WG ECHO March 2017 Issue

ECHO STATESMEN March 2017 Volume 102 Issue 7 Photo by Greg Frazier

100 Selma Ave st. Louis MO 63119 wgecho.org

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Table of Contents

ECHO

Pg. 3 EPA must keep environment above business Pg. 4

Willie’s comic Pg. 5 School choice or no school choice, standards must remain Pg. 6 Preparations underway for prom at Hilton Pg. 6 Amnesty club celebrates Women’s History Month Pg. 7 Students run for STUCO offices Pg. 8-9 The Story of the 2017 State champion Statesmen Pg. 10 Sophomore wins 2017 Franzie Award Pg. 10 Columnist respects flight attendants Pg. 11 School groups take Spring Break trips Pg. 12

Track teams introduce new event Pg. 13 Perkins, Jones wrestle at State with late coach in memory Pg. 14 Singer/songwriter’s 3rd album pulls heart strings Pg. 15 “Get Out” has a “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” twist Pg. 16 Despite controversy, movie will bring together generations 2016-17 ECHO STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Andy Kimball JUNIOR EDITOR: Jake Collins BUSINESS/ADS MANAGER: Cole Schnell OPINION EDITOR: Abyana Botan SPORTS EDITOR: Bennett Durando FEATURE/NEWS EDITOR: Caleb Bolin ONLINE EDITOR: Caroline Fellows VIDEO EDITOR: Ashli Wagner CIRCULATION EDITOR: Greg Frazier AUDIO EDITOR: Page Kimzey GRAPHICS EDITOR: Natalie Johnson ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Riley Mullgardt ADVISOR: Donald Johnson

SOME MATERIAL COURTESY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS/MCT CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER SERVICE The ECHO is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-963-6400 ex. 11157 or write wgecho@wgmail.org.

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

Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 155. All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested. The ECHO has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged.

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

March 2017

The ECHO FAMILY The ECHO Family helps make the ECHO possible. To become a member of the ECHO Family, please contact Greg Frazier at frostymoondust@yahoo.com.

Thanks to all of our members!

Curtin Family Dugan Family Kathy Whaley Jodi Richards Kurt Krautmann Thomas J. Zychinski Peggy Drew Smegner Webster Kirkwood Times Don and Mary Ann Schafer Webster Groves Baptist Church

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Opinion

Op-ed

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EPA must keep environment above business Jake Collins Junior Editor Earth’s climate is changing due to human activities.

The overwhelming majority of publishing climate scientists agree with this.

This claim should be irrefutable; however, some of our elected officials think otherwise.

Scott Pruitt, new leader of the Environmental Protection Agency, has openly denied peer-reviewed research on climate change.

Pruitt claimed in an article he co-authored for the National Review, “Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind.

That debate should be encouraged — in classrooms, public forums and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime.”

However, in 2016 an article that was published in the peer-reviewed journal IOPscience, a journal that has been publishing for 130 years, stated in an article, “Among abstracts that expressed a position on anthropogenic global warming (AGW), 97.1 percent endorsed the scientific consensus. Among scientists who expressed a position on AGW in their abstract, 98.4 percent endorsed the consensus.”

In the transcript of his address to the EPA Pruitt stated, “Our nation has done better than any nation in the world in making sure that we do the job of protecting our natural resources and protecting our environment, while also respecting the economic growth and jobs our nation seeks to have.”

In order to achieve this goal of job creation and environmental protection, Pruitt and the Trump administration will need to some policies, but also leave some policies alone.

According to the Washington Post, “The draft proposal for the EPA would cut its annual budget from about $8.2 billion to $6.1 billion.” $1.9 billion is a steep slope to go down,.

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Photo by Tom Williams/Congressional Quarterly/Newscom/Zuma Press/TNS

Scott Pruitt, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, on Feb. 28, in Statuary Hall before President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress in the Capitol. (C) 2017.

EPA budget cuts will affect the department across the board.

One of the most disappointing proposal cuts is to the staff of the EPA. According a Washington Post Article, “As proposed, the EPA’s staff would be slashed from its current level of 15,000 to 12,000.”

These cuts will continue the cycle of an understaffed EPA that already struggles to keep up with the growing environmental issues at hand.

According to CNN, “Other programs include the Environmental Justice program, which is meant to help local communities grapple with environmental concerns, and Global Change Research, a program funded by several agencies, including the EPA, which reports humans’ impact on the planet.”

These programs are part of the heart of what the EPA is meant to do: research and enforce. With these programs set for major budget cuts, the EPA will become less and less effective at standing up to large corporations. This, combined with the Trump administration’s promise that

regulations will be rolled back, leaves the EPA in a position where it is unable to do its job and stand up for the environment.

According to CNN, “The Clean Power Plan, which could also be recommended for cuts, was an initiative by former President Barack Obama meant to reduce carbon emissions from each state.”

The Clean Power Plan was put in place to make sure that power plants are emitting a “safe” level of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, if these restrictions, were to be lifted, the atmosphere and environment would suffer ever further at the hand of corporations.

The EPA is a vital part of the government’s fight to keep anthropogenic global warming at a minimum.

The EPA also makes sure that business is staying in line with the standards that the government has established.

If Congress decides that America’s current business interests are more important than care for the world that we all have to live in, then shame on them.

