WG ECHO January 2015 Issue

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We ECHO the news

January 2015 Volume 100 Issue 5 100 Selma Ave st. Louis MO 63119 Photo by Alex Ring and Eddy Berthier

Opinion

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Jack’s saucy satire

The ECHO gives tips to survive zombie apocalypse

Photo by Eddy Berthier from WikiCommons and adapted by Alex Ring

Junior Jack Killeen, senior Alex Ring and sophomore Bennett Durando portray a zombie apocalypse.

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.

January 2015

Jack Killeen Junior Editor With the popularity of the zombie apocalypse rising like a hand from the dirt, The ECHO has begun to fear such a reality.

ECHO staff members have devised strategies to survive against zombies in Webster High School for its readers.

Step 1: Amp up your playlist. ABBA is a great way to stay entertained during the zombie apocalypse. Its upbeat and catchy melodies will certainly keep survivalists optimistic in such times of doom.

NOTE: If listening to music through ear-buds, be sure to take them out in the hallway. It may be the zombie apocalypse, but school rules still apply.

Step 2: Avoid the cafeteria. If there were ever to be a virus to turn all of mankind brain-hungry, it almost certainly will be conceived in the school cafeteria, probably in the meats.

Step 3: Form a group. Do not pick couples because their frequency to neck at random times, including the passing periods in front of the whole student body, will create a hazard for other group members.

Couples will easily get distracted by compulsions in the most life-threatening of situations and are therefore labeled as

unreliable and incompetent.

Also when they break up, they make no effort to control their emotions and volume, practically yelling at the zombies their exact coordinates.

Step 4: Find somewhere to sleep. You can almost never be certain where a zombie might be hiding, but The ECHO guarantees its readers will never find a zombie in school bathrooms because of the bathrooms’ vile condition. Although it would mean safety from the living dead, the cons of living in Webster’s bathrooms greatly outweigh the pros of life.

Step 5: Follow the school dress code.

There’s a reason students aren’t allowed to show their shoulders, and that’s zombies. More skin coverage equals fewer biting areas and increased safety, so no spaghetti straps during the apocalypse!

Step 6: Find a clean source of water.

It may be tempting to take a sip from the school water fountains, but this is to be avoided like the sirens who entice sailors towards a rocky doom.

The mysterious green substance surrounding the faucets arouses The ECHO’s safety concerns for its readers. In fear of the unknown, don’t drink from the water fountains.

Step 7: Sign up for The ECHO. The newspaper is appealing to colleges and The ECHO can count as an English or practical art credit.

Step 8: Find a consistent source of food. Cockroaches are a nutritious and abundant supply of food at Webster High School. Survivalists will find that a cockroach-based diet is the easiest solution to avoiding starvation.

Following cockroaches are the school vending machines. With the vending snacks being so expensive, there will surely be a copious supply of stale popcorn chips leftover from pre-apocalypse life. The only problem posed by the vending machine food is taste.

Step 9: Set up a watch system. Be sure to keep a close eye on the senior entrance for incoming zombies because the person who’s supposed to watch the doors doesn’t always look up from his computer.

Follow all these steps, and you will most definitely survive.

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Students, teachers should ‘Score 1 for humanity’

Andy Kimball Opinion Columnist Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”

Einstein was talking about how once people are engulfed in their different types of technology (cell phones, laptops, tablets, iPods, etc.) that there will not be any human interaction, and then humans

Letter to the Editor:

would lose the knowledge gained from human interaction.

It is extreme to think this is the case for high school students today, but cell phones and technology are a distraction to students during class, and cell phones are something that hurts students’ learning, and therefore something the school district must change.

The health and human services department of Kent State University in Ohio surveyed over 500 students and found that students who used their phones during class had lower grades than students who did not.

Other findings suggested students who used their phones more often had higher anxiety and didn’t find as much happiness in life.

A possible solution is already being used

in some classes and, if put in place, would help raise productivity and attentiveness.

In some classrooms baskets are provided in which phones are put during class to keep students’ minds on the class and not on their phones.

Katie Guymon, English teacher, has a “phone basket” that references the Einstein quote about technology surpassing human interaction by having a piece of paper read “score one for humanity” on the front.

The school district’s mission statement is “academic and personal success for every student,” and if there’s anything that would hurt that success, like the use of phones during class, then it’s the district’s job to “score one for humanity” and find a solution.

Reader says blood drive should not discriminate Dear Editor, After reading the article about the school’s recent blood drive in the last edition of The ECHO, I began to think about the FDA’s ban on blood donations from men who have ever had sex with another man.

On Dec. 23, the FDA decided to ease its ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men, or “MSM.” The policy proposes changes to the ban first enacted in 1983, at the very beginning of the AIDS epidemic, which banned men who had ever had sex with men after the year 1976 from donating blood.

The new policy only bans men who have engaged in same-sex activity in the past 12 months. The original policy was understandable at the time, due to a lack

of research but is now out-dated. It has become very easy for blood to be screened for HIV/AIDS and already would be anyways.

While there is still a slim chance that infected blood could slip through, only one in 2 million people got HIV this way, according to the FDA. The risk is far too small to rule out an entire population of healthy donors.

In fact, the Williams Institute says that the new policy “could add about 317,000 pints of blood” to the nation’s supply every year or a 2 to 4 percent increase. If that’s how much blood could possibly donated just from MSM with a 12 month deferral, just imagine how much blood could be donated from all MSM. The American Medical Association and

Willie’s Comic

the American Red Cross, among others, have called upon the FDA to change.

