Sept. 25, 2019 Image Magazine by Lafayette High School

theimagemagazine Lafayette High School • Wildwood, Missouri • Sept. 25, 2019 • vol. 51, issue 1

Now & Then:

Lafayette building celebrates its 30th anniversary after moving to its current home on Clayton Road in 1989

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Opening

Sept. 25, 2019

FROM US ... TO YOU From the water main break that transformed the front of the building into Lake Lafayette to the first Flex day that turned the school into a bit of a zoo, to the changes that tamed the “C” day madhouse to Flood Day 2019, The Lancer Feed and Image newsmagazine staff has been busy keeping you informed about all things Lafayette. Throughout the year, we will produce several of these newsmagazines while also releasing timely coverage on our website and social media accounts. We have a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter account which are all run by students for the Lancer community. Our goal is to provide you

with the information you need for a more stress-free year, whether it be through coverage of a new bell schedule, another changed Flex Time plan or ensuring transparency between the Lafayette community and administration. We also want to tell your stories and highlight all the unique personalities in our community. Remember we want to hear from you through feedback on our coverage or a story idea. We encourage you to visit Room 137A, comment on our website or submit a Letter to the Editor. We are your voice to your peers, parents, administration and the community, and we can’t wait to tell your stories.

Behind the cover

Editor-in-Chief KAYLA CARPENTER, and Web Editor CHLOE BAKER use a yearbook photo from the 1990 Legend to create a then and now perspective of the east entrance. • photo by DELANEY STULCE

Stay Connected • The Lancer Feed • @thelancerfeed • @thelancerfeed

Kayla Carpenter and Delaney Stulce Editors-in-Chief

Web

• lancerfeed.press

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Opening

Sept. 25, 2019

• Image Staff • Editors-in-Chief:

• In This Issue •

Kayla Carpenter Delaney Stulce

Web Editor: Chloe Baker Assistant: Makayla Archambeault News Editor: Hayden Cottrell Assistant: Corren Tipton

Opinions Editor: Alex Rozar Lifestyles Editor: Grace Kirtley

Assistant: Hannah Fitts

Sports Editor:

Morgan Vehige

Social Media Editor: Jack Weaver

Artist:

Alex Vancil

Reporters:

Sarah Locke Maya Manor Sophia Scheller Abby Stebner Vijay Viswanathan Kennedy Willhite

• Digital Media Staff • Digital Media Editor Jack Weaver

Staff:

Abdi Abdullahi Chloe Baker Alli Bishop Micah Bounds Emily Budde

Jack McDonald Sophia Scheller Colin Swan Ryan Swan Kevin Vera Joey Weaver

pg 7

News

Opinions 4 6 7 7

• Publications Adviser •

pg 12

CHANGES HAPPENED TOO QUICKLY

Despite issues with Flex Time, were the administration’s changes too drastic and too soon?

STUDENT RECOGNITION

Lafayette was recognized as a National School of Character and much of that praise belongs with students and their initiative.

INJURIES IN SPORTS

Although injuries are becoming increasingly prevalent in athletics, the benefits outweigh the physical costs.

THE MONTHLY JOUST

Cartoonist Alex Vancil presents his first Monthly Joust of the year. Each issue of the Image will feature one of Vancil’s cartoons.

9 10 12 14

STUDENT COMMUTE

Lafayette has dropped certain courses due to low enrollments in the classes. That hasn’t stopped students from taking them.

GENDER BIAS IN SCHOOL

Classes are open to every student, but some have the reputation for being male or female dominated. What does the data show?

CAFFEINE ADDICTION

Many students and teachers enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, but what are the effects of that caffeine on the body?

SCHOOL-WIDE CHANGES

In addition to this year’s schedule changes, there have also been other policy and building changes.

Nancy Y. Smith, MJE

• General Information • The Image is produced by students in the News Production class. Free copies are distributed on campus. Subscriptions are also available for $40 per year. Rockwood student publications are the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by Rockwood students and have been established by both policy and practice as designated public forums for student editors to inform and educate their readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. Publications will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Because school officials do

not engage in prior review and the content of all Rockwood student publications is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself, its student editors and responsible student staff members assume complete legal and financial liability for the content of the publication. A full listing of all the policies followed by student publications staff members can be found at lancerfeed. press under the About tab. The Image is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and received First Class rating with two Marks of Distinction. The Image is also a member of Quill and Scroll, journalismSTL and MJEA.

• Our Gold Sponsors • Thank you to our sponsors for their support of the journalism program. The Baker Family The Kirtley Family The Carpenter Family The Johns Family The Archambeault Family

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pg 17

Lifestyles 17 20 21 22 24

30TH ANNIVERSARY

This building at 17050 Clayton Rd. opened in 1989. Over the past three decades, much has changed to the building itself and in the students who walk the halls.

TEENAGE SCIENTIST

Senior Stella Chang participated in prestigious, science-based summer internship through Washington University St. Louis this summer.

BRE’S BRIGADE

Brian Reid, Lafayette Class of 2018 grad, has organized a team for the upcoming Out of the Darkness charity in honor of his sister, Brianna.

TASTE TESTER: FROZEN CUSTARD

Image staff members traveled to different frozen custard shops across St. Louis to give their reviews on which custard is worth the buy.

NEW FLEX TIME CHANGES

With the integration of Flex Time, the staff has added changes and various opportunities for students to use their time effectively.

Sports 27 28 30 31

FIGHTING BACK FROM INJURY

After to a serious car accident Fiona and her siblings were in, Fiona Lazzaretti is working hard to make a return to playing volleyball.

CRICKET IN ST. LOUIS

Cricket, although a small sport, is now expanding its audience and participation across St. Louis

LANCERS’ DUAL THREAT

This season, the football team is playing with two different junior quarterbacks including one transfer student.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER WIN

St. Louis has been selected to be home to a new major league soccer team. Lancer soccer coaches and players couldn’t be more happy.

• OPINIONS •

Staff Editorial:

Although there were problems with Flex Time, we believe the administration made changes too soon and that they are detrimental to the initial goals of the new schedule. Staff Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Image staff.

• photo by JACK WEAVER

theimagemagazine Sept. 25, 2019

Opinions

Changes to Flex Time hurt students who used it correctly; other issues need attention

he implementation of the new Flex schedule has been, in a word, hectic. This is entirely expected—there will be a learning curve any time 1,800+ students are supposed to learn a completely new daily routine. However, they should have time to adapt, and the school community should have time to work out the kinks in the new system. It’s a shame Lafayette hasn’t allowed that to happen. Instead, administrators have haphazardly put in place new procedures that unfairly punish wellbehaved students, violate the original intent of Flex Time and fail to address other real problems that persist. The new rules—requiring students to remain in classroom or other areas for 30 minutes, changing the Flex Time from lunch period to after 2nd Hour and shortening Flex Time by a half-hour on C Days— were made to combat disciplinary problems such as fights and some students just wandering around. But Lafayette already has a way to deal with discipline issues. And, detentions can now be given during Flex Time, as outlined by the 2019-2020 Student Handbook. Students who are truant or behind in classes can also be required to work during Flex Time under Required Course Tutoring (RCT). But for the majority of students, Flex Time is supposed to be open to use how they wish. So why are students being required to come to club meetings or go to classes in which they are academically successful? The district says this shouldn’t happen. In fact, the district scheduling committee that created the new Flex Time schedule explicitly stated that mandatory meetings should not be allowed because they recognized them as a potential conflict for students who wanted to use that time for other things. Nevertheless, Lafayette officials have yet to clamp down on this widespread problem and that should have been a priority. As a result, students who are members of multiple clubs and sports teams—who also tend to be the same students who are taking academically rigorous courses, and would thus benefit the most from Flex Time—are the most impeded by these required meetings, extra class meetings and restrictions on

their ability to move freely from place to place. The new 30-minute limit works against this very same logical principle. Are fights at Lafayette really so prevalent to cause all students to be locked down in specific classrooms during what is intended to be their time to seek out academic help from multiple sources? If so, then the school has much bigger problems on its hands. Additionally, many students aren’t able to work the same way they did before this premature change— which was made with little announcement from administrators. Music teachers aren’t available for hundreds of Lafayette students during C Day Flex Time anymore because they teach at middle schools in the morning. Cooperative Career Education (CCE) students must now adjust to going to their jobs at a different time. This major shift should have been announced far ahead of time in order to give students and teachers time to plan and adjust. Instead, it seemed as if we had a different schedule every week and that would certainly lead to a bit of chaos in the building as no one was given a chance to establish a routine. And, there are other issues that should have been a priority for administrators concerning Flex Time. For example, students quite simply don’t know where to go in the case of an emergency. Despite subjecting the entire student body to presentations on Flex Time, administrators failed to mention this crucial detail and no drills have been conducted. This has proven to be a serious dilemma. At Eureka, students were sent into a panic when an alarm went off during Flex Time. Lafayette has thoroughly failed to instruct students on emergency procedures when they are not in an assigned classroom. The decision to greatly amend Flex Time so soon has caused new problems for productive students and does not provide a solution to many of the pressing issues that still persist. Flex Time is a big change. Lafayette has not handled it properly. They need to discipline the misbehaving students and create a consistent schedule for the rest, and they need to work to ensure the initial goals of Flex Time are followed.

