Corral Issue 3, Vol. 63, Dec. 14, 2018 by Parkway Central Corral

Corral

Revising Recycling pg. 6-7

Parkway Central High School, Chesterfield, MO 63017 Vol 63, Issue 3 Dec. 14, 2018

Body counts, drugs, sex, nicotine, relationships, double standards, weed, beer, procrastination, stress, anxiety, envy, hook-ups, parties, juuling, heart break, curfews, MIP, depression, addiction, reliance, suspension, promises, risk, tension, harassment Body counts, drugs, sex, nicotine, relationships, double standards, weed, beer, procrastination, stress, anxiety, envy, hook-ups, parties, juuling, heart break, curfews, MIP, depression, addiction, reliance, suspension, risk, tension, harassment pg. promises, 12-13 Body counts, drugs, sex, nicotine, relationships, double standards, weed, beer, procrastination, stress, anxiety, envy, hook-ups, parties, juuling, heart break, curfews, MIP, depression, addiction, reliance, suspension, promises, risk, tension, harassment, stress, sex, alcohol, envy

Pressure Expectation Participation

Cover design courtesy of senior Maggie Kolkan

Staff Editorial

Corral Editor-in-Chief Athena Stamos Managing Editor Wesley Henshaw Copy Editor Madeline Lee Entertainment Editor Brett Smith Features Editor Jenna Lazaroff News Editor Henry T. Eubank Opinions Editor David Amirdjanian Photography Editor Gabby Abowitz Sports Editor Logan Potts Social Media Director Abby Prywitch Online News Editor Claudia Sanders Online Features Editor Sydney Stahlschmidt Online Sports Editor Alex Maisenhelder Staff Writers Jay Bowen Kaylee Canoy Avery Cooper Lindsay Dehn Eva Deniszczuk Tori Favazza Myori Felix Megan Fisher Lee Foust Sally Hanser Patrick McColl Ryan Pham Mackenzie Rush Haydn Schertz Danni Schneiderman Taylor Stern Margaret Vierling Carly Wasserman Shoshana Weinstein Trey Williams Adviser Mrs. Christine Stricker

Access to nutrition facts is a basic right students deserve Corral Staff

n a school filled with all types of people: Muslims, Jews, Christians, athletes, vegans, vegetarians, and every other subset of society being represented in one school, there are some key things that must be met. The first is the acknowledgment of dietary restrictions based upon religion, allergy, or personal choice based on any number of things. In order to create a more welcoming environment for the 1,200 students of Parkway Central High, nutrition facts should be present and visible for every food item offered in the lunch lines. While we understand how expensive and time-consuming this may be, and the information is online, we also recognize that there are students who need to be able to read those nutrition facts in order to decide if they can eat the given lunch that day, and that by not being able to see what is in the food causes an immense amount of stress for these students. Not everyone can bring their lunch everyday. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances cause a student to leave their lunch at home, or cannot afford to bring their lunch to school. The school should recognize this and assist by providing the nutrition facts that show the ingredients and the nutrition content of the food items. For Muslim students who keep Halal, meaning that they do not eat meat, even marshmal-

Yays Yays!

•• So close to the end of the semester. •• Less than a month away from 2019 and we need a do-over. •• It’s holiday season!! •• Winter sports are doing amazing! Keep it up :) •• Winter break, where ya at?

lows can pose a problem. For Jewish students who keep kosher or for vegans, the unsuspecting dairy ingredients in some foods will sneakily give them issues. Lactose intolerant students, gluten free students, vegetarians and vegans, religious students, and students with food allergies deserve the right to know exactly what they are eating. In addition to food restrictions, athletes or other students who would like to know how much sodium or sugars or other ingredients are in their food. Some students carefully monitor what they eat, and that can be difficult if they don’t know what is in the food their being given. Therefore, students should receive the food information in order to monitor what they are putting in their bodies, which will also help students become more responsible adults because they are being mindful of themselves and their food. Recapping, nutrition facts should be visible and available for every food item offered at the Parkway Central lunch lines in order to better accommodate students so that they can have an enriching educational life, as well as help to prepare them for adult life. Correction: On the story on Carvedoo last issue, CarVon takes inspiration from the Migos. He is not related to them.

Neighs Neighs •• This weather is rough :( Thanks for the 50 degree days tho •• Get ready to cram for all those last minute tests and project #rip •• Finals week is fast approaching!! •• The lack of sleep is real, folks. •• How are those standardized tests going, juniors?

We want to hear from you! Our goal is to always report the truth.

The Corral is a student-written, edited and produced publication of Parkway Central High School, 369 N. Woods Mill Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017; 314-415-7978. The Corral is given away free of charge to students and faculty. Subscriptions and patronships for one year may be purchased, starting at $20. The goal of this publication is to provide accurate, informative and entertaining information in the true spirit of responsible journalism and to operate as an open forum for students, faculty, administrators and parents. The Corral is created on Hewlett-Packard and Mac computers using Adobe Creative Suite 6 and is published by PJ Printing. Unsigned editorials reflect the views of the editorial board. Signed columns and artwork reflect the views of that individual. The staff appreciates comments and suggestions. Letters to the editor, guest editorials and other correspondence are encouraged but must be signed. The Corral reserves the right to publish or refrain from publishing, as well as edit, all submitted material.

What are your yays and neighs? pchcorral.com @pchcorral Pch_publications Parkway Central Publications Pchpublications

Opinions

PREMATURE CHRISTMAS DECORATING How early is too early to start putting up decorations? Myori Felix Staff Writer

hen Halloween is wrapping up and Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and fall festivities are coming to an end, it can be tempting to jump the gun and start getting excited for Christmas. But when I’m driving around chesterfield barely a week into November and I notice Christmas lights illuminating a few houses in some neighborhoods, I can’t help but feel a little outraged. What about Thanksgiving? Shouldn’t we let it have its time before ultimately overlooking the rest of the best season of the year? Don’t get me wrong now, I am an absolute lover of the Christmas season. The lights, the songs, the snow, the movies and shows. I just think we need to let fall run its full course before jumping on the Christmas wave. Plus, it only makes everything 10 times more exciting when you can finally start getting ready for this holiday. If we would just wait until the other holidays have passed we could let Christmas shine in the spotlight, while still giving Thanksgiving its time. Especially this year when we barely got a Fall, the weather practically jumped from winter to summer with only a few scarce days of the sacred weather we all adore. So with the weather already neglecting this season, we have to take a stand against premature Christmas decorating and at least hold off until after Thanksgiving. I’ve heard the argument of putting Christmas lights up earlier to avoid the crippling cold in mid November and early December, and I completely agree, but they should still stay off until Christmas comes around. Plus, it saves energy! Putting Christmas lights up excessively early contributes to excess power being burned for no reason. At the end of the day, Christmas lights are a joyous addition to this season and no matter when they shine, they’ll be appreciated.

Christmas lights in the city. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Q&A: VEGAN LIFE RAW AND UNCUT

Senior tests out what it takes to be a vegan for a month Lindsay Dehn Staff Writer

vegan is someone who makes a choice in their diet, to cut out any products that comes from animals including products and clothing. Senior Sophia Anguelova decided to go vegan for a month in August. Here’s how her experience went.

Q: Why did you go vegan? A: “By eating meat, you’re eating the tissue of a decom-

posing animal. If it’s not decomposing, then its been treated by harsh preservatives like nitrites. I watched a documentary and became knowledgeable about what I was putting into my body. So I decided to try it out.”

Q: When did you decide to go vegan? A: “I started at the begging of August and it lasted till

September.”

Q: Have you noticed any physical/mental differences in

your everyday life? A: “My first two weeks were challenging, my body was not used to such a drastic change in my lifestyle. After that, I noticed my skin was more vibrant, I had more energy throughout the day, and overall felt a lot better.”

Q: What was difficult about going vegan? A: “The thing that was most difficult for me was giving up

my favorite Chips Ahoy cookies. It was difficult but I ate healthy before going vegan, the only thing I missed most was dairy. Being vegan is a little more time consuming for preparation.”

Q: What was easy? A: “It was easy to eat healthy, since I was normally doing

that. Knowing that I was doing it for a good cause helped me get through it as well.”

Q: Opinions on people who aren’t vegan? A: “I just think people should take a step back and realize

what they are putting into their bodies and do a little more research on veganism and spread awareness to your friends and family. Veganism is only getting more and more popular in society.”

Q: Would you ever go back to a vegan lifestyle? A: “Maybe one day, it was a really cool experience but I

missed a lot of foods. I definitely recommend trying it out and doing some research before you try it.”

A wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains commonly found in a vegan diet. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Opinions

PCH PUBLICATIONS WANTS YOU! Let your creativity free in our wide selection of courses Claudia Sanders Online News Editor

arkway Central offers a variety of publication classes including but not limited to Newspaper, which writes, edits, and designs The Corral. Newspaper is a student led publication advised by Christine Stricker. Being on the Corral gives you so many options whether you enjoy reviewing restaurants or movies, sharing your opinions, or using your creativity to add something new to the mix. We’re always looking for new ways to spice up the newspaper by adding different talents from the unique group of individuals Central High has to offer. If you have skill in drawing or digital design, you can help create the covers and graphics in the paper.

ism. From there you can join PCHTV, Yearbook, or Newspaper. The great thing about the Corral is that there’s a lot of freedom to be creative whether you choose to write a story about the

classrooms. One classroom is filled with Macs and PC’s where we spend most of our time working and the other looks like a traditional classroom where you can complete interviews or just have a quiet space to work. For some people thinking about making a career out of social media, film, or broadcast, publications offers a great class. Broadcast & Production class, also known as PCHTV, teaches camera and video editing skills that can help those wanting to create content on YouTube, or work in the field of media or journalism. If you don’t enjoy writing as much as you do graphic design, photography, talking to new people, or if you have a lot of school spirit, Yearbook could be the best option for you! Students spend time on specific activities taking pictures, interviewing people and designing the page’s layout. These students are in

Reporters Ryan Pham (11) and Haydn Schertz (11) take a break from the hustle while enjoying the last issue of the Corral on our comfy couch. Photo by Claudia Sanders.

Senior Avery Cooper and junior Wesley Henshaw are hard at work creating stories for the December issue of the Corral. Photo by Claudia Sanders.

For people interested in technology, we have an online newspaper where you can create whatever comes in mind as we try and improve the website and increase the amount of people that visit the online Corral at pchcorral.com. If you’ve ever thought about being a part of the Corral, there’s a prerequisite that you must take called Convergence Journalism which is a one semester-long course that will prepare you with all the information needed to be successful in journal-

best water fountain in school or even a more serious topic like global warming. Since the publication is student-led, Stricker allows for our creative minds to take control while still helping us get the tools we need to succeed. In addition, next year the publication staff is traveling to Washington D.C. for the National Scholastic Journalism Convention where not only will you get an amazing journalist experience, but also get to see the beauty of the city. Stricker plans on taking journalism students to see different sights and monuments, listen to many guest speakers, and most importantly, eating out. Each semester, we have three papers to release and on top of those deadlines, there’s two online stories due per semester, and we get to take pictures of a PCH event of your choosing each month for points. There’s a lot of time during the process of creating the next issue where you have time to complete all assignments giving the class a very laid-back, non stress-inducing climate. In the publications classroom there are two different

Junior Taylor Stern and freshman Carly Wasserman working on online stories after completing their stories for our last issue of the semester. Photo by Claudia Sanders.

charge of capturing the memories that can last a lifetime! If you’re ever on the fence about joining, feel free to talk to any of the Corral staff located on the inside of the cover or just come talk to Stricker because we all would be happy to have you! Join the Yearbook, Newspaper or Broadcast for a chance to become a high school journalist and be a part of something amazing!

Join PCH Publications! g?

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Opinions

HOW TO SUCCEED IN ALGEBRA

If you are failing algebra, there are other options Gabby Abowitz

Photography Editor

nyone that has taken Algebra freshman year knows the struggles: getting bad grades on the tests, having to stay after school, extra practice, and being confused. If you have a bad grade in algebra, do not give up yet, there are many options. Last year when I was in algebra it was painful at times, but to get your grade up you need to put in effort. First semester was the most difficult for me. At one point I was failing and I thought ‘oh I’d be fine ending with a C’. But I pushed myself and was happily surprised with the outcome of ending the semester with an A. I got a tutor outside of school that I met with once a week but I also stayed after almost every day to do extra work and retake tests. Fellow students also volunteer as tutors that help teach you one-on-one. Now, I tutor algebra kids and I clearly remember their struggles. Ricky Halteman, an algebra teacher, recommends you be listening and engaged in class to understand what you’re being taught. “For me, the number one thing you need in the classroom is engagement and I remember when I was in school I would stare off into space, doodle, or not pay attention in class,” Halteman said.

