Print Version: WG ECHO September 2018 Issue

the

echo

V olum e 1 0 4 I s s ue 1 Sep t 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

Softball head coach emphasizes community

pg. 10

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.

the

echo

Willie’s Comic Starbucks grasps for straws Abusive artists should not be supported Academic lab creates stricter policies Best Buddies club hopes to build friendships Foreign exchange students join WGHS Webster senior becomes Marine Innovative teaching styles create new opportunities for learning

3 4 5 6 6 7 7 8-9

Softball head coach emphasizes community Men’s soccer learns important skills in Europe New field hockey coach improves team chemistry Films need photosensitivity warnings Senior produces 1st studio album Review: ‘Octo Expansion’ gives refreshing spin on DLC ‘BlacKkKlansman’ tells modern world story through 70s lens

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

10

The Echo Family

6

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!

Aerin Johnson Keillyn Johnson Brad and Amy Krueger Curtin Family Melanie Bennett Hepfinger Family Cover cutline: Junior Elise Keller enters play to run for sophomore Maddie Buske on Sept.

6. Photo by Lindsey Bennett

2

wgecho.org

14 Table of Contents | September 2018

The Echo Editorial Policy The Echo is published monthly by the WGHS newspaper staff and serves as a public forum for its readers, providing an accurate, unbiased report of news affecting them and a forum for opinions of students, faculty and parents.

The Echo staff has established as editorial policy that: 1) Obscene, racist, sexist and libelous material will not appear in the Echo.

2) The Echo staff and adviser are the only individuals who have the right to review the content of the Echo prior to publication.

3) The Echo will attempt to be fair, impartial, accurate, truthful and responsible when presenting ideas to its readers.

4) The Echo will make a clear distinction between fact and opinion.

5) All articles and graphics except editorials (which represent the opinion of the majority of the staff), news briefs and clip art will have the authors identified with bylines unless it is written by a contributing writer who, for reasons of privacy, wishes to remain anonymous. Collaborated articles will have bylines of all who participated in the writing and researching of the articles.

6) Subject matter and opinions in signed op-ed articles will be considered those of the signer and not necessarily those of the Echo staff, the WGHS faculty or the Webster Groves School District.

7) Unsigned editorials reflect the opin-

ion of a majority of Echo staff members.

8) Issues considered controversial will be covered with the approval of the editors and the adviser. Staff members will not focus on controversial topics solely for the creation of news or self-publicity.

9) All articles, graphics, photos, art, columns, pages, reviews and other material creatively conceived, with exception to staff editorials, news briefs, mug shots and cut-outs will be bylined with the producer’s or contributor’s name.

For graphic bylines, producers will be signified with “Photo/Graphic by…,” contributors and materials used under Fair Use will be signified with “Photo/Graphic from…” and graphics used with permission of the copyright owner will be signified with “Photo/Graphic courtesy of…”

All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work.

When more than one person has contributed creatively to a piece of work, any person who has contributed to the work must be bylined as a producer.

Content used from Tribune News Service will be credited as directed by the Echo’s agreement with it.

10) Any current student, staff member, faculty member or building administrator who dies during the year will be recognized in the Echo in the form of a 300-400 obituary with factual information (date of birth, date of death, survivors, organizations, hobbies, interests) and one photo if possible. The Echo will be sensitive to the

September 2018 | Editorial Policy and Comic

feelings of the deceased’s family and will treat all deaths with taste and respect.

Cause of death will be included if the majority of the staff feels it is necessary to the story.

11) Letters to the Editor are welcome and will be printed so long as there is room and timing permits. The Echo reserves the right to edit letters, as long as the intent is unchanged. Letters must be signed; names may be withheld from publication if requested. Letters containing obscenity, racism, sexism, libel or personal attacks will not be printed.

12) Recognizing the value of statistical information to report on cultural and societal norms, the Echo will conduct periodic polls. The Echo will always report the scope of the survey (number, timeframe, breakdown), and will not require the names of respondents. Each survey is to have the following reminder: “Participation in all Echo surveys is voluntary.”

13) Online comments will require a verifiable name and email address. Online comments that are found in violation of the editorial policy and spam will be removed as quickly as possible.

14) All noteworthy errors in the Echo will be corrected in the following issue.

15) Proper channels will be followed in order to obtain permission to use copyrighted material.

16) The Echo is not a public relations vehicle for WGHS nor the Webster Groves School District.

wgecho.org

3

Ellie’s Expression

Starbucks grasps for straws Ellie Marshall Opinion Columnist Starbucks, by 2020, has committed to making piles of indisposable lids.

As of now, Starbucks produces its new lids with polypropylene, or #5 plastic, a plastic that is non recyclable.

This might come to a shock, but recycling is much more complicated than most people imagine. “(Recycling is) a system dictated by market demand, price determinations, local regulations, the success of which is contingent upon everywhere, from product designer, to the trash thrower, to the waste collector, to the recycling worker,” environmental journalist Lilly Sedaghat said in a National Geographic article.

Right now, the demand is low for #5 plastic. The U.S. used to send its recycled #5 plastics to China, but the Chinese no longer want it. Their own waste production is increasing, so they don’t need scrap plastics from other countries anymore.

This plastic waste is now being incinerated, sent to landfills or sent to other countries in Southeast Asia.

According to Fast Company, “In the first quarter of 2018, after China’s ban took effect, the U.S. sent 6,895 percent more plastic waste to Thailand than it had the year before. It also sent 611 percent more plastic to Malaysia, and 82 percent more to Vietnam.”

None of these countries want our plastic either.

“In May, as it dealt with an onslaught of plastic trash from the U.S. and other countries, Vietnam announced a temporary ban on accepting the waste. In July, Thailand also announced a ban on scrap plastics.

Photo by Cole Schnell

Webster Groves Starbucks currently serves the new lids with certain iced drinks.

However, customers who want whipped cream have to use the old lid and straw combination.

Malaysia is also considering a ban,” Fast Company said.

These countries don’t want our plastic, yet we keep sending it. None of them are able to actually recycle these plastics due to inadequate recycling infrastructure.

