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December 12, 2014 Vol. 46, No. 4 Lafayette High School – 17050 Clayton Rd. – Wildwood, MO 63011
lhsimage.com
The
c re
of the classroom
See page 7 to read about what motivates teachers to call the classroom their home. Also find out why some people are choosing to pursue a career in education. *photo illustration by Hannah Martin
2 misc.
Staff & Policies Editors
Hannah Martin--------------------Editor in Chief Jack Rogan-------------------- Managing Editor Megan Rigabar--------------------- Copy Editor Jennifer Butler------------------- Opinion Editor Ben Rachell------------------------Sports Editor Seth Boester---------------- Asst. Sports Editor Delaney Eyermann----------------- Webmaster Alaina Strollo- Asst. Web/ Social Media Editor Madison Kesselring---------Business Manager Nancy Y. Smith, MJE------------------- Adviser
Staff Members Image:
Mary Adcock, Kayley Allen, Patrick Levine, Garrett McBay, Grant Norfleet, Dominic Scaglione, Bryan Woode
Digital Media:
Julianne Beffa, Jimmy Bowman, Brian Gassel, Logan Jordan, Amelia Konicki, Alex Moss, Karina Patel, Colleen Pavia, Shelby Robbe, Mason Smith
Information
Image is published nine times a year by the News Production Class. Subscriptions are $30. Free issues are distributed on campus. The 2012-2013 Image received a rating of First Class with two marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association and was a Pacemaker Finalist. lhsimage.com received a rating of All-American with four marks of distinction. The 2013-2014 Image was awarded the George H. Gallup Award from Quill and Scroll.
Philosophy Statement
The newspaper’s primary obligation is to inform its readers about events in the school and community and of issues of national or international importance which directly or indirectly affect the school population. The newspaper, while serving as a training ground for future journalists as part of the school curriculum, recognizes all rights and responsibilities under the First Amendment. Operating as a public forum, student editors will apply professional standards and ethics for decision making as they take on the responsibility for content and production of the newspaper.
Contact Us
Located in Room 137A at Lafayette High School, 17050 Clayton Rd., Wildwood, MO 63011. Our phone number is (636) 733-4118 and our e-mail address is lhsimage@gmail.com or visit on the web at: www.lhsimage.com
Policies
A complete explanation of the Rockwood School District Policies and Regulations concerning official student publications and the policies and procedures used by the Image staff can be found on the website www.lhsimage.com under the About
On The Web
For breaking news, check out lhsimage. com and follow @lhsimage on Twitter
&
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Dec. 12, 2014
NEWS numbers 1
Average number of pounds Americans gain during the holidays, contrary to the common belief that the average American gains five pounds every holiday season.
69 *Stanford University
Percentage of recent college graduates who have taken out loans to fund their education. The average amount borrowed is twice that of college grads 20 years ago. *Pew Research Center
$804.42 The amount spent by the average person celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa and/or Hanukkah, up nearly five percent from last year’s $767.27. *National Retail Federation
6
Ranking that St. Louis received in a list of America’s most segregated cities *Business Insider
LET IT
SNOW -23
Coldest temperature recorded in St. Louis. This temperature was recorded on Jan. 29, 1873.
43.9
Total inches of snowfall in St. Louis’ snowiest recorded season, the winter of 1977/78.
23.7
Total inches of snow recorded in St. Louis’ snowiest December which was in 1973.
Which would be hardest to give up?
Internet Social media Cell phone =8 students *Poll of 106 students
WINTER WOES
44 1 in 5
39
Percent of Americans who feel more stressed than they did five years ago Americans experience “extreme stress,” characterized by shaking, heart palpitation and depression Percent of people in the Midwest say they have lain awake at night due to stress (compared with 46 percent in 2011)
*American Institute for Stress
*National Weather Service
You Can Quote Me On That!
“
Break it down into small chunks and start early.”
– Scott Holtman, science teacher, on the best way to prepare for final exams
“
Pretty much everything is standard. The district and police all work together constantly.” – Bernie Widdis, School Resource Officer, on school safety precautions taken in light of events in Ferguson
Students enjoy a 20% discount on tees every Tuesday! funsunsports.com
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Dec. 12, 2014
news 3
FACE LIFT: An under construction Ellisville Square Shopping Center is currently being revamped for new stores to open during the summer of next year. An artist’s rendition of the new properties are shown in the bottom photo, including Michaels, Party City and Sports Authority. (Top photo taken by Garrett McBay, bottom photo provided by Brixmore Property Group)
New Face On Old Real Estate
Three new businesses to open in place of closed Kmart next year old gas station. These stores are being opened in an effort to increase diversity of types of retailers in the Ellisville area and to increase store traffic, according to a press release from Brixmor, the property group in charge of the Ellisville Square Shopping Center. Some students, such as junior Will Cohen are excited for the openings of the new stores. “It will make it much more convenient to get to more stores, and maybe even improve the area in the community by opening up more access to goods and services that used to be further away,” Cohen said. “People can get to things easier. Instead of having to drive all the way down by the Outback Steak House to
garrett mcbay – reporter–
Earlier this year, the Big Kmart at the Ellisville Square Shopping Center on the corner of Clarkson Road and Manchester Road closed for business. The space has been leased by new tenants and will reopen sometime in this summer. The building will be re-purposed and renovated to accommodate three new tenants. The new spaces will be used to house a Sports Authority, a Michaels and a Party City. A stand alone Jimmy Johns will also be built bordering Manchester Road in the place of an
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get to the Michaels. For some people it’s a lot closer.” On the other hand, students like junior Anna Casey aren’t as hyped about the new businesses. “I have mixed feelings. There’s already another Michaels about 15 minutes away from me. There’s already a sports store 20 minutes away. Jimmy Johns? Also 15 minutes away. All this new place is going to do is bring everything a little bit closer,”Casey said. Despite her skepticism about the new development, Casey does believe the businesses will make things more convenient for local employees. “People could stay much more close to their
homes. If somebody works down at the Hobby Lobby but wants to keep working with craft stuff, instead they could run up here and apply at Michaels,” Casey said. However, sophomore Tori Gabriel is unsure on whether or not a new shop will last long. “The old K-Mart had been there a really long time. It’s going to be interesting to see how these new businesses are going to continue, since a lot of the stores in that area are starting to close,” Gabriel said. Gabriel does believe, however, that these new stores will help the community. “I think the new stores will bring more people into the area, [the stores] can hopefully appeal to people’s likes,” Gabriel said.