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March 2017

Willie’s Comic

ECHO

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Opinion

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Caleb’s Conception

With or without school choice, standards necessary Caleb Bolin Political Columnist

port charter schools in her home state of Michigan. She believes charter school vouchers will allow impoverished students to get a better education.

With new administraIn a speech on Feb. 22, to the Conservative Political Action tions getting rolling and Conference (CPAC), DeVos talked about how the nation’s test focusing on immigra- scores were flatlining; how putting money into schools had not tion, terrorism, the econ- improved them; and how providing equal opportunities for a omy and health care, it quality education is an imperative that all students deserve. is surprising that there As a stark contrast to her statements on equal opportunity at has been almost no talk the CPAC, just a few weeks before, when Sen. Tim Kaine (VA) about the challenges fac- asked if she agreed that all schools receiving tax dollars should ing students and educa- be held to the same standard as traditional public schools, Detors around the country.

Vos refused to agree. Apparently students should be given the Some of these issues include providing all students with equal same opportunities to choose schools without the schools of their opportunity regardless of income; making sure students are choice being held to the same standards of quality education. ready for a variety of tasks, including pursuing higher educaDeVos also struggled when asked by Sen. Michael F. Benet tion and joining the workforce; and (CO), himself a supporter of charter holding schools accountable for schools, what she had learned from the readiness of students for life the failures of charter schools in Deafter formal education. troit, the largest city in DeVos’s home On Feb. 7, President Donald state. Benet added Michigan charter Trump’s nominee for Secretary of schools performed worse across the Education, Betsy DeVos, was conboard than traditional public schools. firmed by a 51-50 margin in the In response, DeVos tried to give Benet Senate after Vice President Mike better context of Detroit and said, “A Pence broke the 50-50 tie. lot has gone right there,” without anOne of the many reasons why swering his question.

DeVos’s confirmation was so hotly To see the current Secretary of Photo by Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS debated was that she would like to President Donald Trump congratulates Education Education refusing to hold schools reallocate federal tax dollars from Secretary Betsy DeVos during a parent-teacher accountable for poor student perfortraditional public schools in order conference listening session in the Roosevelt Room mance highlights her ignorance or to fund school vouchers for indi- of the White House on Feb. 14, in Washington, apathy to the fact that when failing vidual students. She also has said D.C. (C) 2017. charter schools are allowed to continthat she would like to see the end ue to receive funding, students suffer. of the Common Core--standards for what students should be able Putting the ability to choose a school first without considering to achieve by the end of certain grade levels around the country. the quality of the choices available is wrong.

During her confirmation hearing, DeVos, who never attended When under-performing charter schools receiving government a public school nor worked in school administration, attempted funding are allowed to continue serving students, schools also to defend her stances on the Common Core standards and school may close in the middle of the year, forcing students to go to vouchers. She did not seem to know that the standards are, ac- public schools that cannot accommodate the influx of the stucording to the Common Core website, set by governors and state dents due to a lack of space and a lack of funding, hurting the commissioners of education from 48 states, two territories and traditional public schools.

D.C. and are not federally enforced or mandated.

Whether or not charter school vouchers are made a reality Proponents of Common Core argue that it holds states to equal around the nation, standards for education and accountability levels of accountability, ensures the preparedness of students for must remain in place. Without them, schools can fail students life-long education and the workforce, and contemplates that and then fail altogether, like many of the charter schools in Michstudents can move anywhere in the country and be expected to igan did. be at the same level of education.

Schools must be held accountable for student performance and Those who oppose the standards believe they stifle teachers, held to the same standards in every part of the country. After all, infringe on states’ rights to choose what their students need to we are many states, but we are one nation that must have equalbe able to do and cause classes to be taught toward the tests that ly and consistently prepared students. Giving families school measure student progress. choice is great in theory, but without high-quality choices, there For years, DeVos, a billionaire, has adamantly poured money is no real choice at all. into the coffers of various organizations, many of which sup-

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March 2017

News 6 ECHO Preparations underway for prom at Hilton Greg Frazier Circulation Manager

prom is chocolate fondue, popcorn, cheese cake and a variety of pastries.

Prom will be April 15, from 8 Senior Cianna Vo said, p.m. to 11 p.m. in the ballroom at “I’m spending the whole Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. week preparing for prom, The theme for this year’s event is getting my nails done. I’m “old Hollywood.” still looking and waiting Junior vice president Adi Johnson on picking out my dress, described the theme as “Old Hollybut I know people have wood-esque style, like the old movalready picked out theirs. ies and a very glamourous setting.”

I’m exciting to see everyThe dress code for this year’s one dressed up and lookprom remains the same as previous ing pretty.” years. Formal wear and school dress Music will be provided code policy is included in the dance. by the #1 DJ in Missouri, Senior and Mr. Webster winner Dj Nune (Lamar Harris).

Esque Ewing said, “I’ll be taking Harris is a musician that pictures and partying before prom. offers jazzy and upbeat I’ll be partying at prom, and after Photo by Perrin Habecker. electronic sounds. prom I’ll be partying. It’s pretty The cost for prom is Senior (then sophomore) Kate Scheffing and graduate (then much one big party for me.” “around $60 with parking senior) Robert Enyard stand in line to enter prom, April 18, The food that is going to be at of $10,” said Johnson.

2015, at Union Station.

