The Rock — October 2015

EDITORIALS Controversy of the Pledge of Allegiance page C4 INDEPTHS The difficulties and stories of refugee students, battling unfamiliar challenges page C1 SPORTS Boy’s soccer battles rivals in search for district title page C2 @rbhsbearingnews Bearing News Bearing News

Rock Bridge High School • 4303 S. Providence Rd. • Columbia MO, 65203 • Vol. 43, Issue 2 • October 29, 2015 • www.bearingnews.org

photo by Devesh Kumar

No park zone: Juniors Shelby King and Rachel Perkins find their rides after school. The yellow line indicates the area where parking in the street is illegal. City officials reemphasized the prohibition of the parking area by repainting the curb, but students rely on this road for more convenient parking or for space.

City curbs off-campus parking

Officials deem ‘Sophomore Alley’ illegal, kindles reactions nicole schroeder

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s far back as 2000, students who were unable to get a parking pass from the school or wanted a more convenient place to park, have used the curb along Executive Drive, nicknamed “Sophomore Alley,” as a parking place.

Recently, however, many students parking in Sophomore Alley have been ticketed by the city for parking along a painted curb.

Senior Kyle Shearrer said he received a ticket, but said he wasn’t aware that the newlypainted curb was a no-parking zone.

“I was parked in the yellow line, which I

now know is illegal but didn’t at the time,” Shearrer said. “Last year the yellow line did not extend past the ‘no-parking’ sign, so I just went with that when I parked.”

Shearrer isn’t the only student who has parked along the painted curb.

Parking attendant Darryl Heaton said he has seen numerous students parking in this section of Sophomore Alley.

“I counted 12 cars up there just this morning at 9:30, and of those 12, two of them were parked in yellow,” Heaton said.

“I just don’t know why these students continue to park there when, for over a year and a half now, anyone who goes to school [at

RBHS] and is 16 has been able to purchase a parking pass.”

Despite students like Shearrer who say they’ve noticed changes in the parking availability in Sophomore Alley, city officials disagree. Stephen Sapp, the Public Information Specialist for Columbia Public Works, said Executive Drive has not been changed recently.

“There have been no changes for at least … three or more years to the parking prohibitions on Executive Drive,” Sapp said. “We routinely refresh paint on roadways and curbs, so perhaps it appears changes were made due to fresh paint.”

Studies programs undergo changes faaris khan

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he CPS Board of Education approved the restructuring of the district’s social studies curriculum in a meeting in January earlier this year.

These changes, which brought improvements in the overall curriculum, covered

grades K-12 and are now in effect for the 2015-16 school year.

Nick Kremer, the CPS district’s Social Studies and English coordinator, said subject curricula needed to be refreshed every now and then to make sure educational standards were met, a driving factor in the recent reinvigoration

of the studies program.

“It is customary for each academic discipline to undergo a formal program evaluation every 5 years to ensure the curriculum in that area is up to date and functioning optimally,” Kremer said in an email interview. “Program evaluation tends to lead to ‘tweaks’ in existing curricula rather than

overhauls, and that was what occurred in this case, too.

Some substantial changes were made to our Social Studies curriculum — particularly in grades 3, 10 and 11 — but the overall structure of our program has remained largely consistent with what it was in the past.”

Continued on A3

Voltage lines spark concerns nicole schroeder n 2007, the city of Columbia first raised concerns about the reliability of electricity and power transmission to the south side of town. In response to citizen complaints, Columbia Water and Light decided the best solution would be to begin work on a photo by Ty Jamieson high voltage transmission line.

Crossing lines: High powered voltage lines The transmission line, when finwill be built on Nifong Blvd. The lines caused ished, will run through the area to indebate because of potential health hazards. crease the power supply to those cus-

tomers and will carry approximately 131 kV of electricity compared to the 69 kV carried by normal power lines.

Now that the City Council has approved the project, Columbia Water and Light has finalized the route of the lines and determined the placement of the poles along the route, aiming to begin the project in 2017. Members of the City Council ultimately chose Option A, as it should require the fewest renovations.

Continued on A2

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Though the seemingly new parking prohibitions in Sophomore Alley have confused many, Sapp said the parking prohibitions that exist there currently follow the guidelines set by Columbia Public Works on all roads they maintain. On these roads, he said, there is no parking allowed within 30 feet of any stop sign, intersection or driveway.

“All parking prohibitions on Executive Drive were discussions with the school and the businesses and property owners,” Sapp said. “Our number one goal is to provide a safe means of travel for both pedestrians and vehicles.”

Continued on A2

CPS to consider weighted grades ashley tanner

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tudents from the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at Battle High School proposed implementing a weighted grade point average (GPA) system for high schools in a meeting with the Columbia Public Schools Board of Education Sept. 24.

A weighted GPA system would add an extra point onto the GPA of students who are taking AP or honors classes. Instead of having a 4.0, they would have a 5.0 for an A grade. Essentially, it would boost a student’s GPA potential if they are enrolled in an advanced class.

CPS Board of Education member Paul Cushing has mixed feelings about the benefits of weighted GPAs. “I worry that the grading process will become more complex and less impartial,” Cushing said. “I have talked with several people about this, including college admissions folks and have concluded the only reason they are necessary is for a better shot at scholarships.”

In preparing for college, Junior Becca Wells is taking AP US History, AP Language, AP Calculus AB and Honors Chemistry. In the past, she has also taken AP World History, and several other honors courses in an effort to prepare her for education in the future.

Continued on A3

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For fast and fresh coverage of Rock Bridge High School news, sports, features and other content, visit bearingnews.org.

In-Depths • • • • • • B3 Sports • • • • • C1 Commentary • • • • • C6

A2 news

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

Mission statement on brink of rebirth elad gov-ari

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or the past 10 years, administrators and staff have attempted to fulfill the RBHS mission statement of “Where Learning is for Life.” With the intent to motivate and guide students’ mindsets, the RBHS mission statement has been a topic of discussion at staff meetings.

Because voting took

place a decade ago, some staff members felt recently hired administrators needed a chance to provide input.

During the past two years, teachers and student council have collaborated to narrow down a list of possible new mission statements for all stakeholders to vote on.

Last week, RBHS students voted on the new mission statement options. The executive council counted

up the results at their Tuesday meeting and will be releasing results to staff, and students on Nov. 13.

“We really just wanted to take a pulse check with the school,” Art teacher and executive council member Abbey Trescott said. “We wanted to re-examine what our mission was as Rock Bridge community and get more of a consensus with the faculties. And so three years ago

art by Erin Barchet

the executive council started this process and now we’re at the point where we have our final ballot and we are ready to make a decision.”

Voting for the current mission statement is still an option. Trescott said after examining some of the proposed mission statements, many believe the current mission still holds true.

Still, others believe the school as a whole could benefit from something new, as change can bring fresh perspective and attitude.

“The current mission statement really doesn’t need to be changed,” sophomore Josh Bessey said. “Learning really is for life, and it needs to continue to motivate people. Without learning people can’t get anywhere in life, and so it’s important to realize your education doesn’t stop after high school.”

As a student at the time of the current statement’s approval, alumna and math teacher Angel Renick feels similarly to Bessey.

Renick said the short, yet powerful message rings true

although she wouldn’t mind a new motto.

She believes the current mission statement is efficient at captivating the RBHS mentality.

“Back then, I liked ‘Where learning is for life,’” Renick said. “When I was a student, RB teachers encouraged us that once we left not to stop, but to keep learning and to keep pursuing better things.”

Although seemingly insignificant, Trescott believes a mission statement can be important to a school.

Providing guidance to students, the statement can be a source of motivation for both students and staff.

“Our hope is that a mission statement can be something the faculty can rally behind, especially the new members,” Trescott said.

“They can bring that mission into the classroom and use it as a kind of jumping off point for conversation. All this should be wrapped up into our mission so that students understand why we do the things we do at RBHS.”

Restated policies lead to reduced parking spots Continued from A1 Whether or not the city made changes to the available parking in Sophomore Alley, Heaton said the school has plenty of spaces for students to use in school lots rather than parking in Sophomore Alley or along other roads near the school that are less convenient.

“Why have our students park off-campus and in Sophomore Alley and walk and be unsafe when we’ve got plenty of room here?”

Heaton said. “We discourage [parking off-campus] because we have plenty of safe parking. That was one of the reasons the administrators decided to let everybody park that had a license. It’s further to walk from

Sophomore Alley to school than it passes, he said it is much more conwould be from our furthest spot in venient and logical to park off camthe ball field pus. parking lot.”

“There Even if are always There are always the school times when times when somedoes have someone one needs to park enough parkneeds to ing spaces once or twice a week park once or for students, twice a week or month or simply Shearrer said or month can’t afford a pass. the school or simply kyle shearrer can’t afford spaces still senior a pass,” Shearen’t beneficial to every arrer said. student who needs a parking spot at “The fact is that our school is growthe school. For students who do not ing. Each class size has increased drive to school every day or have by 50 to 100 [students] and nothing trouble affording the $50 parking has been done to address the need

for new parking.”

Still, Heaton said the school provides plenty of parking for all its students and thinks the largest issue is simply a misunderstanding of who is allowed to park in the school lots.

“The main issues are really one of two things: miscommunication, where they just don’t know what’s allowed, or they just don’t want to spend the money,” Heaton said. “It makes it difficult for us at the end of the day getting buses out, and when people are leaving and you’re turning right on South and those vehicles are there … that’s definitely unsafe because the traffic’s high and you can’t get out.”

New Nifong Boulevard transmission lines trigger uncertainty Continued from A1 After hosting an informational meeting on the project for city residents on Oct. 5, however, people like Janette Henry, a fifth grade teacher at Mill Creek Elementary, have expressed concerns about the project.

“I not only teach at Mill Creek but also live across the street from the school. I am very concerned about these lines being installed, due to studies that show a correlation between the lines and childhood leukemia,” Henry said.

The possible health effects Henry worries about exist in the low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by high voltage power lines, which have been associated with increased rates of childhood leukemia and have subsequently been classified as a possible human carcinogen, according to the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Cancer Research.

Despite these studies, Columbia Public Works Utility Services Specialist Connie Kacprowicz said such studies do not reveal a direct correlation between longtime exposure to EMF waves and childhood cancer. She said the poles carrying the high voltage transmission lines will be tall enough to limit any exposure to EMF waves.

“These lines will be built overhead on structures that are about 100 feet tall, so that helps limit the EMF,” Kacprowicz said. “[Also] if you look at all the research that has been done, from the 1980s on through the 90s, a lot of research was done to see if there was some direct cor-

relation between high voltage transmission lines [and one’s health]. There were no clear cut conclusions that could be drawn between transmission lines and health concerns.”

Along with the health concerns associated with the power lines, junior Madelyn Jones said she worries about the aesthetic effects the project will bring to the area.

“I am curious if it is an initial cost savings because the overhead lines are susceptible to ice damage which would be additional cost to repair

photo by Ty Jamieson

Power struggle: A voltage line on High Point Lane overlooks the sky. The installation of new high voltage lines on Nifong is causing concerns among community members.

in the future. I think going underground is a better choice for possible health benefits, future cost and they are out of site, so they don’t make the skyline ugly,” Jones said. “I know that we need them, but I would like to see the city consider burying them instead of having them overhead.”

Even with the health benefits and aesthetic concerns Jones and Henry share about the project, Kacprowicz said there are many parts of the project to look forward to, as they will help Columbia’s power supply in the long run.

“Even though [the transmission lines] are being built on the South side of the city, it’s going to help reduce the load on some of the existing substations,” Kacprowicz said. “[It will] also provide some redundancy in the system and meet the federal guidelines.”

Though she said she has tried to contact the City Council many times about her concerns for the project, Henry said her attempts were unsuccessful. Even with the possible benefits the extra power lines may provide, she said there are too many potential downsides to the project to ignore.

“The response from some City Council members has been that they have made their decision and will not reconsider the placement of the lines. I find this disturbing, since their decision was based on information only supplied by Columbia Water and Light,” Henry said. “While I agree that power is important, I think the lines need to be placed in a different location away from residences and schools.”

photo by Devesh Kumar

Charity campaign: Preschooler Ekansh Kumar has fun during recess. The Youth Advisory Council will be fundraising for Cribs, a day care at Douglass High School.

YAC to fundraise for local day care jenna liu

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tudents serving on the city’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) will be fundraising for the first few weeks of November to support the day care program, Cribs, at Douglass High School.

Unlike most of the day cares situated in Columbia Public Schools’ (CPS) high schools, Cribs provides free childcare to any student attending classes at Douglass.

Junior Maryam Bledsoe, a member of YAC, said Cribs is a necessary resource and one that she hopes the council can help expand.

“It allows high school-aged students to look after their children and have a safe day care while they are at school learning,” Bledsoe said. “So many students who have children while they are in high school are forced to quit because they cannot both go to school and take care of their child at the same time. Cribs really helps to solve this problem, and the Youth Advisory Council is looking for ways to help within Douglass.”

Matt Leuchtmann, a Gifted Education teacher at Battle High School and the CPS representative for YAC, said the main goal of the day care is to keep kids in school and better prepare them for the rough future.

“Programs like Cribs provide opportunities for young, struggling parents to begin creating a good life for their children,” Leuchtmann said. “A program like this can mean the difference between graduating high school, and dropping out.”

For Junior Scott Vaughan, a student at Douglass who serves on the council, Cribs is a family affair; as an infant, he spent time in the program while his mother attended Douglass.

His foster sister also used the service for her child. This connection means that he has an in-depth understanding of the services Cribs provides.

“For the parent, Cribs will give them what they need so they can take care of their child at home,” Vaughan said. “They also help you understand the stages of the child as he or she develops.”

Currently, YAC is focusing on gathering material goods that can be given to the program.

Products such as diapers, wipes, toys, formula and cash donations are very important, Bledsoe said.

Overall, Leuchtmann believes the work Cribs does is important to help move the community forward.

As a fully free service, he said, it gives students more than just child care.

“By providing services that allow young parents opportunities to become upwardly mobile, we increase their ability to secure the education and/or employment they need to begin to escape the cycle of poverty,” Leuchtmann said. “Cribs provides much more than just day care, it provides hope for a better future.

news

10.29.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

A3

New Civic Studies curricula include 21st century skills continued from A1 Such changes included differences in essential questions and improvement of developing a curricular connection with real-world skills.

Prior to the change, some former freshmen were disappointed with the lack of difficulty in their Civic Studies course. Sophomore Gabriel Mefrakis said the class did not provide enough difficulty for him and others to succeed and gain sufficient knowledge.

“In my opinion Civic Studies was, indeed, a waste of time,” Mefrakis said. “I still think it is important to learn some of the things about the government, but a lot of the things we learned [were] just review.”

Such complaints led the district to target educational goals within the curriculum. These objectives included a greater focus on critical thinking and creating a connection with classroom material and the real world, in an attempt to enrich the entirety of the studies program and prepare students to be self-reliant.

“The new social studies curriculum better balances the study of ancient history with modern history,” Kremer said. “It also requires teachers to teach social studies in an engaging manner that promotes the development of 21st century skills and independent thinking on the part of students.”

Freshman Daniel Schroeder said the district achieved its goal. He finds that his Civic Studies class gives him a gratifying learning experience through a variety of learning methods and informative material.

“The curriculum has us examining documents in an attempt to understand [their] impact on the government,” Schroeder said. “It provides nice context as to where the ideas in our nation come from.”

Despite the improvements, Schroeder finds that a few aspects of the curriculum might need polishing, specifically in learning variety and the essential prompts.

“More variety in the way the class operates would be a huge improvement,” Schroeder said. “While I know that a large amount of school is writing down notes, it would be nice to mix things up every now and then. I also think it would benefit from a little less open-ended essay prompts. Eventually we, being the ninth grade, will have to grow accustomed to that, but a more gradual transition would help a lot of kids adjust.”

The restructured studies program, while needing a few minor improvements, is overall satisfying students and teachers alike. Students believe it has been significantly enhanced from previous years and that it will help students obtain crucial knowledge and life skills. “[Our ultimate goal was] to achieve the best possible K-12 social studies learning experience for our students to best prepare them for the demands of college, civic life and a career in the 21st century,” Kremer said.

The Rock asked 190 students, 10 percent of the student body, if they enjoy their studies classes.

photo by Jae Rhee

Tough break: Since August University of Missouri-Columbia students have discussed the removal of the bronze

statue of Thomas Jefferson on the Francis Quad, placed on the campus in 2000. The statue wrongfully represents Jefferson’s sexist and racist beliefs as being those of the university, junior Ojurere Shonekan said.

Racism on campus?

Students debate removal of statue

rochita ghosh

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homas Jefferson: third president of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, founding father, slave owner and alleged rapist.

These labels are why some University of Missouri-Columbia students are calling for the removal of the Thomas Jefferson statue on Francis Quad on campus. The presence of the statue sends the wrong message because of Jefferson’s supposed racism and sexism, according to the petition, started by the protesters, that aims to improve the acceptance in the campus atmosphere by removing the statue.