This means more of it will end up in the ocean. A 2017 report by Ocean Conservancy found that China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam were responsible for more plastic in the ocean than the rest of the world combined.

“We’re debunking the claims that Starbucks is making, because they’re not looking at this holistically, systematically or globally,” Shilpi Chhotray, senior communications officer for the movement,

called Break Free From Plastic, said.

However, it gets worse. Not only is the coffee giant making the lids out of non recyclable plastics, it is also increasing plastic usage.

According to a study by Reason, “Right now, Starbucks patrons are topping most of their cold drinks with either 3.23 grams or 3.55 grams of plastic product, depending on whether they pair their lid with a small or large straw. The new nitro lids meanwhile weigh either 3.55 or 4.11 grams, depending again on lid size.”

This is obviously problematic. The more plastic we use globally, the more we suffer the consequences. It is time to end the blind activism.

Tell the Echo your suggestions The Echo’s new suggestion box is located outside room 155 near the drama rooms. Give us your story ideas, tips and ideas.

4

wgecho.org

Opinion | September 2018

Opinion

Abusive artists should not be supported Rosa Parks Social Media Manager [Trigger warning: Abuse and assault is talked about in this story. If you or someone you know is struggling in an abusive situation, use the hotlines at the bottom of this page.]

When R. Kelly shows up to play a concert in St. Charles, one should not attend.

When a rapper is accused or convicted as an abuser, one should not listen to his or her music any more.

The culture of abuse among celebrities and others in power has gone from outrage to passive acceptance over the years.

Instead of boycotting abusers who also happen to be celebrities and/or people in powerful positions, many support the abusers by listening to their music, watching their films, etc.

While an artist’s music might be powerful or have changed one’s life, when an artist is revealed to be allegedly abusive, one must stop supporting him or her at all costs.

An anonymous response to an ECHO poll said, “Although they may produce great art and they may have something to say, they shouldn’t be listened to or watched because that would be giving them respect, which they failed to give those that they abused or assaulted.”

Acceptance of abuse is incredibly dangerous for several reasons. By listening to or watching the accused artists, the consumers support the possible abuse.

R. Kelly has a long list of allegations against him, starting when he forged documents that said his (now deceased) wife, Aaliyah was 18 when they got married, instead, Aaliyah was 15, while Kelly was 27. The allegations range from child pornography to having a cult of women.

Amid all these allegations, R. Kelly is still being played on the radio and still performing for crowds of people.

About this, muterkelly.org, an organization that tries to shut down R. Kelly’s concerts said, “By playing him on the radio, R. Kelly stays in our collective consciousness. We think of him when we’re making our playlists... That lets concert promoters know that he’s a viable artist with a fan base that will pay for his tickets.

September 2018 | Opinion

That gets him a paycheck. That paycheck goes to lawyers to fight court cases and pay off victims. Without the money, he’s not able to continue to hide from the justice that awaits him...That makes us all an accomplice to his crimes.”

R. Kelly isn’t the only one who’s still supported throughout his allegations. This increasingly regular occurrence applies to people like Jahseh Dwayne Graphic by Colin Shue Onfroy (who allegedly abused girlfriend Ge- Acceptance of abuse is incredibly dangerous for several neva Ayala), and even reasons. By listening to or watching the accused artists, to people like Donald consumers support the possible abuse.

Trump (accused of sexually assaulting several women). consequences for physical violence, then Celebrities always have more of a lee- there is never any hope for their stories of way with crime, but when it gets to the emotional, digital, or financial abuse to be point that someone in every single genre believed or for them to get support.” of entertainment or politics is accused About supporting allegedly abusive artof abusing someone, it’s gone too far. ists, Brianna said, “Survivors deserve for If celebrities can get away with assault everyone to support them, not their abusand still get fawned over by fans, then ers, regardless of the abuser’s public figure these heinous and inhumane acts may be status. Any support of any abuser contineven more normalized, and abuse will be ues to create both emotionally and physiviewed as insignificant. cally unsafe spaces and no one deserves Another anonymous poll response said, to feel unsafe in any interactions, whether “It makes abuse and assault seem small of a dating/romantic nature or not.” and unimportant. By listening to abusive Simply put, as one poll response said, artists, it’s supporting them, their music, “You are supporting an abuser,” while the and their abuse. They won’t see their ter- only person that should be getting suprible act as such because everyone listens ported is the victim of abuse. to them anyways.”

This can also be dangerous for people For those struggling with who are in an abusive situation. Victims abusive situations, call the of abuse may see the lack of punishment following numbers: these artists receive and reflect it on their own situation, making them less likely to come forward.

St. Louis 24-hour Crisis Line: Brianna H., an advocate from online 314.993.2777 abuse help page loveisrespect.com, said, National Suicide Prevention “Supporting these public figures, many of Hotline : 1.800.273.8255 whom have engaged in physical or sexSafe Connections Crisis ual abuse, could increase the feelings of isolation and hopelessness for those expeHotline: 314.531.2003 riencing non-physical abuse. They could be more likely to think that if there are no

wgecho.org

5

Best Buddies club hopes to build friendships Elise Keller Junior Editor Webster’s newest club, Best Buddies, hopes to establish “a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” according to the organization’s website.

Last year, senior Francia Munoz proposed the club. This year, Best Buddies was approved and has hopes to spread the mission of the international group.

With sponsorship from Special School District teacher Emily McEntire, the club will meet every first and third Thursday of the month.

“My hopes are that everyone feels included in our club. We want to create a place where anyone and everyone can join no matter what. I want everyone to get to know one another and create friendships through our club,” Munoz said.

About how she got the new club implemented into Webster, Munoz said, “Mrs.

McEntire was actually the one who approached me about starting the club at our school. She wanted to help include the students of the SSD in our school. Of course, Photo by Cole Schnell I said ‘yes.’ So she found Best Bud- Senior Francia Munoz helps freshman Katie Newport with dies, and we got in classwork during a peer tutoring hour. contact with them, “You are also required to make contact and they were excited about it, too.”