Amnesty International celebrates Women’s History Cole Schnell Business Manager Amnesty International celebrated Women’s History Month by aiding and showing support of women.

Amnesty collected donations for women and children in need throughout the March. The money will go to a family, who lives in the city, adopted by Amnesty to provide clothes and other goods.

Also, the organization set up a table at parent teacher conferences enabling female parents or any female over 18 years old to take pictures of them holding up signs saying the name of the project and who they are: for example “I am a mother” or “I am a teacher.” Amnesty will put up posters with photos of these

women and their occupations to celebrate them.

Junior Katherine Kempf, Amnesty International club member, said, “I think it is important to share the accomplishments [of women] that go under appreciated.”

Junior Julie Ross, Amnesty International club member, said, “Mothers need to be recognized.”

Separate from Women’s History Month, Amnesty is writing letters to the Obamas, thanking them for their work during their presidency. A student could precipitate by taking some time of his/her lunch period and writing a letter at the table Amnesty set up.

Amnesty collected the money for its adopted family at the photobooth at the conferences and at the station for writing letters to Obama.

If you have an opinion or thought you would like to share, write a letter to the editor.

Letters can be dropped off at room 155 or emailed to wgecho@wgmail.org.

March 2017

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ECHO

News

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Students run for STUCO offices Page Kimzey Audio Editor Students campaigned for student council staff positions for the 2017-2018 school year during the week of March 27.

Juniors Connie Rhodes and Elizabeth Mandernach are running for president.

Sophomores Evelyn Trampe and Chris Kuse are running for vice president.

Freshman Becca Mandernach, sophomore Tommy Marcinkiewicz and junior Glory Patrick are running for secretary.

Sophomores Danelle Kern and Ali Kuskowski are running for treasurer.

Freshman Allison Huff and sophomore Ellie Oliphant are running for public relations, and freshman Tyler Benbow and freshman Brianna Vo are running for historian.

According to current STUCO historian Evelyn Trampe, candidates are nominated for the following year’s positions by other STUCO members. Once students are nominated, they can either decline or accept.

All students who ran for positions gave speeches to the student body on Wednesday, March 29, after school to add to their campaign.

Mandernach will focus on the student and staff’s wants if she is elected.

“If I were to get elected president. I think really see what the school and what people wanted, and then I would see if I could do something that makes everyone else happy. If the student body spoke and said they wanted this changed and want to do something differently, I would do that,” Mandernach said.

Photo by Page Kimzey Rhodes will focus on school involvement Students placed posters promoting their student council campaigns in the if she gets elected president.

“I just want student council to become hallways. better. I really want to have our school to become more unified, like have a committee type thing with really bad or to help students out when they are in need and for student council, pep club and DECA so we can then do bigger our community,” Rhodes said. fundraisers, and other things like get the Little Theater fixed or Rhodes plans to reform the student body by creating more to get some better stuff for the auditorium because the seats are events after the Turkey Day season in attempts to keep up the groups numbers throughout the year. One way she plans to do All the Ingredients for a that is have STUCO be the only club to happen on Wednesdays.

Fresh Start to Your Day. “I really want to try and make it into a community because we are trying to figure out ways that we can have other people come in and want to be involved and want to be with us,” Rhodes said.

Election ballots came out during sixth hour on March 30, and 314-968-2253 results were announced the following day.

Order Online at KolacheFactor yToGo.com

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March 2017

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In-Depth

ECHO

CHAMPIONS

Webster wins 3rd State title with historic 23-game run Bennett Durando Sports Editor

The second free throw didn’t even reach the basket.

With .3 seconds left, Webster had missed its last chance to avenge District championship losses to SLUH the two previous years. This defeat was as heartbreaking as they come: 49-48 on a pair of missed foul shots right before the buzzer.

“It brought back bad memories,” senior Cam Potts, who missed the free throws, said.

The Statesmen were 6-2 -- by no means off to a bad start, but not at all living up to their potential. With last minute losses to their two toughest opponents, Champaign Central and SLUH, they were yet to prove they could beat big time teams or finish in close games.

“I thought that was a turning point,” head coach Jay Blossom said. “I think it brought our guys closer together, to make sure they never had to taste that feeling again.”

“The drive to not ever feeling defeat again was our motivation,” Potts said.

“We just didn’t want to lose again.”

They didn’t.

Twenty-three games and 23 wins later, the Webster Groves Statesmen are State champions.

In a run for the ages, the Statesmen (292) immortalized themselves in WGHS history by capturing the 2017 Missouri Class V title. It’s the third State championship for the program, the first since 2008 and the second under the 400-game winner Blossom.

To reach the pinnacle, Webster had to overcome a season of obstacles. The concern the first half of the season was the lack of junior five-star recruit Carte’Are Gordon, sidelined until late January as he served out his 365-day transfer ineligibility period. Without substantial size, the Statesmen still found a way to go 11-2.

March 2017

“They fought really hard until I came back. They kept battling everyday at practice,” Gordon said. “It was super hard for me, because I was really ready to play, but I was just being patient.”

By the time the big man was back, there was a new hole, as Blossom received crushing news in January: he would have to miss six weeks after having eye surgery, leaving assistant coach Scott Stallcup at the helm for a brutal stretch of schedule.

“Our motto was ‘Play for Jay,’” Kevin Butler, a scrappy guard and one of four seniors on the team, said.

