ALSO IN THIS ISSUE... Student Walkout CHS Retiring Teachers Trip to Tulsa
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Smells Like Teen Spirit CENTRAL IN THE 90S
C H T
Volume 109
Issue 4
Summer 2023
WAGS &
IN THIS
ISSUE
OPINION
Letter from the Editor Trip to Tulsa Senior Goodbyes Food Review-- Rama Thai
NEWS
Accolades Community Theaters SPS University Central’s Signings Peter and the Starcatcher Don’t Say Period Bill School Board Elections Winners Student Walkout
FEATURES
CHS Retiring Teachers Club Highlight-- Science Olympiad CHS in the 90s Therapy & Animals Used as Part of the Curriculum
SPORTS Baseball Track & Field Cheer Girls Soccer Boys Golf Boys Tennis Kilties Boys Volleyball
GROWLS
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ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY
The Central High Times has the right to accept, reject, edit, or cancel any advertisement at any time. Advertising will not contain statements, illustrations, or implications offensive to good taste or public decency based on the opinion of the Central High Times staff (i.e. any content containing anything racist, sexist, illegal for high school students or violates journalistic principles). Advertisements accepted by the Central High Times staff are not an endorsement from the staff, adviser, administration, or Springfield Public Schools District. Advertisements should refrain from attacking competitors unfairly or disparaging their products, services, or methods of doing business. If your organization would like to advertise in the Central High Times, or if you would like to provide a financial sponsorship for the Central High Times, please contact the adviser, Kori Chrismer, at kechrismer@spsmail. org. Sponsorships begin at $25 per year, advertising pricing begins at $50.00 per issue, and all money raised goes toward our printing budget.
NED PICKETT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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New student media protection bill introduced in Missouri (SB 440)!
Bizarre weather, as though it were being manipulated by an occult hand.
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Mr. Shelton and Mr. Cantrell were in the top five candidates for teacher of the year!
Stressors. Bring in the usual suspects--finals, IB tests, graduation.
EDITORIAL POLICY The Central High Times is a studentproduced publication of the Central High School journalism department. The staff and adviser strive to create an open forum for students and teachers. We take responsibility for accuracy and fairness and for work to be unbiased and responsive to the needs of readers in order to encourage the submission of readers’ ideas. We promise to practice honesty, to run the paper as a business and to avoid printing material that is legally considered obscene, libelous or private.
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ADVISER Kori Chrismer EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ned Pickett, Ania Kovacs PHOTO EDITOR Ollie Francis COPY EDITORS Emmarie Logan, Madi Taylor DIRECTOR OF ART & DESIGN Natalie Reece SENIOR REPORTER Lilith Creemer, REPORTERS Miles Como, Travis Davison, Nathaniel Hunter, Allison Loughary, Nina Malega, Morgan Martens THE CHT Volume 109 Issue 4 CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 423 E. Central St., Springfield, MO 65802 CONTACT kechrismer@spsmail.org FONT FAMILIES Function, Century PUBLISHER Jostens Publishing
LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY
The Central High Times encourages the submission of ideas or comments from readers. Letters to the Editor must contain no more than 150 words. Letter to the Editor submissions should be typed, printed, signed and delivered to Central High School’s journalism office (room 024) or sent to kechrismer@spsmail.org with the subject line “Letter to the CHT Editor.” The Central High Times reserves the right to edit submissions for grammatical and spelling errors and for space limitations.
Letter from the Editor NED PICKETT / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I suppose I ought to introduce myself in some way, given that this is my first official letter from the editor. I’m Ned Pickett, your new editor-in-chief. Many of you have met me at some point over the past couple of years, and I’m sure almost everyone has seen me at some point or another. I like Rickrolling, waterskiing, Watergate, and of course, journalism, and that’s about the extent I need to elaborate about my personal life, at this point at the very least. I worry about journalism a fair bit. Obviously I’m concerned about the class and making deadlines, but I mean in a broader sense, I wonder how journalism will fit into a broader society in the next couple of decades. It isn’t as though information sharing will become irrelevant or anything over the next couple of years, but more that I wonder exactly how journalism will change and if investigation from the fourth estate will ever make a difference. I can go back and watch a movie like All the President’s Men, and I wonder if two journalists can ever make as much of an impact as Woodward and Bernstein did. I suppose they can still, as there has been plenty of change motivated by scandals reported by journalists--Harvey Weinstein, the Catholic Church, and a fair few others, but I do worry that facts have been thrown out the window in favor of opinion, at least over the last couple of years. I think potentially one of the worst long term consequences of the past years will be the increasing polarization and distrust of the news. I fear that it is going to be
very easy for politicians to point at a story, regardless of how well researched it is, claim that it is fake or biased, and people will believe the politician. I suppose the first part has always happened, but I worry that the extent to which people will go to support a politician over trusting fact-based reporting is concerning, to say the least. That may be why I sort of idolize Watergate so much--when it came down to it, both parties were willing to agree that Nixon had committed a crime, and as such, he was forced to resign. I’m not going to pretend that I’m above this partisanship either. I fear that you could show me an incredibly well-researched story that shows with empirical evidence that Tom Hanks actually does eat babies, and I would still not believe it because it came from The National Review. I’d like to think I would recognize good journalism, but I don’t know how that would play out in reality. I think fact checking stories is always a fairly crucial element of researching, and yet there may come a time to reevaluate personal biases. It’s important to be skeptical of something like that and be aware of the fact that all journalists are biased, and of course to always be equally aware of the fact that professional journalists do not let their bias come into play in their writing. With that being said, I am fairly certain that Tom Hanks does not, in fact, eat babies. I probably ought to tie this back into how this fits with our magazine. As of now, I don’t believe we have ever done investigative work or provided coverage of a controversial topic
that no other paper could provide, although I suppose most of us would be open to doing that. Maybe these are just the ramblings of a quixotic writer who pines for an era which never existed, or the kind of events that sort of define journalism still happen just less frequently, but I still try to strive towards these admittedly romanticized ideals of the archetypal investigative newspaper. Maybe this magazine will never get a crazy investigative scoop that only makes sense after all of the stories and pieces have been put together, but I suppose there’s nothing wrong with looking up that idea or being prepared. So, if you stumble across something even mildly interesting, I guess that this is my way of stating that the magazine’s door is always open.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • OPINION • 1
Corrections Corner
WE ARE HIRING TEACHER ASSISTANTS, TUTORS, AND PROCTORS!
Correction from Central High Times Volume 109, Issue 3 The Central High Times apologizes to the Central Food Pantry. In the last issue of the magazine, it was mentioned that the Food Pantry is managed by Key Club. While Key Club used to manage the Food Pantry in the past, it is now its own club. The Food Pantry provides meals to students every Thursday after school and prepares baskets for long holiday breaks. It is sponsored by Mr. Larry Shaefer and Mrs. Mara Vaile and is run by the following students: Darby Plute Sam Goode Maggie Geer Kira China Tiffany Lu The Central High Times would like to commend these students and teachers for the hard work they put in to serve the CHS community.
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Accolades
DISTRICT SOLO AND ENSEMBLE AWARDS
ANIA KOVACS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
BAND
DECA DOMINATES AT STATE Over spring break, 29 Central DECA students competed at the Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference in Kansas City, MO. Twentysix students were on stage as finalists and 22 advanced to the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Central left the conference as one of the top-performing schools in the state.
Seniors Hunter Richards and Marley Knust stand on the podium with the first place award in Start-up Business Plan. Photo courtesy of @chsbulldogdeca on Instagram.
CI TAKES ON CA Central Intelligence (CHS Broadcast Journalism students) recently traveled to Long Beach, CA to compete in the Student Television Network National Convention. Media students competed against 2700 other attendees in various media events. They received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Broadcast Excellence for their Instagram show, Three Minute Thursdays. They also received the following individual awards: 1st Place in Vertical Short Film, thrid Place in News Editing, Honorable Mention in Music Video, and Honorable Mention in Vertical Tutorial.
ORCHESTRA
Central Intelligence students pose with their awards after competition. Photo courtesy of @pitcentralhs on Instagram.
World language students prepare to compete at Missouri State University. Photo courtesy of Colton Lightner.
HOSA STATE Twenty HOSA students qualified for internationals at the state competition. Six scholars and 14 high school students will be moving on to compete at a higher level. Congratulations, Bulldogs.
Orchestra also participated in the Solo and Small Ensemble competition this weekend. The following students received a gold medal, exemplary rating, and are advancing to the state competition: Grant Aho, Sohum Dua, Sophie Hudson, Grace Park, Eli Parks, Naomi Meng, Avila O’Reilly, Torsten Taylor, Norah Vogt, and Dakota Walton. The following students received a silver medal and an outstanding rating: Colin Andrews, Tristan Armstrong, and Lydia Poppen.
CHOIR
WORLD LANGUAGE SHOWCASE The following students placed first in the MSU World Language Showcase: Jebet Togom in Upper-Level French Vocabulary, Emma Lewis in Spanish Vocabulary, Kael Hitchcock in the Spanish Spelling Bee, and Madeline O’Toole in the French Spelling Bee. Jenna Skidmore was the runner-up in the Upper-Level Spanish Poetry event.
Fifteen band students won awards for their performances at the District Solo and Ensemble Festival the weekend of March 25th. Eight solos and two ensembles won Gold Medals and qualified for state. The ten students that qualified for state include Chris Beersman, Megan Bolen, Tori Haselden, Grace Park, Elana Hadi, Sydney Ngo, Grant Bossi, Richie Browne, Nathan Elsenraat, and Luke Sharp. Three students, Russell Fullington, Evan Schmutz, and Aden Smith, won Silver Medals and two students, Jason Allen and Jackson Hemphill, won Bronze Medals.
