The Rock — September 2015

SPORTS Women’s golf tees off for district tournament page C2

COMMENTARIES STEM fields need more women page C4 INDEPTHS The everyday struggles of transgender students: transition, transgression and translation page C1

@rbhsbearingnews Bearing News Bearing News Rock Bridge High School • 4303 S. Providence Rd. • Columbia MO, 65203 • Vol. 43, Issue 1 • September 24, 2015 • www.bearingnews.org

Standardized tests to undergo change in format jenna liu

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photo by Cassi Viox

For the love of the game: Senior Stephen Sowers reacts to a play, wearing his green and gold outfit at the football game Friday, Sept. 4 against Battle High School. Sowers wore green and gold as part of the BruCrew’s theme for that game, after administrators informed them the ‘safari’ theme would be too controversial.

BruCrew ‘safari’ theme stirs the waters,

is replaced nicole schroeder

F

riday night home games are known to bring out large crowds during football season, especially with the help of the RBHS BruCrew, a student-led pep club started in 2004. The section organizes tailgates before school sporting events and spark cheers to encourage the students.

Every week, the BruCrew establishes a theme and encourages students to sport various costumes according to the themes.

The first home football game of the year was no exception, as the student section was packed with spectators dressed in outrageous green and gold outfits on Friday, Sept. 4.

Yet the ‘green and gold’ theme used at the first football game was not the BruCrew’s original idea, senior Avery Jennings, the

current BruCrew leader, said.

“The theme was actually [supposed to be] ‘Safari,’” Jennings said. “We just thought [safari] would be a fun theme everybody could participate in.”

After talking with Athletics Director David Egan and acting Principal Kathy Ritter before the first home game of the season against Battle High School, Jennings said the administration decided the “safari” theme was too closely related to the “jungle” theme from a few years ago, in which students wore disrespectful costumes and shouted offensive comments at the opposing team during the game.

“We didn’t intend for the ‘safari’ theme to cause any problems,” Jennings said. “If our theme can be taken the wrong way by anybody, it needs to be approved, but most of our themes are harmless ... I wish we could

do our themes without being censored, but we live in a world where anybody can be offended by anything.”

People have been offended by themes other than the “jungle” theme in the past as well. Egan said there have been numerous BruCrew themes the administration has turned down or has had to stop because of their possibly offensive connotations to other students or schools.

“Certainly, there have been situations where there might be subtle messages associated with certain themes that can be offensive to people and that’s what we generally try to avoid,” Egan said. “We certainly want to give the BruCrew as much freedom as possible and to really encourage them to be creative and to be funny and do what they can, but then it’s our job as a staff and as a school to help them with under-

standing where that line is and maybe bringing them back a step or two if we need to.”

Senior Ronni Farid has been a member of the BruCrew for three years, and said while she wishes the administration did not restrict the pep club’s theme choices as much as they do, she understands the importance of these decisions.

“I understand both sides of the debate. However, so many things can be taken in the wrong way,” Farid said. “If I were an administrator, I wouldn’t have allowed the ‘safari’ theme simply because of the indication.”

Even with the bad reputations some past themes have received, Egan said the themes themselves are still an important part of the BruCrew’s goal in encouraging school spirit at the sporting events they attend.

Continued on A4

Adoption of new bus company receives differing opinions from building administrators, students faaris khan

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n Nov. 10, 2014, the Columbia Public Schools District hired a new bus company for student transportation for the first time in decades.

They hired Student Transportation of America as the district’s transportation pro-

vider for this school year.

“From our school’s standpoint, we see a lot of similarities,” assistant principal Brian Gaub said. “All of their buses are new and have a lot of the same drivers.”

Gaub said a big reason why Student Transportation of America was hired for this school year was due to a lower contracted price the

company offered.

“What I recall is that the contracted price for Student Transportation of America is a little bit less,” Gaub said. “I actually believe that we won’t notice a lot of difference. As far as I can tell right now, it seems similar to previous years,” Gaub said.

Continued on A4

photo by Cassi Viox

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n the last few months, major testing companies have made significant changes to their standardized exams. With PSAT, SAT and ACT testing dates just around the corner, such modifications may have sizeable implications for the hundreds of students relying on these tests for college applications and scholarships.

Though the new SAT will not launch until spring of 2016, the redesigned PSAT will make its debut in October. A major difference between the upcoming PSAT and those of past years is that there is no longer a guessing penalty. In addition, the number of multiple choice answers has been cut down from five to four.

“Statistically speaking, you have a better chance of being right,” test preparation coordinator Gwen Struchtemeyer said. “They used to penalize you one-fourth of a point for wrong answers and that’s gone away, so you should definitely guess.”

Struchtemeyer is also the gifted education teacher at RBHS, and regularly helps students prepare for standardized tests within her glasswalled room in the atrium. As the long-time ACT/ SAT test prep coordinator, she has been carefully studying the revised exams to better assist the kids who come to her for help.

One of these students is senior Megan Potthast, who took the revised ACT on September 12. The new ACT has some marked modifications, including condensing 40 science questions into six sections instead of seven sections, a characteristic that made its quiet debut on the June ACT test.

Potthast said she took the ACT twice before already and planned on making the September testing date her last. For Potthast, the alterations ACT Inc. made to the science section are a welcome change.

“I think the science section is hard for a lot of students because even if they’re able to read the graphs and interpret the knowledge, the time limit and the questions they ask make it a little confusing,” Potthast said. “So I think it’s beneficial that they changed the science section.”

In addition to the science shake-up, the ACT has also implemented new enhancements to their writing test.

Instead of the usual school-themed position essay, students are now expected to write about a contemporary issue and evaluate three different perspectives in their argumentation.

Potthast, who had been working with Struchtemeyer since the start of school on ACT preparation, said she is ambivalent about how the new essay will be structured and scored.

“The writing change — I don’t know if it is necessarily a good change,” Potthast said. “[The writing change] is harder, but I guess it probably also shows more skills that they can evaluate.”

Despite mixed reviews on how the ACT test has changed, ACT Inc. maintains that the test is still relatively the same.

Katie Wacker, a public relations specialist with ACT Inc., also said that the slight changes made were all decided with the goal of helping students in mind.

“Compared to the massive redesign of the SAT test by the College Board — an entirely separate organization — the enhancements we have been making to the ACT are minor, but important in terms of providing college and career readiness insights,” Wacker said.

Despite all the hoopla around the test changes, Potthast has been solely focused on doing what she can to get a good score this time around. With all the studying and practice tests done and gone, all she can do now is wait for scores to be released, which should happen in a matter of days.

“The ACT is repetition. The test is generally the same every time, so it was comforting to have taken it before,” Potthast said. “I believe the ACT went fine for me. I knew what I needed to get done and I did so. The score will be what it is, but I have no regrets on my performance.”

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

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Population bomb: Students crowd the main commons after school, mingling with friends and waiting for rides home. This year, the school added 500 freshmen, nearly 50 more than the administrators initially expected. The increase of students, especially freshmen, has led to several unexpected differences in the classroom and the hallways for students, teachers and administration. photo by Devesh Kumar

More students, more problems

Increased population causes dilemma in classroom, hallways

nicole schroeder

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ith nearly 50 more freshmen enrolled this year than guidance had originally anticipated, many students have noticed larger class sizes and more crowded hallways during passing periods this year than last year.

Much of this, Director of Guidance Betsy Jones said, is because of students transferring over from other CPS high schools or moving into the RBHS district.

“We were anticipating about 450 freshmen and we currently have about 501,” Jones said. “When we started school we had about 520 [students], but that was really because we don’t drop students until we have another school requesting records, so once we get those record requests we drop [students].”

While Jones said not all classes are experiencing the same overcrowding issues, certain classes, such as Algebra 1, filled quickly from the unexpected number of freshmen attending RBHS this year.

“Algebra 1 is the big conundrum

right now, so we’re considering opening a couple new sections of Algebra I and moving some students to alleviate large class sizes,” Jones said. “In the spring, when we looked at our numbers, we anticipated our Algebra I classes to be about 20 to 22 students, and right now they’re 27, 28, 29 [students].”

Along with Algebra 1, Jones said freshman advisories, Civics Studies classes and Physics classes are also generally overcrowded, as they are other freshman-level classes required for every student.

Junior Grace Maledy has noticed the larger population. She said most of her classes seem to have a normal number of students, but her AP US History class is larger.

Also, the halls during passing periods are much more crowded in comparison to the past two years she has attended RBHS. “There is no doubt in my mind that the student population is growing,” Maledy said. “I had never had a problem with it my freshman and sophomore year, but this year it’s absolutely crazy. There isn’t going to be anymore room at our school to fit all

Students ignore new policy change elad gov-ari

D

uring the last two years, the RBHS assistant principals have gone back and forth with different methods of attendance and discipline.

Last year, one assistant principal was reponsible for attendance, while discipline and classroom issues were handled by the others.

With 1,900 students at RBHS, keeping track of so many kids became a cumbersome task, causing the assistant principals to revert to the older policy of dividing the attendance and discipline equally among assistant principals. This allows for each student to get more time with their assistant principal if needed.

“Historically we’ve had a principal and a couple of counselors assigned to either a grade level or an alphabet chunk of students,” Assistant Principal Dr. Lisa Nieuwenhuizen said. “Last year we tried something different: setup the attendance center in which one assistant principal was responsible for all attendance issues.”

After experimenting with these systems, the principals met and decided to revert to the old system due to an over encumbrance of student per counselor ration, with hopes to balance out the work.

“I think this year’s model is more equitable and more manageable,” Nieuwenhuizen said. “Each one of us has about 475-490 kids. That’s a lot more manageable than one person having all 1,900.”

Students will most likely

not feel an impact from this as it is more of an internal change. However, many students such as sophomore Donia Shawn think the change could be beneficial to the school.

“I think this year’s policy is a lot better than last year’s because of the fact that the work is spread between counselors which could lead to less mistakes overall,” Shawn says. “I think that’ll be good for everyone.”

Assistant Principal Dr. Darleen Grant said the changes have allowed her to perform her job better as she can more directly help students. Grant hopes that the assistant principal’s will be more efficient throughout this school year.

“It makes everything a lot easier because I get to touch more students. I get to spend more time figuring out ways to help kids,” Grant said.

“When you’re dealing with 1,900 students, it makes it really difficult to personalize and help kids in a way that helps get them to school and [to] stay in school.”

Although these changes may seem minor, Grant claims that the reform will help RBHS function more smoothly and allow principals and students to connect and work out whatever problems they may have.

“I personally like this way a lot better because I like to get to my know students and work with the families,” Nieuwenhuizen said. “I think that it’s really just a comfort zone thing. It’s what I’m used to. It’s what we’ve done for nine years.”

of the kids coming from the middle schools.”

The class sizes aren’t only affecting students. AP Language and Composition teacher Deborah McDonough said senior English and Language Arts classes also have larger class sizes this year. These overfilled classes can make teachers’ jobs harder, particularly when trying to make sure all students understood the necessary themes of the lesson.

“No matter what discipline you teach, I believe most educators would say that the number of students in a course affect what can be accomplished — both positively and negatively,” McDonough said. “Smaller classroom size allows for more individualized attention. Larger classroom size can sometimes limit what can be accomplished.”

Specifically for English classes, McDonough said larger classes makes grading classwork harder and more time consuming, causing issues down the road when teachers are unable to give students better feedback in the same amount of time as they would be able to with smaller class sizes.

“As an English instructor, there is always the issue of grading essays. Providing detailed feedback to improve a student’s writing is very important. It is one of the challenges that gives me the most stress,” McDonough said. “The majority of my students are very appreciative and quite grateful for the feedback.”

Even some freshmen have taken notice of the larger population.

Freshman Leo Zhuang, who took math classes at RBHS while still at Gentry Middle School last year, said the hallways at RBHS this year do seem to be more crowded than they were before, though he doesn’t necessarily notice larger class sizes be-

source: RBHS Yearbooks

ing an issue.

“So far, I haven’t felt like the classes have been crowded. I did come to Rock Bridge last year for classes, and there has been a significantly larger crowd in the hallways,” Zhuang said. “I used to be able to just walk through the main commons pretty easily, weaving in and out. But now, I have to wait and let crowds pass before getting Read more on through.”

Bearing News

infographic by Megan Goyette

Banned apps disrupt norm skyler froese

A

s students in advanced placement classes settle into a new school year, they are struck with a new policy restricting iPads. As of the 2015 school year, most social media is now banned on school iPads.

No punitive measures from administration will accompany the ban. When students attempt to breach the ban, the iPad itself, not the teacher, will stop them. If they try to download social media apps, the iPad will remove the app store and camera, and an email is sent to a media specialist.

“I was told to go home and set [my iPad] up on my own so I did,” senior Nicole Roach said. “I synced my iPad up to my cloud, and it downloaded all of the apps I had last year, and apparently some of them are restricted this year.”

For those who downloaded the apps, the camera and app store features reappear after students delete the banned app. After this is completed, the aforementioned functions are restored in the next 24 hours.

At the time, Roach was unaware this year’s policy, so she was distressed by the unexpected problem.

“It really annoyed me and I felt really bad.” Roach said, “I felt like I did something wrong because I just wasn’t warned that would happen.”

A comprehensive list of the restricted apps is on the RBHS webpage. This list includes most social media sites, with the notable exception of Twitter. Currently, only one game is banned. Staff and stu-

source; The Rock surveyed 190 students

dents can be notified of any changes in the list by following @MediaRBHS on Twitter.

“These changes are part of an ongoing, district-wide conversation about the desire and need for students to stay focused in an academic setting,” Elizabeth Shapiro, RBHS media specialist, said.

“The decision to block social media apps is not set in stone.”

Since CPS introduced iPads two years ago, the district has attempted to develop its control on them. Last year’s free Apple server has been replaced with The Casper Suite. The introduction of The Casper Suite now allows for district wide restrictions on apps.

“We can push out apps and apply restrictions globally [with the new server].

