WG ECHO October 2014 Issue

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ECHO We ECHO the news

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wgecho.org October 2014

Volume 100 Issue 2

100 Selma Ave st. Louis mo 63119

Sheriden Smith, junior, plays against Rockwood Summit on Sept. 2.

(Photo by Bret Waelterman)

Opinion

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Editorial

Amendment 3 hurts education Teacher salaries aren’t often on the mind of the average student. Teachers teach; we learn; they get paid, but an amendment on the Missouri Constitution brings attention to the way teachers will be paid.

Teacher salaries are currently based on a number of factors including degrees and years of experience. A school like Webster could easily hire two inexperienced graduates for the price of one more experienced teacher. Amendment 3 would change that by basing the salary off of students standardized test scores.

However, basing salaries on some2014-15 ECHO STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Aerin Johnson JUNIOR EDITOR: Jack Killeen BUSINESS/ADS MANAGER: Alex Ring OPINION EDITOR: Andy Kimball NEWS EDITOR: Bennett Durando FEATURE EDITOR: Willie Zempel SPORTS EDITOR: Cal Lanouette ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Irene Ryan GRAPHICS/VIDEO EDITOR: Bret Waelterman WEB EDITOR: Phoebe Mussman PUBLIC RELATIONS: Brittany Patton CIRCULATION EDITOR: Andre Scott ADVISOR: Donald Johnson SOME MATERIAL COURTESY OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS/MCT CAMPUS HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER SERVICE The ECHO is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Avenue, Webster Groves, MO. To contact staff members, call 314-9636400 ex. 11157 or write wgecho@wgmail.org.

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

Letters to the editor of 300 words or less are welcome; submit letters by the 10th of the month to wgecho@wgmail.org, or room 155.

All letters must be signed, although the name may be withheld from publication if requested.

The ECHO has the right to edit letters for publication as long as intent remains unchanged.

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

October 2014

Vote No

Amendment 3 thing as subjective, although Teach Great would claim “objective,” as a student’s test scores, is totally ignoring any other factor that goes into a student’s grade.

The amendment doesn’t account for special cases like unique student academic and personal situations. Basically, it’s too vague and fails to account for too many situations.

Another problem is the people backing this campaign. As of Sept. 4, Teach Great, a campaign backing Amendment

3, received $1.8 million. The majority of the funding was from Rex Sinquefield.

Sinquefield, a wealthy ex-financial executive, has publicly been an advocate for the privatization of public education, or as he said, “rescuing education from teachers’ unions.”

In fact, quite a few of the supporters of the amendment aren’t educators. They’re financial executives or lawyers. Why should people who know little about education be put in the position to decide what’s best? It should not always be that those with the most money have the most say.

The education system is not perfect.

There are great teachers who get laid off and not so great ones that stay, but to totally eliminate the little protection given to teachers would be a mistake.

Willie’s Comic

Comic by Willie Zempel

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After school activities take away free time

Andy Kimball Opinion Columnist Regular school days for sophomore Michael Greaves go like this: He gets up for school, goes to swimming until 5 p.m. and then gets home to homework.

Specifically, “one-to-two hours (of homework), and I have a project due, then even more,” Greaves said.

Greaves holds school as a his highest priority and said, “Every student’s priority should be school, but I think if you are having a tough time with your homework, then you might have to stop doing an (extracurricular) activity.” It was for this reason that Greaves had to stop doing jazz band.

I don’t think that having one to two hours of homework is good for students, especially students with extracurricular activities. “Well, I don’t get much.”

Sophomore Matthew Fuller said about free time between homework and jazz band.

People could say, “Students don’t have to participate in extracurricular activities,” but those activities teach students important life skills and are necessary for students who want a leg up on college resumes for their futures.

A solution for students to gain free time would be giving students’ credit for their extracurricular activities so they could have space in their schedule for an academic lab to give them more time to complete their homework or to study for tests.

An example of this solution would be to have a sport be a P.E. credit and have a student who participates in the fall or spring play or participate in a one-act receive a fine art credit.

According to athletic director Jerry Collins, cheerleading was a sport in 2000 and taught by certified P.E. teacher Gloria Smith as a first hour P.E. class. Collins added the main reason after-school activities aren’t counted as school credit is be-

cause they don’t have instructors who are certified to teach classes with P.E. credit.

A system is already in place for jazz band students to receive half of a fine art credit for participating each year.

Very few coaches are certified P.E. teachers, but there are coaches that have educational degrees like Jay Blossom for basketball, Terrence Verstraete for men’s tennis, Tim Cashel for men’s soccer, and Chris Allen for women’s soccer to name a few.