Attention Seniors-Juniors ACT/SAT Tutoring
Call Dr. Jack Arnold 314-805-4561 Appointments Tuesday/Thursday Evenings Saturday/Sunday afternoons www.JackArnold.org
stars & gripes Stars: - Our first snow day was on Dec. 1. Might the new Superintendent be a Terry 2.0? - ABC Family started its 25 Days of Christmas Special. Forget about studying for finals. We’re just gonna sit down and watch Frosty the Snowman. - The relative you never see until December. But they always give you a wad of cash when they see you, along with the traditional line, “I haven’t see you in forever! Look how much you’ve grown!”
Later start would increase student performance staff ed Opinions expressed on the editorial pages do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or official policies of the school administration. All editorials (unsigned) represent a majority opinion of the Editorial Board. Signed columns, blogs, editorial cartoons and reviews reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of the Image Editorial Board.
- Ice scrapers with long handles. We prefer to not lean against our icy cars for 10 minutes while we poke at our windshields. - It’s hot chocolate season! It’s the only reason for the existence of mini marshmallows.
Gripes: - The Elf on the Shelf. We don’t need him all up in our business. - Drivers who clear just enough space on their windshield in inclement weather to peek out. Just a tip, the rest of that windshield is used to see the other cars on the road. - When out-of-town relatives come to stay at your house. Your whole family does the bedroom shuffle and you always end up in a room with your brother and all seven of your little cousins. - That guy you met a week ago who surprised you with a gift for the holidays. Now you have to go back out shopping to find a gift for him or awkwardly just avoid him until it’s February. - Below freezing temperatures. We know it’s winter, but can it just be cold enough to get a snow day or two or nine?
Point Counterpoint
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Dec. 12, 2014
4 opinion
With End-of-Course (EOC) exams and finals, it seems like students are getting even less sleep during the week than usual. This is why Rockwood should change the high school start time to later. Between working at our parttime jobs, participating in activities and sports and studying and doing homework, there is now way that teens are getting the recommended amount of sleep needed to function during the day. A National Sleep Foundation (NSP) poll found that 87 percent of high school students in America get less than the recommended 8.5 hours of sleep at night. This is due to teenagers going to bed late and then having to wake up early. But going to bed late isn’t completely our fault. Teenagers’ biological clocks are set to where the best time to sleep for teenagers is between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m., according to Sarah McKibben, a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). McKibben also explained that a lack of sleep is associated with a number of negative effects like obesity, migraines and immune
system disruption, as well as health risk behaviors like smoking, drinking and violent behavior. It is also suggested that a lack of sleep causes a greater reaction to stressors. This means the students who study through the night are actually increasing their anxiety levels. It’s a vicious cycle: stress causes less sleep which causes more stress and so on and so on. With a later start time, more students would get the sleep they need to stay awake and pay attention during the day which could improve students’ academic performance and overall behavior. We teenagers have optimal times for sleeping but the early school start time is interrupting this. Many students are getting up at 6 a.m. or earlier almost every day to get to school on time. Without this change, students won’t reach their full potential. They will be too tired to pay attention during the day, making homework even more of a struggle at night. Many schools that have already implemented a later start time have already seen benefits: a decrease in tardiness, sleeping
in class and car accidents as well as higher graduation rates and standardized test scores. Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming changed its start time to 8:55 a.m. from 7:35 a.m. and the number of car crashes involving teenagers plummeted by 70 percent. In Wake County, NC, moving start times at least 30 minutes past 8 a.m. brought an increase to both math and reading test scores, with economically disadvantaged students benefitting the most. The Brookings Institution stated that later start times increased both middle and high school test scores, with benefits almost twice as great in disadvantaged students. This adjustment would also bring a number of other changes. Pushing back the starting time of school will change bus schedules, class times and the ending time of school and even after school activities. But instating a later start time would not only give students their much needed shut-eye, but would improve both their academic performance and overall development.
