May 18, 2018

May 18, 2018 | Vol. 49, No. 9

| I M A G E | Lafayette High School | 17050 Clayton Rd. Wildwood, MO 63011 | lancerfeed.press | @thelancerfeed

Summertime in STL: With summer fast approaching, we’ve compiled a list of must-attend events in the St. Louis area. Flip to page 7 to read more about the best things to do this summer. photo by Travis Bodell

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|OPINIONS|

May 18, 2018

Celebrity talent, opinion can be respected seperately

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Staff Editorial Social media content can come back to bite later in life Social media is a highly-accessible The staff editorial medium for people to air their grievances represents a majority and opinions, in a highly-accessible and very opinion of the public way.

Statements one posts on their Facebook Image Editorial Board. or Twitter accounts can be seen by everyone.

Intimate photos could be leaked at any moment, and nobody lied when they said the internet was forever. Even privately sent messages aren’t truly private online, and public posts can come back to bite.

There have been many cases where a comment has created massive backlash, like in the case of Kanye West and his twitter statement saying, “When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?

That sounds like a choice.”

While West did go on to explain that slavery itself was not a choice but that the southern slaves had enough numbers to rebel and didn’t, West still caused quite an uproar.

Unlike in person, through the internet, one doesn’t always have the resources or foresight to explain themselves. No doubt, said comment and other past remarks made by West have made quite a stir and affected the rapper’s credibility and reputation considerably.

Comments or posts similar to this may not tarnish one’s fame as an average Joe, but for the everyday citizen, it could cost him or her their job or career.

Companies often request an interviewee’s or current employee’s social media account names to make sure everything is up to par.

If things are amiss, if there is offensive or vulgar content on the accounts, then the employer has every right to terminate the employee.

The moral of this story is not to terrify our readers, but to caution them.

When posting on social media, you too are in the public eye, even if you think you are hidden behind a computer screen.

As students, we urge you to consider the consequences of posting certain content or leaving a particularly scathing comment. Know that snaps don’t really disappear on Snapchat.

Trends may fade and whatever emotions you felt in the moment leave, your silly protestations and off-hand comments online don’t.

Remember the internet is definitely forever.

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is notoriety is undeniable. The man has been in the music industry since the 90s.

Starting with his debut album The College Dropout and going on Travis Bodell Opinions Editor to create such records as Yeezus and The Life of Pablo. It does not matter which project of his you look at; the way his creativity has shaped the music industry is obvious and immensely impressive.

Every aspect of Chicago rapper Kanye West litters mass media: his charity work, his fashion line, his musical genius and most recently his newfound Twitter fingers.

West has been notably bold on the platform in recent weeks, posting pictures of himself donning a “Make America Great Again” cap and showing his support for the work President Donald Trump has been doing in office. In a predominantlyliberal Hollywood setting, a celebrity expressing conservative views is merely shocking rather than offensive, but this is not the problem.

West tweeted that slavery was in fact a choice, implying that those enslaved could have prevented the years of oppression that they endured. Yikes.

Now seems like the right time for the politically

Death should be celebrated, accepted Natalie Karlsson| Asst. Web Editor I went to New Orleans recently and experienced the city’s nickname to be true, the Big Easy. It was a huge cultural difference, but I loved it.

I found it interesting how people in New Orleans celebrated death. With dancers, VooDoo dolls and the sound of jazz wherever you go, life is celebrated.

With older citizens making the dolls and dancing to the music, it seems like they aren’t afraid of death. They’re just living life while it lasts, as well as accepting their fate that their life will end soon.

That’s not something you see often.

Of course, there are other cities with their perks, but a lot of them are life-perks. The night-time in New York is about partying and walking the streets.

Mornings in St. Augustine, Florida is for going to chapels and praying with the squirrels.

Death, in St. Louis, seems to be avoided as if it is a big problem in our Midwestern lives. There are retirement homes everywhere to send away those we don’t want or can’t care for.

Of course, there are a lot of young people walking the streets with beers and selfie sticks, but the majority of New Orleans natives actually included in the city’s festivities are elderly. I loved that.

They’re the ones dancing on the streets for peace.

They’re the ones playing jazz music all day and night.

They’re the ones selling Voodoo dolls so you can stab your president. Literally.

It was amazing to see people not just sitting inside knitting scarves for grandchildren who will probably never wear them. Instead, they live life to the fullest and eat as many sugary beignets as they want because you only live once.

I wish St. Louis would celebrate life and death.

Life is a blessing, and we live it to the fullest when we can. Death may only be seen as an end, but it’s also a new beginning. We could just sit and cry for days about someone that we lost, or we could accept fate and hope for new beginnings.

General Information

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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. The Rockwood School District Policies and Regulations concerning official student publications and the specific policies and procedures used by student publications can be found at lancerfeed.press under the About Us tab.

correct to condemn not only West’s controversial views and comments but any of his other endeavors as well. Needless to say, some of the rapper’s tracks will be getting deleted off of Apple Music in acts of brave and valiant protest.

On the other hand, those who see no problem in offending others will express their praise for someone who was brave enough to express his beliefs in a community of fellow stars that, for the most part, believe differently than he does.

But which is the right course of action? The answer is neither. Or both.

The guy has been around in the music scene for two decades. Social media activists cannot decide to “cancel” him and rid him of his fame suddenly and permanently. Kanye is here to stay. Exempting West from the same social sanctions that a normal individual receive on the basis that he’s, like, famous or something is not practical, either.

What West, or any celebrity for that matter, says or does is not above the disapproval of the public.

Even then, West’s music, clothing and creative mind can still be appreciated and enjoyed separately from his personality.

STARS & GRIPES Stars:

• The Palais de Tokyo art museum has special hours for nudists. We guess they’re hoping to attract a streak of new visitors.

• The Met Gala theme was Heavenly Bodies in the Catholic Church. Lord knows these celebs need some divine intervention.

• We are 100 percent sure that any LHS student who took Law and Justice for a semester would be a better lawyer than Rudy Giuliani.

Gripes:

• After all the stress-eating in preparation for finals and AP exams, no one’s summer bod is bikini or speedo ready.

• Now that this year’s freshmen have been trained, there is a whole new batch to break in next year.