Collins said in his opinion it wouldn’t take much for a teacher with an educational degree to become certified in P.E. This is a great opportunity for coaches to help their students.

Also, Todd Schaefer teaches drama classes, which receive fine art credit, so he would be certified to teach the fall play and the One-Acts as classes for a fine art credit.

This would be a great solution for students who want to use their after-school activities for required school credits like P.E. or fine art credits, and make space for an academic lab to take care of some of their homework and have free time to enjoy themselves

Opinion

Kimball Konception

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October 2014

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Amendment ties paycheck to test scores Irene Ryan Entertainment Editor

In the upcoming Nov. 4, election, voters will decide whether or not to adopt Amendment 3, a Missouri Teacher Performance Evaluation, into the Missouri Constitution.

Amendment 3, if passed, would add six subsections to Section 3 of Article IX of the Missouri Constitution.

The amendment requires that teachers be paid, dismissed, promoted and demoted using “quantifiable student performance data as part of the evaluation system.”

The amendment also prohibits teachers from organizing or bargaining in regard to the design of the evaluation system, which has to be state approved.

The amendment was sponsored by Marc Ellinger, an attorney for the Teach Great campaign, run by Children’s Education Council of Missouri. Teach Great, along with its supporters including attorneys Blitz, Bardgett and Deutsch LLC and Rex Sinquefield, a retired financial executive active in Missouri politics and philanthropy, said the amendment will “ensure that teachers be evaluated based on an objective measure: their students’ academic growth.”

It will also end the “last-in-first-out” rule, ensuring that

effective teachers stay while the ineffective are let go, Teach Great said.

However, the amendment has also been met with disapproval. Various teacher associations, unions and districts, including the Webster Groves School District Board of Education, have voiced opposition. On Sept. 22, the board members signed a resolution on Amendment 3, concluding to oppose the amendment.

The Board argues the amendment would shift control from parents, teachers, administrators and school board.

“I feel it is destructive to public education. The biggest problem is that the Amendment, which can only be changed by passing another amendment, takes away local control of school districts,” Webster’s NEA president Don Eckert said. Amendment 3 would also require more standardized testing, which would cost taxpayers more money.

There is also the argument about the accuracy of a student performance-based evaluation system.

Jeanne Kirkton, a Missouri legislator who opposes Amendment 3, said, “Evaluating teachers based on student test scores does not necessarily equate with accountability.

There are many life variables that can impact a student’s performance that are well beyond the control of teachers.”

Survey shows student Democrats outnumber other parties 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Democratic Republican Libertarian Other

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Chart by Irene Ryan Jeremiah Stutte, Perrin Habecker and Nicole Deen from Journalism class surveyed 117 persons to learn more about student political affiliations.

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Webster hosts severe storm training Phoebe Mussman Web Editor

Webster High School hosted the National Weather Service (NWS) Severe Storm training on Oct. 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium, where students learned the various aspects of severe storm spotting.

Jim Kramper of the NWS led the training. The spotter training class explained thunderstorm and tornado development, how to identify severe storms, what makes weather severe and specifically how to relay real-time observations of severe weather.

Pictures in the presentation showed how major storms form and the famous ones that have occurred in St. Louis.

“The NWS and local community spotters help the overall warning process and can save lives. The main responsibility of a Skywarn spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms,” the NWS Skywarn packet said.

WGHS had never hosted NWS Severe Storm Training before and was the only establishment holding training this fall. Fifty people signed up for the training, and about 200-250 showed up. MeteoPhotos by Cici Faucher rology teacher Cici Faucher’s students were offered extra National Weather Service Trainer Jim Kramper presents information on severe credit for attending the train- storm spotting to over 200 audience members in the Auditorium on Oct. 1. ing.

“There was an awesome turnout. The presentation had weather those younger than high school students did not become certified terms I’d never heard before, but also words we’ve learned in spotters.

Meteorology like SLCs,” senior Bethany Conerly said. SLCs re“People call in and tell what they’re watching- it’s a chance fer to scary-looking clouds. to tell (the NWS) what they’re actually seeing,” Faucher said.

Once people watch the NWS seminar and register, they receive Reports from spotters help NWS meteorologists make warning life-long certification as official Storm Spotters to help the NWS decisions with potentially lifesaving information. detect severe storms’ intensities and locations. First responders Since the NWS Skywarn program began in the 1970s, inforare required to be trained in Severe Storm Training to be able to mation given by spotters combined with Doppler radar techunderstand and classify storms quickly. nology has enabled the NWS to issue quicker, more accurate “You get a card with a code to email or call in with observa- storm warnings. Spotters have contributed observations for over tions of weather you see right in front of you,” Faucher said. 300,000 severe weather warnings in the past five years.

