WG ECHO December 2014 Issue

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wgecho.org december 2014 Volume 100 Issue 4 Photo by aerin Johnson

100 Selma Ave st. louis MO 63119

Opinion

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Advisor’s Note

ECHO clarifies role in Ferguson survey The ECHO's survey of student attitudes regarding Ferguson has gained a lot of attention. Stories in the St. Louis Post Dispatch and on Channel 5 used the survey as an introduction to discuss the student walkout that occurred on Dec. 4, almost as if to imply the two events were connected.

They were not.

Looking at these stories and the comments, we see misinformation and misunderstandings and would like to clarify our position.

We did inadvertently use loaded language in one of the questions in the form of the word "murder," and we regret having done that. It is not something we would condone, and when we cover surveys in the required journalism class, we discuss the negative impact of loaded language

2014-15 ECHO STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aerin Johnson JUNIOR EDITOR: Jack Killeen BUSINESS/ADS MANAGER: Alex Ring OPINION EDITOR: Andy Kimball NEWS EDITOR: Bennett Durando FEATURE EDITOR: Willie Zempel SPORTS EDITOR: Cal Lanouette ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Irene Ryan GRAPHICS/VIDEO EDITOR: Bret Waelterman WEB EDITOR: Phoebe Mussman PUBLIC RELATIONS: Brittany Patton CIRCULATION EDITOR: Andre Scott ADVISOR: Donald Johnson SOME MATERIAL COURTESY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS/MCT CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER SERVICE The ECHO is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-9636400 ex. 11157 or write 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 has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged.

The ECHO is a member of SSP, Quill and Scroll, MJEA, JEA, MIPA and CSPA.

December 2014

on the accuracy of the feedback. We did make this error, and we apologize. It is good to remember we are a student-driven publication, and even in the professional media, mistakes are occasionally made.

We also had a place for the participants to identify themselves. We do not usually do this, and we acknowledge that we should probably have put "optional" next to the name line.

That said, participation in all ECHO surveys for at least the last 22 years has always been voluntary. As a student organization, we have no more authority to force participation in a survey than the chess club would have to force students to participate in a tournament. Students do not receive grades for participation, nor is there a consequence for not participating.

We have made it part of our policy in light of this incident, however, to add the phrase that "Participation in all ECHO surveys is voluntary" to all of our surveys from now on to prevent this misunderstanding in the future.

One misunderstanding seems to be the scope of the survey. The ECHO never surveys the entire school; it would be impossible to do within our deadlines. We typically shoot for 140 surveys, or 10 percent of the students. We had actually finished distributing surveys and gotten about 100 back before being contacted by the administration.

We have been told some students felt targeted by the surveys. We regret they had that perception, but it should be known the ECHO only has a staff of 12, and only two or three students working on a particular story actually see any survey results, so participants need not worry about reprisals.

Finally, readers should be reminded the ECHO's editorial policy states, "The ECHO is not a public relations vehicle for WGHS nor the Webster Groves School District." Therefore, the 12 students and their advisor's words and actions do not and could not speak for the entire 1,400 students, plus teachers and administrators.

All we can do is hope to hear as many voices as possible and act as a forum for those voices to be heard.

We have submitted to the administration's directive not to use the survey results and have destroyed all completed surveys in large part because of our use of the word "murder" and because of the misunderstanding as to its being voluntary by reason of our asking for student names.

We do believe asking for racial backgrounds of participants was appropriate because of the racial themes involved in reporting the Ferguson issue. We would like to treat this as a learning experience.

We appreciate our readers and the support we've received over the last few days.

Willie’s Comic

Comic by Willie Zempel

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Hixson renovation will help academics, athletics

Andy Kimball Opinion Columnist “Water coolers, venetian blinds, multicolored drapes and green blackboards will entice September students who venture into the ultra-modern interior of Hixson Junior High School next fall to learn new courses such as French, Spanish, Latin, photography and typing.”

That excerpt from the June issue of the 1955 ECHO newspaper which featured a story about the construction of Hixson Middle School.

Fifty nine years later, the school board agreed on Dec. 8 and voted unanimously to place the proposition on the ballot for April 7.

The proposition asks for a $28 million bond issue to “address the insufficient amount of instructional space.” Space is

important because currently every elementary school in the district is at or over the maximum capacity, according to an article on the school district website.

The money issued to the district would cover a renovation of Hixson Middle School to add a section for sixth graders to attend school, so Steger Sixth Grade Center would be used as another elementary school to make more room for students.

Computer school students would be allowed to stay at the re-purposed Steger Elementary School.

This change would help uncrowd elementary schools and give students more space to learn. Some elementary schools, like Avery, have temporary buildings outside of the school to accommodate more students. The overpopulation has become a problem for elementary schools, and this proposition is a good way to solve it.

