WG ECHO November 2018 Issue

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V olum e 1 0 4 I s s ue 3 No v e m ber 2 0 1 8 1 0 0 S e l m a Av e . w g e c h o . o r g

Soccer persists despite season losses pg. 13

2018-19 ECHO STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Cole Schnell PRINT EDITOR: Ellie Marshall JUNIOR EDITOR: Elise Keller BUSINESS MANAGER: Trinity Madison VIDEO EDITOR: Evelyn Trampe SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Rosa Parks OPINION EDITOR: Emily Stisser NEWS EDITOR: Ethan Weihl SPORTS EDITOR: Greg Frazier FEATURE EDITOR: Lindsey Bennett PODCAST EDITOR: Maeve Taylor ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Josie Krueger GRAPHICS EDITOR: Colin Shue 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 is a member of SSP, Quill and Scroll, MJEA, JEA, MIPA, NSPA and CSPA.

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Field trip opens students eyes Letter to the editor Transgender community needs equal rights Organizations threaten planned parenthood, choice Statesbots hosts Tech Challenge meet Special School District celebrates 60 years Murals continue tradition, promote positivity School District is running out of space; High School is not Pledge debate goes to court Women’s swim team begins season Numbers don’t measure fans’ support Senior football players express feelings of assuredness Soccer persists despite season losses New movie spells disaster for famous franchise Review: “Pokemon Let’s Go!” lets itself go Willie’s comic

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The 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!

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Aerin Johnson Keillyn Johnson Brad and Amy Krueger Curtin Family Melanie Bennett Hepfinger Family Cover Cutline: Senior captain Mason Schultz runs to the ball at the State finals soccer game. Photo by Ellie Marshall

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6 Table of Contents | October 2018

Ellie’s Expression

Field trip opens students’eyes Ellie Marshall Opinion Columnist I am a part of the new Real World Problem Solving class. This semester, we have been studying global poverty and all of the contributing factors of it, including hunger, health care, lack of education and gender inequalities.

On Oct. 21, my class, joined with the companion class from Webster University, headed south to the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR, for a life-changing experience: poverty.

“Even if it was just a little glimpse of what people go through everyday, it was very inspirational and influential,” senior Tyler Benbow said.

We worked for hours with inadequate tools. We cooked our own meals over fires we made. We slept in 38 degree weather with very little shelter. While it was all extremely challenging, it also opened our eyes to the harsh reality.

“The most heartbreaking realization was directly related to our sleeping conditions,” senior Bella DeArmitt said. “Our class was advised to pack warm clothes, a cold weather sleeping bag and extra socks.

Despite it all we were still freezing at night. After returning, all I can do is think about the unhoused individuals sleeping in colder conditions with less protection from the cold. It’s heartbreaking.”

“It was enlightening,” senior Rosie Ryan added. “We were in conditions that we are not normally in, but we were still in really good conditions. We had shelter and blocks from the wind, sleeping bags and layers, while unhoused people sometimes just have a T-shirt and jeans.”

Although we were only there for a few

Photos from Julie Burchett

Seniors Rosie Ryan, Molly Nash and Faith Harvey watch the sunset, examine a skull and visit the market at Heiffer Ranch. days, and we had the hope of coming back home to keep our spirits up, I feel that after this experience my class and I have a much better understanding of what it is like to be an unhoused individual. I truly

believe that everyone should go through this program to be able to empathize with those less fortunate and to really understand privileges and inequalities; it was transformative.

Letter to the Editor

JV sports need more recognition Dear Echo, I am writing this because I read your article “Softball head coach emphasizes community,” and this was a really well done article, but as more and more newspapers are written, I hope JV

November 2018 | Opinion

Black can be included in future newspapers for our successes and progress as a team. We have been working really hard, and as a result of that we are undefeated 7-0.

Sincerely, Alyssa Moran

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Editorial

Transgender community needs equal rights Since elected, President Donald Trump and his administration have actively worked to diminish and revoke the rights of the transgender community.

Some major steps that the administration has begun to implement include housing incarcerated transgenders in prisons that are aligned with their sex at birth and trying to ban transgender troops from serving in the military, but most recently, Trump has taken it a step farther.

The Administration is allegedly considering legally defining gender as female and male purely based on the genitalia that one has at birth.

The New York Times said, “The department argued in its memo that key government agencies needed to adopt an explicit and uniform definition of gender as determined ‘on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable.’”

The agency’s proposed definition would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable and determined by the genitals that a person is born with, according to a draft reviewed by The Times.

Any dispute about one’s sex would have to be clarified using genetic testing.

This is dangerous to the trans community.

One anonymous transgender student said, “If you can’t get your gender markers changed (license, passport, etc.), it’s a safety risk. It opens a door for discrimination...if a bouncer has to check your identification, if you get pulled over, people are going to see that you are trans, which can be dangerous. It also [invalidates] our identity and dehumanizes our experience as people.”

The steps the administration is trying to make is pushing our country backwards.

The comments, proposed laws and memos are hurting the trans community. The denial to access basic human rights, whether that be use of bathrooms that they identify with or being able to serve in the military, is not only absurd but dangerous to those who are being oppressed.