Choir’s Solo and Ensemble competition at Glendale High School was successful. Eighteen students placed with the Gold or Exemplary award and nine placed with the Silver or Outstanding award. Those who received Gold include Eliska Price, Laramie Hill, Ned Pickett, Caleena Tomokane, Emmarie Logan, Nolan Scotidis, Natalie Reece, Renee’ Elkady, Bracken Potter, Lucy Gowers, Ella Greninger, Oakley Vincent, Kloey Hampton, Rachel Smitherman, Alyssa Kurth, Brooklyn Shaw, Tyonna Wray, and Eden Olson. Those who received Silver include Gentry Goode, Paschazia Rutayuga, Gemma Hower, Carolina Kessinger, Soph Brown, Leah Barton, Czarina Tela, Emily Scott, and Ned Pickett.
Students pose with their HOSA State medals. Photo courtesy of @springfieldcentralhosa on Instagram.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 3
What are the signs that I might be struggling with my mental health? • Excessive fear, worry or sadness • Unhealthy changes in sleep or eating patterns • Excessive crying • Irritability and acting out • Poor motivation to do chores or school work • Avoiding things you used to find enjoyable • Using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs
What can I do to cope? Take care of your body • Practice mindfulness • Find someone to talk to • Stay connected using technology • Look for connection opportunities • Take up a new hobby • Start a gratitude journal •
Burrell Behavioral Health offers services on site at Central High School.
Learn more or schedule a visit by calling 417-761-5000 or e-mail schoolbasedinfo@burrellcenter.com.
CONNECTING COMMUNITY
ALLISON LOUGHARY / REPORTER
Springfield Contemporary Theatre and Mosaic Arts Collective came together to put on The Color Purple on February 10th through the 26th at the historic Fox Theatre on the Square. This production of the musical marks many firsts for the companies and for the greater Springfield area. The Color Purple was the first time the Fox, Springfield Contemporary Theatre (SCT), and Mosaic Arts Collective worked together. “In terms of collaboration between SCT and the Fox Theatre, The Color Purple was a test run. We are currently finalizing details on SCT becoming the resident company of the Fox Theatre. Starting in June 2023, we will be producing most upcoming productions in that venue. SCT and Mosaic are also in communication to work together again, as schedules allow, on more productions,” Springfield Contemporary Theatre said. Vandivort Centre Theatre was founded in 1995 before becoming Springfield Contemporary Theatre in 2009. Under both names the production company has worked to not only provide entertainment to the community but also a voice on prevalent issues. Central’s drama teacher, Dr. Gretchen Teague, is a Resident Director for Springfield Contemporary Theatre. Mosaic Arts Collective was created in July 2022 from Black Arts Alliance, which was founded in 2020. The goal of the
organization is to support the community and be a space for marginalized groups and races to access opportunities to learn and perform. Nki Calloway is one of Mosaic’s founding members, the director of The Color Purple, and was a Central graduate. Springfield Contemporary Theatre said that it was a challenge at times for the companies to prepare this musical. As it was the first time they were performing at the Fox, there were difficulties learning how to work in a new venue. The theatre opened in 1916 as the Electric, after a fire burned many buildings on the Square. Special attention was taken to make the theatre a place for the community to gather. After another fire in 1946, the theatre reopened two years later as the Fox. It closed in 1983 until the Abundant Life Church occupied it from 1985 to 2014. At that point, the History Museum took over and currently works to continuously preserve Springfield’s history. The companies were dedicated to making this production a great one because of how important it was to represent diversity. “While SCT has been working for many years to expand the diversity of voices on stage and off, through collaboration with Mosaic and their mission we were able to expand that reach even further,” Springfield Contemporary Theatre said. The production of The Color Purple was important for both the cast and the broader community. This was the largest cast of color to perform in Springfield. Additionally,
local artists of color were invited to create pieces that represented the core themes of the musical—resilience, growth, healing and bravery—and display them at the Fox. The works were available for viewing during the run of the show. There was an opening reception of the exhibit on Friday, February 3 during the February First Friday Art Walk. The opening night of the musical was sold out and many of the other nights were quite full as well. This showing broke Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s record for most tickets sold. This was the first time The Color Purple has been shown in Southwest Missouri. This broadway musical was adapted from the Pulitzer-prize winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker. The story is of an African American woman named Celie who suffered from abuse from her father and then from her husband. A movie adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg was released in 1985 starring Whoopi Goldberg as Celie. Another adaptation will be released on December 20, 2023. “Working alongside others who want to make change in our community brought a lot of new extraordinary talent to the production and helped us all achieve something of excellence at a level that exceeded what any individual group could have done on their own,” Springfield Contemporary Theatre said.
Fox Theatre on the Square. Photo by Allison Loughary.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 5
SPS UN I VER SI T Y
NED PICKETT ASSISTANT EDITOR
EMMARIE LOGAN COPY EDITOR
ALLISON LOUGHARY REPORTER
Springfield Public Schools (SPS) has been making many advancements since the new Superintendent, Dr. Grenita Lathan, took office. The advancements have included many projects such as renovating Hillcrest High School, Proposition S, and an intermittent exposition dubbed SPS University (SPS U). “SPS University is amazing. It has been beneficial not only to Central but to our community. It educates our families about the many different opportunities in SPS,” Jeremy Brown, Central High School’s Principal, said. Springfield as a community is focused on reaching students about what the community offers. There are many programs, job opportunities, and futurebuilding opportunities that many students and parents don’t know about. “It’s important for families to know how to navigate through SPS and what they need to become more familiar with, including the resources that are in place to ensure their student is successful,” Brown said. Families that are educated in what their children are learning are directly affected by their student’s experiences. Springfield Public Schools prides itself on changing the students’ lives for the better, but also the community that child lives in. “Parents play a major role with any child.
Not just when in the school system, but in the child’s life. It’s important for parents to be involved so that they know the next steps and they can capitalize on those opportunities,” Brown said. Springfield Public Schools had families in the community on their minds when they designed SPS U. They wanted an event that not only highlighted the positivity each Springfield Public School has but also allows parents and families to learn more about where their student is obtaining an education. “SPS U is important for a variety of reasons. The events are held multiple times a year for the entire Springfield community to hear directly from Dr. Lathan on district updates and new information, attend sessions on various topics to support their family, connect with community partners in the resource fair, and engage with district employees and leaders,” Jessica Blake, Coordinator of Community Partnerships, Volunteers & Public Relations, said. When any member of the community has the opportunity to explore what is happening inside Springfield Public Schools there is growth, stronger bonds being formed, and a deeper sense of pride in the community. “...Overall, the word that comes to mind when talking about SPS U is connection.
We hope everyone who attends feels more connected and engaged with the district and that they leave feeling they have gotten the resources they need,” Blake said. Having multiple resources available to families all at one time allows families to intentionally explore what interests them, but also explore what they need to know. “We had more than 50 community partners participate in the resource fair to help connect individuals with resources and tools they might need. We had multiple student groups perform to showcase their talents...which was a great way to highlight all the wonderful things happening at Central,” Blake said. Although they consider SPS Univeristy a success, school officials are determined to make sure the event will only get better from here. “We are already in the planning stages for the 2023-2024 SPS U calendar and programming. We will be surveying parents and the community to learn more about what they want to see at future SPS University events. Each school will host SPS U at their site between August 22 – September 15. We will then host District Sponsored events in November 2023 and March 2024,” Blake said.
Central Robotics member Jack Butler teaching Dr. Lathan how to control the robot.
Mr. Brown and Dr. Lathan standing next to Central PomDog Elseya Ligon. All photos by Emmarie Logan.
A young girl learning about her opportunity to be a Girl Scout in her community.
6 • NEWS • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
CENTRAL’S SIGNINGS
NINA MALEGA / REPORTER
Kyonna Dickson Cheer Missouri Southern State University
Jamarius Lawrie Football Avila University
Jacob Coffman Cheer Missouri Valley College
Tevon Bush Football McKendree University
Boston Hawkins Soccer William Jewell College
Tae’Sean McShane Football Southwest Baptist University
Sterling Vinson Basketball Missouri Valley College
Drelando Wells Football MidAmerica Nazarene University
Gaven Bremenkamp Wrestling Drury University
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 7
PETER
and the
STARCATCHER MADI TAYLOR / COPY EDITOR
Central’s theater team puts on two shows every year; one in the fall and the other in the spring. This year’s spring show was a play called Peter and the Starcatcher. Led by Dr. Teague, the team, with the assistance of some volunteers, put on a performance that did the original justice. Peter and the Starcatcher was originally a novel published in 2004, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, and was eventually adapted into a play by Rick Elice. The novel and subsequent play serve as a prequel to the well-known story of Peter Pan. It provides a backstory for Peter Pan, Wendy, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell, and Hook, and follows an orphan, Boy, as he becomes the hero known as Peter Pan. The cast of characters isn’t very long, but each played a crucial part in the play. Milo Paasch, 12, took the role of Boy, the nameless and friendless orphan. Keilei Downer, 10, was Molly Aster, an apprentice Starcatcher who inspired Boy. Grant Bossi, 12, played Stache, the pirate chief who eventually becomes Captain Hook. Prentiss, one of Boy’s orphan companions, was played by Gael White, 11. Jaxson Marte, 11, played Ted, one of Boy’s orphan friends. Smee, Stache’s right hand man, was played by Dillion Jackson, 12. Luna Dole, 10, played Mrs. Bumbrake, Molly’s babysitter. There are several other characters in the play, including the ensemble. There are also the understudies for each role, which are just as necessary as the main actors/actresses. In Peter and the Starcatcher, Boy is a nameless orphan. In the beginning, he is homeless with no friends, but by the end he becomes the beloved character of Peter Pan. He desires a home and a family, and
has a strong distrust of adults. As a result, he never wants to become one. Milo Paasch, 12, was awarded the role. “It was my dream role, I read the script and immediately got attached to the role. When I got it, I was jumping up and down with excitement,” Paasch said. The role of Boy is a major one, and Paasch was excited to wear the crown. He’s performed in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and he’s also had roles in their Class One Act One Productions, so this wasn’t his first rodeo. However, there’s more to a production than the individual characters. “I made so many friends. The cast became family and we are so close now,” Paasch said. Spending so much time in close quarters, such as in production of a play, brings people closer together and creates new bonds. Some of Paasch’s best friends
8 • NEWS • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
Stache (Grant Bossi) threatens Molly by keeping Peter (Milo Paasch) captive. Photo by Elaine Klepper.
and memories were made during Peter and the Starcatcher. “I enjoyed the breaks between shows the most, where the cast just got to hang out with each other, going to Mcdonald’s, having a picnic in the back of my car, or even cuddling in the orchestra pit. These people make me laugh so hard my stomach and cheeks hurt,” Paasch said. Connections such as these are valuable and are what bring everything together in a production. Paasch will cherish these friendships and moments past their high school years. Molly Aster is a 13-year old apprentice Starcatcher. She has a strong dedication to the Starcatchers and her father. She’s passionate and fearless, but awkward and a bit of a know-it-all. She becomes good friends with Boy and is one of his inspirations. The role of Molly Aster was awarded to Keilei Downer, a sophomore.
