ECHO
Pg. 14: Drama department prepares for ‘Detective Story’
February 2017 Volume 102 Issue 6 Photo by Greg Frazier
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Table of Contents
ECHO
Act should be passed to protect student journalists American must stop attacking each other Teachers should prioritize All-Write Festival Students organize benefit for friend hit by truck Students build, compete with robots English Department presents 2017 All-Write Festival Mardi Gras creates madness Student fails to save grade with class pass Playoff Preview: the road to State for Webster basketball Champion takes over Stateswomen soccer program Veterans, beginners work together for spring play Black history remains critical to America Dog movie will bring viewers to tears-multiple times
2016-17 ECHO STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Andy Kimball JUNIOR EDITOR: Jake Collins BUSINESS/ADS MANAGER: Cole Schnell OPINION EDITOR: Abyana Botan SPORTS EDITOR: Bennett Durando FEATURE/NEWS EDITOR: Caleb Bolin ONLINE EDITOR: Caroline Fellows VIDEO EDITOR: Ashli Wagner CIRCULATION MANAGER: Greg Frazier AUDIO EDITOR: Page Kimzey GRAPHICS EDITOR: Natalie Johnson ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Riley Mullgardt 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 314-963-6400 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, NSPA and CSPA.
February 2017
The ECHO FAMILY The ECHO Family helps make the ECHO possible. To become a member of the ECHO Family, please contact Greg Frazier at frostymoondust@yahoo.com. Thanks to all of our members!
Curtin Family Dugan Family Kathy Whaley Jodi Richards Kurt Krautmann Thomas J. Zychinski Peggy Drew Smegner Webster Kirkwood Times Don and Mary Ann Schafer Webster Groves Baptist Church
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ECHO
Opinion
3
Editorial
Act should be passed to protect student journalists School-sponsored media that isn’t established as a public forum can be censored by school administrations in Missouri. If the Cronkite New Voices Act passes, that will change. The ECHO supports this bill. The Cronkite New Voices Act recently passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and is currently in the Rules Committee. After it passes the Rules Committee, it will go to the House for a vote. This act would give Missouri’s student journalists the same rights and protections of any journalist if it passes and becomes law. The New Voices bill would protect student journalists and “student-media advisors” from punitive action if they published a story against the will of school administration. Several other states have passed Photo from NASA.gov similar bills including Illinois this past year. Last year, Missouri intro- The Cronkite New Voices Act is named after famous journalist Walter Cronkite. If it duced a similar bill to the legislature. passes, the law would protect student journalists whose papers are not protected as It passed the House and died in the student forums. Senate towards the end of the legislative session. The current bill is modeled after the New Voices duction of New Voices Act when high school journalists filed Act that passed in New Hampshire. suit against the Hazelwood School District. The students sued The ECHO is a public forum, and is protected by Dean v. Utica because they felt the administration broke their First Amendsince 2004. Page two of this ECHO includes the ECHO’s Edito- ment rights by deleting two pages of their school newspaper, The rial Policy which declares itself as a public forum. The ECHO’s Spectrum. editorial policy has included this statement for at least the last According to the case syllabus, the deleted section “included 30 years. Dean v. Utica stated that because Utica School News- an article describing school students’ experiences with pregpaper, The Arrow, was a “limited public forum” that the school nancy and another article discussing the impact of divorce on censoring the paper was unconstitutional and breaking the First students at the school.” Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled the deletion was not a violation of The presentation of news in any newspaper or “school-spon- the students First Amendment rights. This shows that the First sored media” should be presented without a filter giving a undis- Amendment rights of between two journalists differ, one being torted view of what the journalist intended. an adult and the other a student. The case syllabus also says the The purpose of a school-sponsored media is to allow students types of school newspaper “cannot be characterized as a forum to practice as journalists (used as reasoning in Dean v. Utica). for public expression.” This entails being able to exercise the same rights as professional After the Supreme Court decision, state legislatures introduced journalists. bills for statutory protection of student journalists. Such bills Having restrictions on “school-sponsored media” doesn’t al- have introduced in over 20 states. low for the newspaper to serve its purpose if the school can cenJohn Raimondo, associate principal, said he wants to promote sor its materials. Its purpose is presenting the reader with the First Amendment rights of students journalist. However, as a most relevant news or news the newspaper staff feels needs to be member of the school staff Raimondo can’t endorse the bill. publicized. If that is something that the school doesn’t like, so be Missouri Interscholastic Press Association,The Missouri Jourit. If this is the case, the school newspaper is probably the most nalism Education Association, the Missouri Press Association appropriate news source to cover it. and the Missouri College Media Association have all expressed Hazelwood Sch. Dist. v. Kuhlmeier (1988) led to the intro- their support for the New Voices Act.