The anonymous student said, “If we are not allowed to transition, we would be in so much mental pain that we’d have to seek out impure hormones, underground surgeries and unclean needles. Living as

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Public domain graphic from Wikimedia Commons

The Transgender Pride Flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms. a gender that’s not what you identify as is so painful that suicide rates and self harm would increase.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation stated, “Basic issues like restroom access have a profound effect on transgender youth’s well-being. One study showed that transgender students denied access to gender appropriate facilities on their college campuses were 45 percent more likely to try to take their own lives (Seelman 2016).”

This number is astonishing. The government, however, is not paying attention to the statistics or stories of the mental health of transgender people. Instead, it pays more attention to its own opinions, religious beliefs and assumptions about the transgender community. This defies the point of a government.

Trump tweeted, “It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans.”

However, he is doing the exact opposite by making laws that reduce the rights of the transgender community.

The government must focus more on the wellbeing of all citizens, not just the wellbeing of those who are white, male, straight and privileged. The trans community deserves equal access to everything that everyone else has and rights that will

protect its members from physical and emotional abuse.

The student said, “If the government [passes this], it will send a message that it’s okay to not think of trans people as people.”

There’s no valid reason for Trump’s administration, or anyone else, to take away one’s rights based on what gender that person identifies as.

The Pledge of Allegiance says, “justice for all,” and that includes the trans community. The most important thing is to focus on the mental health of those who are transgender by providing them with the tools and resources they need to be healthy, happy and safe.

The Trump administration may try to take away even more rights from transgender people, but there’s no way to eradicate someone’s own identity, there’s no way to forget their stories, and there’s no way to erase them. These are real people, real humans with real emotions, and no law can ever change that.

As famous transgender actress and activist Laverne Cox once said, “We are not what other people say we are. We are who we know ourselves to be, and we are what we love. That’s OKAY.”

Opinion | November 2018

Organizations threaten Planned Parenthood, choice sexual education by Peer to Peer training and Teen Advocates for Sexual Health at Planned Parenthood.

Ryan said, “[I can] teach stuff about safe sex, about condoms, and birth control, and all that: It’s wonderful.”

Abortion

Photo by Ashli Wagner

Pro-choice protesters march toward Tower Grove Park on Jan. 21, 2017.

Trinity Madison Business Manager When the phrase, “abortion clinic in St. Louis,” is placed in the Bing.com search engine, the results are one Planned Parenthood clinics and three Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood is a 102-year-old organization that provides health care at more than 600 centers worldwide.

Planned Parenthood services include abortion referral, birth control, emergency contraception, general health care, HIV testing, preventative medicines, hormone therapy, education services, pregnancy testing, STD testing, therapy, vaccines, pelvic exams and cancer screenings.

Services are administered by licensed and trained officials in their respective fields.

Planned Parenthood has been able to reach people partially because of Title X of the Public Health Services Act, which established public funding in 1970 for family planning and sex education programs in the U.S. Title X originally came under fire by those who wished to minimize Planned Parenthood’s impact. Since then, the prolife movement has learned how to utilize Title X to their advantage by creating Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

November 2018 | Opinion

Crisis Pregnancy Centers

Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPC) are organizations who seek to educate pregnant women of their options.

Though these organizations have been around for decades, they have received newfound criticism due to their portrayal of abortion as dangerous and inhumane.

CPCs offer services like abortion education, adoption education, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and counseling.

Through interviews of CPC clients from companies like Vice or Naral, people can see inside these centers to uncover their practices. It’s been recorded that clients are given abundant, usually false, information around abortion.

CPC workers are portrayed as giving out brochures, playing documentaries or speaking to their clients about the high fatality rate, the large link with breast cancer or the increase of infertility.

Despite their lack of government regulation, CPCs are still funded by taxpayer money through Title X. This means information given to these clients can be as biased, misleading or false as the organization needs in order to achieve the goal of talking women out of abortion.

Four high school students and feminist coalition members have gone through more training than these federal tax funded operations. Seniors Macy Bluestein, Ellie Marshall, Camille Mussman and Rosie Ryan were all certified to teach

Even if women avoid CPC persuasion and find an abortion clinic, they must then jump through more hoops. According to Code 188.010 et seq., Missouri law states, “Licensed M.D. must certify abortion necessary.”

Missouri law requires an informed consent booklet to be provided to women seeking an abortion. Within the first two pages, not only does it support CPCs, it also offers editorialized statements like, “Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.”

Abortions aren’t nearly as dangerous or inhumane as CPCs make them out to be. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the risk of dying as a direct result of a legally induced abortion to be less than one per 100,000 This makes legal abortion one of the safest medical procedures with over a 99.9 percent safety chances. The risk of dying in childbirth is greater.

Claims of abortion being linked to breast cancer are also false according to the American Cancer Society. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says arguments that abortion impacts a woman’s future fertility are medically inaccurate and deliberately misleading.

In 2008, Missouri had five abortion clinics. Now, Planned Parenthood St. Louis is the only legal clinic for abortion operations in Missouri. This means some Missourians would have to drive over 300 miles to get abortion services.

In sharp contrast, there are more than 20 CPC in the St. Louis region alone.

CPCs continue to spread amongst the country with the mission to ruin prochoice organizations.

Ryan said, “Pro-choice is not anti-life.

My personal opinion, I am pro-choice.

You know, I think it’s not my place to say what is or is not feminism, but I do lean towards the fact that if you are a woman and you consider yourself to be a feminist, you should allow women to do with their bodies what they want.”

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Statesbots hosts Tech Challenge meet Sean Mullins Technology Columnist Statesbots, the WGHS robotics team, sponsored a Tech Challenge meet in Roberts Gym on Nov. 17.