The new step forward is necessary, but it’s not good enough. It discriminates broadly against all MSM, even if they practice safe, monogamous sex with partners who are HIV negative.

The FDA is choosing to discriminate against an estimated 4 million men, according to the Williams Institute’s estimate of gay and bisexual men in America.

We have a duty as citizens to demand an end to this discrimination. I strongly urge those who read this to write Sylvia Burwell, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services telling her that Americans deserve better than this.

Sincerely, David Patrick Schranck, Jr.

Comic by Willie Zempel

January 2015

Opinion

Kimball Konception

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Thespians travel to Kansas City Conference duets, monologues, scholarship interviews, meals with other high school thespians, tech challenges, the Improv Olympix, a dance and the final IE showcase.

Thespians attended several workshops every day, which explored acting, make-up, auditioning, form, lighting, set design, improv, Shakespeare, costumes and others.

Students also watched plays “The Sound of Music” and “Tarzan” on Thursday and Friday nights.

“We were honored with lots of recognition for the work the kids put in, and we also received Photo by Aerin Johnson top honors in several categories Sophomores Miles Umbaugh and Goldie Raznick and junior Lily Newsham of the Improv within our troupe,” Schaefer team prepare for the Improv Olympix on Jan. 10, with the help of senior Courtney Desaid. The WGHS Tech Team Groot. (sophomores Jacob Noce, Alex White and Maddy Toskin, and Phoebe Mussman team captain junior Jonah Schnell) won Best Overall Score, Web Editor which qualified it to compete again at Nationals.

“I really enjoyed tech team. We won this year, which was pretty awesome; there were six events, and we all placed near the Drama teacher Todd Schaefer enrolls his Thespian students top,” Schnell said. “It was a lot of work. Some of the categories every year in the Missouri State Thespian Conference, which were hard to prepare for, but we did what we could.” took place this month from Jan. 7- 10.

Previous to the conference, Schnell held regular practices after The theme of this year’s conference was “Time to Branch Out: school to help lower the teach team’s times on the events down Going to New Heights,” and 24 Webster students attended. Stuto what the state archives listed as the best score. The team won dents arrived at the high school at 4 a.m. to ride on a bus along third place in categories Knot Tying and Cable, and second place with their sister troupe from Lindbergh High School, missing in Legging and Sewing, which landed them in first place overall. two days of school for the trip.

Schnell became a State Thespian Officer this year and also Schaefer and Hixson drama teacher Eric Conners took the stuhelped raise about $2,000 at an auction table at the conference. dents to stay in the Downtown Marriot Hotel and KC Convention Sophomore Goldie Raznick was given an Accomplished RatCenter in Kansas City. Three to four students stayed in every ing in her monologue and qualified for Nationals, which will take room; they used a Skywalk to get from one tower of the Marriot place this June. to another and an underground tunnel to commute between the Senior Emily Jackoway and junior Justin Comegys performed hotel and convention center. part of the opening scene of “Rumors,” for which they received Junior Kate Arendes won an Accomplished Rating in Scenic an Accomplished Rating in Duet Acting and will advance to NaDesign, which featured her original scenery from the fall play tionals.

“Rumors.”

The website www.thescons.blogspot.com offers more photos In addition, Arendes’ one-act “The Woodlawn Redemption” and information regarding conferences the WGHS Drama dewas chosen to be showcased at the conference; she was assigned partment has participated in. to a director at the conference and found a cast by holding auditions. Her one-act was Webster’s first “page to stage” selection in over a decade.

“There was a great Q & A after each run [of the play]. She talked to the audiences about the process and had a great experience with the people involved. Kate wants to pursue writing and this proved to be a valuable part of her journey,” Schaefer explained. facebook.com/WebsterKirkwoodTimes Thespians participated in page-to-stage auditions, one-acts, twitter.com/WKTimes

Your Times.

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English department creates writers week Alex Ring Business Manager

“Not all writing is essays,” explained Rita Chapman, the English teacher who helped create the first annual All Write program.

This is a concept that is illustrated in the choices of award-winning writers who have been invited to speak at this writing conference.

Beginning on Feb. 25 and lasting until Feb. 27, students should expect 22 consecutive assemblies. This was a thought that initially scared Chapman and other English teachers, but after realizing the potential to inspire and introduce writing in a new light, the teachers understood the sacrifice, Chapman said.

Writing concepts go much further than they’re expected to go in a school setting.

Photo by Alex Ring Students will better understand the essential E nglish teacher Steve Leftridge addresses a freshman class on Jan. 20. He skills of writing and its diversity when carselected the writers to showcase in the upcoming writers week. toonists, novelists, children’s book authors, journalists and even songwriters are brought Guests like Ann Leckie, who has won the 2014 Hugo Award to Webster Groves, Chapman said, The idea of a writing festival or writers week started in Chi- for Best Novel with her book “Ancillary Justice,” and Dwight cago at William Fremd High School. The idea of dedicating a Bitikofer, who is a poet who to be accompanied by saxophone, week to literature and writing in every sense then found its way show different applications of writing that students will be exto Hazelwood West, which was the last step before bringing it to posed during the three and a half days.

Guest writers will present lecture-style workshops, question Webster Groves. Chapman and her English teaching colleagues sat in on a day of the writers week at Hazelwood West and had and answer sessions, interactive writing discussions and more in the Little Theater. instant inspiration, according to Chapman.

Like normal assemblies, teachers must sign up for their classes The selection process for writers was based off of two lists: to attend. writers who are local and writers who are prestigious.

