Print Version: WG ECHO November 2020 Issue

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Novem ber 2020 Volu m e 106 Issu e 2 100 Selm a Ave. WGEch o.or g

Webst er w in s St at e sof t ball ch am pion sh ip pg. 3

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Jaden Fields

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PRINT EDITOR: Maeve Taylor JUNIOR EDITOR: Jackson Parks SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/GRAPHICS EDITOR: Zeke La Mantia NEWS/ OPINION EDITOR: Elise Wilke-Grimm FEATURE/ ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Addie Palmquist PODCAST EDITOR: Lydia Urice

Webster wins State Softball championship Diver wins State championship Men's soccer makes it to Districts Teachers share Thanksgiving traditions Youth express opinion on election results Missouri no longer a " swing" state Starbucks holiday drink review

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ADVISOR: Donald Johnson SOME MATERIAL FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE The Echo is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Ave., Webster Groves, MO.

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To contact staff members, call 314-963-6400 ex. 11157 or write to wgecho@wgmail.org.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of a majority of staff members; signed articles are the opinion of the writer.

Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 155. All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested. The Echo Cover Cutline: Women's softball team members, as well as has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains diver Bennet Loving, celebrate State championship victories unchanged. with a Championship Walk through the halls of Webster The Echo is a member of SSP, Quill and Groves High School during first hour on Nov. 24. Photo by Scroll, MJEA, JEA, MIPA, NSPA and CSPA. Jaden Fields

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Table of Contents | November 2020

Webst er w in s St at e sof t ball ch am pion sh ip out loud, 'I want to win a State championship' ? and then they did it,? Gibson said over email.

Webster ?s softball team beat ?It was an awesome Webb City 5-4 on Oct. 30, to experience, because not win its first State everyone gets to go and championship in 17 years. compete at a State final Softball coach Bryan Gibson game," Player and senior is proud of the team and the Taylor Knapp said over success it has had in this email. season and those before it.

The game included ?I?m very proud of the girls displays of the team's and happy for them and their athletic talent both as a families. They are a talented team and as individuals. group. It has been a real ?The key plays of the game pleasure to work with all the to me were the diving kids and coaches that grow the catch by (junior) Alyssa Webster softball program and Moran in center field and achieve this. I can?t really say it of course Taylor Knapp?s enough ? I?m really proud of and (freshman) Ava everyone involved,? Gibson Fitzgibbon? s doubles that said over email.

Photo by Julia Mertensmeyer drove in the two runs in This game was especially the eighth inning,? Gibson important to the seniors of the Team poses with trophy. Final game score was team seeing as it was their last 5-4. ?This is one memory that I will never forget,? said over email. ?It was definitely a once in chance to make it to State as a a lifetime experience and is senior Taylor Knapp said over email. team, but it was also incredibly something that I will never important to the team as a forget,? Knapp said over whole. All the players had a email. strong desire to make it to the championship, and to ?High school sports are all about making memories, bring home a trophy. ?What impresses me most though is that for the first and this is one memory that I will never forget,? Knapp time in 17 years of coaching softball, we had players say said over email.

Lydia Ur ice Podcast Edit or

Diver w in s St at e ch am pion sh ip Addie Palm qu ist Feat u r e/ En t er t ain m en t Edit or Freshmen Bennet Loving brought home the diving State champion title Nov. 14, at the City of Saint Peters Rec Plex.

About his feelings on the championship, Loving said, ?It feels pretty amazing to win State. You don?t really believe it at first, but after a while it starts to sink in. I was surprised when I won mainly because I had to make a huge comeback to win? My teammates

November 2020 | Sports

always cheered me on, which helped a lot. My coaches were really supportive and my dive coach was really nice and calm when it came time for state.?

Loving also said he plans on defending his first place title next year and the following years until he goes to college. He plans to go to college for diving and hopefully receive a scholarship.

Leah Lynch, diving coach, said, ?Bennet has worked incredibly hard during this season as well as the off season which has led to his success.

Through all of this success, he has remained humble and gracious.?

Photo by Leah Lynch Bennet Loving wins the diving State championship on Nov 14.