Image Staff

Digital Media Staff

Editor in Chief | Jessica Cargill Asst. Editor | Amisha Paul Web Editor | Delaney Stulce Asst. Web Editor | Natalie Karlsson News Editor | Ty Prozorowski Opinions Editor | Travis Bodell Feature Editor | Gehrig Prozorowski Sports Editor | Kayla Carpenter Artists | Charlotte Komrosky-Licata, Ty Prozorowski Graphic Designer | Marlo May Adviser | Nancy Y. Smith, MJE Staff: Chloe Baker, Shelby Darnell, Abby Karandjeff, Jasmin Kim, Grace Kirtley, Carson Luther, Clare Mulherin, Alex Rozar, Naomi Saegusa, Shwetha Sundarrajan, Addie Watson

Digital Media Editor | Jack Weaver Special Projects Editor | Jimmy Bowman Video Package Editor | Kiley Black Staff: Emma Grant, Nick Koester, Clay Komor, Jonah Nickerson, Lucas Nickerson, Annika Renganathan, Shwetha Sundarrajan, Jacob Ward

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|OPINIONS|

May 18, 2018

Society pushes kids away from big dreams

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Kardashians take the Met Gala

by Daria Parr

The “Trump look” hits the shelves

by Melina Hudak

Summer Bucket-List how much can YOU accomplish by next fall?

Binge watch on Netflix

Go on a hike

Visit The Muny

Relax on a hammock

Have a picnic

Go on a road trip

Attend a concert

Flip off a diving board

Build a bonfire

Eat as many popsicles as you can

Shelby Darnell | Reporter

tudents are consistently told they should know exactly what they want to be, yet only certain goals are accepted.

From the job fair to the quiz my middle school had us take, it was clear that the education system wanted me to figure out my life plan at the age of 13. The career options I was given were social worker, counselor, teacher and many other similar things.

Many kids, like me, are given these basic job recommendations from a young age. I have always wanted to be an author, and I still do. The problem is that because being an author is such an unthinkable goal, people see my desire to publish books and my hope people read them as idealistic and childish.

This is a similar situation for many other students’ dreams, such as being a player in the NBA, an actress or a musician. The youth of our time is told they cannot reach for the stars because they will never make it.

Then how did all the current athletes, authors, movie stars and musicians make it to where they are?

They all were kids at some point. Every successful adult starts as a kid with a dream.

Many of us students now are being told we cannot achieve our goals, especially when we finally share our dreams with those we care about.

Parents and teachers often doubt our ability to achieve and simply bring us down rather than supporting us.

They think we will move past them and come up with another plan or that it is just a phase. Teenagers do go through phases, but it is absurd that having a dream is considered one of them.

In reality, there is nothing wrong or abnormal with wanting to achieve big things at a young age.

In fact, people who have big dreams and who push themselves to achieve them have potential to truly reach the stars. The problem in our society is that parents, education and other professional adults tell us that we will never make it and our goals are unrealistic. This then pushes us towards other options that we are not interested in.

Most people, when I tell them I want to be an author, seem to just smile and nod.

People assume I will get over it and move on. When I say I want to publish a book, it’s assumed that I mean online or just sharing it with friends.

Little do they know I mean a physical copy of a book. I have written 150 pages, I am halfway done and I most definitely plan on finishing what I started.

So to other students like me, who are not taken seriously due to your age, do not be discouraged.

We are the next generation, the generation of dreams who want more than a house with a white picket fence.

The world is rapidly changing, and we have a chance to make an impact in any career from sports to acting to writing.

Our lives are short, so don’t let anyone who doubts you prevent you from pursuing your dreams because in the end it is your life, not theirs. Wanting to leave a mark on the world is not childish or impossible in any way shape or form.

Photo

Opinion

by Natalie Karlsson Asst. Web Editor

What was your favorite moment of the 2017-2018 school year?

| Serena Wilson, 9 | “I really loved the Special Olympics because it was great to see people were willing to hang out with the athletes.”

| Ryan Ward,10 | “The Homecoming football game because it was really fun to play one last time with all the crowds.”

| Marie Reinbott, 11 |

| Dominic DeProspero, 12 |

“I loved Prom. The food was really good, and the people were really nice.”

“I liked soccer the best, because it’s my favorite sport and I got to be with my friends while I was playing.”

| Kathryn Shea, Language Arts |

“My favorite moment was the surprise baby shower my 6th Hour threw during EOC week. They’re the sweetest group of kids.”

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|NEWS |

May 18, 2018

Lafayette freshman thrives in bright lights Grace Kirtley | Reporter

photo courtesy of Ken Howard

Nathaniel Mahone plays The Boy in the Barn in the Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ summer production of Grapes of Wrath in summer of 2017. “I’ve never performed opera before, so it was interesting to learn a completely different style of singing than I’m used to,” Mahone said.

Freshman Nathaniel Mahone started musical theater as the Prince in Cinderella at 4 years old. This year Mahone will be a five year member of The Muny cast in his performance of The Wiz and Meet Me in St. Louis.

Even through Mahone’s family doesn’t have a history in performance, watching musicals at a young age led him to his passion.

“It’s the stories. I like to sing and that’s the main reason I do musical theater which is what I like about it. I love how I can tell a story and it’s through something I love to do,” he said.

Mahone has had a positive experience being a Muny Kid and Muny Teen. “[The Muny’s] probably the closest thing to a Broadway experience is what I love about it. It really trains you to how it is in the real world.”

Mahone said.

The Muny has had many stars visit and perform throughout the 100 years of the theater.

“I see a high level of performance [at The Muny]. Broadway actors come and do shows there, so it tells you what kind of standards they hold.” Drama teacher Natasha Fischer said, “We do have a few students try out, some of our kids who are now on Broadway were Muny teens.”

Although Mahone has performed at many different venues, ranging from Lafayette to The Repertory Theater, The Muny is a special place for him.

“[The Muny is] home, there’s very few places that I just out of nowhere I’d love to go. It’s one of those places I have a connection with and I love being there.” Mahone said.

The most memorable show for Lorry Mahone, Nathaniel’s mother, was Tarzan when he played Turk in 2014 at The Muny.

The set consisted of a three story jungle gym and the ape costumes and gymnastics of the show added to the excitement Mahone said.

Similar to Lorry’s opinion, Tarzan was Mahone’s favorite musicals. The other most memorable show for Mahone was A Christmas Carol at the Rep. Mahone was a part of the Cratchit family. “[A Christmas Carol] was just a really cool experience.” Nathaniel said.