The mermaids dance on the shore of Mollusk Island. Photo by Isabel Gamble.
“Ever since I auditioned I hoped I would get to play Molly. I relate to her want for leadership and her determination. Getting to explore how Molly interacted with each of the different characters was so interesting and fun,” Downer said. Downer performed as the mermaid in the theater’s fall production of Big Fish. Molly is another major character, a bit of a step up from the mermaid, which Downer was ready to accept. More than that, however, were the beautiful messages and scenes in the play. “The final scene of the show would have
to be my favorite. It has so many different emotions within it. It is funny because Black Stache is hilarious, it is sad because I was leaving Peter, and it is hopeful,” Downer said. There are multiple scenes throughout the whole play that encourage various emotions in the audience through the help of powerful acting and detailed prop and stage design. Each scene is important, but some mean more to the members than others. The rehearsal process was just as important in this production, and holds some of Downer’s best experiences as well.
“My favorite part of the rehearsal process was during spring break when Milo, who played Peter, and I face-timed to memorize our lines. We laughed so hard and had some deep conversations as well,” Downer said. Peter and the Starcatcher is an incredible story of the boy who became Peter Pan and the people who made it possible. Central’s theater team grew and strengthened throughout the production, and came together to perform a memorable performance. It’s an experience that members and audiences alike will remember.
Characters in terror as Stache monologues. Photo by Isabel Gamble.
Boy (Milo Paasch) stands with Molly (Keilei Downer) and friend Ted (Jaxson Marte). Photo by Annie German.
Boy (Milo Paasch) becoming Peter in the Grotto. Photo by Annie German.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 9
Florida Reveals its ‘Don’t Say Period’ Bill
NATALIE REECE / DIRECTOR OF ART & DESIGN
Florida legislature has introduced a new bill restricting the teaching of gender, sexuality, and diversity to students below sixth grade. Dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Period’ bill, it would restrict teachers and staff from discussing sexual education to elementary school students. This includes any discussion of the menstrual cycle. According to the National Health Service, most girls get their first period between the ages of 12 and 13, but can experience them as young as eight. House Bill 1069 would permit “instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education” only in grades six through 12. It would also ban discussions in elementary school classrooms on topics such as STDs, and require schools to teach that a person’s sexual identity is determined biologically at birth. Democratic state Representative Ashley Gantt asked for further clarification. “So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, would that prohibit conversations from them since they are in a grade lower than sixth grade?” Gantt said. “It would,” Florida state representative Stan McClain said in reply. This goes directly against the advice of medical professionals, who recommend talking to children about puberty before the changes occur.
“It is all the more important to have these conversations with our children earlier than we thought,” said Asma J. Chattha, M.B.B.S., pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children’s Center. “Without good sex health education, it’s less likely that people end up in healthy relationships,” Laurie Dils, associate director for sexual health education at the Washington Office of Superintendent Public Instruction, said. “Unless we normalize talking about bodies…I don’t know how we expect people to sort of magically have those conversations within the context of a healthy relationship.” McClain said in an interview that the bill is not intended to punish teachers who speak with young girls about their periods, and that the bill is “amenable” to some changes. “Opponents of the bill are misrepresenting or fabricating a false narrative to cause division between parents and teachers. This bill further strengthens parents’ rights and promotes age and developmentally appropriate materials in our schools,” McClain said. This bill has been in a series of continued pushes by Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, to eradicate a, in his words, “woke ideology” in public schools. Only a few months ago, DeSantis introduced the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. These bills are only a few in a series
of bills introduced in the Florida state legislature to regulate what is being taught in the classroom. While laws mandating health education include teen dating and disease control, there is no statewide curriculum for sex education. As a result, what Florida students are being taught varies greatly in each school district. Dr. Elissa Barr, Professor at University of North Florida, and her team used information provided by Florida’s Department of Education and broke down the different policies in each school district into three catagories: comprehensive, abstinence plus, and abstienence only. According to Dr. Barr and her team, the majority of Florida school districts teach abstinence plus or comprehensive sex education, and approximately one-third of school districts still identify as abstinenceonly. However, studies conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics has shown that abstinence-only instruction does not prevent teens from having sex. “In counties where they have abstinence only policies, we do see higher teen birth rates,” Dr. Barr said. The bill passed the Florida House of Representatives on March 31 and remains pending in the Florida legislature. If signed into law, this bill would take effect across Florida on July 1.
Comprehensive
Abstinence Plus
Abstinence Only
Includes information about human development, anatomy and reproductive health, contraception, childbirth, STDs, HIV/AIDS.
Emphasizes the benefits of abstinence as the expected standard but also instructs students on making responsible decisions to protect their health, and transmission of diseases along with some discussion about barrier methods.
Emphasizes abstinence as the expected standard with limited discussion on other aspects of sexual health.
10 • NEWS • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
MILES COMO / REPORTER The SPS board election was swept by Judy Brunner and Shurita Thomas-Tate, with Brunner winning the election by over 1900 votes and Thomas-Tate passing Landon McCarter by over 450 votes. “They understand that I care about the kids. I care about the kids. It’s not about politics. It is not about ideology,” ThomasTate said to Springfield News Leader, “I think Springfield voters saw through all of the shenanigans and they are standing by an educator who cares about kids.” Brunner and Thomas-Tate were sworn into the school board on April 11th. “It is an honor and privilege to serve on the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education. I was born and raised in Springfield and a graduate of R12. I am excited to contribute to our community in this new capacity,” Brunner stated. Brunner was a teacher as well as a principal at Parkview High School and cointerim principal at Central in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “My experience as a teacher and administrator in the school district will help to guide my decision making. I will listen carefully to parents, employees, and community members to ensure all voices are heard,” Brunner mentioned Brunner wants to keep parents engaged as well as support educators so the district can successfully retain them. “My work history has given me experience in listening carefully and closely to the voices of educators - all educators. This includes teachers, counselors, administrators and all support staff. When staff feel they have opinions that are respected, it is easier for our Human Resources Department to retain and recruit,” Brunner said. “Salaries and benefits are a top priority in terms of budget. While salary isn’t the only reason one might choose to work for Springfield Public Schools, it is an important determiner in terms of making an application. I will advocate locally and statewide for ensuring
School Board Election Winners a fair wage for everyone.” Thomas-Tate is an associate professor at MSU in communication sciences and an NAACP board member as well as a former education committee chair in the NAACP. She also founded Ujima, a literary program that develops literacy and a passion for reading in children. She ran for re-election because she believes in the power of education to transform students as well as entire communities. “Public education has the potential to really be a transformative tool for our community, both in a positive and negative way. And so when we spin the narrative of public education being bad, it disrupts the health of a community. And a healthy public school system is going to end up with a healthier community, and an unhealthy public school system also equates to an unhealthy community,” Thomas-Tate told Springfield Daily Citizen. Thomas-Tate also believes parent involvement is critical and encourages parents to be engaged with teachers and administrators. “Parents play a crucial role in their child’s education. Parents should know that their voices are heard and valued by the school district,” Thomas-Tate told Springfield Daily Citizen. “Engaged parents work with teachers and administrators to support their child’s learning and to find solutions to challenges. I support open and transparent communication with parents and opportunities to engage and advocate for their child’s learning.” Both Brunner and Thomas-Tate are ready to get to work supporting students as well as the community in the school board. “I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work from day No. 1. I love this school district,” Brunner mentioned to Springfield News Leader. “I love the Springfield community and I am ready to serve in a different capacity. I really thank the voters for giving me this opportunity.”
ABOVE: Judy Brunner, former SPS teacher and administrator. Photo courtesy of Brunner for SPS campaign. BELOW: Shurita Thomas-Tate, MSU professor and NAACP board member. Photo courtesy of Shurita Thomas-Tate for School Board campaign.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 11
STUDENT
PROTEST AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE On April 12th, a group of approximately 200 students walked out during seventh block to protest a series of recent school shootings. This walkout represents the first large-scale demonstration at Central since the previous walkout and town hall style forum during the 2017-18 school year, which were also to protest school shootings and the threat of gun violence. Juniors Lex Ferguson and Marcello Triplett spearheaded the campaign at Central to initiate a larger and more successful walkout to draw more attention to the issue of school shootings. The movement initially began with a simple poster and Instagram page (@chs_against_ gunviolence), but the idea spread by word of mouth, and the protest far surpassed original expectations. “There were so many people there. We genuinely expected maybe 100 people and I think there was way more than that,” Ferguson said. “I think everybody was there for the right cause--everybody had the signs and nobody seemed really uninterested in what they were doing.”