Everyone was welcome to attend the two-hour long seminar, but

October 2014

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WGHS jazz musicians take talents to Bistro main stage

Alex Ring Business/Ad Manager After five months and $10 million, “Jazz at the Bistro,” now called Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz, opened on Oct. 2. Wynton Marsalis headlined and two WGHS musicians, a part of a combo, opened the inauguration.

Senior Ellie Pruneau said her favorite part of the new jazz center was the stage. “It is much bigger, and the seating around the stage is great. Also, the acoustics are much better.”

The newly renovated jazz center is now one of only a few other major performance venues that doubles as a center for jazz education. Others include Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York and SFJAZZ in San Francisco. On the educational side, two large rehearsal studios, six soundproof practice rooms were added as well as a resource and lounge room. This accommodates Jazz U, the center’s jazz program for students from all over St. Louis.

This is the first year senior Ben Hogg (saxophone) and Pruneau (piano) have been in the Jazz All-stars, the top combo in Jazz U. Both musicians play in Webster’s top jazz band and are proud of this newest achievement When describing the combo, Hogg said, “It’s really cool to play with such talented musicians,” and Pruneau added, “It’s a lot of fun because we can bond as musicians and as people since we meet once a week and play a lot of gigs together.”

Before the event, Hogg said, “This opportunity is a big step in our music careers. I think we will do St. Louis proud opening this new music center.”

After the All-stars played, they caught the second set of the show, and when asked how it went Pruneau said, “Oh my God they were screamin’!”

October 2014

Photos by Alex Ring Senior Ellie Pruneau practices the piano. Ten million dollars was spent renovating the Jazz at the Bistro on 3536 Washington Ave. Senior Ben Hogg practices the saxophone.

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Schnell represents Missouri Thespians Jack Killeen Junior Editor After a long application process starting at the end of last school year, senior Jonah Schnell’s work towards being the Missouri Student Thespian Officer (STO) has paid off.

An STO is a representative of that student’s particular state troupe that represents the state at the International Thespian Festival and plans his or her own State Thespian Conference.

Before being elected to represent Missouri, Schnell Photo By Donald Johnson needed two letters of rec- Senior Jonah Schnell introommendation and had to duces David Ives’ “Variations go through an application on the Death of Trotsky,” process. After an interview which he directed. in Kansas City where he answered questions and solved problems, he received an email saying that he was a candidate for STO. “I was really excited. Immediately I started writing my speech.

[Being nominated] made my day 10 times better,” said Schnell.

Schnell then traveled to Jefferson City as a Troupe 191 delegate where the voting for STOs was held. All day he handed out business cards and talked to as many people as he could. He spent all day campaigning for the position and gave a speech.

Afterwards votes were cast, and Schnell was elected as Missouri’s representative. His term will start in January.

As a Missouri representative, Schnell will help plan the next Missouri Thespian Conference and represent Missouri Thespians in the International Thespian Conference.

News in brief...

Science teacher Peabody Award

Science teacher Philip Wojak received the 2014 Peabody Energy Leaders in Education award Oct. 8, in his Physics A class.

His wife, Theresa Wojak, Mayor Gerry Welch, and several close friends and colleagues, along with Greg Heard’s physics class, helped celebrate his award.

WGHS is the only school in the country to have a recipient six years in a row.

Honorees receive $1,000 and are chosen by educators and business leaders.

8 earn National Merit honors

Eight seniors received honors from the National Merit Scholarship program.

Four were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.

These were Lucas Eberhrd, Allison Jones, Benjamin Killeen and Kimberlee Shaw.

Four were named commended scholars. These were Anna Bird, Madeleine Buckley, Own Grimm-Howell and Kimberlee Shaw.

Semifinalists place among the top 1 percent of graduating seniors who take the PSAT, and commended students place among the top 5 percent.

Runners support foundation

Runners would support the Webster Groves School District Foundation through the Ivory Crockett Run on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Events include a 5K, one-mile fun run/walk and a 100yard dash, and a pancake breakfast and wellness fair. See side show at wgecho.org

Want to read more?

Go online and visit www.wgecho.org

Your Times. facebook.com/WebsterKirkwoodTimes twitter.com/WKTimes websterkirkwoodtimes.com

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In-Depth

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Statesmen sports set out for State Willie Zempel Feature Editor

Bennett Durando Sports Columnist

Fall is the biggest sports season at Webster Groves, and it’s going into the final stretch. Ten fall sports teams have finished their season or are preparing for the closing of their seasons with District and Sectional tournaments or with State qualifications. Here’s a look at each team’s resume so far and where they stand in state competition. The Fall Sports Awards program is on Nov. 10.