Through his acting, Mahone has reached audiences of all ages.

“Every time there’s a performance where there are young children, to me [there is a large impact]. And there is one child in particular that now does musical theater because of Nathaniel.”

Lorry said.

Fischer believes Nathaniel’s drive will help him to continue on the path to being famous but also his encouragement to all members of the cast brighten his future as well.

“It is so amazing to watch him grow in whatever character he is creating or developing.” Fischer said.

The Muny celebrates 100 years of shows in St. Louis Grace Kirtley | Reporter

The Muny was built in 1918 with small shows in Forest Park. Now it seats 11,000, with a high caliber of actors and musicians from all over the world that perform for St. Louisans. But, the Muny started with just one star’s dream for the future generations of St. Louis.

In 1915, the famous actress and manager Margaret Anglin was brought to scout the best location for the Municipal Theater, now called the Muny. She first turned down Art Hill as the building site and was then brought to River des Peres, when she spoke her lines and a man 53 feet above her heard her lines perfectly. That slope is now the oldest and largest outdoor theater in America.

“I am so in love with this place that I intend to spend nearly every waking hour here… With such a civic stage, St. Louis will lead America in outdoor drama.” Anglin said.

The theater was built by the summer of 1918, yet storms and floods hindered the first shows and morale was low for the cast and crew. With some extra advertising and work, the first full summer season of the Municipal Theater, had successful showings of Robin Hood, The Bohemian Girl, El Captain, The Mikado, The Wizard of the Nile and The Chimes

of Normandy.

The Muny is not only the largest outdoor theater, but also one of the most innovative. The first ever revolving stage in an outdoor theater was found at the Municipal Theater, mainly to beat out the emerging New York outdoor theater. Today, the Muny continues to use a revolving stage in productions.

1950 marked a new and improved era of The Muny according to Dennis Brown’s “The Muny Saga.” Famous playwrights Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein visited the Muny often, bringing their acclaimed and plentiful musicals with them. The most famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals include: Oklahoma, Carousel, The King and I and South Pacific.

At the close of the century, The Muny staged, for the fifth time, Meet Me in St. Louis, the second most popular musical of the year only to Grease. This year’s season closes with the classic Meet Me in St. Louis as well.

Throughout the history of The Muny, a live orchestra has accompanied the large shows of the outdoor theater. Although rain often poses a threat to the instruments, The Muny has yet to move to recordings of the soundtracks.

Many popular actors and actresses are visiting this summer as well. Corbin Bleu, best known for playing Chad Danforth in

High School Musical, will be in Singin’ in the Rain along with five other famous actors and actresses.

Co-Hosted by Tony and Grammy Awardwinning artist Heather Headley and Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated artist Matthew Morrison, a show titled “An Evening with the Stars” will follow a dinner gala.

“Uniquely created for this historic birthday it will celebrate the rich and diverse history of musical theatre at The Muny over the past century.” The Muny’s website said.

“An Evening with the Stars” will include 100 members of cast. It is 100 minutes long, celebrating 100 years of The Muny on May 18, at 9:15 p.m.

Available to all the community is the Centennial Birthday Bash from 1-5 p.m. on Sun. May 20th.

“Guests will enjoy once in a lifetime experiences that celebrate musical theatre, community and The Muny.” The Muny’s Website said.

Many activities are scheduled including St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards – 2017 Outstanding Performance Nominees and the Muny Kids and Teens performances.

Drama teacher Natasha Fischer said, “I think The Muny is a St. Louis staple. People come

from all over the world to perform there, so I think it is so amazing that it is a part of our city.

I have a lot of memories there of me sweating and watching some great theatre, sometimes even in the rain!”

2018 Schedule An Evening with the Stars — May 18 Centennial Birthday Bash — May 20 Jerome Robbins Broadway — June 11-17 The Wiz — June 19-25 Singin’ in the Rain — June 27-July 3 Jersey Boys — July 9-16 Annie — July 18-25 Gypsy — July 27- Aug. 2 Meet Me in St. Louis — Aug. 4-12

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|NEWS |

May 18, 2018

Staff members set to retire after 2018 year Carson Luther | Reporter

James Carel Math teacher James Carel has taught at Lafayette for 14 years after having had a previous career in business.

Carel has no specific plans for after his retirement, but he and his wife are interested in traveling and plan to start with Italy.

“I plan to live like every day is Saturday and every night is Friday night,” Carel said.

He is interested in settling down with an organization that will allow him to further help people, focusing on children in need.

During his time as a Lancer, Carel said he hasn’t seen as much of a change apart from the teachers themselves, and the way students now learn.

“Students are students, math is math, and while each year’s class has its own personality, the changes have not been that dramatic for me,” Carel said.

His favorite things about his time here have been the students and staff around him.

“I have been fortunate to teach some very special students who have helped brighten my days and who will undoubtedly be very successful in the future,” Carel said. “I will miss the daily conversations with them, their smiles and laughter and even the jokes they have played on me from time to time.”

Roger Fischer Roger Fischer will be retiring again after 44 years at Lafayette. Fischer originally retired in 2004, and has continued to work part time since then.

“No idea what I will do after I retire. Hopefully what I want when I want.”

Fischer said.

Fischer’s favorite part of Lafayette has been the school and the school environment as a whole, specifically the students he has taught.

“I have also coached throughout my time here, so I get to see the kids in different ways.”

Fischer said. “Watching students grow and seeing them as parents and successful adults is wonderful.”

During his 44 year long career, Fischer has made a lot of memories, from teaching flex classes to watching his own children graduate from Lafayette.

“Different phases of my career have different memories. When I started, I was only a few years older than the students, so that was interesting,” Fischer said.

The largest change Fischer has seen has been experiencing the school going from a rural school, to eventually evolving to the largest high school in the state at one point.

“We had kids coming from farms as well as living in million dollar houses.” Fischer said.

“Things were simpler.”

Vicki Kemp Gifted Education counselor Vicki Kemp will be retiring after two years at Lafayette and 21 years in other Rockwood schools.

Kemp plans to stay busy with many activities after her retirement.

“I’m planning to spend time with my

Delaney Stulce | Web Editor family, travel, read, binge watch TV, garden, volunteer somewhere and whatever else sounds appealing,” she said.