“It’s easy to get through certain classes, but if you’re engaged, you’re listening, you’re working on stuff, and you’re participating, I think you’re going to learn more. As a teacher I try to make sure that everyone is engaged and I use a variety of strategies to do that,” Halteman said. This worked for me because I didn’t put in as much effort at the beginning of the first semester, and then I realized how behind I was and it was difficult to bring my grade up. Second semester I gave full attention in class and it ended up being a lot better for me in the long run, considering not having to meet with a tutor at all second semester. Freshman Caitlyn Kang, like many others, has put in the effort to get her grade up. “My grade used to be a C, but now I have a B+,” Kang said. “My grade is how it is because Mr. Halteman helped me. To get my grade up I’m staying after school and I’m going during AC Lab and coming in on Sundays. I try to stay after every single day that I can. Teachers are helping me by giving me worksheets to do and they are motivating me. I’ve been putting in a lot more effort especially since finals are coming up soon. If your struggling I would say to study a lot more and ask your teacher for extra work.” Freshman Aleah Livingston recommends asking for extra work to fully understand the topics. “ My grade used to be an F and now I have brought it up to a B,” Livingston said. “ I usually stay after 2 times a week. Halteman is helping me learn how to

CAN LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS WORK? MacKenzie Rush Staff Writer

elationships and friendships are some peoples’ main priority. Having a super close friend, sister, cousin, or even grandparent move away is difficult to go through. I talked to my peers and teachers about long distance relationships. As a high school administrator, Travis Fast has seen his fair share of student relationships, and Fast himself even has an old college friend that he still communicates with. “I was kind of bummed when they moved away,” Fast said. Brian, Fast’s college roommate and long distance friend, keeps in touch and even comes back to St. Louis routinely. “They come back every 2-3 years we send each other funny texts. We’re both huge Cleveland Brown fans so we talk about football and stuff,” Fast said. For Fast, the distance is just something to get used to. “I mean we’re both grown, we just have to get over it,” Fast said. Erica Spraggins, an administrative counselor, was asked for her input on long distance relationships, and she also has some good points. A close friend she met through her husband lives in Dallas, Texas. Spraggins meets

with her twice a year and speaks often with her to deal with the separation. “Since 2015 we maintain check in sessions with one another at least once a week,” Spraggins said. Obviously, communication is something that really helps keep long distance relationships and friendships alive. Sophia Chelist has a long distance relation with her boyfriend who lives in Nebraska. Although Nebraska is far away, Chelist said, “I don’t really believe that distance is difficult to me. It just sometimes hurts, although I always have something to look forward to in the future like seeing him again and being with him.” Chelist does find it difficult to make plans, as neither of them want to miss school, leaving them only breaks to see each other. In order to keep in contact and keep the relationship strong, Chelist and her boyfriend text all day and FaceTime all night. Distance is hard to deal with when its with someone you truly love or care about and have established a really good relationship with, but you shouldn’t lose hope. “Relationships that you make can be important, so with modern technology it can be easy to stay in touch and give a heads up every once in a while. Nice to communicate and get back together every once in a while,” Fast said.

do math. I’ve been putting in a lot more effort than I expected I would have to.” Freshman Alex Zahariev sees how the teachers are wanting students to reach their full potential. “Teachers are a little more pushy and are kind of like middle school teachers where they like actually care about your grade and they give us work that reflects on the test. If your struggling, keep persevering.”

Algebra teacher Ricky Halteman helps Natalie Williams in sixth hour Algebra lab. Photo taken by Gabby Abowitz.

News

Revising

Wesley Henshaw and Madeline Lee

Managing Editor and Copy Editor

Recycling

their plastic waste, press it into plastic bales, and send it on its way to Asian countries overseas via shipping containers. This method is much cheaper than actually doing any recycling in the United States for a number of reasons. One more interesting reason it’s cheaper is that we get a discount on using those shipping containers. The shipping containers, which are already heading for China because they have to return there, have a sort of “returning-to-China” discount. As a result, transporting the waste overseas was actually cheaper than moving the waste around at home on railways and such. Additionally, it is important to note that the countries were Kirkwood does away with recycling program buying our scrap, so we were actually making money off of it this Many citizens are unaware of the cost of recycling, but this way. China and other countries would buy the scrap to make cost is causing the city of Kirkwood to do away with curbside boxes, toys, and other products that they could make money off recycling programs. of. With lower transportation costs, and the prospect of making An unfortunate reality of curbside recycling is that most money off of the waste, sending recycling to Asia became appealof the recycling in the United States gets exported to China, ing for many countries. where taxes, tariffs and strict restrictions on what can be recycled China recently made a big change to their policy, ceasing such as the quality of paper, which is a large part of what people to take in any more waste, stating that recycling has gotten to recycle. be too much of an environmental concern, as the country was According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch: “Paper makes up taking on too much waste that they couldn’t reuse. For those about a third of the recycling stream at familiar with the general environmental state Republic Services’ recycling facility in of China and its high levels of pollution, this “I think that recycling is Hazelwood — one of two major processdoes not come as a surprise. ing centers for the region’s recyclables”. very important for the Now China has limits on the level of Many city officials believe that contamination that plastic bales sent over community. It’ s importdespite the environmental benefits, the from other countries can contain. Contamamount of money that it cost the city was ant that high schoolers ination levels in these plastic bales refer to just too much. purity of bale, or how much of the bale is know about it so it can the Now, due to this cost, Kirkwood’s the same or can be recycled. Contamination discussion has been made over the make a good impact as occurs whenever wrong objects, such as food termination of the seven-year curbside items and clothing ends up in the same place recycling collection program. The former we grow up.” as plastic bottles and containers. China has recycling collection bins are being placed these limits at one-tenth of a percent Brenna McLain freshman relabeled as trash cans, and Kirkwood contaminated. For context, in the county of citizens must find a new way to recycle, as Monterey, California, some cities typically many citizens see recycling as a vital part of the environment. have a contamination level of roughly 30 percent in their recy“I think that recycling is very important for the community cling. and it’s important that high schoolers know the impact so it can make a good impact as we grow up,” freshman Brenna McClain Changes in recycling affect America said. “If they were to get rid of [recycling], I believe it would As dire as this may seem, effects on America will not be negatively affect the community because we aren’t teaching the so easily seen in everyday life, as most issues will be behind the younger generations the importance of recycling.” scenes. There are still markets for many plastic materials, though Kirkwood expects other St. Louis cities to follow in its currently materials like plastic film have nowhere to go. footsteps, such as Chesterfield. The main effect we’ll see is in the management of our plas“If [Chesterfield were to get rid of recycling], that would tic waste. Even if markets exist, no other country has the capacity be horrible,” senior Bella Neuman said. “It would cause more of China. It was estimated in a Science Advances study that environmental damage and would make it much more difficult approximately 111 million metric tons of waste could be displaced for people who want to recycle.” by 2030 because of this change. t is the eve of trash collection day in the 63017 neighborhood of Appalachian Trail. An empty paper Schnucks bag in hand, you go to gather up the trash bags in your house to put in the collection bin. The paper bag goes with the rest of the trash, and on Tuesday morning you take out only one can- the trash. Recycling has become a thing of the past for Chesterfield, whose policies on recycling followed those of Kirkwood. What is only a possible future for Chesterfield is the current reality for Kirkwood.

Rules from China restrict recycling efforts

Beginning this year, China has implemented a new policy that has completely shaken the recycling market. To put it simply, they stopped importing plastic waste from the United States. For over 25 years, it was the common practice of many richer countries, including the United States, to ship their plastic waste to poorer Asian countries where they could be repurposed, reused and recycled, according to National Geographic. However, the main importer of plastic waste was none other than China, making up 45 percent of plastic waste imports and taking in two-thirds of the world’s plastic waste. The United States, for instance, would take a majority of

With so little waste being recycled in the first place, about 9 percent according to National Geographic, most of it going into landfills, incinerators and the general environment. In the coming years, the already low number of properly recycled items could shrink. Some areas, such as Kirkwood, may decide that recycling programs are too expensive and that they are better off dropping them. However, on a more hopeful note, the large wave made in the global recycling market is thought to potentially pressure countries to find newer and more efficient methods of managing their waste. Perhaps this could be a good thing? But it is still far too early to tell and there’s no guarantee for anything.

Recycling begins with individuals

One cause for the lack of properly recycled waste is that people do not know what can and cannot be recycled. People may recycle something that cannot actually be recycled, or throw something away that could have been. When individuals place something in recycling that cannot actually be recycled in the hope that everything will be recyclable, it is something that is known as aspirational recycling, and it is one of the biggest threats to the cleaner disposal process. As stated earlier, contamination is a large problem with exporting recyclable waste to China. If even one piece of one thousand recyclable items is non-reusable, it causes the entire bin to become contaminated. With contamination standards being so strict, that means that the entire bin may have to go to the landfill instead. With dangers to the environment such as plastic straws and bags, it is important that all waste be disposed of properly. While it takes something organic, such as fruits and vegetables, only a matter of days or months to decompose, it takes plastic bags and styrofoam cups 500 years to decompose at minimum, and these can also remain forever, according to the Science Learning Hub. Instead of going to a landfill, many companies are trying to find ways to reuse these items. Environmentally, this causes a crisis for not only the land, but for the oceans. The movement to get rid of plastic straws has recently picked up steam, but that can only do so much. “People need to recycle more and companies need to make more recyclable packaging,” Neuman said. “That way there’s less waste that’s just sitting around causing pollution, ruining the ocean, and the environment in general.” There is also evidence that rising trash levels have not only degraded the environment, but that it also contributes to rising global temperatures. “There’s no reason to ignore something that’s blatantly and scientifically true,” Neuman said. “This country is going downhill because people are convinced global warming isn’t real when there is actual scientific evidence. They want to do what is convenient now versus what is going to benefit us in the long run.” While some students disagree that the country is going downhill, there is an overall sense that something about the environment needs to be done. “It’s important to recycle and to help the environment,” junior Ryan Finley said. “While the country is still great, something needs to be done. There’s a dump by my house that has been on fire for a couple of years now, polluting the air and the smell, and no one is doing anything about it. Things build up over time and we need to help the future.” Besides knowing what can and cannot be recycled, those who wish to help the environment can reduce the amount of trash that they must get rid of. “My family uses one bag of trash a week,” senior Ritika Ravichandar said. “That’s how much we recycle.” Another possibility for those who want to take action, writing letters to and calling State officials to figure out an alternative way to recycle besides exporting to China is a way to get involved on the political front. Everyday items such as Starbucks cups, pizza boxes, plastic grocery bags, and butter tubs should never be recycled. In addition to these, holiday items such as Christmas trees and Christmas lights should also not be recycled. Story continues on page 7

News

Recycling Degrade Time Many citizens are unaware of how long it takes something to decompose, and scientists are still trying to figure out how long it takes items such as Styrofoam cups to degrade. Due to humans and our plastic products only being around for a couple-thousand years, and modern science and technology being relatively new, scientists are unable to exactly date when Styrofoam cups and plastic bags are able to decompose, and they are estimated to sometimes last forever, while an item such as a glass bottle takes an estimated 1 million years to degrade. When an item goes to a landfill, that means that it must wait to decompose, as opposed to recycling which aims to reuse objects. Graphic created by Madeline Lee.

Item Vegetables Paper Cotton T Shirt Orange Peels Tree Leaves Wool Socks Milk Cartons Tin Cans Aluminum Cans Glass Bottles Styrofoam Cups Plastic Bags

How long it takes to degrade 5 days-1 month 2-5 months 6 months 6 months 1 year 1-5 years 5 years 50-100 years 80-100 years 1 million years 500 years to forever 500 years to forever

While many citizens recycle on a daily basis, a majority of them have no idea what happens once they put the item in the recycle bin. The world of recycling is filled with concern, laws, restrictions, and politics that many citizens are unaware of. A global effort with international discussion, recycling starts with the individual at the homefront. Photos by Wesley Henshaw. Many students don’t know what can and can’t be recycled, instead opting to just throw items into the recycling and hope for the best. This kind of behavior is called “aspirational recycling” and is a major problem for the recycling industry. Photo by Wesley Henshaw.

News

THE MYSTICAL MADRIGAL Feast The king and queen continue to take the stage

“It is a medieval type of performance that allows the performers to have fun and express themselves in different ways than a formal choral experience,” Collier said. There is a large amount of work that goes on to make this night happen, besides just setting up the decor. “We take, on average, about a couple weeks in advance to know the music and learn are lines,” Collier said. “Although most kids who have been in choir know the music from years past so it’s not that hard to retain.” What comes along with Madrigal is not just learning songs, but also learning the lines for your role. “What some people may not know is the parents are helping out a lot behind the scenes,” Deck said. “And we have to start practicing our speaking parts for about a month before.” Stage fright can also play a huge factor in such a big event like the madrigal, the students have to gain courage to sing and act in front of a crowd. “At first I felt kind of nervous,” Collier said. “But afterwards once I start singing I relaxed a lot and I didn’t worry about how I’m going to do.” Besides the King and Queen being the leading roles others were also included, such as Jadin Taylor, Lily Rudman, Charlie Schaefer, Chloe Groner, Lily Sueoka, Autumn Goldsby, and Brett Smith.

Jenna Lazaroff Features Editor

long-lasting tradition here at parkway central has been the Madrigal dinner. Hosted here for roughly 30 years, the choir students continued the tradition on Nov. 30, and Dec. 1. “There is a lot of set up in terms of getting the paper up on the walls and the banners on the ceilings,” senior AJ Collier said. “That is mainly the hardest part and then memorizing the lines is another thing.” When entering the building before school on the Monday before Madrigal, students can see the hard work from their peers. Madrigal is an event that is put on by the choir students. “You’re in a ‘castle,’ and you watch each choir perform,” senior Felina Deck said. “You also listen to the court while they act, and are served dinner by freshmen.” Certain members of the choir are given roles that they carry on throughout the night. The Queen and King of this year were Deck and Collier in the leading roles. “I was really excited to perform,” Deck said. “Especially because the queen had a lot of funny lines. I did have a couple solos and I enjoyed performing them.” For some students Madrigal isn’t just a high school event. Collier has been apart of this memorable event since 7th grade.