Soccer Statesmen soccer finished its regular season at 18-5-1, winning Conference,and ranked sixth according to stltoday’s large school area rankings.

It competed in the CYC Tournament at the end of September and rode a dramatic semifiPhoto by Bret Waelterman nal victory against Junior Sheriden Smith battles for the CBC to the champi- ball against Summit on Sept. 2. onship, rallying on goals from juniors Antoine Givens and Trey Paloucek to advance.

After the victory, men’s basketball coach Jay Blossom tweeted: “Congratulations to @WebsterHSSoccer on a program changing win!” Webster went down 2-1 to SLUH in the tournament final, and now it is looking to contend for a state championship.

The team has beaten other powerhouse schools like DeSmet, Summit, Lindbergh, Collinsville, Kirkwood and last year’s State winner Rockhurst.

This is the first year Missouri high school soccer has had four classifications, and Webster stayed in Class 3 while the largest 64 schools in Missouri moved up to Class 4.

Swimming Men’s swimming is a team of sophomores and two seniors.

WGHS awarded its Athlete of the Month in September to sophomore Michael Greaves.

“I try to stay committed to showing up and doing my best to support the team,” said Greaves. “Everyone has a chance (at qualifying for State), but it’s a four year commitment if you do.

I think in the next few years, we’ll get increasingly better, and we’ll have more state contenders.”

October 2014

Tennis Women’s tennis started Districts on Sept. 29, where it faced Gateway, which apparently only had two players, and it advanced.

Then it lost 1-5 in the next round to Visitation Academy.

Women’s tennis has had its best season in years. It finished the regular season with a record of 8-3, beating teams like Ursuline Academy, Oakville and Nerinx Hall. Webster tied with McCluer to take second place in Conference.

The Varsity doubles, led by seniors Allie Thomas and Kelly Keefe, took first place in the Webster Groves Doubles Tournament.

Thomas has been the number one player on the team since she was a freshman, where she made it to the State tournament. On Oct. 3, Thomas won the individual District 3 title and won in Sectionals, so she played in the State tournament. Thomas placed seventh in State after she lost to the eventual champion, Caroline Pozo of Lafayette.

Cross Country Men’s cross country has contended in State competition this year, but senior Tyler Lawson, who holds the school’s 5K record, has been hampered by an Achilles tendon injury. The team hope to have him ready to compete to go to state, after the conference meet on Oct. 15 and the District meet on Oct. 25.

“It definitely affects State,” said sophomore Colin Gilker. “We have (senior) Lamont Wilson always encouraging us to get big though,” he joked. Team chemistry has been a factor all year, according to Gilker.

The team won Conference, with Lawson being the individual winner for the meet.

The women’s cross country team is also coming off a State run last year. The team is led by Varsity senior Emma Johnson.

The women’s Varsity cross country team won Conference also with Johnson placing second and Lawson placing first.

Lawson finished with a time of 17:19:47 on the 5K, followed by junior Lucas Bennett, Wilson and junior Billy Howells coming in third, fourth and fifth.

Johnson finished a time 19:28:40, followed by sophomore Emma Harrelson who placed fourth and junior Christy Boschert, who placed sixth.

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Football

Statesmen softball finished the regular season 15-11, which has it positioned in stltoday’s high school area rankings bubble (of schools just outside the top 10).

“I can tell especially the seniors really want to win,” said sophomore Maggie Pool. “They want to go out with a bang. They’ve been working out some kinks to make the team as solid a squad as possible. They really do want to fight for that big ‘W.’” Senior pitcher Madyson Stallcup has made the most news for the team this year by breaking the WGHS’s personal all time wins record, previously 39.

The team finished its season losing to Kirkwood in Districts 2-0 with a record of 15-12.

After a tough start to the season losing 58-12 to Francis Howell, the football Statesmen have bounced back to win four straight games. Last year, Webster lost to Parkway Central in the Missouri State semifinals.

Webster is ranked second in the state in class five, according to the STLtoday football rankings. The team is led by senior quarterback Rob Thompson, Mizzou recruit senior wide receiver and defensive back Cam Hilton and senior running back Nick Delgado.

Thompson said, “I feel good about our team this year. I think if we play good, we will go all the way. We’re a very deep team with a very good chance.”