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Opinions

Sept. 25, 2019

Praise belongs to students, teachers for progress made on character education

LANCER’S LOT

to the 2019-2020 Student Handbook. And the number of clubs is constantly growing. hen I spoke to incoming superintendent The only requirements for creating a new student Mark Miles last March, he told me he believes organization are a “satisfactory number of one of Rockwood’s primary goals is “to create an students” with an expressed interest atmosphere that builds young men and in joining, a faculty women of character.” sponsor and a written Various pieces of literature from the constitution explaining the district show Miles is not alone in his Lafayette’s hands-off club’s purpose, per the sentiment. approach to clubs has allowed student handbook. Lafayette’s vision statement, impassioned students and These relatively lax for one, outlines the need to teachers to cooperate and requirements enable “offer a variety of opportunities band together. like-minded students to and activities that will prepare The many students who explore their collective students for citizenship in a interests in a setting dynamic world.” choose to use this power will beyond the classroom, A report from The Way be free to share their interests while still being supported Forward, Rockwood’s five-year with others and become by the school. strategic plan, notes “opportunities young men and women In this way, Lafayette acts for exploration,” especially those of character.” similarly to a large research “connected to potential careers,” as a university—offering exactly the top priority. kind of experience needed to become Rockwood—and by extension, Lafayette— “young men and women of character.” prides itself on their progress toward character Many of these clubs seek to make a positive education, for good reason. impact in the school and the larger community. The district boasts 10 National Blue Ribbon The Student Council and National Honor Society Schools, and in May, both Lafayette and Blevins are LHS mainstays, but newer clubs like the Indian Elementary were recognized as National Schools of Culture Club, Gender-Sexualities Alliance, Lancers Character by D.C.-based nonprofit Character.org. Helping Lancers and the new Green Student Union What unfortunately goes less recognized, demonstrate that when given the chance, students however, is the dedicated work of the Lafayette will create opportunities to discuss the issues that community that makes comprehensive character matter and make a difference in the world around education and career exploration possible. them. That support comes in a variety of forms. Many In all, Lafayette’s hands-off approach to clubs teachers put in the time to sponsor different clubs has allowed impassioned students and teachers to that meet before or after school—or during the cooperate and band together. new Flex Time. The many students who choose to use this power There are over 100 clubs and organizations will be free to share their interests with others and at Lafayette alone, and 80 percent of Lafayette become young men and women of character. students participate in school activities, according

“

STARS

ALEX ROZAR Opinions Editor

•President Donald Trump is moving to ban flavored e-cigarettes. If you thought mango flavored pods being dis continued was hard. . .

Stars & Gripes is a satirical column written collectively by the Image staff.

•Ted Drewes Frozen Custard recently celebrated its 90th anniversary of making hot St. Louis summer vacations all the more enjoyable.

•St. Louis will get an awesome-sounding XFL team—the BattleHawks. The only way for the NFL to catch up is to immediately add the Oklahoma City Space Lizards as an expansion team.

•The building is now 30 years old, but due to the emergency work done by the Welcome Center entrance after the water main break, parts of it are brand-new!

•Lafayette’s sports teams have started off the new school year with a hot start. Hopefully Lafayette students’ grades have as well.

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Opinions

Sept. 25, 2019

Despite risks, parents should let their kids participate in sports

The Monthly Joust

“We think that he has opportunities away brain bleeding. He’s leads to a worsening going to the hospital to mental and physical find out what’s going state. on.” Other kids also After the second face consequences MORGAN VEHIGE week of my brother’s whenever one of their Sports Editor football practice, my teammates leaves. father got that text Those kids are forced from one of the coaches. to play more and cover for the Unfortunately, this happens positions and spots in order to every day across the country. In give the team a minutely higher practices and games, children chance at winning. aged 8-18 account for over two That risks the overuse of million injuries and more than muscles, which in turn increases 30,000 hospitalizations. the likelihood of an injury. From nasty hits to simple Overuse injuries make up sprains, injuries that happen almost half of all adolescent at a young age can have sports injuries, and over a third detrimental effects on health for of collegiate athletic injuries. the rest of their life. Despite the risk of injuries However, while pulling that occur in youth and teenage children from sports keeps sports, there are still over 45 them out of immediate danger, million kids playing in a team all parents don’t realize it takes a across the country. toll on their childrens’ future Even if they do get hurt, and impacts their teammates these kids want to play their as well. sport. Outside of helping with Sports provide a lot of the team by keeping score or opportunities for kids. Through managing, they work tirelessly sports, children can meet other in physical therapy and spend kids their age, learn to treat hours working to get their skills others with respect and gain back to what they once were. physical health benefits, such as Sports aren’t as dangerous a decreased likelihood of heart as they once were—they are disease or diabetes. continually getting safer. The Sports are also shown to only way to increase mental increase self-esteem and teach health and well-being of the leadership skills to kids who kids is to not pull them from the would not get that opportunity sports, but let them play their otherwise. Taking those hearts out. •Next year, first semester finals will be taken in January due to a new Missouri law. Remember to thank your state legislature after you forget everything you learned over Winter Break.

•After wrongly stating Alabama was in the path of Hurricane Dorian, President Trump doubled down, presenting a map with a Sharpie line drawn over Alabama—but remember, it’s the news media that’s fake. Riiiiight.

cartoon by ALEX VANCIL

•Democratic Presidential frontrunner Joe Biden’s eye began to bleed during a televised debate, and even doctors aren’t sure what caused it. Maybe he concentrated too hard on his “vision for the future.”

•Introducing the new-and-improved Flex Time! Now absolutely no one knows where to go! Coming soon to a confused and hungry high school near you.

GRIPES

•Nicki Minaj announced that she will be leaving music so that she can start a family. Congrats on her well-deserved retirement after “twerking” so hard her whole career.

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Sept. 25, 2019

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• NEWS •

On the road again

Certain courses require students to commute between schools CHLOE BAKER • Web Editor •

For some students, the day doesn’t start in our school building. It starts 4.9 miles away at Marquette High School (MHS). Seniors Mihir Chandra, Abhishek Ganesh and Rahul Suresh Kanna travel to Marquette to take Advanced Placement (AP) Advanced Physics. The class was previously taught by science teacher Elizabeth Overcash, but due to an insufficient number of students signing up for the course, it was dropped from the offerings. Lafayette now only offers AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2. AP Advanced Physics is taught at Marquette by Adam Sansom. The class meets during 1st Hour and has Zero Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so Chandra, Ganesh and Suresh Kanna start almost every day at MHS. Ganesh wanted to take AP Advanced Physics because it connects more AP Physics 1 ideas to calculus concepts. “With Physics 2, we like the concepts, but at the same time, we wanted to integrate that calculus part of Physics 1, and so we have to drive to MHS every morning,” Ganesh said. Together, the three Lafayette students only have one parking spot at MHS, so they often carpool. Because they are at MHS during Zero Hour and 1st Hour, they are usually somewhere between 5 to 25 minutes late to their 1st or 2nd Hour class at Lafayette. “It is a good way to gain some

camaraderie with your pals doing physics as well, but it is also a hassle trying to make up work. It’s worth it because the teacher is really nice and the class is awesome,” Ganesh said. Even though Ganesh believes going to MHS is worth it, he has experienced some struggles. “Missing out on a bunch of class and not being able to get to class on time while some of your peers are learning stuff has been tough,” Ganesh said. “Also the traffic there, waking up super early and Zero Hour has been rough, so it’s kind of a hindrance to your sleep and your efficiency. You want school to be in one place, but for us school isn’t just in one place.” While missing class can be rough for Ganesh, he believes the new added Flex Time works out well for the arrangement. It provides him with plenty of time to make up any tests or anything missed in class. “I took AP Literature last year, it has served as a back bone on AP Language anyway, so even though we are missing a significant portion of class, it’s not something brand new we are struggling to keep up with,” Ganesh said. MHS AP Advanced Physics teacher, Sansom enjoys having students from LHS as he feels like it adds more to the class. “It feels like they are just another couple of my students. The only difference with having them in class is that they have a slightly different set of previous knowledge from earlier physics courses,” Sansom said Due to the differing styles of teaching

from the courses at LHS and MHS, Sansom has had to work with Chandra, Ganesh and Suresh Kanna to fill in the gaps. “I sometimes find myself needing to check in with the three LHS students and check and confirm what they already know about a given topic. This is not a problem; on the contrary, this provides different learning experiences for my class because we get to hear how topics are covered differently at LHS and learn from that,” Sansom said. Alongside Ganesh, other students travel on a regular basis for their education. Juniors and seniors, like Tajirisha IsraelCazembe, can be enrolled in South Tech and leave halfway through the day for classes in Sunset Hills. “I want to own a bakery, and I thought that using half of my school year at South Tech and focusing only on culinary would be beneficial for me,” Israel-Cazembe said. Because of this schedule, however, IsraelCazembe misses Flex Time every day, so the new schedule provides no benefit to her. “South Tech with Flex does not work out at all. I’ve never even experienced Flex before, and with everyone talking about Flex opportunities, I’m just like ‘oh well,’” IsraelCazembe said. With the new schedule, students enrolled in South Tech miss half of their 3rd Hour class on blocked “B” days, meaning they miss a significant chunk of class each week. However, with the revised Flex schedule, Israel-Cazembe along with other South Tech students will have the opportunity on “C” days to experience Flex Time.