BEYOND BOOKS

St. Louis County Library updates inventory with more than books for checkout

Shoshana Weinstein Staff Writer

Seniors AJ Collier and Brett Smith act out a scene from the play, right before their next song. Photo Courtesy of Brett Smith.

s information becomes more accessible with the rise of the Internet, many libraries have struggled to remain relevant. However, this is not the case for the St. Louis County Libraries. Made up of 21 separate libraries, the St. Louis County Library system has been actively updating their services for the past several years. One way that the library has been adding to its inventory is by offering more than just books for checkout. “We do have telescopes and other science kits that families can use at home to learn about all kinds of things. So that’s another opportunity for us to share with the community, and bring knowledge to them; there’s usually a waiting list,” Carla Bandle said. Bandle is a circulation assistant at the Sachs branch of the St. Louis County Library. Furthermore, they allow patrons to check out more than just books; they lend musical instruments and cameras, too. “The new Theta 360 kit contains three Theta 360 cameras, each paired with its own corresponding phone also in the kit so students can take 360 degree photos remotely,” school librarian Liz Lyons said. “Students can use the 360 degree photos for web design, photography, etc. or they can build their own Google Expeditions slide shows using their own photos. This would be a fun way to do a virtual tour of Central High for the 8th graders or new students, a virtual tour of an off-site student activity or special event at the school . Lots of possibilities.” The library has also attracted more patrons by increasing

its appeal to children and teens. Most students at Parkway Central likely have fond memories of visiting the library as a child, checking out picture books and listening to stories. The Sachs branch has kept all of these favorites, as well as adding interactive elements. “We have story time, we have book discussions,” library assistant Cathy Lask said. “We have chess programs, we have Legos, just all kinds of programs. I think it definitely is more hands-on.” Additionally, the St. Louis County Library system has incorporated more online services to bring it into the twenty-first century. “We have computers that our patrons can come in and use,” Bandle said. “And then there’s a number of different [computer] classes that we offer. Some of them are specifically geared towards just learning the fundamentals, and then there’s other things that we do on a specialized basis where people actually sign up for classes in doing some of the more sophisticated things on the internet, building up the skill set to set up a website for example.” The library also offers streaming services with tutorials on the use of popular software, such as Photoshop and Adobe Premium. Those internet resources have been especially popular with Central students. Many students turn to the Parkway Central library to find information for research projects, and the library’s databases offer a wealth of material. Unfortunately, these databases cost money, and the school’s library has a finite amount of money. That’s where the St. Louis County Library system comes in. “We have a bunch of databases here at our school that we purchase for students, but there’s a number of

databases that were just too expensive to purchase,” Lyons said. “So for example, they have a biography database that’s extremely useful for students that are having trouble finding information on particular famous people. We also have a literary criticism database that we use for the upper level English classes.” In fact, the St. Louis County Libraries play a large role in the academics of Parkway Central. The library’s dedicated staff work closely with the librarians here at Central. On a regular basis, they bring everything from books to community outreach programs to Parkway schools. “They’ll deliver to our school some of the copies of the books that we need for students to be able to borrow whenever they’re working in their ELA classes,” school librarian Angie Watson said. “They also can come down sometimes and booktalk for us. One of the librarians came down a few years ago and did a library card drive at lunch for students, and they’re also very knowledgeable about young adult literature, so sometimes they’ll come in and talk about books that are out. They’ve been really helpful for us.”

What does the library have to offer? • • • • • •

Telescopes Science kits Kids’ programs Musical Instruments Cameras Databases

• • •

Computer literacy classes Streaming Services Career Online High School programs

Sports

WRESTLERS ATTACK WITH EYES ON PRIZE Megan Fisher Staff Writer

s the beginning of a sport season approaches, preparing for the upcoming season is very important. For the wrestlers at Parkway Central, this includes intense daily workouts. “We have implemented a new weight training system and we have incorporated a comprehensive technical replication approach,” coach Lee Brown said. The goal for the season is to have a few wrestlers qualify for state as well as to have the wrestlers to win half their matches. The wrestlers at Central push each other everyday, both in practice and on the mat at meets to help make this happen. “Everyday we work out and push each other. We work each other like dogs,” sophomore Kalob Duncan said. The wrestling team is very young, consisting of six freshman, three sophomores, and one junior. This leaves room for a lot of learning and growing. The wrestlers are open to the learning and are excited to use what they learn in the upcoming meets. “The practices are long, some days, it feels like it never ends but when you lace up your shoes and put headgear on, it’s just you and the other dude on the mat. You get to use the skills learned in practice, and if you lose, you know you worked hard. It’s good to not be able to blame anyone but yourself. But once you get your first win, something clicks and you just want to do whatever it takes to get your hand raised again.” Duncan said. Coach Brown encourages the wrestlers to become lifelong learners. This is part of the reason he enjoys coaching so much. “It’s inspiring, watching young student-athletes grow into

productive citizens.” For many of them, it is their first year wrestling. With any sport, bonds are made and a family is formed. With all the hard work, and daily practices, the wrestling team is hoping for a successful season.

1 4

1. Andrew Lee (11) prepares for an attack from his opponent from Parkway South. 2. Kalob Duncan (10) attempts to grab his opponent from Parkway West around the chest. 3. Phillip Povarich (9) breaks his opponent, from Parkway South, down to the mat. 4. Lucas Garrett (9) attempts to break his opponents hold to keep Parkway South from winning the match. Photos by Megan Fisher

FALL 2019 BRINGS NEW SPORT TO SCHOOL By Carly Wasserman

Staff Writer

he wait is finally over. A field hockey team will be here next fall. There are no final decisions whether how many levels there will be, but we will be having a team! Nikki Reed, a freshman club field hockey player, can’t wait for next year’s season. Field hockey is her favorite sport and she’s so glad she can play what she loves next year as a high school sport. “I think it’s also a good way to learn teamwork and new skills,” Reed said. It’s going to be an adjustment for Reed to get used to playing with beginners next year but she’s excited. “It’s going to be interesting to play with beginners that have never played before, but it’s going to be fun to watch them learn and get better throughout the season,” Reed said. Nikki has been playing field hockey for almost four years now on the Gateway Field Hockey team. “During the season I have practice one day a week, plus we have games during the weekend,” Reed said. Fellow teammate to Reed, freshman Katelyn Goplen, also plays field hockey. She has been playing for five years now, and is super excited about a team coming to Central next school year. Goplen started playing field hockey five years ago after her friend’s sister told her to play, she is very happy she decided to start then. “I like that it’s such a quick and aggressive sport,” said Goplen. The speed and aggressiveness makes Goplen want to continue playing next season.

Players in the upcoming season will need to purchase their own stick, shin guards, mouth guard, and possibly shoes if they would like. But the school will be providing the goals, balls, additional field equipment, and uniforms for the team. “A normal stick costs around $70, shin guards are around $30, and if you get a good pair of shoes they are around $54,” Goplen said. John Theobald, activities director at Central high, is excited to offer another sport for girls here at the school. “We had tried several years ago, but there wasn’t as much interest as there seems to be now,” Theobald said. “There needs to be at least 20 girls interested in playing next fall, for the program to be viable.” After discovering many girls that are interested and that already play on club teams, he feels that he will be able to meet that goal or even exceed that number for the fall. “We have begun the process of finding people that may be interested in coaching, but we do not have a coach in place at this time,” Theobald said. “Also, no final decisions have been made yet as to what levels we will have playing. We will know more once we have a better idea of how many girls we have come out for the team. Typically though, when you start a brand new program, you compete at a JV level the first year.” Field hockey usually plays on a water based turf, which is a type of field that makes the ball roll smoothly. There are only two water based turfs in Missouri, so next years team will be using the astroturf we already have here at school. If you’re interested in being on the field hockey team next fall, be on the lookout for more information.

NIkki Reed and Katelyn Goplens Gateway team putting there sticks together. Photo courtesy of Nikki Reed.

Sports

VETERANS AND NEWCOMERS

Boys basketball plays with district championship in mind Jayla Walton Staff Writer

arsity athletes in the school are looked at in many ways, but for the most part they are known for giving us pride and confidence in our school. We have a new head coach who is going to continue the Colts tradition of having a strong basketball program. “I’ve been a varsity assistant for 13 years, so I have a tremendous amount of pride in Parkway Central basketball,” Coach Aaron Mueller said. “I learned a lot from Coach Kirby, I am really, really excited to be the varsity coach.” Although the varsity team is under a new staff, that isn’t stopping them from working as hard as ever to prepare for the season. Working is all the Colts have been doing for the season, from long hours in the gym to hard nights in the weight room. “Since the beginning of the school year we’ve been lifting weights having open gym, and shooting in the morning before school, so all the guys who are not playing a fall sport have been putting in a lot of work together to get ready,” Mueller said. “I have been preparing by practicing planning and preparing for our opponents.” A handful of seniors and the newcomers need to learn to adapt to the veterans of the team, we lost eight great players. “We have our pieces we have to put together, we have a lot to figure out. But the four people who played varsity last year I think we can pull it out and have a successful season.” Senior Jayden Little john said. Although we lost a lot of good players last year, varsity

still has faith. “Last year we had a lot of stacked players, and this year losing them we want to show we can still compete,” senior Mello Ball said. We lost eight varsity players, but we still have four great varsity players returning: Devion Harris, Jayden Little John, Mello Ball, and Charlie Meier. “I think we got some good pieces coming back and very committed guys I think we should have a good season,” Mueller said. The team is having to learn a lot of things because of the new coach and a lot of new varsity players. “I think our biggest challenge is overcoming the loss of eight seniors that had a lot of experience. We have four experienced players coming back and we are going to have to put guys around them,” Mueller said. The players believe in the coaching changes and think Mueller is the man for the job. “I’m confident and believe Mills (Mueller) knows what he is doing. Kirby taught him a lot on how to be a successful coach,” Littlejohn said. The Colts are setting high goals for the upcoming season, just like every year. “I am expecting for us to win 20 games, a conference championship and district championship,” junior Devion Harris said. The Colts are off to a really good start this season dominating the other Parkway schools in the Parkway tournament.

Junior center Devion Harris goes up for a shot against St.Charles West on Dec. 7. The Colts won the game 51-38. Photo by Christine Stricker

NEW HEAD COACH, SAME EXPECTATIONS Haydn Schertz Staff Writer

eing a head coach at Parkway Central is a big responsibility, especially when filling in the shoes of a Hall of Fame coach and former teacher Rick Kirby. But there is no one better to fill his shoes than new head coach Aaron Mueller. Entering his 15th year as a basketball coach, no one has bigger expectations than Mueller himself. “My goals for our team this season remain the same as they always were for Coach Kirby, to win a conference championship, and win 20 games,” Mueller said. The expectations have not changed for the Parkway Central Colts and Mueller is no stranger to running a basketball program. “My dad Kirk Mueller was my high school coach and I believe I’ve been learning how to coach and run a program since I was about 4 years old,” Mueller said. His father, who was his high school basketball coach, is one of his many mentors. “I am so thankful for all the people that have helped me get to where I am as a coach, including my dad, Coach Goldy, Coach Pannett, and Coach Kirby,” Mueller said. Along with being a basketball coach, Mueller was also a former football coach here at Parkway Central. “I loved coaching football. The camaraderie I shared with our football staff was second to none. I also loved the strategic aspect of coaching special teams and trying to make that an advantage we had against our opponent every week,” Mueller said. When Mueller was a coach in the program they had a lot of great years with a lot of playoff wins. “Also, the playoff and state

runs we had in football, especially in 2007, 2012, 2013, and 2018 are some of my best memories in coaching,” Mueller said. This year is his first year not coaching football here at Parkway Central. “Mueller and I talk all the time and he has been preparing for this for years,” football coach Mark Goldenberg said. “He and I talk about everything from how to deal with parents students and the program as a whole. Mueller was unreal as an assistant, he was organized and unbelievably prepared. And he was very smart and a great football mind. Mueller will do fantastic and I am looking forward to him being great for a long time. I miss him on my staff but am very happy for him.” The expectations that Mueller has is shown through his players play style and demeanor. One of this year’s seniors, Jayden Littlejohn, who has been in the program for four years, is a key example. “I expect Muells to bring that same intensity and focus that he’s always had, he also expects the same out of me,” Littlejohn said. Another senior Caleb Tillis who has been in the program for three years is another key attribute to the team and his goals are set high for the team this season. “My goal for the team this season is for the team to continue to have fun playing alongside each other, continue to bring defensive intensity and win State as the outcome,” Tillis said. Mueller will continue to carry on the Parkway Central Basketball legacy with his competitive edge and useful experience. The Colts will look to have a great year with great leadership and great expectations with a 5-1 record.

Coach Aaron Mueller watching and cheering on his team versus St.Charles on December 7, 2018. Photo by Christine Stricker.