The class of 2015 has never experienced playing in the Dome while in high school, so the team hopes for a JV Turkey Day, according to Thompson. They start the playoffs on Halloween, facing Chaminade or McCluer North at Moss Field.

In-Depth

Softball

Photo by Bret Waelterman Freshman Karlee Sholtes hits the ball during a Freshman softball game at Plymouth Field.

Fall Sports Records Field Hockey: 2-10 Women’s Golf: 3-6 Soccer: 18-5-1 Tennis: 8-3 Volleyball: 23-6-1 Softball: 15-12 Football: 6-1 Records from stltoday.com

Photo by Bret Waelterman The football team, led by senior Rodrick Pennington, rips through the banner at halftime against Parkway South.

Volleyball

Women’s volleyball will make a run into Districts after defeating Nerinx Hall for the first time in school history, according to Maxpreps.com.

The team finished 23-6-1 and “on the bubble” in large school rankings, according to STLhighschoolSPORTS.com rankings.

The team is led by Texas A&M Corpus Christi volley-

ball recruit senior Mallory Moran with over 200 kills this season.

Other crucial seniors this year are Laura Workman, Hanna Albers and setter Rachael Sondag.

Webster won the Sub XIIS Conference after defeating its rival Kirkwood, but later lost to Kirkwood in Districts on Oct. 21.

October 2014

10 ECHO Hawken House exhibits life Pre-WWI

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Aerin Johnson Editor in Chief

Hawken House is holding an exhibit about life in Webster Groves 100 years ago on the verge of World War I going until Thanksgiving.

“Life on the Eve of World War I” is an exhibit about effect that World War I had on the lifestyle of Webster Groves residents. At that time, Webster was a small town with several train stations which went through the different areas of Webster.

“We have some exhibits, and we thought this one might be one to continue,” said Doris Hanlon, a Hawken House guide.

Hanlon donated some binoculars to the exhibit from the early 1900s.

Hawken House was built in 1857 by Christopher Hawken after he married his wife Mary Ann Kinkead Eads. The house was originally located on Big Bend but was moved after the mortgage was paid on it. Hawken purchased 100 acres of land at 25 cents per acre. He used the land for

Photo by Aerin Johnson The Hawken House was built around 1857 by Christopher Hawken and has been one of Webster Groves’ historic staples and a must see for Webster Groves residents.

Trunk or Treat Trick or Treating Games Candy Crafts Snacks at Webster Groves Baptist Church 308 Summit Ave. 63119 on Halloween Night from 6-8 p.m.

October 2014

farming and built Hawken House on it as well.

In the rooms, dresses from the era, are placed on mannequins around the room.

In the guest parlor, a causal and evening dress sit side by side. In the guest bedroom, there is swimsuit and a driving coat, but the thing that really catches a person’s eye is the evening gown on the bed of the room.

The gown is made of silk and has beading on top that used to be attached to the skirt. Attached to the beading is a pulley used to hold up the beadwork that covered the skirt to prevent the dress from breaking. However, due to aging, the silk skirt has started to deteriorate and the bead work has broken off.

The house has other items including pictures from the time period in several rooms, toys, decorations like a cowbell and a typewriter. The exhibit is $4 per person and runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

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Cal Lanouette Sports Editor

overdeveloped amygdala can affect how a person responds to fear.”

It is now October when most of people’s fears come to life. AccordGhosts. Spiders. Snakes. Heights. ing to livescience.com, facing our Death. Darkness. Clowns. These are fears could be a way to treat our phojust a few of the top things that scare bias. people in the. Everyone has some This isn’t true for all of them; howsort of fear, but what really scares ever, for fears like sleeping in the people? dark or heights, for example, if one Senior Oliver Osburn said he is sleeps in the dark and continues to do scared of spiders. so or a person were to do more things Senior Alexis Burke said she was that involve heights like rock climbscared of someone breaking into her ing, they might eventually “cure” house when she’s home alone and Photo Credit:Cristina Fletes-Boutte/St. their phobia. kidnapping her.

Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT Some people enjoy fear, and these “There wasn’t a definitive moment Various studies report that adults will spend more people are the haunted house and that made me scared of spiders,” horror movie junkies. said Osburn. “I just don’t like how than ever before to dress themselves, their chil“I love the rush you get when they’re small and fast and have so dren and their pets for the 2014 festivities, and zombies are a popular source for costume inspira- watching a scary movie,” said Burke. many legs.”

“I’m probably one to watch any scary According to Julia Layton, a tion. (c) 2014. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Distribuwriter for howstuffworks.com, fear tion by McClatchy/Tribune Information Services. movie, except ones with lots of gore.