Another important part of the renovation will be improvements made to Moss Field. The improvements would be “addressing cracks in stadium seating, construction of an eight-lane track and upgrading the field,” according to the school district website. A possible upgrade to the

field would be using turf instead of grass.

These renovations to Moss Field would help the athletic program. First, upgrading the field from grass would help keep games from being rained out and postponed.

The football team had a game against Parkway South postponed and a game against Parkway North cancelled due to weather and field conditions. Also a game was moved from Webster’s grass field to Kirkwood High School’s turf field due to field conditions at Webster.

Secondly, there is a possible upgrade for the track from a six-lane to eight-lane track. This is important because with an eight-lane track the high school track team will be able to host more high-scale track meets, like Conference, District or even Sectional. That would raise the track and field program more money because hosting these bigger meets would allow Webster to charge admission to attend.

These changes made possible by approval of the proposition would be a great way for Webster to improve both its athletic and academic programs.

Editorial

Staff finds ways to move past Ferguson ECHO staffers, like most St. Louis, have had several disagreements of late, mainly about the decision to not indict former police officer Darren Wilson for the death of Mike Brown.

While a few of us have definite opinions, with so much conflicting evidence, including witness testimony and Brown’s autopsy, most of us are unsure about what to think or with whom to agree.

However, we do agree on one thing: We need to move forward.

How to move forward? As a staff we were able to think of a few ideas.

1) We need to focus on improving relationships in St. Louis. As far as we can tell, this incident has only caused people to blame those involved with the case.

We need to talk about Brown’s death with a light of how we can improve the relationships between the police, govern-

Photo by Aerin Johnson Sophomores Payton Moreland, Randi McCollum and freshman Bria Lawerance participate in the Dec. 4, walkout. ment and communities in and surrounding St. Louis.

“It’s hard to listen and try to understand each other,” assistant principal John Thomas said. He mentioned several groups like the Ferguson Commission that are working towards this goal of listening.

Another group working for dialogue is “Mother 2 Mother.”

2) As students, when we go into the world, we need to become the people we want to see in the government. Anyone may be in faced with a similar problem to that of the grand jury’s, and if students want to change the world, they need to grow into those shoes. They need to take part in the process and run for offices on a local, state and/or federal levels.

3) We can help to rebuild. We can donate to food pantries, help fix the shops that were destroyed and looted, and show the world that we are trying to improve St. Louis.

These are a few ways, but there are so many more out there, and it up to this generation to find them and use those ideas to better the world. Remember, we are the future.

December 2014

Opinion

Kimball Konception

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Senior volunteers donate blood to Mercy Phoebe Mussman Web Editor Seniors and teachers made their way to the New Gym throughout the day on Dec. 5, to donate blood for patients in need at Mercy Hospital.

National Honor’s Society’s sponsor Nicholas Kirschman helped to organize the fall blood drive along with NHS president senior David Rapp.

Flyers were posted around the school to remind students of the drive, and NHS members spread awareness of the event by talking to other students throughout the week. Their goal was to have a total of 80 people give blood; around 60 people did.

“I’ve been doing NHS for 13 years, and Photo by Aerin Johnson this blood drive was going on before then,” NHS member Madeleine Rayborn talks to senior Oliver Osburn as he gets his Kirschman said. “Our schedule moved very blood drawn on Dec. 5. fast this year, so some students were called to them and relieve any anxieties. down earlier than ever.”

Senior Muna Abdella-Hazak volunteered to work at the blood To be able to give blood, students had to be seniors, weigh drive because she had experience with them and wanted to help over 115 pounds, be off any non-prescription drugs and have no others out. tattoos. Every needle was used once and discarded; the blood “Volunteers and blood donors here don’t know how much of drawn was taken to Mercy Hospital for blood transfusions and an effect they have on the organization, but really there’s more to other patient needs. Patients dealing with transplant, cancer, it.

I think we’re making a great difference,” Abdella-Hazak said. trauma, anemia, and open-heart surgery often need these transAccording to the American Red Cross, every two seconds an fusions to survive.

American needs a blood transfusion.

Despite the fact that 38 perBlood donors filled out paperwork, had their finger pricked to cent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood every year, check that their blood was healthy, had a pint of blood drawn and fewer than 10 percent actually do. were given a free bottled drink, snack, red T-shirt and pamphlets “Maybe every couple of years we have someone who goes from the American Red Cross. Donors also had stress balls to down; there’s always people who just can’t donate that day. hold onto, and NHS volunteers circulated around the gym to talk Once in a while people don’t react well to it. Last year we had 80 people show up to give blood, and 60 people be able to do it,” Kirschman explained.

On average, about one fifth of the senior class chooses to donate. A considerable number of others opt out of donating for fear of pain and the needles that inflict it. The specific name for this is trypanophobia; about one of every five people has some degree of this phobia stimulated from needles and injections.