Sports

GIRLS: SHOOTING FOR STATE graduating last year, they have a head start. “It definitely helps with chemistry on the court, and it is going to be an easier transition he girls basketball team is coming off of earlier in the season,” junior Brooke Hilton a season in which they fell to MICDS in said. districts. However, this year they have Hilton is not the only returning Varsity swapped places with Ladue and are now a part player to feel this way. of Class 5. This means that they will have new “Our chemistry has increased so much competition at the district since last year and everyand conference level. thing clicks a lot easier,” But the back-to-back junior Jayla Kelly said. “Evdefending Class 5 State eryone encourages each Champions, Kirkwood, other and plays for each are in their district. other, we don’t play for “We are in the any selfish causes. We all hardest conference in the make one another better to area,” Head Coach Brian succeed.” Guilfoyle said. “Every Even with strong night we have really chemistry and an imprestough games, which is sive start, it is also key for good.” the players to step up in Brian Guilfoyle Head Coach They opened up their the moment; just like Jayregular season with a convincla Kelly has in the Tip-off ing win over Parkway South 54-39, following it Tournament. Posting 16 points against Parkway up with a sound win over Parkway West 58-43, South, and more than 20 against Parkway West and closing out the tournament with a hardand Parkway North. Averaging 20 points a game fought 61-50 win over Parkway North to secure for the tournament. the Tip-off Tournament; a good start to what is “Olivia and I are the captains, we always hopefully a successful and victory laden season. want to get hyped and pick ourselves and the Everyone on the team is working hard other girls up,” Hilton said. towards a collective goal: a state championship. Hilton averaged over 12 points a game However, for their goal to become reality everyacross the tournament. one has to put in the work to get past the tough With the tournament win behind them, teams like Kirkwood. And, with only one player sights are now set on the rest of the season. One

Alex Maisenhelder Online Sports Editor

“Probably the best team we have ever had at Parkway Central talent wise.”

team that is on most radars is Incarnate Word. “Incarnate Word is going to be difficult,” senior Megan Stephens said. Stephens is not the only returning starter that is looking forward to that game. “Our toughest opponent will probably be Incarnate Word, and anybody in the Visitation tournament will be good,” Hilton said. Incarnate Word is the defending Class 4 State Champions, and another tough team will be St. Joseph’s who were class 5 Semi-finalists last year; in addition Hazelwood Central will also be a formidable opponent, having lost to St. Joseph’s in the Quarter-final last year. “These are all very good teams who we compete very well against or have never played before and are some of the best and toughest in the area,” Kelly said. To compete with these good teams requires good team effort and team work. “All of the girls play really good defense,” Guilfoyle said. “Olivia Stephens is a tremendous leader, Brooke Hilton gives us a lot of different dimensions, Kennedy Moore brings us amazing defense, Cynaa Coleman handles the ball really well for us at point, and all of our other players who are really going to contribute this year.”

Above: Junior Brooke Hilton looks to pass to an open player on Dec. 11 against the Ft. Zumwalt West Jaguars. Photo by Megan Fisher. Left: Senior Olivia Stephens looks to pass the ball against Ft. Zumwalt West. Stephens scored four points. Photo by Megan Fisher.

WINTER SPORTS ATHLETES TO WATCH

said. “This is something I love to do and I will stick with it.” Look for Ball to have his best season yet and achieve Sports Editor the goals he has set for himself. enior Mello Ball has very high expectations with him Being a freshman on varsity is always a very tough thing going into his senior year as a starting guard on the boys to do. Most varsity players are in their junior or senior year and basketball team. it can be rare to be on varsity as a sophomore. Freshman Maggie “I expect myself to get first team all-conference, and averHuff looks to make an impact at the varsity level as the only age 15 points per game and average 6 assists,” Ball said. freshman on the team. In the three games played so far this season, Ball is averag“It’s fun being a freshman on varsity,” Huff said. “All the ing 17 points per game and 6.67 assists. Last season, Mello played girls are really nice and they know that it’s a learning process and in 17 games, averaging 3.8 points per game and .76 assists. give me tips and advice.” “As a team, I want to be conference champs and win disHuff wants to go out and get better throughout the season. tricts,” Ball said. “Doing this will take a whole team effort, good “I just want to work on the things I have to work on and get practicing, and playing together.” better every game,” Huff said. Last season, the team lost in the State quarterfinals and So far, the team is 4-0 with their closest game being an 11 won their district. They finpoint win over rival Parkway North. ished with a 24-6 record and “I don’t necessarily have a set goal it will be hard to duplicate for the team, however I think it would be that success this season as really cool to make it to state,” Huff said. the team has a new coach That is something that could be in Aaron Mueller and they reachable as the team went 22-5 and only lost three out of their top five graduated one senior from last year’s scorers from last year. Since team. Look for Huff to carve out a role it is Ball’s last year, he will be and make an impact on a loaded team leaving the program and has this season. future plans on his radar. On the opposite side, it is very rare “I do plan on playing to not have a senior on a varsity team. in college, but I haven’t deThat is the current situation the wrescided where to go yet,” Ball Junior Andrew Lee looks to pin a Parkway South Wrestler on 12/7. Photo tling team is in as they have no seniors

Logan Potts

by Megan Fisher.

and have only one junior. That junior is Andrew Lee who is brand new to the sport. “A lot of us are relatively new to the sport, and we have a lot of sophomores and freshmen on the team,” Lee said. “A good goal for the team would be to learn as much as we can this year to become an extremely powerful Senior Mello Ball dribbles the ball up the court in a game against St. Charles on 12/7. Photo by Christine team for years to Stricker. come.” As the oldest player on the team, Lee will be looked up to by younger wrestlers even with his inexperience. “There is very little pressure being the oldest on the team because everybody acknowledges that we are a team,” Lee said. Along with being inexperienced, Lee was one of the latest wrestlers to join the team. “I was one of the latest to join the team so even though I was the oldest, I was the least experienced for a long time,” Lee said.“It was a little embarrassing to be helped over and over by

Continue reading ATHLETES on page 20

Cover Story

Pressure Expectation Participation

FACING THE REALITIES OF HIGH S Students open up about drugs, sex, and social life Henry T. Eubank News Editor

n high school we all face some sort of stress regarding homework, tests, teachers, or something that relates to the academic realm, but there is always more than just that: friends, relationships, drama, drugs, sex, alcohol, procrastination, parties, fitting in, peer influence, anxiety, angst, jealousy, hook-ups, body counts (number of people you’ve had sex with), dating, being noticed but not standing out. These are all feelings that most high schoolers will face at some point in the four year career. As middle schoolers we sat through numerous seminars, talks, and presentations that highlighted the dangers of the use of drugs and alcohol. The point of these talks was to inform and educate middle schoolers on the risks of using drugs and alcohol at an early age. For some, this was very effective. According to a survey conducted by the Corral, 60.4 percent of students say they have never drank alcohol, and 78.1 percent of students claim they have never used marijuana. These statistics are encouraging, but it isn’t the whole story. For the number of kids who have participated in using drugs, alcohol, and vaping devices, the path to engaging in these activities was sometimes difficult and uncomfortable. Along with kids using illegal substances, a majority (53.1 percent) of kids feel pressured to modify their behavior and actions to conform to what their friends may or may not do. This is to be expected, it is natural for people to conform, but their surroundings should not influence who they are. Some kids won’t even try or do something if their friends wouldn’t do it themselves. “I care about what others think of me so I wouldn’t do something that my friends wouldn’t do,” junior Valerie* said. High schoolers realize that just like sports and getting into college, social life can be competitive at times. Social life, for some, can be very stressful, with each action being calculated to give them the best chance of succeeding socially. “I wish to be liked at school. I know that one rumor, or one mistake on my part, could be social suicide,” senior Bailey said. Is this a tragedy? That the perception of many students is that one mistake might cost them acceptance among their peers? Even if one mistake might not actually make people not want to like you. It is bad enough that over half of Central High students feel the need to modify their behavior and dress to fit in, but it gets worse. 33 percent of students say that have felt pressured to participate in intimate behavior to appease someone other than

themselves. Of those who say they have felt pressured to participate “If I wasn’t going to be judged for having fun with boys I in intimate behavior, 87.5 percent were females. Not to say it makes probably would more often but I hate being judged by people so I it okay if the person pressured was a male, but there is a double don’t do it as much,” senior Jamie said. standard at play when it comes to intimate interactions between Transitioning from sexual encounters and the double boys and girls. standard that males and females face regarding intimate behavior, “As a guy I want the highest body count as possible bethere are other areas where high schoolers feel tremendous prescause I want to have a higher number than my friends,” sophomore sure as well. Drugs, alcohol, vaping, and other illicit substances are Dennis* said. ¨But if a girl has a higher body count, people think also very prominent within our school and have a strong presence she’s a slut and don’t want to mess with her.” among many social groups. 40.2 percent of kids at Central consume The expectation is different for boys and girls when it alcohol on a semi regular basis, an incredibly high number considcomes to sexual relationships. Stereotypiering that it is illegal for anyone to consume alcohol cally girls are “supposed” to stay modest under the age of 21 (excluding religious requireand go steady, while boys are encouraged ments). by other boys to have as many sexual The statistics regarding vaping are very similar encounters as possible. This is not the alcohol statistics. 40.2 percent of kids are vaping case for all students, but enough of them on somewhat of a regular basis (yes, it is the exact have bought into this concept to make same number as kids drinking alcohol, however a difference in how people approach they are not all the same people). Juuling has garintimate relationships. nered lots of national attention with several reports “I know that it’s unfair to coming out citing how high schoolers have taken girls the way things are, but I can’t do up the vaping device as a new activity that domanything about it. I figure I should just go inates bathrooms at our school. Of the kids who along with it because it’s just what we do, claim they have used a Juul or some other vaping it’s like a competition,” sophomore Lewis device on a somewhat regular basis, 35.8 percent of said. kids report using during/at school. Girls in this school understand The marijuana statistics show that far less kids that participating in sexual activity are using 22.7 percent of the school are consuming brings along great risk regarding their various forms of marijuana regularly, 3.1 percent of reputation after the fact. kids using it at school. That is a relatively small Mallory senior “I have always been cautious amount compared to the whole school, but the on who I decide to hook up with, because I fact is that 14.6 percent of kids that use marijuana know that they might make me out to be something that I’m not,” are using it throughout the school day. senior Monica said. Why are such a significant number of kids using and Some girls feel as if they are expected to do what boys ask abusing illicit drugs and substances? We all have sat through a of them. number of speeches, seminars, or presentations stressing the risks What we have is a clear double standard regarding what and dangers of drug use. So why do 40.2 percent of us use them? is expected of males and females when it comes to sexual encounThat is a pretty high number when you think about it, two out of ters. Boys have an expectation set by their male peers to hook up every five kids break the law ingesting a substance. One student with as many girls as possible while girls are supposed to stay said they started to Juul as just a regular activity but it turned into modest and not run around with several different boys. The bottom an addiction. line is that there is a double standard in how males and females “I started as a joke but it turned into an addiction,” junior are expected to approach each other regarding intimate encounters Terrell said. and it causes social anxiety for both sides. But there are more cynical causes to this phenomenon

“When people come up to you and ask if you want to hit their Juul, your instinct is to say yes without even thinking.”

Cover Story

SCHOOL than people just taking it up as a hobby. seemed fine, then I decided to try it too because they seemed to be “Stress and anxiety is a big part [for smoking weed], but having more fun than I was,” Oscar said. it’s also a social thing too,” senior Clint said. One kid just likes to drink at parties because it enhances Pressure from school, friends, and family have a lot to do their overall experience, “ I don’t need it to have fun at a party, but it with kids using marijuana according to responses to the Corral surmakes it way easier to enjoy it, that’s for sure,” junior Valerie said. vey with responses such as “It helps with my depression” and “...I Vaping happens to have similar reasons behind why peowas overwhelmed with the stress of school, and my friends offered ple started to do it, but the use is different. Where drinking occurs some to ease my anxiety.” predominantly at parties or in social settings, vaping is done pretty Speaking with kids face to face about marijuana usage, much everywhere. more in-depth responses were given. “I Juul pretty much all the time, if I weren’t addicted I “I mainly smoke because I can and when I smoke I can would stop, but that’s how addiction works… I started because my still function and act normal while I’m high. I’ve realized it is a friends were doing it,” senior Rowan said. stress reliever too with school and family stuff, it just helps me get Vaping and alcohol, along with marijuana, are being used through tough times,” senior Oscar said. by a significant number of students here at Parkway Central. Which Alcohol and vaping, while having is interesting because most of the kids who go to similar amounts of kids using them, their “Once I was pretty in- high school here also went to the middle school uses however, are very different. Kids mainly where they would have sat through several toxicated and this guy speeches, seminars, and presentations about drinking at parties and hangouts, where a significant percentage of kids who vape do it the risks of drugs and alcohol with reasons that wouldn’t stop asking throughout the day at school. Why at school? they shouldn’t be used. Also, at the high school for a sexual favor. He level there are a number of different clubs to Probably because they’re addicted to the nicotine. Numerous respondents to the Corral be involved in that promote abstaining from kept asking no matsurvey cited an addiction to Juuling because drug or alcohol usage. When sophomores take of the nicotine in Juuls. ter how many times I their required health class, there is a drug abuse “Honestly I’m just addicted to unit where students are educated on the risk of said no, it was never nicotine,” senior Debbie said. consuming said substances. Health teacher and Alcohol is used most commonly on enough to get him to coach Michael Wright believes it is best to inform the weekends at parties, a small percentage the kids of what they might be putting into their stop.” (2.1 percent) of kids claim they drink during bodies and the affects those substances may the week, but the rest are mostly on the have on said body. Keisha senior weekends. “Our end goal is educating kids when “I drink because it’s a fun way to be socialize with people there are pressures in life, to have healthy coping skills… as opand be engaged,” junior Dustin said. posed to unhealthy coping skills such as drugs and alcohol,” Wright So kids are drinking at parties and vaping regularly, said, “If you’re facing pressures and the way you’re finding relief is even at school. Why is this? Like marijuana it is illegal for any going to drugs and alcohol, that’s obviously not an overall healthy high schooler to drink, and anyone who is under the age of 18 are way to handle it.” not legally allowed to vape, in addition to the fact that any and all Unfortunately, that is exactly what seems to be happensmoking is banned on campus. The reason differs for marijuana using to many kids. But most of the respondents to the survey claim age. Where kids smoke weed to ease stress and wash away anxiety, they use drugs and alcohol just to have more fun despite the risks. kids tend to vape and drink because they find it fun to do socially. By moderating how much they do irresponsible things, most kids It’s a mixture of peer pressure, comfort, and risk taking that teens think they are being responsible. are susceptible to. “It is good to let loose every once and awhile, but not too “I didn’t feel pressured... I just saw that they were and they much because it can mess you up,” senior Jackie said regarding