South Tech Schedule 8:26

1st Hour at LHS starts

10:04

3rd Hour at LHS starts

11:10

South Tech students leave class

11:20 11:50

AP Advanced Physics Schedule 7:20

Zero Hour at MHS starts

8:26

1st Hour at MHS starts

9:59

South Tech students leave school

1st Hour at MHS ends

10:05

Students arrive at South Tech

Students get to car and head to LHS

10:20

Students arrive at LHS

art by CHLOE BAKER

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News

A Study of Stereotypes

Sept. 25, 2019

Data shows gender break down across subject areas HAYDEN COTTRELL â&#x20AC;˘ News Editor â&#x20AC;˘

In every course in the school, the number of students of each gender enrolled varies. Though stereotypes exist that certain genders are more likely to take certain classes, the data reveals the truth. By examining the data provided

by the Lafayette registrar, the gender breakdown in specific classes and course section shows whether these stereotypes surrounding gender bias in classes is truly accurate or simply speculation. Boys at LHS have a tendency, as the data shows, to take more businessoriented classes as well as weightlifting

Business Courses

Out of 143 students, girls make up 30% of the amount of students in business classes. Boys make up the remaining 70%. These classes include Business Management, Multimedia and Business Essentials.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

than their female counterparts. Girls, on the other hand, are more likely to take social studies classes as well as more advanced coursework in general. In other classes, such as music, girls make up a minority of the enrollment, disproving the stereotype that girls are more likely to take creative courses. *Symbols each represent 10%.

Science Courses

Out of 912 students, boys make up 48% of the students enrolled in science classes. Girls make up the remaining 52%. These classes include Biology, Chemistry, Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

10%

10% Girls

Boys

Girls

Fine Arts Courses

Out of 434 students, girls make up 51% of the students enrolled in Fine Arts courses. Boys make up the remaining 49%. These classes include Art Fundamentals, Drawing 1, Graphic Design 1, Photography 1, Acting 1 and Tech Theater 1.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Girls

Boys

Advanced Courses 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Girls

Boys

Out of 1,416 students, girls make up 55% of the students enrolled in advanced courses. Boys make up the remaining 45%. These classes include all Advanced Placement classes, Pre-Calculus, Advanced Language Arts and Research Presentation 9 and 10 and WG/CC Latin.

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Social Studies Courses 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Girls

Boys

Music Courses 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

Out of 970 students, boys make up 46% of the students enrolled in history classes. Girls make up the remaining 54%. These classes include United States Government, Honors United States History, United States History, World History, Sociology and Psychology.

News Practical Art Courses 100%

Out of 262 students, boys make up 60% of the students enrolled in Practical Arts (CTE) classes. Girls make up the remaining 30%. These classes include Metal Processes, Wood Processes 1, Wood Processes 2 and Foods 1.

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% Girls

Boys

P.E. Courses Out of 511 students, girls make up 46% of the students enrolled in music classes. Boys make up the remaining 54%. These classes include all levels of orchestra, all levels of band, all levels of choir and all levels of guitar.

Out of 642 students, boys make up 60% of the students enrolled in physical education classes. Girls make up the remaining 40%. These classes include all Physical Education classes.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

10%

10% Girls

Girls

Boys

Weightlifting Courses 100%

Out of 166 students, girls make up 10% of the students enrolled in weightlifting classes. Boys make up the remaining 90%. These classes include Beginning Strength Training and Advanced Strength Training.

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

Math Courses 100%

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%

10%

10% Boys

Out of 1,008 students, boys make up 47% of the students enrolled in math classes. Girls make up the remaining 53%. These classes include Algebra 1 and 2, Honors Algebra 2, Geometry and Honors Geometry.

90%

20%

Girls

Boys

Girls

Boys

News

theimagemagazine Sept. 25, 2019

CORREN TIPTON • Asst. News Editor •

What to know about your joe Despite some positive attributes, caffeine can become addictive and negatively impact health

“I did not have a grasp on the serious effects of caffeine in high doses until I was sitting in a hospital bed,” senior Julie Thompson said. As much as coffee can jump-start a morning, it can have serious effects on a person’s health. While energy and alertness are the main sought after outcomes of caffeine, there are also harmful effects the ingredient has to offer. If over consumed, caffeine can cause headaches, anxiety, muscle tremors, high blood pressure, dizziness and more. However, studies have shown that, if consumed in moderation, coffee can have some benefits. According to Driftaway Coffee, coffee can lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, liver disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Loading up a cup with lots of creamers and sugars cancels out the benefits black coffee has to offer, though. Thompson began to experience the effects of having too much caffeine in a brief amount of time. “I was shaking and my heart was racing constantly and I couldn’t control it, so I started to panic. Of course, my anxiety was ten times worse because I couldn’t control what was going on. I had a really bad headache, too,” she said. Based on her reaction to having so much caffeine, Thompson was taken to the hospital. “I had to sit in a wheelchair, which was really weird,” Thompson said. “[The doctors] brought me in, sat me down, talked to me, and they pretty much gave me something to settle my stomach and watched me for a bit. They had me wait a little bit longer and then were like ‘You’re good to go.’” Many people worldwide depend on caffeine to get them through the day, including Thompson and language arts teacher Paul Jaycox. Thompson experienced symptoms of caffeine overconsumption during a snow day last semester. “I remember having about two pots of coffee, and I consumed it within a period of probably two or three hours,” she said. On a daily basis, Thompson has about six or seven cups of coffee. Energy is the main

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News

Sept. 25, 2019

benefit she is looking for to get her through the day, even though it takes about eight hours for the human body to metabolize one cup (eight ounces) of coffee. “I sat down [on the snow day] and thought drinking a bunch of coffee would help me focus and then it was way too much. Since it was a snow day, I wanted to stay in and focus and make sure I was caught up with everything. I made a pot of coffee and I drank it all, and then I made another one, and I felt bad not drinking the rest of it, so I figured I could just drink it all,” she said. Unlike Thompson, Jaycox didn’t drink coffee in high school on a regular basis. “Probably in college is when I first started drinking [coffee], and then I began to drink it more regularly when I stopped drinking soda. I kind of looked at it as a replacement,” Jaycox said. “Soda had too many calories and sugar compared to the coffee. [Coffee offers me] caffeine without calories. I don’t put anything in it; I just drink it black.” Jaycox has his first cup of coffee at about 5:30 a.m. and doesn’t stop drinking throughout the day. His daily intake is around one pot of coffee, which contains about 12 cups of coffee. “I’m sure it stains my teeth, [and I get] coffee-breath. I drink tea sometimes and I drink water, although they’re not really alternatives. It’s just my thing, it’s kind of what I spend my time drinking during the day, is coffee,” Jaycox said. The U.S. imports roughly $4 billion worth of coffee each year, adding up to about 146 billion cups consumed each year. Although there are other sources of caffeine like tea, soda and caffeine pills, coffee makes up 75 percent of caffeine consumed in America. Lancer’s Landing offers multiple caffeinated beverages including coffee, tea and diet sodas. Every two weeks, the school store receives four cases filled with 24 cans of diet soda. These cases normally sell out within the given two weeks. As for the coffee, Lancer’s Landing sells Folgers Classic Roast Coffee, which contains roughly 140 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per 12 ounces. About 300 of these 12 ounce cups are sold a week, going through about one and a half containers of the coffee. They also offer syrups, creamers and sugars to deck out cups of coffee. “As far as selling it here, I’m not [concerned] about kid’s caffeine intake. We are not selling as much coffee as usual-we’re selling a lot of protein items,” Krista Hansen, parent volunteer at Lancer’s Landing, said.