We also can monitor how devices are used in order that resources may be managed well,” Shapiro said. “In short, the district strives to push out resources as seamlessly as possible. Casper is not inexpensive, but I’ve heard it referred to as ‘the Cadillac of Apple.’”

Shapiro says students have been “mystified” by the new restrictions.

However, RBHS teachers have adapted easily to the new guidelines.

“There hasn’t been anything I wanted to do that I can’t do, yet,” AP US History teacher Bryn Orton, said. “It really hasn’t had a huge effect but then again it’s hard to tell; like if they took it away half way through the year, maybe I’d be able to see a difference.”

RBHS media specialist Denis Murphy said the iPads have not caused any more trouble for students than usual. Murphy

says students haven’t complained and that only about five to ten kids a day seek help when they encounter ban-related roadblocks Staff such as AP Art teacher Abbey Trescott noticed that the new policy doesn’t create a problem; rather it offers a solution.

“We’re only a few weeks in, but so far I haven’t had as many students on their iPads in class as I did last year,” Trescott said. “Last year was a little bit of an uphill battle with being distracted in class with iPads. I don’t know if the new policies have anything to do with that or if students are still kind of settling into it, finding out how much they can be on them and how much they can’t.”

The biggest setback teachers confronted this year is that they are also restricted from banned sites, such as Facebook, on school computers. Teachers like Orton and Trescott agreed that hiccups from the wifi or Schoology are no worse than last year, and they believe these are unavoidable with any server.

Although the ban succeeds in keeping kids off of social media and other sites, there are holes that are being sorted through.

The apps that are currently banned are not fixed. The iPad’s new policy will fluctuate through the year, especially as new apps become popular.

“The list is not comprehensive or static. It will be updated or changed as needed,” Shapiro said. “Since Casper is new it does have its kinks, but everyone is learning and things should run more smoothly eventually.”

infographic by Stephanie Kang

A4 news

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15

New bussing system faces rough start Continued from A1

However, there is controversy among students who ride these buses regarding the quality of this year’s bus transportation. The main issue with the buses is that they have had many late arrivals this year, which frustrates a number students, teachers and parents alike.

“My bus driver quit on the first week of school, leaving my bus of ... people stranded,” Long said.

“After he quit, the bus barn decided to split up our route. They got a sub driver, but he has to drop off elementary school kids first, so he is always late picking us up. We have been late every single day since the second week of school, which creates problems. Being late causes a distraction when we enter our first class. The teacher has to re-explain the lesson to the kids who are late, which is frustrating to them.”

Long said the problems the buses create are irritating.

“It’s really frustrating to me because I don’t know when to get to the bus stop because our sub gets there at different times each day,” Long said.

“When I get to school, I’m always rushing to get to class because I’m always late. I feel like I don’t have time to catch my breath because the teacher had to explain to me whatever he or she just explained to the class. I get really frustrated at times and I think they need to fix it.”

Fortunately, bus 247 has recently received a new driver and is now running on time to school.

However, the problem is still not completely gone. For the buses still arriving late, it also creates the issue regarding students having to deal with missing class.

Although students are excused by their attendance secretary, the frequent late arrivals cause them to lose time at school. This is detrimental to their academic performance and students must use their free time to catch up.

There also lies an issue with the possibility of a bus break-down on out-of-town trips. Student Transportation of America is not well-established in Missouri, so if a bus happens to break down on an out-of-town trip, there is little chance of a back-up bus arriving on time.

“When you get to the state line, I don’t know how established they are in Kansas or Illinois, but I’m guessing for some of those bus breakdowns, that bus would actually have to originate here, or you also mentioned Springfield,” Gaub said.

Student Transportation of America won the bid to be the school’s new transportation provider.

The bus company placed a successful bid of $53.2 million. First Student, which had provided transportation to the school district for approximately four decades, had a bid of $55.4 million.

Student Transportation of America has 212 buses running for Columbia Public Schools as of 2015. Columbia Public Schools is currently the only school district in the state that has STA as its transportation provider.

Student Transportation of America was contacted to see what their view on the issue was, however, they were unavailable.

School administrators assure students that the late buses are only because of drivers adjusting to the new school year and will soon be a thing of the past.

Gaub said the buses will stop being late with time, as drivers and the transportation system get used to pick-up times and get routes figured out.

“At the beginning of the year, late buses are more prevalent until they get the bus routes more figured out, so we’re kind of used to that because it has been an issue every year, ” Gaub said. “Once things get going, late buses aren’t very common anymore.”

In conclusion, STA’s bus service has caused issues with students this year regarding arrival times. Some buses, such as bus 247, no longer have the problem, but those who are still facing it want a quick solution.

“It’s affecting my schedule,” Reed said. “I’d really enjoy coming to school early enough, so I can see my friends and eat without having to go straight to class because everyone likes that little space before class starts.”

photo by Devesh Kumar

It’s a long road to home: Students board bus 279 Sept. 8. Student Transportation of America, the new transportation provider for Columbia Public Schools, had a rough start to the school year with numerous instances of late arrivals to school.

photo by Jae Rhee

Taking a breather from bio: Seniors Mariah Fitzpatrick, Clara Brand, Hannah Chen and Clayton Warder take a two-minute break in their first hour AP biology course taught by Kerri Graham. This year, teachers are promoting light exercise in class or brief breaks in an attempt to let kids freshen up their minds for better quality learning.

Administrators promote class exercise for focused learning ganization, which strives to improve learning through applying neuroscience elements to the he words of sophomore Tracey Sing- classroom. He spoke to RBHS officials about er’s biology teacher faded in the back the impacts of exercise on the mind.

“We found that being active helps to really of her mind as she dozed off in the middle of class. It was hard to stay fo- stimulate the brain and helps with the growth of certain chemicals,” Ritcused on one subject for ter said. “There’s a chemimore than an hour and a It makes class more cal reaction that exercise half, so she was grateful interesting and helps. It’s just like things when her teacher called enjoyable. I fall we know; getting a good for a break.

Although the break asleep way too often, night’s sleep, eating nutriwas only five minutes and walking around tious foods, but also moving about and being acalong, Singer and the rest wakes me up and demically stimulated both of her classmates refreshens my interest help the brain function at a turned feeling refreshed in learning. higher level.” and stimulated to learn.

Ritter said administraThis year, RBHS tracey singer teachers have started insophomore tors recommended exercising in class to teachers corporating exercise inbut didn’t require it betermissions in their daily class routines. Acting principal Kathy Ritter, cause some classrooms lend themselves more who is currently filling in for Dr. Jennifer easily to movement than others. Teachers were Rukstad while she is on maternity leave, said told to look for ways that, in a five-minute pethe idea of exercise in class was put into ac- riod, they could have students up and moving tion when speaker Frank Kros told the school about.

Teachers are including activities such as administrators about how the brain operates.

Kros is the president of The Upside Down Or- simple motor skill exercises. Singer said her

nikol slatinska

T

chemistry, biology and Spanish teachers typically make her class walk around the school for an average of five minutes.

“It makes class more interesting and enjoyable,” Singer said. “I fall asleep way too often, and walking around wakes me up and freshens my interest in learning.”

However, not all RBHS teachers are doing this. Singer says she would really like it if her AP World teachers implemented the practice into their class. She feels in such a demanding environment with no breaks in the schedule that keeping focus can be extremely difficult for the entire hour.

Ninth grade civics studies and AP Psychology teacher Austin Reed tries to get his students moving in simple ways like placing handouts at the front of the classroom and allowing them to get up and stretch their legs.

Reed has been purposeful about getting his students to move around in class during the years, saying he never just wants to talk at kids for 90 minutes straight.

“If they’re anything like me they get bored sitting for long periods, so I think getting the blood moving around a little bit helps brain activity,” Reed said. “Hopefully this year we see a change across the board.”

Controversial BruCrew themes subject to scrutiny Continued from A1 “I think that’s sort of the difference as opposed to students just showing up for the game,” Egan said. “[It] is having that sort of common purpose and that unifying theme, if you will, that can bring the students together and focus their energies toward the game in helping create that home court or home field advantage for us.”

Jennings agrees and said the BruCrew themes help to create a general atmosphere of school spirit at the games for both the athletes and the fans, which is the BruCrew’s main intent in the first place.

“The main goal of BruCrew is to produce the best possible environment for our athletes and fans.

We want to make the other team a little uncomfortable,” Jennings said. “It’s important to the school because we are almost responsible for the mood of the games.

The student section has the power to make the game really loud and exciting.”

The BruCrew also adds another type of encouragement for RBHS athletes, Farid said, which helps them to perform better during the game, but also shows the school’s appreciation for the amount of effort they put forth in practice and during the games.

“BruCrew is important because it’s not only our student cheer section. I think people really overlook the fact that it’s your peers supporting you in something you love,” Farid said.

“From an athlete’s point of view, BruCrew makes me feel like the sport or activity I’m doing really is important, like I’m connected to my school on such a powerful

photo by Cassi Viox

Everybody’s hands go up: Students support the football team as the Bruins take on Hickman in the annual Providence Bowl on Friday, Sept 18. BruCrew, previously known as Bucks and Does, officially started in the 2005-06 school year. BruCrew makes appearances at home football and basketball games, as well as some away games, to provide support for players and bring school spirit. level.”

The role the BruCrew plays in all of the RBHS sporting events is such an important one, Egan said, he believes the club will persevere despite the controversies that arise from time to time over their themes.

Even if the BruCrew itself doesn’t last, however, Egan said some organized pep club will continue to hold a vital role in the school’s athletic events for the

foreseeable future.

“Some version of the BruCrew, I think, will last forever,” Egan said. “I remember the first year that I taught here, which was 2004-2005, the student pep club were referred to as the Bucks and Does. That was in its last legs my first year, and ... the year after was when the BruCrew started. BruCrew has been strong ever since.”

Apart from their importance in supporting the athletes, Egan

said he also believes the BruCrew helps draw student crowds to the games, which he thinks will continue for a long time to come.

“There are many sports that are very popular, so our athletic teams will always draw crowds.

They will always draw students, if for no other reason because they like the sport,” Egan said.

“Whether it’s the BruCrew or not, I think there will always be that organized student presence.”

9.24.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

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therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15

Social media ban curtails freedom

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very RBHS student knows about the tired “freedom with responsibility” slogan. Whether you are a freshman, bubbling with excitement at the thought of not needing a planner with a signature to go the bathroom, or a senior, who has heard teachers use the phrase over and over to justify punishments, one knows the saying well.

But just because this saying is familiar doesn’t mean it is untouchable.

Any student with an iPad knows about the new social media bans being imposed in an attempt to cut down on the myriad of distractions that come into the classroom with the expensive piece of technology.

The school’s website shows the full, and not necessarily complete, list of banned apps. Though Twitter is still available, the list includes Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Snapchat.

If a student still tries to download one of these apps, the app store disappears, along with their camera, and the student must take the iPad to a Media Center specialist so they can fix it.

This ban obviously has good intentions: helping students to focus on school by limiting the iPad to its intended educational purpose. However, it completely undermines what every administrator at RBHS has fought so hard for.

RBHS has always been a school that prepares students for the socalled “real world” by expecting students to utilize AUTs and allowing them to learn how to use their time wisely, on their own. RBHS supplies students with activities and sports to join, on their own. RBHS allows upperclassmen to go off campus for lunch and expects them to figure out how to get their food and get back in time for class, on their own.

When we enter the workforce, our employers will expect the same things from us. They will allow us lunch breaks and expect that we can figure out how to get back to work on time. They will allow us to work on projects with minimal supervision and expect that we stay selfmotivated and disciplined enough to work on the project effectively.

They will allow us to have computers, laptops and iPads and expect that we use technology for their intended purposes.

Just because we are at a high school doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be held to these same standards of selfmotivation and discipline. It is exactly what RBHS so fervently claims that our students do. So why are we being regulated so meticulously that we are not allowed to make our own time management decisions?

art by Shelby Yount

In the real world environment that RBHS seeks to create, if we didn’t use our time effectively and didn’t get our work done, we would simply be fired. RBHS should allow the same free will. If you do your work and get good grades, then you should be able to have whatever you want on your iPad just as you would at a job.

If you don’t get your work done and get bad grades, then you shouldn’t be trusted with an iPad because you haven’t matured enough.

At a school where “freedom with responsibility” reigns, privileges shouldn’t be taken away until after they have been abused. If you are making solid A’s, why shouldn’t you be allowed a Facebook break at the end of class?

Also, the argument that these apps are potentially dangerous or harmful fails. Anything on the internet can be used incorrectly and potentially harmfully. If the district allows students to use technology with Internet, there is always a possibility that they

often preach? In a perfect world, stuwill do something bad.

Of course it is good that porno- dents would remind administration of graphic sites are blocked; anything this school’s foundation.

This that has year a the clear c h u n k intent to The introduction of a new technoloof our put stugy policy has resulted in the restricfreedom dents in tion of social media and other apps has been an inapon the iPads. chipped propriate away, situation and while — shall Is this policy a positive students we say change? h a v e Tinder? grumBut sob l e d , cial methere has dia does been no not fall effort to under create a this cate g o r y, dialogue yet it is between suddenly the adtaken ministrafrom us. tion and So what happens when the school the student body to address the issue does not stand by the moral that they and find a solution that works for ev-

Yes 1

Maybe 5

No 12

‘The Rock’ outlines editorial, advertising policy

T

he paper’s editorial board, made up of the Editors-InChief of The Rock and Bearing News and the Advisor of the Journalism Department will review all opinion pieces, including staffwritten editorials, submitted for publication, for use in the opinion pages only. Opinions expressed in signed works are those of the author and not necessarily of the entire staff.

Letters to the Editor: The paper encourages letters but reserves the right to edit or reject material based on the standards set by all members of the journalism staff.

All stories with grammatical errors will be printed as received. Anyone wishing to submit a letter must sign with a valid signature. The editorial board will withhold names upon request but a signature must be given upon subRock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65203 Vol. 43, Issue 1 September 24, 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

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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

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

eryone.