This walkout was part of a string of nationwide school walkouts which started on April 5th, sparked by the shooting at a Nashville elementary school which left three students and three teachers dead. Although a handful of Central students did attempt a walkout on April 5th, a lack of coordination resulted in a small turnout, and the organizers of the walkout on the 12th did not even find out about the one on the 5th until after it had started. “I participated in the previous protest. We had a very small one,” Brian Hoover, 12, said. “It was kept sort of in the back of the school area, but we weren’t satisfied with that presence because we didn’t feel like we were witnessed.” Although there was no official coordination between student organizers and school administrators, Principal Brown and several other executives did become involved with monitoring the walkout. A handful of student resource officers and police vehicles were present at the walkout, perhaps related to the fact that several fights
“ Students raise signs during the walkout. All photos by Allison Loughary.
transpired at the 2018 walkout. No fights occurred at the walkout on April 12th. The administration set a maximum time limit of 15 minutes outside, although the entire event including time to travel outside and back inside, check in with the attendance office, and direction from the administration took around 40 minutes total. “I think [the administrators] just heard around the grapevine or something, [and] they got involved themselves or people were going up to them and asking if they would get in trouble for it,” Ferguson said. “So, we personally did not talk to the administration, but I’m glad they did get involved… I know a lot of people didn’t want to do it. They didn’t want to risk their attendance or anything going on to their record. So, I think with the administration getting involved it was like allowing a lot of people some security. They know ‘if I do do this then I’m not going to get in trouble for it.’” Principal Brown, himself, was heavily involved with the monitoring of and directing of the walkout. Prior to the
Juniors Brookelynn Harvey, Natalie Eastin, and Cate Cassanova hold signs.
I think that not only the students at Central are fed up with gun violence, but kids in high school everywhere are fed up with being afraid that any day it could be them on the news.
”
Marcello Triplett 12 • FEATURE • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
WA L KO U T
NED PICKETT / ASSISTANT EDITOR
Jaxson Marte speaks to the group of student proestors.
walkout, he gave a speech about the safety precautions and parameters of the walkout. He also spoke about how Central values the opinions of its students and the importance of allowing students to motivate change in the world, especially with issues such as school shootings, which heavily affect them. Junior Jaxson Marte led several of the chants during the walkout and gave a short speech to commend the students and administrators during the walkout. Although Marte had not planned to lead or organize the protest, he improvised an address which received much applause from the crowd of students. “I didn’t have any specific role, like, I wasn’t in the thing to be in a role or lead, whatever,” Marte said. “But, I think it’s important that if you have something to say, to say it, especially about something like this. And I also think it’s important to realize that this isn’t a political issue, but people are losing their lives, and we should be allowed as a school and as a community. Especially as a community that it’s affecting, we should be allowed to say something.” A couple of cars stopped by to honk in favor of the protest, and one driver flashed a thumbs up, to some cheering from the crowd. There was some concern that some students would show up to counterprotest or simply use the walkout to be out of class. During his speech, Principal
Brown requested that if these students were present, they should return directly to their classes. Fortunately for the students, there were no major confrontations at the walkout, and Marte believes that most of the protestors did have good intentions. “I think that besides a few people, everybody was there to support it,” he said. “And even if they weren’t there to support it, they weren’t, like, directly defying what was happening or speaking out about how they didn’t agree with it.”
“One of the biggest things is making sure our students' voices are heard. This is very, very important. SPS employees are not allowed to encourage or to oppose students’ participation in the walkout. We want to make sure our students' voices are heard, and more importantly, supported. We want to ensure we're moving in the right direction and valuing people's freedom of speech, and also our diversity, which is very, very important. Everybody has a different perspective on dealing with gun violence and their views on it. It's so important that we understand the student voices in this because of what's going on around in the nation with schools and gun violence,” Principal Brown said.
A group of students stays on the steps prior to returning inside.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • NEWS • 13
Retiring Teachers RICKY HAMMERS Mr. Hammers has been a teacher at Central for 25 years. He taught social studies and was the head softball coach, but this past year he’s taken on a more administrative role. He’ll miss the relationships he’s made with his fellow teachers and the experiences he’s had with his students. He and his wife are building a house on Table Rock, and he’s looking forward to fishing, hunting, traveling, and having Mondays off. He is aiming for a two year Teacher Shortage Certificate, which he hopes will become a four year certificate soon.
“ Change is good if it is broken! ” JACK TUCKNESS Mr. Tuckness has been a teacher for almost 25 years. He started as a part-time teacher with a few IB juniors in English and Speech and Debate, but he’s ending his teaching career as the sole Speech and Debate teacher. He’ll miss his students the most, but will also look back on his debate tournaments fondly. He has no idea what he’s doing after retiring. He is, however, a big fan of the Cardinals and Chiefs, so he’s hoping to catch a few games. He also looks forward to traveling to see his children.
“ Why aren’t you in debate? ” 14 • FEATURE • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
Central has 134 faculty and staff, and each plays a crucial role in the community. Their careers do not last forever, however, and there comes a time when they move on to other things. At the end of this school year, Central will lose four teachers to retirement: Ricky Hammers, Jack Tuckness, Patrick Quick, and Denise Vinton.
MADI TAYLOR / COPY EDITOR
PATRICK QUICK Mr. Quick has been teaching at Central for 17 years. He teaches both IB and regular chemistry and astronomy. He’ll miss his students and fellow staff members once he retires, but he’s excited to spend time with his granddaughter. He also looks forward to traveling with his wife. One of his favorite quotes comes from Mythbusters: “Remember kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down,” which is how he signs his Canvas emails.
“ Enjoy the journey, take advantage of every opportunity offered and leave no regrets! ” DENISE VINTON Mrs. Vinton has been a teacher at Central for six years. She is a science teacher for the Scholars Program, and she also hosts Science Olympiad. After retirement, she plans to adopt a dog, work on projects around her house, and spend plenty of time with her family. She looks forward to traveling around the country. She’ll miss both her science students and her Science Olympiad teams, and watching them grow up from sixth graders.
“ I have enjoyed being part of this fantastic community. Keep that positivity going! ” CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • FEATURE • 15
CLUB HIGHLIGHT
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD NINA MALEGA / REPORTER Science Olympiad is a club at Central that involves field and human sciences. The club focuses on expanding their knowledge on the subjects in this area, as well as preparing for competitions that will eventually lead them to the national competition at the end of every school year. “There are two main teams in Science Olympiad, both named the ‘red team.’ For both divisions’ middle and high school levels, the Red Team won first in regionals, allowing them to go to state. I did not go to state, but I know a lot of other people did. In general, we tend to overtake regionals with how much we place in all of the events,” Miriam Anderson, 11 said. Science Olympiad has traveled within Missouri to attend the yearly state competition. This competition took place at Missouri State University. “April 2nd was the state competition. After that, unless we get into nationals, the club ends for the year. It’s normally really busy the weeks leading up to competitions, with everyone going in and out of the room trying to wrap up any build events, where we have to create something before the competition, and get all the information for testing events,” Anderson said. Science Olympiad placed 1st at the regional competition, sending them to state in Springfield, MO. Each student is a part of a certain event, studying for weeks to
be the most knowledgeable in their certain category. Students who are a part of Science Olympiad typically take one or more additional science related courses at Central. The information that they learn in these courses can be used to compete in the yearly competitions. “Because we didn’t get into nationals, we mostly stop for the rest of the school year before restarting at the beginning of next school year. I know that we have the goal and expectation to get into state every year, and it’s a really high goal to get into nationals at some point. Also, we all want to do good on our individual events in general,” Anderson said. Overall, the team’s main focus at the beginning of every year is to make it to their final national competition during summer break. The team typically places highly every year in the regional competition and has gone to nationals numerous times in the past. “I have been doing this since I was in 6th grade and working with partners and competing in these events has always been something that I have enjoyed. My favorite part of this club is that there is so much diversity in what you can do with options such as chemistry, astronomy, and engineering events,” Dakota Walton, 11, said.
Science Olympiad at the State competition at MSU. Photo courtesy of @pitcentralhs on Instagram.
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Although Central’s team placed fourth at the state level competition and did not make it to nationals this year, they still took first place at the regional level, and won personal awards at the state level. Since there are a variety of categories to compete in and choose from, every student is able to choose one and play to their strengths. The goal of the club is to include every STEM subject that a student can be involved in. By doing this, it provides great diversity and opportunities for any student who wants to participate in the club and competitions. “Personally, I’ve been doing Science Olympiad since I was in 7th grade. A lot of the reason I continue to go is because I’ve enjoyed it nearly every year and it’s something to look forward to every year. It is very fun to do, especially if you’re as interested in STEM as I am. There are so many different events that you can go into, and you can bond with your team members,” Anderson said. The competitions allow each member to participate in individual events, so each member can win individual awards. Though Central’s team did not make it to nationals this year, there were individual awards won at the Missouri State competition in various categories. Central’s Science Olympiad team performed well this school year, taking many awards home and is on track to a bright future.
Central in the Take a look at a
blast from the past as Central’s ‘90s vibes, fashion trends, and love for school spirit are alive and well in the hallways thirty years later.
‘90s EMMARIE LOGAN / COPY EDITOR 18 • FEATURE • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
“All the different activities [at Central], cheering in the pit, and The Kilties…you don’t forget that feeling,” Hill said.
High School is a time to grow, learn, and have all the fun you can as a teenager. Students across the nation enjoy developing into responsible adults and making a positive impact on their community and the world. Along with following their destinies, students also experience the fun of the world by attending various dances, hanging out with friends, and making lifelong memories. Brenna Hill, a Class of 1995 Central Graduate, holds her experience at Central in a special place in her heart.
Central Graduate Brenna Hill, Class of 1995 Photo courtesy of Brenna Hill.
Every decade, especially in the last century, has had it’s own signature style. “The tight rolled jeans, the baggy flannel shirts–in fact I remember going multiple times and buying mens clothing because it was even bigger. The bigger and baggier the better,” Hill said. Similar to recent trends, ‘90s fashion was all about being simple but stylish. While todays decade might have its own signature look, inspiration from the ‘90s certainly seems to be a large factor in what the average high school student today wears on a daily basis. The ‘90s fashion may be returning to the teenage trend, but the ‘90s vibe at Central never left. At the end of your senior year, you spend many moments reflecting on your journey through high school. There were challenges, victories, and even failures. Those meaningful moments will last a lifetime, along with the moments that made you laugh until you cried. “…we had a jukebox in the cafeteria. During lunch, students could put change in it and play songs as they ate. One of the favorites for some students to play was the Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine.’