Webster students have the opportunity at a cash prize if they “Lucky for us, those two lists overlap,” Chapman said.

English teacher Steve Leftridge is in charge of the selection submit a piece to the writing competition. The winners will read process, and by just sending emails to local authors, he found their writing as an opening act for a few of the guest writers. Submission forms are found in English teacher’s classrooms. himself having to organize schedules of over 20 professionals.

News in brief...

Parents Club auction raises funds for scholarships, grants

Parent Club’s Reach for the Stars Auction will be Feb. 7, from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. at the Cardinal Rigali Center.

Since this is the group’s largest fund raiser for the year, organizers hope it will help significantly in the groups goal to raise the $35,000 in need-based scholarship funding and $12,000 in educational grants.

Tickets range in price from $30 for a single person to $500 for a table of 10.

Church members offer volunteer opportunities

Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens members will reach out to their community through their services on Feb. 7. They will finish a home makeover and are now accepting volunteers.

On March 17, a group of 15 to 40 volunteers will meet at the church and go into the community. Non members can participate, including students looking for service hours; common projects include yard work, house repairs and organizing homes. The purpose of this service is to help those who are physically or financial incapable of completing these projects themselves

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Junior hospitalized after New Year’s Eve Car Crash Bennett Durando Sports Columnist Junior Emma Casey was hospitalized in critical condition after a car crash on New Year’s Eve that resulted in the death of her boyfriend, who was driving the vehicle.

Casey was riding as a passenger when the accident occurred.

Her boyfriend Xander Wohlstadter, 20, was declared dead at the scene of the crash.

“We are (Emma’s) biggest cheerleaders, and I am sure inside she is so annoyed with us because we are always in her face kissing her and loving her and doing everything every second to try to make her comfortable,” Casey’s mother Christina Gullet said in a Jan. 13, journal entry on Casey’s Caringbridge page.

Those looking to donate funds to help Casey’s recovery can visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/emmacasey. “(Emma) continues to amaze us daily,” Gullet said in a Jan. 19, journal entry. “We will have strength together to get her through the loss of a very close person in her life. When the time comes and we will continue to focus on the positive things that have manifested from such a horrific event in our lives.”

Casey has been in a wheelchair for about two weeks. She began to wake up on Jan. 4, four days after the accident.

The crash took place at the intersection of Chouteau Avenue and South Jefferson, when a 26-year-old man ran a red light and left the vehicle with Wohlstadter and Casey broad sided. The man who ran the red light was reported not to have been intoxicated.

The car with Wohlstadter and Casey was pushed into another vehicle stopped for the red light, injuring a passenger in that vehicle.

The man who allegedly caused the accident got out of his vehicle and ran from the scene, according to news accounts.

His attempt to flee failed when he was caught by officers a few blocks away from the crash. He was arrested but has since been released.

The 26-year-old has not been identified publicly yet, because charges have not being filed against him.

“We understand and share the community’s concern regarding this case,” said the St. Louis circuit attorney’s office in an email.

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January 2015

After car crash on New Year’s Eve, junior Emma Casey was hospitalized. During the past three weeks, Casey’s condition has improved.

“The investigation into the matter remains open and very active.

Police and prosecutors are doing everything possible to hold the person responsible accountable for his actions.”

Meanwhile, Casey remains hospitalized but has grown more functional over the past three weeks. According to Jan. 23, journal entry by Gullet, Casey spoke for the first time since the accident.

“Emma is awesome and works so hard to accomplish the goals that (therapists) have set for her,” Gullet said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her tenacity; she is one tough cookie.”

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Classrooms use more technology

Photo by De’Andre Scott

Sophomore Ben Hardin begins his class work using computers in the library during first lunch, Jan. 21

De’Andre Scott Circulation Manager Technology is becoming a more valuable resource as more classes offered revolve around the use of it; for example, showing students how to use technology to create art.

Dan Broshears, Technology Learning Center head, said how a class uses technology “depends on the teacher. Every classroom has a Smart Board. It matters how the teacher wants to use it.

Science has many things like laptops, desktops, microscopes and sensors.”

Students taking Physics classes are beginning to use it more.

Dr. David Schuster said the reason was because when he first got here all the technology for the physics department was from the ‘90s, and when he started teaching AP Physics in 2010, Schuster incorporated more technology into the class because “It’s a lot

hard to measure vectors with meter sticks,” said Schuster.

The physics department uses a special program called “Logger Pro” to get a more accurate reading.

Senior Ben Killeen said, “Technology allows students to get precise significant figures. We have sensors and laser pulleys to measure viscosity.”

Killeen is in a science independent study class learning about electromagnetism.

Sophomore Ben Hardin said, “Well, I video edit and use a program at the school, and I have the same one on my computer at home.”

Hardin has been video editing for two years now. “The technology here is nothing, just there. I don’t really even notice it.”

Phil Wojak, physics teacher, said, “When I first started teaching, students didn’t have calculators. We didn’t have Smart Boards. We had to use a slide rules.”

“The students are very good. The computers make things easier, but I like to do an experiment where we have computers versus the kids and see who which wins,” Wojak said.

“Technology has made things much easier,” 20th Century History teacher Scott Stallcup said.

“The closest thing we had was electric typewriters, and they didn’t save your work. If you didn’t finish, then that was it,” Stallcup said.

Other programs and websites that are being used include Khan Academy.

Khan Academy is a website offers practice exercises, instructional videos and a personalized learning dashboard. Khan Academy has more than just physics to offer. It can be used for English, math and history, and other things are still being included.