“The need to project a progressive environment is just as important as food and shelter to survive,” the petition said. “A welcoming environment does not stop at the feet of individuals in particular spaces, [and] is also determined by its physical environment .... Some individuals may not see Thomas Jefferson’s statue in the quad as a form of oppression, but in higher education settings where highly conscious students are present, it is relatively easy to see and read such nonverbal messages.”

Such reasoning for wanting the statue removed resonates with junior Ojurere Shonekan, who agrees with removing the statue from campus.

“The statue should be taken down because he wasn’t that good of a person; I think if there’s a statue of somebody, it’s a great sign of respect,” Shonekan said.

art by Shelby Yount

“Since he didn’t show any respect for his with the importance of the acceptance felt political competitors and was very sly and by all students on campus, he disagrees backhanded about the way he handled his with the idea of removing the statue from politics, his statue should be taken down the quad. Even if they are justified in wantbecause he didn’t exemplify the ‘American ing to remove the statue from the quad, he believes the reasons why the statue should way.’”

Whether this message was intentional stand overshadows them.

“Back then, times were different; it was or not remains unclear. The statue’s plaque states that the statue was meant to com- normal to own slaves,” Huang said. “It’s obmemorate the connection the University of viously not a good thing to own people and be racist, but it was Missouri-Columbia has the norm. I don’t see with Jefferson. The uniwhy you shouldn’t versity was the first high honor [Jefferson], beeducation school built in The University cause it’s like honorthe area that the Louisi... was modeled your school and ana Purchase spanned, after [Jefferson’s] ing its history.” and the quad that Jefvision of a public Basi says while ferson sits in shares the university, where there is no current same design as the one plan to remove the used at the University of every citizen can statue, both opinions Virginia. have access to will be heard.

Christian Basi, assoan institution of “As a public uniciate director at the News higher education. versity, we underBureau at the university, says this association bechristian basi stand the importance News Bureau associate of being a community tween Jefferson and the director where anyone can university campus was raise their voice and the only intent.

“The University of Missouri was mod- seek change,” Basi said. “We work hard to eled after his vision of a public university, involve students, faculty and staff in makwhere every citizen can have access to an ing decisions about processes and proceinstitution of higher education,” Basi said, dures that affect them directly. We welcome “where different ideas and opinions are the input for ideas on improving the educavoiced and debated, and where the knowl- tion experience of every student on campus edge gained is passed on to the people of because we can only thrive as a campus community when all of our members are the state for the betterment of society.”

While sophomore Billie Huang agrees fully engaged in the process.”

CPS considers use of weighted GPAs for AP classes continued from A1 Wells said the only purpose weighted grades serve is to make students feel better about their GPAs rather than helping them get into college.

“While they could be perceived as better reflecting the difficulty of a course, the class title on your transcript does that,” Wells said. “Similarly, nearly all colleges apply their own weighting to your transcript to even the playing field, so it doesn’t give you an edge at all, and could actually make you more unprepared.”

One of these colleges is Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, which is ranked No. 10 overall best college and No. 3 best medical program, according to U.S. News & World Report. Admissions

representative Matt Balsamo talked about the admissions process at JHU where they focus more on the course load rather than if their GPA is weighted or not.

“We look at both the weighted and unweighted,” Balsamo said.

“There’s no specific number we are looking for. It’s varied throughout all of our applications. It varies based on the high school itself and the course load they took.”

With a deeper understanding of how advanced courses work, AP U.S. Studies teacher Randy Swift believes weighted GPAs would be beneficial for students. Having taken AP and honors courses when he was in high school and then going on to teach the advanced classes, he sees value in rewarding students for their

above and beyond course work.

“They required higher levels of skill [and] higher expectations,” Swift said. “I thought it was fair that an A in an AP class or an A in an honors class could be weighted more heavily than an A in a regular class.”

Having attended a high school that utilized a weighted GPA system, director of guidance Betsy Jones said she understands most students’ desires for weighted GPAs. But from a realistic standpoint, Jones said weighted grades would do more harm than good.

“What they do is they go back and if we weight, they unweight.

What happens is that it gives people, a false sense of hope,” Jones said. “We are going to have to say

infographic by Stephanie Kang source: k12.niche.com

that our GPA possible is 5.0 not 4.0 and so in the long run, [it will] not help our students with college admissions and college entrance.”

These discussions, for and against weighted grades, are familiar to former RBHS principal Kathy Ritter.

Over the years she has formed an educated opinion that a weighted GPA system would be counterproductive. Ritter concluded that the cons would outweigh the pros.

Ritter, who served as acting principal during Rukstad’s leave, learned that benefits include rewards for students’ exemplary work in AP and honors classes and more scholarship opportunities for students.

She also gathered that the cons would include deciding which classes receive the extra point and which do not. Most colleges don’t accept a weighted GPA, and students might take an advanced course before they are ready. Another con is not all students have an equal opportunity to receive the additional point.

“Keeping in mind that students have varying abilities, there would be some students that, including some special education students, will never be able to take an AP course,” Ritter said. “So what you’re also saying is that these students will never be able to get additional

points on their GPA, and there’s a question of equity with that.”

Some students, however, feel that weighted grades would be beneficial. Sophomore Hannah Potter supports the proposition to bring weighted GPAs to CPS. Having taken AP and honors classes herself — currently being enrolled in AP World History and Honors Biology, and having finished Honors Algebra II, Honors Civic Studies and AP Physics — she understands the level of diligence required of advanced courses. “[Weighted GPA] rewards students for going the extra mile in their studies,” Potter said. “The grades should be weighted for honors and AP classes because the course work is harder than that of a regular class.”

With support coming in from both sides on this issue, Ritter encourages continued conversation about weighted GPAs. “In my opinion. I think having the discussion is very positive,” Ritter said. “I think we should definitely continue to discuss [weighted GPAs], but I think within that discussion we should consider all students, every single student in this building and how weighted grades impacts every single student.”

A4 arts & entertainment

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

Bring out the machete, Jason; Halloween is here

strong sadness and nightmarish dreams. It’s for this very reason that Eraserhead and films like it were never cam fuller very type of film has at one point or another had a decade true box office hits. Not all indie films, howwhere the classics of the genre came out in droves. For com- ever, suffer this same fate.

As one of the greatest horror movies of the edy, this time was in the ’80s with This is Spinal Tap and Cad1970s according to whatculture.com, the origidyshack. In the ’40s filmmakers really started hitting their stride with It’s a Wonderful Life and Citizen Kane. But the genre most affected by its “renais- nal Halloween is a wonderful piece of cinema because it didn’t take a massive production to create sance” era was the horror genre in the 1970s.

The ’60s came as a wonderful precursor, setting up the thrilling side of the such an instant classic.

Director and writer John Carpenter didn’t need a huge budget to make genre with flawless films like Rosemary’s Baby, which shocked audiences with his movie great because it wasn’t like anything else the world had ever seen. its ability to make a child much more sinister. It was a wonderful time for mind Halloween was the first true slasher film, setting the precedent for all that would bending films with shocking endings, but horror wasn’t truly complete until it come after it.

Masked killer, invincible strength and intense chase scenes would found the ultimate shock factor: gore. all become must-haves for the sub-genre, and every single one of these pieces The ’70s finally ushered in a new age of special effects that actually brought fear to the viewer and looked somewhat realistic. Although, compared to even a were done exceptionally well in Halloween.

It was the little things that helped, too, like the opening scenes where main low budget horror film from today, the special effects of the ’70s look meager at character Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, first sees the villain Michael best.

At the time, what made movies like 1973’s The Exorcist so terrifying was the Myers peaking out from the side of bush while Blue Oyster Cult’s hit “(Don’t total shock that makeup created. It was a completely new level of horror that Fear) The Reaper” plays ominously in the background. Even the filming styles set helped skyrocket the genre, but it wasn’t just the high-budget films that capitalized it apart with John Carpenter using the camera to emulate Myer’s viewpoint as he set in on his first victims. on this success.

Though many of the classics that came out of the ‘70s would try their best at Even indie movies with low budgets and intense psychological thrills could do no wrong. David Lynch was a student at the American Film Institute when making sequels, somehow every single one would come to sputter out. Maybe his art horror film Eraserhead blew away critics with deep questions of the male it’s just the magic that comes with an original, or even the different production styles, but either way, nothing will ever quite compare to the terror that the horpsyche. ror genre sparked in the 1970s.

It’s a tough movie to watch, as evil monNevertheless, these series would still have a major impact on the decade ster babies and grotesque freak to come, as the ’80s picked up right where the ’70s left off. Seminal parents (David Lynch is moments in cinema photography like Stanley Kubrick’s The Shina very weird man) aping would come to revolutionize like many others in the decade n pear in this all black nio before it, but in the end it would really become the swan song for i p and white film to o originality in the genre. stir memories of It will always be a generation of classics, but sometimes being so good makes it too hard for any other group of films to even compare. Horror will slowly but surely become like many other genres in film: obsessed with sequels and reboots and unable to create original material like it had once before. Thank goodness we’ll always have the classics. a

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10.29.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

Why we keep coming back for gore skyler froese

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he premiere of “American Horror Story: Hotel” on FX had 5.81 million people watch its graphic and, frankly, terrifying scenes. Despite the themes of terror, the show has continually boasted large viewerships since its inception.

“American Horror Story” isn’t alone. Despite gory plots, borderline traumatic plots, people still watch scary movies.

Georgia State University Psychology professor Dr. Cynthia Hoffner has researched the effect of scary films and why people watch them. Dr. Hoffner connected the enjoyment of scary movies to a number of factors stemming from human nature, particularly sensation seeking.

“People vary in terms of what some scholars call sensation seeking. So some people like higher sensations more, [such as] the type of people who think it would be good fun to jump out of an airplane and skydive or do

those kinds of things, or go on big rollercoasters,” Dr. Hoffner said. “Scary movies give people that jolt of arousal. So a lot of people, I think, seek that.”

Dr. Hoffner believes scary films impact teenagers in particular. Hoffner said the films become part of the adolescent experience of socialization. Teens can be influenced to see scary movies not because they particularly enjoy watching them, but because their peers are seeing them.

Watching the movie itself also becomes proof to peers that one is brave enough to cope with what is shown on screen. Boys mainly suffer this test of bravery, Dr. Hoffner said, and this isn’t the only instance of influencing gender relations in frightening films.

“Males are a little bit more likely to enjoy scary films than females.” Dr. Hoffner said.

“There’s been gender role socialization where boys are supposed to withstand more fearful things,

and girls, on the other hand, are free to express fear, and sadness too.”

Freshman Noah Horton may not have published studies that analyze scary movies, but he can enjoy them nonetheless. He confirms Hoffner’s hypothesis by saying he likes to watch scary movies with his friends, but he claims that people watch in groups not just because it’s human behavior. Other people can offer comfort in the face of terror.

Horton also points out that even with a myriad of scientific and social reasons of why people flock to horror movies, at the end of the day people might just enjoy a good jump once in awhile.

“I enjoy watching scary movies because if they’re good, they can give you a thrill that normal movies can’t,” Horton said. “If it makes me stay up at night, if I can’t sleep, it makes it a good movie.”

Sophomore Lillian Beattie has been making movies and

other media for Columbia Access Television for four years and is a passionate filmmaker.

She has a particular knack for horror. Like Hoffner, she believes that these movies are so popular because of the intense sensations they produce.

Beyond adrenaline, she believes that the movies are so widely watched because they are nothing more than a good story.

“I enjoy the suspense that brings it on, that people get when they watch horror movies. I feel like that brings out a lot of enjoyment in people,” Beattie said.

“It’s cool that I can make people jump that way and just something about being behind the camera makes me really happy.”

While horror movies can be good fun for those who create and those who view, Dr. Hoffner warns of rare, but nonetheless concerning, effects of scary movies on teenagers. These concerns harken back to the gender socialization present in these films.

“Female characters tend to be more likely to be victimized, and it’s often paired with sexuality.

It’s set up [so that] it might seem like a punishment for being too promiscuous or something of that nature,” Dr. Hoffner said.

“Also when you pair violence with sex in enjoyable entertainment, it can make it seem like violence is enjoyable and if you repeatedly expose yourself to that, it can have some kind of of impact on your attitudes or your emotional responses.”

These are rare occurrences, however. Hoffner said acting on these things is mostly just a risk for those with an otherwise unsound mental state. Beattie argues that the creation of these movies shows something beyond insanity; rather, it’s self expression.

“There’s just something that makes people happy,” Beattie said. “If playing golf makes you happy, play golf. If writing makes you happy, write.”

Get your water guns; ‘Rocky Horror’ is coming to town kat sarafianos

W

hen middle-aged professionals of Columbia, Missouri with jobs, kids and suburban homes dress up in fishnets, boas and as many sequins as possible, you know it’s time for the annual “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (RHPS) showing at the Blue Note.

The cult classic movie from the mid ’70s took on a life of its own after its initial box office flop in 1975.

It created intense fanclubs across the country that sprung up and started their own movie showings with heavy audience participation that mocked the movie’s melodramatic script and acting.

“I know all the motions, and I love getting involved in the movie,” sophomore Kira Garvin said. “The environment of Rocky showings really does add to the experience because you get to talk to other passionate fans about the show, and the excitement and humor of the movie are combined with great hosts and fans.”

These audience interactions evolved from random jokes at midnight showings

into scripted actions that have become a standardized ritual for fandoms across the nation. Although these traditons originated in Los Angeles and New York City, Columbia is no exception to the obsession and hasn’t been for the past 40 years.

Mark L. Chambers, or “The Master,” as many local fans know him as, has been the emcee, narrator and organizer of the Blue Note’s annual showing for the past 35 years.

According to Chamber’s RHPS blog, the Mizzou Women’s Rugby team first started the Columbia showings before he even came to Columbia in 1990.

However, the two were able to come together; the rugby team needed an annual fundraiser and Chamber’s performance group, The Lipps Players, wanted to enjoy and recreate the film as they had grown up with it.

In fact, according to Bill Henkin — author of the Rocky Horror Picture Show book — the films became popular among the mainstreams because of its famed audience participations.

Some of the basic actions included dancing the “Time Warp” along with the

film, dressing as characters and throwing toast, water, toilet paper, hot dogs and rice at appropriate points in the movie.

The actions and high energy atmosphere created a fun, intense audience that has spanned generations.

“There’s always been one driving force behind Rocky for me. It is a celebration of the 1970s as much as it is of science fiction movies and rock music, and I enjoy reliving the ’70s whenever possible,” Chambers said. “I think it’s a wonderful draw for those folks my age that grew up with Rocky, when it was practically a ‘coming of age’ requirement for any American teen. In fact, I’ve watched audience members from three different generations enjoy the same movie.”

RBHS students are among the new generation to embrace the RHPS culture and all its trimmings.

“Even though I’ve only been once, my favorite moment from the movie is the “Time Warp” because everyone, even people who hardly know the show, get really into it and it’s easy to get the lyrics,” senior Kelli Johnson said. “Everyone is really excited and it has the energy of a

concert. I always admire the audience members that memorize everything in the movie from dances to lyrics.”

However, the intense fan environment and raunchy jokes can be overwhelming to some, especially if it’s a younger audience.

The raunchiness is even reflected in the lingo used to refer to those who haven’t seen the film — they’re called “Rocky Horror Virgins,” Chambers said. But Chambers doesn’t think these raunchy interjections and jokes should discourage newcomers.

“The most important things for RHPS virgins to know is, first and foremost, come see the show with an open mind. It’s important that every newcomer understands that the film, and our performance, contains a large dollop of adult language and situations, so be prepared,” Chambers said. “Rocky performances around the world have been this erotic now for nearly 40 years, so there’s nothing to fear. Sure, you’re likely to get pelted with playing cards and toilet paper, but we can (practically) guarantee your safety as you watch Rocky for the first time.”

A6 editorials

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

Fighting feminism’s reputation ji-ho lee

T art by Erin Barchet

Say no to weighted grades

T

he typical, high-achieving, American student has tunnel vision when it comes to his or her grade point

average.

For something as simple as a single letter, grades have the power to bring a student to tears, earn them money from their parents and cause them to stay up until 5 a.m. to finish an assignment they find boring.

Students, parents and the school alike, because of all the focus on GPAs, call the method of grade calculation into question. The philosophical debate of whether GPAs should be weighted and unweighted is an enduring one that has recently shown up at the doorsteps of CPS. Our system calculates GPAs without weighting. With a weighted grade system, advanced classes assign extra points to encourage students to take more challenging classes and prevent penalization if a student in a more rigorous course receives a B or C. At first glance, this method sounds reasonable, maybe even brilliant. But under more thorough analysis, weighted grades prove to be more of a monster than the beast

students to take an AP class they they are trying to correct.