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February 2017
4
Opinion
ECHO
Caleb’s Conception
Americans must stop attacking each other ed for one candidate or the other serves to do nothing other than deepen division and alienate anyone who disagrees with anyone else. This form of “protest,” as some people call it, is not productive, but it is sadly becoming increasingly more common. As a teenager in the golden age of technology, I see posts everyday that are, as we millennials would call them, extra, heated and straight up petty. Liberal thinkers commonly generalize all Republicans as racists, misogynists and xenophobes. Conservatives generalize Democrats as crybabies and whiners, denounce feminism as cancer and argue that anyone who identifies as anything other than the two cis genders is seeking attention or is just plain dumb. Both sides go out of their way to pick fights with each other, both Caleb Bolin on and off of social media. Political Columnist When we label everyone whose views do not align with our own as wrong or stupid, we lose our ability to compromise, Days after the 2016 election cycle, I urged people, no matter and we start talking without speaking to each other and hearwhom they supported in the various campaigns to continue fight- ing things without listening to each other--like some sort of sick, twisted Simon and Garfunkel “Sounds of Silence” parody. ing for what they believed in. A refusal to speak/ Even before Donlisten to each other ald Trump’s inaugutends to breed increasration, people began ingly more extreme protesting against viewpoints and leads him and the things to gridlock, which he said on the camthen leads to further paign trail. After his extremity and general inauguration, prodiscontentment with tests became even the political system. more frequent-- and Congress has an apeven more extreme. proval rating of less Protests like the than 20 percent acWomen’s March cording to the Gallup on Jan. 9, and othpoll. Forty percent of er similar protests Americans approve around the country of President Trump. and world saw milFriendships and relalions of people stand tionships are on the up for what they berocks. Social media is lieve in; it was awePhoto by Ashli Wagner filled with posts and inspiring to see. Pro-life protesters stand next to a separate group of people protesting a comments claiming Now, as protests proposal to defund Planned Parenthood on Feb. 11, outside of the St. Louis everyone is a racist or continue, I am goPlanned Parenthood. a sexist or that femiing to offer a helpful nists are unintelligent. bit of advice to those The solution to all of these problems is simple: stop “protestwho are out there fighting for whichever causes they care about: know whom/what you are protesting and keep your focus on that ing” other people’s opinions--it is their right to have them. Inone person or that issue. Do not take your eye off the metaphori- stead, protest legislation, the words of elected officials or other things that are specific. cal ball. Name-calling and generalizing millions of people cannot To protest the proposed defunding of Planned Parenthood, the border wall or the immigration ban demonstrates poise and change anything for the better, but listening to each other and thoughtfulness. Even protesting someone who uses hate speech having a willingness to try and understand where other people are coming from can do so. is powerful. This kind of protest is productive. The choice is ours. On the other hand, “protesting” and attacking people who vot-
February 2017
wgecho.org
ECHO
Opinion
5
Op-ed
Teachers should prioritize All-Write Festival
events throughout the course of the week, but others--like math, science and other subjects less directly related to the All-Write content--may not go at all. Teachers of subjects not related to All-Write may believe the festival has nothing to do with what their students are learning. That attitude is eerily similar to the selfish, closedminded outlook that has led our country to become more and more divided and unwilling to compromise. Students are not strictly mathematicians or scientists every waking hour of the day. Students are humans, and AllWrite’s guests and workshops touch on how people can better get in touch with their humanity. As Robin Williams’ charPhoto by Cole Schnell acter said in Dead Poets SociComedian Sara Schaefer tells one of her stories in Roberts Gym as part of last year’s All ety, “We don’t read and write Write Festival. poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because Caleb Bolin we are members of the human Feature Editor race, and the human race is filled with passion, and medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necesAll-Write Festival--a week-long affair that brings together re- sary to sustain life, but poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are spected musicians, journalists, filmmakers, comedians and other what we stay alive for. notable figures, and students with creative ambition-- is entering “To quote from Whitman, ‘O me, O life!... of the questions of its third year at Webster. these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless…of the citThis year’s lineup of guests will be the most extensive in the ies filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ festival’s short history, including some 45 speakers/perform- Answer. That you are here--that life exists and identity; that the ers--15 more than the previous year’s lineup. powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. That the Students also can sign up for a variety of workshops, focused powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. What on poetry, screenwriting, children’s books and a wide range of will your verse be?” other topics. Williams’ character, though speaking of poetry, makes an imThough the All-Write Festival offers a great variety of op- portant point about the fine arts and humanities in general. He portunities for students to learn about various career paths and dares to ask the important question: what will we, as living hutapping into their own creative potential, it can be difficult for man beings, contribute to the world? What will our verse be? students to listen to every speaker they find interesting or to at- Students may never learn how to contribute their own verse to tend a workshop. Each hour of the day during the festival, a lot the powerful play that is life if they are not afforded the chance of things are going on, and sometimes two events can be held to learn about how they can do so. during the same hour. With so much going on, it can be difficult Teachers of all subjects should prioritize the All-Write Festifor students to choose which event they would like to attend. val. At the end of the day, students are, most importantly, human To make matters worse for students, many teachers make it and can learn from the humanities and fine arts--no matter what hard to attend All-Write events during their hour. Some subjects- career they plan on pursuing or what they plan on studying in -particularly the fine arts and English classes--go to several college.