drinking. Despite the numerous times we’ve been told to not partake in drugs and alcohol, we still participate. Health teachers and the drug free club organizers would like kids to take in the information they’re given and respond to peer pressure and stress appropriately (abstaining from drugs and alcohol) but they aren’t naive enough to believe that every kid is going to take the information they are given and act on it the way they’re supposed to. “We know that kids aren’t always going to listen to us, but the hope is that we can educate them on the facts about the substances they might use so they can be safer when they are using them,” Wright said. With that being said, is our health curriculum successful or has it let some of us down and failed? “I really did learn from that class, it just gave me some information that makes me feel safer when I decide to hang out and do those things,” freshman Bruce said. Judging the effectiveness of health classes and these safe and drug free programs is impossible to quantify. Obviously, their goal is for all kids to say no to peer pressure and these substances, clearly that isn’t the case. But just because kids do things they aren’t supposed to, doesn’t mean the information they were given fell by the wayside. “I learned a lot about the risks of drugs and stuff, so I proceed with caution,” sophomore Violetw said. The same can be said for sexual activity as well. In class, the curriculum covers all sorts of ways for kids to protect themselves from STDs, unwanted pregnancies, and tips on how to keep a healthy relationship. In high school, we all face incredible pressures that aren’t schoolwork. Now many of these extra pressures have something to do with school, such as marijuana usage. Apart from that, many kids find themselves drinking because they want to enjoy parties and socializing in a more exciting way. As far as Juuling goes, the reasons for starting are varied but the conclusion is unfortunately the same in many cases, a nicotine addiction. Beyond substance abuse, sexual pressures built up from a double standard that treats both males and females unfairly that can cause intense insecurity and anxiety for some. It’s really a cycle of sexual tension, school related anxiety, drug abuse, peer pressure to act a certain way, all on top of rigorous classwork and academic expectations. *Names have been changed to protect the identity of sources.

Sports

GIRLS SWIM HAS NEW HEAD COACH

Athletes will miss Meyer’s legacy, but excited for a season with Seidel

Athena Stamos

“We will have some tough meets ahead with great competition, that will force our girls to step up irls swim team has a new head coach, Coach and swim their best,” Seidel said. Stephanie Seidel. Former Head Coach JenniPractice starts off with a set fer Meyer took a step back from coaching to warm up and after they usually have spend more time with her daughter who was born in two sets, and a cool down. SomeJanuary. times practice ends by working on “It was a really hard decision for me to make kicks/starts/finishes/turns/etc. Debecause coaching has been a very important part pending on the day, they alternate of my life for the past 14 years,” former Head Coach between distance days, sprint and Jennifer Meyer said. IM days. Meyer has coached at Parkway Central for 11 Huang is one of the two senior years and three years prior. captains along with Becca Waxberg. “Meyer was a hard coach and she really Huang’s main stroke is freestyle, but pushed us at times,” Tiffany Huang said. “But I think she also alternates between backin the end she really built up my confidence as a stroke and butterfly. swimmer and student.” “Sadly, we lost a lot of amazNow Head Coach Seidel takes the lead. ing members last year,” Huang said. Seidel has a lot of experience as an athlete “But so far I’ve seen a lot of potential and a coach. Seidel started her coaching career in with the newcomers.” Springfield nine years ago. She continued coaching The girls swim team has high in Parkway and also through summer leagues. She standards for the upcoming season. was an assistant coach at “I’m Parkway Central for four years definitely prior to becoming head coach. feeling The assistant coach this pressure beyear is science teacher Nicole cause I have Duncan. big goals Seidel has many goals and it’s my this season and looks forward last season,” Waxberg working with the athletes. said. “But I know it’ll be “Through dedication, great.” commitment and the training Waxberg is most that we have in place this excited to see the team year, Coach Duncan and I are drop time, especially the looking forward to embracing seniors. each swimmer/diver as they “Everyone has overcome their own challengseriously improved since Becca Waxberg Senior Captain es with individual and team freshman year,” Waxberg success,” Seidel said. said. From freshman year, Waxberg has dropped Coach Seidel is keeping the program mostly 33 seconds, and 25 of them came from the her the same. This year the girls are doing more resisfreshman season. tance training in the water, including parachutes, Meyer has always cheered and helped athweights and shoes while swimming, with some dry letes with dry land and with practices. land training during practice. “I think Coach Meyer left a really big im“This concept of training will be beneficial for pression of the way certain things should be done, building strength, stamina, and perseverance in our with confidence and a lot of hard work,” Waxberg team,” Seidel said. said. “I think Coach Seidel intends to carry that on.” On Wednesdays, the team has “Wacky The swimmers have morning practices before Wednesday” which means they do different type of school two days a week. training. “They’re short,” Waxberg said. “But usually “Last week was our first time doing it and we that means they’re a lot harder.” had to swim with tennis shoes and parachutes to They also practice for two hours after school increase resistance,” senior Ariel Berwald said. four days a week, and Saturday mornings. Meyer encouraged Berwald to join the swim “I will remember how encouraging Coach team. Berwald swims mainly freestyle events. Meyer was,” junior Morgan Shea said. “And how she “Having not participated in club swimming always pushed us to become the best we could.” much, my technique needed a lot of work and Meyer Meyer in the future would like to return to was always very helpful,” Berwald said coaching once her daughter gets older. This upcoming season the girls swim will “I enjoyed working with young women and be taking place in a new conference. According to teaching them to be confident, hard-working leadHuang, Marquette, Lafayette, and Parkway South’s ers,” Meyer said. swim team will challenge them this season.

Editor-in-Chief

“I think Coach Meyer left a really big impression of the way certain things should be done...I think Coach Seidel intends to carry that on.”

1. Former Head Coach Meyer and current Head Coach Seidel pose with former Parkway Central swimmers, Madison, Alexis Poe, and Annika Hofer. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Meyer. 2. Senior captain Becca Waxberg just finishes her race at Parkway Central. Photo by Wagner Portraits

3. Seniors Tiffany Huang, Annie Campbell pose for a picture after their swim meet. Photo by Wagner Portraits

Sports

ANNUAL POWDERPUFF GAME: 2018

Everything that goes into making the game a success Danni Schneiderman Staff Writer

he 2018 Annual Powderpuff game was an opportunity for the juniors and seniors to go head to head. The two opposing teams both practiced three times prior to the big game, each practice lasting approximately an hour. In these practices, head coach Ben Silvermintz with the help of senior student coaches, Alex Edelman, Blake Kraizer and Henry Eubank worked hard to teach game strategies and tips to ensure the success of the senior team. Hugh Hodson, Luke Schaeffer and Anthony Klein assisted

the coaching of the junior team under the supervision of Head Coach, David Jafari. Throughout the game the seniors held a consistent lead, performing strategic plays and working hard to block the other team. Many people consider Powderpuff a great way to build new friendships. “It was awesome to unite as a grade and work together as a team with people you don’t normally talk to,” junior Jill Stolte

said.

Left to Right: Seniors Tamar Lerner, Tiffany Huang, Marni Frischer posing for a photo the night of Powderpuff. Photo by Danni Schneiderman

Senior Amari Hurn running into the touchdown zone. Hurn is also a state-qualifying sprinter, which can be seen as she sprints past any defenders that may get in her way. Photo by Danni Schneiderman

Left to Right: Junior MJ Fritz, senior Josiah Runge, junior Ryan Finley, seniors Jonathon Nathan, Preston Chen, and Blake Seigel performing the cheerleading half time routine. Photo by Danni Schneiderman

Many people enjoyed the night and had a lot of fun. “We worked together as a team more than anything and we all wanted the win so we worked hard and helped each other out,” senior Chayse Williams said. All the blood, sweat and tears paid off and the seniors took the crown, the ending score being 21-7.

THE NFL IS BETTER WITH MORE OFFENSE By Patrick McColl Staff Writer

he NFL’s new offensive golden age is upon us. With some teams being able to march down the field almost too easily, some have called for a reform. Whether it be the defense being limited due to rules, or just too much offense for their appetite, some don’t like the NFL as much today as even just five years ago. Say what you want, but I’m not sold on the idea that defense needs to be great in order for the league to thrive. First and foremost, the new “roughing the passer” rule has caused a lot of controversy. This year, the NFL instated a reform of the of the rule by adding an element. According to rule twelve, section two of the NFL Rulebook, “A rushing defender is prohibited from committing such intimidating and punishing acts as ‘stuffing’ a passer into the ground or unnecessarily wrestling or driving him down after the passer has thrown the ball.” Essentially, a defender can’t come in and tackle through the quarterback and then continue and drive him into the ground. Now, a defender must at least try to break his fall or shift himself so that the quarterback doesn’t receive all of his weight. Many weeks into the season, the rule has caused mostly negative reaction. Linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, Clay Matthews, has been called for the penalty multiple times this season. One in particular against Redskins quarterback Alex Smith, in a play where Matthews sacked Smith but in the process continued with his fall and drove Alex into the ground, drawing a ‘roughing the passer’ penalty.

In response, Rodney Harrison of NBC’s Sunday night “Football Night in America,” called the rule “ridiculous”, and said that the NFL should “change the rule, please.” Matt Bowen, seven-year NFL veteran and NFL Writer and Analyst for ESPN said in a tweet talking about the hit that “this is putting pass rushers in a really tough spot.” But does that all really matter? With all of the rules benefiting offense, fair or not, it’s fun television. The NFL now has dominate offenses all over the place. Teams like the Rams with Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, or the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill, and the Saints with Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara. These star players help create dynamic offenses and create fun and explosive highlights. More importantly, with star quarterbacks getting to play this year instead of being hurt, it adds a lot

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff passes the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 in Los Angeles. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)

of interest, it gives teams an identity. Which brings us back, why are we upset about the defensive disadvantage? Yes, for the first time a defender has to think a little before going into hit a quarterback, instead of plowing into him like a hammer and launching him into the ground. It will be a little harder, but it’s not like the defense has ever had to remember the same schemes and routes like an offensive player, so good defenders will learn how to sack the quarterback without driving him into the ground. Two of the top defenders in the game in Aaron Donald and Khalil Mack have combined for only one roughing the passer penalty through week fourteen, and those two are always causing havoc in the backfield. Even with the offenses, this season has seen plenty of highlights from the defensive talent in the league. There have been a lot of game deciding sacks and interceptions that stick out even more when offenses are succeeding at the rate they are. The NFL has figured out that offense gets people watching the games and talking about how amazing that touchdown was or how great that player is. With the past few years showing ratings drops, the NFL is back up 5%, and has had milestones in ratings on games like Rams-Chiefs and Saints-Cowboys. While some people feel the need to bash on the NFL because ‘there is no defense’, the NFL is more interesting when there are offenses lead by star quarterbacks producing points rather than defensive games that are boring and caused by hurt quarterbacks.