Advanced Placement, or AP, are not ready for, and they may find classes award college credit to mo- themselves drowning in a class that tivated students who earn passing moves too fast and offers too little help. grades in college level classes.

People expect AP students to A certain type of high school student will succeed in a class sink or swim on their own, meaning like this: a student who is mature, unprepared students may feel uninintellectually-inclined, thirsting for telligent and receive an even worse grade than challenge or if they simply has would have the willShould the school stuck to power reimplement weighted their skill quired to level. “get the grades?

Not to grade” and m e ntion earn the The Rock staff voted: that addcredit. ing stuBut not dents into every high AP classes school stuwho do dent matchnot belong es this dealters the scription; in fact, most do not. Not to say that environment and values of an AP students who are not advanced classroom. These students expect from their years are lesser in any to receive challenges in their class, way; they just simply are not fit for but if teachers move at a slower an AP class. To give students who speed for students who need more are ready for this rigor extra points direction, the entire point of AP would be unfair to students who classes is compromised.

More importantly, how would aren’t ready.

Weighted grades could “push” students with special needs or

Yes: 4

No: 13

learning disorders fare under a weighted grading system?

These students have handicaps that keep them out of AP classrooms. Is it fair to them that they cannot possibly achieve the same GPA of a student who is free of handicaps?

Grades should reflect how hard a student worked within their ability.

More advanced students should use their gift by taking harder classes; they need no praise for merely living up to their potential.

A student who is still developing should take regular and honors courses that challenge them. They should still be able to reach the same GPA of a student who is genetically predisposed to thrive in a tougher learning environment.

Promotions or punishments for skill-level, which are largely out of a student’s control, are inappropriate.

While discussions about weighted grades are still in an early stage, do not get excited about the possibility of a 5.0 GPA. Instead, consider the long-term effects on all types of students with all different ability levels. In 10 years that 4.5 will not mean anything.

Syrian refugees need a place to go — just not Europe alice yu

A

fter the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in August of 2014, the media storm that resulted threw the curtains wide open and revealed the horrors of ISIS to the American public.

Videotaped beheadings became one of many brutal actions of the Salafi jihadist extremist militant group as the world learned about recruitment efforts and treatment of conquered territories.

One year after Foley’s beheading, the world stood witness to the extent of ISIS’ brutality as European countries continued to receive overwhelming numbers of refugees hoping to escape the bloodshed and brutality.

Syria used to have a population of around 22 million, according to World Vision, a humanitarian aid group. Of those, 12 million no longer reside in their own homes, with 7.6 still displaced within country borders and more than four million opting to flee the country. They are the lucky ones.

Some didn’t get the chance to escape. More than 240,000 were killed in the midst of the war, including 12,000 children. This doesn’t include the number of refugees claimed by death on their journey away from their war-torn country.

These numbers and figures can’t put into perspective the devastation of those seeking safety, though. The reports of the threats, kidnappings and murders at the hands of ISIS further illustrate the current state of disarray in Syria.

On Aug 31, after allowing six trainloads of refugees to leave the train station en route to Austria and Germany, Hungarian police blocked a road to a transit camp near Roszke, Hungary.

With international attention on the blockage, people around the globe took to social media to Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 43, Issue 2 October 29, 2015 Population: 1884 Students, 170 Faculty Circulation: 1,500 Contact Information: Phone: 573-214-3141 Contact us at bearingnews.org Advertising: $50 - -1/4 Page $100 - - 1/2 Page

photo by Devesh Kumar

Since we are a country that is able to help people I believe we should contribute some sort of effort to help them out. tyra byas junior

photo by Jae Rhee

It doesn’t make much sense for them to come here, but if [Syrians] do apply, they should be treated like any other immigrant. logan stitchter senior

What should the United States do about the current refugee crisis?

express their disgust toward European countries and their border policies toward refugees.

While these refugees have experienced more hardship than any human deserves, there are always two sides, at least, to every conflict. In the Syrian refugee crisis, one seldom acknowledged side is the inability of European countries to support four million more people.

The startling cost to feed the millions of Syrian refugees for just three months is a staggering $278 million, according to the UN World Food Program (WPF). What about living quarters? Opportunities of employment? As of June, Greece had an unemployment rate of 25.6 percent, with the European Union hosting an average of 9.6 percent, according to Statista, a website that collects worldwide statistics.

Yes, it is the moral duty of a human to help out those in need. The problem lies in the fact that European countries cannot financially handle all of the displaced refugees.

This isn’t a conflict that has two obvious sides — the classic good and evil. Both parties have legitimate reasons for their actions. While the majority of the world understands and em-

$150 - - Full Page $200 - - Backpage The Journalism Newspaper and Honors Seminar classes produce The Rock, Bearing News and Southpaw.

The paper’s purpose is to accurately inform, educate and enlighten readers in an open forum.

The Rock is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press

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pathizes with the Syrian refugees, people also need to understand the struggles and actions of Europe before lashing out on social media sites.

These countries are not an end-all solution and shouldn’t be expected to be. They reserve the right to control their borders however they want.

To expect other countries to take in refugees when some political candidates in our own country speak of erecting a wall at the MexicoUnited States border is distasteful and hypocritical. If parts of our nation are even unwilling to give aid to those crossing over from Mexico, who are we to criticize European countries closing their borders?

Before criticizing the actions of another, run two tests. The first: try to come up with another, more inclusive solution that is also practical.

The second: try to understand the thoughts of the opposing side.

The right to criticize and condemn only comes after research and comprehension of all sides to a conflict. Before doing so, please keep those 140 characters of hypocritical and crass statements away from the public eye and buried in the chambers of ignorance.

Kumar, Caylea Ray News Editor: Ji-Ho Lee Features Editor: Grace Vance Editorials Editor: Jenna Liu Commentary Editor: Ashley Tanner In-Depths Editor: Abby Kempf A&E Editor: Katharine Sarafianos Sports Editor: John Flanegin Staff Writers: Grace

he civil rights movement was a wasted effort. The social justice, economic opportunity and legislative leeway that paved the road for equality for future African-Americans was simply unnecessary.

I say this, because for most, these provocative comments would spark anger, receive harsh criticism and be titled ignorant and foolish.

If this is the case, why are we living out those exact criticisms in the midst of a modern equality movement? Many people make uneducated inferences about feminism. This is in large part because of the façade that social media and shallow news outlets place on feminism.

These two mediums do a phenomenal job of making the five percent look like the 95 percent and vice versa. Because of these false misconceptions, there is an ongoing idea that feminists think women should be the superior gender.

Some believe feminists are angry, power-thirsty and attention-driven people. Others say feminists are women who hate men.

In actuality, feminism is the opposite of these uneducated assumptions. Instead, feminism, like Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, like Ghandi and the Indian Independence Movement, like the founding fathers and the American Revolution, is a fight for equality.

Unless citizens feel that equality is truly a worthless ideal which should not belong in society, their actions should reflect their mantras. Feminism is the push for credentials, not gender, to be the driving factor in hiring employees. Feminism is the idea that if a man and a woman accomplish the same task with the same success, in the same amount of time, the two should be paid equally. Feminism is the idea that women should be given equal opportunities to impact the world, whether it be from economic, political, industrial or educational platforms.

In 1920, society made a massive leap as women were given the ability to vote.

Still, women struggle for equality. Women are simply viewed on a lesser standard than men. According to the Wall Street Journal, women make only 55 percent of the wage of men in some occupations, which is why the struggle for equality is still being fought.

For too long, inequality has been the norm and this must change. It is time for all of society to become educated on the true meaning and importance of equality.

It is time to realize respect doesn’t mean holding doors open. It means acknowledging women as humans, not objects or targets. It is time for all of society to change because this change is one that is desperately needed.

The much-needed movement of equality begins with each individual laying down their personal bias and understanding what feminism truly stands for. The first step is becoming educated on the reasons for and why feminism is such a necessary movement in our society.

Everybody should genuinely ask themselves what their definition of equality truly is. If that matches the equality that feminism strives to achieve, they should join the 21st century version of the Civil Rights Movement, known as feminism.

Dorsey, Ronel Ghidey, Rochita Ghosh, Elad Gov-Ari, Skyler Froese, Cameron Fuller, Faaris Khan, Joy Park, Nicole Schroeder, Nikol Slatinska, Caylea Ray Artists: Erin Barchet, Neil Cathro, Megan Goyette, Ana Ramirez, Shelby Yount Photographers: Tyson Jamieson, Jae Rhee, Cassidy Viox Videographer: Cameron Fuller infographic by Neil Cathro Source: aauw.org

editorials

10.29.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

A7

Pledge honors American values, celebrates history ji-ho lee

T

he stars and stripes deserve our respect. The people who the flag represents deserve our respect. The sacrifices the flag represents deserve our respect. The lives lost, the blood spilled and the tears shed by family and loved ones; they all deserve our respect.

That respect is pitifully offered once a week in the halls of RBHS, in a manner of tedium and routine. If we, as American citizens, really value our freedom, why don’t we prove it?

Several people carry misconceptions and animosities against the Pledge of Allegiance. Some call it blind obedience.

Some claim they are forced to pledge their allegiance to a country that they disagree with, especially because of what they see as a lack of “liberty and justice” that is offered to citizens.

Some consider the flag to be a simple

piece of fabric, and pledging allegiance to that is immature. These misconceptions, however, are completely incorrect.

The pledge itself does not spark blind or forced obedience. The 1943 Supreme Court Case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette states that the Pledge of Allegiance cannot be forced upon any student, nor can a student be punished for refusing to say it.

Some argue it is nonsensical that students should pledge to a country that they disagree with. But that same country provides rights and liberties that many people are not privileged enough to receive. When students reject the option of saying the Pledge of Allegiance, the First Amendment, an iconic piece of legislation that protects its citizens, protects that action.

The “liberty and justice for all,” offered by the United States to all of its citizens, protects their actions.

Although the enforcement of liberty and

justice may be imperfect, the United States is one of the few countries in the world that enforces this legislation. Although some may disagree with the country’s leadership, they fail to recognize that they live in a place where it is acceptable to voice their disapproval; a right represented by the flag, and by the pledge.

There is no emotional connection to pieces of fabric. But, the red, white and blue stars and stripes are far more than just pieces of cloth. In the 19th century, it represented opportunity and hope for immigrants. In the 1940s, when the country was entrenched in war, the flag represented optimism and success for some, but incomprehensible sorrow for others. In times of unspeakable tragedy, like Sept. 11, 2001, the flag represented unity and promise for the millions of citizens who lived in fear.

It is understandable that some feel no emotional connection to the flag. But for many others, that flag represents hope and

opportunity, or a tragic sorrow and heartbreak, and sparks a billow of emotion.

Even if some do not feel connected to the flag, people should respect and honor those who do.

Despite the arguments hurled at the flag and the pledge, both represent much more than a routine.

The pledge is a nameplate, a badge American citizens should proudly wear with honor. Because of its importance and value, not only should the Pledge of Allegiance be said in schools, it should be said every single day.

At its core, the Pledge of Allegiance is a celebration and a reminder of the freedoms, rights, liberties and protection that we, as American citizens, are given, and that many other global citizens do not have. It is too valuable to only tediously repeat once a week. Instead, this powerful statement of freedom and independence should be passionately spoken every day.

Where does your allegiance lie?

Pledge causes ignorant patriotism, forgets inequality grace dorsey

T

he Pledge of Allegiance has come a long way from its roots. The first version, created by a baptist minister named Francis Bellamy in 1892, read “I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The words under God were added in 1954 by President Eisenhower as a direct opposition to the atheist communist power.

Now, more than 50 years later, children across the nation are forced to stand up, put their hand over their hearts and pledge their allegiance to the United States of America. While this daily or weekly routine may seem like a

gesture of respect, it’s really just another meaningless facade of false sentiment on the government’s part.

America, the self-proclaimed melting pot, distinctly utilizes the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Not only does this violate the First Amendment of the Constitution, which clearly protects against the establishment of religion in government, but it also alienates those who don’t believe in one higher power or God. Groups such as Jehovah’s witnesses are prohibited from promising their devotion to anything other than God while religions such as Hinduism believe in multiple gods. The pledge outright excludes them while making the generalization that all Yankees believe in God. Mandatory allegiance to the

United States also infringes on freedom of speech. Sure, the 1943 Supreme Court case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette may have stated that the Pledge of Allegiance cannot be required of citizens, but that doesn’t stop teachers from outright shaming those who choose not to participate.

In addition, the Pledge of Allegiance uses the phrase “liberty and justice for all” and unfortunately, the United States has a long way until these rights are available for everyone.

The choice to say the pledge doesn’t define a patriot. What truly makes an American citizen is somebody who follows the laws in turn for the rights and freedoms that America so iconically allots.

Abolishing the pledge in schools will serve to stop children from

being brainwashed into thinking that the 50 states deserve their allegiance no matter what.

It’s a common belief that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a necessary way to promote pride for America and respect for our troops in school children. However, making six-year-old children recite a chant day after day before they even can comprehend the words won’t advance loyalty.

If the American government really wants to honor the troops, then maybe they should take real action.

Furthermore, respect for this nation shouldn’t be learned, it should be earned. Reverence should come out of something more genuine, such as the advancement of civil rights. Exactly how will taking off your hat show respect to America? It seems like

all that it will do is expose your hat hair and make your head cold.

The Pledge of Allegiance is simply a collection of words that have lost their meaning through years and years of involuntary recitation. People don’t actually think about their privileges during the pledge. Instead their minds wonder about the mundane tasks of the day and how they are looking forward to sitting down.

The Pledge of Allegiance is no more than a ritual blindly praised by those who think patriotism is hosting a family barbecue on the 4th of July. Not only does the pledge disregard the First Amendment, but it also emanates fake patriotism. Citizens celebrate their freedoms every day by obeying the laws and contributing to their community. Saying the pledge is simply irrelevant.

art by Stephanie Kang

Domestic violence affects all genders ronel ghidey

T

infographic by Neil Cathro Source: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

hree weeks ago, a man and a woman were fighting outside of Walmart. The woman hit the man, which created no disturbance, and a dozen people passed by them with no care.

This reaction isn’t an uncommon one.

Many people believe that domestic violence is an issue that affects only women, when it’s actually an issue that affects everyone.Granted, domestic violence is a serious issue that statistically affects more women than men.

For example, three women a day are killed by an ex-male partner. More than 38 million women in the U.S. alone have experienced abuse in their lifetime, and about four million females a year are domestically abused.

Violence against women is still, and always will be a huge issue that the American society needs to address more frequently.

But it’s violence against men that lacks the most attention. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in four men will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime. Although these statistics aren’t as jawdropping as the ones for females, they are still sobering.

It’s important to remember that men, not just women, are also victims of domestic violence. However, there is a blatant disregard for female or male on male violence by American society.

The Department of Psychology at California State University, Long Beach, compiled a study that examined 286 scholarly investigations, and realized that in a relationship, women are more violent than men.

Granted, when they are violent it’s usually not to the extreme extent as when men are, but the fact remains that women are not the

stereotype of being weak and nonthreaten- Raven’s ended, he was suspended for two ing. Abuse against males exists, and it is im- games and he was indicted by a grand jury portant to talk about it. Oftentimes, however, on third-degree aggravated assault with a fine violence toward men is not taken as seriously of $15,000.

A surprising fact behind this situation is as violence against women.

If a significant other beats a man, soci- that six weeks later, Rice and Palmer got ety usually sees him as weak or blames him married. This shows how much of a differfor the encounter. He’s less likely to get ence the media interprets domestic violence. the amount of sympathy an abused woman Even though Rice was forgiven by his significant other, he was would. A modcontinuously attacked ern day examby the media, while ple of this sceIf a significant other Solo, whose case is nario is Hope beats a man, society usu- still unresolved, barely Solo. gets mentioned.

Solo, a socally sees him as weak This shows how cer player for or blames him for the cases of domestic viothe United encounter. He’ll be less lence are not taken as States soccer likely to get the amount seriously when womteam, attacked of sympathy an abused en are the perpetrator her nephew and half sister woman would. A modern and are not dealt with the same severity as last year, and day example of this scecases where the man is faced assault nario is Hope Solo. the assailant. charges.

Although there’s a Even though the charges were never cleared, FIFA allowed multitude of examples of domestic violence her to play in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. cases where a man can be the victim, the That, along with the lack of media cover- main point is that people should not forget ing her case, shows how much of a disparity that domestic violence is an issue that affects there is between how people react to domes- everyone. This is a serious problem, one tic violence against men and violence against that cannot be truly fixed if it’s not fully addressed. women.

So the next time you see a man and a The media coverage of Solo’s case was very different from how newspapers across woman in a relationship enter into an altercathe country wrote about the infamous ac- tion, don’t let your double standards against men distract you from the scenario at hand: tions of football player Ray Rice.