One day, someone played it over and over throughout the entire lunch period. They just kept adding money so that it would play continuously. One of the students had had enough and calmly walked over to the jukebox and unplugged it. The whole cafeteria clapped and cheered, as they were so relieved not to hear that song again. Whenever I hear ‘Yellow Submarine,’ I think of that jukebox and the cafeteria at Central. The student who unplugged the jukebox just happens to be my husband now,” Hill said. Although there may not be a jukebox in the cafeteria anymore, you can still find students laughing with friends, enjoying the Commons area, and even watching a movie or two throughout the year. There have been many changes to Central since the ‘90s, but one consistency is Central’s culturally unified dynamic and mission. High school is unique in and of itself and many high schools have one or more items that make their school individually unique whether that might be a mascot, academic program, or trophy. Central is home to many once-in-alifetime programs such as the International Baccalaureate Program, College Readiness Programs, and so much more. One program that is popular at Central, got its start back in the ‘90s. “My senior year, the media program started. It was called Downtown Central… that was exciting to get to be one of the first. I was one of the anchors and I really enjoyed it,” Hill said. Being a part of a brand new program comes with a lot of responsibilities and pressures to leave a good legacy behind. Starting up a new program can be stressful and endure a lot of hardwork, but you never leave that program behind without good memories to take with you. “I often hosted with a friend of mine, who happened to be a bit of a class clown. It was Friday the thirteenth and...we thought it would be funny for me to read the announcements while he pretended to fall out of his chair as bad luck to recognize the day. As I was reading, he fell out of the chair, it was a very large chair, and made a huge production…I am not sure how many takes we went through, but I know it was at least five,” Hill said. Having fun in high school is a wonderful journey to experience and leaving with a sense of gratefulness means even more. “I just have so much pride for Central, I loved my time there,” Hill said.
Hill and her friends socializing in between classes.
Central’s jukebox located in the cafeteria.
Hill’s pet bulldog, Red. Red lived to be 13 years old. Photo courtesy of Brenna Hill.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • FEATURE • 19
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Photo courtesy of Amy Woodward.
Therapy & Animals Used as Part of the Curriculum LILITH CREEMER / SENIOR REPORTER All classroom snakes in the building are adapted to human contact. They will only bite if you really do your best to give them a reason. In fact, none of the snakes have ever bitten a student. That being said, it is best to pay attention to the cues that the animal gives off. If they seem standoffish then it is best to just admire them from
afar. It is also a good idea to ask the teacher about when the snake has been fed, as they get a little aggressive when it gets close to feeding time. You should also note that if one of these snakes seems to try to cuddle with you it is not due to affection or a desire to constrict. They are simply seeking out heat and being right up against human skin,
especially underneath clothing, can be desirable to a cold serpent. Respect the animal and pay attention to what they are communicating. Don’t disturb them too much and allow them to move as they please while remaining in contact with you. If you follow those guidelines, you’ll find the snakes to be surprisingly friendly.
Velvet - Mr. Epps
Darwin - Mr. Epps
Eleanor - Ms. Cochran
All photos by Lilith Creemer.
Velvet is a male Lemon Blast Ball Python. He is around 6 years old and approximately 3 feet long. The average lifespan of a ball python is 25 years, so he is still relatively young. His small stature and calm, exploratory nature makes him the least intimidating snake of the trio.
Darwin is a male Het Pied Ball Python. He is around 14 years old and over 4 feet long. He is a more intimidating snake due to his sheer size, which also makes him a little harder to handle, but he is friendly when fed. If you are afraid of snakes but want to try handling one, it might be best to choose another one.
Eleanor is a female Pastel Ball Python. She is around 9 years old and approximately 4 feet long. Similar to Darwin, you may want to choose a different snake to handle if it is your first time. Unlike the other two, she is kept in an enclosure in Cochran’s classroom.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • FEATURE • 21
BOYS at BAT
LUCY CAPLINGER / J1 REPORTER
The CHS Boys Baseball team is up at bat and ready to play. Baseball is one of the many spring season sports, with 24 games on the roster and 15 players from grades nine through 12. This year’s team is excited to be back on the field, no matter the outcome of the game. “Playing isn’t about winning, playing is about working together,” sophomore Aiden Wallace said. Wallace and his teammates acknowledge that the constant longing for a winning score only leads to that much more disappointment, so they instead learn from their mistakes. “Striving for a win sets you up for failure,” Wallace said. After a loss in a game, the team will take feedback from parents, their coach, and especially their fellow players, to improve themselves for the next one. These boys are using their past plays to better themselves as players and teammates. Some players say that they rewatch parts of games, their pitches, or
time at bat, and critique their plays so they know what to practice on. A lot of the CHS sportsmen have a similar idea as to what teamwork really means. “These guys know that being on a team means having a good line of communication,” senior Nathan Elsenraat said. As a baseball player, they must look beyond the scoreboard, and into the eyes of their fellow teammates in order to make decisions that better the team as a whole. “Teamwork is working for each other, being happy for one another- you can’t be selfish if you want to play baseball,” Wallace said. The field can be similarly compared to a family -- everyone has their job, everyone looks out for one another, everyone cares about the game. This year’s team is full of compassionate and caring people who want to improve for not only themselves, but each other as well. “This is a good team to grow with, and a good team to play with,” Elsenraat said. Nathan is the current captain of the team, but he and two of his fellow players, Nick
Coach Jerrod White calls a time out and meets with the boys baseball team on the mound mid-second inning at the home field. Photo by Lucy Caplinger.
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Thompson and Ethan Turner, are seniors, and will be graduating come May. “Winning is about being better than you were yesterday, always working towards bettering your plays and ultimately yourself,” Wallace said. The baseball team is constantly learning, working at growing, and making sure to take any loss in stride to be ready for the next win. “Really, this is just a great team to be a part of,” Elsenraat said. These athletes are more than just teammates, they’re friends on and off the field. Several of these athletes find that baseball is their sport and that they will continue on with their dream post high school career. Others are content knowing that they enjoyed it as a school sport. All in all the game isn’t about winning. It’s about teamwork, constantly opening up oneself to learning new things, and most importantly keeping an open mind to the feedback given, so one can constantly grow as a player.
TRACK & FIELD MILES COMO / REPORTER
Central’s Track and Field team is kicking off with a very successful start to their season with a new distance coach, Jake Burch, who led the cross country team to a record breaking season during the fall. The boys had the fastest 1-5 average time at the district competition and Alex Li was one of only 4 lady bulldogs to qualify for states since 2001 and ran the fastest 5k in school history at The Chile Pepper Festival. The success of Central’s running programs has continued in this track season with their hard work and dedication, because the coach is motivated to bring out the best in each athlete. “I coach because as a 15 year old kid my coach believed in me and helped me become a better individual and athlete. It is my goal to have the same impact now as a coach. This has been a good first year. My crew [distance] has continually grown throughout the year. The team as a whole is bigger than it’s been in the last 5-6 years. Based off of conversations with returning athletes, the team has been trained much
harder over the winter than they have in the past,” Burch said. In the distance events, Alex Li ran a 3200 meter school record (12:29.8). There have been four top 10 Central performances of all time this season as of April 11th, including Li running the 2nd fastest girls 800 meter run (2:34.3). In addition,Sophia Brown had the 4th fastest girls 800m (2:39.3). There has also been similar success in the 1600 meter distance with Li running the 3rd fastest of all time (5:49.0) and Annalise Freeman running the 7th fastest girls 1600m (6:11.5). For The boys, Carter Meints has stayed as the fastest distance runner on the team, running the 3rd fastest Central boys 1600m in this last millennium (4:58.1). These record book topping performances are all attributable to team work and practice. “Individuals are beginning to hold each other accountable and push one another to a higher standard and work ethic, which has been really encouraging to see. Additionally, I feel that the team chemistry has been
Khloe Beshears, 10, 400 m run.
Alex Li, 11, in the 800 m run.
getting better as the season has gone on (all grade levels interacting with one another),” Burch said. There have also been several medals and wins in the field events as well, including Aaliyah Pittman leading with the 2nd best central shot put performance of all time (40-9). She has also continued her success by winning 4 shot put finals and 2 discus finals as of April 11th. Elijah Spears has dominated the high jump, winning the All Run meet with a jump of 1.85m (the 10th fastest boys jump in Central History) and has gotten a top 3 performance in three other meets. Central’s Track and Field team has been very well decorated with endless winning and medaling performances in a variety of different events. They are a powerfully motivated team making new strides in the school record books. Having a new distance coach has made the runners perform better and work better together as a team. All photos by Miles Como. Serenity Hefley Conner, 11, hands off to Paschazia Rutayuga, 9, in the 4 x 200 m relay.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • SPORTS • 23
Cheer Dogs MORGAN MARTENS / REPORTER
“I also think one misconception is that it’s difficult, but you just need to focus and try your best and it will be a lot of fun.” Johanna Norris-Elliot Cheerleaders performing a Liberty stunt. Photo by Evan Cornelius-White.
Cheer team finishing a chant during a football game. Photo by Ainsley Daccache.
The team pepaaring to pull off a stunt. Photo by Evan Cornelius-White.