wgecho.org
February 2017
6
News
ECHO Students organize benefit for friend hit by truck Natalie Johnson Graphics Editor
Last September sophomore James Groenier’s life changed forever. While walking past Webster University’s Emerson Library, a truck hit Groenier, dragging him under the vehicle for 20-30 feet. Webster University students came to Groenier’s aid, stopping the driver and pulling Groenier from under the truck. Groenier has spent several weeks in the hospital, and received surgery on his knee recently. According to the GoFundMe page dedicated to Groenier, his injuries were so severe it took doctors weeks to be able to evaluate his condition. Sophomore Isabelle Blake, a longtime friend of Groenier, said her and his other friends have been in constant communication with Groenier the past few months. The friends are all in a group chat. Blake said Groenier demonstrates his appreciation for his friend’s support by sending them gifts via Amazon or ordering
them food. A benefit concert will be held in the auditorium March 10, from 7-9 p.m. All proceeds will be donated to the Groenier family to help cover the medical expenses. The “mastermind,” as Blake put it, behind the concert was sophomore Owen Ragland. Ragland said his mom came up with the original idea of holding a benefit, but he organized it with the help of friends and drama teacher Todd Schaefer. The benefit will have performances by pop group Bella and Lily, WGHS a cappella groups A-Men and A-Ladies, alumni Dorian Palmer, a jazz trio, sophomores Sam Toskin’s and Christian Ragain’s one act “Cheating Doesn’t Pay,” and more. Between performances stories will be told about the accident. There will be a minute where a basket will be passed around to collect donations from the audience. Donations to Groenier and his family can also be made on his GoFundMe page, which has raised over $7,000 of the $25,000 goal.
Photo from GoFundMe.com
A GoFundMe page has been made for Groenier and his family. It has information about his accident and his recovery.
James Groenier Benefit Concert March 10 7-10 p.m. in the auditorium February 2017
wgecho.org
7
News
ECHO
Students build, compete with robots Page Kimzey Audio Editor
WGHS has two robotics teams and two robotics classes in which students can learn how to design, create and maneuver robots. The robotics classes are first and second hour, and are co-taught by Frank Mandernach and Tom O’Toole. The teams are divided into Black and Orange teams, which are decided at the beginning of the year by advisors Margaret Skouby, Jeanette Hencken and Nicholas Kirschman. The teams meet Tuesday and Thursday from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. in the robotics room in the industrial tech area. During this time period, they prepare for tournaments where the teams compete with different schools and individuals who are not credited with any schools. Photo by Jeanette Hencken “They [the teams] are registered as US First FTC, which stands for First Tech Challenge Robotics Statesbots Black team gets its robot judged during competition at MerTeams. That means that they have a challenge that emac College. they are given, multiple challenges, where they design and build a robot around the challenge,” Hencken said. bot team from another school to battle against two other robot In competitions, the Statesbots robot teams pair up with a ro- teams. At competition the teams are judged on more than just how well their robots perform, but also the process it took to get to build the robot and the size and look of the robot. By being judged, all teams earn points and can advance to the next level of competition to earn trophies throughout all levels of competition until teams reach the Robotics World Championship, which has been held in St. Louis for the past five years. The Black Statesbots is unofficially ran by senior Prem Rao and junior Ben Leinehan, but within this team, there are smaller Follow the Statesmen! sub-teams for wiring, programing, building, etc, which are typiSchedules, photos and cally ran by upperclassman who are teaching the underclassman the tricks of the trade. game day scores. This team has participated in multiple qualifiers, one being at Join the Fan Wall! Meramec right after WGHS got back from winter break. Seniors Mike McPherson, Colin Gilker and Ryley Wilson lead Download the Orange Team, which also participated in multiple qualifiers for FREE! one being the weekend of Feb. 18, in Rolla. “I really enjoy competition, as exhausting as it is, and despite the fact by the end of the day you’re running on adrenaline and jolly ranchers alone...In all honestly I really like the meetings because we just sit in the robotics room, take our shoes off and have fun,” Wilson said.
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February 2017
8
In-Depth
ECHO
Webster Groves High School English depar Andy Kimball and Jake Collins Editor-in-Chief and Junior Editor This week students and teachers will have the opportunity to see events, listen to speakers and participate in workshops during the third annual All Write Festival. The festival will feature different kinds of writers, from authors Peter Ames Carlin, Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock and Travis Mossotti, to comedian Aparna Nancherla. Among the professional speakers and performers some students are also involved. Junior Kate Becker wrote and directed “ViCE,” a one act show about creative process and how phones interrupt it. Sophomores Sam Toskin and Christian Ragin wrote “Cheating Doesn’t Pay,” a story about an underdog boxer who faces his inner demons while fighting his way to glory. English teacher Rita Chapman started working on the idea
Peter Ames Carlin Peter Ames Carlin is a music biographer who has had multiple books appear on the New York Time’s bestseller list. Carlin has written biographies about Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney. Carlin started writing after quitting his high school jazz band to be the editor of his school paper. Then he wrote for his college papers at Macalester College and Lewis and Clark College. After college, Carlin began writing for The Oregonian. After writing for the Oregonian Carlin wrote longer feature pieces for People magazine. Carlin said, “I always had the vision of being a non-fiction writer where you take people and places and put them in a larger context.” Carlin said, “I started to write a series of stories on Brian Wilson, and then I ended up making a biography of him. It worked out really well, and then I wrote about Paul (Simon) and Bruce (Springsteen)...I always wanted to do this kind of writing and got to find a niche in it.” Carlin wanted to come to All-Write to visit Saint Louis and to talk to students interested in becoming writers. “Being able to come to Saint Louis and the prospect of talking to students who might want to be writers is appealing. I want to be able to point out some bread crumbs I’ve left to help people become writers later in life,” Carlin said. Carlin said his main goal is to show students ways to become a writer and to show them that it is possible for anyone. “I want to at least explain why (writing) is important and explain how you do it. I want to take writing from the abstract and put it in a step by step way to show people it is possible to get there. It’s hard but it’s possible,” Carlin said.