“If I donated my blood, I’m sure I would pass out,” senior Brian Dugan stated.

Senior Reilly Thompson said, “It’s always good to have this kind of program for people with diseases that cause them to need this blood. I feel like it’s for a really good cause, but of course if you have a fear of needles, then the drive probably isn’t for you. I’m very nervous; I have a slight fear of needles. I just hate the feeling of the injection and it going through your arm…blahurrrg!”

At least three other seniors who were talked to held the same Photo by Aerin Johnson An American Red Cross nurse volunteer sterilizes a senior’s opinion.

The next blood drive is sponsored by Student Council and will arm in preparation for drawing a pint of blood. occur in the spring.

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News in brief...

‘Nutcracker on Ice’ comes again to Webster for winter of 2014

Photo by Lee Drake The pep band watches the Robotics team’s robots perform during the Spirit Week pep rally.

Robotics team uses new 3D technology Irene Ryan Entertainment Webster’s newest bit of technology is a Makerbot Replicator 2 3D printer. The Robotics team has adopted it into regular use, printing parts and models for its robots.

The printer cost $2,500 and was acquired by a grant from the Alumni Association. The printer uses filament that it melts and sprays into shapes.

Sophomore Prem Rao also won a Cubify 3D printer, which prints with recycled material, in an essay competition. The prompt was simply why your school should receive the printer.

“I thought it would be a great asset to our team. It allows us to recycle failed prints which saves money and helps the environment as well,” said Rao. The robotics team primarily uses the printer to do quick prototyping of different projects. It also uses the printer to print parts it doesn’t have. For example, the team prints battery cases for Tetrix because manufacturing doesn’t make them.

At this point, the team hasn’t decided whether or not it will go to competition. It has gone to State the last two years and placed among the middle.

This year’s challenge, Cascade Effect, is “more difficult, more nuanced,” team coach Nicholas Kirschman said. State is in six weeks, if the team decides to go. The team meets after school on Mondays and Thursdays and on Saturdays.

The robotics class is not required to participate on the team.

“Nutcracker on Ice” comes to Webster again for winter of 2014 Metro Edge Figure Skating Club will perform the “Nutcracker on Ice” show on Dec. 13 and 14, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Webster Groves Ice Arena.

The cast of over 170 will skate to the music of Tchaikovsky and tell the story of Clara and her nutcracker, who will come to life and take her to the Land of Sweets.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box office for $12 or at the door for $14.

Wride named Mr. Webster The 2014 Mr. Webster Paegant took place on Dec. 5, from 7- 9 p.m. in the auditorium and was mainly produced by the students and staff of DECA. Senior Wesley Wride won first place, and Lucas Eberhard second.

The audience voted for who it wanted to win on its cell phones after seeing all the contestants’s best talents, superhero alter-egos and campaign videos.

Garden features holiday lights Missouri Botanical Garden will host the second annual Garden Glow light exhibit, which will be closed Dec. 24, 25 and 31 for the holidays.

The exhibit, which features more than a half-million lights, started Nov. 22, and will continue until January 3.

The hours are from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and admission is $16 for adults and $10 for children.

The Botanical Garden is at 4344 Shaw Boulevard.

Your Times. facebook.com/WebsterKirkwoodTimes twitter.com/WKTimes websterkirkwoodtimes.com

December 2014

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Tolin also views Christmas a little differently.

“After that, I celebrate Christmas with the other side of my famWebster Groves celebrates ily because I don’t see it as a reholidays in different ways, from ligious holiday anymore. It’s just celebrating Christmas to Kwana time to be together with family. za.

We just go down to my grandparSenior Reilly Thompson said, ents’ farm and have Christmas din“It’s weird for me. My parents ner and just hang out as a family.” are divorced, so sometimes I’m Junior Travis Williams celin Missouri for Christmas, and ebrates New Year’s by playing an sometimes I’m in Texas for annual game of Risk, he said. “I Christmas. It’s fun because I see Photo by Donald Johnson go over to a friend’s house, and we all of my family from both sides.” Three Santas run the Santas on the Loose 5K run play a big game of Risk and bang Latin teacher Jeff Smith said, “I through Webster neighborhoods on Dec. 6. The event pots at midnight.” cook a lot more, a lot of cooking began at 8 a.m. and is a three-year old tradition.

Other Webster Groves tradiand eating. The wife shops, and in tions include the “Webster Cookie a few days the kids turn the house Walk, where people go and sample into a toy room.” different holiday cookies from all around. The walk was Dec. 13, Senior Aron Tolin, who is Jewish, described his holidays, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Old Webster.

“Well, first up this year is Chanukah. For Chanukah, I light the Also the more athletically minded brought in the season with candles every night and say the prayers. Even though there are the Santas on the Loose 5K run on Dec. 6. Participants wear eight nights of Chanukah, I only get a present the first or final Santa hats and beards or other holiday garb as they run through night.”