Entertainment

HARDCORE AT THE READY ROOM David Amirdjanian

Opinions Editor went to a concert without even knowing a single song by the main act, but rather knowing more about the lesser known three opening acts. “Lesser known” is probably an understatement to whoever’s reading; they’re practically unknown to everyone outside of the listeners of the niche genre. “Knowing more” was also an understatement since I only gave one out of the four bands a true listen prior to this concert, but I knew of all the bands visiting. Every Time I Die had their 20th year anniversary and took bands Turnstile, Vein, and Angel Du$t along with them as a way to ‘showcase’ the up and coming within the new wave of hardcore punk, which I found pretty admirable. They booked The Ready Room down in The Grove for the performance, I was a bit annoyed about that since the parking there is horrible. Fun fact, out of everything I’m bad at, planning out for concerts tends to be the worst. I insist on buying the ticket or informing friends about the show days before it happens, not even a weeks notice, every single time without fail. The venue was compact, filled with tour posters of previous bands who visited the venue, it was charming. Not having my ticket because I don’t know how to plan, I bought it at the door and got my hands marked. My friend and I bolted to the merch bar first thing, and the thing was massive. There was at least three different shirt designs for each band on the wall in the back, all four bands had their own section of the table including things like their albums in various formats. As it just struck 7:30 p.m., just as we backed away from the merch Vein walked to the stage and started to make some feedback nose from their guitars as they made sure the mics were set up properly. A huge pit opened up as we made our way across to the left of the stage. There wasn’t enough space to be able to fit into the rest of the crowd, so we formed the mosh pit barrier. A deep bass riff became more and more audible as the rest of the members kicked off the first song of the concert. Arms, legs, shoes, fists all went flying from the barriers of the human wall. Tens of people in this club venue all thrashing with about three-fourths of their might in this tiny oval shaped pit. Energy was rushing through the entire venue for the next 30 minutes,

non-stop action song after song, even during the transition periods between their songs were menacing enough to keep the crowd tense. They all stood there with their backs turned producing anxiety inducing feedback as they tuned their guitars for the next song. With each short intermission they had some computer generated voice lines ambiently rambling in the back to all of the feedback. Angel Dust was the next band, and this is where the more annoying part of the event came along. Hardcore is known to have surprisingly short song lengths, usually lasting anywhere between some seconds short of a full minute, to about two and a half minutes. Each opening bands set lasted about give or take 30 minutes, which is short but still packs a punch. The problem is the mood killing intermission in between each band that performed that night. Almost each band that performed took about 30 minutes to re-mix the microphones for both hand and drum mics, re-tune their guitars, get the amplifiers set up properly, and replace the drum kit. Total energy killer, but they played some killer 80s hits where the whole crowd had a jolly time singing along to songs like “Shout” by Tears for Fears. The wait for the next band caused a ton of people to buy concessions, so my friend and I got to claim the front stage barrier spots. That spot was amazing for everything but my ears, by the time they came out and played the first note I could tell I would have serious ear damage for the next few days. I did, for at least a week. The vocalist for Angel Dust was the most charismatic performer I’ve had the pleasure to witness, because he did not care what he was doing on stage and he it made look dope at the same time. He just had an aura of confidence that was just so contagious to just watch. He was doing all kinds of crazy things like falling back on his legs and air humping the microphone stand, doing push-ups during the breakdowns, jumping on the speakers. Every dance or movement he made just had a ton of swagger to it, you could tell he was just feeling the music. They put on an amazing show. Not too soon after, the band Turnstile set up on stage and thank god that they set up quicker than the two bands before. The band had a really crazy energy that got the crowd going. I even got nailed in the back of the head by a stray foot of a crowd surfer, I shrugged it off though, you sign yourself up to

get hit in these concerts. Turnstile’s newest album is definitely their best one, and everyone of them kept getting up close and personal with the crowd during the show. Finally, the main act was set out to come out after the three openers. Every Time I Die had some cool stage lights that weren’t used throughout the concert that were just chilling on top of the amplifiers and the floor of the stage. What just caught me off guard as they walked up to the stage was their guitarist being bigger than the entire size of his guitar, the dude was intimidatingly buff. Stage lights went off, and the spotlights they had set up came on instead to give awesome backlighting making them appear as silhouettes. I could tell this is what everyone was waiting for from the guttural reaction from every fan as they came onto the stage. As they started playing, my friend decided to throw himself into the pit and disappeared for the longest time, getting lost in the sea of bodies thrashing against each other. I ended up talking to the bassist of Turnstile at the end of the show with my friend, I ended up buying a Vein record after the concert record due to the special clear design, but then stupidly decided to ask him to sign it forgetting I didn’t have any of their merch. He decided to go to the merch bar and get me a free record of their newest album and proceeded to sign it for me. That night made me lose hearing for multiple days, losing sleep because of the annoying ringing noise in my ears, but it was incredibly worth it.

Turnstile (Left) preforms what essentially sounds like early 2000’s racing video game music but good. Vein (Bottom) Kicks off the show. Every Time I Die (Top) finally preforms at 9:45 p.m. Photos by David Amirdjanian

Entertainment

STUDYING & MUSIC: IS IT SOUND? Pros and Cons of Listening to Music while Studying Trey Williams Staff Writer

eople have numerous methods to help them study, such as studying with friends, caffeine kicks, and tutoring. In recent times, a new method has become easier than ever: listening to music. With services such as Spotify and YouTube Music, it’s easier than ever to listen to whatever music whenever you want. With this increased accessibility, some students have decided to incorporate music into their studying. “I kind of use the instrumental music to keep me focused,” sophomore Christine Chen said. “It really does help focus, at least for me.” Some studies have suggested listening to music may be helpful for studying. For instance, listening to music you like has the effect of putting you in a better mood. This attitude change may have an impact when you study. One study observed kids solving math problems, a third listening to pleasant music, like calming instrumentals, and third listening to aggressive music, like hard rock. The students that listened to the calm music performed the best, and the students listening to the aggressive music performed the worst. This suggests that listening to less obtrusive music may have slight benefits for subjects without language like math. “If I’m doing math I listen to classical,” senior Jadin Taylor said. “If I’m doing anything else, I listen to instrumentals. I don’t want other words in my mind.” Unfortunately, benefit from music has only been found with math. Subjects dealing with language, especially when listening to music with words, do not receive benefits from music, according to current scientific consensus. A study conducted by Cardiff Metropolitan University had students revise a paper in four groups: one group listened to music without words, one group listened to music they liked, one group listened to music they didn’t like, and one group listened to music in silence. This study found that students that listened to music with lyrics did considerably worse at a follow up exam than those that worked in silence. “Rock makes me kind of hyped and excited. If I’m doing homework I want to be calm and relaxed. Rock is the exact opposite,” Taylor said. For years there have been numerous myths about the effects music has on the brain. There are many misconceptions about the effects of classical music, namely that it will permanently make you smarter. It has only been found that listening to Mozart will increase your spatial reasoning for only 10-15 minutes afterwards. This effect, named The Mozart Effect, has been misleading people for decades. Sophomore Charlie Rosenzweig isn’t a fan of listening to music while studying. “I’ve tried it and it has been very unsuccessful cause I just get distracted and don’t do anything,” Rosenzweig said. “It distracts me, I’ll be like ‘I don’t like this song, skip’. Usually I just have a plan like ‘I’m gonna finish this’. I don’t need music to help me study.” Another unintended consequence of listening to music is multitasking. According to the American Psychological Association, you tend to get about 60% done when doing two things at once. Our brains have difficulty ignoring lyrics or abrasive instrumentals while working on other tasks. While listening to music while washing the dishes or shoveling snow won’t matter, listening to music while trying to read or write does, because the same part of your brain is being used. Listening to music, according to your brain, is another activity. This is another reason listening to music can be distracting.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t listen to any music while you study. Certain music won’t hinder your ability to do your work as much as others. If you hate Beethoven, don’t listen to Beethoven; it will only make your mood worse and therefore will make productivity worse. Another important detail is the tempo. Listening to songs generally between 60 and 70 beats per minute is ideal. Keeping your music at a low volume will also help you keep your focus. Genres such as classical, ambient, and post-rock generally meet these criteria. Famous composers such as Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart will do the trick. However, if Bach isn’t your cup of tea, I would recommend classical artists E.S. Posthumus. The duo takes classical music and puts a modern spin on it, combining symphonic arrangements with more up-to-date drums and guitar. These guys are sure to keep you energized. If you are looking for something entirely different from classical, I would recommend post-rock, an experimental form of rock often with symphonic song structures. Sigur Ros, an Icelandic post-rock band, is one of my favorite groups like this. While there are vocals, they are either in Icelandic or a made up language they call “hopelandic”, so it is not as distracting. The lead singer uses his voice like an instrument, which contributes beautifully to the band’s monumental, yet dreamy sound. There are some genres that are especially bad study music. Rap music is arguably one of the worst genres to listen to while studying due to the genre’s heavy focus on lyrical content. Even if you think you can ignore it, your brain will subconsciously listen to what your favorite rapper is saying, which hurts productivity. Whether or not you listen to music while studying, studying can be challenging. While science may say listening to music can hinder your studies, some think it’s worth it. Ultimately, it depends on personal choice what kind of music you listen to while you study, from instrumentals, to rap, to no music at all. It also depends what you are trying to get from listening to music. While it has been shown that listening to music can hinder productivity, finding the right kind of music has the potential to help, either academically or emotionally. So when deciding on what playlist to shuffle, just keep in mind what is best for you.

2 1: While students study in a variety of places- libraries, rooms, kitchens, classrooms- one of the most common denominators is the use of a desk. With papers, textbooks, pens and pencils scattered around, often a phone or laptop can also be seen playing music. Photo courtesy of Pixabay 2: Unearthed by E.S. Posthumus, released November 29, 2001. Their debut album featured many songs used in movie trailers due to their combination of classical and modern music. The song “Nara” has been used for trailers for The Hunger Games and National Treasure. This is a great album to listen to if you need to stay awake. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

3: Takk by Sigur Ros, released September 12, 2005. Their fourth studio album features one of my favorite songs by them, called “Glósóli”. This album is packed with beautiful songs. Their other albums such as Valtari and Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do are just as great. This is a good album to listen to if you want a calmer listen. Photo courtesy of Genius

Entertainment

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS....... Does Illumination’s Grinch beat the Carrey classic? Brett Smith

Entertainment Editor

nside a snowflake, like the one on your sleeve… there happened a debate you must hear to believe. A battle of wits above the rest, to see which Grinch film is simply the best. This Christmas season, cinemas were graced with the inclusion of Illumination’s “The Grinch” for all to enjoy. But while some will go to watch, and maybe even love this film, there are others that are more skeptical and won’t watch it in theatres. The main reason for this may be that these moviegoers are lovers of Jim Carrey’s “How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” released back in 2000. Is this reaction natural? Yes. Understandable? Absolutely. But is it justified? Is this new film actually worse and should it be avoided? In order to compare these films with each other, I will split the films up in categories: the Grinch, Whoville, and overall narrative. Can the Cumberbatch’s captivating conduct corrupt Carrey’s character? Obnoxious alliteration aside, this is a pretty easy choice to make. While Benedict Cumberbatch brings a great voice to the character and makes you believe is the Grinch, Jim Carrey has the win for me. With the advantage of having full body makeup, the proper voice and an incredibly expressive personality, Carrey is able to really bring the character to life in more ways than one. He was the best choice back then, and he’s still the best choice today. Whoville in the live action adaptation was wondrous, bright and full of life. The different kinds of people, the shops,

the atmosphere. You really fell in love with this incredibly busy, Christmas-loving town. In comparison, 2018’s Whoville is not at all like this. In fact, it was incredibly underwhelming. Sure it was bright and the buildings looked like Seuss buildings but that was really all it had going for it. It’s a shame because in the animated world, there’s so much more you can accomplish visually than what the real world is limited to. In the end, 2000’s Grinch takes another point. The overall narratives of these films are similar yet very different. In the live action tale, we are shown the Grinch living as an outcast, forced to completely disguise himself whenever in Whoville. His hate for both the Whos and Christmas are completely justified and believable, and you understand why he feels taking Christmas away is necessary. Not to say the animated film doesn’t have this, but it’s not nearly as explored. The Grinch is seen walking around Whoville with nothing but a scarf, just walking by everyone like there isn’t a problem. He’s shown as a semigrumpy guy who spends most of his time with his dog. The reason he hates Christmas is one that is hardly given any time to develop. It’s really just thrown at you in a very short flashback. Again the point goes to Carrey’s film. This is not a “Don’t go see the new Grinch it’s awful” article or anything. In fact, you should go see it. While, in my opinion, it’s not as good as the 2000 film, it’s still a blast to watch and I

found myself laughing quite frequently. At the end of the day, they’re both good Grinch films, just different kinds of films. And depending on who you are, either could be better. But for me, I’ll stick with the classic.

ALBUM REVIEW: BOTTLE IT IN

Lee Foust Staff Writer

urt Vile, former lead guitarist for The War on Drugs and current leader of Kurt Vile and the Violators, released a new album titled Bottle It In on October 12. Vile’s 8th studio album runs at just over an hour and features 13 tracks. The songs are a combination of lofi, alternative, and indie, and feature a very distinctive soft rock sound. Many of the tracks have a very clear, catchy melody and easy to learn lyrics. This especially applies to “Bassackwards,” “Yeah Bones,” and “Check Baby.” There’s nothing particularly witty or clever about any of the lyricism in this album. Most songs are fairly straightforward and repetitive. He even references his own tendency to use heavy repetition in “One Trick Ponies,” singing that he’s “always had a soft spot for repetition.” “Skinny Mini” stands out as the track with the most interesting flow and wordplay. Overall his songs have a very narrative feel Vile likes to tell a story and doesn’t make you work too hard for it either. As for the vocals themselves, Vile’s rough tenor and simple melodies mix well with his relatively basic lyricism and the overall production of the music. There’s no fancy vocal work, and Vile rarely ventures out of his octave throughout the whole album. It works well, though, as the vocals aren’t necessarily the only focus within each track. There’s a good harmony between the fuzzy, sometimes indistinct guitar distortion and Vile’s rougher voice. Thematically, the album deals with a lot of melancholy. Lots of songs are centered around cars and driving, or a journey of some kind. Vile also reminisces a lot - on those he’s loved,

places he’s been, and the past. These themes very similarly match up with the sound of the music. Most of the album inspires a heavy, introspective mood when listened to, which matches well with the themes that Vile explores in his singing. There are some songs that kind of drag on, with a few of the tracks - “Bottle It In,” “Skinny Mini,” and “Bassackwards” having a running time right around 10 minutes long. They aren’t uninteresting per se, but they do overstay their welcome to an extent. There’s only so many times you can hear the same chord progressions and choruses before you’re skipping the rest of the track, even though the songs themselves sound good. Something interesting to note is that the instrumentals of the first track of the album, “Loading Zones,” were actually recorded at a live performance and later dubbed over with the singing audio. This lends to the imperfect, lofi vibe of the first song especially, a theme which carries on throughout the whole of the album. In general, there’s a good sense of cohesiveness to the album. Most of the tracks have a very similarly distorted guitar as the main background instrument, with simple, easy to listen to chord progressions throughout each track. There’s very minimal percussion work, with softer, very simple drumlines and the occasional shaker or bell in the background. Rating: 7/10 Overall the album has a decent composition and cohesiveness, but there isn’t much of a flow in terms of the songs or order of the tracklist. It can be hard to tell when songs begin and end because of the similar background production and vocals, but there still isn’t a strong flow or progression throughout the album. It goes out on almost the exact same note it starts on, with little variation from beginning to end. However, the songs them-

selves are very well produced and pleasant to listen to, with Vile’s vocals providing a strong overlay to his rocky, lofi background music. The individual songs are strong, but it feels more like a collection of tracks that drags on than a full, well planned album. It’s still a great listen, especially for a long car ride or walk. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys softer rock or alternative music and simple, easy to learn vocals.