February 2017
Alumnus Jakini Ingram interviews Ilyasah Shabazz during last year’s A
of the All Write festival after visiting “Writers Week” at Hazelwood West High School. Chapman applied for and received a federal grant which helped Poet Travis Mossotti will talk start the festival. shop” during All-Write Week. Chapman said, “One of the things I Mossotti was awarded the 2013 noticed was that the students there were ry Prize for his book, Field Study excited and really engaged. They were otti’s time in the field over the las especially engaged by other students on (a carnivore biologist) on endang stage, and they were very supportive toacross North America,” accordin wards others when they were sharing.” Mossotti, an English major wit Chapman said, “(I liked) the idea about how to turn the “idea of be building of a week in the school year About his “Wordshop” plans, M for writing and the sharing of writing he had no clue yet, but then relate and the idea of writing being more pubsaying how he wants to talk abou lic. At school writing is usually just beetry as a career, to a career in poe tween the student and the teacher.” Mossotti only found out abou Once Chapman came up with the Steve Leftridge e-mailed him ask idea, Steve Leftridge and a group of a workshop at the festival. English teachers and started putting together the festival’s first year. Leftridge said, “We did a three-day event with 20 writers, and it was all in the Little Theater, but it was a really successful first shot at it. The kids really dug it, and the staff had a great time, and the authors were really impressed with it. It just felt really good, and we were like,
Travis Mos
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ECHO
In-Depth
rtment presents 2017 All-Write Festival
9
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
All-Write festival.
Photo by Kadifa Tabakovic
‘Okay; I guess we better keep doing this.’” The festival expanded to five days last year and has expanded even more to students and teach a “Wordthis year with around 50 writers this year. 3 Melissa Lanitis Gregory PoetLeftridge said, “We’ve just worked y, which is about “Travis Mossreally hard (to expand the event.) st decade, working with his wife Mainly, it is just the commitment of gered species recovery efforts all some of our staff members by seeking ng to his website. out these writers and coming up with th a French minor, plans to talk new creative ideas for presenting the eing a poet” to “being a poet.” events. We have worked with the arts Mossotti laughed a bit and said department and have a writing award ed it back to his speaking event to get students involved.” ut “moving from the idea of poLeftridge added the festival has etry.” tried to expand student involvement. ut the All-Write Festival when “We worked really hard to be as inking if he would speak and teach clusive and expansive as possible with what we are offering and how many students get involved,” Leftridge said. This year speakers will receive artwork made by students as a gift for coming to All Write, students will play music before speakers, and juniors Simon Moore and Zach Biscan will direct films to be shown before sessions.
ssotti
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Author Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock is a new writer coming to AllWrite after publishing her debut novel “The Smell of Other People’s Houses.” The book has received accolades including an appearance on Barnes and Noble’s top 25 books of 2016. “The Smell of Other People’s Houses” is a young adult novel that tells a story about four teenagers living in Hitchcock’s home state Alaska. About what inspired her book, Hitchcock said, “I had just left Alaska for the first time and was incredibly homesick, so I tapped back into all of my childhood memories and wrote about the place as I remembered it, which is why it had to be set in the 1970s.” Hitchcock said many of her past professions helped her write her novel. Before Hitchcock began writing her novel, she worked as a commercial fisherman and a reporter for Alaska public radio stations. “One of the stories in the book comes straight out of raising my kids on a commercial salmon boat in Southeast Alaska, and I was a radio reporter for 15 years as well, so I wrote every single day and that definitely helped. It also helped me have a lot of interesting quirky characters in my book,” Hitchcock said. Hitchcock also has chosen to live without much internet access. “It’s just a personal choice of mine not to have it, probably because I did try living in the lower ’48 (what we call the rest of the U.S.) and found it to be exhausting. My book is all about what it was like growing up more removed from the rest of the country, so I think just in that way it influenced everything about my writing and my life,” Hitchcock said. Hitchcock said she was interested in going to All-Write partially because her children have just moved to Saint Louis. She added, “I have become really impressed by the art community in St. Louis and how much is going on in this city” and “I’m even more thrilled to spend a week with authors and artists in this incredible place, and I’ve heard great things about All Write so I’m excited to check it out.” Also an All-Write at Steger event will expand the festival to multiple schools in the district. The festival also includes the “Jonathan Franzen Award,” which is an award given out to the winner of a writing competition open to WGHS students. WGHS’ literary magazine, The Branch, is putting out a special edition that will include the finalists for the competition. Those finalists will read their pieces before the award is handed out. Alumni Samuel Leech received the award last year.