That stuff is gross.” is mental and is a chain reaction in According to livescience.com, if the brain that starts with a stressful stimulus and ends with the the brain knows there is no risk of really being harmed, it experirelease of chemicals. It’s the fight or flight concept.

Fear deals with five parts of the brain: the thalamus, sensory ences this adrenaline rush as enjoyable. cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus.

The thalamus decides where to send incoming sensory data.

The sensory cortex interprets this data. The hippocampus stores and retrieves conscious memories. The amygdala decodes emotions and determines possible threats. The hypothalamus is what activates the fight or flight response.

Psychology teacher Jon Petter said, “An underdeveloped or

EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING.

Top 5 Fears According to psychology.about.com, the top five phobias are:

1. Arachnophobia (fear of spiders) 2. Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) 3. Acrophobia (fear of heights) 4. Agoraphobia (fear of situations in which escape is difficult) 5. Cynophobia (fear of dogs)

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October 2014

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Students share deepest fears

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Softball teams hits way back to District Playoffs

Bret Waelterman

Graphics/Video Editor

“(Senior) Madyson (Stallcup) has the record for most games played in, and most games pitched in,” said Varsity softball head coach Brian Gibson. “I love the way the girls played throughout the year.”

The WGHS softball team won its Conference and went to the District playoffs this year.

“We are alive with the bats from top to the bottom of the roster. We have the defense to win this and the hits for the offense,” said senior pitcher Stallcup.

“We do a good job as a team; everyone is loud; we support each other through thick in thin. We have lost and won some tough games,” said Stallcup.

Stallcup is one of six students in school history to total 100 (or more) hits dur-

ing her four-year Varsity career. On the mound, Stallcup holds the school’s all-time career wins record.

Stallcup will attend Lee University on a softball scholarship.

“We definitely will make it to Districts, if not win them,” said senior Keara Shweiger.

Varsity had won its District title three Photo by Bret Waelterman consecutive years, Senior Madyson Stallcup pitches at Plymouth Softball but pursuing a fourth Field. The Statesmen softball team won District this year. straight fell to Kirkwood in the playoffs.

Bennett from the Bleachers

Soccer leads Fall Sports pack at WGHS

Bennett Durando Sports Columnist In a season more diverse than any other in total high school athletic opportunities, men’s soccer has thus far trumped the nine other WGHS sports teams in performance, including a football team that ranks second in Missouri Class Five.

The soccer team is 14-5-1 and is ranked sixth in stltoday’s large schools area rankings. Its impressive resume includes a second place finish in the CYC Tournament, highlighted by its stunning victory over CBC in the tournament’s semifinal.

Trailing 1-0 early, junior Mick Hanrahan led the comeback, recording the assist for junior Antoine Givens’ equalizing goal. The game ran late, but Hanrahan helped end the nail biter in double over-

October 2014

time with another assist, this one a cross to junior Trey Paloucek for the dramatic game-winning goal.

“The big challenge in high school soccer is to break into the traditional group of elites,” said Varsity head coach Tim Cashel. “In the last few years now, we’ve beaten Chaminade, DeSmet, Rockhurst, CBC...”

The Statesmen lost a hard-played championship match to SLUH, 2-0, but the semifinal triumph has proven to be season defining for a team very similar to last year’s. The team includes seven returning seniors; they were a successful class as juniors last year, but in a tough District title game versus Kirkwood, they weren’t quite matured or experienced enough to take down the Pioneers, falling 3-0.

“I’m very confident we can go deep into the playoffs this year,” said Cashel.

“Given the schedule we’ve played, and the success we’ve had with it, I like the way we’ve performed.”

That this is a team led by returning seniors (and even more juniors) makes its success all the more important.

“This is the culmination of a lot of work and preparation for our seniors,” remarked Cashel. “I find the experience at WGHS to

be the best experience I’ve ever had as a soccer person, and I hope (the seniors) feel that way too.”

The Statesmen have a promising group of players coming behind the Class of 2015 as well. After the graduation of the current seniors, there will be an even larger number of seniors next year (the current juniors). They are followed with very strong sophomore and freshman classes.

“There’s going to be enough talent in this building all the time, so we’re going to be able to play competitively year after year,” said Cashel. “It may be a group of all seniors, and at times it could beven be freshmen or sophomores, but whatever it is, we always want to be at that higher level.”

The Statesmen C-Team has experienced its two winningest seasons over the past two years.

For now Varsity looks to the District playoffs eyeing a State championship in 2014. Why not? There are seven seniors and team leaders who have a sense of urgency now. It’s their last chance to make a statement and etch their names in Statesmen sports history. With wins like the one at Soccer Park over CBC, it seems like this team could be something special.