It offers all this for grades kindergarten to college preparation.

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Students sign up new year with new classes Willie Zempel Feature Editor “The best things always happen after we leave” is the classic line seniors use whenever they hear something good is happening the year after they leave. After hearing new courses offered for next year, they may be muttering that line time and time again.

A possible four new classes are available for next year’s students. Students can now take the required personal finance credit with accounting, which is similar to how students can take it currently with Marketing 1. There is also going to be an Honors U.S. Government class, so students can take the required course and get a weighted grade. The other completely new class is

Game Design and C#, according to assistant principal Angela Thompson. Renewable Energies and Conservation is also a new option if enough students sign up.

To find all the classes that students can take, go to the high school’s home page under “Students” or “Counseling.” Students can also talk to counselors to find out all the options they have.

Thompson said, “Students have always been encouraged to ask their teachers about new and exciting courses at the high school.

WGHS students are fortunate to have so many courses available to them and creative teachers who are always looking for more.”

Game Design and C# One new class students can take next year is how to create games for the computer.

The course description says students will be introduced to the C# language; examine interfaces, exceptions, file access and random numbers; learn how to gather user input using DirectX; learn to draw custom game characters using Adobe Illustrator; and learn to build 2D games using the Unity game engine.

The class will be taught by Java teacher Mark Young. He said he is incredibly excited for this class, and it is a huge step for the technology department.

“We’ve offered Progressions with Java for 10 years, and as time went on, we learned there’s a bigger demand for programming,” Young said.

The only prerequisite is a “C” or better in Algebra 1, and students can get dual credit through Missouri State if they’re interested in this type of career.

Current Java student junior Cross Vitale, who plans on taking Game Design and C# next year, said, “I live and breathe video games, so this is a class where I can put my skill to use.”

Young said everyone is invited to the class, but there is especially a shortfall for female programmers. Female programmers would have an easier time finding a career in this field as they bring different perspectives and diversity for programs, games and applications.

Photo by Willie Zempel

Java Teacher Mark Young tests out on Unity one of the games he is preparing for next year’s Game Design class.

“I invite all students to take this class, but it’s not for everybody. If your only interest is playing games, you’re taking the completely wrong course. You need to know how create games, not play them. This involves having strong math skills and being good at illustrating,” Young said.

Young said if the course is successful, the school will consider making an advanced Game Design class which will go more indepth and make 3D games.

Renewable Energies and Conservation Students who are looking to go green should take a gander at this new course.

Renewable Energies and Conservation, which would be taught by math teacher Glenn Dutch, is an option to sign up for next year.

It is a science class which focuses on clean and renewable energy and ways for people to help conserve the planet and its

January 2015

resources.

This class was an option last year, but not enough students signed up. The class may face the same fate as last year.

If any students think they may want to take this class, they should let either Dutch or the counselor’s office know, so they can have an accurate count if there are enough students to take it.

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Info graphic by Willie Zempel

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Rappers ‘spit bars’ to express themselves Bret Waelterman Video/Graphics Editor

of mine named Jose Marks, I have been rapping since seven.

Turns out, I’m pretty good at it.”

Ragland has rapped since he was seven; however, he started “Hip-Hop Club,” led by Dr. David Schuster, meets every getting pretty good in high school, he said. Ragland is also in Subtle Aggression Monopoly.

Monday after school.

Ragland’s stage name is “C@$p3R.” He performs in one “I love hip-hop because of the energy and how big of a range “gig,” also know hip-hop has. Hipas a show, at least hop is something once a month. you can experiRagland performs ment, and I love its at The Grove and freedom and clever Atomic Cowboy. rhymes,” Schuster “We have a said. “I consume; I new CD coming don’t produce.” out called ‘Daze Alumnus William & Nights.’ It will Berkawitz started be releasing this Hip-Hop Club, and spring,” Ragland it has stayed a club. said.

Sophomore “The Daze and Che Askew said, Nights” is a mix “I have always of old school been involved in hip-hop and new hip-hop and rapschool hip-hop, ping.” He added, “daze” being “My mom was alold school and ways into it, and “nights” being she introduced me new school. to ‘real’ hip-hop. I CDs will be have learned to rap, sold for $10. Anyand I believe I have one who is intergotten pretty good ested in getting at it.” this CD, should Askew performs contact Ragland. in a group called Photo by Donald Johnson Senior Marquis Subtle Aggression Senior Marquis Houston, Alumnus Chris Frey and senior Wes Ragland perform Houston (QueMonopoly. at the 2014 WGHS Talent Show on March 26, at 7 p.m. in the Jerry R. Knight Houston) started He shares his Auditorium. rapping because music on a website of early deprescalled Soundcloud, sion. He also is in Subtle Aggression Monopoly and performs and his username is “che.”

Askew will head to Austin, Tx, this spring to perform at South three nights each week at different locations around St. Louis.

Houston is also starting his own label called “Coaltion,” and

by South West (SXSW), This is a national rap contest for students and young performers. Askew is currently raising money he is trying to get away from more the business side of hip-hop to go, and said anyone willing to help should contact him. Dona- and wants to meet more artists.

“I rap because it is a different way to express, to express my tions will help fund the cost of the trip.

“I am a solo artist. Everyday I practice my writing, and I am philosophy on life,” Houston said.

Houston has been rapping since he has been 12, but he didn’t currently learning how to produce music,” said Askew.

Askew plans to eventually take rapping to the point where he start hip-hop until he was 14.