February 2017
Feature 10 ECHO Mardi Gras madness almost ended holiday Riley Mullgardt Entertainment Editor Beads, King Cake and feathers are all signs of the ever so popular holiday Mardi Gras. The St. Louis’ Mardi Gras parade was Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. starting at Busch Stadium and ending at Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and the Beggin’ Pet Parade was Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. Junior Sophie Crank said, “The dog parade was so fun because all the dogs are cute.” According to the STL Mardi Gras website, there was entertainment like the “Bud Light Block Party, the High Heel Drag Race, live music and a giant post-parade street party and celebration held throughout Soulard.” Freshman Ainsley McDermott said, “It was really festive, and I felt like I was in New Orleans.” Mardi Gras is originally a Catholic holiday, which takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a French term that means, “fat Tuesday,” meaning people eat everything they want before Lent. (Lent starts the day after Mardi Gras, and it is when everyone gives up an object or food until Easter to symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness enduring the temptation of Satan). According to the Washington Post, the top 15 things given up for Lent in 2016 were school, chocolate, twitter, swearing, alcohol, soda, social networking, sweets, fast food, homework, lent, junk food, meat, chips and coffee. The first Mardi Gras celebration in America was held in Alabama in 1699, but nothing was officially organized like it is now. Basically, everyone could do whatever they wanted, anywhere they wanted.
Photo from Public Domain Wiki Commons
Store windows feature Mardi Gras displays and details in store windows during the Mardi Gras season in Mobile, AL.
In the 1800s things started to get extremely rowdy and violet. The holiday was almost banned by the U.S. government officials from continuing until a group of six people decided to make it more formal by starting a private club that would present a parade based off a theme. By 1872 the club was succeeding and had set official colors of purple, green and gold. Fast forward to the 20th century and the parades are still around with even more entertainment. In Saint Louis there are parades, puppy parades, private balls, races and food competitions like the Missouri Lottery Run For Your Beads 5K on Feb. 18.
Write a Letter to the Echo! Letters must be less than 300 words and can be emailed to wgecho@wgmail.org or dropped off in room 155. February 2017
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ECHO
Feature
11
Column
Student fails to save grade with class pass Natalie Johnson Humor Colomnist While this situation is real, these specific details are not. After a full semester of avoiding the restroom during fifth period, Emily Haimeyer was proud and confident in her achievement of retaining all 10 bathroom/water fountain passes, worth five points each into her final grade. Despite Haimeyer’s efforts to pull a Hail Mary and raise her borderline grade to subpar, the passes were not enough. “The odds were definitely against me,” Haimeyer said. “I had the class right after lunch at 12:45, right when the sprinklers came on outside the window and when my teacher made his afternoon pot of coffee.” About other challenges faced during fifth period, Haimeyer pointed out how difficult it is to focus when your bladder is full
Riley Mullgardt Entertainment Editor
enough to make the school facilities look desirable of use. “I definitely fell behind on work in class because I was always so set on saving my pass,” Haimeyer’s teacher who asked to remain anonymous said in an email about the passes: “I would honestly let her use the bathroom if she just asked. She wouldn’t need to use a pass. I just give the passes out to make sure students aren’t wasting class time wandering the halls.” The pressing issue of lack of communication between teachers and students is perPhoto by Natalie Johnson fectly exemplified in the deBathroom passes hang in class room awaiting mise of Haimeyer. someone to use them.
Upcoming Events
Beads, King Cake and feathers are all signs of the ever so popular holiday Mardi Gras. The St. Louis’ Mardi Gras parade was Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. starting at Busch Stadium and ending at Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and the Beggin’ Pet Parade was Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. Junior Sophie Crank said, “The dog parade was so fun because all the dogs are cute.” According to the STL Mardi Gras website, there was entertainment like the “Bud Light Block Party, the High Heel Drag Race, live music and a giant post-parade street party and celebration held throughout Soulard.” Freshman Ainsley McDermott said, “It was really festive, and I felt like I was in New Orleans.” Mardi Gras is originally a Catholic holiday, which takes place the day before Ash Wednesday. It is a French term that means, “fat Tuesday,” meaning people eat everything they want before Lent. (Lent starts the day after Mardi Gras, and it is when everyone gives up an object or food until Easter to symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness enduring the temptation of Satan). According to the Washington Post, the top 15 things given up for Lent in 2016 were school, chocolate, twitter, swearing, alcohol, soda, social networking, sweets, fast food, homework, lent, junk food, meat, chips and coffee. The first Mardi Gras celebration in America was held in Alabama in 1699, but nothing was officially organized like it is now. Basically, everyone could do whatever they wanted, anywhere they wanted. In the 1800s things started to get extremely rowdy and violet. The holiday was almost banned by the U.S. government officials from continuing until a group of six people decided to make it more formal by starting a private club that would present a parade based off a theme. By 1872 the club was succeeding and had set official colors of purple, green and gold. Fast forward to the 20th century and the parades are still around with even more entertainment. In Saint Louis there are parades, puppy parades, private balls, races and food competitions like the Missouri Lottery Run For Your Beads 5K on Feb. 18.