Cheerleading takes a lot to accomplish and achieve. The cheerleaders at Central work out almost everyday to keep their mind and body in peak shape for competition, games, and more. They keep a drive and great attitude while carrying their heads high, showing the beating heart of Central. Cheer takes time as most the cheerleaders at Central have been participating for years. At Central there is both a junior varsity and varsity team, but they have had a freshman team in years past. This year there were a total of 28 cheerleaders. “Cheer takes a lot of time and organization but it’s all worth it in the end,” Arayah Sanders, 11, said. During this fall season, Central’s Varsity cheer team had the honor of competing at MCCA State Championship with multiple competitors, including Springfield’s Glendale High School. They had a well rounded performance that the whole team poured their hearts and time into. According to the varsity cheerleaders, it takes long amounts of time and long hours of practice to get the routine together and to get everyone fully prepared for the event and routine. During the State Championship, the Central Bulldogs placed 8th overall in state competition. “I feel like cheerleading really improved my body and my mind, it made me be able to focus a lot better while making my health better as well,” Johanna Norris-Elliot, 12, said.
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Cheer requires both a strong body and a strong mind. The consistent exercise keeps athletes active and healthy, while also providing the athletes with the ability to have fun and energy to keep them going. By being a part of a team, these cheerleaders get motivation to do the best for them and their teammates. That leads to huge opportunities. This year there were a total of six seniors, all varying in different times on the cheer team. Some of these cheerleaders are even taking their talent on to the next level. This includes Kyonna Dickson and Jacob Coffman, who have received offers to cheer at colleges. “The biggest misconception of cheer is that it’s not a real sport and doesn’t take much effort. To me that is wrong in so many ways,” Sanders said. The general public has varying opinions of cheerleading as a whole. As heard from the cheerleading community, cheerleading is looked at in a different way from other school activities. Some don’t see it as a sport, while others say they could do it better. This debate has been going on for years. With its acrobatics and stunts, this takes strength, mobility, drive, and more. One thing’s for sure, all of Central’s cheerleaders are determined and strong leaders at not only cheerleading, but at school as well.
Girls Soccer SARAH GREENE / J1 REPORTER
Laramie Hill, 11, making a defensive play against a player from Carl Junction. Nautika Hannah, 11, making a play on the soccer ball.
The soccer season has just begun, and the Central High School girls soccer team has started off on a high. The team has a record of 5-2 so far, setting a record for Central girls soccer. “We’re 5-2, we set a record for Central having the most wins in the beginning of the season,” coach Nathan Cardoza said. “So they’re doing really well. We lost last night, and we shouldn’t have lost, but it happens. They improved quite a bit compared to last year.” The team has almost doubled in players recently, bringing in new top players and pushing them to new levels for Central. “Kate Casanova is a perfect example of that, she came in and she’s our leading goal scorer right off the bat,” coach Cardoza said. “She’s really been a part of, along with a few other girls, have really been a part of being our success this year.” All of the players get along well, and have collectively sworn to stay out of drama throughout the season. The team works well together, and plan on staying that way. “That was one of their goals, was to have no drama and work well together, and that’s something we try to push,” coach Cardoza said. “Everybody’s part of a team, we need to do it for each other. Actually, one of their goals at the beginning of the year was to have no drama this year, and they’re
actually doing really well with it.” While the team lost its most recent game, they are playing against teams like Glendale and Kickapoo, and hope to win. “Glendale went to quarter finals last year for class three, so it’ll be a tough game for us, but if we win it, it’ll say a lot about the girls and what they wanna accomplish this year,” Cardoza said. The soccer team has already broken records, and the coach and players are all working on keeping that consistent throughout the rest of the season. “It’s difficult for a team, because girls [soccer] season is quick and there’s a lot ofgames, so we have our ups and downs but that’s just part of growing through it and learning how to adapt a bit,” coach Cardoza said. “But we hope to stay consistent, but you always just prepare for those days that you’re just off.” With many more games coming up, the girls team has a very bright season ahead, and have already solidified this year in Central’s history. “We try to train as if we were playing in a game, but there’s days that we try to be a little bit more relaxed and have fun at practice,” Cardoza said. “But whenever we show up to games, we know it’s game time and our focus needs to be on winning the game.”
Central lady dogs kicking to the field from the goal.
Central lady dogs making a move on an airborne ball. All photos by Ainsley Daccache.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • SPORTS • 25
BOYS GOLF REESE WOOD / J1 REPORTER & JACK HERR / J1 REPORTER The boys golf team with Coach Collins.
The boys golf season is ramping up for competitions this summer. Central High School’s team has been training and playing at Horton Smith Golf Course, Payne Stewart Golf Course, and Rivercut Golf Course for two hours almost every weekday to prepare for the upcoming contests. Junior Aiden Gray is a member of the boys golf team. “I find golf to be very fun. This is my third year of Central golf,” said Gray. Golf is a social activity for Gray, as well as an athletic one. “The Central golf team is just a group of guys having fun. It’s a lot more fresh air, meeting new people, and having fun,” Gray said. John Collins has instructed the golf team for four years. “It can be a little frustrating so a lot of patience is required,” Collins said. “Golf is a lot different than contact sports, you have to be an instructor and keep your players in a positive mindset... Golf is the hardest sport to play and requires so much patience that some golfers give up before they can see their actual improvement. I love seeing a golfer improve.” Team golf is different from the golf that the average person may be familiar with. Teamwork is important. “Our current team is smaller and we all have a great time,” Gray said. “It’s important to pay attention.” The golf program at Central has changed
over the years. “We have a great program now. Four years ago we had four golfers, there wasn’t a lot of competition to see who qualifies for the tournaments, now our numbers have grown to fourteen last year and down a little to eleven this season,” Collins said. According to Gray, golf is a good time. “I’d tell someone to join and see what it’s like and that they have to give it a try,” Gray said. “It’s a fun sport that people overlook... All you need is some clubs and a ride... Fundamentals are, swing and brush the grass, Like most sports, golf requires you to practice to get the correct muscle memory.” According to Collins, there are other skills required to be a good golfer. “Eye/hand coordination, balance, depth perception, ability to walk 5 miles carrying a golf bag,” Collins said. “Footwork, swing plane, head movement, putting. Golf is played in the 6’’ space between your ears.” Gray acknowledges the commitment necessary to join boys golf. “The average day is a lot of walking and working on all types of the game,” Gray said. “We practice Monday-Friday for about two hours.” Golf isn’t necessarily an expensive sport, but it isn’t free either. “It depends on how much you want to commit to the sport,” Gray said. “We are competitive,” Coach Collins said. “We are the 3rd best team among
the SPS teams. We are in Class Five and play against the large golf programs. We have gone to Kansas City or Joplin for districts the past few years,” Gray said. “Our biggest challenge is shooting well, Golf wise, we aren’t the best compared to others.” Gray is ready to go into the golf season. “I feel good this season, looking to go to State,” Gray said.
Junior Weston Jones follows through on his swing.
Coach Collins demonstrates good technique.
The boys golf team practices together.
26 • SPORTS • SUMMER 2023 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
Junior Aiden Gray practices his swing. All photos by Hampton Richards & Elseya Ligon.
BOYS TENNIS The Central High School boys tennis program is now in competition season, and the team coached by Dr. Donita Cox strives to improve from last year’s performance. The season began on February 27 and was limited to practices, with matches starting on March 27 and continuing until May 3, which is the day of the Districts match. The team practices at Cooper Tennis Complex after school for most days of the school week for two hours, then practices shift into only one and a half hours once matches begin, and become less and less frequent. The team is divided into Junior Varsity and Varsity groups that practice
Senior Om Patel plays in a tennis match at Cooper Tennis Complex.
Senior John Park mentally prepares for his next tennis match. All photos by Isabel Gamble.
JACK WEGRZYN / J1 REPORTER
separately to prevent the best attributes from playing with those that are much less experienced and are new to the activity. Cox’s overarching goal for her team is to be on the State podium. She is working to improve last year’s performance of four players qualifying for the tournament with the best award being a sixth place, achieved by 2nd rank Raghav Bansal. Cox has a vast history with the sport of tennis, playing on courts as young as five years old and getting seriously competitive into her high school years. “I went to state in high school, was on a nationally ranked team in college, two All Americans were on my college team, and my doubles partner even went pro,” Cox said. “USTA didn’t really exist back then, so I played in multiple age groups in local town tournaments.” Cox has multiple experiences with coaching high school and college tennis in her career, but she sees overwhelming upsides with Central High and has stuck around since 2017. “There’s so much!” Cox said. “I like the welcoming and accepting atmosphere most. Everyone has a place here.” Brodeur and Kim are both involved in multiple extra-curricular school activities, so they have to place tennis on their priority lists to manage their time. “You have to be aware of the time you’ll have outside of school,” Brodeur said. “I make sure I’m not sitting around while in school and I’ve learned from mistakes I made in previous years.” Although practices and matches are crammed into school weeks, the athletes don’t consider it to be a difficulty in their schedules, and more so an extra social group. “We get to play doubles with multiple people and communicate with the team,” Kim said. “My relationships and social life are impacted through the support and strategies we talk about as a team.” The Central team is solid according to
Cox, and the results of one tournament back up this opinion. “Our last match was on Monday against Branson,” Brodeur said. “The team had a record of 8-1 (8 wins, 1 loss) and I won both my doubles and singles matches. Some tournaments throughout the course of the season are more high stakes and anticipated than others because they determine Central’s standings amongst other schools. “Districts is at the end of the season in May,” Kim said. “It is the most important because we go to Sectionals if we win, it is our only shot at the opportunity.” There are so many players in JV and as little as six of the top players on Varsity meaning that the team becomes split into the ultra competitive group and the group that is focused on the fun, meaning each focuses on different aspects at practice. “Everyone plays challenge matches first to determine rankings. JV works on skills and learns how to do drills, like the serve and how tiebreakers work, because there are some players that are touching a racket for the first time,” Cox said. “Varsity learns nothing new, I just work to make them successful and offer them competition.” Cox is aware of the traits of her team that need improvement to continue the legacy of Central boys tennis no matter how satisfied she is. “Focus is the overarching thing that can be improved,” Cox said. “When you play someone that is worse than you, it is hard to stay focused. They need to better recognize what they are doing wrong.” Cox believes there is a lot to like about coaching the team, especially because the passion her players have uplifts her drive to make them better. “I love how excited they get about competition, they just have a love and joy for what they do,” Cox said. “They remind me how fun tennis is, and they bring back the joy I lost from competitiveness and stress.”