The meet consisted of matches between alliances, groups of two teams working together to defeat competitors in two-anda-half minute long Tech Challenge games. A new game is announced at the beginning of each season by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), the organization behind the competition, and each game centers around a real world purpose.

This year’s Tech Challenge, Rover Ruckus, is themed around Mars exploration. Roberts Gym housed a field for students’ robots, designed after Mars rovers, to explore and collect materials from. Bonus points were awarded for returning the rover to the lander, picking up ground samples and traveling through craters.

“There’s a large Mars lander in the middle of the field, and there’s blocks inside of a crater, and you want to try to get the blocks to the top of the rover and put them in,” senior Zachary Richter said. “The second main objective is there’s a hook on the rover, and we’re supposed to try and lift our robot off the ground using that.”

After Rover Ruckus was revealed in September, Statesbots spent the next two months brainstorming, designing and constructing rovers. Creating robots can take months due to repro-

Photo by Collin Shue

Freshmen Max Good, Max Biundo, Auggie Geers and sophomore Erica Magee build a robot to use in Nov. 17, rover competition.

gramming and design changes, as even the smallest change on paper is a massive change in execution.

About changes to rover designs, sophomore Erica Magee said, “Our robot’s chassis is lifted up so [that] it’s off the ground. That was originally so we could go in the crater, but we kind of decided it wasn’t really necessary because we have different ways of getting to the pieces.”

“Honestly, there’s no such thing as done,” senior Gabe Mitchell said. “There’s always something you can improve upon.”

Special School District celebrates 60 years Ethan Wiehl News Editor Special School District is celebrating its 60th year educating children with disabilities.

The Special School District was created in 1957, after a St. Louis County tax levy was passed to fund the program. The program began holding classes in 1958 and has provided general and technical education for the county ever since.

SSD operates two technical schools: North Technical High School in Florissant, and South Technical High School in Sunset Hills. However, according to the SSD website, over 97 percent of students receive SSD services in the 22 public school districts they serve.

While the SSD system might be unique, it was done with a specific goal in mind.

“The purpose was to have more availability of services,” Ellen Jacobs, who is in charge of SSD at the high school, said.

Jacobs also said that, prior to the creation

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Photo by Ethan Wiehl

Emily McCentire’s 6th hour class watches a video about jobs.

of SSD, individual districts weren’t able to hire specialists for certain disabilities. With the SSD’s implementation, schools had access to a variety of resources that can be used to help children meet their educational needs.

Currently, according to the SSD website, 23,097 students receive services from the SSD system as a whole. Those students’ needs are met through an Individual Education Plan, or IEP. Each student’s IEP is developed by a team consisting of the student, their guardian(s), a case manager who works for SSD, and the student’s gen-

eral education teachers. This setup is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. IDEA states the minimum required services educators must provide for the country. It also provides funding for programs, like SSD, that educate children with disabilities.

While SSD provides many services for students, some changes still need to be made.

“With any organization, I feel there is room for improvement,” John M Thomas, special education liaison for Webster Groves School District, said.

“I would love to be able to provide a variety of classes,” Jacobs said. She wants to create classes that are a little more “out-ofthe-box.” However, Jacobs said there is not enough staff to teach these classes.

SSD has played a part in thousands of children’s lives since 1958. In fact, according to their website, they currently provides services to one in six students in St. Louis County, and since SSD is funded primarily by the taxpayers, this assistance is likely to continue for years to come.

News | November 2018

Murals continue tradition, promote positivity Emily Stisser Opinion Editor

Lindsey Bennett News Editor

Over 20 student-crafted murals adorn the halls of WGHS, boasting bright colors, impactful quotes and meaningful illustrations, but as time goes by, murals tend to blend in with the routine of daily high school life.

Notable works include the large graffiti-inspired “RRISE” leading to the cafeteria, an enormous depiction of Henri Matisse’s “Icarus” in a stairwell and the painting overarching the entrance to the Robert’s Gym hallway.

According to art teacher Andrew Throm, the oldest mural spans the English hallway. The colorful mural includes characters and references from past or present curriculum books, such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Scarlet Letter,” “Beloved” and more. It was created somewhere in between 1970-1973, by former art teacher Marilynne Bradley and students.

“Generally, they [murals] are timely of what is going on in history at the time, and what is going on with student interests in the school,” Throm said.

Accordingly, seniors Lily Becker and Zoe Schultz and junior Grace Hardison are working on a new mural. The motto being painted is “Treat People With Kindness,” based on a phrase that artist Harry Styles uses on his merchandise and on tour. Also depicted in the painting is the gay pride flag.

“We feel that our school needs more positivity and even simple reminders that everyone is going through their own battles,” Hardison said.

While murals are an artistic way to communicate the beliefs of students, certain murals have sparked controversy in the past.

A 1993 article from the ECHO titled “Mural incites controversy” details the unrest of certain teachers when a Keith Haringstyle mural was painted on the third floor. The mural included six different religions inside the dancing bodies. Certain members of social studies department presented a petition to Bradley about the artwork. The issue was eventually resolved. Today, tension surrounding the mural is non-existent.

Throm explained that although the Haring-style painting caused dispute when it was created, now it is part of the building that isn’t questioned.

“At different times, different artworks have more or less power to stir people’s imaginations or their ideas about their beliefs,” Throm said.

