the
echo
Volume 104 Issue 8 April 2019 1 0 0 S e l m a Av e . w g e c h o . o r g
Baseball team has 9-7 record pg. 12
Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Elise Keller PRINT EDITOR: Lindsey Bennett JUNIOR EDITOR: Jaden Fields BUSINESS MANAGER: Zora Thomas VIDEO EDITOR: Ethan Weihl SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/ GRAPHICS EDITOR: Zeke La Mantia NEWS/ OPINION EDITOR: Elise WilkeGrimm FEATURE/ ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Emily Stisser PODCAST EDITOR: Maeve Taylor ADVISOR: Donald Johnson SOME MATERIAL FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE The Echo is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-963-6400 ex. 11157 or write to wgecho@wgmail.org. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of a majority of staff members; signed articles are the opinion of the writer. Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 155. All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested. The Echo has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged.
the
echo
THRIVE launches opportunities next fall Choir travels, performs at Carnegie Hall Chelsea Center director reassigned Concluding One Acts festival coming in May DECA students compete at Nationals Faculty members will move on from Webster Changes made to VISTA, Statesmen Center School shootings generate anxiety in students Earth necessitates individual, school-wide sustainibility Mathes named head Varsity basketball coach Golf team’s freshmen make difference Cashel retires after 25 years of coaching Despite spring obstacles, team has 9-7 record Social media normalizes stimulant misuse YouTube inadequately deals with sexual exploitation of children “Us” builds psychological horror through twists Willie’s Comic
3 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 8-9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
The Echo is a member of SSP, Quill and Scroll, MJEA, JEA, MIPA, NSPA and CSPA.
Echo Family The Echo Family helps make the Echo possible. To become a member of the Echo Family, please contact wgecho@ wgmail.org. Thanks to all of our members!
34
Aerin Johnson Keillyn Johnson Brad and Amy Krueger Curtin Family Melanie Bennett Hepfinger Family Cover Cutline: Senior Steven Burkett prepares to bat against Parkway Central at Plymouth Field. Photo by Isabella Ferrell
2
wgecho.org
11
12
12 Table of Contents | April 2019
THRIVE launches opportunities next fall
Photo by Annabelle Lewis
Seniors Ben Ortinau, Natalie Hanrahan, Emma Binder and Garry Dunlap discuss logos with marketing teacher Kara Siebe.
Annabelle Lewis Contributing Writer THRIVE Incubator will be introduced to juniors and seniors next year. Run by marketing teacher Kara Siebe, the THRIVE Incubator is an entrepreneurship incubator used to help students design their own businesses with guidance. They’ll be provided with
mentors twice a week as well as the chance to meet with lawyers and marketing executives to help their business become successful. Students will learn how to promote and start their businesses. Competing in competitions like the popular ABC TV show “Shark Tank,” they’ll pitch their ideas to entrepreneurs in an attempt to make money from their business. Real businesses will get to decide if they would like to invest to help the students businesses grow. “THRIVE is a business program where you can start your own business from scratch, either with a group or individually,” junior Jessica Peterson said. This class will be held off campus at the Webster Groves Service Center for the first three hours of the school day. When the students graduate, they can either keep their businesses to run for their future or sell their shares. Even though it will not be run unlike a traditional class, students will still receive credit. Students will also do site visits and can meet with people of other companies to help them kick start their business. Students who choose to participate in THRIVE will be able to create their own businesses and are allowed to keep all the profits from their company which is a nice added bonus. “When they [students] graduate they can take the business with them, or if they’re in a group, they can sell off all their assets to whoever they want,” Siebe said.
Choir travels, performs at Carnegie Hall Zeke La Mantia Social Media Manager Choir members went to New York April 6-9, to participate in a festival choir organized by Manhattan Concert Productions. The rehearsal began the first day they arrived in New York, and it went anywhere from four-six hours. “Even though our rehearsals were long, our conductor was really cool. He cared a lot about helping us sound ready to perform,” freshman Bella Ferrell said. Students performed at Carnegie Hall and saw “Mean Girls” on Broadway, which featured a guest appearance by Tina Fey. “It was the first Broadway show I’ve ever seen, and we got to meet Tina Fey. I lost my voice cause I was screaming so loud. It did the movie justice, “ junior Ian Marshall said. In off time students went to Rockefeller Center and Planet Hollywood and were also able to explore the city in their own groups. Choir teacher Tim Havis and band teacher Jill Young chaperoned the trip along with a few select parents. Thirty-three of the 51 choir members went on the trip. “The thing I enjoyed the most was sharing a room with two other really cool people. We stayed up till like two every night telling stories and laughing. It was just really fun,” freshman Joel Lazarow said.
April 2019 | News
Havis was most excited for the experience the students had. “The faces of students when they get together and make music this amazing. When they click with the conductor and walk on to the stage, the history they’re experiencing, bringing it to life, it’s just amazing,” Havis said.