Students interested in joining the club with your buddy every week,” Munoz have the choice of how involved they said. “That could be eating with them at lunch or just sending them a quick text.” want to be.

Students unable to make a larger com“If you’re able to make the time commitment to Best Buddies, then you can mitment have an opportunity to be insign up to be a Peer Buddy, which means volved in other ways.

“If you’re not able to make that time that you will be assigned a buddy, or a person with IDD (intellectual or develop- commitment, then you can also become an associate member. Associate members mental disability),” Munoz said.

Students paired with a buddy are re- are people that aren’t assigned to a buddy quired to meet at twice a month and en- but can still come on our monthly group couraged to hangout more than twice out- activity. They can also help with our fundraising and other activities,” Munoz said. side of school.

Academic lab creates stricter policies Evelyn Trampe Video Editor

With a new school year comes new policy changes, and academic lab is no exception.

According to the new academic lab syllabus, “Academic Lab provides an opportunity for students to receive additional tutoring and academic support on a daily basis.”

One of the changes in class policy is the new “digital citizenship” rules. “[Digital Citizenship] is defined as a student’s responsible and appropriate use of technology. Scientific research confirms that recreational cell phone use in the classroom negatively impacts a student learning experience and environment,” according to the syllabus.

“Last year [in ac lab] we could have our phones out, we could sit anywhere we wanted to, and we could talk quietly without getting in trouble,” senior Maddie Haug said about the policy changes.

Also new this year, academic lab classes will give class assignments.

6

wgecho.org

“Though most time spent in academic lab will be dedicated to individual student work, several times a month students will complete enrichment assignments related, but not limited, to study skills, organization, adaptability and leadership,” the syllabus states.

Assistant principal John E. Thomas has been primarily responsible for the policy alterations.

“The changes to academic lab are really not changes. Academic lab has always been a place where students have been exposed to lessons and other pertinent information,” Thomas said.

About the new assignments, senior Jackson Bontty said, “I don’t feel that [the new assignments] are helpful for some students who are taking the ac lab because they have hard classes and need more time, but might be beneficial to students needing assistance in organizational strategies and such.”

“I didn’t sign up for more assignments, but more time,” Bontty said. “[Academic lab] should be a place where

[students] are allowed to do homework without teachers having to come and give lessons. [Academic lab] should be strictly for what [students] need to do. Students should be allowed to go to the library, see a teacher, or even go to the bathroom,” junior Molly McPheeters said.

“I feel disappointed about these new policies because I think that in an ac lab class, we should be able to sit by whoever we want, and if you are not bothering anyone, then you should be allowed on your phones,” Haug said.

“I think ac labs should be based around a student’s workload. This should also be a time where there is no structure or syllabus, but a ‘study hall’ where students can complete their homework,” Bontty said.

“Our goal [for] academic lab [is for it] to be a place to better prepare our students for success here and beyond. I think what students are feeling is that we have done a better job of aligning all of the academic labs,” Thomas said.

News | September 2018

Foreign exchange students join WGHS

Photos by Josie Krueger and Ellie Marshall

Foreign exchange students Ivo Gomez, Sofia Garcia, Giada Pedretti and Rodrigo Ortez are newcomers to WGHS.

Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist Four foreign exchange students brave the halls this year. They have come from two European countries to receive an education alongside the students of Webster Groves High School.

Ivo Gomez is a 15 year old from Spain. So far, he has been to the Arch and a Cardinals game with his host family. He loves all sports and is on the JV soccer team.

Gomez doesn’t miss home quite yet, as he said of America, “I expected all the people going from one class to another, busy, and I didn’t expect that the people would be so nice and friendly and helpful.”

Sofia Garcia is also a 15 year old from Spain.

Garcia said that back home, “There are a lot of public transports. I like to go to the beach with my friends… or go to a city 15 minutes away.”

In the month she has been here, she has gone to the Arch, the art museum and a Cardinals game.

Garcia’s favorite thing so far is how big the school is, while her least favorite is going to school every day.

The main reason Garcia chose to study abroad is because “my sister went to Ireland when she was 12, and people say it’s a really good experience.”

Giada Pedretti is a 17-year-old from Italy, and she decided to come the United States because she spoke English.

Pedretti’s favorite thing about the U.S. so far is school. She said school is very different for her back in Italy.

“We don’t change classes during the day-- only the teachers do. It’s boring,” Pedretti said.

Pedretti’s favorite food is salad and she loves modern art. She misses home, but stays in close contact with her family, especially her 20-year-old brother who misses her dearly.

Rodrigo Ortez is a 15-year-old from Spain. He likes to play basketball and hang out with friends. Ortez is currently on the JV soccer team. Recently he went to North Carolina with his host family, the Brauns.

Ortez said, “I love America. My dream was to come here and live for a year. The family was very good. The high school is very big, and it’s very different. I love it.”

He has an 18-year-old sister back home and Skypes with his family when he misses them.

Webster senior becomes Marine

Eleanor Marshall Print Editor

While some students worry about sports practice, AP classes and the Friendship Dance, senior Tori Watson has another thing on her mind: the Marines.

Watson didn’t always plan her life to go this way.

“When I was a junior, I was in the process of looking at colleges, stressing about getting in and applying for scholarships in time,” Watson said.

“Over my spring break junior year, I attended a preview day at Webster University. I explored all of the different booths they had, and one of them was for the Army ROTC. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to visit.”

At the booth, Watson heard about the benefits of the military, and she began to seriously think about joining.

“In my family, money is limited, so knowing that this can help pay for college up to 10 years is pretty amazing. I will be the first in my family to graduate and go to college.”

Though free college is enticing, joining the Marines isn’t as simple as signing up. Watson worked hard to earn her way in.

“The one thing that kept me from enlisting (at first) was my

September 2018 | Feature

weight,” Watson said. “You have to be a certain weight for your height by the time you go up to MEPS (United States Military Entrance Processing Command). I spent weeks with continuous exercise, dieting and water fasting. I managed to drop the weight and to meet my goal.”

Even though Watson is now officially sworn in, the hard work hasn’t stopped.