Webster Groves neighborhoods.

DeAndre Scott Circulation Manager

Alumnus continues to show school spirit Brittany Patton Public Relations Sitting on the bench at any given basketball game, former Webster Groves student Gus McLean will surely be seen supporting the team.

“McLean was not ever actually on a team but always followed and been close to both Coach (Jay) Blossom and Coach (Cliff) Ice,” activities director Jerry Collins said.

McLean graduated in the class of 2005.

Over the years the senior team members started taking responsibly for picking McLean up and taking him out afterwards. Seniors Alex Floresca and Sam Craig are in currently charge of picking him up.

Floresca, who’s a forward on the Varsity basketball team, said he volunteered to give McLean rides to the games. “I started my junior year.”

About why he volunteered Floresca said because McLean is a cool guy. “I wanted to get to know him better. He’s a big part of the team.”

McLean has really become part of the program overall.

Coach Jay Blossom said McLean has missed very few games over a 10-year period and added he is certain that McLean hasn’t missed a home game. “He rides the bus with us to away games and they pick him up for home games.”

Blossom added Gus has been around so long that those few

December 2014

Photo by Bret Waelterman Gus McLean watches the opening game at Webster Groves High School Dec. 11. games when Gus doesn’t attend feel like something is missing.

“He’ll tell you about every game that he loves you,” Blossom said about the atmosphere when McLean is around. He said McLean has a heart of gold.

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Photo by Willie Zempel Juniors Haley Tritschler, Dean Krueger and Hannah Fettig work on a physics lab before school on Dec. 12.

AP classes challenge, prepare students Willie Zempel Feature Editor

On Fridays, after school, the classrooms are empty; the library is quiet. Most students leave class directly after seventh hour, but not AP Physics teacher David Schuster’s class. Over an hour after school, around 20 students were working on physics labs.

A recent survey suggested that students believe AP Physics is the hardest class in the school.

“I believe we need to challenge students more. I have a desire to make my classes difficult because we need more challenge in this high school,” Schuster said.

With finals approaching, students begin to prepare for their exams. Some have to prepare and study much more than others because their classes are harder.

Taking difficult classes will get students an honors grade. Any class that has an AP or and honors next to its class name gets a weighted GPA, so if students get an A in an AP class, they will

get a 4.5 GPA rather than a 4.00.

“When I graduated from this fine high school, I was ill-prepared for the rigors of college, and I even started to question who I was. I breezed through high school, but when I got through the pressure of college, I considered dropping out. I was around others who knew how to control themselves and had good timemanagement skills while I didn’t. I feel very passionately that Webster students should acquire these skills to prepare them for the rest of their life,” Schuster said.

AP Physics senior David Rapp said, “It’s a challenging class, but it’s also fun. It teaches you to solve problems and concepts which are the hardest parts. I would encourage people to take it, but (they need to) be ready for a new level of self-discipline.”

Junior Tanner Dunlap, who is currently taking Honors US Studies, said “Harder classes have definitely helped me with my time management and preparing me for college. In the block class, you must really make sure you do all your homework on top of the projects. It’s one of the hardest classes I’ve ever taken.”

The ECHO surveyed 100 Webster students about their hardest classes...

What do you believe is the hardest class?

Hardest Grade Year 17%

2% 3%

Other Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

78%

AP Lang AP Chemistry AP Physics AP Calculus Honors US Studies 0

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Ferguson impact felt at WGHS

Junior Eartha Swartz sports a sign outside WGHS during the walkout protest on Dec. 4.

Photo by Aerin Johnson

Students walk out, school cancell Bennett Durando News Editor Ferguson’s recent crisis and the lack of indictment of former officer Darren Wilson has caused hundreds of protests and has brought up new waves of civil rights discussion across America.

Across town, WGHS students made their voices heard about the incident in St. Louis’s backyard.

About 300 students walked out of the high school in protest on Thursday Dec. 4 at 12:30 p.m. They made their way out to Plymouth Softball Field, went through the parking lot and marched through the alley adjacent to the school, then finally returned to the courtyard.

The protesters chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” as they made their procession. Some students held signs which read, “Equal protection under the law,” “Stop the criminalization and victimization of black men,” “What do you call it when the police are the murderers?” and “What if Mike was white?” among other things.

Once back in the courtyard, protesters circled into a pack and

December 2014

held a four-and-a-half minute of silence in representation of the four-and-a-half hours Michael Brown was left in the middle of the street after his death.

At the conclusion of their silent tribute, the mass continued to chant and demonstrate their signs for a couple minutes, then was addressed by senior protester Dalia Escamilla.

“This isn’t just for Mike Brown. This is for everything going on around the world right now!” shouted Escamilla to applause from the crowd.