Nothing can bring the NFL down, not even a blow to the head seth boester
– asst. sports editor – The National Football League (NFL) is by far the most watched sports league in the country, and one of the largest in the world. A recent article released by ESPN’s Darren Rovell reported a little over $9 billion in revenue was split between all 32 teams last season. The Dallas Cowboys’ net worth exceeds about $2.3 billion, making them the fifth most valuable sports franchise in the world. The Super Bowl, which is virtually treated as a national holiday, is the most watched event in U.S. television history, drawing over 108 million viewers in the States alone and generating billions of dollars in revenue for the NFL and the host city. It’s safe to say the NFL is basically immune from being killed off. But some people don’t think of it that way. Every successful corporation has its doubters: people who aren’t sure how long the success can last. The perks of being a large corporation that deals in, say, banking or commodities, is they don’t have as much of a burden on their shoulders when something goes wrong in the company.
Do boys’ action figures and girls’ dolls create unrealistic expectations for children on how they should act or look?
A faulty Tickle-Me-Elmo or an accidental overdraft fee are isolated incidents that tend not to put lives of the customers in danger. But what about football, a sport that requires most of its players to make intense body contact at nearly all times in the game? Concussions are becoming a more relevant issue, and while some believe this could lead to the demise of football as we know it, the NFL isn’t going anywhere. But some changes would be nice. The media makes a big deal about football health safety. Sporting equipment company Riddell recently announced their new SpeedFlex helmet which promises to absorb most of the pressure received by head impact. The helmet has proved successful and has been used by big time NFL players such as Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy. So the NFL is at least trying to take action with this ongoing problem, but is it possible to completely erase it, if not reduce it to an irrelevant issue? Parents appear to think differently. The Wall Street Journal reports that youth football has been on the decline, with participation falling by about four percent from 2008-2012.
An article by livestrong.com found football is only the third most played sport among American youth (although I dare you to tell that to a Texas high school coach with a straight face). However, the decline in youth football can’t completely correlate to a recent awareness in concussions. Bob Cook, a father of four and a youth sports coach, recently released an article via Forbes investigating whether or not youth football is actually on a decline due to the dropping numbers. He recalls a poll done by the Associated Press which stated that forty-four percent of parents interviewed would not let their children play football. In the article, Cook states “I don’t have a poll to cite, but I can say for sure that long before concussions became a concern, parents were afraid to let their children play football.” He’s right. Football has always been viewed as a rough sport, one that is rampant with injuries. Parents were worried about their children tackling each other long before head trauma was the main concern. A rise in the popularity of the sport yields a rise in adults watching the sport and realizing that they want
I do not believe that “action figures or Barbie dolls create unrealistic expectations because they are toys and children use them as to play and they realize that that’s not real life and not what everyone looks like.
”
David Holmes, 10
to keep their kids from playing it. The four percent drop is a non issue. So then we switch the reason of the NFL’s demise from concussion issues to overall injury issues, right? Think again. If football is supposed to die off due to its brutal nature, then it should’ve happened 99 years ago, when in 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt almost banned the sport due to its causing of 18 deaths that year. Changes were made to the rules, the game was safer, more people started watching and the world was still turning. If the sport couldn’t be killed in its toddler years, its not going anywhere as long as it’s popular, and luckily for the league, the mountain that is the NFL seems to have an endless peak. So is the league making enough changes in its player safety guidelines? That’s debatable, but while improving the problems of concussions would only benefit the sport, avoiding it completely would be just as much of a deciding factor on the league’s fate as dealing with it would be. The NFL is untouchable at this point. Nothing can kill it now, and at the rate the sporting world is going, nothing will ever bring it down.
I think dolls do give an “ unrealistic image of what a person should look like and sets unrealistic goals. [Dolls] are super tiny and skinny, and they all have blonde hair and blue eyes, and some of us don’t have blonde hair, some of us don’t have silky hair.
”
Sabrina Ross, 11
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Dec. 12, 2014
opinion 5
Career Fear: It’s okay not to know
know WHAT
YOU
It’s okay to not know what you want to do. I was never told that in my 18 years of life and I’ve never questioned my career of choice. Until now. With early application dates passing and scholarship essays due, I’ve had to stop and think whether or not I want to do what I thought I wanted to do. And it is perfectly normal to not know what you want to do in life. Don’t feel pressured by the multitude of surveys and questions from relatives asking if you’ve figured your life out. I think a big pressure point for me was the school’s way of telling us to start exploring career options. In middle school, we took career surveys. We would answer about 50 multiple choice questions about our interests. We were asked if we would prefer to work alone or with others, build a tree house or make a model airplane, go horseback riding or go to the mall. These surveys were supposed to tell us the career path we should be looking into. But for me and many of my friends, our results differed from time to time. One day, we were told we would make a good neurosurgeon, the next we were fit to be a
Jennifer Butler, Opinion Editor
retail manager. In one of my results I was even told that my profession would be a garbage man. These results were on completely opposite ends of the career spectrum and therefore my options weren’t really narrowed down. Even as I grew older, I felt pressured to know exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. Sophomore year, I attended the annual career fair, like every sophomore does. I was completely lost. You see, sophomores are only allowed to pick three professionals they want to talk to, and a number of backup professionals if their chosen tables are full. For two of the rota-
tions, all my choices were filled and I wasn’t able to talk to who I wanted to talk to. At one station, I ended up at the only open table: botanical sciences. So, we sat and talked to a botanical scientist. And while she was very nice and informative about her job, I, as well as most people at that table, was not very interested in the career. I understand these career fairs and career shadows are supposed to allow us to explore vocational options, but it’s not very helpful when these opportunities don’t lead to greater self-understanding. These events can bring more confusion than clarity.