Every student needs to fight to voice their opinions. The student body must demand that the school includes them in decisions that will affect them and potentially limit their freedom. Students must be able to vote on issues that are pertinent to our lives.

If programs like Student Coalition were actually utilized and there were committees that connected students with administrators when decisions are being made, our concerns could be voiced. Student Coalition is dying, but isn’t dead. To effectively make change, every student needs to show up to the next Student Coalition meeting. With this sort of revival, the administrators can’t ignore us.

Maybe we wouldn’t win every war, but at least our freedoms could be as greatly preserved as possible.

Just because we only have a few more years here doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to keep RBHS as free as it was the day we walked in.

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editorials A7

8.14.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

Welcome to Trump’s political circus American elections now seen as a farce, a joke abby kempf

I

t would be a total understatement to say Donald Trump is loving every second of this campaign. Everyone with a television set or the Internet has heard of Trump’s racist remarks in regard to illegal immigrants, his sexist remarks referring to Megyn Kelly and Carly Fiorina and his egotistical remarks when boasting his “immense wealth.”

But the surprising part of Trump’s campaign is not his sheer absurdity and total self-absorption, but rather how positively the American public is responding to it.

Trump is an entertainer, 100 percent. Ever since his hit show “Celebrity Apprentice,” Trump has had a thirst for attention, and he is brilliant at saying just the right things to get the American public to notice him.

While one would expect this attention to be largely negative, as it so often is with unruly and rebellious schoolchildren, he’s gotten quite the opposite response.

His fans are so supportive to go as far as urinating on and beating up a sleeping, homeless Mexican man.

But Trump doesn’t care because this kind of nonsense, this kind of violence and this kind of circus is exactly the environment people like Trump thrive in.

Anyone could go on all day about how Trump is a bad candidate, a racist, a sexist, a creeper, an elitist and an all-around wretched man. But anyone with a high enough IQ realizes Trump is not a serious candidate, but instead a lonely man exploiting the disarrayed state of American politics to get some affirmation.

When our nation first became independent, the office of the president was holy — a position only the most virtuous and upright man could hold.

So it was clear that a calm and col-

lected man who showed great valor in war was selected to hold this position. Though George Washington was not without faults, he was a rather wholesome and moderate man who could compromise without compromising his values.

Slowly over time, politics got in the way and great men became mediocre presidents as they fought to please the public and the private sector. People kept asking for the next

president to be their savior and occasionally, great men did step up.

But as time has progressed we have seen most presidents waver, trying to keep peace and often failing.

We have seen presidents lie, like in “Lawyergate” when a slew of Justice Department officials resigned rather than say President George W. Bush wrongly fired U.S. attorneys for prosecuting Republicans and not Democrats. We have seen presidents reck-

Affirmative action in university admissions is a necessary policy

‘PC madness’ serves a necessary purpose jenna liu

tive order that directed government contractors to take “affirmative acs America’s history color blind? tion to ensure that applicants are The answer is no because of the employed, and that employees are constant discrimination against treated during employment without minorities in its history. Why are regard to race, creed, color, or napeople against affirmative action, tional origin.” Even with Kennedy’s which are policies and scholarships actions, the gap between white high that benefit those who are discrimi- school graduates who attend college nated against, and believe admis- and minority graduates is still large.

One of the main reasons for the sions offices need to be “color blind” existence of affirmative action was in their admittance of students? The to acknowledge all the wrongdoings true reaagainst mison is that norities that they believe racOne of the main rea- have been committed in ism is no sons for the existence the past and longer an of affirmative action that were detissue in was to acknowledge rimental to society. all the wrongdoings their growth B u t progress this policy against minorities that and in society. of “color have been committed Those who blindin the past and that would argue n e s s ” that affirmawere detrimental to does not work for their growth and prog- tive action takes away many rearess in society. scholarships sons, esfrom white pecially students would be mistaken because because discrimination against Afrieven now white students receive can Americans still exists. three times the amount of scholarAccording to The Huffington Post, black literacy rates are low- ships compared to their minority er and black people populate the counterparts.

The point people don’t underpoorer parts of cities. Regardless of the scholarships they’re presented, stand about affirmative action is the admission rates will always be that it wasn’t created to help black higher for the majority — white stu- people push ahead, but to help level the playing field for them. Even afdents.

Three times the amount of Af- ter the scholarships and money crerican Americans live in poverty, in ated to help African Americans and comparison to their fellow white other minorities, the white majority citizens says finaid.com. They also still lead all of the educational and say black students attend college at quality of life statistics.

Until these statistics don’t show a rate 10 percent lower than their such a gap between the minority and white counterparts. majority, and until the minorities of How is the near half-century old America aren’t mostly living below concept of affirmative action going the poverty line, affirmative action to harm the success of white stuis necessary to help minorities perdents? And if so, why haven’t these severe against the odds stacked up harmful effects been seen yet?

Affirmative action is a product against them.

So to the students going to colof the ‘60s movement to provide lege, remember that affirmative acequality to minorities and women tion gives opportunities to minoriin the workplace and in education. ties.

It doesn’t take away from the In 1961, President Kennedy used Caucasian majority. the term when signing an execu-

ronel ghidey

O

n a brightly lit stage in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans arena, Donald Trump listened to Megyn Kelly list the numerous derogatory names he had called women in the past; fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. After a quick pout, Trump quipped that he had only been referring to comedian and noted Trump enemy Rosie O’Donnell before lambasting the state of political correctness in America. The crowd roared with applause.

Political correctness has a distinctly negative connotation today, with many seeing it as an oversensitivity that limits their freedom of speech.

Fox News regularly hosts commentators who fervently call for ‘an end to PC madness’ and dismiss any instance of offense as an overreaction.

What exactly is political correctness, though?

The phrase originated in the early 20th century, a product of Socialist pushback to the Stalinist doctrine.

Socialists used “politically correct” to refer to individuals who valued loyalty to the Communist party over compassion and equality.

It’s ironic that a phrase that once applied to those who disregarded tolerance and justice is now being used to disparage people who aim to uphold those same principles.

For instance, when the South Carolina state congress debated displaying the Confederate flag at the capitol, hundreds rallied to oppose what they believed was political correctness destroying their heritage.

Yes, they believed that political correctness was the cause for people wanting to take down a symbol that encapsulates a heritage of slavery and racism. They did not consider the idea that maybe, just maybe, there was a legitimate reason for removing a symbol of hate. There has been so much vitriol against this so-called oversensitivity, but the same people who blast political correctness have rarely put any thought into why others may be offended or upset.

For many fierce opponents of the so-called ‘PC trend,’ a swing in the ideology of the general American

art by Ana Ramirez

lessly spend. We have seen presidents allow the economy to die.

The office of president is not what it used to be. And we can blame a lot of things. We can blame the flawed bipartisan system. We can blame a lack of compromise and cohesion.

We can blame backwards politicians, being bribed and failing on their promises. But the real culprit is the American public, who has perpetuated the beast of showmanship that

has plagued politics for years.

Monsters like Trump are small on their own and are rather weak. They can’t get a whole nation to succumb to their will on their own. To allow someone to rise to the top, the American public must both condone and encourage their actions.

The reason democracy is loved is because all of the power in the government comes from the people.

Anyone who gets into office is there, holding all of the power that comes with that office, with the full consent of the people.

This means anyone who gets media attention and who is taken seriously in their run for a sacred spot such as president has the consent of the people.

If, from the get-go, everyone had treated Trump like the joke he is, the megalomaniac wouldn’t have gotten the vocal and financial backing that he needs to run seriously. If instead of sharing posts describing Trump’s latest schemes we had ignored Trump, he wouldn’t have grown as powerful as he is now.

We have created every bad politician we’ve had by not demanding more from our representatives. We have elected crooks and attended the circus of caucuses through our own actions.

The only way to undo the damage we have done is to stop entertaining people like Trump and say no. We have to say no to anyone who isn’t in politics for the people.

So next time someone tweets something about Trump’s hair, simply ignore it. American politics have turned into a joke, but we can reclaim the White House by eliminating candidates who don’t take our nation as seriously as we do.

If someone asks, ‘Did you hear what Trump said last night?’ shake your head and walk away.

I

art by Shelby Yount

population has caused a lot of discomfort. When a Christian bakery in Indiana sparked public outrage by turning away a gay couple, those opponents howled against political correctness. When Donald Trump used racially tinged rhetoric and garners backlash from Hispanic activists, those opponents raged against PC culture. For them, the fact that the majority of Americans have different views on what they consider to be acceptable behavior makes no difference. In their eyes, what doesn’t offend them should not offend anyone.

The impact of this mindset is a lack of dialogue that prevents real debate. If you have different opinions or perspectives than someone else, tell them. Just don’t wave around political correctness like it’s an infallible weapon of argumentation. It’s not. In

fact, deploying that term is one of the laziest things you can do, as it provides no justification or warrant.

Political correctness is too often used as an umbrella for people to hide under and avoid the consequences of their words or actions.

People have a right to react negatively to anything you say; your own personal beliefs have no influence on the legitimacy of theirs. What needs to happen is discussion, no matter how uncomfortable it might be, instead of pointing fingers at political correctness.

If someone believes they’re in the right, they should give a valid argument for why so. If not, they should apologize. Either way, it’s time for people to shut the umbrella on political correctness and face the rain, however hard it comes.

A8 advertisements

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15

features therock 9.24.15

infographic by Stephanie Kang

source: ELL teacher, Lilia Ben Ayed

Across borders, seeking amity nikol slatinska

E

veryone knows being the new kid can be a nerve-racking experience. It’s the first day of school and students are crowding the hallways, cheering ecstatically upon seeing their best friend.

Then there’s the newbie, trying to get to class in an unfamiliar building full of unknown faces. The situation is about as distressing as it can get, right?

Now imagine the new student just arrived from another country and doesn’t know a word of English.

This is the case for nearly 70

RBHS students who speak little to no English. English Language Learners teacher Lilia Ben-Ayed said her students would like to feel included as part of the school.

“My students are interesting, intelligent and friendly,” Ben-Ayed said.

“They want to be noticed and talked to by U.S. students. When someone from the U.S. puts forth the effort to get to know my students, they are very happy.”

Last year, RBHS served 44 ELL students. That number has increased to 69 for the 2015-16 school year.

Among them, they speak a total of 12 native languages, ranging from Spanish to Swahili.

Junior Bwet Phaw was born in

When I came into [Mr. Mann’s civil engineering] class, I thought I wanted to be an architect but he made me want to be an engineer. sam robinson senior

Burma and grew up in Thailand. She moved to the United States in 2009 because of conflict in her home country.

She speaks four languages, including Burmese and Karenni, both predominantly spoken in Burma. Compared to Thailand, Phaw said, the people of Columbia are much more diverse.

“I’ve made new friends from different countries. I’m really glad I’m surrounded by them because it’s nice to learn about their cultures,” Phaw said. “I never knew there were people like them before.”

Junior Moiz Muhammad is not in ELL but can relate to Phaw’s situation. Born in Pakistan, Muhammad moved to the United States at age four. Students didn’t treat him any

I’m in yearbook and an art class. I get a lot of experience with photography through yearbook.

ember yates senior

How are your classes preparing you for your future?

Building bridges for the future grace vance

F

rom the time he was in first grade, junior Adam Cox-Irvin dreamed of becoming a historian. He found history, etched into time, a wonder all it’s own, spending hours researching and exploring the past.

“I found that I had a real passion for looking at battles and how those types of things work,” Cox-Irvin said.

Though he admired the historian mindset of dissecting the past, Cox-Irvin’s fascination with history gave way in his eighth grade year to a different passion: engineering.

During his sophomore year he took the Robotics 1 class at the CACC (Columbia Area Career Center) and fell in love with its concepts and principles.

“I was surprised at how well I did, considering I was more of a history, philosopher type of person, whereas I had the mindset to really excel in that class” Cox-Irvin said. “Over the year, I actually realized how much I like solving problems. I think that is what shifted my mindset.”

Cox-Irvin isn’t alone in using high school classes as a catalyst for future endeavors. Senior Zoya Khan aspires to work in the medical field. Rather than taking CACC classes to prepare for her future, Khan has turned to AP (Advanced Placement) classes instead.

“You get a lot of college opportunity.

“I think the purpose of havcredit from [AP classes]. Most colleges accept fours and fives ing AP classes is a kind of two[on the AP test.] I thought if I fold. I think the first is just to got that on my test, then I could have that opportunity to earn use the credit in college,” Khan college credit, which is a huge said. “A lot of the colleges I’m advantage,” Graham said. “The other is just looking at to get that want really rigorexperience ous course Our purpose is to of being in w o r k . help people fig- a college That’s also ure out how to class while why I took still having think critically, a little extra AP Biolhow to commu- support.” ogy and nicate, and how AP ChemJust as istry, beto be [educated] AP classes cause those can shape citizens. are good if kerri graham career opyou want AP Biology teacher p o r t u n i to go into ties, CACC the medical classes do field.” as well. Without the CACC’s While AP classes may pro- career-based mindset regarding vide enhanced preparation for education, Cox-Irvin believes future careers, they can require the trajectory of his future strenuous amounts of time. Al- would not have been the same. though AP classes can require a “I have a different type of lot of work for students, AP Bi- thinking,” Cox-Irvin said. “[I ology teacher Kerri Graham be- think it’s] because of similar lieves the effort can be worth it. problems I’ve had over in my Around 82 percent of college CACC classes.” students report that if their secFor Graham, the purpose of ondary education had required education is not to just do well more rigorous standards, they on a test or to learn about topics would have put forth more ef- that pertain to a specific career. fort, therefore achieving better “Our purpose is to help peogrades, according to an article ple figure out how to think critifrom Public School Review. cally, how to communicate, and With both college credit and how to be [educated] citizens,” helpful learning strategies at Graham said. “I hope they feel student disposal, Graham be- this class has prepared them for lieves these classes hold a lot of their next steps.”

differently, but he still noticed differences between his culture and theirs, sparking curiosity among his peers.