At the end of her statements, senior Stu Hollandsworth shouted for students to “Go back to class now, get your education,” receiving yells of disagreement. Moments later, though, the crowd was dispersed.

“We appreciated that students went out and did what they needed to do for 15, 18 minutes, and they stayed safe” commented principal Jon Clark commented.

Students who participated in the walkout were marked as tardy for cutting a portion of their fifth hour class but were issued no further punishment.

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Photo by Aerin Johnson Senior Elyse Gilmore, freshman Oriana Ivy, senior Stu Hollandsworth and junior Nathan Cole gather in the courtyard as a part of the Dec. 4, walkout.

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Opinion: Ferguson rebuilds after tragedy Irene Ryan Entertainment Editor Even with St. Louis’ close proximity to Ferguson, it’s easy to get a media-warped view of the city.

Visiting during the day, I expected the city to be littered with the remnants of protests and looting. That was not the case. In fact, only one word came to mind: recovery.

Down Ferguson’s main road, a majority of the businesses have their windows boarded up, “We’re still open” hastily sprayed across the front. However, on the Saturday I visited, volunteers, spread up and down West Florissant, painted these plain boards with quotes from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., cartoons,

famous paintings, and winter scenes.

After the media circus of the (sometimes violent) nighttime protests and looting, at the end of the day, Ferguson is a town like any other, and like the shirts say, people love Ferguson.

However, this feeling of hope was met with a sobering reminder of the source of all this. Past the main stretch, on a small residential street, Canfield drive, I visited the Mike Brown memorial. We couldn’t get very close to it in the car, but the effect was still very much received. This community, despite some surface repairs, has been hurt beyond broken glass and torched stores.

I strongly urge Webster residents to visit Ferguson and support the local businesses. People are hurting there and they need our support.

led in aftermath of Ferguson “We called in each individual who walked out to talk to them afterward,” Clark said. Students were identified as protesters by X’s marked by teachers. “We wanted to ask them why they felt like they needed to participate in the protest.”

“I support that (the protesters) care enough to protest even with consequence, but at the same time we need them in class,” said Clark. “I talked with them about their purpose in walking out and protesting.”

Before the protests came to the high school, an impact was already being made on WGHS by the grand jury’s decision.

Tacky Day was brought to a sudden end before it even started on Tuesday, Nov. 25, when a district-wide call was sent by superintendent Sara Riss cancelling school due to the civil unrest following the grand jury’s ruling the night before.

In Ferguson, protesters had been overturning police cars and burning down businesses all night, prompting the cancellation of all WGSD schools for the safety of students.

Clark was in full support of Riss’s early morning verdict. “I was actually at school when I heard the news that morning,” he said.

“There’s no question that the students’ safety could’ve been at risk.

It was the right call.”

School was back on the next day for Spirit Day, and on Thanksgiving afternoon the board elected to let the annual Turkey Day Game be played.

“We did have some administrative discussion concerning the game,” said Varsity head coach Cliff Ice. “We had plans in place just in case any protesters showed up at the game.”

“We hoped we’d get to play some football and fortunately nothing happened, but we were prepared,” Ice said.

Webster students waited until the next week to make their point.

They tried originally to hold the walkout on Monday, Dec. 1, but word was not widely spread well enough. Instead the protest was postponed to Thursday.

According to Clark, the front office was vaguely aware of the plan prior to its execution. “We heard some rumors in the upcoming days that there was going to be some sort of walkout,” said Clark. “We had a pretty good idea what was going to happen.”

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Senior succeeds in technology field

Senior Harry Gallagher codes on his laptop during lunch in math teacher Eric Dunn’s room.

Alex Ring Business Manager Senior Harry Gallagher won the yearbook’s “most likely to succeed” title, but the talents that merit that award were not always in the limelight.

Gallagher helped set up “Web IT,” a student tech support program.

Gallagher is not involved with the everyday extracurricular activities but instead spends his time working behind the scenes dealing with technology at the high school. He created a student-run tech support program through the Chelsea Center.

The program offers help with technology intended for the use of students. Although Gallagher admits the program isn’t very popular, he said, “I hope this article can spread the word.” The office is located by the academic lab rooms.

December 2014

When voting for senior superlatives began, Gallagher first heard a handful of people were voting for him to be most likely to succeed, but after he got word of result, he was “surprised but it’s also nice to know people don’t think I’m as lazy as I actually am.”

Senior Will Burchett said, “It’s amazing how [Harry] does very little work but is still smarter than everyone.”

Gallagher is also the DECA vice president but mentioned he doesn’t go to many of the meetings. His time is consumed mostly outside of school.

Gallagher currently does freelance, informal, jobs around St. Louis. He gets paid to do website maintenance and website start up. This is also Gallagher’s plan outside of high school.

Julie Burchett, head of the Chelsea Center, said, “He is a great entrepreneur and is going to go far in the technology field.”