“Now that I officially swore in, I am required to go to two-hour PT training sessions, two times a week and do monthly Poolee (an individual who has already signed up to become a Marine but has not yet left for the 13 weeks of recruit training at boot camp) functions,” Watson said.

Watson said, “The hardest thing about the Marines is just trying to keep my schedule flexible. I have been managing to juggle between work, school and the Marines. I have a full plate, and it’s not always easy.”

Through all of the challenges, Watson has managed to stay positive and focused.

About her experience, Watson said, “Not only am I one of the few and proud, I am a female in the Marine Corps. I am also representing the class of 2019 as the first female to enlist, showing that anything is possible.”

wgecho.org

7

Innovative teaching styles create new opportunities for learning inside, outside of classroom

Graphic by Colin Shue

Lindsey Bennett Feature Editor As teachers place more emphasis on how students learn, educators are evolving their class style to reflect different needs.

The Chelsea Center for Experiential Learning has offered assistance on internships, service learning, travel and employment since 2011, but traditional teachers have recently added phrases like “discussion-based” and “democratic” to describe their own classrooms.

Chelsea Center coordinator Julie Burchett said, “There are some people who have learned to do school, and they can come and they can sit in class, and they can take their notes, and they can get an A, but they may not really be learning.”

Burchett added a new class this year, Real World Problem Solving. The class combines experiential learning and social studies, along with studying global poverty. Students will take a four-day trip to the Heifer Ranch Global Village in Arkansas to undergo a poverty simulation accompanied by Webster University students.

“They don’t like to tell us a lot about it until we get down there,” Burchett said. Her questions about the trip included how much food they will have, or how far they will have to walk for water.

Following the field trip, students will reflect on ways they can make an impact.

Burchett said, “They can make a change in the world and they are going to find some way to do that.”

Real World Problem Solving has no tests and is a discussionbased class involving peer presentation.

Senior Molly Nash said, “Our class is set up that way… al-

8

wgecho.org

Maeve Taylor Podcast Editor lowing us to express our views and ideas. I really like it, and I know my classmates do as well, especially with such a complex topic as poverty. It helps to make it easier to understand.”

Experiential learning classes are only one example of the different ways of teaching.

Often, classes that do not have strict parameters on content allow students to explore different approaches to relay information more freely. Not having to “teach to a test” opens up more time for discussion.

Social studies teacher James Lemay said, “My whole goal is getting students to think for themselves.”

Lemay teaches The African American Experience course, which is partially dedicated to the “further understanding of a culture that is integral to America as a whole” according to its course description. The class is an elective social studies course that allows Lemay to dig deeper into the interests of students.

“We get caught up talking about something that’s interesting to the kids… and I’m okay with it,” Lemay said.

Other teachers are more direct with their intentions. English teacher Katie Guymon has used Socratic seminars to purposely create peer discussion and analysis of topics.

“They want to talk about these things. They want to have someone guide them through the intricacies of all these tough things that are happening in the world,” Guymon said.

Socratic seminars are becoming more common. Teachers will take a full class period to pose open-ended questions to students to discuss amongst themselves. Students listen closely to others and have the opportunity to formulate their own opinions as well

Feature | September 2018

as respond to their peers.

Junior William Harned said, “I learn much better in classes that aren’t lecture format. Creating connections in my mind through activities and discussions help me retain more information.”

However, using different styles of teaching is difficult for some classes. An Advanced Placement (AP) class has information required to cover by teachers to prepare students for the AP exam on that subject.

AP World History teacher Betty Roberts said, “I’ve done a lot of project-based stuff in the past, but I’ve got an immense amount of content to cover in a very short amount of time, and the most effective way to do that, in my opinion, is lecture.”

In Robert’s opinion, the only way to do projects and analysis in her classes is to have an existing baseline of knowledge, which students receive from reading their textbooks and listening to her lectures.

Although the parameters of AP and Honors classes are fastpaced and cover a lot of information, teachers still find different ways to give content within the lecture format.

Burchett, who also teaches AP U.S. History, uses drawing to assist students with retaining information. She will cover a topic, then ask students to draw what they remembered and share the drawings with their peers. The other students will try to guess what the drawing means and share their own creations. She calls this technique “Etch-a-Note.”

In addition to “Etch-a-Note,” Burchett tries to include some experiential learning in her other classes. With AP. U.S. History, she plans on doing some community polling, as well as a visit to the Bellefontaine cemetery for research.

“They get a chance to stop and have a break and talk a little bit about the content that we just covered,” Burchett said.

Photo by Maeve Taylor

Social Studies teacher Betty Robert lectures in the traditional style.

However, the students who are used to traditional teaching can sometimes feel like more innovative activities are not for them.

Sophomore Grace Lock said, “The technique [Etch-a-Note] doesn’t help me because I am not a visual learner, but I think it is very helpful for people who are. I appreciate that Ms. Burchett teaches to all learners.”

From simulations to discussions, the expansion of different teaching and learning styles is becoming more of a focus in school.

Lemay reiterated what other teachers had said, “I want [students] to think for themselves, not repeat anyone else’s stuff, even mine. I want them to have their own.”

Photo by Emily Stisser

Julie Burchett monitors the student discussion in Real World Problem Solving, a class dedicated to the understanding of poverty and how it affects people across the globe.

September 2018 | Feature

wgecho.org 9

Softball head coach emphasizes community Emily Stisser Opinion Editor Coaching softball was not alumnus Bryan Gibson’s original plan.

Graduating in 1993, Gibson pursued an education degree following high school. Gibson’s motive to return to the district was “teaching, at first.”

After college, he came back in hopes of teaching in his hometown. Gibson started subbing at Steger, eventually being asked to interview.

Gibson said, “That interview led to the job, and I’ve stayed put ever since.”

Gibson has taught math at Steger Sixth Grade Center for 20plus years. Throughout his journey, the coach has had the opportunity to connect with the players and coaches on and off the field through education.