“Coach Stallcup may be one of the best assistant coaches in America, if not the best,” added senior Donovan Daniels.

The Statesmen rose to the challenge,

The Shot Courtney Ramey’s game-winner sends Webster to the State Final.

Photo by Greg Frazier

going 11-0 in Blossom’s absence. They survived Ritenour and Lafayette in close road games, ran SLUH off its own court in an emotional rematch (59-43), and beat three different eventual State champs: Chicago’s Morgan Park (75-67), Iowa City West (76-68) and nationally ranked MO Class IV champs Vashon (60-59).

“Stallcup was really big replacing Blossom,” Potts said. “Overcoming the challenges this year made us play harder and play together.”

Most memorably during the stretch, Webster battled back from down 17 in a hostile environment at Vashon’s home court. Tied with five seconds left, Junior Louisville commit Courtney Ramey pulled away a steal then drew a foul. He hit the second free throw to win it 60-59.

The next day, Blossom was back and Webster had moved to the top of the outright state rankings for the first time.

“We just didn’t have a lot of adversity last year. We were under-scheduled, so when we got punched in the nose by SLUH in Districts early on in that game, we didn’t respond very well,” Blossom said. “This year, with that schedule, not many people punched us in the nose, but if they did, it didn’t phase us at all.”

Webster’s other notable wins were over Chicago Uplift and Belleville East, on a Ramey jumper at the buzzer. By playoff time, the Statesmen were fully locked in.

They rolled through four teams to reach the Final Four, beating Mehlville 65-33 and Vianney 57-41 to win Districts, then dominating Battle 84-46 and CBC 76-57.

“We just made it a six game season, and I think we got better every single one of those games,” Blossom said. “Those guys were spot on, they were ready, focused; they knew the game plan.”

To get to the championship, Webster in the Final Four first had to go through a Kickapoo juggernaut that matched the Statesmen with two D1-bound players.

With clutch shot after shot going down at both ends, it was an instant classic in the making at Mizzou Arena from the start.

Kickapoo’s Xavier commit Jared Ridder led a third quarter run that sent the game to the fourth tied at 45. Still knotted at 51 with two minutes left, Gordon came up with a steal and easy fast break dunk to break the tie. Webster led 55-51 with a minute to go, but Navy-bound Cameron Davis pulled up and cut the lead to one with 49 seconds on the clock. Davis then hit the same exact three with 19 seconds

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In-Depth

One for the ages

left, a go-ahead dagger.

Down two, Blossom kept his two timeouts in his pocket as his team quickly inbounded it to midcourt.

“Our guys practiced that. They have been in those situations, and I just think it’s better to just go in the flow of the offense and not let the defense get set,” Blossom said.

With time running out, Webster turned to Ramey for one last epic moment of resilience. He circled the perimeter, trying to get the ball in his hands. Taking a handoff from Gordon at the top of the key, the Louisville commit kept in stride and drove to his right, stopping and turning his body suddenly along the baseline. Falling over a defender, he released his shot.

A whistle. A swish. An explosion.

Ramey’s magical off-balance shot as he was fouled tied it up in dramatic fashion with seven seconds to go. He completed the and-one and put the Statesmen on top with the ensuing free throw.

“They did a tremendous job spacing the floor, and we got Courtney driving to the rim, exactly what we wanted to do,” Blossom said. “When you have a great player like Courtney, it makes it look easy.”

Kickapoo, with one last chance, found a

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9 Photo by Greg Frazier

The Statesmen mob the State championship trophy after a dominant 70-35 win to take the title.

man in the corner, but Gordon’s long arms denied the potential game-winner as time expired. 58-57 Webster. Gordon pounded the ball into the ground as his teammates rushed the floor.

“Courtney hit the shot, and the first thing I thought about was Cameron Davis hitting a buzzer beater,” Gordon said. “But then when I saw him pass it up, I knew the next player to get the ball was going to shoot it. I knew I had a good chance of blocking it.”

“We huddled up after the basket and said we needed the biggest stop of our lives,” Butler said. “Mr. Clutch made a huge and-one, and the big fella came through with a block!”

Blossom, whose animated fist pump after the buzzer embodied Webster’s elation, said, “Everyone was making plays, and we just happened to make one more play. It was such a high level game, such an unbelievable environment; it was just was just a lot of emotion.”

The Statesmen barely had time to soak in the joy of their win for the ages before they were preparing for the State final against Lee’s Summit West, set to tip 24 hours after the end of the semifinal.

At Columbia College for a short prac-

tice the next day though, everything was clicking.

“You usually go about 45 minutes. We went about 15, and at that point, everything was just perfect, so I said shoot, let’s get the heck out of here and go play,” Blossom said. “I don’t know how to describe it, you just kind of know … you know your guys are ready, and there’s nothing else to do.”

As it turned out, there was nothing Lee’s Summit West could do either. The Titans ran into a Webster team at the height of its surreal run, completely on top of its game. In a historic thrashing, the Statesmen doubled up LSW 70-35 to take the State title. Ramey and Gordon outscored the Titans 46-35; Ramey finished with 25 and 11 rebounds, while Gordon had 21 and seven, making 8/8 field goals. It was a final emphatic statement from a legendary Statesmen team that finished the season ranked 13th in the country.

“It says a lot that our last game was our best game. That’s every coach’s dream,” Blossom said. “In my opinion, this is the best team Webster Groves has ever had.”