Even in a cup “Probably in college is when I first started of black coffee, drinking [coffee], and then I began to the amount of drink it more regularly when I stopped dopamine is what drinking soda.” can cause some Paul Jaycox • Language Arts Teacher people to become drawn to it. The National Institute on Drug again, creating pressure and a headache. Abuse for Teens Since the body now has an increased (NIDA) reports that dopamine is a chemical alertness, it can enter a “fight or flight that helps control movement, motivation, mode”. This alertness can raise a person’s and emotions, so enhanced dopamine blood pressure and cause jitters all because signaling makes a person feel more awake the adenosine receptors are blocked by the and alert. Because caffeine produces that caffeine molecules. alert feeling, it’s classified as a stimulant. In order to avoid caffeine damage, The This feeling of alertness can also be Mayo Clinic suggests keeping your daily paired with lacking tiredness. This is caffeine intake below 400 mg, and if the because caffeine molecules prevent the current intake is above this, begin to cut opportunity for a person’s brain to register back gradually. Be sure to read all labels and being tired or fatigued. even consider drinking decaf beverages “Structurally, caffeine closely resembles instead, to limit present and future health a molecule that’s naturally present in our complications and reduce caffeine cravings. brain called adenosine, so much so, in fact, CNN also suggests identifying situations that caffeine can fit neatly into our brain which induce caffeine cravings. Finding cells’ receptors for adenosine, effectively ways to avoid these situations or having an blocking them off,” Smithsonian.com said. alternative plan to caffeine can help reduce Adenosine is a chemical the body a person’s daily intake. produces to send signals of tiredness. “Going to the hospital and speaking with If caffeine molecules are blocking its my doctor helped me realize the severity of receptors, the messages are never received, the situation,” Thompson said. creating an increase in energy and ability to “Today I don’t have a specific limit, keep moving. however, my caffeine intake varies and Many people become tired without rarely exceeds 400 mg (which is the caffeine because there are more adenosine equivalent of three or four cups of coffee). receptors and when they all open up, the Hearing about people dying as a result chemical is absorbed faster, taking a quicker of high caffeine intake made me much toll on a person’s energy level. more cautious about watching how much I Lacking caffeine can also create consume as well, and now I maintain much headaches. Caffeine decreases the size safer habits,” she added. of blood vessels near the brain, so when caffeine is taken away, the vessels swell up

Top Coffee Consuming Countries *data from Weaver’s Coffee and Tea

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News

Notice anything new?

District, LHS makes updates for current, upcoming school year SOPHIA SCHELLER • Staff Reporter •

SARAH LOCKE • Staff Reporter •

Sept. 25, 2019

he 2019-2020 year has brought copious amounts of changes to the school day and the school itself.

new calendar for the 2020-2021 school year is in the works. House Bill 161, a new Missouri law passed this summer, prohibits school districts from beginning the school year more than 14 days prior to the first Monday in September. The Rockwood School District (RSD) calendar committee has convened twice this fall to revise the previously approved 2020-2021 calendar to meet the requirements of this new law as school was supposed to begin on Aug. 11. The committee is currently reviewing two draft calendar options. The main difference between these sample calendars is the teacher professional development days, more commonly known as half days and late starts. The calendar committee requested staff and community feedback about the two calendar options via a survey that ended on Sept. 16. This feedback was discussed on Sept. 17 at a committee meeting and a final decision on a calendar will be made early this school year. (For details about the new calendar, see the infographic at the right of this page.)

or the current school year, Activities Director Jonathan Sumner will more strictly enforce the pre-existing Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA) requirement that students to be in school for a full day before a competition, concert, game or other school activity. “Any school sponsored event during the day is excused. Doctor’s appointments are excused

with a doctor’s note,” Sumner said. This is not a new regulation, but he said it will be more strictly enforced to uphold academic standards.

nother major change has been implemented in the way students may take their classes. This is the first year Lafayette has provided an entire catalog of online courses. Rockwood School District has partnered with a program called LAUNCH to produce these online classes. Students who have been enrolled in a Missouri public school for at least a semester are eligible to discuss with their counselor the possibility of enrolling in online courses. If students choose to take the online course at school during the day, they are assigned to a class with April Ehrhardt, who helps in guiding them through the program.

everal new classes have been added to the course offerings for 2019-2020. These courses include a new speech class called Intro to Speech Communications. Students learn essential communication skills and is recommended for students with little public speaking experience. There are also two new business education classes. One of the classes is Business Essentials. “The goal of the course is to get students engaged in business by providing an overview of the world of business. The hope is that once they take the course, it will grow the other classes we offer and allow students to have a better understanding of all aspects that businesses can include,” business teacher Holly Green said. Entrepreneur Accelerator is an option for

1. The back parking lot was repaved just in time for the 2019-2020 school year. The lot is used by staff, Cooperative Career Education students, buses and the Lancer Regiment. • photo by SOPHIA SCHELLER 2. Over the summer, the softball field was laser graded and installed a new scoreboard. Laser grading makes the field flatter and safer for athletes to play on. In addition to the softball field the B softball/baseball field was torn up, laser graded and got new grass installed. • photo by SOPHIA SCHELLER 3. The biggest summer expense was the fencing around the bleachers. JONATHAN SUMNER, Activities Director, said, “We added new black fencing around the outside of our main bleachers and visiting bleachers. We also installed a new flag pole holder system for our Lancer Flags.” • photo by SOPHIA SCHELLER

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Sept. 25, 2019

juniors and seniors who have passed Business Management and Entrepreneurship. This class introduces students to entrepreneurial skills and other aspects of creating a business. Changes have been made in the Physical Education Department as well. A new class is PE Mentors/Moving Together. “PE Mentors is made up of our special education students and several typical education students who get to be ‘mentors’ and help practice inclusion in a physical education environment,” PE teacher Ashley Lewis said. She added, “Every student pairs with a special education student and has had to learn how to communicate with their particular partner. I have found my students walk away with a new appreciation for life after taking this class.”

arious aspects of Advanced Placement (AP) classes have changed as well. Rather than signing up for AP exams second semester, students are now required to register by Nov. 15, 2019. AP Government and Politics teacher Lori Zang thinks this will increase the commitment of students for each class. “[However,] registering in November will be a challenge for students since they will be making a decision about a test for a class they do not know anything about,” Zang said. The AP Government and Politics course has two AP exams, which can be difficult for students since they are committing to an exam before they learn the material second semester. Another way the College Board is trying to create more engaged and committed classrooms is by implementing AP Classroom, an online interactive website with features

similar to Canvas and Google Classroom.

noticeable physical change to the school is the repaved back parking lot. Associate Principal Michael Franklin said the previous lot became unsafe for students and visitors due to several large cracks and dips in the pavement. The new lot was also repainted to provide a practicing spot for the Lancer Regiment that more accurately resembles the yard lines on the football field.

n addition to improving the parking lot, improvements to the stadium area were also made, including updating the press box and adding new fencing. “[We redid the] floors, ceiling tiles, lights, wall panels and countertops [in the press box]. [We] bought new chairs and redid the internal sound system,” Sumner said. The fences surrounding the bleachers were updated because the old fencing was becoming outdated and unstable.

he district also tore up the baseball and softball field in order to laser grade the surface to make it flatter and safer. An informational packet on laser grading by the Sports Turf Managers Association states that, “Grading is the process of leveling a land surface to a desired gradient by cutting, filling and smoothing the soil.”

nside the building, a minor change was made although numbers suggest it is a helpful one. A new fill station at the end of the Fine Arts Hallway was installed. On Sept. 10, approximately 348,000 water bottles were saved by all nine water bottle filling stations located across the school.

Comparing the new

CALENDARS by the days

Option One:

Elementary and Middle School have six early release days and one full day for Professional Development (PD). High Schools have 13 late starts and one full day off for PD. Similar to current and past formats.

Option Two:

Every school will have four full days off for PD. Elementary and Middle School have no early release days for PD. High Schools have four late starts for PD.

Both have:

Start date is Aug. 24, 2020. End date is June 6, 2021. First semester ends Jan. 12, 2021 Thanksgiving break is Nov. 25 to Nov. 27. Winter break is Dec. 23 to Jan. 1 (returning on Jan. 4). Spring break is March 22 to March 26.

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17 • LIFESTYLES • 17050 site celebrates 30th anniversary theimagemagazine Sept. 25, 2019

1989 building opening faced several challenges GRACE KIRTLEY • Lifestyles Editor •

HANNAH FITTS

• Asst. Lifestyles Editor •

“It blows me away that it’s been 30 years, I cannot believe that,” Daniel Deschamp, the former Lafayette principal, said. He was the principal when the new building opened its doors in 1989. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the building situated at 17050 Clayton Rd. Lafayette was first located at what is now Crestview Middle School, while Crestview Junior High was originally in Babler Elementary’s current building. The motivation for the addition of Lafayette and Green Pines Elementary was the rapid growth of the district, Lafayette in particular. “We were adding around 600 students a year to the total district, we were out-growing everything. The elementary schools were bursting at the seams. Lafayette was the largest, or close to the largest, high school in the state of Missouri. We were at 2,000 students with only three grades,” Board of Education member Keith Kinder said. He was an assistant principal at LHS in 1989. Lafayette’s previous building was incapable of holding the district’s growth. Since its opening, this building has undergone many changes. The student population growth continued and solicited the need for eight portable classrooms that were added in the 1992-1993 school year. They were removed later when additional classrooms were added to the building. In fact, several additions have been made to the original building since 1989 including a large addition to the front of the building in the center and west ends. The move to the new building posed challenges of transferring the current furniture and equipment. “The biggest obstacle was the challenge of trying to get everything moved out there in time. We really

were short on time. It was a race to get it open and occupiable by the first week, the first day,” Deschamp said. The opening was in no way perfect due to the incomplete construction of Clayton Road, and this resulted in teachers and students being filed in through one road. It would take 30 minutes after school to clear the parking lot; however, the lot was an improvement from the previous site, he said. “The parking was the best thing that helped us. The Crestview site only has about 200 parking spaces. When we were at Crestview, only half of the seniors could get a parking pass, and it was shared,” Kinder said. “They would park across the street at the Dierberg’s lot, and we would get many calls about customer parking spaces being taken.” The logistics of moving buildings resulted in the many teachers and students not visiting or getting prepared before school started. “Many of the teachers had only gotten in there a couple days prior to the opening, so they could get things ready. We didn’t have a lot of time for orientation,” Deschamp said. The new building also had a new electronic system of communication: clocks and bells; however, on the first day, the system wasn’t working. “We had all these people not knowing where to go, where they were supposed to be or what time it was,” Deschamp said. “It was kind of fun trying to herd people into class, and high schoolers aren’t interested in getting into class. They were much more interested in talking to friends.” Despite the complications of opening the school, the first day had a positive reaction mostly due to the increase of space with the property being a full 53 acres. “All the acreage for fields and athletic areas, just to have the enormity of space. Of course, the cleanliness of the new place,” Deschamp said. “The beauty of new facilities, new carpet, new paint, and new this and new that. Most people were able to understand that it was gonna be great.”