Photo by Ada Foley
Juniors and choir members Alice Gillibrand and Ian Marshall ride subway to 9/11 memorial Ground Zero. The choir program traveled to New York City on March 6-9, to participate in a festival choir organized by Manhattan Concert Productions.
wgecho.org
3
Chelsea Center director reassigned
Photo by Cathy Vespereny
Former Chelsea Center director Julie Burchett receives the Peabody Leaders in Education Award Jan. 15, 2013.
Ethan Ryan Contributing Writer “There appears to be a shared vision among leaders at the district and school levels and a desire for a focused direction,” Brotherton, Allen and True LLC. said in its evaluation of the Chelsea Center. The review, conducted by former educators Dr. Steve Brotherton, Dr. Jennifer Allen and Stephanie True, detailed the current condition of the Chelsea Center and its director, Julie Burchett. The evaluation finished on Jan. 18, with the aforementioned quote referencing a perceived collaboration between Burchett and the administration. However, as of March 14, Burchett would not return as the Chelsea Center’s director. Dana Miller will remain as experiential learning advisor. According to superintendent John Simpson, the evaluation was asked for by the center’s founder Glenn Dietrick, and its purpose was to review the strengths and weaknesses of the Chelsea Center. The evaluation highlights the disparity in student participation in the summer program. Burchett stated that the low numbers found in summer classes were a direct result of DESE laws and the Grandview online PE program, not the fault of the Chelsea Center. Compared to the school year enrollment of the Chelsea Center, shown in Table C, the
4
wgecho.org
data shows the involvement for both white and non-white students is over 50 percent. When looking into which students had completed experiential learning projects, the report said, “[We] were told that to date [the center] has been mostly white, affluent students.” On the reasoning for her reassignment, Burchett said, “They told me it was about numbers.” The LLC. detailed its recommendations for the center. The removal of Julie Burchett was not one of them. About the reason for her dismissal, Simpson said, “We try to make decisions that are in the best interests of the students … Sometimes you have to make decisions to help the programs to grow and move forward.” Following her removal, the Bring Back Burchett group sought to reverse the decision made by principal Matthew Irvin. According to one of the leaders, senior Phillip Freeman, the two parties discussed frustrations and solutions, but nothing came from the meeting. Group members would go on to ask Irvin to participate in the hiring process for the new director; however, later on they were not involved. Ultimately, a selection committee for the next Chelsea Center director was led and formed by assistant principal Angela Thompson, with help from German teacher Brent Mackey, experiential learning advisor Dana Miller and senior Rosie Ryan, who was asked by Thompson to participate. According to Burchett, Thompson was formerly the assistant principal overseeing the Chelsea Center; however, the responsibility was later moved to assistant principal John E. Thomas. Thomas was uninvolved in the process. The committee would later select Kirkwood High School director of learning and involvement Kerry Arens, who will replace Burchett starting next fall. About what set Arens apart, Ryan said “I really liked (Arens.) She’s going to be good for the Chelsea Center in a way that will make it bigger than it is.” Arens, a former English teacher, detailed her current position at Kirkwood via email and said, “I facilitate curriculum writing, support new teachers and their mentors, and design and implement professional development as well... I have also had the privilege of learning a great deal about play, creativity and innovation, and the links between the three.” Arens has been in her current position for around two years. About her future plans for the Chelsea Center, Arens said, “To continue the great work of the Chelsea Center, which will begin by doing a lot of listening to and learning from teachers and students who have had great experiences through the Center.”
News | April 2019
Concluding One Acts festival coming in May Samantha Massena Contributing Writer
After One Act auditions, student actors, stage managers and directors begin the process of preparing seven different plays, all written by students. The show date is May 7, in the Black Box Theater and will cost $5 for students and $7 for adults. This semester 21 students auditioned. Claire McCarthy, freshman, was one of the people who auditioned. This was McCarthy’s first time auditioning for one acts, but she has been in other productions, including “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream” at Webster Groves High School, “Mary Poppins” at Ignite Theater and “A Christmas Story” at Shooting Star Productions. “I really like to act and to perform for a lot of people,” McCarthy said. On the other side of the audition process is senior Katrine Wright, who with Victor Vargas-Zanabria wrote and will direct “Adios Mi Amigo.” Wright came up with the idea and Vargas-Zanabria helped. The inspiration for their story came from Westerns. Wright always wanted to write something about that. McCarthy was one
Photo by Sean Mullins
Senior Zach Comegys performs in the previous One Acts festival on Sept. 26, 2018.
of the students that they picked to be in their One Act. “I’m a little nervous, but I’m pretty proud of what I wrote, and I hope people like it,” Wright said. Some of the authors and directors are senior Aiden Kurtz, senior Sean Mullins, freshman Zoie Sellers, senior Rahman Ali, senior Hank Geers, freshman Sisi DeSuza and others.