• • • • • • • •
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All Write Feb. 28 - March 3 Parent Teacher Conferences March 14 - 16 Spring Sports Assembly March 16 No School March 17 Spring Break - March 20 24 School resumes March 27 Student Council Elections March 30
February 2017
12
Sports
Bennett from the Bleachers
ECHO
Playoff Preview: the road to State for Webster basketball Bennett Durando Sports Columnist It’s official: after three months of basketball in Roberts Gym and across Missouri, the playoffs are here. Both the Statesmen and Stateswomen have potential to make deep runs, but six games stand in their way between season-ending defeat and championship glory. Here is a look at the road to State for both teams.
Webster Statesmen With Webster rolling into the playoffs at (9-13) / Holt (8-14) / Battle (8-12) State Quarterfinal: vs. District 5 or 23-2 and as the top-ranked team in Missouri, Statesmen fans have reason to be- 6 Champion (four most likely teams): Francis Howell (20-5) / Lafayette (13lieve this finally could be their year. If the Statesmen want a State champion- 12) / Parkway South (17-9) / CBC (17-9) Even the least imposing of these poship, though, first they’ll have to capture an elusive District title that they’ve fallen tential quarterfinal opponents is dangershort of back-to-back years. Starting to- ous. Webster trailed in the second half morrow night in the Lindbergh-hosted at Lafayette this season, squeaking away District 7, here’s what Webster’s path to with a 61-57 victory after icing the game at the foul line in the final seconds. Parkthe Sweet 16 looks like. District Semifinal: Webster (23-2) vs. way South and Francis Howell are both area teams that have flown under the raMehlville (7-14) / Oakville (7-16) District Final: vs. Lindbergh (18-6) / dar. CBC, though not as dominant as the program is accustomed Vianney (11-13) to being, has proven it Neither Lindbergh nor MBCA Top 10 Poll can beat anyone in the Vianney is a team to be 1. Webster Groves state with an 82-73 win overlooked. Lindbergh, over Chaminade. along with hosting the po- 2. Kickapoo State Semifinal: vs. tential clash, has had an 3. Lee’s Summit West District 9, 10, 11 or 12 impressive season led by 4. SLUH Champion (six most senior forward Spencer 5. Chaminade likely teams): Rock Levi, playing CBC within 6. Nixa Bridge (17-4) / Kickaseven points and winning poo (18-4) / Nixa (20at Ritenour by 15, where 7. Rock Bridge 3) / Republic (17-5) / Webster escaped with only 8. Liberty Glendale (19-6) / Blue a two-point victory. 9. Park Hill South Springs (15-8) Vianney, contrary to its 10. Republic The battle to be the record, is always a force, best in the Springfield having already beaten Lindbergh by 13 this season. For Vianney, area is surprisingly competitive, with pea Webster showdown would be personal rennial powers Kickapoo and Nixa often too; junior national recruit Carte’Are Gor- considered two of the three best teams on don left Vianney last year for the States- the western half of the state, and with other tough opponents such as Glendale and men. If Webster conquers its past struggles Republic to keep them in check. If the Statesmen are going to run into in Districts, it would take two more wins to reach the Final Four at State. Regard- another St. Louis area power, it won’t be less of who the team matches up with in until the potential State final. State Final: vs. District 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, the potential Sectional game, it will be a 14, 15 or 16 Champion (six most likely heavy favorite. Sectional: vs. District 8 Champion: teams): Chaminade (20-5) / SLUH (20Troy Buchanan (10-11) / Jefferson City 6) / Lee’s Summit West (17-2) / Park Hill South (18-6) / Park Hill (18-5) / Raytown
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Photo by Andy Kimball
Junior Carte’Are Gordon celebrates a dunk in a win over Iowa City West Feb. 11, in Kansas City.
(17-5) Chaminade, from an outside point of view, is most likely team to make it that far, but the defending champs have struggled as of late, losing four of their last eight after being the top-ranked team in Missouri for most of the season with a 16-1 start. The most fascinating district for the Statesmen other than their own is District 4, which includes both Chaminade and SLUH. SLUH took down Chaminade to raise eyebrows late in the regular season, but it’s their likely matchup in the District finals that will really send sparks flying. Regardless how it turns out, one of the two local and state private school powers will be eliminated early. Lee’s Summit West is vastly considered Kansas City’s best, though the nearby Park Hill schools are dangerous as well. Anyone Webster faces from the quarterfinals on will be a challenge. The Statesmen have proven all year that they have the talent, and now, at the end of the regular season, they’ve been rewarded for their consistency and resilience by being given Missouri’s number one ranking by both major polls for the first time. Now, whatever happens from here on out will be a product of the Statesmen’s experience. They’re winners of 17 straight, but it’s the next six that are season-defining.