Cover of Kurt Vile’s album Bottle It In

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TRENDY TEES TAKE OFF

Sophomore Took on New Role as Business Leader

Tori Favazza Staff Writer

ophomore Peter Schaefer, a student and a businessman, took the school by storm when he created his own business “Pick Pocket Tees”. “I basically made pockets out of different fabrics and sewed them into t-shirts,” Schaefer said. “Eventually I learned how to embroider and so I moved into that as well in order to personalize the product more.” Because of Schaefer’s vast amount of free time, he decided to put that time to use. “I wanted to start it honestly because I had a lot of free time then,” Schaefer said. The main inspiration for the business was none other than Tina Schaefer, Schaefer’s mother, who is an entrepreneur of her own. “I got the idea because my mom owns a business and so I thought it’d be kind of fun,” Schaefer said. Schaefer works the entire business by himself. He single-handedly was the only person behind the idea, but also the maker of the products as well, where he takes different fabrics and sews them on the shirts themselves. “No one else was really involved in it, but I had started a business with people in the past before,” Schaefer said. Considering Schaefer’s profit from these Pick Pocket Tees, the money was spent for fun. “I didn’t have much profit , I didn’t expect it to be so expensive [the equipment, the fabrics],” Schaefer said. “But with the profit I just spent it for fun.” But owning a business is never just fun and games, with it comes hard work, perseverance, and time. “The hardest part I would say was making sure I had new

products to get people who previously bought a shirt to buy something new,” Schaefer said .“I tried selling sweatshirts once, but the t shirts were by far the most popular.” The T-shirts were in high demand, with the most orders he’s ever gotten in a day being around 50, when he once went to a craft fair. But overall, the orders would be a couple a week. Most businesses have to come to a close, and unfortunately Schaefer’s job of manufacturing trendy T-shirts was one of them. ‘It was a lot of work and I wanted to make more money so I just got a job… I don’t own it anymore, but it was fun when I did and I would love to do something like that again,” Schaefer said. Just because the business shut down doesn’t mean Schaefer isn’t proud of his accomplishments, including being an entrepreneur of a once flourishing occupation, “I’m proud of myself because I took just an idea and actually turned it into something that was profitable,” Schaefer said. The possibility of being a future businessman might even be something Schaefer is considering. “I don’t know what I’ll do in the future,” Schaefer said. “But I’ll definitely keep something like that in mind.”

Schaefer proudly posing with one of his homemade t shirts (above). Only a sample of the t shirts Schaefer has made, sewing different fabrics onto shirts as pockets (left). Photo by Tori Favazza.

BYTEING INTO THE TECH SUPPORT INDUSTRY

more social interaction, which has helped him find new groups to work with. Staff Writer “I think it’s paid dividends financially and for the sake of hen you think of a high school business, most people networking with industry leaders,” Benoist said. think of bracelet-making or other crafty projects at However, starting a business like this isn’t as easy as just low prices. The average high schooler wouldn’t think making a website and hoping people contact you. of creating a tech support business that charges $40 an hour. But “Legally I had to apply for an LLC, I had to sign an operatsenior Sam Benoist is not your average high schooler. ing agreement and all that stuff,” Benoist said. “I never really enjoyed working a typical, normal job and I He also had to create a business banking account, and all was able to combine two of my passions when I created Sharkthese expenditures were necessary in order to create a legitimate byte; helping others and technology,” Benoist said. business. After that, he was able to easily connect with customBenoist’s business, Sharkbyte, is not only a tech business ers since his prices are much lower than big brand tech support that will help you with general computer issues and online idencompanies and still make more than the average high schooler. tity protection, but he can also teach you how to work different “When you think about it, $40 an hour is a lot more than software and devices. what I would be making if I worked at By the numbers:Sharkbyte’s “I searched business name generasome other job, so it’s nice,” Benoist said. Projection tor, clicked on the first link and typed in “Plus, I get to make my own hours.” ‘byte’ and when it suggested ‘Sharkbyte’ Since Benoist is the CEO and foundteaching sessions and I thought it sounded cool,” Benoist er of the business, he has projected that In-home visits said. he will make $25,000 in net profit by next an hour each Starting with just in-home visits, August after expenses. yearly retainer from Sharkbyte has evolved into helping In regards to employees, Benoist is each contract assisted living homes and creating unsure if he wants to hire workers to help contracts with them. Mari De Villa and him. He has thought about bringing in one hours a week in 2 different Sherdian are some of places he has or two people but has begun to question assisted living communties contacts and he does things such as help that decision due to legal issues and wages an hour elderly people with any computer issues for workers. “I’d be looking for people my to teaching them the basics of modern age just so I can keep it manageable and Total Profit technology such as Facetime and Alexa. not have to go through the legal stuff like Working with these clients requires payroll service,” Benoist said.

Avery Cooper

$45

$25,000

$200 $40

As a senior, Benoist is also looking into his future and his current business is reflective of his future career. His current top choice is to go into the U.S. Naval Academy in order to study cyber operations. With an acceptance rate of 7%, tuition would be $400,000, however the governments cover all costs, making it an amazing opportunity for driven, young adults to excel for free. ”It offers me the opportunity to lead and serve my county as well get the best education for my major,” Benoist said. “I am confident that this work will mold me into the honorable, courageous, and committed man I hope to become.” If the USNA doesn’t work out, he still plans on majoring in engineering and ultimately go into cybersecurity, as well as pursue a masters in business. “I think cybersecurity is something that has always kind of captivated me,” Benoist said. “I almost see it as a puzzle and I’ve taken online courses to learn more about.” His family and friends have been incredibly supportive and are proud of his ambition. “They’re happy, they like the entrepreneurial spirit, but my mom sometimes wishes I would just work a regular job,” Benoist said. “But I think she sees the benefit to it.” Many may think that Benoist’s ambition is something they can’t replicate, but he wants everyone to know that they can do the same thing. “Know there’s gonna be one time someone’s going to tell you it’s not going to work, and since you’re so committed to it, it’s going to crush your dreams,” Benoist said. “But I think that’s the point where if you can get over that, then you’re just about to turn the corner and really spark some imperative growth.” So if you’re looking for someone to fix your printer, teach you how to use Adobe software or design a website, look no further than the local business ‘Sharkbyte’.

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DEALING WITH DRAMA

Counselors suggest positive influences and mindset Jay Bowen and Ryan Pham Staff Writer

rama is a very common experience for all high school teenagers. Gossip, relationships, bullies, popularity , are all big factors in the everyday high school society. Some would say that girls go through the most drama. Others think that boys usually brush people off. But high school is the time for people to grow into a responsible adult and gain tolerance, according to guidance counselor Erica Spraggins, who advises students on how to deal with drama. “Separate yourself,” Spraggins said. “Again, this is easier said than done, but by not placing yourself in the mix--even as a bystander watching it happen, encouraging from the sidelines-can limit any stress and heartache that might come along. In addition, giving social media a break (start out small, like a few days, maybe a week) can really help. From what I hear, a lot happens on social media that trickles into school.” Drama affects the way some students think or behave during school when they are involved in drama. “[Drama] distracts them from their school work, puts stress on them, impacts their relationships with others potentially, can keep students out of class which can cause them to get behind/ grades to drop,” guidance counselor Priscilla Greenwood said. Negative energy can be really draining for some people especially when you have to be around it every day. “Sometimes I can just ignore the drama, but when it hits close to the heart it makes school unenjoyable,” junior Naomi Kessler said. People have many ways to deal with drama; not all ways are good, but it’s whatever gets a person through it. Kessler explains how she deals with it through friends and basically pouring all her emotions through friends. “Usually I drown out drama by being the bigger person or just putting it out of my head for the day by talking to other people,” sophomore Molly Heitz said. Solving drama isn’t always easy, people must learn to grow or be the bigger person. “I usually try to confront it but then if it doesn’t fix itself I like try to compromise again and also put myself in their shoes,” Kessler said. “If it’s just too much then the friendship just kind of dies. [I try to] put myself into their shoes to see their side and then talk to them about how I feel as well as clearing up anything they may be feeling,” Kessler said. Drama isn’t always easy to deal with for everyone to deal with especially when you have to deal with school. “We’re all human. It’s simple to say “ignore,” but this is

ATHLETES continued from page 11

by younger wrestlers even with his inexperience. “There is very little pressure being the oldest on the team because everybody acknowledges that we are a team,” Lee said. Along with being inexperienced, Lee was one of the latest wrestlers to join the team. “I was one of the latest to join the team so even though I was the oldest, I was the least experienced for a long time,” Lee said. “It was a little embarrassing to be helped over and over by the younger people on the team, but they are really good people and helped me improve.” Along with the goals he has for the team, he has some personal goals. “There’s so many moves and techniques that can throw

obviously easier said than done. All you can really do is try. Try to become more self aware and decide if you’re at the point in your life where you’re tired of being in drama,” Spraggins said. Greenwood gives students ways to block out drama that are proactive, instead of just ignoring. “Stay involved with positive influences, surround yourself with friends that lift you up and don’t bring you down. Involvement in school activities and school work - spending your time working on school related things rather than dwelling on or focusing on any drama happening on social media, etc,” Greenwood said. Does drama affect grades? Some people believe drama doesn’t distract them, but it usually does. One of the most common drama in high school usually comes with gossip or couples. On example is when friend A dates friend B’s ex without telling them. This may sound cliché but in high school this happens quite a lot. Dramas such as these affect a person dramatically. Putting aside drama is what most people want to do but that is lot harder than one might expect. “Whether students are able to see it or not, it a) impedes on their education, causing lack of focus on their studies which can lead into a domino effect with final grades, credits, etc. There are probably a lot of students who can produce so much more in their work ethic and abilities, but might be more consumed on what’s happening in their social circles; b) impacts their relationships with one another; lack of trust in friend groups which, of course, can lead into another domino effect; c) one’s reputation can be affected,” Spraggins said. In high school students never have to deal with anything alone because there are many resources. “I can always talk to my friends and my sister about drama and things that are going on. Surrounding myself with good people who don’t get into drama in the first place,” Heitz said. Knowing who your friends are, and knowing who to trust and whore not to trust is a good way to know what you’re putting yourself in. “Putting too much trust into someone who has already shown you (in many ways) who they really are. If you don’t want your business out there, then don’t share it,” Spraggins said. When girls tend to fall out with their friends they aren’t as happy, because they start to miss each other, but no one is bold enough to say it. “I’ve noticed that people repair broken relationships when they miss that person or just miss the friendship. I’ve noticed that this usually gets people to suck up their pride and go fix whatever the problem was in their relationship,” Kessler said. Fixing problems and putting your feelings aside to resolve

a match one direction or another,” Lee said. “I want to have a match where I become comfortable enough with the moves so that I completely dominate a match by the end of the season.” Look for Lee to lead the team as the oldest player and look for him to put it all together this season. As a junior, Catherine Ke looks to be a leader on the girls swim and dive team. “This season, I want to be someone that younger divers can look up to and respect and hopefully help them become better divers,” Ke said. Like wrestling, dive is a sport where everybody is on varsity and there are no separate levels. This allows everybody in the program to become closer.

a situation can be hard. You just have to grow up and admit your faults. “Having students talk in person can be very healing and effective. Sometimes this does not resolve the drama, but almost always it can be a step in the right direction,” Greenwood said. Showing others that you respect their feelings and that you really want to fix it helps take some anger out of the situation. “I think if students would just apologize to each other then they could easily resolve things,” Heitz said. A lot of situations get blown out of proportion because of outside people looking in on personal issues. “I guess the most common issue I have with people is the fact that when one person has a small issue with someone, they escalate it and start to ignore the person they have an issue with. And the issue is that they don’t just talk out the drama to try and solve it which is just super frustrating,” Kessler said. Drama can be very draining but don’t ever let it get the best of you, be yourself , be happy. “Focus more on your happiness and what you want your experiences to be. Surround yourself with other positive people,” Spraggins said.

Student checks her phone for messages. Drama can be started through texting. Photo by Ryan Pham

“I want everybody to bond and get along because having unity is good for the program and will help for years to come,” Ke said. “If there are people that don’t get along well, it causes tension and awkwardness which then causes separation.” Along with the non-performance team goals, Ke wants the team to perform well and that includes herself. “I want to perform well enough that I can go dive at state,” Ke said. “I also want some of the other girls perform well enough to go to state because that would be a lot of fun and would be a really good thing for the program.” Look for Ke to be a leader and perform well and look for the dive team to become closer and have multiple people perform well enough to go to state.