Photo by Alex Ring

While other seniors are online filling out applications and cramming for college due dates, Gallagher is getting ready for a gap year.

“I plan to take a year off right out of high school and through my connections already I plan to be a part of a job placement program,” Gallagher said. He plans to do the same website construction he does now, with small companies just starting up.

In his sophomore and junior year, Gallagher sold software online. This was his main form of income, and after two years he made over $10,000. The biggest regret is also linked to that good fortune. Gallagher said he has “wasted” it all in about a year. He is now “a broke high school student like everyone else.”

Gallagher said he wants to run a software company or become a teacher.

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Festival gives writers, actors chance to express

Photo by DeAndre Scott Sophomore Hannah Leatherbarrow plays Bob in “A Brief Intermission.” Leatherbarrow wrote and directed the play, which was one of eight performed on Dec. 12, in the Little Theater.

Bret Waelterman Video/Graphics Editor “I love to share my work, and helping other students with their acting skills,” Katie Arendes, junior, said. “I have been a part of the drama department since I was a freshman at Webster Groves High School.

I love it.”

Arendes directed her one act “Lunch with Tiffany,” which is a spoof off of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was one of eight one acts performed in the Winter

One Act Festival on Dec. 12, in the Little Theater.

The play is about a young girl who is having her boss come over for lunch, but she is hindered by an annoying friend and a robbery.

Jake Collins, freshman, also directed his first one act, “Gilgamesh.”

“This is an excerpt for the book ‘Gilgamesh.’ I got the idea from my teacher and decided it would be a good one act for my first time,” Colllins said. “The hardest part is trying to get my actors and ac-

tress to play the scene as I imagine it in my head.”

One acts are student-directed and student-written. The students get about a month to work on their plays. This year’s one acts had a variety of genres including comedy, romantic and serious.

Mia Berg, junior, wrote a one act about a couple arguing about a disabled sister and what her future plans will be.

“I wanted to get a message across to the audience on how some families have to deal with these hard situations and how it isn’t easy for anyone to go through,” Berg said. “This is my first year as a writer, and I plan to keep writing in the future.”

“The students are very talented, With many different varieties of genres, we are sure to sell out,” Todd Schaefer, drama teacher, said. “We are doing all eight shows in one night compared to last year when we did four one night and four another night.”

Actresses and actors from all grade levels helped to create the plays. Also a student tech crew worked “behind the scenes” to help. This included lights, sound and spotlight.

The one acts planned to make a profit of about $600 on the show this year. Tickets for adults sold for $7 and students for $5.

“The prices were raised from last year because we are sure we will sell out this year,” Schaefer said.

The money made on the show will go to getting state sponsors for the state Thespians meet in the spring of 2015.

December 2014

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12 ECHO Sports

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Athletes share superstitions, rituals Cal Lanouette Sports Editor Sports are filled with superstitions and rituals: LeBron James with his chalk, the Red Sox growing out beards for the 2013 World Series and Cristiano Ronaldo stepping on the pitch with his right foot first.

Superstitions can come in a variety of forms: a pregame or postgame meal, where to sit on the bench, how to celebrate, or just how athletes go about their day.

One of the most famously superstitious athletes of all time was Cleveland Indians outfielder Kevin Rhomberg, who believed if someone were to touch him, he would have to touch them back.

Rhomberg also refused to make right turns on the field because base runners were always turning left. If he wanted to go to his right, he would have to make a full circle.

Webster has superstitious athletes too.

“On the day I’m supposed to pitch, I keep my glove in my backpack,” senior

Photo by Bret Waelterman Coach Scott Gauthier fist bumps sophomore Cam Potts before Webster’s season opener against Oakville. baseball player Tyler Ludwig said. “I also make sure to never step on the foul line.

I’ve been doing the foul line thing forever, but for putting the glove in my backpack, I’ve been doing that since sophomore year.”

According to senior basketball player Sturt Hollandsworth, the Varsity basketball coaches are superstitious. “[Coach Scott] Stallcup does not shake hands with anybody before game time

and Coach [Scott] Gauthier gives every player knuckles before and after warm ups,” Hollandsworth said. “We also, as a team, pray before each game.”

“I have my own superstitions too,” Hollandsworth said. “I wear the same pair of socks underneath my game socks every home game. They’re the same socks I wore freshmen year.”

Senior soccer player Charlotte Kennedy’s superstition is putting on her shin guards and tying her cleats in a certain way.

“I wrap two pieces of electrical tape tight around my shin guards. Then, I have to make sure my shoes are tied in a double knot, but I bunny ears and then loop it twice under instead of a double knot. I started this about three years ago,” Kennedy said.

“Also, I always visualize myself in the game before the game because it gets me in the mindset of the game. Then I say ‘let’s rock n’ roll’ in the huddle because it makes my teammates laugh and gets me pumped,” Kennedy said.