Rice sparked a scandal after assaulting anyone hitting another human being they are his then fiancée (now wife) Janay Palmer at supposed to love is never okay. It is importhe Ravel casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. tant to speak up against all forms of domestic After a video of Rice’s altercation sub- violence, regardless of the gender of the vicmerged, his contract with the Baltimore tim.

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therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

features therock 10.29.15

Disagreements arise over pledge nikol slatinska

O

ne Nation under God. Since these words were added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 by President Dwight Eisenhower, they have created copious controversy in the so-called “indivisible” nation.

Some have even taken the discussion to court, Claiming that the phrase violates their natural rights.

Perhaps the most notable case against the pledge was the 2004 Elk Grove United School District v.

Newdow dispute, in which Michael Newdow tried to sue his daughter’s school for requiring students to say the pledge every day, stating the words “under God” contradict the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The court rejected Newdow’s argument because of custody reasons, but that didn’t stop other citizens’ identical claims.

Sophomore Ilinca Popescu agrees that the forced citation of the pledge is wrong. She believes it’s immoral that education systems demand young children to recite the pledge daily, despite them having little to no knowledge of the political and social achievements of the country they’re promising their sovereignty to.

“These very people may not even believe in a God that the government seems so heavily centered around nowadays,” Popescu said. “When reciting ‘one nation under God,’ you are forcing them to stray from their personal opinions.”

Jennifer Black Cone, who leads RBHS students in the pledge every Monday, has no issue with the pledge but knows that some people are offended by it. Although she gets frustrated with the government organiza-

feature photo by Cassi Viox

tions that give disadvantage to public education, she still believes in the essence of the pledge, which is meant to capture how America has survived many crises and what it can still accomplish.

“Since I grew up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, I personally see no problem,” Black Cone said. “However, with our diverse culture, it might be offputting to some.”

Junior Logan Rodgers does not take offense in the least by the pledge and believes because RBHS is a public school where education is made possible by the national government, it’s the students’ obligation to show respect in return.

“I believe the pledge affects our military the most,” Rodgers said. “It

shows that the citizens they protect are grateful and supportive of what they do.”

Rodgers would like to see a change that entails social studies teachers to explain the pledge to the new freshmen every year to ensure that they understand what it signifies.

Popescu believes the pledge results in a victimized society, negating the pledge’s final words of “with liberty and justice for all.” She thinks it mostly affects younger people and interferes with what they know to be true, and reciting it too often causes the pledge to lose its meaning.

“Would you pledge to a country every day if you were aware of the systematic oppression on people you identify with?” Popescu said.

“Whether you are patriotic or not should be up to the individual.”

Junior RonTayza Hill called the idea of being required to say the pledge “dumb,” and chooses not to say it, believing that it’s obvious “liberty and justice for all” is not something the country has achieved.

“We are taught this pledge at such a young age and forced to say it, as well,” Hill said. “Yet none of us are truly aware of what it means whenever we are taught the words, which is creepy considering we are blindly following this command.”

Black Cone said the state legislature mandates that the pledge be recited out loud once a week. She believes the overall effect of the pledge is positive.

“We have many students who have family members who are serving in our armed services or have escaped war-torn countries and are living a better life in America,” Black Cone said. “For them, the pledge is a reminder of sacrifice and safe havens.

I personally do not see a need for a change.”

Popescu has made it clear that she disagrees. If a change was to be made, she thinks students should not be required to say the pledge at all.

She understands the idea of showing respect to those who gave their lives for the nation’s freedom, but feels that people should not have to change their beliefs to do that.

“Give the veteran a medal,” Popescu said. “Don’t salute a flag.”

Sites spur social media use alice yu

T

he cellular devices that live in the pockets and palms of students are just as powerful as the computer that runs the Mars Curiosity rover. But students aren’t using their smartphones to connect with outer space; they’re primarily using their cellphones to connect with their peers through social media.

The increase in sharing isn’t a novel concept; already in 2013, 90 percent of internet users used a social networking site.

Now, 92 percent of teens report going online daily and 71 percent of teens use more than one social networking site, according to the Pew Research Center’s social media and technology overview.

But what motivates these social media users to post a snapshot of their day on Instagram, tweet a message on Twitter, or share a link on Facebook?

For senior InHan Kim, the primary reason is for entertainment. His daily social media activity involves retweeting news he finds interesting, like

sports scores and updates from on social media to the extent the RBHS Bruin Bear, as well that they find it interesting, as events going on around him. entertaining, and/or relevant,” “I think the No. 1 reason I Butcher said. “While there are share is [to] kind of get a sense hundreds of specific reasons of what’s going on around me,” why a user may like, comment, Kim said. “If somebody posts retweet, or share an article, video, photo a video or or graphic, photo, I’m they are kind of in more likely their posiUsers will ento engage tion right gage with and if it offers now.” share content them someReasons on social media thing of valthat motito the extent ue or [it] invate social media sharthat they find it vites them to participate.” ing include interesting.

In juentertainbrandon butcher nior Amy ment, selfMU adjunct instructor Gu’s case, fulfillment her primary and mainreason for taining relationships, according to an sharing is linked to more than one motivator. As an artist, Gu article on coschedule.com.

According to Brandon posts an image of her works of Butcher, an adjunct instruc- art once every two months. tor at the University of Mis“Because I follow a lot of souri School of Journalism, art accounts, I get a lot of motithe desire to be aware of world vation to actually create a nice events is also a powerful mo- piece of artwork,” Gu said. tivation, in addition to how “Once I complete that and I personalized the social media feel like there would be some people who actually want to experience can be.

“Generally, users will en- see these things, then I post it.”

But while the updates and gage with and share content graphics that pop up in social media feeds can open networking lanes, users should be aware that these posts aren’t random.

Advertisement exposure from all forms of media — including television, radio and internet — can range anywhere from 250 to over 3000 seen per day, according to the Huffington Post.

“Social networks like Facebook tailor ads to users based on that user’s previous activity on the site,” Butcher said.

“Over time, an individual may limit exposure to diverse sources of information because she is only seeing what she wants to see, or what Facebook thinks she wants to see.” art by Shelby Yount

photo by Jae Rhee

Armed and ready: Officer Keisha Edwards stands outside of her office displaying her body camera issued by the Columbia Police Department.

The cameras film anything from school activity to police interactions with high quality audio and video.

The cameras were implemented to serve the public with transparent police action and accurate evidence.

The lens to integrity

Debate develops about police body cameras grace dorsey

L

ast August a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown.

Without a body camera to capture the reality of the situation, the public was left to speculate.

While some stood by the police officer’s decision, others criticized his use of force.

Just the month before, in July 2014 Columbia Police Department (CPD) became the first department in MO to implement the use of body cameras.

“The Columbia Police Department is always looking at new technology to better serve the public as a whole,” John Gordon, the assistant police chief and operations bureau commander said.

The cameras help provide additional evidence to support prosecution and increase plea agreements, thus reducing the volume of cases in the system and providing cost savings across the board, according to the press release from the CPD’s website.

Sophomore Elise Sickler approves the body cameras because she believes they will help with accountability.

“I think it’s a good thing because it can help prevent them from doing things they aren’t supposed to do,” sophomore Elise Sickler said “It’s a really good thing because it can help identify police officers that have a certain prejudice through race or gender. I think

it can help prevent that because then they’ll be more aware because they are being watched, so they won’t break any rules.”

Cameras that catch police disobedience aren’t a recent thing. They go as far back as March 3, 1999, when there was an incident in which a camera caught Los Angeles police brutally beating a man after a high-speed chase. The recording was sent to a local news station and later broadcasted to the world. The incident resulted in the cops being charged with assault.

Junior Janylah Thomas believes basing beliefs off of whatever story seems the most logical leads to mistakes.

“Most of the time, like the event that happened in Ferguson, they base everything off of a story, like which story seemed the most believable,” Thomas said. “I think if they would have had a camera there would have been a different outcome.”

Still, even with camera footage, there may be more to the account. Police are trained to act quickly in a potentially dangerous situation and on cameras their actions might look like an overreaction.

“Although the video ‘can’t lie,’ a video cannot tell the whole story. The video cannot replace the human instinct, especially what the person is feeling at the moment, so we cannot judge someone based off a video alone,” Gordon said. “You must keep your opinion open until you look at an incident as a whole.”

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therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

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s e v li ts o ro p u is s ri c n a ri y S gnity and compassion’

Refugees fight for right to ‘di

. The USCRI believes the naaccepting country of refugees, most more l government should resettle nikol sla tins ka have not been welcoming toward tiona 100,000 Syrians by the end of 2016 fugitive foreigners. its ing rienc expe is gh the U.S. refugee resettleurope “Hungary has been one of the throu since s crisi ee refug program in response to the t est men bigg ile and violent toward host t mos World War II. Almost 60 refugees at its borders,” Abousalem enormity of the need.

“USCRI has advocated for the million people were dis- said. “Greece has been suffering a tries government to call an internaplaced from their home coun crippling economic crises for sever- U.S. icts, confl l summit to find long-term solast year because of war al years now, and [Greece] has been tiona nAge gee ns for the global refugee crisis according to the UN Refu helping to its ability, although I do lutio well as immediate solutions for cy. believe they can be more coordinat- as rise to s inue cont an refugees in Europe,” Hastber That num ed in their efforts. Overall, what the Syri Syr000 700, said. “It further believes that than ings with more s to be is that the citizens seem trend fiians displaced within the first five of many European countries want Gulf countries should provide ey Turk non, months of 2015, according to an ar- to help, but the governments are the nancial support to Leba and Jordan and should accept Syrian ticle by World Vision. problem.” tor direc ees for resettlement. In addiChristian Fuchs is the Abousalem said European coun- refug it Jesu the for it is essential that hosting counof communications tries need to remember the refugees tion, niorga an ), (JRS allow refugees to legally work.

Refugee Agency are still human beings though they tries e dwid worl ees refug g so will help alleviate the exzation that aids look different from Europeans or Doin cy treme poverty rgen eme , ation educ of in terms in ve belie faced by many protection and healthcare. He said different iderefugees.” the JRS began working in the Mid ies. She ms olog see nd tre The Also servees dle East in 2008, serving refug thinks Euros zen citi the ... be to the esto ing from also primarily from Iraq, but counpean an ope al needs Eur n, senti ny Suda ma and of Afghanistan, Somalia tries need to refugees, to of Leba nt in e wa refug ies countr who were seeking start acceptis a nontheir GFR first, At ern a. gov Syri and non, Jordan help, but the ing refugees internat of s profi term in est mod bwere programs nts are the pro me bely simp ical med tional the number of people served and cause they . lem cy. agen f were focused on education and are fleeing for rasha abousalem relie last her On counseling. global first responder their lives. trip to Greece However, the recent conflict in Fuchs and the in late Sepin rise ive Syria caused a mass the JRS urge ed assist inand help non m Leba usale in Abo ees er, number of refug European governments to work to- temb provided and large s boat the ee tion refug men ing to Jordan, not gether and avoid taking one-sided com sions. occa ral inter seve were on who care le ical peop med of number as closing borders and such n actio nathe nally displaced within Syria. The confronting migrants with riot po- Since she’s fluent in Arabic, refuthe in of language of most JRS now also conducts programs lice and tear gas, as is currently hap- tive .

Turkey for refugees, most of whom pening on the Hungarian-Serbian gees, she also served as a translator anihum r ght othe brou from The organization are either from Syria or border. tarian aid boxes containing clothes, ect countries. These refugees from othresp to s pean He advises Euro d foun had they ght s and food. er countries thou the right of individuals to asylum, shoe n agai flee to had refugees that docked in but a, The safety in Syri or protection from threatening goved. start War l arrived from Turkey on Civi ce an Gree Syri when the ents. ernm er rafts meant for 10 “One quarter of Lebanon’s popcontinue to call upon the flimsy rubb “We a,” On average, Abousalem ulation are refugees from Syri pean Union to enact practical people.

Euro if ine Turkish smugglers pushed 50 Fuchs said. “Can you imag ways for refugees to arrive safely said, the like ’s le on one raft, the men along that happened here? That in Europe,” Fuchs said. “[This in- peop asing incre U.S. perimeter and the women, chilpopulation of the cludes] the issuing of ‘humanitarian the four just in le peop , elderly and handicapped in by 80 million visas’, the lifting of onerous visa dren le. midd years.” requirements, more resettlement the ees refug of t cases, the motor would rity mos majo In the With and the liberalization of fames plac die out in the middle of the sea, flooding through borders from ily reunification rules.” the journey that should take Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, The American government has causing strug hour and a half last up to four European host countries are not been helpful, either. Melissa an from s omie s. Often times, the motor would gling to keep their econ Hastings, an intern at the U.S. Com- hour dim, usale Abo rt after someone removed the plummeting. Rasha mittee for Refugees and Immigrants resta at s ation oper rian r inside of it, or the refugees rector of humanita (USCRI), said that since the Syrian wate Euro said r, onde start rowing with the prold Resp Global First Civil War began in 2011, the United wou the ling hand les to manually transfer not padd are d tries vide pean coun s has resettled fewer than 2,000 State selves across. refugee situation well at all.

Syrian refugees, refusing thousands them continued on B4 Aside from Germany, the most

E

photo illustration by Neil Cathro

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Missouri, located at 201 W. Broadway, Music has had to walk refugees through ori Stoll spends every day work- tasks that to many seem second-nature, ing out of her car. As the director such as how to close and lock a door. of the Columbia nonprofit City of This ‘fish-out-of-water’ struggle many Refuge, Stoll always drives across refugees face makes it difficult for Mutown, doing a variety of tasks to sic to help them with more complicated help recent refugees. From ferrying peo- matters, like filling out job applications ple to doctor’s appointments to talking and tax forms. someone through a job application, Stoll “Our main thing is to make refugees has learned to do it all. in the first 30 to 90 days self-sufficient.

“I go to refugees’ homes and find That means get a job, get a driver’s liout things that they need and help with cense, things like that,” Senad said. “It’s everything it takes to get used to a new very hard. There culture,” Stoll said. are many people “Every day is differwho come here ent, according to their and are uneduI’ll walk them needs. I’ll walk them through what they cated. They canthrough what they not read or write need to do. It’s kind even in their need to do. It’s kind of like being a mom own language, of like being a mom to those 50-100 different to those 50-100 dif- so it is very families.” hard.” ferent families.

Stoll began workMusic said lori stroll the Refugee and ing with refugees as a director of City of Refuge I m m i g r a t i o n college student, tutoring Vietnamese chilServices office dren who fled their aims to ease war-torn country. She said the experi- refugees’ transition to the United States ence opened her eyes to their struggles by paying for their housing, buying furand inspired her to dedicate her life to niture and household supplies and purhelping refugees like them achieve a chasing food. better living. When African refugees The office does all this on a onebegan arriving in Columbia around 10 time lump sum of $925 per refugee, an years ago, she knew something needed amount that Music said is not nearly to be done to help them assimilate to the enough to start with. He knows first-hand American way of living. the financial difficulties refugees face as “When I met the Burmese, the need newcomers. After being held for three was pretty overwhelming. There was years as a de-facto prisoner in a refugee only one caseworker here in Columbia camp in Serbia, Music was able to come at the immigration office and they had a to America by way of the Red Cross. different philosophy,” Stoll said. “They When he arrived in Columbia, however, were just trained to get them as indepen- his problems were far from fixed. dent as possible in as short amount of “I wish nobody will go through [what time as possible, but what I was seeing I went through]. I came here and was was a lot of trauma and a lot of cultural the first Bosnian refugee in Columbia, adjustment that took more time. I wanted so nobody spoke my language. The only to be available so that they could heal.” language I can understand is Russian,” Senad Music, a former refugee from Music said. “I had to work two jobs Bosnia, said culture shock is one of the to bring over my wife, my mother, my most pressing challenges refugees face. brother; now I have lots of relatives here.

As the office manager for the Refugee But when I came in 1996, it was nightand Immigration Services of the Catho- mare. I work for hours cleaning offices, lic Charities of Central and Northern and it was very hard.”

jenna liu

Given that many current refugees are in a similar situation, one of City of Refuge’s goals is to help with the strain of multiple jobs and money troubles by providing transportation and education services. Senior Faramola Shonekan, a volunteer with City of Refuge, was recently tasked with driving a Jordanian woman to the eye doctor, and has also tutored children at the homes of refugee families. For Shonekan, the experience opened her eyes to the difficulties refugees face in Columbia.

“The refugees are operating under a need mentality, so anything they need that I can give them is worth so much to them,” Shonekan said. “For example, when I was able to get that lady an eye doctor appointment, she was just so grateful.”

Shonekan strongly believes in City of Refuge’s message and purpose, even selecting the organization as her charity of choice when she was a homecoming queen candidate in September.

“I’ve been volunteering since the school year started,” Shonekan said.

“My favorite part about volunteering is learning about [refugees’] culture and everything they have gone through. It enlightens me and exposes me to our society and it makes me more grateful for what I have here.”