DECA students compete at Nationals Michael Marshall Contributing Writer
Photo by Trinity Madison
Marketing teacher and DECA sponsor Kara Siebe thanks supporters at the Mr. Webster Pageant and urges students to sign up for the marketing class on Jan. 17.
Visit us at wgecho.org April 2019 | News
DECA students placed in State Finals in Kansas City on March 26, which means they went to Nationals in Orlando, Fl, on April 27. The students participating are juniors Tommy Koelling and Rebekah Kinworthy. “We will be competing in the marketing team decision making event category. We’re going to be competing in our competition obviously over two or three days,” Koelling said. Koelling and Kinworthy will also enjoy their time in Orlando by going to Disney World and the beach. They will be accompanied by marketing teacher and DECA sponsor Kara Siebe. “To prepare for the competition me and Bekah have been doing weekly review sessions as well as in-class practice,” Koelling said. For about the last 70 years, DECA has impacted the lives of “more than 10 million students, educators, school administrations and business professionals,” according to the official DECA website. Over 200,000 students are a part of the educational group that helps educate and challenge students to solve real-world problems. DECA’s main idea is to prepare high school students to become entrepreneurs. Its main goals are finance, marketing, and hospitality. 18,000 students from all around the world will compete in Florida. Results will be available on April 30.
wgecho.org
5
Faculty members will move on from Webster Ada Foley Contributing Writer
Scott Stallcup Scott Stallcup teaches World Civilizations and U.S. History, and he coaches basketball. He has taught at Webster for 14 of his 32-years as a teacher. “I can still remember my first day on the job,” Stallcup reflected. “It’s been great. I would not change anything.” Stallcup hoped he has taught his students the value of hard work. “If you do your best, in the end, things are going to work out.”
Martin Milstead Martin Milstead has taught for 53 years, 25 of which have been at Webster. Currently, he teaches U.S. History. “I love practically every day I come to school,” Milstead said, “and watching the lights come on in kids’ eyes.” Milstead looks forward to sleeping in after his retirement, and he hopes the students he reached are now more aware of the world around them.
Tim Cashel Tim Cashel is the Social Studies Department chairperson and the head Varsity soccer coach. He taught at Webster for 28 years. “Students…they just tend to have an enthusiasm and optimism that is great to be around,” Cashel said about his experience. Cashel will start a new career coaching soccer full time with the St. Louis Academy Club (STLAC).
Cyndy Gilbert Cyndy Gilbert has worked at Webster for 17 years. She started working in the library and copy center, and now she is a receptionist. “Since I am, for some people, the only contact they have with Webster Groves High School, I hope it’s been a positive experience for those people… and supportive,” Gilbert said about her experience as a receptionist.
Changes made to VISTA, Statesmen Center Ethan Weihl Video Editor Changes to the Statesmen Center have raised questions for students and parents. At the school board meeting on March 11, principal Matt Irvin and assistant principal Shiree Yeggins presented their plans for an updated program. Irvin said he wants the new program to focus on “creating personalized, blended learning with smaller class sizes being more flexible, more driven by the individual student’s interests and needs and supports.” The need for an update came after the Kirkwood School District announced it would be moving the VISTA program onto the Kirkwood High School campus. According to director of student services John M. Thomas, “The original
6
wgecho.org
purpose [of VISTA] was long term suspensions.” However, as time has passed, that has changed, and “a number of the students who were going to VISTA were there for alternative reasons.” According to the Kirkwood School’s website, 60 students attend VISTA. A majority of those are Kirkwood students. The Webster Groves School District pays for 18 seats at VISTA, costing $6,744.44 per seat. Currently, 16 of those seats are filled. Since VISTA is closing, those students will be moved back to their respective schools. Currently, there is not a definite plan in for how the programs will come together. “The initial thought is that we will have… all opportunities in one place,” Yeggins said. However, “we have not confirmed it.” “They’re really two different pro-
grams,” Thomas said. About how students will be selected, Yeggins said, “Some of those students (at VISTA) will automatically be a part of this setting, and some will be invited to this setting.” As for staff, Irvin said he would like full-time staff, as well as interns. “We’ve already begun conversations with Webster University to provide interns to provide either group or individual counseling and therapeutic counseling for students,” Irvin said. Julie Burchett coordinated the Statesmen Center until December of last year. “We want to make sure we have people who have chosen to be in that setting, people who have a heart for that work, people who see the purpose, the ability for that stuff,” Irvin said, about hiring full-time staff.