Senior to play basketball at San Diego Andy Kimball Opinion Editor Senior Alex Floresca will finish his year as a Statesman basketball player and then play at the University of San Diego.

On Nov. 12, Floresca signed his national letter of intent to become a future University of San Diego Torero.

Floresca said he chose the University of San Diego “because it was the perfect fit for me, it has a good basketball team, and is a good school academically.”

The Toreros are a NCAA Division I program in the West Coast conference.

They have two conference championships and two NCAA tournament berths in 2003 and 2008. In 2008 they had a first round upset of the University of Connecticut 7069 in overtime.

The University of San Diego were 1817 last year Floresca started playing basketball in

December 2014

sixth grade for the Junior Statesman middle school team and has stayed with the Statesman ever since.

About who inspired him, Floresca said “Coach (Jay) Blossom, he helped me get to where I have gotten today and is one of the reasons for the scholarship I received.”

Floresca was an all-conference selection in the suburban south as a junior and starred in the Statesman’s district championship run last year, leading the Statesmen’s victory over rival Kirkwood with 20 points and eight rebounds in their 6559 victory. It was the Statesman’s first District championship in four years.

Floresca said the game “was a big win…gave us the feeling of a championship.” He added, “It was the favorite part of my (basketball) career.”

About his expectations for this season, Floresca said, “They are high. We can go far in the playoffs” and added, “This is

Photo by Willie Zempel Senior Alex Floresca shoots against University City in last year’s game on Douglass night. our year.”

The Statesmen started their season with a 83-54 win. Floresca had eight points and 11 rebounds in the first round of the Webster Classic.

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ECHO

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Pioneers shut down Statesmen

Bennett Durando Sports Columnist The déjà vu began to set in for the Statesmen faithful before the 2014 Turkey Day Game had seen a play from scrimmage.

The opening kickoff went 80 yards for a Kirkwood touchdown, bringing back memories of the disastrous first few minutes of last year’s game, when the Statesmen surrendered 21 points and lost (then) junior all-state defensive back Cam Hilton for the game.

By the time it was all said and done, the Kirkwood Pioneers had defended their ownership of the Frisco Bell with a second straight handling of Webster in the Turkey Day Game, 27-6.

Over the last two years on Thanksgiv-

ing, the now Class Six Pioneers have outscored the Statesmen 71-6, with support from their 44-0 rout last year.

Starting at the beginning of last year’s game, Kirkwood went 85 minutes, nine seconds without allowing a point to Webster in Turkey Day play. That streak was snapped early in the fourth quarter when senior Rob Thompson found Hilton for a 47 yard score, the last touchdown the two will hook up for as Statesmen. It’s also Webster’s lone score over the last two Turkey Day Games.

On a snowy Moss Field, Webster’s offense struggled to get into a rhythm against the powerful Pioneer defense. It seemed the Statemen were trying to play to the conditions, keeping the ball on the ground primarily, but couldn’t get consistent yardage running.

“I thought the field would get worse as the game went on, but surprisingly it never got that bad” said Varsity head coach Cliff Ice. “(The conditions) didn’t end up having that big an impact on the game or the outcome.”

Still, at half time the Statesmen were not at all out of the game, down 14-0 and set to receive the ball to start the second half. Between Kirkwood’s stiff defense and Moss’s slick grass though, Webster

could never find a way to muster up a comeback.

Kirkwood even had the luck on its side, as a punt deep in its own territory in the third quarter caused mass confusion when the ball deflected off the back off its own defender and went several yards, where a pileup revealed the Pioneers had recovered and were given back possession.

That possession turned into Kirkwood’s third touchdown, somewhat of a gamesealer.

“It was 14-0, we got the stop, and apparently on the punt one of our guys touched it,” an unconvinced Ice said. “We would’ve had the ball at their 30-yard line with a chance to get back in the football game, instead they went down and scored.”

“That was a huge momentum change,” said Ice. Webster will have to look to reclaim the Bell next year, with a large talented senior class missing. It included the twotime first team All-Stater Hilton, two-year starting quarterback Thompson and starting running back Nick Delgado.

It’ll certainly be a different team next year. One can hope that they’ll be the team that either beats that one Class Six rival, or all of Class Five.

Photo by Bret Waelterman Antonio Phillips (21), sophomore, attempts to block John Thomas (87), sophomore, as catches the pass at the Turkey Day game.

December 2014

Sports

Bennett from the Bleachers

14 ECHO

Entertainment

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ECHO reviews phone applications Jack Killeen Junior Editor

2 Cars

Official ECHO rating: ****

Trivia Crack

Official ECHO rating: **** ½

GroupMe

Official ECHO rating: ****½

Photo from play.google.com Photo from play.google.com A great way to stay connected with a more personal group of people, “Group Me” brings practicality and social media into one free place.