“Rap is not hip-hop; hip-hop is a culture, just like a religion. can pay the bills.

“I enjoy making music and rapping. It is a great way to let my Rap is a part of hip-hop. There are five stages of hip-hop. 1) voice be heard and express my opinion on my beliefs and opin- DJ’ing 2) Dancing 3) Rapping 4) Graffiti 5) Knowledge,” Houston said. ions on life,” said Askew.

Senior Wes Ragland said, “I was introduced by a good friend

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Aerin Johnson Editor in Chief Valentine’s Day is typically thought of as a day for spending time with loved ones. At WGHS, students think of it pretty much the same way.

The stereotypical Valentine’s Day date as thought by several students at the high school is going with a significant other out to dinner and a movie.

Senior Tiffany Nguyen agreed with this and said people give flowers and chocolates. She doesn’t think that this is always what happens though.

“Everyone else kind of just chills at home with each other, watches Netflix, doesn’t really do anything fancy,” Nguyen said.

Other students, like sophomores Genevieve Vaughn and Julia Huelsman hang out with their friends on Valentine’s Day. Vaughn and her friends go to movies, while Huelsman stays home and watches videos on her couch with her friends.

“My parents, they go out to eat and get each other presents,” Vaughn said about Valentine’s Day with her family.

“In my family we get each other presents.”

Other people stay home on Valentine’s Day. “Since I’m a single guy, I watch Netflix, I eat a lot of food, but if I have a significant someone, and they’re free, I’ll be like, ‘Hey, you want to go somewhere? I don’t know where, but let’s go do something,’” junior Nick Suber said.

Nguyen said, “This Valentine’s Day I’m going out, but other Valentine’s Days, I would be at home with Netflix and chocolate by myself.”

However, some with significant others on Valentine’s Day go out to dinner and also hang around the house. Senior Aron Tolin is one such person.

Tolin said, “I normally just go out to dinner (with my girlfriend) and hang out at my house and exchange our presents, which are normally poems that we write for each other.”

ECHO FAMILY The ECHO Family are some of the most benevolent members of our community, who with their donations support high school journalism and help make publications such as the ECHO possible. To become a member of the ECHO Family, please contact Alex Ring at ring.alexlee@gmail.com.

Laurie Murphy Webster Groves Baptist Church Kathy Whaley Zychinski Family Julie Harrelson Cross Vitale Mary Ann & Don Schafer The Jeffries Dugan Family Mickey Hayes James Williams Billy Johnson Dr. Sarah Riss Jameson Howard Curtin Family Gavin Turner Kevin Killeen Isaiah Oesterlei

January 2015

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Students discuss Valentine’s Day stereotypes

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Women’s swim team works towards improvements, State Andy Kimball Opinion Columnist Women’s swim team started the season with a 2-3 record. The two wins were against Oakville and Ritenour with a 7298 loss to Pattonville and an 84-86 loss to Holt.

The team has also placed fourth out of eight teams in the Nancy Brandt Invitational meet at Rockwood Summit and placed ninth out of 21 teams at the City of Roses Invitational.

In the Nancy Brandt Invitational Webster had nine swimmers, including two freshmen, who qualified for the finals.

About team expectations Coach Dan Broshears said, swimmers were "(trying) to improve throughout the year. Individually, if you do that, things will go well."

Junior Mikayla Kempf, who qualified for State last year said team goals were “to improve as a team, to work on sportsmanship, supporting each other and cheering on teammates” Kempf added “It would be nice for everyone to drop time.”

Kempf said her individual goal was to finish in the top three in an event at the State championship.

She has already qualified for State this season with her winning times at the Nancy Brandt Invitational in the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard Backstroke. In the City of Roses Invitational Kempf finished second with state qualifying times in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle.

She swam in the 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle, finishing 14th and sixth in those events at State last year.

Kempf said the teams’ strengths were new swimmers that have been doing well this season Kempf said, “Our relays have been doing well in dual meets” and added “it would be cool if (Webster) could bring a relay to State.”

The 400 yard freestyle relay finished sixth out of 25 teams. The relay included Kempf’s sister freshman Kathrine Kempf, Kempf, senior Maddie Bloemke and senior Jenny Johns.

There other relays were the 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle. Webster finished ninth and 13th out of 26 and 25 teams at the City of Roses Invitational.

Broshears said, "Our team’s strengths are work ethic, we work very hard and improve quickly team morale is good, (the team) gets along very well."

Athletic trainers share injury stories Cal Lanouette Sports Editor Every student-athlete is at risk of injury as soon as he or she steps on the field.

Sprained ankles, broken arms and other injuries are possible in almost any sport.

That’s where the athletic trainers come in.

Senior Alex Haines is a student athletic trainer for head athletic trainer Sean Wright.

“Being an athletic trainer is great,” said Haines. “You get to experience sports in a new way. I’m usually in the game, so it’s just a really different experience from what I’m used to.”

Wright is the teacher for the athletic training class at the high school. Students can take the class and also assist Wright on the sidelines at Webster games.

“I think inspiring others to do what I do is one of the best parts of my job,” said Wright. “It’s such a great profession and helping students find a career they are passionate about is so rewarding.”

“I always wanted to tape an ankle. Then after that, I found the rest of the class really interesting,” said Haines. “I really enjoy running the basketball games because I get to apply the things I’ve learned more

January 2015

than I might get to in the other sports.”

Haines has experienced a severe injury of his own. When he was a sophomore playing football, Haines suffered a severe concussion and was out for the rest of the season. He also sliced his finger the summer of junior year and was unable to compete on his summer league baseball team.