Assistant Varsity Coach Sam Pitlyk, had Gibson as his sixth grade math teacher. Pitlyk now works with Gibson teaching on the field. Assistant Coach Emma Buckles played under Gibson, returning to help coach and support the team. Coach Gulve also graduated from WGHS before coming back to assist the team.

Gibson’s involvement in the district and love of high school sports eventually brought him to the softball coaching position.

In high school, Gibson played Varsity baseball.

Gibson explained, “I was coaching baseball (for WGHS), and the softball position opened up on the JV level. I was kind of bored in a way. I had a lot of hours still, I didn’t have a family or anything, and I love the sport, so I interviewed for it and took over the JV team.”

Gibson continued to coach on the JV level for three years, eventually interviewing and accepting the head coaching position.

In addition to coaching, Gibson’s main focus has been growing the reach and exposure of the softball program. He has done this by solidifying values of community involvement. Gibson has achieved this goal through hiring and supporting past players

Photo by Lindsey Bennett

Sophomore Maddie Buske swings at a pitch on Sept. 6.

10

wgecho.org

Photo by Lindsey Bennett

Head coach Bryan Gibson and junior Claire Kellick prepare for a coming play on third base. The Varsity softball team’s next home game will be Sept. 25, against Hazelwood West High School.

as well as alumni.

Gibson explained, “I’m just really proud of how much it has grown. Right now we have three high school teams with 40 girls involved, four middle school teams in our feeder program. We’ve got community involvement. We are pretty well respected in the St. Louis softball community. I’m just proud of the reputation we’ve built and the quality of kids and family we tend to attract.

I am pretty lucky, I get to work with one group of really nice, smart, and intelligent people after another.”

Gibson also emphasized the value of the community: most importantly, the people within it. This includes players, siblings, alumni, parents and coaches.

“It is kind of like a family in a lot of ways. We have really positive parents involvement, we have some parents that are Webster alum, and we even have a couple that they played in the early years of the softball program.

“We have siblings that have gone on, and now their siblings are involved.

“We have alumni that have graduated, and they’re now coaching at other high schools or club ball. They always stay in touch with us, and some of them even coach with us. It’s really exciting and rewarding to watch these kids grow up, and give back to softball and the Webster community,” Gibson said.

Sports | September 2018

Men’s soccer learns important skills in Europe Ethan Weihl News Editor Men’s soccer team traveled to the Netherlands over the summer, but it was no vacation. This trip prepared the team for the season to come.

“We’re looking forward to the season,” coach Tim Cashel said.

The team played five games while it was there, along with a few practices.

“One of the purposes in going is getting exposure to Dutch coaching,” Cashel said.

The Dutch method of coaching involves a lot of attention to detail. “The little things make a difference,” Cashel said.

It seems to have worked in the past. Following the team’s first trip to Amsterdam in 2014, the team won the State Championship back to back.

However, the trip wasn’t just soccer. Team members

September 2018 | Sports

Photo from Tim Cashel

The Varsity soccer team takes a tour of Westfalenstadion, the home of Borussia Dortmund, a team in the top tier of the German Football League. The team toured this and other sites throughout the Netherlands and western Germany on its two week trip in June. also got to see a number of historically important and cultur-

ally significant locations.

“We did a bunch of stuff every single day,” junior Preston Haney said.

Team members explored the city of Amsterdam, visited the Kröller-Müller Museum, which houses the second largest collection of art by Vincent Van Gogh and went to the Anne Frank house. The team also took a tour of Westfalenstadion, the home of Borussia Dortmund, a team in the top tier of the German Football League.

There was a small mix-up.

The team’s bus got stuck in traffic on its way to the airport, which caused players to miss their flight. The last group ended up arriving home two days later than what was scheduled.

However, this did not dampen the team’s spirits. It helped Cashel realize “just what a great group of travelers we had, kids and parents alike.”

Cashel added that in the end, when the travelers look back

on it, “that will be a footnote.”

Cashel also talked about how important it is for students to travel. “Our world is more and more connected.”

Haney expressed some of the benefits of traveling he found as well, stating that “it’s important to see that your little world isn’t everything.”

Junior Alex Rosenblatt said how the trip affected his world view, “It’s given me a broader view on how soccer is” in other countries.

The trip also helped bond the players in a way that is hard to do during regular summer practices. “It really builds team chemistry,” Rosenblatt said.

Cashel said in order to make a team work, “you have to have a lot of players that can make contributions, and, fortunately for us, we do.”

The Varsity men’s’ soccer team’s next home game will be against Lafayette High School on Oct. 2.

wgecho.org

11

Frazier from the Field

Head coach improves team chemistry Gregory Frazier Sports Editor Field hockey’s coach is Varsity first timer Lisa Dietl. If you’ve ever had to take physical education, then you know who she is.

Dietl has blossomed the field hockey flower that alumna Hannah Luckes planted. The first game of the year was against Kirkwood. Webster lost by one, a substantial improvement from last year’s 1-3 loss. Webster’s season is looking a lot better, and the team has a shot at playoffs.

That one goal decided the game, yes, but thanks to new goalkeeper senior new Lily Becker, no more were let in.

“Kirkwood was throwing a lot of shots at us. We only let one in. Annalise Gogarty (alumna) taught me how to keep; it was scary at first, but I think I’m finding my footing,” Becker said.

Finding her footing she is. Becker has only let in a total of two goals, one from Kirkwood and the other from Lutheran South.

“Dietl is good; she knows what she’s doing. We’ve been on a bit of win streak lately but still have big schools to beat. Nerinx Hall, Pattonville and Eureka. Pattonville is pretty intense,” senior veteran player Kate Booth said.

Junior playmaker #11 Grace Lock leads the statistics with most shots and goals.

Lock said, “(Dietl) definitely is more excited this year. She pushes us. Pattonville will be close. Two years ago we won in the last five seconds. I think we have a bigger chance at districts: we’ll be a lot better by districts.”

Luckes won a scholarship to play division three field hockey at Rhodes college. Hitherto, Luckes captured opponents at Webster. Senior Molly Nash now holds her position.