“Group Me” creates a bridge between the once wide trench that separated IPhone and Android users in mass communication.

From a chat with friends to your English class, “Group Me” makes texting easy. Users can not only send worded text messages, but also gifs, photos, and videos using a search engine within the app.

“2 Cars” challenges the player to use both hands to navigate two cars as they travel down a four-lane track (two lanes for each car), avoiding blocks and collecting every circle. Aggravating at first, it becomes increasingly fun the more it is played and the better the user gets.

Junior Jackson Berger said, “It’s a very challenging game. It angers the player very quickly, and you have to pay attention to what lies ahead on the road, just like life.”

Some other games from the makers of “2 Cars” include “The Tower,” “2048,” “Stick Hero” and “Amazing Thief.”

Worst choice

Photo from play.google.com “Trivia Crack” is fun and challenges the user’s overall knowledge at the same time. It starts with a challenge to or from other players, and then, taking turns, the players answer trivia questions from categories like History, Art, Sports, Science, Entertainment and Geography.

One of Webster’s “Trivia Crack” enthusiasts is senior Charlie DeYoung. His greatest achievements are having a three consecutive win streak of 6-0 against senior Wesley Wride, junior Chris Drier and senior Katie Flood, and answering 25 questions correctly in a row.

“I like trivia questions and how I’m better than most people. If you think you’re good, challenge me @charlie.deyoung.3,” DeYoung said.

Throw the Ball Official ECHO rating: ***

A straight track unfolds in front of the player, white lines running down both sides.

With a stroke of the finger, the red ball flies up the screen, either stopped by friction or flying out of bounds.

“Throw the Ball” is a beautifully simplistic game. There is no definite landmark objective in this game; the player’s only goal is to flick the ball farther than before.

“Throw the Ball” makes players feel hopeless. After putting in the hard work necessary to achieve a new high score, players find that are expected to do even better. Users are digging their own graves for failure, raising the bar of success over and over again until it cannot be surpassed. In order to escape this never-ending cycle, the ECHO recommends its readers delete this app before they major in philosophy.

December 2014

Photo from itunes.apple.com

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ECHO

Penguins show ‘cute and cuddly’ side Aerin Johnson Editor in Chief I’m not sure about this, but I’m pretty sure penguins are some of cutest animals in the world, and I’m pretty sure they’d agree with you based off the new movie “The Penguins of Madagascar.”

“The Penguins of Madagascar” is a look into the lives of the spy team from the original “Madagascar” movie. This spin-off is just another reason to love these “cute and cuddly” penguins.

The story begins in Antarctica, where baby penguins Skipper Photo from (Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Chris Madagascar.dreamworks.com Miller), and Rico (Conrad Vernon) The movie “Penguins of Madagascar” has are going some unknown place made $49.4 million in the box offices. with the Penguin Colony. All of a sudden a small egg rolls by them wards 10 years to their mission to defeat towards a cliff. They want to save it and Dave the Octopus (John Malkovich) and do so after little debate, a rejection of na- save the cuteness in the world. ture and a fight with some seals. The egg From DreamWorks Animation, Eric then hatches revealing a young Private Darnell, co-creator of the “Madagascar” (Christopher Knights). The movie for- series, and Simon J. Smith, director of the

“Bee Movie” and “Shrek,” worked together on this movie and did very well with the humor, action sequences and continuing the story of “Madagascar.” The humor in this movie is what made it great for me.

From Skipper’s plans to Dave’s minions (pay close attention to their names), I was laughing the whole way through.

Skipper plans just seem to get even crazier, including one that has Private dressing up as a girl mermaid penguin (which is cuter than one would actually expect).

He continues to use these plans, even with their new allies, the North Wind, helping them.

However, the action sequences that go along with Skipper’s plans are what really make the movie great. You never expect the plans to work, but they do for the most part and that’s what had the audience laughing the entire time.

If you are fans of the first “Madagascar” movies, this is certainly a movie that you will want to see. “Penguins of Madagascar” is 1 hour and 32 minutes and is rated PG.

Things to do on your two weeks off Tilles Park Winter Wonderland Nov. 26, - Jan. 1 Closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve Sunday thru Friday from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. $10 per car Steinberg Ice Skating Rink Sunday-Thursday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. - Midnight All Ages & All Day Skate Admission: $7 Skate Rental: $5 St. Louis Zoo Wild Lights Dec. 19-23, 26-30, Jan. 2-3, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. $6 for zoo members, $7 general admission

The Loop Ice Carnival Free!

Jan. 17-18 Botanical Gardens GLOW Nov. 22, to Jan. 3 5:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Tickets: Children-$10 Adult-$18 Sledding at Art Hill Free!

6 a.m. - 10 p.m., year round

Happy Holidays from the ECHO Staff!

Entertainment

Let’s get adorable...

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16 ECHO News

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December 2014

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