Lafayette’s yearbook, The Legend, reported on the student opinions of the new building following the move to the campus in 1989. • photo from The Legend

In 1989, along with the opening of the new Lafayette building, the school’s previous passing period time posed challenges to the students of getting to class on time. This year, the passing period was changed again from six minutes, back to five minutes as it was 30 years ago. • photo from The Image

The switch from the former building, now Crestview Middle School, posed many challenges to the administration due to the large amount of equipment and supplies that had to be transported. • photo from The Image

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

A Look Back At LHS Life in 1989 Slang in 1989 vs. today

Smoking Area

Then: “What’s your damage?” “Bad to the bone.” “Bogus!” “Gnarly.” “Eat my shorts!”

In the first year the building was open, students could smoke on campus in a designated area behind the building. To be able to, students needed to provide their ID and a teacher was assigned to supervise.

Styles have changed in the last 30 years

1980’s fashion was filled with bright paired with bold patterns. Women wore crop tops, babydoll dresses with leggings, leather jackets and embroidered jeans. Men commonly wore bright tops, colored jeans, overalls, as well as letterman or leather jackets. Both men and women wore brightly colored sweatpant and parachute pants as well as slouch socks.

Now: “Periodt.” “Sksksksk.” “And I oop-” “No cap” “It slaps.”

Today’s teen fashion involves well-known brands like Nike, Adidas, Champion, Supreme and others. Teens focus on comfort over looks, generally wearing sweatpants, athletic leggings, hoodies and oversized T-shirts. Girls prefer leggings with tank tops and tennis shoes. Guys choose athletic shorts with shirts and tennis shoes hen they are relaxing.

Image headlines from 1989 show top stories

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

Population growth caused many changes to building

Original 1989 Lafayette Floor Plan Pool

In 1998, a special terrazzo tile Lancer was embedded into the Commons floor. A second gym was built in 1991 to provide more practice space for the growing sports teams.

Language Arts Hall Front Gym

Library

At the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year, a new Flex Center and Science Department extension were opened.

The Commons Welcome Center

Social Studies Hall

For the 2003-2004 school year, a new gym floor was unveiled with the Lancer mascot proudly displayed in the center.

Theater

Fine Arts Hallway

The 2005-2006 school year featured added classroom and storage space as well as new music facilities and a stage craft room in the Fine Arts Wing. In 2006-2007, a new Commons greeted students, and during second semester, a new Welcome Center, Activities Office and Nurseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office opened.

Lafayette in 2019 Pool

Wrestling/ MultiPurpose Room

Language Arts Hall Welcome Center

Front Gym

Back Gym

2008 welcomed a new state-of-the-art Theater facility. In 2009-2010, a new media center, additional classroom space and courtyard opened where the previous west circle drive was located. The 2010-2011 year featured a new Multi-Purpose Room along with new locker rooms.

The Commons

LHS began the 2017-2018 school year with 17 new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics work stations, labs and classrooms.

Social Studies Hall Theater

Fine Arts Hallway

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

Building Bre’s Brigade

BRIAN REID, JR., along with friends and coaches of his sister, Brianna, are working to honor her and eliminate the stigma of mental illness. • photo by JACK WEAVER

Reid honors sister through Out of the Darkness Walk KAYLA CARPENTER • Editor-in-Chief •

A brigade is a subdivision of an army consisting of up to 5,000 soldiers. They are composed of several combat, support and logistical sub-units who work closely together to accomplish a goal. On Aug. 2, senior Brianna Reid passed away by suicide. To honor Brianna, her brother Brian, Class of 2018, and others have formed a team for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Out of the Darkness Walk. Because of the connected nature of the military unit, the team is called Bre’s Brigade. “We named it Bre’s Brigade because we are a team, a group coming together to walk in Bre’s name,” senior Megan Kulick said. “I hope the walk lets people think about Bre and ways to help other people going through hard times.” Kulick has worked with Brian on the event that will take place Sept. 29. The 3.8 mile walk will be at Creve Coeur Park from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. “I don’t want anyone to go through what I’ve been experiencing through Bre,” Brian said. “It’s really important to let everyone know that even if you think you have no one to talk to, there’s someone you can find. Everyone cares about you and really loves you. I don’t want anyone to take their life again.” Participants can donate to or sign up for the walk on the AFSP’s website where they can join a team and choose between being a walker or, if they cannot attend, a virtual walker. There is no registration fee, but each participant is encouraged to set a $150 goal. All donations go to the AFSP to fund suicide prevention research, create education programs, advocate for public policy and support survivors of suicide loss. The foundation’s primary goal is to reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025. According to the AFSP, in 2017, 47,173 Americans died by suicide. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death among those aged 10 to 34. “I hope for attendance that we have thousands [of people] to show that suicide is a really big deal. It’s a serious event, but come with a smile and be happy and ready to help and hug a bunch of people. If you see me there, I might hug you a lot,” Brian said. While Brian has been organizing the team, he has also been maintaining connections with the Lafayette community and welcomes honest discussions. “I’ve been staying close with people telling them how I feel, letting

them talk to me and express their emotions,” Brian said. “They ask if I’m okay, and I’ll be like, ‘I’m all right. I might have cried recently, but it’s okay. It’s good to cry.’ Some people are scared to do that. I just want them to know they can talk to me about anything.” Through his various actions, Brian hopes to not only raise suicide awareness but to also eliminate its surrounding stigma. “Most people that think about suicide, they just want that pain to go away, and it’s really much more than just that pain. There’s the pain of everyone else. It’s just more than you. And I know that’s hard for them, but there’s so many people that suicide affects,” Brian said. “I just want everyone to know that even if you’re down, there’s nothing we can’t get through. You don’t have to do it alone.” Brian has predominantly been in communication with Brianna’s former teammates on the field hockey and track and field teams, as well as her friends on the football team. “Myself and Brian’s conversations have meant more to me than anyone knows,” Rachael Bierschenk, senior forward on the field hockey team, said. “We have talked almost every day which shows we are in this situation together because loving and supporting each other is what keeps us both moving forward. His endless hugs and constant support has been my rock through these tough times.” In addition to being a source of support for Bierschenk, Brian has also been a source of courage. “Brian’s strength has inspired me to not give up even through the toughest situations and most unimaginable pain. He has taken every opportunity to show his gratitude towards all the support being given and never being selfish, but instead, putting others before himself. He is the strongest, most loving person. I find myself, along with many others, constantly looking up to his continuous positivity, strength and love towards everyone,” Bierschenk said. For Bierschenk, the Out of the Darkness Walk is a way to honor Brianna’s life and bring people together for support. “The walk is an event that gives people in similar situations a chance to see that they aren’t alone and there are many people feeling the same way as them,” Bierschenk said. Through Brian’s many conversations with various Lancers, he has emphasized the importance of every person, every sub-unit, whether they are family, friends, students, parents or teachers, staying connected by leaning on one another, so a brigade of love and support can be built: Bre’s Brigade. “All these people are coming together and supporting each other. That’s really important to me,” Brian said.