In addition to these, Kemp also plans on staying with education part-time, but she isn’t sure what specifically she will do yet.

“My favorite part of Lafayette is the people I get to work with, as well as the staff and students,” Kemp said.

Kemp has had memories all throughout her career in Rockwood in all of the schools she has helped.

“I guess one memory that stands out is receiving the Rose Award in 2016. I was humbled and honored!” Kemp said.

Kemp has seen changes in Rockwood’s schools as a whole during her career.

“I know there’s a bigger focus on mental health, which is important, and I’m hoping they do get support animals to help with all the student stress,” Kemp said.

Jeffrey Marx After 28 years of teaching, science teacher Jeffrey Marx will be retiring.

He has no definite plans after his retirement, but will not return to a classroom as a substitute teacher like many other retirees do.

“I really like being a teacher but I think I would rather be jailed than be a substitute teacher. I have no desire to teach a bunch of student who I don’t know,” Marx said.

Throughout the 22 years Marx has spent at Lafayette, one of his favorite parts has been watching the school environment evolve and change over time.

“In my chemistry room, I have really enjoyed the diversity and energy of the students that I have been able to teach,” Marx said. “It’s always different from year to year, and even from hour to hour.”

He believes school is what kept him disciplined and changed him.

“I will miss the hour to hour focus that teaching provides, as well as the constant daily routine,” Marx said.

In Marx’s opinion, the Lafayette community has changed the most.

After the area began to grow, more families from different backgrounds came, and the students wanted to learn more about other things.

“When I started teaching here, it was very homogenous in terms of student population.

There were kids who came from farms, there was even a pig farm across from the school,” Marx said.

Doug Rodgers Hall monitor Doug Rodgers will be retiring from Lafayette after 10 years. He was a substitute for three years before coming to Lafayette.

“What my wife and I plan to do is move to Orlando, where we just bought a house. The plan is to work for Disney at Disney World,” Rodgers said “And when I’m not working, play,” For Rodgers, the best part of Lafayette has been watching all of the students grow and change every year, as well as the relationships and long-term friendships developed with other staff members.

“What I am going to miss most would

be standing out for bus duty on a February afternoon while it’s sleeting and raining.”

Rodgers said.

Through his years at Lafayette, the tradition that stuck with Rodgers the most was the ceremonies honoring those lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Just experiencing that every September, right after coming back to school, really stands out to me.” Rodgers said.

Kathy Soucy Kathy Soucy, mathematics teacher, will be retiring after teaching in the Rockwood School District for over 30 years She has no definite plans other than spending time with her grandchildren.

“I’m going to attempt to get through my lists that I make of what I want to do over Spring Break or summer that I never get done,” Soucy said “As for working, I’ll probably sub or maybe I’ll teach a class or two at the college level,” Soucy said.

Soucy’s favorite part has been the opportunity to help students by showing them they can do math, learn and have fun.

“I’m fun and wacky, and I have all the songs, so my favorite part is just making math enjoyable for the students,” she said.

Of all the things and experiences that Soucy has had, being called ‘Mama Souce’ is what she will miss most as well as not having that special connection with the students.

“The students I was able to reach and have the biggest effect on were the ones who left a lasting impression on me,” Soucy said.

The biggest change that Soucy has seen with the Lafayette community has been the accountability of students.

“When I first started teaching, it was always the student’s responsibility, granted the teachers always helped, but now there is a much stronger expectation that the teacher makes sure the students have everything,” Soucy said.

Melissa Twombly After eight years at LHS, librarian Melissa Twombly will be retiring.

She has worked as a librarian and social studies teacher at multiple Rockwood schools for over 30 years.

Through her entire career, she had the opportunity to experience and enjoy the major development in technology.

“I’ve always enjoyed learning new educational technology, but I am amazed at how it has changed in 30 years,” Twombly said.

She added, “When I became a librarian 20 years ago, I bought TVs and VCRs and had them mounted in every classroom. Now those have been replaced by Smartboards. Computer programs were limited to CD-ROMS and now students carry devices that connect them to the whole world.”

Not only did she love watching the everevolving technology, she also made many friendships with students and staff.

Although she is happy to retire, she is hopeful she has the chance to return.

“I would love to be a part time librarian if an opportunity became available,” Twombly said.

She is excited to focus on her many hobbies and aspirations.“I want to learn to tap dance, travel the world, volunteer and get involved in community theater,” Twombly said.

Irvin to leave after one year at Lafayette Delaney Stulce | Web Editor

Associate Principal Matthew Irvin will be leaving Lafayette after one year for a position at Webster Groves High School.

Irvin has been working in education for approximately 25 years. Within those years, he has worked as a teacher, coach and administrator in both private and public school.

After discovering the opportunity to serve as a head principal at Webster in February and going through multiple rounds of interviews, Irvin was hired by the Webster Grove School District at the end of April for the 2018-2019 school year.

He said he has enjoyed his time here despite his leaving after only one year.

“I certainly wasn’t necessarily seeking to leave. It’s a school that’s had many accomplishments and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been here,” Irvin said.

“I’ve worked in a lot of schools and this is unique in that there is so many different avenues for kids to be successful, from our fine arts and music program, academic avenues, athletic, classroom settings, it’s really been a wonderful professional opportunity for me,” Irvin’s decision to leave after just one year was entirely based on professional reasons.

“Nothing to do with wanting to exit here, but just a professional opportunity to go to a school that is similar and has a lot of tradition,” he said.

Although he is eager to begin his time at Webster Groves, there are many things Irvin will miss about Lafayette.

“We’ve got great facilities, but it’s really about the people that are in the hallways and the students and adults that come to work everyday endeavoring to have kids thrive,” Irvin said.

Interviews for a new associate principal were held May 10 and the Board was set to approve the finalist on May 17.

“I feel like I learned a lot and I think, hopefully, I had a chance to support the students and teachers I had the opportunity to work with in a way that will allow them to move forward,” Irvin said.

Two SSD teachers plan to retire at end of year Carson Luther | Reporter Special School District teachers Caroline Denson and Robin Sanguinet will be retiring this 2017-2018 school year.

Denson has been at Lafayette for seven years, after her previous career in business.

Sanguinet has taught in the Rockwood School District for 22 years.

“My favorite part of Lafayette has been working with so many wonderful people, staff and students.” Sanguinet said.