Although WGHS has been accepting and encouraging of murals, certain factors have narrowed the preservation and creation of this artwork. Realistically, the art department aims to complete at least one mural per year, but a shortage of supplies and lack of funding have limited the creative process.

Since beginning at WGHS 21-plus years ago, Throm has witnessed a substantial price increase in art supplies. Acrylic, the paint used for murals, has raised to almost $9.50 a bottle, almost three times the price originally, but recently, the community has stepped in to help, contributing to the support and appreciation of murals. People have donated house paint, and also local hardware stores have donated paint and primer.

School murals are valued by students, faculty and the com-

November 2018 | Feature

Photo by Emily Stisser

Seniors Zoe Schultz and Lily Becker work on new mural based on artist Harry Styles motto, “Treat People With Kindness.”

munity alike.

Junior Peyton St. James said, “Murals add a pop of joy around the halls; it makes our school have personality.”

With support and involvement, the Art Department hopes to carry on the tradition.

“We want to someday have every wall and hallway covered in the stairwells or places where they will be seen,” Throm said.

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School District is running out of space; High School is not Rosa Parks Social Media Manager Cole Schnell Editor-in-chief

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ebster Groves’ community is growing larger, as is the Webster Groves School District, and space in the elementary schools, Steger, Henry Givens (formerly known as the Computer school) and Hixson, is running out.

In recent years, more houses have gone on the market in Webster Groves, which has caused an influx of younger families, which means children are about to enter elementary school. In 2022, 472 students are projected to enter school, compared to 2009, when there were about 444 students.

John Simpson, superintendent, said, “Cooperative Strategies said that our school [the high school] is one of the schools with more room than others.”

Cooperative Strategies is the business the district hired to come up with solutions to space issues.

The district has tried to include the entire community, students, staff and parents, in deciding the best way to deal with the lack of space. It has had forums with the staff, focus groups and a lot of surveys (some of which students have been able to respond to themselves). The most recent survey that has been sent out states the three final options and asks all community members to fill out their preferred solution and why.

The three final options include adding additions onto Edgar Road and Clark. This solution would add more classroom additions to these two elementary schools. This plan would also allow lessen the amount of zoning needed, but may affect the socioeconomic status of students.

Junior and student school board advisor Patrick Lee said, if the first and third solution is enacted, construction could go on “potentially during school days.”

This option would cost roughly $7 million to be implemented. The cost is covered by the district’s no tax increase bonding capacity.

The second option, would be adding an addition to Hixson Middle School and then transferring sixth graders to join the seventh and eighth graders. Then, Steger/Givens would be turned into an elementary school.

According to the district’s website, some of the space issues include accessibility. This means adding more elevators, ramps and chairlifts in order to provide access for all students. Cooperative Strategies states that some of the benefits of this solution

include lesser transportation costs, b a rounded middle school ‘experienc Lee said, “If you were to create on middle school, you’d create more o you can have more developed extra-c ties; people are staying there for a lo have a lot more reason to be investe He added that this option would m of 15th largest middle schools in the Some of the drawbacks include h rezoning and the socio-economic st and that it can not be enacted unti option would cost roughly around implement. The cost is not covered no tax increase bonding capacity. Th similar to the plan proposed in the which was voted on in April 2015 and this option proposes moving the Hixson by building additions and m elementary school.

The third and final option would ditions at Edgar Road and Clark ele and convert both Steger/Givens an dle School into sixth-through-eight schools.

According to Cooperative Strateg include more spacious middle sch cessibility to school, and less traffic Steger/Givens. Some of the drawb uneven socio-economic status betw Hixson, and creating equal class both Steger and Hixson would be a would cost roughly $22 million or le the cost is not covered by the dist crease bonding capacity.

All options must be enacted by vo In April 2015, Webster voters reje sition that increase tax to fund scho ple were publicly upset after failure ositions, even, calling for a recall council member Greg Mueller throu The group asking for signature for Mueller should be ousted because abused his position to leverage the o propositions. Despite the public de petition was unsuccessful. Mueller fi in 2018 and didn’t run for re-electio Two of three options proposed wo increase.

Feature | November 2018

better traffic, and ce.’ ne sixth-to-eighth of a community; curricular activiot longer so they ed in it.” make Hixson one e state. huge amounts of tatus of students, il 2021-22. This d $16 million to d by the district’s his option is very e failed Prop W, 5. Both Prop W e sixth graders to making Steger an

be to create adementary schools nd Hixson Midth grade middle

gies, the benefits hools, better acc and Hixson and backs include an ween Steger and opportunities at a challenge. This ess to implement; trict’s no tax in-

oter approval. ected two propoool projects. Peoto pass the propelection of city ugh a petition. r petition alleged e he funded and opposition to the emonstration, the finished his term on this past April. ould require a tax

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hile the school district may be running out of space, the high school is not. The building houses places that are underused or unused because they’re too small or too expensive to fix. Some of these old spaces reflect relics of what once was: a bomb shelter, band practice rooms and girls locker rooms nowhere near the gym.

Little Theater The Little Theater is a smaller theater by the preschool. The Little Theater was used for numerous things, including drama, preschool graduation, AllWrite and class presentations.

However, the theater was quarantined in 2016 and is no longer in use due to extreme water damage.

About this space, construction project manager, Rob Streuber, said, “Has there been recent discussion about the space? Yes, but no immediate ‘set in stone’ plans to do anything with that space. The space is in need of some renovation and upgrades and along with that are costs associated with those upgrades.”