For Webster Groves, it will be remembered as the team whose magical season made the dream a reality.

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Feature

ECHO

Sophomore wins 2017 Franzie Award

Natalie Johnson Humor Columnist Sophomore Trinity Madison won the 2017 All Write Franzie Award for her poem “I Pledge.”

For Madison, the writing process is a “one-day experience.”

To gain inspiration for her pieces while writing, she listens to spoken word poetry by poets like FreeQuency, whom Madison described as a “really brilliant,” thought provoking, feminist writer. Madison’s writing is influenced by FreeQuency’s use of statistics and factual evidence in her poetry to make a statement.

It was with inspiration from these poets that make their audience “question,” as Madison said, that she wrote “I Pledge.”

After being sexually assaulted last year, Madison used poetry as an outlet to express and process her experience, which she described as a time of “a lot of pain.”

“Every 107 seconds someone gets raped,” Madison said.

Madison’s plan is to open rape clinics, providing survivors with therapy, access to lawyers and guidance throughout the process to make it easier for the victims to handle their cases. Madison described these clinics as a “one stop shop to help and have everything.”

Since focusing more on poetry, Madison has set the goal of attending “Brave New Voices,” a national poetry slam competition. Madison also hopes to participate in college poetry slam competition, then continuing writing as a hobby.

After college, Madison wants to use her knowledge of dealing with sexual assault to help others going through similar situa-

Photo by Donald Johnson

Sophomore Trinity Madison is presented the 2017 All Write Franzie Award by English teacher Deborah Bohlmann.

tions.

As demonstrated in “I Pledge,” Madison believes society can change for the better if people are able to overcome prejudice and give one another a chance. In overcoming our differences, Madison thinks even the community in Webster Groves High School can change for the better.

Natalie’s Column

Columnist respects flight attendants Natalie Johnson Humor Columnist Fact: flight attendants are the most patient group of people.

While traveling over spring break, I found myself getting agitated with my fellow travelers in the cabin, particularly the sixyear-old behind me who seemed to make sport out of how long he could keep me awake during the flight.

He had me convinced that kicking the person-in-front-of-you’s chair was the best in-flight entertainment-- even better than Sky Mall.

I tried it out on the seat in front of me to see if I would have as much fun as the six-year-old, but the lady in front of me wouldn’t play along.

Maybe there was a giant target on the back of seat 25A, who knows, but this kid just had a blast kicking my seat...

I also couldn’t help but notice the man a few aisles down who wanted to share with the rest of the plane what he had for lunch 30 minutes prior…

March 2017

The woman a couple seats back who stashed everyone’s unwanted complimentary make-your-mouth-dry mini pretzels like a squirrel getting ready for winter also provided some entertainment.

Needless to say, characters like these are just a part of the job for flight attendants. How they manage to make it through several flights in a day, or a flight over three hours for that matter, amazes me.

Nobody listens to their safety talks, everyone laughs at them when they put on those big yellow flotation devices, and everyone has pressed the call button instead of the light button at least once.

On my flight back to St. Louis while the flight attendants were going up and down the aisle serving drinks, I saw a woman try to scoot through the 3-inch gap between their trolley and the seats to get to the bathroom.

It didn’t work, and I’m sure it made all parties uncomfortable, especially the aisle seat.

Anyone who can put up with rude travelers is a hero in my book.

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ECHO

Feature

11

School groups take spring break trips

students.

The first day, the students arrived, relaxed at the hotel and went to some of the stores in San Jose. The second day, they toured a coffee plantation called Cafe Britt and hiked to the viewpoint on Poas Volcano.

Day three started with a chocolate tour on the Tirimbina Reserve, lasting about two and a half hours. They hiked through the Tirimbina forest.

Some students saw a pig-nosed pit viper, one of the deadliest snakes in Costa Rica, according to the tour directors Patricia Alfaro and David Diaz. After that, the group went white water rafting in Rio Saraouiqui.

The next day, students and chaperones ziplined through the rainforest canopy and visited a pineapple plantation. Later that night, the group went on a night walk and saw different types of frogs, snakes and insects.

On the fifth day, the group kayaked on Lake Arenal with local guides, then walked down more than 400 steps to the bottom of La Fortuna Waterfall.

The following day, students and chaperones went to a natural hot springs for three hours.

On the last day, students went on a guided boat tour of Palo Verde, where they saw monkeys, crocodiles and other animals on the riverbank. They then snorkeled in Guanacaste with local tour guides. They saw pufferfish, starfish, Photo by Ashli Wagner sea urchins, jelly fish, hermit crabs, and other sea life. March 23, students and chaperones flew Senior Kelly Komotos races to pick the best five pineapples in the field. Kohome and got to Lambert Airport around 5 p.m. motos won and received a jar of homemade marmalade.

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to Ashli Wagner hang out with a lot of friends outside of school, and I learned Video Editor different Spanish curse words and that different places have different sayings,” junior Gigi Littleton said about the trip to Costa Every year, spring break presents new opportunities for Rica.

WGHS students to travel. Costa Rica and New York were this year’s destinations for groups organized by the Spanish depart- New York Also over spring break, 20-plus Jazz Band members traveled ment and the jazz band. with band director Kevin Cole to New York from March 16-21.

Costa Rica The students went to the Jazz Standard the first night.