Denson said she will miss her teacher friends the most.

“They’ve been wonderful friends and coworkers. I will miss them so much,” Denson said.

Both Denson and Sanguinet are going to stay with their current careers in education after their retirement, either working part time or substituting.

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|NEWS |

May 18, 2018

Students will see changes in upcoming year Shelby Darnell | Reporter Jasmin Kim | Reporter

Chromebook Distribution Class Level Changes

New Schedule Format

Early Dismissals

Next year, classes at the high schools will begin at 8:28 a.m. and end at 3:17 p.m. Last year the district evaluated middle school start times and concluded a later start time would be beneficial.

In August, families will be able to view the bus stop locations and times through an eLink on Rockwood’s online Transportation Information System.

Due to schools getting out later next year, Rockwood will request competitions at far away schools be scheduled at later times.

Students in all Lafayette grade levels next school year will receive Chromebooks. This is to move forward with the district’s 1:1 plan for students.

“All freshmen got a Chromebook and all of the 8th graders have Chromebooks, so that next year all of our sophomores would have one, and the incoming freshmen would have them,” Principal Karen Calcaterra said.

Due to the fact that half the school would have Chromebooks next year, the district moved up its timeline to allow the school to provide Chromebooks to next year’s juniors and seniors as well.

“We believe all students should have access to a Chromebook. We do so much in Google Classroom and Google Drive that it just makes sense,” Calcaterra said.

Chromebooks allow students to turn in and complete work in class without needing desktop computers.

Next year, students will only have five days to change class levels such as dropping down a level or moving up into an AP or honors class.

“It’s challenging to move a class once the semester has started because it messes up your whole schedule,” Guidance Department Chair Nicole Buesse said.

In the past, there has not been a set amount of time for students to drop or move into a higher level class.

“Different classes are in different spots and it becomes pretty problematic,” Buesse said.

When changing classes, students often end up in multiple new classes.

“If the student has concerns after the time passes, they can go to the principal. However, we are looking to keep students in their same class for the semester,” Buesse said.

Students may email their counselors over the summer or during the remainder of the year to request a schedule change as well.

The 2019-2020 year will be the end of the hybrid block schedule.

Marquette is piloting a form of the new schedule next year (ABCAA) that has all classes meeting both standard and blocked during a week, eliminating the standard-only or blocked-only format.

Students will have odd-numbered blocked courses on B Days and evennumbered blocked classes on C Days with the exception of 7th hour, which meet standard each day.

On an A Day, all classes will meet.

Marquette Assistant Principal Stephen Hankins said, “I usually had 45-50 percent of students with their first choice with the old schedule.

With the new schedule I was able to run it at 89 percent.”

With the hybrid schedule Lafayette currently uses, only around 50 percent of students receive the schedule they request.

Feedback from the pilot year will determine the future of the schedule.

On April 12, the High School Program Design Committee proposed a mixed schedule of Late Start Days and early dismissals for next school year and received an official approval from the School Board.

This is a change from 16 late starts days the district had this year, to 12 late start days mixed in with four early dismissals.

Lafayette’s early dismissals will take place next year on Sept. 12, Oct. 10, Jan. 18 and Feb. 15. There is currently no information on the exact time of the early dismissal.

The purpose of mixing in late starts and early dismissals is to provide staff members with a larger block of time for professional development on the half days.

According to the Rockwood website, during this time, teachers will have opportunities “to collaborate, share best practices, review data and discuss strategies to help students learn better.”

Do you prefer the later start time for next year?

Does the 1:1 program improve the education students get?

Do you think a five-day dropping period is enough time?

Do you think it’s a good idea to eliminate the hybrid block schedule?

Do you prefer early dismissals over late arrival days?

With the start of the 20182019 school year, many changes will take place at Lafayette and within Rockwood. Many of these decisions are the result of committee resolutions that have been made over the course of several years.

Start Time Changes

YES 57% YES 55% YES 31% YES NO 43% NO 45% NO 69% NO 461 students polled

438 students polled

415 students polled

31% 69%

412 students polled

YES 50% NO 50% 478 students polled

7

|COVER STORY |

May 18, 2018

Summer never looked so eventful

St. Louis ensures entertainment for its citizens this summer Clare Mulherin| Reporter

MAY

Naomi Saegusa| Reporter

JUNE June 1 - June 24

May 25 - May 28

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis (SFSL) will be performing the play Blow, Wind, an adaptation King Lear, based on the both the frustration and pride that comes with living in St. Louis. SFSL will also be performing Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in Forest Park.

St. Louis County Greek Festival features a variety of authentic Greek cuisine, Live music and traditional Greek folk dancers.

The festival also includes a traditional Greek market, where shoppers can buy an assortment of jewelry, groceries and clothing.

June 23 - June 24

PrideFest St. Louis is an annual celebration of the LGBT communities and culture. It features live entertainment, booths featuring various organizations and lots of food and products for sale. Admission is free, however a donation of $5 is strongly suggested.

May 25 - May 26

Spring to Dance will return to St. Louis for its 11th year.

Spring to Dance includes over 25 different professional dance companies from across the country. A wide variety of dance styles will be included such as ballet, modern and contemporary, flamenco, hip-hop and more.

June 16 - June 17

Taste of Downtown St. Louis features some of the best restaurants that downtown St. Louis has to offer. In addition to the amazing food, the Taste of Downtown St. Louis has a local music showcase, selection of drinks, retailers and the opportunity to meet some of St. Louis’s local chefs.

May 23 - July 25

The Whitaker Music Festival is an open air concert series held in the Missouri Botanical Gardens that features free concerts under the stars every Wednesday evening. Guests can bring their own picnic supper, baskets and/or coolers.

No glass is allowed into the garden.

JULY July 13- August 3

SEPTEMBER September 8 September 9

At the Art Hill Film Series, with its host of food trucks, one can picnic on Art Hill and enjoy this year’s festival.

Admission is free and the event nights are July 13, 20, 23 and Aug. 3. This year’s film series is inspired by Egypt. The four films are about history, other cultures and the old world brought to life on the big screen

The LouFest music festival is an annual two-day event held in Forest Park that features local, regional and national musical artists from a wide range of genres.

The festival includes a Kids Corner with games and activities and a wide spread of St. Louis restaurants set up on the festival grounds.