“When I was young, I didn’t know how to handle the differences,” Muhammad said. “At times I would feel left out because I wasn’t aware of certain traditions my family didn’t partake in.”

Since then, he’s learned to embrace both cultures as he’s matured.

For Muhammad, making friends despite personal differences hasn’t been difficult. Fortunately, that seems to be the case for Phaw as well.

Yet Phaw still doesn’t approach people unless they talk to her first because she doesn’t want them to feel surprised if her English is not as de-

veloped as theirs. However, she loves to joke around once she gets comfortable around others and hopes other students don’t perceive her insecurity as insolence.

Aside from new friends the ELL students make, Ben-Ayed is their closest contact. A change she sees in most of her students as they begin speaking more proficient English is growth in confidence, which helps them do better academically and build new friendships.

“I know how they all feel being a part of a new culture,” Ben-Ayed said. “I love to support them during their first months, and sometimes years, as they are learning to navigate in a foreign world.”

Making the AP grade Students reflect worth of AP exam, provide insight joy park

A

s the second month of the school year comes to a wrap, students have become accustomed to the individualistic teaching styles, class structures and school workload.

Students seeking academic challenge and rigor are presented with 19 various AP courses, ranging from AP Music Theory to AP Computer Science. RBHS’s plentiful opportunities help students obtain college credits and study skills, both deemed invaluable at the collegiate level.

When AP exam week rolls around in May, students begin to sweat and fret, feeling incompetent in three predominant areas: knowledge, time and confidence.

Junior Alexis Davis took AP World her sophomore year. She loved teachers Gregory Irwin and Shawnna Matteson and loved the engaging topics discussed in class even more.

Unfortunately, these factors did not play a significant role in her decision, as Davis chose not to take the AP exam. Restricted by time and obstructed by the long response and multiple choice portions of the exam, Davis struggled with the notoriously devilish style of College Board testing.

“In the end it all boiled down to the fact that I was just worried about time,” Davis said. “I went into the class knowing that writing with speed was not a strength of mine. I was also even less confident about the multiple choice section because I’ve never been very good at test taking. I’ve always struggled with multiple choice questions because I psych myself out.”

AP U.S. History and AP Human Geography teacher Kimberly Thielen-Metcalf identifies the root of the problem to one word: perfectionism.

source: Planets of Success

“Kids just freak out,” Metcalf said. “They don’t think they’re going to get a perfect score, and they’re worried about not being perfect. They think they should get a five or nothing—they’ve been hearing that their whole lives, and it’s crazy.”

Nevertheless, approximately 840 RBHS students enroll in an AP class with the drive of passing the exam. Many achieve this goal, as 81 percent of RBHS students scored a three or higher on the 2014 AP exams.

Included in RBHS’s AP passing rate is senior Hannah Chen. She received fours and fives across six AP exams, making her eligible for the AP Scholar with Distinction award which recognizes high school students who “demonstrate outstanding college-level achievement.” Unlike Davis’s situation, Chen was resolute in her selection of AP courses, including her decision to take the exam.

“I find it understandable that some students take the AP class, but not the exam,” Chen said. “Many top universities don’t award credit for certain AP courses, so there’s no point in wasting money.”

For first-time AP students, Chen advises to manage time wisely and effectively, to be familiar with the format and content of the exam and to face the reality that one does not get what they wish for— they get what they work for. When an superb work ethic is developed, all students are capable of doing well on the exam.

“We have to work at reading for meaning to ultimately do well on the test,” Metcalf said. “I would love it if everybody got a five — but we, as teachers, have to teach you how to write the essay. We have to teach you how to pick apart a multiple choice question. And if you get those things, the score will come.”

Read the complete story at bearingnews.org

infographic by Shelby Yount

B2 features

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15

Cracking the code behind programming rochita ghosh

I

n a world marked by the dependence and growh of technology, its maintenance is key. Code is the backbone of this technology, which is why the skill of coding has gained an interest within the job sector.

Jim Noel, vice president of software services at Veterans United has taken note of an increased demand for programmers and software developers.

With technology constantly evolving, Veterans United wants their equipment to advance with it, which is why they hire people with the necessary skills.

Positions for programmers are beginning to decline because software developers know not only coding but can also do much more.

“It’s not just about coding.

It’s about understanding web interface,” Noel said. “It’s understanding mobile and the database behind the application.”

This reasoning is why the CACC, or Columbia Area Career Center, offers computer science classes. Nathaniel Graham, a programming teacher at the CACC, believes coding is a vital skill to learn, because people interact with it constantly.

“Programming allows you to be easily employed,” Graham said. “The big thing in life is to be happy with what you’re doing, and programming isn’t applied to any specific thing, so if you can program, you can be in automotive if cars are your thing.

If your passion is fashion, you can absolutely program in the industry.”

For instance, the culinary department at the CACC reached out to the student programmers and asked them to modify Google Hangouts, a video chatting program.

Graham believes anyone can learn programming, but because coding is picky and involves math, people are reluctant to try it. However, the extent of math depends on the

photo by Jae Rhee

Building skills, decoding opportunities: In his AP Computer Science class at the Columbia Area Career Center (CACC), senior David Feng gains hands-on experience and expands his knowledge by learning how to define “classes”, or objects and groups, through code. code’s purpose.

“High math skills can lead to greater work in [physics and graphic] engines,” Graham said.

This appealed to freshman Pranav Patel, who started learning how to code in seventh grade after thinking about what he wanted to do with his life.

He researched technology growth and realized the prevalence it would take later in the future. As he learned more about coding, his love for the skill grew.

“The reason I like coding is that you get to relax and not [feel pressured],” Patel said.

“...it’s like you’re making a recipe for your food, and the food is the website. Let’s say I make pasta. I can add so much into pasta to make it taste good. There’s so many options you can put into the code to create something awesome.”

There are some elements that Patel dislikes. Creating a simple webpage can take many hours and also requires knowing many components of coding. Patel still enjoys it and appreciates what he learns.

“You learn a lot from coding. It’s not just, ‘I made that mistake so it’s not working’.

In coding it’s not as obvious,” Patel said. “It takes a lot

of time to just make one box because it’s like, do I put [the character] here? Or here? It has to match the webpage, or it’s going to produce an error.”

Others share Patel’s perspective, evident through how many are enrolled in programming classes.

When Graham first started teaching, the school offered few computer science courses and students had little interest.

As time went on, the classes grew in size and variety. Now, he has four sections of C++.

Noel believes the number of people registered is not enough.

Despite this influx of inter-

est, Noel says the amount of jobs in the industry still outweighs the amount of people applying. He believes there are a number of reasons behind the imbalance.

“It’s a combination between the higher education system, and the profession itself not promoting the role and availability as well as it could,” Noel said. “Few people look to step outside of what’s traditional, and [it’s difficult] to find people with passion around that and cultivate it.”

He hopes to lessen the gap by partnering with local colleges and universities. This

allows him to provide internships for interested students and edit curriculum concerning the industry. Noel also wants to do the same for high school students.

Graham believes if the interest grows, classes that were cut initially, may trickle back into the curriculum. He likes that with these classes, students have an opportunity to learn something applicable to whatever career path they choose.

“Whatever your passion is,” Graham said, “you can tie to it these skills you learn in software and engineering development.”

Linked together by genes, kept together by community joy park

W

hile playing a light game of basketball, junior Taylor McDonald fatefully tripped over a basketball, resulting in a fracture to her left wrist. Her illfated accident not only handicapped the usage of an arm, but it also forced her to transition from being a natural lefty to a confined righty.

The dominance of one side of the body over the other is an ongoing curiosity for society and scientists alike. One particular branch of laterality is hand dominancy, also referred to as handedness.

This phenomenon is tied to genetic traits, William Brandler, lead researcher in genetics of handedness and cerebral asymmetry at the University of Oxford, wrote in his 2013 research article.

“There is a genetic component to handedness — hundreds of different genetic variants,” Brandler said. “Each one might push you one way or the other, along with the environment you’re in and the pressures acting on you,

which affect your handedness.”

Left and right handedness is associated with two alleles: a ‘D’ gene for dextral meaning “right” and a ‘C’ gene for “chance.” The allele names speak for themselves.

“People think it’s just an environmental thing, but you’ve got to think, why is there that initial bias in the first place, and why do you see that bias across all societies?” Brandler said. “Why aren’t there societies where you see a bias to the left?”

Representing only 10 percent of the general human population, lefties have long been persecuted and labeled with impertinent stigmas from uncleanliness to association with the devil. The word “sinister” even originates from archaic terms referring to the left-hand side.

A fictional book by John H. Ritter, Choosing Up Sides, exposes this historical phenomenon.

Set in the early twentieth century, protagonist Luke Bledsoe struggles with being left-handed in a prejudiced right-handed society. Bledsoe’s father, a sectarian reverend, believes that his son is a heathen and potential follower of Sa-

tan, and thus verbally and physically abuses his McDonald and the rest of the left-handed comown son. munity inevitably faces non-user friendly obThe plot’s conflicts arise even more when jects like school desks with built-in arm rests, Luke accidentally finds the game of baseball can openers, spiral notebooks and scissors on a by what his father calls “the day to day basis. devil’s playground” when he “When I was little, my There’s a sense finds out that he has the abilmom could not teach me how ity to become an incredible to use scissors because I just of community southpaw pitcher. couldn’t understand it,” Mcamong leftWhile only a fictional plot, said. “I would get so handed people. Donald McDonald has been placed in frustrated because it was easy elliot bones for everybody else. So one the same situation as Bledsoe junior day, I sat down and spent an since the day of her injury.

Temporarily forced into living hour trying to cut with scisthe life of a righty, McDonald adapted to un- sors until I figured it out.” comfortable measures to presume a normal life.

Contrary to scientific research, McDonald is “School has been hard and a little frustrating the only member within her family to acquire because I have to learn how to do everything such a trait. with my non-dominant hand,” McDonald said.

However, junior Elliot Bones, another left“I’m glad it’s not my elbow because I can still hander, has two relatives — a grandpa and pick stuff up with my [left] hand, but writing cousin — who are also left-handed. Although with my right hand is a challenge.”

Bones was never confined to usage of his nonMundane activities shifted to daily inconve- dominant hand, he has experimented writing niences, cutting into both her time and energy. with his right hand, just to “get a feel for it.”

“Whenever I try to use my right hand, I feel pretty foolish because of its lack of coordination in comparison to my left,” Bones said. “I do find some things that are oriented towards right-handed people slightly aggravating, but I’ve kind of gotten used to it. Now I don’t pay it much attention. I just hate graphite smudges.”

Although there will always be the undeniable inconveniences of being left-handed, both Bones and McDonald alike enjoy being a part of an exclusive community where members embrace their differences and uniqueness. And since the 1900’s, society has progressively gotten more accepting towards the left-handed minority.

“I kind of like being a little different,” Bones said. “There’s a sense of community among left-handed people. If I see someone using their left hand, I talk to them and feel a bond with them — which I don’t think happens as often with right-handed people.” infographic by Joy Park

indepths therock 9.24.15

tran•si•tion

Transgender people grapple with unique problems rochita ghosh

M

irrors reflect the world. Walking past one, people catch a glimpse of themselves and their surroundings. Some people stop to fix something minor. Others stare, smile at their appearance and carry on with their day. But some hate the mirror and what they see. They see the mirror as a reminder of who they are, and sometimes who they are is not who they want to be.

Shane Stinson, a training and development officer at the University of Missouri, was once such a person. The mirror never showed who he truly was — a man. Instead, he saw the feminine characteristics he didn’t want to be defined by.

People such as Stinson are transgender, meaning they don’t identify with their assigned sex. In the past few years, more transgender people have been noticed in the media, most notably with Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner. Both have undergone processes to change their physical appearances and have noted they feel happier for it.

Perhaps in light of recent events, the Columbia Public School Board of Education voted Monday, Sept. 14 to change the non-discrimination policy to include gender identity; the administrative team will now work toward protecting the rights for all individuals by ensuring there is no discrimination toward faculty or students.

Jonathan Sessions, vice president of the Board of Education, said that the policy had not mentioned sexual orientation and gender identity and expression before. This change ensured that people who differed from the normative genders and orientation were protected as much as anyone else.

“Every person, regardless of race, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation should feel safe in the district,” Sessions said. “If they do not, that is not acceptable.”

RBHS itself provides private unisex bathrooms for students who identify as transgender, assistant principal Lisa Nieuwenhuizen said. This prevents the crippling anxiety that may result from deciding between the public ones. The school ensures that teachers and students refer to transgender students by their chosen name and pronouns and are treated with respect.

“Any student who feels that they are being harassed or bullied, for whatever reason, should let their administrator and counselor know,” Nieuwenhuizen said. “[That way] we can address the situation promptly and ensure that all our students feel safe and valued at RBHS.” Stinson is glad to see more transgender people can receive assistance but believes there is room for improvement, considering what they face daily.

“We need more resources in this country that educate, support and embrace,” Stinson said. “We need resources that help people who are [transgender] thrive in this world

instead of just surviving.”

For a person to thrive, this may include physically changing who they see in the mirror. Surgery is commonly used to shape a person’s body into a desirable one, as well as taking supplements of estrogen or testosterone called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This therapy results in developing a more masculine or feminine body, depending on which hormone is taken. Stinson has been on HRT for a few years and could not be more happy with his decision.

“Since beginning my physical transition, I have felt more at home in my body,” Stinson said. “I look at myself in the mirror and see the person I’ve envisioned in my head for over 20 years.”

The process of physically transitioning is extensive with several downsides. Taking hormone supplements may result in side effects currently unknown to the medical world from a lack of research, according to Ohio University. Some researchers believe the risks for cancer and other diseases increase while on the supplements, but Stinson is still satisfied with his decision.

“I feel honest,” Stinson said. “I feel like I’m living my truth.”

When a person looks in the mirror and sees a lie, the effects are dangerous; 41 percent of transgender people in the USA have attempted suicide, which is more than 25 times the rate of the general population at 1.6 percent, according to Livescience. This may stem from the fact that half of transgender women and a third of transgender men surveyed said they struggle with depression, isolation and anxiety, usually caused by how others treated them, according to the American Psychological Association.