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • SPORTS • 27
The New Kilties Corps TRAVIS DAVISON / REPORTER Kilties has been a strong part of Central since 1926, and they continue to thrive today. However, not much school wide attention has been given to the Kilties recently. The respect for them has diminished over the years. According to many members, the Corps is barely talked about. “A lot of the time when students discuss sports at Central they don’t even mention us even though we are one of the oldest traditions and groups here,” Bee Combest, 10, stated. She shares similar views to the rest of the Corps, regarding their attention from the student body. “We have so much history. Sometimes, I would go into the kiltie drum room and look through all the memorabilia. Trophies, yearbooks, old photos, some of the stuff in there is older than my grandmother. I think it’s really neat to learn about our history and see how far we’ve come,” Snare Drum Captain and Corps President Milo Paasch, 12, said. The Kilties Corps is older than any other all-female Drum and Bugle Corps in America. “We’re supposedly the heart and soul of Central but it seems like no one really
cares. We have to work with what we got. Yeah, our bagpipes may be a little squeaky or our kilts have holes in them or our drums may be out of tune but we can’t afford to get brand new instruments and kilts every year,” Assistant Majoret, Auxiliary Captain, and Historian, Maggie Geer, 12, said. The Kilties Corps also doesn’t receive funding from Springfield Public schools. This causes them to continue to use old, and sometimes damaged, equipment. Other sports are given district funding, while Kilties struggle with what they fundraise themselves. “None of our trophies are displayed in the halls and the only cases we have are in an awkward spot in the front office area and in the teachers lounge,” Greta Eiken, 10, said. “It would be really nice to have space in a hallway trophy case so we could show off some of our stuff!” Most other sports have trophies in more frequented parts of the building, adding more Kiltie awards to more visited areas of the building would increase awareness to the Corps. This ties in with what most members of the Corps are saying, they’re underappreciated.
“I wish people knew more about our events. We are constantly on the road going somewhere to perform but no one knows about it,” Geer said. The lack of public awareness of Kiltie events or performances is stunning, especially since Kilties has been part of Central for almost 98 years now. “More kilties talk in general would be amazing. We aren’t discussed much around school and our performances are rarely advertised. I wish our tryouts were announced in the mornings like cheer and dance team’s are and we got some recognition when we get first in parades like other sports are recognized for victories,” Eiken said. Recently, Kilties marched at the longest St. Patrick’s Day parade. Additionally,they were invited to participate in the Guinness World Record Shortest Parade in the World during 2023. Currently, Kilties are working on the Memories Assembly, which will take place April 28th. During this, the Captains will hand down the lace on their uniforms to the new captains of the 98th Corps.
Every year as a new Corps rises, new people are elected for leadership positions based on their performance. For the 98th Corps, the new Captains and Assistant Captains have been chosen. They are as follows: MAJORETTE MAJORETTE Callum Grayson Callum Grayson
AUXILIARY CAPTAIN Brenna Ceron
BAGPIPE CAPTAIN Ollie Francis
SNARE CAPTAIN Malea Johnson
ASSISTANT MAJORETTE Morning Beattie
AUXILIARY ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Alyviah Terry
BAGPIPE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Eden Olsen
SNARE ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Greta Eiken
PRESIDENT PRESIDENT Alyviah Terry Alyviah Terry
TRUMPET CAPTAIN Bee Combest
TENOR CAPTAIN Morning Beattie
JAM CAPTAIN Laken Menard
VICE PRESIDENT Meah Terry
TRUMPET ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Jasmine Peterson
TENOR ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Tyonna Wray
JAM ASSISTANT CAPTAIN Morgan Martens
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Central’s New Boys Volleyball Team EMMA LEWIS / J1 REPORTER After years of not having a team, Brooke Tadlock is spear-heading the start of Boys Volleyball at Central this spring. With the help of coach Suzi Bryant, coach Caitlyn Lamberth, coach Kristina Proctor, and Mr. Christopher Kensinger, Tadlock has developed the club sport, giving male students an opportunity to exercise their passion for volleyball. “Boys Volleyball is very big outside of the Midwest, and has been for a long time, but it is just making headway in our region currently.” Tadlock said. “Many colleges are beginning to add men’s volleyball to the NCAA sports offered at their schools as well. In my opinion, this is the number one up and coming sport that could potentially provide collegiate opportunity for boys in our area.” Although efforts to develop such a team have been made in the past, they have proved unsuccessful. Male students interested in volleyball would play recreationally for city leagues, without an organized, competitive boys volleyball team at school. Tadlock, head volleyball coach for girls at Central, has committed herself to developing such a program. “Central High School strives as a school to provide a vast array of opportunities for learning, growth, personal responsibility, confidence, and leadership, as stated in our school’s mission statement.” Tadlock said. “Participating in competitive sports is a fun and exciting way to develop those characteristics and gives our students the chance to represent our school in our community. By adding boys volleyball to the sports our school offers in the spring, we are giving more students an additional opportunity to develop their athleticism, speed, physical and mental strength, leadership skills and to have fun doing it.” The process of tryouts and practices began directly after spring break, with information being provided to students through both the morning announcements and posters around the school. “We did not have traditional try-outs,
as the coaches wanted everyone to be able to play if they wanted to.” Tymon ParkerReece, senior, said. “However, we were put into teams based on skill level, which was decided by the coaches over the course of a few practices.” After the grouping of the teams, practices were able to begin. Until May 11th, team members will continue to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, maintaining their skills and practicing against one another. “Practices are very fun. We start with a few drills that focus on receiving and hitting the ball. Then, we transition into six versus six volleyball, where we practice rotating as we would in a game,” Parker-Reece said. “As for teamwork, I think we get along well enough; everyone is there to learn and I think it creates a good environment.” Currently, volleyball is not a Missouri State High Schools Activities Association (MSHSAA) sport offered for boys in the Springfield Public Schools district. This means that these athletes do not play at traditional games, instead participating in club-sport tournaments. “We just started practices a couple weeks ago and, since we are not MSHSAA yet, we only practice twice a week right now.” Tadlock Said. “They are progressing well for the amount of time we are allotted and just played in their first League matches last night in Rogersville. It was a great opportunity for them to be challenged by different teams and work through the skills and movement we’ve been working on and discussing in practices. Overall, I think they are beginning to see how competitive we can be in this sport and the tremendous potential they have as a team.” Playing competitively comes with an understanding that, at times, the team will lose. Throughout the course of their practices, the players were tasked with learning to handle this experience. “Right now we are focused on the learning and growing process as beginners.” Tadlock said. “These boys know that losing is a part of growing, as long as you can identify
why it occurred and what we need to do differently to change the outcome next time and can focus on those skills or decisions in practices in order to find success next time. With a few matches now under their belts, they understand the importance of the work we are focusing on in practices and how each of their individual efforts will help their teams be successful in the future.” Although the team’s novelty necessitates a lack of experience working with one another, the group is slowly developing skills of collaboration. Along with learning to cope with defeat and gaining an understanding of teamwork, volleyball serves players in a variety of ways. “I would say the biggest benefit of joining the team would be getting into shape,” Parker-Reece said. “but I would also note that joining this team has given me the option to join my college’s volleyball team when I attend next year. It is important to stay well connected in school, and I am glad volleyball has given me this opportunity.” Tadlock’s commitment to expanding this sport allows both genders to reap these benefits, upholding the previously outlined Central High School mission statement; providing a vast array of opportunities for learning, growth, personal responsibility, confidence, and leadership. “I’m excited about the future of boys volleyball at Central High School and hope that it is picked up as a MSHSAA sport within the next year or two.” Tadlock said. “I believe that once boys see that, this sport is not just for girls, and how exciting it is, we will have a significant increase in both participants and spectators. My plan is to continue to develop this program to provide year-round opportunities for boys to further their knowledge of the game, develop their technical skills and provide opportunities to compete so they can keep growing their love for the game and hopefully, at some point in the future, pay it forward to the next generation.”
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Near the end of February, I was offered the opportunity by my African American History teacher, Mr. Champion, to visit the Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A title that explains the purpose of the museum better to those unfamiliar with it would be the ‘Tulsa Race Massacre Museum.’ I thought this would be a good chance to learn more about the history of racism in our country, so I accepted. The topics covered by the museum exhibits, which will also be discussed in this article, will be very uncomfortable for some people. Please proceed with caution. The tour begins with a video of an African American woman gracefully jumping and dancing across the beach, interspersed with shots of other African Americans smiling and working. A poem is being read in the background, about how despite how much turmoil and suffering they are put through, the African American community endures and smiles through it all. Once the video is finished, the next room makes it clear why this is the Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center, and not the ‘Tulsa Race Massacre Museum.’ Detailing the state of Tulsa’s African American community before the attack, it shows that they had a small, thriving society of their own. Businesses, schools, newspapers, a self-contained African American economy built in Tulsa’s Greenwood District by people who moved there from the South to seize opportunities they heard stories about. Tulsa was at one point a dream city for African Americans. They were among people who looked like them, understood what only they could understand, and helped each other when nobody else would. A truly thriving community was created in the city, and the museum makes sure to highlight that. It gives profiles of local figureheads, such as E.W. Woods, the principal of the all-Black Booker T. Washington High School, or A.C. Jackson,
Picture of the destruction of Tulsa.
an incredibly renowned Jim Crow era African American surgeon. It talks about establishments such as boutiques, theaters, and barber shops owned and maintained by African Americans. There is a room where you sit down and three hologram barbers cut your hair while bantering about the state of the town. The museum goes out of its way to show that the Greenwood District of Tulsa was a living, breathing, and thriving community, nicknamed “Black Wall Street.” The reinforcement of this idea only makes the inevitable destruction that looms in the back of your mind as you walk through the first few rooms all the more horrific. The next room is where the museum takes the dark turn that everyone knows it will when walking through the doors. Pictures of Ku Klux Klan members, the scarred backs of formerly enslaved people, Jim Crow legislation, and most horrifically of all, a mother and her son hanging from a bridge as a white mob looks down from above. Descriptions of the rampant racial violence and lynchings, the voter suppression and systemic oppression that defined this era of American history.