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Sept. 25, 2019

Summer program gives Chang real-world science experience DELANEY STULCE • Editor-in-Chief •

Senior Stella Chang spent eight weeks of her summer as part of the Young Scientist Program (YSP) Summer Focus held at Washington University in St. Louis. “It is an internship program that gives high school students the opportunity to get research experience in a lab setting. I had the chance to work with other researchers and graduate students,” Chang said. “I was able to work individually on a project, write a research paper and present my research at a symposium.” Summer Focus Director Megan Radyk said, “High school students are paired up with a bench mentor in one of WashU's labs to help them complete an independent hypothesis-driven project focused on the lab's research questions.” This program is only open to those going into their senior year and includes a thorough application process. Chang said, “The application process was pretty intensive, and I started it months before the due date. First, I had to complete an application which had several questions and short essays. A couple of weeks later, I had to go through an interview process.” The program is also highly selective. “For Summer 2019, we had over 120 applications for 20 spots, but we continue to increase the number of students accepted every year,” Radyk said. Chang was one of the 35 applicants who was chosen for the interview process and, eventually, admitted into the program. Summer Focus was the first program to be part of YSP. “YSP was started in 1991 by two MD/PhD students at Washington University and has been completely run by students since,” Radyk said. Summer Focus covers various areas of biomedical studies such as genetics, cardiology, developmental biology, microbiology, neurology, biomedical engineering and ecology. Chang focused on the effects of adenoassociated virus (AAV) on the brains of mice. “In short, this particular virus had a promoter known as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), so wherever the virus infected the mice brain, it would be green,” Chang said. “I used this AAV to determine

where and the level of expression of the virus, and my results set the foundation for future studies in the lab.” Chang enjoyed her time in the lab, especially the unique nature of her studies. “I was able to dissect mice, harvest their organs, cut the organs in thin slices and image them in the lab,” Chang said. The program gives students realistic experiences as a scientist. “The most valuable part is the opportunity to explore science outside of the classroom and see what scientists do on a daily basis. In high school classes and even in college lab classes, experiments are designed to work consistently, but most of the time in research, the outcome is not known or you get results you don't understand or expect,” Radyk said. “That's what I found exciting the first time I was in a research lab, and Summer Focus scholars get to experience this exploration as a really early scientist.” Summer Focus also provides a writing and college preparation class and a grant of $2,500 at the conclusion. “There aren't many programs that offer to pay students and equip them to be strong college applicants. Not only do we provide college prep classes, but we prepare Summer Focus scholars to work in a research lab,” Radyk said. “Some of our scholars even work as technicians the summer after Summer Focus because they are already competitive for the job market right out of high school.” Chang is grateful for the opportunities she had and for what she has learned. “This experience really allowed me to explore other fields in medicine besides being a physician. I had the chance to see what research was like, and research opportunities for high school students are hard to come by,” Chang said. “In the lab I was placed in, I was able to work alongside graduate students and a mentor who guided me through my independent research project.” She not only learned more about real world biomedical studies, but Chang also gained a better insight to future career aspirations. “This program not only allowed me to make a difference in the lab I worked in, but also gave me a glimpse of possibly a career I'd like to go into in the future,” Chang said. • photo by JACK WEAVER

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

CUSTARD

Edition TASTE TESTER

For this issue, two Image staffers sampled four different chocolate concretes with mixed in fudge from Ted Drewes, Fritz’s, Silky’s and Andy’s to find out which frozen treat took the icy crown for the best frozen custard in St. Louis. Some may argue that ice cream and custard are the same thing; however, these delicacies have their differences. Ice cream is made with milk, cream or a combination of the two. On the other hand, frozen custard is made from milk, cream and egg yolks. By comparing the dietary benefits of both, ice cream typically has 10 percent more calories than custard, twice as much saturated fat, less protein and half the calcium and potassium. However, custard has a higher amount of sugar and salt in its base which adds to the savory taste of the pastry cream of the custard. Furthermore, custard is a delicious treat that is a great way to celebrate the end of the 2019 summer. Here’s what the staffers thought.

GRACE KIRTLEY • Lifestyles Editor •

HANNAH FITTS

• Asst. Lifestyles Editor •

Ted Drewes

6726 Chippewa St., St. Louis

11 a.m.- 11 p.m. 35 minute drive from LHS

11:30 a.m.- 11 p.m. 23 minute drive from LHS

Flavor

Creaminess

9/10

6/10

3/10

9/10

8/10

5/10 Fudge

815 Meramec Station Rd., Valley Park

10/10

Creaminess

Fritz’s

Solidness

7/10

Fudge

Flavor

Solidness

8/10

Serving Size

Ted Drewes was super creamy and light, and there was no taste of egg. When we got the custard, it was already pretty melted and the fudge was almost non-existent, but the chocolate flavor was incredible.

Fritz’s custard was one of the smoothest, and it seemed we got the most custard for the money. The flavor was very rich, but there wasn’t much fudge, and it left a sour aftertaste.

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

WE ASKED • YOU ANSWERED What’s your go to custard?

“I grew up on Silky’s, but Ted Drewes all the way. I like Ted Drewes the best because it’s a little bit of a drive from my house, so it feels like I’m in the heart of St. Louis when I’m there. My go-to order has to be the Oreo custard.” Molly Nemnich • 10

Andy’s 15501 Manchester Rd., Ballwin

Silky’s

16043 Manchester Rd. Ellisville

11 a.m.- 11:30 p.m. 12 minute drive from LHS

11:30 a.m.- 10:30 p.m. 10 minute drive from LHS

7/10

9/10 Flavor

6/10

Creaminess

6/10

8/10

9/10

5/10

9/10

Creaminess Fudge

Solidness

7/10

Fudge

Flavor

Solidness

8/10

Serving Size

Andy’s was really rich and creamy, and the fudge was the most evident in this custard. The aftertaste of the custard itself was quite chalky, but the initial bite was immensely savory.

This custard was less rich compared to all the rest, and we could taste the egg more in it. The flavor was also a bit sour which left a bitter aftertaste.

“I prefer Silky’s. My parents and I always used to go to the movies on Friday nights, and we would go to Silky’s and have pizza from the next door pizza place a couple years ago. I enjoy all the custard places but Silky’s I like because it’s a little bit more personal to me.” Alex Norvell • 12

“I’m going to have to say Ted Drewes is my favorite because of all the nostalgia around it. Normally I like to order something fruity like strawberry cheesecake.” Ana Lisa Diaz-Granados • 11

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

Admin makes changes to original plans MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT • Asst. Web Editor •

What is Flex Time: The Original Plan With the addition of Flex Time to the schedule this year, students have been offered many opportunities and activities during the time. Associate Principal Michael Franklin said, “The whole thing stemmed from the fact that kids just need more time during the school day to take care of their needs that they would normally do after or before school. There just wasn’t enough [time], and we’ve seen it work in other schools, so our idea was to offer that, and we are trying to find the best way to do that. [Lafayette is]

definitely going to keep doing it, we’re just trying to find the best way to do it.” The decision to switch to the Flex Time schedule at LHS was based on research on the effects of Flex Time at other schools. LHS continues to adapt and adjust the rules of Flex Time in order to help students use it most efficiently. Assistant Principal Tim Jones is not as much of an advocate for Flex Time as he believes some students are not using it as effectively as others. “The freshmen don’t know [what to do]. It’s just going to

take some time to educate them to make better choices with the Flex Time that’s available to go see teachers, to go study quietly and to use that opportunity to help them out,” Jones said. Jones acknowledges that much of his freshmen class is using the time efficiently; however, he also believes that many are simply not aware of the opportunity it presents to them. “It’s too much time for them right now. They’re not using it responsibly as a whole, many of them have not taken

the opportunity to go see teachers and get extra help and follow through where maybe upperclassmen are doing that,” Jones said. Senior Kevin Weaver believes it took time for some students to get used to Flex Time but also believes it is a good thing overall. “I think at first it was all sitting in the Commons, and I realized how boring it was to sit there, so once everyone realizes that it’s good, more people are going to be coming into classes and working,” Weaver said.

Bells added to create 30-minute blocks One change that took place almost immediately occurred on the second official extended Flex Time on Aug. 29. It was the addition of passing periods with a bell. This change requires students to stay in one place during each 30 minute block. Language arts teacher Jennifer Ingram said, “From what I’m observing it seems to be necessary to provide more structure,

and I’m okay with that because I know that any time you try to implement new programs, there’s going to be a learning curve. We’re just going to have to figure things out because in the end, [we need to find] what’s best for the kids.” The change’s intent was to add more structure and order; however, some students said it took away from the original

flexibility of the free time. Senior Laurel Scott said, “[The bells] have made it less chaotic. I feel like people didn’t like it because it made Flex Time more structured, and it takes away from the point of having free time.” The bells with five-minute passing periods will continue for the duration of the Flex Time periods.

“C” Day Flex shortened, lunch moved to 4th Hour

The third change was adding 30 minutes to 4th Hour and moving lunch to that class. Flex Time was reduced to three 30-minute blocks, and it now follows 2nd Hour. The reason provided for this change was to minimize the rush of students in the Commons at the beginning of Flex Time and eliminate the large numbers of students in the Commons throughout the period.

Many students view this change as a significant buffer in their productiveness during that time. Freshman Megan Blessing said, “I was really enjoying the two hours, so I’m not really fond of them changing it from the two hours to the one [and a half] hours because I feel like that shortens our time that we have to talk to teachers.” However, some students view the change positively

since it allows them to focus on their work without having to eat lunch at the same time. Sophomore Ishwarya Samavedhi said, “I think I might be a little more productive because I don’t have to think about eating and doing homework. I can just focus on one single thing at a time.” Assistant Principal Colleen Fields said the goal of the change is to help the students navigate Flex Time in an easier

way. “What we’re trying to do is maximize [the time] that students can access help with teachers. I think when lunch is tied into that, you forget that part. This will help us design some structures so kids can access teachers a little easier and not have to know [teacher’s office hours] which makes it tougher to navigate with all of the lunch hours,” Fields said.