Emily Foltz, psychologist at the Transgender Institute in Kansas City, Mo., works with transgender patients to help overcome gender dysphoria and other mental health issues. She knows the transgender community has a high suicide attempt and self-harm percentage and believes it can be lowered by offering them access to counseling.

“Usually when an individual has support, what we find is that the statistics drop,” Foltz said. “The risk for suicide and self-harm, all of those risks drop significantly and back down to about the national average.”

At the Transgender Institute, Foltz provides affirmation in a person’s identity. When a person looks in a mirror and sees someone they can’t relate to and the world sees them as someone they are not, it can stir up anxiety and depression that may cause hope to falter, Foltz said. She hopes to help people transition into who they are by giving them the tools to accomplish this goal and become happier for it.

“When somebody comes out and they have that support, they are able to transition fully and be recognized for who they are,” Foltz said. “[Dysphoria] decreases significantly. It’s a truly exciting day when somebody is called the correct name, when somebody uses the right pronouns to talk to them. That kind of recognition and affirmation is huge.”

B4 indepths

therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15

trans·late International LGBT community grows in size, struggles to gain acceptance and protection “It’s just something that we don’t talk about.

Education is key, informing the public, informing n the finale of the 2015 Eurovision Song the people, so that people start being interested Contest, the judges named Conchita Wurst, in their own identities so that they can actually a transsexual from Austria as the winner. She be true to themselves. But the thing is that Konot only became a source of pride for Austria, rea doesn’t facilitate that. Korea just doesn’t talk but also for the transgender/transsexual com- about it,” Cho said. “Where I am, at least in my munity on account of being the first trans individ- community in Korea with my family, I’ve never heard of the concept of transgender in Korean. I ual to win Eurovision.

First broadcasted in 1956, the Eurovision Song had to look it up in English. I’ve never heard this Contest is a television show that showcases talent- issue spoken about in Korea, but I do know for ed singers across Europe with a record of 43 coun- sure that this is super taboo.”

Discussion on the transgender community in tries participating in 2008 and 2011. Each country the Middle East is also one based on ridicule. Alsends one singer or one band to participate, and in though scholars at the world’s oldest Islamic unithe final round, all the countries vote to determine versity, Al-Azhar [Cairo, Egypt], declared gender the winner, one of the more notable winners being reassignment surgery as acceptable under Islamic the now-famous band, ABBA (winners in 1974). law in 1988, the transgender population in the “It’s a European thing, and we love to comMiddle East and other Islamic territories is still pete with each other,” senior Sara Wohler from subject to ridicule and social discrimination from Wohlen, Switzerland, said. “Every country has to their family members and the community. say which one is the best singer and then there is “Really they just don’t believe that what they’re someone who wins the contest, and you can be resaying is true.

They can’t comprehend that it’s an ally proud as a country when you win that.” actual feeling,” junior Divya Divya said. “They Despite the taboo surrounding a transsexual also make fun of them, even openly, which is just status Wurst, born as Thomas Neuwirth, won Euhorrible.” rovision in 2015 sporting a beard complete with a Combating discrimination and mistreatment mustache, along with her feminine body. of the trans population slowly, the supreme court “I think she [kept the beard] because she is also of India passed a legal breakthrough on April 14, kind of representing transgen2014, granting transders/transsexuals and that she gender people, called wanted to show the world that “hijras” in India, the she can do that and I mean, In the case that right to be recognized she won the contest,” Wohler there is someone on official documents said. “That’s amazing, and she who is ... not cisunder a “third gender” will be always in the minds gender, those peo- category. Unfortunately of the people because it was ple are almost aulike many other counso special to have not just a tomatically almost tries, these legal revitransgender, but also someone sions still let social Korea.] alienated [in who you really can see has two prejudice and discrimikris cho genders.” nation run rampant.

But the acceptance shown sophomore “I would say that to Wurst isn’t necessarily the there’s not a lot of story for some countries across [transgender people].

There are a lot of strict famEurope, and even less so in parts of Asia and the ily values in India, so you don’t see a lot of that,” Middle East. Twenty-three European countries junior Keerthi Prekumar said.

“They’re talked have laws requiring transgender people to unabout negatively, but also in a lot of TV shows. dergo sterilization before their gender identity is recognized, according to a map released just this They make comedies of transgender people and year by Transgender Europe. Countries requiring things like that.”

Before the British colonial occupation of India, sterilization include France, Italy, Russia, Norway, the population highly revered hijras and thought and Finland. they brought luck. They even called on hijras to Meanwhile, in Korea, even the mention of perform badhai, blessings at weddings and births. the trans population is rare. A survey conducted Once British powers took over in 1858, the prein 2006 by Korea’s Democratic Labor Party and vailing negative western views on anything other LGBT non-governmental organizations found that than heterosexual or cisgender took over the legal roughly 65.4 percent of the transgender people and societal view on transgender people. surveyed received insults, 44.9 percent experiIn 1860, the ruling powers passed section 377 enced sexual harassment and 20.5 percent were of the Indian Penal Code, outlawing “Carnal intervictim to sexual assault. Furthermore, 37.7 percourse against the order of nature.” This law was cent and 36.4 percent said they endured or ignored abolished in 2009, and five years later, the groundsuch abuses, respectively, all to avoid an increase breaking “third gender” category was included on in discrimination or to prevent their gender idenlegal documents. tity from becoming public.

Unfortunately, doubters rival every step toward “At least in Korea, anybody who isn’t the regugranting transgender individuals their due rights. lar heterosexual, cisgender person, is seen as eiFrom public ridicule in the media and on the ther, A, they just don’t exist, or B, it’s completely streets to lessons instilled in children at a young looked down upon,” sophomore Kris Cho said. “In age, the concept of transgender still holds a negathe community I see around myself in the United tive, shameful image in many parts of the world.

States, I can be a little bit more progressive, espe“It’s very frowned upon in the Islamic councially amongst the newer generation, but the thing try, just because their rules are so strict and they is that it’s still super taboo in the community itself just don’t think that a man should be a wombecause there’s this idea that the Korean American an. When we were younger, we were kind of just isn’t going to part of that community and that told, ‘Stay away from them,’ and they’re not sort of representation just doesn’t exist.” ‘pure,’” Divya said. “Also, they kind of beIn order to change the legal sex on official lieve that this is all an attention pull; it’s not documents in Korea, applicants need to meet nine actually who they are. They are a man. It criteria, including evidence of a diagnosis, particiis very, ‘You shouldn’t do it. It’s bad. It’s pation in hormonal treatment and genital surgery, against the religion.’” undergo sterilization, and have no child or spousal In almost all cases, the status of transrelationships. These 2006 guidelines released by gender overshadows any other accomthe Korean Supreme Court champion some of the plishment or trait of an individual. most restrictive rules for document changes. The “It doesn’t matter from where requirements to receive sex reassignment surgery you came or what color your skin only include being at least 20 years of age and is. It’s just a part of you,” outreach again, having no child or spousal relationships.

alice yu

I

source: National Transgender Discrimination Survey; art by Neil Cathro

counselor Lesley Thalhuber said. “Just because someone is transgender, doesn’t mean they identify as lesbian, gay, or even bisexual.”

But in Korea, identifying as transgender sometimes serves as the worst failure. Based on what Cho has seen during her visits to Korea, even though there are laws that allow transgender people their due rights, societal views still contain disdain and disgust.

“In the case that there is someone who is, even just identifying as not straight, not cisgender, those people are almost automatically almost alienated,” Cho said.

“It’s sort of like this, ‘My kid didn’t get into Harvard, but at least he’s not gay,’ or, ‘at least he’s not transgender.’

There’s definitely a strong set belief [that] you have to conform.”

The transgender community deserves to voice their stories and be freed from oppression, just as every individual deserves to retain rights to their own story, regardless of their culture, as emphasized by Thalhuber. Whether people view transgender positively or negatively the basic courtesy of respect should still exist.

“Just put your assumptions aside. You just have to be open and also not too intrusive. It’s not like if you know someone in the LGBT community, they just want to talk about that issue all the time,” Thalhuber said.

“There’s more to someone who identifies as LGBT than their status of being an LGBT person in the community.

I don’t want people to get stuck on that one thing about someone.”

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indepths B5

9.24.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

trans·gres·sion

A question of privilege in a minority movement kat sarafianos

T

he stonewall riots were a series of random, violent demonstrations by members of the gay community in response to police raids of gay hangouts in Greenwich, New York, in 1969. People consider them the most important event leading to the current fight for LGBTQ rights, according to pbs.org.

These riots, according to pbs.org, signified the first steps in assuring the rights of all LGBTQ members, including transgender people.

However as the years have passed, society has seen the further degradation of trans people.

According to transrespect-transphobia.org, 1,509 transgender people were killed in 2014 just for being who they are. The transgender community is one of the most vulnerable groups in the country, according to a recent report by The Movement Advancement Project.

With higher rates of poverty, sexual assault, risk of violence, discrimination and suicide, the trans community is the subject of intense persecution.

With the recent emergence of transgender celebrities such as Laverne Cox, and in particular Caitlyn Jenner, the trans community is experiencing a media spotlight it’s been deprived of since the beginning of the movement.

Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner, an Olympic athlete and father to the reality star Kardashian family, came out in April of 2015 as a transgender woman. To add to the amount of Jenner’s media attention, the ESPYs awarded her the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. She also aired her new documentary series, “I am Cait,” on July 26.

While the transgender community has applauded Jenner, she has met significant backlash.

Senior Patch Robinson, a transgender male, has expressed his distaste toward the media spotlight focusing solely on Caitlyn Jenner in terms of the transgender movement.

“It isn’t really an accurate representation because most people aren’t going to be supported when they come out as transgender.

I feel like towards the beginning it was more accurate when so many people hated her, but most people still won’t receive an overwhelming amount of support as time goes on,” Robinson said. “I try to stay away from all her coverage because it just really makes me mad because that’s not how it really is. It’s not all puppies and kittens and rainbows. It’s really hard. It’s not nearly as easy as it may seem.”

Robinson said there are so many more technicalities that cisgender people take for granted. He has to worry about changing his name and maybe even surgery when he’s older.

The cost of those things, not to mention the actual emotions that are involved, are a lot to go through. He is very irritated from what he perceives as people only focusing on the good.

“That anxiety and depression that I and so many other transgender people go through is what is not being represented,” Robinson said. “People like to say they were sad but now they’re happy, and it’s all okay. They don’t talk about how so many transgender kids kill themselves just because they are transgender.”

According to yspp.org, more than 50 percent of transgender teens will have had at least one suicide attempt by their 20th birthday.

Robinson said Jenner’s overwhelming presence in the transgender movement overshadowed those often occurring tragedies. However, some view Jenner’s presence as a benefit to the transgender movement.

“I think that the problems she showcases are the struggles many transgender people go

eclipse

heart

ts on the transgender community

through, but there is definitely privilege in her case. If you’re famous and wealthy, it’s definitely easier,” Chemistry teacher and Gay Straight Alliance sponsor Gregory Kirchhofer said.

“However, if people are out and vocal about it, the more people there are, the more you get to a critical mass of people who normally don’t notice or care.”

University of Missouri professor on queer studies, Dr. Elisa Glick, agreed with Kirchhofer’s assessment of Jenner bringing attention to a movement that really needs it.

“Without a doubt, Caitlyn Jenner’s story has helped to raise awareness about transgender issues. A single person cannot be asked to be an ‘accurate representation’ of an entire community. Caitlyn Jenner is a white celebrity, Republican, Olympic athlete and TV personality with an estimated net worth of $100 million, who also happens to be transgender,” Dr. Glick said. “Obviously, she does not face the same issues as the vast majority of the transgender community. Nonetheless, I have been impressed by the way she has used her reality TV series, ‘I Am Cait’, to bring a range of trans issues, voices, and stories to the public’s attention.”

Dr. Glick acknowledges a lack of representation of all transgender people regardless of race, economic status or gender.

“We are in a state of emergency for the transgender community. At least 17 transgender women have been killed this year alone.

This violence disproportionately affects trans women of color, especially African American transgender women. What are we as a nation doing about this,” Dr. Glick said. “Certainly there is a problem when Caitlyn Jenner receives so much media attention and black transgender women, who face appalling discrimination and violence, are dying and the

fact is most Americans don’t even know their names.”

The homicides Dr. Glick speaks of make up the increasing rate at which people have murdered transgender women of color this year in the United States. These deaths hold great significance over the trans community, according to socialistworker.org. They report that the police in most of these murders refused to identify these women by their preferred name and gender and refused to acknowledge that their gender identity had anything to do with their murder.

According to socialistworker.org, this is significant because it points to the lack of respect held for black trans women. This basic refusal to acknowledge the discrimination of trans people, especially black transgender women, reflects the many other systematic, social and legal prejudices aimed at the transgender community.

“Nearly every aspect of public life—from education to housing to access to personal identification—is marred by systematic, legal and open prejudice,” Rachel Cohen, socialworker.org, writer says in article on transgender violence. “These conditions both reflect ideological transphobia and racism, but they also bolster the oppression of other women, people of color, transgender people, workers and poor people.”

However, Robinson believes there is more to it than that. He has hope in the future treatment of transgender people. It all starts with teaching acceptance.

“Just tell kids it’s okay. Kids need to know that this community and being transgender is nothing to be ashamed of,” Robinson said. “I’m not saying we need gender neutral bathrooms immediately, but we need to create and foster an air of acceptance for everyone.”

B6 indepths

therock therock •• www.bearingnews.org www.bearingnews.org •• 9.24.15 9.24.15

trans·form Fighting for progress in a personal struggle for change

T jenna liu

oward the end of last year, senior Oliver Smith l o o k e d through the school yearbook to find his name printed in the back page index. Unlike the hundreds of other students whose names were also listed in the thick book.