Even as a senior, I have been very stressed making sure my college and major decisions fit my interests. My stress comes from the constant reminders to apply for college and solidify my decisions. While beneficial, these messages often put a weight on seniors and even some juniors to rush the process of discovering the place and major right for them. Relatives, teachers and counselors are all asking you what you want to do and where you want to go. They do it because they want to help guide you, not to pressure you. But when it’s a constant question, students can feel bombarded and overwhelmed, only adding to student anxiety about future plans. It’s important to remember that a plethora of freshmen go to college as “undecided” and even those who do have ideas sometimes change their major multiple times. You don’t have to have a major when you go to college. While knowing some of your passions going into college is useful, college classes can be used as a discovery tool for students to gauge their interests in different topics. So don’t think you have to have it all put together by senior year. You still have time.
Popular Opinion #1
When is the best time to start studying for finals? A Month Before (7%)
Agree
Disagree
(87%)
I don’t study
(13%)
(5%)
A Day Before (16%)
*poll of 114 students
#3
Many drivers are excited that gas prices has stayed so low. Do you pay for your own gas?
Yes=40% No=60%
68 students
“Giving Thanks” By Megan Hardie, Cartoonist Let’s give thanks!
I know what you two will say!
No homework!
kayley allen – reporter –
“I think they should’ve voiced their opinion somewhere else. This is just going to lead to more violence.” Natalie Moorlock, 9
“I started laughing. I knew it was going to happen, but they should’ve gone somewhere else.” Kobe Brown, 10
“It was ridiculous and unneccessary. They caused the malls to close and lose money.” “As protestors, I think they just wanted to make themselves heard. It’s better than violence.”
A Week Before
Dan Jandro, 12
(72%)
*poll of 105 students
46 students
What was your reaction to the mall protests on Black Friday?
London Hall, 11
#2
Do you agree or disagree with the grand jury decision in the Michael Brown case?
Your Turn
“I think they had a right to peacefully protest as long as it didn’t end in violence, which it didn’t.” Cristina Marasigan, Science
“I think the fact that people can go out and peacefully protest is what makes America such a great country.” Jeff Landow, Language Arts
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Dec. 12, 2014
Moving to a New Beat
YOUR
STUCO swaps out Turnabout with new Winter Formal in effort to expand participation, increase school morale megan rigabar – copy editor –
In effort to increase participation and boost school spirit, Student Council (STUCO) has replaced the traditional Turnabout Dance with a Winter Formal. Scheduled for Feb. 21, STUCO sponsor David Choate said the change was prompted by a lack of students attending Turnabout over the past few years. Choate said many students also said they were craving something new. “We had anywhere from 900 to 1,000 kids that used to come to the dance initially. The last five years actually, it’s been anywhere from 250-400 kids, so we’ve lost almost half the kids in a five year span,” Choate said. The decrease in participation is partly due to Turnabout’s reputation as a dance for couples. “A lot of the people weren’t as interested in Turnabout as we wanted them to be so we thought that by making it a Winter Formal, we could eliminate the ‘couple-ly’ aspect of Turnabout,” senior Mackenzie Sigman, STUCO Executive Board member, said. Besides increasing the turnout, STUCO hopes this switch will increase school spirit. “There is a tacit rule that Turnabout is only
for couples and upperclassmen. We want to eliminate that idea and open the dance up to any student, freshman or senior, single or dating. To promote school spirit and underclassmen involvement, we want everyone to feel more than welcome to attend another dance,” senior Katherine Trout, STUCO President, said. Though the details are still in the works, the Winter Formal bears many similarities to Homecoming. Like Homecoming, the Winter Formal will be preceded by a Spirit Week. “We are looking for the Winter Formal to include similar aspects as Homecoming including dress-up days and lunch games to incite school spirit. However, we are looking into adding other unique elements that haven’t been done for Homecoming before,” Trout said. The dance will likely be similar to Turnabout with it being hosted at Lafayette on a Saturday night, though this is still subject to change. “It also will be of similar formality to Homecoming, so that’s your typical nice dress and heels for the girls and button-up shirt and tie for the guys,” Trout said. However, the exact theme of the Winter Formal has yet to be officially decided. “We usually make it a black light dance or glow-type dance. There’s a party theme to it. We probably won’t make any final decisions
what’s
6 news
until January about the theme,” Choate said. In the past, since girls were responsible for taking the initiative and asking a guy to Turnabout, many boys viewed the dance as a chance to relax and let the girls do the work. This change has left many boys feeling pressured to ask a girl to yet another dance. “I hear some boys are quite upset because they have to turn around now and re-ask their dates, but girls can still ask boys if they want. We’re just calling it a winter dance, we’re not necessarily changing anything besides that,” Choate said. Regardless of who asks who, STUCO hopes this change will be a positive one. “We are hoping for greater attendance than in years past and just as much school wide excitement as there is for Homecoming. We want everyone to feel free to ask anyone. Girl can ask guy, guy can ask girl, friends can go together in a group. Don’t be afraid to ask someone. It’s all in the fun of it,” Trout said. Despite all the exciting possibilities, nothing is set in stone yet. “A lot of things are up in the air as this is the first time in many years such a drastic change of dances has occurred, and as a result, we are still in the planning phase of it,” Trout said.