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Webster Stateswomen Webster has a legitimate championship at chance to repeat as District MBCA Top 10 Poll SLUH. champions and more, de- 1. Lee’s Summit North With a District spite underperforming com- 2. Kirkwood title, Webster would pared to last year’s similar move on the last 16 3. Washington team. in the State for a secThe Stateswomen kick 4. Jefferson City tional playoff bout off the postseason in the 5. Kickapoo against the District 8 District 7 semis tonight at 6. Rock Bridge champion on March Lindbergh at 5:30 p.m. The 7. Hickman 8. path to a District title looks Sectional: vs. Dis8. Lebanon like this: trict 8 Champion: District Semifinal: Web- 9. Blue Springs South Jefferson City (17-3) ster (15-11) vs. Lindbergh 10. Jackson / Troy Buchanan (6(9-15)/ Mehlville (3-19) 14) / Battle (10-13) / Final: vs. Cor Jesu (12Holt (8-12) 13) / Oakville (14-9) Here is where Webster could run into its Cor Jesu, who poses the greatest threat first huge bump in the road. Jefferson City to Webster, is the only team in the District has been one of the best in the state, and the team has played. The Stateswomen crushed the Stateswomen 59-36 earlier won 53-43 in Roberts at the Webster this year. Winter Challenge. The Stateswomen also It would likely take the team a big updefeated Cor Jesu in last year’s District set to return to the State quarterfinals for a
second straight year, but if it does make it that far, things would only get harder. State Quarterfinal: vs. District 5 or 6 Champion (two most likely opponents): Kirkwood (22-3) / Washington (22-3) This route to the Final Four is not fortunate; in the three districts surrounding Webster’s District 7, the three top seeds, Jefferson City, Kirkwood and Washington, are all among the top-four ranked teams in the state. If the Stateswomen have all their pieces, they still can and will be dangerous. Recurring small injuries to junior standouts Jaidah Stewart and KK Rodriguez have held them back from their full potential; both stars’ presence and leadership will be necessary if Webster wants to make a deep run. With both of them present and healthy on senior night, the Stateswomen won by 21 with the pair combining for an unbelievable 58 points ... Stewart scored 39 of those. With them healthy in the postseason, who knows how far they could go.
Champion takes over Stateswomen soccer program Evelyn Trampe Contributing Writer
If one asks a Kirkwood teacher about an upcoming WebsterKirkwood soccer game, he/she might not expect to hear about how much fun it is to play against Kirkwood, but that’s exactly what Thom Champion will say. Champion is a teacher and former soccer coach at Kirkwood high school, and this year he takes over as Webster’s head women’s soccer coach. Champion is no stranger to soccer: he played in high school, at Forest Park college, and then went on to coach college/high school soccer. Champion said, “Well, [coaching is] a lot harder. Playing is easy. You just go out and play. As a coach you’ve got to deal with players, you’ve got to deal with parents, and you have to deal with grades. That’s a lot. It’s not just on field coaching; that’s hard enough.” At the end of last year, Webster lost its previous coach, Chris Allen, who took a job as an assistant coach for the Saint Louis University women’s soccer team. “[Allen] was a big part of our program,” senior goalie and Arkansas State commit Megan McClure said. “He brought a lot of energy, and it’s definitely going to be different, and we were all sad to let him go, but we are all happy that he’s gone to an amazing coaching opportunity at SLU.”
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Many returning players are upset about Allen leaving, but excited for the change and the ability to continue some of the program’s traditions with Champion. On what traditions she wants to be kept in the soccer program, senior left wing back Maggie Nash said, “I want to keep Morning Madness (early morning preseason practices); I want to keep the Martin Luther King tournament; the chicken wing eating competition. On a program level I want to keep all of our 12 core values (the team’s shared team values) and to keep our team like a family,” About how his coaching approach is different than Allen’s, Champion said, “That’s hard to say. I mean, I wasn’t as practiced as him. I think it’s just a different style probably. They were a good team last year, so I don’t think there’s a huge difference as far as motivating players. It’s always a difference of style and play.” “We get along well, and the players just play, and the coaches just coach,” said Champion on how the coaching transition is affecting the team. “Players are used to that; they change coaches all the time... they play select, and they have a different coach. They are always changing teams. They adapt pretty well.” The senior Webster Groves women’s soccer players believe with Champion, they can continue their traditions while creating new ones, and this change in coaching will help maintain their winning ways and possibly lead to a State title.
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Veterans, beginners work together for spring production
Greg Frazier Circulation Manager Sophomore Christian Ragain alongside others has never performed on a main stage before; however, he along with drama veterans will participate in the spring production, “Detective Story” on April 20, 21, and 22. With seven weeks of rehearsing for the production, the drama department is still early in its preparation for the play. Assistant director, junior Hannah Leatherbarrow, said, “‘Detective Story’ is an engaging crime drama leaving the audience wanting more.” This year’s spring production of “Detective Story” has cast “around 28-30 total characters” said Todd Schaefer. The entire production has over 40 technicians and stagehands. The drama department is recreating the exact stage that was per-
formed on Broadway. Senior Jacob Nocè was originally cast for the lead, McLeod, but due to “outside priorities,” sophomore co-casting director Joe Castleman said, Nocè decided against acting as McLeod and in the production as a whole. The drama department had to recast for McLeod, and junior Logan Corzine is now the lead. The “Detective Story” is among one of two productions that the drama department has put on this year. The musical “The Little Mermaid” was the first one which was the fall production and was “more ambitious and required $3,000 for the rights from Disney,” drama teacher Sarah Romanowski said. Monday, April 17, is the first dress rehearsal, April 18 is the second, and April 19, is the final dress rehearsal. Each lasts four hours with the last one to be determined.