For Smith, the appearance of the name ‘Oliver’ meant something different than just a name. For Smith, who was born with the name Abrielle, those six letters meant so much more.

“It was awesome seeing my name there,” Smith said. “It was like, ‘That’s me, and people are going to acknowledge it and respect me for that.’”

Smith changed his name last year and was openly transgender to his friends for a while before he came out to his parents. The long wait stemmed from apprehension about how they would react to news that their child identified as male.

Smith approached his parents in different ways. While he told his mom the truth during a simple car ride home, his dad experienced something a little more unique.

“I had literally gone to hide in the closet, and when he went to come find me for dinner, he was like, ‘What are you doing?’” Smith said. “I stepped out and was like, ‘I’m coming out of the closet, Dad. I’m gay and transgender.’ He just told me to go down and eat.”

Since that time, Smith’s parents have gone through a rapid learning experience, one that has not been without its ups and downs.

“My mom is really good about “When they do roll call, I’m Oliusing the name Oliver. Some- ver. When they grade papers, I’m times she’ll mess up with using Oliver. Pronouns are a different story. It’s harder he/her for people to make pronouns, that change, espebut for [The new CPS cially since I look the most transgender policy] female.” part she Smith, whose does rewill make me feel shock of pastel ally well,” confident and reblue hair belies a S m i t h spected and gener- quiet voice, said said. “My ally safe and happy. not many people dad, on oliver smith beyond his friend the other senior group are aware of hand, just his gender identity. doesn’t He prefers not to do it. He jokes a lot about it, which is really draw attention to himself and will usually let it slide if others use the upsetting.”

Though Smith has only recently wrong pronouns.

He is fighting another battle, been out to his classmates, he said there were some signs of his iden- though. For the past few months, tity from an early age.

“I’ve always had short hair, and I was constantly mistaken for a guy when I was little, and it never bothered me,” Smith said with a small laugh. “It was about a year and a half ago when I realized why it never bothered me.”

Since then, a lot of changes have happened in Smith’s life. Besides being more openly out to the rest of the school, this year marked the first time he started asking his teachers to call him by his chosen name, Oliver.

“All of my teachers do that perf e c t l y, ” Smith said.

Smith and his mother have been working with his guidance counselor, Leslie Kersha, to have his name officially listed as ‘Oliver’ in the school district’s system.

“I want to have my name changed, but my mom’s kind of iffy about it,” Smith said. “She’s worried I’ll get bullied if I’m fully out, but I do want to get my name changed as soon as I can. I also want to have the surgery and stuff like that.”

Smith’s mother has reason for concern. According to a survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 59 percent of LGBTQ youth experienced “high levels of harassment and bullying during school.”

In an effort to provide further protections for transgender youth,

Columbia Public School district board voted Sept. 14 to include gender identity and expression to the district’s anti-discrimination policy.

For transgender students like Smith, the change could mean being able to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with, as well as being a legal assurance of fair treatment.

“I think [the policy] is awesome.

For me personally, bathrooms and locker rooms aren’t a big deal, but I know to some it would be,” Smith said. “What I’m most excited about is the protection against discrimination. It will make me feel more confident and respected and just generally safe and happy.”

art by neil cathro

features

8.14.15 • www.bearingnews.org • therock

B7

The brave, the few, the early birds Students plan, prepare for their future with college applications abby kempf

S

enior year is notorious for the hardships and thrills that come along with applying to college but for some, the worry of which school to choose is already a thing of the past.

Guidance counselor Leslie Kersha helps students with the process of applying to college every year and generally sees students making choices closer to the national “decide by today or don’t go to college” date, May 1.

“The majority [of students] make their final decision very much later because often times it comes down to seeing their full financial aid package, which doesn’t usually come out until the spring to see the actual numbers,” Kersha said. “There are always some kids who early on know where they are going, but I would say the majority definitely wait to make their final decision until the spring.”

Senior Elaine Phillips is one of those few early bird deciders. Phillips has known for years where she would be attending college.

The University of Missouri (MU) has had her heart since she was young. Growing up around the University meant she knew the school well and understood how to get the best deals.

“I love MU. They are giving me a pretty good scholarship, [and] they have a good biochemistry program,” already-admitted Phillips said. “I already have a job on campus, [and] I want to live at home the first year to save money in my college fund for medical school.”

Because Phillips knew MU was the right school for her, she applied as soon as the applications opened.

Within two weeks she had received her letter of admittance, coming as no surprise to the high-achieving and heavily-involved Phillips. “[It was] super easy. It was online and then I had to send in my transcript and they already had my ACT score,” Phillips said. “I just have to fill out a scholarship application now.”

Kersha said many students share Phillips’ natural affinity for MU for many reasons.

“I think MU is a really good school and the fact that it is here in town definitely is a huge draw for students,” Kersha said. “So when they see that there is a school with a degree program that they want, and that is right in their backyard they naturally default to staying here and going to MU.” For Phillips, choosing MU wasn’t all about comfort though. MU is a great option for saving money and for exploring her passion for health care.

“I knew I wanted [to go into] medicine. I have loved all of my science classes and want to do endocrinology.

I have loved chemistry and biology, and Mizzou was going to give me an extra $1,000 to be in CAFNR (College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources), and they have the greatest medical school acceptance rate of any department at Mizzou,” Phillips said. “They also have the most research money.”

Senior Shray Kumar also has his post-secondary path all planned out.

Like Phillips, Kumar wants to go into the medical field, but, unlike Phillips, Kumar is applying early decision at Duke University.

“First off I heard it was a good school. That’s what got it in my headlights initially. It has such a good premed program, and the connections I can gain from going to Duke would help me in the long run,” Kumar said.

“I ended up visiting the campus in the summer after my freshman year and thought it was extremely beautiful.

The lush green forest and the gothic architecture really made the place look different from the downtownesque Mizzou.”

Kersha said students such as Kumar who select early decision are very focused and motivated. These early deciders are not like the typical student; they have had their mind on college as soon as they knew what it was. “[A student who chooses early decision] is a student who has family members who have gone to a certain

infographic by Erin Barck

school and they want to continue that legacy or it is a student who has for a very long time known their career path and where they want to go.”

Kersha said. “They started thinking about it way before their senior year, so going into their senior year they kind of knew. Often it is high achieving students who are very focused on what is going to happen next after high school.”

This profile fits Kumar perfectly.

Not only is Kumar an active member of many clubs and activities, but he has been stretching his boundaries by attending academic summer camps that are filled with education and rigor.

“I went to summer camp [at Duke] after sophomore year and lived there for a few weeks to study neuroscience. I’ve loved it ever since then,” Kumar said. “The reason why I chose

early decision was to increase my chances. It’s nine percent with regular decision compared to 25 percent with early decision. I figured I’m probably going to go there if I get accepted anyway, so might as well go early decision.”

Kumar is almost ready to click “submit” on his application; he just has to finish up his essays to count himself as an early decision applicant.

“Currently, I am in the middle of editing my essays,” Kumar said. “A guy that reads college essays as part of the admission processes for big schools offered to help me. As soon as I feel my essays are perfect I’ll be applying.”

Kumar is also finished with his letters of recommendation, selecting other trusted adults to build up his application.

“I’ve gone with teachers that I’ve had in the past and know me well, since they would write the best letters,” Kumar said. “One of my teachers is one I’ve interacted with daily for nearly every day that I’ve been at RBHS.” Students like Kumar already have a grip on how to apply to college, but these students are the minority at RBHS, Kersha said.

“As counselors we go into the senior classes to try to help students navigate the college application and post-secondary process,” Kersha said. “In some ways that is a challenge for us because we have some students who already know a lot about the process, to a student who knows nothing and isn’t sure where to start. We are trying to make sure that the information that we provide is useful to everyone.”

infographic by Stephanie Kang

New faces and familar places Ritter returns to RBHS once again elad gov-ari

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photo by Cassi Viox

ith the birth of her child Hayden Marie Rukstad on Aug. 20, 2015, Dr. Jennifer Rukstad, the principal of RBHS, is taking three months off of caring for the students of RBHS to care for her newborn daughter.

In this gap, former RBHS principal Kathy Ritter happily agreed to fill in the position so paramount to RBHS’s environment.

“I am excited to be back for these eight weeks,” Ritter said. “It feels much like coming back home, and I have been warmly welcomed by old friends and new staff.”

RBHS is far from new to Ritter. She worked as assistant principal of student affairs from 1984-2007 with a short break in between. She was then promoted to principal. In her three years as boss, Ritter managed to implement many great changes to the school.

One accomplishment she achieved was doubling the enrollment from 900 students to 1,800.

“During that time, we had many conversations about keeping the ‘small school’ environment,” Ritter said.

“Even as we became one of the largest schools in the state, we wanted the school to have a personal feel and for each student to feel valued. I believe that occurred then and continues today.”

Former colleague and current math teacher, Vera Reichlin, recalls only good things about Ritter and remembers the year she was chosen to be principal.

“She was kind of a favorite among the staff for the position of principal,” Reichlin said. “When she was hired, the staff was all very excited to have her in that role as they knew her and were just very familiar with her.”

Reichlin can recall Ritter’s highly motivated, energetic work style that seemed to radiate to the staff and students around her.

“She’s got really great energy,” Reichlin said. “She’s a very positive and engaging person and has a great way of bringing staff and students together for a sort of a common ‘mission’ for the school, so it’s very exciting to work with her again.”

Ritter, a University of Missouri-Columbia graduate, has a master’s degree in mathematics and educational administration and had worked at the school for more than 18 years. In her retirement, Ritter grasped every opportunity she got to travel the world.

“My main objective in retirement was to travel and I have been able to do a great deal of that,” Ritter said. “I have biked the coast of Tuscany in Italy, traveled with a backpack to Africa and visited the countries of Rwanda, Tanzania and South Africa.”

Despite her exhilarating adventures abroad, Ritter is happy to jump back into the RBHS environment and do what she can to keep RBHS an exceptional school.

“I hope to bring a bit of history and culture to the school,” Ritter said. “Even though RBHS has always been an innovative learning environment, changes are healthy for our school.”

Because of her retirement for the school, current students have not had a chance to meet her. To the students of RBHS, Ritter remains a mysterious figure.

“Being a sophomore, I don’t really know too much about her,” sophomore Siddarth Kuttikad said. ”The sophomore student meeting was the first I’ve seen of her. Other than that I’m sure she’ll be great, since it’s not her first time at being at Rock Bridge” Upon her return, Ritter is excited to get back to RBHS and hopes to make the best out of the few months she has. Though she retired several years ago, the environment and vibe of the school remains extraordinary.

“I have thought for many years that RBHS was the best school, in terms of academics, activities and a caring staff of any school in the state and possible nation,” Ritter said. “I don’t think that has changed.”

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feature photo by Caylea Ray

Standing Proud: (From left) Dane Florea, Zach Lorson, Alex Tschopp, and Paul Cover are each a vital part of this year’s Bruins swimming team heading into the CoMo Invitational, where they will look to dethrone Rockhurst, who has won state the past 12 years.

Stroke of genius Bruins hope to take title at CoMo Invitational

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hile football was unable to stop Rockhurst Aug. 22, the Bruin swimming team will attempt to humble its longtime rivals. The showdown will start at 9 a.m. on Sept. 26 at the Mizzou recreational center during the CoMo Invitational.

“Rockhurst has won state 12 years in a row,” senior Jonathon Thomas said. “All of us on the team like to believe we’re gonna break that record this year.”

At the same meet last year, RBHS took second place to the Hawklets. Thomas is hopeful for the Bruins this year because of their incoming talent, including that of junior national championship qualifier, senior Alex Tschopp,

and veterans like sophomore Dane Florea, who came in sixth at state in the 500 yard freestyle.

He believes the team’s relays in particular have an edge because of this year’s strong line up of swimmers.

Head coach Laura Wacker and Thomas concur that this is their fastest season in a long time.

Wacker said she wouldn’t be surprised to have an RBHS swimmer finaling in every event and that their relays in particular would be tough to beat.

For the most part in high school swimming, meets are just one session of timed finals. At a few meets like the CoMo Invitational or state championships, there are two sessions, preliminary and finals.

These additional stakes to qual-

ify only contribute to the invite’s reputation as a fast meet.

“The pool at MU is one of the fastest in the region, so everyone plans on swimming fast,” Wacker said. “The floor of the MU pool is able to be adjusted in depth, so for a meet like this, the pool will be set for the fastest competition height.”

Wacker said her swimmers have already swum more than eight state qualifying times in practice alone. This season, they have swum three of the 11 fastest state qualifying times at meets.

While the ultimate goal is to win the meet, Thomas stresses that this is a good time for the boys to qualify for state. He also sees the value in the less competitive aspects of the meet.

“Last year was the first year

we’ve ever placed at CoMo so that was a lot of fun,” Thomas said. “I’m really looking forward to hopefully getting first, setting records, going into events with all of us cheering together, that fun stuff.”

Last year Florea swam the 200yard individual medley and won the 500-yard Freestyle by ten seconds.

His freshman year, he was the team’s highest point winner, but he still anticipates steep competition, especially as Rockhurst still holds on to its 12 straight state title record.

“I feel pretty good going into the meet.” Florea said. “It would be nice to break some records.

We’d show that we’re the best we’ve ever been.”

Did You Know?

2015 State Qualifiers

Conner Jokerst, Dane Florea, Zach Lorson, Caleb Rhodenbaugh, Paul Cover.

Marquette Relay Champions DeSmet Invitational Champions

Catch them at home 2015 CoMo Invitational When: 9/26/15 Where: MU Aquatic Center

Girls tennis prepares for districts, aims for state try to do the same.”

Loeb believes the presence of fellow seniors Ronni Farid and Hannah fter a 2014 season that saw Pohl in addition to Lovig has only the RBHS girls tennis team made the Lady Bruins stronger with (10-1) claim the class 2 state a total of more than ten years of vartitle, the Lady Bruins, under the sity experience between them. direction of coach Ben Loeb, are “This season we have more of primed to repeat. The team is returna leadership by committee,” Loeb ing five of their top six players from said. “ Last year it was mostly on our last year. number one player, our only senior But before the squad can head to in the starting line-up. This year we have three seniors in the top six so the dynamics have changed.”