STUDY SKILLS
M AT H
?
TAKE
“I’m already dating someone so it’s not a big deal. I already know my plans. She’d ask me or I’d ask her.” -Hayden Haggerty, 9
“I like the Winter Formal because its less couply. I went to Turnabout last year and it was just all couples, and it’s not as much fun when all the rest of your friends can’t go.” -Megan Dilll, 10
S AT / AC T P R E P
“I think its good that we made the switch because it gives the guys a lot of opportunities. I feel like with Turnabout the girls feel obligated to ask a guy but they don’t want to do that unless they’re in a serious relationship.” -Taryn Griffey, 11
WRITING
READING
HOMEWORK HELP
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Dec. 12, 2014
cover story 7
The core of the classroom We interact with them everyday. We see how passionate they are about what they do and how eager they are to help their students. Why did they choose this path? Student teacher nears end of school, close to fulfilling lifelong dream madison kesselring – business manager –
Student teacher Sarah Petroff is pursuing her passion of becoming a teacher. In order to finish her education degree with Missouri State, she had to complete a semester of student teaching, so she has been working with teachers Natasha Toro and Donald Kreienkamp. While she has no preference on exactly what she teaches, theatre and speech are her strong suits and what she will be certified in. Her experiences have challenged her in new ways. Most difficultly, Petroff was placed in classes with almost 30 students. “It’s difficult to give that many students individual attention and make lessons that please all of those different learning styles,” Petroff said. However, she has learned many new things and had many positive experiences. “My best experiences were watching my students perform. All of the classes I taught this year required students at some point to
get in front of the class and either act or give a speech and I was so overwhelmingly proud each time,” Petroff said. She believes she has learned a lot from her experience. It has only furthered her excitement and reinforced her passion for teaching. Since middle school, Petroff has explored the idea of becoming a teacher but high school is when she truly discovered why. “I lost my father in high school which was the hardest thing I have ever gone through and my teachers were such a vital source in my ability to grieve,” she said. Once she begins her teaching, Petroff hopes and plans to be able to connect with students beyond the classroom as a theatre or debate teacher. “The thing I look forward to most is directing plays and/or bringing my students to debate tournaments. The work that I see students put forth after school hours into their extracurricular is absolutely amazing. I can’t wait until I can put up shows and see the amazing creativity and talent flourish in front of my eyes,” Petroff said.
Students plan to pursue education degrees following high school jack rogan
– managing editor –
do.
Seniors Marissa Gress, Mallory Laux and Danielle Nosal plan on majoring in education. Each student has a slightly different path in mind, but all have a passion for what they want to
Gress plans to attend Truman State University in hopes of getting a degree to teach physical education. Gress believes her teachers were the ones who positively influenced her and created the desire in her to want to teach physical education as well. “I have had a lot of good P.E. teacher role models throughout [Kindergarten to 12th Grade] and I just feel like I have a calling for it and it would be a really fun job to have,” she said. While Gress wants to teach at the high school level, Laux would like to work with younger, elementary-aged children. “I think I want to teach elementary schoolers, like 1st Grade. They’re not too young, like preschool, but not [too old] like 5th Grade,” Laux said. To prepare for working with younger kids, she has taken Child Development classes in high school. “I’m in Child Development II right now and we just taught a lesson to the preschool, and that was fun. We go over there and play with [the preschoolers] a lot,” Laux said. Laux’s passion for working with and desire to teach children are not recent developments. When she was younger, she enjoyed pretending to be a schoolteacher. “I love working with kids. When I was little, I always played school with my brother and I was the teacher. I always liked to be in charge like that and do my own things and have my own classroom,” Laux said. Laux will be attending The University of Missouri. Nosal plans to teach special education. While she knew she wanted to work closely with other people, it took her some time to determine exactly what career she was interested in pursuing. “I just really want to help people, and it took me a long time to figure out what it was I really wanted to go into, but in the end I ended up narrowing it down to teaching. When I was trying to figure out [how] I wanted to help people, specializing in Special Ed became [an option] and that’s the road I went down,” Nosal said.