News | April 2019
School shootings generate anxiety in students Elise Keller Editor-in-Chief Lindsey Bennett Print Editor Recent news coverage of a Sandy Hook parent’s and Parkland students’ suicides have led people to question the trauma that stems from school shootings and how it affects victims. On March 17, a Parkland shooting survivor, a senior at the time of the shooting, took her own life. A day later, another student who survived the Parkland shooting killed himself. Just a week later, the father of a six-year-old victim of the Sandy Hook school shooting committed suicide. On April 17, Denver schools were closed due to shooting threats from an 18-year-old woman with a Columbine “Infatuation,” FBI Denver special agent in charge Dean Phillips told NPR. The likelihood of being killed at school is small, (The Washington Post estimates the chance to about one in 614 million), but school shootings are driving policy, circulating the news and inducing fears in the minds of children and teens. “Because it’s so horrific and scary and important, it dominates the media and therefore our minds, and we think of it as a much bigger threat than it is,” Jamie Howard, PhD, director of the Trauma and Resilience Service at the Child Mind Institute, said. Most are aware of how trauma and guilt following school shootings affects survivors, but school shootings have also become an ever increasing source of anxiety among high school students. “This is my eighth year at Webster. I’ve definitely seen more anxiety in students... I’m sure that mass shootings is just like one piece of the puzzle,” Gibbs said. “It’s just such a present reality that follows kids like myself around all the time at school… Maybe I’m just anxious, but it feels inevitable, like if it’s going to happen it’ll happen, and there’s only so much we can do,” a junior who chose to be anonymous said. At the high school, administration discusses what to do during a shooting with classes, posters differentiate between
April 2019 | Feature
lockdowns and lockouts, and staff goes through some active drills. About preparation, Gibbs said, “Thinking through ‘How would I handle this?’ in that situation. If you were just aware in each of your classrooms about like, ‘Okay how would I handle this?’ ‘What would I do?’ Having plans can sometimes be reassuring to people.” Photo by Elise Keller Junior Elizabeth Students participate in a walkout to advocate for gun laws Zareh said, “It helps on March 14, 2018. The protest lasted 17 minutes, one minme to practice or ute for every teen killed in the Parkland School shooting. think about what I would do during did I live?’ ‘Why did they die?’ and mayemergencies, and although it may make be “They should have stayed alive, and I me anxious, it is important.” should have died,’” Gibbs said. “I think However, some schools have started there’s a level of pressure to make the conducting active shooter drills with stu- most of your life since the other person dents involved. doesn’t have that option.” “That could just feed their anxiety. This is where the trauma can begin to They could just obsess about it. You could take over. Gibbs said, “Therapy is always be like, ‘Okay, I can’t sit here because I essential.” might get shot if I sit here.’ And all of the “In situations where it’s a more tragic sudden you have all these things where death, I think getting therapy and having you’re obsessing about how exactly things somebody to really process through all are going to be so that you keep yourself those questions and everything in your from getting killed in a school shoot- head is really helpful. Otherwise it just ing-- this hypothetical school shooting. sits, and it spins, and it feeds itself, and So it could actually create more anxiety in it just gets worse. Next thing you know, some people,” Gibbs said. you’re all caught up in your head, and Junior Ashley Cimarolli agreed stu- you’ve convinced yourself that you don’t dents being involved in active shooter deserve to be alive,” Gibbs said. drills would not be beneficial. “There’s a specific therapy called trau“It’s stressful enough knowing the pos- ma focused cognitive behavioral therapy. sibility might happen,” Cimarolli said. It’s cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), “I just feel helpless sometimes, like which is your traditional therapy. The there’s nothing I can do but sit and hope whole ‘What’s the irrational thought? nothing goes wrong,” the anonymous stu- Let’s challenge the irrational thought. dent said. Let’s change our thinking. If we change When things do go wrong, it can be our thinking, we can change our feelings, hard to address the extent of the effects on and then we can change our behavior.’ victims. That whole thought, feelings, behavior “Dying in a tragic way is unexpected, circle, so it’s that but with a trauma foand it leaves some confusion and ques- cus. I think if you’ve experienced a tragic tions. . . I think there are just a lot of death, going through Trauma focused questions that people have of like, ‘Why CBT is really helpful,” Gibbs said.
wgecho.org
7
Earth necessitates individual Maeve Taylor Podcast Editor According to an article on https://www.environmentalscience. org, sustainability is defined as “the study of how natural systems function, remain diverse and produce everything it needs for the ecology to remain in balance.” Due to Earth’s increasingly tumultuous conditions, there are people who consider sustainability imperative to keep the Earth stable and livable. AP Environmental Science (APES) teacher Cici Faucher wrote in an email about the conditions of the Earth, “We are at a tipping point for our world. There are doomsday scenarios that [predict] we will be at the point of no return in 10-20 years and also more realistically around 50 years.” Faucher added, “Due to the situation that has developed sustainability and minimalism are critical to the survival of the human race as we know it. If we continue on this path, we are damaging ourselves. The earth can recover, she is very resilient, but we are one of the least adaptable species and expect her to adapt to us, and she can no longer take our selfishness.”
