The Echo is a monthly publication of the newspaper staff of Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma Ave., 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 JournalismSTL, Quill and Scroll, JEA, MIJA, NSPA and CSPA.
Cover cutline: Cover made in Canva
theecho
Science teacher raises funds for Afghan families
Editorial: New Voices Bill essential to protect speech
District experiences budget cuts, lower funding
Athletes strive for college recruitment
Candidates compete for Board of Education seats
Word search
Science teacher raises funds for Afghan families
Arianna Peper Junior Editor/Business Manager
According to the whitehouse.gov, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20, to suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
This program was introduced in 1980 when Congress passed the Refugee Act, and this program helps refugees resettle in America.
These individuals in the program are eligible for U.S. government funded assistance; however, with Trump’s new executive order, the funding for USRAP is being paused, resulting in refugees losing the aid they needed in order to set up in the U.S.
As this issue progresses across the nation and court cases challenge the executive order, efforts to aid those in need through different acts of service and funding have increased.
Webster Groves science teacher Elizabeth Hobbs is one of those individuals and considers herself a “social justice advocate.”
Volunteers prepare food for the Chili Fest at Eden Theological Seminary Campus on Friday, Feb. 28.
On Saturday, March 1, Hobbs organized a Chili Bowl event that took place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Eden Theological Seminary Campus.
The event was organized in order to fundraise for Welcome Neighbor, which is a community group that helps refugees and immigrants in the St. Louis area. The funding was specifically going toward two Afghan refugee families that recently came to the United States, that Hobbs had known.
Hobbs said, “I’ve been tutoring ESL with another Afghan family for three years. I’ve been working with the mom, and her husband’s cousin came in the week of President Trump’s inauguration, so a lot of the aid they were expecting was either frozen or canceled. This meant they were living with their relatives until they could get situated with what the aid was going to look like or if there was going to be any.”
The chili bowl event had around 200 people eat in and 50 to 70
people who went through the drive-through. With 72 volunteers for the event, the group was able to raise over $3,000 in cash. Sophomore Lucy Salvala volunteered to prepare and hand out food.
Salvala said, “It’s fun to do it with your friends and help local people in the community.”
On Monday, March 3, Hobbs gave the family representatives the money from the event, and she said, “It was a big relief for those families to be able to buy groceries, make the mortgage and still have money so that they could potentially have a security deposit for their apartment.”
As of right now, the next steps with the funding of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program are still being determined as multiple lawsuits have been filed challenging the Trump Administration’s actions.
Photo by Donald Johnson
Editorial: New Voices Bill essential to protect speech
Ali Schulz Editor-in-Chief
A New Voices bill has been introduced into the Missouri State Legislature for the 2025 session. This bill is a major step in protecting the freedom of speech for nalists.
According to the Stu dent Press Law Center, there are “18 states with laws that protect the First Amendment rights of student journal ists.”
These states include multiple Midwestern states, like Kansas, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. In states without the bill, advocates are searching for sponsors or the legislator currently has a bill in the chambers.
Senator Barbara Washington, Democrat, is the sponsor of the Missouri New Voices act.
According to the bill summary, the bill protects freedom of speech for public schools and bars school districts from en gaging “in prior restraint of school-sponsored media” except in cases of offensive or threatening speech; or if the speech is not conducive to the time, place and manner test.
In addition, it protects students, school districts and advisors from liability for what they write, except if they participate in “conduct that is the subject of a civil or criminal action,” the bill summary added.
This bill is specifically designed to counter the dangerous ruling in the 1988 Supreme Court case Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier.
The case, based around the Missouri school district, “held that schools must be able to set high standards for student speech disseminated under their auspices, and that schools retained the right to refuse to sponsor speech that was ‘inconsistent with ‘the shared values of a civilized social order,’’” according to Oyez, a “multimedia” archive of Supreme Court cases.
The Echo staff believes that the New Voices is crucial to pass in this legislative term. It is important that our staff, along with the staffs of surrounding high schools, have the ability to write about issues and everyday teenage life withhaving to worry about possible retaliation.
While the Echo is fortunate to be a part of a school district that supports freedom of the press, it is important to have a concrete law that officially protects it here in Missouri. It is time to stand up and join our fellow Midwestern states in ensuring this protection. It is also important to protect this speech because of the Trump administration’s acts to decrease the freedom of the press. While the Trump administration claims to be the party of free speech, their actions show otherwise.
According to the Washington Post, “Since taking office, the president has mounted what critics call his own sweeping attack on freedom of expression. Some of it aims to stamp out diversity, equity and inclusion and what he terms ‘radical gender ideology.’ Some of it is aimed at media organizations whose language he dislikes. In other cases, the attacks target opponents who have spoken sharply about the administration.”
This view concerns the Echo newspaper, as Trump could soon encourage local Republican lawmakers to do the same. This censorship by the Trump administration is unacceptable and a threat to the democratic principles our government was founded upon.
To help counter these attacks on freedom of speech, one can pressure local Missouri Senators to vote in favor of the New Voices bill. Numbers of the senators can be found at the senator directory on the Missouri Senate website. In unprecedented times such as these, free speech protections for journalists are essential to preserving democracy and citizens’ rights.