“I don’t remember much. I remember the hit though,” said Haines about his concussion. “By the time we got to the hospital, I couldn’t talk at all. Then I spent the night trying to read kid’s books and doing speech training exercises, but within the next couple days I slowly was able to regain my ability to talk.”

Haines’ injury has been one of the stranger and more severe injuries Wright has seen at Webster during his time, but it hasn’t been the worst he said.

“I have seen many season/career ending injuries at Webster,” said Wright. “Some of the most severe injuries I have seen are arm and leg fractures, dislocated knees, hips, fingers, shoulders and elbows and torn ligaments like an ACL that can involve six to twelve months of rehab.”

Wright shared a story of when he was working a Webster baseball game. “One time our right fielder collided with our second basemen on a pop-up, and they

both were bloody and concussed from the impact. One of the players bit through his cheek.”

Wright diagnoses an injury through an acronym he refers to as HOPS which stands for history, observation, palpation and special tests. He’ll ask the injured athlete questions, look at the injury, feel the injured site and perform fracture tests, range of motion, manual muscle tests and specific injury tests to make an assessment of the injury.

Wright, who covers all of Webster’s sports, said he sees most of the more severe injuries in the high impact sports such as wrestling and football.

“Soccer and basketball produce a lot of lower body injuries, where baseball and softball have a lot of upper body injuries,” said Wright.

“I always say I’m going to create a trophy called the Golden Tape Award for the most injury prone athlete,” said Wright jokingly about if he sees some students regularly. “There are always one or two athletes that I seem to see every sports season for various injuries. I think if you play hard, though, there’s a chance to get hurt, and I don’t mind helping athletes that play with that intensity.”

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Tournaments help Varsity basketball in State quest

Bennett Durando Sports Columnist If there’s one thing that’s for sure about the WGHS men’s basketball team, it’s that they’re up for any challenge.

The Statesmen have not lost a game yet against a Missouri opponent. Overall the team’s record is 17-2.

Webster traveled to Florida over Winter Break for the City of Palms Tournament, one of the nation’s premier high school basketball invitationals. The Statesmen split in the tournament, going 2-2.

After opening with a 54-47 seesaw win versus North Port, Fl, Webster lost to 47th nationally ranked Mater Dei, Ca, 65-46.

They followed with a 65-54 victory over Florida Air, then a 58-42 loss to the current 12th ranked team in the nation, Sierra Canyon, Ca. “That really is the premier high school basketball tournament in the United States,” Varsity head coach Jay Blossom said. “Our goal coming in was to go out and play as many games as possible... It was a real learning experience for our guys.”

“If we had lost that first game, we may have only gotten to play two, but that win allowed us to play four games, and we went 2-2 against some of the best teams in the nation,” Blossom said.

Off the court, the team enjoyed the weather and tourist attractions of the Atlantic coast. “Our host Bill Pollock was a Webster alum. He was so gracious to us, and we got to do a lot of exciting things with his help,” Blossom said. “He really took care of us.”

Blossom’s tourism highlight of the trip was the team’s excursion to the island where Jimmy Buffett’s 1978 hit “Cheeseburger in Paradise” was supposedly based.

Back home, Webster was refreshed and

has played with no shortage of confidence.

The team returned and won the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament at Merimac University, which was stuffed full with some of Missouri’s other top teams, including Kickapoo and Hazelwood Central.

“So while City of Palms is the premier national tournament, the Merimac Tournament is sort of the top high school tournament in the St. Louis area,” Blossom said. “Give credit to the guys. They had to play 11 games in 19 days against some really tough teams, they had to take finals, but they really handled the whole situation well.”

The Statesmen defeated Central for the tournament championship 41-39 in dramatic fashion, on junior Leland Bradford’s floater with 3.6 seconds left.

Bradford’s heroics concluded a game in which points were hard to come around, evident in the final score. “There were stretches, especially early on, where just nothing would fall for either team,” Blossom said. “It’s like there was a lid on the basket.”

Webster trailed by as many as nine but battled back in the third quarter. A couple of monster dunks (and missed dunks) later, Webster had the ball with 1:09 left in a tie game. “We had, I think, three time outs left, so we had them ready if necessary, but in that situation sometimes it’s better not to call one and to not let them set up their defense,” Blossom said.

Bradford brought the ball up and held it near midcourt, running off the final minute before springing into action and driving into the lane, where his tear drop sunk through the back of the net with under four seconds left to win the tournament.

Webster also won the 15th annual Webster Classic in December, hosted in Robert’s Gym. The three tournaments highlighted the busy and successful winter break for the Statesmen.

On MLK Day, the Statesmen sported their Douglass High School uniforms for a big time rematch with CBC, who defeated and eliminated Webster in the sectional playoffs last year.

The Statesmen led by 11 at half, but

Photo by Bret Waelterman

Senior Stuart Hollansworth goes up for a dunk at a Webster pep rally.

the game was tied on a run by Cadets by the end of the third quarter. With minimal momentum though, Webster hung in there throughout a tight fourth quarter.

Senior Sam Craig broke a 62-62 tie with his fourth three-pointer of the game, with a minute left.

It gave Webster the lead to stay, but only just. The Cadets’ desperation three at the buzzer to try and tie it went in and out, then impossibly in and out again, leaving Webster with a major 68-65 victory.

The Statesmen also recently added statement blowout wins versus Mehlville and Parkway North, by scores of 79-18 and 85-30. The victories have also helped Blossom pull within one win of tying, two wins of breaking Webster’s all time wins record.