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition. – Carl Sagan Senior Tyler Benbow, environmental club co-president, said, “At some point we will need to learn how to naturally sustain ourselves, especially during our current environmental situation. There is a substantial amount of evidence discussing climate change and global warming. It is now or never, and sustainability is a huge factor in creating a greener future for ourselves and future generations.” Even though the situation can often sound dire, and as if extreme measures have to be taken, there are realistic things that people can do to live more sustainably. Faucher gave some suggestions, writing, “Reduce packaging and waste is one of the e a s i e s t ways to help. If you get fruit at the store, it doesn’t need to go in a plastic bag. Buy from the farmers market or other farm co-ops. Eat locally sourced food. Use less water and turn off the lights.” Senior Bella Dearmitt, environmental club member, additionally suggested, “Changes don’t always have to be dramatic and/
8
wgecho.org
or radical. They can be as simple as bringing your own to go box when eating out, investing in long lasting and durable items instead of convenient and cheap, even buying second hand will help reduce your carbon footprint.” Senior Tyler Benbow, environmental club co-president, said,”Everyone should at one point should take a step back and evaluate their lives from an environmental perspective. Any small change in routine, like not using a plastic straw or having reusable tupperware for lunches, will all positively impact the environment.” It is not just individuals that the responsibility for sustainability relies on, or that can do things to improve, but also institutions, like schools or school districts. WGHS has already has many sustainable practices: the use of LED instead of fluorescent lights, using “grey water” (“relatively clean waste water f r o m baths, sinks, washing machines and other kitchen appliances,” according to google. com) to water fields, as Faucher highlights, as well as utilizing energy from around 120 solar panels around the school, which environmental club members see as a good step towards a greener school. Even as the high school has made steps towards sustainability, there is always room for improvement. Faucher wrote, “Unfortunately, our biggest issue is recycling. Our recycling bins are not used properly. Recycling can not have any food or other waste product or it must be thrown away.”
April 2019 | Feature
l, school-wide sustainability Junior Allie Reed, one of the co-presidents of environmental club, wrote, “If you’re like me, you often find yourself with an item that you aren’t sure if you are able to recycle. Simply educating the school community on small changes that they could make in their habits make a big difference when you look at the size of our school.” Senior Tyler Benbow, another environmental club copresident, wrote, “I would like to see the administration work towards a cleaner district. We have styrofoam cups in the cafeteria, plastic forks, and many other harmful materials throughout schools.” Another recommendation is the implementation of composting into the waste management system of the school. Benbow wrote, “One of the ideas that [environmental c l u b ] thought about was composting! [The high school has] so much food waste being one that has 1,300 students, and what better way than having composting bins.” Benbow added, “Luckily, composting is pretty easy and can be started at home as well. This would help with food waste and benefit the environment simultaneously.” Dearmitt wrote, “Making sustainability a priority in your life is important because it is quite literally a life or death situation. According the our world’s scientists (and the Harvard Business Review) we have about 12 years left. Dearmitt added, “The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
April 2019 | Feature
Change shared that we must cut our carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2030, and completely decarbonize by 2050 in order to avoid some of the most devastating impacts of climate change. “Our oceans are dying and towns are being wiped from the map as we sit in school. We must change our ways, or suffer the consequences,” Dearmitt said. “Every person’s actions are impactful, and if we strive to be a positive force, we can actually make a change,” Faucher said. More information about sustainability can be found at https:// www.environmentalscience.org/sustainability. For tips on sustainability, Bella Dearmitt has a Google doc, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZYI6c-CRfaOTbsGvS0tbsqiZwd287hKMEbcny0nNfOU/edit.
Earth Day happenings in the community Earth Day was April 22. With climate change, pollution and other environmental issues looming over the heads of the people on this planet, it is considered by many to celebrate the Earth any chance that is offered. In St. Louis, people are able to participate in and enjoy many local events. One event is the St. Louis Earth Day Festival. This event is held every year in Forest Park at the Muny grounds. It is full of vendors, food and live music, and keeps a commitment to locality and sustainability. There are also volunteer opportunities at this festival, being a days-long event with tens of thousands of people in attendance. The festival this year will take place April 27-28, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Another event is the Party for the Planet celebration at the St. Louis Zoo. There will be live music, educational activities, Earth Day stations and even opportunities to meet with keepers. This is a more child-oriented event, but it may be a good event to go to with younger siblings or for a more relaxed experience. Party for the Planet will be on April 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, St. Louis has many nature oriented places to visit around Earth Day, like the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Butterfly house, or even one of the many local or regional parks.