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M en's soccer m ak es it t o Dist r ict s amount of games as the previous years. If we had a full season, we would have had more in-game experience,? Oliver, said.

Many fall sports teams reported cases of COVID during the season. Varsity soccer had positive cases around the end of the season, which left the team short of two players for Sectionals. ?They never got discouraged with the craziness of the pandemic and what was going to happen the next day. They kept their nose down and continued to work hard regardless of what rumors about the season were going around,?

Tim Velten, Varsity soccer coach, said.

After the loss of the last playoff game Webster played against Clayton, the team began to look back on what it could?ve done differently in order to win State. The final score for Sectionals was a loss of 1-3. ?The game against Clayton was just a poor performance from us. I think a lot of us thought that we were just easily going to win and maybe didn't take it as seriously as we should have, and if we could play them again, I guarantee we would beat Photo by Kelly Woodyard them,? Tilford said.

The abnormality of this Senior defender Jack Ellis clears the ball amid the final District game against season wasn?t anything subtle. Players mentioned it Clayton on the evening of Nov. 7. The men?s Varsity soccer team made it to being difficult to play at their best without the roar truly expected.

Elise Wilk e-Gr im m of fans, missing practices/playing Even though fall sports weren?t cut New s/ Opin ion Edit or or other factors that short due to COVID, there were still club, contributed to the success of the significantly fewer games and team.

Even while missing these key Men?s Varsity soccer played a total practices that took place as a team. of 13 games this season and won Senior athletes Caleb Oliver and factors, Varsity still worked its eight of those 13.

Julian Tilford reported noticing a shift hardest. ?We really came along and played Last season?s total record was 21 in the general performance of the as a team. I thought it was gonna be wins to seven losses. team as a whole due to this. really difficult, but we all played for Sports teams have always had to ?I believe that COVID had a huge each other,?

Mikey Leeman, junior, learn how to overcome obstacles, effect on the team. The season was said. but COVID was one nobody could?ve shortened, and we had half the

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Sports | November 2020

Teach er s sh ar e Th an k sgivin g t r adit ion s Jack son Par k s Ju n ior Edit or With the impacts of Covid-19, everything has changed. Like every other holiday since Covid-19 this year, Thanksgiving is bound to be compromised too. Like everyone, teachers hope to adapt their Thanksgiving traditions this year.

Social Studies teacher, Conner Katsev, shared his plans for this year. ?My plans for Thanksgiving are a little different this year, as I am sure everyone else's. I will be staying in St. Louis instead of going down to the Lake of the Ozarks. Both my grandparents are in their 90s and that would be too many people in one house at one time, so we will do Thanksgiving with just my immediate family: my wife and me, older sister from Chicago and fiance, younger brother who is at UMKC graduate school, and my parents. It will not be as loud or rambunctious, but will be so nice to see everyone again.?

Thanksgiving plans may change, but traditions can always be adapted and kept alive somehow.

In terms of continuing his traditions, Katsev said, ?My wife and I are going to cook sweet potato casserole as well as try to create the famous Thanksgiving staple (angel biscuits). It might be a complete failure, but we will give it our best shot. I think we are going to make new traditions as well.?

Social Studies teacher Alison Bryar shared her plans and traditions for this year. ?The plan was always for us to host my husband Dan's family from Chicago in St. Louis for Thanksgiving once we had our own home to do so, and we were really looking forward to being able to do that this year.

November 2020 | Feature

to keep them going this year, Rainey shared, ?If I?m honest, I will only miss the Chili cook-off and Turkey Day game. The day of cooking and cleaning is not a tradition I am sad to see go. Being a mom at the holidays is more work than enjoyment, as we make the holiday joyous for others more so than for ourselves, so this year I plan on kicking back with a bunch of store-bought turkey, etc. and enjoying myself and my family?s company.?

SSD Teacher Marina Holcomb also gave her plans for the changing holiday, ?Unfortunately, my Image from Karolina Grabowska via Pexels.com family has to keep our Thanksgiving However, due to COVID, Dan's celebration to just immediate family. family is not coming into town. This Instead of going from house to year we were looking forward to house, it will just be me, my husband starting new traditions such as and our three daughters. I will not be hosting Dan's family for in any line for some fun Black Friday Thanksgiving, and introducing them shopping. Wait-I take that back! I will to the Turkey Trot and the Turkey be ON-line and not IN-line this year.?