“I don’t really like to focus on that stuff,” Blossom said. “It’s an honor, though, it’s a pleasure to coach when you have such great players, great staff, great administration, great assistant coaching.”

“I try to preach to our guys a lot that it’s more about the team,” Blossom said.

“It’s more about a community invested in its high school and in its basketball program.”

January 2015

Sports

Bennett from the Bleachers

ECHO

14 ECHO ECHO staff shares its all-time favorite records

Entertainment

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Irene Ryan Entertainment Editor

With the 57th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, the ECHO staffers revealed their favorite albums of all time...

Cal Lanouette

Name: “Continuum” by John Mayer (2006) Favorite three songs: “Waiting on the World to Change,” “The Heart of Life” and “Bold is Love” What makes it a good album in general?

“All his songs are really chill and easy to listen to.”

What makes it your favorite? “Every song is a good song. It’s from 2006, and it reminds me of being younger and all my elementary school friends.”

Fun fact: The seventh track “Stop This Train” was written by Mayer when he was in bed suffering from double kidney stones.

Andy Kimball

Name: “Revolver” by the Beatles (1966) Favorite three songs: “Got to Get You into my Life,” “Taxman” and “Eleanor Rigby” What makes it a good album in general? “I think it’s consistent; I enjoy all the songs on the album. There isn’t a bad song.”

What makes it your favorite? “This album was the first album I heard, and The Beatles have been my favorite band since I was a kid, and when we went on road trips, we always played this album.

It grew on me a lot.”

Fun fact: The title “Revolver,” like “Rubber Soul” before it, is a pun, referring both to a kind of handgun as well as the “revolving” motion of the record as it is played on a turntable.

January 2015

Jack Killeen

Name: “Graceland” by Paul Simon (1986) Favorite three songs: “Graceland,” “I Know What I Know” and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” What makes it a good album in general? “There is a unique sound throughout the album, and every song is good. Also it smells good.”

What makes it your favorite?

“It reminds me of playing Risk in junior Chris Drier’s basement because that’s where I first heard the album on vinyl.”

Fun fact: The recording and release of Graceland was controversial due to the cultural boycott imposed by the rest of the world against the apartheid regime in South Africa at the time.

DeAndre Scott

Name: “Pickin’ Up the Pieces”

by Fitz and the Tantrums (2010) Favorite three songs: “MoneyGrabber,” “L.O.V.” and “Tighter” What makes it a good album in general?

“I like how it kind of sounds old school.”

What makes it your favorite? “It’s just what I’m feeling right now.”

Fun fact: The album was heavily inspired by the music of Motown, which the lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick described as “the greatest period of song writing in music ever.”

Brittany Patton

Name: “In the Lonely Hour” by Sam Smith (2014) Favorite three songs: “I’m Not the Only One,” “Not In That Way” and “Good Thing” What makes it a good album in general? “He sings about every part of a relationship that everyone can relate too.”

What makes it your favorite? “The songs are so relatable, so they never go out of style. Being in high school with all the weird relationships, it’s nice to hear a grown up is having some of the same feelings about their relationships.”

Fun fact: In an interview with Digital Spy, Smith described the over arching theme of his album as “sad.”

Alex Ring

Name: “White Blood Cells” by The White Stripes (2001) Favorite three songs: “Fell in Love with a Girl,” “Little Room” and “We Are Going to Be Friends” What makes it a good album in general?

“This is the White Stripes at their best. I really like the album artwork. The songs just sound good; they tickle the ear and tickle my fancy.”

What makes it your favorite? “I went to Jack White’s concert in August, so listening to this album reminds me of that.”

Fun fact: The album was recorded in less than four days to try to keep it “as unorganized as possible,” according to Jack White.

Phoebe Mussman

Name: “For Emma, Forever Ago”

by Bon Iver (2007) Favorite three songs: “Holocene,” “Skinny Love” and “Flume” What makes it a good album in general? “Even though the songs are similar, there’s a versatility in the album. All the songs are complex enough to remain interesting even after listening to it for a long period of time.”

What makes it your favorite? “I’ve been listening to it for years (before high school), but I keep rediscovering songs from it. I have a lot of memories associated with it.”

Fun fact: Justin Vernon wrote the album secluded in a cabin in Medford, Wisconsin, for three months while suffering from mononucleosis.

Willie Zempel

Name: “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd (1973) Favorite three songs: “Money,” “The Great Gig in the Sky” and “Time” What makes it a good album in general? “Pink Floyd shreds.”

What makes it your favorite? “You feel like you can do anything when listening to it, such as being able to fly. Likewise, this album has cost my family thousands in medical bills.”

Fun fact: The band of light coming out of the prism on the album artwork is missing indigo.

the

ECHO Name: “Konvicted” by Akon (2006) Favorite three songs: “Mama Africa,” I Wanna Love You” and “Gangsta Bop” What makes it a good album in general? “Each song on the album has a deeper meaning about society and how the world works.”

What makes it your favorite? “I idolize Akon first of all. He has a lot of songs I can relate to.”

Fun fact: Akon was born here in St. Louis.

Aerin Johnson

Name: Sound track from “Guardians of the Galaxy” by Various Artists (2014) Favorite three songs: “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Cherrybomb” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” What makes it a good album in general?

“It’s very fun and upbeat and easy to dance to. You remember when the songs happen in the movie because they have to do with the plot. “I Want You Back” reminds me of “I am Groot” at the end of the movie.”