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February 2017
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Botan Beliefs
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Black history remains critical to America Abyana Botan Entertainment Columnist Black History Month is a month meant to celebrate all of the achievements of black pioneers. For the U.S.A. and Canada, Black History Month is in February, while The United Kingdom celebrates in October. Slavery isn’t the only thing in black history that should be taught in schools. Black history is endless, and slavery isn’t all there is to us. There are thousands of necessities that we use on a regular basis that were created by black people. It’s important to focus on the positive instead of the negative. Everyone knows about Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama and Rosa Parks, so here are four black pioneers, musicians, etc. you may not heard of.
Everyone who went to the circus to see the brothers were told they were descended from “a colony of sheep headed people,” according to BlackAmericaWeb.com. They would go on to perform all around the world and even for the Queen of England. The brothers were never paid for their work and were given slave treatment. George died in 1971, and the younger brother Willie passed away in 2001 at the age of 108.
2) Sarah Boone Sarah Boone was one of the first black female inventors and recipients of a patent of her time in the 1860s. Boone’s known for creating the iron board, but wasn’t given much credit in her time and isn’t recognized today. According to Bio. com, she wrote that the purpose of the ironing board was “to produce a cheap, simple, convenient and highly effective device, particularly Photo by Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/TNS adapted to be used in 4) Percy Lavon Ju- Sen. Barack Obama, first black president, and wife Michelle smooch at a ironing the sleeves and lian bodies of ladies’ garrally on the Pennsylvania primary night with special guest performance Percy Lavon Ju- by John Mellencamp on April 22, 2008, at Roberts Municipal Stadium in ments.” lian was a pioneering Evansville, Ind. (c) 2008 Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/TNS It is unknown whethchemist who took part er Boone received monin creating cortisone, ey from her creation, steroids and birth control pills. Without the invention of one of but because of the time period, I highly doubt that she was comthe most popular contraceptives, there would be a lot of unwant- pensated. ed/unexpected pregnancies. Julian founded his own laboratory in 1953, which he named 1) Bessie Blount Griffin Julian Laboratories. He sold the company in 1961 and was According to AAResitry.org, Bessie Blount Griffin was an inknown as one of the first black millionaires. ventor, physical therapist and forensic scientist. In 1973, Julian was elected to the National Academy of SciGriffin worked with the amputees of World War II. It was carences. He was the first black chemist to do so. In 1990, he was ing for the hurt that led her to create a device to help them beelected to the National Inventors Hall of Fame. come more independent. Julian died of liver cancer in 1975. Griffin invented a device that allowed a tube to feed the wounded. The device delivered food through a tube to a mouthpiece that 3) The Muse Brothers could be used whether the patient was sitting up or lying down. George and Willie Muse were albino brothers from the South In 1969, Blount started a career in forensic science with law in the 1800s. enforcement, including departments in New Jersey and Virginia The brothers were kidnapped and then sold off to a carnival becoming and by 1972 he chief document examiner for laborawhere they would live a life of performing until retiring in 1961. tories.
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Dog movie will bring viewers to tears-multiple times Caroline Fellows Online Editor “What is the meaning of life? Are we here for a reason? Is there a point to any of this?” While these may seem to be words from famous philosophers like Plato and Socrates, they’re actually from the dog Bailey (Josh Gad) in Universal Pictures’s “A Dog’s Purpose”- a movie which will send any viewer with a loving heart on an emotional roller-coaster. “A Dog’s Purpose” is essentially one story that follows a dog across several lives. Bailey is first taken in by a young boy named Ethan (played as a child by Bryce Gheisar, as a teen by KJ Apa and as a grown man by Dennis Quaid) and spends years playing, retrieving and even gets teenage Ethan a girlfriend, Hannah (played as a teen by Britt Robertson and as a grown women by Peggy Lipton). While he experiences the highs and lows of his life, Bailey ponderswhy is he here? Is his purpose in life simply to play and dig up dead cats? Is he just supposed to be with Ethan and Hannah his entire life, or is there a deeper meaning? Bailey ponders this questions throughout all his lives, and for each he has a different name, breed and owner. Since the movie is based off W. Bruce Cameron’s book of the
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same name, those who have read it should be able to understand these changes. However, for viewers unaware of the plot, it may be confusing as to why the dog keeps reincarnating when he does seem to find some purpose in each of these lives. Besides his life as a pet for Ethan, a few of his other lives are as a German shepherd police dog named Ellie, a corgi named Tino and a mixed breed named Buddy. It’s impossible for viewers not to fall in love with the cute little dog and all his adventures, but just as they become attached to each of his lives, they are whacked in the head like a piñata with another heart-wrenching death. In fact, “A Dog’s Purpose” offers many possibilities of ways dogs can die, which is probably not what viewers thought they’d be seeing when they bought their tickets to go see a movie about a dog. Gad provides enthusiastic, thought-provoking narration as the dog, but his cheerfulness and slightly annoying voice do get old after a while and will leave viewers wondering how a dog could have such deep, philosophical questions. Not to mention, some viewers will soon remember Gad’s role of Olaf in Disney’s “Frozen” and after that, the movie will never be the same again. “A Dog’s Purpose”-which is rated PG and runs for two hoursis definitely worth seeing- just as long as viewers bring a box of Kleenex.
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