Quote on the side of the museum. All photos by Nathaniel Hunter.
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The Red Summer of 1919, where white vigilantes led attacks on African American communities that scorched the Earth after the return of the Ku Klux Klan. Then finally, a detailed description of the events of the Tulsa massacre, with dates, times, and pictures of news headlines describing the situation with a disturbing amount of detachment. The Tulsa Race Massacre began on May 31st, 1921, and ended the day after. A quick summary of events is that a black man, Dick Rowland, was accused of assaulting a white woman in an elevator. He was arrested, a white mob wanted to lynch him, a black mob tried to stop them, then the violence broke out. White attackers raided buildings, murdered innocent African Americans, and dropped bombs from the sky using planes while the authorities aided them by disarming any of the Black men who tried to defend themselves. This brief description does not nearly reflect the true cruelty and chaos of the attack, but the exhibits at the museum itself do it more justice than I ever could.
clear that the Greenwood District never returned to what it once was. It would be impossible to do so, after all the destruction and neglect that it suffered. Such a bright beacon for the African American community during one of their harshest times was completely disassembled and cannot truly be the same. What it did for the African American community will never be forgotten, serving as a bastion of success for a short, but wonderful time. The exhibit ends with the main message of this; history cannot be reversed, and many things have and will continue to be broken beyond repair. The least we can do, what we must do, is to embrace the existence of this history fully. If your family or community or state or country has a history of racism or any form of bigotry, the only moral thing to do is to remember that history and never let it fade. Missouri is no stranger to unsavory history regarding racism, as a former slave state. As citizens of Missouri, of Springfield, and as members of the Central High School community, it is our greatest responsibility to remember this fact. Everyone knows the saying, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” I have complete faith that we will remember and not repeat this history, but museums like the Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center are there to remind us of our duty if we ever begin to lose our way. I highly recommend visiting it if the subjects it covers are not too distressing for you.
TRIP TO TUL SA
The room after is not a normal exhibit. We all sat down on benches across the walls and listened to audio recordings of victims of the massacre describing what happened. They were recalling memories from when they were four, five, or six, memories of absolute bloodshed and destruction that no child should ever have to experience. It was difficult to sit through, and everyone was deathly silent. It was the most impactful moment of the trip, for me, because it was much more personal than any pictures or blurbs can be. The uncomfortable and disturbing feelings it inspires are more than necessary to fully understand how horrific this attack was, and following it up with a room showing the sickening reactions of the Tulsa government makes it hit even harder. Innocent African Americans were abandoned, the authorities stole what little they had, did nothing to bring their attackers to justice, and the mayor of Tulsa even made a public statement saying that it was the fault of the African American community that they were attacked. It is revolting and loathsome as can be, knowing that the children you just heard describe their trauma received no aid in their time of need. Nearing the end of the trip, the rest of the museum shows positive and negative developments for the African American community that occurred after the massacre. The Civil Rights Movement, the continued influence of the Ku Klux Klan, and so on and so forth, but it still makes
NATHANIEL HUNTER / REPORTER
A haircut from a hologram.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • OPINION • 31
SENIOR GOODBYES ANIA KOVACS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Seniors say goodbye to the Journalism program and Central High as they move on to their post-secondary school futures.
NATALIE REECE / DIRECTOR OF ART & DESIGN Coming into high school, I never imagined I would work on the magazine, but I am just so so grateful that I did. I learned so much about design and I get so proud everytime we release a new issue. I met so many amazing people and having Journalism 1st block was great for someone who… isn’t always on time. I’ll really miss everyone, but it was a great time.
MILES COMO / REPORTER I enjoyed this year of Journalism as both a hobby and a class. I have always had a flair for writing for fun and talking about movies so much that I even had a YouTube channel dedicated to movie reviews for a long time, so being able to carry that passion into both The Central High Times and the Bulldog Daily Feed has been the best part of my senior year. I’ve made awesome memories with everyone in the magazine staff and always had fun being able to cover sports and news on Springfield and political issues affecting our school.
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LILITH CREEMER / SENIOR REPORTER Seven years. That is how long I have been here. Three of them have been in J2, one was in J1. It feels somewhat impossible to me that this stage of my life is about to end. This school has been wonderful and I am absolutely confident that my graduation will be tearful. I’m so glad that I came to this school and I am especially glad that I ended up taking Journalism. This class has been amazing, mentally debilitating, and incredibly satisfying. All in all, I only wished I joined it sooner.
ANIA KOVACS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF I’ve been on the Central High Times staff for 3 years and it has made me feel so connected to the student body. It’s great to have an outlet to write about the things I am passionate about and share that with the school. I love what we do and I’m so grateful for my time on staff!
ELAINE KLEPPER / YEARBOOK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF No matter how I write this, it’s going to be kind of cheesy. Although my high school career was nothing like I thought it would be (of course, my main references were movies) it was definitely unique. In part because of COVID-19, and in part because of the people. I can say I’m leaving with more good memories than bad, and at times I think I will miss it. However, I am excited for the future ahead of me, and can’t wait to experience college. I thank everyone who impacted my high school career in a positive way. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • OPINION • 33
DARBY PLUTE / FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER I have enjoyed every minute that I have been able to spend in the Journalism room and all of the friendships that I have been able to make! I am so proud to be a part of the yearbook staff and I have loved all of the memories I have created! I have missed spending my mornings in the yearbook room this year, but I have enjoyed every other moment that I have been able to spend with the staff. Everyone is so amazing and I am so happy I was able to be a part of yearbook this year!
ANNIE GERMAN / YEARBOOK COPY EDITOR Now that my time here is coming to an end, I’ve found that saying goodbye to Central and everyone in it is a lot harder than I thought it would be. It’s hard to leave a place where I have spent four important years of my life, but I’m ready to move on. High school has been the time to grow as a person and learn more about the world, but it hasn’t always been easy. Although it hasn’t always been fun, I will forever be grateful for the time I spent here at Central and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
ISABEL GAMBLE / YEARBOOK COPY EDITOR I’ve been trying to figure out what to write and I’ve realized there’s no way to say it without sounding cliché. So be it. Were these the best four years of my life? No, not really. But they were good. Most of the time. I’m thankful I got at least one full year of high school. I understand that Central is unique, just as well as I realize that it’s not without its problems. I’m happy to say that we’ve made the best of it, and I will always look back and be grateful for the time I’ve been here.
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TRAVIS DAVISON / REPORTER Senior year was nothing I expected. Getting settled into the reality of becoming an adult is honestly something to get used to. Over the years, I’ve learned about myself, along with getting a feel for my true friends. As we enter this world of uncertainty, remember to trust yourself and create and spread love, peace, and kindness.
THANK YOU, CENTRAL! CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • SUMMER 2023 • OPINION • 35
Rama Thai MORGAN MARTENS / REPORTER
Rama Thai is a small Thai restaurant located in downtown Springfield and near Missouri State. Their head chef is from Thailand, and has brought back recipes to use at the restaurant. The restaurant is located in a romantic style Victorian house. It has parking in the back/side of the building. The dining style is cozy and comfortable, but is also somewhat fancy, featuring cloths on the tables and rolled silverware, so it feels like a place that can be any level of formality. If you plan to eat here on a weekend night, you may be waiting a while as they don’t have much seating for guests. I want to start with the service. Although they were mildly busy throughout my time in the restaurant, they made sure to come by every five to ten minutes to check on me. When my water glass was empty someone came by immediately and filled it for me. I had two people who helped me through the visit and even recommended certain dishes they thought I would like. They always came to the table with a smile on their faces with a welcoming and friendly demeanor that I felt I could trust. The food came out very quickly and was steaming hot, so you could tell it was fresh. To start my meal, I got the crab rangoon appetizer. It came with a sweet and sour sauce that was tasteful with a little bit of kick from the vinegar it had in it. Although the crab rangoons were small it came with a lot-enough to share with multiple people. The outside was crispy and warm and the inside was thick and creamy with a softer part of the shell. It lacked flavor and didn’t have any
substance to the food, and bland with little taste, but not greasy like many other crab rangoons I’ve had. I would recommend this to people who like crab rangoons because it’s a good spin on the appetizer. Overall I would rate it as a 6.5/10.
My main dish was sweet and sour with chicken at medium heat. It had vegetables, chicken with sauce, and a side of rice. I started by trying the chicken with a green pepper. I then ate the rest of the chicken and vegetables. I had just the sauce and rice so I put the rice in the dish with the sauce. The chicken was flavorful with good seasoning. The vegetables still had a crunch to them. The sauce had a good flavor and tasted a little different from the other sauce. I would say if you like sweet and sour chicken expect it to be a little different from other places, but it’s still a good option to choose. I rate the dish a 8.5/10.
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For dessert I had fried ice cream with a chocolate syrup drizzled on top. It had a soft, nicely fried outer shell that had a crispy and flakey texture. The inside was a cold vanilla bean ice cream which was smooth and soft in texture. The chocolate drizzle was a great add on to the dish. It tasted amazing to me and it wasn’t too heavy to eat after a full meal. All the components together make a fantastic pairing that leaves an amazing flavor, although theone thing with it is you have to be careful when you eat it or else it will break or fall off your spoon. This is the one item I would recommend to everyone who goes here. Overall I rate this dessert a 10/10.
As the night passes and the stars start to fall
er return We mourn their loss and feel as though they’ll nev
But as the sun rises, a new day starts and the horizon becomes clear
And one day, we will see the stars again.
It has been an honor to serve as your comic artist, may you see the horizon ahead. Signing off, NATALIE REECE / DIRECTOR OF ART & DEISGN