Graphic made in Canva
District experiences budget cuts, lower funding
Jasper Winterton Feature/Video Editor
“The current 2024-2025 budget shows an operating deficit of about $1.7 million. Next year, we are projecting a deficit that could reach more than $2 million,” Jacob Myers, chief finance and operations officer, said via email.
According to the Webster Groves School District annual budget summary, “This year due to the enrollment decline, the district is reducing 6.5 full time equivalents (FTE) throughout the district. This reduction will help offset the $800,000 loss in state funding formula revenue that is expected in FY25 (Fiscal Year 2024-25) due to lower student enrollment.”
Myers said that Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s recommendation to underfund the school district foundation formula for the 2025-2026 school year will result in a loss of about $1.5 million in anticipated revenue for the Webster Groves School District.
The annual budget summary states, “Despite these challenges the district remains in a solid financial position with an expected fund balance of 48.99% at the end of the year.”
According to Missouri Independent, Kehoe suggested shifting $50 million into a program that helps students pay to attend private and religious schools. His new budget plan also falls $300 million short of meeting the targets set in state law for public education.
According to Columbia Missourian, Kehoe proposed a $200 mil-
“The current 2024-2025 budget shows an operating deficit of about $1.7 million. Next year, we are projecting a deficit that could reach more than $2 million” -Jacob Myers
lion increase in funding for the foundation formula, which determines how much money goes to public schools, but the total proposed amount falls short of the $500 million increase recommended by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Myers said, “Each year, the budget is assessed utilizing the strategic plan, funding levels, prioritization, required spend, and student impact. With fewer resources provided by the State of Missouri, it will result in a lesser ability to add additional programming and further assessments on how to save money will be completed.”
“Currently, classes and programming have not been drastically impacted by the budget cut. As the district is currently deficit spending (spending more than receiving), cost saving measures will have to be evaluated in a way that is strategic and follows the current priorities of the district,” Myers added.
Board of Education prepares for upcoming election
Margaret Korte Print/Podcast Editor
Webster School District’s Board of Education is having its election on April 8, with two seats open. The candidates up for election are Fran Petruso, Allen Todd and Justin Hauke.
Petruso is running for a first term on the board and currently serves on the Personnel Advisory Board for the district. She worked as the Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Bristol PTO and has two children in the district.
Petruso is the president of the board of directors of the nonprofit organization, Nurses for Newborns. She is on the board of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and is Chief Counsel for litigation and employment law for Worldwide Technology.
“As far as skills or practical experience, I am a lawyer by trade,” Petruso said. “I manage litigation and employment law, and I think the reviewing of legal documents and overseeing employment decisions that are made is something I have a lot of experience in, and that’s something that the Board of Education has to do regularly.”
As far as changes she wants to make, Petruso said, “I don’t necessarily have a platform of things I want to come in and change. I think the district overall…has good leadership in place and is doing pretty well, but I would say my priorities are ensuring that the district is providing a rigorous and inclusive education for all of our students, also to make sure that the district is financially sustainable, and we do have a budget that makes sense now and for the future.”
Petruso said she would also want to work towards “making sure that the district is a great place to work. That means that all teachers and other staff are treated fairly and that we keep a[n] open line of communication and understand what issues they’re facing, and just make sure we address those.”
Petruso said she decided to run for the school board largely because of her children’s enrollment in the district. “I have been a volunteer in their schools since they’ve been in preschool…so I got to see more about how district decisions are made, and I’ve gotten more interested in how the district is run…and thought that I might bring some valuable skills to the board.”
“I really am asking for voters to vote for me on April 8, because I’m coming into the election with a service mindset; I would be here to serve the students, the employees of the district, and the taxpayers and the community, and not to push a personal agenda or anything like that,” Petruso said.
Todd is currently on his second term on the Board of Education. Before he was on the board, he served on the district’s Finance Advisory Committee, the Legislative Advocacy Committee and was the president of PTO at Walter Ambrose. Todd is the Chief Operating Officer for Health Literacy Media.
The district website said Todd has a “passion for public education and its role in preparing our children for their future, no matter what that may be. He believes the Board of Education’s role is to create a culture and atmosphere that allows every student to achieve their highest potential.”
Justin Hauke is also running for a first term on the board, and it is his fourth time as a candidate.
According to Hauke, he has also “attended Board of Education meetings fairly regularly for the last five years or so.”
Hauke was the treasurer and president of the Webster Groves Public Library for seven years and is currently vice chairman of the district’s Finance Advisory Committee. According to the district website, he is also a financial broker and Senior Analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co.
Hauke said the main thing he hopes to improve within the district is “the communication and transparency: that is one of the goals that Board of Education has set for itself.”
“There’s not a lot of communication when it comes to some of the challenges that we face, and so I think that having more town halls, more two-way discussions would improve trust and lower animosity, maybe help stem some of that enrollment decline,” Hauke said.
Hauke added there has been a decline in enrollment, which has led to some of the financial issues.
