson said. “They usually only last a couple days and are caused by my period because I have such horrible mood swings. Recovery was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but it’s also the thing I’m most proud of.” *name withheld upon request

Did You Know?

art by Molly Sparkes

teenage girls 95% 91% women 50% 16 one-third

surveyed on a college campus had attempted to

control their weight through

dieting. 22% of them dieted “often” or “always.”

and nearly use

teenage boys

unhealthy weight control behaviors such

as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes and

vomiting.

ages of

and

of people onset between

20 Anorexia

is known to be the third

most com-

mon chronic illness among adolescents.

infographic by Christal Carcedo

Age restrictions on the horizon for vape pens Sean Garfias

moke rings. French inhales. Ghosts. Tornadoes. These are some of the tricks people do with a vape pen. Vape pens come in variety of colors which individuals use to smoke eliquid that can contain nicotine or are nicotine free, depending on the eliquid one purchases. The use of vape pens by students caught the attention of politicians in many states. A few days ago, the Mo. House of Representatives passed a bill that would make it illegal to sell e-cigs and vape pens to anyone under the age of 18. Sophomore Wandy Perez owns a vape pen. “I don’t use it as much anymore, but I used it just simply because it was something fun to do,” Perez said of his neon green pen. “It’s like hoola hoop dancing; you do it because it’s fun and some people like to watch the tricks you can do.” Perez said he uses the vape pen for recreational purposes. He likes to show off the smoke rings he can make with his lips simply for the flavored smoke rather than as a way to conceal smoking illegal substances. “If people are smoking substances out of them, then that’s on them. Chances of that happening in school are slim.” Perez said, “Everyone I met with one just uses eliquid.” Eliquid goes into the atomizer, which is essentially a tank that holds the eliquid. The eliquid is then heated up and the

liquid evaporates into vapor that is seen coming out of the mouth piece. There are different flavors of eliquid that make the vapor taste like the flavor of the eliquid purchased. “So if I got watermelon liquid, when the liquid burns up to make vapor,” Perez said. “It tastes like watermelon.” Along with recreational purposes, vape pens can be used as a substitute for

smoking cigarettes. “I use a vape pen because it helps you quit smoking. I use it for the nicotine, but it’s not as harmful as cigarettes are since it’s water vapor,” junior Erin Houk said. “They shouldn’t ban it [from school] because it’s better than kids going out to the north lot to smoke cigarettes.” Even if those addicted to cigarettes don’t quit, using a vape pen is “less harm-

ful than smoking tobacco since e-cig vapor doesn’t contain the chemicals found in tobacco smoke,” according to an article on Medical Research News. “The district is looking at writing a school policy,” said Assistant Principal Deborah Green. “It is considered a cigarette. If it’s not clearly written in stone yet, it will be soon.” By setting a ban on vape pens, those

feature photo by Mikaela Acton

students might resort to smoking cigarettes, which are more harmful than the use of a vape pen. With no ban against vape pens, students are most likely to make an attempt to switch from smoking cigarettes to smoking vape pens instead. “If it’s [vape pens] being used as a step down, I think it’s better,” RBHS nurse, Tammy Adkins, RN, said. “It has valid use that way. The issue [that causes concern] is still the nicotine, which is the addicting part of it.” Junior Maddy Perry owns and uses her vape pen regularly. “I use a vape pen because it was a better alternative than smoking tobacco,” said Perry. “ My dad kept his promise to quit smoking for me so I decided it’d be a great temporary alternative.” While it is possible that those owning a vape pen might just be smoking the non-harmful flavored eliquids, there is evidence some people might use these types of devices to conceal the smell of illegal substances like marijuana. A Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey recorded that 32.6 percent of students in that area admitted to using a vape pen for marijuana while 23 percent used it for nicotine. Despite this, Houk says because they can be used as an aid to quit smoking cigarettes, their use should be encouraged. “I doubt a majority of people with vape pens smoke nicotine. There are way too many flavors to resort to smoking that,” Perez said. “If there is a ban to be set on it, it should be just against using it to smoke nicotine or illegal substances.”

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