What makes it your favorite? “It’s a movie sound track, so it has a variety of

pop artists from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and I usually listen to pop (or Broadway and Disney).”

Fun fact: The sound track reached number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, making it the first sound track album in history consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the chart.

Irene Ryan

Name: “Smiley Smile” by the Beach Boys (1967) Favorite three songs: “She’s Goin’ Bald,” “Little Pad” and “Good Vibrations” What makes it a good album in general? “It came out after their huge surf music era, and it’s a little more folksy and experimental. Parts of some of the tracks are just them joking around in the recording studio. It has a really upbeat feeling even on the slower, sadder songs.”

What makes it your favorite? “This album brings up a lot of nostalgia for me. When I was little, my dad would turn it on when we were cleaning the house, so when I listen to it now, it makes me feel like a kid again.”

Fun fact: On the second track “Vegetables,” Paul McCartney can be heard crunching vegetables in the background.

Bennett Durando

Name: “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (1975) Favorite three songs: “Jungleland,” “Born to Run” and “10th Avenue Freeze Out” What makes it a good album in general?

“It’s sort of his early work and a lot of his best work was in the 70s. “Born to Run” includes a variety of songs and every one of them is a classic.”

What makes it your favorite? “Personally, my favorite song of all time, “Jungleland,” is on it, and I’ve always connected to classic rock, and Bruce Springsteen has a lot of classic rock, but with some pop and jazz occasionally. The second song on the album is about how he met Clarence Clemons (his long time saxophonist and best friend), and my kitten is named after him.”

Fun fact: The title track “Born to Run” took six months to record (almost half the time the total album took to record.)

January 2015

Entertainment

Bret Waelterman

15

16 ECHO

Entertainment

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Let’s get sweet...

Columnist samples ‘Cupcake Wars’ winners Aerin Johnson Editor-In-Chief With Valentine’s Day approaching soon, many wonder what should they do with their family, friends, and/or significant others. I say, get something sweet! More specifically, a cupcake.

St. Louis is famous for several shops that sell cupcakes and have competed on the famous baking show “Cupcake Wars.”

Here is a sampling of those cupcakes and their shops.

Smallcakes: a Cupcakery Located on 343 Kirkwood Road, Smallcakes is one of the newer shops in St. Louis, but not in the nation. It has shops in 17 states and few locations internationally.

Walking into the shop is like walking into a small cafe. Pink is everywhere, from the walls to the ceiling, and the atmosphere is very inviting.

The cupcakes themselves? They are absolutely delicious. It has basic flavors

like chocolate and vanilla, but they also have flavors such as hot fudge sundae and cookies-n-cream (my personal favorite).

There is a delicious butter cream frosting on all the cupcakes (except for the red velvet which has cream cheese), and the cupcakes have moist centers.

None of the flavors in the frosting or cupcake are overwhelming and nothing is overly sweet. The prices are very good at

Photo by Aerin Johnson

Compared to the other cupcakes, a Wal-Mart cupcake is small, but also inexpensive at 60 cents per cake.

about $3.50 a cupcake.

The shop is a wonderful place for friends and family or to take a date (and be sure to take some to go! You’ll want to!).

Jilly’s Cupcake Bar and Cafe One of St. Louis’s more famous cupcake locations, Jilly’s Cupcake Bar and Cafe on 8509 Delmar Boulevard is one of the more interesting places to go.

The shop itself if very large and has quite a bit of seating, but you don’t want to get there later in the day. They run out of cupcakes fast!

Their cupcakes are some of the largest and most creative creations in the cupcake world. Jilly’s cupcakes that are sold at their shop are over half a pound (but you

can special order regular cupcakes and mini-cupcakes).

Their decorations are all in the frosting that surrounds the top of their large cupcakes, and that’s what makes them beautiful and also very delicious. The cake part of the cupcake is very delicious also and sometimes has frosting inside it.

The Fireball cupcake (one of their January monthly cupcakes) is surprise to the taste buds. Swiping the frosting from the top, you expect this very cinnamony

flavored frosting, but taking a full bite of the cupcake and its frosting together, you get this very tasty apple flavor along with dashes of cinnamon and a little bit of red hot flavor, which is surprisingly very good. Cupcakes costs at Jilly’s start at about $4.75. This is a great place to hang out with some friends or family or just to bring something sweet home. Jilly’s does sell cupcakes at Straubs and at certain Schnucks locations.

Sweet Divine cupcakes are pretty small and start at $2.50 per cupcake. They are delicious, though.

The most interesting flavor they have is the Drunken Pig, which has bacon on top. It’s flavoring is pretty good but is very hard describe.

The best cupcake (I believe) was the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which

had some cookie dough in the bottom of it. The frosting was sweet and had lots of chips in it, and altogether it actually tasted like a cookie!

It’s a great place to get the cupcakes but not a great place to stay and eat. The Sweet Divine is also one of the stores in St. Louis that has a food truck that travels around the area.

The Sweet Divine “Cupcake Wars” season six winner, The Sweet Divine is another great place to get a sweet treat.

The shop is located in Historic Soulard, 1801 9th street and is very small inside.

It’s not exactly a sit down place, so the only thing you can really do is order your cupcakes or go to pick up an order of cupcakes.

Overall best shop: Smallcakes is probably the best cupcake shop to go to this Valentine’s Day. It’s a great place to go and hang out with just about anyone, and you don’t get the loud noise of a larger place like Jilly’s and has tables to sit at unlike The Sweet Divine, so go on and get some cupcakes this Feb. 14.

January 2015