Photo by Gregory Frazier

Sophomore forward Addie Palmquist protects the ball over a Pattonville Pirate on Sept. 12.

“Dietl is more organized. Even though I hold Hannah’s position, I think (senior) Theresa (Palmquist) is becoming the new Hannah. We’ve had a rough start but are now on a win streak, hoping to finish better.”

Webster played Pattonville on Sept. 12. It was a shutout 5-0 Webster domination with points made across the roster. Dietl never let her guard down throughout the game.

About her rocky start, Dietl said, “We settled in. Once we found our self confidence, we’ve been playing better.”

In the back of the minds of all the players is a state championship.

“What’s funny about it is that we keep saying it’s a joke, but really… it’s not a joke anymore,” Palmquist said.

Dietl said, “We’re looking for a bye week, but if we don’t get one, then we’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing and take each game by day, continue to build relationship, figure our roles and have each girl in a good position.”

Webster is improving because of Dietl’s coaching. It decimated Pattonville and held possession for the majority of the game.

“The way we played today I think we’ve would’ve won against Kirkwood,” said Dietl.

Webster does struggle at staying proactive throughout the game. They fail at persevering through dodgy corner plays and breakaways. Thankfully, Nash excels in these scenarios, scoring the fourth goal against Pattonville’s messy defense.

Despite these small infrequencies, Webster remains to be dominant, and that will only be exemplified as it finds it’s footing and continues to build needed self-confidence.

Upcoming Home Games Photo by Gregory Frazier

New Field Varsity Hockey coach Lisa Dietl and assistant coach Patti Perkins stay observant and aware, even though Webster is up five goals over Pattonville, on Sept. 12.

12

wgecho.org

Westminster Eureka Ladue

Sept. 26 at 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 1 at 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 4 at 4:30 p.m.

Sports | September 2018

Op-Ed

Films need photosensitivity warnings Sean Mullins Technology Columnist

“Incredibles 2” is still fresh in the public’s minds, but the movie’s flashing lights controversy has mostly died out. However, if the film industry doesn’t change, intense effects will pose a threat to viewers.

The film’s antagonist, Screenslaver, can brainwash people using TV screens. Brainwashing screens are stereotypically portrayed in media by either flashing lights or spirals, both of which can be harmful to watch, but many movies tone down the effect so they’re not as intense to the audience as they are to the characters. However, Pixar was indecisive and used both effects simultaneously, as Screenslaver uses spirals that rapidly flash.

Unlike films that use the effect once or twice, “Incredibles 2” feels the need to shoehorn it into every other scene as if the film is a prideful parent showboating its child in every conversation.

At least 10 scenes have a few seconds of flashes, but at least five scenes have extended and intense usage. In other words, while the effects move too quickly, they leave the screen too slowly.

The intense scenes have fast flashes of black and white, often up close or covering the whole screen. One such scene is a fight scene between Elastigirl and Screenslaver inside a closed room where the walls, ceiling, and floor are covered in screens. The longest instance of nonstop lights that covers the whole screen lasts about 90 seconds, which is far too long no matter how intense the effect is.

Then again, “fast flashes” is an understatement. According to epilepsy.com, between five and 30 flashes a second can affect someone who’s photosensitive, and since the standard movie framerate is 24 frames per second, that means flashing for a fifth of a second at least, and at worst, flashing for every frame, which “Incredibles 2” does undoubtedly.

Even putting aside how frequently or intensely the effect is used, Pixar gave no warning before the film or in its advertisements. Within its debut weekend, theaters put up warnings of their own, but it says something when perhaps one of the most intense uses of flashing lights in recent history warranted no official warning or response from Disney.

Furthermore, flashing lights aren’t just harmful to those who suffer from epilepsy. People on the autism spectrum, people with PTSD, people with a history of vertigo or migraines, and people with vision impairment are just a few groups who can be affected. Even people without light sensitivity or other conditions complained on social media that the effects were too intense and irritating to them.

Why, then, is it necessary to bring this up three months after “Incredibles 2” released, especially if this issue has already been raised alongside it? Just because the movie isn’t relevant doesn’t mean that epilepsy warnings aren’t any less important. In fact, effects this intense show that movies need to be held to the same standard as other media, if not higher standards given the cir-

September 2018 | Entertainment

cumstances.

Take it from the writer of the gaming column, Electric Retrospective: most games have seizure warnings, even if they only contain one minor flashing effect or none whatsoever. Warnings are visible on the box, and warning screens appear before players can begin the game. Games like “Celeste” even include a photosensitive mode that removes or reduces these effects so players with light sensitivity can still enjoy the full game.

To see how harmful flashing lights can be without warning, though, one only needs to remember an infamous episode of the “Pokemon: Indigo League” anime titled “Electric Soldier Porygon.” In this episode, Ash and company enter a PC with the help of a digital Pokemon, Porygon. For those who don’t remember watching this episode, it’s because the episode was banned after its first Japanese airing due to intense flashing lights.

After Pikachu blasts missiles with its Thunderbolt attack, a six-second sequence flashes red and blue about 12 times per second. Out of about 4.6 million households the episode was viewed in, 685 children were taken by ambulance due to seizures, vertigo, and other symptoms, and over 150 children were admitted to hospitals. Over 12,000 other children felt sick after watching the episode according to a Skeptical Inquirer article.

“Indigo League” went on hiatus for four months, and despite Pikachu having caused the lights, Porygon has never appeared in the anime since the episode to prevent viewers from experiencing traumatic memories, nor have its evolutions, Porygon-2 and Porygon-Z. Japanese broadcasters created the Animated Program Image Effect Production Guidelines to tone down similar effects in other anime, and shows nowadays include warnings to watch in well-lit rooms to reduce intensity.

To be fair, say Disney was unaware that flashing lights can induce seizures and other effects. Disney could’ve simply taken advice from whoever distributes the Pokemon anime, since the distributor would know a thing or two about flashing lights. Oh, wait, that’s right, Disney recently acquired rights to distribute the Pokemon anime on Disney XD. There’s no excuse for the company to let this happen when it has prior knowledge.