Day Game. Hopefully, we will still For her family?s traditions, have my family over for Holcomb said, ?I will keep the Thanksgiving. No matter what we tradition alive by doing what we end up doing, we will have a turkey always do. We will eat at noon, watch dinner, and tune into the Turkey Day TV and play board games. My oldest football game,? Bryar said. daughters will start their day off with Bryar had shared her plans for a 10 K Turkey Trot. With many virtual Thanksgiving before the cancellation races, they can run it anytime during of Turkey Day, which has affected a specific window. They agreed to many families?plans. run it Thanksgiving morning to keep English teacher Melissa Rainey their annual tradition similar to also noted what her family is doing previous years.? this year, and how it is adjusting to Keeping traditions alive during an Covid-19 and its impact. She said, ? ever changing climate can be We all have to wear masks so that difficult, especially during the my mom, who is 80, can attend. I holidays. The rise and spread of plan on buying most of the meal Coronavirus this year has certainly from Dierbergs and just making the affected anything it possibly could, pies, creamed corn, rolls and so the adaptation of Thanksgiving cranberry sauce myself, which will comes at no surprise. For Webster ?s free up more time to clean the house teachers, they hope to safely and really well.? cautiously continue their traditions On the topic of traditions and how this holiday season.

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You t h expr ess opin ion abou t elect ion r esu lt s Jaden Fields Edit or in ch ief With a projected presidential elect and claims of voter fraud, this current election is a very tense situation.

This election, much like 2016?s, has had very high tensions between both sides. Throughout Donald Trump?s current presidency, the sides have grown to seem as if the divide between Democrats and Republicans is at an all time high. ?Under Trump, Democrats and Republicans have never been more dividedon everything,? one Washington Post headline said.

With talk of the election being rigged and voter fraud committed, the Republicans and Democrats are more Photo by Elise Wilke-Grimm divided than ever. Young people have Voters turned out in high numbers to vote at St. Louis County become more involved in politics in this polling sites Nov. 3. Lines had begun to form as early at 5 a.m., and current climate. ?A new national poll of young election agencies predicted the voter turnout would be the largest Americans reveals that despite? or percentage since 1992. perhaps because of? the ?Obviously this election isn?t over until every single vote interconnected crises shaping American life, young people are interested and engaged in the 2020 election,? is counted, no matter what party it is for. That being said, the Center for Information and Research on Civic our projected winner is Joe Biden, and if we see the pattern of our projections then there really isn?t any Learning and Engagement said.

Due to this spike in youth political engagement, high evidence that he isn?t our 46th president elect. I school aged students have begun to pay closer attention absolutely respect the result of the election,? Giordano to these current happenings in government. As is the said about his opinion on the election results.

One senior, who asked to remain anonymous, has way with adults, younger students often have differing or conflicting opinions, even if they are unable yet to vote. more conservative leaning views. On the topic of voter Students have strong opinions about things going on in fraud, the source said in a text message, ?l feel that some the American government and formulate their own views states kept the votes consolidated and to themselves so the public couldn?t see anything that was going on.? of things.

This individual is of voting age and votes coinciding Sophomore Luca Giordano is rather interested in politics. Despite his age and his inability to vote, he still with his beliefs. ?I voted on the fact that I honestly don?t like either one holds rather strong opinions on the happenings of the government and would likely identify as a more liberal- of them, but I just felt that since Trump was in office as leaning individual. Claims of voter fraud in this election president before, and he hasn?t done anything that was are being pushed strongly by the Trump administration, putting America at risk, that?s why I kind of voted for and this is a particular area Giordano held some Trump. I just feel sketched out as I would do anything when meeting someone new or leading someone to opinions on. ?Even in 2016 [Trump] claimed that the only reason make decisions on my future,? the senior said.