Spanish language teachers lead a trip every two years. Amy The next day, the group toured of the Apollo Theater and went Rowland went to Costa Rica with 42 students and other teacher to the Jazz House Kids to practice with musicians from New chaperones March 16-23. On their last trip to Spain, the Spanish York. They then performed at the Hat City Kitchen. classes only had 36 students.

The third day, students went shopping in the SoHo district and “My biggest expectation is that students can practice their saw a performance at the Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Spanish because that’s the point is to be able to use your Spanish Sunday, March 19, the group went to the top of the Rockefeller in a real-world situation so that’s my big comfortable doing,” Center and performed three songs at the iconic club Birdland.

Rowland said about her expectations for the trip.

The last day, the group went to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis The trip to Costa Rica lasted eight days, including travel days. Island and visited the 9/11 Memorial. After dinner, they went to Travelers had tour directors who were responsible for all the tour The Blue Note to see legendary pianist McCoy Tyner. Before logistics. The group going to Costa Rica was so large they had catching their flight home March 21, students went to the Ameritwo tour directors and buses to compensate for the number of can Museum of Natural History to enjoy one last day of tourism.

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March 2017

Sports

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ECHO

Track teams introduce new event Andy Kimball Editor-in-Chief Men’s and women’s track teams are now competing in a new event: the javelin throw.

The state association for track and field approved the javelin toss event last year. This year the javelin toss will now count towards overall score at meets.

The throwers this year haven’t competed in any meets yet and have only practiced for a couple of weeks.

One of the throwers this year is senior Donovan Smith, who said the athletes are just starting on drills to practice the form of the throw.

Smith said, “My goal for this year is just to throw a javelin in a meet.”

For the women’s team the three throwers are junior Jamie Tabron, freshmen Brianna Arinze and junior Mary Katherine Townsend.

Tabron qualified for the State championships for the shot put

last year.

Smith said, “It’s an opportunity to try something new. Also there is no school record for it, so there is a easy way to get on the board.”

Athletic director Jerry Collins said, “As far as I know this is the first time WGHS has participated in the javelin toss. The javelin toss is like hurtles or anything else.”

Last year the javelin toss was introduced at the MSHAA state championships but was not scored for team points. Three years ago the javelin was introduced as an expedition event.

Jessica Weston will be the coach for the javelin throw. She is an assistant coach for the women’s track team who specializes in throws.

To prepare for coaching the event, track coaches Jon Petter and Heather Kelly went to a clinic at the University of Missouri to learn about the event and to learn drills to practice the event.

Petter said, “The event will make it tougher for us, but it is an exciting new challenge for us to get more points. It will make it a little harder for us to compete with schools who have more money, who have more facilities.”

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April 15 at 1 p.m.

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March 2017

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ECHO

Sports

13

Perkins, Jones wrestle at State with late coach in memory Bennett Durando Sports Columnist

Beaten, bruised and with a mountain to climb, senior Noah Perkins stepped onto the mat once again.

Facing him, an imposing figure from Warrington ranked fifth in the state.

Remembering the advice of head coach James LeMay, Perkins kept his head down, facing the floor of the State wrestling finals arena.

“It’s nothing like you’ve seen before,” Perkins later said. “You’re just one little body out on the floor, staring up, looking at a lot of other bodies watching you. It’s a lot of exposure; it’s nerveracking. You don’t want to look up and get distracted by all the people looking at you.”

As the match began, Perkins couldn’t let wrestling instinct take over completely.

Bothered by a left shoulder tweak suffered in his previous Photo provided by Noah match, a loss to the eventual Perkins State champ from Smithville, Senior Noah Perkins points Perkins would have to take on to the sky after an emotional a strategy not too familiar to victory at State. him: defensive.

Helping him in this approach were the echoing words of another coach, one who was with Perkins in spirit. Irshaad Ameer, a Webster assistant coach who had suddenly passed away a few weeks earlier, had known well of Perkins’ aggressive tendency to use his strength to his advantage every chance he got.

“He would tell me not to lift trucks, which just kind of means wrestle, don’t muscle.” Perkins said. The message was clear: don’t do too much.

Coach Ameer’s guiding words stuck with Perkins, as he upset Warrington with one arm then went on to place fifth at State for the Statesmen.

To earn his memorable triumph, Perkins had to battle with several opponents, including his own shoulder.

“Coach would always tell anybody who was injured that you either have an injury or an owie,” senior Marcell Jones said. “An owie is something that hurts, but you can fight through it. Noah had an owie and knew he could fight through it, and Coach told him he could fight through it.”

And fight through it he did. Winning his first two matches would have automatically qualified him for the semifinal stage of the double-elimination tournament, but after starting with a victory, the defeat to Smithville proved to be a setback. He would have to win two straight matches to have the chance to place.

Facing elimination, Perkins took down Warrington then pinned Hannibal in the second period to clinch a medal of placement.

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“I didn’t feel it as much until my adrenaline was pumping, and then I sat down before my Warrington match and Hannibal, and it was painful,” Perkins said. “I had to keep rubbing it out, and it was just tightening up. I woke up the next morning and it was like having a bunch of needles in my shoulder. Luckily, we kind of strategized around it.”