July 13

September 7

Let Them Eat Art is a free whimsical tribute to Bastille Day that features a self-guided tour through downtown historic Maplewood. Unfortunately it’s not an actual art fair but i a celebration of art and small businesses. There will food, music, entertainment and surprises of all kinds.

July 4

Fair Saint Louis is a free 4th of July celebration under the St. Louis Arch. Music, Fireworks and an interactive zone where party goers can test the latest products, sample new food or beverages, or simply learn about new companies. It’s an all-American birthday party for the country here in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Art Fair features hundreds of independent artists, national and local bands, and local food. The festival also includes Area K, a kids area filled with music, food, a rock climbing wall and more.

Septmber 1 September 3

The Annual Botanical Gardens Japanese Festival is a celebration of Japanese culture that features Japanese gardens, art exhibitions, traditional processions, tea ceremonies, traditional music, arts and craft, martial arts, karaoke, theatrical performances, cooking demonstrations and food booths.

8

|FEATURE S |

May 18, 2018

Caps off to Fashion Construction Class

Hagglund’s students sew surgical caps for children at Cardinal Glennon Chloe Baker | Reporter

Every semester, Fashion Construction teacher Erin Hagglund does a charity project with her Fashion classes.

So, when USA Today recently posted a video about handmade surgical caps for children and the impact they can have, Hagglund was inspired to take on the project with her classes.

The cotton fabric for the surgical caps was donated by Charity Sharity, a local organization that collects fabric and sewing materials to give to volunteer groups and service projects.

Hagglund talked to Paige Carlson, the face of Charity Sharity, about the project and receiving donated fabric.

Carlson’s own son has had surgery several times, but never had a special cap to wear for the operation.

Hagglund wanted to do everything she could to make a difference and comfort children.

Hagglund asked each student in her Fashion classes to make at least two caps for the semester.

However, her students surpassed the requirement.

The caps are easy to make, so they can usually make them within a single class period.

Senior Daja Money has made two caps so far this semester but is planning on making more.

She really likes how easy it is to make them as well as the impact they will have on the kids.

“The reason why she [Hagglund] wanted to do this project is because she wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life,” Money said.

“These surgical caps go toward children than need surgery and need caps to protect their heads and instead of having boring ones, the surgical caps we are making have Disney characters and fun designs on them that might comfort children.”

Making the surgical caps is an ongoing process. So far the Fashion classes have made over 40 caps,

and by the end of the semester, Hagglund hopes to have made at least 60 to donate to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

The caps are designed specifically for children going into surgery.

They have fun designs and movie characters on them to help comfort the kids.

“Anything we can do to help kids not think about a procedure or something that is out of their control is a step in the right direction,” Hagglund said.

The classes might be able to see their caps in action soon.

The coordinator between Hagglund and the hospital has a son who is having surgery soon. News Channel 5 may pick up the story, shedding more public light on the project, with the hope that other schools and organizations will pick up the project.

“It warms my heart knowing they will go comfort kids because I know that this is going to a great cause,” Money said.

The goals of the caps are to comfort children, help build relationships between the staff and patients and to help normalize the children’s experience.

However, the idea for this project did not originate here. The movement started at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, New York.

Volunteers worked to sew caps for children who need them. Hagglund drew her inspiration from this story.

Her students have taken on the challenge of making these caps through the semester. The positive impact it will have motivates them. “[Her students] like to model the caps and enjoy sewing something that will make a child smile,” Hagglund said.

Sophomore Addie Brennan is in Hagglund’s Fashion class and has been working on the surgical caps in between other projects.

This simple way of helping others appealed to her.

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photo courtesy of Erin Hagglund

Students in Erin Hagglund’s 6th hour Fashion Construction 1 class make caps for children at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. The caps are designed to comfort the kids as well as protect their heads during an operation.

“It’s a really fun project to do, and it’s also cool knowing you can help out by doing something that you like to do, like sewing. It makes my heart happy knowing that what we are doing is helping other people while we are enjoying it,” Brennan said.

The supply of these caps is strictly from volunteers who donate them.

The caps will go directly to the hospital to replace standard medical caps given to children.

Hagglund wants to include pictures and notes for the children along with the caps to help encourage them.

“I hope the kids will realize there are people out there that are there for them and supporting them that they don’t even know, we all want to help,” Brennan said.

photo by Chloe Baker

Senior Daja Money sews a cap in her 4th hour Fashion class. The caps are made from cotton fabric and only take about one class period to make. The fabric used to make the caps was donated by Paige Carlson from Charity Sharity.

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9

|FEATURES|

May 18, 2018

That’s a Rap! Go inside the world of Andrew Spacey

photo by of Travis Bodell

Sophomore getting some attention in music industry Alex Rozar | Reporter Sophomore Drew Kodner is wrapped up in the rap game.

Kodner released his debut EP, The Human Experience, on Easter of this year under the stage name Andrew Spacey. Since then, Kodner has released three singles and plans to release more.

“Right now I’m dropping solo tracks one-by-one,” Kodner said. “I’m definitely in the future going to drop another album, but I just don’t know when that’s going to be. Maybe by the end of this summer.”

Two of the songs on the album, Genesis and The Memorial, were produced by Kodner himself. For the

Drew Kodner released his debut EP, The Human Experience, on SoundCloud under the name Andrew Spacey on Easter 2018. Kodner said he would define his music as alternative, and said his biggest musical inspiration is Chance the Rapper.

rest, he had to message the producer for permission to rap over the track or use one that was labelled as free.

Kodner said his parents are supportive of him making music, but they disagree on one issue.

“My parents think it’s good and everything, and they really respect what I’m doing, but they want me to cut out on the bad words because they don’t want me to get a bad reputation,” Kodner said. “They want me to go far in [music], but they just want me to moderate what I say.”

Kodner’s’s mom agrees.

“I absolutely hate the swearing,” Drew’s mother, Jennifer Kodner, said. “He wasn’t raised to talk like that and he has promised to tone it down. He wouldn’t let me listen to his music at first, but of course I have heard it all by now.”

But, Jennifer said she is still proud of him for doing something he enjoys.

“I love that Drew has a passion and can express himself doing what he loves,” she said.

Kodner began making music when he was in 6th grade after downloading the software Ableton Live 9.