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Photo from www.shofoundation.org The Webster Tackles Cancer game will be played for the third straight year on Oct. 31.

Andy Kimball Opinion Columnist For the third year the Scott Harris Oliphant Foundation and Webster Groves High School will host the Webster Tackles Cancer football game in the Statesmen’s state playoff game on Oct. 31.

The Statesmen’s game against Rockwood was postponed because of rainy and muddy weather and field conditions.

The Scott Oliphant Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded upon the death of Scott Harris Oliphant in 2004. Who has helped over 900 families with their battle against cancer by donating money to the families in an endowment fund.

The SHO foundation started the Webster Tackles Cancer event because a board member saw a similar event in Michigan on a news show. Some SHO board members had Webster ties so they started the event with the high school in 2012.

The event’s main goal is to “help provide for families who fight cancer,” according to co-founder Todd Oliphant Every year the event features families who are battling cancer. This year it features health and P.E. teacher Ken Manwarring’s family. Last year the family of Alaina Bickhaus received the endowlment fund from SHO. The foundation gives $3,000 to families in an endowment fund to help families with their fight against cancer. It also provides scholarships for seniors who have dealt with cancer in their families.

Last year, funds raised from the event doubled to around $6,000 from the $3,000 raised the previous year. The SHO foundation has raised over $500,000 from events like trivia nights and golf tournaments.

According to Oliphant the Supporters will include Saint Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, whose mother Keala Wong died of cancer.

Oliphant said, “This year we’ve seen a huge response of people who were interested (in the event).”

October 2014

Sports

Webster football ‘tackles’ cancer

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Entertainment

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‘Dracula: Untold’

Film gives fresh retelling of Stoker’s novel Andre Scott Circulation Editor “Dracula: Untold” tells the origin story of Dracula, king of vampires. It’s a fastpaced adaptation of Bram Stoker’s gothic, horror novel “Dracula.”

On Oct.1, Universal Studios announced “Dracula Untold” will be the first in the Universal Monsters’ planned franchise.

The film follows Prince Vlad “The Impaler” Tepes III (Luke Evans, “Clash of the Titans”) as the flawed hero in a tragic love story. Prince Vlad’s peaceful way of life is threatened by Sultan Mehmed II, who demands that Tepes give up the children, so as to gain a thousand soldiers for his army.

In order to save his son’s life, Tepes must go on a journey where he becomes the mythological vampire Dracula.

The film begins with a narrative of Dracula’s son recounting the legend of Prince Vlad and with Tepes and his men discovering a cave with an ancient demon, once known as Caligula. After Tepes bare-

Photo from www.draculauntold. com Dracula Untold was released Oct. 10, and made $23.5 million in its opening weekend according to Forbes.com. ly escapes with his life, he goes to back to his kingdom to learn of the legend. Later that day Mehmed comes and demands for all young boys to become his soldiers, but when Tepes refuses the sultan, he then demands his son.

Now Tepes must travel back to the cave to search for a way to defend his son and his kingdom from the sultan. Once he officially meets Caligula, he tells the demon he must become stronger and that “Men don’t fear swords; they fear monsters.”

After Caligula agrees, he then tells Tepes that his power will last for three days and that if he can resist the thirst for blood, he shall return to normal, but if he can’t he shall become Caligula’s slave.

Tepes accepts the risk. Now he must go and defend his kingdom, and he’s determined to do it in just three days.

“Dracula: Untold” is a interesting and intricate movie. Viewers who like movies about vampires, Dracula, legends and modern retellings of origins, then “Dracula: Untold” is the movie to see. It received a 5.9 out 10 on IMDb.com.

It’s directed by first time director Gary Shore and produced by Michael De Luca, who helped produce 2010s “The Social Network.”

Sarah Gadon plays Tepes’ wife, Mirena, Dominic Cooper plays Mehmed II, and Samantha Barks plays Baba Yaga.

“Dracula: Untold” premiered on Oct. 10, with a budget of $100 million, and “Dracula: Untold” made $86,057,000 at box office opening weekend.

Its running time is 92 minutes, and it’s rated PG-13.

Drama Deptartment spreads ‘Rumors’ Brittany Patton Public Relations

People filled the Little Theater for Neil Simon’s “Rumors” presented by the drama deptartment Oct 16, 17, and 18.

Also the drama department will present Don Zolidis’s “10 Ways To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse” on Nov. 20, 21, and 22 on the Little Theater stage.