With a clean record at the day next day’s consolation semifinals, Perkins narrowly lost to Harrisonville, sending him to the fifth place showdown for a rematch with Pacific, who he had lost to in a semifinal match at Districts. This time, Perkins prevailed, completing his dramatic run to Missouri’s top five podium.

It was the culmination of an emotional season for the Statesmen, who lost a member of their family the weekend before senior night, with the playoffs just around the corner. Ameer was an assistant coach who often worked directly with wrestlers, teaching them moves and getting on the mat to practice with them.

On Saturday Jan. 21, the same weekend the Statesmen were wrestling in the Fort Zumwalt South Tournament, Ameer unexpectedly passed away. The team didn’t receive the news until that Monday.

“Coach LeMay sat us all down in the wrestling room; nobody knew what was going on. He kind of waited until all the wrestlers, managers and everybody got in there, and he told us that Coach Ameer had passed away,” Perkins said. “It was a complete culture shock. Nobody expected this; from what we could say, he was perfectly healthy.”

“It hit pretty hard, because that Friday I was doing extra work with him after practice,” Jones said. “That’s the first thing that came to my head when I heard about it, that I was just in here with him Friday.”

Senior night that week, while already marking an emotional end to Perkins’ and Jones’ careers at Roberts Gym, took on a new meaning in wake of Ameer’s passing. The team held a ceremony for the late coach as his wrestling shoes were placed out on the mat and a moment of silence was held.

“The whole night all we wanted to do was make him proud,” Perkins said. “He gave us his all, so my senior night we went out there and gave him our all.”

Perkins and Jones would both go on to qualify and compete at State. Jones was eliminated early but stuck around and helped as Perkins climbed the ladder to fifth place.

“When I first walked into the room my sophomore year, Coach Ameer told me I was going to be a State champ, and that was always something that was on my mind,” Jones said. “I wasn’t a State champ, but just getting there was pretty special.”

After being eliminated, Jones himself became a coach to Perkins for the rest of the way.

“It’s been me and him always, going hard at practice, the two of us,” Jones said. “Even though I was eliminated, it was still good to see him go far. It was fun to watch.”

“I wanted to do it for my teammates because without them I wouldn’t have been able to go to State at all,” Perkins said. “I wanted to make Coach LeMay proud as a senior, and I wanted to make Coach Ameer proud, to show them both what they put into this year and that they were both really good coaches. Coach Ameer stayed in my mind for the whole way.”

March 2017

Entertainment ECHO Singer/songwriter’s 3rd album pulls heart strings

14

played before.

The song, “Barcelona” includes Sheeran speaking a little Spanish.

He teamed up with Ghanaian performer Fuse ODG for an AfWhen the Instagram page “teddysphotos” posted on Jan. 1, the robeat song called “Bibia Be Ye Ye.” world knew Ed Sheeran was back.

Traditional Irish and folk band Beoga features on “Galway After taking a break from music and social media the previ- Girl” helping Sheeran get that desired sound. ous year, Sheeran released two singles, “Castle on the Hill” and “I grew up on Planxty and The Chieftains, and I really like “Shape of You” in the course of one day. Over the next three Irish music. I don’t think enough people use it in pop music,” months, Sheeran posted hints said Sheeran to the and snippets of his new album, Irish Times.

“Divide.”

Junior and Irish muThis pop album dropped sician Kaelin Dooley March 3, and according to said her favorites off Billboard is “aiming for No. 1 ‘Divide’ are ‘Galway on Billboard 200 Chart with Girl’ and ‘Nancy Mulyear’s biggest debut.”

Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons ligan’ because they Official Charts wrote that “Divide,” released March 3, is singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran’s third feature one my favorite in 24 hours, “Divide” sold album.

Irish bands, Beoga.”

“232,000 physical and digital In “What Do I copies.”

Know?” Sheeran sings, Sheeran shared with The Irish Times, “The only things I can “You know, the future’s in the hands of you and me, So let’s all write about are being in love, friends and family, career or the get together, we can all be free, Spread love and understanding, place I grew up. That makes the album feel pretty reflective.” positivity,” promoting love and positivity in the world.

Following his other albums, “Plus” and “Multiply,” “Divide” “Divide” can be bought on iTunes for $12.99, in Target for channels all the romantic feelings. $13.99, Walmart for $14.88 and Best Buy for $14.99.

In a recent interview with Zane Lowe, Sheeran discussed possibly the most romantic song ever, “Perfect.”

Sheeran said, “I wanted to beat ‘Thinking Out Loud’ [single from “Multiply”] because I know that song was gonna define me. ... With ‘Perfect,’ it was like, ‘I need to write the best love song of my career.’”

That he did.

With the lyrics, “Darling, just hold my hand. Be my girl. I’ll be your man. I see my future in your eyes,” it’s hard not to swoon and have the urge to be in love.

Insecurities are a big deal and when Sheeran sang “When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful, I don’t deserve this, darling, you look perfect tonight” it made them all disappear.

While Sheeran sings the third track on the album, “Dive,” his emotion pours through the speakers as he screams, “So don’t call me baby, Unless you mean it. Don’t tell me you need me, If you don’t believe it.”

Also featured on the album are songs that Sheeran dedicated to each of his grandparents.

“Nancy Mulligan,” a song with an Irish sound, is a happy song about how his grandparents fell in love and started their family.

Unlike “Nancy Mulligan,” the 12th song “Supermarket Flowers” is about his grandmother’s death. Sheeran shared in a trackby-track interview that he initially didn’t want to put it on the record, but his grandfather convinced him to do it.