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Lifestyles

Sept. 25, 2019

Flex Time offers opportunities for students Library

The library is open to provide an academic-centered quiet space for students to either work on classwork or de-stress. Librarian Jane Lingafelter said, “We are very happy with creating an academic space for kids, and for the most part, I feel like students are coming to the library to get stuff accomplished.” Stress relief activities are

Sophomore PRANAV MENON works on a puzzle with sophomore COLIN BAKKER in the library. The library is open in 30-minute periods to provide a quiet space for students. • photo by JACK WEAVER

Academic Help

Another opportunity for students is office hours that teachers provide during the student’s free time. Students can use this time to make up tests, get extra help or just talk with their teachers. Math teacher Jessica Foley hopes that her room is used as a comfortable space for students

to get work done. “[I plan to use Flex Time] as a space for students to get work done, ask questions and get caught up if they were absent. I also hope to host review sessions,” Foley said, “[I hope my classroom will provide students] a place to work, ask questions, make up assessments or just to touch base and catch up.”

provided for students to participate in at their choosing. As long as the students are in a seat, many quiet activities are welcome. “I think Flex Time has the real potential to be great for kids. I think we have to show them how to best use their time and be able to offer things that kids want to do during Flex Time in order for it to be beneficial for everyone,” Lingafelter said.

Math teacher JESSICA FOLEY helps sophomore ZAKEE BRANCH during her office hours. • photo by MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT

Club Meetings Many of the larger student organizations are using Flex Time to hold meetings. For example, Student Council and Key Club are meeting on “C” Days. In addition, some smaller groups are also using the time to meet with members such as Future Business Leaders of America and Philosophy Club. Lafayette Theatre Company (LTC), hosted a clean out day during Flex Time. Theatre teacher Natasha Fischer plans to use the time to provide opportunities for those who can’t participate after school. After a successful clean out day, LTC is planning to offer more opportunities such as rehearsals and backstage meetings during Flex Time. “I think it’s going to be one of those things where we just need to figure out how to make it work, but once it works, it’s going to give the kids that mental break and allow kids to be involved that might not be involved after school,” Fischer said. Language arts teacher Tracy Gladden is offering students a way to relax by

Freshman LUKE BOWER uses a power tool to dismantle a flat during Lafayette Theatre Company’s “clean out day”, which was hosted during Flex Time. • photo by MAKAYLA ARCHAMBEAULT Language arts teacher TRACY GLADDEN leads students in a yoga session during Flex Time to help students learn healthy ways to deal with stress. • photo by SHANNON WORLEY

hosting yoga classes. “I want to be able to teach [students] healthy strategies that will come in handy as they make it through the school year. I want to give them a safe, comfortable place to be where there’s no judgment. I’m not sure you can find that in a lot of places,” Gladden said. Due to the additional time, Gladden has been able to offer yoga for teachers after school and students during school. “Flex Time seemed like a nice opportunity to make the most of that time because it’s nice to form a habit to give yourself a little time throughout the day,” Gladden said.

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Ads

Sept. 25, 2019

Student Council Presents

Homecoming 2019 • Oct. 6-12

Sunday:

Kickoff @ 4:30 p.m. in the Stadium

(featuring game booths, food trucks, Bubble Bus, Sing on the Turf @ 6:45 p.m.)

Monday:

Pajamming Day

Tuesday:

Blues “Gloria” Day Hall Decs during Flex

Wednesday: 80s Day

Thursday:

Let’s Get Physical Day Inflatable Fun during Flex Powder Puff @ 7 p.m. / $5 entry fee

Friday:

Neon Lights Day Parade @ 5:30 p.m. Football vs. Parkway North @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturday:

Homecoming Dance Lafapalooza 7:30 -10:30 p.m.

Dance Tickets:

*$15 for a single ticket & $30 for a couples ticket *Tickets go up to $20 for singles/$40 for couples Friday *Tickets sold during Flex Tuesday, Thursday, Friday *Tickets will not be sold at the dance

Sports 27 • SPORTS • Lazzaretti works to get back on court after serious injury

theimagemagazine Sept. 25, 2019

KENNEDY WILLHITE • Staff Reporter •

A single moment. That’s all it took for her athletic career, her life, to shift course. Fiona Lazzaretti is a senior known for her role on the varsity volleyball team. However, on May 5, 2019, during Fiona’s junior year, she and her siblings, Eliza and Victor, were in a two-car collision that resulted in Fiona being airlifted to the hospital. Lazzaretti started playing volleyball in 2nd Grade and played on and off until fully committing to volleyball in 8th Grade. Since her freshman year, she has played for ShowMe Volleyball Academy and the Lady Lancer volleyball team. However, the accident put a hold on Fiona’s volleyball career. The crash was so substantial it caused a section of the highway to temporarily close, and the injuries to all three Lazzaretti’s were severe enough to send each of them to the hospital. Her younger brother, Victor, had a broken toe, and her sister Eliza, junior, suffered a broken collarbone and damaged lungs. But, due to her position in the car, Fiona’s injuries were the most extensive, putting her in the hospital for weeks. She spent two weeks at Mercy Hospital and then another two at Ranken Jordan doing rehab. “I broke my right humerus, my right femur, my left foot and both bones (Right) FIONA LAZZARETTI smiles alongside her friends and volleyball teammates when they visit her during her stay in the hospital following her car accident. (Left) With the help of her physical therapist, LAZZARETTI stands up out of her wheelchair to work on strengthening her leg muscles. • photos courtesy of DEBORAH LAZZARETTI

in my left lower leg. I have radial nerve palsy in my right hand and arm, and also some nerve damage in my left lower leg,” she said. Originally, Fiona’s recovery time was five to six months, but that may be extended due to the possibility of another surgery and how long the healing process is taking for the nerves. If Fiona hopes to have full function of her right hand, she’ll need an extra surgery, which may add eight to nine months to her recovery. Despite her injuries, Fiona plans to eventually return to volleyball. With her two-week stay at a rehabilitation hospital and her routine visits to physical therapy, Fiona has been working toward getting on the court again. And, even though she cannot play right now, she is still an important part of the varsity volleyball team. She attends every practice and game, keeps score, helps the coaches and keeps the team motivated. “Fiona is still a huge part of our team. She attends every practice and game and is right there every step of the way. Our team is huge on cheering each other on, and she is a huge help with that,” senior captain Allison Beaton said. Fiona’s absence on the court has impacted the players and the coaches. Head Coach Zach Young said, “Fiona not playing has affected the team both positively and negatively. It’s had a positive affect in that the players don’t take anything for granted and in a sense are playing for Fiona. It’s had a negative affect in that Fiona is a phenomenal player and we miss not having her on the court.” Even though the team misses her talent on the court, her well-being is more important to them. Her determination and dedication to her team and to her sport have made her an inspiration. “It has to be incredibly difficult for her, but she has stayed positive and is still a huge part of our team. We’re so proud of Fiona and so thankful that she and her siblings have made it through this difficult time,” Young said.

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Sports

Sept. 25, 2019

Cricket: The lost sport

Formerly unpopular sport in United States gains traction in St. Louis with help of local cricket clubs VIJAY VISWANATHAN • Staff Reporter •

Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport, just behind soccer. Yet while cricket is beloved in many European and Asian countries, it has not reached the same level of popularity as the MLB or the NFL in the United States. However, it’s becoming more popular around the country, mainly in Florida, California, Texas and New York. Now, St. Louis is set to join that list. At the forefront of this movement is the American Cricket Academy and Club of St. Louis (ACAC). The ACAC was founded in 2015 by Ajay Jhamb. His goal was to have an organization that not just played world-class cricket, but also taught youth cricketers the values of character and community service. Raj Anbalagan has been a part of the ACAC since 2016 and has since become one of the senior coaches. As a senior coach, he helps plan national tournaments, both in St. Louis and in other parts of the country, and he has been behind a lot of the logistics of the academy. “The ACAC’s motto is to create awareness of cricket,” Anbalagan said. The ACAC has done just that. ACAC Park in Wentzville was opened in 2017 by the then-Lieutenant Governor of Missouri Mike Parson. The organization is certified which allows it to hand out the President’s Volunteer Service Award. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is an award that is given by the President of the United States for “outstanding contributions in community service to the United States.” There is a Bronze, Silver and Gold Award. The type of award a person receives is dependent on the amount of community service hours they have earned. Because of this recognition, the ACAC does a sizable amount of community service in St. Louis, which gains name recognition for the organization. Their first

service project was at the United Service Organization branch at Lambert Airport, and their latest service project was making sandwiches for the homeless. The ACAC welcomes anyone to their service projects, and they encourage everyone, members or not, to attend them. The ACAC is also involved in The Rockwood School District. Marquette freshman Vikram Ganesh plays for the ACAC. Ganesh and his family have been a part of the organization since 2015 and have remained highly involved since. “[I feel cricket is becoming more popular in Missouri] mainly because of the ACAC,” Ganesh said. “We do community service, and we are more than just a sports academy.” In an effort to create awareness of cricket, the ACAC has started a school outreach initiative. They go to area schools like Wild Horse Elementary and Crestview Middle to teach students the basics of cricket. Some Rockwood elementary schools have now included cricket into the physical education curriculum. Anirvin Rajendran is a 4th grader at Wild Horse Elementary, which is one of the schools where cricket has been included in the curriculum. “I think it’s a good idea to have cricket in the curriculum because it’s fun,” Rajendran said. Because of these outreach programs, Anbalagan said since 2015, the ACAC has grown to have over 200 players.” Anish Pasupuleti is an 8th Grader at Crestview Middle School and was part of the ACAC from 2015 to 2018. “When I started, there were very few people. Now there are over 200 people, so it has grown a lot,” Pasupuleti said. There is also evidence that cricket is becoming more popular in other parts of St. Louis. At Love Park in Ballwin, there is a cricket field used for practices and games. In 2017, a cricket field opened in Dardenne Prairie and another field on Highway DD in St. Charles County. The field on Highway DD is owned and operated by the ACAC.