Earth Art by Aja Trachtova Sustainability Drawings by Elise Keller
wgecho.org
9
Mathes named head varsity basketball coach Jaden Fields Junior Editor Coach Justin Mathes, after a seven-year run of being assistant coach, has officially been named head coach of men’s basketball after Coach Blossom’s retirement as head coach. Mathes has worked closely with coach to Blossom for nearly seven years, starting as a volunteer while he was still a student teacher, moving his way up to head JV coach for the next five years until becoming assistant Varsity coach last year. The choosing process was rather rigorous. “They had a quite a few applicants and first I interviewed with the administration, so Coach (Jerry) Collins and Dr. (Matt) Irvin, and when they decided I was going to be a finalist, we met before two committees,” Mathes said. Photo by Greg Frazier For the future of the program, Mathes hopes Coaches Scott Stallcup, Jay Blossom and Justin Mathes look out on the court to continue the legacy paved before him by as the Statesmen battle Liberty in the Semi-final match for the State champiBlossom. He believes if the team continues onship on March 3. Webster would go on to win back-to-back champions. the hard work it has been using throughout past seasons and during practice, players will have another great team. “I think the reason so many people take pride in the program knows the team doesn’t just play to win, it plays to represent the is how hard we play. It’s more than a wins and losses thing,” community as well as the school. Mathes said. “That’s the barometer I’m gonna use. Are we still working as Mathes’ expectations for the seasons to come is the team will hard as we’ve always worked? Are we still representing the comcontinue to work the same amount that has been in the past. He munity well? Work ethic and toughness,” Mathes said.
Golf team’s freshmen make difference Michael Marshall Contributing Writer
Photo by Michael Marshall
Golf bags await their owners at afterschool practice. Several freshmen have joined this year’s team.
10
wgecho.org
Last year the men’s golf team had three students including freshman Will Ireland go to the Sectional tournament. Ireland was accompanied by thenjunior Drew Schwager and then-senior Charlie Scheipeter. A new season also means new players. “Not only am I looking forward to playing in matches, but I’m also looking forward to just creating great memories with my teammates and my brother,” freshman Dean Schwager said. Senior Drew Schwager returns to the team after competing in State last season. The two look forward to competing on the
same team. “I’m looking forward to playing every day with my friends and hopefully get better as the season goes on,” freshman Max Boland said. Boland has played for years and is excited to finally show off his skills at the high school level. He recently medaled first in the Fox tournament shooting “I’m glad to be with my friends and really build on my skills. Hopefully, we have good results this year, and I’m excited to play with Webster,” freshman Ben Allison said. This is Allison’s first year playing competitive golf. The season record is 9-3 after competing at Fox Run G.C.
Sports | April 2019
Fields from the frontline
Cashel retires after 25 years of coaching
Photo by Andy Kimball
The 2015 men’s Varsity soccer team celebrates its second State win in a row following a 3-2 victory against St. Dominic
Jaden Fields Sports Columnist Teacher and head soccer coach Tim Cashel is retiring. Cashel has taught at WGHS for 28 years and coached for 25. He’s led the soccer team through hundreds of victories, and both teachers and students are saddened to see him go. Fellow teacher Kristin Moore is deeply affected by his parting. “He’s just one of the best teachers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Hands down. He is so compassionate with the kids and he establishes a high level of rigor and he maintains a really positive attitude everyday,” Moore said. When the news of his retirement broke, students posted on their social medias saying, “Goodbye” and “Thank you” to him. Junior Owen Culver spoke on the impact Cashel has had to players lives, “He’s made me want to go into soccer, and he’s been a role model for me on and off the field. I’m disappointed to see him go, but I’m happy for him and excited for him,” Culver said. Cashel’s had thousands of memories during his time coaching, his favorite being winning the State championship in 2015 with his men’s Varsity team. “The year we won our second State championship in 2015 playing three or four miles down the road at the soccer park and seeing that there were eight or nine hundred of our 1,300 students there in support of the soccer team was the greatest day,” Cashel said. Unity is a huge deal to Cashel. During the 2015 championship win the team was comprised of his son and his friends, making the energy electric and support astounding. Cashel hopes the programs, both in the classroom and on the field, continue his legacy. Cashel prides himself on the soccer program he’s built up piece by piece resulting in one of the “best most competitive teams in the area.” In terms of replacement he hopes current assistant coach Tim
April 2019 | Sports
Velton will have the opportunity to step up as head coach. The reason for Cashel’s retirement is he’s ready to get a change in life. “I think that I’m invested in the retirement system, and I’m at a point where retirement is an option... and I’m young enough where I can pursue some other opportunities that I couldn’t as a full time teacher,” Cashel said.
wgecho.org
11
Despite spring obstacles, team has 9-7 record
Photo by Isabella Ferrell
Senior Jacob Clark talks to senior Angelo La Mantia on the pitching mound of Plymouth Field between innings April 2, at the Parkway Central game. Statesmen lost 10-13.