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CENTRAL HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

Students share what they do during the holiday season Margaret Vierling Staff Writer

Most people have a special tradition when it comes to the holiday season. Many enjoy and feel comfort each year spending time with their families. Junior Kara Thomasson loves spending the holidays with her family and looks forward to the many traditions she shares with them. “Every Christmas morning I wake up and I go out into my living room and wait about an hour for the rest of my family to come. Then, they come out and we open up our presents from each other and then we clean up around the house. And then later in the day, our grandparents come over and we open more gifts, eat, and they stay until 5 o’clock. Every year, my dad and I go and get a Christmas tree together from a place off of Manchester next to Steak ‘n’ Shake and in front of the Hobby Lobby.” Thomasson said. The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated was on Dec. 25 in 336 A.D. when Roman Emperor Constantine ruled as the first Christian emperor. After a few years, Pope Julius The First officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on December 25. Americans trace the Thanksgiving holiday to a celebration inf 1621. After their first harvest, the Pilgrims celebrated at Plymouth for three days. Senior Lanese Farr enjoys spending time with her family on Thanksgiving Day. “For Thanksgiving dinner, I make cards with everybody’s

names on it and all of their favorite things and then we pick after dinner. Everybody has a person to buy gifts for. On Christmas we usually wake up at 9 o’clock and we open presents and my mom cooks breakfast, we get dressed, then we go to my dad’s mother’s house and we put ornaments on her tree that we made and then we go to my [grandmother’s] house and we collect gifts and exchange gifts and we give her the cookies that we made,” Farr said. Hanukkah is celebrated around the world for eight days and nights. Hanukkah celebrates the triumph of the Israelites over Antiochus, a Greek-Syrian ruler, around 2,200 years ago. A Menorah is a nine branched candelabrum, which in known to be in Hebrew as a Hanukkah. This year, Hanukkah is celebrated December 3 through 10. Senior Yael Avni describes how she spends the holidays. “After we light a candle, we say some prayers and my mom made sufganiyot, which is basically donuts with jelly inside. Usually the first night in Israel we would invite our entire family to light the candles together and have a big meal, but here in the United States, we usually invite friends to light candles with,” Avni said. “Sometimes I do celebrate Christmas, so two years ago and a couple of my friends and I exchanged gifts and it was really nice and we also had a Christmas tree which was cool. Last year I joined my friends family for Christmas so I saw the tree and told me the story behind it and we made dinner. This year my friend and I are going to get and decorate a Christmas tree and have a Jew Christmas dinner.” Senior Emma Barnes has a consistent routine for Christ-

mas. Spending time with her family is one of the most important parts of her day. “My family from up North always comes in town. On Christmas Eve, we go to 5 o’clock church then back to the house where we second Christmas Eve with my cousin. We open presents and use the German crackers that pop can have a little cute joke and gift and a crown. Then on Christmas we have eggs Benedict and open presents and spend the rest of the day chilling,” Barnes said. The Holiday season is approaching, and a lot of us look forward to the many traditions we have with our families. It is such a special time to come together and celebrate.

The National Art Honor Society decorates the windows for the holiday season. Photo by Margaret Vierling

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT STUDIES ABROAD Taylor Stern Staff Writer

f you’ve ever heard any parent, teacher or counselor talk about studying abroad, you’ve likely heard how amazing the experience is or could be. You may hear how it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and you’ll meet amazing people and learn so many amazing things. It sounds incredible, but is it better suited for high school or college students? Junior Carly Whay decided to take a chance and study abroad in high school. “Is high school the right time? I think that’s a very individualized question and it’ll be interesting if we see an increase in numbers in the coming years.” Principal Tim McCarthy said. Whay recently finalized her decision to study abroad in Israel for her second semester in 2019. Whay is the only Parkway Central student going abroad this year but she is not the first in Central’s history. All previous Central students that have studied abroad all did the same Israel trip through the same program Whay’s going through, UJR Heller High, based in New York. “I didn’t actually start thinking about it until last year,” Whay said, “I realized that second semester junior year is the most common time to go. I knew if I wanted to make it happen, I really needed to start thinking about it.” Whay discovered the program she’s going with through family friends plus other Central students that have done the same trip in years prior. “I kind of already had an upper hand in getting in because I’ve heard so much about it and how to say the right things in order to get in,” Whay said. The school counselors help students and their families determine what courses to talk and what credits they will receive

while abroad. The Heller High program is a highly accredited and established program that makes it very easy for students to spend an entire semester there and still earn the same or similar credits that they would have earned at Central High. “Once a student returns, I then review their transcript from Heller High and have the courses that they completed added to their Central High transcript,” Whay’s counselor, Priscilla Greenwood said. “I also meet with my junior before they leave to do their course requests for senior year since they are gone during course registration in January.” Whay’s counselor, along with the other administrators whose approval was mandatory, were very supportive of her desire to study abroad and helped encourage all the benefits Whay would get the chance to experience. McCarthy said, “studying abroad gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture surrounded by different language which can really help form your perspective on the world.”

Logo of the program, Heller High, junior Carly Whay is studying abroad through.

Greenwood also agreed that a few of the benefits are being able to experience another culture, make life long memories, and gain lots of independence. For Whay, the most important thing she hopes to gain is worldly insight. “I’ve been confined to the same routine and same environment everyday for the last 16 years. I really want to switch it up and learn more.” Whay said. Along with all the amazing things available to learn, deciding to study abroad for a whole semester also has many opportunity costs. Along with being away from your family and friends for the whole duration of the trip, there’s also a huge financial commitment involved that can be a big challenge for prospective study abroad students. “Securing a scholarship was definitely one of the main problems,” Whay said. “But my mom and I would do anything to make it happen.” Another con can be the mere lack of a traditional high school experience. You’ll have to be prepared to miss school dances, going to Friday night games and sporting events, and if you play a sport, you won’t be able to participate in it for the season you’re missing. But with a strong enough inclination to go, those things will likely all be worth it. While some students think leaving home would be a piece of cake, the biggest con might be the most unexpected. “A big con will just be feeling homesick,” Whay said. “But I think the biggest con I’ll end up facing is having to come home.”

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Students Stand For Different Junior Jacob Greene passionately stands for the National Anthem. Greene believes it is disrespectful to sit down during the National Anthem. “I feel like it’s outright disrespectful to the military and the people who fought for us in the many United States wars to sit down in their moment,” Greene said. He decided this was important to him after the Colin Kaepernick incident and the country wide divide over standing for the National Anthem. “I feel like they should find another way to protest, so it doesn’t disrespect the people who fought and died for our country,” Greene said.

Jacob Greene

Senior Jana Abdelbaset stands for peace. Abdelbaset believes that it will solve many problems. “I care about it because whenever I see wars, fights and hate around me I think about how this world would be with just peace,” Abdelbaset said. Abdelbaset realizes how important peace is to her whenever she hears about incidents with innocent people getting killed. “I started thinking how having peace in this world can change all of this,” Abdelbaset said.

Jana Abdelbaset

Junior Kaitlyn Goldstein stands for creating stricter gun reforms in the U.S. “I have always felt strongly about guns, but it really became important to me after the Parkland shooting,” Goldstein said. The Parkland shooting effected Goldstein on a personal level. “My grandma just retired as a teacher from Marjory Stoneman Douglas years ago, and I know people who go there and who have friends who were killed in their own school,” Goldstein said. “It also brought to life the fact that this could happen anywhere and that is terrifying.”

Kaitlyn Goldstein

Causes Abby Prywitch

Social Media Director

Senior Dani Gottlieb stands for the Zionist ideas of Israel. Gottlieb spent her junior year living on Kibbutz Tzuba which is in the Judean Hills, where she spent 6 credits learning about the history of Israel and the Jewish people. “With this I also learned to recognize the flaws of Israel, but I am also hopeful that it will improve,” Gottlieb said. “It wasn’t until I was back in St.Louis when I realized the importance of advocating for Israel, along with educating others and participating in discussions with people of different viewpoints.” This is something Gottlieb values because she physically lived there. For Gottlieb, a normal school day included an alarm which meant she had to run into the bomb shelter. ”I remember fearing that I would hear bombs exploding on my Kibbutz because of conflicts in Israel,” Gottlieb said.

Dani Gottlieb

Senior Manny Stephen has had an interest in government and social issues for most of high school. “It was after taking AP gov, that I really understood all of the details and specifics of how our government functioned,” Stephen said. This year Stephen worked alongside other students to host a political forum for candidates that were running for Congress in the past election. “I got a lot of fulfillment from organizing that event and I realized that these causes that I stand for are things that I can work toward and help,” Stephen said. Stephen believes the underlying problem that lies beneath all these issues is inequality. “Whether that be in opportunities, funding, education, pay or anything for that matter. This is why I stand for equality.”

Manny Stephen

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IT’S MORE THAN A NAME, IT’S A STORY Kaylee Canoy Staff Writer

hat is the story behind your name? A name is more then just letters of the alphabet, it is your identification. When asked what is the story behind your name, some people may not know how to react to that. The truth is every name has a story behind it whether it’s about the way you were given your name or what your name means. Names chosen by parents can hold a family meaning, a religious meaning or even a more authentic meaning. A name is something so easy that most people don’t think about. You have just known your whole life you have this name and that’s what your called by. There is a story behind your name somehow that makes your name unique from others.

Hello

my name is

Jaryeong Kim, 10

Adonis Robinson, 11

“In Korea, it’s very common to get named by a professional ‘baby namer’ who would take the time of your birth and the date of your birth and give you a name. My aunt went to one while my mom had me and she got three choices for the names (Jaryeong, Eunha, or Seohyun) my dad like Jaryeong the best so that’s how I got my name.”

Hello

my name is

Popular Girl Names in the Year 2018: Sophia, Olivia, Emma, Ava and Isabella Popular Boy Names in the Year 2018: Jackson, Liam, Noah, Aiden and Caden

In our school there are 18 variations of the name Alex. Parkway Central’s most popular names for boys? Adam, Andrew, Jacob, Matthew, Ryan and Samuel Parkway Central’s most popular names for girls? Emily, Emma, Grace, Samantha and Sophia

Hello

my name is

Sophia Becklenberg, 11

“I am named after my great-grandma. It is also a saint name and my grandma, mom, and I all have the same middle name, because it has been passed down for generations.”

Hello

my name is

Darren Wunderlich, 12

“One of my dad’s best friends in college was named Darren, and he unfortunately took his own life a couple years before I was born. My dad came up with the name as a tribute to his friend. I’m actually really happy with my name;the only problem being there’s no nickname for it.”

“Well my name was Thessalonian Trevon Earl, but people didn’t know how to say my name and plus I didn’t really like it, so I went by my middle name Trevon. My mom and dad told me that I could legally change my name, and I thought of Adonis. I just liked it and I thought that it just fit me. I also changed my last name because I wanted to have the same last name as my dad.”

Hello

my name is

Darby Blum, 11

“My parents originally got my name from a movie, but one of the reasons they liked it so much was because you can make two names out of the same letters. So my brother Brady and I both have the same letters in our name. I love my name and would never change it.”

Hello

my name is

Ellie Mueller, 10

“My parents were deciding between Lucy and Ellie, and when I was born they asked the doctors which name would be best and they said Ellie; so here I am.”

Spotlight

Custodian’s Craft

Sydney Stahlschmidt Online features editor

t 2:30 p.m. as students are flooding out the doors, Donald Keith Styles is just starting his day. Styles, a hard working custodian currently working at PCH. He has been working here for one year and around two months. After having worked at his past job for 40 years and having been retired for two years, he knew it was time to start something new. “My brother works in the transportation department and told me they are always looking for people here. He told me if you’re looking for something to do, and my wife didn’t want me sitting at home doing nothing, so here I am,” Styles said. Growing up, Styles never really knew what he wanted to do and so his dad decided to get him a job at a company. Styles worked at the St Louis Metallizing Company and was a flame spray specialist where he specialized codings for aircraft engines and heavy industrial. He also worked with things like robotics, power plants, traveling, and more, throughout his 40 years at the company. Not only has Styles had the two jobs but he had many over the years. For several years he even worked as a softball coach, an umpire, and even has been in martial arts for a very long time. Styles has been working with martial arts for over 25 years now and has even earned a third degree black belt, which is what he spent most of his time working on. “I even made sure my kids were involved in martial arts. I think it’s a good lesson to teach themselves self respect and respect for others,” Styles said. Styles has also been married for almost 42 years now, has two children named Natalie and Emily, and even one grandchild. One of his children worked as a National Guard for nine years and is currently working at the Missouri Historical Society as a Security Officer. While the other is working at the Saving Caterpillar Company as an IT Specialist. Styles has also made sure to follow certain values to try to be the best person they can be. “In life I live off a few simple rules. Be kind to others, persevere in what you do, and honesty is always the best policy,” Styles said. Anyone who has ever had an encounter with him, would know that Styles always has something nice to say to everyone. Styles not only enjoys the work but really enjoys the environment at Parkway Central. Especially the kind students and teachers who he believes are all very nice and courteous. “Everybody refers to me as sir which is really nice. It’s great to see that the system seems to work, and even though the news is always saying how bad everything is, it’s really not that bad at all,” Styles said. After working here for a while now and picking up on the habits of the students, Styles claims the majority of things he sees are positive and he can really only see one minor fault. “I would simply like students to pick up after themselves better, but I know this will always be a recurring problem because I was the exact same way. But there are always going to be little divots and things don’t go quite the way you would like to see them and the things I see are very minor,” Styles said. Styles said there is only one thing that students should know not only about himself but through highschool and their entire lives. “Don’t necessarily look at people as you see them at the time. Because everybody has their own special interests, everybody has done something that’s unusual, most likely. Don’t just judge people by what you see but take some time to learn what they are like,” Styles said. The time working here for Styles, has been a complete different experience and he has no regrets. “I really enjoy being here and the positives are very positive so I have no complaints,” Styles said.