Alumni relations director Pat Voss said it should return to being a functioning theater.

Voss said, “It was a great performance area… a marvelous place for guest speakers.”

Simpson believed the Little Theater could possibly be turned into a place for a new type of class. He said drama teacher Todd Schaefer has worked really hard on the Black Box Theater.

Drama Room basements The basement under the drama department was used as a girls locker room. Nowadays, the vacant basement is mainly used for storage of old music, drumline gear and dead cockroaches.

This space couldn’t be turned into classrooms due to the lack of windows, and according to Voss, it’s a hard space to supervise. The basement could be used for storage or dressing rooms for the drama department. However, plumbing raises the price of its renovations.

Attics above the cheerleading room There are about six small rooms above the cheerleading practice room. They were previously band practice rooms, then storage for the old drama room, but they’re currently vacant. It isn’t air conditioned, but if it was, the walls could be knocked out and used to make classrooms or offices.

November 2018 | Feature

Strueber said, “There are no immediate plans for the upper levels above the second floor classrooms.

Those spaces are extremely small and cramped and are not ADA Compliant in any way for general use; [however], there are no safety issues.”

Tunnel System Small tunnels run below the school, so small that it’s impossible to stand up in them. The tunnels can’t be turned into anything due to impractical size, as well as heat pipes and electrical conduits running through them. However, the tunnels do go from end to end of the school, and it is possible to get to one section to the exterior of Roberts Gym by going through the tunnels.

Bomb Shelters There are bomb shelters in the school used during World War II, when students had to practice bombing drills. The shelters, while no longer used for drills, are still labeled bomb shelters. After they were deactivated, the space housed two coal furnaces.

Voss, assistant principal at the time, would go down and get coal for her family’s stockings for the holidays before she was told that it was a safety hazard.

Photo by Rosa Parks

The bomb shelters that were once under the school have now been turned into a space for storage, air conditioning and maintenance offices.

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Pledge Allegiance debate goes to court

Photo by Jae S. Lee/Dallas Morning News/TNS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton smiles during his pretrial hearing at Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, on Feb. 16, 2017.

Ethan Weihl News Editor The Pledge of Allegiance has been a source of controversy ever since its creation. These debates have continued on into the present day.

Recently, India Landry, a 17-year-old Windfern High School senior, was expelled for refusing to stand for the pledge. The school is just outside of Houston, TX, where state law states that, in order for students to be excused from standing for the pledge, they must have a written consent form filled out by their parents.

Missouri law, on the other hand, requires that all schools that receive public funding ensure “The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America is recited in at least one scheduled class of every pupil enrolled in that school no less often than once per school day.” It does not require that students stand for or recite the Pledge.

The high school’s policy is to follow the state policy.

Students had varying opinions on the saying of the Pledge.

Junior Joi Johnson does not stand for the Pledge. “The ‘justice for all’ part, I don’t really think that’s true,” Johnson said.

Johnson talked about the habit that doing the Pledge has caused: “I feel like I’ve been brainwashed for the Pledge.”

Johnson also stated her feelings about others who stand for the Pledge. “If that’s what they want, I don’t really care. I am in a different position than they are,” Johnson said.

This was a sentiment echoed by other students. “Whether or not I agree with their beliefs is irrelevant,” freshman Andrew Bacon said.

Bacon, who stands for the Pledge, was more frustrated with a different group: “There’s a lot of people [who don’t stand] because they’re too lazy.”

Bacon stands for the Pledge “because of the many people, men and women, who have died for our sovereignty.”

Junior Tommy Koelling also stands for the Pledge. “I believe

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it’s the right thing to do,” Koelling said.

Standing for the Pledge of Allegiance continues to be a divisive issue with a variety of opinions. However, students at the high school are tolerant of the way others’ feel on the subject.

In an ECHO poll, almost all of the 91 respondents said participation was each individual’s choice.

“I think everyone has the right to stand up for what they believe in,” one respondent who sits for the Pledge said.

Students in the poll also suggested the Pledge be moved back to once a week.

“If we went back to once a week, then I think more people would stand,” one respondent who stands for the Pledge said.

However, to do this would require a change in the law.

The Pledge of Allegiance issue continues to be debated. In the Landry case, the debate has turned political after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office was going to intervene on behalf of Windfern High School.

“It is an election year, and this was political right from the beginning,” Randall Kallinen, Landry’s attorney, said in a Huffington Post article. Paxton is on the ballot for re-election this year.

Kallinen also points to the fact that 10 days prior to Landry’s refusal to stand, President Donald Trump said at a rally in Huntsville, AL that he wanted NFL team owners to release players from their contracts if they didn’t stand for the National Anthem. “[The owners are] going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’” Trump said.

Landry’s lawsuit is scheduled to go to court in April 2019.

Feature | November 2018

Women’s swim remains popular Evelyn Trampe Video Editor With 63 swimmers, women’s swim is one of the largest WGHS athletics teams, but the team’s size raises issues.

Without having its own pool, swim has had to practice at Webster University and Meramac’s facilities.

“Although [Webster University is] not as glamorous as the Kirkwood pool, we still manage. We all dream of having our own pool, but sadly, I don’t think that’s realistic for Webster,” senior and team captain Kendra Howard said.

In the past, practicing at Webster University prevented Webster from having a dive team (dive now practices at Kirkwood) and a water polo team. This has also restricted Webster’s ability to offer enough space for the team.