The film industry needs mandatory photosensitivity warnings before movies with flashing lights as well as at ticket booths, especially since a dark theater only makes effects more intense.

The best case scenario would be removing effects that prove too intense in test screenings, but if creators are unwilling to budge on removing the effects, there should at least be sensory-friendly screenings that remove them, similar to photosensitivity modes in games.

While the “Electric Soldier Porygon” incident was a tragedy with long-standing impact, “Incredibles 2” had much more dangerous effects with the added benefit of hindsight, and it still got away with no repercussions. If films aren’t held to the same standard as other mediums, an even worse flashing light incident isn’t far away. Screenslaver shouldn’t be allowed to get away scot-free as Porygon is left to be forgotten.

wgecho.org 13

Josie’s Journal

Senior produces 1st studio album Josie Krueger Entertainment Columnist

Goof Interlude (Interlude)’ all before I knew I was going to make an album.”

Newfound music producer and Ragland said, “Christian as a prosenior Christian Ragain released ducer to me is someone who has his first studio album, “PAiNT,” on taken a lot of different influences and Aug. 24. Its nine songs encompass tried to bring them together. I think modern jazz and hip-hop influence this release is really a culmination of with a personalized synthetic twist. a lot of things he’s been working on Classically and jazz trained on over time, which is really cool, but I the piano, Ragain took piano lesalso am excited to see what his future sons throughout his first grade year works look like as he begins to debefore stopping. velop more with his own style.”

Ragain said of his early years, “I As far as an overall message goes, just played whatever I wanted and, Ragain said, “Even though these being the kid I was, there was a lot aren’t really my lyrics or my words, of like (television) show and video if my music can make someone game music I would play on the feel something, that’s the goal. That piano, and then freshman year I would be amazing to me. was like, ‘Oh, I’m not as good as I “In the same way that Owen inPhoto by Sam Hayden want to be in comparison to other spired me to do this sort of thing, trained pianists,’ so I started prac- Christian Ragain’s “PAiNT” album cover features I hope that someone is like, ‘Wow, staple character disc boy. ticing more.” he can do that at 17; maybe I can Even though producing music is too.’ This is something you can do something Ragain has “always wanted to do,” he didn’t believe it with a little bit of work and a part time job.” was within his “financial ability” until he met senior Owen Ragland, a fellow music producer with an album, EP and single out.

Ragland helped with instrumentation on three of PAiNT’s tracks, while Ragain composed the rest.

Ragain described Ragland as a large contributor to the albummaking process, along with senior Sam Hayden with graphics and senior Sammy Toskin with backup vocals. Ragain also spoke highly of all those featured on the album: Mvstermind, Che Sanchez, Que Houston, Subtle Aggression and Mz. Mac. Ragain said, “Working with other people makes it all so much easier. Even though it’s my album... I wish it was all the artists’ (that contributed) album… In my opinion, the music just gets better with the more people that contribute. It’s cool to see how much the music can expand with the more people that work on it.”

Difficulties presented themselves in the process, though.

Ragain said, “We just go wherever we need to go. That was probably the most frustrating part, is that we left a lot of songs unfinished for months. For example, ‘Idk,’ we made in like a day.

It was crazy. Basically, we record until we run out of energy and then we’re like, ‘Oh, let’s make a new track.’”

Ragain’s favorite part of making the album was “ figuring out that this was something I had the potential to do... Being able to, as a 17 year old, release music onto Apple Music and Spotify and say that I can do that and that it’s all done.”

Ragain said, “I didn’t even know I that I was making an album until after about three of the tracks I had actually made. I was just making songs and I was like, ‘oh these sound good together.’

I made ‘Idc,’ the beat for ‘Airhead’ and the beat for ‘The Good

14

wgecho.org

Entertainment | September 2018

Electric Retrospective

Review: ‘Octo Expansion’ gives refreshing spin on DLC Sean Mullins Technology Columnist Though “Splatoon 2” is most known for its fantastic multiplayer and constant free updates, its single-player campaign excels as well, and “Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion” is well worth the wait for extra campaign content.

“Octo Expansion” takes place adjacent to the game’s main campaign, Octo Canyon, and explains the whereabouts of characters missing from its plot. Captain Cuttlefish, the commander of the Squidbeak Splatoon, finds himself trapped in an enigmatic underground metro station after being separated from Agent 3, the protagonist of the Octo Valley campaign from the original “Splatoon.”

Cuttlefish meets Agent 8, an amnesiac Octoling from the Octarian army who’s also trapped. Despite tensions between Inklings and Octarians, they realize they have no quarrel and team up to find Agent 3 and escape. The two are helped by Pearl and Marina from the band Off the Hook, who locate them over radio and fill the supportive roles that the Squid Sisters, Callie and Marie, did in previous campaigns.

To leave the facility, Agent 8 must complete levels marked by stations on a subway map. The expansion’s brilliant approach to progression uses 10 intertwining train lines with certain missions available on multiple lines and completing said missions unlocks crossing lines. Missions can be played in any order, and not all 80 missions are required to finish the story, as only specific spots must be reached to collect necessary items.

Unlike Octo Valley and Canyon’s longer levels, missions act similarly to shrines from “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” or bonus rooms from “Super Mario Odyssey,” being short one-off challenges. While the original campaign was designed to teach players mechanics for multiplayer through stealth platforming, “Octo Expansion” explores those mechanics far beyond their usage in multiplayer in various mission types, which is perfect for the series’s unique mechanics.

Stations are entered with CQ Points, currency handed out by the train’s conductor, C.Q. Cumber. A set amount of points are needed to enter levels, and by completing levels, the player earns a higher point payout. Since levels are designed around one to three weapon loadouts, the player can choose risk VS reward: weapons that make stages easier give lower point payouts, but more difficult weapons offer more points.

Missions are challenging, but most of them can be completed with a good understanding of their mechanics, as the DLC is intended for players who finished Octo Canyon. Only a fraction of stations were ever too challenging, but if the player has issues with a level, Pearl and Marina offer to hack into the metro’s system to allow the player to progress, though they receive no points for the level.