According to the City of Refuge website, people can help support the organization through donations and — more unexpectedly — dentistry services, which many refugees need desperately.

In Music’s opinion, however, one of the most important ways Columbia residents can help refugees is by educating themselves on refugee issues.

“One thing that I’d like to see is community doing more education on refugees,” Music said.

“So they understand that they’re not here to take nobody’s job, to take nobody’s house, to take nobody’s family. They are here just to save themselves.”

art and infograp hic by Neil Cath ro source amnesty .org

to recognize that at it’s important th s on. ve lie be e Sh fleeing for a reas igrants; they are e m t av le no s e nt ar ra es ig ge refu ained that m pl 3 ex B em m al o us fr e, bo A Continued socioeconomic lif e In a nutshell, seeking a better en was that ther on se gi d re r ha te threat, I he ot io an ar r en sc refu- fo from an immedia of um ll yl fu as ft “The worst case ra ek e se th es g ge provided, causin the while refu their lives. were no paddles for hours out in for the safety of g es in im nn et em was the ru m d so an ed nd king to Abousal refugees oc e th sh f t “I os . gees to stay stra m id sa as w What e spoke to the a,” Abousalem nd of Lesfugees. When sh la re is n ek middle of the se ha re fg G A e th of to r rmed her that numbe gh to arrive English, they info ew laughing and kn y, In were lucky enou at pp th ha ns y el ha m fg few A and ISIS threat. either extre a rising Taliban emotional, crye ng y vos, they were m pi el ca ca m es tre e em ex al er e w us er they w fugees Abo used they re ca t s os ha m y y, ne lit fur taking selfies, or na re jo e ced terms of natio from the stress th or double displa ing and shaking with were Syrian, t r counac he nt ot co om to fr in d deithin Syria an w ss es re ge st fu om them.” re fr e d ar who people fainte e boat, ugees, lestine.

Abousalem said ing them off th lp ch as Iraq and Pa people eshe su , as es w tri e sh e ur le at hi in Syria, you had w em n ith pr w io e at ed os nc th hydr rie pe om fr ex de ,” “Asi men Abousanant women e it to the Iraq, Iran and Ye ad m om d fr ne and several preg ce yo er en ol ev t vi eing violence an caping tunately, no ese groups are fle rst open in the th bu cramping. Unfor of or ll ed “A . pp id fli sa m the rafts the refugees le border. Many of is trying nings. Although ath.” ow de dr to y d av nder, the JRS le he po ch es or R s t as rs gr Fi water, whi ith l w ens to act Like Globa most were filled s. advises U.S. citiz critical d an n io at wore life jackets, ly sped up the drowning proces tu si e on ership at such a t in to help th Styrofoam which demonstrate lead e, a raft died ou d er an th y as kl w increasing levic qu em al can do this by ey th One night Abous ater during the pitch black dark id sa s ch e. Fu more education ew the raft and tim humanitarian aid, investing in e se t the middle of th no d di el gee admission els of ching vess and boosting refu es e. ge di ness. An approa fu to re r le fo op s pe m ra og causing 23 knew it, but pr slammed into it, can we were dying. We mbers. le nu op pe e t ices of citizens on gh o vo ni “S e . th id g sa in “Every em lly al ra us this crisis “Only by e could do,” Abo t stand by while people no at ill th w e on w g there was little w at in th go ust ensure strate erself: What is chs said. “We m r chil- demon Fu ei th ,” es of ey es r should ask him/h liv ou e re th fo passion and lds be k their lives and the dignity, com think of unfo d d re ul fe co of I e are willing to ris l ar al es is ge fu journey? That om the that re e.” dren on such a by after baby fr nity they deserv ba e rtu m po g op in ss pa e er w le op pe as rafts.”

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ro ch ita gh os h

try of origin and skills .

However, regardles “The United States has s of effect, accordi a very whether a co ng to The Guardun ex try ten siv ca n e scr accept ian. ee ning process for ref ind whips away at ug ee s or no t, this involves their hair as they look refugees, particularly for those more These countries also than simply policy, Gl cannot obal keep helping to over the land not yet from the Middle East, to prevent Issues the ex lea ten de t that r So ter ny ror a Hu says. they ha ists from being admitte crossed. ve. Thanks to its large d to She says this is Displaced the a ma co tte untry,” Shaw said. “T r of mor- influx of from their homes be he als and a sense of refugees, Germany is cause of Unite duty. d States also gives pre war, they seek refuge experiencing a rise in ferin places ence “E ac h instabilperson naturally has a to refugees who come far more stable than ity. Towns that took with certain duty or the lands skills in a large obligation to help am /education that can [he they were born in. Th ount of people saw a lp someone who is in ey have them] disrupneed of help, tion in land back on their fee already travelled thous the peace they once kn t so ands of the res wh en ev er the ew y are able,” Hu beca ettlement process is no miles to reach safety — use of the refugees t as said. “Likewise, a couple diffic sti ll on e who is bet- pushing ult economically.” more miles, and mayb to survive however wa e they’ll ter off tha n an oth y er Th is ese factors combine commonly they can. find it. to- seen as a morally gether to give a gene good or ethical The accessibility to This caused a tense ral con- person when the their sensus of mood y help someone amon safety does not necessa the Un ite d Sta tes g the local Germans, not who is less privil rily hinge being who eged. Just like had “particularly welcoming on their arrival to Eu to alter their lives to ,” people, states have rope, but Mac make a duty to help way for k Shelley, political sci instead on if these coun ence others when the these refugees, accordtries will profes y can. There are ing sor at Iowa State Unive allow them inside their to Spiegel Internation r- a number of natio borders. sity al, a ns that are ca- news said. He says this gives Several European website in Germany. the pable of assisting countries impre others, such ssion that people see ref have allowed refugee All of these factors comb u- as the United Sta s to seek gees ined tes, U.K., Aus- promp and immigrants as burde shelter inside their lands ted criticism toward Ge ns tralia, and so on, , includ- unles ran d s be they happen to posse cause of many Prim ing Germany, which is ss that, there’s no ne projected mo e Minister Angela ed for them to Merk ney or skill in the scien to take in 800,000 to on el. She remained stead ce or allow more pe e million techn fast ople to suffer by on ology fields. Shaw say refugees by the end of thi s issue, insisting that s the 2015, ac- Unite preventing their entry the d States attempts to dis into these borders mu cording to Al-Jazeera. si- nations.” st remain open. pate this view by contr The United States’ ibuting to This led to many Ge accep- the cri Hu first learned about the rman sis in other ways. tance of refugees pales ref- officials condem in comug nin ee g cri sis he r las act ye “T ar, when she tions to he United States is try parison to these Europ the point of speculatin ing was just a memb ean coun- to g er co un of the club whether ter a negative image by tries, however. Curre she will remain in ofntly, the pro she now leads. The Gl vid ing United States limits obal Is- fice, accordi significant funding itself on for ng to Spiegel Intersues leader then introd humanitarian aid and uc accepting 70,000 refug ed the national. ref u- issue by bringing ees, but gee a guest speakcamps that are in neigh Secretary of State Jo However, on Oct. 21 M bor- er formerly of hn Kerry ing erkel the Peace Corps, an states, since this is where announced that this qu no unced that Germany wo the ota will most wh o de scr ibe uld d her experience depo people are who have be raised to 85,000 in rt thousands of unwelco the with refugees an 2016, and mo me d st need,” Shaw said. what she had migra to 100,000 in 2017, ac nts out of the country. Th “Cur- learned. cording to ren is tly, the United States the Pew Research Cente is an att is the empt to curb the amou r.

“S he ex pla ine nt lar d ge st tha t it was of refugee international financia One reason for this dis s taking shelter in the l- impossible for a parity donor.” single person nation may be the difference an d was also a response among to en tir ely resolve the issue of While the United States these countries’ loc to growing objections may conflict, but by ation in be and comsimply chang- plaint contributing to the glo the world. European s. bal is- ing the life of nations sue, Sh a single family, or elley says this does no are easier for the Midd Hu believes these ev t even a single perso le East- chan ents in n, one could Europe ge the general view on ern refugees to access will affect the Unite the make a differen than the refug d ce ,” Hu said. States ee crisis at home.

United States because later, and for that reaso it is clos“S he str ess ed tha n t “T an he political environme yone could people sh er in proximity. Also ould care. nt do something.” , there is rig ht now is pretty much po only land on the route “A lth isonou gh it seems as though from the ous, W hil e most European coun with immigrants used Middle East to Europe, - this issue doesn’t pe as tries believe the Carolyn scape rtain to us in y should con- the Un goats by reactionary po Shaw, professor of po ited States today, the sta liti- tribute someho litical sci- cia te w, not all agree of ns, so it’s difficult to see ence at Wichita State Un the international comm how on what the best iversity, this en unity course of action does vironment will improve said. impact domestic issue ,” is. The U.K. Prim s,” Shelley said. “It’s dif e Minister, Da- Hu sai Current U.S. immi ficult to vid Cameron d. “Similar to the butte gration be po , sai rd that instead fly effec sitive about United Sta laws also play a part t, something, no matte tes of accepting ref in accept- im r ug mi ee gration and refugee po s from un- how sm ing refugees, as certain all and how far away, licy stable countries, refugees until the the be st course can have re is a major change in find it more difficult to an effect. Internaenter the publi of action is to help the c attitudes and until se coun- tional confl nation depending on the pro- tries become mo ict ir coun- gressi s impact domestic re secure, as it polic ve candidates take over. ies, trade, economy, an ” will provide the best d so long-term much mo re.”

B6 indepths

joy park wet Phaw is an average 17-year-old girl, small in stature and big at heart. She wears a lip color that extenuates her flashy smile.

She throws her black, wavy hair up into a high, sassy ponytail. She idly twirls her earbuds round and round, wearing them around her neck like an accessory.

Phaw’s eyes gleam with excitement as she lists off her favorite pop artists: Taylor Swift, One Direction and Big Bang, a Korean boy band. She loves everything about the Korean culture from the language to the people.

But deep inside, Phaw associates herself with a different noun — one that is recurring daily on the news and one that is becoming more critical with each passing day.

Seven years ago, Phaw arrived in the land of America seeking peace and stability. Seven years ago, Phaw came to America as a refugee.

According to United Nations, there are more than 43 million people worldwide who are refugees, the highest number since the 1990s. Children constitute about 41 percent of this number, with 50 percent being women. These people are forcibly displaced as a result of country conflict and persecution, as was the case with Phaw and her family.

“The government of Burma wanted to control everything,” Phaw said. “I’ve never seen it, but Burman soldiers kill and attack not only our people but other ethnicities, too. They’ll rape girls and they kill people by torturing them to death. It’s really bad. I get really mad whenever I hear about it.”

Phaw, a Karen, was born in 1998 in Loikaw, Burma at a time when the Burman government was in a state of war. The Karen National Union (KNU) was the main resistance movement among the ethnic minority, making up seven percent of Burma’s total population.

Many Karen people migrated to Thailand during this time, settling mostly on the Thai–Karen border.

Phaw and her family were among thousands of other Karenni and Burman neighbors seeking refuge and safety from the perilous government. The Burman government took control of whatever possible, including their own people. There was no freedom, and there was no peace.

“The government of Burma wanted to control everything,” Phaw said. “They want our land and we wanted our own freedom. Many people had to work for [peace] in order to survive. My parents worked on a farm until we moved to Thailand.”

Six months after Phaw’s birth, Phaw’s grandparents, father, mother and two sisters started their long journey to a foreign territory they would call home. By foot they traveled from sun up to sun down until they reached their final destination: a refugee camp in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand.

“We walked to Thailand all day,” Phaw said. “I was just a baby then, but my mom said I liked holding onto

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

her. My mother began to get really tired and weak, her family the past decade fade slowly into a mere until she passed out and couldn’t walk anymore. My speck. Several hours later, Phaw landed in the country grandparents came back to carry me and my mother. of her newly proclaimed home: the United States of America.

We survived because of my grandfather.”

“I was so excited [to come to America] because I Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, Phaw and her family were stationed to a living headquarter where they were got to see some of my friends who were already here expected to build their own home for their family of [in Texas],” Phaw said. “I was really happy. I was also seven. In a couple of years, the Phaw clan would grow amazed by how big the city was and how many people to eight members with the birth of Phaw’s brother, Sha there were. I never knew. I never knew there were so many different people and religions.”

La Mo. Phaw lived in Houston, Texas for approximately “The way we live in refugee camp, we don’t just ‘rent’ a house,” Phaw said. “We build one with small four years before she and her family relocated to Cotrees with leaves for the roof. It was pretty small. But it lumbia, Missouri, to join her aunt. Because her parents saw increasing tension and didn’t leak when it rained.” danger in Texas, Phaw’s family Phaw and her family resided made the decision to shift life to in refugee camp for 11 years, all the while living in constant We were hiding un- a smaller, safer environment in fear and apprehension. Without der bamboo shoots a quaint, Midwestern town like Columbia. any form of legal documentation so they wouldn’t “My parents wanted to move such as a passport, Phaw and her see us — if they here because my aunt said that family were confined to life in camp. saw us, they would Columbia is a quiet place,” Phaw said. “It was also getting dangerTo make matters worse, have killed us. ous in Texas, and my brother is Phaw’s father was enlisted to bwet phaw growing up, so my mother didn’t serve in the military. Phaw and junior want him to get any bad influher family members’ hearts were ences.” never at ease.

Two years have passed since Phaw moved to Co“My father was a soldier,” Phaw said. “He didn’t want to help, but he did for our own Karen people. lumbia. Phaw and her family live steady, normal They called my dad to work for three years, but it was lifestyles, having obtained U.S. citizenship in May. a lie. My dad ended up working for more than three Phaw’s mother has a job and her father is continuing his education at a community college. years. It was hard for all of us.”

In the two years that she’s been in Columbia, Phaw Recollecting the past, Phaw vividly recalls one particular day at camp — a simple venture that could have has improved substantially in English, her fourth lancost her and her uncle’s life. Phaw tells the story with guage. Honing her language skills has enabled her to share her personality and spirit with others. faith and interminable fear.

“She displays interest and positivity toward school, “One time, my uncle and I went to the forest to get vegetables and bamboo shoots, and across the road always wanting to learn new vocabulary,” ELL instructhere were two Thai soldiers with four huge dogs,” tor Lilia Ben Ayed said. “I don’t have enough adjecPhaw said. “We were hiding under bamboo shoots so tives to describe Bwet. She’s diligent, cheerful, attenthey wouldn’t see us — if they saw us, they would tive, creative, cooperative, clever and always on time.”

Buoyant and affable, making friends comes naturalhave killed us. I was really, really scared. All I could do as an eight-year-old was say a bible verse in Mat- ly to Phaw. She’s the center of attention during lunchtime, always cracking jokes and making the whole thews 6:9 over and over again.”

Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy table burst into laughter.

On Sundays, Phaw sings alongside her youth worname. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as ship team at Midway Heights Baptist Church. On it is in heaven…

“I read that in Karen, and then the owner called the school days, she enjoys delving into the world of polydog back,” Phaw said. “We were saved. I was so thank- gons and angles in her geometry class and in P.E., she enjoys playing soccer and volleyball. When Phaw has ful [to God].”

During her stay at Chiang Mai, Phaw taught her- the time, she self-teaches the guitar, taking it one chord self the Thai language through immersion of educa- at a time. On weekends, Phaw attends Bible study at tion and culture. The Thai government funded books her church friends’ house.

Through this daily regime, and other unplanned for the children — but nothing more. Surrounded by refugees of all different backgrounds, Phaw became moments, weeks turn into months, and months turn into years. Time only increases since the day Phaw left accustomed to the diverseness of home.

After 11 years of living in Thailand, Phaw’s life her country. And through it all, she holds onto what matters the most: her identity and her past. changed for the better.

“Home means family and culture,” Phaw said.

In 2009, Phaw hopped onto an airplane for the very first time, watching the land that had harbored her and “Home means my own country.”

infographic an

d art by Neil

Cathro; source

theguardian.co

m

features

10.29.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

B7

art by Megan Goyette; source: Forbes

‘Well, aren’t you special.’ Too far?

Knowing when to use sarcasm can make the difference between coming off as humorous or cruel. nicole schroeder

D

etecting sarcasm has always been difficult for senior Shray Kumar, especially with some of his closer friends.

Even though he knows what sarcasm is, he said he only recognizes when someone is trying to say something sarcastically if he or she makes it obvious.

“I can only tell if someone is being sarcastic if their sarcastic tone is heavily exaggerated, or if I know they’re lying to me in a joking manner,” Kumar said. “Another way I can tell is if they tell me they are — after I’ve already taken what they said seriously.”

Kumar is far from alone. According to a 2006 survey by Patricia Rockwell, only 33 percent of participants were able to provide a true sarcastic comment when prompted. Instead, a far majority of those surveyed gave responses that used more positive language or were more teasing in nature, which are considered ironic comments but not truly sarcastic.