“Both of my cousins on each side of my family have always been into music a lot,” Kodner said. “My cousin Zach actually downloaded a software similar to the one I got first, and it really made me want to do the same thing. Then I started making music, and then it just kind of went on from there.”

The first rap Kodner wrote was for a language arts project called the Beatnik Cafe when he was in 8th

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grade at Rockwood Valley Middle School, Jennifer said.

“I loved [Drew’s rap] and loved that he was so creative,” Jennifer said. “I listened to it a thousand times! I was really excited to see him have a passion and was amazed at how good he was. I’m his mom and will always be his biggest fan.”

On the first day of school this year, Kodner met junior Ethan Timms who transferred from Eureka.

“I didn’t know anybody,” Timms said. “I was wearing a shirt of one of my favorite artists, Logic, from his concert, and I walked by [Drew], and he said, ‘Yo, that’s an amazing shirt, I love Logic.’ After that, I sat with him at lunch and we bonded over music instantly.”

Eventually, Kodner and Timms began collaborating. They made a song together called If I Wanted.

“That was the first song we did,” Timms said. “Drew just hit me up one night and was like, ‘Yo, we need to make a song.’ I’m not so proud of it, but we are working on a new song right now. I am proud of that song, and I made the beat for it too. It’s amazing.”

Timms began uploading beats to SoundCloud a few years ago under the name Calinado, which he said he got from living in Coronado, California.

“My dad was in the Navy for 25 years, so I’ve never lived in the same place for more than three years for my entire life,” Timms said. “One of those places was Coronado, California. It’s a small little island

photo courtesy of Drew Kodner

Drew Kodner (center) poses with St. Louis-area rappers Seoul Like the Taco (left) and Outtatown Anakin (right). Kodner met them when he went to a concert with junior Ethan Timms. Afterward, Kodner and Seoul Like the Taco collaborated on a song which was produced by Timms. off the shore of San Diego, and that’s where I kind of found myself, and found my culture and who I am, so I felt like that was a good name to keep with me.”

On April 27, Kodner and Timms went to a concert, where they connected with other local up-andcoming artists.

“We got there early and we met a bunch of local St. Louis rappers that were performing that night,” Timms said, “so we’ve kept in contact with them, and we’re talking about going on tour, doing performances and stuff like that.”

Kodner said he is serious about music, but is unsure whether or not he will continue beyond high school.

“The likelihood of me making it in the music industry is small,”

Kodner said. “People in music don’t usually make a lot of money if they don’t make it really big. It’s definitely something I wish I could do, and definitely something I’m super invested in right now, but at the same time, I’m trying to balance school with it.”

However, despite the odds, Timms is still confident Kodner can make it in the music world.

“Every night, he’s always grinding out music, making beats, always trying to meet new people, make connections,” Timms said. “He’s just going places. That’s all I can say. He’s going places.”

Watch a video story about Drew Kodner on lancerfeed.press

The special Image Class of 2018 Senior Magazine is out today! All seniors will receive a copy at graduation practice, but you can see it online at lancerfeed.press

10

|SPORT S |

May 18, 2018

Brynn for the Win

Jeffries leads girls soccer team to successful season in first year as Lady Lancer Kayla Carpenter | Sports Editor

Last season, the girls soccer team finished 10-6-1. After defeating Parkway South in a double overtime thriller in the Class 4 District 2 semifinal game, the team’s season was ended by Eureka in the District Championship.

Last year’s squad had a balanced offense with six players scoring a team high of two goals, but they only scored 17 goals as a team.

This year, the Lady Lancers scored 31 goals, and finished with a regular season record of 125. The team was also ranked as high as No. 7 on the STL Today girls soccer large school list.

The team’s success and offensive boost this year can be attributed to the contributions made by standout freshman Brynn Jeffries.

Jeffries finished the regular season by leading the team with eight goals, 21 points, five assists and three game winning goals.

Head Coach Tim Walters is pleased with the way Jeffries has played this season.

“Brynn reads the game very well and can finish with power or finesse,” Walters said. “She has made an immediate impact on the team by scoring more goals than anyone did last year.”

Senior Meghan Conroy, Jeffries’ teammate, has also been impressed with Jeffries’ contribution to the team.

“Brynn is a very strong and controlled player and has brought so much to the team. She has great speed and incredible skill that has been a great asset,” Conroy said.

Throughout her first year on the varsity soccer team, Jeffries has learned many lessons that have helped her to elevate her game.

“My experience on varsity has been great

photo by Marlo May

In a game against Parkway South on April 10, freshman Brynn Jeffries dribbles up the field as she looks to score. The Lady Lancers lost the game, 1-0. It was only one of the four loses the team had during the regular season. so far. It’s been a good eye opener to see what I need to improve,” Jeffries said. “Everyone has been very welcoming and helped me fit in.”

On April 12, the Lady Lancers travelled to Omaha for a tournament. The team went 1-1. In the team’s victory against La Vista South High School of Papillion, NE, Jeffries scored a goal.

“It was good to play other teams from out of the state, and it was really fun to hang out with the team out of town,” Jeffries said.

At the start of the season, Walters didn’t give

Jeffries any expectations, and he thinks that helped her have a successful season.

“I had no expectations, so there was no pressure for Brynn. I was just hoping to get a little more scoring with her help,” Walters said.

Jeffries’ success on the squad hasn’t been by mistake. Outside of high school soccer, she competes with her club team, Missouri Rush.

“I have been preparing for the high school season through club soccer. That has prepared me by making it an easier transition to high

school through training in the last couple of years,” Jeffries said.

In addition to playing high school and club soccer, Jeffries also plays field hockey and basketball. Jeffries was a key member of the junior varsity basketball team as they finished the season with a record of 21-1. She also played a handful of games with the varsity team where she scored 18 points and had 14 steals.

Being a multi-sport athlete has aided Jeffries to excel on the field.

She said, “Playing multiple sports has helped me stay in shape, and it’s helped me to develop better skills as an all-around athlete that I can use in all of my other sports.”

Although Jeffries has had immense success on the basketball and soccer team, she did not plan on coming to LHS. She started the year at St. Joseph’s Academy, but shortly after the start of the school year, she transferred to LHS, and she doesn’t regret her choice.

“My decision to come to LHS was based on sports and academics. I am glad with my decision because I’ve really enjoyed it, and it’s been a great freshman year,” Jeffries said. “I can’t wait for the next couple of years at LHS.” Jeffries still has three years as a Lady Lancer, and she hopes to accomplish many things in the rest of her high school soccer career.