The Splatoon series’s signature writing style continues to shine through dialogue, references and puns, but “Octo Expansion”

takes a new approach to storytelling in particular. While Agent 8 has a fairly simple backstory, the player can read Internet chat logs between Cuttlefish, Pearl and Marina, which acts as a way to explore their backstories and give entertaining character interactions even inside the isolated facility.

The chat logs aren’t just entertaining, as the comedic interactions eventually turn into a commentary on racism. However, rather than plaster subtext in without any nuance as less engaging scripts do, especially in more conventional storytelling media (see films like “The Happytime Murders”), “Octo Expansion” explores the dangers of casual racism and how even well-meaning people can have hurtful actions, which it handles in a surprisingly realistic and mature manner.

The game’s vibrant graphics are contrasted by underground thematic elements, as it truly sells the aesthetic of a grungy metro station secluded from the colorful Inkopolis. The art style mixes in bits 80s music videos, including neon grid victory screens.

Character designs and redesigns stand out from the already visually unique cast, especially Pearl and Marina, who have gone from J-pop star outfits to costumes referencing Biggie Smalls and Tupac.

Adding to the game’s varied music, the DLC’s soundtrack, titled “Octotune,” introduces new genres to the mix. Like the game’s plethora of in-universe bands that write music of different styles, most of the songs belong to Dedf1sh, who performs hip hop, 80s synth, techno, and even vaporwave. The highlight, however, is the final boss theme by Off the Hook, which may be the best song in the series.

Despite being the only paid DLC in a series that pioneered Nintendo’s string of constant free updates, “Octo Expansion” is justifiable in its different content. Free updates include multiplayer content for everyone, including new weapons, maps, and gear, but this paid DLC is designed for fans of the campaign, and while a few pieces of gear are available as rewards, it isn’t payto-win, so the expansion is off the hook.

“Octo Expansion” is a shining example of worthwhile DLC, not only for adding extra single-player content to an excellent campaign, but still remaining its own entity in aesthetics and gameplay. While players who skipped the campaign may not be interested, for those who enjoyed Octo Canyon, it’s worth shelling out a little more cash for another incredible experience that only the Splatoon series could offer.

“Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion” is available on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $19.99 and requires “Splatoon 2” to play.

Visit the Electric Retrospective blog at https://electricretrospective.wordpress.com/ for a review of “Splatoon 2,” as well as other gaming news, editorials and reviews.

Visit electricretrospective.wordpress.com September 2018 | Entertainment

wgecho.org

15

Review

‘BlackKklansman’ tells modern world story through 70s lens Colin Shue Graphics Editor

Director Spike Lee tells the bizarre, true story of eager rookie Ron Stallworth, played by John David Washington, the first black officer to join the Colorado Springs police department.

Based on the book “Black Klansman: Race, Hate and the Undercover Investigation of a Lifetime,” written by real American police officer Ron Stallworth, the film shows the beginning of Stallworth’s career as an undercover detective. Set in a town where racial tension is at its peak, he responds to an ad in the local newspaper for the Ku Klux Klan, a “secret society” propagating hate towards anyone who doesn’t fall under the descriptor “Aryan.”

His phone call is returned and an elaborate plan is hatched to investigate the hate group from the inside using Stallworth’s identity. Phone calls between the department and the KKK would be handled by Stallworth himself and in-person meetings would feature white undercover detective Flip Zimmerman, played by Adam Driver.

The movie follows Zimmerman as he becomes uncomfortably intimate with the Klan, attending a variety of get togethers.

Things truly take a turn when Stallworth gets in contact and creates a weirdly close connection with the current “Grand Wizard” of the KKK, David Duke, played by Topher Grace.

The two-hour-and-15-minute movie pushes the audience dangerously close to the edge of their seats. The plot moves like a rolling snowball; it starts off in the records office and ends in an explosion.

The whole thing is littered with intense moments of loud, rageful hate and silent moments of “Will they find out?” Viewers will leave the theater no longer needing to clip their nails. It’s classified as a crime drama, though there are comedic elements tangled up within it. Some of the best moments are the phone calls between Stallworth and Duke. The irony of the entire operation will definitely provide a laugh or two.

The film was produced by Jordan Peele, half of the “Key & Peele” comedy duo and the writer/director of 2017’s racially fueled thriller hit “Get Out.” All of the

16

wgecho.org

Photo from Focus Features

Detectives Ron Stallworth, John David Washington, and Flip Zimmerman, Adam Driver, prepare for the investigation of Ku Klux Klan. acting choices made the feature length experience very distinct. The banter scenes between police officers are charming and uplifting. They pull the audience back from lurid displays of hate every time the movie refocuses on the Klan. The performance given by all of the cast is amazing and makes it hard to differ between actor and character. Every character is fully formed and each line builds off of the last.

While it’s set in the 1970s, the true agenda of the film is quite apparent. The viewer watches, thinks and realizes how this story of organized racism is parallel to today’s world. With the anniversary of the Charlottesville KKK rally, where protestor Heather Heyer lost her life, being Aug. 10, there was no better time for this movie to be released than just two days before it.

Scenes reference modern events and politics. In one scene, the Klan can be heard chanting “America first!” a motto of theirs, as well, as an often repeated catchphrase of the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump.

“BlacKkKlansman” is an incredibly unique film. Its editing is odd and perfectly timed, its soundtrack is powerful, and it all flows in a way

audiences have never seen before. A retro cop movie vibe masks a much more serious undertone; a gloomy reflection of modern day oppression.

The movie has an R rating for strong language, specifically for a major use of racial epithets, as well as disturbing, violent material and some sexual references.

Slurs are thrown around countlessly between white members of the Klan. While there is a lot of offense behind all of these words, their use was necessary to portray the level of uncomfort the film aimed to give the audience. There’s a fine line between patriotism and xenophobic bigotry.

Within only a week of the movie’s release, it has already won two awards: the Cannes Grand Prix (second only to the Palme d’Or) at the Cannes Film Festival and the Prix du Public UBS at the Locarno Film Festival.

Entertainment | September 2018