Claire Adams, a University of Missouri graduate with a Master’s Degree in English, said such a mistake is common, and that it can be hard for people to detect true sarcasm in everyday speech.

“The chance for miscommunication when using sarcasm is high as a general rule,” Adams

said. “Some people tend to take things literally, and since sarcasm relies on the listener understanding that the intended meaning comes from the opposite of what is said, main ideas and points can be lost entirely.”

This can be a problem for those who use sarcasm often, freshman Katie Whaley said, as it can make one’s comments seem hurtful to those around them. Whaley said she knows people who are sarcastic too often, causing them to wrongly be seen as mean or unsympathetic.

“I have a friend whose main characteristic is sarcasm. Sometimes, her sarcasm is witty, and everyone can have a laugh at what she said.

Other times, though, it’s more hurtful to the person she’s saying it to,” Whaley said. “Because of the hurtful sarcastic comments, she’s given a mean profile and deemed unapproachable. When someone is too sarcastic, it hurts both parties.”

Though some may misuse sarcasm, Kumar

Big fish in a big pond

said he doesn’t believe it’s necessarily all that bad, pointing out that it can be seen as fun and light-hearted when used in the right setting.

“Some settings, like a funeral, are not really appropriate settings for sarcasm,” Kumar said.

“If sarcasm is used to lighten the mood, then that’s an exception. However, making fun of someone is never appropriate in a serious situation.”

Adams agrees and said as long as people use sarcasm correctly, it can be a “linguistic tool” to use in conversations rather than a hindrance to them.

“I appreciate sarcasm to a certain degree. I myself am pretty sarcastic, but I am very careful about how and when I use it,” Adams said.

“Sarcasm can easily cross over the line into ‘unnecessarily cruel,’ but … sarcasm can [also] be a wonderful tool to point out ridiculous parts of an argument or system, as it puts the topic in question under a microscope to be examined.”

‘Copy whiz’ Cordry serves as more than a student jenna liu

J

unior Bryce Cordry walks with purpose, his lanky legs propelling him forward in powerful strides.

This quality serves him well; as a student worker in the guidance office and the copy center, Cordry spends a large portion of his day walking around school with flyers and print-outs, many of which he created himself.

“I’m really known for my signs and bell schedules,” Cordry said. “I invented the diagram for the bell schedules, the one where it has the boxes.”

After the school bought new copiers two years ago, he read all the owners’ manuals cover to cover. When he gets home, he goes through a file on his computer labeled “Things to Print” and takes care of the guidance office’s printing needs.

“When there is a problem with one of the machines and the head guy comes out here, Bryce is so in tune to what they’re doing and asks questions… he’s always learning. He is the true epitome of the Rock Bridge [student] being a lifelong learner,” copy clerk Mike Woods said. “The head guy thinks Bryce loves copies as much as

he does, and he would not hesitate to hire Bryce out of high school.”

When others meet Cordry, one of the first things they might notice is his slight stutter, which he said has been with him for as long as he can remember. Throughout middle and junior high school, Cordry received extensive speech and language services; he still visits with the speech teacher now but for different reasons.

“I see the speech teacher for other things, more — whatchamacaller — you know, how I conduct myself,” Cordry said. “I have Asperger’s Syndrome. You can look that up. It’s a form of high-functioning autism.”

According to Autism Speaks, an U.S. autism advocacy organization, many children with Asperger’s “have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviors.”

It is true that Cordry has different interests than many Americans; he prefers “Wheel of Fortune” to “The Walking Dead” and has only seen six movies in his life. Though Cordry likes his unique interests just as they are, this lack of shared commonalities has limited his interaction with other teen-

agers.

“I really don’t have a lot of contact with people my age. I’m getting more of it, but I think that now I’ve established my reputation here so I think people end up looking up to me,” Cordry said. “I saw that on an email from a staff member when they were probably asking what I meant or something; I read the thing, ‘Oh, it’s probably just Bryce being Bryce.’ Everyone knows that I sort of have a weird personality.”

Woods, however, would not describe his personality as weird. He said Bryce simply has a unique mind.

“What a phenomenal guy [Cordry is]. I find his mind to be very fascinating,” Woods said. “ He knows where every teacher is, A and B day, every hour. I just marvel at that.”

Despite his idiosyncrasies, or perhaps in part because of them, Cordry has proved an invaluable resource at RBHS. From taping up flyers to designing the schedule diagrams, Cordry’s ‘always-working’ mentality and attention to detail make him one of a kind. He doesn’t see himself as particularly special, though.

“I’m just good at helping out and doing a good job,” Cordry said.

photo by Caylea Erickson

The great wall of flyers: Junior Bryce Cordry stands in front of self-designed flyers: ranging from assembly schedules to tutoring sessions. Mike Woods describes him as the “copy whiz.”

B8 features

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

Reading affects grades

Students recount the importance of reading abby kempf

I

t is the night before the big test, and the textbook reading the teacher assigned the day before has been left untouched.

The frazzled student vigorously flips through the pages of the several chapters the teacher assigned, but of course it is in vain. There are too many words to read and too little time to do it.

Sound familiar?

For a lot of students this is not an unusual scene as 40.8 percent of students report they completed their reading when studying for the exam, according to an American Reading Forum study. Another 18.7 percent said they didn’t complete the assigned reading at all.

So what is the impact on RBHS classrooms?

“Those who don’t read the text miss out on the essence of the piece,” senior Hannah Chen, an Advanced Placement (AP) Literature student, said, “They may be able to get the facts through Sparknotes, but they cannot experience the writer’s style and feelings.”

Chen is a part of a class that is very dependent on the assigned readings. In Advanced Placement Literature class, the teacher constantly hands out new texts and, in order to participate at all in class, the student must read them.

“So far we have read two plays, ‘Medea’ and ‘Oedipus Rex.’ We have read eight poems, including ‘Invictus,’ ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death’ and ’We Grow Acquainted to the Dark,’” Chen said. “I read all the pieces, but not everyone does.”

However, reading is an integral part of many less obvious classes, such as AP Psychology.

Senior Ethan Forte, a member of Austin Reed’s AP Psychology class, said he reads the assigned chapters in the textbook about two-thirds of the time. A myriad of reasons can prevent Forte from getting his reading done.

“Usually [when I don’t do the reading] it is a day when I have extracurriculars and not a lot of free time, or I have work or other assignments that are definitely for a defined grade that I have to get done,” Forte

said. “When I do have time to read but I said. “I think the ones who don’t read are still don’t, I am usually too tired to actually the ones that struggle to see the relevance in their life, and they just think it’s bortry and put in the effort to read.”

But when Forte doesn’t read, he said he ing. Those type of people are the ones who feels the repercussions of not completing I don’t think necessarily read as much as the reading on time. He finds that his learn- they should.”

The question of where that motivation ing is impacted when he cannot understand the class discussions that are heavily based comes from in those “very driven” students still stands. Chen possesses intrinsic moon the reading.

“It feels like I have missed a lot of con- tivation that pushes her to read. Students who don’t read, tent that I could actushe said, lack that ally be contributing internal drive reto class discussions quired to do work when I don’t read,” I think the most importhat won’t be diForte said. “It makes tant things are the big, rectly evaluated. it hard to understand critical thinking ideas “I think that in what is being talked and the ways that psythe end, the stuabout and actually dent must take learn from the class chology impacts your responsibility for because I don’t have life. “ their own learnthe fundamentals austin reed ing. If they don’t down from the readAP Psychology teacher do the work, ing.” that is their own Reed, too, thinks choice,” Chen reading the textbook equips members of his class with the said. “The whole purpose of AP Literature knowledge they will need to be successful, is to explore the world through literature, not only on tests, but also in classroom dis- so reading is pretty important.”

Forte also feels the drive of self-motivacussions and interactions.

“I think [reading] is really important. tion and personal interest, like Chen.

However, Forte also knows that his I think the most important things are the big, critical thinking ideas and the ways grade is affected by his individual choice: that psychology impacts your life,” Reed to read or not to read.

“I know it will help me get a good grade said. “Sometimes in our class discussions, kids can get those ideas, too, but I think in the class because I can just tell the tests the reading provides the detail and the evi- where I read more are almost always a dence that really helps people understand higher score and it gives me notes that I can look at later,” Forte said. “[Psychology] is psychology at a deep level.”

He believes the class readings can serve an interesting subject, so I don’t mind readas an interesting vehicle of education that ing [the textbook].”

While these students believe motivation students can utilize throughout the year.

“This class is graded so heavily on a lot must come from within, Reed still tries to of tests and there is the AP test,” Reed said. gear his students up to read by showing “There is no doubt that knowing the details them that although the reading seems unimportant now, it can have real impact on pulled from the reading can help you.”

Reed can also see a clear, half-and-half their lives.

“When I talk about it, I try to talk about divide between the readers and nonreaders.

He notices that certain types of students are it in an interesting way. I try to break down more apt to complete the reading that other the barriers and show that this is not just another daunting textbook; it is actually types.

“It’s the typical AP kid that typically very interesting,” Reed said. “It helps you reads. The kid who wants an A, is very understand life, so to encourage people that driven, will do whatever it takes,” Reed way may help some.”

infographic by Stephanie Kang The Rock surveyed 190 students, 10 percent of the stuent body infographic by Stephanie Kang

sports therock 10.29.15

On the road to recovery

art by Abby Kempf, Ana Ramirez and Shelby Yount; source: southuniveristy.edu

Coping with the pain and heartbreak of season-ending injuries grace vance

W

hen stepping out onto the field, junior Nick Wohlbold thinks back to everything that led to this moment; the numerous baseball practices after school, the conversations between his teammates, and the years filled with triumphs and losses.

Determined to win, he visualizes himself at the plate, bat in hand.

He narrows his vision as the ball is pitched. He swings and watches the ball rebound across the field. A moment later, he dashes toward the next base and before he knows it, is approaching home plate.

However, the glory of playing the sport he loves soon started crashing to pieces during the offseason last year.

“I strained my [ulnar collateral ligament] from overuse a couple months before the season started,” Wohlbold said. “I was throwing and lifting while I should have been resting my arm for the offseason.”

After his injury, Wohlbold had to rest his arm for two months. Because he didn’t know if the injury was a temporary strain or something more serious, this time was filled with worry and angst.

“It was really difficult to completely rest it for two months. I couldn’t really do anything physical. I was really worried because we weren’t sure whether it was torn or

just strained,” Wohlbold said. “After the two months of rest and treatment, Greg [Nagel] assured me it was just strained because of the drastic improvement shown. After I rested it, [he] gave me a throwing program that started off really light and easy, and then progressed into harder, more strenuous work.”

Nagel, head athletic trainer, worked closely with Wohlbold while he was in rehabilitation, saying his main focus was to guide him through the recovery process with rest, ice and outside community expertise.

“What I did with Nick was help him understand what the injury was and help him predict how long his rehabilitation would take and make a general recommendation for his activities so that he didn’t do anything that was unwise to injure his arm in further fashion,” Nagel said. “The last thing we would want to do is jeopardize his spring baseball season.

We needed to handle this injury in October the right way, so I just helped him through that.”

The sports rehabilitation program at RBHS works to bring injured student athletes like Wohlbold back to their sport through stretching exercises and strengthening techniques.

It also provides outside help from the community through doctor referrals.

“We see a bit of everything down here — strains, sprains, fractures, concussions — and it’s our job to monitor those and return those [student athletes] to play whenever it’s

safe,” Nagel said. “We put athletes on her ACL along with her meniscus, the treadmills and have them jump, twist, cartilage between the femur and tibia. rotate and turn [to allow us to] evalu- But for her, it happened while she was ate just how functional they are and if playing volleyball during the second they’re ready to return to sport or if open gym in the preseason. She then got surgery to facilitate recovery. we need to treat them more.”

“Since surgery, I [started going] Wohlbold is among many high school student athletes who have to physical therapy about three times gotten injured playing their beloved a week. It’s been a pretty slow process for me,” sport.

Fitzpatrick Senior Karsaid. “At first son Ringdahl the main fowas injured in The last thing we cus of therapy late Sept. of this would want to do was to get my year while playis jeopardize his range of moing football, retion back, but sulting in a brospring baseball ken fibula and season. We needed now they are really focusing a syndesmosis to handle this inon getting the injury. jury in October the strength back “It happened right way... in my leg. I [as] I was runwon’t be fully ning the ball greg nagel recovered until and my cleat athletic trainer March.” got stuck in the Fitzpatturf,” Ringdahl said. “Someone tackled me on my rick’s debilitating injuries have proleg [while] my foot was stuck in the hibited her from playing for the rest of the year. However, her love and ground but my leg moved with it.”

About a week after his injury, he devotion for her sport continues.

“I really miss playing volleyball, received surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the four but I’m trying to make the best of main ligaments in the knee joint, that the situation,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve required doctors to put a plate and been helping out with the RBHS team screws in his ACL as well as perform quite a bit this year. I would be playa tightrope procedure. To allow him ing if I could, though.”

Fitzpatrick is in a similar step in full recovery, his doctors told him he could not play football for the re- her recovery as Ringdahl, as both are still stuck between the bonds of mainder of the year.

Senior Mariah Fitzpatrick also tore recovery and time. Although he isn’t

playing for his team, his teammates still support him as he continues to be a part of the sport from the sidelines.

“It’s not too much different [now that I’m in recovery],” Ringdahl said.

“I still go to practice to be a leader and support all the guys.”

While Ringdahl is still in recovery, Wohlbold is resuming his time in baseball. However, he still has to be cautious of his injury.

“I have to pay a lot more attention to it now than I used to. My arm still tightens up occasionally from the injury and that’s when I know I have to shut it down. My velocity didn’t go down much from the injury though, which was good,” Wohlbold said. “I think it’s a matter of balancing the stress and recovery. I’ve been getting treatment on it this year a little because it flared up again, [but] with caution and rest, I don’t think it will impact me much in the future.”

As for Fitzpatrick who is still in rehabilitation, the road to recovery is a process dependent upon healing and positivity, something that she struggled with in the beginning.

“I was really distraught for a while after my injury. I still have days now where I get really depressed that I can’t do things that other people can do easily,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think my teammates were pretty devastated when they found out I couldn’t play this year, but overall they have been really supportive and help keep me motivated to work hard and get healed up.”

Cross country hopes to outrun competition at sectionals this weekend cam fuller

O

nce again cementing itself as a division powerhouse, the cross country team won both the girls and boys championships on Oct. 24.

This was the girls’ fifth championship in a row at districts, and the boys’ sixth win in seven years.

It was a tight race for the girls; only a point separated them from the second place team, Holt High School. But Head Coach Neal Blackburn still feels that the girls have more to show as the postseason continues.

“We have some areas to clean up on the girls side where I feel like we didn’t perform at our absolute best,” Blackburn said. “But to be healthy for both the girls and the boys is going to be huge.”

On the boys side, the race came as a sigh of relief as the team put aside nagging injuries and claimed a 56- point win. Blackburn described the dominant win as a great boost, and the team can focus in on bigger and more challenging competitions.

“Ultimately it’s just great that we can win on both sides,” Blackburn said. “Anytime we can win

a district championship it’s just a fun time, and it gets us ready for what’s to come.”

The wins come as good experiences for both teams and a great way to start the postseason, but senior Quinn Miller knows that the team cannot afford to relax with sectionals around the corner.

“Blackburn sets up our workouts so that we are the most fit at this point in the season,” sixth place Miller said. “The workouts in the next few weeks will work to fine-tune the base that we’ve built up during this season.”

The sectional meet will come as another challenge for both teams. New teams and a different course will serve as the major obstacles for RBHS as they try to make it to state.

“As far as the ramifications that districts hold, now we face Nerinx Hall High School who is the defending state champion and one of the favorites to win the state meet,” Blackburn said. “We believe we can finish second in that meet, but ultimately all that matters is getting to the state meet.”

Sectionals will come as a gut check for the girls, but as senior Emily Harl knows, this is no sur-

prise at this time of year. “[The district meet] was a great way for us to learn about what kind of talent we have,” Harl said.

“The training now becomes less but at a faster pace, but it’s all for the best so that we can get back to state.”

Week in and week out, the

team has to create wins, not just during the race, but throughout the entire season leading up to it. Coach Neal Blackburn knows what it takes to make championship teams, but sectionals will come down to the effort that his runners put in.

“At the start of the season, we

Running out of breath: Senior Faramola Shonekan competing at Liberty Invitational on Sept. 5, running past a short forest trail where the course goes through.

Finishing with a time of 15:25 for the 2.1 mile course, Shonekan placed 18th among 54 varsity runners. Photo by Jae Rhee

run two meets in a row, then we have a weekend off and then three meets in a row. This is all to simulate what the postseason will be like, so I feel like we are ready,” Blackburn said. “We have big competition this week in SLUH and Nerinx Hall, but ultimately it’s our goal to beat them.”