“Our enrollment in the district is down about 10% over the last five years, and the state overall is only down about 3.%…That is having a funding issue on the district because most of the district’s revenue is from local property taxes, but there is a component of our budget that comes from the state that’s based on enrollment levels…We’ve gone from an operating surplus budget to, because of the loss in students, about $2.5 million lost revenue on a $60 million budget. Next year, and to the foreseeable future, we’re facing a structural operating deficit, so there’s things the district needs to be more open about addressing the root causes of that.” Hauke said his experience in finance could help to address those issues.
According to the district website, enrollment has only decreased about 7% from 2019 to 2024.
Hauke said, “...As I have pointed out for years, the district is not working as well as it can or should be, with opportunity for improved board independence and greater transparency. Racial achievement gaps are widening, not narrowing. The district lags peers in several areas, and the district’s operating budget, previously in surplus, now faces a structural deficit. These problems have been apparent [and] growing for some time and are not getting better. With incoming new leadership, there is opportunity for new ideas. I want to be a voice acknowledging our successes, but also our challenges, seeking discussion and open communication with the community.”
Athletes strive for college recruitment
Sam Enlund
Social Media/Graphics Editor
Recruiting high school athletes is a difficult process. Most high school athletes do not move on to play competitive sports in college, making the recruiting process even more difficult for both coaches and players.
A NCAA study, last updated in April 2024, said, “Nearly eight million students currently participate in high school athletics in the U.S. Approximately 530,000 compete as NCAA athletes, and just a select few move on to compete at the professional or Olympic level.”
At Webster Groves High School, senior Brady Schuettpelz has committed to play at Grinnell College and has already gone through the recruiting process. Sophomore Scottie Adkinson and freshman Miles Simpson are currently going through the process and already have a number of offers.
Adkinson has six offers from St. Louis University, Lindenwood University, West Virginia University, Southeast Missouri State University and University of Illinois. Simpson has received four offers from St. Louis University, Southeast Missouri State University, Austin Peay State University and University of Missouri.
The high school basketball recruiting process starts with coaches scouting players, accessing fitness, building relationships, making offers and ending with finalizing a commitment.
On its website, Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) says, “Getting recruited to play men’s college basketball is an exciting but competitive journey. With thousands of athletes vying for a roster spot, standing out to college coaches takes talent, preparation and a strategic approach.”
Marquette University men’s basketball’s Shaka Smart has been the head coach since 2021 and is a former college basketball athlete.
When recruiting, Smart uses the program’s “Marquette Characteristics” to determine whether an athlete will be a good fit for their team. This includes questions to determine who the athlete is as a person as well as a player. Questions like “Will he compete forever?” with points to emphasize whether or not he will continue to compete and fight to win.
About what he looks for in athletes and what the most important characteristic in an athlete is, Smart said, “The most important to me is the ability to get outside of themselves and pour into their teammates. At this level, it is a small group of kids who have the physical talent to be able to play here, but the real separator is their ability to multiply those around them no matter the setting.”
Smart also described the biggest red flag in athletes and said, “The red flag is the opposite of that and getting a feeling that the prospect is selfish and only cares about themselves. Both of these are hard to pinpoint most of the time, and just takes time through observing and conversation to determine if either is present. Coaches also assist in the process, anywhere from scheduling games to get their players seen by college coaches, to helping them contact programs and figure out where they might want to play.”
Men’s varsity coach, Justin Mathes said, “As they go into their
junior and senior year, you can start putting together film and reaching out to college coaches. With that, trying to find if that college has a camp that they could go to and visit, and then a big part of it is just trying to put together a schedule and put them in the right events.”
Mathes built the team’s schedule this year to include the Highland Shootout, the Bank of O’Fallon Shootout, the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament and the Ramey Shootout. Including all of these tournaments and shootouts enables more players to be seen by college coaches who are more likely to attend events where they can watch multiple teams compete.
Alongside attending the tournaments Webster signed up for, Simpson attended exposure camps, events where other top athletes scrimmage in front of coaches. The athletes get a chance to show off their skills and compete against other talented players.
As a freshman Simpson has not only attended exposure camps, but also has college coaches reaching out to him. He has had phone calls with a number of coaches interested in him.
Simpson said, “I got a good amount of coaches reaching out to me, just talking about how they love my game… They go through my coaches so it would be like a three-way call with my coaches, me and them. Sometimes my parents will be on there.”
About the recruiting process Adkinson said, “The recruiting process has been good so far. I’ve been blessed to roll in offers early and experience what it will be like in college.”
Athletes can follow a number of different paths to get recruited to play in college. Some can go to a number of ID camps and be seen in person, while others might send out emails with film to numerous coaches. Schuettpelz took an entirely different approach.
Schuettpelz said, “I had a recruiting advisor for this thing called CAA, College Athlete Advantage. Basically he would send mass emails. I was looking at D3 schools. I knew I wanted to go D3 academically, so he would send mass emails out to all those coaches, and he had connections, and he knew the Grinnell coach personally and he reached out to him. They called me one night and we just had a connection.”