“Rumors” first premiered in 1988 in San Diego, CA. Twenty-Seven years later, drama teachers Todd Schaefer and Sarah Romanowski along with assistant stage mangers senior Natalie Cohen and freshman Conner Hanneken brought the dinner party gone wrong to Webster Groves for the second time.

“I would do a scene with my Drama I kids, and they liked it, so I brought it to Schaefer and figured it would be a good way to bring in large crowds,” Romanowski said, about why Rumors was

October 2014

Photo Todd Schaefer The “Rumors,” cast members are sophomore Jacob Noce junior Kate Arendes, senior Emily Jackoway, senior Edward Flynn, senior Joey Azar, senior Jonah Schnell, senior Dennis Allen, senior Natalie Cohen, junior Lily Newsham, sophomore Heather Leatherbarrow, junior Justin Comegys, and junior Annelise Kerr-Grant. “Rumors” was presented on Oct. 16, 17, and 18. chosen.

The lead role is Ken Gorman played by junior Justin Comegys, and his wife, Chris

Gorman is played by senior Emily Jackoway. Lenny Ganz is played by senior Joey Azar, and his wife Clair is played by sophomore Hannah Leatherbarrow. Ernie Cusak and his wife Cookie are played by senior Edward Flynn and junior Lily Newsham. Cassie and Glenn Cooper are played by junior Annelise Kerr-Grant and senior Dennis Allen. Officer Pudney is played by junior Kate Arendes.

Tickets were $7 for students and $10 for adults, and those who brought a canned food item got a dollar off.

“Rumors” is a failed dinner party for the anniversary of Charley and Myra Brock are celebrating their 10th year anniversary. When the Gormans, the first to arrive show up, they unveil a madhouse.

The host has been shot, and his wife is gone, along with all the housekeeping staff. As others arrive rumors get untangled and straightened out about what actually happened.

These “Rumors” will be heard by many.

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ECHO

Dystopian film gets hearts racing Aerin Johnson Editor in Chief I hurried myself and sister in the AMC Theater. We were already running late but made it in to the theater during the credits.

I sat down quickly with anticipation.

I had waited since eighth grade to see this. The lights became dim, my focus went to the screen, where played the opening scene of “The Maze Runner.”

“The Maze Runner,” originally a book series by James Dashner, came out on Sept. 19. It is one of the many movies based off dystopian novels that have come out as movies in the past few years (including titles such as “The Giver,” “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent”). In the beginning, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) enters the Glade, a small area surrounded by the huge walls of the ever changing Maze. Thomas enters the Glade with no memories of who he is or where he came from. He learns from Alby (AmlAmeen), the leader of the Gladers (an all the young men who arrive in the Glade via box), where he is and how the place works. Soon, the Gladers’ lives are interrupted when a Maze Runner (a person who searches the Maze for a way out) gets stung by a Griever (the creatures who run

Photo courtesy 20th Century Fox/MCT Dylan O’Brien and Kaya Scodelario star as Thomas and Teresa in “The Maze Runner.” (c) 2014, 20th Century Fox. Distrubuted by McClatchy/Tribune Information Services through the Maze). After that Alby is stung and a young woman is sent up in the box. The Gladers don’t know what to make of it, but life as they know it is over.

The effects in this movie are horrifyingly outstanding. The grievers are simply terrifying looking like something out of the movie “Alien.” They are referred to when Thomas first enters the Glade, but you never see one until he enters the Maze. Even though you know the griever is coming it still scares you. When you first see the Maze move, you begin to feel the same anticipation Thomas does

as he runs through it. Though there are many differences between the book and the movie, both are amazing. If you are stickler and have to stick to the rules set by the book (I have many a friend who acts as such), don’t go see it unless you haven’t read the book for a while. However, if you’re like me or haven’t read the book (it’s okay if you haven’t!) and just want to see a good action movie, go! It’s exciting, though sometimes a bit slow paced, and you’re sure to get in deep.

The movie was directed by Wes Ball.

“The Maze Runner” is PG-13 and is 113 minutes long.

ECHO FAMILY

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To become a member of the ECHO Family, please contact Alex Ring at ring.alexlee@gmail.com

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Curtin Family Kevin Killeen Webster Groves Baptist Church Zychinski Family Cross Vitale The Jeffries

October 2014

Entertainment

Let’s get running...

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Run4Webster supports WGSD foundation

Photo by Perrin Habecker Runners supported the Webster Groves School District Foundation through the Ivory Crockett Run on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Events included a 5K, one-mile fun run/walk and a 100-yard dash, and a pancake breakfast and wellness fair. More information can be found at www.wgsdfoundation.org.