Joining the three seniors are sophomores Katherine Dudley and Faith Wright as well as freshman Elen Fay. Both Dudley and Wright were an integral part of last year’s championship squad as freshmen.

Wright, who has moved up to the team’s number two player, knows the squad has a target on their backs but views it as an avenue to prove the Lady Bruins can handle the pressure that comes with being revered as the reigning champs.

“There is pressure in trying to defend our state title, but it is a good kind of pressure because the teams we are playing this year recognize that we were last year’s state champs,” Wright said, “so it keeps us on our toes to continue to show them why we are the best.”

Both Edwardsville (IL) and Laphoto by Devesh Kumar fayette have pushed RBHS to perThe Wright stuff: Sophomore Faith Wright takes aim at a ball coming her way during practice. form this season, with Edwardsville Wright, the second ranked player on the team, was integral to the Lady Bruins’ success last year. handing the Lady Bruins their first

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the Cooper Tennis Center in Springfield to defend their title, they must first fend off Battle, Hannibal, Hickman, and Troy Buchanan in the District eight tournament beginning Sept. 28th at Bethel Park.

Despite the loss of Phoebe Boeschen, the former top ranked player on the girls tennis team, the Lady Bruins have been able to plug Boeschen’s former doubles partner, senior Tess Lovig, into the team’s top

spot.

Lovig, now in her fourth and final year on varsity, believes having Boeschen as a role model allowed for her to learn how to be a leader for the rest of her teammates.

“I think one thing Phoebe was very good at was setting an example of working hard every day and motivating others to do the same,” Lovig said. “I saw how much of a difference one person’s effort made, so I

loss by a score of 4-5. Fortunately, RBHS will not face the Tigers in the postseason since they are in a different state.

Lafayette, however, could give the Lady Bruins fits when it comes tournament time. Even with RBHS defeating the Knights 7-2, Lovig still sees Lafayette as a team to watch out for in the postseason.

“Although we beat [Lafayette] 7-2, there were a lot of close competitive matches that we did end up winning,” Lovig said. “They were also more intense than any other school we have played. They had the same competitive fight that we do.”

That competitive fight has allowed for RBHS to dominate their district opponents, beating Jefferson City, Battle and Hickman in each of their regular season meetings. Because of this, Loeb sees the team going far into the state tournament, as long as they follow the game plan and continue to focus on the task at hand. ​“I am confident we can make a deep run in the team tournament if we have the work ethic to sustain proper practice intensity training,” Loeb said. “It’s important to respect the game and to realize as Gary Link, who does color commentary for MU Mens Basketball says, that ‘winning is hard!’ If we honor that and prepare our best then we will have opportunities to be very successful just like some other teams as well.”

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Girls golf tees off for district tournament alice yu

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fter coming close to the school record for the all-time low score at the Meadowlake Acres Country Club, the girls’ golf team is confident going into districts, which begins on Sept. 28.

Despite two major changes — holding practices at L.A. Nickell instead of Lake of the Woods and lacking an assistant coach — the Bruins have consistently placed in the top three at tournaments, with junior Julia Bower medaling at almost every match.

“I think we have a good shot at winning state this year, and I know that probably sounds really cocky to say,” senior Layton Euliss said. “Last year, we only had two people on the team who had gone to postseason, so we had three new people, and this year, we’re only going to have two, so I think it’s going to help that we have some veterans going with us, and I feel pretty good about it.”

With stronger players, such as juniors Haley Diel and Bower, as well as freshman Olivia Sowers, the success and high performance they exhibit on the course not only benefits the team, but will hopefully grow to bring in more wins in the coming years, according to coach Melissa Coil.

“For us, I think the youth is good because they were able to see early in their golf careers in high school what it really takes to be competitive at the local level, at the state level, and then what kind of work commitment that would mean for them individually and as a team,” Coil said. “I definitely think we’ve seen some of that pay off now, and for me, I get more excited thinking about what that will look like a year from now, as opposed to how great it is now.”

With countless hours of practice supporting their performance, the team is reaping the results, especially Bower and Diel. Already Bower had to change her goal of scoring under 80 in a competitive round, after scoring a 69 at the team’s third invitational. At the first invitational, Bower, Diel and Sowers placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively, and if the success exhibited at the beginning of the season is any indication, the girls’ golf team is in good shape to place at districts.

But in a sport that’s highly individualized yet still requires a team effort, there’s a struggle to find balance between improving individually and contributing to the team.

“It’s a good thing that you’re driven to want to be better than the person that’s ahead of you because then that’s just putting that drive in you to come out every day and give your best at practices, at matches. But I do think that it is a weakness, because it is a slight switch in the mentality in terms of how you approach your golf game,” Coil said. “I want everyone to be focused on themselves, but also in how they can impact the entire team, not just their game.”

To combat this mentality, Coil spent more time building relationships between team members, working to instill respect and camaraderie.

“We’re all pretty close on and off the course, so we’re motivating each other and moving up and down because obviously, the numbers fluctuate throughout the season,” Bower said.

“We’re just encouraging each other to keep doing better because it is an individual sport, but it is a team sport at the same time.”

While the strong team dynamics and stellar record suggest a championship at districts, nothing is guaranteed.

“It’s a funny thing. It’s a one-round one-day decision, and you can shoot one thing one day and another thing the next,” Coil said. “All of that has to align at the right time.”

photo by Devesh Kumar

To the green: Junior Julia Bower drives a ball Sept. 16 against Battle and Hickman.

photo by Cassi Viox

From Hollywood to Hickman: Junior receiver Malik Gleason takes on Hickman sophomore Jaren Eskride on LeMone Field during the rival schools’ matchup Friday, Sept. 18. The Bruins walked away with a 22-0 win.

Bruins hope to cage Jays in homecoming game ji-ho lee

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n the sports world, few events receive more attention than rivalries, and for good reason. Driven by history and fan fanaticism, these games are intense from beginning to end.

Whether it be the Red Sox and Yankees on the diamond, Alabama and Auburn in the Iron Bowl, Blackhawks and Blues on the ice or Duke and North Carolina on the court, the contests are filled with passion and guaranteed excitement for the spectators.

Closer to home, the Bruins are engulfed in several rivalries themselves. Across town, RBHS annually contends with the Hickman Kewpies; more recently, the Battle Spartans.

Outside of city limits, the Bruins face the Jefferson City Jays, a competitive rival throughout the past eight years.

Regardless of the opposition in rivalry games, the adrenaline and the atmosphere provoke a new level of effort and performance from players on both sides.

The 2015 campaign has already offered a rivalry game. In week three, the Bruins fell 27-20 against Battle, the second-ranked team in the Class Five division. Although the Bruins carry a seemingly disappointing 2-3 record, the team’s mentality is still enthusiastic.

“We’ve played a lot better than our record,” senior quarterback Karson Ringdahl said.

“We’re a couple plays away from being 4-1 against a stacked schedule.”

For the coaches, the final score and the record of the team are just footnotes in the spectrum of their own personal goals for their players.

“For me, it’s a lot more about the process in which we get things done than it is the outcome,” head coach AJ Ofodile said. “[The players’] mental attitude, their effort, their ability to maintain focus through adversity, to be committed regardless of the situation… It’s doing those things first and then living with the results.”

Ofodile has been pleased with his team’s effort. However, a few small mistakes throughout each game have been the difference between wins and losses.

“Our last couple of games have basically gone down to the last series,” Ofodile said.

“You go back and review the game, and there’s individual instances that cost you, and in those close games, those are the things you have to eliminate.”

Despite their record, the Bruins have been successful in some, and competitive in all, of their games against highly touted teams. In week one, the team suffered a 19-point defeat against then third-ranked Rockhurst. Week two was a 47-17 drubbing of DeSmet Jesuit.

In week four, the Bruins fell to undefeated Liberty, 27-19.

Even during the losses, there have been two constants which have kept the Bruins competitive in their games.

“Our strengths so far [this season] have been our defense and running game,” Ringdahl said. “They have both been phenomenal. To keep them going we just need to stay focused

pressure situations, either. and keep having good practices.”

“We’ve already played a [rivalry game] It was that defense and running game which led to the success of last week’s rivalry game with Battle…and we played the game at [Faurot Field] so we’ve had a couple opportunities against Hickman.

The Bruins’ defense shutout the Hickman to manage [the atmosphere],” Ofodile said. “I offense, while scoring two points of their own, think we’re settled into [rivalry games].”

Although the Bruins remain cool, some hisin a 22-0 defeat of the Kewpies.

“Our defense is very good,” senior receiver tory is involved in this year’s game against the Taten Lyngstad said. “They’ve had a whole Jays.

Last year, RBHS defeated Jefferson City offseason to mature and get bigger, faster, stronger, and it really has shown. They do a 36-31 on a game winning touchdown with 25 seconds left on the clock. great job with points on the boards.”

The Bruins remain focused on the task at Meanwhile, the offense sputtered early, but would find its rhythm as the game ad- hand and gear up to face the Jays in front of the vanced. Senior running backs Nick Collins homecoming crowd.

“We know [Jefferson and Tre Turner would City] has some good athboth have big games, letes like always, so we as Collins scored on know what we’re getting a 42-yard touchdown We know [Jefferson when we line up across pass from Ringdahl.

City] has some good Ringdahl also tossed a athletes like always, so from them,” Lyngstad said. “We need to have touchdown to receiver we know what we’re everyone focused in across Tate Nickleberry, while getting when we line the board, and we can’t afscoring on his own with ford these small mistakes a 31-yard touchdown up across from them. if we want to be successrun. taten lyngstad ful against [Jefferson City] “Our defense kept senior wide-receiver and finish the season off us in games even when well.” the offense hasn’t been For Ofodile, the Jeffergreat,” Collins said.

“When we are successful, it all starts with the son City Jays game, like the rest of the season, is not about being successful physically, but offensive line.”

This week, the Bruins face another rival in rather mentally.

“I don’t think we have very many physiJefferson City. Despite the intense competition as of late, the team has yet to be phased by the cal weaknesses. We have big, fast, smart and task of facing rivals. strong kids. We have everything you need “The Hickman game was just another game in that realm,” Ofodile said. “Overall, that for us, and so is Jefferson City,” senior defen- mental focus piece has kind of been where sive lineman and Arkansas Razorback commit our shortcomings have been this year. But the Hayden Johnson, said. “We’ll ‘game plan it’ good thing is those are things that are really like any other and stick to our plan.” correctable, so we’re hoping down the stretch Ofodile is not worried about his team in the that’s what will happen.”

infographic by Erin Barchet

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art by: Erin Barchet

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Despite disorder, Stamps continues to keep running jenna liu

Young softball line-up more family than team john flanegin

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lot can change in a year, especially in sports.

This statement has never rung so true as this season for the softball team.

The graduation of four seniors coupled with the loss of some of last year’s brightest stars such as Dayna Linneman and Helen Trice, who decided to hang up their gloves after their junior seasons, has transformed the Lady Bruins (5-1) into a team of only four upperclassmen.

One of these upperclassmen is Lexi Heim, the team’s lone senior, who has had to quickly adopt the role of both team captain and go-to-competitor when her squad is in need of a key moment.

While Heim expects the most out of her teammates, she realizes much of the lineup is full of freshmen and sophomores still adjusting to the caliber of play that the varsity game requires.

“Since we’re a young team and mistakes are inevitable, it’s important for me to encourage them and improve their mental toughness as well as develop their skills,” Heim said. “We work a lot on getting the basics down and working not as just a team but as a family.”

Heim views the Lady Bruins’ sister-like spirit as their biggest strength and is what has kept them together despite the season having more downs than ups, with five of their 14 losses coming against rivals Battle, Hickman and Jefferson City.

“We are a family, and we support each other through everything,” Heim said. “We never give up on each other.”

RBHS will hope to display this support in their next home game on Wednesday against Smith Cotton. The Tigers, who are one of the Lady Bruin’s district opponents, will serve as a preview when the Class 4 District 9 tournament begins Oct. 7 at Battle.

art by Erin Barchet

Bruins feel loss of Fitzpatrick

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n a hot day in September of her sophomore year, senior Marilise Stamps was in the midst of a routine run with a group of chattering cross country girls. As conversation filled the air, the others began to notice something unusual.

Stamps was silent—rightly so. They would ask her a question yet receive no response. Repeated, persistent inquiries were met by monosyllabic answers.

At one point, Stamps sat down on the ground in exhaustion.

A friend then drove her home, where she remained unresponsive, refusing to eat, drink or talk.

Now, two years later, Stamps still has no memory of that day.

“It’s just been told back to me,” Stamps said. “I was like a zombie. My mom said she actually thought someone had slipped something into my drink, that I had been drugged.”

That wasn’t the case. The symptoms also had nothing to do with Stamps’ brain, heart or endocrine system, as she and her parents discovered after numerous inconclusive doctor’s visits.

Finally, doctors discovered she had an autonomic dysfunction, which had caused the exhaustion and catatonia she experienced.

“They said that when I run, like running hard in races, the signals in my autonomic system start firing incorrectly. It basically gets out of whack; that’s how they described it,” Stamps said.

“I start feeling like I can barely move my body forward, and I feel sleepy and tilt my head to the side because it’s too heavy to hold up. When it happens I’m as tired as I’ve ever been but multiplied by 50.”

The lethargy usually begins in the middle of a race, Stamps said, but the full brunt of the autonomic dysfunction’s impact hits all at once at the end of the course.

“When I get to the finish line and stop running, the system tries to correct itself like that,” Stamps said, snapping her fingers. “It corrects itself so ter-

Photo by Jae Rhee

Racing to the finish: Senior Marilise Stamps competes at the Liberty Cross Country Invitational, a 2.1 Mile course, posting a time of 15:06:30 and finishing 10th out of 54 runners. ribly and just makes everything worse. I fall down and then I can’t move, and I can’t talk, and I can’t do anything.”