“
I love teaching because you get to delve into your subject matter all day, every day. For somebody who grew up loving literature, the idea that I get paid to talk and think about literature is awesome. Also, you get to work with the students. Students are awesome. – Jeff Landow, language arts teacher
“
I thought teaching was going to be something I wouldn’t be able to handle, and as the years have gone by and I’ve connected with more kids and seen them grow, I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be. – Natasha Toro, drama teacher
“
[I love] working with students and watching as they grow into well rounded men and women. And the free Renaissance shirts are great. – David Choate, language arts teacher
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Dec. 12, 2014
8 life
Black Friday Backlash? Sales down amid lack of shopping hype, potential fear of protests in area stores dominic scaglione – reporter –
According to a report released last week by the National Retail Federation, Black Friday sales were down nation wide 11 percent which represents about $7 billion less than last year. In fact, about 6 million fewer shoppers hit the stores on Black Friday this year. Experts blame the decline on the economy, saying people are spending more on necessities like food and gas than on clothes and entertainment devices. Others believe large box stores like Walmart offered too many sales items or offered too many sales leading up to Black Friday. Locally, many believe the protests that closed the Galleria, West County Center and Chesterfield Malls for short periods on Black Friday may have kept shoppers away. Sophomore Sai Allu went to the Chesterfield Outlet Mall on Friday and said the crowds were smaller than he expected. “It seemed calmer this year. It might have been thanks to [fears about] Ferguson protesting,” he said. “They probably intimidated the casual shoppers of first year Black Friday shoppers from coming out.” Freshman Nikki Miller said she did not hit the stores because her mom was concerned about the crowds. In fact, the protests at the three malls did force some shoppers away as stores closed their doors for a bit during the disruption.
Junior Julianne Beffa works at Francesca’s at Chesterfield Mall and was working when protestors showed up. “We heard the Galleria and West County Malls were shut down so we knew they were coming. We heard really loud screams and loud chants from across the mall. There was a big crowd of people holding signs and wearing masks,” she said. Beffa said her manager had employees shut the doors until the crowd cleared. “People were pounding on the glass outside the stores, but no one was trying to get in stores or steal anything. They were just marching and chanting ‘No Justice, No Black Friday,’” she said. Sophomore Saria Peterson headed out just after midnight to get some good deals. She said she wanted to get to places before they ran out of the items in sale. Her day of shopping included trips to the Galleria, Chesterfield Mall and the outlets in Chesterfield Valley. “At the Galleria, there was a store that had 50 percent off everything. I got like $50 worth of stuff there,” she said. Because Peterson was out first thing in the morning, she did not see any protestors and said the crowds were not bad except for at the Galleria where shoppers were hitting all the sales. Some students avoided potential crowds at the malls and headed to other shopping areas like the U-City Loop. “Vintage Vinyl Records was way busier than
Empty Except employeES The Eureka Walmart was for the most part when they opened to shoppers just after 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Some retail experts believe Black Friday sales were down in part to retailers spreading the shopping hours out over a few days. (photo by Dominic Scaglione) normal and I got two free posters with the vinyl I bought,” sophomore Jack Duebner said. But others did not see any decline in shoppers looking for deals. Junior Harry Young works at Target in Chesterfield Valley and worked on Thanksgiving night and Black Friday. He said there were heavy crowds shopping while he was working. “There was like a quarter mile line outside the store when I got there around 6 p.m.”
Senior Akhil Pulumati said, “I went shopping on Black Friday and got a pair of sunglasses, a sweatshirt and some jeans. The crowds weren’t bad at all and the prices were cheap.” No matter what the reason some retailers did take a hit on what has been called the busiest shopping day of the year. Senior Mohammad Atiq worked at Kohl’s on Thanksgiving when they opened for their sales. He said, “I went there from 5 p.m. till close and there was little to no one there.”
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Dec. 12, 2014
ads 9
Entry Deadline: Jan. 30, 2015
PSA Video and Poster Contest
Rising above the influence Students, share your talents by creating a and public service of alcohol other drugs announcement or poster about preventing substance abuse!
Visit for rules, Winning entries willwww.RockwoodCoalition.org be featured at Six Flags, schools, city halls, fitness centers, and on TV channels including MTV, MTV2 and Nick! eligibility, prizes and submission forms. First, second and third place prizes and People’s Choice Awards will be awarded for the best high school and middle school PSAs and posters.
Rules
Entries must include at least one statistic related to alcohol or other drugs Entries cannot include copyrighted material A submission form must accompany your entry Only one entry per student Posters and PSAs must meet requirements specified on submission forms
Prizes
Gift cards, sporting tickets, movie passes, catered school lunches and other great prizes will be awarded to all winners! To be eligible, you must attend school or live in the Rockwood School District.
Dates
Entry Deadline: January 22, 2014 Judging and Awards Ceremony: February 19, 2014 B&B Theatre in Wildwood, 7:00 p.m.
More than 1.2 million students got their start at STLCC.
Submission forms and more information: www.RockwoodCoalition.org or Renee Heney, 636-733-2136 Contest supported by Rockwood businesses and schools.