C2 sports

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15

Young Bruins carve out roles john flanegin

S

eniors are often the catalysts for RBHS sports, leading their teams to district and state titles as well as cementing themselves as some of their sport’s best and brightest in their four years as a Bruin.

But what happens when these pacesetters cross the stage in Mizzou Arena and flip their tassels from right to left?

Luckily, for a multitude of RBHS’ distinguished squads, underclassmen are waiting in the wings hoping to pilot their team just as those before them.

photo by Ashley Tanner

Strength in numbers: Juniors Sean Koetting, left, and Parker Fancher, right, start a run into the jefferson City final third.

The Bruins won the match by a score of 1-0 and would avenged their 0-2 loss to the Jays on Oct. 13 on 179 soccer park.

Soccer downs Jays in first round of district play elad gov-ari

T

he Bruins walked off the field Oct. 13th, solemn in defeat, after a 0-2 loss to Jefferson City.

With the taste of the setback still prevalent, RBHS was determined to avenge the two-weekold loss and win on their home field when they met the rival Jays again in the district 11 semi-finals Monday night.

After the recent defeat at the hands of the Jays, head coach Scott Wittenborn said RBHS came into this game with more motivation and preparation hoping to get the victory against their longtime rivals.

“We worked on a little bit of positioning and kind of changed up our style from what we normally do,” Wittenborn said. “A lot of times we try to just possess, and tonight we, rightfully so, went a little bit more direct and tried to play the ball to the corners. This worked OK for the first half and

then I think we went back to our game of a bit more possession and in the second half, we started to look a bit better, scoring that goal and finishing off strong.”

Aside from a few close shots for both teams, the two rival teams played a close and wellcontested first half. The scoreboard on Wayne Sells field would read zero after the first 40 minutes.

Around the 67-minute mark, RBHS finally got the opportunity they had been waiting for and would seize the moment to take a lead on JCHS and gain control of the penultimate game of the tournament.

After a fast break, senior Tarnue Tyler worked the ball through the Jays’ defense, crossing it straight to the feet of midfielder, junior Drew Stanowski.

Taking up the opportunity, Stanowski rocketed the ball straight to the top right corner of the opposing goal, slotting it past the Jays’ goalkeeper. This goal

would eventually serve as the go- sive third, allowing for the Bruins ahead score, securing RBHS the to emege with a 1-0 victory.

The much needed win allowed victory.

“When I saw [the ball] soar- RBHS to advance to the district ing out to me,” Stanowski said. final and and a meeting with “I knew I just had to get my foot crosstown foe, Hickman. This enover it and hit that target. It con- counter with the Kewpies in last night’s district nected refinal carried ally well great weight, and went We felt good. We and motivated in. “ know the result we the Bruins to After success after the goal, got earlier in the the moseason, the loss, in- they earned a loss to HHS, mentum of spired us in a way, 0-2 on Sep. the game shifted drew stanowski 15.

“We felt dramatijunior good.

We cally to know the rethe Bruins.

The Jays, however, soon regained sult we got earlier in the season, dominance after gaining convinc- the loss, inspired us in a way,” Stanowski said. “We knew that ing possession.

Corner kicks and controversial we had the talent, but I guess we foul calls provided Jefferson City didn’t show up that night. We with several set-piece chances in didn’t bring high intensity that the waning moments of the game. we did have tonight. Overall, we But the RBHS defense would worked hard until the final whisbuckle down and hold the defen- tle and got the win.”

Bruins host night of fundraising skyler froese

I

n the past calendar year, the Bruins collected four state titles. To support these teams and other RBHS squads, the school is hosting the “For the Love of the Game” fundraiser, starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at RBHS. “[The fundraiser] helps fund capital improvements for RBHS athletic facilities. This year the money is going to be used enhance the stadium the district is providing,” co-chair Kay Hake said. “We’re getting a new stadium in the fall of 2017, and the money we’re raising will help pay for extra things not covered by the district.”

Hake said the new stadium will be built to make RBHS equitable with Battle and Hickman high schools. The primary motivator for the rennovation of the stadium is the addition of more seats for spectators to come and watch

home games.

The money raised will also contribute to the renovation of the field’s bathroom and concession stand, as well as the purchase of athletic equipment for other sports.

The proceeds help fund signage throughout the school to celebrate RBHS athletic accomplishments.

Two hours into the event, dinner will be served. Entrance to the fundraiser is restricted to adults over the age of 21 since the event will include alcohol. Throughout the evening, a silent auction will

run. It is divided into three classes: green, gold and champion. These describe the cost of the item.

Green level is for items under $50, gold for up to $200, and champion items will sell for $200 to $500.

For those not in a bidding mood, there will also be raffle as well as opportunities to buy funded items requested by RBHS coaches. There will also be a stopn-shop feature where patrons can purchase things such as gift cards at face value.

Previously the money has gone

Last Year’s Big Ticket Items: Balloon Ride For Four

Prom Dinner For Twelve

MU Game Day Party at D’Rowe’s

Reserved RBHS Parking Pass

Bear Archery Bow

Framed and Signed Jeremy Maclin jersey

to training equipment and storage facilities. Last year, the fundraiser was able to contribute to a new training room and new equipment.

In 2012, fundraising helped purchase the trophy cases outside of the gym.

“Every year we always net $100,000, so that’s our goal. Over the past 12 years we’ve netted 1.2 million for Rock Bridge athletics,” Hake said. “But the goal is obviously to raise enough money to help the coaches get all of the money they need.”

The evening will also feature motivational speaker, triathlete and cancer survivor Teri Griege.

“Hopefully my story with sports will be an inspiration for everyone there who wants to support high school athletics at the school,” Griege said. “I don’t know if I would be doing what I’m doing today if I hadn’t been in high school in team sports.”

Football’s season ends at the hands of Jefferson City cam fuller

M

istakes that followed Bruins football all season long came to haunt them one final time as they lost to the Jefferson City Jays 31-14 in the first round of the Class 6 District 3 playoffs. The loss was the final game of the Bruins’ football season.

Though many factors contributed to the loss, the biggest was the inability to come back from penalties in crucial situations. This was a problem senior linebacker Garrett Barnette recognized, looking back on the game.

“We were the better team,” Barnette said. “But penalties ended up costing us when it came to field

position.”

This wasn’t the first time that RBHS fell to the Jays this season though.

On Sept. 18 they lost 3121 in Jefferson City. The coaching staff used this as a learning tool. Defensive line coach Donnell Smith saw it as a way to learn about both Jeff City and themselves.

“We learned our strengths and weaknesses against Jeff City [from the previous game],” Smith said. “Anytime you play a team more than once, you just try to adjust to what beat you the first time.”

The team made good adjustments for the rematch, such as better play calling and a tight first quarter, and kept things very competitive. This all

Two titles in two years for duo of sophomores Girls Tennis : Faith Wright and Katherine Dudley, sophomores — This dynamic duo has amassed two state titles in their first two years and have proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with, both individually as well as in doubles play. Dudley and Wright, who make up the lady Bruins’ No. 1 doubles team earned second place at this year’s state tournament, adding another medal to their already extensive collection. With the coming departure of seniors Tess Lovig, Ronni Farid and Hannah Pohl, the two are sure to inherit a large role as leaders of one of RBHS’ most storied programs.

Next 3 years full of promise for Sowers Girls Golf: Olivia Sowers, freshman — In her freshman season, Sowers was a welcomed addition to a team that would finish fourth in the Class 2 State tournament. Posting a twoday score of 177, Sowers would earn herself a tie for 51st place, and with three full years left in her RBHS career the future seems bright.

Swimmers make their marks, break records Swimming: Dane Florea and Zach Lorson, sophomores — The pair proved their worth at the CoMo Invitational on Sept. 26, with Lorson setting a school record in the 100-yard breaststroke and Florea securing one in the 200-yard individual medley. The two’s performance would help earn the Bruins a win in the invite over rival and 12-time straight state champion Rockhurst.

New kid in town gives boost to cross country Boys Cross Country: Kylan Rottinghaus, sophomore — Rottinghaus turned heads after moving from Illinois to Columbia this summer, immediately making an impact on the varsity team. Rottinghaus finished 15th in the Kearney Invitational, posting a time of 17:31.8, helping the boys squad take home a first place trophy in the meet.

Cleeton serves as team leader despite youth Volleyball: Maddie Cleeton, sophomore — It should come as no surprise that outside hitter Cleeton appears on this list, as she was one of the focal points on a squad that posted a 3-24-1 record. The 5’8 Cleeton leads the lady Bruins in kills in numerous games including matches against Battle and Hermann amassing 13 kills and posting a .636 hitting percentage.

As a junior, Cleeton will inherit the keys to a rebuilding team and hopefully be able to make volleyball a force once again for RBHS.

photo by Cassi Viox

Flexing for the first: Senior running back Nick Collins reaches for a first down in a 22-0 win against Hickman on Sep. 18. The victory over the Kewpies would equal half of the Bruins’ wins during the 2-8 season. changed, though, as a kick off returned for a touchdown in the second quarter began to sway the momentum in Jeff City’s favor.

“They had long drives that were hard to stop and on the offensive side we weren’t doing much,” sophomore quarterback Trevor Twehous said. ”The defense was on the field a lot.”

Senior running back and team catalyst Nick Collins was in his usual form, notching a 63-yard touchdown in the third quarter, igniting the Bruins squad. On the defensive end, Rock Bridge performed, shutting down the Jays’ run game and forcing key mistakes like an interception caught by junior Luke Bley.

It was a tough loss for the seniors in their final game wearing the Bruin uniform but nonetheless served as a team experience Barnette says he will never forget.

“The seniors just talked about how it was really fun to be together,” Barnette said. “We just wanted to leave it all out on the field for each other.”

photo by Jae Rhee

Serving up the future: Sophomore Maddie Cleeton serves against Hickman on Oct. 15, a match RBHS would win after taking the first two sets.

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Bruins’ recruiting trail comes to an end john flanegin

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fter swimming three years for the Lady Bruins swim team, three-time state champion and 2013-14 swimmer of the year Kelley Tackett verbally committed to swim for Brown University on Oct. 5.

For the senior, this signifies the end to a long road chockfull of recruitment letters, college visits and time spent deciding which program would be the best fit.

Various Division I Colleges haven’t been courting just Tackett for the past year. Fellow seniors Hayden Johnson and Cole Evans joined her on the recruiting trail, with defensive end Johnson committing to Arkansas and Evans staying in his hometown to play baseball for coach Tim Jamieson at Mizzou.

The whirlwind that was the recruiting process began junior year for the three RBHS athletes, each acquiring a bevy of letters from various schools from across the country as calls and emails rang in with giddy assistant and head coaches on the other end hoping to bag themselves one of Missouri’s best athletes.

For the 6’3, 255-pound Johnson, an offer from Division I school Louisiana Tech gave him a springboard to work harder and earn more lucrative offers from the likes of Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue, Florida State and his eventual pick, Arkansas.

“I felt that I had a good work ethic before the [Louisiana Tech] offer,” Johnson said. “But I felt that I could go to a much better division one school, so I

made sure to work even harder which helped me decide what school would be the best fit,” to obtain that goal.”

And once the offers started Tackett said. “I wanted to conrolling in, Johnson received tinue improving in swimming, advice on how to handle the but I also wanted to challenge pressures of division one talent myself academically.”

This fit came to her in the from both Coach A.J. Ofodile form of Brown University, and his parents.

“My parents were great a private university in Proviabout letting me make my own dence, Rhode Island. Founded decision and trying not to in- in 1764, and has one of the lowfluence me too much. I give est acceptance rates in the country at only almost all 8.7 perof the c e n t . credit to Ta c k e t t Coach The best advice I plans to Ofodile. got was to choose study linHe was a school where I guistics the one would be happy at Brown who put and was my higheven if I couldn’t enthralled lights swim. with what together kelley tackett she saw and kept senior when she me upmade the dated on my recruiting status,” Johnson trip northeast.

“I really connected with the said. “He also used recruiting as a big motivator for me. If I coaches and the team,” Tackett was ever not performing to my said. “It also has a really strong potential, he would acknowl- program for my major, and I edge it and tell me that what I love its open curriculum syswas doing wouldn’t get me the tem.”

While Tackett will be makcollege offers and results I was ing a 1,256 mile journey to ataiming for.”

This same sense of motiva- tend her university, Cole Evans tion existed for Tackett, but in will be staying at home when a more academic light. While the slugger begins his division Ivy League schools do not of- I, SEC career with the Misfer athletic scholarships, the souri Tigers. Evans admits that anchor for RBHS’ 200-yard he wasn’t ready to leave his freestyle relay team was look- c h i l d ing for a school that could chal- h o o d lenge her both in swimming as h o m e well as in the classroom. These in Codesires led her to pursue visits lumbia, to prestigious institutions, such making as Princeton, Columbia, Har- Mizzou vard and Yale, before deciding an obvito verbally commit to Brown. ous and “I did several campus vis- e a s y Read more on its and met with the coaches, choice.

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Cole Evans photo by Caylea Ray

art by Stephanie Kang

Kelley Tackett photo by Alice Yu

art by Stephanie Kang

Hayden Johnson photo by Caylea Ray

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Boys’ swimming more than ready to take state title in upcoming championship tournament skyler froese

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photo by Devesh Kumar

Soaring above Senior Alex Tschopp speeds through the 100-yard butterfly on Oct. 24 at Hickman pool.

fter a major upset over defending state champions, Rockhurst, at the CoMo invitational, the Bruins are ready to face the Hawklets once again but this time at the state tournament.

The team will race at the swimming MSHSAA State championship, which begins at 3 p.m. on Nov. 6 in St. Peters, Missouri.

Assistant swim coach Zach Mertens believes this meet will be the most competitive in years. In the past year, the top 50-yard freestyle time has quickened by a second, and Mertens said that in a sport where winners are decided by hundredths of a second, this time drop is a major sign of a more competitive field.

“We’re obviously not the only fast team in the state.

Teams like Rockhurst, Cape Girardeau and Eureka are all competing for first place,” sophomore Ryan Gilbert said.

“While we’re currently the top ranked, there’s always the chance they might out-swim us.”

Both Mertens and Gilbert have faith in the team’s relays. RBHS currently has the best time in Missouri for the 400-yard freestyle relay at 3:14.85. The team has 11 top eight rankings in the state in some of the twelve events swam at state.

Mertens also believes the team’s depth in especially the longer freestyle such as the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle events will help score the team points at state.

“I think we have a really good chance at winning because last year we got third and we didn’t have some of our best swimmers,” senior

Alex Tschopp said. “With everyone who swam last year improving over the past year and more fast swimmers, I think we have a really good chance.”

Rockhurst’s loss of some of their highest point winners and the replacement of the Hawklets’ head coach further bolstered the Bruins’ confidence. Even with this advantage, Tschopp reckons that a victory in his signature event, the 200-yard freestyle, will take a state record and the aid of a top of the line swimsuit made by Speedo called a LZR. “I have one really strong competitor that I raced at CoMo, and it will be really close between me and him.

I’ll hopefully at least get second,” Tschopp said. “He probably would have beaten the state record time if he would have worn a LZR at CoMo. It

might take a state record or a little faster to beat him.”

Despite these challenges, Tschopp and Gilbert are optimistic. Mertens attributes the team’s outlook to not only their success at meets this season, but also the leadership and intensity that has been present in the practices leading up to state.

Gilbert said this competitive and supportive team atmosphere is what will give the team an edge in their races; his coach agrees.

Mertens, like any coach, wants the team to perform well and said that they are capable of it; but he also has goals for his boys beyond a trophy.

“The team always created their own goals of winning state and breaking records,” Mertens said. “But as coaches we want the team to compete as a team for the team.”

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Overinvolved parents harm athletes’ progress ji-ho lee

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ith the end of the first academic semester rapidly approaching, it’s safe to say freshmen have already dipped their toes in the world of high school. But, students are not the only ones who need to grow accustomed to the entirely new atmosphere of high school, particularly high school sports.

Becoming a student-athlete is not an easy task, but it’s not just the students who struggle through the jump in competition.

Oftentimes, parents struggle with the leap as their student becomes a high school athlete.

With winter and spring sports quickly approaching, here are the dos and don’ts of a high school sports parent.

First and foremost, relax. Your kid is just a kid. Don’t expect your freshman first baseman to hit like Miguel Cabrera and field like Eric Hosmer, because it won’t happen.

Not only should you not expect phenomenal plays, but you should also expect mistakes, because those will most definitely happen. Expecting the impossible will result in added and

unnecessary stress for you and your kid. Placing Major League expectations on a 15-year-old ballplayer is a mistake.

When your kid has a practice filled with these mistakes, it will be obvious. Take the hints that your kid gives you. I remember drives home after practice, being furious for making mistakes, with my dad tossing question after question at me when the last thing I wanted to do was talk.