“I hope to do everything I can to contribute to the team,” Jeffries said. “My goals for the rest of the season and my soccer career are trying to keep improving my soccer skills and improving what I can to do to impact the game.”

Walters also has high hopes for Jeffries’ future soccer career. He said,“I think Brynn will turn into a leader and exceptional team player in the future.”

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11

|SPORTS|

A Real Guardian Angel

Stallis almost gets hypothermia running marathon, but receives cloak of protection from stranger Addie Watson| Reporter April 16, 2018 in Boston, MA. Around 27,000 people are participating in the renowned Boston Marathon. One of those people was girls cross country and girls track head coach Steven Stallis.

The weather was less than ideal for the 26.2 mile race. The temperature was around 40 degrees, but Stallis said the 45 mph wind drastically dropped the temperature.

He said, “I wore my normal racing kit with calf sleeves and arm sleeves for added skin coverage. They say to dress like it is 10-15 degrees warmer for the race.”

He brought many layers to keep warm because he had to stand outside for hours before the race.

Steven’s wife, occupational therapist Courtney Stallis, was also there to cheer on her husband. Stallis ended up passing her before she saw him.

Around mile 15 of the race, the rain and the cold weather began to affect Stallis, so he stopped in front of a group of strangers to ask for a jacket to keep warm.

“That was the first time I have ever stopped in the middle of any race in my running career,” Stallis said.

He knew if he didn’t get some protection from the weather, he may not be able to finish the race.

“When I started shivering and my teeth started to chatter while running, I knew something was wrong. My vision was getting a little blurry, [which is] something that has never happened before,” Stallis said.

Finally, a woman named Renee Bercury, from Pennsylvania, handed him her bright yellow L.L. Bean jacket that she was wearing.

Bercury said, “He just looked so cold. I think his lips were blue. He just looked awful.”

Bercury had also never been to the Boston Marathon but went to support her stepson.

Never having been to an event of the sort before, she didn’t know what to expect, but when Stallis came up to her and asked for a jacket, she just couldn’t refuse.

“It was just like a cry for help in my opinion, and I really didn’t have any thought about it. It was just an automatic thing to me. He just looked like someone who didn’t have any options; you had to help him,” Bercury said.

Based on Courtney’s medical knowledge, she was able to prevent any potentially lasting effects.

Courtney said, “My immediate thoughts were to get him inside one of the buildings downtown and help get him warmed up as best I could before we made the trip to the train to go back to where we were staying.”

Based on the state Stallis was in, Bercury didn’t think he was going to be able to finish the race.

Bercury certainly didn’t think she would ever hear from him again, but a day and a half later, her stepson showed her an article.

“We all wondered what happened to him.

We didn’t think he was going to make it, he just looked so bad,” Bercury said.

Stallis had posted on social media a picture of him and the jacket saying how he wished to return it and thank the lady who gave it to him.

“I called her a couple days after the race.

With the power of social media, I got her number,” Stallis said.

When Bercury heard he was trying to find her, she was touched.

“I was so happy that he finished and that he was looking for me to give me my jacket back, so to know what happened to him and to know that

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When Coach Steven Stallis found out he still had the jacket, he sent out a tweet in search of Renee Bercury, the woman who gave it to him. it went so well for him was gratifying,” Bercury said.

Stallis also called Bercury to talk to her himself.

“I thanked her for what she did, and we talked about how our Boston Marathon experiences were,” Stallis said.

Courtney did not get a chance to talk to Bercury to thank her for her kindness.

“If I had the chance, I would just want to tell her thank you a thousand times,” Courtney said.

Bercury thought it was a wonderful conclusion to their story.

“That was really something to see that he wanted to thank me for the jacket because it didn’t seem like a big deal to me at the time, but it obviously meant something to him that he was able to finish,” Bercury said.

Bercury also received a $250 gift card from L.L. Bean, the brand of her jacket, and a gift card from Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“They were so excited it was one of their jackets that they wanted to get involved and reach out to me. It was pretty cool,” Bercury said.

In the end, Bercury enjoyed her experience at the Boston Marathon.

photo courtesy of Steven Stallis

Coach Steven Stallis holds up the yellow L.L. Bean rain jacket that he posted on Twitter. He did this in hopes the woman who gave it to him would reach out so he could return it and thank her properly.

“It was quite eye-opening that it is such an important event for the city. I guess I knew that going in, but to be there, experiencing it was really something to see,” Bercury said.

Stallis hopes to return to Boston at some point to race again to improve on his 498th place finish, but before then, he plans to run another arduous 26.2 miles somewhere else.

“I will get another chance this September when Coach [Sean] O’Connor and I run the Berlin Marathon,” Steven said.

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May 18, 2018 | Page 12

|E N C O R E|

Sometimes, we find the best food in the places we least expect:

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ocated in Ellisville Square, the Greek Kitchen resides in a small building that, while driving down Manchester, would not seem like anything special. Upon going inside, however, one will quickly realize that this is not the case. From the fresh flakiness of the spanakopita to the fluffy falafel, the Greek Kitchen is a fantastic place to experience authentic Mediterranean cuisine.

he Home Depot in the Chesterfield Valley houses Classic Red Hots, a hot dog and gyro stand. There are usually a few people in line and only a few patrons eating at the counter, so the stand is low-key. The vendor in charge is funny and helpful, making sure orders are just right. This stand is for someone wanting a quick, cheap meal but still wants quality food.

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ente’s O&W Restaurant is located in the Chesterfield Valley. The food is tasty and relatively well-priced, but it was similar to most American-bar-type restaurants. On holidays, the already slow service is even more sluggish and is in turn punctuated by belligerent, drunk groups of adults. This small diner is definitely for groups and social gatherings rather than those seeking a quiet dining experience.

4

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HOLE IN THE WALL

V

alley Wok, located on Long Road in Chesterfield Valley, can easily be missed by those driving by. The restaurant is right on the road in a strip mall seldom visited. In reality, the place serves a plethora of Chinese dishes, including vegetarian and vegan options. Every aspect of a dish from Valley Wok is full of life and flavor, and the wait to receive your food is little-tonone.

Travis Bodell | Opinions Editor Abby Karandjeff | Reporter