Stamps said it usually takes 30 minutes before she can move any part of her body. In that long half-hour, she is essentially paralyzed; when asked to squeeze her hand, all Stamps would be able to manage was a slight finger twitch. Even after she regains mobility, the autonomic dysfunction’s symptoms still continue to affect her speech and movements.

“I will literally act intoxicated,” Stamps said. “I will slur my words and am not fully aware of what’s happening. I just act really weird.”

Because every race has the potential to cause such symptoms, Stamps’ parents are on hand at every one of her meets.

Stamps said she knew it was hard for them to see her keep running after the diagnosis, but that they were very supportive of her choice.

Terrell Stamps, Marilise’s father, said he and his wife wanted Marilise to have full control over deciding whether or not to run again.

“I think 90 percent of girls

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n 2014 the Bruin volleyball team claimed the district championship with a 2-1 victory over Smith-Cotton, while finishing the season with an impressive 25-7-2 record.

This year the Bruins face considerable adversity.

The Bruins must recover from the loss of six varsity players, including four seniors, as well as senior Mariah Fitzpatrick, who suffered an ACL tear.

Of the six players who will not be on the court for the Bruins in 2015, four were members of the All-Region team. Fitzpatrick, who suffered her injury after landing incorrectly at a practice during the summer, was expected to be a team captain and was one of the few returning varsity players. Coping with these losses has been a challenge for the team.

“We definitely miss having our seniors [from last year] and Mariah,” sophomore Maddie Cleeton said. “But we have younger players as well as new players to make up for those losses.”

However, the young players do not make up for the leadership lost last year. With Fitzpatrick’s injury, the Bruins have only two seniors who are eligible to play, and neither have played varsity before.

With the loss of veteran experience and talent, the Bruins have encountered early season struggles in the 2015 season, starting with a 1-16 season. “[A struggle is] working well together and getting along,” senior Maddy Gerau said. “But as we continue to learn individual strengths our chemistry as a team will improve our performance.”

Despite the struggles, Sherman is looking forward to the future and watching the underclassmen progress “I’d say [a goal is] to really develop the younger players into players we want to see through the next three years,” coach Sherman said. “Continue building, preparing them for the high level of competition that we play.”

Infographic by Megan Goyette

in her situation would have quit because it is embarrassing to be the “girl who collapses” at every race, being stared at by the other teams. It is exhausting and caused her, especially at the beginning, to feel surreal through the entire weekend. She would have trouble concentrating and staying awake,” Terrell Stamps said in an email interview. “But she loved running, was very competitive and didn’t want to let the team down, so she continued to run. The doctors had cleared her medically and we felt very strongly that this was HER decision, not ours alone. “ In addition to being on hand at Marilise’s meets, Terrell and his wife worked with Marilise’s coach, Neal Blackburn, to make sure their daughter would be safe while still competing in a sport that she loved.

“He was supportive of whatever she decided to do. We let him know it was her decision whether she wanted to keep running, but that we reserved the right to pull her out any time if we thought it was dangerous or getting to be too much for her,” Terrell Stamps said. “Also, the support of her fellow teammates and their parents has been overwhelming and encouraging, and we feel that track/cross country is truly a family and a unforgettably positive experience for both Marilise and us as parents.”

That support system certainly made a difference in Stamps’ sophomore year, when she fought hard and placed 24th at the MSHSAA Cross Country State Championships. There, her challenges with the autonomic dysfunction extended to bureaucratic issues with organizers.

Given that Stamps will collapse the second she finishes a race, there had to be someone waiting to catch her to ensure she wouldn’t get injured.

According to MSHSAA regulations, having coaches stand at the finish line can disqualify a runner, which Stamps, of course, hoped to avoid.

“My sophomore year when I ran at state, it was super complicated. We had to call MSHSAA

to get it set up. They were going to draw my blood as soon as I finished running and get it to the hospital to test glucose levels right after running and my doctor actually came to the meet,” Stamps said. “When I got to the finish line, they ran over while I was down on the ground, and they picked me up and took me to the medical tent. They wanted to disqualify me because somebody’s not supposed to take you from the finish line. It ended up being okay, but it sometimes gets tricky.”

Even with the pain and fatigue dragging down her limbs, she was able to breeze by competitors. In fact, Stamps posted some of the best times of her running career during her sophomore year, soon after the diagnosis.

“I think sophomore year I was mad that this was happening,” Stamps said. “That kind of fueled me and I did better in some races.”

That changed her junior year.

“Last year was very discouraging for me because I let the psychological component get to me. Doctors would ask, ‘Do you think about [the autonomic disorder] when you’re toeing the line?’ Sophomore year I could honestly say, ‘No, it doesn’t bother me,’” Stamps said. “But then junior year came around and I think it was subconsciously getting to me, because I would ease back a little bit and my times slowed considerably.”

Stamps is now a few months into her senior year, and with a new year comes a new start. She still trains with the cross country team, but she and her coaches have made a few adjustments; on workout days she gets to bike, which she described as ‘wonderful’. However, though Stamps’ track record places her first on the girls cross country team, there is still some uncertainty about whether or not she will be taking on the multitude of courses with the rest of her team.

“We’re just playing it by ear and seeing how I feel. I don’t want to give up racing, but I don’t know,” Stamps said. “We’re taking it race by race right now.”

Miss the “El Clasicomo”?

The Bruins (9-1-1) earned their only loss so far on the season to crosstown rival Hickman (11-0) by a score of 0-2 on their home field when the two undefeated, top 10 squads battled Sept. 15 in their annual regular season meeting, dubbed the “El Clasicomo.”

RBHS will travel to DeSmet tonight, marking exactly a month from the start of district play. video by Cam Fuller

Photo by Cassi Viox

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arts & entertainment

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Fall musical brings the circus to PAC ronel ghidey

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he RBHS musical that tells the life of a museum curator by day and a con man by night will open in November. The musical, Barnum the Magnificent, will follow the life of PT Barnum, a con-artist and circus owner. The informational meeting was on Sept. 21, auditions on Sept. 22-23 and callbacks on the 24.

The creative minds are choir teacher and the musical’s director, Mike Pierson, and debate coach and the musical’s dramatic director, Holly Maness.

“Barnum is one of those shows that is clearly laid out in the script,” Pearson said. “Our choreography will, of course, be different, and Maness, who is the dramatic director, might make some scenes different. But the basic script and music will be the same as previous performances.”

Junior Kieran Buck is looking forward to the plays turn out and the new creative direction.

“It’s going to be very different and not the stuff we usually do,” Buck said. “It’s based in a circus, so there will be clowns, acrobats and trapezes. We might have someone actually flying.”

Maness will be helping set and design the scenes.

“The stage set up for the musical is going to be really simple, to allow for all the spectacle that’ll be happening and the different elements that go with a circus,” Maness said. “There’s an elephant, and there’s a tiny boy, so you can see the scale of the set won’t be static but very fluid.”

The musical will be opening in November, and tickets will be on sale in early October.

photo by Cassi Viox

From the ground up: Samantha Skaggs and classmates build a scene for Barnum.

photo by Caylea Ray

Stand and Salute: Senior Grant Skyuta, Sophmore Valerie Besser, Freshman Ava Hemwal and Junior Tyson Jamieson march at Rock Bridge High School against Battle High School on Septembner 4th. RBHS lost to BHS 20 to 27.

Making meaning of music

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weat rolls down the foreheads of 100 students on the football field. They move furiously across the turf with one goal: victory. While it’s logical to imagine the football team, it’s an entirely different set of students going through their paces at 7 a.m. The Emerald Regiment, RBHS marching band, is in hot pursuit of their own victory.

“These are the students who are willing to give the extra time, extra rehearsals and give up some of their summer,” Patrick Sullivan, band director, said. “This group of students is very hard-working and very self-motivated which is very key in creating an excellent show.”

While these shows help entertain football fans, they can also stand alone. Throughout the fall, marching bands across the state compete to decide which school produces the best show.

Drum Major senior Allie Rogers said that panels of judges on the field and in the stands evaluate the marching bands’ style, music and how well the marching keeps time. Awards are given out after both preliminaries and the top eight bands qualify to compete in finals.

Drum majors like Rogers are easily comparable to team captains. They are the band’s nervous system, passing information from the

band directors to the students and conducting the band throughout the show.

“The band is following you; whether we are performing or not.” Rogers said. “In rehearsals I am always behaving how everyone else should, showing them or guiding them how to act. I’m constantly in the position to be a role model.”

Sullivan said the Emerald Regiment consistently does well enough to final at the competitions they attend. During last year’s season, RBHS regularly placed in the top three in their divisions, and in their first competition of the 2015 season they came in first in their division on Sept. 18 in Edwardsville, IL. “Having so much energy and drive, we do very well,” Sullivan said, “We need to work on always being motivated. If we manage to eliminate slow days, that will take us to the next level.”

While the band is fiercely competitive, they do have their moments of fun on and off the field.

“The most enjoyable parts are probably the bus rides there and back. That’s really where the people in the band really bond together, get to know each other a little bit better and really just have fun playing games or making jokes,” senior Grant Sykuta said. “Getting to know people is always a really nice feeling.”

While these rides give special bonding mo-

ments, they also contribute to the band’s biggest complaint — the extreme time commitment when competition season is in session.

Competitions can eat up entire days out of a student’s schedule and practices steal their precious hours of sleep and social time.

Practices do not only eat up mornings and weekends of first semester, but also a student’s summer.

RBHS meets in the last weeks of summer to master their music and drills in the sweltering August heat. Summers by the pool are replaced by running drills and memorizing sheet music. Drum majors like Rogers lose even more of their summer on a retreat to learn leadership skills to successfully coordinate the band. Rogers said that when it comes to finding summer programs that fit around her band schedule, it gets difficult.

Nonetheless, the Emerald Regiment still rises early and sacrifices their time to perfect but a few moments of blowing and running on the turf. For them fruits of their labors are more than worth it.

“It’s kind of a surreal moment, to be honest, and it sounds very storybook like,” Sykuta said. “But when you’re out on the field, under the lights performing for judges, it’s definitely a cool feeling, just because you’ve worked so many hours...it just kind of gives you goosebumps.”

Professional recording studio free to students cam fuller

T

he high school music scene in Columbia has been steadily growing. More and more teenage bands are beginning a new wave of amateur music writing, and much of it is because of the Academy of Rock, a music program set up to give high school bands a chance to learn about rock music and the way it is performed.

The main staple of the of the program is the “Battle of the Bands” held at The Bridge downtown, where bands that have members 18 and under perform one original song and two covers. The competition in 2015 had six bands. All participants were high school students in Columbia.

Seeing as all of the people involved in the program are Columbia Public School students, it seems fitting that CPS has funded a music recording studio at Hickman High School, Darkroom Records.

To get the project moving, they contacted musician and current Gentry social studies teacher David Aulgur.

“The idea for Darkroom Records really began at the beginning of last school year,” Aulgur said. “Columbia has always had students who have been interested in music, and a lot of these students have been writing their own music for years.”

Knowing this, the CPS school board office gave Aulgur a budget of $1,000 so that he could begin gathering supplies and recording student musicians. They also received donations of recording equipment and instruments from other school districts and people in the community that

wanted to support the program.

“We couldn’t be where we are today with the studio had it not been for people in the community recognizing what an awesome opportunity this studio gives kids in our school district,” Aulgur said.

When it came time to find a space for the studio, CPS and Aulgur knew they had fiscal limitations but never wanted them to affect the quality of the music.

“When discussing where to put the studio, it was important that we picked a spot that the school district operated,” Aulgur said. “[That way] we wouldn’t have to pay rent [and] utilities.”

After searching through CPS buildings, Aulgur finally decided on a small storage room in Hickman High School that had once been a darkroom for photos, hence the name Darkroom Records.

Even though the studio is located at Hickman, any CPS student that wants to can schedule time to use the space at darkroomrecords.weebly. com.

This website also features the music that the studio has thus recorded.

In the six months that Dark Room has been running, the space has been used to record five tracks from four different student musicians and bands, including the punk band, “Graveyard Youth” and singer/songwriter Olivia Johnson. More bands plan to record in the coming months as Darkroom goes into its second school year of existence.

“When I first heard about the recording studio I was freaking out,” sophomore Sam Ventrillo said, a member of the band The District. “I

was just so excited that we now have a professional way to record what we love.”

Ventrillo’s band has used Darkroom in the past as a practice space and plans to utilize it for recording, once they write more original songs.

Though recording for a new band can be daunting, Sam and The District feel excited about the opportunity.

“The process of recording will definitely be new to us, because we haven’t recorded anything before, but hopefully we will learn,” Ventrillo said.

Rock bands aren’t the only groups recording at the space, though. Darkroom’s latest addition is a workspace for hip-hop and electronic music.

Sophomore Trey Robinson plans to take advantage of this new equip-

ment with the hopes to release a mixtape of some of his rap music this coming year.

“I’ve always loved music. I’ve always loved the production to it,” Robinson said. “Now I have the free opportunity to do something that’s always been a dream of mine. It’s a dream come true.”

When it comes to the beats he wants to use on his new songs, Robinson will look to Aulgur’s mixing abilities to create the new album.

“I feel like it will be a real team effort which is awesome because that’s the way it should be in music,” Robinson said.

As the studio begins to grow, the purpose will always be to help local bands get better and be creative.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a high schooler,” Aul-

gur said, “playing music in my own band and finding out how rewarding it is to be on a stage playing music for people,” As for the future of Darkroom, Aulgur has a number of goals he would like to meet and hopes to see Darkroom become a staple of the Columbia music scene. He believes Darkroom has great potential and with time it can improve.

“My dreams for the studio are always developing,” Aulgur said.

“Right now our focus is to keep building the studio up by bringing in more musicians, expand[ing] our ability to create purely digital music since so much of modern music is produced that way and sponsoring events that help promote the studio and the student musicians that make the studio a reality.”

infographic by Neil Cathro source: Studio 302;

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therock • www.bearingnews.org • 9.24.15