“The problem is that there are too many girls, and not all of us can fit into the pool,” Jones said.

“People are constantly running into each other and having to stop in the middle of the lanes because there are too many [people].”

According to senior Skyler Jones, swim remains popular because “[Students] have heard so many great things about the team in past years.”

“I think so many girls are swimming because of the super open and supportive atmosphere the swim team has. We have all worked really hard to make swim a positive and welcoming sport to all,” Howard said.

November 2018 | Sports

Photo by Elise Keller

Senior Chloe Vitale prepares for her dive at a Nov. 27, competition at Kirkwood High School.

Swim has not drastically changed in numbers, with six more girls joining the team. However, there is a significant increase in year-round swimmers.

“Although the numbers are similar to last year, the difference is we have a lot of freshman that swim year-round on club teams,” Howard said.

“Previously, we only had four club swimmers, so we could all share a lane and do our own separate workout. Now we have 10-plus year round swimmers, which makes fitting us all into one ‘club swimmers’ lane difficult,” Howard said.

“To solve this problem, we are going to have an equal number of girls per lane. We are also going to start doing yoga for part of practice and on Saturdays to increase strength training,” senior and team captain Cassidy Ball said.

Having an equal number of girls in each lane means splitting up the year-round swimming lane. “[The club swimmers and non-club swimmers] are kind of forced to merge together. I honestly think this might be for the best because it will give us a more united team,” Howard said.

According to Ball, women’s swim plans on creating a fun environment for swimming this season by “supporting each other at meets and practices even when they are not the ones swimming.”

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Frazier from the Field

Numbers don’t measure fans’ support Gregory Frazier Sports Editor

We, Webster Groves High School- our prideful, tradition-based and hubristic football team- scored a total of 59 points.

To put that into perspective, take WebLet’s talk about stats for one second, ster’s match against Pattonville on Sept. specifically the ratio of 318:59.

14, as an example. Webster obviously This heavy ratio represents the number lost, as it scored seven points, but Patof points scored on Webster (318) and the tonville scored 51 points. Nearly as many 59 of points Webster has scored the entire points in one game than we’ve scored in season. our whole season.

It’s not all bad, though.

Senior Joey Nash may be our last hope. Without any prior training, he’s been the messiah that came to save the football team, scoring seven points as kicker.

That might not seem much to the average football team, but we’re no average football team. Seven points is a substantial 15 percent of our total points this season. Without him, we’d be in the 50s for total points, but because of him, Photo by Ethan Ryan we’re close to 60. Still in the Junior Jerqon Conners pushes the ball on Sept. 7, 50s though. against Ladue on Moss Field where the final score With all silly numbers was 7-38. aside, something should be

said about this unique season, despite the team’s unmatched adversity. There was a victory at the end of the season. Throughout high school sports, there are good years and bad years.

This 2018 season can be looked at both ways. In statistical sense; it was a bad year. However in a more realistic sense; it was a good year.

A year where the players, coaches, parents and fans all took a step back and realized what makes football. Football. It’s not the State titles, the heartbreak defeats or even the officers guiding fans off the field.

It’s the community built around the game.

The parents counseling their players, the marching band sticking it out all four quarters and the fans cheering on the little things. A small first down, or an incomplete pass. Because no matter the importance of the play, the true fans will cheer for every small victory.

As this season in review comes to end, and I part ways with reporting on my last football piece, I think the only thing every Statesman football player needs right about now is a hug and a bowl of chili.

Senior football players express feelings of assuredness Maeve Taylor Podcast Editor With the celebration of Turkey Day comes the last game for football players of the Class of 2019.

This was the last time the senior players played in the same place at the same time in this fashion. Some will go on to play in college, but in many ways that will be a different Photo by Ellie Marshall experience.

Webster football players participate in the last About the game, senior game of their season on Thursday, Nov. 22, against Kevin Brock said, “[My feel- the Kirkwood Pioneers, ending 34-75 with Kirkings] won’t affect how I play. I wood taking the Bell for the sixth year in a row. play hard every game until the clock hits 00:00.” more game after playoffs.”

Senior Jack Meyer said, “Turkey Day is Brock said, “I will miss the family a great tradition because it guarantees ev- football created with people I wouldn’t ery player, especially seniors, at least one even talk to.”

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Meyer said, “I will definitely miss the camaraderie and family aspect of playing with all of the friends I’ve made over the past four years, especially my seniors.”

Brock said, “Football was the only thing that made me what to come to school even though we lost every game, I loved how people still cheered us on.”

Coach Cliff Ice said, “The last game is always special. The seniors know that it will be the last time they may ever step onto a football field and compete. It is a very emotional day.

Ice said, of this group of seniors, that even with some of the troubles he’s had, with many injuries befalling them, “I am proud of the perseverance our seniors have shown, the sense of family. Our team is very close because of the adversity.”

Ice said, “ I love having a chance to bring the Bell back home where it belongs.”

Sports | November 2018

Soccer persists despite season losses “We forgot about the According to Schultz, “The team conprevious games and nected so well throughout the season, and started over. It was day the friends we [had] in August became one again, and we came family [by] November. Even when we into playoffs with just were struggling, we stuck together and as much excitement and enjoyed every minute of the season. Losbelief in ourselves as ing the last game of the season wasn’t the when the season began,” perfect ending, but seeing all of the supsenior Andrew Harper port we had from the whole community said. was indescribable.”