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Register for Spring! stlcc.edu/StartHere
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Dec. 12, 2014
10 sports
Making Her Mark
How one high school hockey player changes gender perceptions seth boester
– asst. sports editor – The sporting world can be segregated at times. While sports such as basketball and volleyball are and can be universal, other events such as football tend to be male dominated, due to the intense tackling and injuries bestowed on the players. Now imagine how senior defenseman Sarah Markham feels being the only girl on the varsity hockey team. Every night at the Hardee’s Iceplex, Markham skates out onto the rink, unsure of who will heckle her next. “I’ve been made fun of by people in the crowd, players, coaches, all of them,” she said. Markham first started playing hockey when she was only 7 years old. Her father was her head coach for several years, up until 7th Grade, when she first played in the Lancers hockey system. Markham first joined the varsity squad during her sophomore year. She acknowledged the discomfort she experienced when she stepped out onto the ice for tryouts the first time. “It was definitely a shock to most of the other guys at first, but after a while, the team got used to it” Markham said. It also wasn’t easy adjusting to the hardnosed tough nature of high school hockey. “I got in a lot of fights my first year” she said. Senior center Drew Schwietz understands why Markham seems to get in fights more often than the other players. “People see her as an easy target” he said. However, despite the reasoning behind this, Schwietz feels that the extra fights, as well as
the heckling, are completely unnecessary. “She’s just trying to play a sport that she loves. There’s no need to insult her for that” Schwietz said. There is a plus side to the gender difference, though. Being of the opposite sex in a male dominated sport can lead to a better understanding on how teammates should treat each other. “[Markham] brings diversity to this squad. She taught us how to be accepting of teammates that are different.” Schwietz said. While understanding the struggles Markham has had to deal with, junior and fellow defenseman Justin Neuse thinks of this situation with a different approach. “I don’t think her gender really matters. She just feels like one of the guys to us” he said. Going with this mindset, Neuse believes playing in a tough sport means that you have to have a tough mind. “In the game of hockey, you just have to put up with that type of stuff” he said. Regarding the overall team, the Lancers have started off their season with a solid showing, winning some key games such as a dominant 12-2 win against Webster Groves, as well as a commanding 3-2 win against district rival Marquette. Neuse understands that Markham has performed well this year, and reiterates his point about how gender doesn’t affect performance on the ice. “She does her job out there. That’s all there is to it” he said. The team’s main goal this year is to move on past the Wickenheiser Cup where they finished last year, and go beyond to the Challenger’s Cup, the highest championship for hockey in the state of Missouri.
One of the guys Seniors Sarah Markham (left) and Brendan Duggan (right) set up for a
faceoff near the corner circle. Markham forewent going into junior or collegiate levels of hockey, instead enrolling in the Air National Guard (photo courtesy of Angie Blumhorst) While she can put out her best performance for the remainder of the month, Markham actually chose to graduate from Lafayette a semester early, meaning that she only has a handful of games left with the Lancers. Regarding life after high school, Sarah decided to forego immediate college enrollment or play for a junior team, and is instead joining the
National Air Guard. Will gender ever become a non issue in the sport of hockey? It’s a tough situation to call right now, but one thing’s for sure. Instances like Markham’s relationship with her team can still make a big difference in the sporting world.
December Lit Link Crossword
Name:
*This ad is paid for by Lafayette Renaissance
December Lit Link Crossword *Turn in your completed crossword on the stage at lunch for prizes*
Bring finished puzzle to the stage at lunch for a prize!
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Word Bank -overt -intractable -innocuous -laud -mitigate -malicious -officious -obliterate -implausible -meticulous -levity -indigent -lassitude -laconic -inadvertent -morose -inscrutable -incongruous
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Across 5. gloomy, sad 6. to make less severe 12. harmless 13. something that doesn’t fit; inappropriate 15. brief in speech; to the point 16. not having the appearance of truth or reason 18. listlessness; weariness 20. not easily managed or taught Down 1. lightness; lack of seriousness 2. giving unwanted or unnecessary advice; meddlesome 3. extremely careful 4. intentionally harmful 7. poor (opposite: affluent) 8. to destroy 9. stingy (related word: penurious) 10. praise 11. so mysterious it cannot be understood 14. not on purpose; careless 17. wealthy; abundant 19. out in the open; not hidden (opposite: covert)
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Created on TheTeachersCorner.net Crossword Maker
Across 5. gloomy, sad 6. to make less severe 12. harmless
Down 1. lightness; lack of seriousness 2. giving unwanted or unnecessary advice; meddlesome
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Dec. 12, 2014
sports 11
Varsity girls basketball looks to shine with new head coach “ patrick levine – reporter –
As the Lady Lancers basketball team season starts its season, the team is cautiously optimistic. Last season the varsity squad finished a dismal 6-22, but this year’s team is composed of almost entirely new players, with only three returning players with any varsity experience. “Tayler Dent, Maria Johnson and Jenny Kohl are the only returning varsity players,” Head Coach Dave Witter said. “Maddie Seifert is our only senior, and she didn’t play last year.” “We have a completely new program from last year,” Witter said. “Our coaching staff, everyone is new.” Even Witter is new to the program this year, coming to Lafayette after an extensive career in St. Louis area high school and college athletics. Witter was the athletic director at Francis Howell high school for 10 years before coming to Lafayette. While at Francis Howell, they were named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Large Schools Program of the year in the 2012-2013 school year. Before that he coached tennis, girls basketball and girls volleyball at Timberland High School, where he also taught business. Before his time at Timberland, Witter was assistant athletic director, head volleyball coach, and head women’s basketball coach at Lindenwood University, where he was also a business and sports management instructor. Witter sees this season as a transition year,