Even though you think you’re doing your kid a favor by talking to them and cheering them up, it doesn’t work.

Although you should work hard to support your child, that support should be directed at your child only. There is one thing that you and your kid have in common: your last name. As a parent, keep it that way. Don’t parent someone else’s kid by telling them to fix their swing or improve their defense. Not only will this create tensions between yourself and other parents, it will also create a world of confusion for the players.

Another reason you should contain your support and advice to your player is because you are a parent, not a coach. Let the coaches do

their jobs. If your kid isn’t getting playing time or they aren’t playing in the position you want them to, there is probably a good reason why.

There is also a reason why you, a parent, are sitting in the stands, and they, the coaches, are in the dugout. It is a fact that the coaches know more than you do, so let them coach and take care of what happens on the field.

I remember having a parent give advice to every player on the team, after every at bat, every pitch and every play.

Although the situation didn’t became a negative one, these parents can strip away the respect that the coaches deserve by constantly giving advice.

Because coaches are coaches, their criticisms will be plentiful. Your kid doesn’t need another earful of critique, so be their biggest fan, not another critic.

Yelling, cursing or embarrassing your child after a mistake won’t help; if anything, it makes things worse.

I remember having teammates on the verge of tears after parents chewed them out, which, for obvious reasons, worsened their perfor-

mance. Also, don’t compare your kid to another kid. Don’t say, “Watch how Billy plays.”

Being the parent of your child, your player is mainly playing for an audience of one, with that one being you.

Your criticism and disapproval makes them nervous, angry or a combination of the two, which leads to more and more mistakes.

Even though you don’t want to be a negative fanatic, don’t be excessively positive either; there is a happy medium. Don’t try to alleviate your kid’s mistakes.

If they strike out 49 out of 50 at bats or can’t throw a ball 25 feet, don’t make it sound like they’re a stud, and, simultaneously find them a new hobby. Let them know that mistakes are acceptable, but don’t make it seem like they don’t come without consequence.

High school student athletes face an extremely difficult task. The parents of those athletes take on a task just as difficult. It is, however, important to remember that for most players, this is the last four years they will play their sport. As a parent, it’s your job to make them enjoyable and memorable.

Appreciating what’s yours The growing issue of American materialism joy park

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he world has never been so adept in both technology and convenience.

We can drive three blocks to satisfy midnight cravings; we can go to the mall and shop for the latest clothes and accessories; we can log onto Amazon and buy any items ranging from ‘A’ through ‘Z.’ Like almost every teenager, there’s not a day when I don’t check my social media. I scroll through too many heavily filtered Instagram feeds, trying to get a closer glimpse of my followers’ lives. Within a tenth of a second of looking at a post, my brain picks apart an image, and I can instantly tell what’s in and what’s out: her outfit; her Lokai bracelet; her suede Birkenstocks; her new iPhone.

Jealousy raps at me, and I feel like the most unfortunate girl in the world. To make matters worse, my friend gets a sleek MacBook and the latest model of a caspian black Hyundai SUV for her sixteenth birthday. I affectionately despise her, and I reevaluate my self-worth.

Swallowed whole by materialistic culture, society over-glorifies social value. Children and teenagers especially will do anything to get an object within reach to achieve a status ranking of “cool” and “hip.”

An experiment conducted by London anthropologist Daniel Miller showed that asking people to merely look at products they considered “cool” sparked a pattern of activation in the brain similar to what oc-

curs when people receive a compliment, or when their perceived social status increases. Miller’s experiment proves the profound influence materialism has on social identity. And it’s true — when I follow the latest trends, my confidence level soars.

Like a microscope that focuses on one small area of a speciman, social value confines us to focus wholly on appearance. Society much rather prefers form over function.

Recently, Apple marked yet another day in tech history by releasing the iPhone 6s. The smartphone underwent a 3D touch technology update, along with new and improved features like multitasking, animated “live photos” and a brilliant 12 megapixel camera.

And of course, like after every iPhone release, the world scrambles to own it. Truth be told, it isn’t the iPhone’s improved hi-fi audio quality, nor the capability of sending a text message; it’s the reputation that society has built for smartphones: all-powerful, vogue and mainstream.

At the end of the day, when I’m stranded at school with no ride home, all I need is a working phone. It can be a Motorola Razr or even a tacky Samsung Juke — anything to get me out of school vicinity.

We need to value our possessions and find joy in the things we have.

It doesn’t matter your income, popularity or status. Money doesn’t buy lifelong happiness, nor does it bring better results.

So ditch that rose gold iPhone 6s everyone’s been buzzing about. Life will go on, regardless.

art by Ana Ramirez

photo by Devesh Kumar

Leaving it behind: Author Caylea Ray walks away from her bad past experiences to a better future.

Speaking up against castigation caylea ray

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o be happy and healthy, you need to surround yourself with people who are good for you.

My stepfather was not one of those people. When I was six, my mom married a man who had been in my life since I was two.

I absolutely adored my stepdad.

We could talk for hours about anything and everything, from politics to music, and he always made me laugh. The good moments with my stepdad clouded my judgment when he turned into a monster.

One of the earliest memories I have of “this monster” was when I was eight, and my mom and I were downstairs. We couldn’t hear him from upstairs, and when he came downstairs, he began screaming at my mom, all because she didn’t answer him quick enough.

In that moment, everything changed. Little things like interrupting him, being late, even not eating enough would bring on a screaming match.

He would attempt to make amends by showering me and my mom with gifts, but he would always go back to being his old angry self.

I was terrified to speak to my stepdad in case of saying something that might set him off. My mom received most of his wrath and eventually became fed up, so they divorced.

Because he had legally adopted me, he shared custody of me after the divorce and he found as many

name to my mom’s, Ray, instead of reasons as he could to yell at me.

If I didn’t eat enough at dinner, keeping my stepdad’s name.

I was not 18 at the time, so I had I would be yelled at for wasting his money, so even if I felt sick I would to get his permission to change it. In have to eat everything because I was the 16 years I’ve known him, I have never seen him so mad. He told me terrified of getting yelled at.

If he came to pick me up from I had never really been his daughter, my mom’s at 6:30, and I walked out that the years we were in each oththe door at 6:32, he would yell at me er’s lives didn’t mean anything.

So I did what I for being late; have always wanthe didn’t want

to wait for me One of the earliest ed to do: I told

him exactly what I and wouldn’t memories I have thought of him and speak or even of his abuse was look at me when I was eight, what his constant anger has put me for the rest my mom and I through, the anxiof the day, so were down stairs ety and sadness I learned to and couldn’t hear it has caused and be ready two how he rarely acthours before him. ed the way a father I would see should act. him.

We haven’t spoken since and the I apologized profusely to him for forgetting something at home amount of anxiety I used to have has or getting a less than perfect grade gone down significantly. The panic or interrupting his television show; attacks that occurred every day are everything I did, it seemed, would now rare and almost nonexistent. My life has become simpler and happier. result in him screaming at me.

I now understand what unhealthy The yelling became so frequent that I would have panic attacks at the and healthy relationship are. I notice thought of having to see my stepdad. unhealthy relationships quicker and I never thought panic attacks were get out of them faster.

I can speak my mind and tell peoabnormal; I thought panic attacks ple that what they’re saying is hurthappenned to everyone.

When I was 15, I went to the ing me or end a relationship without hospital for depression and an eat- feeling guilty because I know what ing disorder. While there, I was di- I’m doing is going to be good for me agnosed with anxiety. My stepdad later on. This type of relationship never visited me. He called once, but was harmful and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but I now know to stand that was it.

Eventually I changed my last up for myself.

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grace vance

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Ghosts, ghouls and Gotcha

Long, lonely October nights provide for family time during other holidays skyler froese

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ait, your parents own Gotcha?

That’s gotta be so awesome!

I can’t lie, having the most tricked out Halloween and spirit week costumes free for life is pretty great. Don’t even get me started on how incredible it was to get to grow up in such a fun and creative environment. So I can’t really argue that my parents owning a costume store is pretty awesome.

“I bet your family takes Halloween very seriously.”

In a sense, Halloween is the most important part of the year for us. Those 31 days of October carry an enormous financial responsibility for the rest of the year, and it’s always been a family effort to get through four weeks of liquid latexcovered insanity. But if “seriously” is meant to question whether we go all out to decorate our house or to any extent revel in the spookiness around us, we are the least serious possible.

Growing up, I never got to go trick-or-treating with my parents, or do anything for Halloween with them, for that matter. When my sister and I were younger, my dad would tell people that we basically became orphans for a month.

In fourth grade I was supposed to take first communion Nov. 1.

As my anticipation for the event grew, so grew my fear that my parents would be too spent from the busiest night of the entire year to be fully present, mentally or physically, for my first communion.

During October most of our nights were spent at our grandparents’ house, in beds not our own. Granted, our grandparents spoiled us rotten, but the yearning to go home and have something as mundane as a family dinner didn’t leave us until Nov 1. On the rare instance when we saw our parents during the day in October, they were tired and exasperated from fitting 23 different students with matching flapper costumes an hour before.

So, understandably, I never developed a real love for the holiday

itself. It’s been a necessary evil haunted in the friendliest way posin the Froese family’s world for sible? Where were the family althe past two decades. I’ve tried bums of me trick-or-treating with my darnedest to make the best of my parents? Did it have to be me the month, I do love scary movies of all people to lose 31 days with and I wouldn’t hesitate to eat my my parents to a shop specializing weight in candy corn. Not to beep in rubber dog poop?

I don’t my own horn, blame my parbut my Halents for this. loween cosDid it have to The month tumes are pretof October ty great. And be me of all is what pays what teenager people to lose for so many hasn’t had the 31 days with my things I get dream of an parents to a shop to take for entire month specializing in granted. This with no parental supervirubber dog poop? is their job and every other sion? second of the But even as I approach 17 years of age, when I year they are incredibly involved, find myself alone in our house as sometimes to the point of annoythe wind whistles outside and the ance. It is in those moments that sun sets, I still feel like a scared I must be reminded of the cold five year old that just wants her October nights when the house is mom and dad to come home. silent. Even for most people, HalNo matter the amount of frus- loween isn’t a family holiday like tration and distaste I have felt for Christmas or Thanksgiving, but Halloween, I can’t help but feel that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t cheated. Why didn’t I ever get to see our parents as what makes the decorate my house so it looked holiday special.

Fall 7 times; get up 8 ashley tanner

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raduation is about 200 days away, and I will be walking the stage with a couple hundred of my peers. Yet I still feel like a 13-year-old girl at times. I suppose it’s because the decisions made in middle school tended to have smaller impacts than in high school, such as picking a career path.

In reality, I am a 17-year-old young lady getting ready for college. Being in the senior class of RBHS, it’s not uncommon to reminisce about the past three years of high school while facing the daunting reality that I will soon be an adult.

A part of my high school experience I often remember was from before I was an RBHS student.

For the first semester of sophomore year, I was a student at Rolla High School. I had decided to do something different so I joined the golf team. The coach was my seventh grade shop teacher and my best friend was on the team, too. It seemed like the perfect idea. I had never played before, but I was confident I would pick it up.

Practice began, and I was terrible. I wasn’t able to make it to the hole, playing a double par (an allotted amount of strokes for a green), nor could I hit the ball straight down the fairway. Of the 11 total girls on the team, I was ranked 11th. I went to practice every day and worked as hard as I could to improve.

One very memorable practice, the team was working on short game — putting on the green — on the practice green. I was putting on the lower left side, and a teammate of mine was putting on the upper right hand side. I steadied my stance, imagined where the ball should go and went for it.

Like usual, I hit the ball too hard and it went flying past the hole and in between my teammates legs. We both looked at the ball, back at each other and then began to laugh. My lack of golfing abilities was so bad it skipped being sad and was just hilarious.

The clubs I was using were my grandmother’s.

The only problem was I was taller than my grandmother so her clubs were too short for me. I tried to find the balance in my stance to compensate for the short length. In doing so, I ended up spraining my wrist one day during practice, but I still showed up the next day. Inevitably, my coach sent me home and I missed practice for a week.

I was still determined to improve, even after injuring myself. I worked with my coach a lot, asked my best friend for help and practiced my swing at home. I won’t lie — there were many times that I wanted to give up and quit, but I didn’t because I

knew I would be disappointed in myself if I did.

Golf was not as relaxing as shows like ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ portray it. While trying to figure out the happy medium for my stance, I often found myself whiffing the ball, or swinging and missing, which was not only embarrassing but was a stroke every time. There were times when I felt like snapping my driver in half or crying on the course.

Occasionally, though, there was a moment of pure bliss when I looked up after a swing to see the ball going straight down the fairway that made all the frustration worth it.

I wish this underdog story had a happy ending.

I wish I had risen through the ranks and played in a varsity tournament, but sadly that’s not how it ended. By the end of the season, I was one of two golfers who didn’t letter, which meant you had to play in two or more tournaments — an 18 hole round versus nine for a match. I remained the worst golfer on the team. At the end of season when we had our golf banquet, I received a participation award, of which, quite frankly, I am proud.

Another girl on the team quit before season ended because it was too hard for her, so it’s a symbol of how I never gave up, even though most people would have. I stuck with it through the sad, loserlike end.

Michael Jordan once said, “I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

Yes, I was a sorry excuse for a golfer, but I learned how to be a part of a team. I learned time management because I had to balance going to matches, having practice and keeping up with school work. I had the opportunity to cheer on my fellow teammates who were way better than I was, and knowing firsthand all of the hard work they put in to be where they were made it that much more profound.

After I transferred to RBHS, I discovered the world of journalism and pursued being on the newspaper staff instead of the golf team. Being a part of the newspaper staff brought along its own set of challenges, including deadlines, frustrating stories and late hours spent in the journalism room.

Thankfully, I have been able to overcome the obstacles because of my sophomore self wanting to branch out and try new things.

As I prepare for college, I am hopeful that my determination on the golf team will motivate me not to give up when school gets hard. Through the late nights, harsh deadlines and frustrating professors that are inevitable, I hope to remember my 15-year-old self who didn’t give up.

infographic by Megan Goyette source: Forbes

hen we are young, our parents often tell us “Oh, you are so good at everything!” vying for their kids to be the best in their class, the best in their sport, the best at everything.

My mom was different, however. She always seemed to know me better than I knew myself, and because of this, she knew my passions long before I realized what they were.

She noticed every hour I spent writing about random topics that ranged from my beloved pets to all of the juicy details of a seven-year-old’s day. As I got older, she picked up on my keen excitement that surrounded my English and reading classes, getting emails from my teachers highlighting my “endless passion” for writing.

Then, during my eighth grade school year, she suggested I take the introductory journalism class at RBHS. I immediately shook my head, convinced that journalism was “not my thing.”

Little did I know how much she understood me.

I ended up taking the journalism class and finished my freshman year revived of my old writing habits. The class gave me a different perspective on writing and a new sense of community in a school filled with strangers. I was forced to open up to others in attempts to get interviews, while also letting peers criticize my work.

Although all of these things were challenging at the time, they soon came to be the building blocks of my future.

Through journalism and embracing my own interests, I realized I loved writing, photography, health and travel.

I loved them all with a deep and burning passion. Yet, when someone asked me. “What do you want to do after high school?” I still had no idea.

I had found what I loved, yet my life still seemed broken into fragments. I was the wanderer who had no land to wander upon. I was astray amongst a jumble of maps, each of which pulled me in every direction. I was lost.

However, my exposure to unconventional ideals paired with my intense interest in writing soon led me to realize that I didn’t have to fit into the box the world wanted me to be in.

When I talked about my dream “job” with others, people often answered me with immediate rebuke. People could comment, “Oh, that’s not a real job.” If that is true, what constitutes a “real job”?

A 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. work day? Constantly trying to keep up with work you aren’t interested in? Spending your life working on work that doesn’t fulfill your dreams?

There seems to be a social law that prohibits people from being trailblazers of their own path. I found this especially ironic as some of the most positively influential people in the world were the most criticized because of their radical ideas.

Through this mindset, I became an entrepreneurial individual dedicated to photojournalism with outreach involving health and travel. I now use every day as an opportunity to get one step closer to my vision.

Even though everyone wants to pull you deeper and deeper into societal norms and become someone you aren’t, know that it is OK to be different. It is OK to not know what your future holds.

It is OK to choose your passion over a day job you hate.

Don’t be afraid to take advantage of opportunities, whether that be in the form of school activities, volunteer work or community activities. There are endless topics for you to discover. Channel your inner passions and start to craft them into a job you love.

Just because it seems unappealing to you now doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the potential to be your next passion. Get out there and embrace what you love.

And don’t be scared of getting guidance along the way.

People are not frozen in time. They are ever-changing, creative and explorative. Never let others’ opinions of the world hold you back from doing what you love. If you keep making decisions based on what motivates you right now, then you will never get bored with your job, no matter how untraditional it is.

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therock • www.bearingnews.org • 10.29.15