Unfortunately at the “Being a part of a team doesn’t just State game Webster lost mean you practice and play with other to Fort Zumwalt South members. Being a part of a team is about 1-2, but not without put- being a family. Families love and sacrifice ting up a fight first. The for each other, and that’s exactly what we team scored its only goal did. Sure we are a team, but I know evwith 34 seconds left on eryone sees it as something more,” Harper the clock. said.

“We never gave up “What makes high school soccer special and were resilient and is that you get to play with your friends Photo by Ellie Marshall that goal we scored, that you have known since you were five Junior Henry Bante dribbles the ball down the field on even though it was too or even younger and you are playing for Nov. 16, in the State semifinals. late, showed that,” se- the fans at school, the community, and the nior Mason Schultz said. name of the school,” Haney said.

Evelyn Trampe “[The goal] was a reflection of what Cashel felt this season was unique beVideo Editor had gotten us to the championship, which cause, “It was one of the most rewarding was ‘I don’t care how bad it looks we are seasons for me as a coach because we took After losing six consecutive games pri- going to keep working.’ We kept working what was impossible and made it possible or to Districts, it may come as surprise to and stayed positive and ended up in the and that was because of the trust the kids some that men’s soccer was not only able State final. Scoring that last goal, to me, had in us... it takes a little while after you to win its next five games but also com- was symbolic of the fight that our team lose the last game to have an appreciation pete for a State title. has and that’s why we were there,” Cashel about what was so good about it, because, According to players, this turnaround said. in the end, we didn’t accomplish the ultiwas possible because of the change in attiAlthough the team may have not won a mate objective, but in reality, maybe we tudes the players and coaches had towards State title, the players were able to win in accomplished something more.” the team and sport. other aspects.

“I remember we had a team meeting, “Reflecting and I asked the kids, ‘Do you remember on the season, how you felt about our team on Aug. 10?’ I don’t have That was [our first team meeting.] I said, any regrets. I ‘How did you feel about the team then?’ wouldn’t change One [player] said [that he] thought we a thing. Through were going to be great, there was no limit the highs and the to what we [could] achieve. I said, ‘Look lows, there is noaround the classroom; are all the same where I’d rather players here? Is this the same coach here? be than with my What’s really changed,’” head coach Tim team,” Harper Cashel said. said.

On the turnaround, junior Preston A few playHaney said, “We took a look at ourselves ers expressed as a team and as individuals and realized the development that the athletic ability and skill is there of camaraderie Photo by Ellie Marshall and where it needs to be, but our mentality throughout the Players celebrate the first goal scored in the State semifinals needs to change.” season. on Nov. 16, where the Statesmen won 4-0.

November 2018 | Sports

wgecho.org 13

Josie’s Journal

New movie spells disaster for famous franchise

Image from Fantasticbeasts.com

“The Crimes of Grindelwald” came out on Nov. 16, and it runs for two hours and 13 minutes.

Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” sequel to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” was released on Nov. 16, in theaters across the United States.

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series and producer of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” continues to milk her literary legacy for all its worth by co-directing both movies.

Not only could “The Crimes of Grindelwald” not redeem the messy intertwining plots of its predecessor, but it could not sustain its own plot, conflict and characters. The attempt to include references from the actual Harry Potter books, such as young Albus Dumbledore’s relationship with Grindelwald and Voldemort’s snake, Nagini, is valiant, but ultimately muddles the plot and end goal of the story.

The movie’s multiple storylines all have potential to take the story to new heights, but most are not sustained. Midway through the film, there are three love stories, three confusing past-lived relationships emerging in the present, more than three underdeveloped characters, and multiple conflicts improperly introduced in the preceding story.

Without prior knowledge of the series, it was unclear to the audience who Grindelwald was when watching the first movie, and even then, it hardly developed his character at all. When he emerged as the leading antagonist in “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” much of the audience will still be confused about his motives and the actual conflict itself.

It’s unclear whether director David Yates was ignorant enough to cast Johnny Depp as Grindelwald, or if he wanted an actor as cruel as their character. Either way, it was not a wise choice.

Depp was accused in December 2015 by his ex-wife and ac-

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tress, Amber Heard, of physically abusing her. Heard later reported multiple other incidents of violence and misconduct from Depp before finally getting a temporary restraining order in May 2016. The divorce case was settled in 2016, and the cinematic world went back to loving Depp. Heard was unheard, and Depp continues to receive roles he doesn’t deserve.

Original Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, said, “I’m not saying anything that anybody hasn’t already said — and this is a weird analogy to draw — (but) in the NFL, there are lots of players arrested for smoking weed, and there is other people’s behavior that goes way beyond that, and it’s tolerated because they’re very famous players.

“I suppose the thing I was struck by was, we did have a guy who was reprimanded for weed on the (original Potter) film, essentially, so obviously what Johnny has been accused of is much greater than that,” Radcliffe said.

Rowling defended Depp, saying, “Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.”

I have been a fervent Harry Potter lover since elementary school, but “The Crimes of Grindelwald” did not capture a magical journey comparable to Harry Potter’s, and that was disappointing. The magic did not extend to the story of “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and the only way to keep the legacy magical is to stop adapting the books into films.

“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is rated PG-13 for fantasy action. The film runs for two hours and 13 minutes.