“My grandfather just turned to me [at the funeral], he was like you have to put that out, that has to go on the record. It’s such a good memory. That’s why it’s ended up on there,” said Sheeran to JustJarredJr in an interview.

“Divide” features songs that have sounds Sheeran has never

Riley Mullgardt Entertainment Editor

March 2017

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ECHO

15

Entertainment

Botan Beliefs

‘Get Out’ displays ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ twist Abby Botan Entertainment Columnist Racism is very much alive. It can be hidden, withdrawn from one’s sight, but it is undeniably present. Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” showcases a form of racism that sneaks up on the viewer.

A black Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) and his white girlfriend Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) visit her parents for the weekend. Rose hasn’t told her parents that Washington is black, and for that reason alone he’s very worried.

As the couple drives down the road to the Armitage house, they hit a deer and call the police. The police asks for Washington’s license even though he wasn’t driving, and Rose seemingly comes to his defense.

Later, the Armitages host an annual get-together, and things get really awkward. There are only four black people at the get together. Two are workers for the Armitages, Georgina (Betty Gabriel) and Walter (Marcus Henderson). The other guest is a mysterious man who now goes by the name Logan (LaKeith Stanfield).

All of the guests attempt to bond with Washington. Every conversation that he has with someone, the other person talks about his race.

“I play golf; do you play golf? Tiger Woods is amazing. Gotta love Tiger!” a man tells Washington.

“Get Out” puts an emphasis on the, “OMG, I totally would’ve voted for Obama for a third term if I could” racism and the “I have a black friend! I absolutely can’t be racist!” racism.

It’s important to know that just because a person has plenty of black friends doesn’t mean that he or she can’t be racist. We need to stop limiting racism to the KKK. Racism comes in all different types of forms.

“Get Out” isn’t as horrifying as I thought it would be. It had

Photo from GetOutFilm.com, painted by Taj Tenfold

“Get Out” premiered Jan. 23, making $30 million in the box office in its first week, six times its production cost.

a lot of comical moments. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Peele.

“Get Out” received a 99 percent in satisfaction from Rotten Tomatoes. The movie lasts almost two hours. The production budget was $4.5 million, and it has earned $147,499,045.

The 1-hour-and-44-minute movie is rated R for violence, bloody images and language including sexual references.

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March 2017

16

Entertainment ECHO Despite controversies, movie will bring together generations Caroline Fellows Online Editor It’s a “tale as old as time,” but as Disney prepared to release its $300 million movie, controversy arose over one of the movie’s minor characters.

LeFou (Josh Gad) is Gaston’s inferior sidekick and has an “exclusively gay moment” at the end of the movie, according to director Bill Condon.

“LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston,” Condon said. “He’s confused about what he wants.”

People have reacted differently to this news. The fact that LeFou, whose name translates from French directly to “the fool,” is dumb, illiterate and submissive has made some people upset that this is the character who will represent the gay community.

Also, Alabama’s Henagar Drive-in Theatre posted on Facebook that the theater wouldn’t show the highly anticipated movie.

“We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language,” said theater management in its statement. “If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me, then we have no business showing it.”

A petition on lifepetition.com has reached over 137,259 signatures as of March 28. The petition states, “Children’s movies are no place for promoting a harmful sexual political agenda, one that offends the deeply held beliefs of countless parents and families. I pledge to boycott both the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ movie, and other Disney films and products, until such a time as Disney commits itself to protecting, not harming, the innocence of our children.”

Russia released the movie for adults only, and Malaysia considered censoring the gay moment in the movie.

On the other hand, Attitude Magazine’s editor-in-chief Matt Cain applauds Disney for its bravery.

“The studio is sending out a message that this [homosexuality] is normal and natural – and this is a message that will be heard in every country of the world, even countries where it’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay,” Cain said.

USA Today reported Gad, who is known for voicing Olaf in Disney’s “Frozen,” finds the controversy over LeFou overblown.

“What was most important to me was taking a character that is wonderful and so iconic but is defined by cartoon conceits in the (original) movie... and expanding on that, giving him dimension, making him human,” Gad said. “I’m honored to have that moment as part of my character’s arc.”

He added other themes in the movie are more worthy of discussion like idea of not judging a book by its cover or giving into the fear of the unknown.

The #BoycottDisney campaign sparked via Twitter promotes the boycott of the entire company and raised the question if Disney would lose money over this gamble.

However, “Beauty and the Beast” grossed over $174 mil-

March 2017

lion in its opening weekend, the highest of any PG movie and March opening weekend, and has grossed nearly $700 million worldwide in 10 days. In addition, the movie Photo from movies.disney.com was ranked the LeFou (Josh Gad) and Gaston (Luke third most an- Evans) ride back to the village during ticipated movie of “Beauty and the Beast.”

2017 with its teaser trailer reaching a record 92 million views in the first 24 hours of its release.

In essence, “Beauty and the Beast” brings together generations of people. It can be nostalgic for those who grew up with the 1991 original but also provides a completely new way to look at the old classic. Its powerful messages, musical numbers (which included four new songs for the new version) and animation are quintessential reflections of the Disney legacy.

“Beauty and the Beast” stars Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson and Kevin Kline and runs for 2 hours and 9 minutes.

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