Another sign of the rising popularity of cricket in Missouri is the Missouri Interschool Cricket Tournament. This is the direct result of the ACAC’s school outreach program. When it was first held in 2018, there were five teams in the tournament. In the second year of the tournament, in 2019, the number of teams grew to seven. Another thing that the ACAC does that attracts more cricketers is allowing girls to play cricket. While there is an International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup, there are very few opportunities for girls to play cricket at the youth level. The ACAC, however, allows girls to become a part of the academy for free. Cricket continues to grow in the St. Louis area, and along with the ACAC, other cricket organizations around St. Louis are at the forefront of this movement.

The Basics of Cricket

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Sports

Sept. 25, 2019

American Cricket Academy and Club fielders run for the ball during a cricket game at the Labor Day National Cricket Tournament. â&#x20AC;˘ photo by VIJAY VISWANATHAN

A batsman from Texas swings and makes contact with the ball to score two runs. Texas went on to win the game with 96 runs. â&#x20AC;˘ photo by VIJAY VISWANATHAN

Cricket was invented in Great Britain during the late 16th century and is often known as a cousin of baseball. Cricket is mainly played in the United Kingdom and countries that were former colonies of the United Kingdom or current members of the Commonwealth. There are a few distinctions that make cricket different from baseball. A baseball field is in the shape of a diamond, but a cricket field is in the shape of an oval. Both games score using runs, but the method of scoring is very different in both sports. In baseball, there are singles, doubles, triples and home runs. In cricket, you can hit the ball anywhere and score. Final scores in cricket normally wind up in the 200s. In baseball, there are nine standard positions. In cricket, there are 11 standard positions with names such as square leg, cow corner and point.

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Sports

Sept. 25, 2019

Junior quarterback TJ BRIGHT warms up before the Parkway North jamboree at the beginning of the season. He transferred to LHS this year from Cuba, Missouri and is splitting starting duties with junior Blake Micek. The Lancers will travel to Northwest on Friday, Sept. 27 to take on the Lions. • photo by SOPHIA SCHELLER

New QB transfer adds ‘dual threat’ to team ABBY STEBNER • Staff Reporter •

Coming from a small school in Cuba, Missouri, junior TJ Bright joined the varsity football team at Lafayette this year and is splitting time in the quarterback position with junior Blake Micek. He moved to this area due to his father’s job and better academic opportunities. Bright has been playing football since 3rd Grade. He was also looking forward to moving to the area due to the football training he was doing at Elite Football Academy in Chesterfield as well as the excitement of the new school environment. “I was pretty excited to move here because I didn’t really fit in with the crowd at Cuba High School, and I have always wanted to go to a big high school,” Bright said. When it comes to the school, Bright recognized that teachers at Lafayette are more involved in their students’ success. “The teachers are a lot better. A lot of people have asked me if the classes are harder, but they are not because the teachers actually teach you and don’t just put a test in front of you and expect you to know what to do,” Bright said. Not only does he feel the difference from the teachers, Bright can see the changes in his coaches as well. “The coaching is a lot more intense, but it is worth it because we have good team

discipline,” Bright said. During the summer, Bright participated in the Lancer Power Camp, 7-on-7s and the football team camp. He got to meet with the players almost every day throughout the summer. Head Coach Boyd Manne has been working with Bright in order to make sure the new quarterback is up to date with plays and knows about his opponents. “I meet with Blake Micek and TJ in the mornings mid-week before school and go over film and game plan,” Manne said. “TJ has a strong arm and has an ability to run the football as a dual threat quarterback.” Despite the Lancers’ program being more work, Bright has enjoyed his time on the team so far, especially playing with teammates. “My new teammates are really helpful and want me to succeed rather than trying to bring me down,” Bright said. Micek has been a quarterback with the Lancer football program since the feeder team in 8th Grade. “Whoever is playing well is going to keep playing. TJ and I both understand that,” Micek said. “We are both team players, and we both want to win. However that is going to happen will happen.” Bright said coming from a smaller school to a larger school has been challenging, but exciting.

Because there are a lot more people to carry the weight of the team, he said game days are much less stressful than they were at his old high school. Varsity captain, senior Jalin Reese said the team is adjusting to the new quarterbacks. Last season, senior Joey Moorkamp was the quarterback, but he left the team after tearing his ACL last season. “Getting a new player can sometimes be difficult to get the team to blend,” Reese said. “At first it took time for everyone to get used to each other, but by the end of the summer we all knew each other well, and we became a true football team.” The captains have used team bonding as an effort to acclimate Bright to the team. Reese said, “We have all hung out with him (Bright), showing the way of a true Lancer. We have made sure that he knows he is welcome and knows the team has his back.” Although he is focused on the present, Bright knows he wants to play football in the future. “Anywhere would be cool to play at, I just want to play college football,” Bright said. In his first three games in a Lafayette uniform, Bright had 291 yards and four touchdowns. With a passing rate of 105.6, Bright is currently on track to push the Lancers further into the postseason both this year and the next.

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Sports

Sept. 25, 2019

STL finally gets its pro soccer franchise MAYA MANOR • Staff Reporter •

Major League Soccer (MLS) men’s professional soccer was founded in 1993 by the United States Soccer Federation. St. Louis will be home to one of the newest franchise teams in 2022. The new soccer stadium will be located in the Downtown West neighborhood of St. Louis. According to an MLS press release, the St. Louis club will be the first female majorityowned club in MLS history, consisting of six female members of the Taylor family as well as Carolyn Kindle Betz, president of Enterprise Holdings Foundation. Lafayette athletes and coaches are excited for St. Louis’ MLS expansion team. Varsity boys soccer coach Ryan Butchart expects the expansion team to become a success in the city of St. Louis due to the immense amount of soccer fans. “Getting an MLS team will end up being one of the biggest assets for the city of St. Louis,” Butchart said. “It will truly unite our city because of the huge soccer population that we have here. It’s a fantastic feeling to finally have a team.” Despite the probable high demand for tickets to watch the new team play live, Butchart will find a way to be in the stands for a few games. “I will be attending as many games as I can, and I can’t wait to see what the new

stadium looks like,” Butchart said. Butchart had a 20-year career playing soccer and has now been coaching for two years. This is his first season as a head coach, and he is confident he will grow and improve as a coach after attending MLS games. “I am only 24 years old. I still have so much to learn and watching how the MLS coaches analyze the game and make decisions will help me grow over the next several years of my career,” Butchart said. While he was growing up, Butchart watched professional soccer frequently and tried to emulate the actions of certain players based on the position he played. He hopes as his players watch the MLS games, they will do the same thing. “Players going to these games will help them expand their overall knowledge and IQ of the game. The more that they watch, the more they learn,” Butchart said. “The Lafayette soccer program has a ton of talent, so it’s important that they watch and follow these games as much as they can, so they can maximize that talent.” Varsity girls soccer coach Melissa Schroeder agrees the MLS team will be a great new sports venue for our city. Schroeder is excited for her team to see the caliber of play demonstrated by the MLS team. “I am always willing and wanting to learn as much as I can about the game and to be able to see it in person is very beneficial for

me,” Schroeder said. Albeit St. Louis’ huge franchises such as the Cardinals and Blues are hard to surpass, Schroeder has faith that the new soccer team will prosper in the city. “I hope that [the MLS team] does well here. It will be hard to beat out the Cardinals and Blues since those teams have such a long line of tradition. St. Louis is a big soccer city in general, so I think that it will really take off,” Schroeder said. “I plan to attend several games in the upcoming years.” Junior midfielder Jonathan Denen is also looking forward to professional soccer in St. Louis. “I think it’s great for the city. St. Louis is already a great area for soccer. A handful of players have come out of here to play professionally, and I think the addition of a team in St. Louis will increase the interest in soccer to another level,” Denen said. Denen said it will be helpful for him and other Lafayette soccer players to attend MLS games. “We could definitely learn a lot from MLS games. Watching [professional soccer] in person would be super beneficial in developing our positioning and work ethic,” Denen said. Denen thinks as long as the owners create an enjoyable atmosphere for fans, it will be a great success for the city. “If the venue is good and St. Louis is welcoming, I think it’s possible for soccer to take over,” Denen said.

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved a stadium financing plan and provided tax exemptions for the construction of the $200+ million stadium. The stadium will be located on Market Street near Union Station and will be built in time for the first MLS game in March 2022. • photo by CHLOE BAKER

Despite many changes to the building on 17050 Clayton Rd., much has remained the same over the past 30 years. Such is the case with the east entrance at the pool doors. â&#x20AC;˘ photo by DELANEY STULCE