a year for the players to settle into a new offense and a new coach. He has introduced a new offense to the team, and he is trying to change the attitude and commitment level of the program as a whole. “We are a motion offense, we don’t have a playbook,” Witter said when asked about the team’s new offense. The Lady Lancers opened their season with a 51-30 loss to Webster Groves. Regarding the loss, Witter praised the Webster Groves team, calling them “a great program” and talking about how they were able to use their summer to prepare for the season and refine their skills. “Our summer was based on transition, we were just trying to transition to a new coach and a new system,” Witter said. “We’re off to a slow start, but I think that’s pretty normal for where we’re at.” The Lancers followed their loss to the Statesmen with a narrow 56-43 loss to the Markers of Nerinx Hall. Kohl had an outstanding performance in the loss, scoring 18 points. Johnson also had 9 points in that game. “Jenny Kohl, a junior, is playing very well. She had 18 [at Nerinx Hall]. She plays hard, whistle to whistle,” said Witter. “Maria Johnson also contributes offensively.” The Lancers notched their first win of the season on December 5, when they bested the Kougars of Rosati-Kain High School 46-36. Despite the team’s rocky start, Witter is
“We’re going to try to build on our leadership from last year. Three objectives: We want to get better, we want to have confidence and execute. If we can do those things, we’ll be all right.” – Girls Basketball Head Coach Dave Witter less focused on the team’s record and more focused on their overall improvement and development as a team. “We’re going to try to build on our leadership from last year,” he said. “Three objectives: We want to get better, we want to have confidence and execute. If we can do those things, we’ll be all right.” His players are even more optimistic than he is. “I think we’ll do reasonably well if we work together and give our best effort,” Johnson said. “I think we have all of the individual pieces together,” Dent said. “We just have to put it together as one solid team.” As the team faces the rest of their season, they expect to face some tough obstacles, but Witter knows his team will continue to improve as a unit. “The kids are playing hard. We just have to keep ironing out wrinkles and getting everyone on the same page,” Witter said.
Girls Basketball Schedule 12/15: Timberland at LHS 1/6: Parkway North @ LHS 1/8: @ Pattonville 1/9: @ Mehlville 1/13: Parkway South @ LHS 1/16: @ Marquette 1/20: Seckman @ LHS 1/23: @ Eureka 1/27: @ Webster Groves 2/3: @ Eureka 2/6: @ Oakville 2/10: Northwest @ LHS 2/13: @ Fox 2/16: @ Francis Howell Central 2/17: Hazelwood West @ LHS
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the feed
page 12 December 12, 2014
lhsimage.com
Bringing the hottest trends to the Lafayette community as well as reviews, interactives alaina strollo
– asst. webmaster/social media editor–
delaney eyermann – webmaster –
Brace Yourself, Finals Are Coming 1. Kaldi’s Coffeehouse
2. Lone Wolf Coffee Company
Chesterfield Commons, 17211 Chesterfield Airport Rd. Unlike most coffee shops, Kaldi’s has an especially quiet and serene atmosphere. Another perk of Kaldi’s is their cozy fireplace and plush armchairs to create the perfect, comfortable study spot.
15480 Clayton Rd. Lone Wolf has a myriad of drinks, snacks and secluded spots to complete an effective learning environment. Also, for a fun break from studying, on Tuesdays the shop hosts an acoustic music open microphone show.
3. Barnes & Noble
1600 Blue Oak, Chesterfield Not surprisingly, Barnes & Noble is one of the quietest study spots a person can look for. It has rows upon rows of literature to hide in and a cute cafe area for a caffeine buzz or a snack like a Blondie Blast.
With two weeks until finals, there are a plethora of comfortable niches and nooks for students to study outside of home. 4. Daniel Boone Library
300 Clarkson Rd, Ellisville At Daniel Boone Library has an impressive teenager section with bean bags and plush chairs to nestle in. Also, while there, students can pick up holiday movies to relieve the coursework stress associated with finals.
Movies coming out during holiday break This December is the month of movies, ranging from continuation of a series, revamped classics to intense action movies. Over the holiday break, it’ll be worth it to take some time to catch one of the many premieres.
5. Windowsills Cafe
1326 Clarkson Clayton Center, Chesterfield Windowsills is a great place to grab a snack or meal and study. Its decor is comfy. For students who want to study at home, but do not be distracted by the temptations in their own house, Windowsills is the place to go.
e k ca
# ballislife Gearing up for the holiday baking season, junior Anna West shares the secret to her famous cake balls.
1.
Annie Dec. 19
2. Into the Woods Dec. 25
3. 4. Night at the The Hobbit: Museum:
The Battle of the Five Armies Dec. 17
Secret of the Tomb Dec. 19
5.
Unbroken Dec. 25
Would You Rather... Tweet your responses to @LHSimage with #thefeedLHS and #lhsimage!
Ingredients: -cake batter of choice (West prefers Betty Crocker) -icing (West uses Pillsbury usually) -baking chocolate to melt -decorative toppings like sprinkles
or
Step by Step:
Explore Pandora from the movie Avatar?
Live in the wizarding world of Harry Potter?
1. Bake a cake using a cake mix of your choice. 2. Let cake cool completely. 3. Mix the cake with icing. The amount of icing used varies by amount of cake made and the consistency of dough desired. 4. Roll the icing and cake mix into balls. 5. Dip the cake balls into melted chocolate, decorate with holiday sprinkles or trinkets while chocolate is still wet!