Entertainment | November 2018

Electric Retrospective

Review: ‘Pokemon Let’s Go!’ lets itself go Sean Mullins Technology Columnist When remakes try to recapture the magic of their source material, lightning doesn’t always strike twice, as is the case with “Pokemon Let’s Go! Pikachu” and “Pokemon Let’s Go! Eevee.”

The “Let’s Go!” games are remakes of “Pokemon Yellow,” an enhanced version of “Pokemon Red” and “Pokemon Blue” incorporating anime elements into the Kanto region, including Pikachu as the starter Pokemon and fighting Team Rocket’s Jessie and James. However, this isn’t the first Kanto remake, as the Game Boy Advance installments “Pokemon FireRed” and “Pokemon LeafGreen” revised “Red” and “Blue” with updated mechanics and content.

The partner Pikachu returns, though it’s a partner Eevee in its respective version. The starters can’t evolve, which is counterintuitive for Eevee given its entire schtick is evolution variety, but they have higher stats than other Pikachu or Eevee, wear clothing and learn powerful moves and traveling techniques.

As the name suggests, “Let’s Go!” takes elements from “Pokemon GO,” even allowing Pokemon to be transferred from the app. Random encounters have been replaced with wild Pokemon appearing on the overworld, allowing players to choose their targets. Instead of weakening Pokemon before catching them, players throw Poke Balls with motion controls upon encountering Pokemon and use Berries to increase chances of catching them.

While the simple touch controls of “GO” allow catching during walks, they aren’t entertaining when dedicating attention to them, and the motion controls are more finicky than touch controls. Motion control catching isn’t engaging enough to be fun, but isn’t effortless enough to be done mindlessly. Catching mechanics from “GO” are fine to include, but should be optional alongside traditional wild battles.

“Let’s Go!” combines previous mechanics of walking and riding Pokemon, as players can now ride large Pokemon like Onix.

This is also the first instance of drop-in/drop-out co-op in core Pokemon games, although the second player has no impact on the overworld and only provides two-on-one battles and catches.

For every interesting concept introduced, “Let’s Go!” removes an important feature or mechanic of core Pokemon games, and their absence shows how vital they were to previous installments. The lack of held items and abilities make combat little more than button mashing, and the lack of breeding or random online battles would’ve turned off competitive players if the simplified battles hadn’t already.

Only the original 151 Pokemon can be caught in “Let’s Go!” normally, although Alolan forms introduced in “Pokemon Sun” and “Pokemon Moon” and the new Mythical Pokemon, Meltan and Melmetal, can be transferred from “GO.” Mew, however, is locked behind the $50 Poke Ball Plus controller, which isn’t worth the price for anyone but avid “GO” players since it functions as a GO Plus accessory.

The lack of other Pokemon highlights Kanto’s unbalanced type distribution, mostly consisting of Water and Poison types, which restricts team variety. This could be solved by including evolu-

November 2018 | Entertainment

Image from Game Freak

Pikachu electrocutes Ekans in a trainer battle.

tions of Kanto Pokemon introduced in later games, like Glaceon, or Johto Pokemon only obtainable in Kanto when they were introduced, like Houndoom. Better yet, Game Freak could’ve created Kanto regional forms of Pokemon from other regions.

Type diversity isn’t the only issue with Kanto that “Let’s Go!” accentuates. Kanto’s geometric land layout is unnatural, and there are few distinct locations compared to later games. Counting remakes and enhanced versions, this is the seventh core game featuring Kanto, and since it’s largely unchanged, longtime fans will be bored exploring the same region again.

The only significant postgame content added is fighting Master Trainers, who offer one-on-one battles against high-level Pokemon of the same species to win multiplayer titles. Master Trainers exist for every Pokemon in the game, including unevolved Pokemon, but level-grinding that many Pokemon for useless rewards isn’t worthwhile content. Compared to “FireRed” and “LeafGreen,” which included the Sevii Islands subquest and extra Pokemon, “Let’s Go!” has a horrible postgame.

Despite being the first core installment on HD home consoles, “Let’s Go!” has lackluster graphics. The excellent 3D models used since “Pokemon X” and “Pokemon Y” aren’t given smooth textures to accommodate being ported from the 3DS, and contrasting earlier installments’ vibrant visuals, the bland color palette drains the life from these beloved critters.

If the unremarkable visuals weren’t bad enough, they’re amplified by performance issues. Shadows are noticeably pixelated, moving animations are rough, and the overworld suffers from lag issues. Given how little visual flair “Let’s Go!” has, it’s shocking how poorly it performs compared to Switch exclusives like “Super Mario Odyssey” that look fantastic and run smoothly despite requiring more processing power.

“Let’s Go!” isn’t horrible, but it’s muddled by counterintuitive design choices, absent features standard in other Pokemon games and lacking replayability. Game Freak hastily announced that the next core game in 2019 will include the franchise’s traditional mechanics, and if “Let’s Go!” did anything right, it proved that those mechanics shouldn’t be taken for granted.

“Pokemon Let’s Go! Pikachu” and “Pokemon Let’s Go! Eevee” are available for $59.99 on Nintendo Switch. This review was made using “Let’s Go! Pikachu.”

Visit the Electric Retrospective blog at https://electricretrospective.wordpress.com/ for gaming news, reviews, and editorials, including an editorial about Mythical Pokemon.

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Comic by Rosa Parks and Josie Krueger

We wish all a blessed Holiday Season!

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Comic | November 2018