Isabella Ferrell Contributing Writer With seven regular season games left, three postponed and three cancelled, the men’s baseball team has faced multiple obstacles along the way to a winning season. Since it is a spring sport, rain is a number one issue. Multiple games get cancelled, practices get moved inside and with three teams things can get a bit tight. The team has been put in the hardest district, with opponents like SLUH, Chaminade, Kirkwood and CBC. “It’s a hard obstacle, but I believe as a team we are strong enough and have the talent to beat these teams,” junior Ethan Barrs said. Along with competitive opponents, players have gotten injured. Junior Evan Furfaro, the team’s starting shortstop, is out for three weeks with an injury. About how being hurt has affected the team, Furfaro explained that senior Angelo LaMantia and junior Avery Himes have stepped in. “I thought that it’s impacted us positively because they have really come through and helped the team out a lot,” Furfaro said. Despite the obstacles, the team has had one of the strongest starts to the season it’s had in awhile. It won the LindberghMehlville tournament 3-2 against Mehlville in the Championship game on at Vianney on March 21. “We have been struggling a little bit lately, but with the rest of our schedule, I think it’ll be fun. It’ll be interesting to watch
12
wgecho.org
us for the rest of the season,” Furfaro said. Thirteen seniors will leave the team after this season, but the team isn’t worried. “We have seven very talented juniors on the team right now, as well as many talented underclassmen on JV,” said Barrs. As for the rest of the season, the team believes to find itself in a “good position,” Coach DaRond Stovall said. “There is always room for improvement. We are going to continue to work...hopefully we can reach our goal of 20 wins,” Coach Stovall said. The next baseball game is Monday, April 29, at 4:30 p.m. against Hillsboro, and the next home game is Tuesday, April 30 at 4:15 against Ritenour on Plymouth Field.
Sports | April 2019
Op-Ed
Social media normalizes stimulant misuse Emily Stisser Entertainment Columnist One direct message, swipe up or snapchat, all it takes to get access to hard and prescription drugs such as Adderall, Oxycodone or Ritalin. Illicit accessibility to substances has proven to establish a direct and impactful relationship with substance abuse for high school students. According to Addiction Center, stimulant misuse is most common in high school and college students. This is due to an increase of emphasis on high performance in educational settings and stress regarding future. Stimulant prescription misuse is, as defined by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, taking medicine in a way or dose other than prescribed, taking someone else’s medicine or taking medicine only for the effect it causes. Adderall, the most commonly prescribed amphetamine, is a strong central nervous system stimulant that is used
April 2019 | Opinion
Public Domain Photo from Wikimedia Commons
A student who chose to remain anonymous said, “Everyone posts it (drug use) on their stories, and it is something that I see everyday. It’s just become normal.” most commonly to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The product is a combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. As reported by Desert Cove Recovery, over ⅔ of unprescribed students obtain Adderall from family, friends or roommates who have access to the drug. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, other common prescription stimulants are dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta). Though response to the medication and dosage is highly individualized, Adderall and desoxyn are commonly accepted as the “strongest” legal stimulants. Some children are diagnosed with attention disorders and prescribed medication as young as five years old and stay on the drug through adulthood. Many teens
are later diagnosed in high school and college, while dealing with the transition to a higher stress learning environment. Ease of access and exposure to these substances has only been normalized by social media platforms. An attitude of acceptance and informality generally associated with social media has altered the attitudes surrounding substance misuse. Users and sellers frequently update and promote availability through story features, allowing access to friends and those who view the story. Viewers can simply “swipe up” on the specific story, gaining access to the drug after coordinating pickup and pricing. Within a platform where drug use is always in reach, normalization is inevitable. A student who chose to remain anonymous said, “Everyone posts it (drug use) on their stories, and it is something that I see everyday. It’s just become normal.” Many stimulants are misused by students with the motive of improving efficiency, focus and energy. In using unprescribed stimulants in a school setting, individuals sustain ineffective coping mechanisms in high stress situations. Social media encourages students to turn to alternative methods that may seem acceptable to misuse on a regular basis. “Because we have access to social media and can contact people at all times, it is easier to get and take the drugs regularly,” the student who wished to stay anonymous said.