Although this person's views politically come to conflict (Hilary Clinton) won the popular vote was because of illegal immigrants coming and voting. Now the Trump with Giordanos?, his/her opinions on respecting the campaign is trying to invalidate voters by claiming that election outcome remain the same. ?As an American I respect the voting system. . . as I am there were dead people and people who have moved who voted, which is an argument that not only has zero upset about the outcome I do respect the fact that proof, but makes no sense when you look at the pattern (Biden) got more votes,? the senior said. of our democracy,? Giordano stated via text message.

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Feature | November 2020

Until recently

M i ssour i v ot er s r ef l ect ed n at i on al out com es Zek e La M an t ia Social M edia M an ager Living in St Louis means being blue in a state of red.

Missouri gained statehood in August 1821.

Missouri has, until recently, been a true swing state with historical accuracy at voting for the eventual election winner. From 1904 through 2004, Missourians got it wrong just once ? preferring Adlai Stevenson (D) over Dwight Eisenhower (R) in 1956.

Starting in 2008, the streak ended when Barack Obama(D) lost to John McCain(R) by the slenderest of margins, 49.4% to 49.3%, or about 3,900 votes out of 2.93 million cast.

Photo by Elise Wilke-Grimm As 2016 marked the fifth straight Republican win, it is Webster Groves voters line up to cast ballots in the Nov. 3, election. Missouri, becoming a fairly reliable which used to be a swing state has voted for the Republican Presidential state for the Republican candidates since 2000.

Party. ?First time voting was pretty good. I waited outside of Hudson elementary for polarization as measured by differences in partisan about an hour. It wasn?t particularly like I chose to vote self-identification between whites and blacks, according but that I needed to vote. I feel very fortunate and to ?A Culture of Disenfranchisement: How American privileged to live in an area that is more blue than red, Slavery Continues to Affect Voting Behavior? by Avidit but I end up getting a culture shock sometimes when I Acharya, Matthew Blackwell, and Maya Sen. Avidit Acharya, Matthew Blackwell and Maya Sen also leave our little liberal bubble. I forgot truly how red the rest of Missouri is outside of STL, Columbia and Kansas note, not only was the South?s history of chattel slavery, black codes and Jim Crow a key justification for the VRA, City until this election,? senior AmeliaGriesedieck said.

The American South where slavery was more prevalent but a growing literature has begun to show that historical in the 1860s are today areas with lower average black institutions such as slavery can have effects that last long voter turnout, larger numbers of election lawsuits after the institutions themselves are dismantled.

This information can shed light onto why Missouri has alleging race-related, Constitutional violations filed under recently been recognized as a red state. provisions of the Voting Rights Act and the 14th and 15th Amendments, and are more likely to have larger racial

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November 2020 | Feature

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Photos by Lydia Urice

Lydia Ur ice Podcast edit or Starbucks released this year 's holiday drinks on Nov. 6. The lineup includes the hot drinks Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel BrulĂŠe Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte and Eggnog Latte.

Each of the hot holiday drinks is priced the same for each size. The 12 oz tall is $4.65, 16oz grande is $5.25 and 20oz venti is $5.45. ?My favorite drink is the toasted White Chocolate Mocha. It just has a great added marshmallowy taste to

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the White Chocolate Mocha,? Starbucks employee Jade Davis said.

After many taste tests, a final ranking was established.

The Peppermint Mocha was eliminated from the ranking due to predetermined bias.

All of the drinks were good drinks, the ranking came down to purely personal preference. The Chestnut Praline Latte came in fourth place just because of the nutty taste. The Eggnog Latte came in third because it had no distinct taste. The Caramel Brulee Latte came in second because of the caramel aftertaste, and the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha won because it was just extra sweet. ?I'm not a Peppermint Mocha fan; I?m allergic to peppermint so that?s not my favorite,? Davis said. ?I really like the caramel brulee latte to make, just because of the caramel brulee crunch that goes on top,?

Davis said. ?Least favorite to assemble would probably be any of the frappuccinos because it just adds an extra layer of complexity to it,? Davis said.

All of these drinks in the line were good, as for which is the best, that?s personal preference. If looking for one to try though, check out the Peppermint Mocha, unless of course allergic, in which case try the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha.

Entertainment | November 2020