wgecho.org 13
Stisser’s Scoop
YouTube inadequately deals with sexual exploitation of children teract with their subscribers due to the restriction of comments and deletion of videos. Demonetization is, as defined by CBC.CA, “ YouTube decides which videos can collect ad revenue, based on whether they are deemed advertiser-friendly.” Content creation itself is an extensive process, minimally including planning, filming, editing and promoting, just to create a single video. This process can take up to days. It can take minutes for a video to get demonetized. A statement from a YouTube spokesperson confirmed that several of the videos featured in Watson’s video have since been removed, The Verge reported. In response to Watson’s videos and the surplus of concerning comments, many companies, such as Epic Games, Nestlé, Disney and AT&T, quickly pulled their advertisements from YouTube Public Domain Photo from Wikimedia Commons around Feb. 20. Young creators, predominantly vulnerable to the comments and sexual Thirteen year-old creator, MacKenna Kelly, “Life exploitation, are being punished by the counterproductive actions YouWith MaK,” was directly affected by predatory comTube has taken. ments and the ineffective measures taken by YouTube. Kelly has over 1.4 million subscribers, and Emily Stisser creates ASMR-style videos. Several of Kelly’s videos now have Entertainment Columnist comment restrictions, and some have been entirely deleted. After YouTube deleted tens of millions of comments, predatory and YouTube’s shaky attempt to stop predatory comments on vid- not, Kelly posted a video responding to the situation. Kelly said, “It’s not just the videos that are part of the channel, eos of and created by children has proven to be ineffective and it’s also the comments. It’s like a 50/50, because how else are has only escalated the situation. On Feb. 19, a video posted by creator Matt Watson reinvigo- your fans supposed to reach out to you?” Several creators have also expressed their discontent with the rated major controversy against YouTube, exposing millions of way YouTube has handled the situation. ignored predatory comments. YouTube veteran, Colleen Ballinger, first posted a 30 minute In the video, Watson described the major faults in YouTube’s recommendation algorithm. As a viewer with an account search- video early March 26, including content briefly talking about the es for and views videos over time, YouTube finds similarities issue, but primarily showing her everyday life. The video, which in the content and channels in which the viewers seems most is posted on her secondary vlog-style channel, was quickly deinterested in. This feature has only intensified the access and monetized without explanation. YouTube has long been questioned for its method behind deavailability to discover the videos circulated in a “soft-core pemonetization, often removing advertisements from videos withdophilia ring,” Watson said. This is not the first instance that the algorithm has contributed out a clear gauge of what is “acceptable” or not to creators and to widespread sexualized child content. In 2017, YouTube up- viewers. This can often leave creators confused and hurt, as the dated its policies to address a situation in which altered, sexual- reviewing process has proven to be inconsistent. Ballinger then received a message saying, “all ads have been ized, content of children was being recommended to children. Watson’s video again exposed the algorithm, now instead recom- taken off this video because the content within this was not ad-friendly.” The video fit within the parameters of YouTube’s mending the videos to provoking pedophiles. Many of the videos affected are of children eating food on guidelines, free of foul language and inappropriate content. In response, Ballinger posted a video later that day, directly camera, gymnastics, doing try-on clothing hauls or simply talking to the camera. These videos, not pornographic in nature, are addressing the problem. “What, about me talking about my life littered with up to thousands of predatory comments, sexualizing with my son, as a new mom, projects I’m working on, and then talking about how YouTube did this. How is that not ad-friendand exploiting normal behaviors of children. YouTube has attempted to solve the pedophile problem by ly,” Ballinger said. Ballinger expressed concerns about the lack of consequences demonetizing all videos of children, restricting comments or all together deleting the videos affected. Young creators, predomi- for perpetrators, saying “They can’t comment anymore because nantly vulnerable to the comments and sexual exploitation, are comments are disabled, which means there’s no way to find these being punished by the counterproductive actions YouTube has pedophiles and report them. So, to me this is not a fix to the issue. taken. In result, affected creators are completely unable to in- To me, it’s helping the pedophiles and blaming the victim.”
14
wgecho.org
Entertainment | April 2019
Review: ‘Us’ builds psychological horror through twists
Image from https://www.watchyourself.com
“Us” came out in theaters on March 9. Bringing in $71 million during opening weekend, it was the highest grossing original horror film opening ever.
pearance to Adelaide, her husband, Gabe (Winston Duke), and their two children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). “Us” was written and directed by Jordan Peele, who won an Oscar award for Best Original Screenplay in 2018 for his first horror film “Get Out.” Both films belong to the psychological horror genre and have subtle underlying political messages. “Get Out” is focused on the prevalence of white supremacy in today’s culture, whereas “Us” revolves around supremacism in general. The title “Us,” in fact may be representative of the United States’ abbreviation, U.S. Peele’s original representation of race relations in America through horror attracted viewers’ interests. Although he is relatively new to directing, he has become a household name due to the success of his first two films. Nyong’o and Duke worked together previously in 2018’s “Black Panther” (Nyong’o as Nakia and Duke as M’Baku). Both films feature a predominately African-American cast. During its opening weekend, “Us” brought in over $70 million in North America alone. Fear meets psychological turmoil in “Us,” which features a number of unexpected twists and turns throughout. The film shows just how easily people can turn against one another, and themselves. “Us” has a running time of one hour and 56 minutes and is rated R.
Gretchen Skoglund Contributing Writer “Us” sets up a terrifying, modern-day framework that plots the psyche against the body. Created by Monkeypaw Productions, the thrilling horror film examines the inevitable mayhem that occurs when these two forces converge. Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o) and her family visit her childhood home in Santa Cruz. Remembering a disturbing event from her past, Adelaide becomes progressively more on edge, as if anticipating another traumatizing situation. Her nightmares come to life when four masked attackers break into the house, later revealing themselves to be identical in ap-
Get the training you need to succeed as a Cosmetologist, Nail Tech or Esthetician.
314.966.8888 GrabberSchool.edu
Grab OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR SALON & SPA SERVICES
April 2019 | Entertainment
your future.
wgecho.org 15
Join us in Celebration of the Lord!
16
wgecho.org
Entertainment | April 2019